HARROLD
Harewelle (xi cent.); Harewode (xiii cent.);
Harewold (xiii–xvi cent.).
Harrold is situated on the eastern borders of
Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire. The area
is 3,241 acres, of which 1,382½ are arable land and
1,396¾ permanent grass. (fn. 1) The slope of the ground
is from west to south-east; the highest point attained
above ordnance datum is 351 ft., the lowest 138 ft.
The soil is clay, the subsoil clay, gravel, and rock; the
principal crop is wheat.
The main road forms the eastern boundary of the
parish, entering from Bozeat parish and passing on to
Chellington. A branch of this road passes south-east
through the town and then in a westerly direction to
Lavendon. The parish is watered by the River
Ouse, which forms its south-eastern boundary, and
which has long been spanned at this point by a bridge
connecting Harrold and Chellington. Mention of
Harrold Bridge is found as early as 1278. (fn. 2) Here,
as elsewhere in the neighbourhood of the Ouse, the
ground is liable to floods. A mill, driven by both
steam and water, stands on the banks of the river.
The town is situated on the north bank of the
Ouse; it is compact in form and lighted by oil
lamps. The church of St. Peter faces the river,
and adjacent to it is Harrold Hall, approached from
the east by an avenue of lime trees. (fn. 3) It is at present
owned and occupied by Mr. A. Cecil Beck, M.P.
West of Harrold Hall, and also on the banks of the
Ouse, near a corn mill, is the site of the priory.
The only part of the conventual buildings which
remained at the time that Lysons wrote was the
refectory, then used as a barn, and known as the Hall
Barn. (fn. 4) This was pulled down in 1840. (fn. 5) There is
a Congregational chapel, built in 1808 and enlarged
in 1863. (See under 'Charities.') Harrold appears
to have been at one time a market town. The
market was held on a Thursday, and according to
Marsh was obtained by charter about the beginning
of the 17th century. (fn. 6) In Lysons' time it was so inconsiderable that he states that it had hitherto been
overlooked by writers enumerating the market towns
of this county, and that it was only attended by one
or two butchers who opened shambles on that day. (fn. 7)
On the triangular green in the centre of the village
facing the school there is a small (late 17th or 18th-century) octagonal market-house, the tile roof of
which surmounts a wooden classic entablature carried
by eight Doric wooden posts on stone bases. The
roof is crowned by a small wooden cupola. The
lock-up which stands a little south of the marketplace is a small circular stone building with a stone
conical roof. Neither of these erections is now used
as originally intended, lamps being kept in the
lock-up. Harrold also held three fairs yearly, on the
Tuesdays before 13 May, 6 July and 11 October. (fn. 8)
The small industries of lace-making and leather
dressing are carried on here at the present day.
A Cromwellian document dated 1654, purporting
to be information supplied by Thomas Burt and
Hugh Covington of Harrold, throws an interesting
side-light on parliamentary elections of the time.
