BIDDENHAM
Bideham, Bidenham (xi cent.).
The parish of Biddenham, about a mile and a-half
distant from Bedford in a westerly direction, contains
1,585¾ acres, of which 798½ are arable land, 606¾
permanent grass and 4 woods and plantations. (fn. 1) The
soil in the northern part of the parish is a strong clay
inclining to loam, the remainder of the parish is
gravel. Much excellent building-stone is found.
The chief crops are turnips, wheat, barley and peas.
In the neighbourhood of the Ouse, which forms the
northern, southern and western boundary of the
parish, the land lies low and is liable to floods.
The main road enters Biddenham from Bedford in
the east, and, following a north-westerly direction,
passes by Bromham Bridge across the Ouse, and so on
to Bromham parish. The village of Biddenham,
lying in the centre of the parish, is very picturesque,
with the church of St. James in a western district
known as Church End.
In a field leading from the church to the village is
a late 17th-century half-timbered pigeon-house, plastered on the outside. It is square, with a hipped
tile roof, from the upper part of which project four
gabled dormers, their ridges meeting at the apex,
which is crowned with an ornamental finial.
About 1870 a curious custom was observed in
this parish, which is thus described: On September
22nd, shortly before noon, a little procession of villagers
convey a white rabbit decorated with scarlet ribbons
through the village, singing a hymn in honour of
St. Agatha. …All the unmarried young women
who meet the procession extend the first two fingers
of the left hand, pointing towards the rabbit, and
say:—
Gustin, Gustin lacks a bier !
Maidens, maidens, bury him here. (fn. 2)
Palaeolithic implements have been found in Biddenham. (fn. 3)
The following place-names have been found in
documents relating to this parish: Martinesholm,
Kingsmead in the 13th century, Cunditfield, Kyngsmead, Ibondsmead, Whytyng in the 16th. (fn. 4)
MANORS
At the time of the Domesday Survey
BIDDENHAM MANOR, containing
4 hides 1½ virgates, was held by William
Spec in chief, having as tenants Ralph and Serlo de
Ros. (fn. 5) William Spec's overlordship subsequently followed the same descent as the barony of Trailly, (fn. 6) but
in the 13th century the whole vill of Biddenham
appears to have become attached to the honour of
Gloucester, thus interposing an intermediary lordship
between the Traillys and the Crown. The first
mention that has been found of Biddenham as belonging to the honour of Gloucester occurs in 1278, when
Gilbert de Clare claimed view of frankpledge and all
regal rights in Biddenham, (fn. 7)
which was declared to have
been withdrawn from Willey
Hundred by Richard de Clare
his father (who died in
1262). (fn. 8) In 1373 Eleanor
Trailly held by knight service
of Ralph Earl of Stafford,
who also owned two courts
leet in Biddenham in right of
his wife Margaret, daughter
of Margaret, co-heir of Gilbert
de Clare, who died in 1314. (fn. 9)
Thomas Earl of Stafford, his
grandson, died seised of the same rights of overlordship in 1392, (fn. 10) and the last reference which has been
found regarding the exercise of this paramountcy is in
1460, when his grandson Humphrey, created Earl
of Buckingham, died in possession of them. (fn. 11) Probably on the attainder of his grandson and heir Henry
in 1483 they reverted to the Crown.
Clare. Or three cheverons gules.
The mesne lords of Biddenham Manor at the
Survey were Ralph and Serlo de Ros, the latter of
whom also held of Hugh de Beauchamp in this
parish. (fn. 12) From this family the manor appears to
have passed some time in the 12th century to the
Passelowes, of whom the first mention has been found
in 1203, when Thomas Passelowe quitclaimed land in
Biddenham to Thomas son of Sewale. (fn. 13) Gilbert son
of Simon Passelowe held two fees in Biddenham of
the Trailly honour in the 13th century, (fn. 14) and William
Passelowe held the advowson in 1252. (fn. 15) In 1278
Ralph Passelowe held 1 carucate of land by the
service of one knight's fee in Biddenham, (fn. 16) and was
succeeded before 1302 by his son William, who was
still holding in 1316, (fn. 17) and in 1337 conveyed his
lands in Biddenham to Nicholas Fermband. (fn. 18) By 1346
the property had passed to John Fermband, who is
there declared to hold the fee in Biddenham which
had formerly belonged to William Passelowe. (fn. 19) In
1367 John Woodville, holding the manor with his
wife Katherine, possibly a daughter of John Fermband, received a charter of free warren in his demesne
lands of Biddenham. (fn. 20) Thomas Woodville, their
descendant, was holding by knight's service in 1428, (fn. 21)
and from this date onwards the manor appears to
have followed the same descent as that of Bromham
(q.v.), passing, as in the case of that manor, by marriage to the Dyves in the 15th century, and from
them, by sale, to the Trevors in the 18th century.
