EAST HATLEY
The parish of East Hatley (fn. 1) lay 19 km. west of
Cambridge, and was of irregular shape, 4 km. long
by 2 km. wide, narrowing towards its northern end.
Its boundaries mostly followed old field divisions.
It was one fragment of the scattered settlement
established by the late 10th century and named
Hatley from its position in the woods along the
Cambridgeshire–Bedfordshire border. By 1066 Hatley was already divided, perhaps according to tenurial dependence, into three vills shared between
two counties and three hundreds. (fn. 2) Until the 15th
century East Hatley, so called by 1200, (fn. 3) was usually
grouped with its southern neighbour Clopton for
public administration, including taxation. (fn. 4) It remained, however, a distinct ecclesiastical and civil
parish, covering 1,189 a., (fn. 5) until 1957 when it was
united with its western neighbour Hatley St.
George to form the new civil parish of Hatley,
covering 962 ha. (2,377 a.). (fn. 6)
East Hatley belongs to the West Cambridgeshire
upland, and consists mostly of nearly level ground
lying at over 75 metres. The soil, on heavy boulder
clays overlying gault, is mostly poorly drained,
although in the south a watercourse runs down a
valley sloping south-west towards Tadlow. The
clays were probably once heavily wooded. In the
late 16th century the manorial estate included woodland in the south-west corner of the parish. (fn. 7) From
the 17th century there were 40 a. of wood just west
of the village site, called in 1683 Lordship, Nobles,
and Rigsbys woods, (fn. 8) by 1750 Hatley wood, (fn. 9) and
by 1842 Buff wood. (fn. 10) Ashes and elms were sold
from it in the late 19th century. (fn. 11) Those 40 a. of
wood were sold in 1947 to Cambridge university
for use for botanical studies. (fn. 12) The parish was formerly cultivated in open fields. Inclosure for pasture began c. 1500 and was completed after 1670,
but from 1800 Hatley reverted largely to arable
farming.
In 1086 the vill had 21 peasants and 3 servi. (fn. 13)
There were probably 19 taxpayers in 1327 (fn. 14) and
23 for the wool levy in 1347. (fn. 15) By the 16th century
the population had shrunk. There were 10 taxpayers in 1524 (fn. 16) and 9 households in 1563. (fn. 17) The
10 or 11 houses of 1662 were reduced to 8 by
1674. (fn. 18) There were 50 adults in 1676, (fn. 19) and 75
people in 17 families in 1728. (fn. 20) Numbers were
probably even lower c. 1750. (fn. 21) From 1801 to 1841
the population varied around 100, suddenly rising
to 146 by 1851. From a peak of 155 in 1871 it fell to
124 by 1891, fluctuating thereafter between 70 and
100 until the 1950s. (fn. 22)
The medieval village lay around a triangular
green, widening slightly from its south-eastern apex,
by which stood the church, parsonage, and principal
manor house. The green lay where a track running
north-east from Pincote hamlet in Tadlow divided
to lead north-north-east towards Hayley wood in
Little Gransden, and north-east along Long, or
Croydon Old, Lane toward Longstowe. Along the
two longer sides of the green lay many small tofts
within moats often still wet, from which crofts
stretched back. (fn. 23) After the final inclosure c. 1670
the village was largely cleared away. For some time
the only dwellings in the parish were eight farmhouses scattered through the fields, such as the
surviving timber framed Long Lane Farm, and
Hatley Wilds Farm, partly of brick, in the far north,
and their dependent cottages. (fn. 24) By 1750 there survived at the site of the village, then called Town
closes, only the parsonage and a farmhouse at each
end of the green, incorporated as Walnut Tree
close into the Downing family estate. (fn. 25) The area
round the green was almost equally empty in 1842. (fn. 26)
Small houses began to be built actually upon the
old green from the 1850s, and by 1871 the parish
contained 6 farmhouses, c. 12 cottages at the green,
and the 'Palace', a high, gaunt house at its southwest end, erected for members of Downing College
to occupy while supervising the college estate. (fn. 27)
Carter's, later Holben's, Farm east of the village
was given a large white brick farmhouse in the
1840s, and Parker's Farm at the north-east end of
the village a tall red brick one in the late 19th century. In the 1970s c. 14 new houses filled a wide
gap between the 19th-century housing at each end
of the green. (fn. 28)
After 1830 East Hatley's communications were
realigned to follow a new road north-west from
Croydon across the north-east end of the green
towards Gamlingay. (fn. 29) The village had no public
house in the 19th century or later. At times it
shared the village institute at Hatley St. George. (fn. 30)
Manors.
