EYNESBURY
Einulbesberie (xi cent.); Eynesbiry, Eynesbiri
(xiii cent.); Enysburie (xvi cent.).
The parish of Eynesbury in 1086 (fn. 1) probably included the present civil parishes of St. Neots Urban,
St. Neots Rural, Eynesbury and Eynesbury Hardwick,
and possibly Abbotsley. The parish of St. Neots
(q.v.) was separated after 1113, when one of the
manors of Eynsbury was granted to the Priory of
St. Neots, the final division of the tithes being made
in 1204. (fn. 2) Abbotsley (q.v.) became a separate parish
about 1138. These arrangements divided the parish
of Eynesbury into two separate portions. In 1876,
the village of Eynesbury and part of the parish were
included in the district controlled by the Local
Board of St. Neots. A further rearrangement was
made in 1895 under the Local Government Act of
1894, when Eynesbury was divided into two civil
parishes. The portion formerly under the Local
Board, containing 394 acres, now called the parish
of Eynesbury, is included in the St. Neots Urban
District; and the remainder, containing 2,641 acres
of land lying in two detached portions, and 8 acres
of water, forms the parish of Eynesbury Hardwick.
The parish of Eynesbury is separated from St. Neots
by the Hen Brook, over which is a bridge between
the town and the village, which was apparently
built of stone about 1540. (fn. 3) The River Ouse forms
the western boundary and the county boundary the
southern. The land, which is mainly arable, rises
eastward from the Ouse. The soil is clay and loam
and the sub-soil Oxford clay. The nearest station is
at St. Neots on the London and North-Eastern
Railway. The parish was inclosed by Act of Parliament in 1797. (fn. 4)
The village of Eynesbury is now practically a
suburb of St. Neots. The houses are mainly grouped
around a triangular loop in the road from Tempsford to Godmanchester. The road forming the
north-east side of the triangle is called Berkley
Street, that on the north-west Montagu Street, and
that on the south-west Luke Street, all named after
the families of past landowners in the parish. The
church of St. Mary stands within the northern apex
of the triangle and northward of it is St. Mary's
Street, where there are many 17th-century halftimber houses and shops. At the southern apex is
the Green. An inn called the Nag's Head adjoining
the churchyard in Berkley Street is an interesting
half-timber house, possibly of the 15th century. It
consists of a hall with a wing at each end. Farther
down Berkley Street on the opposite side is the
18th-century half-timber manor house of Eynesbury Manor. The rectory stands back in its own
grounds on the west of St. Mary's Street. There
is said to be a beam, now covered by panelling, in a
room, bearing the date 1617, which might well be that
of the building. The house consists of a main block
with wings at each end and an addition to the southern
wing. It is of two stories of timber and plaster with
tiled roof, and contains a good deal of panelling
brought from other places, including a 17th-century
panel with the arms of the Poulterers Company.
On the eastern side of the parish are homestead
moats indicating the sites of the manor houses here.
On the north side of the road from Eynesbury to
Abbotsley is a homestead moat which may represent
the site of the manor of Launcelynsbury. South of
this is the manor house of Eynesbury Hardwick, a
mid-17th-century house, surrounded by a moat.
Caldecote Manor House lies to the north-east, near
the county boundary. It was probably built about
the time that the manor was acquired by the Haberdashers Company in 1624. It is a timber-framed
house of two stories with attics, partially surrounded
by a moat. North of this are the homestead moat
and the chapel inclosure of Weald Manor. Brick
and tile making is carried on in the parish. Thomas
Barton, D.D., a royalist divine and writer, and
chaplain to Prince Rupert, was rector of Eynesbury
from 1629–31, (fn. 5) and William Cole, the antiquary, was
rector from 1768 to 1808.
MANORS
In the reign of Edward the Confessor there were two manors in
Eynesbury—one held by the king, the
other by Robert son of Wimarc. (fn. 6) The latter was
granted by Rohais, the wife of Richard Fitz Gilbert,
to the monks of St. Neots (fn. 7) and was formed into a
separate parish known as St. Neots. (fn. 8) The former
may be identified with the king's holding of nine
hides. In 1086 it was in the hands of the Countess
Judith (fn. 9) and afterwards formed part of the Honour
of Huntingdon, of which it was held as one knight's
fee. (fn. 10) It was held in 1163 by Saher de Quincy (fn. 11)
of Buckly (co. Northants.) possibly in right of his
wife Maud de St. Liz. He was probably a brother of
Robert de Quincy, who apparently succeeded him.
