WILDEN
Wildene (xi–xiv cent.).
Wilden is a parish of 2,265 acres, of which 1,026¾
are arable land, 1,111 permanent grass and 4¾ woods
and plantations. (fn. 1) The slope of the ground is irregular, and varies from 246 ft., the highest point above
ordnance datum, in the north to 127 ft. in the east
of the village, where the land lies low. The soil is
clay and loam variously distributed, the subsoil Oxford
clay. The principal crops produced are wheat, oats
and barley.
The parish is watered by South Brook, a tributary
of the Ouse, which flows in a north-westerly direction
through the parish to Bolnhurst.
Wilden village, which is somewhat straggling, is
situated in a hollow mainly in the centre of the
parish, having the parish church of St. Nicholas,
standing in a graveyard surrounded by trees, as a
nucleus. In the 15th century, and probably a great
deal earlier, it would appear that there were the same
outlying residential districts as at the present day.
Thus reference has been found in a Court Roll of 1499
to ditches left unscoured by the inhabitants of 'Seywick' or 'Sewyk End,' known at the present day as
Sewick End, and including a farm-house and a few
scattered houses. Smartwick, a small settlement, now
consisting of a farm-house, cottages and public-house
in the north of the parish, is also mentioned at the
same date. (fn. 2) East End, lying about 1 mile east of
Wilden and south of the main road from Roxton, was
also a hamlet, certainly as early as the 15th century.
Wilden village proper appears as 'le Church End,' a
name which survives in Church End Farm. Outlying
districts which have now disappeared are Overwyk in
the 13th century, (fn. 3) Hudwyk, Lemerestwik and Ruddoks (probably Redwick) Green, which appear in the
15th century. It is interesting to note, in explanation of the unusual number of hamlets found in this
comparatively small parish, that in the time of the
Confessor Wilden was owned by twenty-four sokemen, these various districts possibly marking their
'wics' or dwelling-places.
At the present day Wilden lies north and south of
the road from Roxton. The cottages are of brick
and are of varying date; the older ones have tiled
and thatched roofs, the more modern have slate.
South Brook runs almost parallel with the road, and
is crossed at intervals by foot-bridges. One such is
mentioned in 1499, and was known as 'le Parsons
Bryg.' The rector was summoned by the lord of the
manor at this date because it was in an exceedingly
ruinous condition and a source of common danger.
He was ordered, under a severe penalty, to repair it
before a given date. (fn. 4) There is a small foot-bridge at
the present day near the rectory grounds, which probably marks the site of this ancient one. Approaching
the village from the east Brook Farm stands on the
north of the road. Some little distance further west
is the parish church of St. Nicholas, with the Manor
Farm, a 17th-century brick building with a tiled roof,
on the opposite side. The rectory is pleasantly situated
in its own grounds opposite the church. The distance
between the stream and the road here widens, and
the houses stand some little distance off the main
road. Well on the western outskirts of the village,
and on the east side of the road, is Crowhill Farm.
There is no industry connected with this parish,
and the inhabitants are principally engaged in agricultural pursuits. It was inclosed in 1811 by Act of
Parliament, at which time the common and open fields
were estimated at 1,006 acres. (fn. 5)
MANORS
At the time of the Survey WILDEN
MANOR, assessed at 5 hides, belonged
to the Bishop of Bayeux. (fn. 6) On his death
in 1097 the overlordship of Wilden reverted to the
Crown, and became attached to the king's honour of
Peverel, the manor being held by service of one
knight's fee. (fn. 7) The latest mention of the overlordship
has been found in 1492. (fn. 8)
In 1086 Herbert held this manor of the bishop,
having as under-tenant his nephew Hugh, (fn. 9) from whom
it appears to have passed some time in the following
century to the family of St. Remy. This family,
which was of Norman extraction, also held land in
Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and other counties. In
1164–5 Robert de St. Remy paid 4 marks into the
Exchequer for land held in the first-named county,
and in 1175–6 and succeeding years owed £100
'pro foresta' on behalf of himself and his sons. (fn. 10) It
is not until 1204 that we find the name connected
with Wilden. In that year, probably during the
minority of William de St. Remy, who appears to have
succeeded Robert here as elsewhere, (fn. 11) the Sheriff of
Bedford was ordered to pay 15 librates of the land
lately belonging to Robert and Richard de St. Remy
to James St. Clare. (fn. 12) In 1206–7 another grant of
Robert de St. Remy's lands was made to Peter de
Manley 'to maintain himself in the king's service,' (fn. 13)
but a year later William de St. Remy appears to have
entered into possession certainly of part (fn. 14) of his ancestral
property. (fn. 15) He died c. 1224, in which year his widow
Cecilia received an assignment of dower in Wilden, (fn. 16)
and also on payment of £10 received the wardship of
her husband's daughters. (fn. 17) Of these Agnes married
Ralph Ridel, and Elena John de Pabenham (whose
family has been traced in Pavenham, (fn. 18) q.v.), the dual
heirship leading to a temporary division of the property. With regard to the moiety which passed to
Agnes, John Ridel her son is found holding in
1286–7, (fn. 19) and again in 1302–3. (fn. 20) He died without
direct heirs in 1313, when by arrangement with
Henry Tilly and Matilda (who represented Ralph
Ridel's family) and John de Pabenham (whose claim
rested on his relationship to Agnes de St. Remy) the
former took lands in Huntingdonshire, whilst the
latter acquired the Wilden property, thus reuniting
the moieties. (fn. 21)
After its acquisition by the Pabenhams Wilden
Manor follows the same descent as those manors held
by that family in Pavenham and Carlton (q.v.). Its
history diverges from that of Pavenham on the alienation of the latter in 1340 to Thomas de Pabenham.
Like Carlton, Wilden Manor passed to Margery
daughter of James de Pabenham, who some time
before 1388 married William Huggeford, (fn. 22) and so, by
the marriage of their daughter Alice and Thomas
Lucy, to the latter family. It was retained by the
Lucys till 1569, when Sir Thomas Lucy alienated it
to Thomas Rolt. (fn. 23) For nearly
200 years the Rolts, who were
a branch of the Milton-Ernest
family, held Wilden Manor.
Thomas Rolt died at Wilden
in 1617, (fn. 24) and was followed
by John Rolt, probably his son,
whose son Thomas received
the freedom of the manor in
1630. (fn. 25) One of his name
made a settlement of the
manor in 1664, (fn. 26) and yet
another Thomas Rolt, clerk,
died at Wilden in 1695. It is
difficult to state with certainty
that he was lord of the manor.
In his will, which was proved the same year, he leaves
his real and personal estate to his wife Elizabeth,
£100 to 'my relations at Milton Ernest,' 50s. to the
poor of Wilden and minor bequests. (fn. 27) Thomas Rolt,
a later member of this family, made in 1727 a settlement of the manor, (fn. 28) which he sold five years later to
Sarah Duchess of Marlborough. (fn. 29) She died in 1744,
and it was purchased from her family by the Duke of
Bedford, whose successors continued to hold the manor
till about 1837, when it became the property of the
family of Chalk, (fn. 30) from whom it has passed within
recent years to the Rev. Norman Ramsay, rector of
Radclive, Bucks.
Rolt of Wilden. Argent a bend sable with three dolphins argent thereon having golden crowns.
An estate which once formed part of the original
manor, and which is also called WILDEN MANOR,
is found in this parish in the 13th century. As shown
above, Peter de Manley received in 1206–7 a temporary grant of the St. Remy lands in Wilden. In
1224 (the same year in which Cecilia de St. Remy
received her dower and the wardship of the St. Remy
co-heirs in Wilden) Ralph Tirell received a grant 'for
as long as the king pleased' of lands in Wilden which
Peter de Manley had held. (fn. 31) In 1232 a further
grant to him is found of half a knight's fee, which
would represent one-half the original manor. It is
here stated that it formerly belonged to Robert de St.
