LITTLE STAUGHTON
Stocton Parva, Stokton Parva (xiii cent.).
The parish of Little Staughton comprises an area
of 1,746 acres, of which 954 are arable land and
646 permanent grass. (fn. 1) The soil is mixed and the
subsoil clay and gravel; the chief crops are wheat,
barley and oats. The southern half of the parish
is on high ground from 216 ft. to 240 ft. above
ordnance datum; towards the north the ground
slopes rapidly downwards, the northern boundary of
the parish being only about 100 ft. above ordnance
datum. No thoroughfare of any importance traverses
this parish, but the village straggles for a mile along a
road which enters from Colmworth in the south-east.
It is situated on high ground, the church occupying
a specially fine position in the north-east, approached
from the road by a lane. In 1900 its spire, a conspicuous feature in the surrounding scenery, was
destroyed by lightning. (fn. 2) The scattered cottages
which form the village are mainly modern and built
of brick. The rectory is some distance south of the
church on the west side of the street; north of the
rectory on the opposite side is the Manor Farm, of
considerable size, which marks the site of the ancient
manor-house. Small outlying districts of the parish
are Green End in the north and West End. There
is a large Baptist chapel in Little Staughton, with
ourial-ground attached.
At the present day there is only 1 acre of woodland, but in the 13th century the Knights Templars
employed a forester, (fn. 3) and there is record of a wood
called 'la Lunde,' (fn. 4) while in the reign of Henry VIII
a wood known as Barewood existed in the parish. (fn. 5)
On the evening of 18 June 1271 Hugh le Prest,
felon and outlaw in the county of Lincoln and
murderer in the county of Huntingdon, closely pursued by the sheriffs of these counties and their men,
took refuge in the house of Roger, a servant of the
Templars, in this parish. His hiding-place was discovered, and, after a brief defence, he was cut down and
slain. The hue was then raised, and the two sheriffs
having explained to the township the reason of their
intrusion, handed over the head of the outlaw and
departed. Hugh's horse was found the next day
grazing in a corn-field belonging to the Knights
Templars, and was adjudged the property of the
township. (fn. 6)
The following place-names have been found in
the parish:—Walecote, Gerardesholmus, Robowell,
Orescroft, Kynemare, Rodland, Wychercheshegges
and Aldwic (xiii cent.).
MANOR
It must now be admitted that LITTLE
STAUGHTON finds no mention in the
Domesday Survey, for Mr. Airy's theory,
expressed in his Digest of the Bedfordshire Domesday,
that the entries under 'Estone' refer to Little
Staughton, is disproved by Mr. J. H. Round's identification of 'Estone' with the Huntingdonshire parish
of Easton. (fn. 7) The earliest document dealing with
Little Staughton that has been discovered bears the
date of 1206; it records that John de Stocton in
that year quitclaimed a carucate of land in Little
Staughton to Brother Aimery, master of the Templars, for 30 marks of silver. (fn. 8) The next year the
same John quitclaimed to the Templars a plot of
land called 'Estocking,' which they had previously
held of him, and on which their capital messuage
was built. (fn. 9) In 1253 the Templars received a charter
of free warren in Little Staughton (fn. 10) ; their claim of
frankpledge in 1287 was considered doubtful and
the case was referred to Westminster for decision. (fn. 11)
Throughout the 13th and early 14th centuries the
Templars increased their holding in Little Staughton (fn. 12) ;
at the beginning of the 14th century the annual
value of their rents there was £3 0s. 9¼d. (fn. 13) On the
suppression of the order circa 1318 (fn. 14) Little Staughton
with the bulk of the Templars' property passed into
the hands of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem.
