STAGSDEN
Stacheden, Stachesdene (xi–xvi cent.); Stagesden,
Stagsden (xvi–xx cent.).
Stagsden has an area of 3,419 acres, of which
1,825¼ are arable land, 1,282½ permanent grass and
153¼ woods and plantations. (fn. 1) The slope of the
ground is irregular, but mainly from north-west to
south-east; the highest point is 270 ft. above
ordnance datum in the north, the lowest 125 ft.
The soil is strong clay, the subsoil blue clay and
chalkstone. There is a limestone quarry in the east
of the parish which provides a plentiful supply of
stone. The parish is badly supplied with water, and
in dry summers suffers from drought. It possesses a
chalybeate spring, now in a neglected condition (fn. 2) and
boarded up within the last few years.
The village is situated in the centre of the parish
on rising ground, with the parish church dedicated
to St. Lawrence on an eminence in the centre.
There is also a Congregational chapel in the village.
The villagers are still engaged in a small manufacture
of pillow lace. Outlying portions of the parish are
West End, a mile south of the village, Up End about
the same distance west, North End a mile and a
quarter north-west. Wick End, with a moat, about
a mile and a quarter north-east of the church, marks
the site of Dylywyk Manor, now a farm-house;
Bury End, still further north, formerly a farm but
now a private residence, possibly represents the site
of another of the numerous manors which existed in
Stagsden. It is a stone building with a tile roof, but
has been much modernized. Within it are an 18th-century staircase and a richly panelled early 17th-century bedroom with a fine Jacobean fireplace.
Traces of a moat are still to be seen. Stagsden is
well wooded, the principal woods being Hanger
Wood, Asty Wood and Lambert's Spinney in the
south, How Wood, Upend Wood, Wickend Spinney
and Bagley's Spinney. (fn. 3)
The parish was inclosed in 1812. (fn. 4)
MANORS
The principal of the four landowners
found in Stagsden at the Survey of 1086
was Hugh de Beauchamp, who held a
manor of 5 hides, (fn. 5) and with the exception of Gemys
Manor the whole of this parish is subsequently found
attached to the barony of Bedford. (fn. 6) The most
important manor was known as DYLYWYK alias
WICK END MANOR, (fn. 7) and was held by the
Beauchamps and their lineal descendants of the king
in chief. It follows the same descent as that part of
the barony of Bedford which passed through Beatrice,
co-heir of the barony in 1265, to the Botetourts,
thence to the Latimers and Nevills of Raby. (fn. 8)
Dylywyk Manor was finally alienated in 1589 by
Lucy, co-heir of Lord Latimer, and her husband
William Cornwallis to Lewis Lord Mordaunt, (fn. 9) and
was retained by the latter's
family until 1710, (fn. 10) when it
was purchased by Sir Thomas
Trevor, (fn. 11) the descent of whose
property has been discussed
under Bromham. In 1873
it was purchased from the
trustees of Lord Dynevor's
estate by the Crown. After
the close of the 18th century
the name of Dylywyk disappears, and the several manors
which unite to form the
Stagsden property of Viscount
Hampden in 1812 are grouped
together under the common name of Stagsden
Manor. (fn. 12)
Mordaunt. Argent a cheveron between three stars sable.
