MILTON ERNEST
Mildentone, Middeltone (xi cent.); Middelton
Ernys (xiii cent.); Milton Herneys (xiv cent.);
Mylton Harneys (xv cent.); Milton Harnes
(xvi cent.).
The parish of Milton Ernest lies on the high road
between Bedford and Higham Ferrers, some 5 miles
north of the county town. The southern and eastern
portions of the parish are on high ground, whilst the
land on the west is flat and low, and is frequently
flooded by the waters of the River Ouse which flows
through the parish. The total area of the parish is
1,598½ acres, of which 596 acres are arable land, 819¼
acres permanent grass and 11 woods and plantations. (fn. 1)
The soil is clay and the subsoil clay and gravel. The
chief crops grown are wheat, barley, beans and peas.
Entering the parish from the south, a long, steep slope
known as Milton Hill has to be climbed. As the
slope downwards on the farther side is equally steep,
an extensive view over the surrounding country can be
obtained from the top of the hill. To the north,
some half a mile from the foot of the hill, lies the
village of Milton Ernest. To the west is the River
Ouse, which the main line of the Midland Railway
here crosses by a fine viaduct. Beyond the river are
the low, well-wooded slopes of Pavenham. On the
east is a high table-land stretching away towards
Thurleigh and Bolnhurst, which somewhat limits the
outlook in that direction.
The church stands off the main road on high ground
facing the village green on the north. Red-brick
almshouses, bearing the date 1695, stand near by;
they were founded by Sir Edward Turner, lord of
the manor at that date, to provide homes for the
aged poor. The Manor Farm, south-east of the church,
marks the site of the old manor-house. Although
much modernized it still retains many richly moulded
oak beams and a late 16th-century brick chimney.
None of its original windows remain. It is built of
stone plastered over and has a tile roof. On the
opposite side of the road is a stone and thatched
house dated 1670. This retains most of its old oak
mullioned windows in an excellent state of preservation.
A stone barn belonging to and standing by the side
of this house is dated 1668. Opposite the church,
approached by an avenue of fine elms, stands Milton
Hall, the residence of Lord Ampthill. It is a modern
building built in 1856 on the site of an older house.
In the fields adjoining is a brick and tile hexagonal
pigeon-house.
In the south-west of the village a small lane
bordered by quaint but dilapidated cottages is known
as London End, and runs down to the river at a point
where there is a ford. Flewton End is in the northeast of the village. A modern water-mill stands on the
river in the south of the village, where was formerly an
ancient mill. The kennels of the Oakley fox-hounds
are in Milton Ernest. There is a Wesleyan chapel
in the parish erected in 1839.
It is curious that this small village should have
boasted a printing press in the early part of the 18th
century. The printer, Underhill Robinson by name,
lies buried in the churchyard, his tombstone bearing
the date 1719. (fn. 2) A copy of a book printed by him
at Milton Ernest (in the year of his death) entitled
Vindiciae verae Pietatis is still extant. (fn. 3)
The parish was inclosed in 1803. (fn. 4)
MANORS
The manor of MILTON ERNEST or
HARNESSE MANOR is probably the
3 hides and 1 virgate of land in Milton
Ernest held in 1086 by the wife of Hugh de Grantmaisnil. (fn. 5) Ivo her husband's steward was her tenant.
