ROYSTON
Crux Roys, (fn. 1) Crux Roaesie, Rhosiae, Roais, Roeis,
Roheise or Roihes (xii cent.); Crux Roesia or Roys
(xiii cent.) (fn. 2) ; Crux Roesea (fn. 3) or Roesia and Roiston (fn. 4)
(xiv cent.).
Royston lies upon the northern slopes of the Hertfordshire Chalk Downs, which almost surround the
town. Royston Heath (in Therfield parish) is noted
as the recreation ground of the town. The heath
has given its name to the 'Royston Crow.' (fn. 5) It was
a favourite hunting-place of James I, (fn. 6) was the site of
the Royston races (fn. 7) and prize-fights, (fn. 8) and may have
been the spot intended for tournaments at Royston
forbidden by the king in 1234 and 1331. (fn. 9)
The town itself, on the north-eastern edge of the
heath, is built about the intersection of Ermine Street,
which runs northward from London to York, with
the Icknield Way running almost due east and west.
The town is divided for Parliamentary purposes by
the Icknield Way, which here forms the boundary
between Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. The
same division existed for administrative purposes
until September 1897, when the whole of Royston
was included in the administrative county of Hertford. (fn. 10)
Royston was accounted a distinct 'vill' for the
assessment of subsidies in 1307, (fn. 11) but it lay within
five ecclesiastical parishes, viz. Barkway, Reed and
Therfield, co. Herts., Melbourn and Kneesworth, co.
Cambs., (fn. 12) until 1540, when an Act of Parliament
constituted it a separate ecclesiastical parish. (fn. 13) For
administrative purposes the Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire portions of the town were united under one
vestry in 1781. (fn. 14) Under the Local Government Act
of 1894 (fn. 15) there were set up within the township
separate councils for the two parts of Royston (ecclesiastical) parish and for the several parishes of Therfield,
Barkway, Bassingbourn, Kneesworth and Melbourn. (fn. 16)
Finally, in 1897, the whole township was converted
into a single urban district lying entirely within the
county of Hertford. (fn. 17)
The intersection of the roads in the centre of the
town is still called 'the Cross.' In the garden of the
town hall in Melbourn Street is preserved a large
boulder of Red Millstone Grit, weighing approximately two tons, supposed to be the base of a cross
removed from the cross roads. It has a square
socket on its upper surface, probably for a cross. (fn. 18)
Beside it are two fragments of a stone coffin-lid with
a cross on the face removed from 'Chapel Field' in
Kneesworth Street. Under the old butter market,
which stood in the middle of the Icknield Way, now
the west end of Melbourn Street, a little south-east
of the Cross, a cave hollowed out of the chalk was
discovered in 1742. (fn. 19) It was then partly filled
with earth. Dr. William Stukeley, Secretary of
the Society of Antiquaries, conjectured that the
cave was the oratory of the 'Lady Rose,' wife of
Geoffrey de Mandeville. (fn. 20) His romance was rudely
destroyed by the Rev. Charles Parkin, who maintained that the excavation was of Saxon origin. (fn. 21) A
heated argument followed, (fn. 22) but the origin and use of
the cave remain uncertain. In mediaeval times it
was evidently used for religious purposes, and the fact
that a hermit lived at Royston about 1506 has led to
the supposition that it became a hermitage. (fn. 23) It
may be identical with the 'Hermitage' in the parish
of Barkway acquired by Sir Robert Chester after its
suppression. (fn. 24) The cave is a large dome-shaped
hole, about 28 ft. deep and 17 ft. in diameter at
the bottom, cut out of the solid chalk. It is ventilated by a small grating in the pavement above.
In 1790 the present passage was cut to the cave
through the chalk. The walls of the cave are
rudely sculptured with figures in low relief, among
which are figures of St. Christopher, St. Katherine,
the Cross of St. Helena, the Holy Family, Conversion of St. Paul, and many others. There appears
to have been an upper story to the cave at one
period, the walls having been cut back to receive
the timbers. The figures were probably carved
in the 13th or 14th century. It seems probable
that the cave was filled in during the 16th century
when the lord of the manor 'buylded up in the
myddest of Icknell Streate . . . a fayer House or
Crosse . . . for a clockhowse and a Pryson Howse.' (fn. 25)
It would seem probable that the market-place,
around which the early town would naturally be
formed, originally occupied the widened part of
Ermine Street to the north and south of the point
where the Icknield Way crosses it. As in other
towns, this market-place seems to have become at an
early date covered by permanent stalls and then by
shops till these buildings divided it into two streets
and became known as early as the 16th century as
Middle Row. The western street in its southern
part was called later Dead Street and afterwards Back
Street. (fn. 26) The present market-place is on sloping
ground east of the High Street and south of the
church and site of the priory.