Saher son of Robert, who became Earl of Winchester,
dealt with the manor, which was held by his widow
Margaret as dower after his death in 1220. It
passed to the Earl's son Roger, (fn. 12) Earl of Winchester,
who died (s.p.m.) seised of it in 1264. (fn. 13) In 1270 a
moiety was held by his widow Eleanor, and her
second husband Roger de Leyburn, (fn. 14) but afterwards
the manor was divided equally between the earl's
three daughters and heirs. (fn. 15)
The third part of the manor assigned to the eldest,
Margaret, Countess of Derby, was later known as the
manor of EYNESBURY FERRERS. It was held
by her descendants, the Ferrers of Chartley and the
Devereux until 1571. (fn. 16) Walter Devereux, Viscount
Hereford, sold it in that year to Sir James Dyer,
chief justice of the Queen's Bench, (fn. 17) the purchaser
of the other two purparties of Roger de Quincy's
manor, which from this time were reunited. Sir
James's heir was his great-nephew, Sir Richard Dyer, (fn. 18)
who died seised in 1605. (fn. 19) In 1617 his son, Sir
William Dyer, sold the manors to Sir Oliver Luke, (fn. 20)
who already owned the manor of Eynesbury Cressener
(q.v.). Sir Oliver conveyed the four manors to
James Belton, B.D., in 1628, when Katherine, widow
of Sir William Dyer, and Ludovic Dyer were parties
to the transaction. (fn. 21) Belton in 1633 transferred them
to Richard Gery, (fn. 22) whose son William married Anne,
daughter of Sir William Dyer. (fn. 23) William Gery
succeeded his father in 1638, (fn. 24) but the next year he
sold them to Sir Sidney Montagu, (fn. 25) whose son Edward,
first Earl of Sandwich, was lord of the united manors
in 1667. (fn. 26) They remained the property of the Earls
of Sandwich till 1848, (fn. 27) when they were sold to Capt.,
afterwards Lieut.-Col. Humbly, (fn. 28) who died in 1857. (fn. 29)
In 1885, Lieut.-Col. Wellington Waterloo Humbly,
J.P., was lord of the manors, (fn. 30) which at present
belong to Mr. William Wellesley Humbly.
Ferrers of Chartley. Vairy or and gules.
Devereux. Argent a fesse with three roundels in chief all gules.
The third part of Eynesbury manor, assigned to
Elizabeth, the second daughter of the Earl of Winchester, was known as the manor of EYNESBURY
BERKELEY. She was the wife of Alexander Comyn,
Earl of Buchan, and by an exchange they granted
it to her sister Margaret
Countess of Derby, (fn. 31) who
thus held two-thirds of the
manor. This third part,
however, she granted to her
daughter Joan and her
husband, Sir Thomas Berkeley,
at the yearly rent of 1d., (fn. 32) to
be held, it was said, in 1279,
by the service of one quarter
of a knight's fee. (fn. 33) The
manor of Eynesbury Berkeley
was held by their descendants
until 1574, (fn. 34) when it was
sold by Maurice Berkeley to Sir James Dyer, (fn. 35) who
also obtained possession of the manor of Eynesbury
Ferrers (q.v.).
Berkeley. Gules a cheveron between ten crosses for my argent.
The last pourparty of the manor of Eynesbury
assigned to Ellen, widow of Alan la Zouche and
youngest daughter of Roger, Earl of Winchester, (fn. 36)
was called the manor of EYNESBURY BULKELEY.
Her son Alan la Zouche died seised in 1315 (fn. 37) of
the overlordship of this manor which had been
granted, probably in 1283, to Oliver la Zouche,
apparently a younger son of Ellen. (fn. 38) He was holding
it in 1316, but in 1350 and 1369 it was held by John
la Zouche. (fn. 39) Before 1412, the manor passed, with
other of Oliver's lands, to Sir John Popham. (fn. 40) It is
not clear whether this Sir John Popham was a younger
brother of Henry Popham of Popham, Hants, or the
son of Sir John, who was a general and diplomatist.