Remy, and in the event of its restoration to the heirs
of the original owner, Ralph Tirell or his heirs was to
receive a reasonable exchange in wards and escheats. (fn. 32)
Peter Tirell held this fee at the time of the Testa. (fn. 33)
He died c. 1246, when his brother and heir Thomas
paid 50s. relief. (fn. 34) Thomas Tirell died in 1264, and
the inquisition then taken states that his fee (which
included one messuage, 100 acres in demesne, 9 acres
of wood and 40s. 3¾d. rent) was held of the king in
chief by service of finding one esquire with hauberk,
sword and lance for forty days at his own costs in the
king's army. (fn. 35) His heir was his son Ralph, then
aged sixteen. In 1270 a further inquisition is found
concerning Thomas Tirell's property (here called
Wilden Manor) probably on the coming of age of his
son. It was then worth £9 3s. 9¼d., including 2 virgates
worth 6 marks, held in villeinage. (fn. 36) In 1286–7
Ralph Tirell held half of the township of Wilden, the
remaining half being the property of John de Pabenham and John Ridel. He is declared at this time to
have alienated much of his lands to tenants without
licence. (fn. 37) Ralph Tirell held the same fee in 1302–3. (fn. 38)
His daughter Alice married William de Norton, (fn. 39) and
appears to have received part of this property in
dower, for in 1313 she and her husband received
pardon for acquiring without licence 15 acres of land
and 30s. 4½d. rent in Wilden from Ralph Tirell. (fn. 40)
William de Norton's name occurs in the feudal assessment of 1316 for Wilden. (fn. 41) Ralph Tirell died about
two years later, being then found to hold one messuage,
27 acres of arable land, 2 acres of meadow, 1 acre of
pasture, 12d. and ½ lb. pepper rents, which passed to
his heir Alice de Norton. (fn. 42) In 1323–4 William de
Norton and his wife granted their manor of Wilden
to John de Pabenham, thus reuniting the original
property in a single ownership. (fn. 43)
A small property, known as SEXTON'S MANOR,
appears in this parish in the 16th century. It appears
to have been originally part of Wilden Manor, and to
have been leased by Sir Thomas Lucy in 1566 to
William Wagstaffe for the term of 1,000 years. (fn. 44)
George Wagstaffe, who held this property at his death
in 1601, was son of William Wagstaffe. (fn. 45) The family
continued to hold this property down to the 19th
century. Lysons mentions their manor, and their
name, as owning land in the parish, occurs in the
Inclosure Act of 1811. (fn. 46)
In the early part of the
13th century a family called
Blunt owned land in Wilden,
whose descent can be traced
for more than one hundred
years. This land, formerly
part of Wilden Manor, was
acquired by William Blunt
previous to 1313 from Ralph
and Thomas Tirell, (fn. 47) and was
held of the king as of the
honour of Peverel by service
of 1 lb. of pepper and 1 lb.
of cummin yearly. (fn. 48) William
Blunt appears to have acquired originally without
licence, for which omission it was taken into the
king's hands. (fn. 49) In 1315 his son John Blunt paid
a fine to the Crown, and the property, extended
at 1 virgate 18 acres of land, 4 acres of meadow
and 15d. rent, was accordingly restored to him. (fn. 50)
In 1360 one Richard Blunt, whose relationship
to the above John has not been established, granted
this property in trust to Richard Chamberlain. (fn. 51)
Blunt died in 1377, at which time the messuage
and land were worth 9s. 4d. (fn. 52) He left a natural
son William White and a married daughter Agnes
Morice, whose maiden name was also White. (fn. 53)
The consequent irregularity in the succession led
to further inquisitions regarding Richard Blunt's
property. Agnes Morice was declared to be the
rightful heir in 1389–90, (fn. 54) and again in 1391, to
the exclusion of William White. (fn. 55) A partition was
arranged, however, for on the death of William White
in 1401 he held two crofts and land in Wilden
worth 4s. yearly, to which his son Thomas White
succeeded. (fn. 56) Agnes Morice died in 1417, when
her share passed to her son John Morice. (fn. 57) Thomas
White died in the same year, and, as his nearest kin
was his cousin John Morice, the moieties of this
property became once more joined in a single ownership, though no further evidence of its descent can
be traced. (fn. 58)
Wagstaffe. Argent two bends engrailed gules, the lower bend cut away at the top.
