COLD BRAYFIELD
Branefield, Braunfeld (xii cent.); Bramfeld, Braufend (xiii cent.); Braumfeld (xiv cent.); Brafeld,
Britfeld (xv-xvi cent.).
This small parish, first mentioned as 'Cold' Brayfield towards the end of the 16th century, (fn. 1) was
formerly included in Lavendon. The River Ouse is
on two sides the parish boundary, and the road from
Olney to Bedford, after passing through the parish,
enters Bedfordshire by Turvey bridge. The area of
Cold Brayfield is 744 acres, of which 254 are arable
and 424 grass. (fn. 2) The soil is various and the subsoil
belongs to the Great Oolite series. For the most
part the land lies low and is liable to floods, but rises
slightly to the north and west.
The small village is in a rather bleak and exposed
situation. The church stands near the entrance to
Brayfield House, the seat of Mr. Denis Herbert
Farrer, which is situated on the hill-side and surrounded by a fine and well-stocked park of about 40
acres.
The common lands in the parishes of Lavendon
and Cold Brayfield were inclosed under an Act of
Parliament of 1800, the award being made 9 September 1802. (fn. 3)
Manors
No mention of COLD BRAYFIELD
occurs in the Domesday Survey, and
until the 13th century the two holdings
here were assessed under Lavendon. (fn. 4) One of the
three fees held there by the Countess Judith in 1086
was a manor assessed at 2 hides 1¼ virgates and
held in demesne; twenty years earlier it had been
held under Alli by Humman, his man. (fn. 5) The Countess
Judith, niece of William the Conqueror, was the wife
of Waltheof Earl of Huntingdon and Northampton. (fn. 6)
Their daughter Maud married as her first husband
Simon de St. Liz, who died before 1109, and secondly
David of Scotland, he being recognized as Earl of
Huntingdon in right of his marriage. (fn. 7) King David
in or about 1136 resigned his earldom to his son
Henry, who died in 1152 in his father's lifetime. (fn. 8)
His son and heir Malcolm was under twelve years of
age, and King Stephen gave the earldom to Simon
de St. Liz, second Earl of Northampton, son of Simon
and Maud. (fn. 9) Simon died in the following year, when
also Malcolm succeeded to the throne of Scotland. (fn. 10)
King Malcolm died unmarried in 1165, (fn. 11) and the
earldom passed to William, his brother. Owing to
the war between England and Scotland he was dispossessed in 1174, when Simon de St. Liz, son and
heir of Earl Simon, obtained recognition of his claim. (fn. 12)
On his death without issue in 1183–4 it was secured
by David, younger brother of William the Lion.
He died in 1219 and was succeeded by John, his son,
who, however, died childless in 1237. (fn. 13) His lands
were then divided among his four co-heirs, Christine,
Devorgilla, Isabel, and Ada. (fn. 14) The Lavendon lands
appear to have fallen to the share of the first and
fourth, of whom Christine married William de Forz
Earl of Albemarle. (fn. 15) A return made in the middle
of the 13th century shows that two parts of half a
knight's fee in Lavendon were then held under the
earl as of the honour of Huntingdon. (fn. 16) Ada, the
fourth sister of John Earl of Huntingdon, married
Henry de Hastings, (fn. 17) whose name is given as overlord
of part of Brayfield about 1235. (fn. 18) On his death in
1250 (fn. 19) he was succeeded by a son Henry, then a
minor. (fn. 20) Henry took a leading part in the baronial
wars as a follower of Simon de Montfort; he was
taken prisoner at the battle of Evesham, (fn. 21) held Kenilworth Castle against the Crown, and in 1267 was
the leader of the barons in the Isle of Ely. (fn. 22) By his
wife Joan, sister and co-heir of George de Cauntelow,
he had a son John, a minor in the king's wardship at
his father's death in 1268. (fn. 23) Of this John, claimant
to the Scottish throne, (fn. 24) half a knight's fee in Lavendon
was held in 1284–6. (fn. 25) John de Hastings died in
February 1312–13, when he was returned as having
one quarter of a knight's fee here held by John
Grey. (fn. 26) No further mention of this overlordship
has, however, been found. In the first half of the
12th century a mesne lordship over this fee was held
by Sampson le Fort, (fn. 27) founder of a priory in the
adjoining parish of Harrold (Bedfordshire). (fn. 28) His
rights descended to Robert son of Pain Brus (Breus,
Braos) in the reign of King Malcolm. (fn. 29) At a later
date Robert son of Nicholas quitclaimed all right in
the advowson of Brayfield Church pertaining to the
fee of Sampson, (fn. 30) but the connexion of the earlier
lords with this manor is so far unexplained.
