RISLEY OR RISELEY
Riselai (xi cent.).
Riseley is a parish of 3,102 acres, of which 1,447½
are arable land, 1,042 permanent grass and 81¼ woods
and plantations. (fn. 1) The soil is clay and the chief crops
grown are wheat, barley, oats, beans and peas. The
parish is watered by a small tributary of the Ouse,
but water for domestic purposes is supplied by pumps
or wells. The village, which is one of the largest in
this part of the county, extends for about a mile along
the main road coming from Bedford in the south
and passing north to Kimbolton. The church and
vicarage stand back from this main street, which consists chiefly of picturesque cottages and a few small
shops. The buildings are either brick or halftimbered, occasionally covered with distempered
plaster. In the north of the village is Riseley Lodge,
now a farm-house, a Georgian house of brick and tiles
with a wooden cornice. The village lies low, but
west of the main street the ground rises and a windmill, which is still in use, has been built. Until
recent years a water-mill also stood by the river.
Two moats, one in the north and one in the south
of the parish, probably mark the sites of ancient
manors. Brick and tile manufactures were formerly
carried on in this parish; pillow lace is still made to a
considerable extent, and of recent years an attempt has
been made to introduce the shoe trade from Rushden.
This parish was inclosed in 1793. (fn. 2)
There are Wesleyan, Moravian and Baptist chapels
in Riseley.
The following place-names have been found: la
Rihale, Turbereyfield, Heronslond, Machinggeslond,
Juddes Close, Paleffreman, Gaunts, Werendwyke and
Townsend (xiv cent.), Le Estende (xv cent.), Coldham and Hallsted. (fn. 3)
MANORS
In 1086 the Bishop of Coutances
owned 6 hides in Riseley worth 72s. The
land was held of the bishop by two
Frenchmen and six Englishmen. (fn. 4) On the death of
the bishop his estates reverted to the Crown. It
became later the property of Alice de Clermont, who
granted it to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. (fn. 5)
In 1279 the Hospitallers held the property as one
and a-half knights' fees in free alms of the honour of
Gloucester. (fn. 6)
The Knights Hospitallers had rights of free warren
in Riseley (fn. 7) and a view of frankpledge. An interesting entry in a Court Roll of 1534 states that William
Weston, the last prior, held no court in Riseley that
year owing to a pestilence. (fn. 8)
The manor of LAWRENCE was held of the
Knights Hospitallers apparently by a family bearing
this name. In 1279 William Lawrence held 2½
virgates of land here, (fn. 9) and in 1364 (fn. 10) Sir William
Croyser received a grant of free warren probably in
this manor. It is not, however, till 1489 that the
manor can be definitely identified, at which date
Robert Broughton died seised of it. (fn. 11) He was succeeded by his grandson Robert, whose son John
Broughton sold the manor to Richard Fox, Bishop
of Winchester, and others in 1514. (fn. 12) Within the
next sixteen years the manor had come into the
possession of William Holgyll, clerk, who quitclaimed
it to Sir Anthony Oughtred in 1530. (fn. 13) Two years
later Sir Edward Seymour, afterwards the Protector
Somerset, a brother-in-law of Sir Anthony, (fn. 14) alienated
the manor to Sir John St. John and others. (fn. 15) Sir
John died seised of the property in 1559 (fn. 16) ; his heir
was his son Oliver first Baron St. John. (fn. 17) This manor
has remained in the possession of the St. John family
down to the present day, (fn. 18) the present lord of the
manor being Lord St. John of Bletsoe.