The 8 sokemen who had held 2 hides
in 1066 still occupied them in 1086 under Picot the
sheriff, who had obtained the land by exchange. (fn. 31)
His lordship descended to the cadet line of Picots
established at Quy, who probably subinfeudated the
Hatley fee before 1185. (fn. 32) Their overlordship passed
with Quy manor after 1220 through two successive
heiresses to the Traillys, (fn. 33) whose rights over Hatley
were still recorded in the 14th century. (fn. 34) In the
early 13th century EAST HATLEY manor had
been held of them with land at Quy as ½ knight's
fee. William (fl. 1205), son of Geoffrey of Quy, (fn. 35)
was perhaps the William of Quy who held ½ hide
at Hatley in 1235 and 1242. (fn. 36) Sir William of Quy
held land there c. 1260. (fn. 37) John, son of William of
Quy, was tenant under the Traillys between 1267
and 1290, when his land in Hatley was ¼ fee. By
1279 he also held of Beatrice de Andeville 60 a. (fn. 38)
which the Andevilles had still held in demesne
c. 1235. (fn. 39) It probably represented the demesne of
1¼ hide at Hatley held in 1086 of Eudes the steward by Beatrice's ancestor Humphrey de Andeville,
lord of Clopton, with which it had descended. (fn. 40)
John's son, John of Quy, was lord at Hatley between 1302 (fn. 41) and 1327, (fn. 42) and he or a namesake held
that manor in 1346. (fn. 43) The family has not been
traced later. A fraction of the Trailly fee, styled
1/8 fee, acquired in or before 1300 by Hugh Clopton,
passed with his manor of Rowses in Clopton. (fn. 44) In
1428 the former ¼ fee of the Quys was divided
equally between John Clopton and John Hoo. (fn. 45)
Another manor derived from 1¾ hide held by
Almar of Bourn, in 1066 of Eddeva and in 1086 of
Count Alan, lord of Richmond. (fn. 46) Its overlordship
descended with the honor of Richmond. In the 16th
century a mesne lordship over part of the manor,
held in socage, was attached to Sudburys manor
in Bourn. (fn. 47) Lordship over the '7 yardlands', styled
¼ fee, was claimed for the Crown from the 1560s,
when Robert Castell, heir to the manor, alleged
that it was held thus by knight service, to escape
his stepfather's claim to wardship in socage. (fn. 48)
The RICHMOND fee, held c. 1235 as ¼ fee,
was then already, perhaps through division among
coheirs, shared by Walter of Hoo with the same
parceners as the advowson. (fn. 49) In 1252 Simon of
Bourn, perhaps by purchase from a parcener, held
⅓ of ¼ fee of Walter's son Walter, lord by 1251. (fn. 50) In
1305 William de la Hoo had land at East Hatley. (fn. 51)
The Hoos were not recorded as lords of that manor
thereafter; from 1284 to 1346 it was held by unnamed parceners, and in 1428 by Guy Horley and
Richard of Bourn. (fn. 52) In 1275 John of Quy was said
to hold 7 yardlands of the honor of Richmond. (fn. 53)
Both manors probably eventually passed largely
to the St. Georges. (fn. 54) Baldwin St. George (fl. 1215)
acquired land at East Hatley from Thomas of Hoo,
and Baldwin's son William bought other land held
of the Hoos. (fn. 55) Other land, descending in the Bourn
family with the advowson and settled c. 1329 by
Simon son of John of Bourn on his son John, was
acquired c. 1380 from John of Bourn by Sir Baldwin
St. George (d. 1383), whose father William already
had a manor house at East Hatley in 1346. (fn. 56) Sir
Baldwin's great-grandson Sir William probably
acquired the Rowses manor fraction from Geoffrey
Clopton c. 1433, and included East Hatley manor
in a settlement of 1445. (fn. 57) He had no land there,
however, at his death in 1471, (fn. 58) nor did his son
Richard (d. 1485). (fn. 59)
Robert Castell, established in Cambridgeshire by
1483, (fn. 60) probably held the manor by 1490. (fn. 61) The
550 a. there settled on him in 1497 (fn. 62) passed, probably by 1505, to his son Thomas, to whose feoffees
they and half the manor were released in 1514. (fn. 63)
Thomas died holding it in 1539. From his son and
heir Thomas (fn. 64) (d. 1558) it descended to that
Thomas's son Robert, until whose majority in 1566
it was occupied by his mother Beatrice and her
second husband Leonard Baker. (fn. 65) Robert Castell
survived until 1630, and his son and heir Robert,
then aged 60, died soon after, probably before 1636.
