The Five Manors of Kirby-le-Soken

Kirby-le-Soken was originally the most important of the three sokens (the other two being Walton and Thorpe) and the largest parish in the area. This fact is demonstrated by the 1801 population figures:

The village rose to prominence because of agriculture, the land is fertile and sheltered and perfect for going cereal crops. Kirby also had a quay where Thames Barges could load locally produced hay and grain and return full of horse manure from the capital.

What we see as the village today is the development of the "core" of the village along the old lower road, the village often being referred to locally as Lower Kirby, it remains distinct and separate from the other towns and villages in the area. Kirby Cross, on the other hand, is a development of the old upper road and is joined by continuous housing to it's larger neighbours, Frinton and Walton.

The old village consisted of five manors with lands reaching into what is now Walton-on-the-Naze and Frinton-on-Sea and we can, with reasonable certainty, locate all the original five manors of old. It must be said, however, that despite research the placement of two of them remains controversial.

	Kirby Hall is situated next to the church, it's lands closest to the centre of the village. It was, for many years, the seat of the Honywood family and it's lands were farmed by tenant farmers.
	Sneating (or Sneddon) Hall is situated in open countryside to the west of the village.
	Birch Hall is also referred to as Birch Ho, Birichou or Bircho Manor as is situated to the north west of the village in open countryside.
	Grove House was situated to the east of the villiage in what is now Walton-on-the-Naze, it's location marked by the present day Grove Avenue.
	Mereland was situated to the south east of the village probably around what is now the Castle Estate area. Prior to the building of the present housing the area was known as Meers Farm and earlier still Meerland. It is possible that these names come from the name of the original manor.

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