The land was then valued at 60s. (fn. 6) The history of this
property may be divided into two distinct periods, the
first of which extends from the 13th to the early part
of the 14th century. During this period the de Grey
family held it of the Earls of Leicester as parcel of
the honour of Leicester. (fn. 7) On the death of Simon
de Montfort in 1265 his estates were declared
forfeit, and the honour of Leicester was granted by
the king to his youngest son Edmund. The latter's
son and successor Thomas died without heirs. His
brother Henry succeeded and is found claiming a
view of frankpledge in Milton Ernest in 1330. (fn. 8)
Between this date and 1346, however, this property
was detached from the honour of Leicester, and the
de Greys from mesne lords became seised in chief. (fn. 9)
Henceforward the manor was held of them as of
their castle of Bytham. (fn. 10) The last mention of the
overlordship occurs in 1528, when John Zouche, the
heir of Henry Lord Grey, held it. (fn. 11)
The chief tenants of the de Greys were the family of
Erneys or Hernis, from whom the manor later took its
distinctive name. The first mention of them in Milton
Ernest occurs in 1221, when it is recorded that John de
Hertewell owed 'half a mark for having brought a suit
against Robert son of Ernis for land in Middelton.' (fn. 12)
In 1279 the land in Milton Ernest held by John
son of Roger Erneys of the de Greys amounted to
6½ virgates, including 12 acres of wood. (fn. 13) They
also owned one-third part of the fishing from the
torrent of Humberdale to the head of the millpond. (fn. 14) John Erneys was succeeded by another John
Erneys who held the property in 1316, (fn. 15) and in
1346 either the same John Erneys or another of
the same name was holding. (fn. 16) In 1361 Philip
Erneys was seised, (fn. 17) while in 1428 another John
Erneys held it. (fn. 18) Philip Erneys died seised of the
property, here for the first time called a manor, in
1471. (fn. 19) His heir was his son Edward. (fn. 20) William
Erneys, who on his marriage with Elinor daughter
of Elizabeth Fitz Jeffrey, was promised further
property in Milton Ernest by the latter, (fn. 21) died seised
of the manor in 1528. (fn. 22) He had been insane for
some eighteen years before his death. (fn. 23) His heir was
his son John, then five years old. (fn. 24) On the death
of Walter Erneys (living 1550) (fn. 25) the manor was
divided among his daughters.
One of these had married
Christopher Turnor (fn. 26) and
another William Strange (fn. 27) ; a
third was probably Sybil Keale,
who is found quitclaiming a
third of the manor to Edmund
Turnor, son of Christopher
before named, in 1575, (fn. 28) thus
uniting two-thirds of the
manor in the Turnor family.
This double share is hereafter
always spoken of as the manor
of MILTON ERNEST. The
Stranges' third following a
different descent is treated later. Edmund Turnor
was succeeded by his son Christopher, (fn. 29) who died
seised of the manor in 1619. (fn. 30) His son Christopher,
of the Middle Temple, (fn. 31) succeeded him. (fn. 32) Being
charged with delinquency his estates were confiscated, but, the charge not being proved, they
were restored to him in 1647. (fn. 33) On the Restoration he was knighted, created third baron of the
Exchequer and placed on the commission for the
trial of the regicides. (fn. 34) He was a member of the
special court of summary jurisdiction created to
adjudicate on disputes between owners and occupiers
of property in the districts ravaged by the Great Fire
of London, and in recognition of his services in that
capacity a portrait of him was placed in the Guildhall. (fn. 35) He died in 1675, and his son and grandson,
both named Edmund, having predeceased him, his
estates passed by purchase to his younger brother, Sir
Edmund Turnor of Stoke Rochford, Lincolnshire. (fn. 36)
The latter left the manor of
Milton Ernest to his grandson
John, (fn. 37) on whose death it
passed to his elder brother
Edmund. (fn. 38) The latter alienated the manor to his cousin (fn. 39)
Streynsham Master in 1715. (fn. 40)
Margaret Master, probably a
sister of the last named, with
her husband Lord Torrington
and her sisters Mrs. Stuckley
and Mrs. Bramston, was party
to a fine levied of the manor
in 1725. (fn. 41) Mrs. Stuckley
later owned the manor and
left it by will to Withers
Bramston, (fn. 42) who was holding in 1799. (fn. 43) The same
year Arthur Bramston sold it to Robert Gibbins, (fn. 44)
whose name appears in the Inclosure Award in 1803. (fn. 45)
Erneys. Argent a cheveron sable with three drops or thereon.
Turnor of Stoke Rochford. Nine pieces erminees and argent with four millstone turners sable.
Lord Brownlow was lord of the manor in 1864,
but by 1869 it had passed to Mr. J. Tucker. The
latter was succeeded by his daughter Mrs. Burton
Alexander, whose son Mr. J. Tucker Burton Alexander of Pavenham Bury is the present lord of the
manor.