The deponents relate that as they were going to
Bedford the morning before the election of a knight
of the shire they were overtaken by Mr. Dell, minister
of Yielden, who asked them for whom they intended
to vote. They replied for Sir William Boteler, whereupon he spoke very reproachfully of him and bade
them take care what they did, for the Protector did
not wish Boteler to be chosen, and had sent down an
order about it. Also that if they chose such men
their tithes, taxes and other grievous burdens would
be continued, but if they chose Colonel Okey and
others whom he named, they were good men and
against the paying of tithes and taxes. (fn. 9) The returns
for this Parliament have unfortunately not been preserved for Bedford County, but Colonel Okey sat for
the county in 1658. (fn. 10)
The parish of Harrold, as the earlier variants of its
name would seem to imply, has always been well
wooded. At Domesday the manor contained woodland for 200 swine, (fn. 11) whilst at the present day there
are 282 acres of woods and plantations. (fn. 12) The
principal wood is Dungee Wood in the extreme
north of the parish. This was attached to the
property in Harrold formerly held by the Pabenhams,
who in 1278–9 held 20 acres of inclosed wood
here. (fn. 13) In 1312 John Pabenham received a licence
to inclose and impark his woods in Harrold, (fn. 14) and in
1399 Lawrence Pabenham had 200 acres of wood in
this parish. (fn. 15) Robert Tyringham (a descendant of
the Pabenhams) held Dungee Wood (so called for
the first time) of Henry de Grey in 1531. (fn. 16) It is
now the property of Lord Lucas. Park Wood, a
large wood to the south of Dungee, was attached to
Harrold Manor, belonging to the Greys, who had
an ancient park of 240 acres here in 1278–9. (fn. 17) The
wood and underwood in this park were valued at
£12 10s. 8d. in 1512. (fn. 18) Nunwood in the southwest of the parish originally belonged to the nuns
of Harrold Priory, who owned a wood of 20 acres
in 1278–9. (fn. 19) At the dissolution of the priory it had
increased to 50 acres, and was valued at 33s. 4d. (fn. 20)
Ancient earthworks have been found in this parish
consisting of ramparts inclosed within a moat. (fn. 21)
Harrold was inclosed by Act of Parliament in 1797. (fn. 22)
The following place-names have been found in
documents connected with this parish:—Swanton,
which remains in Santons Barn in the south-west of
the parish. Other place-names are Cakebrokeslond
in the 13th century, reappearing as Claybrooks or
Keybrooke Slade in the 17th century; Roptons in
the 16th, Arundells, Conigrean, Mumbles, Nethermoynes and Wellox in the 17th century.
MANORS
At the Survey of 1086 the whole of
this parish was assessed at 10 hides under
the land of the Countess Judith. During
the Confessor's reign it had been worth £20, which
had now diminished to £6. Gilbert de Blosseville,
the Domesday tenant, had succeeded three thegns of
King Edward. (fn. 23) From this Domesday manor there
are subsequently found several properties, of which
the principal is HARROLD MANOR, which in the
13th century is found in the Grey family. The
overlordship of the manor was attached to the
honour of Huntingdon, and was held of that part of
the honour which fell to the Hastings Earls of
Pembroke. (fn. 24) The service by which it was held
varies, being assessed as high as two knights' fees in
1278–9. (fn. 25) Usually, however, it was assessed at half
a knight's fee and suit of court every other month at
the Hastings court of the honour of Huntingdon. (fn. 26)
In 1346 the Prior of St. John of Jerusalem claimed
overlordship in this manor, (fn. 27) and appears to have
established some claim, though possibly at this period
nominal, for in 1428, and again in 1509, the manor
was declared to be held of the prior. (fn. 28) After this
date no mention has been found of the overlordship.
Gilbert de Blosseville was the Domesday tenant of
this manor, and the Blosseville family remained in
Harrold certainly for the next 146 years, for in 1232
Simon de Blosseville acknowledged the right of Ralph
Morin to 4 hides of land here. (fn. 29) The Morin family
had at this time been established in the parish for
some years, for as early as 1194 Ralph Morin paid
the sheriff 62s. 1d. for a half fee here. (fn. 30) Between
1202 and 1235 Ralph Morin was engaged in various
suits concerning small portions of land, (fn. 31) and in
1235 was acknowledged to hold two knights' fees in
Harrold. (fn. 32)
Ralph Morin (presumably a son of the aforenamed Ralph) and John his son obtained a charter of
free warren in their demesne lands in 1253, (fn. 33) and in
1271–2 they were accused of unjustly distraining
Hugh Gobion and Maud his wife, free tenants in
Harrold. (fn. 34) Between this date and 1278 an alienation
of the manor took place to John de Grey, who held
it in that year, (fn. 35) and who in 1286–7 claimed free
warren in Harrold Manor of the inheritance of Ralph
Morin, who came and joined himself with John in
proving the latter's claim. (fn. 36) From John de Grey,
who died in 1323, Harrold Manor passed to his
younger son Roger de Grey de Ruthyn, (fn. 37) and from
this date onwards the manor follows the same descent
as that of Wrest (q.v.), passing through the Earls of
Kent, the ownership being vested at the present day
in Lord Lucas and Dingwall. In 1706 Henry Grey
Earl of Kent was created Earl of Harrold. He died
without male issue surviving in 1740, when the
earldom of Harrold, with the dukedom, earldom and
marquessate of Kent and other of his dignities,
became extinct, the marquessate of Grey and barony
of Lucas devolving on his granddaughter Jemima
Campbell. (fn. 38)
Several interesting extents exist of this manor.