The ownership is at present vested in the trustees of
the late Edward Wingfield. (fn. 22)
At the Survey of 1086 the canons of St. Paul's,
Bedford, held in all 4 virgates in Biddenham, which
later became known as BIDDENHAM or NEWNHAM MANOR. Of this property 3 virgates were
held by Osmund the Canon and 1 by Ansfrid.
Of Osmund's share 1 virgate had previously been
held by Leviet the priest, and 2 virgates had
been granted to the Church by Ralph Taillebois:
Ansfrid's virgate, formerly the property of Marwen,
had been similarly granted. (fn. 23) In 1166 these
secular canons were succeeded by the Augustinian
priory of Newnham, founded by Simon de Beauchamp, a transference of all their endowments
being made at the same time. (fn. 24) During the 12th
and 13th centuries various additional grants were
made by the Beauchamps and Passelowes to Newnham,
whose property in Biddenham was valued at £3 in the
Taxatio of 1291. (fn. 25) In 1386–7 the priory obtained a
charter of free warren in their demesne lands of
Biddenham. (fn. 26) At the Dissolution the temporalities
of Newnham in this parish were valued at £9 8s. 8d., (fn. 27)
and were granted in 1540 to John Gostwick, (fn. 28) who
in the same year sold them to William Boteler and
Anne his wife. (fn. 29) The family of Butler appears to
have been long resident in this parish, the name of
Thomas Boteler of Biddenham occurring in a charter
dated 1313, (fn. 30) whilst towards the end of the 14th
century Thomas Boteler of Biddenham, a branch of
the same family, acquired, by his marriage with
Grace daughter and heir of Alan de Kirton, Kirtons,
a 'capital messuage' in Biddenham, which became
the residence of the family for several generations. (fn. 31)
William Boteler, who acquired Biddenham Manor,
as it is henceforward called, died in 1554–5, when
his son William succeeded to the estate, (fn. 32) on whose
death in 1601 the manor passed to his son Thomas
Boteler. (fn. 33) He was knighted by James I, and died in 1625,
leaving five sons and three daughters, of whom William
Boteler, the eldest son, acquired this manor. (fn. 34) He
died in 1671, and appears to have left three daughters
as co-heirs. Of these daughters, reference has been
found to the shares of Helen wife of Sir Pynsent
Chernock and Mary wife of William Farrer, and the
former in 1708 and again in 1709 conveyed her third
of Biddenham by fine to William Farrer. (fn. 35) In 1735
Thomas Russell owned one-third of this manor, (fn. 36) and
two years later another portion was held by William
Townsend and his wife. (fn. 37) Between this date and
1758 the whole property, including the advowson,
appears to have been transferred to Robert Lord Trevor,
who owned the larger manor
here, and it is henceforward
to be found attached to what
is known as the Bromham
estate. (fn. 38)
Boteler of Biddenham. Gules a fesse checky argent and sable between six crosslets or
Ford End, or Kirtons,
which was the residence of
the Botelers from the 15th
century, (fn. 39) is situated about
half a mile to the south-east
of the river. It consists of
two rectangular blocks now
used as cottages. They are
of little architectural interest,
the walls being built of coursed rubble washed over,
with square, unmoulded openings for the doors and
windows. The chimney stacks are brick and the
roofs are of tiles. The buildings have undergone
many changes, being in the middle of the last
century used as a workhouse, and it is impossible to
tell the date of the original house or on what plan
it was built.
