WIDFORD
Wideford, Wydeford, Wydford (xi–xvi cent.);
Wodeford (once in xiv cent.); generally Widford after
xvi cent.
Widford is a small parish of 1,167 acres, of which
about two-thirds are arable land and about one
quarter pasture. (fn. 1) The commons, which were extensive, were inclosed under an award of 1856. (fn. 2) The
only wood of any size is Lily Wood to the west of
the village; Marshland Wood, which adjoined Eastwick Wood in the neighbouring parish of Eastwick,
was cut down about 1877. The River Ash, sometimes called Widford River, runs in a westerly direction through the northern part of the parish. From
north to south the parish is intersected by the road
from Hadham to Hunsdon and Stanstead Abbots,
whilst at right angles with this another road joins
the village with Ware on the west. The Great
Eastern railway has a station on the Buntingford
branch at Widford, at some distance to the west of
the village.
The meadows occupying the low ground by the
Ash on the north of the parish are pleasant, the
banks of the stream being lined with willows. The
ground rises steeply to the south of the river. On
the east and west the parish is flat and uninteresting.
The soil is mixed, the subsoil clay and chalk.
On a hill on the north-west of the parish are two
barrows of unknown date, one of which was opened
by the Hon. Richard Braybrook in 1851. It has
been suggested that the names Godwyn's Wood and
Battles Wood in the neighbourhood may traditionally preserve the history of some local event. (fn. 3)
Barrow Farm, to the north, takes its name from the
tumuli. (fn. 4) Nether Street is the name of a road, lately
re-made and planted with trees, which enters the
parish on the east and, after running in a curiously
straight line for some distance, is continued as a lane
on to the river, and is traceable for some way on the
other side, passing close by Barrow Hill. It then
joins another lane which here for a little distance
forms the parish boundary. Both these lanes are
probably ancient trackways. Another old by-road
called Crackney Lane or Watery Lane (also ancient,
as it forms the parish boundary) ran south from Barrow
Farm, passed Crackney Wood, and ran through the
south-east corner of the Blakesware estate. This was
closed by order of Quarter Sessions in 1878, when a
new by-road was made from Widford station. At the
same time part of the old main road from Ware to
Widford was closed, which to the east of Scholars
Hill followed a line to the north of the present road.
This was made when the new house at Blakesware
was built. The old road joined the present main
road a little to the west of Widford station. (fn. 5)
The village is situated along the road to Hunsdon
on the high ground to the south of the river. The
church of St. John the Baptist and Widford Bury
(now a farm) lie further down the hill a little to the
west. The rectory is close by the church. At the
top of the road leading from the church to the
village is Walnut Tree House, the residence of
Mr. G. S. Pawle, J.P. The village is built in a
straggling way along the main road. There are a
good many new cottages and several inns. At the
north end of the main street is a smithy. The
public elementary school was built in 1875. Considerably to the south of the village, in the main
road, is a Congregational chapel, built in 1898.
Bourne House, to the north of the village, is the
residence of Mr. G. M. Horsey.
The churchyard at Widford is the burial-place of
Mary Field, grandmother of Charles Lamb and
subject of his poem 'The Grandame.' She was
housekeeper at Blakesware, which adjoins Widford
on the north-west. The tombstone records her
death in 1792. Mrs. Elizabeth Norris, widow of
Lamb's friend Randal Norris of the Inner Temple,
her son Richard and her daughter Elizabeth, widow
of Charles Tween, were also buried here. The
original of Lamb's 'Rosamund Gray' is said to
have been a native of Widford. (fn. 6) John Eliot, the
'Indian Apostle,' was baptized at Widford in 1604;
his father was Bennett Eliot, a yeoman and landowner in the neighbourhood. The version of the
Bible in the language of the Massachusetts Indians
made by Eliot was printed in 1661 by Samuel Green,
successor of Stephen Daye, the first American printer,
and is therefore of typographical as well as philological
interest.
MANOR
Before the Conquest WIDFORD was
held by Edred, a thegn of King Edward.