St. Liz. Party in dented argent and azure.
Forz. Gules a cross vair.
In the time of Sampson the tenancy in demesne
seems to have been held by his tenant Robert de
Blossomville, (fn. 31) lord of what was afterwards known as
Newton Blossomville (q.v.) and probably also lord of
Harrold. (fn. 32) Here, as at Harrold, a feoffment seems to
have been made of the family of Moryn.
Ralph Moryn paid the Sheriff of Bedfordshire for
half a fee in Harrold in 1194. (fn. 33) He was living in
1202, (fn. 34) but had probably been succeeded by another
Ralph Moryn by 1235. (fn. 35) He was mesne lord of
certain land of the honour in Brayfield, (fn. 36) and was
still living in 1253. (fn. 37) Before 1262 he was succeeded
by John, his son, (fn. 38) who was followed by Ralph Moryn,
his son, before 1271–2, when he was accused of unjustly distraining some of his free tenants. (fn. 39) Ralph
was unjustly imprisoned at Oxford about 1274 on
suspicion of having stolen the king's gerfalcon, (fn. 40) and
by 1280 was deeply in debt to the Jews. (fn. 41) Before
this date he parted with his manor of Harrold to
John Grey, (fn. 42) and as Moryn's name does not appear
in the returns of landholders made for Lavendon
and Brayfield in 1278, (fn. 43) it seems probable that the
Greys acquired their rights in Brayfield with the
Bedfordshire manor. John Grey seems to have enfeoffed
Reynold, his son, in this land which Reynold was
holding in 1278. (fn. 44)
The second fee in Cold Brayfield probably derived
its origin from the half hide held by Chetel under
the king both before and after the Conquest. (fn. 45) In
the 13th century WATERHALL in this parish was
held in chief for half a knight's fee by the family of
Rycote, (fn. 46) but the intermediate history is obscure. Fulk
de Rycote, lord of Rycote (Oxfordshire), (fn. 47) was among
those on the king's side in 1215, (fn. 48) and acted on
various commissions (fn. 49) before his death in or about
1233. (fn. 50) He was succeeded by Fulk son of William
de Rycote, then a minor. (fn. 51) He came of age before
1247, (fn. 52) and about 1260 was coroner for Oxfordshire. (fn. 53) He acted as sheriff of that county in 1263, (fn. 54)
and apparently took the baronial side in the Civil War.
Possibly owing to political differences, Fulk was in
continual contest with John and Reynold Grey, (fn. 55)
the latter of whom was his tenant for Waterhall, (fn. 56)
and lord of Snelston in Lavendon (q.v.). Finally
in 1280 Fulk sold to Reynold a messuage and
a carucate of land here, (fn. 57) apparently releasing to him
all his rights, since from this time the Greys held
Waterhall in chief (fn. 58) by the serjeanty of sending a man
armed with hauberk and lance to the wars in Wales. (fn. 59)
The two fees in Brayfield were thus united in the
hands of the Greys, and retained the name of Waterhall, the composite manor being evidently referred to
under this name in 1308. (fn. 60) The manor followed
the descent of that of Water Eaton in Bletchley (q.v.)