In 1278–9 it included 3 carucates in demesne (240
acres), 10 acres of meadow and 3 of pasture. There
were seven cottagers holding by works, and a half
virgate held in villeinage, of which the tenant could
neither sell his land nor give his daughter in marriage
without the lord's consent. (fn. 39)
In 1325 the capital messuage together with the
fruits of the garden and herbage was worth 40s., there
were two dove houses worth 5s., two ponds worth 2s.,
420 acres of demesne land worth 4d. an acre, 25
acres of meadow worth 3s. an acre, 100 acres of
pasture worth 2d. an acre, eight bondmen held 6
virgates of land for £8 and no works, thirty-four
cottagers paid 66s. 10d., payments for the use of the
common oven amounted to 3s. 6d., the total value
of the manor including mills, fisheries, &c., being
£43 5s. 8¼d. (fn. 40) The heriot payable on death or
alienation was a cow, which at this date was commuted for 12s. in money. (fn. 41)
The manor contained one mill at Domesday which
was worth 36s. 8d. and 200 eels. (fn. 42) By 1278 there
were two water-mills, which in 1324 were valued
at 41s. (fn. 43)
A free fishery was from early times attached to
this manor; in 1278–9 it extended from Budwell
to Harrold Bridge, and in 1325 it was valued at 2s. (fn. 44)
It was attached to the manor in 1627. (fn. 45)
The right of free warren was first granted to the
lord of Harrold Manor by charter in 1253, (fn. 46) and
mention is found of it at various times in documents
relating to the manor, the latest bearing date 1805. (fn. 47)
Harrold Park, which was attached to the manor,
is first found mentioned in 1278, when it contained
240 acres. (fn. 48) In 1325 it was stated to be a common
park of 120 acres, of which the underwood every year
was sold at 6s. 8d. per acre. (fn. 49) It is frequently found
named in subsequent documents dealing with the
manor, the latest mention occurring in 1805. (fn. 50)
A view of frankpledge was early appurtenant to
the manor and was worth 6s. 8d. yearly in 1325. (fn. 51)
The small PRIORY OF HARROLD was founded
in this parish between the years 1140 and 1150, and
was originally granted to Gervase, Abbot of St.
Nicholas of Arrouaise, that he might send there
some nuns of his (the Augustinian) order. Until
about 1181 they were governed by a prior with a few
canons, but by this date the canons had ceased to
exist, and the nuns succeeded in freeing themselves
from the parent house. (fn. 52)
The early benefactors of the priory in this parish
included Sampson le Fort, the de Blossevilles, the
Morins and other landholders, whilst confirmatory
charters were obtained from David I of Scotland,
Malcolm IV, William the Lion and Robert Bruce as
overlords of the honour of Huntingdon, to which
Harrold belonged. (fn. 53)
In 1278–9 the prioress held in Harrold together
with the church 1 virgate of land, 20 acres of wood,
1 carucate of land (120 acres) and 3 virgates of land
from the Abbot of Battlesden, given by Ralph Morin
in the reign of Henry III by service of 1 lb. of
pepper. (fn. 54) Fresh accessions of land to the priory were
made in 1392, when Gerard Braybrook and others
granted a messuage, 5 roods of land, 2 acres of pasture
held by Lord Grey de Ruthyn by the suitable service
of a needle with silk thread. (fn. 55) In the following
year the same grantor gave one messuage, 129 acres
of land and rents in Harrold, worth in all 30s.
per annum, to the priory. (fn. 56) The priory does not
appear to have been a very flourishing community.
