UPWOOD
Upehude (xi cent.), Upwude (xiii cent.), Upwode
(xiv–xvii cent.).
The parish of Upwood comprises 2,141 acres of
clay land which falls from the south towards the Fens
on the north-west. Rather more than half this area is
arable, growing corn and potatoes, but where the parish
touches the Fens there is a fair amount of pasture.
Although there is now only some 12 acres of woodland
at Lady's Wood towards Wood Walton parish on the
west, and Cockcrafts on the east side of the parish,
there was at one time considerably more. In 1086
there was woodland for pannage 1½ leagues in length
and a league in breadth (fn. 1) and in the next century there
were three woods belonging to the demesne of the
manor, namely, Bottenhale, Uppenhale and Raveley
Wood. All the free and villein tenants in Upwood and
Raveley had common in Raveley Wood because the
greater part was outside the banlieu. William le Moyne
and his tenants only had common in Raveley Wood. (fn. 2)
The village lies along the High Street which runs
parallel to the main road from Great Raveley to Ramsey about 300 yards to the west. The church stands
about the middle of the village and there are several
17th-century cottages to the north and south of it.
Carlton House, a little to the south-west of the church,
is a 17th-century house. In the pediment over the
door are the initials and date M / RE 1677. The Manor
House stands to the west of the High Street in extensive grounds including the Warren. The present
house has remains of the 15th century. It was partly
rebuilt by Henry Cromwell on whom it was settled
in 1578. It was built by Stephen Pheasant, who
bought the manor from the Cromwells in 1649 and
died and was buried at Upwood in 1657. It is of two
stories with attics and consists of a main block with
wings on either side. Some of the outbuildings belong
to the earlier house.
The parish was inclosed in 1847 (fn. 3) and the tithes have
been commuted. (fn. 4)
MANORS
Upwood appears in the chronicles of
Ramsey Abbey as the home of its
founder Earl Ailwine. It had been given
to Ailwine with the fisheries of the neighbouring
streams by King Edgar. (fn. 5) Here Ailwine had a hall and a
court of style suitable to a man of so great nobility.
He often stayed there to indulge in hunting and hawking and died there in 992. His gift to Ramsey Abbey
of Upwood and Raveley its hamlet, presumably at the
foundation of the monastery in 969, was confirmed by
King Edgar in 974, (fn. 6) by Edward the Confessor, (fn. 7) by
William the Conqueror in 1077 (fn. 8) and by Edward III in
1334, (fn. 9) and also by many Popes. (fn. 10) In 1086 the abbot of
Ramsey had at Upwood 10 hides which paid geld, a
church and a priest and a considerable amount of
woodland. (fn. 11) The same number of hides, each of 4
virgates and each virgate of 30 acres, was returned
in an extent of about 1150. (fn. 12)
The chief manor of Upwood continued in the
hands of the abbot and much information is obtained
concerning it in the surveys recorded in the
cartulary. The customary tenants of Upwood and
both Raveleys owed suit with those of Wistow at
the windmill in Wistow. (fn. 13) The connexion between
Upwood and Wistow is further emphasised by the
direction that at the time of the fairs at St. Ives the
Upwood virgate holders should perform the same
duties as those of Wistow in regard to making 'cleys'
and walls and keeping watch. (fn. 14)
Henry III in 1251 granted free warren in this and
other manors provided they were not within the
bounds of the royal forest. (fn. 15) This grant was confirmed by Edward III in 1334. (fn. 16) After the Dissolution the manors of Upwood, Great Raveley, Moynes,
and Walton were granted in 1542 to Sir Richard
Williams alias Cromwell, knt., in exchange for the
manors of Brampton, Hemingford Grey and other
lands. (fn. 17) Upwood followed the descent of Ramsey
manor (q.v.) but was subject to marriage and other
settlements. In 1578 part of the manor was settled
on Henry Williams alias Cromwell son of Sir Henry
Williams alias Cromwell who was generally described
