GRAVELEY
Gravelai (xi cent.); Gravele (xiv cent.).
The parish of Graveley has an area of 1,837 acres,
of which 58l¾ are arable land, 297¾ acres permanent
grass and 85¼ acres wood. (fn. 1) The elevation of the
parish is greatest in the east, where it attains a height
of over 460 ft. It slopes down towards the west, but
the level of the entire parish is over 300 ft., with the
exception of a small portion in the extreme south-west.
The village of Graveley is on the west side of the
parish and is situated between Stevenage and Baldock
on the Great North Road, which forms a part of the
western boundary of the parish. The church of St.
Mary lies a little way off the high road on the east
side, and just to the west of it is Graveley Hall, a
17th-century house refaced with brick, but having its
original chimney stacks. A little to the south of the
church is Graveley Bury, a 17th-century farm-house
with pargeted walls and tiled roof. The village has
at some time migrated to the main road. About a
mile east is the hamlet of Chesfield with its ruined
church or chapel of St. Etheldreda, adjoining which is
Chesfield Manor House, now a farm-house. The
existing building is only a portion of the old house
which has been considerably modernized. What is
left dates from the beginning of the 17th century.
The house consists of what was apparently the old
hall, having a projection at the back or north side
containing the staircase and a long wing, in which are
the kitchen offices, projecting northwards and connected now to the main block at one corner only.
The hall has been subdivided into a drawing room
and dining room, each having a modern fireplace, the
old fireplace on the north side of the hall having been
built up, though the original chimney still exists. The
dining room contains some old moulded panelling.
The old entrance door has disappeared, but it was
probably on the south side, as the old boundary walls
and gate piers still remain on that side of the house.
On the north side of the old hall a modern passage
has been formed giving access to the staircase and
to the present entrance door. The stair is the original
one and is of the type known as 'dog-legged,' having
two straight flights without a wall between them. The
stair is all of oak, with square newels finished with
moulded tops, the balusters are of the usual pattern,
3 in. square at top and bottom, the centre part being
turned and moulded. The main block consists of two
stories and attics, but there is very little of interest
internally. Externally, the chief feature is the brick
chimney stack at the back, which consists of a row of
three square chimney shafts set diagonally on a heavy
mass of brickwork, all of a plain character. The
bricks are 2¼ in. thick, rising about 11 in. to four
courses, but much of the work has been refaced. The
south and west of the kitchen wing are of brick, but
the other two sides are timber-framed and plastered.
In the west wall is a long low window of five lights,
with moulded mullions and frame of oak, the casements
being glazed with the old diamond panes in lead. It
is the only original window left in the building.
Chesfield Park, the seat of Mr. Charles Poyntz
Stewart, J.P., was erected towards the end of the
17th century. It is a plain building, with very little
architectural pretension. The front is of brickwork,
with painted stone or cement moulded architraves
round the windows. The house has recently been considerably added to at the back. The park lies partly
in this parish and partly in that of Stevenage.
In the extreme east of the parish is the hamlet of
Botany Bay.
Corey's Mill is situated on the south-western
boundary of the parish.
The subsoil, like that of the surrounding country,
is chalk, with a surface soil of gravel and clay. There
are some old chalk-pits in the neighbourhood of
Chesfield Church, and others, still in use, to the west
of that village. There is a gravel-pit beside the road
in the south of the parish and a disused one to the
north of Graveley village. No railway passes through
the parish; the nearest station is Stevenage, a mile
and a half south.
Chesfield Manor House Ground Plan
Place-names mentioned in the early 17th century
are 'la Holt,' Rainchill and Annicks. (fn. 2)
MANORS
Graveley
The manor of GRAVELEY was held
in the time of King Edward by Swen,
one of Earl Harold's men, and was
granted by William the Conqueror to Goisbert of
Beauvais. At this time it was assessed at 2 hides.
Half a hide, formerly held by two men of Godwin
of Bendfield, was held in 1086 by William of Robert
Gernon. (fn. 3)
The manor of Goisbert of Beauvais seems to have
been granted with Great Wymondley (q.v.) to
Reginald de Argentein early in the 12th century.