until 1448, when it was granted by Reynold Grey to
Robert Olney, Roger, Richard and John Heton. (fn. 61) It
became the property of John Heton, (fn. 62) who died in
January 1468–9, (fn. 63) and was probably sold, with his
manor of Backenho in Thurleigh, Bedfordshire, about
1472 by his son William Heton to John Earl of
Wiltshire, (fn. 64) whose son Edward (fn. 65) in 1497 alienated
to John Mordaunt a fishery in the Ouse at Cold
Brayfield. (fn. 66) The Earls of Wiltshire also held Newton
Blossomville Manor (q.v.), with which Waterhall
descended to John Lord Mordaunt, created Earl of
Peterborough in March 1627–8, (fn. 67) by whom it was
sold in 1638 to William Bodington, sen., of Turvey,
Bedfordshire. (fn. 68) He was succeeded by John Bodington, who in 1653 made a settlement on his son
John, (fn. 69) called lord of Cold Brayfield in 1674. (fn. 70)
At his death two years later (fn. 71) the estate passed to his
son John, who died in 1683, leaving two daughters. (fn. 72)
Mary, the elder, died without issue, but Martha
married Thomas Dymock of Newport Pagnell, who
died in 1717. (fn. 73) At the beginning of the following
year she conveyed Cold Brayfield to Uriah Ray of
Carlton, Bedfordshire, in trust for William Farrer,
who acquired possession in 1720. (fn. 74) He died before
9 December 1724, when his will was proved by his
brother and heir Denis Farrer. (fn. 75) Browne Willis
speaks of him as resident here in 1735, and as having
greatly improved the house. (fn. 76) Denis died on 27 January
1746–7, leaving instructions in his will for burial in
Cold Brayfield Church next to his late wife. (fn. 77) His
son and heir William proved his age in that year, (fn. 78)
and held Cold Brayfield until his death, which
occurred between 19 July 1798 and 12 February
1799, the dates when his will was made and proved. (fn. 79)
He left three daughters, of whom the eldest, Ann,
married the Rev. John Grove Spurgeon, by whom
she had a son Farrer Grove Spurgeon, who took the
name of Farrer in 1799 according to the terms of
his grandfather's will. (fn. 80) He inherited Cold Brayfield,
but was still a minor in 1801. (fn. 81) He died in 1826,
and his son William Frederick Farrer was returned as
holder of the manor in 1831 (fn. 82)
and later. (fn. 83) He was Sheriff
of Buckinghamshire in 1856,
and died in 1872. His son
William Charles Love Farrer
held till his death, unmarried,
in 1879, (fn. 84) and was succeeded
in turn by his two uncles,
George Denis Farrer (d. 1901)
and the Rev. Frederick Farrer. (fn. 85)
The latter died in 1908, and
his only surviving son, Denis
Herbert Farrer, is the present
holder of the manor.
Farrer. Argent a bend sable with three horse-shoes or thereon.
The monastery of Lavendon
held lands in Cold Brayfield, which were valued at
the Dissolution at 35s. per annum. (fn. 86) This estate,
sometimes called a manor, was granted with the site
of the monastery, (fn. 87) and followed the descent of the
abbey's manor in Lavendon, (fn. 88) to which it probably
ultimately became attached.
A virgate of land in Cold Brayfield was given to
the priory of Harrold at its foundation (temp. Stephen)
by Robert de Blossomville and the gift was confirmed
by Sampson le Fort and by William King of
Scotland. (fn. 89) No lands in Cold Brayfield were included
in the priory's possessions at the Dissolution, but it
held lands in Lavendon valued at 24s. per annum. (fn. 90)
Church
The church of ST. MARY THE
VIRGIN consists of a chancel measuring
internally 25 ft. 6 in. by 16 ft., nave
31 ft. by 19 ft., west tower 7 ft. 6 in. by 6 ft. 6 in., and
north porch; it is built of rubble with stone dressings
and the roofs are covered with tiles.
The church appears to have been built shortly before
it was granted to Harrold Priory a little before the
middle of the 12th century. The western part of the
chancel, and probably the nave, date from this time,
but the only remaining details of this period in the
nave are a small window in the north wall, now
covered by the porch, and the reset doorway below
it. The lengthening of the chancel about 1230 is
clearly indicated on the north side by the larger
stones used in the walling, though the distinction is
not so apparent on the south. During the latter
part of the 13th century the tower and porch were
added and in the 15th century windows were inserted
in the chancel and nave. The whole building was
restored and reroofed during the latter part of the
19th century.
In the east wall of the chancel is a two-light window
which probably dates from the 15th century, though
much restored. At the east end of the north wall is a
window of similar character, while another window
of the same form in the south wall opposite has been
entirely renewed. There are also in each lateral wall
a 13th-century lancet and, near the west end, a pointed
low-side window. A rough pointed piscina at the
south-east does not retain sufficient detail to indicate
its date. The responds of the chancel arch are of the
12th century, though the arch they support is modern;
they have attached shafts with scalloped capitals and
moulded abaci, and the southern shaft is enriched
with cheveron ornament.
