MOULSOE
Mouleshou (xi cent.); Muleshou (xii cent.);
Muselo, Moullesso (xiii cent.).
In the 11th century Moulsoe gave its name to the
hundred of Moulsoe, which was later absorbed in
the hundred of Newport. (fn. 1) It is stated with regard
to the parish in an inquisition taken c. 1341 for the
purposes of a general taxation throughout the country
that Moulsoe was only valued at 7 marks 3 shillings
and 4 pence, the low sum being due to the fact that a
dry summer had that year spoilt the bean and pea
crops, and so deprived the inhabitants of their principal
means of livelihood. (fn. 2)
At the present day Moulsoe has an area of 1,654
acres, of which 569 acres are arable and 928 acres
permanent grass. (fn. 3) The soil is mixed, principally
strong loam, the subsoil clay and gravel. The principal crops produced are wheat, barley, oats and beans.
The slope of the land varies from 354 ft. above the
ordnance datum in the north-west to 200 ft. in the
south-west. The parish is watered by Claydon Brook,
and is well-wooded, containing some 147 acres of
woodland; Moulsoe Old Wood in the north and
Drake's Gorse in the west may be noted.
The village of Moulsoe in the centre of the parish
is small and straggling, and contains a few 17thcentury cottages.
A terrier of 1639 thus describes the rectory: 'The
parsonage dwelling-house contains six bays tiled, one
corn barn of five bays and one lesser of three bays,
both thatched, one hay barn of three bays thatched,
a stable with a gate house, and other houses for other
uses contain five bays; one other little house contains
three bays thatched.' (fn. 4)
The Civil War, which raged specially in this
neighbourhood, did not leave Moulsoe untouched,
for it appears from the parish registers that two Parliamentarian soldiers were buried here in 1643. (fn. 5)
Moulsoe was inclosed by Act of Parliament in
1802. (fn. 6)
Manors
In 1086 MOULSOE MANOR was
among the lands of Walter Giffard, and
was assessed at 10 hides. (fn. 7) Like other of
his lands, (fn. 8) this manor became attached to the liberty
of the Earl Marshal, (fn. 9) and was so held of the Talbots
in the 14th and 15th centuries. (fn. 10) When the mesne
manor fell to the Crown in 1542 Moulsoe became
part of the king's honour of Ampthill, (fn. 11) and so
remained (fn. 12) until the grant to Sir John Spencer,
Moulsoe being then attached to the manor of East
Greenwich. (fn. 13) Last mention of the overlordship has
been found in 1632. (fn. 14)
Eight thegns were tenants of Moulsoe Manor
under the Confessor, the 10 hides being subdivided
into two manors of 2 hides each, held by Ulf and
Alwin respectively; Algar held another manor of
1 hide and a half, the remaining 4½ hides being
divided among Elsi, Turchil, Lodi, Osulf, and Elric. (fn. 15)
By the time of the Survey all these holdings were
united in the ownership of one man, Richard. (fn. 16) Who
were his immediate successors has not been established,
but by 1185 the king was guardian to two widows,
both owning considerable property in Moulsoe.
Emma de Langetot, described as 'de genere illarum
de Chedney et Josceline Crispini,' was sixty years old
and had land worth £4 per annum. Her heirs were
the wife of Alan de Dunstanville and the wife of
Alard son of William. (fn. 17) The second royal ward
was Ida widow of William de Sherington (Schirintone)
and daughter of Hugh de Bulli. Her children were
three sons and three daughters, the eldest thirty years
of age. (fn. 18) There must have been some connexion
between these very considerable owners of land and
the family of Coudray, who are found as lords of the
manor barely a generation later, though the missing
link has not been discovered. The first of the
Coudary family to whom reference has been found in
Moulsoe is Peter de Coudary,
who is said to have presented
to the church in the time of
King John. (fn. 19) Fulk de Coudary
held a fee here in demesne c.
