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Quaker Burial Ground at Steeple The
establishment of the Quaker movement at Witham in
the 1600's led to an expansion in the movement
throughout Mid and Eastern Essex. The Quaker meeting decided that there was
a need for a Quaker burial ground and so land
was rented at Batts Road, Steeple where a plot
of land called Lords Croft was rented and a
burial ground created. The first burial took place in 1685 and
from then it was taken into use by the Quakers
from Witham and Maldon. The centre of the movement in the area
remained at Witham and Maldon and so as time
passed the burial ground was found to be remote
from the main centres and a new burial ground
was built at Witham. By 1773 the burial ground was no longer in
use and was eventually abandoned by the Quakers. Today there is little to be seen of the
Burial Ground. The records of burials were maintained
with the church records if Steeple Parish Church
and can be accessed at Essex Records Office. Records still survive of the deeds and
rental of the burial ground which provide some
names of local Quakers. July 1693 John Woodward of Mundon Thomas Retford of Stow Maries Daniel Hardy of Stow Maries Thomas Paulsgrove of Purleigh Joseph Wright of Mundon Thomas Woodward of Steeple Grange James Tallen of Purleigh Mention is made of adjoining land that was
owned by John Woodward and John Blackwell. 1727 Thomas Retford of Woodham Mortimer James Tallen of Heybridge William Wright of Mundon Thomas Rutlidge of Maldon. Micah Corder of Steeple Alexander Flack of Mundon Thomas Briden of Maldon(draper) James Tallen (The younger) of Heybridge John Woodward of Witham Joseph Wright of Mundon August 1727 Micah Corder of Feering Alexander Flack of Mundon Thomas Brinden of Maldon (draper) James Tallen of Mundon James Balckwell of Southminster ( butcher) September 1760 Micah Corder of Feering Thomas watts of Witham George Gibson of Maldon (draper) November 1784 George Gibson formerly of Maldon but
now of Saffron Walden (draper)
October 1809 Thomas Dowcra of Purleigh ( farmer) Joseph Dowcra of Purleigh ( farmer) Benjamin Puplett of Purleigh (
farmer) Thomas Harvey of Maldon ( baker) The rent of 1727 and 1760 also related to
a building at North Lane, Southminster
with a yard This website has a list of
Quaker deaths from
1844 to 1886 This website has a page on the
history of Quakers in
this area
www.essex-family-history.co.uk
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