ASHWELL
Aescwelle, Eswell, Assewell, Asshewell.
The parish of Ashwell has an area of about 4,108
acres. The ground slopes down towards the north,
the height in the south varying from 200 ft. to
300ft. (with Claybush Hill attaining 328 ft.) and in
the north from 100 ft. to 200 ft. above the ordnance
datum. The northern portion lies between the
River Rhee or Cam—which has its source in springs
in Ashwell village and flowing north-west and then
north forms the north-western boundary of the
parish—and a small stream which flows northward
and forms the eastern boundary, ultimately joining
the Rhee at the junction of the three counties.
On the south-west the parish is bounded by another
tributary of the Rhee, and on the south-east, for about
three-quarters of a mile, by the Icknield Way. Shire
Balk divides Ashwell from Cambridgeshire on the
north-east.
The soil consists entirely of chalk, except where
the Rhee enters the Gault formation along the western
boundary, and there are some chalk-pits at the
junction of the lower with the higher level. There
are in the parish 3,692 acres of arable land, 398 of
permanent grass and 20 of woods and plantations. (fn. 1)
The extensive common fields called Ashwell Fields
covered the southern part of the parish.
An inclosure award was made in 1862. (fn. 2) The
Cambridge branch of the Great Northern railway
crosses the parish in the extreme south-east, but
Ashwell station is over the Cambridgeshire border,
about 2 miles from the village.
Arbury Banks, about three-quarters of a mile southwest of the village, is a prehistoric camp of the
hill-fort type, now nearly obliterated. Within the
parish of Ashwell a copper coin of Cunobeline has
been found, also a barbed flint arrow. Roman coins,
pottery and glass have been found in the neighbourhood. There is a tumulus at Highley Hill, and at
Mobs Hole near Guilden Morden, Love's Farm,
Bluegates Farm and Westbury Farm are homestead
moats.
The village of Ashwell is situated rather more than
a mile from the Icknield Way. The ancient road
called Ashwell Street enters the parish from Steeple
Morden on the east. This if continued in a straight
line would skirt the village on the north, but the
present continuation of it called Ashwell Street Way
makes a bend and passes the village on the south and
then ends. Branching off from the Icknield Way a
little beyond the eastern boundary of the parish is a
road running north through Steeple Morden, and
from this a road branches westward, runs through
Ashwell, where it is called Station Road, skirts the
village on the north, then as Northfield Road runs
parallel with the Rhee until within about 250 yards
of the Cambridgeshire border, where it turns sharply
north-west and crosses the river into Bedfordshire at
Whitegate Bridge. Two other roads connect the
village with Newnham to the south-west and
Hinxworth to the north-west. It was probably the
means of communication afforded by the neighbourhood of the Icknield Way and of Ashwell Street
(which may have originally joined the Roman Stane
Street further to the west) that made Ashwell a place
of some importance in the 11th century. The
Domesday Survey records the presence of fourteen
burgesses, the borough dues—which fell to the
Abbot of Westminster—amounting to 49s. 4d. a
year. (fn. 3) Evidence of this small prescriptive borough
exists in occasional references to burgage tenure in
the 14th and 15th centuries, (fn. 4) but there is no sign of
separate borough presentments or of a corporate body.
A frequently recurring entry is that of payments 'for
whate-silver' from the burgages. (fn. 5) The gild of St.
John the Baptist may have had some share in the
government of the town. The Brotherhood House
stood in the High Street of Ashwell (see under gild).
The town was divided into five wards in the 15th
century, the name of one ward being 'Dokelake'
Ward, and another High Street Ward. (fn. 6) The name
Chepyng Street occurs in the 16th century. (fn. 7)
View in Ashwell Village
In 1295 the Abbot of Westminster claimed the
right to hold a market by virtue of the original grant
of the manor by Edward the Confessor, (fn. 8) and it is
probable that the market dates back to that period.
The first mention of it is in 1211, when it is recorded
that 'the Abbot of Westminster rendered account
of 2 palfreys that the market of Ashwell may return
to Sunday from Saturday. (fn. 9) In 1575 Queen Elizabeth granted to the Bishop of London the right to
hold a market weekly on Mondays. (fn. 10) It had lapsed
before 1792. (fn. 10a) The distance from a main road
evidently made it impossible to maintain successfully
a market at Ashwell in later times. But a thriving
manufacture of malt was carried on in the 17th century. In 1637 the inhabitants of Hinxworth complained that they were not taxed in fair comparison
with Ashwell, 'which has many rich maltsters and
three times as much land and as good as Hinxworth.' (fn. 11)
Fairs were claimed by the Abbot of Westminster
in 1295, (fn. 12) by virtue of a grant of Henry III, which
is, however, not extant. Three fairs yearly were
granted to the Bishop of London by Queen Elizabeth, (fn. 13) but afterwards there appears to have been
only one fair, which was abolished by law in 1872. (fn. 14)
The High Street of the village runs in a northeasterly direction parallel with Ashwell Street Way.