In 1189 Richard 1 granted to the priory the right
to hold a market at Royston and to have a fair there
throughout Whitsun week and a market on the
fourth day of each week with court of pie-powder and
all the customs of the fair of Dunstable. (fn. 27) Another
fair to be held on the eve and day of the translation
of St. Nicholas (May 8–9) was granted to the hospital
of St. Nicholas on 2 January 1212–13, (fn. 28) and was
probably held in the Cambridgeshire portion of the
town, where the hospital was situated. (fn. 29) In 1236 it
was converted into a three days' fair on the eve, day
and morrow of the same feast. (fn. 30) It probably became
extinct with the hospital, which had ceased to exist
before 1359. (fn. 31) In 1242 Henry III granted to the
Prior of Royston another fair to be held on the vigil
and feast of St. Thomas the Martyr (July 6–7), the
patron saint of his house. (fn. 32)
From the first the situation of the town on the crossroads in the midst of the barley-growing country must
have caused the markets and fairs to prosper. In 1291
they were valued at £9 13s. 4d (fn. 33) In 1223 and
1226 the maximum price of wine was fixed at a
higher rate in Royston than elsewhere, owing to
the distance of the town from the coast. (fn. 34) The
prior made good his right to the market and to
the fairs at Whitsuntide and the feast of St. Thomas
in 1278. (fn. 35) The prior had been involved in disputes with the Abbot of Westminster and the
Master of the Knights Templars, who claimed
exemption from toll in all English markets. In
1247–8 the abbot pleaded the charters of Edward the
Confessor and William I against the claims of the
prior. (fn. 36) The dispute with the Templars, who owned
property in Royston, (fn. 37) began in 1199 and was still
continuing in 1200. (fn. 38) In 1254 the Master of the
Templars impleaded the prior for imprisoning and
beating certain of his men who had come to the
market on the Templars' business. (fn. 39) The markets
and fairs were frequently disturbed during the 13th
and 14th centuries. (fn. 40) In May 1537, shortly after
the dissolution of the priory, the market, fairs, court
of pie-powder with the stallage and piccage and the
profits of the windmill of the late priory were leased
to Richard Cromwell (afterwards knighted) for twentyone years. (fn. 41) Much of the market-place was, however,
occupied by about fifty shops held on lease by various
owners. (fn. 42) Sir Richard Cromwell transferred his
interest in the market to Edward Annesby. (fn. 43) Nevertheless in 1540 a grant was made to Robert Chester
of all the possessions of the priory 'with two fairs, one
lasting throughout Whitsun week, the other on 7 July
and the two days following, and a market on every
Wednesday at Royston.' (fn. 44) The claims of Annesby
and Chester were considered by the Court of Augmentations between 1540 and 1544, and apparently
the decision was in favour of the lord of the manor.
The profits of the fair and market have since remained
with the successive lords.
The great corn market of Royston is frequently
noticed in the writings of 17th-century travellers, one
of whom describes Royston as a 'dry town good for
the utterance of cattell barley and malt.' (fn. 45) The Corn
Exchange was built by the lord of the manor in
1829. (fn. 46) The present market-house on the hill was
built about 1836. A 'tolbooth' had existed in 1341
and contained the stocks. (fn. 47) It may have been at the
cross-ways near the site of the Clock House, where the
stocks stood until they were removed to the Market
Hill. (fn. 48) Before 1792 fairs on Ash Wednesday,
Wednesday in Easter week and the first Wednesday
after 10 October had been added to those granted to
the priory, (fn. 49) and these still existed in 1888, (fn. 50) but the
Whitsun fair is now extinct, the July fair, sometimes
called Becket's fair, has almost disappeared, and the
October fair alone is of any importance. (fn. 51)
At the apex of the present triangular market is
Fish Hill, facing the county court erected in 1849. (fn. 52)
On this hill a schoolhouse was built by contributions
from gentlemen of the town and neighbourhood about
1716. (fn. 53) It was afterwards given to the use of the
parish. (fn. 54) Henry Andrews, astronomer, calculator to
the Board of Longitude and to Moore's Almanack,
taught in this school in 1767. (fn. 55) The infants' schools
date from 1827; Board and National schools were
established about 1840. (fn. 56)
In High Street are a few 17th-century cottages
built of timber and plaster with modern fronts, and
opposite the Bull Hotel is a 15th-century timber and
plaster house on brick foundations with a projecting
upper story supported on brackets and bow windows
on the ground floor. A way called John Street was
opened into the High Street from Fish Hill after a
disastrous fire which occurred in 1841. (fn. 57) At the
north-east corner of John Street the present Congregational chapel was built soon after the fire (fn. 58) to
replace the old Meeting House which had existed in
Middle Row, Kneesworth Street, since 1706. (fn. 59) The
Congregationalists had met in the house of John
Wheeler in 1672, (fn. 60) and their meetings possibly
originated in the lectures given on market days by
Nathaniel Ball, the ejected minister of Barley
(1660–2). (fn. 61) The Baptist chapel near Barkway
Street was built in 1896. (fn. 62)
The High Street and Back Street contain numerous
inns, some of which date from posting days. The
'Red Lion' on the east side of the High Street, now
no longer an inn, was the chief of these. In rooms
at the back of it was held the famous Royston Club,
partly political, partly convivial, which was in
existence before 1689 and broke up about the middle
of the 18th century. (fn. 63) The ' Bull' at the top of the
High Street has existed since 1520. (fn. 64) Petty sessions
were held there, and it was under protest that the
magistrates moved to the new county court in 1850. (fn. 65)
The end house of Middle Row on the west side of
the High Street near the Cross was the Tabard Inn, (fn. 66)
where in 1539 a servant of the Bishop of Durham
spoke openly against the dissolution of monasteries
before the 'good man ' of the inn. (fn. 67) At least eleven
such inns in the town then gave accommodation to
the travellers who passed through on the way from
London to the north. (fn. 68) For the spiritual 'relief of
poor people coming and going through the town '
Richard Argentine, Sheriff of Cambridgeshire in 1224,
founded the chapel of St. John and St. James on the
south side of Baldock Street. (fn. 69) It was evidently
identical with the hospital of St. James existing in
1251, (fn. 70) and there was added to it the chantry of
St. Nicholas, once a separate chapel in the Cambridgeshire portion of the town. (fn. 71) The chapel of
St. John and St. James was suppressed in 1547, (fn. 72) and
the site let in succession to Edward Chester in
January 1565–6, to John Hall and to John Moore. (fn. 73)
Hall, acting in trust for Edward Chester, who was
serving in the Netherlands, obtained a confirmation
of title against Sir Giles Alington, kt., heir to the
patrons and founders, who asserted his right to the
'chapel lands.' (fn. 74) In 1607 a grant in fee simple of
the late chapel or hospital and its possessions was
made to Sir Roger Aston, kt., one of the gentlemen
of the Bedchamber, and to John Grymesditch. (fn. 75) The
chapel was 'new made into a fair dwelling house'
shortly before 1610, and was then in the occupation
of Francis Hall. (fn. 76) On the opposite (north) side of
Baldock Street a house and yard formed part of the
endowment of the chapel. (fn. 77) West of it the 'Gables'
represents the 'Cardynall's Hat' of 1610, and east
of it was another inn, the 'Half Moon,' next the
corner house of Back Street. (fn. 78)
For a short distance north of the Cross, Back Street
and Kneesworth Street are still divided by 'Middle
Row.' The whole of this neighbourhood is associated
with the house and lodgings occupied by James I and
Charles I and their court. A building in Kneesworth Street is all that remains of the eastern part
of the 'King's Lodgings,' the rest having been
demolished probably early in the 18th century. The
building is rectangular and measures, roughly, about
53 ft. by 19 ft.; the front is on the east side facing
the garden, the back facing the street. It consists of
two stories with attics and a cellar under the south
part. At either end on each story is an apartment,
and between them is a square staircase with a newel
stair, the old octagonal oak post of which still
remains but without its finial at the top. The south
room on the ground story has an old fireplace with
a wooden lintel, partly built up, above which are
remains of a 17th-century painted ornament; in the
south wall is a wide niche with blocked hatchway
to the adjoining buttery, now demolished. Some
chamfered beams still remain in some of the rooms.
