BROUGHTON
Broctona (x cent.); Brouctone, Brochtuna (xii
cent.); Brouctone (xvi cent.)
The parish of Broughton lies on the Oxford Clay
and is watered by a stream running from Kings
Ripton north-eastward to Wistow. The northern
part of the parish, which is only 50 ft. above ordnance
datum, is liable to floods, but the land rises towards
the south near Hungry Farm to 131 ft. The total
area is 2,372 acres, of which about three-quarters are
arable land producing wheat, barley and beans, and
one quarter permanent grass. There is no woodland.
The picturesque little village lies about 55 ft.
above ordnance datum in the valley formed by the
stream which runs through the parish and is here
crossed by a bridge called Bull Bridge. It stands
about a mile from the road from St. Ives to Warboys
and about an equal distance from the less important
road from Huntingdon to Wistow. The cottages,
mostly timber framed with thatched or tiled roofs,
are built round the church. To the west of the
church is the rectory, originally built about 1600,
probably by Sir Oliver Cromwell, the patron of the
living, but added to at later dates. It is a timber
framed house of two stories with attics, and a tiled
roof. The chimney stack of the main block bears
the date 1[6]76. On the west side of the road leading
south from the church is a typical late 17th-century
brick house with tiled roofs having Dutch gables and
large central chimney stack. The entrance front has
a porch which is carried up to the second story and
has a hipped roof. The Manor Farm in Bull Lane is
a modern building and is now the residence of Mr.
Harry Mann. Adjoining it is a 17th-century barn
of five bays. At the east side of the village is White
Hall Farm, a brick house, in the porch of which are
the initials and date R.P. 1647. Here at the end of
the 19th century lived Mr. James How, a breeder of
specially pure bred shorthorns. To the south-east
of this farm is a 16th-century timber framed house
with thatched roof, now ruinous.
Adjoining the stream to the north-east of the village
is a moated inclosure, called The Moat, in which are
remains of the foundations of the Hall where the
Courts of the Barony of Broughton were held. We
know nothing of the hall except that in the time of
the anarchy of Stephen's reign, Daniel, the evildisposed monk of Ramsey, built a tower here with
many hiding places. (fn. 1) The manor with the hall was
frequently in lease, the lessee having to bear all the
costs of the abbot's steward with six or seven men and
their horses attending once a year to hold the court
leet, when he was not to demand any compensation for
trespass in his corn or grass by the suitors coming to
the court. The abbot, on the other hand, maintained all the buildings within the moat, but the
lessee was to provide board for the carpenters and
labourers. (fn. 2)
BARONY OF BROUGHTON
Broughton was the head of the
barony or honour of the abbots of
Ramsey. There had been an important court of the sokemen of
Broughton going back to the reign of Edward the
Confessor or earlier. It is specially noted in the
Domesday Survey that the
sokemen claimed fines for
'leyrwite' or incontinence and
for 'bloodwite' or bloodshed;
they also claimed the scarce
privilege of latrocinium or
right to have forfeitures for
larceny up to 4d., above which
the forfeitures went to the
abbot. (fn. 3) The exercise of these
liberties must have necessitated a court, but that this
court was the origin of
the Norman court of the
Barony, which was of much wider jurisdiction, is
perhaps unlikely. The obligation of the suitors of
the court of the Barony to attend the court when
judgment was to be given on a thief by inquiry
(efforciamentum) of this court, may, however,
suggest some survival of the privilege of latrocinium.
A like obligation to attend when the king's writ
was to be heard might possibly be connected with
the right to 'bloodwite,' (fn. 4) but more probably it
concerned the service due in the king's army. The
court of the Barony can be traced back to the early
part of the 12th century or before, as Baldwin
de Stowe claimed to be quit of suit by charter of
Abbot Reinald (1114–30) made to his predecessor. (fn. 5)
Later in the same century (1161–77) Robert Foliot
was granted a charter in a full court at Broughton in
consideration of the counsel he gave to the brethren
and barons of Ramsey. (fn. 6)
Ramsey Abbey. Or a bend azure with three rams' heads argent cut off at the neck thereon.