It contains some old houses, notably a cottage formerly the British Queen Inn, which was originally
built in the 15th century, but was much altered in
the 17th century. It is a timber-framed house with
a thatched roof. On the north side is a stone window
partially destroyed and in the kitchen is a moulded
oak beam. There are three or four 17th-century
houses of red brick or timber and plaster in this
street, one bearing the date 1681 and the figure of a
dolphin in the plaster. At right angles to it is Mill
Street, which runs past St. Mary's Church to the corn
mill. This is probably the water mill mentioned in
early extents of the manor. Close by the mill is a
brewery, and there is another to the south-west of
the village. Brewing is the chief industry besides
agriculture.
Ashwell Bury, the residence of Mr. J. W. Attwood,
is situated just beyond the
church. Elbrook House, to
the north of the village, is
the residence of Mr. E. S.
Fordham. At Ashwell End,
about half a mile north-west
of the church, is a 17th-century farm-house of two
stories. It is of timber plastered and decorated with
combed pargeting.
Ralph Cudworth, divine
and author, was vicar of Ashwell 1662 to 1688. (fn. 14a)
MANORS
The manor of
ASHWELL,
originally part of
the demesne of the Crown,
was granted by Edward the
Confessor in his first charter
to the abbey of St. Peter,
Westminster, dated December
1066. (fn. 15) The Domesday Survey records that of the 6 hides
at which Ashwell was assessed
the abbot himself held two
and a half in demesne, the manor at this date being
evidently a large one, with land for twelve ploughteams and meadow sufficient for six. Peter de
Valognes held half a hide and Geoffrey de Mandeville 1 virgate of the abbot. (fn. 16) There is nothing
particularly worthy of note concerning this manor
during the period of nearly 500 years during which
it was held by the Abbots of Westminster. The
abbots possessed here, as in their other manors, the
privileges of free warren, (fn. 17) view of frankpledge, assize
of bread and ale, pleas of namii vetiti, and exemption
from sheriff's tourn and from scot, geld, aid and
toll. (fn. 18)
Westminster Abbey. Gules the crossed keys of St. Peter with the ring of St. Edward in the chief all or.
The 'Rose and Crown,' Ashwell High Street
On 16 January 1539–40 Abbot Boston and twentyfour monks surrendered the
abbey of Westminster to
Henry VIII. (fn. 19) Eleven months
later that king erected the
short-lived bishopric of Westminster, turning the abbey
into a cathedral, and in
January 1540–1 Ashwell was
included in the endowment of
the new bishop, (fn. 20) Thomas
Thirlby, formerly Dean of
the King's Chapel. But on
29 March 1550 Thirlby resigned the bishopric of Westminster into the hands of
Edward VI, who dissolved it, translating Thirlby to
Norwich. (fn. 21) Ashwell Manor was granted a fortnight later by the king to his nominee Nicholas
Ridley, Bishop of London, (fn. 22) on his installation as
successor to Bishop Bonner. The accession of Queen
Mary brought about the deprivation of Ridley and
the reinstatement of Bonner (5 August 1553) and
in March 1554 a new grant of the manor of Ashwell
was made to Bishop Bonner and his successors in the
see of London. (fn. 23) At the time of the appropriation
of the bishops' lands by Parliament during the great
Civil War Ashwell was taken from Bishop Juxon and
a complete survey of the manor was made by order of
the trustees for the bishopric in June 1647. It was
then reported that the demesne lands, consisting of
30 acres, were held on lease by Jeremiah Whitacre,
and that there was a lime kiln
on the demesne lands valued
at £30 per annum. Court
leet and court baron were at
this time held at the parsonage. (fn. 24) On 19 March 1648–9
the trustees sold the manor to
Thomas Challoner of Steeple
Claydon, Bucks., for £416
9s. 2d. (fn. 25) When the bishops
were reinstated at the Restoration Ashwell was restored
to the see of London, and so
remained until 1868, when,
in accordance with the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners Act of 1860, the
voidance of the see on the translation of the Rev.
Archibald Campbell Tait, D.D., Bishop of London,
to the see of Canterbury in 1868 was taken as the
opportunity for transferring the lands of the bishopric
to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. (fn. 26) The latter
continue to be lords of this manor.
See of London. Gules the crossed swords of St. Paul.