1240, (fn. 20) and died about 1251
seised of Moulsoe Manor,
which was then of sufficient
importance to have five of the
Earl Marshal's knights' fees in
Buckinghamshire and one in
Bedfordshire attached to it. (fn. 21)
Peter son of Fulk de Coudray
was under age at his father's
death. (fn. 22) In 1262 Richard de Sifrewast relinquished
his right in the manor (obtained by an agreement
with Fulk) to Peter de Coudray, (fn. 23) who is returned as
holding one fee in Moulsoe in 1284–6. (fn. 24) Peter de
Coudray died about 1303, (fn. 25) having leased Moulsoe
and other manors in 1297 to his eldest son Thomas
de Coudray at an annual rent of £100. (fn. 26) Thomas
de Coudary's name is found in connexion with
Moulsoe in 1302 (fn. 27) and 1304. (fn. 28) In 1310 he made
a settlement of the manor on his son Thomas and
Lucy, the latter's wife. (fn. 29) Thomas de Coudray was
part lord of the vill in 1316, (fn. 30) but died in 1349,
when the manor descended to his 'cousin and heir'
Fulk de Coudray, son of Thomas de Coudray, (fn. 31) who
held in 1355 with Jane his wife. (fn. 32) Between 1367,
in which year the last mention is found of Fulk de
Coudray, (fn. 33) and 1397 Moulsoe appears to have passed
to the Whittingham family, of whom the Bammes
and others appear to have held on long leases. In
1397 Adam Bamme was responsible to the overlord
for the fee by which this manor was held, (fn. 34) and in
1420 had been followed by Richard Bamme. (fn. 35) In
1452 the will of Sir Robert Whittingham contains
mention of Moulsoe Manor, which he bequeathed to
his younger son Richard, with remainder to his eldest
son Robert. (fn. 36) The manor eventually came to Robert
Whittingham, and on his attainder for adherence to
the house of Lancaster fell with other of his estates
into the possession of the Crown. (fn. 37) Meanwhile a
continuance of the interest of the Bammes in the
manor is still to be found. Richard Bamme died in
or about the year 1452, when his will was dated. (fn. 38)
It contains no mention of Moulsoe by name, but in
1462 his son John acquired licence to enter into the
manor, then stated to be under forfeiture on account
of Robert Whittingham's attainder. (fn. 39) The Bamme
interests had passed by August of the following year to
Robert Honyngton, who was declared to have died
seised at that date of the manor of Moulsoe, (fn. 40) and whose
nephew and heir Thomas Honyngton (fn. 41) had apparently married Margaret daughter of Richard Bamme. (fn. 42)
Thomas Honyngton acquired possession of Moulsoe
Manor in the same year, (fn. 43) but no further reference to
his holding has been found. Moulsoe was still in the
king's hands in 1477, being then granted to Thomas
Grey, who was to render 2d. yearly at Michaelmas. (fn. 44)
The Whittinghams appear to have obtained eventually
a reversal of the forfeiture of their lands here as
elsewhere, for in 1497 Moulsoe Manor is found in
the possession of Margaret daughter and heir of
Sir Robert Whittingham and wife of Sir John Verney. (fn. 45)
In that year she transferred the manor to Thomas
Heyron. (fn. 46) From him it passed to John Marsh, who
sold it to the Crown in 1542. (fn. 47) Princess Elizabeth
held it during her brother's reign, (fn. 48) and when she
came to the throne made it the subject of various grants.