The general courts of the Barony were held every
three weeks and the two great courts (magnae curiae)
were held after Easter and Michaelmas before the
abbot or his steward. In the early part of the
13th century there were about 114 suitors (fn. 7) composed
of knights and larger freeholders who were summoned
to attend by the 'ridemen.' The majority of these
suitors owed suit at both the three-weekly courts
and the great courts, but the barons or knights who
performed military service were only bound to
attend the two great courts unless the king's writ of
summons for military service was received, or when
judgment was given on a thief. (fn. 8) Besides being a
court for hearing the pleas and presentments usual
to a court leet and cases reserved from manorial
courts, and also the payment of homage, fealty and
relief, the court of the Barony was an assembly for
the consideration of the affairs of a tenurial group. (fn. 9)
At it the four knights that the abbot had to provide
for forty days' service in the king's army, were elected
from among the knights of the Barony who held a
hide of land or over, by all the knights and freeholders
owing suit. The court also assessed the cost of such
service which was levied upon the whole body of
knights and freeholders of the Barony according to
the custom of the Barony. (fn. 10) In 1258, each of the four
knights received 4s. a day, the hidage for which was
assessed at 2s. on every hide. Permission was given
to serve by deputy or by an equivalent service, two
sergeants or esquires being apparently taken to equal
a knight. (fn. 11) At the court of this Barony, provision
was also made for the carriage of the arms and armour
of the knights while on military service, for which
Thomas Pyel of Isham (co. Northants) had to find
horses and a sack. (fn. 12) The military service was
burdensome and the cause of constant dispute. For
service in Wales in 1245. John de Harpefeude denied
his liability and the abbot was obliged to send two
sergeants in his place. Again, for the like service in
1257 four knights were elected, and although distrained to do the service, the abbot had eventually to
send four other knights at his own expense. (fn. 13) The
distraint which the abbot was able to impose was
insufficient to compel the knights to give their service,
and early in the 14th century, if not before, the court
began to decay.
The lands whose holders owed suit at the court
of the Barony were scattered over the vast estates
of the abbey. According to a list of about 1300 (fn. 14)
they lay at Abbots Ripton, Broughton, Ellington,
Elton, Gidding, Hemingford, Holywell and Need,
ingworth, Houghton, Little Raveley, Sawtrey, StoweLittle Stukeley, Warboys, Old Weston, Wistow,
Woodhurst and Old Hurst, and Yelling in Huntingdonshire; Burwell, Elsworth, Graveley, Girton,
Knapwell and Over in Cambridgeshire; Barford,
Barton, Cranfield and Shillington in Bedfordshire;
Lawshall in Suffolk; Therfield in Hertfordshire;
Whiston in Northamptonshire; and Cranwell in
Lincolnshire. (fn. 15)
MANORS
King Edward the Martyr (975–979)
gave the Abbey of Ramsey two hides
in BROUGHTON (fn. 16) and Aednoth, a
Ramsey monk, obtained for his abbey another hide
there from Aethelwold, Bishop of Winchester. (fn. 17)
Aethelred the Unready, who succeeded his brother,
the martyr, in 979, granted the abbey 9 hides in
Broughton, (fn. 18) while Aetheric, Bishop of Dorchester,
who was buried at Ramsey in 1034, also gave three
hides. (fn. 19) These gifts were confirmed by Edward the
Confessor, who further bestowed all his land there
with sac and soc. (fn. 20) On 29 December, 1077, William
the Conqueror confirmed to the abbey 3 hides in
Broughton. (fn. 21)
In 1086 we learn from the Domesday Survey that
the abbot had 4 hides in Broughton which paid geld.