Two mills were appurtenant to the abbot's manor
of Ashwell in 1086, one held by him in demesne and
one held of him by Peter de Valognes. (fn. 27) The
Ministers' Accounts of the 13th and 14th centuries
contain frequent references to a water mill and a horse
mill (or windmill) in Ashwell and the necessity for their
repair. (fn. 28) In 1198 we hear of a man and a woman
being 'drowned in the pool of the mill of Ashwell.' (fn. 29)
In 1086 Peter de Valognes held '2 hides as 1
manor' in Ashwell, these having been part of the
possessions of the Anglo-Saxon thegn Athelmar of
Benington. (fn. 30) In the reign of Henry II (1154–89) Robert de Valognes, grandson of Peter, held
'14 librates of land' here, which descended to his
daughter Gunnora, the wife successively of Durant de
Ostelli and Robert Fitz Walter. (fn. 31) Christina daughter
of Robert and Gunnora married William de Mandeville Earl of Essex, and possibly Ashwell was settled
on her, for she granted 'all her men in the vill of
Ashwell' to the priory of Walden in Essex. (fn. 32) On
her death without issue in 1233 the overlordship
apparently passed to her brother Walter Fitz Walter,
for his grandson Robert Fitz Walter died seised of
one fee in Ashwell in 1328, (fn. 33) and his grandson
Walter Fitz Walter died seised in 1386. (fn. 34) No
further trace of Walden Priory in connexion with
Ashwell has been found, and it seems reasonable to
identify this holding with the manor of ASHWELL,
which, in 1345, was settled upon Henry Gernet and
Joan his wife. (fn. 35) She and her husband held lands in
this parish (perhaps the same holding as that afterwards termed a manor) in 1338. (fn. 36) Under the
settlement Henry and Joan were to hold for life with
reversion to John Darcy le Fitz and his wife Margery,
to Thomas de Charnels and his wife Maud, and to
Margaret sister of Maud, successively, Margery,
Maud and Margaret being daughters of Henry and
Joan. Henry Gernet died the same year. (fn. 37) It was
specially reported that he held his lands jointly with
Joan his wife not of the king in chief, but 'of others,'
probably the Fitz Walters. (fn. 38) Joan survived her
husband, (fn. 39) and in 1345 received a quitclaim of the
manor from Thomas de la Haye and Elizabeth his
wife, who were possibly holding it in dower. (fn. 40) The
tenement (or part of it) subsequently descended to
Thomas Brydd, possibly heir of one of the daughters,
who in 1428 was holding 'a quarter of a knight's fee
in Ashwell, which Henry Gernet formerly held.' (fn. 41)
The county historians are unanimous in identifying
this manor (which is not again heard of as Ashwell
Manor) with a manor of DIGSWELL in this parish, (fn. 42)
though the descents they give after this date vary
considerably, Cussans (alone) maintaining that it was
held by the family of Bill in Ashwell in the 16th and
17th centuries. (fn. 43) The latter theory is supported by
the will of John Bill in 1557, whereby he leaves his
'manor of Dixwell alias Diggewell with a tenement
called Wattes, and land in Glitton and Ashwell' to
his son James. (fn. 44) A few years later there was a
complaint over unlawful entry into a messuage 'in
Mill Street in Ashwell,' which the father of the
complainant (Thomas Rooke) had held 'of James Bill,
by copy of court roll of his manor of Dykeswell.' (fn. 45)
When Chauncy was writing in 1700 there was a
manor of Digswell in Ashwell parish, owned by
Samuel Gatward, and said to have been acquired by
him from Sir William Whitmore, bart. (fn. 46) According
to Clutterbuck he sold it in 1716 to Christopher
Anstey, and it descended to his son Christopher, (fn. 47)
who in 1805 suffered a recovery of this manor. (fn. 48) He
sold it, according to Clutterbuck's descent, to William
Heath in 1808, and after the death of the latter
it became the property of Richard Westrope of
Ashwell. (fn. 49) Since that date the manor has disappeared.
In 1086 Theobald held half a hide in Ashwell
of Harduin de Scales, which may be identified as
WESTBURY. (fn. 50) Harduin is said subsequently to
have divided his lands between his two sons Richard
and Hugh, the latter's son Hugh being in possession
of three knights' fees in several places in Hertfordshire,
including Ashwell, at the close of the 12th century. (fn. 51)
Beyond this date the tenure of the Scales family is
not traceable.
In 1198 the nuns of Holywell (Middlesex) impleaded Fulk son of Theobald (possibly son of the
Theobald of 1086) for a rent of 1 mark in Ashwell
which had been granted to them by charter of the
said Theobald. (fn. 52) There is no trace of a grant of land
in Ashwell to the nunnery, but it has been suggested
that the 'virgate of land in Hinxworth of the gift of
Theobald son of Fulk' confirmed to the nuns by
Richard I in 1195 (fn. 53) really lay in the neighbouring
parish of Ashwell. (fn. 54) There is no subsequent trace
of property held by the Holywell nuns in Hinxworth, whereas they were possessed of a manor of Westbury in Ashwell at the Dissolution, at which time it was
held on lease by one John Bailey. (fn. 55) The nunnery
also held tithes in Ashwell from at least the reign of
Richard II, (fn. 56) the value of such tithes amounting at
the Dissolution to £2. (fn. 57)
The subsequent descent of this manor is very
difficult to trace. Setting aside the references to the
manor of Westbury Nernewtes (of which the descent
is given below) there is no record of it until 1606,
when James I granted 'a messuage called le Westbury'
to Thomas Norwood, (fn. 58) who was already possessed of
the manor of Westbury Nernewtes. In 1664 a
conveyance of Westbury was made to Elizabeth Sone,
widow, by Thomas Bromfield, Laurence Marsh and
a number of persons who were evidently co-heirs. (fn. 59)
In 1678 a settlement was made by Richard
Hutchinson, (fn. 60) in whose family it remained (fn. 61) until at
least 1728, when Salmon writes that 'the western
part of this manor (Westbury) is a farm of Sir Richard
Hutchinson's, which holds of Sir George Humble,' (fn. 62)
the Humbles, as hereafter shown, being at this date
owners of Westbury Nernewtes. Subsequently it
passed to the Leheups. William Leheup was holding
in 1779 (fn. 63) and Michael Peter Leheup in 1809. (fn. 64)
Westbury Farm still remains a property quite separate
from the manor of Westbury Nernewtes (see below).