The latter's sons Robert, (fn. 66) a parliamentarian colonel,
and Dr. Edmund Castell, a Semitic philologist, (fn. 67)
joined in 1661 in selling East Hatley manor to the
politician and diplomat, Sir George Downing, Bt. (fn. 68)
Downing, who made East Hatley his country
seat, (fn. 69) left his West Cambridgeshire estate in 1684
to his son and namesake (fn. 70) (d. 1711). On the death
of the latter's son, the third Sir George, in 1749 (fn. 71)
the estates passed under his will of 1717 to his
cousin Sir Jacob Garrard Downing. Sir Jacob, disregarding Sir George's will, which devised a con-
tingent reversion of his estates to found a college
at Cambridge, (fn. 72) on his death in 1764 left all his
lands to his wife Margaret. She unlawfully took
possession, and at her death in 1778 devised them
to her nephew, Capt. Jacob John Whittington. (fn. 73)
Although Cambridge university had claimed them
in 1764 and obtained a favourable judgement in
1769, legal delays and stratagems enabled Lady
Downing and Whittington to retain East Hatley
and the other estates until 1800, when they were
handed over to the newly founded Downing College. (fn. 74) The college retained all of East Hatley until
c. 1920 when it sold two farms, c. 472 a., in the
north to the Briscoes of Longstowe, and in 1947
sold the other two farms, c. 740 a., mostly to their
tenants. (fn. 75)
The Richmond manor house perhaps stood within
a moat, 60 by 30 metres, by the village green just
south of the old church. (fn. 76) The Castells' house,
recorded from 1559, (fn. 77) was said in 1660 to be an
ancient timber framed building. (fn. 78) Sir George Downing (d. 1684) probably remodelled it as a residence,
but c. 1712 his grandson mostly demolished it,
using the materials for his new house at Gamlingay
Park. (fn. 79) The site is occupied by Manor Farm,
externally 19th-century but containing 16th- or 17thcentury woodwork, perhaps derived from the manor
house. Another trapezoidal moat further south-west
possibly represents the site of the Quys' manor
house. (fn. 80)
Economic History.
In 1086 the 7 ploughlands were being cultivated with 6½ ploughteams,
of which two manors had one each, while two
villani had probably 3, but the eight sokemen only
1½ between them, and eleven bordars only one. The
yield of the manors had fallen since 1066 from £7
10s. to £5. (fn. 81) In 1279 John of Quy held in demesne
c. 140 a. of arable; another 4 yardlands had probably
been detached from his estate as dower. Of the
other land recorded c. 125 a. were held freely,
including tenements of 25 and 20 a.: one 30–a.
freehold, dependent on manors in other parishes,
included under-tenants. Four cottars were recorded
on the Trailly fee. (fn. 82)
From the 13th century to the early 17th the
arable lay in open fields, whose number is uncertain. Some furlongs were recorded in 1235, (fn. 83) and a
north field in 1559. (fn. 84) The glebe was still dispersed
among more than 7 furlongs in 1615. (fn. 85) South and
east of the village the shapes of the modern fields, (fn. 86)
mostly lying cross-wise to the length of the parish,
probably reflect those of furlongs that they succeeded. In the far north around Hatley Wilds a
more angular field pattern suggests inclosure of
common pasture, perhaps the 'Wolds' mentioned
c. 1307. (fn. 87) A few furlong names, such as Hollow Dole
and Redland, survived as field names in 1750. The
village had also c. 60 a. of meadow along the watercourse in the southern valley, which probably
separated two double rows of furlongs.
