Wickham Bishops
* Hampstall (of wasted holding) and 20 acres of arable - Goodwynsey's
Hampstall = Hamstallum = Homestead
In the Essex Review, Vol. XX No.79 July 1911, pages 143-4, the Rev. Andrew Clark wrote a brief account of three properties in Wickham Bishops (based on information gathered by the Rev. Thomas George Dixon), showing how names of properties became corrupted over the course of time.
"In 1848, for the construction of the railway from Witham to Maldon, the projectors of the railway bought parcels of 'Upper and Lower Goldfinches.' This does not look like a name derived from a person. But its history can be traced backwards. In 1721, it was 'Goldwinches.' Somewhat earlier, 'Goldwynsey's.' In the last resort, 'Goodwynsey's.' 'Godwynseys.' In 1400, the manorial court reported that Ford's, an ancient holding, whose original owners had taken their name ('atte-Forde') from its location by the ford near the mill, had lapsed to the manor. In that year it was taken over on a fresh grant by John Godewynsey, and from him derived its later name, which continued attached to a couple of fields long after the holding had lost its identity in the Wickham Place estate."
Schedule of Properties held by the Alexanders