The third share of the manor inherited by
Margaret wife of William Strange followed a different
descent. William Strange, after the death of his
wife, became tenant for life of the said property, but
ignoring the limited powers of a life tenant he sold
it in 1562 to Thomas Rolt. (fn. 46) The rightful heirs of
Margaret, on arriving at full age, refused to confirm
the sale, and Thomas Rolt is found petitioning for
redress of his grievances. (fn. 47) In 1571, however,
Walter Strange, presumably the rightful heir, quitclaimed the manor to him. (fn. 48) The further history
of this property is the same as that of the manor of
Bassets (q.v.).
The manor of BASSETS formed about one-third
of the whole parish of Milton Ernest. (fn. 49) The first
mention of this property occurs in 1086, when
William Basset held 2 hides less 1 virgate from
Hugh de Beauchamp. It was then valued at 30s. (fn. 50)
The overlordship of this manor followed the same
descent as the Steingrave-Patishull portion of the
barony of Bedford (q.v.). (fn. 51) In the 13th century
Robert Basset held the property as a sixteenth part of
a knight's fee, (fn. 52) and was granted rights of free warren
in his demesne lands in this parish in 1252. (fn. 53)
William Basset, who succeeded him, is recorded as
holding 2 hides in 1278; 1 carucate of this was in
demesne, whilst the 3 virgates in villeinage were
valued at 20s. per annum. (fn. 54) In 1302 Sibyl Basset
held the property 'as dower.' (fn. 55) In 1330 the
property was in the hands of Nicholas de Wortele or
Wettele, (fn. 56) possibly Sibyl Basset's second husband, for
in this year Nicholas was summoned to show by
what warrant he claimed rights of free warren in
Milton Ernest, but made default. (fn. 57) He was still
holding in 1346, (fn. 58) but by 1372 the property had
reverted to the Basset family. (fn. 59) In this latter year
Sir John Basset died in Gascony. His property in
Milton Ernest consisted of 120 acres of arable land,
8 acres (fn. 60) of meadow and 4 acres of pasture, with
rent from free tenants worth 6s. 8d. per annum
He also had the reversion of 40 acres of land, which
he had granted to Norman and Katherine Basset for
their lives. (fn. 61) His son and heir John died in
Brittany the next year. (fn. 62) The latter was succeeded
by his sister Alianor wife of John Barle. (fn. 63) After the
death of John Barle the manor appears to have been
divided. In 1414 John Martyn and John Sampson
quitclaimed a moiety of the manor to Robert Fitz
Robert and William Babyngton, (fn. 64) while the next
year the other moiety was quitclaimed by Sir John
Stanley to William Penythorn, William Anable and
others. (fn. 65) The first-named moiety appears by 1432
to have passed into the hands of Nicholas Ryggley,
who in that year quitclaimed it to William Penythorn
and William Anable, who thus became seised of the
whole. (fn. 66) William Penythorn some time before his
death placed the manor in the hands of trustees to
the intent that they should settle it again upon
himself and wife and son. (fn. 67) This they afterwards
refused to do, and William Penythorn the younger is
found petitioning for redress of his grievances. (fn. 68)
The descent of this manor here becomes obscure, no
further mention of it being found for more than a
hundred years. In this interval it appears to have
become divided, and in 1560 Richard Styrop quitclaimed one quarter of the manor to Thomas Rolt, (fn. 69)
while in 1568 another fourth part of the manor was
leased to Thomas Rolt for sixty years by Peter
Rosewell and John Dawson for an annual rent, the
reversion of the same to go to John Crispe and Anne
his wife. (fn. 70) In 1573–4 John and Anne quitclaimed
a quarter to the same Thomas Rolt. (fn. 71) It would
seem that Thomas Rolt by 1578 had become seised
of the whole manor of Bassets, and in that year he
settled it upon his son John on his marriage with
Judith widow of George Fitz Geoffrey. (fn. 72) John Rolt
continued to hold the manor until his death, which
occurred in 1627. (fn. 73) He was succeeded by his son
Thomas, who levied a fine of the manor in 1639, (fn. 74)
and suffered a recovery the same year. (fn. 75) He died
early in 1649, (fn. 76) and was succeeded by his son Sir
John Rolt, kt., who was buried here 20 November
1651, leaving a young son Thomas, who died 1672,
aged thirty-one. On coming of age he leased the manor
in 1662 to Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston, (fn. 77) while his
son Samuel Rolt, M.P., who died 1717, aged forty-six,
appears to have granted a further lease of it to Samuel
Barnardiston in 1692. (fn. 78) In 1734 Thomas Rolt was
lord of the manor. (fn. 79) Twelve years later he conveyed
