TEWIN
Tewinge (xi cent.); Thewinge, Tywyng (xiii
cent.); Tewinge, Tuyng (xvi cent.).
The parish of Tewin has an area of 2,694 acres,
of which 1,305 acres are arable land and 537 acres
permanent grass. (fn. 1) The valley of the Maran or
Mimram crosses the centre of the parish from west
to east. The ground there is about 170 ft. above the
ordnance datum, and rises to the south to 266 ft.
and towards the north to 400 ft. The main road
from Hitchin to Hertford runs parallel to the river,
and to the north of this on the high ground the
village is situated, connected with it by a branch
road. The village of Tewin is in two parts, the
most southerly portion, known as Lower Green, being
grouped round a triangular green where three roads
meet. On the west side of the green is the parish
room, and on the south are the post office and the
school. The cottages surrounding the green are of
the 18th and 19th centuries. The Rose and Crown
Inn is a small brick building of mid-18th-century
date retaining internally some plain panelling. The
rectory and church are situated still further south
towards the river. The rectory is a brick house of
18th-century date. On the east side is part of a
former house which dates from the 17th century; it
is timber-framed and covered with plaster; part of
the chimney stack is original; the roofs are tiled.
There is some 17th-century panelling in one of the
upper rooms, and in the kitchen is a wide fireplace
with a recess on one side. Adjoining the house is
a 17th-century barn, timber-framed and weatherboarded, the roof of which is thatched. The stable,
which is built of timber and brick, appears to date
from the same period. The other portion of the
village, known as Upper Green, lies a short distance
north of the main part, where the road forks to
right and left. That to the left leads to Burnham
Green (in Datchworth), while the right-hand road
leads past Tewin Hill to Queenhoo Hall, the residence
of Sir Clement Lloyd Hill, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., M.P,
in the north-east of the parish.
To the south of the village at Archer's Green the
river is fordable. Further east a new bridge has
lately replaced the old wooden one which carried
the path leading to Marden Hill, now the residence
of Sir Henry J. Lowndes Graham, M.A., K.C.B.,
and Lady Margaret Graham.
A road also turns south from the main road to
Attimore Hall, in the south-west of the parish.
Tewinbury, a farm-house rebuilt of brick in the first
half of the 19th century, lies a short distance south
of the church. Tewin Water, lying further to the
west and surrounded by a park, is the residence of
Mr. Otto Beit.
The subsoil of the parish is chiefly chalk, with a
little London Clay and Woolwich and Reading Beds
in the north. There are many disused chalk-pits in
the parish and an old sand-pit not far from the
rectory.
The nearest railway station is Welwyn, 2 miles
north-west, on the Great Northern main line.
Place-names which occur in Tewin are Muspratts,
Westlie Wood, Post Lane, Gore Croft, Wadling,
Swannell Grove, Punchehed Coppyes, Phipkins Mare,
Bushylees, Rayfield and the Bratches.
MANORS
Tewin
In the time of King Edward the
Confessor TEWIN was held by Aldene,
a thegn of the king. After the Conquest,
according to the statement of Aldene himself, King
William regranted the manor to him and his mother
'for the soul of his son Richard.' (fn. 2) This was William's
second son, 'who was cut off in the New Forest by
a sudden and mysterious stroke while the wearied
stag was fleeing for its life before him.' (fn. 3) Peter de
Valognes the sheriff, however, maintained in 1086
that he held the manor of the gift of the king, and
Aldene is recorded as holding it of him. It was then
assessed at 5½ hides. (fn. 4)
The overlordship of Tewin descended in the
Valognes family, and, being apportioned about 1240
to the youngest of the co-heirs Isabel Comyn, followed
the descent of the manor of Sacombe in Broadwater
Hundred (fn. 5) (q.v.).