The south room on the upper story has an old brick
fireplace with four-centred arch with splayed edge
and stops, all cemented; it is surrounded with 18th-century wooden jambs and lintel, bolection moulded.
In the north room are remains of a coloured stencilled
pattern, about 6 in. wide, under the small plaster
cornice, and as vertical bands dividing the walls into
panels; it is of 17th-century work. Externally the
street front has two large plain projecting chimneys,
mostly rebuilt, only the lower parts being of the old
thin bricks. The entrance doorway and windows
are modern. The east or garden front was entirely
rebuilt early in the 18th century, and has moulded
brick cornice and plain flanking pilasters. The whole
building was repaired in 1910 and a wing added on
the north. The roof is tiled. A timber-built
house with projecting upper story and tiled roof in
Kneesworth Street, to the south of the palace,
evidently formed part of the palace out-buildings. (fn. 79)
It belongs to the 16th century, and retains its old
wooden door frame and open roof with moulded
trusses. The interior has been considerably altered.
To the north of the palace are some remains of the
brick walls of the old stables.
Old Houses, High Street, Royston
In 1652 the whole of the Lodgings, which then
projected westwards into the street, so commanding a
view of the road north and south, is described as 'all
of brick well-tiled double-built, in length 78 ft., breadth
43 ft., height from eaves to ground 24 ft., thickness of
walls 24 inches.' Below stairs were six lodgingchambers well-floored and well-matted; above stairs
six rooms, including the presence and privy chambers,
with wainscot shuttings to all windows. (fn. 80) James I
passed through Royston on Friday, 29 April 1603,
on his way to London in the month following his
accession and was entertained by Robert Chester at
the Priory. (fn. 81) Attracted by the opportunities afforded
by Royston for his favourite sport of hunting, James I
hired Chester's house for one year, (fn. 82) probably the
first of his reign, and began in 1604 to convert the
'Cock' and the 'Greyhound' into a house for himself. (fn. 83) Simon Basill was responsible for the 'finishing'
of the King's Lodgings in 1607. During this year
partitions were set up ' in the pages' chamber at
the presence door,' many new doors were put in and
the king's garden was made. Many repairs, including
the rebuilding of a fallen chimney, the replacing of a
timber chimney, setting up a stone mantel in the
chamber of the Duke of Lennox and the repair of
the wine-cellar door, ' being broken all to pieces,' are
evidence of the decayed state of the buildings purchased by the king. (fn. 84)
Apparently the King's Lodgings described above
were on the site of the 'Cock.' (fn. 85) The tiled-timber
buildings called the 'Greyhound' were not rebuilt,
but were converted as they stood into a guardchamber and other officers' lodgings. (fn. 86) Between
these and the King's House stood the Prince's
Buttery, an old building partly tiled, partly thatched. (fn. 87)
The 'Greyhound' was a freehold tenement of Royston
Manor occupied by John Newport in 1539. (fn. 88) In its
stables in 1537 Robert Dalyvell, saddler, prophesied
the death of Henry VIII and the extinction of
English nobles before Midsummer's Day, 1538. (fn. 89)
James purchased the inn from the Earl of Lincoln, (fn. 90)
who may have acted for him in acquiring it. South
of the 'Greyhound' was the house of Judith Wilson
in 1610 (fn. 91) with a malt-house attached. (fn. 92) In 1628
Thomas Wilson let a part of this house to the king as
a privy kitchen. (fn. 93) Beyond this were the pantry and
waiting offices of Prince Charles. The corner house
at the Cross was called the 'Howletts' and was held by
the occupier of the 'Greyhound' in 1539. (fn. 94) Under
James I it was converted into the Prince's Lodgings,
described in 1652 as a brick and timber building
117 ft. by 18 ft., three stories high with three rooms
below stairs and four above. (fn. 95) At the rear of
the 'Greyhound' or guard-house were the king's
butteries. (fn. 96) The King's Privy Garden lay behind
his lodgings and to the north of it was the Great
Garden with the porter's lodge facing on Kneesworth Street. (fn. 97) This lodge was built on land
formerly demesne of the manor let to John Gott
and abutted on Gray's Close. (fn. 98) In the course of
time the royal buildings were extended. Larders,
pantries, bake-houses, the wardrobe and the lodgings
for the keeper of the house were established in the
'Swan,' a double row of two-storied timber buildings
at the rear of the Prince's Lodgings, (fn. 99) with a gateway
at each end, the southern one opening into Melbourn Street. (fn. 100) The grounds of the 'Swan,' at the
back of the king's buildings, contained his cock-pit,
'with substantial tile-covered roof,' and a large close
between the gardens and the lane formerly called
Field Lane, now Dog-Kennel Lane. Buildings were
added for visitors, partly in the gardens, partly in the
close, and a garden for them was inclosed from the
latter. At the north end of the king's property,
where Dog-Kennel Lane bends round into Kneesworth Street, was the dog-house, and next it lodgings
for servants were built on a garden formerly belonging
to the 'Talbot.' Between these and the Great
Garden were the Duke of Hamilton's stables for
hunting-horses. (fn. 101) The dog-house and the stables,
with 'Little Meadow Plotts,' had been known as
'John Almonde's Barnyard,' which James purchased
from Edward Smith, one of the yeomen of the chamber. (fn. 102) East of the royal buildings and beyond DogKennel Lane lay the old pasture paled in. A portion of
this is still called the Park.
