GREAT STUKELEY
Stiuecle (xi cent.); Stiueclai, Stiuekelea (xii
cent.); Styvecle, Magna Steuecle, Stiuekle (xiii
cent.); Stuecle (xv cent.); Stewkeley, Stukelie,
Steukeley (xvi cent.) covering 2,875 acres, lies in
the centre of the county, adjoining Huntingdon on the
south. The Great Northern Railway runs through
the parish in the east. The land is low-lying and
fertile; towards the south-west, where Alconbury
Brook forms part of the boundary, the pasture land
is liable to flood, the highest land being in the northeast.
The parish is mainly arable land, the soil being
clay, but there is a small amount of woodland. The
principal crops are wheat, barley, and beans.
The scattered village lies on both sides of Ermine
Street, the Roman road, which crosses the parish on
its way from Peterborough to Huntingdon. The
village is divided into three districts. Church End,
with the church, vicarage, schools, Wesleyan chapel
and some houses and cottages form the more westernly portion; Owl End to the north-east, bordering
on Stukeley Hall and Park, the residence of Mrs.
Walter Fenwick, consists of the Manor Farm, a 17th-century L-shaped house with later additions, Cartwright's Farm and the cottages subsidiary to these
farms and the Hall. Further to the north-east is
Prestley Wood, in which is a moated inclosure
marking the site of the manor house of Prestley
Manor. To the south is Green End, comprising a
group of 17th-century half-timbered houses.
MANORS
At the time of the Domesday Survey
(1086) the Countess Judith had three
hides in Great Stukeley, with a church
and a priest, which were held under her by a woman
named Hunneve or Hunnef. Eustace the Sheriff
had a virgate, then waste, which was held of him
by Herbert. Eustace also claimed the Countess
Judith's lands. (fn. 1) Both these holdings were retained
in the hands of Judith's descendants Earls of Huntingdon until Earl David (d. 1219) sub-enfeoffed Robert
de la Carnaile (Kernilio, Kernele) of 20 librates of
land for one knight's fee; he further gave to Ralph
de Camoys 100 solidates of land for a quarter of a
knight's fee and to Simon de St. Liz 10 librates of
land for half a knight's fee. (fn. 2)
The first of these holdings seems to have been
known as STUKELEY MANOR and later as
NOKES MANOR. Maud, daughter of Robert de
la Carnaile, probably a son of the grantee, married
John de Den, (fn. 3) and they held the manor in 1279
with suit at the court of the honour at Huntingdon
called the 'Barunesmote.' (fn. 4) In 1286, Maud evidently being dead, John de Den claimed the manor
in right of his daughters Agnes and Alice, who were
under age. (fn. 5) John de Den held various appointments
as commissioner of the peace and as collector of the
fifteenths in Huntingdon from 1297 to 1302. (fn. 6)
It would appear that before 1306 Agnes de Den
married William son of William de Wassingley and
Alice married Hugh atte Noke. (fn. 7) Richard atte Noke,
possibly son of Alice, was holding this manor in
1346. (fn. 8) Nicholas, son of John de Stukeley, (fn. 9) settled
this manor and Presteleys on himself and his son
Nicholas in tail in 1378, (fn. 10) and apparently died in or
about 1377. (fn. 11) Nicholas the younger was knighted
and died about 1395. (fn. 12) He was succeeded by his
brother John, who, with his wife Agnes and son John,
settled the manor of Woolley in 1388. (fn. 13) It was
probably the son John de Stukeley who presented to
the living of Little Stukeley in 1404 and 1407, (fn. 14) but
in 1428 the manor of Great Stukeley was held by
Nicholas de Stukeley. (fn. 15) Nicholas was knighted and
he and his wife Agnes were dealing with lands in 1432. (fn. 16)
John de Stukeley had apparently succeeded to the
family estates by 1477, when he and his wife Margaret
were dealing with lands in Buckden. (fn. 17) In 1484 he
made a settlement of the manor of Nokes among
various other properties (fn. 18) and died in 1488, his son
Gerard being his heir. (fn. 19) Gerard died seised in 1506,
leaving a son and heir William, (fn. 20) who proved his age in
1527. (fn. 21) William Stukeley died in 1538 seised of the
manors of Stukeley, Nokes and Presteleyes, the heir,
his son Matthew, being a minor. (fn. 22) Matthew died in
the following year, and his inheritance passed to
William's sister Katherine, wife of Henry Torkington,
afterwards Katherine Broughton. (fn. 23) Lawrence Torkington, second son of Katherine and Henry, succeeded to the property on Katherine's death in 1554,
although it was not until the death, in 1565, of
Emma Vaughan, formerly wife of William Stukeley,
that he became seised of the whole property. (fn. 24)
Lawrence Torkington, son of Lawrence, succeeded
his father in 1602 (fn. 25) and was in turn succeeded by his
son Thomas in 1627. (fn. 26) At Thomas's death in 1634,
a third Lawrence Torkington, brother of Thomas,
inherited the manors, (fn. 27) and died leaving a son of
the same name in 1645. (fn. 28) The manors descended in
the family, (fn. 29) being held by another Lawrence Torkington in the first half of the 19th century, when,
and later, they disposed of much of the land of the
manor, but retained the Hall until 1901. In that
year it was sold to Captain Montgomery, and he in
1905 sold it to Mr. Howard Coote. It was purchased
from Mr. Coote in 1923 by Mrs. Walter Fenwick,
of Tixover Grange, Rutland, who is the present
owner. (fn. 30)
Stukeley. Argent a fesse sable with three molets argent thereon.