In 1352 they pleaded poverty, (fn. 57) and some fifty years
later they sought licence to appropriate the parish
church of Shackerstone (Leicestershire) on account of
the same lack of means, 'setting forth that the priory
stood hard by the public road or street, and had to
maintain great and expensive hospitality; that on
account of the flooding of a certain great river called
the Owse they very often suffered great losses; that
its houses, buildings and inclosures were in a ruinous
state, and that its fruits, &c., were insufficient for such
hospitality, for rebuilding and for other burdens of the
prioress and nuns, formerly, as then, thirteen in number.' (fn. 58) The priory surrendered in 1536, when its
property was valued at £11. (fn. 59) In 1537 the site of
the priory together with the rectory and advowson
was granted on a twenty-one-year lease to John
Cheney at a rent of £10, (fn. 60) but on the expiration of
this lease Ralph Farrar of London, grocer, received a
permanent grant of the site. (fn. 61) In 1560 he died seised
of the 'site, ambit and precinct of the late priory of
Harrold alias Yarrold with all
mills, granges, fishings, court
leet, &c.' (fn. 62) Of his two sons,
Francis and Thomas, the
former, who came of age in
1568, succeeded to this property. (fn. 63) Francis Farrar died
in 1616, leaving a daughter
and heir Anne, wife of Sir
Thomas Boteler of Biddenham. (fn. 64) The manor (as it is
occasionally called in documents of this period) only
remained for two generations
in the Boteler family, for in
1651 Helen daughter of Sir
William and granddaughter of the above Sir Thomas
married her second cousin Thomas Farrar, (fn. 65) and this
property (exclusive of the rectory) formed part of
the marriage settlement. (fn. 66) Some thirty years later,
in 1680, on the occasion of another intermarriage
between these same families, when William Farrar
(son of Thomas) married Mary daughter of William
Boteler, the rectory and other lands in Harrold
formed part of her dowry. (fn. 67)
Farrar of Harrold. Argent a bend engrailed gules with three horse-shoes argent thereon.
In 1714 William Farrar alienated a messuage and
land in Harrold, which may be taken to represent
the site of the priory, to Mrs. Anne Joliffe, (fn. 68) halfsister to Jemima wife of the Duke of Kent, who at
that time owned Harrold Manor. (fn. 69) She died in
1732, when her estates in Harrold passed to her niece
Anne Alston, daughter of Lady Wolstenholme. (fn. 70) She,
together with her husband Dr. Mead, the celebrated
physician, resided at Harrold Hall, part of this
property, until her death in 1763. Harrold Hall,
which was much enlarged in 1816, then appears to
have reverted to the Alstons, who have since sold
it to the present owner Mr. A. C. Beck, M.P. (fn. 71)
Originally a late 16th-century [capital letter E, rotated 90 degrees clockwise]-shaped house
with mullioned and transomed windows, Harrold
Hall had early in the 19th century the middle recess
on the south filled in, and about the same time many
of the old casement windows were taken out and
double-hung sashes substituted. Only two of the old
windows now remain, both being in the north-west
wing, although one restored window may be seen on
the south-west corner.
There appears to have been a considerable dispersal of this property in the 18th century, for Lysons
says that the site of the priory, then used as a farmhouse, was in the possession of Lady Lucas. (fn. 72) A
farm of considerable extent (probably the above,
though if so the transfer to
James Garth must have taken
place a few years earlier than
when Lysons wrote) known as
Priory Farm, with part of
Nunwood, was owned by
James Garth in 1799. (fn. 73) It
is now the property of Mrs.
Gambier, daughter and coheir of Charles Garth Colleton, whose husband William
Gambier bought up and
united the portions of his
two sisters-in-law. (fn. 74)
Gambier. Erminois a fesse wavy azure between three Cornish choughs.
There was formerly attached to the Harrold Priory
property a mansion-house, erected by Francis Farrar
at the end of the 16th or beginning of the 17th
century. (fn. 75) An old print in the parish institute shows a
16th-century H-shaped house. Of this only one
of the end wings remains. It is a stone building with
mullioned and transomed windows, and has a tile roof.
In a room on the ground floor is a fireplace with the
arms of Farrar, on a bend three horse-shoes, carved
over the mantelpiece, and also an original panelled
oak partition. Until recently it was used as labourers'
dwellings, but is now in the occupation of Dr. Somerville.
