LITTLE HOUGHTON
Hohtone (xi–xiv cent.); Hocthone, Houthun (xii
cent.); Hoctune (xii–xiii cent.); Houton (xii–xvi
cent.); Houghtone (xiv cent.). Parva (1220 onwards);
Minor (xiii cent.).
To the parish of Little Houghton, which comprises
1,730 acres land and water, was added by Local
Government Board Order of 25 March 1884 a detached
part of Brafield-on-the-Green called Brafield Holme. (fn. 1)
Little Houghton lies between Brafield to the east, and
Great Houghton to the west, all three parishes being
narrow strips with the Nene for their northern boundary. There were 40 families in about 1720; (fn. 2) in 1921
the population of the civil parish was 422, in 1931,
415. The soil, subsoil, and crops are the same as for
Brafield, with some pasture land. On the south bank
at a bifurcation of the river, and perhaps guarding the
ancient ford here, stands at a height of about 265 ft.
the circular moated earthwork of Clifford Hill. Roman
coins have been found, but the 'hill' has no Roman
characteristics. (fn. 3) Already in the early 14th century it
was called Clifford Hill. (fn. 4) The top is said to have been
pared off in the 17th century by a lord of the manor
who wanted a bowling-green. (fn. 5) Close by is Clifford Mill
on the Nene, now disused.
The village, with the church at its centre, is grouped
round the point where the Northampton-Bedford road
is met by that leading to Cogenhoe and Billing. Most
of the houses are of the local brown ironstone and are
not of great antiquity, the oldest of which the age is
known being a cottage adjoining the grounds of Little
Houghton House, which bears the almost obliterated
date 1616. (fn. 6) The proof of age of John Pavely shows
that the village was almost completely destroyed by
fire in 1333. (fn. 7) In that year the church was polluted,
and the Bishop of Lincoln, who came to reconcile it,
dined with the lord of Great Houghton manor and
confirmed his infant heir. (fn. 8) Opposite the church are
the stocks, dating in their present form from 1835,
and adjoining the churchyard is the school. A school
was founded under the will of William Ward in 1673
for 8 boys of this parish and 4 from Great Houghton. (fn. 9)
Daniel Ward received licence in 1618 to inclose
132 acres in Great and Little Houghton, (fn. 10) and 2,500
acres here and in Brafield and Cogenhoe were inclosed
in 1827. (fn. 11)
Manors
Ulf son of Azor held 1½ virgates in
[LITTLE] HOUGHTON before the
Conquest, with sac and soke. After 1066
this was given to Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, and after his
forfeiture claimed by the Countess Judith, who also
had 1 virgate of land and 5 acres of meadow held by
Winemar of the soke of Yardley Hastings. (fn. 12) These
lands descended as 1 knight's fee held of the honor of
Huntingdon, together with another knight's fee in
Brafield-on-the-Green, being still held of the manor of
Earls Barton in the 16th century. (fn. 13)
One William held 3 virgates in Brafield and 1½ here
in 1086, but there is nothing to connect him with
William de Houghton who in the 12th century held
3½ hides in the two places. (fn. 14) William de Houghton
held lands in other counties and was chamberlain of
Henry I. (fn. 15) In 1130 he paid £200 in Northamptonshire and Leicestershire for the widow and land of
Edward of Salisbury, to the use of his son Payn (fn. 16) de
Houghton, 'le chamberlayne', (fn. 17) who also made a payment. (fn. 18) Payn presented to the church (fn. 19) and was probably dead by 1155. By his wife Adeliz de Raimes he
had a daughter Maud de Houghton, called his heir. (fn. 20)
He had another daughter Emma, (fn. 21) not called his heir;
and though she shared his inheritance she and her descendants held of Maud and her heirs.
Grimbald. Argent two bars azure in a border gules.
HOUGHTON GRIMBALD. (fn. 22) Maud married
Robert Grimbald, and he (or his father) was called
Grimbald de Houghton in about
1155. Robert, like his father,
was sewer of the Earl of Northampton and sheriff before 1155.