It was the land of the Bishop of London
in 1086, when it was assessed at 3 hides, 2
of which were in demesne. There were two
ploughs on the demesne and three others on the
manor. There was meadow for two plough teams,
woodland for fifty swine (fn. 7) and a mill. (fn. 8) Another
hide was held of the Bishop of London by a certain
Tedbert, the successor of Alward, who had held of
Archbishop Stigand in the time of King Edward. (fn. 9)
These are the only entries given in the Domesday
Survey, but whether they refer to the land which
was afterwards given to the abbey of Bermondsey by
Ivo de Grentmesnil is not clear. It has been
suggested that the 'Wadford' which was given in exchange by Hugh de Witvile to Hugh de Grentmesnil
for five houses in the city of Leicester (fn. 10) is Widford
in Hertfordshire. (fn. 11) Widford, however, does not seem
to be elsewhere spelt Wadford (fn. 12) ; also there is no hint
of such a transaction in the Survey under Hertfordshire, and there is nothing to account for the disappearance of the Bishop of London's estate. But
the manor seems to have been acquired in some
way by Ivo de Grentmesnil, son of Hugh, and to
have been given by him to Bermondsey in exchange
for 'Andretesbury.' (fn. 13) It was confirmed in 1118 by
Robert Earl of Leicester, to whom part of the Grentmesnil estates were pledged. (fn. 14)
The manor remained with Bermondsey until the
Dissolution. The prior and convent had view of
frankpledge there, assize of bread and ale, infangentheof, quittance of shires and hundreds, sheriff's tourns
and sheriff's aids. (fn. 15) It was one of the estates of which
the notorious Adam de Stratton obtained a grant
from the convent in the reign of Edward I. He
was evicted in 1277 because he had no royal confirmation of this grant, (fn. 16) but the next year he again
obtained possession, this time to hold at a rent of
1d., whilst he quitclaimed to the prior a rent of
£100 in which the prior was bound to him. (fn. 17)
Ultimately he was convicted for forging charters
which would give him the fee simple of the lands he
held in fee farm of the priory. (fn. 18) Widford then
came to the Crown and was granted back to
Bermondsey, with a rebuke for having 'indiscreetly
and improvidently' leased it to Stratton. (fn. 19) In 1317
the manor was leased to Geoffrey de Stokes and his
wife Alice for their lives at a rent of 12 marks. (fn. 20)
The convent was heavily in debt about twenty
years later to William de Cusancia, keeper of the
king's wardrobe, and obtained licence to lease the
manor again for a sum to be paid in advance or at a
yearly farm, in order to relieve their estate. (fn. 21) It
was accordingly leased in 1342 to Richard de
Wylughby and his wife Joan for their lives. (fn. 22) The
monastery surrendered in January 1537–8. The
extent of the manor as given in the Valor of 1535
included 32 acres of wood. (fn. 23)
In 1544 the king granted Widford to Sir Richard
Southwell (fn. 24) of Horsham St. Faith, co. Norfolk, (fn. 25) one
of his councillors. In the same year Thomas Lewyn,
clerk, who was apparently a trustee for Southwell,
had licence to alienate the manor to the use of
Mary Leech, wife of Robert Leech, alderman of
Norwich; also a field called Newnneye Wood alias
Woodfield beside Newnneye (Nimney) Wood in
Ware. (fn. 26) This Mary Leech, who in another place is
called Mary Darcy alias Leech, must have been
Mary daughter of Sir Thomas Darcy of Danbury,
co. Essex, who afterwards became the second wife of
Sir Richard Southwell. (fn. 27) In 1558 she as Mary
Darcy alias Leech of Horsham St. Faith, co. Norfolk,
alienated the manor to Robert Adams, a yeoman of
Widford, (fn. 28) who died seised of it in 1580. In 1589
his son and heir Henry Adams conveyed it together
with forty messuages, a water-mill, free warren, free
fishery and view of frankpledge to Bartholomew Barnes,
sen., and Bartholomew Barnes, jun. (fn. 29) A Bartholomew
Barnes, probably the younger, citizen and mercer of
London, settled it in 1608 on Elizabeth, one of his
three daughters, the wife of Roland Backhouse, (fn. 30) also
citizen and mercer of London. Their grandson,
William Backhouse (son of Nicholas, a younger son of
Roland), created a baronet in 1660, sold it with the
