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With regards Forge Cottage (or any current property in Stebbing (or Uttlesford district come to that)) the best thing to do is to search for Uttlesford Interactive Map on Google which will take you to the Uttlesford planning page. From there click on the link to the interactive map. Its not the easiest to use but select a map first from the left-hand side. Then do a search on the right by putting in Forge Cottage - select the one you want (i.e. the Duck End, Stebbing one) and you will get a very detailed map of the area including identifying Forge Cottage.

Sandra - just to reiterate that the Playles were at Bran End - both the water mill there and the windmill. The water mill referred to by the others is in the centre of the main village, down the end of Mill Lane. They may of course of had some involvement with that mill but I am not aware of it. The pub at Bran End was called the Green Man (it closed in 1968), however, the Whitehead family did own and run another pub, the White Hart, from before 1756 until 1822. The White Hart is the only pub still open in the parish and is in the centre of the main village (on the corner with Mill Lane in fact).

With regards the Stebbing Local History Society I'm sorry to hear of your experience. I do in fact remember you. I doubt whether we would have had much (if any) information on the Playles at the time. Time constraints doesnt generally allow us to undertake private research for others but I am always willing to share information that I have available (in fact as I am trying to do on this thread). All members should have had the journal though which is puzzling. We publish a newsletter (now a journal) twice a year and occasional individual papers which go to all members. If you (or the others on this thread) send me a message away from this thread with your e-mail address then I can send you a few by e-mail.

First things first - with regards the Playles I forgot to say that as well as Bran End water mill they were involved in a windmill at Bran End as when John Playle inherited his father's property in 1757 it included a parcel of land called Stones on which a windmill had formerly stood and had recently been pulled down. I cant be absolutely sure but the likely site is at the Bran End crossroads near the old cottage currently called Stones Cottage.

As for you last enquiry Glenpenny I dont think I can currently help about which John Bambridge owned Barracks - I will keep an eye out though. The information about the 1811 sale I think comes from an advert in the Chelmsford Chronicle (21st September 1811) and other sources which I currently lay my hands on. It is of course very possible that your Daniel Bambridge was working at Town Mill or even at another mill at the date you say although I cant confirm that - he certainly wasnt the owner of Town Mill though as it was owned by the Earl of Essex until 1901. I've had a look in the 1839 Tithe award for Stebbing at it records a Daniel Bambridge in Duck End - he was both owner and occupier but originally it would seem that the owner was a Thomas Bambridge - does that make any sense - could Thomas by Daniel's father for instance? In the 1841 census there are two Daniel Bambridge's, one in Mill Lane as you suggest who was a Shoemaker (aged about 30) and another at Duck End who was a Grocer (aged about 55).