He, with the consent of Maud,
gave to St. Andrew's, Northampton, a moiety of the church
of Little Houghton before 1168,
the probable date of his death
being about 1161. (fn. 23) Maud, with
the consent of her son (fn. 24) and heir
Simon, confirmed the gift to the
priory. (fn. 25) By 1176 she had married her second husband Richard del Peak who then
joined her in granting to St. Mary 'de Voto' near Cherbourg all their land at Arville at a rent payable at Houghton. (fn. 26) Simon de Houghton and William Grimbald, the
son of her first husband (fn. 27) and afterwards called by Maud
her heir, (fn. 28) were witnesses. By her second husband (who
died in 1196) (fn. 29) Maud had apparently an only child
Isabel, who married Hugh de Waterville. (fn. 30) In one
charter, before 1166, Maud says 'with the consent of
Simon my heir and of my other heirs', (fn. 31) which suggests
the division of her inheritance between her sons Simon
and William. Simon evidently died without issue and
William received Little Houghton. Their mother is
last mentioned in 1201 when Anketil le Lou (Lupus)
sued her and her sister's husband for 6 virgates of land
here. He died and the case ended. (fn. 32) William Grimbald
was tenant of the 7 Ryhall fees and half the Lincolnshire lands of the Houghtons in 1203–4 (fn. 33) and by 1212
had succeeded here. (fn. 34) His son and heir Robert (fn. 35) held
two fees in these two places and two in Hardwick,
Moulton, and Newton in 1235 and 1242. (fn. 36) His son
William, a minor in 1265, (fn. 37) married Mabel sister and
later co-heir of John and William de Kirkby and was
lord in 1284, (fn. 38) but the same year alienated the manors
of Brafield and Little Houghton to John de Kirkby, (fn. 39)
Bishop of Ely 1286–90, whose brother and heir,
William, (fn. 40) granted the manor of Little Houghton for
life to Henry Spigurnel. Mabel successfully claimed
her dower third in both manors in or before 1302,
when, her brothers being dead, she was assigned the
reversion of Little Houghton manor as her pourparty of
the Kirkby estates. (fn. 41) Henry Spigurnel was returned as
lord in both places in 1313 and 1316. (fn. 42) Mabel died
in 1312, her son and heir Robert Grimbald, succeeding her by 1325, (fn. 43) after which date no more is
heard of the family here. Walter de Houby is said to
have acquired the Grimbald pourparty of the Kirkby
inheritance, (fn. 44) but does not appear in Brafield or Little
Houghton; apparently the two moieties of the manors
now became united. This is borne out by the tenure
of 3 virgates in Brafield which Theobald de Gayton,
descendant of a 13th-century Simon de Houghton, (fn. 45)
held in 1313 as ¾ of a knight's fee of Henry Spigurnel. (fn. 46)
His younger sister and co-heir Escholace, wife of Geoffrey de Meaux, (fn. 47) lord of Meaux in Holderness, died
seised of 2 virgates in Brafield in 1354, of the gift of
her father John de Gayton and held of the lord of
the other portion of Brafield and Little Houghton,
the descendant of the second Houghton daughter
Emma. (fn. 48)
Bois. Argent two bars and a quarter gules.
Arnold de Bois II, who maried Emma younger
daughter of Payn de Houghton, (fn. 49) belonged to a family
connected with Bois-Arnault in
France and Thorpe Arnold in
Leicestershire. At the request of
Emma he gave, with his body,
half Little Houghton Church to
his father's foundation of Biddlesden Abbey, Bucks., with land in
Great Houghton, and, before
1166, their part in Little Houghton mill. (fn. 50) His son Arnold III (fn. 51)
was with the rebels in 1216 but
returned to great favour. (fn. 52) Arnold
de Bois IV (fn. 53) died seised of the manor of Brafield in
1277, leaving a son and heir John (fn. 54) (younger brother
of another Arnold (fn. 55) ), who held the one knight's fee
of William Grimbald in Little Houghton and Brafield in 1284. (fn. 56) He died in 1295 and his brother and
heir William (fn. 57) in 1300 enfeoffed Milicent de Monhaut
of a moiety of these manors for Milicent to grant them
to himself for life with remainder to Maud daughter of
his sister Isabel by John, Lord Lovel, (fn. 58) and her husband
William la Zouche of Harringworth, Milicent's son. (fn. 59)
These two moieties henceforth descend with Harringworth (fn. 60) (q.v.). By 1376 the Zouche family alone was
returned for the two vills.