One manor had 196 sheep in 1086. (fn. 88) In 1347 the
village probably produced 18½ stone of wool, 2¼
stone from John of Quy's demesne flock, and c. 9
stone from seven others rendering 1–2 stone each. (fn. 89)
In the 16th century the peasantry, still growing
mainly wheat and barley, kept small flocks of 20–30
sheep and milking cattle. (fn. 90) In 1524 six substantial
yeomen had over £41 of the £45 6s. 8d. assessed in
the village; the wealthiest of them, taxed on 17
marks, probably occupied the manor farm. (fn. 91)
Inclosure began in the 15th century. About 1490
Robert Castell inclosed c. 40 a. of arable for pasture.
His son Thomas c. 1512 annexed and inclosed 100 a.
once used as common pasture, (fn. 92) probably those
105 a. of closes said in 1683 to have once been part
of the common. (fn. 93) After 1500 the Castells' estate
usually had 200–240 a. of arable, but over 300 a. of
pasture. Some of their closes around the village
were kept as leys. (fn. 94) By 1615 they apparently owned
the whole parish, except for the glebe. (fn. 95) Some openfield land nominally survived c. 1640, (fn. 96) but the final
inclosure had been accomplished by 1661. The
1,728 a. of the manor were then largely shared
between ten farms, consisting mostly of pasture.
Besides 158 a. farmed from the manor house, there
were three of 140–145 a., two of 127–132 a., three
of c. 80 a., and one of 48 a. The rector, Richard
Kennitt, then occupied 94 a., and soon after had a
lease of 236 a., including the manor farm. The
extensive closes, such as Great close, 100 a., were
probably intended for sheep farming. Other large
ones had in 1683 been only recently subdivided. (fn. 97)
By 1750 there were eight farms, ranging from
two of c. 100 a. to one of 213 a., the rest being of
135–160 a. One 158–a. farm in the south was entirely
under grass and used for dairying. In all there were
846 a. of pasture. Of only 300 a. of arable 130 a. lay
in the south-east by Croydon. Some 20 a. south of
the former green had formerly been used for apple,
pear, and cherry orchards. (fn. 98) By 1801, when there
were six farmers, all but one with over 200 a., the
arable area had recovered to c. 690 a., mainly under
a triennial rotation. Some 193 a. were equally divided between wheat and barley, 214 a. were sown
with oats, and 28 a. with beans and peas, while
221 a. lay fallow and 21½ a. grew clover and vetches.
By 1807, however, on the 273 a. of Hatley Wilds
farm there were 99 a. of clover and trefoil, and the
farmer hired out 78 a., mostly grass seeds, to be
fed off with sheep before a corn crop, suggesting a
four-course rotation. Of the 450 a. of grass in 1801
only 138 a. were regularly mown for hay. (fn. 99) The
farms had been much neglected since the 1760s. In
1817 Downing College was advised to dismantle
most of the farmsteads and convert any reparable
farmhouses to cottages. (fn. 100) In 1816 much of the
arable was said to be out of cultivation. (fn. 101)
By 1842 a four-course rotation was generally
observed. There were then six farms, two containing 265 a. and 230 a., the rest 155–175 a. Some
180 a. had been brought back under the plough,
giving 865 a. of arable and 251 a. of grass. (fn. 102) By the
1870s only four farms remained. To the south-east
lay Carter's, later Holben's, farm, c. 335 a., to the
south-west Manor farm, 210 a. including 90 a. in
Tadlow. To Parker's farm, 230 a., just north of the
village, was added Long Lane farm to the north
230 a., from the 1860s. Hatley Wilds farm, 278 a.
of poor, heavy land, beyond the latter, was from
1840 let to a Tadlow farmer. (fn. 103) The late 19th century saw a rapid turnover of tenants. Some farms
were thrown into the college's hands and run by its
bursar. (fn. 104) From the 1860s the area of permanent
grass trebled to 455 a. by 1905, when of c. 510 a. of
arable only half was cropped. The number of sheep
kept declined, however, from over 700 in the 1860s
to under 300 by 1905, and sheep farming ceased
after the 1920s. The main crop remained wheat,
followed by barley. In the 1950s almost 100 a. of
vegetables were grown. (fn. 105)
John of Quy owned a mill in 1279. (fn. 106) A glover
was recorded in 1682. (fn. 107) In the 19th century almost
the only employment was on the farms. The labour
force grew little from 1830, when the farmers
employed all the 21 adult labourers available. (fn. 108)
Between 1851 and 1871 there were c. 23 resident
adult labourers, and the farmers had work for 25
men and 9 boys. (fn. 109) By 1925 only 16 men, and by
1955 only 8, were regularly employed. (fn. 110) Almost the
only craftsmen were the successive village blacksmiths recorded from the 1860s. (fn. 111) The forge was
disused by 1945. (fn. 112)
Local Government.