The estate of Robert Gernon in Little Wymondley
was held in the 13th century by the Argenteins, so
it is probable that here the two estates of 1086
became amalgamated. The overlordship of this
manor, therefore, follows the descent of Great
Wymondley. (fn. 4)
The early sub-tenants of the manor under the
lords of Great Wymondley are obscure. Early in
the reign of Richard I and in 1198 there is mention
of William de Graveley, (fn. 5) and in the latter year of
John de Graveley and Beatrice his wife, (fn. 6) who were
ultimately succeeded (if they held the manor) by
Robert de Graveley, who died about 1311. (fn. 7) Robert's
wife Beatrice outlived him by many years, (fn. 8) and also
survived their son John, who was seised of the manor
and died without issue before 1321. (fn. 9) In that year
Pagana de Merdele sued Beatrice for the manor on
the ground that John's heir was his aunt Alice, the
mother of Pagana. Beatrice stated in defence that
John had quitclaimed all his right in the manor to
her and her husband and her heirs. (fn. 10) The result of
the suit is not recorded. Beatrice died about 1337. (fn. 11)
In the same year Thomas Fitz Eustace conveyed the
manor to John de Blomvile, (fn. 12) lord of the manor of
Chesfield. He died in the same year, (fn. 13) and was succeeded by his son John, and he after 1351 by his son,
also John de Blomvile, (fn. 14) after whose death the manor
came into the possession of John Barrington (fn. 15) and
Margaret his wife, who is said to have been the daughter
and heir of John de Blomvile the third. (fn. 16) After the
death of her husband Margaret granted Graveley to
Edmund Barrington, (fn. 17) who held it in 1428. (fn. 18) He
was succeeded by Thomas Barrington, who died in
1472, when the manor passed to his son Humphrey, (fn. 19) as
Edmund, his eldest son, had died without issue. Nicholas
Barrington, the next holder, died in 1505 and was
succeeded by his son of the same name. (fn. 20) Nicholas
the younger died in 1515, and the manor passed to
his son John, (fn. 21) who was succeeded by Thomas
Barrington. Thomas alienated the manor in 1565–6
to Thomas Bedell, who conveyed it a few months
later to William Clarke. (fn. 22) He was succeeded by his
son William, (fn. 23) whose daughter Elizabeth married
George Throckmorton, who held the manor in right
of his wife and died in 1696. (fn. 24) His son John succeeded him, (fn. 25) and sold the manor in 1704 to Edward
Lawndy of Baldock. (fn. 26) The latter is said to have
bequeathed it to his grandson, Edward Sparhawke,
who held it in 1728, (fn. 27) and died without issue in
1741. (fn. 28) The manor passed to his nephews Lawndy
and Edward Sparhawke, (fn. 29) who, however, both died
without issue, and their lands passed in 1778 (fn. 30) to
William Parkins, son of their sister Katherine, who
held Graveley in 1821. (fn. 31) Both William and his
brother and heir Edward
Parkins died without issue,
and the manor was divided
between Captain Obert, son
of their sister Margaret, and
Richard Lack, son of their
younger sister Catherine. In
1858 Richard Lack sold his
moiety to Lieut.-Col. Robert
Hindley Wilkinson, who
married Caroline sister of
Captain Obert. (fn. 32) Lieut.-Col.
Wilkinson died in 1888, and
his widow continued to hold
the manor until December
1894, the other moiety also
having come to her. She was succeeded by her
daughter Caroline Elizabeth, wife of Mr. Charles
Poyntz-Stewart, M.A., J.P., who is the present lord
of the manor in right of his wife. (fn. 33)
Wilkinson. Gules a fesse vair between three unicorns passant argent.
Chesfield or Chisfield
CHESFIELD or CHISFIELD (Chevesfeld, xiii
cent.; Chenesfeld, Chiffield, Chelsfield, xiv cent.;
Chenyfeld, xvi cent.).