Thomas Wake of Liddell made a fine in 1333 with
William la Zouche for the two manors, (fn. 61) possibly a
quitclaim as guardian of the heir of Waterville. (fn. 62) Edward, Lord Zouche, between 1604 and 1615 sold the
two manors with the rectories, tithes, and advowsons to
William and Daniel Ward of Brafield. (fn. 63) William Ward,
elder son of John Ward of Brafield, acquired the rectory
of Brafield, while Daniel the younger son acquired the
manor and rectory of Little Houghton, (fn. 64) and possibly
the manor and advowson of Brafield. Daniel made a settlement
of the rectory in 1618 and died at
Little Houghton in 1625, leaving
a son and heir William, (fn. 65) sheriff
1646–7. He died in 1674, (fn. 66)
being in possession of both advowsons at least ten years earlier, (fn. 67)
and his son Thomas was father of
William Ward who held both
manors and advowsons in about
1720. But by this date two thirds
of the manor of Little Houghton
had become divided up among the tenants, William
Ward holding one third of the manor and of all the
lands. (fn. 68) William's son Thomas died in 1772, when his
four surviving sisters, Mary, Martha, Bridget, and
Dorothy, sold Little Houghton House in 1773 to
Edward Cox of Northampton, who pulled it down.
Subsequently, in 1777, Dorothy Ward, the last surviving sister, sold the remainder of the property to Christopher Smyth, son of the rector of Emberton, Bucks. (fn. 69)
Thomas Thornton of Brockhall married in 1692
Elizabeth daughter and heir of William Ward of
Brafield. She died in 1737. Her great-grandson
Thomas Reeve Thornton (fn. 70) and Susan his wife conveyed
one fifth of the manors of Little Houghton and Brafield in 1801 to Christopher Smyth. (fn. 71) William Tyler
Smyth, nephew of Christopher, came to live at Little
Houghton, and died here in 1838. His eldest son
William, sheriff 1862, died childless in 1872. His
brother Christopher, vicar of Little Houghton, was
succeeded in 1897 by his son Christopher Smyth,
esq., D.L., J.P., (fn. 72) lord of both manors, and patron of
the living until his death on 8 February 1934, when he
was succeeded by his daughter Ursula Catharine, wife
of Cecil Vere Davidge, esq.
Ward. Ermine two bars gules charged with three martlets or.
There was a mill in Little Houghton in 1086, (fn. 73) and
it was shared by Maud de Houghton and her sister
Emma, who with her husband Arnold de Bois II gave
their share before 1189 to Biddlesden Abbey. (fn. 74)
Arnold III confirmed, reserving the grinding for his
house, and added 1½ virgates of land. (fn. 75) The other half
was bestowed on the abbey in 1260 by Robert Grimbald, who also reserved the grinding for his table and
fishery as far as the abbey court. William Grimbald
made an agreement as to the pool in 1278. (fn. 76) In 1326
Ralph Cusyn, perpetual vicar of Brafield, made an
agreement as to tithes from the mill called 'Clyfford
mylne'. (fn. 77) William la Zouche quitclaimed all right in
the two Clifford mills and the pool in 1396. (fn. 78) The
abbey dovecote is mentioned 1296. (fn. 79)
The abbey received 110s. 10d. rents and farms here
in 1535. (fn. 80) After the Dissolution the abbey property
in Houghton, including 'three good mills' at Clifford,
was leased to the miller, William Chamberlayne, reputed a 'common lease-monger', who let the mills
decay. (fn. 81) For this property he appeared as free tenant
at the royal court of Great Billing. (fn. 82) In 1573–4 the
abbey's possessions were granted to Christopher Fenton and Bernard Gylpyn. (fn. 83)
Church
The church of ST. MARY THE
VIRGIN consists of chancel, 30 ft. 6 in.
by 16 ft. with organ-chamber on the north
side, clerestoried nave, 42 ft. 8 in. by 16 ft. 6 in., north
and south aisles each 16 ft. 8 in. wide, south porch, and
west tower, 11 ft. 9 in. by 12 ft. 3 in., all these measurements being internal. The width across nave and aisles
is 55 ft. 3 in.
The north aisle with its extension eastward is an
addition of 1873, (fn. 84) at which time the body of the church
underwent a very extensive restoration, amounting
almost to a rebuilding, and externally, with the exception of the tower, and in some degree the chancel, very
little original work remains. The building is of ironstone, with separate low-pitched gabled roofs to nave
and aisles, behind straight parapets. The chancel roof
overhangs and, with the porch, is covered with red
tiles. Internally all the walls are plastered.
