THURLEIGH
Lalega (xi cent.); La Leye, Lega (xiii, xiv cent.);
Relye (xiv–xvi cent.); Thurley, Thurleigh (xvi–xx
cent.).
Thurleigh, situated 6 miles north-west of Bedford,
has an area of 3,418 acres, of which 1,834¼ are
arable land, 1,095¾ permanent grass and 12 woods
and plantations. (fn. 1) The parish is almost uniformly
level, the height above ordnance datum varying from
250 ft. to 270 ft., and is watered by a small tributary
of the Ouse. The soil is clay, the subsoil clay, and
the chief crops produced cereals, with a few beans.
The village, which is large and straggling, is situated towards the centre of the parish, with the
church lying on the south side of the road. In a field
near by is a square pigeon-house.
Blackborne Hall Farm, which marks the site of
the ancient manor, and still has traces of a moat and
of 17th-century work, lies a mile west of the church.
Backnoe End, with a farm of the same name, is in
the north of the parish; whilst north-east of Backnoe,
College Farm, a modern house with a moat, takes
the place of a more ancient building recently burnt
down. Thurleigh Hall, formerly the residence of
the Harveys, has been replaced during the 19th
century by a farm-house known as Whitwick Green
Farm, about a mile north-west of the church. There
is a windmill at Scald End, which is still in use.
Thurleigh has a Baptist chapel, built in 1888.
The parish was inclosed by Act of Parliament in
1805, when an allotment was made in lieu of tithes. (fn. 2)
In this parish there are remains of earthworks of
the inclosed homestead type, known as 'The Devil's
Jump,' around which certain village traditions still
linger. (fn. 3)
MANORS
At the Survey THURLEIGH MANOR,
later known as BLACKBORNE HALL,
formed part of the 3½ hides which were
attached to the land of Walter Fleming, of whose
barony of Wahull it is later held. (fn. 4) Two tenants are
found holding of Walter in 1086—Raynar having
half a hide, of whom no further mention has been
found, and Hugh, who held the manor.
There can be little doubt that this Hugh is
identical with Walter Fleming's supposed brother,
Hugh Fleming, who held Podington and other
manors of the king in chief at this date. (fn. 5) Hugh
de La Leye (Le Lega), who held ten knights'
fees of Walter de Wahull in this county in 1166, is
probably his son. (fn. 6) Canons Ashby Priory was founded
by his son, Stephen La Leye (probably in the reign
of Henry II), (fn. 7) whose son Hugh granted Thurleigh
Church to the priory some time towards the close
of the 12th century. (fn. 8) Bartholomew La Leye his son
had tenants in Thurleigh in 1202. (fn. 9) His daughter
Nichola married Roger de Cauz, and in 1219
William son of Simon La Leye acknowledged her
right to half a virgate of land here. (fn. 10) William La Leye,
a descendant, held this property in 1278–9, (fn. 11) when
it was assessed at a carucate; whilst in 1302 Thomas
de Wahull held a fee in Thurleigh by reason of the
minority of John son of William La Leye, (fn. 12) who
attained his majority before 1316. (fn. 13) Together with
his wife Dionisia William was concerned in a suit
respecting lands in Thurleigh in 1322, (fn. 14) and held
one-third of a fee here in 1346. (fn. 15) Between this
date and 1428 the manor passed to John Fitz
Geffrey, who at the latter date held the fee which
had formerly belonged to John
La Leye in Thurleigh. (fn. 16)
William Fitz Geffrey, probably
his son, had a son John who in
1536 died seised of this estate,
here called for the first time
the manor of Blackborne Hall.