By 1166 the lands of Aldene had become divided
into two half-fees held respectively by Godfrey and
Brian de Tewin. (fn. 6) Godfrey de Tewin's half-fee,
which seems to be the manor of Tewin, descended
to his son Richard before 1211, (fn. 7) and to Godfrey de
Tewin, son of Richard, (fn. 8) by 1246. (fn. 9) This Godfrey de
Tewin granted his lands or a part of them to Alexander de Swereford, baron of the Exchequer and treasurer
of St. Paul's, apparently that he might grant them to
the Prior and convent of St. Bartholomew, Smithfield.
Godfrey confirmed them to the prior upon the death
of Alexander, (fn. 10) and died leaving two sons, John, who
was mesne lord of the manor in 1279 (fn. 11) and left a widow
Amabel, and Guy, to whom the lands held by Amabel
in dower reverted at her death. (fn. 12) This mesne overlordship seems to have died out on the death of Guy,
for in 1303 the half-fee was held immediately of
John Comyn by John Godefrei, Prior of St. Bartholomew, Roger de Louth, John de la Penne, and John
the chaplain (Capellanus). (fn. 13) In 1347 the portion of
Roger de Louth was conveyed to the prior by Richard
de Burton and Roger de Creton. (fn. 14) In 1428 the
half-fee was held by the prior and his coparceners. (fn. 15)
The manor of Tewin was entered among the possessions of the monastery in 1540, the farm of it
amounting to £20. (fn. 16) Upon the dissolution of the
priory in that year the manor was granted for life to
Robert Fuller, the late prior, (fn. 17) who evidently did not
long survive, for in 1544 it was granted in fee to
John Cock of Broxbourne. (fn. 18) John, however, in the
same year conveyed Tewin to
his brother-in-law Thomas
Wrothe and Mary his wife. (fn. 19)
Sir Thomas Wrothe died in
1572–3, leaving the manor to
his widow Mary for life, with
successive remainders to his son
Robert and his younger sons.
Robert died in 1606, having
settled Tewin upon his son
Robert upon his marriage with
Mary daughter of Robert Lord
Sydney of Penshurst. (fn. 20) Robert
the younger was succeeded
before 1617 by John Wrothe, (fn. 21)
who sold the manor in 1620 to Beckingham Butler. (fn. 22)
The latter mortgaged the capital messuage in 1622
to John Manyngham, who died in the same year,
leaving a son Richard. (fn. 23) The Butlers are said to
have conveyed the manor soon after to Richard Hale,
who sold it to William second Earl of Salisbury. (fn. 24)
From the latter it descended to his younger son
William, who was holding it with his son Robert in
1687. (fn. 25) Robert's son William (fn. 26) sold Tewin to
James Fleet, who was in possession in 1728 (fn. 27) and
died in 1733. (fn. 28) He left the manor and capital
messuage of Tewin Water, which he had 'repaired
and beautyfyed' (after the death of his wife), to his
great-nephew John Bull, with remainder to his
brothers. (fn. 29) In 1746 the manor was held by Edmund
Bull, (fn. 30) presumably one of these brothers. Later the
reversion of the manor was sold to George third Earl
Cowper, (fn. 31) in whose family it has since remained, (fn. 32)
Katrine Cecilia Countess Cowper, widow of the seventh
earl, being the present lady of the manor.
Wrothe. Argent a bend sable with three lions' heads razed argent having golden crowns.
In 1278 the Prior of St. Bartholomew, Smithfield,
claimed in Tewin, as in his other lands, sac and soc,
thol and theam, flemenesfrith, frithsoken, mundbriche,
miskennig, utlop (utlagh ?), wesgeldethef and hamsoken in breach of the peace, arson and bloodshed.
He also claimed to be quit of tolls, sheriff's aid
and shire and hundred courts, and to have view of
frankpledge. (fn. 33) In 1287 he claimed and was allowed
utfangentheof, infangentheof, flemenesfrith, gallows,
amendment of the assize of bread and ale, and view
of frankpledge. (fn. 34) Court leet and view of frankpledge
were included in the grant to John Cock in 1544. (fn. 35)
In 1086 there was one mill in Tewin, (fn. 36) which was
later given with the manor to St. Bartholomew,
Smithfield. (fn. 37) In 1368 two are mentioned, perhaps
both under the same roof, for they were called 'la
Solo.' (fn. 38) They were granted with the manor to John
Cock in 1544. (fn. 39) The mill, which was on the River
Mimram, was pulled down in 1911.