The restoration of 1872–3 (fn. 85) included the removal of
south and west galleries (the stairs to which, however,
at the west end of the south aisle still remain), (fn. 86) the
erection of new roofs, the building of the porch, and
of a new south arcade and clerestory. All this work,
together with the new north aisle and its arcade, is in
the style of the 14th century, to which period much
of the old building appears to have belonged. The south
doorway, however, though much restored, is of 13thcentury date, as is the greater part of the tower. The
doorway has a semicircular arch of three orders, the
two outer ones square and the innermost with a slight
chamfer. The hood-mould is keel-shaped. The arch
springs from moulded imposts and from single jamb
shafts with carved capitals and moulded bases. (fn. 87) The
13th-century portion of the tower is of three stages,
with pairs of buttresses at the western angles, the upper
or original bell-chamber stage having on all four sides
an arcade of five pointed arches on shafts with moulded
capitals and bases, the middle and end arches being
wider than the others. (fn. 88) The arches are plainly chamfered and have keel-shaped hood-moulds. There is also
a shaft at each angle of the tower at this stage, below
which the buttresses stop. The bottom stage of the
tower was originally blank on all three sides but at the
time of the restoration two lancet windows were inserted in the west wall. In the second, or middle, stage
there is a single original lancet opening on the north
side, with keel-shaped hood-mould.
In the 14th century the tower was heightened by
the addition of the present bell-chamber, which has
tall pointed windows of two trefoiled lights with quatrefoil in the head, and terminates with a battlemented
parapet, below which is a band of quatrefoiled circles.
The heightening of the tower seems to have formed
part of a very complete 14th-century reconstruction
of the church, which probably included the building of a new chancel. The pointed east window is of
three trefoiled lights with new reticulated tracery and
mullions, but the double hollow-chamfered jambs and
head are old. The chancel has a chamfered plinth
and diagonal angle buttresses, and there are two
restored pointed windows of two trefoiled lights in
the south wall and a single modern window of the
same character on the north. The two sedilia and
piscina form a single architectural composition of
three uncusped ogee arches, in the spandrels of
which are unpierced trefoils. The piscina, which has
a circular bowl, is plainly chamfered, but in the
sedilia the roll and fillet is used. At its west end the
chancel opens to the aisle on each side by a pointed
arch of two chamfered orders, on half-octagonal
responds with moulded capitals and bases, and the
lofty arch to the nave is of the same character, but
wholly restored. The chancel screen was erected in
1873, and the rood and attendant figures were added
in 1918.
Bridges states that in his day the east end of the south
aisle was 'parted off from the rest' and was called the
vicar's chancel. (fn. 89) It covers the chancel about 8 ft.,
but is not structurally divided from the aisle: at the
north end of its east wall is a priest's doorway, now
blocked. (fn. 90) In 1921 this chapel was restored to its proper
use. There is a modern organ-chamber on the north
side.
The modern nave arcades are of three bays with
pointed arches on octagonal pillars with moulded
capitals and bases and on responds of similar design.
There are three clerestory windows on each side, and
all the windows of the south aisle are modern. The
wide and lofty 14th-century tower arch is of three
chamfered orders to the nave, (fn. 91) the innermost order on
half-octagonal responds with moulded capitals and
bases.
The font has an early-13th-century circular bowl
on an octagonal shaft and four legs, on a circular plinth
and step. The bowl is ornamented with a species of
straight-topped 'arcading'.
The oak pulpit dates from 1873. An oak screen
separating the vestry from the north aisle was erected
in 1931. (fn. 92)
On the north wall of the chancel is a monument to
William Ward (d. 1737), his wife Bridget (d. 1735),
and seven of their children, erected by two surviving
daughters in 1775. The floor slabs of William Ward
(d. 1674) and Thomas Ward (d. 1687), mentioned
by Bridges, are under the altar. (fn. 93)
In the churchyard is a memorial cross to thirteen
men of the parish who fell in the war of 1914–18.