In the 1270s and the
1330s tenants of the Richmond fee owed suit to
the local tourns held for that honor, (fn. 113) whose leet
jurisdiction perhaps inhibited the growth of manorial courts: no court rolls have been traced. From
the 1660s the churchwardens and constables managed a parish stock of £4. (fn. 114) The cost of poor relief,
after rising from £19 in 1776 to almost £30 by 1785,
more than doubled to £69 by 1803, when five adults
received regular outside relief. (fn. 115) About 1815 six
were thus supported, but the total cost of poor
relief was £20 less than in 1813 because the number
on temporary assistance had been halved to five. (fn. 116)
From 1816 poor relief cost on average £75 a year,
and was c. £65 from 1827 to 1833. (fn. 117) About 1830
allowances were given to large families and coal was
sold cheaply to the poor. (fn. 118) East Hatley belonged to
the Caxton and Arrington poor law union from
1835, (fn. 119) to the South Cambridgeshire R.D. from
1934, (fn. 120) and from 1974 lay in the South Cambridgeshire district.
Church.
The church, recorded by 1217, (fn. 121) probably belonged originally to the Richmond fee. In
1235 the advowson was shared by Walter of Hoo
with Giles de Feugeres and Felise daughter of
Matthew. Walter refused to accept a clerk nominated by his coparceners, holding him unfit. (fn. 122) Later
that year Felise released her interest and Walter and
Giles agreed to present alternately. (fn. 123) In 1251 Walter's son Walter assured a moiety of the advowson
to Simon the chamberlain. (fn. 124) In 1341 the patronage
belonged to John Engaine of Teversham and Joan
(or John) of Bourn: (fn. 125) the latter's family had claimed
to have it c. 1329. (fn. 126) John Grantchester (d. 1362),
however, presented thrice between 1342 and 1349, (fn. 127)
and his widow Joan in 1380 and 1384. (fn. 128) Two
patrons, probably feoffees, were named in 1390 and
1394. (fn. 129) About 1380, however, the Bourns' interest
had been acquired by Sir Baldwin St. George. (fn. 130)
His son Baldwin was patron in 1398, (fn. 131) and successive heads of that family regularly presented to the
rectory, even after ceasing to own the manor, until
1517. (fn. 132) Thomas St. George was still thought to
have the advowson at his death in 1540. (fn. 133)
The queen presented in 1565. (fn. 134) Richard Hendry
of Worcester, who presented in 1568, required his
candidate in return to lease the rectory to his patron
who then sold the lease. Hendry was alleged to have
induced that incumbent to resign in 1574, in order
to void a sub-lease of the rectory glebe, and presented again, perhaps repeating his simoniacal practices, in 1574 and 1575. (fn. 135) In 1576 John Hacker
presented. In 1577 Thomas Goode, a yeoman of
Abington, presented his kinsman John Goode, (fn. 136)
upon whose death in 1627 Francis Goode, fellow of
King's College, presented Thomas Goode. (fn. 137) When
Thomas died in 1655 he left the advowson to his
widow Anne. (fn. 138) Marmaduke Goode, clerk, claimed
the patronage in 1662, but Sir George Downing,
as lord of the manor, presented in 1663, buying out
Marmaduke's interest in 1664. (fn. 139) Thereafter the
advowson passed with the Downing estates, being
exercised in 1799 by J. J. Whittington. (fn. 140) From 1800
it belonged to Downing College. After 1966 presentation was suspended. (fn. 141)
The living, although it always remained a rectory,
was not wealthy in the Middle Ages. It was worth
only £5 or less in the 13th century, (fn. 142) and £7 16s. 6d.
in 1535. (fn. 143) By 1650 its value stood at £40 (fn. 144) and in
1728 at £64. (fn. 145) The rectorial glebe, 7 a. of closes and
34 a. of arable in 1615, (fn. 146) was apparently mostly
absorbed after inclosure into the Downing estate.