The equerries were lodged in Middle Row, opposite Wilson's house. The coach-houses formed a large
block on the west side of Kneesworth Street opposite
the King's Lodgings. North of them fames had his
bowling-green or 'Paradise.' (fn. 103)
James spent nearly £4,000 on his house at Royston
between 1603 and 1611 (fn. 104) ; and in 1610 the Hertfordshire magistrates complained of the inconvenience
of carting 500 loads of building material to Royston
in the harvest season. (fn. 105) The king was frequently at
Royston. In 1617 he was so 'exceedingly well
pleased with the air of these parts' that his courtiers
suspected he would 'have a more Royston life than
ever he had.' (fn. 106) He caused the game to be preserved
within a radius of 16 miles, (fn. 107) appointing numerous
keepers to guard against poachers and 'persons of base
condition' (fn. 108) and also against the scholars of Cambridge. (fn. 109) He appointed also a master of the harriers,
three principal huntsmen and four huntsmen in
liveries, issued proclamations against the 'audacious
and irregular persons' who failed in 'forbearance of
their own delight for our desport,' (fn. 110) and even called
upon the farmers to take down the high bounds
between their lands (fn. 111) and upon neighbouring gentry
to diswarren their preserves. (fn. 112) Regular posts were
organized from London. (fn. 113) The postmaster, Thomas
Haggar, seems to have abused his office by taking
more horses than was necessary from poor countrymen. (fn. 114) Another effect of the king's residence at
Royston was the extraordinary care bestowed upon
the roads, which were cut up by great malt-waggons
drawn by teams of horses. (fn. 115) At a later date the roads
were endangered by highway robbers. (fn. 116)
Matters of state were occasionally forced upon the
king at Royston. The people of the neighbouring
parishes petitioned James, when in the hunting-field
on 6 November 1604, to encourage faithful pastors. (fn. 117)
Shortly before this the country people made use of the
king's special hound 'Jowler' to bear a petition that
he would leave Royston, as their provision was spent
and they were unable to entertain him any longer. (fn. 118)
With a 'small train of forty persons' James set out
in January 1612–13 for Royston, where he was
joined by Prince Charles and the Elector Palatine,
and there he signed the agreement for the dower of
the Princess Elizabeth. (fn. 119) It was at Royston that the
king parted with his favourite, Somerset, (fn. 120) in 1615,
and while staying there in October 1618 he caused
Raleigh to be executed under the sentence passed
against him in 1603. (fn. 121) In March 1619 he lay there
dangerously ill (fn. 122) and left the town in a 'Neapolitan
portative chair' 24 April. (fn. 123) In October 1623, after
the return of Prince Charles and Buckingham from
their fruitless journey to Spain, James received them
on the stairs at Royston, 'when they fell on their
knees and all wept together.' (fn. 124) James dubbed his last
knight, Sir Richard Bettenson, at Royston 28 February 1624–5, a month before his death. (fn. 125)
Charles I visited the Court House less frequently
than his father, but occasionally stayed there on the
way to or from Newmarket. (fn. 126) On his journey to
York in 1642 he stayed at Royston from 5 to 7 March,
while continuing negotiations with Parliament respecting the militia. (fn. 127) In April 1646 M. Montreuil met
the Chancellor of Scotland and others here, and made
definite arrangements for the king's reception by the
Scottish army. (fn. 128) Apparently the king himself passed
through Royston on his way to Newark a few weeks
later. (fn. 129) He returned thither as a prisoner of the
Parliamentary army in June 1647. (fn. 130) The main body
of the army, under the command of Fairfax, Ireton
and Cromwell, had preceded the king and was at
Royston 10 June, advancing thence to St. Albans. (fn. 131)
The townspeople do not appear to have been enthusiastic supporters of the royal cause, (fn. 132) but the 'murthering of their king' roused them to assault a
recruiting party from General Ireton's foot which
visited Royston fair in 1649, (fn. 133) and in 1651 Thomas
Coke confessed that he employed one Major Hall
there to urge the people to join with the king if there
were occasion. He was aided by Charles Baxton, an
innkeeper, and Thomas Turner, both of Royston. (fn. 134)
In 1649 the Court House was seized by the Parliament with the other possessions of the Crown,
but Philip (Herbert) Earl of Pembroke put in a
claim to the lands and buildings formerly belonging
to the 'Swan,' with the east part of the new lodgings
for visitors, the cock-pit and the dog-house, and also
'that part of the king's lodgings that jutteth out on
the east part thereof, being three bays of brick building 50 ft. by 22 ft., containing the king's bedchamber,
drawing-room,' &c, with the king's privy garden. (fn. 135)
The earl had purchased the 'Swan' in 1621 (fn. 136) from
Sir William Russell, kt., treasurer of the Royal Navy,
and John Bedell, a merchant of London.
At the death of Charles the buildings, except only
the king's and prince's lodgings, were much out of
repair, but the commissioners who surveyed them
recommended that they should be turned into tenements rather than demolished, and their suggestion
seems to have been carried out. (fn. 137) The whole of the
Court House seems to have come into the possession
of Lewis and William Awdley during the Protectorate. (fn. 138) After the Restoration Edward Chester, lord
of the manor, and others laid claim to some part of
the buildings. (fn. 139) The King's House, however, was
occupied by lessees of the Crown for about a century
and a-half. In 1731 it was occupied by John Buxton,
attorney. The lessee in 1753 was John Minchin.