The half-fee held of Robert de Valognes in 1166
by Brian de Tewin (fn. 40) presumably descended to his
son Ralph before 1211. (fn. 41) Later it seems to have
been held by Eudo de Hameley. (fn. 42) If this is the halffee in Tewin which afterwards appears among the
possessions of Aymer de Valence, (fn. 43) it must have been
assigned by Henry de Maule, co-heir of the Valognes
barony, to Agnes de Valence with the manor of
Hertingfordbury. After the death of Aymer de
Valence this half-fee was assigned in 1326 to David
de Strabolgi and his wife Joan, (fn. 44) niece and co-heir of
Aymer de Valence. David de Strabolgi, grandson of
the above, died seised of it in 1375, leaving no male
heirs. (fn. 45) Some time before 1323 this estate had been
given to the priory of St. Mary at Little Wymondley, (fn. 46)
who held it of Aymer de Valence and the Strabolgis.
It remained in the possession of Wymondley until the
middle of the 16th century, and in 1520 was leased
by them for fifty years to Roger Wrenne, a weaver of
Tewin, and Christine his wife. (fn. 47) At the dissolution
of the priory the reversion of this lease was granted
to James Needham, (fn. 48) together with the site of the
priory. In 1537–8 the value of the property was
£3 17s. 4d. (fn. 49)
A quarter-fee in Tewin, which again may represent the holding of Brian de Tewin, was held in
1303 by Robert de Kersebroc. (fn. 50) It had perhaps been
previously possessed by John de Kersebroc, who is
mentioned in Tewin at the beginning of the 13th
century. (fn. 51) Robert de Kersebroc had a son Henry
who was living in 1331, (fn. 52) but nothing more is known
of his family.
In the 14th century another manor of Tewin
appears which was held of the lords of Walkern
(Broadwater Hundred). This in 1365 was divided
between Elizabeth the wife of William Chelmersford (fn. 53) and Joan the wife of John Cook, (fn. 54) and by them
was granted to John Spendlove and Joan his wife for
the term of Joan's life. (fn. 55) In 1377 the reversion of
the manor after the death of Joan was conveyed by
trustees to the Prior and convent of St. Bartholomew,
Smithfield, (fn. 56) and appears in their possession as a
quarter-fee in 1428. (fn. 57) It presumably became united
with the main manor of Tewin already in their
hands.
Marden
The manor of MARDEN (Muridene, Meryden,
Merden) was probably identical with the land at
'Cyrictiwa' or Tewin which was held about 1050
by Tova, widow of Wihtric. Tova at that time
made an agreement with Leofstan, Abbot of St.
Albans, by which she and her son Godwin were to
hold the land for their lives, paying yearly to the
abbot at the feast of St. Peter ad Vincula (1 August)
one sextar, 32 ounces of honey, and that after the
death of both the monastery of St. Albans was to
take possession 'without contradiction.' (fn. 58) It remained
with St. Albans (fn. 59) until 1529, when it came to the
Crown by the conviction of Thomas Wolsey Cardinal
of York, then Abbot of St. Albans, under the Statute
of Praemunire. (fn. 60) He was, however, pardoned in
1530 and his possessions restored. (fn. 61) The abbey was
surrendered in 1539, and in 1540 the manor of
Marden was granted to William Cavendish and
Margaret his wife. (fn. 62) Later it came into the possession of Edward North, whose son Edward succeeded
his father in 1606. (fn. 63) Edward the younger died in
1653. (fn. 64) His son Hugh, who built a house at Marden
Hill, (fn. 65) left two daughters—Mary, who married Arthur
Sparke, and Sarah, who married Marmaduke Rawdon. (fn. 66)
These sisters, who were holding the manor in 1672, (fn. 67)
are said to have sold it to Edmund Field, after which
it was acquired by Edward Warren, who was holding
it in 1700, (fn. 68) and whose son Richard succeeded before
1728. (fn. 69) The latter died in 1768 and was succeeded
by his son Arthur, (fn. 70) who is said to have sold Marden
in 1785 to Robert Macky, (fn. 71) who was holding it with
his wife Elizabeth in 1810. (fn. 72) He sold it soon after
to Richard Flower, (fn. 73) from whom it was acquired in
1817 by Claude George Thornton. (fn. 74) The latter
died in 1866 and his son George Smith Thornton
in 1867, when Marden came to Godfrey Henry
Thornton, son of the last-named, who was-holding it
in 1877. (fn. 75) It has since been acquired by the Earls
Cowper, the Countess Cowper being the present
owner.