Dylywyk Manor had a park attached which is
mentioned as early as 1086, in which year the Survey
records that Stagsden contains 'a park for beasts of
the chase.' (fn. 13) This park contained 180 acres in 1278. (fn. 14)
In 1396 it was worth nothing beyond reprises except
that Gilbert Deye the parker drew a salary of £4. (fn. 15)
It is mentioned in the sale to Lord Mordaunt in
1589, (fn. 16) and in various extents of the manor during the
17th and 18th centuries. (fn. 17)
John de Botetourt received a charter of free
warren in Dylywyk Manor in 1304, (fn. 18) which was
confirmed in 1329 to his successor William Latimer. (fn. 19)
A view of frankpledge was also attached to Dylywyk
in 1330. (fn. 20)
A windmill formed part of the extent in 1278, of
which, however, no further trace has been found. (fn. 21)
At the Domesday Survey the Bishop of Bayeux
owned 3 hides 3 virgates of land in Stagsden, having
as his tenant Herbert son of Ivo. (fn. 22) On his death in
1097 his lands escheated to the Crown, and are to
be found later as GEMYS, JEMPSIS or STANFORD
MANOR, the only manor in this parish held of the
Crown in chief, and one whose extent in 1278,
equalling as it does that of the Survey, justifies the
assumption that it represents the Bishop's land. The
family of 'Gemys,' (fn. 23) who subsequently obtained possession, are first found in the parish in 1233, when
William de Gemys held land here (including a capital
messuage) by service of one-third of a knight's fee. (fn. 24)
Robert de Gemys, his descendant, held this same fee
in 1278–9. (fn. 25) He died in 1310 and was succeeded
by his son Robert, then aged twenty-four. (fn. 26) In
1334 John son of Robert Gemys acquired land in
Stagsden on his father's death, (fn. 27) and in 1349 he,
together with his wife Eleanor, made a settlement of
the third of the manor on his mother Joan wife of
Robert Mordaunt. (fn. 28) John Gemys died in 1366,
when the manor, worth 100s., passed to his son
John, (fn. 29) whose wife Christine survived him and held
the manor till her death in 1423. (fn. 30) The heir for
this property was William Gemys, brother of John
Gemys, who had died without issue, though Christine's
nieces Joan Bray and Joan Bosoun are also named. (fn. 31)
William died seised of the manor in 1428, and it
then passed to his daughter Joan wife of Nicholas
Ravenhill. (fn. 32) Joan had a daughter Agnes, wife of James
Fynaunce, to whom Gemys passed on her mother's
death in 1447. (fn. 33) Agnes Fynaunce was followed in
1458 by a son John Fynaunce, aged seventeen at the
time of his mother's death. (fn. 34) In 1468–9 John
Fynaunce had this manor handed over to him by
trustees assigned by his late mother (fn. 35) ; this appears
to have been done preparatory to an alienation to
John Stanford, who in the same year was enfeoffed
of this manor by other trustees. (fn. 36)
At his death in 1493 he left two daughters as coheirs, Elizabeth wife of Sir William Cornwallis, and
Margaret wife of George Harvey. (fn. 37) During the
next half-century the manor was in moieties. Of
these the share of Elizabeth Cornwallis was conveyed
by her in trust to William Gascoyne and others in
1528. (fn. 38) It probably became absorbed in Dylywyk
Manor (q.v.), and on the alienation of that manor
by Sir William Cornwallis to Lord Mordaunt in
1588 was included in the sale, as certain lands in
Stagsden stated to be held in chief are specially mentioned apart from Dylywyk. (fn. 39) The other moiety
was conveyed in 1544 by the heirs of Margaret
Harvey to Lord Mordaunt. (fn. 40) Though following the
same descent as Dylywyk it did not lose its separate
identity, but is mentioned by name as late as the
18th century.
A third manor in Stagsden is that known as
BOSOMS, which name is derived from 13th-century
tenants called Bosom, Bosoun or Buzum. It was held
of the barony of Bedford, of which overlordship
mention is found in the 13th and 14th centuries, a
reference in 1366–7 showing that it passed to that
branch of the barony which was held by the Patishulls. (fn. 41)
The first mention that has been found of the
family is in 1276 when Bartholomew Bosom granted
messuage, land and rents in Stagsden to Alexander
Bosom and Ida his wife. (fn. 42) This land included
1 hide and was held chiefly in demesne. (fn. 43) He and
his wife were still holding in 1286, (fn. 44) but it was probably their son Alexander whose right in the manor
Edmund Bosom acknowledged in 1330. (fn. 45) One of the
same name was holding in 1343 and again in 1366. (fn. 46)
In 1398 William son of John Bosom sued Walter Bosom
and Joan his wife for this property as lineal descendant
of the Alexander who received a grant from Bartholomew Bosom in 1276. (fn. 47) The Bosoms continued
to hold in Stagsden until c. 1459, when the co-heirs
of Alexander Bosom were his daughters Elizabeth
wife of John Halton and Anne wife of Nicholas Ovy. (fn. 48)
Its history during the next forty years cannot be
traced, though it evidently remained in moieties in
the same families, for in 1497 Eleanor Coly, evidently
representing Elizabeth Halton's portion, transferred
her share to John Mordaunt, (fn. 49) and in 1506 William
Villiers son of Philippa daughter of Anne Ovy granted
his right in the manor to the same John Mordaunt. (fn. 50)
Bosoms Manor henceforward follows the same descent
as Dylywyk Manor, preserving, however, its distinctive name till the 18th century.