A third holder of land in Biddenham at the time
of the Survey was Hugh de Beauchamp, who held 1
hide, having as tenant Serlo de Ros. (fn. 40) This land had
formerly belonged to Alsi, a man of Queen Edith.
The barons of Bedford continued to own feudal rights
in Biddenham certainly down to the 15th century,
but this property never attained the status of a
manor. (fn. 41)
The Domesday tenant, Serlo de Ros, appears to
have been followed by the Passelowes, as in Biddenham
Manor (q.v.), for Gilbert Passelowe held 1 hide of
the barony of Bedford at the time of the Testa, (fn. 42) but
no subsequent mention has been found of the estate,
which probably became absorbed in the larger manor
owned by the Passelowes in this parish.
The Bishop of Lincoln was also a tenant in Biddenham in 1086. Ernuin the priest held 1 hide
and 1 virgate of him, which included a mill worth
25s. (fn. 43) One further mention is found of this property
in the Hundred Rolls (1278–9), when the mother
church of Lincoln is declared to hold 5 virgates in
Biddenham of the gift of William I. (fn. 44)
In 1086 four burgesses of Bedford held land in
Biddenham of which no further mention has been
found. (fn. 45)
Abbot Baldwin of St. Edmunds also held half a
hide, having as tenant Ordui, who was one of the
four Bedford burgesses mentioned above, and who
was declared by the men of the hundred court to
have unjustly disseised Ulmar the priest. (fn. 46)
Two mills are mentioned in this parish at the
Survey of 1086, one of which was worth 10s. and
attached to the manor of William Spec. (fn. 47) It is
mentioned in 1278 as still attached to the manor. (fn. 48)
William Butler owned a windmill in 1601 as part of
Newnham or Biddenham Manor, (fn. 49) to which was also
attached the right to hold a court leet and view of
frankpledge. (fn. 50)
The right of free fishery in the River Ouse belonged to Biddenham Manor from the 13th century
onwards. (fn. 51)
Caldwell Priory owned land in Biddenham as
early as 1219, in which year Robert son of Margaret
conveyed land to the prior. (fn. 52) In 1278–9 the prior
held half a virgate here, (fn. 53) and at the Dissolution his
temporalities were worth 49s. 2d. (fn. 54) John Gostwick,
who also acquired the Newnham Manor (q.v.) in
this parish, received a grant of these lands in 1540,
and they thus became merged in the larger property. (fn. 55)
In 1278–9 the Abbot of Warden owned 25 acres
of meadow in Biddenham, (fn. 56) which in 1539, valued
at 12s., were granted to John Gostwick, and thus became joined to Newnham Manor (q.v.) in this
parish. (fn. 57)
William Passelowe made a grant of 1 virgate of
land in Biddenham to Harrold Priory during the
13th century. (fn. 58) At the Dissolution this land was
worth 18s. 2d. (fn. 59) and was granted to John Gostwick
in 1540. (fn. 60)
CHURCH
The church of ST. JAMES, consisting of chancel, nave, north and south
aisles and west tower, appears to have
had an aisleless nave and chancel in the 12th century,
the chancel arch and some of the nave walling with a
blocked window in the outer wall being of this date.
The chancel as it appears at present seems to date
from the 14th century. The west tower was added
in the 13th century and the south aisle and porch in
the 15th; the north aisle was built near the beginning of the 16th century by one of the Boteler
family. The walls are plastered externally and a
good deal overgrown with ivy. The east window
of the chancel has been restored, and consists of
three trefoiled lights in two chamfered orders with
modern net tracery under a pointed head. In
the south wall of the chancel are two 15th-century windows of two cinquefoiled lights with
tracery under four-centred heads; in the easternmost the jambs are carried down and the lower
sill acts as a sedile. There is a similar window in
the opposite wall of the chancel, and another much
restored in the east end of the south aisle. On the
south side of the chancel between the two windows
is a plain chamfered door with a pointed head.