Queenhoo Hall
The reputed manor of QUEENHOO HALL
(Queenhawe, Quenehagh) lay partly in the parish of
Bramfield in Cashio Hundred and perhaps originally
formed part of the manor of Bramfield. There is no
mention of the tenure until 1609, when it was said
to be held of the king as of his castle of Hertford by
fealty in socage. (fn. 76)
The first mention of Queenhoo occurs in 1223–4,
when William Kilvington of Stebenhithe surrendered
to Richard Hamme of Havering all right in the lordship called 'Queenhawe.' (fn. 77) Before 1281 it had come
into the possession of Ralph de Ardern and Catherine
his wife, for in that year they granted 9 marks rent
in Queenhoo 'of their own fee' to Westminster
Abbey. (fn. 78) This rent, held of the abbey, came soon
after into the hands of the Goldingtons and descended
with the manor of Thele. (fn. 79) Lands in Queenhoo
were held at the beginning of the 13th century by
Geoffrey de la Lee, who received a grant of free
warren there in 1310, (fn. 80) and in 1376 Walter de la Lee
granted 'land called Quynehawes' to Richard Ravensere and others. (fn. 81) These lands were, perhaps, only
appurtenances of the neighbouring manor of Waterford held by this family.
In 1502 the manor of Queenhoo was conveyed by
Henry Hammys and Elizabeth his wife to Sir Reginald
Bray and others. (fn. 82) Sir Reginald died before 1510,
and his lands descended to his niece Margery wife of
Sir William Sandys, afterwards Lord Sandys. (fn. 83) In
that year Margery and her husband were holding
Queenhoo together with Reginald's widow. (fn. 84) In
1536, however, Margery and Lord Sandys conveyed
it to John Malt, (fn. 85) merchant tailor of London, who
died before 1552, leaving two daughters and co-heirs.
One of these, Bridget, the wife of John Scutte, sold
her moiety in that year to John Forster, (fn. 86) who died
seised of it in 1558. (fn. 87) His son and heir Humphrey
conveyed it in 1567 to Edward Skegges. (fn. 88) The other
moiety of Queenhoo came into the possession of Sir
Edward Bray and Mary his wife, who was probably
the other daughter of John Malt. In 1569 they
conveyed it also to Edward Skegges, (fn. 89) who thus
became possessed of the whole manor. Joan Skegges,
his widow, (fn. 90) and John Mathew, apparently her son by
another husband, (fn. 91) sold it in 1584 to John Smyth.
His son and successor James leased it in 1589 to
Aphabell Partriche, goldsmith of London, for thirty
years at a yearly rent of £21. Aphabell sold his
interest to Julian Cotton in trust for Henry Butler,
a younger son of Henry Butler of Bramfield, to
whom James Smyth had sold the reversion of the
property. (fn. 92) Sir Henry Butler died seised of it in
1609 and was succeeded by his son John (fn. 93) first Lord
Butler of Brantfield (Bramfield). John Butler's lands
passed to his son William, (fn. 94) an idiot, whose heirs were
his five sisters, Audrey Lady Dunsmore, Lady Eleanor
Drake, Jane Duchess of Marlborough (afterwards wife
of William Ashburnham), Olive Porter, and Anne
Countess of Newport, and Thomas Howard, his
nephew, son of a sixth sister. (fn. 95) In 1637 the manor
was divided among the six claimants (fn. 96) and remained
so at least until 1668, (fn. 97) but eventually the whole
estate was vested in the descendants of Audrey, the
elder sister, who married Francis Lord Dunsmore, in
1644 created Earl of Chichester. (fn. 98) Their daughter
married George Villiers Viscount Grandison, who
was holding the whole of Queenhoo in 1684. (fn. 99) His
grandson John Earl Grandison was holding it in
1728. (fn. 100) Later it came with Bramfield (q.v.) to the
Smith family of Watton Woodhall. Mr. Abel Henry
Smith is the present owner.
