In
the late eighteenth century Broxburn was described as
a pleasant, charming and romantic small village situated
fifteen miles from London, beautifully situated on a rising
ground with meadows running down to the River Lea. It
was also watered by the New River, which passes near the
church to London.
The
church appears to have been in the possession of the bishops
of London since the reign of Richard I until the dissolution
of the monasteries, when Henry VIII sold the village,
and all which belonged to it, to John Cock for 1.339 pounds.
It passed through several hands until by the late eighteenth
century ownership of the manor and village resided in
Jacob Bosanquet, one of the directors of the East India
Company.
Bosanquet's
house, called Broxbournbury, was described as a 'noble
structure' which sat in the middle of the park. At a small
distance form it were offices, erected on a quadrangle,
on the same plan with the royal Mews at Charing Cross.
They were placed behind a large plantation of trees which
concealed them from public view.