There is a 15th-century cinquefoiled piscina, of which,
however, the cusping has been broken away, on the
south side of the chancel. The chancel arch, which
has been restored, has a plain round head cut square
through the wall and built of small stones; it may be
of fairly early 12th-century date. On either side of it
is a squint, now glazed, that on the south side having a
four-centred head, but that through the north respond
is rectangular. The arcade between the nave and
north aisle is only of two bays, the arches being fourcentred and of two double-ogee orders separated by a
casement; they spring from a pier, composed of four
half-round shafts attached to a square with chamfered
angles with moulded semi-octagonal capitals and
bases, and on the nave side a label with grotesque stops.
The east end of this aisle has been closed in by a
16th-century screen in six bays, each of two lights, of
Renaissance character, to form a small vestry, fitted
with panelling of the same date as the screen.
An entrance to it has been cut through the east
respond of the nave arcade. The east window of the
aisle has three cinquefoiled lights under a two-centred drop arch, and in the north wall are two
similar windows. The detail, though late, is very
good and well worked, and the gargoyles on the outside are very spirited. Near the west end of the north
wall is the north door, with moulded jambs in two
orders, the inner four-centred and the outer square
with a square label. In the west end is a window
like the rest, but of two lights instead of three.
The south aisle is of only one bay, the arch
separating it from the nave being four-centred and of
two chamfered orders, the inner springing from shafts
with moulded semi-octagonal capitals and rounded bases.
In the south wall is a restored window of three cinquefoiled lights, with new mullions and tracery, the jamb
section being like that of the windows in the side walls
of the chancel, and on the sill is a sundial. To the
east of this window is a piscina with pointed head.
To the west is the south porch, dating from the
15th century, with a parvise over, entered by a door
in the west wall of the aisle. Both the aisle and
porch walls are finished with an embattled parapet,
and in the west wall of the latter is a square-headed
window of two cinquefoiled lights in two chamfered
orders; the inner doorway is quite plain with a
round head under which a little stonework of flatter
curve has been inserted, and the outer arch is in two
chamfered orders with a pointed head and label, over
which is a cinquefoiled window with square head and
label lighting the parvise: the wood ceiling of the
porch dates from the 15th century, and is divided
into four panels with moulded wall-plates and crosspieces and a foliate boss at their intersection. In
the south wall of the nave to the west of the porch
is a window of two cinquefoiled lights in two chamfered orders under a four-centred head, the mullions
and tracery having been restored.
The tower arch is a two-centred drop arch in two
chamfered orders, the inner springing from 13th-century moulded capitals. The tower is crowned by
an embattled parapet with gargoyles at the angles,
at the east angles are clasping buttresses, and at the
west diagonal buttresses in three stages. The belfry
stage dates from the 15th century and the windows
in all four sides are alike, consisting of two cinquefoiled lights. There is a similar modern window low
down on the west side and between it and the belfry
window a modern quatrefoiled circle. On the exterior on the north side is a modern stone staircase,
leading up to a door into the tower, and on the
south side are a small blocked pointed doorway and a
widely splayed 13th-century lancet, also blocked, and
not visible on the outer face of the wall.
All the roofs but that of the south porch are modern;
the font, to the west of the south door, dates from
the 15th century and is octagonal with traceried
panels on an octagonal stem. In the vestry is an
ancient iron-bound
chest of oak, and in
the tower a piece of
Flemish tapestry dating from the middle
of the 16th century.
On the north wall
of the chancel near
the east end is a
marble monument
with Corinthian
columns and canopy,
to William Boteler,
1601, son and heir of
William Boteler, son
and heir of Sir William
Boteler, builder of the
north aisle, and to
Ursula his second wife,
1621, with kneeling
effigies above those of
their three daughters
and two sons. The
arms are Quarterly (I)
Gules a fesse checky
argent and sable between six crosslets or
(Boteler); (2) Gules
crusilly or an inescutcheon vair
(Molesworth); (3)
Argent a fesse gules and in chief a cheveron gules
(Kirton); (4) Gules a cheveron between three
peacocks in their pride argent (Peacock).
The wife's arms, which are those of Smith of
Ostenhanger in Kent, are given as quarterly of nine.
They seem to have been repainted.