Queenhoo Hall stands on high ground about a
mile and a half north-east of Tewin Church, commanding extensive views over the valley towards the
south. It is a small house of red brick, very little
altered, and there are no indications that it has ever
been larger. It was built probably about 1550 or
a little later, possibly by Edward Skegges. The
principal front faces south-east and is about 57 ft.
in length. At either end is a small rectangular
projecting bay, with gable over, carried up to the
same height as the wide main gables; the bays
therefore stand well above the eaves of the main
roof. The lower story of the south-western bay acts
as a porch, through which access is gained to the
parlour, now the drawing-room. The main entrance
is a little out of the centre of the south-east front
and has a straight brick lintel resting on a heavy oak
door-frame. Each bay is finished at the top with a
gable, having a moulded saddle-back coping of brick,
with brick finials at the apex and base of the gable.
These finials have circular moulded bases, with a
brick or terra-cotta shaft above, cut with a honeycomb pattern. All the windows have moulded
mullions covered with cement, those on the two
lower stories having transoms. The roofs are tiled.
There are three chimney-stacks on the back wall, all
being finished with square detached shafts of brick,
set diagonally, without any moulded work, and
apparently dating from the first half of the 17th
century. Between the upper floor windows in the
principal front and in the lower parts of the end
gables is a diamond-pattern ornament formed in blue
bricks, similar to that on the front of Dean Incent's
school at Berkhampstead, a building erected in 1544.
An old brick wall surrounds the small garden in
front of the house.
Hanging on the front and back walls were two
cast-lead sundials, now removed, which were evidently
not in their original positions. The dial at the back
was circular, about 12 in. in diameter, with the sun's
face surrounded by rays in the centre, a very extended
nose acting as the gnomon, the hours in Roman
numerals round the margin, and at the top the date
1812 inscribed under what appears to be 'welcome
sunshine synce 12.' The sundial on the front
measured about 18 in. by 14 in.; at the top was a
representation of a coach and horses. below which
was the inscription 'Time is flying, the coach is
going,' and another, now indecipherable.
The main entrance door opens into a passage
leading through the house to the staircase at the
back. To the left of the passage, through a modern
partition, is the old hall, now used as the dining
room, and beyond the hall is the drawing room or
parlour; both these rooms have the original stone
fireplaces with moulded jambs and four-centred arches.
A modern external doorway with a small porch has
been formed on the north-west side of the hall.
To the right of the central passage is the kitchen,
with a fireplace 8 ft. 6 in. wide. There is an old
external door to the kitchen and a cellar under the
kitchen. The stair occupies a projecting wing at
the back of the building, and is an interesting
example of the transition between the old solid
newel stair and the later open well stair. The staircase is about 15 ft. square internally, the stair being
constructed of oak, with winders at the angles.
The central newel is 2 ft. 6 in. square, but instead
of being solid is constructed of timber framing, the
interior being divided vertically into a series of small
cupboards or recesses at different heights of the stair.