Only 5 a. around the former parsonage remained in
1842. (fn. 147) The rector's net income was £175 c. 1830, (fn. 148)
and after all the tithes had been commuted for a
£210 rent charge in 1842 (fn. 149) was £169 in 1851 (fn. 150) and
£156 in 1873. (fn. 151)
The rectory house formerly stood within a moat
just south of the manor house. (fn. 152) In the 1660s it had
4 hearths. (fn. 153) It was dilapidated in 1722, (fn. 154) and although inhabited by the rector in 1728 and 1775, (fn. 155)
was described in 1807 as a miserable cottage, unfit
for a clergyman's family. (fn. 156) It was burnt down in
1821 and not rebuilt, (fn. 157) the incumbents thereafter
living at Tadlow.
From the 14th century the parish proved too
poor to keep incumbents long. Between 1340 and
1345 there were five rectors: the last was absent in
1347 in his patron's service. (fn. 158) In 1349 a fellow of
Michaelhouse, Cambridge, held the cure. (fn. 159) One
chaplain served in 1378 for the sometimes absentee
rector. (fn. 160) Another rector was licensed in 1384 to be
away for 3 years, to study at Cambridge or attend
his patroness. (fn. 161) Between 1390 and 1398 three more
rectors quitted the parish by exchange (fn. 162) and another
in 1435 left it for a London chantry. (fn. 163) The St.
Georges began to present graduates after 1500. (fn. 164) A
cottage given for an obit was sold in 1550 and the
church house c. 1577. (fn. 165)
In 1561 the rector, another absentee, put in
charge a servant not licensed to minister. No homilies, let alone sermons, were read, and no communions celebrated at all. (fn. 166) By 1564, however, he
had provided a curate. (fn. 167) Between 1565 and 1577
there were five rectors, including the Crown nominee, Thomas Drant, a translator of Latin poetry. (fn. 168)
John Goode, however, from a local family, retained
the living from 1577 to his death in 1627. In 1579,
although he would not occupy the ruinous parsonage, he attended weekly to perform the services,
even though there was no communion table, and
few of the requisite books. (fn. 169) His kinsman and
successor Thomas Goode, although apparently
respected by his parishioners, (fn. 170) was stigmatized by
puritans as a drunkard and upholder of ceremonies.
He was sequestrated in 1643. His third successor, (fn. 171)
the 'able, pious' Presbyterian Richard Kennitt,
himself in 1650 lately ejected from a Cambridge
fellowship, resigned in 1662. (fn. 172)
From 1663 to 1796 East Hatley was, except when
briefly occupied by a Huguenot refugee 1705–9,
held with Tadlow vicarage. (fn. 173) The living became
from 1689 to 1824 virtually hereditary in the Say
family. Francis Say, rector 1689–1705, was followed
by his elder son, William Cray Say, 1722–51, and
he by Francis Say, probably his nephew, 1753–96,
who also held Hatley St. George and Whaddon.
Lady Downing married him to her niece, and left
him her interest in Downing Street. (fn. 174) Francis's
younger son Henry Morgan Say succeeded to the
rectory in 1799 upon coming of age. (fn. 175) From the
1770s the Says provided their scanty congregation
with one service every Sunday and the sacrament
thrice a year. About 1807 few children knew their
catechisms. (fn. 176)
Downing College removed H. M. Say, an unlicensed pluralist, in 1824 for not rebuilding the
burnt parsonage. Until the 1960s East Hatley continued to be held by the same incumbents, drawn
from that college, as Tadlow. (fn. 177) In 1825 there were
only 3 or 4 communicants. Sunday services continued by custom to be held alternately morning and
evening until the 1850s. Forty-six adults attended
in 1851. (fn. 178) When c. 1854 the bishop insisted on two
services weekly a resident curate was employed. (fn. 179)
In the 1860s c. 70 adults attended afternoon service
in summer, only 50 in winter, the tracks from outlying cottages being so poor. (fn. 180) In 1873 of c. 150
inhabitants 145 were claimed as church people. In
the 1870s monthly communions were attended by
c. 17 people, a figure halved by 1885; by then, as
until after 1900, the vicar of Hatley St. George was
serving as curate. (fn. 181) The ancient parish church was
abandoned in 1961 because of the cost of repairs.