Torkington. Sable a fesse argent with three leopards' beads gules thereon.
The moiety of the manor which went to Agnes de
Den, who married William, son of William de Wassingley, was held of the Honour of Huntingdon by the
service of carrying a white rod before the lord of the
Honour from the cross called Stukeley Cross to
Huntingdon Bridge. (fn. 31) The manor continued in the
hands of the Wassingleys of Washingley (q.v.) and
passed to Joan sister and heiress of John Wassingley
in 1464. (fn. 32) John Dyke and his wife, heiress of John
Wassingley, were dealing with the manor in 1480.
From them it passed to Ralph Latham and Elizabeth
his wife, who in 1517 sold it to the Master and Fellows
of St. John's College, Cambridge, who still hold it. (fn. 33)
The second holding which was granted by Earl
David to Ralph de Camoys and later known as
CAMOYS MANOR, was also held of the Honour of
Huntingdon. On the death of Ralph in 1259 the
manor passed to Ralph his son. (fn. 34) Ralph the son
died about 1277, when he was succeeded by his son
John, (fn. 35) who settled the manor for life on his sister
Ellen and her husband Stephen de Eppeworth, with
remainder to his son Ralph. (fn. 36) In 1316 this Ralph
de Camoys, with Elizabeth his wife, settled the
manor (fn. 37) and in 1318 obtained a grant of free warren. (fn. 38)
Ralph had a son John, who married Margaret
daughter of Richard Foliot, and died after 1344
without issue. (fn. 39) In 1386 the manor was held by
Thomas son of John de Camoys, (fn. 40) who died seised
of it in 1421, leaving his grandson Hugh, son of his
son Richard, his heir. (fn. 41) Hugh died five years later,
his heirs being his sisters, Margaret, wife of Ralph
Radmylde, and Eleanor, wife of Roger Leukenor. (fn. 42)
Ralph Radmylde survived his wife and died in 1443,
holding a moiety, their son Robert being the heir. (fn. 43)
This portion appears to have passed to the Leukenor
family as Roger, outliving his wife Eleanor, held the
whole of Camoys manor at his death in 1479. (fn. 44)
The manor was afterwards acquired by the Windsor
family of Little Stukeley (q.v.). (fn. 45) Sir Edward Windsor
sold it in 1568 to Thomas Trice, (fn. 46) and it had passed
before 1581 to his son, Richard Trice. (fn. 47) A settlement
was made in 1601 by Richard Trice and Ann, his
wife, (fn. 48) on the marriage of their daughter Frances
with Oliver Cheyney. Richard died in 1609 and his
daughter in the following year. (fn. 49) Oliver Cheyney,
afterwards knighted, held the manor until 1618, when
he conveyed it to John Stone. (fn. 50) Sir Richard Stone,
John's son, was sheriff and a prominent Royalist. (fn. 51)
He still held the manor in 1651. (fn. 52) His son John sold it
about 1679 to Mary, widow of Walter Norborne of
Calne (co. Wilts), who settled it in 1702. (fn. 53) Her
grand-daughter Mary, daughter of John and Isabel
Norborne, married Charles Bertie (fn. 54) in 1704. Their
son Charles Bertie sold it in 1757 to Sir John Heathcote,
from whom it descended to Mr. John Norman
Heathcote, the present owner. (fn. 55)
The third holding granted by Earl David was later
known as the manor of PRESTLEYS. It was held
of the Honour of Huntingdon by the service of half
a knight's fee. (fn. 56) The grantee, Simon de Senliz or St.