This manor may be identified by its subsequent
history with the holdings of Peter de Valognes in
1086. Two hides and 1½ virgates in Graveley
which formed a manor before the Conquest had been
held by Ælmar or Æthelmar of Benington. Another
virgate had been held by Alestan of Boscombe, and
belonged to Weston; half a virgate had been held
by Lepsi, a sokeman of King Edward, and 8 acres
and a toft lying in Stevenage by the Abbot of
Westminster, by gift of King Edward. In 1086 the
'manorial' portion was held by Godfrey of Peter de
Valognes the sheriff. (fn. 34) The virgate and a half was
held by Peter de Valognes of William de Ow, and
the 8 acres and a toft, apparently reclaimed from
Westminster, were in the hands of Roger, Peter's
bailiff. (fn. 35) Probably Peter de Valognes also acquired
the 1½ hides 10 acres which Adam Fitz Hubert held
of the Bishop of Bayeux in 1086, (fn. 36) through his
marriage with Albreda, sister of Eudo Dapifer, brother
and heir of Adam Fitz Hubert. The manor thus
formed was held of Benington Manor as of the
barony of Valognes, (fn. 37) and the overlordship follows the
descent of Benington.
In the 13th century the manor of Chesfield was
held of the barony of Valognes by the family of
La Haye. The first of them mentioned in connexion
with Graveley are Ralph and Robert de la Haye,
who held one fee there early in the 13th century. (fn. 38)
Robert de la Haye is again mentioned in 1232 and
1248, (fn. 39) but some time between the latter date and
1255 the manor seems to have been acquired by
John de Blomvile and Joan his wife. (fn. 40) John de
Blomvile, apparently their son, held it in 1303, (fn. 41) and
died in 1337. (fn. 42) Immediately before his death he
became lord of the manor of Graveley, (fn. 43) which
passed to his son, and Chesfield has descended with
that manor until the present day. (fn. 44)
A windmill in Chesfield was leased to the lord of
the manor of Great Wymondley in 1318. (fn. 45) In 1328
the site is described as land where there was lately a
mill. (fn. 46) There is now a windmill on Jack's Hill in
the north of the parish.
Chesfield Manor House from the North-east
Graveley Hall
This manor of GRAVELEY HALL was formed
from the lands in Graveley
which belonged to Sopwell
Nunnery, St. Albans. It is
unfortunately impossible to
ascertain from what donor the
nunnery received them, and
hence the overlordship is unknown. In 1528 the Prioress
of Sopwell leased them to
Agnes Gascoigne for a term
of twenty years, (fn. 47) and in 1538
the king renewed the lease for
twenty-one years to Agnes
Gascoigne, widow, and John
Graveley. The reversion and rent
were granted later in the same
year to James Needham of
Wymondley Priory, (fn. 48) who in 1541
obtained a licence to alienate them
to John Graveley and his heirs. (fn. 49)
John Graveley was succeeded by
his son Thomas, who bought up
other lands in Graveley from John
Brockett and John Graveley of
Hitchin, (fn. 50) and thus consolidated
his estate. He died in 1583 and
bequeathed his lands in Graveley
to his wife for the education of his
four children, with remainder to
Francis, his eldest son. (fn. 51) Francis
became lord of the manor, but
died in 1584, and was followed
successively by his brothers
Thomas, (fn. 52) who died unmarried in
1587, (fn. 53) and Rowland, his youngest
brother, who lived until 1610.
Rowland Graveley's eldest son
John died on the day after his
father, so that the reversion of the
manor after the death of Rowland
Graveley's widow, the life-tenant,
passed to the second son Thomas,
a minor in wardship of his mother
Anne. (fn. 54) Thomas Graveley and
Winifred his wife sold the manor in
1627 to Richard Nixon, (fn. 55) and he
in 1637 to Eustace Needham. (fn. 56)
Graveley Hall thus returned to
the family of its early owners and
seems to have remained in that
family. Almost a hundred years
later the Needham co-heirs were
holding the manor, (fn. 57) after which
it seems to have followed the descent
of Wymondley Priory Manor. (fn. 58)
Graveley of Graveley. Sable a cross pointed argent with a molet argent in the quarter.