A new one was built and consecrated the same
year. (fn. 182) East Hatley was not included with Tadlow
in the Shingay group after 1966, but was served
from nearby livings. In 1979 the rector of Gamlingay provided two services a month. (fn. 183)
The old church, named after ST. DENIS by
the 18th century, (fn. 184) was built of field stones dressed
with clunch. It had only a short chancel and nave
with south porch. (fn. 185) The church was probably built
mainly late in the 13th century, although reconsecrated in 1352. (fn. 186) The western part of the nave had
on each side a doorway between two foiled lancets.
Near the east end were later inserted two tall twolight windows with quatrefoil tracery, resembling the
side windows of the chancel with their geometrical tracery. The narrow chancel arch, with ogeeheaded niches each side, and the north and south
doorways were of the 14th century. Buttresses were
built then at three of the angles, and also on each
side of the lancet in the west wall of the nave to
support a bellcot, probably the steeple which needed
repair in 1638. (fn. 187) It had fallen by 1748 when the
single cracked bell, the sole survivor of three
recorded in 1552 and 1685, hung in the nave. (fn. 188) Sir
George Downing rebuilt the south porch in brick
in 1673. (fn. 189) By 1685 the north door was blocked, and
the nave choked with large pews. The font, then
consigned to a stable, (fn. 190) had been replaced by 1748,
when the rood screen still survived; there were no
communion rails then or in 1807. (fn. 191) The Castell
family monuments included an altar tomb to
Constance (d. 1610), first wife of Robert Castell
(d. 1630). (fn. 192)
The church was restored in 1873–4 to designs by
William Butterfield. The chancel was lengthened
and largely rebuilt, the arch being widened. The
bellcot and south porch were reconstructed, and a
new pulpit, font, and stone reredos installed. When
the new church, a small plain building in concrete,
was opened, some Victorian woodwork and part of
a 15th-century brass were removed to it. (fn. 193) In 1979
the old church was derelict and almost concealed
by a thick growth of ivy.
In 1552, as c. 1278, there was only one silver
chalice. (fn. 194) A silver gilt cup and paten were given in
1684. (fn. 195) No proper register was being kept in 1579. (fn. 196)
The first to survive runs from 1585 to 1617; a continuous series resumes only in 1667. (fn. 197)
Nonconformity.
There was one Presbyterian family in 1728; (fn. 198) no meeting house was ever
established in the parish. In the early 19th century
the few dissenters worshipped elsewhere, and sometimes came to church. In 1873 there were only four
chapel goers. (fn. 199)
Education.
East Hatley had no school before
the 19th century. (fn. 200) About 1819 the curate started
a Sunday school, which, supported by the incumbent and other subscribers, had c. 10–12 pupils
from the 1830s to the 1850s, (fn. 201) and c. 25–30 in the
1860s and 1870s. (fn. 202) A church day school with 14
pupils, mostly girls, probably closed after 1851. (fn. 203)
In the 1860s a farmer's daughter taught a small
dame school in her father's kitchen. (fn. 204) In 1872
Downing College agreed to help establish a single
National school for East Hatley and Hatley St.
George. The school and schoolhouse were built by
the main road just on the East Hatley side of the
boundary. It had room for 88 pupils and was opened
in 1874. Most of the yearly cost came from subscriptions. (fn. 205) Of the first twelve pupils only one could
read and write. The early teachers left in rapid
succession, but one, returning in 1886, gradually
tamed the unruly schoolboys, eventually persuading
the older boys to attend the night school that she
kept until after 1900. (fn. 206) Attendance rose from under
20 in the late 1870s (fn. 207) to c. 55 from 1885 to 1895, (fn. 208)
but fell again by 1905 to little over 20. (fn. 209) It stood at
c. 35 by 1922 (fn. 210) when the older children went to
Gamlingay. The Hatley school, with c. 15 junior
pupils, continued until 1965 when all the children
went to Gamlingay. (fn. 211)
Charities for the Poor.
The 10s. a year
given by Col. Robert Castell before 1660 for the
poor on St. Valentine's day was paid by the Downings from 1705 but lost after 1733. (fn. 212) In 1920
George Longman left £29 in stock, from which £1
10s. a year should be given at Christmas to widows
of East Hatley and Hatley St. George. (fn. 213)