There were in the time of King Edward 5 hides of
sokemen's land which paid geld, but the land and the
soke had been given to Abbot Ailwin (fn. 22) for services
rendered to Edward the Confessor while he was in
exile in Saxony. The sokemen claimed the privileges
already referred to. At the time of the Survey there
were a priest and a church and a mill, 10 acres of
meadow, and wood for pannage 3 furlongs long and
2 in breadth. In the time of King Edward the manor
had been worth £9, and was then worth £10. Eustace,
the Sheriff claimed 5 hides; (fn. 23) the abbot paid geld for
a hide. (fn. 24)
An extent of Broughton of the 12th century
shows that the abbot held 9 hides, each of 6½ virgates, which he held in the time of Henry I; that
2 hides were in the court; and that Richard Foliot
(Fluilet) had a free hide, (fn. 25) probably the abbot's hide
already mentioned.
An inquisition of 1252 (fn. 26) states that there belonged
to the manor a wood called Broughton Wood, with
rights of common shared with Raveley. Rights of
common were also exercised in the marshes of
Ramsey, Warboys and Wistow. There seems to have
been 22 freeholders and 56 customary tenants,
some of whom owed service with horse and carriage
for conveying the lord to London, Shillington in
Bedfordshire, or 'elsewhere in such remote parts.'
There was a windmill at which all the villeins of
Broughton, Warboys, Caldecote, Woodhurst and
Old Hurst owed suit.
In 1279 the Abbot of Ramsey held in demesne
4 carucates of land and 5 acres of meadow within
the manor, 4 acres in the meadows of St. Ives, and
4 acres in the meadows of Houghton, belonging to
his manor of Broughton; the manor with its garden
contained 5 acres, and there was a windmill. (fn. 27)
In 1539 the Abbot of Ramsey surrendered his
monastery and possessions, including Broughton,
which was granted with the site of the abbey to
Richard Williams, alias Cromwell, (fn. 28) and was leased
by him and his descendants. (fn. 29) From this date the
manor followed the descent of Ramsey (q.v.) until
the middle of the 17th century, when the estate
of Sir Oliver Williams, alias Cromwell, having become
hopelessly involved, William Hetley, of Brampton,
Sir Oliver Williams, alias Cromwell, of Ramsey,
Henry Cromwell, of Ramsey, the elder son and heir
apparent of Sir Oliver, and Henry, son and heir
apparent of Henry Williams, alias Cromwell, and
James Ravenscroft, of Alconbury Weston, by deed
dated 17 July, 1651, conveyed to Sir Robert Barkham,
of Waynfleet (co. Lincoln), and Anne Huxley, of
Edmonton (co. Middlesex), spinster, the manor of
Broughton with the capital messuage and the messuage
or farm called Horley Farm, in the occupation of
John Desborowe, for the sum of £4,650, paid by
James Huxley, of London. (fn. 30) Possibly this was only
a mortgage, as the name of Sir Henry Cromwell
appears on the headings of the Courts held for the
manor down to 1666. (fn. 31) The manor, however, seems
to have passed to James Huxley, perhaps by foreclosure,
for in 1678 his daughter and co-heir Jane, the wife
of Sir Nicholas Pelham, and Elizabeth, the wife of
Robert Cresset, of Upton Cresset, conveyed the manor
to Robert Jenkinson, bart., of Walcote, in Oxon. (fn. 32)
Sir Robert died in 1709–10, and apparently left the
manor to his younger son, Banks Robert Jenkinson,
who held a court at this time. He succeeded to the
title on the death of his elder brother in 1717, but
before his death in 1738 he had parted with the manor
to John, tenth Lord St. John of Bletsoe, who, with
Elizabeth, his wife, held a court in February, 1736–7.
Lord St. John died in 1757, and his widow, Elizabeth,
held the manor. At her death in 1769 it passed to her
two unmarried daughters, Elizabeth and Lettice,
and after the death of the former in 1780 it was held
by Lettice alone. At her death in 1791 it went to
her nephew, Henry St. John, son of Capt. the Hon.