Thus Robert Power received a temporary grant in
1550, renewed in 1560, (fn. 49) and again in 1577. (fn. 50)
Finally, in March 1599–1600 Sir John Spencer, kt.,
received a permanent grant of Moulsoe Manor. (fn. 51) He
died in 1610, and the manor next passed to his
daughter Elizabeth, wife of William Lord Compton, (fn. 52)
who was created Earl of Northampton in 1618. (fn. 53)
He died in 1630, (fn. 54) in which year Spencer Earl of
Northampton, his son and heir, made a settlement
of Moulsoe Manor (fn. 55) which his mother Elizabeth
retained till her death in 1632. (fn. 56) Spencer Earl of
Northampton was an ardent supporter of Charles I in
the Civil War, and was slain at Hopton Heath on
19 March 1642–3 fighting on the Royalist side. (fn. 57) In
1647 his widow compounded for her estate in Moulsoe,
James Earl of Northampton, his son and heir, also compounding for his reversionary interest. (fn. 58) He suffered
a recovery of the manor in 1658. (fn. 59) He died in
1681, and his eldest surviving son George succeeded to
the family title and estates. (fn. 60)
George, fourth Earl of Northampton, was in turn succeeded
in 1727 by his son James, (fn. 61)
who made a settlement of
Moulsoe in 1730. (fn. 62) He died
in 1754, when his estates
devolved on his brother and
heir male George Compton. (fn. 63)
He also left no direct issue,
and in 1758 the title and
estates passed to his nephew
Charles Compton, who in the
year following his accession
suffered a recovery of Moulsoe
Manor. (fn. 64) In 1781 this manor
appears to have been temporarily in the possession of
John and Frances Bowater, (fn. 65) but it was retained by
the Earls of Northampton until 1801, when it was
purchased from Charles Earl of Northampton by
Lord Carrington, (fn. 66) in whose family it has since been
retained, the Marquess of Lincolnshire being the
present lord of the manor. (fn. 67)
Coudray. Gules biltety or.
Carrington, Marquess of Lincolnshire. Or a cheveron couple-closed between three demigriffons sable with a molet gules for difference.
Part of Walter Giffard's Domesday property went to
form a second MOULSOE MANOR, which follows
the same descent as that part of his adjoining manor of
Broughton (q.v.) retained by Robert de Broughton in
1334. Only very occasional reference is found to it.
In 1316 Joan widow of Ralph de Broughton held
part of Moulsoe, (fn. 68) described in 1409 as two cottages. (fn. 69)
John Broughton died seised of lands and rents here
in 1489, (fn. 70) while in 1596 Thomas Duncombe died
seised of lands in Moulsoe attached to the Broughton
manor which he had acquired from William Paulet,
Lord St. John, and Ann his wife. (fn. 71) This estate passed
with Broughton to a younger son Francis, (fn. 72) who in
1599 made a settlement of the property. (fn. 73) The land
in Moulsoe is termed a manor in 1635, (fn. 74) but it is not
mentioned in the will of Thomas Duncombe, who
died in 1672, (fn. 75) and in 1748 it appears to have been
regarded merely as an appurtenance to Broughton
Manor. (fn. 76)
In 1324 Nicholas de la Husee held by knight's
service in Moulsoe of the heirs of the Earl Marshal. (fn. 77)
In 1346 this fee was said to have formerly belonged
to Thomas de Coudray, (fn. 78) but nothing further has
been heard of it.
The family of Mordaunt appears to have held land
in Moulsoe, for at the time of the release of the
advowson by Lord Mordaunt to Sir John Spencer in
1602 mention is also made of a manor in Moulsoe. (fn. 79)
This so-called manor is mentioned in 1610 (fn. 80) and
again in 1632, (fn. 81) but after that date becomes absorbed
in Moulsoe Manor.
In the 13th century the Abbess of Elstow acquired
land from Walter de Cordel (fn. 82) worth £1 10s. in 1291. (fn. 83)
In 1304 Roger Jory and Alice his wife augmented this
grant. (fn. 84) In 1517 the abbess was said to hold one
messuage and 20 acres in demesne there. (fn. 85) At the
Dissolution the Elstow Abbey lands in Moulsoe were
worth 18s. (fn. 86) Lavendon Abbey also had a small estate
here worth 3s. 3d. in 1291, (fn. 87) and 13s. 4d. at the Dissolution, (fn. 88) which was granted to William Lloyd and
Anthony Gooch in January 1609–10. (fn. 89)
Church
The church of ST. MARY consists
of a chancel 18 ft. by 15 ft., nave 47 ft.
by 17 ft., north and south aisles 11 ft.
wide, west tower 11 ft. by 10 ft., and a south porch;
these measurements are all internal.