as of Upwood. In 1649 Sir Oliver Cromwell, Henry his
brother and various members of the family joined in
selling the manors of Upwood, Clairvaux and Denes to
Stephen Pheasant of Gray's Inn son of Peter Pheasant,
justice of the Common Pleas. (fn. 18)
Stephen was buried at Upwood in 1657 (fn. 19) and was
succeeded by his son Walter, who about 1665 married
Ann Hadley while both were minors. At his death in
1668 he left an infant son Peter who died three
months later before reaching the age of two. (fn. 20) Stephen
Pheasant's younger son Peter was dealing with the
manors in 1673, (fn. 21) and in the following year his son
Peter married Mary, the eldest daughter of Sir
William Leman, bart, of Warboys and Northaw (co. Herts)
by his wife Mary Mansel. (fn. 22)
Peter Pheasant the elder was
buried at Upwood in 1682,
and was succeeded by his son
Peter who was holding the
manors in 1701. (fn. 23) Peter
Pheasant was buried at Upwood in 1703, and in 1707
William Pheasant and Mansel
Pheasant (William having apparently succeeded as eldest
son and heir, and his own
heir being Mansel his younger brother) conveyed
the manors of Upwood, Clairvaux and Denes, the
rectory of Upwood cum Raveley, windmill, etc., for
£1,000 to Sir Joseph Woolfe, kt., with warranty
against the heirs of William and Mansel, possibly for
the purpose of a mortgage. (fn. 24) Captain Mansel Pheasant was buried at Northaw in 1723, and probably
both brothers died childless, as the manors next
appear in the hands of Leman Hutchins, son of Sir
William Leman's daughter Sarah and of her husband
Sir George Hutchins, (fn. 25) and therefore cousin of William
and Mansel, from the former of whom he is said to
have inherited. (fn. 26) In 1733 Leman Hutchins settled the
manors. (fn. 27) He married Mary Williams, and at his
death in 1738 left his estate to her. (fn. 28) She, with her
second husband, Vere Warner of Chelsea, a solicitor,
was dealing with the manors
in 1749. (fn. 29) Vere Warner died at
Chelsea in 1756, his wife surviving him. She bequeathed
the manors to her niece, Mary
Anne, sister and heir to Lieut.
Gen. Vere Warner Hussey of
Wood Walton, and eldest
daughter of Thomas Hussey
of Wrexham (co. Denbigh).
She married Capt. Richard
Bickerton, R.N., and they
settled the manors in 1778. (fn. 30)
He was knighted and created
a baronet in 1778, and died in
1792. At the date of his
death Sir Richard was Port
Admiral at Plymouth, and
M.P. for Rochester. (fn. 31) His widow died in 1811. Their
son Sir Richard Bickerton, bart., who had a distinguished career, was second in command under Nelson,
1804–5. He succeeded his mother in the manor (fn. 32)
and by royal licence on 16 May 1823 took the name
of Hussey before Bickerton. In 1830 he was made
General of Marines in succession to William IV, and
died without issue at Bath in 1832, being buried in
Bath Abbey. (fn. 33) He married in 1792, in Antigua, Anne
daughter of James Athill of Antigua, and his widow
survived until 1850. He was succeeded by his sister
Maria Bickerton, at whose death in 1845 the manors
passed to Richard Hussey Hussey, son of ViceAdmiral Sir Richard Hussey, K.C.B., who took the
name of Hussey in place of that of Moubray, (fn. 34) his
mother being Arabella, daughter of Thomas Hussey of
Wrexham, sister of Lady Bickerton and of Lieut.-Gen.
Vere Warner Hussey of Woodwalton. Richard Hussey
Hussey held the manors until his death in 1899. (fn. 35) They
then passed to the son of his
cousin, William Moubray, of
Cockairnie, Lieut.-Col. Arthur
Moubray, J.P., who lived at
Upwood House. The property
was sold in lots in 1919–20 to
a syndicate. The manor house
was purchased in 1923 by Sir
Ernest Shepperson, who now
resides there.
Pheasant. Party fessewise or and azure a fesse parted fessewise dancetty and counter coloured.
Bickerton of Upwood, Baronet. Sable a cheveron or with three pheons sable thereon with an augmentation of a quarter gules a molet with an increscent in a battled border or.
Moubray of Cockairnie. Gules a lion argent crowned or.