The first floor had originally three rooms corresponding to those below, and the fireplaces are over those
on the ground floor; a modern passage has, however,
been formed out of the room over the hall to connect
the two end rooms, but the built-up fireplace still
remains in the passage. The bedroom over the
kitchen has an old stone fireplace, with a four-centred
moulded arch very similar to many others in the
county, but in this instance all the mouldings follow
the arch, the square above being marked by a slight
sinking, and instead of the usual ornamented stop
there is a single splay. The old fireplaces in the
passage and in the bedroom over the drawing room
are of the more usual type, having the inner and the
outer mouldings and the ornamental stops. They
have, however, the peculiarity that instead of the
arches being formed by four segments of circles the
mouldings are in four straight lines, the usual proportions of a four-centred arch being retained. Over
the last-named fireplace is an interesting distemper
painting very much decayed. The picture is about
5 ft. 6 in. wide by 3 ft. 3 in. high and appears to
represent a scene in some mystery play. On the
right is a large figure of a man clothed in a long
tunic, above which is a shorter garment like an
ephod, and a girdle is tied about his waist. He has
a mitre on his head and in his right hand he holds a
censer. Opposite to him and kneeling with folded
arms is another large figure with flowing beard, wearing a long robe over which is a cape and round his
neck is a lace collar. Behind him are a number of
indistinct figures, some wearing ruffs round their
necks. Between the two principal figures, but further
in the background, is a standing figure apparently
naked except for a cloth round his loins; his right
hand rests on what looks like a large viola. Behind
him is a smaller figure with arms extended above his
head. There are traces of colour remaining, chiefly
greens and reds.
Queen Hoo: Ground plan
Tewin House
The capital messuage called TEWIN HOUSE was
bought from the lord of the manor of Tewin by
Thomas Montford, who died possessed of it in 1632,
leaving a son John. (fn. 101) The latter died in 1651, (fn. 102)
leaving a widow Joan and three daughters, Anne
Layfield, Elizabeth Francklyn and Mary Rainsford. (fn. 103)
Tewin House is said to have come to Mary Rainsford, who sold it to Sir George Butler. (fn. 104) At the
death of the latter without issue in 1657 (fn. 105) the property passed to his nephew Francis Butler, (fn. 106) who died
in 1690, leaving two daughters, to the elder of whom,
Isabella wife of Charles Hutchinson, Tewin House
came. Isabella and Charles are said to have sold it
to William Gore, at whose death in 1709 it passed
to his grandson Henry. (fn. 107) Henry Gore conveyed it
in 1715 to Gen. the Hon. Joseph Sabine, (fn. 108) who died
in 1739 and was succeeded by his eldest son John. (fn. 109)
John's son Joseph Sabine is said to have sold Tewin
House to Robert Macky, who sold it to Charles
Schreiber. (fn. 110) He died possessed of it in 1800, and his
son William sold it in 1804 to Peter fifth Earl
Cowper. (fn. 111) The earl pulled down the house, and the
property became absorbed in the main manor.
Free fishery in the river of Tewin was included
with the property. (fn. 112)
Two and a half hides in 'Theunge' held before
and after the Conquest by the Abbot of Westminster
are entered under Broadwater Hundred in the
Domesday Survey, but seem to have been in this
parish. They formed a 'hardwich' of Stevenage, (fn. 113)
to which manor they remained appurtenant. (fn. 114)
CHURCH
The church of ST. PETER stands
about a quarter of a mile to the south-west of the village; it consists of a
chancel 28 ft. 6 in. by 15 ft., north vestry, nave
36 ft. 6 in, by 18 ft. 6 in., south aisle 38 ft. 6 in.
by 7 ft., south porch 12 ft. by 9 ft., and west tower
12 ft. square. These measurements are all internal.
The walls are built of flint rubble covered with cement
and have stone dressings; the roofs are tiled.
The nave, and probably the chancel, were erected
in the late 11th or early 12th century. Early in the
13th century the chancel was altered and possibly
partly rebuilt; later in the same century or early in
the next the south aisle was added and clearstory
windows inserted above the arcade. (fn. 115) The west tower
was built about the end of the 15th century and the
south porch added in the 16th century. The church
was repaired during the 19th century, and in 1902
it was carefully restored; a number of ancient features
were brought to light and a modern vestry was erected
on the north side of the chancel.
In the east wall of the chancel
is a late 15th-century window of
three cinquefoiled lights, most of
which is of modern stonework.