Henry St. John, (fn. 33) who dealt with the manor in that
year, (fn. 34) and in 1800, with Katherine, his wife, conveyed it to Sir Henry Dalrymple and John Thomas
Batt, (fn. 35) probably on behalf of Charles Pinfold, of
Walton Hall (co. Bucks), who held a court at the
house of Joseph Scratton, being the manor house,
on 4 November in that year, and with Charles John
Pinfold settled the manor in 1827. (fn. 36) Charles Pinfold
died in 1857, and his granddaughter, Fanny Maria
Pinfold, inherited his property. She died in 1902
and left the manor to Miss Seagrave, a relation on
her mother's side, (fn. 37) who in 1903 sold Broughton to
Mr. George Frederick Beaumont, on whose death on
1 June, 1928, the manor passed to his widow, Mrs.
Amy Beaumont, and his two sons, Horace Frederick
and John Lionel, the present owners.
Jenkinson of Walcot. Azure a fesse wavy argent charged with a cross formy gules with two stars or in the chief.
St. John of Bletsoe. Argent a chief gules with two molets or therein.
A rent-charge on the Cromwell estates was partly
payable from the Manor of Broughton.
The manor of HORLEYS can perhaps be traced
to the hide separately assessed at the time of the
Domesday Survey, and referred to later as the Foliot
hide. (fn. 38) Henry I desired Abbot Reinald (1114–30)
to acknowledge the right of Roger Foliot to this
hide. (fn. 39) Robert Foliot, counsellor to the abbey,
apparently owed suit at the court of Broughton. (fn. 40)
Robert, Abbot of Ramsey (1180–1200), confirmed a
grant of Walter Foliot to Henry his brother of all
his lands in Broughton, (fn. 41) and Henry conveyed his
land at Wylyhide (Wilehide, Wyllehida), in Broughton,
to his nephew Richard, son and heir of Walter. (fn. 42)
Richard granted this land to the almoner of Ramsey
Abbey. (fn. 43) Henry Foliot retained a rent in Wylyhide which in the middle of the 13th century he
conveyed to William de Clunches. (fn. 44) The land upon
which the rent was charged was held in 1252 by
Ralph de Broughton, Philip de Clervaux, and others. (fn. 45)
Ralph de Broughton held other lands of the abbot
in Broughton. John, son of Ralph de Broughton,
was holding lands in Broughton in 1279, and William,
son of Ralph de Broughton, a little later. (fn. 46) In 1382
Isabella, late the daughter of William de Broughton,
released to Robert de Tychmershe and Margaret
his wife, sister of the said Isabella, lands which were
her father's in tail. (fn. 47) In 1454, apparently another
Isabella, then widow of Ambrose Germyn, released
to John Horley (Hurle), clerk, Henry Torkington,
and Sir Edward Ingoldesthorp, kt., the lands called
Titmershes, in Broughton, (fn. 48) and in 1457, John Horley
(Hurlegh), clerk, and Henry Torkington, granted to
Walter Grete and others all the lands which they held
in Broughton, Wistow, and Ramsey, on condition
of a yearly payment of 40 marks at the Swan Inn,
in Huntingdon, till 200 marks were paid. (fn. 49) In 1483
Margaret Grete, widow, John Grete, William Grete,
Richard and Thomas Pulter and others released a
messuage, etc., in Broughton to Laurence Merton,
and in 1523 Joan Rowley, widow of William Grete,
of Broughton, (fn. 50) made a settlement of all her lands and
tenements in Broughton on herself and her heirs. (fn. 51)
John Grete, of Broughton, in 1535 mortgaged to
John Lawrence, of Ramsey (the lessee of the site
of the manor in that year), all his manors in Broughton
for £46, upon condition of repayment with expenses
within sixteen years, (fn. 52) and in the following year the
manor of Horleys, in Broughton, was conveyed by
John Grete, of Woodwalton, and Thomasina his wife,
to George Robinson, citizen and mercer of London,
who in 1541 conveyed to William Lawrence, of St.
Ives, 'all that manor called Horles, late Grekes.' (fn. 53)
William Lawrence and Margery his wife conveyed
the manor of Horleys to Sir Henry Williams, alias
Cromwell, in 1570, (fn. 54) and later in the same year it
was granted by Sir Henry to trustees for his wife,
Dame Joan, in place of the manor of Woodwalton,
part of her jointure which he had sold. (fn. 55) After this
date, it followed the descent of the chief manor of
Broughton.
