STEPPINGLEY
Stepigelai, Stepingle (xi-xv cent.).
The parish of Steppingley contains 1,308 acres, of
which 500 are arable land, 358 permanent grass and
70 wood. (fn. 1) In the south of the parish the ground
is high, reaching an altitude of 383 ft. above ordnance
datum, but beyond the village, to the north and east,
the land gradually slopes, falling to 224 ft. in the
extreme north-east of the parish. The soil is principally sand, and produces crops of wheat, barley,
clover and turnips.
The village stands on high ground, stretching across
the centre of the parish, and is small and compact in
appearance. The church, rebuilt in 1860 by the
Duke of Bedford and the rector, is a building of local
sandstone, occupying a commanding position in the
centre of the village. The old church was described
in 1849 in the Gentleman's Magazine as 'the smallest
in the county of Bedford. It has a low tower not
rising above the neighbouring hayricks.' (fn. 2) Northeast of the church are the school buildings, built in
the same style as the church.
At the bottom of the hill at the east end of the
village a lane leads past a few half-timber and brick
cottages to Park Farm, a building erected in 1861,
round which are traces of an extensive moat. Several
model cottages have been built by the Duke of Bedford at either end of the village.
North of the main road to the east of the church
is the Methodist chapel, and on the same side, but
separated from it by the road leading to the church, is
the 'French Horn,' an inn of some antiquity, although
refaced with a modern front, while in the yard adjoining on the east is a large old thatched barn now
belonging to the inn, but claimed by local tradition
as the old tithe barn.
A little further west, on the opposite side of the
road, stands the vicarage, an 18th-century brick building, the gardens of which are inclosed by a high brick
wall having a moulded brick coping.
About half a mile to the south-west of Steppingley
is the Warren, formerly a small farm-house, now
occupied by a gamekeeper. It stands among the
large game-preserves of Priestley and Flitwick Plantations and Steppingley Wood, belonging to the Duke
of Bedford.
The following place-names have been found in
documents relating to this parish:—Angel's Croft
formerly belonged to the church, and was granted
for the maintenance of an obit, as was also a close
of pasture called Bythell (fn. 3) ; Wellcroft, Makyns,
Lampaths Furlong and Gorlrede Furlong are names
which occur in a survey of the 16th century. (fn. 4)
Part of the parish was inclosed under an Act passed
in 1836. (fn. 5)
MANORS
In 1086 William Spech held STEPPINGLEY MANOR, assessed at 5 hides. (fn. 6)
It remained with William Spech's other
lands appurtenant to the barony of Warden (q.v.)
until it was granted to Warden Abbey in the 14th
century. (fn. 7) After the Dissolution it was annexed in
1542 to the honour of Ampthill, of which it was
afterwards held. (fn. 8)
The undertenant in 1086 was William son of
Rainald, (fn. 9) but for the next 130 years there is no
mention of this estate. In the 13th century it
reappears in the possession of William son of Richard,
to whom in 1219 Gilbert son of William de Den
alienated land in this parish. (fn. 10) William was succeeded
by Walter de Steppingley, who was in possession in
1284 (fn. 11) and whose son John held the manor in
1316. (fn. 12) John left a widow Nichola and daughter
and heir Maud, the former of whom married William
Mordaunt and the latter William the son of William
Mordaunt, to whom she brought the manor in
marriage. (fn. 13) After her death it was claimed by Henry
son of a brother of John de Steppingley, (fn. 14) from whom
it appears to have passed to Woburn Abbey, which
held it till the Dissolution. (fn. 15) In the 17th century
the office of steward of the manor was held by the
Bruces, Earls of Elgin and Ailesbury, chief stewards of
the honour of Ampthill. (fn. 16) In 1677 Charles II granted
a ninety-nine years' lease of Steppingley to Robert
Bruce first Earl of Ailesbury. (fn. 17) A lease was obtained
in 1771 by John Duke of Bedford, (fn. 18) who held
Dunstable (q.v.) on the same terms, both manors
reverting to the Crown in 1839. (fn. 19)
An estate in Steppingley which was known after
the Dissolution as STEPPINGLEY MANOR was
held in the 14th century of Emery de St. Amand,
who himself held of Lord Mowbray. (fn. 20)
Holding under the St. Amands were the Knights
Templars, to whom in 1239 Richard de Steppingley
granted 1 virgate of land. (fn. 21) On the suppression of
this order by Edward II, Steppingley, with their
other possessions in England, was bestowed on the
Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, who claimed in
1350 to hold a view of frankpledge here by a charter