it by fine to John Orlebar of Hinwick Hall, (fn. 80) a connexion by marriage. (fn. 81) In 1785 it was the property
of Francis Anthony Herman, (fn. 82) whilst at the beginning
of the 19th century Mrs. Boyden was lady of the
manor. (fn. 83) From her the manor passed to John Donne
and Dinah his wife, who levied fines of it in 1821. (fn. 84)
After the early part of the 19th century no further
reference has been found to this manor. (fn. 85)
In 1278 William Basset owned a third part of a
fishery in Milton Ernest from Humberdale to the
mill-pond, (fn. 86) while in 1372 Sir John Basset's fishery
brought in 12d. per annum. (fn. 87) Rights of fishery
attached to this manor find mention in the 16th and
17th centuries. (fn. 88) There is record of four watermills in 1639 (fn. 89) and of five in 1734. (fn. 90)
A third manor in Milton Ernest has its origin in
the 2 hides held in 1086 by Rainald of Walter le
Fleming. It was then worth 20s.; in the time of
the Confessor two sokemen, men of Brictric, held
it. (fn. 91) This property with the rest of Walter's fief
later became parcel of the barony of Wahull. The
last mention of the overlordship occurs in 1537. (fn. 92)
In 1279 the tenant of this property (then assessed at
2½ hides) was William de Lega. (fn. 93) He had 1 half
hide in demesne and owned one-third of a fishery. (fn. 94)
In 1371 Peter Hulier held it, together with land in
Thurleigh, as one knight's fee. (fn. 95) No record of this
property for the next 140 years has been found, but
before 1511 it had come into the hands of William
Fitz Geffrey, who in that year settled it, here for
the first time called a 'manor,' on his wife Elizabeth. (fn. 96)
In 1535 his son John Fitz Geffrey died seised of
the manor, and was succeeded by his half-brother
Edward, (fn. 97) who levied a fine of it the next year, (fn. 98)
and was in turn succeeded by his younger brother
George. (fn. 99) The latter died in 1575, (fn. 100) leaving a
widow Judith, who in 1578 married John son of
Thomas Rolt, (fn. 101) and a son George, who conveyed
the manor by fine to Thomas Rolt, Oliver St. John,
Nicholas Luke and others in 1575. (fn. 102) No further
mention of this manor has been found. It is possible
that it became absorbed in Thomas Rolt's other
manor of Milton Ernest (q.v.). (fn. 103)
The origin of the manor of BABS or BALLS is
obscure, and documents illustrating its descent are few.
The first bears the date 1544, (fn. 104) and is a record of a
conveyance by fine from Richard Greyves of Newarkupon-Trent and Agnes his wife to Richard Lewen of
a moiety of a manor of Milton Ernest. (fn. 105) In 1557–8
the same Richard Greyves sold the other moiety of his
Milton Ernest property to Ralph Astrey for £100. (fn. 106)
Later Ralph Astrey is found complaining that Thomas
Litten and others by colour of a former bargain with
Richard Greyves had entered into the said premises. (fn. 107)
No further mention of this manor occurs until the
early part of the 18th century. In the interval its
distinctive title of Babs or Balls had been affixed to
it. In 1711 William Faldoe was the claimant in a
suit concerning a moiety of the manor. (fn. 108) Seven
years later Elizabeth and Katherine Haselden owned
a moiety. (fn. 109) In 1746 a half of this manor was in
the hands of Richard Huskey (fn. 110) ; it passed from him
to J. R. Throckmorton Huskey, who was the owner
in 1775. (fn. 111) At the beginning of the 19th century
Lysons describes this manor as being in parts held
respectively by Thomas Fisher, Ellis Shipley and
Samuel Wyatt. (fn. 112) This is the latest reference to it
which has been found. A free fishery was attached
to this manor in 1544; it is further mentioned as
appurtenant to the Huskeys' moiety in the 18th
century. (fn. 113)
In 1086 Turgis held 3 hides less 1 virgate in
Milton of Nigel de Albini formerly held by six sokemen. (fn. 114) Nigel's fief afterwards became known as
the barony of Cainhoe, but no reference to land
in Milton Ernest being held of this barony has been
found. The amount of land is, however, considerable, and the fact that an identically similar quantity
of land there (11 virgates) was quitclaimed in 1227
by John de Hertewell to John Erncys (fn. 115) seems to
suggest that the Albinis had granted their Milton
property to John de Hertewell. In 1279 John
Erneys is also recorded as holding 9 virgates in
Milton Ernest of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem
for 10s. per annum. (fn. 116) No further reference to the
Knights Hospitallers in Milton Ernest, however,
occurs, and it would seem that this land became
joined to the other property of the Erneys family,
and followed the same descent as that of the manor
of Ernes (q.v.).