CHURCH
The Church of ALL SAINTS is built
of rubble with Barnack stone dressings,
and consists of a chancel (34 ft. by 17 ft.),
a north vestry (10 ft. by 7 ft.), nave (53¼ ft. by 20 ft.),
north aisle (9½ ft.), south aisle (9½ ft.), west tower
(11 ft. square), all internal measurements. There is
now nothing remaining of the church which existed
here in the time of the Domesday Survey (1086). A
12th-century church, of which there alone remains the
plinth below the chancel arch and a small portion of
the wall on either side, consisted probably of a chancel
and nave only. It is possible that a claim to the
church which was relinquished by Osbern de Broughton, between 1120 and 1130, was due to his having
rebuilt the church or at all events the chancel while he
was the Abbot of Ramsey's tenant of Broughton. (fn. 56)
There was a scheme for rebuilding the church in the
13th century. In 1252 it was stated that the altar
had been moved and had not since been dedicated.
The moving of the altar may indicate a rebuilding of
the chancel at this time, although the architecture
possibly suggests a slightly later date. The work of
rebuilding which took place in the latter half of the 13th
century and the early part of the 14th century was
gradually continued from the chancel to the nave,
aisles and tower, and to the south porch. Early in the
16th century there was a further scheme for reconstruction of the church. The tower and north aisle
were rebuilt, the clearstory added and new windows
were inserted in the south aisle; contributions towards
this work are recorded in a will of 1528, (fn. 57) when we may
presume it was in progress. In 1845 the north vestry
was added and the chancel roof was renewed. The
nave was restored and reseated in 1888–9.
The east window of the chancel, of three lights in
the 14th-century style, is modern. The communion
table is modern, but the 18th-century table now in the
south aisle was probably formerly in the chancel, being
contemporary with the turned communion rails. On
the south side of the communion table is a fine double
piscina of the 13th century which has a trefoiled head
and moulded jambs. There is an early 17th-century
chair, repaired, within the sanctuary. The windows
on the north side are of the 13th century, both of two
lights, but the smaller window to the west has been
much restored. The doorway to the modern vestry
between these windows appears to incorporate some
old stones. On the south side, the easternmost
window corresponds to that on the north, but the
western window, somewhat restored, is of early 14th-century date and is of two trefoiled ogee lights with
a quatrefoil in a two-centred head. The doorway on
the south side is of the 13th century and has a two
centred head, the rear arch of which is painted with
a masonry pattern in red, and imitation marble of
contemporary date. The chancel arch is of the late
13th century, of three orders, the inner of which
springs from attached shafts and the two outer die
into the responds. The shafts stand on a wall which
may be a part of the plinth of a 12th-century arch.
BROUGHTON The PARISH CHURCH of ALL SAINTS
Reproduced by permission of the Controller of H. M. Stationery Office from the Report of the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, Hunts.
The nave arcades of four bays belong to the rebuilding of the early part of the 14th century. They consist
of two-centred arches of two chamfered orders springing from octagonal columns with moulded capitals and
bases. The clearstory has three windows on either
side, each window being of three cinquefoiled lights in
a four-centred head. Over the chancel arch is a 15th-century painting of the Doom. In this the central
figure of Christ has been lost, but indications survive of
the usual surrounding angels, one with a trumpet. On
the north side of the central figure are shown the nude
figures of the Elect kneeling and some wearing a
crown denoting a king or queen, a mitre for a bishop
and a cardinal's hat for a cardinal. They are facing
the gates of heaven, which are guarded by St. Peter
wearing a mitre and holding a crozier or perhaps the
key of heaven, and attended by an angel. Under
this is seen the resurrection of the dead from their
graves. On the south side of the central figure are
shown the damned being driven into the jaws of hell
by angels with drawn swords and underneath demons
driving them further into hell. The lower painting,
which extends on to the south wall, represents hell and
shows in four compartments the souls of the damned
in the flames of hell tortured by demons. Forming a
part of this scheme of painting, and over the extension
of the picture of hell on the south wall, are paintings
of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of
Eden and of Adam delving and Eve spinning. The
paintings, although now faded and indistinct, form an
interesting example of mural decoration of the latter
part of the 15th century. Further west on the south
wall and on the west wall are the remains of 17th-century black letter inscriptions. On the north side of
the chancel arch is the figure of St. George carved in
wood as a memorial to those who fell in the Great
War of 1914–1918. Many of the oak bench ends and
some of the seating are of the middle of the 16th century and have been carefully restored and renewed.