In 1279 Hugh Wygod, who owned a messuage
and 12 acres of land in Wilden, committed felony
and was outlawed. The constables of Wilden seized
the land, which was held of Ralph Tirell, the lord of
the manor, and others, (fn. 59) and it was subsequently held
'for a year and a day and more' by the king. (fn. 60) This
is interesting, because nearly 250 years later Richard
Smyth died seised of a tenement called 'Wygoods'
with 30 acres of inclosed land in Sewick End, held
of the lord of the manor by socage, 2s. rent and
1 lb. of cummin. (fn. 61)
The Abbot of Warden owned a small property in
this parish which had its origin in a grant made to
the abbey in 1275–6 by Bartholomew Newman and
Cecilia his wife. (fn. 62) In 1287 and again in 1330 the
abbot was declared to have claimed unlawfully view
of frankpledge from his tenants in Wilden. (fn. 63) In
1291 the property was worth £1 5s. (fn. 64) The abbot
appears continually as a defaulting suitor at the court
of the lord of Wilden Manor. (fn. 65) At the Dissolution
2 acres in this parish, lately belonging to Warden,
were granted to John Gostwick, who acquired most
of the Warden Abbey property. (fn. 66)
Other religious houses having interests in this
parish were Bushmead, whose temporalities amounted
at the Dissolution to 3s. 4d., Caldwell Priory, (fn. 67) and
St. John's Hospital, Bedford, whose master claimed
land here in 1532, of the gift of Robert and Richard
de St. Remy. (fn. 68)
CHURCH
The church of ST. NICHOLAS
consists of a chancel 30 ft. 6 in. by
15 ft. 2 in., with a modern north vestry,
a nave 54 ft. 10 in. by 19 ft. 8 in., with a south
porch and a west tower 8 ft. 6 in. square.
The western half of the south wall of the nave
dates from c. 1340, and there is no evidence of
earlier work except a 13th-century piscina in the
chancel, which is probably reset. All the rest of
the nave and chancel seems to have been rebuilt in
the early part of the 15th century, and the tower
and south porch are probably of much the same date.
The walls of nave and chancel are in rubble of dark
brown cobble-stones mixed with a little freestone,
and the buttresses are ashlar-faced.
The chancel has a plain parapet and a moulded
plinth, with diagonal buttresses at the eastern angles.
The east window is of three cinquefoiled lights with
15th-century tracery, and there are two three-light
windows of the same date in the south wall, each
with two wide upright lights in the tracery. The
sill of the south-east window is carried down to form
a seat, and to the east of it is a large trefoiled piscina
recess of the 13th century, with a modern wooden
shelf. In the north wall near the chancel arch is a
blocked square-headed 15th-century window of two
cinquefoiled lights, and to the east of it is a modern
doorway into the vestry. The chancel arch is in
two chamfered orders with plainly moulded capitals
to the inner order. The roof is of the 15th century
and divided by a truss and secondary rafters into four
bays; at the various intersections are carved bosses,
and at the feet of the brackets to the trusses are angels.
The nave is lighted on either side, to the east of
its north and south doorways, by two three-light
windows like those in the chancel; to the west of
the north doorway is a smaller 15th-century two-light window, and opposite to it a small 14th-century
window with two trefoiled lights and leaf tracery.
The north doorway is blocked; it is plain 15th-century work with continuous orders of two hollow
chamfers, while the south doorway is good 14th-century work with continuous mouldings and a
moulded label. There is a plain piscina at the
south-east of the nave.
The porch is 15th-century work, but the head
and the greater part of the jambs of its outer archway
are new. In the east and west walls are cinquefoiled
windows with square heads, and there are stone
benches and the traces of a holy-water stone at the
north-east corner.
The font stands at the west end of the nave, and
is 15th-century work, with an octagonal bowl panelled
on six sides, and having alternately a shield charged
with a plain or flowered cross and tracery or flower
patterns; the bowl rests on an octagonal shaft and
base, and was repaired in 1837.
The tower, which is divided by strings into three
stages, has an embattled parapet and diagonal buttresses at each angle. The west doorway is in two
moulded orders, the outer forming a square head and
the inner a pointed arch; the north spandrel is
carved with foliage, and the other represents an owl
in a tree. The west window is like those in the
nave, and on each side of the top stage is a pointed
window of two cinquefoiled lights with tracery and a
transom; below this stage, on the north and south sides,
are three square-headed windows with two cinquefoiled lights. The tower arch has three shafts in each
jamb with moulded capitals and bases, carrying a
moulded arch; it is now blocked and shut off entirely
from the nave.