The Knights Templars owned SWANTON
MANOR in Harrold in the 13th century. They
claimed in 1278–9 to hold it of John de Grey of the
gift of a certain 'Flandrina Maudyt' in the reign of
Henry III. (fn. 76) This refers to a grant made in 1240
by Ralph de Carun and Flandrina his wife and her
heirs of one-sixth of a mill and 151 acres of land
in Harrold to Robert de Sanford, Master of the
Templars, (fn. 77) which grant was ratified in 1242. (fn. 78) In
1244 the Master made complaint that Ralph Moryn
had trespassed on his common pasture, and Ralph
recognized his right to common pasture for 460 sheep
(of which pasture for 80 was of the gift of the said
Ralph), 35 cattle and 40 pigs in Swanton. (fn. 79) In
1253 the Knights Templars obtained a grant of free
warren in their demesne lands of Swanton and
Harrold. (fn. 80) The extent of this manor was 200 acres
of land, 2 acres of meadow and 3 virgates of land in
demesne, four cottars holding in villeinage. (fn. 81)
About this time they also held a view of frankpledge
twice yearly. (fn. 82) Very shortly after this the Knights
Templars appear to have alienated this manor. Simon
Croyser and Ellen his wife held it on a life grant in
1330, (fn. 83) but it had already passed into the possession
of John de Grey, who died seised of it in 1323–4. (fn. 84) Its
extent, which is given at this date in great detail, included a capital messuage, with herbage and fruit of
garden worth 4s., 260 acres of demesne land worth 4d.
an acre; six free tenants, five tenants at will, nine bondmen paying various services of cocks, hens, oats, ' lovebones' and harvest works; eleven cottars rendering
similar services; and a court worth 12d. yearly, the
total value of the manor being £16 9s. 6½d. (fn. 85) This
property has henceforward followed the same descent
as Harrold Manor (q.v.).
In the 16th century a property called CLAYBROOKES MANOR appears in Harrold. The
first reference that has been found occurs in 1554,
when Francis Lord Russell and Margaret his wife
alienated it by fine to John Dobbe and Frances
Dobbe. (fn. 86) Thirty years later it is found in the possession of Henry Laurence, a mercer of Bedford. He
died in 1587, when his Harrold property passed by
will to his cousin, Edward son of Geoffrey Laurence,
with a charge of £60 to be paid to the testator's
brother Nicholas. (fn. 87) Two years later Edward and
Richard Laurence sold Claybrookes Manor to John
Blott, (fn. 88) who died seised of the manor in 1630, and
was succeeded by his son William Blott. (fn. 89) An
inquisition was taken at his death in 1636–7, when his
property in Harrold had diminished to one cottage
and 13 acres of land. His son John was aged six, but
no further trace of this estate has been found. (fn. 90)
The Pabenhams (whose pedigree will be found
in detail under Pavenham) were, from the 13th
century, tenants of the Greys in Harrold. In
1278–9 Richard de Pabenham held 4 virgates of
land and 20 acres of inclosed wood, (fn. 91) and in 1312
John de Pabenham obtained a grant of free warren
in his demesne lands which extended into this parish, (fn. 92)
and in the same year licence to inclose and impark
his woods there. (fn. 93) John de Pabenham died seised
of 5 virgates of land here in 1321, (fn. 94) and in 1344
and again in 1399 this property was extended at
nine messuages and 120 acres of land. (fn. 95) At the
latter date the wood is extended at 200 acres, and
in 1531 the possessions of Robert Tyringham (descendant of the Pabenhams) are given as Dungewood
only, (fn. 96) and it appears to have become attached to
Harrold Manor, of which it forms part at the present
day.