The flat roof, much restored, is probably of the late
14th century, and has some interesting carvings. The
eastern wall posts show the carved figures of St.
Andrew on the north and another apostle with a book,
possibly St. John, on the south. On the soffits of the
intermediate tie beams are carved figures of angels
holding respectively a scroll, an organ and a dulcimer
on the north side and similar figures holding a harp,
a book and a lute on the south side. On the south
side there is also a portion of a dentilled cornice of the
17th century.
The north aisle with its east and three north windows is a part of the rebuilding of the early part of
the 16th century. Each of the windows is of three
cinquefoiled lights in a four-centred head. The north
doorway, which has probably been reset, is of the
14th century; it has a two-centred head and attached
shafts. On the wall west of the doorway are faint
indications of an inscription. The rood loft which
once crossed the chancel arch seems to have been
erected at the end of the 15th century. The doorway
to the stairs to the loft, at the south-east angle of the
north aisle, is of this date, and in 1491 R. Pulter of
Broughton left 20s. towards painting the rood loft (fn. 58)
by which date it had doubtless been built.
The south aisle belongs to the early 14th-century
rebuilding, but the east window and three south
windows were inserted in the early 16th century to
correspond with those in the north aisle. In the east
window in the south wall is a piece of glass contemporary with the window showing a roundel with a
crowned I H S. There is a piscina in the south-east
corner of the aisle to serve the altar here. The south
doorway is of the 14th century with a two-centred
head and attached shafts. The south porch is of the
same date as the doorway and has an outer archway
with a two-centred head of two chamfered orders and
a window on each side of two trefoiled ogee lights in a
square head. On the walling east of the south doorway is the Lord's Prayer in a panel bearing the date
1632, which may be the date of the other wall inscriptions in the church.
The early 16th-century tower arch is two-centred
and of three hollow chamfered orders, the inner of
which springs from attached shafts with moulded
capitals and bases.
The west tower, which is of three stages, was practically rebuilt in the early part of the 16th century.
It is surmounted by a broach spire which seems to
have been reconstructed when the tower was rebuilt
with the material of the 14th-century spire, as it is in
the style of that period. The spire has two series of
windows set in gables, the lower of two trefoiled lights
with tracery and the upper of single trefoiled lights.
The west window is of three cinquefoiled lights with
Perpendicular tracery in a four-centred head. The
next stage has one single-light window with a square
head on the south side and the bell chamber has a
window of two lights under a four-centred head in
each wall. The stair turret on the north side has a
doorway with a four-centred head and chamfered
jambs.
The font, which is of the early part of the 13th century, has a square bowl with rather rudely cut arcading
of three round-headed arches springing from columns
with cushion capitals.
The monuments in the church are as follows:
On the north wall of the chancel to Alan Brooke
Johnston of the Egyptian Police, d. 3 Mar. 1897,
erected by his friends at Cambridge University; to
Rev. Robert Hodgson, d. 30 Dec. 1774. In the nave
a broken brass to Lawrence Martun or Merton, d.
1509, and Agnes his wife, the upper part only of the
figure of the man in civil dress, emblem of St. Luke
and shield with rebus of a tun under the letters L.M.
The slab shows indents for marginal inscriptions, the
emblems of the other evangelists at corners, figure of
woman with shield over man. There are also indents
for figures of a priest and civilian under crocketed
canopies of about mid 15th century and for muchworn figures of a civilian and his wife with inscription
plate. On the wall of the north aisle a brass tablet to
George Allpress, d. 7 April 1907, and on west wall of
south aisle a marble tablet to Mrs. Martha Holdwick,
wife of Edward Holdwick, for many years apothecary
to His Majesty's household, d. 25 Nov. 1797.