On the north wall of the chancel is a monument
to Jasper Fisher, rector, who died 1643, and in the
floor are slabs to other rectors: Thomas Watson
1657 and Thomas Rolt 1695.
The communion table is of the 17th century, with
panelled front and sides, having beneath it a large
drawer. In the vestry is a finely-carved chest on
turned legs and a bottom rail carrying a shelf: it is
dated 1637. The doorway leading into the tower
staircase is 15th-century work with tracery, and the
south door of the nave has a good wrought-iron handle
and circular scutcheon.
In the east window is a medley of glass of various
dates, parts of 15th-century canopies, a figure of
St. James, a head of our Lord, &c. The two large
shields in this window appear to be fabrications, for,
though they contain many quarters which are easily
recognizable as the arms of well-known families, these
are arranged in so haphazard a fashion that it seems
impossible to refer the shields to any definite persons.
There are five bells: the treble of 1649; the
second, a mediaeval London bell, c. 1460, by Henry
Jurden, inscribed 'Sancta Katerina ora pro nobis';
the third by Hugh Watts, an undated alphabet bell;
the fourth by Chandler, 1717; and the tenor by
Hugh Watts, inscribed 'I.H.S. Nazarenus rex Iudeorum
fili dei miserere mei 1637.' On the frame is cut
'AS: W.G: G 1650.'
The plate consists of a cup of 1628 and a paten of
1715, presented by Robert Paradine, rector.
There is a gap in the registers, where one book is
missing: of those that remain, the first runs from
1545 to 1677; the second has baptisms and burials
1735 to 1812; the third marriages 1754 to 1775;
and the fourth the same, 1777 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The earliest mention of Wilden
Church is in 1231, when it was in
the king's gift. (fn. 69) Until the 19th
century its descent is the same as that of Wilden Manor
(q.v.). In 1291 the living, which is a rectory, was
valued at £13 6s. 8d. (fn. 70) John de Pabenham, who
was parson of the church in 1330, then paid 20s. for
licence to hold view of frankpledge of his tenants in
Wilden, saying that he held from time immemorial
one messuage, 80 acres of land and 20s. rent in
Wilden as endowment of the church. (fn. 71) No further
trace has been found of a rectorial manor being
claimed by the Wilden incumbent, who in the 16th
century was a frequent suitor at the manorial court. (fn. 72)
At the Dissolution the rectory was worth £18 17s. 6d. (fn. 73)
The advowson follows the descent of the manor (q.v.),
but was not alienated to the Rev. Norman Ramsay,
being still exercised by Mr. Chalk. (fn. 74)
CHARITIES
The Church Land consists of a farmhouse and land at East End, containing 21 acres or thereabouts, awarded
in part on the inclosure in 1811 in lieu of lands
comprised in deeds of feoffment by Richard Smith,
dated 3 Henry VIII (1511–12), and by John Ward,
dated 7 August 1630, in trust to defray charges
appertaining to the church.
The farm is let at £20 a year, which has been
accumulated and recently applied towards the restoration of the church.
The Poor's Estate consists of a cottage and
3 a. 2 r. 13 p., partly acquired under a deed of feoffment, dated 27 June 1608, by Francis Dyllingham,
and partly under will of Abraham Smith, dated
6 March 1635, in trust, as recorded in the table of
benefactions for the poor aged and impotent inhabitants.
The rents, amounting to £9 5s., were in 1906
divided among eight poor widows.
Thomas Peat, by indenture dated 18 December
1624, granted and assigned to certain feoffees a messuage and land adjoining at Church End, land in
Mawcase Field, to hold the same for the residue of a
term of 2,000 years upon trust that the profits should
be employed in providing a schoolmaster to teach in
the said messuage the children of the parish—one
of them gratis—and for other purposes therein mentioned.
In 1625 additional land in Thurleigh was purchased by the donor, and in 1731 a cottage and land
adjoining at Elstow were purchased by the trustees.
In 1796 an exchange of certain of the trust property
was effected between the trustees and Samuel Whitbread, and further changes on the inclosure in 1811.
The trust property now consists of two cottages and
9 acres in Wilden and house and land containing
18 acres or thereabouts at Thurleigh, producing a
gross income of £46 12s., which is applicable in
support of the public elementary schools. (fn. 75)