water-mill, warren, fishery, and frankpledge to William
Bird (fn. 31) of Martocks in Ware. Thomas Bird, according
to Chauncy, was lord of the manor in 1700. (fn. 32) Before
1741 it was acquired by William Parker of Haling
in Croydon, (fn. 33) whose daughter Elizabeth married her
cousin William Hamond. (fn. 34) Their son, William
Parker Hamond of Haling, died in 1812; his son
of the same name suffered a recovery in 1814, (fn. 35)
and in 1829 sold the manor to Nicholas Parry of
Little Hadham. It descended to his son Nicholas
Segar Parry, (fn. 36) who devised to Mr. H. D. ParryMitchell of Merivale, Atherstone, Warwick, the
present lord. (fn. 37)
Widford: Old Gateway In Churchyard Wall
Widford Bury was sold by Mr. Parry-Mitchell to Sir
Martin Gosselin in 1889 and is now the property of
Capt. Alwyn Gosselin of Blakesware. It is an L-shaped
building, with timber-framed walls covered with
plaster; there is little of interest in the house, which
probably dates from the 17th century. A little to the
north-west of the house is an early 17th-century dovehouse; it is of brick, octagonal on plan and has a
thatched roof. None of the cots now remain. Between
the house and the churchyard is an old brick wall about
65 yards in length, part of which formed the outer
wall of what may have been the eastern wing of the
Bury; it appears to be of 16th-century date. At the
north end, beside the stile into the churchyard, the
wall is returned westwards. A four-centred arched
doorway and part of a moulded brick window, now
blocked, are visible on the east side; on the west face
are a large fireplace and a wide four-centred arch.
The wall is now about 8 ft. high. At the south end
of the wall is a round-arched gateway of brick with
moulded arch and imposts. The gateway is flanked
by plain pilasters, with remains of a frieze and moulded
cornice above. The pilasters have moulded plinths,
and the capitals also are moulded, but they appear to
have belonged to narrower pilasters. The wall at this
point is 3 ft. in thickness. The gateway is probably
of early 17th-century date, but some old materials
may have been re-used in its construction.
Widford Mill, mentioned in the conveyances recited
above, was situated just outside Widford in the parish
of Ware, close to the site of old Blakesware. (fn. 38) It
was pulled down about twenty years ago. There was
an earlier one, which seems to have been within the
parish of Widford, the site of which is probably
marked by Mill Mead on the south side of the river
close to the flood-gates. (fn. 39)
CHURCH
The church of ST. JOHN THE
BAPTIST consists of chancel
21 ft. by 18 ft., small north
organ chamber, nave 43 ft.
by 18 ft. 6 in., north vestry,
south porch, and west tower
11 ft. square, all internal
dimensions. The church is
built of flint with clunch
dressings, except those of the
tower, which are of Barnack
stone; the roofs are tiled.
A church stood here in
the 12th century, but the
only details of that period
still existing are some fragments now built into the
walls, though portions of the
nave walls may belong to the
older building. The chancel
and west tower are chiefly of
14th-century date. During
the 15th century the tower
arch was reconstructed and
windows inserted in the
chancel. During the 19th
century the church was repaired several times, the spire
rebuilt, and the organ chamber, vestry and south porch
erected.
The three-light window (fn. 40)
in the east wall of the chancel is modern. In each of
the side walls is a window
of two cinquefoiled lights,
with rectilinear tracery, of
the 15th century. The south
doorway of the same period
has a four-centred arch, over
which is a modern label. In
the south wall an early 12th-century cushion capital set
on a shaft now forms a
credence shelf. This fragment of the former church,
along with several others now in the nave, was discovered near the tower arch during repairs early in
the 19th century. In the same wall is a recess
4 ft. 3 in. wide, with splayed edge and pointed segmental arch, which may have inclosed a tomb; it is
of 14th-century work. On the chancel walls are
some remains of distemper paintings. On the east
wall, north of the window, is the figure of a knight.