In 1812 it was purchased by John Stamford, carpenter,
whose son John bequeathed it in succession to his
nephews John Whyatt and Samuel Luke of New
Zealand. (fn. 140) The Crown rights had all been sold by
1866. (fn. 141)
Just north of the site of the king's Dog House
is Chapel Field, (fn. 142) recently proved to be the site of an
ancient burial-ground. (fn. 143) Here apparently stood the
hospital and chantry chapel of St. Nicholas, which
was founded for lepers early in the 13th century (fn. 144) on
land held of Wendy Manor, co. Cambs., by the
service of maintaining a lamp in Wendy Church. It
consisted of a chapel and lodgings for the lepers. (fn. 145)
Its founder, Ralph son of Ralph son of Fulk, (fn. 146) gave
the advowson of the hospital to Giles Argentine, lord
of Melbourn Manor, (fn. 147) in which parish the chapel
was apparently situated.
The Congregational chapel in Kneesworth Street
originated in the secession of the 'New Meeting'
from the 'Old Meeting' in 1791. (fn. 148) The building,
erected in 1792, has since been altered and enlarged. (fn. 149)
There was a considerable Quaker community in
Royston from 1655 onwards. (fn. 150) Tombstones still
mark the site of their meeting-place at the back of
the houses on the east side of Kneesworth Street. (fn. 151)
The town has spread northwards in the direction
of the station on the Cambridge branch of the Great
Northern railway, opened in 1850. (fn. 152) In this neighbourhood is the Wesleyan chapel, erected in 1887. (fn. 153)
Here are also the nurseries of Mr. J. C. Pigg, a corn
mill and large makings. Eastwards at some distance
from the Cross along Melbourn Street is the town
hall built in 1855 as a Mechanics' Institute. (fn. 154)
Westwards the town extends to the union workhouse, built in 1835. The poorhouse for Royston
formerly stood near the Warren, south of the marketplace.
The position of the town on the borders of two
counties made it the scene of much crime and disorder, which the Prior of Royston, who had considerable jurisdiction within the town, failed to check
Robert of Bures and others carried off the goods of
the prior himself in 1314. (fn. 155) Cases of assault at
Royston were frequent during the 13th and 14th
centuries. (fn. 156) Breaches of the Statute of Northampton
were daily committed, and the offenders escaped
arrest by the king's officers by fleeing from one county
to another, while their number and confederacy made
them too strong for the bailiffs of the prior, (fn. 157) whose
liberty extended into both counties. (fn. 158) The ringleaders of the 'Murdrisours de Croysroys' (fn. 159) were
Richard 'Howessone' the Marshal, of Royston, and
John his son. (fn. 160) In 1337 a separate commission of
the peace was formed for the town of Royston. (fn. 161)
Three years later Warin of Bassingbourn, the Sheriff
of Cambridgeshire, entering the town armed, seized
and carried off Simon Bakoun 'sitting in the stocks in
the Tolbothe.' An affray followed in which the
sheriff's bailiff wounded 'Simon le Irenmonger' of
Royston. The prior seems to have tried to preserve
his liberties by buying off the sheriff, (fn. 162) who was,
nevertheless, included in a new commission of the
peace for Royston in 1341, (fn. 163) and appointed to attach
Richard the Marshal in 1342. (fn. 164) The commission
was renewed from time to time. (fn. 165) In 1437 the
Crown released to the priory the goods of felons and
fugitives in Royston and the prior at the same
time received the royal pardon for the escape of
prisoners. (fn. 166)
The town has suffered much by fire. It is said to
have been burnt in 1324. (fn. 167) A great fire broke out
in 1405 on the feast of the Translation of St. Martin. (fn. 168)
Another serious fire occurred 22 March 1734. (fn. 169)
Royston appears to have been visited by Henry III, (fn. 170)
Edward I, (fn. 171) Edward III (fn. 172) and Richard II. (fn. 173) Richard
Duke of York and the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury sent from here, 20 May 1455, their manifesto
demanding the dismissal of Somerset. (fn. 174)
In the summer of 1553 John Cooke, carpenter,
and other Royston men made 'commocion at Royston'
and were bidden as well 'to leave of their assemblies
as having just occasion against any man to come up
and give information to the Council.' (fn. 175)
The priory to the south of Melhourn Street was
founded within the manor of Newsells in Barkway
parish. (fn. 176) Eustace de Merk, kt., lord of Newsells,
built a chapel for three chaplains on the site of the
present priory. (fn. 177) His nephew Ralph of Rochester
established a house of Austin canons on the same
spot. (fn. 178) It was dedicated in honour of St. John
the Baptist and St. Thomas the Martyr. Ralph
of Rochester erected the buildings and gave the
land on which they stood, the soil of the inclosed
precinct, the green space (probably heathland) extending from the priory gate to 'Holewey' and
'Cawden,' 140 acres of arable land in 'Eldefeld,'
rights of pasture over all the rest of Eldefeld and
the homage and service of his men and tenants there
and in Royston. (fn. 179) The endowment took place
within the lifetime of Eustace, between 1163 and
1184. (fn. 180) William of Rochester, the founder's son,
added 40 acres more in 'Eldefield,' extending from
the path from Barley to Royston, next the canons'
mill. (fn. 181) The Popes Lucius III and Celestine III confirmed their possessions to the canons. (fn. 182) Richard I
granted them extensive liberties within their lands. (fn. 183)
Successive priors obtained confirmatory charters from
Henry III, (fn. 184) Edward III, (fn. 185) Richard II, (fn. 186) Henry IV, (fn. 187)
Henry V, (fn. 188) Henry VI (fn. 189) and Edward IV. (fn. 190) The
house now known as the Priory was possibly part
of the house erected on the site of the priory after
the Dissolution. There is some 17th-century brickwork on the south-west side.