He left no issue, so the manor
passed to his step-brother
Edward, (fn. 17) son of William by
his second wife Elizabeth
Wauton. (fn. 18) The Fitz Geffreys
continued to hold this manor
till the middle of the 17th
century. By 1575 it had passed to George brother
of Edward and eighth son of William Fitz Geffrey. (fn. 19)
In 1651 it was held by his son George, (fn. 20) at
which date it passed out of the family by mortgage. (fn. 21)
Alexander Randall, who appears to represent the
mortgagees, and others were
conveying the manor in trust
in 1685. (fn. 22) The Randalls also
made settlement of the manor
in 1699 and 1703, (fn. 23) and in
1707 Blackborne Hall was
purchased by Sir Nathan
Wright. (fn. 24) He died in 1727
and was succeeded by his son
Sir Nathan Wright, who in
1733 sold this property to
Robert Bell, (fn. 25) the maternal
grandfather of William Wade
Gery, in whose family the
property has remained, the
present owner being
Mr. W. H. Wade-Grey.
Fitz Geffrey. Sable a bull passant or.
Gery. Gules two bars argent with three voided lozenges gules on the bars and a quarter ermine.
The manor of THURLEIGH, later found in the
Greys, though apparently larger in size than Blackborne Hall, (fn. 26) and destined to become the more important property, yet must have originally been an
offshoot of it. The overlordship was attached to
the barony of Wahull, (fn. 27) and was exercised in 1428
by John de Patishull, (fn. 28) probably as guardian of
Thomas de Wahull, at this date a minor. (fn. 29)
It may be surmised that by intermarriage with the
La Leyes the Greys acquired their footing in Thurleigh. (fn. 30) First mention of the family in this parish
(and, indeed, in the county) has been found in 1234,
when Andrew de la Leigh held a free tenement of
John de Grey and Agnes his wife. (fn. 31) Late in the
13th century John de Grey held the vill, (fn. 32) which
followed the same descent as Harrold and Podington
Manors (q.v.), passing ultimately to the Earls of Kent.
In 1621 Henry Earl of Kent sold this manor to
Sir Oliver Butler. (fn. 33) He died in 1632, and his
widow, Lady Anne Butler, held Thurleigh Manor
till her death in 1639. (fn. 34) Sir Oliver Butler, grandson of the above, held the manor in 1673, (fn. 35) and in
1699 Sir Philip Butler sold it to Creswell Levinz. (fn. 36)
William Levinz sold the manor for £3,900 in 1721
to Sir Jeremy Sambrook, bart. (fn. 37) He died unmarried
in 1749, and was succeeded by his uncle, the fifth
and last baronet, and this manor passed to Judith
Sambrook, sister of the fourth baronet and wife of
John Crawley. It has since been retained by that
family, the present owner being Mr. Francis Crawley
of Stockwood, Luton.
Two interesting extents of Thurleigh Manor in
the 13th and 14th centuries still exist. In 1278–9
the manor included 3½ hides, of which 2 carucates
(200 acres) were in demesne; there was an ancient
park of 12 acres and inclosed wood of the same
extent, with a charter of free warren granted by
Henry IV. There was also a windmill. The nativi
who were tenants were able to buy their freedom of
their lord. (fn. 38) The second extent, bearing a later
date, 1324, is much more detailed. It refers to the
capital messuage, the garden, the dovecote, the mill
and a certain custom called 'Fysshepenny.' Two
views of frankpledge were held yearly. (fn. 39)
Sambrook, baronet. Azure three salmon argent swimming.
Crawley of Stockwood. Or a fesse gules between three storks in their proper colour with three crosslets or on the fesse.
A second Domesday holder in Thurleigh was
Miles Crispin, who held 1 virgate here, having its
former owner Levric as tenant. (fn. 40) Miles Crispin's
land became part of the Wallingford Honour, (fn. 41) of
which Reginald de Grey, lord of Thurleigh, held in
1278–9. (fn. 42) No further mention has been found of
this virgate, which probably became absorbed in the
more important estate.