In the Domesday Survey it is recorded that two
sokemen held 16 acres of the land of Miles Crispin
in Milton Ernest, but that Robert de Oilly (Miles'
predecessor) had unjustly attached the same to
Clapham (q.v.). (fn. 117)
A half-virgate in Milton Ernest was in 1086 held
of the king by a certain bedell who had succeeded his
father in the tenure. (fn. 118) This is probably the same
half-virgate that Roger de Wilye in 1278 held of the
king by serjeanty. (fn. 119)
The Abbot and monastery of Warden in 1279
rented a mill in Milton Ernest from John Erneys for
7s. a year and held three-quarters of a virgate of
arable land of him in free alms. (fn. 120) They had other
land there besides, and in 1291 their property in
this parish was valued at £3 7s. 2d. (fn. 121) At the
beginning of the 14th century the land in Milton
which the abbot held of Henry de Grey, together
with that of the Prior of Caldwell, amounted to
one-sixth of Henry's holding. (fn. 122) At the time of the
Dissolution Warden Abbey owned several mills in
this parish valued at £9, (fn. 123) though there were annual
charges on them amounting to £1 13s. 4d. (fn. 124)
The Prior and convent of Caldwell also held land
here, which appears to have included a hermitage and
grange, for in 1271 Simon of Langenhoe when about
to milk a cow belonging to the prior at his hermitage
and grange in Milton Ernest received a 'mau del
flaunke' from which he died immediately. (fn. 125) In
1279 half a virgate of arable land and 6 rods of
pasture, being part of this property, was held by the
prior of John Erneys for three masses for the souls of
John's ancestors. (fn. 126) The sum total of their land
and rents in Milton Ernest and the neighbouring
parish of Clapham in 1291 amounted to £2 2s. 6d., (fn. 127)
while in 1342 it was assessed at the same amount. (fn. 128)
At the Dissolution their property in Milton and
Thurleigh was valued at £1 17s. 10d. per annum. (fn. 129)
This land formed part of the grant made by
Henry VIII to Henry Audely and John Maynard. (fn. 130)
Robert de Camera held 1½ hides of land in this
parish of Henry de Grey in 1278. (fn. 131) By 1316
he had been succeeded by John de la Leye, (fn. 132) who
was still holding in 1346. (fn. 133) The latter's holding
together with that of John Erneys was held of John
de Grey as half a knight's fee. (fn. 134) By 1428 John de
la Leye's portion had passed to John Fitz Geffrey
and Walter Milbrook. (fn. 135) It probably was later
merged in the Fitz Geffreys' manor of Milton Ernest
(q.v.).
John Marshal of Wootton held a virgate of arable
land and 3 acres of pasture (in Milton Ernest) of
John Erneys in 1278. (fn. 136) His descendants continued
to hold land, and a member of this family (John le
Marshal) died in 1361 seised of a messuage and
20 acres held of Philip Erneys, and of 60 acres of
arable land held of John de la Legh and Sir Thomas
de Reynes by foreign service and rent of 5s. 4d. (fn. 137)
Mention of fisheries in the waters of the Ouse
in this parish is frequent in the 16th and 17th
centuries. (fn. 138) John Harvey had a mill there in the
latter half of the 16th century. (fn. 139)
CHURCH
The church of ALL SAINTS consists of a chancel 26 ft. 6 in. long by
11 ft. 6 in. wide, nave 45 ft. long by
16 ft. 3 in. wide, north aisle 15 ft. 3 in. wide, south
aisle 10 ft. wide and west tower 11 ft. 10 in. by
11 ft. 3 in. wide. The west half of the chancel is
the oldest part of the church, dating from the early
years of the 12th century. The axis of the chancel
is set more to the north than that of the nave, and
the irregularity seems to exist in the early walls as
well as in the eastern half of the chancel, which is
an early 14th-century addition. The west tower
was built in the 13th century, and in the early part
of the 14th century a south aisle was added to the
nave; the north aisle dates from later in the same
century, and in the 15th century the clearstory and
south porch were added and the south aisle practically
rebuilt.