In the 13th century a fourth manor known as
STAGSDEN or BURDELYS MANOR was held of
the barony of Beauchamp of Bedford. In 1278 it
was held of Roger L'Estrange (husband of Maude
Beauchamp) and of the Abbot of Warden, (fn. 51) and four
years later the overlordship was vested in Sir William
de Monchensey (husband of Beatrice co-heir with and
sister of Maud Beauchamp), Warden Abbey and
Newnham Priory, both of which houses had largely
benefited by Beauchamp donations. (fn. 52) Part of the
service attached to tenure of the manor at this latter
date and probably due to the religious houses was
an obligation to feed and clothe three poor men for
ever, 'whose food is worth yearly 39s. including
garments and buskins (calciamentis).' (fn. 53) In 1348, when
the last mention of the overlordship has been found,
John de Burdelys is described as tenant in chief of
the king. (fn. 54)
John de Burdelys, the first tenant of this manor of
whom mention has been found, was holding land in
this parish in 1278. (fn. 55) He died in 1283, when his
son Geoffrey, then twenty-one years of age, acquired
possession of the manor. (fn. 56) He was followed before
1321 by his son John de
Burdelys, (fn. 57) whose widow some
time previous to 1346 married
Robert Hotot, and who died
at that date, leaving the manor
to her son by her first husband
John de Burdelys. (fn. 58) He was
then a minor (fn. 59) and died the
following year, (fn. 60) when a partition of all his property took
place between his sisters and
co-heirs Elizabeth wife of
Thomas Marshall and Joan
wife of Gilbert atte Chamber. (fn. 61) To the latter was
assigned Stagsden Manor, and in 1362 she together
with her husband alienated it to Edmund Bosom. (fn. 62)
In 1497 Eleanor Coly transferred this manor together
with Bosoms to John Mordaunt and others, (fn. 63) and,
though not again found mentioned individually by
name, it became absorbed in and followed the same
descent as Bosoms and other manors which he owned
in this parish.
Burdlys. Ermine a chief gules with a leopard or therein.
DUXWORTH or DUCKFORD MANOR
DUXWORTH or DUCKFORD MANOR, a property which appears in Stagsden in the early 16th
century, seems to have originated in land held by
tenants of the name of Dokesworth in the 13th century, whose property was held in 1278 by Henry
de Dylywyk of Ralph Paynel as of the barony of
Bedford. (fn. 64)
In 1310 William Sweyn conveyed a small portion
of land in this parish to John de Dokesworth. (fn. 65) A
few years later in 1316 John de Dokesworth held
one messuage, 90 acres of land, 8 acres of meadow,
3 acres of wood and 7s. rent in Stagsden. (fn. 66) In
1346 Hugh de Dokesworth held land by knight's
service in Stagsden of the barony of Bedford. (fn. 67) This
is the property which appears in 1514 as belonging
to Thomas Marlborough and Margaret his wife,
who then conveyed it to Sir Ralph Lane. (fn. 68) He died
seised of Duxworth Manor in 1540, when his son
Robert, then aged thirteen, became his heir. (fn. 69)
Nothing further is heard of this manor till the 17th
century, when it had become the property of the
Mordaunts, who at this time owned the greater part
of the parish, separate mention of it being found
only in 1644 (fn. 70) and 1685–6. (fn. 71)
From the 13th to the 16th century a family of
the name of Goldstone held land in Stagsden of the
barony of Bedford. In 1286 Geoffrey Goldstone
was called to warrant his mother's dower in Stagsden, (fn. 72)
and twenty years later Peter Goldstone held half a
virgate of land here for one-fortieth of a fee. (fn. 73) John
Goldstone held this fee in 1346, (fn. 74) and this family