MANOR
The charter of Ralph of Rochester
proves that the greater part of Royston
originally lay within the manor of
Newsells in Barkway. The latter was held in 1086
by Eudo Fitz Hubert. (fn. 191) It was attached later to the
honour of Boulogne, (fn. 192) of which it was held by Eustace
de Merk and subsequently by his nephew Ralph of
Rochester. (fn. 193) Ralph endowed the Priors of Royston
with manorial rights over the lands which he granted
to them. (fn. 194)
The manor of ROYSTON thus formed was retained by the priors until the dissolution of their
house, (fn. 195) which took place in 1536. (fn. 196) The priory
buildings, the demesne lands and the scattered lands
in 'Elfeld Clepitsholte Redfeld Tharfeld Milbournefeld and Newsells' were leased to Robert Chester
before Michaelmas 1537. The market rights were
let for twenty-one years to Richard Cromwell, who acted
also as steward of the manor, (fn. 197) and was probably the
person by whose 'importunate
labours' Dr. Wendy, physician
to the Earl of Northumberland, was prevented from
obtaining a lease of the demesnes and market rights. (fn. 198)
Robert Chester had a new
lease of the priory 20 May
1539, (fn. 199) and in 1540 he received a grant in fee of the
house and site of the priory,
the lordship and manor of
Royston and all the lands of
the late prior in the counties
of Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. (fn. 200) He was gentleman usher of the chamber to Henry VIII and in July 1544 left Royston
with twenty-five archers, who formed the king's bodyguard when he left Calais for the siege of Boulogne. (fn. 201)
Chester. Ermine a chief sable with a griffon passant argent therein.
In 1551 Chester (who was knighted about this
date) (fn. 202) entertained Mary of Guise at Royston on
her return to Scotland from France. (fn. 203) In 1565 he
served as Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire. (fn. 204) In
November 1564 there took place at Royston a double
marriage between Sir Robert Chester, then a widower,
and Lady Magdalene, widow of Sir Jaques Granada,
kt., and between Sir Robert's son and heir Edward
and Katherine daughter of the Lady Magdalene by
her former husband. (fn. 205) At the same time Royston was
settled upon Edward and Katherine in tail-male. (fn. 206)
Sir Robert Chester died 2 5 November 1574. (fn. 207) Shortly
afterwards Edward Chester, 'getting greate credytt in
respect of his good service' in the Low Countries,
received an annuity from the Estates of 400 marks to
himself and his eldest son for life. He died
25 November 1577 beyond the seas, having transported a band of volunteers to the Netherlands at his
own cost. (fn. 208) His son and heir Robert was then aged
twelve. (fn. 209) He had livery of Royston Manor about
1586, (fn. 210) and was engaged in continual litigation in
respect of the annuity due to his grandmother Lady
Magdalene, the extent of the possessions of the late
priory and the market rights of Royston. (fn. 211) He was
knighted in 1603 by James I, (fn. 212) whom he had entertained upon his first journey to London from
Edinburgh. (fn. 213)
Sir Robert Chester resided at Cockenhatch in
Barkway, (fn. 214) and died in 1640, having settled Royston
Manor upon his son Edward, who married Katherine
daughter of John Stone of London. (fn. 215) The manor
evidently passed to their second son John. (fn. 216) His son
Edward was Sheriff of Hertfordshire in 1675 and died
in his year of office. (fn. 217) He was succeeded by his son
Robert, (fn. 218) whose son Edward Chester (fn. 219) sold the manor
in 1759 to Thomas Plumer Byde of Ware Park. (fn. 220)
Royston was purchased in 1770 by Thomas Brand
and bequeathed by him to his grandson Thomas
(Brand) Lord Dacre. (fn. 221) His heir was his brother
Henry Otway (Trevor) Lord Dacre, whose second
son Sir Henry-Bouverie-William Brand was created
Viscount Hampden. His grandson Thomas Walter,
Viscount Hampden, is the present lord of the
manor. (fn. 222)
Brand Viscount Hampden
The Priors of Royston claimed by prescription view
of frankpledge, gallows, tumbril and amendment of
the assize of bread and ale. (fn. 223) Under the charter of
Richard I they had within their manor of Royston
soc, sac, tol, tern, infangthef, utfangthef, hamsac,
grithbriche, bloodwite, murder, forestall, flemaniswite, ordeal and orest. (fn. 224) They and their men were
quit of scot, geld and aids, shires, hundreds, &c. (fn. 225)
Their jurisdiction was therefore very extensive; but
their failure to enforce order in the 13th and
14th centuries has been seen. Confirmation of their
liberties was made in February 1271–2, (fn. 226) and in
1278 their claims were again acknowledged. (fn. 227)
A court leet for certain of the tenants of the honour
of Clare in Cambridgeshire was held at Royston, (fn. 228) but
Richard de Clare Earl of Gloucester and patron of
Royston Priory had only one tenant in the town at
his death in 1262. (fn. 229) The courts were held throughout
the 15th century (fn. 230) and descended to Edward IV as
grandson of Anne wife of the Earl of Cambridge and
direct descendant of Elizabeth de Burgh, one of the
three sisters and co-heirs of Gilbert de Clare Earl of
Gloucester, slain at Bannockburn in 1314. (fn. 231) Edward
assigned the court at Royston to his mother Cicely in
dower. (fn. 232) It was apparently extinct by the beginning
of the 17th century. (fn. 233)
CHURCH
The church of ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST (fn. 234) consists of chancel 34 ft. 6 in.
by 22 ft., north vestry and organ
chamber, nave 70 ft. 6 in. by 22 ft., north aisle
58 ft. by 14 ft. 6 in., south aisle 86 ft. by 13 ft. 6 in.,
west tower 20 ft. 6 in. from north to south and 14 ft.
from east to west; all internal dimensions. The
walls are of clunch and rubble, with modern flint
facing and stone dressings. The present church
consists mainly of the chancel and quire of the
monastic church, with later additions. In 1600 the
justices of the peace certified that the church was
'utterly ruinated and fallen downe to the ground,'
whereupon the Privy Council gave licence for collections to be made for its rebuilding. (fn. 235)
The history of the church is a little difficult to
trace owing to the alterations and re-use of old
materials after the dissolution of the monastery, but the
original church appears to have consisted of a chancel
which was lighted by the triple lancets, parts of which
remain in the north and south walls, the chancel arch
being at the second pier west of the modern chancel
arch, (fn. 236) and a quire of probably two bays, of which
those on the south side still remain. The quire
screen may have stood at the west of these two
bays, the remains of a turret stair (fn. 237) having been
discovered in the south wall opposite that point.