The east end of the chancel contains no old feature
except the arched head of an early 14th-century
piscina recess set in the west jamb of the south-east
window. The chancel is fitted up with tile and
marble panelling, stained glass and painted roof from
the designs of Butterfield, and is very dark. On either
side, a little to the west of the middle, are small
round-headed lights of early 12th-century date, with
splayed jambs and rear arches, now set in a modern
zigzag plaster edging.
At the south-west is a recess for the chancel seats
apparently made in the 15th century. On account of
the narrowness of the chancel it is spanned by two
oak timbers, and in it is a low side window, now
blocked, of two cinquefoiled lights. On the opposite
side a similar but deeper recess contains the organ:
it is modern, but probably is a deepening of an old
recess made for the same purpose as that on the south,
and it has a small square window, which is old, in
its north wall.
The chancel arch, of two continuous chamfered
orders, is perhaps 14th-century work.
The nave arcades are of three bays, the north
having sharply pointed arches of two chamfered
orders springing from octagonal dies over plainly
moulded octagonal capitals and shafts; the west
respond is unusual, being a half octagon set diagonally,
while the east respond is square and has a piscina set
in its face. The south arcade has tall pointed double
chamfered arches with octagonal moulded capitals
and shafts, the responds being square. The clearstory windows, four on each side, are of three cinquefoiled lights under four-centred heads. The nave
roof is a fine specimen of 15th-century work with
moulded timbers, and has a number of bosses carved
with foliage at the intersections of the beams.
The north aisle has two square-headed north
windows of 14th-century style, each of three
trefoiled lights with cusped spandrels; the heads of the
windows, with the upper part of the tracery, are made
of oak bressummers. At the east end, high in the
wall, is a wide 15th-century window of four cinquefoiled lights with tracery under a low four-centred
head, and at the west end is a three-light window
with intersecting mullions, which has modern tracery.
In the north wall is an ogee-headed crocketed tomb
recess, c. 1340, under which is laid a worn marble
grave slab with a Calvary cross. Near the west end
of the aisle is the north doorway, of two continuous
wave-moulded orders c. 1340–50, and in the west
wall is a low square-headed recess, which looks like a
blocked fireplace.
The windows of the south aisle are all of one
type, of three cinquefoiled lights with a transom and
tracery under a four-centred head, of 15th-century
date much restored.
At the south-east is a piscina recess, and in it are kept
the head and part of the shaft of a late 12th-century
pillar piscina. At the east end is part of the block of the
ancient altar, and on it is set an old iron-banded chest.
The south doorway is of clunch, in two continuous
hollow-chamfered orders, and opens to a 15th-century
porch with an upper story or parvise which has lost
its floor; access to it must have been by a wooden
stair of which nothing remains, but a wide opening
from the upper story to the aisle is still visible above
the south doorway. This probably opened on to a
gallery over the door.
The porch has a four-centred outer arch under a
square head, the spandrels being septfoiled with a
flower in the centre.
The parvise was lighted by square-headed lights
on the west and south, and the porch has a square-headed window of two cinquefoiled lights on the
west and there are traces of another on the east.
Into its west wall is built a small circular cross-head,
probably the headstone of a grave; it is perhaps of
14th-century date.
The aisle and porch have buttresses with cinquefoiled gabled heads, inclosing saltires, and the upper
part of the buttresses batters considerably.
The tower, which dates from the 13th century and
has been much restored, is divided into two stages,
the lower of which contains a lancet window on the
west. There are an embattled parapet and a modern
chamfered plinth; the belfry windows are of two
pointed chamfered uncusped lights under a pointed
head. The tower arch is a later insertion, of two
chamfered orders dying into the jambs. At the
north-east is a square stair turret.