was still settled in the parish nearly 100 years later,
for in 1439 Richard Goldstone of Stagsden 'gentilman' received a free pardon for breach of the peace. (fn. 75)
The last mention found of them is in 1528, when
John Goldstone died seised of lands and tenements
in Stagsden, leaving a son Thomas Goldstone as heir. (fn. 76)
A family of Bray or Broy were 12th-century
tenants of the Bedford barony in Stagsden. In
1196 Robert Bray owned land and services in
Stagsden which he held of Simon de Beauchamp. (fn. 77)
Eight years later his tenant Adam son of Drew held
2 hides of him by one-third of a knight's fee. (fn. 78)
Roger Bray is mentioned in the feudal assessment of
1302 for this parish, (fn. 79) and his right had passed by
1346 to Robert Mordaunt, (fn. 80) a member of that
family, which later held so largely in this parish.
The Brays were very large benefactors to Warden
Abbey, (fn. 81) and such alienations account for the scanty
details concerning what was a comparatively large
property at the beginning of the 13th century.
In 1278 Hugh le Blunt, Richard Koc and Adam
Harlew all held small portions of land of the Beauchamp barony. (fn. 82) Of the two latter no further mention has been found, but the former was still holding
in 1302, (fn. 83) and by 1346 had been succeeded by
Matthew atte Wiche. (fn. 84)
The Abbot of Warden in 1278 was declared to
hold 1 hide 3½ virgates of the gift of Robert Bray
in the reign of Henry III. (fn. 85) No part of this land
was held in demesne, but it was all in the hands of
free tenants of whom John Burdelys held 1 hide for
1 lb. of cummin. (fn. 86) In 1330 the abbot claimed that
his view of frankpledge extended into this parish. (fn. 87)
At the Dissolution Warden Abbey owned 3s. yearly
rent in Stagsden. (fn. 88)
Newnham Priory owned lands and rents in Stagsden, and in 1385 received a grant of free warren
extending into this parish. (fn. 89)
CHURCH
The church of ST. LEONARD consists of a chancel 36 ft. 6 in. long by
15 ft. 8 in. wide with a north vestry,
a nave 62 ft. 3 in. long by 19 ft. 9 in. wide, a north
chapel 25 ft. 10 in. long by 11 ft. wide, a south
aisle 11 ft. wide and a west tower 12 ft. 3 in.
square.
The west tower is in part of the 13th century,
and the western angles of the nave and probably
part of its north wall are as old or older. In the
early part of the 14th century a south aisle and south
porch were added and the chancel was probably
rebuilt except its north wall.
In the 15th century the chapel was added on the
north side of the nave, and the upper parts of the
tower built, and windows inserted in the south aisle.
The north wall of the chancel is thicker than the
south, built of rubble and apparently of the 13th
century; the east wall is quite modern and contains a
three-light pointed window with net tracery, to the
north of which is an image bracket. On the north
side of the chancel is a shouldered arched aumbry,
and at the north-west a 14th-century window much
restored, with two ogee-headed trefoiled lights under
a square head and label; to the east of it a doorway
leads into a modern vestry. In the south wall is a
14th-century piscina with a trefoiled ogee head, and
near it on the east is a small arched recess, higher in
the wall; the priest's doorway is mostly new. To the
west of it is a 15th-century window of two cinquefoiled lights under a four-centred head, and to the
east is a 14th-century window in two trefoiled lights
with a quatrefoil over. The chancel arch dies into
the walls and is in two hollow-chamfered orders; the
roof is modern.