There are five bells in the tower. The first is by
Thomas Russell of Wootton (Beds.) 1720, the second
by Henry Bagley I 1669, the third by James Keene
1624, the fourth by Henry Bagley II 1685, and the
tenor by Matthew Bagley I 1685. (fn. 94)
The plate consists of a cup of 1685; a paten and
flagon of 1721, each inscribed 'The Gift of William
Ward Esq. 1722'; a 17th-century bread-holder without
marks; (fn. 95) and a chalice and paten of 1897–8.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) all
entries 1541–1632; (ii) 1558–1695; (iii) 1558–1669
on paper; (iv) 1653–95; (v) 1695–1736; (vi) baptisms and burials 1742–1801, marriages 1742–
54; (vii) marriages 1754–1812; (viii) baptisms and
burials 1801–12. The first two volumes have been
rebound.
Advowson
Payn de Houghton presented to
the church (fn. 96) before 1161, and the
advowson was shared by his daughters.
Robert Grimbald gave Maud's share, on the day he
died, with his body, to the Priory of St. Andrew,
Northampton. Robert, Bishop of Lincoln (1147–66),
confirmed this grant, as did Maud, her heir Simon,
and her second husband Richard del Peak. (fn. 97) Arnold
de Bois II at the request of Emma his wife gave their
moiety to Biddlesden Abbey to provide lights in the
church for ever before 1189. (fn. 98) That abbey alienated it
early next century to St. Andrew's Priory, for 2 marks
annual pension, (fn. 99) which was still paid at the time of the
surrender. (fn. 100) John de Bois quitclaimed in 1285. (fn. 101) The
priory continued to present, except when its possessions
as an alien priory were in the king's hands owing to
the Hundred Years War, until 1538, when the rectories and advowsons of Little Houghton and Brafield
and all the possessions of the priory there were surrendered. (fn. 102) The Crown retained the advowson when
leasing the rectory in 1568–9 and in 1587–8 granted
both to Edward Downing and others. (fn. 103) John Stanley
and John Payne are said to have been seised in fee of
the two rectories and sold to Lord Zouche, (fn. 104) but Henry
Knollys and Anne his wife conveyed this rectory in 1590
to Lord Zouche. (fn. 105) The advowsons descended with the
manors (q.v.) until 1774, when Mary and Dorothy
Ward sold the joint advowson of the two parishes,
which had been united about 1685, to Mrs. Ann
Walker, and presentation was made by Tilley Walker
in 1775. Next year the Rev. J. Walker sold it to
Esther Mendham, who presented in 1794. She sold in
1808 to Thomas Graham, who conveyed it in 1817 to
the Rev. John Johnson, who was vicar from 1817 to
1838, in which year the advowson was bought by
William Tyler Smyth for his son the Rev. Christopher
Smyth, in whose family it has remained, being now in
the gift of Miss Smyth and Mrs. Davidge. (fn. 106)
The vicarage was ordained in the time of Hugh de
Welles, Bishop of Lincoln (fn. 107) (1209–35), who in 1231
deprived the vicar Peter de Northampton for refusing
to appear at his summons or reside at Little Houghton
or perform his office. (fn. 108)
Edward Lye (1694–1767), the Anglo-Saxon
scholar, was vicar of Little Houghton 1721–50. (fn. 109)
William Grimbald, lord c. 1265–84, obtained from
the priory the right to a chapel for himself and his
heirs, presumably in the manor-house, whenever staying at Little Houghton, saving the rights of the mother
church. (fn. 110)
Charities
Town Estate or Church Land and
Cottages. An allotment of 8 a. 3 r. was
set out on an Inclosure in this parish in
lieu of certain parcels of land in the open fields, which
had from ancient time been held as appropriated to the
reparation of the church. There are also six cottages
belonging to this charity the origin of which appears to
be uncertain. The land and cottages are let and the
rents amounting to £28 (approximately) yearly are
applied by the churchwardens towards the repair of the
church.
Dorothy Ward by her will dated 11th June 1792
bequeathed £200, the income to be applied in putting
out poor boys as apprentices. The endowment is now
represented by Stock held by the Official Trustees
producing £10 7s. 6d. yearly in dividends.
Gifts of Mary, Martha, and Dorothy Ward. Dorothy
Ward by her will dated as above also directed two sums
of £100 each given by her sisters, and £100 given by
herself, to be invested, the interest to be distributed
among the most necessitous poor old persons of the
parish. The endowment is now represented by £500
Consols held by the Official Trustees producing
£12 10s. annually in dividends. This charity is now
regulated by a Scheme of the Charity Commissioners
dated 5 May 1905, by which 5 trustees were appointed.
The income of the charities is applied in apprenticing
and for the benefit of the poor.