Sir Henry Holmes or Helmes, the occupier during
the ownership of Richard Nixon, (fn. 59) was granted court
leet and view of frankpledge there in 1616. (fn. 60)
CHURCHES
St. Mary
The parish church of ST. MARY
is built of flint rubble with stone
dressings; the chancel is roofed with
tiles and the nave with lead. The church consists of
a chancel, nave, north aisle, north vestry, west tower
and south porch. (fn. 61)
The nave is the oldest part of the present structure
and probably dates from the 12th century. In the
13th century the chancel was either enlarged or
wholly rebuilt. The west tower was added about
1480, and the south porch probably in the 18th
century. The north aisle and north vestry date from
1887, when the church was restored throughout.
The original 13th-century roll-moulded east windows of the chancel are replaced by a window of
about 1500 of three cinquefoiled lights; but the
interior jambs with part of the arch are still visible
on either side of the existing window. In the
north wall are two windows, probably of the 13th
century, with a
modern window between them. The
doorway in the north
wall is of the 12th
century, moved to
its present position
from the north wall
when the north aisle
was built. In the
south wall the
easternmost window
is a plain single light
of the 13th century,
and the westernmost
is of about 1500 of
three cinquefoiled
lights in a low twocentred head. Between them a doorway and window
above it, both blocked
and only visible internally, are of the
13th century. The
piscina in the southeast corner is of the
13th century; it is
double and has two
detached shafts and a central pillar with moulded
bases and capitals supporting two richly moulded
half-arches and an intersecting arch, all semicircular.
It is surrounded by a square moulded setting. The
drains are very deep; the eastern is eight-foiled and
the western a quatrefoil. All the work is original
and in excellent condition.
The chancel arch is of the late 15th century, of
two orders, the inner order supported on halfoctagonal pilasters with moulded capitals extending
round the three complete faces only. A 15th-century oak rood screen stands in the archway with
plain lower panels and three open bays of two cinquefoiled lights with tracery above on either side of
the four-centred entrance, which has open tracery
in the spandrels and no doors. The cornice has an
embattled cresting, and the foot of the cross remains
over the doorway.
The nave has a window of about 1330 in the
south wall with two cinquefoiled lights and a quatrefoil in a two-centred head, and a 15th-century twolight window, with similar tracery in a four-centred
head. Between them is the south doorway leading
to the south porch. The roof of the nave is lowpitched, of 15th-century date, but most of the
carving is modern. At the north-east, beside the
chancel arch, is a tall shallow niche of the 15th
century, with a two-centred arch in a moulded
rectangular frame. The north arcade with the
north aisle is modern, but a 14th-century window
has been reset in the north wall.
The west tower, of two stages with an embattled
parapet, has a late 15th-century arch towards the
nave. The west doorway is of the same date. The
west window has modern stonework, and the twolight windows of the bell chamber are repaired with
cement.
Graveley Church from the South-east
The font, of limestone, is octagonal, of the 15th
century. The pulpit is modern. A piece of wood
tracery of the 14th century is worked into the
reading desk.
In the nave is a floor slab with an incised marginal
inscription, '. . . . . Elienora conjux virgo simulata
(Xpus meus?) ora quod sit beatis sociata,' which
probably refers to a vow of celibacy in wedlock. (fn. 62)
In the slab are also the indents of brass shields and
an inscription plate.
The bells, of which there are six, include a third
of 1605 by Robert Oldfeild and a fifth of 1589 by
John Dyer.
The plate belonging to the church of St. Mary,
Graveley, is modern, and consists of a cup and paten
and a small plated flagon.
The registers are in four books: (i) baptisms from
1555 to 1748, burials from 1551 to 1751 and
marriages from 1555 to 1750; (ii) baptisms from 1749
to 1812, burials from 1751 to 1812 and marriages
from 1751 to 1753; (iii) and (iv) marriages from
1754 to 1812 and from 1792 to 1812 respectively.
St. Etheldreda
The ruined church of ST. ETHELDREDA (fn. 63) at
Chesfield stands on rising ground about a mile to the
east of the village. It consists of a chancel, nave and
south-east chapel, and is built of flint roughly plastered, with stone dressings. The whole building
dates from the middle of the 14th century. The
side walls are about 14 ft. high, and the west walls
of the nave and chapel are gabled. There are no
roofs, and the east end of the south wall has entirely
disappeared, while the east wall can only be traced
by the foundations. The condition of the remains
is very bad, the walls being heavily covered with ivy,
the buttresses defaced, and the floor overgrown with
grass and weeds.