There are four bells, the first bearing the inscription
'Omnia fiant ad gloriam Dei 1624'; the second by
T. Norris with the inscription 'Non clamor sed
amor cantat in aure Dei 1616'; the third 'I H S
Nazarenus rex Judæorum filius Dei miserere mei
Tho: Embery John Cox C. W. 1748'; and
fourth 'Thomas Norris made me 1661 I. Biggs.
H. Wells.'
The plate includes a cup of 1597 and a paten with
an inscription recording its gift by Edward Hodges,
26 Feb. 1620. There is also a little silver bowl, hallmarked Birmingham, 1897–8.
The registers are as follows: (i) Baptisms, marriages
and burials, 24 Jan. 1572 to 18 Mar. 1721–2; (ii) ditto,
27 Mar. 1722 to 13 Dec. 1812; marriages to 17 Dec.
1754; (iii) the official marriage book, 17 Dec. 1754
to 26 May 1812.
ADVOWSON
A church was returned with the
manor in the Domesday Survey.
Between 1120 and 1130 the church
was the subject of a claim by Osbern de Broughton
(probably the abbot's lessee of the manor), who then in
full chapter surrendered to the abbey of Ramsey whatever he had possessed in Broughton either in land or in
the church and at the same time surrendered to the
archdeacon the cure of souls belonging to the
church. (fn. 59)
In 1252 the advowson belonged to the abbey; and
further it was returned that the church had been built
in honour of All Saints and dedicated of old, but that
the altar had been moved, and so remained still to be
dedicated; in spite of this, however, the parishioners
made their offering on the dedication day, of which
the cellarer of Ramsey received one mark yearly in
pension. There was a messuage in which the parson
lived, and an acre of land in two places; the parson
received tithes from the abbot's demesne, and found
two men for the first boon-day in autumn on account
of this messuage; he had no right of common with the
abbot, but if he had animals he had right of common
with the village. (fn. 60)
The advowson was held by Ramsey Abbey until the
Dissolution, when it was granted with the manor to
Richard Williams alias Cromwell. (fn. 61) It appears to
have been leased by Henry Cromwell to John Phillips,
who presented in 1556. (fn. 62) Sir Oliver Cromwell presented in 1601, and the advowson was mortgaged by
him with the manor to Thomas Ravenscroft in 1619.
In 1668 Robert and John Christmas, probably lessees,
presented and in 1680 Robert Hobson and John
Christmas junior. After this date the advowson became severed from the manor and was held by the
Whitebreads of Carrington, Stephen and Henry Whitebread presenting in 1697 and Henry Whitebread in
1713. In 1775 Richard Oakley presented himself.
It was later acquired by the Pointers and Henry
Pointer Standley presented for his turn in 1784. The
Rev. Robert Pointer was holding in 1784 and James
Pointer of Bucklersbury for his turn in 1797 presented
the Rev. Thomas Johnson, who obtained the advowson
and presented in 1838 and his executors in 1886. (fn. 63)
From 1900 it was held by Sir Thomas Beecham, who
conveyed it to his wife, and in 1922 Lady Beecham
gave it to Mrs. M. M. Murray. In 1929 Mrs. Murray
conveyed it to the Bishop of Ely. (fn. 64)
In 1279 the parson held one acre of land in free
alms belonging to the church and 4 acres of (?) Foliot
land. (fn. 65) At the Inclosure Act passed for the parish in
1794, the Rev. Robert Pointer was seised of the perpetual advowson of the rectory and was also rector and
entitled to all rectorial and small tithes. Provision
was made in the Act for exchange to be made of the
rectory house. The house belonging to the late Hon.
Lettice St. John was suggested for the purpose and
lands to be allotted to the rector were to be given in
exchange for the house. (fn. 66)
No charities are recorded for this parish.