Riseley Church from the South
The property that afterwards became known as
HARVIES MANOR was parcel of the Knights
Hospitallers' Riseley possessions. It can first be
separately identified in 1279, when Walter son of
Geoffrey de Riseley held 4 hides of land in Riseley
of the Knights Templars. (fn. 19) This land later came into
the possession of William son of Lawrence de Riseley,
who in 1320–1 quitclaimed it to John son of Geoffrey
de Riseley. (fn. 20) It is possible that this family of Riseley
is the same as the Harvey family of Riseley. In
1351 John Harvey died seised of this property. (fn. 21)
An interesting instance of the ravages of the Black
Death in this neighbourhood is shown in the inquisition taken after his death, in which it is stated
that the 300 acres of arable land which he owned
are of no value, as 'they are uncultivated and no one
wants to occupy them.' (fn. 22) This property remained
in the hands of the Harvey family for the next 120
years. In 1473 John Harvey enfeoffed trustees of
it to the use of his
wife Agnes. (fn. 23) The
latter, who afterwards married a
Paston, died in
1510. (fn. 24) Her heir
was her son George
Harvey. (fn. 25) About
this time it would
appear that the
manor was alienated (fn. 26) to Thomas
Sackville, a member of the royal
household, who,
owing money to
the king, granted
the manor to him
for a term of
years. (fn. 27) The king
made over this lease
to Lady Radcliffe, (fn. 28)
who with her
husband made conveyances of the
property in 1555
and 1562. (fn. 29) This
latter transaction,
however, must
have been purely
nominal, as by 1557 the Sackville family had resumed
possession, and in the same year John Sackville alienated the manor to Edmund Elmes. (fn. 30) The latter
held it until his death in 1602, (fn. 31) when his son
Thomas succeeded him, and died in 1632, leaving a
son William as his heir. (fn. 32) This manor, however,
apparently passed to his second son Thomas, who
married Ann Clarke, (fn. 33) and through him to the
Clarke family, from whom it
went to Sir Creswell Levinz
before 1680. (fn. 34) The manor
remained in the hands of the
Levinz family until 1759,
when it was bought from
them by the Duke of Bedford, (fn. 35) whose descendant the
present duke is now lord of
the manor.
Harvey. Gules a bend argent with three trefoils vert thereon.
The manor of PERTSOILLS or PERTESOYLES
can be traced back to the
hide of land in Riseley held
by Hugh de Beauchamp at the time of the Domesday Survey. (fn. 36) This land is described as being
a berewick of Keysoe. (fn. 37) The overlordship of this
manor follows the same descent as that of the
Monchesney-Latimer portion of the barony of Bedford (fn. 38) (q.v.). The family of Pertesoil, who gave their
name to this manor, first find mention in Riseley in
1202–3 when William son of Azon quitclaimed
some 65 acres of land to William Pertesoil and
Robert Rufus. (fn. 39) About this date the Pertesoils were
enfeoffed of land in Riseley by Simon de Beauchamp
to be held by knight's service. (fn. 40) Possibly William
Pertesoil above mentioned was the father of Roger
Pertesoil, whose son Simon (fn. 41) held the manor in the
latter half of the 13th century. (fn. 42) Simon Pertesoil
had a view of frankpledge in Pertenhall in 1279, for
which right he paid 2s. annually to William de
Monchesney, his overlord. (fn. 43) He leased a messuage
and 2 hides of land in Riseley for eight years at a
rent of 18 marks in 1278 to Philip Burnell, (fn. 44) who
died seised of it in 1282. (fn. 45) Simon Pertesoil was still
lord of the manor in 1288, (fn. 46) but by 1302 he had
been succeeded by John Pertesoil, who held by service of a tenth part of a knight's fee. (fn. 47) John was
succeeded by Roger Pertesoil, who was holding in
1316. (fn. 48) Thirty years later one of this family named
William met with a violent end in the parish, being
murdered of set design and purpose, (fn. 49) while the same
year (1346) John Pertesoil was lord of the manor. (fn. 50)
The manor continued in the hands of this family, two
members of which, William and John, were in 1439
pardoned for having with others appeared in arms at
Bedford sessions and insulted the justices. (fn. 51) John
Pertesoil was an illegitimate son of William Pertesoil,
and on William's death in 1439 his sisters Elizabeth
Rous and Athelina Sackville claimed the property
(here first called a manor) from the trustees William
had appointed. (fn. 52) It would appear, however, that
they were unsuccessful in their claim, (fn. 53) and that
John Pertesoil obtained seisin. The last member of
this family of whose tenure of the manor there is
documentary proof is Robert Pertesoil, who died
seised in 1518, leaving as heir his grandson John. (fn. 54)
Nothing is known of the history of this manor for
the next 113 years, but in 1631 Richard Talbot
conveyed it by fine to Thomas Talbot, (fn. 55) who three
years later transferred it to Adam Hill. (fn. 56) This
appears to have been by way of settlement, for in
1656 Robert Talbot, probably a son of Thomas,
conveyed the manor by fine to the same Adam Hill
and one John May. (fn. 57) In 1685 John Hale owned
this manor (fn. 58) ; the same year he alienated it to James
Smalman and Eyre Walcot. (fn. 59) No later reference to
this manor has been found.