Another bay, perhaps similar to the others, or of
solid walling, was interposed between the quire screen
and the central tower. There is evidence that a
central tower, with at least a south transept, existed,
the present tower being in almost the same position
as the old one.
The lower part of the old clunch wall of the south
nave aisle still exists, and is continued eastwards with
only one break as far as the west wall of the present
south aisle in a line with the east face of the present
tower. The break is a projecting impost which
probably carried the arch between the south aisle and
the transept, and if so it marks the western face of
the old tower, and the dimensions show that it was
square, not oblong as at present. In the rebuilding
of the tower the west face appears to have been built
about 7 ft. east of the old one, the other sides
remaining as before.
Royston: House In The Churchyard
The chancel, vestry and organ chamber were built
in 1891, and at the same time the south aisle was
lengthened eastwards about 27 ft. In the chancel
wall has been reset the sill of a 13th-century piscina
with octofoil basin.
The nave, which consists of the chancel and quire
of the old church, was built c. 1250. At the east end
are the remains of the triple lancet windows in the
north and south walls. In the north wall the
eastern window alone remains, the bases and capitals
of which have been restored. In the south wall are
portions of three arches with some of the capitals;
these are partly built up and the lower portions have
been cut away to allow of the insertion of arcade
arches beneath them. The windows have moulded
arches enriched with the dog-tooth ornament; the
jambs have clustered shafts and moulded capitals and
bases. The north arcade consists of four plain
pointed arches, the wall above being only 1 ft. 6 in.
thick. The imposts and two of the supporting piers
are octagonal with moulded capitals, probably modern;
the central pier, which is of 14th-century character
and is of greater diameter than the others, is composed of four large half-round shafts separated by
smaller ones; it has a moulded capital similar to the
others, which is probably modern. The north arcade
appears to have been rebuilt during the 17th century, the middle pier being all that remained of the
old arcade. The south arcade is of five arches. The
eastern arch and central pier are modern; the second
arch is of three hollow-chamfered orders with moulded
labels of 14th-century character; the next two arches
apparently formed the original quire and retain their
old responds with a little plain walling at either end.
The arches consist of three hollow chamfers with
moulded labels, the jambs of large clustered shafts
separated by acutely pointed rolls; the capitals and
bases are moulded. The date of this arcade is
c. 1250–60. There is a piece of wall about 6 ft. in
length, including the imposts, between this arcade of
two arches and the westernmost arch of the nave, and
the western end of the wall has been roughly thinned
down to make it fit the imposts and arch of the
westernmost opening, which is only 8 ft. wide. The
imposts are of the same section as the old central
pier in the north arcade and look as if they had been
detached piers before they were inserted in their
present position. (fn. 238) The moulded capitals of these
imposts are of the same section as those of the
adjoining two bays, but the arch moulding is of an
earlier period, probably about 1240. There can be
little doubt but that this arch was inserted when the
tower was rebuilt about 1600 of old materials. The
clearstory window above the arch was probably also
inserted at that period or later. There are two small
clearstory lights on the north side.
Plan of Royston Church
The roof of the nave has moulded trusses and
carved bosses and is probably of early 16th-century
work. (fn. 239)
The stonework of the three-light window in the
east wall of the north aisle and of the four two-light
windows in the north wall is modern; the second
window from the east is inserted in a partially
blocked archway which opened into a former chapel;
the arch is of two orders, the inner one a hollow
chamfer, the outer one moulded with undercut rolls;
the jambs have clustered shafts with rolls between,
like the central pier in the north arcade, and the
capitals are moulded. It appears to be of 14th-century work, but has been restored. There is a
break back of 8 in. in the north wall adjoining this
arch. The west doorway is modern. Parts of the
aisle roof are of 15th-century timbers re-used. In one
of the windows are some fragments of 15th-century
painted glass. All the windows in the south aisle are
of modern stonework, and the west door is modern;
a doorway in the south wall is blocked. The roof
is a plain one of 15th-century date.
The tower is in three stages with crocketed
pinnacles at the angles. It has been refaced with
flint, and all the stonework of the west door, belfry
windows and battlements is modern. The wide
tower arch has been rebuilt with 14th-century
materials, the section of the mouldings corresponding
with that of the second arch from the east in the
south arcade; the responds, which are semi-octagonal,
and the moulded capitals are of 16th-century date;
the arch has been roughly built. It is clear that the
whole tower was rebuilt in the 16th century, (fn. 240) old
materials being re-used in parts. It is probable, as
before suggested, that the tower was square originally
and rested on large piers, but no trace of them is now
visible. At the eastern end of the old south nave
wall the upper part of an arched recess appears above
the ground: it was probably a tomb. Adjoining it
on the east is the head of another recess about 3 ft.
wide, possibly a piscina.
The old font has recently been placed in the
churchyard, after being for many years in private
hands; it has a plain octagonal bowl of the 13th
century and a 15th-century stem with a plain arched
recess in each face.
A fine 15th-century oak panelled and carved dour,
until lately in the west doorway, is now in the
belfry; it appears to have been the original door of
the church, but has been considerably damaged.
The tower walls on the ground floor have been
lined with 17th-century oak panelling taken from old
pews.
The pulpit has a stone base composed of parts of
an old panelled tomb, the pulpit itself, as well as
two reading desks, being made up from a fine 15th-century oak screen which was discovered during the
19th century; it is said to have fitted the second
arch from the east in the south nave arcade.
Two badly damaged images of alabaster were found
during restoration and are now in the chancel; one
is of the Virgin and Child: the figure of the Virgin
is headless and in the left hand of the Child is a
bird; the other is the figure of a bishop with head
and pastoral staff broken away. They are of the
15th century. (fn. 241)
Under a modern recess in the south wall of the
chancel is the recumbent effigy of a knight, in
alabaster, of the 14th century, clad in plate armour
with a surcoat.