From the absence of the manor from the younger
Sir John's settlements at this time, it was probably
held by the elder Sir John, (fn. 41) who is said to have
married the daughter and heir of Oliver la Zouche. (fn. 42)
Sir John Popham, the younger, died in 1464, his
heir being Alice, daughter of John Malyns and
wife of William Hartshorn, probably his niece. (fn. 43)
He seems, however, to have given Eynesbury before
his death to her or to her daughter Elizabeth, wife
of Charles Bulkeley. (fn. 44) Elizabeth's son Robert died
seised of land in Eynesbury in 1514 (fn. 45) and her grandson sold land there in 1567 to Sir James Dyer; (fn. 46)
these holdings may be identified with the manor,
since Robert Bulkeley is also said to have died
seised of a third of the advowson of the church of
Eynesbury, which had been claimed by Ellen la
Zouche, (fn. 47) and Sir James Dyer held the manor shortly
after the sale by William Bulkeley. (fn. 48) From this time
it was held with the manor of Eynesbury Ferrers (q.v.).
Popham. Argent a chief gules with two harts' heads caboshed or therein.
Bulkeley. Sable a cheveron between three bulls' heads caboshed argent.
A sub-manor called EYNESBURY CRESSENERS
appears in the 15th century, when it was held under
the manor of Eynesbury Ferrers (q.v.) in socage for
the rent of 1d. yearly. (fn. 49) In 1410 Robert Cressener
died seised and was succeeded by his son William (fn. 50)
and grandson Alexander. (fn. 51) The latter granted it
to Anne Knyvett, formerly wife of his son, John
Cressener, for life. (fn. 52) She died in 1497 and was
succeeded by her son John Cressener, (fn. 53) who is said
to have died in 1536. (fn. 54) He was succeeded by his son
John, who was in seisin of the manor in 1544, (fn. 55) when
he conveyed the manor to Nicholas Lestrange. (fn. 56)
Nicholas Luke died seised of it in 1563 and was
succeeded by his son John. (fn. 57) The Lukes held it
till 1628, when Sir Oliver Luke, together with
Katherine, widow of Sir Richard Dyer, and Ludovic
Dyer sold it with the other manors of Eynesbury
(q.v.) to James Belton. (fn. 58)
The RECTORY MANOR has been attached to
the church of EYNESBURY from very early times.
In 1086 Gislebert the priest held two hides of
land in Eynesbury and two hides in Cotes or Caldecote
of the Countess Judith. (fn. 59) The land attached to the
church was retained by the rector of Eynesbury when
St. Neots parish was separated in 1204. (fn. 60) Courts
of the manor were held in the 14th century. (fn. 61) In
the latter part of the 17th century, the rector's manor
was described as a 'pretty mannour and ancient . . .
and his tenants pay him fines for alienations and for
licence of alienation,' (fn. 62) and it is mentioned at the
time of the inclosure of the parish in 1797 (fn. 63) and again
in 1824. (fn. 64)
In the reign of Edward the Confessor, Earl Tosti
held four hides of land in COTES, (fn. 65) which apparently
included Caldecote, part of Hardwick and possibly
part of Weald. In 1086 the land was held by the
Countess Judith, the soke and all customs belonging
to her manor of Eynesbury, (fn. 66) and it afterwards
formed part of the Honour of Huntingdon, (fn. 67) but was
held by sub-tenants as three separate manors.