Plan of Stagsden Church
On the north side of the nave is a late 15th-century
arcade of two bays with straight lined hollow-chamfered arches opening into the chapel; the arches rest
on a quatrefoil shaft and responds having moulded
capitals and bases. There is, further west, a blocked
14th-century moulded doorway, and to the east of
this is a window of three cinquefoiled lights and
flowing 14th-century tracery; near the tower is a
similar window. On the south side of the nave is a
14th-century arcade of five bays in two chamfered
orders, with quatrefoiled shafts and responds having
moulded capitals and bases. There are five twolight clearstory windows on each side, of 15th-century date, and above the chancel arch on the south
a small trefoiled opening which lighted the rood loft.
The north chapel is late 15th-century work, with
a plain parapet and a chamfered plinth. There are
four windows, two in the north wall and one each in
the east and west walls; the north and east windows
are of three cinquefoiled lights under a three-centred
head and label, but the west window has trefoiled
lights and may be 14th-century work adapted when
the chapel was added. From the south-east angle
the remains of the rood stair rise behind the last
respond of the arcade.
The south aisle has four windows in the south
wall, each of three cinquefoiled lights under a low
head; they are 15th-century insertions. The south
doorway is of the date of the arcade, with a moulded
arch of two orders, the outer having moulded capitals
and engaged shafts. The west wall is thicker than
the others and contains a 14th-century window of
two trefoiled lights and flowing tracery in a pointed
head. At the east end of the aisle are four 15th-century niches, one of which is trefoiled and ribvaulted and another has an image bracket carved
with a king's head; to the north of these is a plain
corbel; there is another niche quite plain in the
south wall. All these seem not to be in their
original position, but in the easternmost window is a
piscina-drain, and the sill is kept low to serve as a
seat.
The porch is of 15th-century work with a doorway which on the outside is square-headed and on the
inside is pointed; in the east and west walls are
blocked pointed windows of two lights.
The tower has an embattled parapet and a small
lead spire and has a circular stair at the north-east.
At the west end is a shouldered doorway with a
lancet window above it, both having restored heads.
The top stage is of the 15th century with pointed
windows of two cinquefoiled lights; in the middle
stage on the south side is a tall chamfered window
with a modern head which may have been a lancet.
The eastern arch is of two chamfered orders, continuous.
The font is square with the angles chamfered off
and rests on a central column of similar plan and
four free octagonal columns with moulded capitals and
bases; it is of the 14th century. The bowl is plain
except for two faces, that on the north having the
figure of a bearded man and the north-east a woman's
figure, both very poorly worked and probably much
later than the font; the chamfer below the bowl is
ornamented with ball flowers.
There is a good 15th-century screen with solid
lower panels and wide four-light open tracery bays
above; the coved vaulting has gone, and modern
panelling and cresting takes its place; the nave and
north chapel have plain late Gothic roofs of low pitch,
a good deal repaired.
In the north chapel on the north wall is a brass
plate with the kneeling figures of John Cocke and
his daughter Elizabeth, who both died in 1617. The
arms are a cheveron between three cocks' heads razed.
The plate consists of a cup of 1825, an electroplated flagon and two plates of modern pewter.
The registers previous to 1812 are in five books:
(i) has all entries 1671 to 1705; (ii) the same,
1705 to 1760; (iii) baptisms and burials 1761 to
1806; (iv) baptisms and burials 1806 to 1812; and
(v) marriages only 1755 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
Stagsden Church formed part of
the original endowment of Newnham
Priory by Simon de Beauchamp (t.
Henry II). (fn. 90) It was retained by the priory till the
Dissolution, when the church and rectory, valued at
£20, became Crown property. (fn. 91)
By 1546 the advowson had become the property
of Lord Mordaunt, (fn. 92) and follows the same descent as
the manor until 1879, when it passed by purchase to
the Rev. William H. Jackson, who holds the living. (fn. 93)
Stagsden Rectory was granted in 1546–7 to Trinity
College, Cambridge, (fn. 94) and according to Harvey the
great tithes are still vested in this college. (fn. 95)
There are no endowed charities in Stagsden.