The MANOR OF BACKENHO is first found
mentioned in 1377 and was attached to the barony
of Wahull, being held of the Greys. (fn. 43) Sir John
Ragon, kt., died seised of it at this date, when it
passed to his son Sir Reginald Ragon. He, who
was Sheriff of Bedfordshire in 1396 and 1402, died
some time previous to 1441,
in which year his widow Elizabeth granted the manor to
Thomas Aydrop and other
trustees representing her son
Thomas Ragon. (fn. 44) Some years
later, between 1446 and 1452,
Katharine widow of Thomas
Ragon and wife of Robert
Ekelston complained that
these trustees refused to grant
her seisin of the manor in
accordance with the will of
Thomas Ragon. (fn. 45) She appears
to have secured recognition
of her rights, for in 1452–3, together with her husband, she alienated Backenho Manor to John Heton. (fn. 46)
Twenty years later William Heton transferred the
manor to John Earl of Wiltshire, (fn. 47) who died in
1503, when Backenho passed to Edward Duke of
Buckingham, his kinsman and heir. (fn. 48) He was
attainted for high treason and executed on Tower
Hill 17 May 1521, his lands escheating to the
Crown. (fn. 49) Backenho was the subject of a life grant
to Nicholas Harvey in 1522, (fn. 50) the reversion of
this manor being conferred on Robert Tyrwhitt
in 1534. (fn. 51) He did not long retain it, for in 1562
it had passed to William Ryce, who at that date
alienated to Richard Tyrrell. (fn. 52) In 1578–9 Edward
Tyrrell obtained a licence to alienate the manor to
Robert Bacon. (fn. 53) This may have been preparatory
to the sale which in 1581 took place between
Edward Tyrrell and Sir Edmund Anderson of
Eyworth (q.v.). (fn. 54) He retained it for a few years
only, alienating it in 1596 to George Smythe, (fn. 55) who
died seised of the manor in 1609, his son Thomas
being at this time upwards of forty years of age. (fn. 56)
In 1618 Thomas Smythe was declared to be a
lunatic and unable to control his estates, and his
charge devolved on George his son and heir, who
had attained his majority. (fn. 57) Thomas Smythe's death
took place in 1631. (fn. 58) George Smythe was holding
the manor in 1637, (fn. 59) but in 1672 had given place to
William Smythe, (fn. 60) whose name occurs in settlements
of the manor in 1674, 1682, (fn. 61) and finally in 1693,
in which year a genuine alienation took place to
John Lawson. (fn. 62) The latter held Backenho in 1738
and 1739. (fn. 63) In 1753 John Lawson, probably a son
of the above, and Theodosia his wife were in possession, (fn. 64) and between this date and 1792 it passed to
James Stuart and May his wife. (fn. 65) This property
was retained by the Stuarts till late into the 19th
century. In 1860 Colonel George Stuart died
owning Backenho, at this time a farm, which he left
to his nephew. (fn. 66)
Ragon. Argent a cheveron between three harts' heads gules cut off at the neck.
The family of Hervy or Harvey, whose property
in this parish was later known as WHITWICK or
THURLEIGH MANOR, appear to have been
established in this part of Bedfordshire from the 12th
century. Henry Harvey was settled here in the
reign of Richard I, and was succeeded by a son, also
Henry, in the following reign. (fn. 67) Osbert Harvey
his son died 1205–6, and his son Adam married
Joan daughter and heir of John Fitz Hugh. (fn. 68) Their
son John married Joan daughter of John Harman
of Thurleigh, who is said to have brought this
property to her husband. (fn. 69) It is certain that in
1278–9 Hamon son of Peter held half a virgate
of Reginald de Grey (fn. 70) as of his manor of Thurleigh, of which Whitwick is subsequently found
held. (fn. 71) John Harvey appears to have come originally
from Riseley (q.v.), an adjoining parish, where in
1278 one Hervic de Risley held 1 virgate of land
of the Prior of St. John, (fn. 72) and where a branch of his
family continued to hold. He died in 1297 and
was succeeded by a son William, who married Mary
daughter and heir of Richard Foliot. (fn. 73) He died in
1376, (fn. 74) and two years later his son John Harvey
received a life exemption from being put on assizes,
juries, attaints or inquisitions and from appointment
as mayor, sheriff, escheator,
coroner, justice, constable,
collector of tenths, fifteenths
or other subsidies or quotas,
arrayer, leader (ductor) or trier
of men-at-arms, hobelers or
archers, or other minister of
the king against his will. (fn. 75)
In spite of this exemption from
public duty he acted as justice
of the peace and commissioner
of array for Bedford between
1382 and 1394, (fn. 76) and as knight
of the shire in 1386. His
son John Harvey died before
1419 and lies buried in Thurleigh Church. (fn. 77) His
son John Harvey was Master of the King's Ordnance
in 1461, and died c. 1475. (fn. 78) His son, who married
Agnes daughter of Nicholas Morley, appears to have
predeceased him, (fn. 79) but Agnes, married to a third
husband, Paston, held the manor till her death in
1510–11, when her heir was her son by her first
husband, George Harvey. (fn. 80)
Harvey of Thurleigh. Gules a bend argent with three trefoils vert thereon.