An alleged descent of the
manor of UPHALL is given
in a plea of 1276 by William
son of Albert of Ramsey
against the abbot of Ramsey, tracing it back to Aylwine in the time of Cnut (1016–35). The descent
does not fit in with what we know of Earl Aylwin's
pedigree, but some of the names correspond with
those of the family of Upwood. William was
amerced for a false claim as the abbot said that the
manor was within his banlieu, in which no tenant of
his nor he himself could pleaded or be impleaded before
the justices of the king. From the pleadings it
appears that Aylwin ancestor of the said William had
held the manor in the time of King Cnut and died
childless. His right in the same descended to his
sister and heir Parnell; from Parnell to Aylwin her son
and heir; from Aylwin to Roger his son and heir; from
Roger to Alan his son and heir; from Alan to Viel
his son and heir; from Viel to John his son and
heir; from John, who died without issue, to Hugh his
brother and heir; from Hugh, who died childless, to
John (sic) his brother and heir; from John, who died
childless, to Baldwyn his brother and heir; from
Baldwin, who died childless, to Alice and Avice his
sisters and heirs; from Alice, who died childless, to
the said Avice her sister and heir; from Avice, who
died childless, to Richard her uncle and heir; from
Richard to Albert his son and heir, whose son and heir
was William the claimant. (fn. 36)
The manor of Uphall was in the 14th century in
the possession of the Dene family, but it is not known
when they obtained it. Possibly it was the one and
a half hides which Roger de Upwood held of the
abbot of Ramsey in the reign of Henry I. Henry
de Den performed military service in the place of
William le Moigne in 1245. (fn. 37) Sir John de Den was
engaged in litigation in 1325 and 1332. (fn. 38) At his
death in 1349 he held the manor of Uphall, the chief
messuage of which was in ruins. (fn. 39) The wardship of
his son John, then aged nine years, was given to
Nicholas de Stukeley and Richard de Wassingley.
John the younger died, however, in 1355 leaving as
his heirs his father's sister Ada, aged 50 years, John
Neville, son of Margaret, another sister of his father,
and Sir Henry Green, who
had obtained the interest of
Arnold, son of Eleanor, a third
sister of his father. (fn. 40) About
this time the property became
known as DENES MANOR.
The co-heirs joined together
and sold the manor to Nicholas
de Stukeley in 1355, (fn. 41) and
from this date it followed the
descent of the manor of Nokes
in Great Stukeley (q.v.) until
1490, when Gerard Stukeley
and Joan his wife granted the
manors of Clarivaux and Denes to John Taylard the
younger, Thomas Wauton, gent., William Taylard,
clerk, Thomas Taylard and Giles Taylard. (fn. 42) Gerard
Stukeley confirmed the grant in 1499 to William
Taylard his father-in-law. (fn. 43) The manor passed to
John Taylard, a younger son of William, who died
seised of it in 1528. According to his will there had
been contention between Master William Seewell and
Master Rowle of Holywell as to the manors of Upwood,
'Clarywuax' and 'Devnis': he therefore desired that
his feoffees should hold these manors for the use of
Alice, his wife, for four years, to be disposed in
prayers for the souls of William Taylard and Gerard
Stukeley. After the four years the manors were to
go to William Stukeley and his heirs for ever. (fn. 44) The
terms of the will do not seem to have been carried
out. It is said that he left as his heir his nephew
Lawrence, son of his elder brother Walter. (fn. 45) The
manor was settled in 1529. (fn. 46) In 1531 the manor of
Dene, together with a fishing place called Hall
Mere, was leased for life to Alice, widow of John
Taylard. (fn. 47) Alice married George Bedyll, and in 1545
they leased the manor to Gabriel Throgmorton, (fn. 48)
and in the same year it was settled as jointure on
the marriage of William Taylard, second son of Sir
Lawrence, with Mary daughter of Robert Drewell
of Little Gidding. (fn. 49)
Dene. Argent two bars gules with three crosses paty or on each bar.
About 1557 Chancery proceedings were instituted
by Lawrence Torkington, son of Katherine Torkington, daughter of Gerard Stukeley, and Henry
Torkington, her husband. Lawrence claimed as
kinsman and heir of Matthew, son and heir of Gerard's
son William. This William was aged a year and a
half at the death of his father, who had been 'maimed
in the wars.' He had been brought up in the belief
that he was to inherit by his uncle John Taylard,
who was then childless, and who, on hearing that
honest inhabitants of Upwood had said he would go
to the devil for keeping out of the property the
rightful heirs, had declared that it was his intention
the property should go to the right heirs of Gerard.
Deponents also stated that John Taylard had bequeathed the manors as above. (fn. 50) The matter seems
to have been settled, and in 1600 Lawrence Taylard
of Upwood (son of William Taylard previously mentioned and his wife Mary Drewell) (fn. 51) died seised of
both manors, leaving a son and heir William, aged
fifteen, who in 1605, with Lawrence Torkington and
Thomas Gowler and Alice his wife, sold them to
Henry Williams alias Cromwell of Upwood, (fn. 52) and
all the other lands of the said William Taylard in
the county of Huntingdon. From this date the
manor merged into the chief manor (q.v.).