In the north wall of the nave are a 13th-century
lancet and the small round-headed window mentioned above, both considerably repaired; below the
latter is a reset 12th-century doorway with a pointed
head of two orders, the outer supported by 13thcentury shafts with moulded capitals. On the south
are two windows of two lights, the eastern window
being of the 15th century with modern tracery and
the other entirely modern. Between them there are
indications of an early doorway, the defaced impost
moulding of which is to be seen on the outside. The
plain tower arch in the west wall dates from the 13th
century. At the east end of the south wall is a
restored piscina, doubtless for the nave altar. There
are also two lockers in the east wall and one in the
south wall, while at the north-east corner are two
niches with conjoined segmental heads.
The porch is lighted by a plain loophole in the
west wall and has an original pointed archway of two
orders, the outer order supported by jamb shafts with
moulded capitals and bases.
The low tower is of two stages, the ground stage
lighted by plain loopholes and the bell-chamber by
weather-worn lancets, all dating from the 13th
century; it is strengthened by diagonal buttresses and
surmounted by a modern parapet.
The font is octagonal, but preserves no detail to
indicate its date. There are floor slabs in the chancel
to Jane Farrer (d. 1678–9), Ann Farrer (d. 1690),
and Ann Farrer (d. 1697); in the nave are floor slabs
to Ann Bodington (d. 1696), and Edward Bodington
(d. 16—). In a recess at the east end of the nave is
a 17th-century chest.
The tower contains a ring of three bells: the
treble by John Clark, 1607; the second by Alexander
Rigby, 1688; while the tenor, dated 1828, is evidently
by Taylor.
The communion plate includes a late 16th-century
cup without any date letter.
The registers begin in 1693.
Advowson
The church of Cold Brayfield was
built before 1140–50, when it was
granted by Sampson le Fort to Gervase,
Abbot of St. Nicholas of Arrouaise, for the foundation
of Harrold Priory. (fn. 91) The grant was confirmed by
Robert son of Pain Brus. (fn. 92) Gervase bestowed the
church on the priory of Harrold, the appropriation
taking place before 1168; the grant was confirmed by
Robert, Bishop of Lincoln, (fn. 93) Robert son of Nicholas
de Brayfield quitclaiming his right to the advowson. (fn. 94)
Some disagreement seems to have arisen with the
canons of Lavendon concerning the appropriation of
the church, for Roger, Bishop of Worcester (1164–79), arbitrated in favour of Harrold. (fn. 95) A vicarage
was ordained in the time of Bishop Hugh of Wells, (fn. 96)
but Harrold Priory was probably not able to maintain
the vicar and handed over the advowson to Lavendon
Abbey, since the vicarage has always descended with
that of Lavendon, (fn. 97) to which it is still annexed.
There are no references to this living in the Lincoln
registers; it has always been considered a donative.
In 1496 it was returned that the chancel was in
ruins, the fault of the impropriators, the Prioress and
convent of Harrold, but that all the tithes were annexed to Lavendon and did not exceed £5 a year. (fn. 98)
In return for the tithes Lavendon Abbey paid the
priory of Harrold a pension of 24s. (fn. 99) For some time
after the Dissolution the rectory followed the same
descent as the site of Lavendon Abbey (fn. 100) (q.v.), but
before 1615 it had been acquired by Thomas Farrer, (fn. 101)
who made a settlement of it in 1636 on his son
Thomas. (fn. 102) In 1663 a settlement was made on
William son and heir of the younger Thomas Farrer on
his marriage with Ann daughter of Henry Parker. (fn. 103)
William died in February 1706–7, leaving a son
William, (fn. 104) upon whom the rectory had been settled
on his marriage with Elizabeth daughter of Matthew
Dennis in 1692. (fn. 105) The younger William died in
1712 (fn. 106) and his son, another William, acquired
Cold Brayfield Manor, with which the rectory
descended until 1802, when an allotment of land
was assigned in lieu of tithe. (fn. 107)
The church was endowed by Sampson le Fort with
5 acres of land. (fn. 108) John Lovent of Brayfield gave a
rood of land and a rood of meadow for finding a lamp
burning in the chancel of the church, the gift being
confirmed by his son Thomas. (fn. 109) At the dissolution
of the chantries this endowment was valued at 3s. 8d.
a year. (fn. 110)
There do not appear to be any endowed charities
subsisting in this parish.