Title:
'A survey of the manor of Mistley ...'
Level: Category
Estate and Family records
Level: Fonds
RIGBY FAMILY OF MISTLEY
Level: Sub-Fonds
ESTATE
Scope and Content:
Full title: 'A survey of the manor of Mistley and part of the manors of Bradfield, Thorp, Kirby, Walton, & Dale Hall in the county of Essex, and Old Hall, Over Hall, Nether Hall, & Brantum Hall in the county of Suffolk. The estate of the Right Honble Richard Rigby. By Bernd Scalé, 1778'.

Scale between 16 and 7.2 inches to 1 mile (Plan of Mistley Thorn, 40 inches to 1 mile; initial key-plan 1.3 inches to 1 mile)

6,723 acres, being the whole of Mistley, southern parts of Bradfield and Thorpe-le-Soken, eastern part of Walton-le-Soken, with small areas in Lawford, Bentley, Wix and Tendring; also about 209 acres in Suffolk.
Contents: Mistley Thorn (16 acres), Mistley Hall and Park (941 acres), Dickley Hall (246 acres), New Hall (368 acres), Abbots Hall (256 acres), Marjerys Hall (117 acres), and five farms (750 acres); Nether Hall (277 acres), Bradfield Lodge (232 acres), Bradfield Hall (367 acres), and other lands, with or without farms, totalling about 920 acres, in Bradfield, Wix and Tendring; two farms (166 acres) in Lawford and Mistley; Thorpe Park (434 acres) and scattered lands (203 acres) in Thorpe; Walton Hall (455 acres), Walton Saltings (744 acres), and other lands (44 acres), in Walton.

31 maps, including perhaps the most exquisite examples of the cartographical skill evident in the 18th century maps in the Essex Record Office.
On the page opposite each map is a table giving names of tenants, some field-names, and state of cultivation which is also distinguished by colour on the maps.
Shows names of adjacent properties or owners; saltings and marshes; Mistley Quay, with shipyard, timber-yard, dock, stores, limekiln with chalk house, cage, new church, etc.; parish-marks; roadside (?) cross near Marjerys Farm, Mistley; milestones; pound at Bradfield; drawing of circular castellated 'Trinity Tower', and tide-mill at Walton. The map of Mistley Park includes a small view of the River Stour with Mistley Thorn in the background.

Each map is finely drawn and delicately coloured and has a polar indicator surrounded by or incorporated with instruments of agriculture, sheep farming, forestry, surveying, draughtsmanship, brewing, or emblems of sport, trade, religion, music, war, architecture, art, and drama. Finely drawn details include notably the sunken fences, dog-kennel, and lay-out of gardens in Mistley Park; haystacks drawn in perspective view. The title of each map, and its reference table, is on a cartouche drawn to represent a piece of torn paper; these, like all the other decorative features, and the high ground, are executed in grey wash. The use of tempera to emphasise the wood-lands and hedges is noteworthy. The title-page has, in addition to the conventional representation of the arts and science, emblems of justice, learning and plenty, while to one side stands an armed female figure. Suspended from a tree is an incorrect drawing of the arms of Rigby, Bendy of Six indented (argent and azure); on a chief (sable), three cinquefois (or), surmounted by a crest, A goat's head (sable, bezantee), attire and beard (or).
Dates of Creation:
1778
Extent:
1 volume
Creator Name:
Bernard Scalé
Physical Characteristics:
Each map 12 x 16 inches.
Existence of Copies:
For colour prints and slides see T/M 553/1, 2.
Not Available:
Use digital image(s).

Key terms

TypeKey termsDescription
Personal Names Peter Bernard
Scalé
Survey of Mistley estate, 1778