The small and beautiful Essex village of Stisted has had connections with
my family of Joslin's over many years,
the Parish records of
All Saints
Church Stisted Essex
are held at Essex Record Office and cover a period from 1538.
I do have a
copy of the Parish Records on Microfiche.
Stisted Parish Church now have their own Website at
www.stisted.info.
The photos below were taken on my last visit to Stisted October
2002 when we were in Essex
attending the Josselin Society AGM at Sawbridgeworth.
Margaret and I had an early Sunday morning stroll around the village of Stisted,
very peaceful and uplifting.
After searching all the monumental inscriptions in the
grave yard, the Church was opened for the morning service
and we could have a
quick look inside.
We were indebted to
Mr Parks for an insight into the history of the Church and Village,
We then found a
lovely 'Tea Room' open on
a Sunday morning and situated next to the Church,
marvellous pastries and a
welcomed Coffee plus very friendly proprietors
Sean and Carole, we will be calling
again when we are in the area again.
Stisted Church Festival
– The Thurkil Festival, 2003
By Hook or by Crook
During our Festival we will be
celebrating two 800th anniversaries – that of Thurkil of Stisted’s
visions,
and of the commencement of the re-construction of the church in stone.
Apart from reminding parishioners and their friends of the ancient foundation of
this lovely and peaceful village,
and of their heritage, on the one hand, we
hope to raise money to pay for an entirely new heating system within the church
building.
To do so “by hook or by crook” is entirely appropriate, since the
phrase does not imply “by methods shady or otherwise”
but harks back to
the times when the inhabitants of Stisted enjoyed common law rights to collect
as much dead wood
from the many areas of common land then within the parish as
was needed as fuel for their hearths (and for the fire in the church).
Those
rights included that of pulling down dead wood from trees (all of which
nevertheless belonged to the Lord of the Manor)
provided no damage was caused to
the trees; it being permissible to reach up into the trees as far as one could
with one’s hook
(the bill-hook or sickle of the field-worker) or using the crook
of the shepherd.
Assistance by ladder was not lawful – although presumably to
make friends with a very tall shepherd might be within the rules.
So for
present-day parishioners to work towards raising money by hook or by crook seems
entirely appropriate
– and that is our aim.
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