Liz, was probably a member of the family of Senliz,
Earls of Huntingdon. The holders of this manor
successively held the name of Simon, so that it is
difficult to distinguish them. Simon de Senliz was
dealing with a rent in Stukely in 1229, (fn. 57) and in 1231
his son and heir, another Simon, was quit of being put
on assizes. (fn. 58) In 1236 Simon de Senliz held half a
knight's fee in Great Stukeley of the Honour of
Huntingdon. (fn. 59) Anne, widow of Simon, in 1259
demanded dower in Great Stukeley against Ralph de
Senliz. (fn. 60) Simon de Senliz in 1276 claimed gallows
and other liberties in his manor in Great Stukeley, (fn. 61)
and in 1279 he held a carucate of land in Great
Stukeley for which he did suit at the court called
Baron's Mote at Huntingdon. He and Richard de
Senliz each claimed view of frankpledge. Simon died
soon after Easter, 1287. (fn. 62) Isabel, his widow, had
dower of his lands and his heir was apparently a
minor. (fn. 63) In 1346 this manor seems to have been
held by John Senliz. It was shortly afterwards in
the hands of another Simon de Senliz, the kinsman
and heir of whose son Simon, John son of Edmund
Middleton of Radclif (co. Bucks), conveyed the
manor of Presteles in 1367 to Nicholas Stukeley and
others, (fn. 64) and it descended henceforth with the manor
of Nokes (q.v.).
A messuage and lands in Great Stukeley were held
in 1279 by Robert le Sumener of the Honour of
Huntingdon by the serjeanty of summoning those
who owed suit at the baron's court of the honour in
the counties of Huntingdon, Cambridge, and Bedford. (fn. 65)
Robert had a daughter Margery who obtained half
a virgate of land in Great Stukeley in 1272. (fn. 66)
CHURCH
The church of ST. BARTHOLOMEW (fn. 67) consists of a chancel (25 ft.
by 17 ft.), nave (49 ft. by 16½ ft.),
north aisle (16 ft. wide), south aisle (8 ft. wide) west
tower (12 ft. by 12 ft.), and a south porch. The
walls are of rubble with stone dressings, and the roofs
are covered with tiles and lead.
Although mentioned in the Domesday Survey
(1086), nothing of this early church remains in situ
but numerous stones built into the walls indicate a
stone church in the 12th century. The earliest parts
of the present structure are the north arcade, c.
1250, and the south arcade, south aisle and chancel
are of a slightly later date. In the early years of the
14th century the present very wide north aisle was
built and apparently the east and west bays of the
arcade were rebuilt. The 15th century saw much
building in progress at this church, beginning with
the rebuilding of the chancel arch, about 1430,
following on with the rebuilding of the middle part
of the south aisle wall and building of the porch about
1470, and much about the same time the commencement of the tower, which, however, was not finished
until a little later, and finally the addition of the
clearstory to the nave. The porch was much altered
in the 17th century, and partly rebuilt in 1913. The
whole church was restored about the middle of the
19th century and again in 1909–10.
The late 13th-century chancel has a modern three-light east window with 14th-century inner jambs;
in the north wall an original two-light window, much
restored, a small doorway and two square lockers;
in the south wall a two-light window and a low side
window, both of the early 14th century and an
original piscina with trefoiled head. The chancel
arch is of the 15th century and still retains the marks
where the rood loft went. The roof is modern, but
has three very rough beams, probably 17th century.
The 13th-century nave has arcades of four bays
each; the two middle arches on the north and
the three eastern on the
south are plainer and
slightly earlier than the
others. The columns
are circular with simply
moulded capitals and
bases, except the middle
column on the south
which has a capital
carved with stiff-leaf
foliage. The upper door
of the rood stairs remains in the north-east
corner. The clearstory
has three late 15th-century three-light windows on each side; the
walls are largely built of
old material, and in the
north-east window is
part of a sepulchral slab
with head of an effigy
in bold relief. The
roof is modern and very
poor.
Plan of Great Stukeley Church
The early 14th-century north aisle has an original
three-light east window with modernised head. In
the north wall are three early 16th-century three-lights, an original door, and the inner jambs, etc., of
two original windows. The west wall has an early
16th-century three-light window, with small fragments of old glass. In the eastern respond of the
north arcade are the mutilated remains of a small
piscina of uncertain date. (fn. 68) The roof is modern, but
incorporates one 15th-century ridge timber, and
another timber inscribed B.W. + Y. 1830.
The late 13th-century south aisle, partly rebuilt,
circa 1470, has a late 15th-century three-light east
window with some old glass quarries; in the south
wall three similar windows and a doorway, and a
small piscina, probably of the 13th century.
The late 15th-century west tower has a lofty tower
arch of two orders, the lower resting on engaged shafts
with moulded capitals and bases. The west door has
moulded jambs and a pointed arch, and over it is a
three-light window; above this is a two-light window;
and the belfry windows are of two lights with moulded
jambs and arches. The lower part of a parapet with
angle pinnacles remains, and the tower is covered
by a low pyramidal tile roof probably of late date.