When Ralph Morin alienated Harrold Manor to
John de Grey (c. 1272–8) he does not appear to
have parted with all his land in Harrold, for in 1279
he was declared to hold 3 hides of land there of
John de Grey, including 10 acres of inclosed wood. (fn. 97)
In 1290 Ralph Morin obtained licence to have an
oratory in his manor on account of the distance
from Harrold Church and the difficulty of getting
there in winter. (fn. 98) In 1336 one of this name was
still holding land in Harrold, for in that year he
successfully claimed seisin of land which had belonged
to Hamo an outlaw who held of him. (fn. 99) In the
cartulary of Harrold Priory, under grants of lands
described as 'newly acquired,' there is a considerable
grant of land made by Philippa daughter of Ralph
Morin and wife of Robert Esseby to the priory, (fn. 100)
and, as no further trace has been found of the
Morins holding in this parish, it is probable that
the property was thus acquired in the 14th century
by the priory.
In 1255 Adam, Abbot of St. James, Northampton,
received a grant of lands in Harrold from John de
Stoke, (fn. 101) and in 1291 the abbot's lands there were
valued at £1. (fn. 102)
CHURCH
The church of ST. PETER consists
of chancel 21 ft. by 15 ft., nave 46 ft.
by 20 ft. wide, north aisle 14 ft. 6 in.
wide, extending to form a chapel on the north of
the chancel, south aisle 10 ft. 6 in. wide, extending
the length of the nave and continuing westward to
form a vestry, and a west tower.
Though not a large building, the interior is very
imposing from its unusual height and the fine scale of
the south arcade of the nave and the arches in the
chancel.
The oldest details are those of the north arcade,
which belong to the early part of the 13th century,
the three bays of the arcade being of unequal span
and probably cut through an older wall. The
chancel arch is probably coeval with them, and the
south arcade of the nave dates from c. 1250. The
north aisle was rebuilt and a north chapel added in
the last years of the century, and about 1330 the
south aisle was remodelled. The tower belongs to
the end of the 14th century, and the clearstory
in nave and chancel is 15th-century work. The
chancel has a modern east window of three trefoiled
lights with geometrical tracery, replacing a squareheaded 18th-century light. The whole of the north
side of the chancel is taken up by a tall late 13th-century arch in two chamfered orders with a label,
the inner order springing from a filleted shaft with
moulded capitals and bases; above the arch are two
15th-century clearstory windows, each of two trefoiled lights. In the south wall are a like window,
near the west, and a plain pointed doorway, probably
of no great age. The chancel has extended another
bay eastward, and there has probably been a south
chapel matching that on the north; but their site,
and much ground formerly belonging to the churchyard, is now included in the grounds of Harrold
Hall, where stone coffins were found about 1890.
The chancel arch is very plain, of a single order
with a label, springing from plain chamfered corbels.
The north chapel is lighted on the north side by
a large window of three lights with intersecting
mullions, having a small label and mask stops; it is
clumsily reset, but probably in great part original;
in the east wall is a 15th-century canopied niche
with a cinquefoiled crocketed ogee head, and having
small panelled side buttresses which have lost their
finials. A second and earlier bracket is set close by,
with a mask corbel.
The nave has an arcade of three bays on the north
side with arches similar to the chancel arch resting
on square piers and abaci ornamented with 13th-century trefoiled leaves. The middle arch is wider
than the others, but it is possible that the west arch
has been narrowed at the building of the tower.
Both responds and the second pier have chamfered
angles, and the east respond has a capital with a
band of foliage; but the other pier has large bowtels
towards the nave and is square towards the aisle.
The south arcade of two bays has lofty arches with
moulded outer order and label, and chamfered inner
order, springing from an octagonal middle pillar and
half-round responds, all with moulded capitals. There
is a blocked doorway to the former rood loft, and
an opening near the west end of the nave which
led into a room over the vestry; above each arcade
is a row of three 15th-century clearstory windows
which consist of two trefoiled lights with tracery
under a pointed head having an outside label. The
nave roof is quite plain and low pitched, of three
bays with grotesque heads on each side of the tiebeams under the ridge.
The north aisle contains two three-light uncusped
windows originally of late 13th-century date, and
between these is a tall pointed doorway, its details
being of poor modern Gothic, and in the west wall is
a 15th-century window of three lights with tracery
and a small piece of contemporary glass, a head of
Christ, in the top light.
The south aisle has two three-light 14th-century
windows with net tracery and a wooden three-light
east window; the vestry at the west is lighted by
similar windows. In it is kept a painted panel from
the screen, representing a saint holding a candle.