At the time of the Domesday Survey the Bishop of
Lincoln owned 1 hide in Riseley and Godfrey held it
of him. (fn. 60) This is doubtless the property held of the
Bishop of Lincoln by John son of Geoffrey de Risley
as a tenth part of a knight's fee in 1302–3. (fn. 61) John
appears to have been succeeded by a brother named
Richard, (fn. 62) but by 1346 this property was held by Walter le Daie, John le Graunt, Margery le Daie and Simon
le Daie. (fn. 63) No further mention has been found of it.
In 1086 David de Argentine held 1 hide in
Riseley of the king, (fn. 64) the only land in Bedfordshire
held by this illustrious family. A half-hide in Riseley
was held at this date by Hugh Hubald of Osbern son
of Richard. (fn. 65) No further mention has been found of
either of these Domesday holdings.
Alvric the priest held half a hide in Riseley in
1086 of Hugh de Beauchamp. (fn. 66) This is probably
the same land that John son of Geoffrey de Riseley
held of the Patishull portion of the barony of
Bedford in 1302. (fn. 67) He was still holding in 1316, (fn. 68)
but by 1346 John Harvey held the property. (fn. 69) No
further mention of this property has been found,
but it probably became absorbed in Harvey's larger
holding in Riseley (q.v.).
In the Testa de Nevill there appears an entry
recording that 'in Riseleg in parte' William Parentin
held a tenth part of a knight's fee, and Henry 'de
Risleg' an eighth part of a fee of the honour of
Wahull. (fn. 70) This appears to have reference to this
parish, but no further mention of land there held of
the Wahull honour has been found.
CHURCH
The church of ALL SAINTS consists of a chancel 32 ft. 6 in. by 17 ft. 6 in.,
nave 45 ft. 3 in. by 17 ft., south chapel
31 ft. by 16 ft., south aisle 47 ft. 9 in. by 16 ft. 4 in.,
and a west tower 13 ft. 9 in. by 13 ft. The
earliest masonry is that of the south wall of the
south aisle, which is the original nave of 12th-century date, to which a north aisle was added late
in the same century. The chancel was rebuilt in the
13th century, being widened to equal the nave, and
early in the 14th century a north chapel was added
to the chancel. In the 15th century the north aisle
was rebuilt and widened and became the nave, the
north chapel becoming the chancel, and the west
tower was built at the end of the new nave. The
south walls of the old nave and chancel were
heightened, the old and new chancels being included
under one low-pitched gable, and the south porch
was added.
The east windows of the new and old chancels
are alike, of three trefoiled lights, with quatrefoiled
net tracery of 14th-century date, but the mullions,
and in the chapel the tracery also, are new. In the
north wall of the chancel is a 15th-century window
of two cinquefoiled lights, with tracery under a fourcentred head, and over it is an arched tablet dated
1678, and at the north-west of the chancel is a
modern organ chamber.
Plan of Riseley Church
In the south wall are a restored trefoiled piscina
and a 13th-century lancet with an external rebate
for a frame, formerly an external window to the old
chancel. To the west of it are a rectangular squint
from the chancel to the chapel and a wide pointed
arch, opening originally to the 14th-century north
chapel which preceded the present chancel. The
chancel and south chapel have coved plaster ceilings
of comparatively modern date.
In the south wall of the chapel are two late 15th-century windows of three cinquefoiled lights under
low four-centred heads, the mullions being carried
up to the heads. There are also a 13th-century
priest's doorway on the south side and a 14th-century piscina under two arches, the eastern arch
being cinquefoiled and the western trefoiled, with a
drain in the eastern arch only. The labels and
mouldings have been cut back flush with the wall
face.
The old chancel arch, now opening to the south
aisle, is of early 13th-century date, with half-round
responds and moulded capitals, and an arch of two
chamfered orders.
There is no arch between the chancel and nave,
its position having been occupied by the rood screen
and loft, now unfortunately destroyed; but the
embattled rood beam still remains, carrying a
plastered partition filling in the triangle of the
roof.
In the north wall of the nave are two three-light
15th-century windows with modern mullions, and
between them a simple doorway of the same date,
while above them are three two-light clearstory
windows, also of the 15th century.
On the east side of the north door is a stone
bracket in the wall.
The nave arcade, which has been restored, is in
four bays with pointed arches of two chamfered
orders, and a plain
label springing
from circular columns with square
capitals. When the
arcade was rebuilt
in the 15th century
the columns,
which, with the
capitals, are of late
12th-century date,
were heightened
and the arches renewed, their inner
order being in large
stones of 15th-century date, while the
outer order is
mainly composed
of the smaller 12th-century arch stones
re-used; the label
is also 12th-century
work altered at the
re-building, but the responds are entirely of the
15th century. The bases, which are 12th-century
work, have angle spurs, and in the east respond is
the door to the rood stair.