This latter order had a preceptory in the neighbouring parish of Melchbourne (q.v.) and had previously held some land in Little Staughton. (fn. 15) The
Hospitallers granted the manor to John Bishop of
Ely for life, (fn. 16) who in turn granted it to John de
Waldeshef, who claimed rights of free warren and a
view of frankpledge there in 1330. (fn. 17) After the death
of the bishop in 1337 the manor reverted to the
Hospitallers. (fn. 18) At the time of the Dissolution Little
Staughton Manor was granted to Anthony Cockett. (fn. 19)
In 1547 he alienated it to William Gery of Bushmead, (fn. 20) who in 1572 settled it upon his son
William on the occasion of his marriage with Rebecca
Snowe. (fn. 21) William Gery the younger died seised of
the manor in 1586. (fn. 22) His wife Rebecca took for
her second husband Thomas Polge (fn. 23) ; she died in
1601 and was succeeded by her son Richard Gery. (fn. 24)
The latter previous to his death, which occurred in
1638, (fn. 25) settled the manor on his son William on the
occasion of his marriage. (fn. 26) William Gery was succeeded by his brother George, who took an active
part in the Civil War on the Royalist side. He was
taken prisoner at the battle of
Naseby, and imprisoned in
Winchester House, where he
took the negative oath. (fn. 27) In
1644, being indebted to a
barber-surgeon to the amount
of £90, he was forced by the
Parliament to grant the latter
an annuity of £40 out of the
manor of Little Staughton
until the debt was paid. (fn. 28) He
compounded for his delinquency in 1648 for an annuity
of £10 to be paid out of this
manor. (fn. 29) In 1650 he alienated Little Staughton to John
Spicer. (fn. 30) He or a son of the
same name sold the manor to
Henry Kingsley in 1700, (fn. 31) who dying in 1712 was
succeeded by his son Heylock Kingsley. (fn. 32) Elizabeth
daughter and heir of Heylock Kingsley married
William Pym, (fn. 33) who became lord of Little Staughton Manor on the death of his father-in-law in
1749. (fn. 34) William Pym died in 1788 (fn. 35) ; his son
and heir Francis suffered a recovery of the manor the
same year. (fn. 36) He was lord of the manor when the
parish was inclosed in 1801, (fn. 37) but the property has
since been dispersed by sale among many owners.
Courts leet and baron and a view of frankpledge were
formerly attached to this manor. (fn. 38)
Gery of Bushmead. Gules two bars argent with three voided lozenges gules on each bar and a quarter or with a leopard's head azure therein.
That Bushmead Priory owned lands in Little
Staughton in the early part of the 13th century is
proved by a reference to them in a Bull of Pope
Gregory addressed to the prior. (fn. 39) In 1387–8 John
de Hemingford and others granted a messuage with
54 acres of arable land, 4 acres of meadow, 8 acres
of wood and 5s. rent in Little Staughton to the
Prior of Bushmead, to be held of the honour of
Bedford. (fn. 40) At the time of the Dissolution the annual
rent from the priory's possessions in Little Staughton
was £3 3s. (fn. 41) Henry VIII granted these lands to
Sir William Gascoigne of Cardington, (fn. 42) comptroller
of Cardinal Wolsey's household. (fn. 43) Sir William's
son and heir Sir John Gascoigne in 1545 obtained
licence to alienate the land to Anthony Cockett, (fn. 44)
who a year later was granted the manor of Little
Staughton. (fn. 45) The further descent of this land is the
same as that of the manor (q.v.).
Midway through the 13th century Thomas son of
Jordan held land in Little Staughton, (fn. 46) which he
held as a tenth part of a knight's fee of the barony
of Bedford. (fn. 47) By 1284–6 this property, which
amounted to half a hide of land, had passed to
Walter de la Sale. (fn. 48) No further mention occurs of
it, (fn. 49) but it is possible that this was the land, held of
the barony of Bedford, that John de Hemingford
and others granted to Bushmead Priory in 1387–8. (fn. 50)
The priory of Chicksands founded by Pain de
Beauchamp (fn. 51) owned land in Little Staughton in the
13th century. Possibly it formed part of the original
endowment of the priory, but the first mention of it
occurs in a charter of confirmation of William de
Beauchamp, grandson of Pain. (fn. 52) In 1244 the
master of the Knights Templars granted the Prior
of Chicksands common of pasture in Little
Staughton for 518 sheep, 6 oxen and 8 pigs. (fn. 53) At
the time of the Dissolution the rents of the priory's
land in the parish were valued at £1 0s. 2d. per
annum. (fn. 54) The further history of this land has not
been traced.