The lower stage has the springing stones of a vault
carried on four boldly carved corbels, one of a man
putting out his tongue and holding his beard, another
a woman in horned head-dress. There are also
some large carved gargoyles on the outside of
the tower. On the south-west buttress is an
incised sundial, properly designed for its westerly
aspect.
The south porch has a rebuilt outer archway, largely
of 17th-century material. The side walls each have
a small square-headed two-light window. In the
north-east angle is a modern stoup in an ancient
recess.
The 13th-century font has a heavy octagonal bowl
supported on a large circular central and eight smaller
shafts, all with moulded capitals and bases.
There are four bells, inscribed: (1)
✠ Omnia
fianet ad gloriam Dei, 1626. (2) Remember the pore
and nede. (3) Robt. Taylor, St. Neots, founder, 1797.
Robt. Bond, churchwarden. (4) Tobias Norris cast
me, 1635, John Dodson, Vicar, I. Webster, T.
Clarke, C.W. The first by Haulsey, the second by
Newcome.
There are monuments: in the chancel, to Edward
Danns, d. 1810, and Rose his wife, d. 1794; and floor
slabs to Richard, fourth son of Sir Richard Stone, d.
1658; and Elizabeth, daughter of the said Sir Richard
Stone, d. 1660. In the nave, a floor slab with indent
of a man in armour and inscription plate, evidently of
Henry Torkington, (fn. 69) d. 1549; in the north aisle, to
John Torkington, son of Lawrence John Torkington,
d. 1861; Lawrence John Torkington, d. 1874; Mary
Ann (Walker), wife of Lawrence John Torkington, d.
1892; and Lawrence John, her grandson, son of
Charles Torkington, d. 1903; and a large matrix of
a cross with marginal inscription, figure of a man in
armour, two wives and two daughters, 14th century
reused in 16th century for William de Stukeley; (fn. 70)
in south porch, part of a 14th-century slab with
inscription in Lombardic letters '… . e la Noke
gis … l alme e-.' (fn. 71)
In the north aisle is a 14th-century carved stone,
perhaps part of a pinnacle, now made up as a stoup.
Many fragments of 13th-century coffin-lids, several
with the double-omega ornament, and other stones of
the 12th and subsequent centuries are built into the
walls.
The registers are as follows: (i) Baptisms, marriages and burials, 1 Jan. 1569 to 29 Sep. 1644;
(ii) the same, 10 March 1645 to 24 Dec. 1776;
marriages end 17 Oct. 1754; (iii) baptisms and
burials, 17 Nov. 1776 to 17 Nov. 1812; (iv) the
official marriage book, 7 Nov. 1754 to 25 Nov. 1811;
the usual modern books.
The church plate consists of: A silver cup
inscribed 'The Towne of Greate Stukeley' and
hall-marked for 1624–5; a cover-paten belonging to
it, inscribed 'There was added unto the old cupp
twelve ounces by Mistris Alce Stone'; the hall
mark is not clear, but appears to be for 1624–5; the
stem of the paten inscribed 'In Honorem Christi,'
has become detached and stuck into the base of the
cup; a silver-gilt chalice with engraved inscription,
'✠ Hic est filius meus dilectus', modern French
make, 1924 or 1925; a silver-gilt paten, French
make, same date; a silver-gilt ciborium, hall-marked
for 1923–4; a pewter plate.
ADVOWSON
The Domesday Survey records
the existence of a church at
Stukeley. (fn. 72) It is not clear when the
church was actually granted to the prior and convent
of St. Mary, Huntingdon, but the grant, both of the
church and of a piece of land called Gunnilda's
virgate, was confirmed to the priory by Henry I and
succeeding kings. (fn. 73)
In 1542 Richard Williams alias Cromwell kt.,
received a grant of the late Priory's possessions in
Stukeley, (fn. 74) and the Cromwells leased the rectory from
time to time. (fn. 75) About 1650 it was sold by Sir Oliver
Williams alias Cromwell to John Stone (fn. 76) and was
afterwards held by the lords of Camoys Manor (q.v.).
The advowson of the vicarage appears to have been
retained by the Crown when the grant of the rectory
was made. It was granted by Queen Mary in 1558 (fn. 77)
to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, by which it was held
until about 1884, about which date it was purchased
by Mrs. Ashton, who apparently sold it almost at
once to Mr. John Ellison. It was conveyed to the
Society for the Maintenance of the Faith on 31 October
1884, and this Society is still the patron.
CHARITY
Town Land. This property comprises two closes of pasture land
known as Sapley Close and Clay
Pits Close, containing respectively 5 acres 3 roods,
and 3 acres 10 poles, which were set out in lieu of
land formerly appropriated to the repairs of the
parish church.
The land is let by the churchwardens and the rent,
amounting to about £16 per annum, is carried to the
churchwardens' account.