On a stone slab now beneath the communion
table is a long brass cross on stepped base; it is incised
with a Bleeding Heart and the other four Wounds of
the Passion, and is probably of 15th-century date.
In the nave is a brass with figures of a man and his
wife, with indent of a second wife; there is no
inscription, but it dates from about 1500; another
brass has a half figure of a priest in hood and tippet,
under a cusped and crocketed canopy, to William
Tabram, rector of Therfield, 1462. On the east
wall of the north aisle are three brass inscriptions: to
William Chamber, who died in 1546; to Robert
White, Prior of Royston, who died 1534; the third
bears a verse in English, but neither name nor date;
it probably dates from about 1500.
There are six bells: four by Thomas Lester,
1739, and two recast by John Taylor, 1901.
The communion plate consists of a cup of 1621,
an elaborately chased paten of 1629, another paten
of 1718, a modern flagon and a plated chalice.
The registers are in three books: (i) baptisms from
1662 to 1812, burials 1662 to 1678, marriages
1662 to 1754; (ii) burials 1678 to 1812; (iii)
marriages 1754 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The canons at Royston built a
chapel with a burial-place attached
possibly between 1164 and 1179. (fn. 242)
The lack of a separate parish church for so considerable
a town was thus 'little prejudicial' to the inhabitants
while the priory existed. Soon after its dissolution
they bought the priory church 'to their great charges.'
By Act of Parliament the town, which had formerly
been in five different parishes, was in 1540 constituted a distinct parish within the diocese of London. (fn. 243)
The vicar was to have tithes, offerings and oblations
except tithe of corn, hay, wool, lambs and calves,
which were reserved to the incumbents of the five
original parishes. (fn. 244) The king was patron, the advowson
being attached to the priory manor, then in his hands.
The advowson is not specifically mentioned in the
grant of the manor to Robert Chester, (fn. 245) but it
evidently passed under it. It continued in the possession of the successive lords until 1891, when it was
transferred to the bishop of the diocese. (fn. 246)
There were several devotional gilds in Royston.
We have reference to the brotherhood of Jesus, (fn. 247) the
gild of St. Laurence (fn. 248) and the Rood gild. (fn. 249)
A chantry for the soul of Richard de Stamford,
clerk of the Exchequer, was founded about 1290 and
endowed by him with certain houses in Fleet Street,
London. (fn. 250)
CHARITIES
In the Parliamentary Returns of
1786 it is stated that — Chester
gave a rent-charge of £5 4s. per
annum for bread to the poor. This sum is paid out
of the manor of Royston and is distributed in bread
by the vicar and churchwardens.
In 1609 Robert Warden left a yearly sum of
£2 12s. out of a tenement in St. Peter Cornhill,
London, to be distributed in bread every Sunday to
the poor. The property charged with this payment
now belongs to the Merchant Taylors' Company, and
the annuity is regularly received from them and
distributed in bread.
In 1687 Sir Thomas Foot, by his will proved
17 November, gave an assignment of £42 of
Exchequer annuities for the benefit of the poor of
certain parishes, including the parish of Royston.
The endowment of the charity for Royston has come
to be represented by £56 4s. 6d. £2 10s. per cent.
annuities, producing £l 8s. yearly, which is distributed in bread to the poor every week.
The charity of William Lee, founded by will dated
8 October 1527, is regulated by a scheme of the
Charity Commission dated 30 June 1893. The
property consists of two shops and dwelling-houses in
Royston, producing £55 yearly; a barn and yard
in Royston producing £8 yearly; and a sum of
£598 4s. India 3 per cent. stock with the official
trustees, representing accumulations of income and
producing £17 18s. 8d. yearly. The net income is
applied in accordance with the scheme in subscriptions to Herts. Convalescent Home, Royston Nursing
Association, Addenbrooke's Hospital and Royston
Cottage Hospital; in assistance to invalids in hospitals, and in exhibitions to children from public
elementary schools.
In 1689 Joseph Wortham by his will gave 30s.
yearly out of his messuage in Royston to the poor,
20s. thereof to be distributed in bread at Candlemas
to poor widowers and widows of Royston, and 10s.
to widowers and widows of Barley. The sum of
26s. out of the Falcon Inn, Royston, is received yearly
in respect of this gift and distributed in bread.
In 1851 Lester Brand by his will gave a sum of
money now represented by £434 15s. 9d. consols
with the official trustees, producing £10 17s. 4d.
yearly, which is applied in the purchase of coal and
blankets for the poor.
In 1834 Mrs. Mary Barfield, by her will proved
in the P.C.C. on 26 November, bequeathed part of
her residuary personal estate for the maintenance and
support of the almshouses situate at Bassingbourn and
founded by her in 1833 for poor widows of sixty
years and upwards inhabitants of Royston. The
endowment consists of £4,022 4s. 4d. India 3 per
cent. stock in the name of the official trustees, and
producing £120 13s. 4d. yearly. The almshouses
are now eight in number, and each inmate receives
5s. weekly and one ton of coal yearly.
The charity of Mrs. Sarah Ellen Pyne, for the
general purposes of Royston Cottage Hospital, founded
by will proved at London 13 June 1899, is regulated by a scheme of the Court of Chancery dated
24 March 1903. The endowment consists of a sum
of £5,420 1s. 2d. consols with the official trustees,
producing £135 10s. yearly.
The same testatrix by her will also founded a
charity for the benefit of Royston Nursing Association. This charity is regulated by the scheme above
mentioned. The endowment consists of a sum of
£542 consols with the official trustees, producing
£13 11s. yearly, which is applied towards the salary
of a district nurse.
The same scheme also directed that a sum of
consols equivalent at the price of the day to £1,000
sterling should out of the residuary estate of Mrs.
Sarah Ellen Pyne be applied in providing a site for,
and building, a mission room for the parish of Royston.