It is situated on the west of the village. Westbury
Farm has a homestead moat.
Nernewt. Gules a lion argent in a border gobony argent and sable.
The Buckinghamshire family of Nernewt (Nernuyt)
held land in Ashwell in the 14th century which was
probably originally part of
the Abbot of Westminster's
manor. (fn. 65) This land became
the manor of WESTBURY
NERNEWTES. In 1340
Sir John Nernewt of Burnham and Fleet Marston,
Bucks., settled 'two thirds of
one messuage, two mills, 40
acres of land, 10 acres of
meadow and 18 marks' rent
in Ashwell and Hinxworth'
upon his son and heir John, (fn. 67)
whose daughter Elizabeth, wife
of John Hertishorne, inherited
the property. (fn. 67) John Hertishorne (together with two
others, presumably his feoffees) was holding 'half a fee
in Ashwell which John Nernewt lately held there' in
1428. (fn. 68) The Nernewt property is said to have passed
by female line to the Harveys, and on the death of
Sir George Harvey (before 1520) to have been purchased by the Lees. (fn. 69) This descent is doubtful, but the
Lees did acquire possession of Westbury Nernewtes.
In 1540–1 a conveyance by Richard Heigham and
his wife Mary, Thomas Colt and Thomas Lysley
was made to Anthony Lee, kt., of a moiety of
the Buckinghamshire manors and of the manor of
Westbury in Ashwell. (fn. 70) After this the connexion
with Buckinghamshire ceases. In 1557 this manor
(henceforward invariably called Westbury Nernewtes)
was conveyed by William Hawtrey and Agnes
his wife to Thomas Norwood, (fn. 71) son and heir of
William Norwood of Ashwell. Thomas was succeeded
at Westbury Nernewtes by his son Nicholas, and
Nicholas by his nephew Tirringham Norwood, who
in 1611 sold this manor to Edward Waller alias
Warren. (fn. 72) Chauncy says that Edward Waller
conveyed it to Andrew Laut, citizen of London,
whose son Andrew Laut (of Thorpe Underwood,
Northamptonshire) was lord of the manor at the date
of writing (1700). (fn. 73) The marriage of Sarah daughter
and co-heir of Andrew Laut to Sir John Humble
brought Westbury Nernewtes to the Humbles. (fn. 74) Elizabeth Humble, daughter-in-law of Sir John, who survived both her husband and her only son, bequeathed
this property by her will of 1758 (proved in March
1770–1) to her brother the Hon. Charles Vane, (fn. 75)
from whom it passed in 1789 to John Pennell, and
on the latter's death in 1813 to his daughter Margaret,
the wife of Bernard Geary Snow of Highgate. On
the latter's death the manor went to his widow
for life, and after her death was divided among his
children by Margaret Pennell and by a former wife.
Henrietta, a daughter of the former marriage, died
unmarried, leaving her share of the property to her
betrothed, the Rev. J. B. Smith.
Anna Maria, a daughter
of the Pennell marriage,
married Mr. Edward King
Fordham of Ashwell Bury,
who bought up all the shares
of the manor (including
Smith's) excepting that of the
Rev. John Pennell Snow, an
elder brother of Anna Maria.
This latter share (one-sixth)
was bequeathed by Mr. Snow
to Rupert Donald Fordham,
who sold it to Mr. Edward
Snow Fordham, who had
already (in 1889) inherited
the remaining five-sixths of
the manor from his father and is the present lord of
the manor. The tenants are, however, nearly all
enfranchised and the manorial rights have lapsed. (fn. 76)
Fordham. Barry wavy or and azure a chief gules with two crossed arrows therein between two castles all argent.
In 1441 John Kirkeby died seised of 'a messuage,
140 acres of land, 8 acres of meadow, 2 acres of
pasture and 50s. rent in Ashwell and Hinxworth,'
'a parcel of land in Ashwell called Quarrepette,' and
'a tenement, an acre of land and a croft called
Chalgravecroft' in the same parish, all held of the
Abbot of Westminster's manor of Ashwell. (fn. 77) He left
a daughter and heir Alice. This estate may be
identified with the manor of KIRKEBIES or KIRBYS
in this parish, which in 1489 was settled upon Elizabeth
Mervyn, widow of Thomas Mervyn, and her heirs. (fn. 78)
She appears to have married subsequently John Clerke,
and by 1530 to have been a second time a widow,
for in that year Elizabeth Clerke sold the manor to
Richard Copcot of Pyrton. (fn. 79) He sold it in 1533 to
John Bowles, who sold it in 1540 to James Randall. (fn. 80)
By 1546 it had passed to Anthony Randall, the kinsman and heir of James, (fn. 81) who in 1548 conveyed this
manor to Robert Leete and Christopher Browne. (fn. 82)
Possibly the latter were trustees for St. John's College,
Cambridge; at all events, it was in the hands of that
body in 1565, when it was leased by the college to
'Alice Browne, late the wife of Andrewes,' for twentyone years. (fn. 83) The estate is henceforward found continuously in the possession of the college and leased
out by them. Kirkby's Manor Farm is situated in
the north of the parish. The Northfield Road passes
close by it and connects it with the village.
