BIRDBROOK is a parish and pleasant village on the south bank of the Stour and near the Colne, having a station 1 mile north of the village on the Colne Valley railway, 10 1/2 miles noth-west from Halstead, 4 south-east from Haverhill, and 59 by rail from London, in the Northern division of the county, Hinckford hundred, North Hinckford petty sessional division, Risbridge union, Haverhill county court district and in the rural deanery of Yeldham, archdeaconry of Colchester and diocese of St. Albans.  The church, lately assigned to St. Augustine, is an ancient building, consisting of chancel, nave, south porch and a western tower of wood, with spire,and containing 3 bells : the chancel is in the Early English style : in the tower are inscriptions to Martha Blewitt, of Baythorn End, in this parish, buried 7th May, 1681, and the wife of nine husbands, of whom the last survived her ; and to Robert Hogan, of this parish, the husband of seven wives, the last of whom he married 1st January,1739 : the church was restored in 1881-9 at a cost of £2,000, under the direction of Mr. Frederic Chancellor : there are 200 sittings.  The register dates from the year 1633, and there is a complete list of rectors from 1364.  The living is a rectory, net yearly value £400, with 50 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of Clare College, Cambridge, and held since 1876 by the Rev. John Sedgwick D.D. late fellow and vice-president of Magdalen College, Oxford.  Near the church are some barrows : on the east side of Hunnock's Lane Roman remains have been discovered, and at Watsoe is a camp.  The Church Sunday school has residence attached, and is under the superintendence of the rector.  Baythorn Park, the seat of King Viall esq. is approached by a fine avenue of trees over half a mile in length ; attached are grounds of 40 acres.  The trustees of the late Daniel Gurteen esq. of Haverhill, are lords of the manor ; Lord Loch P.C., G.C.B., G.C.M.G. of Stoke College, Stoke-by-Clare, Suffolk, King Viall esq. who is lord of the manor of Baythorn End, and the Hon. Mrs. St. John Ives, of Moyns Park, Steeple Bumpstead, are the principal landowners.  The soil is mixed ; subsoil, clay and gravel..  The cheif crops are wheat, barley and beans. The area is 2,067 acres, including the hamlet of baythorn End, which is about 2 miles north-east from the church and 1 2/2 south from Stoke station, in Suffolk, on the Great Eastern railway ; rateable value, £2,005 10s : the population in1891 was 531.

By Local Government Board Order 16,608, dated march 25, 1885, Herkstead Hall, Herkstead Green and Messents were transferredfrom this parish to Steeple Bumpstead. 

Sexton, Daniel Brown

Post & Parcel Office - Daniel Brown, sub-postmaster.  Letters from halstead, per mail cart, at 7.30 a.m. & 1 p.m. (callers only) & from Haverhill (Suffolk) at 6 p.m. (callers only); dispatched at 6.45 a.m. & 5 p.m.  Postal orders are issued here, but not paid.  The nearest money order office is at Steeple Bumpstead.  The telegraph office is at Birdbrook railway station, 2 miles distant.

Post & Parcel Office, Baythorn End - William Turner, receiver.  Letters arrive from Halstead, per mail cart, at 7.10 a.m. & at 5.40 p.m. to callers only; dispatched at 6.30 a.m. & 5.35 p.m.  Letters arrive from Haverhill at 5.40 p.m. (delvered to callers only); dispatched at 6.30 p.m.  Postal orders are issued here but not paid.  The nearest money order office is at Haverhill & telegraph office at Birdbrook railway station, 1 mile distatn.

Wall Letter Box, New England, cleared 6.40 a.m. & 5.25 p.m.; sun. 5.25 p.m.

A School Borad of 5 members was formed 8 Jan. 1872; Sidney H. Grant, of Haverhill, clerk to the board.  School (mixed), erected, with mistress's house, in 1873, for 70 children; average attendance, 69; Miss Jane Kirkham, mistress.

Railway Station, Frederick Coppin, station master.

Carriers:  Haverhill - Samuel Hardy, from Stambourne, mon. wed. & sat.            Steeple Bumpstead - Charles Ralling, daily