The present building has probably been developed
from a 12th-century church, consisting of a chancel
and nave. The first stage in the evolution of the
plan appears to have been the addition of north and
south aisles in the 13th century. Considerable alterations were made in the 14th century, when the nave
arcades were raised, the aisles rebuilt, and the tower
and south porch added. In 1885–90 the chancel
and porch were rebuilt and the church restored.
The chancel is entirely modern, except for the chancel arch, which is of the 13th century, rebuilt or recut
about 100 years later. It is of two chamfered orders,
and rests on semi-octagonal jambs with moulded capitals
and bases. Under the arch is a modern oak screen
incorporating the moulded principal mullions and two
of the traceried panels of a 15th-century screen; the
posts at the north and south ends of the screen are
also of the 15th century, and the former contain part
of a squint of the same date.
The north and south arcades of the nave are each of
four bays, with pointed arches of two chamfered orders;
the columns are octagonal and with the responds have
capitals and bases similar to those of the chancel arch.
There are four clearstory windows on the north side and
three on the south side, all with plain square openings
and wooden lintels, and a few courses of brickwork over
the heads outside; they appear to be insertions of the
17th century. The nave roof is hidden by a barrelvaulted plaster ceiling with wooden cornices. In the
south-east corner of the nave is a small square bracket
much broken.
The windows of the north aisle are all of the 14th
century. In the east wall is a window of three lights,
while the two north windows and the west window
are each of two lights. Only the inner arch of the
north doorway is old. At the east end are traces of
a piscina. The remains of a 16th-century screen
which formerly inclosed a small chapel at the east
end of the aisle are also preserved. The northern
portion of the screen up to the sill level, with part
of a doorpost, remains; the sill retains its mortises
for the upper mullions, and there are plain panels
below. There are a few fragments of old tiles on the
floor.
The south aisle has a modern east window and two
14th-century windows of two lights in the south wall.
The moulded south doorway is of the 14th century,
but has been much restored. The east end of this
aisle is inclosed by a modern oak screen to form a
lady chapel. In the east wall are a trefoil-headed
piscina of 14th-century date with a modern basin and
a small deep locker with chamfered opening, and to
the south of the east window is a chamfered stone
bracket much broken. On the modern altar-pace are
several much-worn 15th-century tiles of various patterns; one bears the inscription 'Richard me fecit,'
which is also found on a tile at Milton Keynes. Fixed
against the west wall of the nave and the south wall of
the south aisle are some early 17th-century panels and
framing, probably from old pews. At the west end
of the south aisle, loose on the floor, is a large stone
16½ in. square and 19 in. high, with chamfered
angles, sunk trefoils on the sides, and a bowl sunk in
the top. Its use is unknown, but it may have been
meant to hold charcoal for burning incense.
The west tower is of two stages, with diagonal
buttresses, south-west stair turret, an embattled parapet with a moulded string-course below and stone
gargoyles at the angles. The tower arch is chamfered
and dies into square jambs, and the ground stage is
lighted by two-light windows in the north and west
walls. Over the arch is a trefoiled light opening into
the nave. The door of the staircase is made of old
battens with strap hinges, and the chamfered doorway
has an ogee head. The bell-chamber has two-light
windows on the north, south, and west sides, the east
window being of three lights.
The south porch is a modern rebuilding, but
the outer archway of the early 14th century remains;
it is similar in design to the inner doorway, but has
been much restored.
The font has a modern bowl on a 14th-century
octagonal stem, which is moulded at the top and has
large rounded stops at the bottom.