A few traces exist of a manor of STANES alias WAFRIES
in this parish. Possibly its origin is to be
found in the tenure of John de Stanes, who in 1303
held one quarter of a knight's fee in Ashwell of
William Fitz Ralph (fn. 84) (for whose family see Broadfield Manor). The earliest mention of a manor
extant is in 1567, when William Bourne and his wife
Margaret conveyed it to John Burgoyne. (fn. 85) In the
conveyance it is called Stanes alias Wafries, though it
is not until forty years later that it is found held by an
owner of the name of Waferer. (fn. 86) In 1570 Thomas
Ward was apparently in possession. (fn. 87) In January
1609–10 Arden Waferer, who had been a member
of the Inner Temple and a recusant, (fn. 88) died seised of
this manor, having already by his will bequeathed it
to his wife Elizabeth for her life, with reversion to
his son James, then a minor. It was at this date said
to be held of the Bishop of London's manor of
Ashwell by fealty, suit of court and a rent of
12s. 10d. (fn. 89) In 1636 it was held by Edward Greene (fn. 90)
and in 1703 by Samuel Gatward, (fn. 91) who acquired a
considerable amount of land in this parish about this
date. It then descended with Digswell (q.v.). The
last trace of the manor to be found is in 1805,
when a recovery of it was suffered by Christopher
Anstey. (fn. 92)
Two small manors and estates in this parish,
invariably found together, were those of SONWELL
and OTWAYS. The earliest notice of them is in
1508, when they were held by Elizabeth Orrell,
widow. (fn. 93) In 1528 James Orrell of Ashwell is mentioned in connexion with Sonwell, (fn. 94) and in 1563
Thomas Orrell, called of Walsoken, co. Norfolk, sold
both estates to Ralph Dixon of Doddington, Isle of
Ely. (fn. 95) After this date the property followed the
same descent as Westbury. It was acquired by Elizabeth Sone in 1664, (fn. 96) and passed to the Hutchinsons
and Leheups. The last mention of it is in 1809,
when it was held by Michael Peter Leheup.
A manor of SUNINGS appears in 1585 held by
Thomas Meade, (fn. 97) but it is not found again.
CHURCH
The church of ST. MARY has a
chancel 50 ft. 6 in. long by 19 ft. 6 in.
wide, nave 89 ft. 8 in. by 24 ft., with
north aisle 89 ft. 8 in. by 13 ft. 8 in., and south aisle
90 ft. 6 in. by 13 ft. 6 in.; there is a west tower
16 ft. square and a north and south porch. There
was formerly a vestry or chapel on the north side of
the chancel. All dimensions are taken internally.
The church is built of flint rubble and clunch, the
tower being faced with clunch.
The nave is the earliest portion of the church, the
first four bays from the east, together with the clearstory and chancel arch, belong to the middle of the
14th century; the chancel, west tower and western
bay of the nave, together with the side aisles, were
constructed some thirty years later. The south porch
was built about 1420 and the north porch about the
middle of the 15th century. During the 19th century
new roofs were put on the nave and chancel and the
chancel was repaired.
The east window is of five lights, and the three
windows on the south side of the chancel and the
two on the north are of three lights each. All the
tracery is of a late 14th-century type, and much of it
has been renewed. On the north side are two
blocked 14th-century doorways, one partly under a
window; the other, to the east, was the entrance to
the chapel probably of the Holy Trinity, (fn. 98) the
piscina of which still exists on the outer wall. On
the south wall is a triple sedilia and piscina, each
under an ogee cinquefoiled arch with crocketed labels
and finials, dating from about 1380. There are
small plain recessed niches on the eastern jambs of
two of the side windows, on north and south respectively, one having a small carved bracket at its base.
The lofty chancel arch is of two moulded orders
supported upon engaged shafts with moulded capitals
and bases, all of 14th-century work. The built-up
doorways to the rood loft are visible, but there is no
trace of a rood stair.
The nave consists of five bays. The eastern four
(c. 1350) have piers of clustered shafts with moulded
capitals and bases, the latter somewhat mutilated. The
arches are of two moulded orders, with labels in nave
and aisles. The details of the western bay differ a
little from the others and the span is wider, and they
abut on solid walling covered with lofty traceried
panels, which form eastern buttresses to the tower.
There are six windows to each side of the clearstory.
The two westernmost windows on each side belong to
the later 14th century, the two middle ones on the
north side to the middle of the century, the others
being alterations of the 16th century.
Plan of Ashwell Church
There is a three-light window of the 14th century
with flowing tracery at the east end of the north aisle,
the five windows on the north being of three lights, of
15th-century date; the tracery of these windows is
much decayed. The north doorway belongs to the
latter part of the 14th century. The north porch is
a good type of 15th-century work with traceried
windows, unglazed, under four-centred moulded
arches. The outer doorway is set under a square
head, the inner moulded order forming the arch.