South of the window is the figure of a bishop in cope
and mitre, carrying a crozier. (fn. 41) On the north wall is
a figure seated on a rainbow, with a sword placed
horizontally above his uplifted hands; beside it is a
small figure of an angel with a Tau cross. There is
no chancel arch.
The only old window in the nave is the most
easterly one in the south wall, which is of two cinquefoiled lights with flowing tracery, of about 1350;
one other window in the same wall and one in the
north wall are of modern stonework. The north
doorway, which now opens into the modern vestry,
is of late 14th-century work and has an arch of two
moulded orders. The oak door with its ironwork is
of the same period. On the north wall outside is a
projection which contained the stair to the rood-loft,
but no opening is visible inside. The south doorway
is similar to that in the north wall; built into the
wall above it are some fragments of a 12th-century
arch with zigzag moulding. Near the eastern end
of the south wall is a small roughly formed piscina
with credence shelf; it is of brick, cemented, and is
of early 16th-century work. The nave roof retains
some old tie-beams.
Widford church from the south-east
The west tower is of three stages, unbuttressed,
and is finished with an embattled parapet and modern
copper-covered spire; a turret stair at the south-east
angle gives access to the belfry. The tower arch, of
the full width of the tower, is of three continuous
moulded orders. The 14th-century west doorway is
of two moulded orders and label with returned stops;
of the same date is the window above, of two cinquefoiled lights with a cusped opening in the head.
On each face of the belfry stage is a window of two
trefoiled lights, all of modern stonework.
The font dates from about 1420; it is octagonal,
and on each side of the bowl is a square panel containing a cusped circle, the centres being carved with
various devices such as the head of a nun, a lion,
flower ornaments, &c.
In the tower is a slab with indents of a half-figure
with shields and inscription.
The paintings on the chancel ceiling were executed
by Miss F. C. Hadsley Gosselin between 1881 and
1883. (fn. 42)
There are six bells: the treble by Mears &
Stainbank, 1890; the second recast by John Taylor,
1869; the third by Robert Oldfeild, 162–(incomplete date); the fourth is a 15th-century bell inscribed
'Sancta Katerina Ora Pro Nobis'; the fifth by Robert
Oldfeild, 1624; the tenor by Lester & Pack, 1766.
The communion plate consists of a chased cup,
1562, a cover paten without a hall mark and a
modern flagon.
The registers are in four books as follows: (i)
baptisms 1562 to 1644, burials 1558 to 1676,
marriages 1558 to 1660; (ii) baptisms 1674 to
1762, burials 1674 to 1757, marriages 1674 to
1752; (iii) baptisms and burials 1763 to 1812;
(iv) marriages 1754 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The advowson of the church of
St. John the Baptist was appurtenant to the manor until the sale of
the latter by William Parker Hamond to Nicholas
Parry, when it was reserved by Hamond. It was
bought about five years ago by Captain Alwyn
Gosselin, and the last presentation was made by
trustees, he as a Roman Catholic being unable to
present. (fn. 43)
A burial-ground for Roman Catholics was made
near the churchyard by Sir Martin Gosselin shortly
before his death in 1905. (fn. 44)
CHARITIES
In 1808 Mary Mason by her will
gave £300 for the benefit of the
poor. The legacy is now represented by a sum of £372 15s. 7d. consols with the
official trustees, producing £9 6s. 4d. yearly.
The Parliamentary Returns of 1786 state that a
donor unknown gave lands to the poor. The parish
is in possession of 13 a. 2 r. of land lying in the
common fields and producing £12 4s. yearly.
The income from these charities was in 1910
applied as to £5 as a subscription to a nursing fund,
£3 in outfits to five girls, £3 to eight widows, 15s.
to two aged men and £5 5s. for special cases.
The Congregational chapel and trust property
comprised in an indenture dated 25 January 1898 is
regulated by a scheme of the Charity Commissioners
dated 27 April 1906.