Berden, Essex

Description
Berden, Berdon, or Beardon, a village and a parish in Essex. The nearest stations are Newport and Stanstead, each 6 miles distant. The parish has a post office under Bishop-Stortford; money order office, Clavering; telegraph office, Quendon. Acreage, 1800; population, 336. A small Augustinian priory was founded here in the reign of Henry III., was given at the dissolution to Henry Parker, and passed to the hospitals of Christ Church, Bridewell, and St Thomas. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of St Albans; gross yearly value, £180 with residence, including an allowance of £30 from Queen Anne's Bounty. Patron, Christ's Hospital. The church is an ancient building of flint in the Decorated style. The Rev. Joseph Medo, author of the "Clavis Apocalyptica," was a native.