The tower is of the 14th century and has a
parapet with corner pinnacles, above which is a
tall octagonal spire with flying buttresses to angle
pinnacles and three rows of spire lights; below the
parapet is a string with grotesquely carved gargoyles.
At each angle of the tower are two two-stage
buttresses and on the south-west is a projecting stair
turret; the tower is divided by a string into two
stages, the upper one containing a window on each
side consisting of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil
under a pointed head and label. At the west end is
a doorway with moulded jambs and a differently
moulded arch which springs out of them, and above
this door is a large three-light window with flowing
tracery and a weather-worn label. The arch into
the nave is in three chamfered orders, the inside one
continuing down and the others springing out of the
jambs. Under the tower is a stone coffin.
At the south side of the chancel is a large altar
tomb with a brown marble slab to Oliver Boteler of
Wootton Bourne End, 1657, and his son William,
1703, with the familiar arms of the checkered
fesse and crosslets.
Above is a good white and grey marble monument
to Dame Anne Jolliffe, 1732.
The font is at the west end of the nave and
consists of a circular bowl on four shafts with
13th-century moulded capitals; the bases have
disappeared.
The posts and five main arches of a fine 15th-century rood screen remain, pieced out with good
17th-century panelling below and on each side, and
parts of the old cornice are worked into the pulpit.
Behind the pulpit is a piscina belonging to the
south nave altar.
In the nave are several rows of good plain 16thor late 15th-century seats and some 17th-century
panels and balusters, and the altar rails also have
17th-century balusters.
There are six bells: the treble by Joseph Eayre
of St. Neots, 1756, the second by Taylor of Loughborough, 1898, the third by Hugh Watts, inscribed
'Cum cum and praye 1603,' the fourth by the
same founder, inscribed 'Prais the Lorde 1603,'
the fifth has 'John Hodson of Landon made mee
1653,' and the tenor (recast 1898 by Taylor) was
by Chandler, 1652.
The plate consists of a chalice inscribed 'Harrolde
1699,' a flagon, the gift of Lady Temperance
Wolstenholme, 1726, date mark 1725, and a stand
paten, the gift of the Hon. Ann Jolliffe, 1728, date
mark 1728.
The registers previous to 1812 are in six books.
(i) contains all entries 1598 to 1647; (ii) has the
same, 1651 to 1692; (iii) the same, 1693 to
1749; (iv) has baptisms and burials 1750 to 1785;
(v) marriages only 1754 to 1812; (vi) baptisms and
burials 1786 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The church of St. Peter, Harrold,
formed part of the original endowment of the priory c. 1140–50, (fn. 103)
and was retained by the prioress until 1536. The
rectory and advowson of the vicarage followed the
same descent as the site of the priory (q.v.), passing
to the Farrar family, who have retained the rectory
until the present day, Mr. George Farrar now being
lay rector. (fn. 104) Between the years 1710 and 1734 the
patronage of the vicarage was transferred from
William Farrar to the Duke of Kent, who owned
Harrold Manor, and whose representative Lord
Lucas and Dingwall is the present patron. (fn. 105)
At the dissolution of the chantries Harrold Church
had an endowment of 4d. to supply a lamp, and 20d.,
from a meadow in Felmersham, for a sepulchre light. (fn. 106)
CHARITIES
The almshouses founded by will
of the Hon. Miss Ann Jolliffe dated
4 August 1723, and by Lady Ann
Mead by deed dated 19 November 1736, are for
six poor widows, who receive one loaf weekly and
10s. each for wood money, which is provided from
rent of land producing £34 8s. a year, and rents of
cottages known as Churchwardens' Cottages, let at
£5 10s. a year.
John Goff by will dated 24 May 1883 bequeathed
legacies in connexion with the Congregational chapel,
now represented by £705 13s. consols, the dividends,
amounting to £17 12s. 8d., to be applied in aid of
fund raised annually for payment of minister, and by
£984 0s. 2d. like stock, producing £24 12s. yearly,
of which £20 is payable to the minister and the
residue for the Sunday school. The sums of stock
are held by the official trustees.