Another monument on this wall is to Alice daughter
of the above William Boteler and wife of Edward
Osborne, 1615, with an acrostic epitaph in English.
Her husband's quartered coat has been incorrectly
painted.
In the floor of the vestry at the east end of the
north aisle is a slab with three small brass effigies, a
man and his wife in long robes, and another man;
under the first two a Latin inscription to William
Faldo and Agnes his wife, and under the other a
Latin inscription to John Faldo. Also a slab with
brasses of two figures in shrouds without date or
inscription. There is a brass on the north wall to
Helen daughter of George Nodes and wife of
William Boteler, 1639. On the south wall of the
tower is a brass with Latin inscription to John Aylyff.
There are six bells; the first five by Emmerton of
Wootton, 1787. The tenor was formerly of the
same casting, the ring of six having been made from
an old ring of five, but was recast by Taylor in 1896.
The plate consists of a communion cup and cover
paten of 1569 engraved with a boar's head and the
initials 'W. B.,' a flagon of 1689, 'The Gift of
Francis Reeve, gent. who Dyed July ye 30th 1689,'
and a large plated standing paten engraved 'Biddenham Parish 1846.' There are also two pewter plates
each with the date 1707 below a shield bearing a
bend between two frets, and over it 'T. S.'
Biddenham Church from the South.
The registers previous to 1813 are in four books:
(i) 1663 to 1732; (ii) 1732 to 1806, marriages only
till 1754; (iii) 1754 to 1812, marriages; (iv) 1806
to 1812 baptisms and burials.
ADVOWSON
The first mention that has been
found of Biddenham Church occurs
in 1252, when the advowson belonged to William Passelowe. (fn. 61) By 1278 it had
passed to John de Kyrkeby, who held it as part of
the honour of Gloucester, to which the greater part
of this parish belonged. (fn. 62) John de Kyrkeby, who
was Bishop of Ely, died in 1290, when his brother
William became heir to the advowson of Biddenham.
The church was valued in the Taxatio of 1291 at
£4 6s. 8d. (fn. 63) William died seised of the church in
1302, leaving as co-heirs four sisters, of whom Mabel
Grimbaud appears to have received the advowson of
Biddenham, for in 1314 she relinquished her claim
to it in favour of Christina widow of William de
Kyrkeby. (fn. 64)
In the following year Christina alienated the
advowson in mortmain to the Abbess of Waterbeach
(Cambridgeshire), who received at the same time a
licence to appropriate the church. (fn. 65) About the year
1349 the Countess of Pembroke removed the nuns
from Waterbeach to Denny, which convent continued to hold the advowson until the Dissolution. (fn. 66)
The advowson and rectory were then granted in
1539 to Edward Elrington, (fn. 67) who sold them almost
immediately to William Boteler, (fn. 68) and their history is
henceforward identical with Biddenham or Newnham Manor (q.v.) in the same parish, the right of
presentation being now exercised by Mr. Trevor
Wingfield. (fn. 69)
There was a chantry in Biddenham Parish Church
prior to the Dissolution, which was founded by
William Boteler for masses to be sung at the altar of
St. William. Its value at the time of its suppression was £6, of which 12s. was due to the king
for tithes. (fn. 70)
CHARITIES
An ancient payment of £5 a year
out of an estate formerly belonging
to the Boteler family applied towards
the purchase of a bull for providing beef for the poor
on St. Thomas's Day was redeemed by the transfer
of £200 consols to the official trustees.
In 1706 Elizabeth Boteler by will directed
£200 to be laid out in the purchase of land for
the poor. The trust estate consists of 8 acres or
thereabouts of copyhold land in Cranfield let at
£12 a year.
An ancient customary donation of a quantity of
malt, known as the Whitsuntide Beer Charity, was
commuted in 1883 by the transfer to the official
trustees of £100 consols.
The income of the several charities, together with
a sum of £1 a year paid by the Grocers' Company,
London, under will of Sir William Boteler, dated in
1529, are now applied together in the purchase of an
ox, which is cut up and duly distributed among the
cottagers.
Sir William Boteler also devised £2 a year for the
repair of the highways.