The chancel and nave form a continuous rectangular building. At the west end of the north wall
is a doorway with chamfered jambs and a two-centred
head. A scroll moulded label with return ends is
partly broken away, and the rear arch is missing.
To the east of the doorway is a two-light window
opening, of which only the sill and the west jamb
remain. Near the east end a large break in the wall
probably indicates the position of a third window.
In the south wall is a doorway with a two-centred
chamfered arch of two orders, with only one piece of
label remaining; and to the east of it, at the angle
formed by the south wall and the west wall of the
chapel, is a two-light window, of which only the
west jamb and the sill, much thrust out of position,
remain.
In the west wall is a traceried window of two
trefoiled lights, of which only the jambs and head
remain at all complete; the sill is partly broken
away, and the mullion and most of the tracery are
gone.
Only the west wall and part of the south wall of
the chapel remain. In the former is a doorway of
the same detail as those in the nave, with its north
jamb broken away. In the south wall is a single
cinquefoiled light of the 14th century very much
defaced. In the chancel is a hole containing a stone
coffin. There are traces of colour on the internal
plaster of the walls.
ADVOWSON
In 1225 the advowson of Graveley
was the subject of a dispute between
John, Ralph and Adam, the sons of
William Fitz Simon, (fn. 64) formerly patron. Adam Fitz
Simon appears to have obtained it. (fn. 65) This family
were lords of the manor of Symondshyde in Hatfield
(q.v.), with which the advowson of Graveley descended (fn. 66) until 1818, when Sir Thomas Salusbury
sold it to John Green of Great Amwell. (fn. 67) From
John Green it descended to his grandson the Rev.
George Dewe Green, after whose death in 1871 (fn. 68) it
passed to the Rev. G. Dunn, (fn. 69) who held it until
1880. (fn. 70) From this date until 1899 it was in the
hands of the trustees of the Rev. J. Pardoe. (fn. 71) In
that year it came into the possession of the Rev.
George Clennell Rivett-Carnac, from whom it passed
in 1900 to Mrs. M. F. Chesshyre-Walker, (fn. 72) and in
1902 to the Rev. Roland E. Chesshyre-Walker, (fn. 73) who
is the present patron and incumbent.
The church or chapel of Chesfield is first mentioned in 1232, when the advowson belonged to the
patron of the church of Graveley. (fn. 74) It seems to
have usually had a separate incumbent from Graveley,
though occasionally the same parson served both. (fn. 75)
Early in the 13th century a certain Thomas, who
held both livings, seems to have alienated the advowson collusively to the lord of the manor of Chesfield, (fn. 76)
and in consequence of this the lords claimed half of
it throughout that century. This first occurred in
1232, when Robert de la Haye claimed it against
Adam Fitz William. (fn. 77) In 1248 he again claimed
it against Simon Fitz Adam, and was worsted. (fn. 78)
John de Blomvile did the same in 1255, (fn. 79) but finally
in 1331 Parnel widow of John de Benstede, lady
of the manor of Benington, of which Chesfield was
held, confirmed the advowson to Hugh Fitz Simon. (fn. 80)
From this time it continued to be held with the
manors of Symondshyde in Hatfield and Almshoe
in Ippollitts in the same manner as Graveley
advowson. There was evidently considerable rivalry
between the two incumbents, and on one occasion it
attained such proportions that John Smyth, the parson
of Graveley, killed Robert Schorthale, the parson of
Chesfield, for which offence he obtained a pardon in
1384. (fn. 81) The two churches were united in the 15th
century; Salmon gives the date as 1445. (fn. 82) That of
Chesfield was dismantled in 1750, under a licence
from the Bishop of Lincoln. The two churchyards
were still in use in 1686. The glebe lands then
consisted of about 68 acres. (fn. 83)
A dwelling-house in Graveley was registered in
1799 as a meeting-place for Protestant Dissenters. (fn. 84)
There is a Wesleyan chapel in the parish.
CHARITIES
In 1626 Edmund Jordane by his
will charged an acre of land in
Graveley Bottom with 4s. a year for
the poor, payable at the feast of St. John the Baptist.