George Harvey had an illegitimate son Gerard
Smart, to whom he devised Thurleigh Manor by
will. (fn. 81) Gerard, who assumed the name of Harvey,
made a settlement of Thurleigh in 1553. (fn. 82) He was
member of Parliament for Bedford in 1554, but by
1569 had been succeeded by his son John Harvey. (fn. 83)
He died in 1594–5, leaving seven sons and three
daughters, Oliver the eldest son inheriting Thurleigh
Manor. (fn. 84) In 1605 Oliver Harvey received a visit
from James I, who stayed two nights at his house. (fn. 85)
He died in 1627 and was succeeded by his son John
Harvey, who is found making a settlement of the
manor on the occasion of his marriage to Elizabeth
daughter of Stephen Harvey in 1631–2. (fn. 86) He still
held the manor in 1651, when it is found for the
first time under the name of Whitwick, having
hitherto been known as Thurleigh Manor. (fn. 87) His
son John Harvey settled the manor by fine in 1703, (fn. 88)
but on his death in 1715 this property was sold in
accordance with the instructions contained in his
will. (fn. 89) Whitwick Manor thus passed to Sir John
Holt, the eminent lord chief justice, and was held in
1744 by Rowland Holt. (fn. 90) In 1790–1 it was sold to
the Duke of Bedford by Thomas Holt for £1, 796, (fn. 91)
and in 1880 was purchased from the duke's successor
by William Thomson.
In 1086 Leviet held half a hide in Thurleigh of
Hugh de Beauchamp, which had formerly been held
by Moding, a man of Queen Edith. (fn. 92) This halfhide, attached to the barony of Bedford, was held
for one-fortieth of a knight's fee by Simon de Patishull
in the 13th century. (fn. 93) John de Patishull held it in
1316 (fn. 94) and in 1346, (fn. 95) and in 1428 it had passed to
Robert Shottisbrook, after which no further trace of
it can be distinguished. (fn. 96)
Robert de Oilgi also held land in Thurleigh at the
time of the Survey. Two tenants held of him,
Richard Basset having half a hide and Salomon the
priest 1 virgate. The Bassets continued to hold
in this parish till the 13th century, for in 1182
Thurstan Basset paid 2 marks to the sheriff in a plea
against the Abbot of Missenden, (fn. 97) and in 1219 the
abbot owed half a mark for summoning Thurstan
Basset to warrant him land in 'Leghe,' (fn. 98) though
there is no trace of the abbot holding land in
Thurleigh after this date.
In 1278–9 Richard Bosard held 1 virgate of land
in Thurleigh in right of his wife as of the honour of
Belvoir. (fn. 99)
The Prior of St. John of Jerusalem claimed that
his view of frankpledge extended into this parish in
the 13th century. (fn. 100)
Caldwell Priory, (fn. 101) Dunstable Priory (fn. 102) and
Warden Abbey also owned small meadows and pastures
in this parish. (fn. 103)
CHURCH
The church of ST. PETER has a
central tower 14 ft. 9 in. by 15 ft. wide,
with a chancel 27 ft. 9 in. by 17 ft. on
the east of it, and a nave 53 ft. 9 in. by 21 ft. 6 in.
wide on the west, having north and south aisles
9 ft. 6 in. and 10 ft. wide respectively.