Holes, evidently for a bar, have been roughly cut in
the mouldings of the jamb outside the position the
door occupied. There is a mutilated 14th-century
piscina at the east end of the aisle and a fragment of
a stone bracket, indicating that there was an altar
here and possibly a chantry. (fn. 99)
The south aisle has an east window of three
traceried lights corresponding to those in the chancel.
The five windows in the south wall were raised in the
15th century, and decayed remains of the tracery of
that period still remain. The south doorway belongs
to the 14th century, and immediately to the west of
it is a blocked doorway to the parvise stair. The
roof of the aisle appears to be the original one. The
south porch has a parvise over it, the entrance to the
turret stair, which projects on the western angle outside, is now from the porch itself. There is a
modern stone vault to the porch, and a late flat roof
over the parvise has taken the place of the original
steep sloping roof, the front gable now standing
unsupported. The porch has unglazed windows with
iron stanchions. At the east end of the south aislt
are traces of a reredos of an altar; on the south side
is a 14th-century piscina, above which is a lofty niche
of, probably, 15th-century date, which apparently
held the image of our Lady. (fn. 100) On the north side is
a recess or aumbry, which may have been formed from
the partly built-up doorway to the rood stair, which
was on the south side. (fn. 101) On the east wall is a defaced
bracket for an image, with remains of carving, and above
it can be seen traces of a distemper painting behind
the coats of whitewash, which probably represents the
figure of our Lady, to whom the chapel was dedicated. (fn. 102)
The west tower is a very striking feature of the
church, and is unusually high, rising, with its spire,
to a height of about 176 ft. Ashwell and Northchurch towers are the only two in the county which
are completely encased with stonework externally.
The walls are about 8 ft. thick at the base. The
tower is of four diminishing stages, with massive
buttresses stopping under the fourth stage. Access
to the tower is by a turret stair at the south-west
angle as far as the top of the first stage, and thence
through a passage-way in the wall to another turret
stair at the south-east angle. The stair has a rounded
handrail cut out of the solid stone wall. The first
stage, inside the church, was formerly covered with a
sexpartite vault of stone, but only the wall ribs and
corbels now remain. The tower arch is of three
subdivided moulded orders, resting on shafts with
moulded capitals and bases, of about 1360–70. On
the west side the arch above the capitals has been
much mutilated, no doubt to obtain support for a
gallery which has been removed. The west window,
which is not central in the tower, has four lights, but
the tracery has been much mutilated and repaired
with cement. On each face of the second stage of
the tower is a long narrow single light, above which
is a wide band of square cusped panels set diagonally
The third or belfry stage has on each face two lofty
arched openings, each of two lights with traceried
heads, but much decayed and hidden behind wood
lattices. Underneath the openings are arched and
cusped panels. The topmost stage is pierced on each
side by a two-light window with traceried head. The
tower was formerly finished with battlements of
which only the corner portions remain. Owing to
the soft nature of the clunch the whole of the face
work of the tower is in a very decayed condition.
The tower is surmounted by a timber spire on an
octagonal drum, very similar to that at Baldock, the
whole being covered with lead. The following inscription is in raised letters on the leadwork:
THOS EVERARD LAID ME HERE HE SAID TO L(AST)
AN HVNDRED YEAR 1714.
There are oak traceried and carved 15th-century
screens at the west ends of the aisles, removed from
the Lady chapel in the south aisle (fn. 103) ; there are also
some traceried panels of the same period, probably
the lower part of the old chancel screen, now made
up into a screen behind the organist's stool; two old
carved finials are fixed on the modern end posts.
The pulpit is of oak, panelled and carved and dated
1627. In the south aisle is an oak chest of early
17th-century work, and beside the south door is an alms
box on a narrow oak pedestal which may belong to the
same century. The communion table is also of the
17th century. The north and south doors are original
and have plain old iron hinges. The font is modern,
but the steps appear to be original. There are fragments of 15th-century glass in some of the clearstory
windows, and some of later date in the north aisle.
At the east end of the north aisle stands a 15th-century tomb, with panelled tracery, much defaced,
it bears no inscription; on the floor of the nave is a
brass inscription to John Sell, 1618, and in the chancel
are three slabs with indents of the 15th century, and
a part of another lies at the south door. On the east
wall of the nave is a mural tablet to Ralph Baldwyn,
1689, with his arms.
On the north wall of the tower, internally, the
following 14th-century inscription has been roughly
scratched. The beginnings of the second and third
lines are imperfect:
'xlix
pestil[en]cia qinz
M. C. [T..]. X penta miserāda ferox violēta
. . . su[p..]est plebs pessima testis in fine qe vēt' valid'
. . . oc anno Maurus in orbe tonat MCCC lxi.'
This has been translated by Mr. C. Johnson, M.A., (fn. 104)
as '1000, three times 100, five times 10, pitiable,
savage and violent. A wicked populace survives to
witness [to the shocking plague].' These lines with
their glosses refer to the Black Death of 1350. The
third line alludes to the great storm on St. Maur's Day
(15 Jan.), 1361, mentioned in the 'Eulogium Historiarum.' (fn. 105) It may be that this great wind destroyed
the newly-erected tower and two western bays of the
nave, which had to be rebuilt; the present western
bay, which is wider than the others, and the panelled
buttresses to the tower occupy the same space as two
of the earlier eastern bays. Underneath the inscription is a roughly incised drawing of a large church
with double transepts, and a lofty central tower and
spire. (fn. 106)
There is an open timber lych-gate, with tiled roof,
at the south-western entrance to the churchyard. It
appears to be of 15th-century work.