The manor of CLAIRV AUX (Clervaux, Clerevaux,
Clarivaux, de Claris Vallibus, de Clara Villa) took its
name from a family of Clairvaux. Robert, father of
William Clairvaux, held land freely in Upwood in
the time of Henry I, and was succeeded by his son
Hugh. (fn. 53) There seems to have been a succession of
holders of the name of John de Clairvaux, whose
relationship is not apparent. (fn. 54) The expansion of the
property by additions made without warrant by
John Clairvaux, who held 1½ hides in Upwood, was
described in an inquisition of 1252. (fn. 55) John de Clairvaux was a witness regarding a dispute as to the leet
at Upwood in 1297. (fn. 56) In 1320 John Clairvaux of
Upwood, and Isabel his wife, and John Clairvaux,
chaplain, were dealing with lands in Wistow and
Ramsey. (fn. 57) William Clairvaux of Upwood witnessed
a grant of land at Upwood in 1333. (fn. 58) The Clairvaux
property was occupied in 1342 by Nicholas Stukeley
and Juliana, his wife, apparently under the terms
of a bond by William Clairvaux. (fn. 59) In 1360 the
manor was finally surrendered by William, son of
William Clairvaux, (fn. 60) and in 1364 it was conveyed to
Nicholas de Stukeley, as it was said in exchange for
lands in Bedford and Biddenham. (fn. 61) In the same
year Nicholas de Stukeley settled this manor and
the manor of Denes. From this date the manor
followed the descent of Denes Manor in Upwood
(q.v.).
CHURCH
The Church of ST. PETER consists
of a chancel (24 ft. by 15 ft.), nave
(43 ft. by 16½ ft.), north chapel (11½ ft.
by 12 ft.), north aisle (39½ ft. by 10½ ft.), south aisle
(9 ft. wide), and west tower (7¼ ft. by 7¼ ft. The
walls are of rubble with stone dressings, those of
the chancel patched with brickwork, and the roofs
are covered with lead.
Of the church mentioned in the Domesday Survey
(1086), which was probably of timber, nothing remains, but about the year 1100 a stone church consisting of a chancel and an aisle-less nave was built,
of which the chancel arch and part of the north wall
of the nave remain. Some fifty years later the chancel
was rebuilt and widened and an arcade cut into the
nave wall and a north aisle built. The following
century saw the building of the south aisle and west
tower, and, apparently in connection with this work,
the western arch of the north arcade was rebuilt.
The south arcade, however, was rebuilt in the 15th
century, and the clearstory built. The chancel walls
were raised and a new roof constructed in 1642. The
north aisle was rebuilt in 1884–5, and the west
tower in 1890, and other works done in 1912 and
1921.
The chancel, c. 1150, has a modern east window
with internal splays of the 15th century. The north
wall has an original window, a blocked square-headed
two-light window, a blocked door perhaps opening
into a former vestry, a blocked squint, and a large
blocked locker. The south wall has an original
window, two 15th-century two-light windows, one
with a square head and one with a four-centred
arch and a transom forming a low-side window, and
a 15th-century piscina. The arch, of c. 1100, has
two plain orders resting on simple imposts; it is
much depressed, and under it is a 15th-century oak
screen. (fn. 62) The roof, dated 1642, is of low pitch.
There is an ancient gable cross, but the parapets have
been rebuilt partly with brick, and have lost the
fillings of their merlons.
The nave has a north arcade of three bays, the
two eastern arches are semi-circular, of c. 1150, and
supported on two circular columns with scalloped
caps, the western arch with its respond was rebuilt
in the 13th century. Above the two earlier arches
are the remains of two blocked windows of c. 1100.
The south arcade, also of three bays, is of the 15th
century, with pointed arches and octagonal columns.
The 15th-century clearstory has three two-light
windows on each side. The roof is of 15th-century
date, with sunk traceried panels in the braces.
The north aisle and north chapel were rebuilt in
1884–5, but incorporate a three-light window in the
east wall and two others in the north wall, all of the
15th century, and a plain 14th-century north door,
and the west wall has a 13th-century single-light
window. In the wall between the chapel and the
chancel is a recess with a blocked squint; westward
of it is a modern opening for access to the pulpit.
In the east wall is a reset 14th-century piscina. A
simple 15th-century screen, much modernised,
separates the chapel from the aisle.
The 13th-century south aisle has a 15th-century
three-light window in the east wall, and the south
wall has two similar windows, a 14th-century doorway
and a 14th-century piscina. (fn. 63) The west wall has a
13th-century three-light with modernised head.
There is a little 15th-century glass in the heads of
the east and south-east windows.
The roofs of both aisles are of the 15th century,
but much restored.
The west tower was rebuilt in 1890, but the towerarch is of 13th-century date, and the belfry windows
are of two lights of the same period. Parts of the
parapets and pinnacles are of the 15th century. An
early 14th-century niche has been rebuilt into the
west wall, also a corbel of a woman's head in
wimple, and a kneeling figure, both of the 13th
century.