In the north aisle are the brass figures of a man
and woman; the man is represented in plate armour
with a mail skirt and large knee-cops and shoulderguards, and has a long sword hanging from his belt,
while the woman wears a long gown and a pedimental
head-dress. A brass shield has the arms: a cross
engrailed between four martlets and a quarterly chief
charged with two roses for Ruthall of Wolverton,
impaling a fesse between three crescents. There are
also indents of a marginal inscription, groups of sons
and daughters, and three shields. At the north-east
corner of the chancel is a stone with the indents of
the figure of a priest and an inscription. Partly covered
by the alter steps is a slab to George Goodman (d. 1695),
and at the east end of the south aisle is a coffin-slab
bearing traces of a cross flory on a stepped base, and
dating probably from the 14th century.
There are modern wall tablets to Lord and Lady
Carrington (d. 1868), Lady Suffield (d. 1850), and
members of the Morrell, Cautley, and Levi families.
There are a few small fragments of 14th-century
glass in the west window of the tower. At the west
end of the north aisle are two chests; one, of about
1300, has iron bands and two hasps, the other, which
is probably of the 17th century, and is smaller, has a
fleur de lis strap-hinge. Near the south door is a
17th-century oak poor-box. The modern litany desk
in the nave has a front partly composed of two open
traceried panels with ogee heads, crockets and finials,
probably part of the 15th-century chancel screen.
Many of the seats in the nave date from the early
17th century, and have panelled and moulded backs
and parts of bench-ends. In the chancel are four
17th-century coffin-stools with turned legs. The oaken
bier is a fine dated example, and has turned drophinged handles, guilloche ornament carved on the legs,
and lettering carved on the rails, which have shaped
brackets under each end. The inscription in capitals
gives the names of the churchwardens, one of which
is partly hidden by a modern iron strengthening band.
The legs are worm-eaten in places, but otherwise the
bier is in good preservation. The inscription reads:
'… oughton and William Kent, Churchwardens,
1651, Thomas Larratt,' and concludes with a text.
There are four bells: the treble by James Keene,
inscribed '1640 I.K.'; the second, third and tenor
all by W. & J. Taylor, Oxford, 1839.
The communion plate includes a cup and paten of
1783, an almsdish or salver of 1777, and a flagon of
1778, all inscribed 'Given by Henry and Elizabeth
Jones, 1783.'
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i)
baptisms and burials 1560 to 1788, marriages 1559
to 1788; the parchment covers have an old brass
clasp stamped with five fleurs de lis; (ii) marriages
1754 to 1811.
Advowson
The advowson of Moulsoe was
granted towards the close of the
12th century to the priory of Goring,
Oxfordshire, by Geoffrey son of William and by Emma
de Langetot. (fn. 90) An unsuccessful suit to recover the
advowson was brought in 1252 by the guardian of
Peter de Coudray, (fn. 91) and the priory remained in possession until the beginning of the 16th century, when
a grant was made to John Mordaunt, who presented in
1518. (fn. 92) The advowson was retained by the Mordaunt
family until 1602, in which year Henry Lord
Mordaunt alienated it to Sir John Spencer, (fn. 93) lord of
Moulsoe Manor, with which its history is henceforward
identical, the right of presentation at the present day
being vested in the Marquess of Lincolnshire.
Charities
About 1536 the rectory of Moulsoe was worth £18. (fn. 94)
Mary Countess Dowager of Northampton by her will in 1719 devised
a yearly rent-charge of £5 out of lands
in Moulsoe to the poor on St. Thomas's Day. The
annuity, known locally as St. Thomas's money, is
received out of land belonging to the Marquess of
Lincolnshire and is distributed equally among about
thirty recipients.
The same testatrix directed by her will that land of
the clear yearly value of £6 should be purchased and
employed towards the maintenance of a schoolmaster.
The land purchased in 1721 consists of two closes
containing 14 acres. (fn. 95)