The only opening in the north
wall is the modern doorway to
the vestry. In the south wall
are two early 13th-century lancet
windows, with deeply splayed
jambs and chamfered rear-arch.
West of these is a window of two
cinquefoiled lights with a square
head, of late 15th-century date.
At the east end of the wall is a
piscina with splayed edge and
pointed trefoiled head, with a
scroll-moulded label, probably of
late 13th or early 14th-century
date; the projecting basin has
been cut away. In the same wall
is a blocked modern doorway.
The chancel arch is of two chamfered orders which
die upon splayed jambs.
In the north wall of the nave close to the east end
is the eastern jamb and part of the rear-arch of an
early blocked window; west of this are two late
15th-century windows, each of two cinquefoiled
lights under a square head; between them, high
up in the wall, is a narrow round-headed window,
now blocked, of late 11th or early 12th-century date.
The north doorway with single splayed edge is almost
entirely of modern stonework; above is a small square
window probably inserted to light a gallery erected
in 1864, now removed. On the south side of the
nave is an arcade of three bays of the 13th century.
The arches are of two splayed orders; the piers are
octagonal with moulded capitals and damaged bases;
the chamfers have been omitted on the south side of
the western bay of the arcade. On the north-west
face of the eastern pier is a small pointed niche with
a hole in the stonework underneath, probably for a
bracket to support a light. Over the piers are two
blocked clearstory windows contemporary with the
arcade; they are circular on the outside and have roundheaded rear arches inside; they are now covered by
the aisle roof, which is a continuation of that over
the nave. In the south wall of the aisle are two
13th-century lancet windows; in the east wall is a
window of two cinquefoiled lights under a square
head, of late 15th-century date. The south doorway
has moulded jambs and arch of mid-14th-century
date, with label stops outside much defaced. On the
eastern jamb of the doorway outside is an oval recess,
formerly the stoup. The south porch is built of
timber and brick and is of 16th-century date; a
large 18th-century monument to General Joseph
Sabine, Governor of Gibraltar, and one of Marlborough's generals, blocks the original entrance, but
a modern doorway has been opened in the west side.
In the west wall of the aisle, high up, is a small
square-headed window of 18th-century date. The
nave roof is of 15th-century date; the rafters are
plastered underneath, but the moulded tie-beams are
exposed.
Plan of Tewin Church
The west tower is of two stages, with diagonal
buttresses on the west; the centre line of the tower
is about 3 ft. 6 in. north of that of the nave, the two
north walls being nearly in a line. The tower arch
is of two splayed orders which die upon square
jambs. The west doorway is modern. In the north
wall is a blocked 18th-century door. Over the west
doorway is a single pointed light. The belfry stage
has windows of two cinquefoiled lights; the parapet
is embattled, and above is a low timber spire.
The communion table appears to be of late 17th-century date. In the chancel is a slab of Purbeck
marble inscribed 'Orate pro anima Walteri de Louthe.'
He was instituted rector of the church early in the
14th century. There are several 17th-century slabs
in the chancel to members of the Butler family of
Queenhoo Hall. In the south aisle is a small brass,
with figure, inscription and arms, to Thomas Pygott,
1610.
There are five bells: the treble by John Briant,
1799; the second, third, fourth and fifth by Anthony
Chandler, 1673, the third being inscribed 'Praise the
Lord. A.C. 1673.'