In the 13th century part of Little Staughton was
held of the Earl of Hereford and Essex as parcel of
his honour of Kimbolton. (fn. 55) In 1286–7 the earl
claimed that a tenth part of Little Staughton was his,
and that he had a view of frankpledge there. (fn. 56) His
tenants were the Peyvre family, (fn. 57) who were granted
rights of free warren in Little Staughton in 1253. (fn. 58)
This property was appurtenant to the manor of
Pertenhall (q.v.), and possibly became separated from
the Pertenhall property at a later date, as in 1518
the Peyvres' successors the Darells are recorded as
holding a manor of WHIKEY. (fn. 59) No further
mention of this 'manor' occurs, but there is a
Wickey Farm in Little Staughton parish at the
present day.
A family of Stocton held land in Staughton from
about 1240 to about 1346. (fn. 60) Their property was
held as one thirty-fourth part of a knight's fee of the
honour of Betun until the beginning of the 14th
century. (fn. 61) By 1346 it had become parcel of the
honour of Huntingdon. (fn. 62) No further mention of
it has been found.
CHURCH
The church of ST. MARGARET
consists of a chancel 33 ft. 3 in. by
17 ft. 8 in., a nave 40 ft. 3 in. by 17 ft.
7 in., a south aisle 10 ft. 2 in. wide, and a west
tower 10 ft. 9 in. by 11 ft. 4 in.
The church has developed from an aisleless
13th-century building with a nave and chancel of
equal width. The chancel was rebuilt in the
15th century, a south aisle and chapel having been
added in the 14th century; the south chapel was
lengthened eastwards when the chancel was rebuilt,
and the clearstory and tower were added at the same
time.
The tower had a stone spire which was destroyed
by lightning and has been only partly rebuilt; the
whole church has been much repaired of late years.
The east window of the chancel dates from the
15th century and consists of five cinquefoiled lights
with perpendicular tracery under a four-centred head.
On both sides of the chancel are two 15th-century
windows of two cinquefoiled lights with tracery under
four-centred heads; in the south wall there is also a
small late 14th-century door. In the north wall of
the chancel is reset a 14th-century tomb-recess with a
crocketed gabled canopy and carved spandrels, flanked
by pinnacles; the front of the tomb it contains is
panelled with quatrefoils. The chancel arch is of
the 15th century, of two chamfered orders with a
moulded half-octagonal capital and shaft to the inner
order, and has a squint in its south respond.
The north wall of the nave is divided into
three bays by buttresses running up to the parapet,
and has three two-light clearstory windows of the
15th century set high in the wall, and a single round-headed window at a lower level, probably of recent
date and intended to give light to the pulpit. The
north doorway is plain 13th-century work of two
chamfered orders. The nave arcade is of three bays,
the east bay narrower than the others and cut through
the old respond; like the others it is of two chamfered
orders, the inner springing from a moulded corbel on
the east, while the outer dies into the wall. The
respond has been cut to match the 14th-century pier
of the arcade.
The east and west windows of the aisle are of two
cinquefoiled lights with perpendicular tracery, like
the north and south windows of the chancel, but the
label is carried down much lower.
The south-east window has 15th-century jambs
and mullions and a re-used 14th-century head;
a piscina is set in the angle of its east jamb, and its
sill is carried down to serve as a seat, with a coffin-lid
built in beneath it. There are two other windows
in the south wall, one on either side of the south
porch; they date from c. 1340, and have square
heads over pairs of ogee trefoiled lights. The porch
is embattled with two-light east and west windows
and an outer archway with a pointed arch under a
square head with carved spandrels; above it is a
small rectangular niche. The inner doorway, c. 1340,
has a pointed head and label with continuous
mouldings and retains a 15th-century door with
traceried panels in the head. The west tower opens
to the nave by an arch of two chamfered orders, the
inner resting upon moulded 15th-century capitals.