The oldest part is the tower (c. 1130), which
seems to have stood then as now between nave and
chancel, but there are no other remains of the church
of that date. The present chancel was built in the
14th century of the same width as its predecessor,
and in the 15th century the whole of the nave and
the top story of the tower were rebuilt.
The chancel is of random rubble, which retains a
little of the plaster with which it was covered, and
the east end has a 15th-century diagonal buttress at
each angle. The east window is 14th-century work,
and consists of three trefoiled lights with net tracery
under a pointed head, and there is a string underneath
it on the outside which stops at the buttresses. The
north side is covered with ivy and contains no windows.
On the south side is a 14th-century piscina recess
with two pointed hollow-chamfered arches, grooved
in the jambs and heads as for a narrow board, and
with a single drain in the east half, and two 15thcentury windows in ironstone of three cinquefoiled
lights under a four-centred arch; under the west of
these is a 14th-century square-headed low-side
window of one trefoiled ogee-headed light. Between
the windows is a plain south doorway.
The lower part of the tower has a round-headed
south doorway in two square orders, with a billet
label and a tympanum sculptured with the Fall. In
the north wall is a low 14th-century arch, now
blocked, which must have opened to a now destroyed
building. At a higher level are small round-headed
lights on north and south, widely splayed within;
on the south side above the round-headed light is a
lancet, and the belfry windows are pairs of two-light
openings with cinquefoiled heads, of plain 15thcentury style. The tower ends in a short leaded
spire. Its east and west arches are of two pointed
chamfered orders on octagonal half-responds of the
date of the nave.
The nave is of four bays with arcades of two
chamfered orders on octagonal shafts and responds,
with moulded capitals and bases; above these are
clearstory windows of two cinquefoiled lights. At
the west end is a large four-centred window of four
cinquefoiled lights with perpendicular tracery and a
plain transom; in the north-east angle is a rood
staircase with upper and lower doors; it also serves
as the tower stair.
The north aisle has a 15th-century east window,
of which the cusps have disappeared, and one in the
north wall with modern tracery; at the west end is
a window of two cinquefoiled lights. The north
doorway is pointed and has a similar label to the
windows, and there is a piscina with a cinquefoiled
head of clunch near the east end of the aisle, set in
the angle of the rood stairs.
In the south aisle the windows are in two chamfered orders with three cinquefoiled lights and perpendicular tracery; the doorway is in two orders,
the outer chamfered and the inner moulded with a
double ogee; above it is a plain corbel, and to the
west inside the church a wide cinquefoiled recess
with a shallow oblong bowl for holy water. The
font is of the 15th century, and consists of an
octagonal panelled bowl on a shaft also panelled and
bearing shields, one of which has on a bend three
trefoils slipped; the rest are all blank. The porch
has on each side two square-headed windows containing two cinquefoiled lights, and the outer arch is a
good though dilapidated example with a pointed arch
under a square head.
Thurleigh Church from the South-east
In the floor of the middle aisle of the nave is a
large Purbeck slab with the brass of a knight c. 1420;
the marginal inscription is gone, and three of the
four shields; on the remaining one is a plain coat,
per pale indented.
In the wall of the south aisle is a small Purbeck
slab with brass plate inscribed 'Here lyeth Edmond
Daye 1590–1,' with his arms: Gules two flaunches
ermine and a chief azure with three suns or therein.
The roof of the chancel is plain but old.
The nave and aisles have simple 15th-century roofs
of low pitch, with cambered ties and large braces to
them; on the eastern tie-beam is painted the inscription referring to a now destroyed Doom—doubtless painted on the plaster which has been picked off
the wall here and throughout the church. The
ridge and purlins here are painted for a short length
with cheveron pattern in red, white and black, and
on the north wall is the figure of an angel, and
something indistinct on the south wall. In the west
window of the south aisle are some fragments of old
glass borders set in modern patterns.
Near the south doorway is the octagonal panelled
and traceried base of a churchyard cross, raised on
three steps.