Over the arcade are blocked 15th-century windows like those in the north wall.
There is a 15th-century south porch to the aisle
with an embattled parapet, having crocketed pinnacles and projecting gargoyles over the diagonal
angle buttresses. In the east and west walls are twolight windows. The inner doorway is new, the
exterior doorway has continuous jamb and arch
mouldings, and a label stopped upon large grotesque
heads, with a winged angel holding a book at the
apex, over which is a small cinquefoiled niche with a
crocketed canopy. On either side of this porch is a
tall three-light window with 15th-century tracery;
the jambs of that to the east are probably of 14th-century date, and there is a small trefoiled niche cut
in the eastern splay.
The west window of the aisle is of late 14th-century date, of three trefoiled lights with two
quatrefoils in a pointed head; the mullions and
jambs have been restored.
The tower arch is in three chamfered orders, the
inner of which has a moulded capital, while the
others are continuous. The tower, which has been
largely rebuilt, is in four stages, with diagonal
buttresses at the western angles and an embattled
parapet with angle pinnacles. In each face of the
belfry stage are pairs of two-light windows with
transoms, the labels being carried round the tower as
strings. The tower stair is in a projection at the
north-east; its original internal doorway is now
blocked, and an external one has been cut through
the wall.
The west doorway has a two-centred head with a
continuous arch, and over it is a window of two
cinquefoiled lights with tracery. In the south side
of the tower is a single trefoiled light, and over it a
sundial and the heads of two small 14th-century
trefoiled openings with labels.
The roofs of the nave and aisle are of low pitch,
dating from the 15th century, and are in four bays.
In the south aisle is a 15th-century octagonal font,
and some of the seating at the west end of the
church dates from the end of the 15th-century, and
there is a mediaeval oak chest in the north-east
corner of the aisle. There are no monuments of
interest.
There are five bells: the treble, by Hugh Watts,
inscribed 'God save the King, 1639'; the second
of 1816; the third an alphabet bell by Watts, of
1639; the fourth of 1852; and the tenor of 1814.
The plate consists of a chalice, paten, flagon and
two plates, presented by Emma Maria Elizabeth
Lady St. John in 1788.
The registers previous to 1813 are in four books,
the earliest containing all entries from 1626 to 1672;
the second the same, from 1683 to 1743; the third
is the printed marriage register, 1754 to 1812; and
the fourth contains baptisms and burials 1790 to
1812.
ADVOWSON
The advowson of the church of
Riseley formed a part of Alice de
Clermont's grant to the Knights of
St. John of Jerusalem, (fn. 71) and remained their property
until the Dissolution. Queen Elizabeth in 1585–6
granted the advowson to Sir Christopher Hatton. (fn. 72)
By 1618 it had become the property of Oliver
St. John of Bletsoe, (fn. 73) and henceforward followed the
same descent as that of Lawrence Manor (q.v.). The
present patron is Lord St. John of Bletsoe.
In 1291 the value of the church was £4 5s. 8d., (fn. 74)
and at the Dissolution £8 17s. 10d. (fn. 75)
The commissioners of Edward VI found that a
tenement and 11 selions of land, worth 8s. per
annum, had been given for the maintenance of a
sepulchre light; out of this a rent of 3d. to the
Crown and another of 4d. to Lord St. John had to
be paid. (fn. 76)
CHARITIES
The official trustees hold a sum of
£10 2s. 7d. consols, representing a
gift for poor widows by a person
named Bourne at a date unknown. In 1909 the
dividends were distributed on St. Thomas's Day
among sixteen widows.
The same trustees also hold a sum of £109 17s. 9d.
consols, arising from a legacy under the will of
Samuel Richards, dated in 1824, for the Sunday
school.
A further sum of £109 17s. 9d. like stock is
held by the same trustees, bequeathed by the same
testator, for the distribution of bread on St. Thomas's
Day among the industrious poor frequenting the
Established Church.
In 1909 the dividends, amounting to £2 14s. 8d.,
were applied in bread to 119 recipients.
The Cake Bread Close consists of a piece of
old inclosure, containing 2 r. 13 p., adjoining the
vicarage lands, referred to in an award dated
27 April 1793, in respect of which small cakes of
bread are distributable among the housekeepers in
the parish.