The tower is of four stages with an embattled parapet
and the base of a new octagonal spire, covered with a
lead roof; at the angles are diagonal buttresses, and
in each face of the top stage is a window of two
cinquefoiled lights with a quatrefoil over. The
west door has a two-centred head with continuous
mouldings and over it is a window of three cinquefoiled lights with tracery. On the south side in the
third stage is a single trefoiled light.
The roofs of the church are low pitched and of
late 15th-century date, while the traces of an earlier
15th-century nave roof of higher pitch remain on the
tower. The chancel roof has simply moulded ties
and purlins, with carved heads on the soffits of the
ties, and the nave roof is very simple with foliate
pendants on the intermediate trusses; the eastern
truss has traceried spandrels and the roof rests on
carved stone corbels, one of which on the north side
represents a bagpiper. There are some solid 16th-century pews in the nave and aisle and the pulpit and
altar rails are 18th-century work, as is the poor-box
on a baluster pedestal. The corbels for the rood
beam remain on either side of the chancel arch, but
there is no sign of a rood stair. Close to the squint
on the south of the chancel arch is an image bracket.
Two altar slabs much worn by their use as paving
stones are now standing loose in the tower; they
measured 4 ft. 6 in. by 2 ft. 6 in. and were bonded
6 in. into the wall. There is a plain octagonal font
at the west end of the nave of 15th-century date.
A few fragments of 15th-century glass remain in the
heads of the clearstory and aisle windows. On the
14th-century tomb in the north wall of the chancel
is fixed a brass inscription to William Lake, rector,
1679, with the arms two pairs of linked rings on a
chief and a bend engrailed over all.
There are five bells: the treble recast in 1901
from a bell of 1654 by Miles Graye; the second
of 1628, inscribed 'Let all men prayse the Lord';
the third by Joseph Eayre of St. Neots, 1755; the
fourth by Joan Hille, a 15th-century foundress,
inscribed 'Benedictum nomen domini' and bearing
the 'cross and ring' shield with a lozenge over it;
and the tenor by Miles Graye, 1654.
The plate consists of a communion cup and cover
paten of 1740, bearing the arms of Bishop Fox of
Winchester, founder of Corpus Christi College,
Oxford, in a wooden case of the same date covered
with tooled leather.
The registers are in five books. The first has all
entries 1598 to 1634, 1658 to 1661, 1686 to 1688
(part), and 1688 to 1691; the second the same,
1695 to 1739; the third the same, 1746 to 1793;
the fourth marriages 1754 to 1812; the fifth
baptisms and burials 1800 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The advowson of Little Staughton
apparently belonged to the Knights
of St. John of Jerusalem and follows
the same descent as the manor (q.v.) until the
Dissolution. In 1291 the church was valued at
£5, (fn. 63) and at the Dissolution at £13 18s. 6d. (fn. 64) In
1544 the king granted the advowson to Sir Oliver
Leader and Frances his wife. (fn. 65) Lady Leader
survived her husband, and on her death in 1557
the advowson passed to her uncle Francis Baldwin. (fn. 66)
It is not specifically mentioned in the inquisition
held on her property, but fifty years later Francis
Baldwin's successor Thomas quitclaimed it to Thomas
Sherley (alias Hewes). (fn. 67) From the Sherley family it
passed to Henry Gale in 1615, (fn. 68) who the next year
sold it to Corpus Christi College, Oxford, (fn. 69) who are
the present patrons.
The Commission of 1548 reported that land to
the value of 3s. 8d. yearly had been given for the
celebration of an obit, while land bringing in 4d. a
year had been given for the maintenance of a rood
light and a messuage worth 4d. per annum for the
upkeep of a lamp. Out of this money there had to
be paid 12d. to Anthony Cooke and 4d. to Sir John
St. John every year. (fn. 70)
CHARITIES
The church land consists of 7 acres,
let at £10 a year, which is applied
in payments to the sexton and
towards cleaning the church.
The Wade-Gery charity—an annuity of £1
chargeable on 3 acres of arable land in Wilden—is
distributed to twenty poor people in respect of this
charity.