There are six bells in the tower: the treble by
John Briant, 1791; the second by Charles Newman,
1694; the third and fourth by John Briant, 1817;
the fifth by Robert Taylor, St. Neots, 1808; and
the tenor by John Briant, 1789.
The communion plate includes an engraved cup
of 1568 and paten of 1632.
The registers are in seven books: (i) baptisms
from 1686 to 1785, burials 1729 to 1735, marriages
1686 to 1754; (ii) burials 1678 to 1728 and 1735
to 1783; (iii) baptisms 1783 to 1801; (iv) burials
1783 to 1801; (v) baptisms and burials 1802 to
1812; (vi) marriages 1754 to 1801; (vii) marriages
1802 to 1812.
Ashwell: Lych-cate to Churchyard
ADVOWSON
The record of a priest among the
tenants of the Abbot of Westminster
in 1086 implies the existence of a
church there at that date. (fn. 107) In 1223 Honorius III
appropriated the church of Ashwell to the Abbot and
convent of Westminster, (fn. 108) and in 1241 Bishop
Grosteste of Lincoln (in whose diocese Ashwell was
situated) ordained a vicarage there, endowing the
vicar with the court and house next the churchyard. (fn. 109)
In 1239 a dispute arose between the Bishop of Lincoln
and the Abbot of Westminster as to the appropriation,
Grosteste making provision of the church to a certain
clerk of his diocese. (fn. 110) Peace was only secured by the
intervention of King Henry III, who decided that
while the church of Ashwell should remain in the
possession of the abbey the right of presentation
should be reserved to the bishop. (fn. 111) Matthew Paris
remarks that 'by this the Abbey of Westminster
gained great honour, and the Abbot an increase of
300 marks a year.' (fn. 112) It would seem, however, that a
later composition must have taken place by which the
abbots recovered the right of presentation, for by the
year 1334 the patronage had clearly come to them. (fn. 113)
The dissolution of Westminster Abbey brought the
advowson and rectory of Ashwell into the king's
hands, and they were granted by him to the first
Bishop of Westminster in 1541, (fn. 114) a pension from the
vicarage being granted the following year to the dean
and chapter. (fn. 115) Subsequently the advowson was granted
with the manor, first to Bishop Ridley and secondly
to Bishop Bonner. (fn. 116) In 1556 the vicarage pension
was granted to the reinstated Abbot of Westminster—all that remained to the abbey of the manor and
advowson of Ashwell. It is interesting to note that
Laud's appointment of Herbert Palmer, the Puritan
divine, to this benefice in 1632 was brought forward
by him at his trial as evidence of his impartial patronage. (fn. 117) The survey of Ashwell taken by the Parliamentary Commissioners in 1647 describes the
parsonage of Ashwell as 'consisting of a hall, a
kitchen, 2 butteries, a brew-house, a malt-house, tiled,
with five chambers over them, 3 great barns, 2 stables
thatched, a granary, a garden, an orchard, a great
yard; the whole containing about 4 acres.' (fn. 118) The
sale of the manor by the trustees for the sale of
church lands in 1648 makes special exception of
the advowson, though one of the trustees himself
obtained leave to buy the parsonage-house and the
glebe land. (fn. 119) In 1662 the Bishop of London once
more presented to the living, (fn. 120) and the patronage
remained with his successors until 1852, when it was
transferred to the Bishop of Rochester, (fn. 121) in whose
diocese Ashwell had already been placed in 1846. (fn. 122)
In 1877, however, Hertfordshire was placed in the
new diocese of St. Albans, all patronage of the Bishop
of Rochester in that diocese being transferred to the
Bishop of St. Albans. (fn. 123) In 1867 this benefice was
declared a rectory. (fn. 124)
In 1306 Thomas de Staunton and Simon le
Bakestere founded a chantry in Ashwell Church,
dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, (fn. 125) for the support of
which Thomas granted 12 acres and Simon 1 acre
of land in the parish. (fn. 126) In 1351 William de Risseby,
the king's yeoman, founded a similar chantry, which
he endowed with land of the annual value of 15s.