The font is a plain square bowl possibly of c. 1150,
on a modern stem and base; it has a 17th-century
pyramidal oak cover. There are three bells, inscribed: 1, John Gregory: Thomas: Charter:
Churchward: 1709. 2, A penetente harte is goode.
3, Non Sono animabvs mortvorvm sed avribvs
viventivm. 1615. (On second line) Henry Crvmwell,
Armiger. The second by Newcome and the third
by Norris. In 1552 it was stated that the middle
bell had been sold for £7. (fn. 64)
There are the following monuments: In the
chancel, to Peter Pheasant, Justice of the King's
Bench, d. 1649, and Mary (de Bruges) his wife;
Mary Warner, widow, d. 1771; Sir Richard Bickerton,
bart., d. 1792, and Dame Maria Anne, his widow,
d. 1811; Maria Bickerton, Lady of the Manor, d.
1845, and Jane Frances Bickerton, d. 1827; and a
floor slab to the Hon. Charles Montagu, youngest
son of Viscount Hinchingbrooke, d. 1780; in the
south aisle to Richard Ross, d. 1730; matrices of
brasses of a demi-figure of a priest with inscription
plate, and a figure of a woman with inscription plate
and four scrolls, both 15th century; floor slabs to
Reginald Michell, d. 1706, and the Rev. Robert
Michell, d. 1707.
The registers are as follows: (i) Baptisms, marriages and burials, 10 Jan. 1588, to 24 Jan. 1701;
(ii) ditto, 31 March 1700, to 28 Dec. 1780, marriages
end 14 Oct. 1755; (iii) baptisms and burials, 11 April
1780 to 17 Nov. 1812; (iv) the official marriage book,
7 Oct. 1754 to 12 Nov. 1812; the usual modern
books.
The church plate consists of: A silver cup and
silver cover paten, hall-marked for 1613–14; a silvergilt dish ornamented with trees and animals in
repoussé, and with a centre plate engraved with an
Annunciation partly enamelled, Spanish early 15th
century; a pewter flagon.
ADVOWSON
The history of the chapel of Upwood
will be found under Wistow and Bury
(q.v.). In 1535 George Bedyll had held
a lease of the tithes of sheaves and hay in Upwood
and Raveley, which were worth £13 6s. 8d. yearly. (fn. 65)
These tithes with a cottage in Upwood were leased
for 40 years by the abbey of Ramsey to Gabriel
Throgmorton of Ramsey, and Emmota his wife, on
20 October 1538, and on surrender of this lease a
fresh grant of the same was made for 21 years to
them in 1542. (fn. 66) In the same year the rectory appropriate and advowson of the vicarage were granted
to Sir Richard Williams alias Cromwell, kt., with
the manor (q.v.) with which they have continued to
be held ever since.
On 25 May 1582 Sir Henry Williams alias Cromwell
of Hinchingbrooke granted a lease of 'the parsonage
house of Upwood and Great Ravely' to James
Gosnold of Hinchingbrooke, until 25 March 1590
on condition of his serving the cure personally or by
deputy. (fn. 67) Robert Leman made his will on 4 September 1719 as curate of 'Upwood with Great
Ravely.' (fn. 68)
CHARITIES
Town or Poor's Land comprises
two closes known as Dock Field and
Top Field containing 13 a. o r. 7 p.
and 7 a. 1 r. 39 p. respectively. The land is let in
allotments and the rent thereof is carried to the
general account of the Parish Council and applied
with the rates levied for the relief of the poor.
Jane Taylor by will proved in the Principal Registry
13 Oct. 1906 gave to her executor her money in the
Post Office Savings Bank upon trust to pay the
interest to the widows of the parish. The endowment of the charity now consists of £57 5 per cent.
War Stock, 1929–47, producing £2 17s. annually in
dividends which is distributed to about 10 widows.
The origin of Blunt's Charity is unknown. The
endowment consists of a rent-charge of £1 per annum
issuing out of land now in the occupation of Mr. W.
Shelton, which is distributed by the vicar to about
8 widows of the parish.
Elizabeth West by will dated 5 March 1841 gave
to the minister, churchwardens and overseers £500,
the interest to be distributed amongst poor widows
and other poor persons of over 40 years of age. The
endowment of the charity now consists of £520 6s. 3d.
Consols with the Official Trustees, producing £13
annually in dividends which is distributed to about
40 recipients in various sums of money. The
Trustees of the charity are the vicar (ex officio) and
four trustees appointed by the Parish Council in
place of the churchwardens and overseers.