Walton in 1860 (Part three)

Continuing with Thomas Wilmhurst’s “Descriptive Account of Walton-on-the-Naze” published in 1860. Here are pages 16 and 17 on which I will elaborate once you’ve perused them..

This is the “neat little Church” referred to on page 16. It was known as Daniel Brown’s Church. He gave the land on which this red brick church was built, after the loss of the town’s original church to the sea. This photo was dated 1863 shortly after Wilmhurst was writing.

The “cheerful, garrulous old lady” who was quoted as the last to be married in the chancel of the old church, had a wonderful memory and suggested that smugglers would hide their contraband in the gutters behind the parapets of the old church, These can be seen in this engraving of the church (below) before it disappeared into the sea.

There are records of marriages being conducted in the porch of the church doorway, being the only safe place to do so when the main building was teetering on the cliff edge.

Daniel Brown’s church was enlarged in 1832 and 1835 and later, as can be seen in the photo below, became the site for today’s church when the chancel was first added to be followed later by the new nave and tower.

It would be very interesting to know the whereabouts of the farmhouse of Mr. John Barton and if the tablets containing the commandments, mentioned in the footnote, are still in existence. I can find no reference to Barton. Hopefully someone will tell me.

I have heard reference to The Duke’s Head public house but cannot add anything of note as it must have gone to its watery grave before the old church did. The mention of a ship wreck c1789 opposite East Terrace, could perhaps have been the “Lubecke” which according to Peter Boyden’s “History of Walton” was the only known wreck before 1800. However, this is only conjecture on my part.

Walton Hall which is supposedly on the highest point in Walton was the prison for smugglers and is shown here in its early state, with the Naze Tower in the background.

This is an early photo of Newgate Lane (now Newgate Street) where the gibbet was situated at the sea-end.
In Miss Modlen’s “A Short History of Walton-on-the-Naze” she quotes my old boss, Frank Putman, knowing an old lady whose mother had witnessed a hanging there. I remember that there used to be an advertising hoarding at this site

Pages 18 and 19 of Wilmhrst’s account do not require any additional comments from me. So I will simply add them here and take the rest of the day off.

* This is the advertisement referred to above

Since publishing the above I have received the following message from Sue Brown

I have found John Barton, retired farmer in 1871 census, living in Colchester Road, Walton le Soken.
In 1861 living in West Street, (farmer).next door to his mother Elizabeth Barton.
1851 census also living in West Street, with his mother Elizabeth Barton, listed as farmer.
The 51 and 61 census mention acreage, they are quite difficult to read..I think the 1851 is 52 acres. Maybe West Street is where the tablets from the church are.

The reference to West Street can be confusing to some. It is not the street behind the church as named today. Back then West Street was the stretch of road between Mill Lane and the church – now incorporated into the High Street.
Can anyone tell me where Colchester Road in Walton was?
I also found this advertisement at the end of Wilmhurst’s Descriptive Account for Mrs A Barton, Fancy Bread and Biscuit Baker of West Street. There must be a connection.