and with 5s. rent, (fn. 127) and in 1401 John Sennesterre
made a bequest to maintain a chantry priest in the
church. (fn. 128) In 1450 is the record of the induction
of a chaplain into apparently the first of these
chantries, the collation being in the hands of the
abbot's treasurer. (fn. 129) The foundation in 1476 of a
chantry for the founders of the gild of St. John the
Baptist is mentioned below. At the Dissolution only
one chantry is mentioned, value 100s. per annum. (fn. 130)
The advowson was included in the grant to the
Bishop of Westminster in 1541. (fn. 131) In the reign of
Elizabeth the chantry estate was in the possession of
Nicholas West, (fn. 132) who settled it upon his son and heir
William West by indenture of 1572. Nicholas West
died seised of this chantry (described as 'the late
chantrey') with appurtenant lands, rents and services
in 1586. (fn. 133)
On 26 August 1476 licence was granted to George
Duke of Clarence (brother of the king), Thomas Bishop
of Lincoln, the chancellor, and others, to found 'a
fraternity or gild of four wardens and other persons
wishing to be of the fraternity, to be called the
fraternity or gild of St. John the Baptist within the
church of St. Mary Ashwell.' The members, who
were to include both brethren and sisters, were to
elect their wardens annually, and to act as a corporate
body in the acquisition of lands, &c. Licence was
also given to them to found a chantry in Ashwell
Church for the souls of the king's father, of the present
king and queen after their deaths, and of the founders
and members of the gild. (fn. 134) A fraternity of St. John
the Baptist had existed before this, for in 1457 one
William Freeman of Ashwell, merchant, left 6s. 8d.
by will 'to the fraternity of St. John the Baptist.' (fn. 135)
Similar bequests follow throughout the reigns of
Henry VII and Henry VIII. (fn. 136) In 1574 Andrew Bill
and Elizabeth his wife surrendered to Nicholas West
and Joan his wife and William West their son and
heir 'a house or tenement called le Guyldehowse or
St. John's House or le Brotherheadhowse' in Ashwell,
situate 'in the High Street of Ashwell,' and 'a barn
and a close of pasture containing 1 acre, pertaining to
the said house.' (fn. 137) There was also a fraternity of
St. George in Ashwell. (fn. 138)
Licence for a Presbyterian meeting-place at Ashwell was taken out in 1672, and meeting-places for
Protestant Dissenters were certified from 1692.
The Congregational chapel, dating from about 1767,
was burnt down in 1850 and rebuilt. (fn. 139)
CHARITIES
The following charities are regulated by a scheme of the Charity
Commissioners dated 25 May 1897:
1. Lawrence Williams's, founded by will dated
10 September 1582, consisting of a yearly payment
of £3 by the Fishmongers' Company, of which a
yearly sum of 2s. is applicable for the sexton and of
6s. for the reparation of the church.
2. John Sell's, by will 24 May 1618, consisting of
I a. 3 r. 10 p. of land in Ashwell.
3. Thomas Chapman's, by will dated 8 March
1668, now consisting of £120 consols with the
official trustees, producing £3 yearly, representing
redemption of rent-charge.
4. Thomas Plomer's, by will dated 2 August 1701,
under which testator gave £80 to purchase land, 5s.
yearly out of the income to be paid to the parish
clerk.
5. The poor's land comprised in indenture of
6 September 1718 and indentures of lease and release
20 and 21 April 1722. The endowment of this
charity together with the charities of John Sell and
Thomas Plomer consists of 32 a. 2 r. 7 p. of land in
Mob's Hole in Ashwell North Fields, producing
£32 10s. yearly.
The income of these charities after deduction of
the fixed payments mentioned above is applicable for
the general benefit of the poor.
In 1886 Miss Anne Heath Westrope, by her will
proved at London 28 July, bequeathed £100 to the
rector for the time being, represented by £100 5s.
consols, the annual dividends, amounting to £2 10s.,
to be distributed among the poor, especially the
afflicted poor, without regard to sect or denomination.
The same testatrix bequeathed £100 to the
minister and deacons of the Independent Chapel
upon the same trusts. This legacy is represented by
£100 5s. consols, and the charity is regulated by a
scheme of the Charity Commissioners dated 14 July
1905, which also regulates the trust estate of the
Congregational Chapel comprised in deeds 1829,
1864 and 1875.
In 1891 Mrs. Mary Hitch Westrope, by her will
proved at London I April, left a legacy, now represented by £187 19s. 9d. consols, the annual dividends
amounting to £4 14s. to be distributed among the
afflicted poor, especially widows, without regard to
sect or denomination.
The Moss Cottage Homes were founded by George
Moss by indenture 10 July 1905 and endowed by
him with £2,000 London and North Western
Railway 3 per cent. Perpetual Debenture Stock.
The endowment was increased in 1907 to £2,800
London and North Western Railway stock by augmentation of Mrs. Frederika Emily Bowman, producing £84 a year. The Homes consist of six cottages
for six aged and infirm persons, and the inmates, who
receive 5s. weekly, may be either married couples
(each married couple counting as one inmate), single
women or widows.
The several sums of stock above mentioned are
held by the official trustees.
The school was founded by the will of Henry Colborn
dated 1 August 1655. (fn. 140) The Educational Charity
was founded by deed of grant dated 22 March 1842
made by Michael Edward Rogers, Charles Stubbs
Tinling and Mary Susanna his wife, and consists of a
sum of £306 10s. 3d. consols with the official trustees,
producing £7 13s. yearly, purchased with £300 produced by sale of the old school site, &c. The charity
is regulated by a scheme of the Charity Commissioners
dated 6 August 1878. The endowment was augmented in 1878 by a donation of £50 by Edward
King Fordham. This was invested in £51 18s. 9d.
consols with the official trustees, producing £1 6s.
yearly.