of Edward II. (fn. 22) This estate was retained by the
Hospital until the Dissolution, (fn. 23) and was granted to
Sir Richard Longe with the Preceptory of Shingay in
1540. (fn. 24) It passed with Eversholt Rectory Manor
(q.v.) through the families of Russell, Morrison and
Sandys, from the latter of whom it was purchased in
1839 by the Duke of Bedford, ancestor of the present
duke, now lord of the manor. (fn. 25)
Another manor in Steppingley, known as WATKINS
MANOR, was held in the 16th century of New
College, Oxford, (fn. 26) from which it was afterwards
purchased by the Crown and annexed to the honour
of Ampthill. (fn. 27) This property originated in one messuage
and 6 virgates of land granted in the 14th century
by Walter de Steppingley to Henry Watkin, whose
son Henry succeeded him. (fn. 28) Nothing further is heard
of this estate until 1512, when on the death of
William Jurdon it passed by settlement to George
Hynton, (fn. 29) who was succeeded in 1538 by his son
Thomas, then four years of age. (fn. 30) The latter in
1560 settled the manor on himself and heirs, (fn. 31) but
sold it in 1562 to John Style, one of the trustees, (fn. 32)
whose son Thomas was in possession in 1586 and
1604, the last date at which the manor is mentioned, (fn. 33)
although the connexion of the Style family with this
parish continued during the 17th century. (fn. 34)
There is no mention of STEPPINGLEY PARK
until the reign of Henry VIII, when it was Crown
property, part of the honour of Ampthill. (fn. 35) As it
extended into Priestley in the parish of Flitwick it
was known also as Priestley Park, of which Sir Francis
Bryan was made keeper in 1543. (fn. 36) In 1628 it was
granted to George Johnson and others, (fn. 37) and passed
from them to the Abbot family, of whom Maurice
Abbot was holding in 1642. (fn. 38) Members of this
family were sheriffs of the county in 1681 and 1722, (fn. 39)
and in 1731 Robert Abbot was owner of the Park. (fn. 40)
There is a farm of Steppingley Park at the present
day, in the occupation of Thomas and Joseph
Phillips.
In 1219 Gilbert son of William de Den alienated
a mill in Steppingley to William son of Richard. (fn. 41)
In 1233 Agnes de Lidlington obtained a grant of
mills for her life, (fn. 42) and in 1679 Joseph Walker held
a water-mill here. (fn. 43)
CHURCH
The church of ST. LAWRENCE is a
modern building, and consists of a
chancel 26 ft. by 15 ft., a nave 40 ft. by
19 ft., north aisle 10 ft. wide, and tower 10 ft.
square. In the vestry, which is on the north side of
the chancel, is a relic of the old church—a crocketed
15th-century niche, with broken tracery—inserted in
the north wall.
There are four bells: the first is by Christopher
Graye, 1660; the second and fourth by R. Taylor
of St. Neots, 1807; and the third by the same maker,
1814.
The communion plate consists of a 1569 cup, a
modern flagon and two modern patens.
The registers are in five books: (1) all entries
1647 to 1716; (2) the same 1716 to 1789;
(3) baptisms and burials 1789 to 1812; (4) baptisms
only 1789 to 1812; (5) marriages 1755 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The advowson of Steppingley was
granted by Richard de Steppingley
to Dunstable Priory in the late
12th century. (fn. 44) At the Dissolution Steppingley
Church, valued at £6 7s. 2d., (fn. 45) was surrendered to
the Crown, by whom it was retained until 1677, (fn. 46)
when it was leased to Robert Bruce Earl of Ailesbury
for ninety-nine years. (fn. 47) In 1710 the patronage of
Steppingley was held by Honora Bruce, (fn. 48) and in
1745 it was exercised by the Duke of Bedford. (fn. 49)
The advowson remained in the Russell family until
1836, when it reverted to the Crown, and is now in
the gift of the Lord Chancellor. (fn. 50)
CHARITIES
In 1704 John Parker by will
charged his close, called Makehams,
with 10s. a year for the poor. The
annuity was redeemed in 1871 by the transfer to the
official trustees of £17 consols.
The official trustees also hold a sum of £42 16s. 4d.
consols arising from sale in 1877 of land granted by
inclosure award, and known as the Constable's Allotment. The dividend, amounting to £1 1s. 4d., is
under a scheme, 21 May 1878, made applicable
in aid of the funds of any clothing, coal or sick
club.
The Well Estate Charity.
By an award under
the Inclosure Act, 1836, 4 acres were granted for the
maintenance of the town well and towards the
support of the village school. In 1873 the land was
sold, and proceeds invested in £434 3s. 10d. consols
with the official trustees, producing £10 16s. 8d. a
year, of which one moiety (£5 8s. 4d.) is applied
towards maintenance and repair of the town well and
the other moiety is being accumulated as an educational foundation pending the establishment of a
scheme by the Board of Education.