The font of the 15th century is in clunch, and
has an octagonal traceried bowl with angle buttresses
carried down clear of the stem; the west face is
solid. Opposite the south doorway is the stump of
the old churchyard cross. At the west end of the
nave is shelving for a dole of twelve loaves, the
money for which was left in 1726 by a Mrs. Susannah
Rolt, whose monument is in the north aisle, and
across the tower arch are low wrought-iron railings
of good 18th-century design. At the east end of
the north aisle the 15th-century rood screen, with
the open traceried front of its loft, is set to cut off
a narrow space for a vestry. It has been a little
shortened to make it fit the aisle, but is very well
preserved, and has two wide, flat-headed openings
on either side of the central doorway, with a band
of running ornament and battlements above. The
original colouring of red, white, green and gold has
been reproduced. In the south aisle is a wall monument to Christopher Turnor 1675 and another
without a name of 1615, and in the north aisle to
Susannah Rolt 1726 and Stephen Rolt 1738. In
the nave is a fine brass hanging chandelier, the gift
of Thomas Rolt in 1729.
There are six bells: the first is modern; the
second, fifth and sixth are by Newcome of Leicester,
1611; the third is recast from one dated 1678 and
the fourth is by Edmunds of London, 1765.
There are a communion cup with a paten cover of
1570 and a modern flagon, cup and paten.
There are six books of registers before 1812:—
Book i contains all entries 1538 to 1679; book ii
the same, 1687 to 1739; book iii the same, 1740 to
1783, marriages ceasing at 1753; book iv has marriages 1754 to 1812; book v burials 1783 to 1812;
and book vi baptisms 1783 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The advowson of the church of
Milton Ernest was early in the hands
of the Albini family; Cecilia mother
of Robert de Albini granted it to the priory of Beaulieu (or Moddry) founded by her son as a cell of the
abbey of St. Albans. (fn. 140) Her grandson sought to reclaim
the church in the early part of the 13th century. (fn. 141)
He was apparently successful in his suit, and is found
presenting in 1220. (fn. 142) In 1275 the church was
appropriated to Beaulieu by Bishop Gravesend on
account of the poverty of the priory. (fn. 143) The value
of the living in 1291 was £7 6s. 8d. (fn. 144) After the
Dissolution it would seem that it remained in the
hands of the Crown until 1677, when it was granted
to Sir Ralph Verney. (fn. 145) From him it passed to the
Rolt family, who had the right of presentation for
the next fifty years. (fn. 146) By 1775 it had passed into
the hands of the Turnor family, (fn. 147) who have continued to present down to the present day. The
present patron is Mr. C. Hatton Turnor.
The rectory in 1291 was valued at £6 13s. 4d. (fn. 148)
Described as 'late the property of the monastery of
St. Albans' it was granted by Queen Elizabeth to
John Cotton. (fn. 149) By 1619 it had become the
property of the Franklin family of Maverns in Bolnhurst, (fn. 150) who enjoyed it for the next forty years. (fn. 151)
Before 1693 it had been bought by Sir Edward
Turnor, who in that year endowed the vicarage with
the greater tithes, then let at £100. (fn. 152)
CHARITIES
The Turnor almshouses, founded and
endowed by Sir Edmund Turnor, kt.,
in or about 1697, consist of six houses
for aged persons and are endowed with 31 a. 1 r. 26 p.
let in allotments of the annual value of £28 or
thereabouts, and £224 18s. 11d. Bank of England
stock held by the official trustees arising from sale
in 1906 of 20 acres of land in Oakley, producing
about £21 a year. The net rents are applied in
pensions to the inmates.
Rolt's charity for bread consists of an annuity of
£5 4s. issuing out of an estate in the parish, formerly
belonging to the Rolt family, (fn. 153) as appeared from an
inscription in the church. Twelve twopenny loaves
are distributed regularly week by week from the
church, the payment for the same being made by
Lord Ampthill, the present owner of The Hall.
Church Land.
In 1801 about 5 acres were
awarded to the churchwardens for the repairs of the
church in lieu of other lands in the open fields.
The land is let in allotments, producing in 1909
£5 17s. 4d. a year, which is carried to the churchwardens' accounts.