There are six bells: the first is modern; the
second by Russell of Wootton, 1743; the third recast in 1864; the fourth is inscribed 'God save the
Queene 1593'; the fifth is an old bell rudely cast
and without inscription; and the sixth bears 'Ave
Maria' with no other marks.
The communion plate consists of a cup with a
foliated band and date letter 1577, and a modern set
consisting of an electro-plated flagon, paten and plate.
The registers before 1812 are in six books:
(i) contains all entries 1562 to 1653; (ii) the same
1653 to 1671; (iii) the same 1678 to 1683; (iv) the
same 1705 to 1744; (v) marriages 1754 to 1812;
and (vi) baptisms and burials 1806 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
Canons Ashby Priory, which was
founded in the time of Henry II by
Stephen de La Leye, received a grant
of Thurleigh Church from his eldest son Hugh de
La Leye towards the close of the 12th century. (fn. 104) In
1278–9 the parson of the church held half a virgate
of land in pure alms, whilst the Prior of Canons
Ashby had, together with the advowson, a virgate
held by certain natives in villeinage. (fn. 105) In 1291 the
church was worth £10, (fn. 106) and in 1394 the canons
received a licence to appropriate the church, provided
the vicar was endowed with a sufficient portion and a
sum of money yearly distributed among the poor
parishioners. (fn. 107) This licence was confirmed by the
pope in 1397. (fn. 108) At the Dissolution Thurleigh
Church, from which Canons Ashby at this time
received a pension of £10, (fn. 109) became Crown property (fn. 110) and remained so till 1565–6, in which year
Oliver Lord St. John received a grant of the rectory, (fn. 111)
and his son Oliver Lord St. John died seised in 1618
of the rectory and advowson of Thurleigh Church. (fn. 112)
The St. Johns continued to hold till 1722, (fn. 113) between
which date and the presentation in 1731 it passed to
Sir Jeremiah Sambrook, who had about this time
acquired Thurleigh Manor, to which the advowson
has since remained attached, (fn. 114) the right being exercised
at the present day by Mr. Francis Crawley.
CHARITIES
The Free School, as appeared from
an entry in a terrier formerly existing
in the parish, was founded by George
Franklyn in 1618, and endowed by him with an
annuity of 40s. out of a close called Scott's Close in
Goldington, which, if there were no schoolmaster,
was to be given to other charitable uses. The old
school buildings still exist, also a tenement and 2 a. 2 r.
of land mentioned in the same terrier, producing
£6 10s. a year. By an order of 15 April 1904, made
under the Board of Education Act, 1899, the whole
of the endowment was determined to be for educational purposes.
In 1861 Samuel Cooper by will, proved at London
1 July, bequeathed £50 consols, the dividends to be
applied as rewards to poor children (not Dissenters)
who should give best answers to Church Catechism.
The stock is held by the official trustees.
In 1713, as appeared from the same terrier, John
Harvey by his will devised a cottage near the church
and certain lands, the rents to be distributed at
Christmas amongst the poorest families not receiving
parish relief. The trust property now consists of
the Red Lion public-house, let at £16 a year, and
1 r. 16 p., known as Old Leyton Allotment, let at 10s.
a year, which are applied in sums of 3s. to poor
families and of 1s. 6d. to poor children. By a scheme of
the Charity Commissioners of 1870 the income may
at the option of the trustees be applied in education.
In 1814 Robert Jefferies by will charged his freehold estate at Park End with 2s. to each of four poor
widows or widowers at Christmas time. The payment is made by Mr. Thomas Jefferies of Sutton,
Beds., the owner of the property charged.
The Church Estate, the origin of which is unknown,
consists of house and 4 a. 3 r. 33 p. and two cottages,
producing about £24 a year, which is applicable for
the repairs and sustentation of the fabric of the church
and maintenance of divine service.
The Baptist chapel, built in 1888, is endowed
with £10 a year for the minister, derived from a
legacy of £200 by will of the late Mr. John Jefferies.