The communion plate consists of a cup of 1564,
paten, 1662, large paten, 1687, flagon, 1688, and
almsdish, 1702.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) baptisms and marriages from 1559 to 1718, burials 1559
to 1717; (ii) baptisms and burials from 1718 to
1812, marriages from 1719 to 1727; (iii) marriages
from 1755 to 1775; (iv) marriages from 1776 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The advowson belonged to the
lord of the manor from an early
date. In 1211 it was the subject
of a dispute between Richard son of Godfrey de
Tewin and Ralph son of Brian de Tewin, respective
holders of half-fees in Tewin. Richard was successful
in making good his claim. (fn. 116) Before 1246 the advowson was given by Alexander de Swereford to the
monastery of St. Bartholomew, Smithfield, and was
confirmed to them by Godfrey and his son John. (fn. 117)
It remained with St. Bartholomew until its dissolution, and afterwards continued with the manor of
Tewin (fn. 118) until it was sold by John Wrothe and others
to Thomas Montford of Tewin House, who died
seised of it in 1632. (fn. 119) It then continued in the
possession of the owners of Tewin House and came
to Sir Francis Butler, (fn. 120) whose daughter Isabella
Hutchinson sold it to Jesus College, Cambridge, (fn. 121)
who presented in 1728, (fn. 122) and in whose possession
it has since remained. (fn. 123) In 1638 the glebe lands
amounted to 40 acres. (fn. 124)
Tewin Church from the South-east
In 1330 Roger de Louthe alienated in mortmain
various lands in the parish of St. Andrew, Hertford,
to the Prior and convent of St. Mary, Little
Wymondley, to find a chaplain to sing mass daily
in the church of Tewin for the good estate of the
souls of Roger and Joan his wife and their ancestors. (fn. 125)
Meeting-places for Protestant Dissenters in the
parish were certified in 1706, 1707 and 1772. (fn. 126)
CHARITIES
Tewin School (fn. 127) : The property
demised by will of Dr. Yarborough,
1773, for the benefit of the parish clerk
and a schoolmaster was sold in 1896 in consideration
of a yearly rent-charge of £8 8s. upon property in
Bishop's Hatfield, which was redeemed in 1904 by
the transfer to the official trustees of £336 consols,
of which £252 consols was set aside as the endowment of 'Dr. Yarborough's Educational Foundation,'
producing £6 6s. yearly, and £84 consols, producing
£2 2s. for the parish clerk. In 1783 Lady Cathcart
by deed gave £166 13s. 4d. East India 3 per cent.
annuities for providing coals for the school. These
endowments are now attached to the endowed school
founded under the will of Henry Cowper in 1838,
which is endowed with government stocks producing
£62 a year or thereabouts.
In 1610, as stated in the Parliamentary returns of
1786, — Piggott by his will gave a stall in the market-place to the poor. The charity is now represented
by £133 6s. 8d. consols with the official trustees, producing £3 6s. 8d. yearly, which is distributed biennially
in money doles to about eighty recipients.
Dr. Layfield's Charity, founded by will of the Rev.
Charles Layfield, D.D., dated 10 February 1710, for
apprenticing in Tewin and four other parishes, is
endowed as to this parish with a sum of £273 9s. 3d.
consols with the official trustees, producing £6 16s. 8d.
yearly. In 1907–8 a premium of £9 was paid for
apprenticing.
Charity of Sir Francis Butler.— See under Bishop's
Hatfield. This parish is entitled to nominate one
poor widow for the benefit of this charity.
In 1748 Margaret Sabine by deed poll gave
£200, now represented by £191 5s. consols with the
official trustees. The annual dividends, amounting
to £4 15s. 4d., are applicable — subject to keeping
in repair the tomb of donor's husband—in clothing
poor boys. The income is accumulated and applied
from time to time in supplying boys with suits of
clothes and boots.
Almshouses—as appears from an old parish register,
dated in 1717—were built out of the poor's money
on the Lower Green, of which £30 was given by
will of William Gore and £20 by Dr. Fulk Tudor,
the rector. The almshouses were converted into the
parish workhouse.
In 1841 Henry Cowper, by his will proved in the
P.C.C. 4 January, founded a Sunday Savings Bank,
the endowment of which now consists of £1,807 8s. 8d.
consols with the official trustees, producing £59 18s. 4d.
yearly. The income is applied in augmenting the
savings of poor married persons, poor widows or
widowers. Subscriptions of not less than 6d. and not
more than 2s. a week to be paid every Sunday, the
bonus being one-fourth of the amount subscribed.
In 1909 there were thirty-six depositors, the
amount deposited was £180 10s., and the bonus
paid £45 2s. 6d.