The manor of CALDECOTE or TOTHALESBURY took its alternative name from a family called
de Tothale, who held a knight's fee of the honour in
the 13th century. (fn. 68) They only held half a fee in
demesne, and this probably formed the manor of
Caldecote. (fn. 69) Ralph de Tothale was the tenant in
1230 (fn. 70) and Robert de Tothale in 1249. (fn. 71) Tenants
of the same name held the manor till 1327–28. (fn. 72) The
last Robert and his wife Sara, who were tenants for
their lives, probably died soon after this date and
were succeeded, under a settlement of 1314, by
Simon Barry and his wife Joan, presumably Robert's
daughter and heiress. (fn. 73) Joan died seised in 1337 and
was succeeded by her son Robert, who was called
de Tothale. (fn. 74) In 1346 he was declared to be an
idiot. (fn. 75) His son Robert was still a minor in 1360,
and whether he obtained seisin of the manor does
not appear. (fn. 76) The king, during the later part of his
minority, had granted the custody of Caldecote to
his aunt Alice and her husband Henry Eweney. (fn. 77) In
1404, it was held by William Brampton and Robert's
wife Alice as part of her inheritance, while a third
was held in dower by Joan, wife of William Whitwell. (fn. 78)
No record of the manor appears for more than a
hundred years. In 1563 Nicholas Luke died seised
of it. (fn. 79) His great-grandson, Sir Oliver Luke, sold it
in 1624 to the Company of Haberdashers, London. (fn. 80)
Before 1671, Richard Blackall of Britwell, Oxon, and
Daniel Toovey seem to have obtained some interest
in the manor, which they sold to David Bigg and
Thomas Brigham. (fn. 81) The sale of the manor by the
Haberdashers to Blackall was, however, only completed in 1674. (fn. 82) In 1686, Bigg and Brigham seem
to have owned it, (fn. 83) but it passed to Henry Stonor
about 1690. (fn. 84) In 1698 he sold it to Henry Kingsley (fn. 85)
who died in 1712 and was succeeded by his son
Heylock, whose daughter and heir Elizabeth married
William Pym. Francis, son of William Pym, succeeded
in 1788, and his son succeeded in 1833 and died
in 1860. His son, another Francis, was killed in
a railway accident in the same year. The manor
then passed to his son Francis, a minor, who died
in 1928 and was succeeded by his brother, Mr.
Frederick W. Pym, now lord of the manor. (fn. 86)
The manor of LAUNCELYNSBURY or LANSBURY GROUNDS was probably held in the 12th
century directly of the Earls of Huntingdon, (fn. 87) but in
the 13th century the Tothales
were the immediate overlords. (fn. 88) The first tenant who
can be traced was Launcelyn
of Hardwick. He lived in
the time of King Malcolm of
Scotland (1153–65) (fn. 89) and gave
his name to the family and
manor. He was succeeded
by his son Robert (fn. 90) and
grandson Stephen. (fn. 91) Henry
Launcelyn was probably the
tenant in 1204. (fn. 92) In 1279,
William Launcelyn held the manor (fn. 93) and he or his
successor of the same name was living in 1327. (fn. 94)
Richard held rents in Eynesbury in 1412 (fn. 95) and died
in 1435. (fn. 96) He was probably succeeded by Sir Thomas(?)
Launcelyn, (fn. 97) who left four daughters and heirs. (fn. 98)
The eldest, Anne, married, as her second husband,
Sir Walter Luke, (fn. 99) and they seem to have obtained
the other purparties from her co-heirs. (fn. 100) The Lukes
held the manor till 1622, when Sir Oliver Luke sold
it to James Pedley of Abbotsley. (fn. 101) The latter died in
1651 (fn. 102) and Lansbury manor passed to his nephew,
Sir Nicholas Pedley. (fn. 103) Anne, daughter and heir of
Nicholas Pedley, jun., married Philip Sherard, Earl
of Harborough. (fn. 104) Their son, who died in 1770, left
an only surviving daughter, Frances, who married
Major-Gen. George Morgan. (fn. 105) In 1797, Lansbury
Manor belonged to George Morgan. (fn. 106)
Launcelyn. Argent a fleur de lis sable.
The manor of UPPER HARDWICK, (fn. 107)
HARDWICK SEHER
(fn. 108) or PUTTOCKS HARDWICK
(fn. 109)
seems to have been included in the Domesday manor
of Cotes, held by Countess Judith. (fn. 110) Part of Hardwick was probably granted with Eynesbury manor
(q.v.) to Saher de Quincy and passed at the beginning
of the 13th century to Saher de Quincy, Earl of Winchester, who granted tithes from his lands there to
the Priory of St. Neots in 1204. (fn. 111) This manor,
however, was held immediately of the Honour of
Huntingdon (fn. 112) and in 1230 was in the hands of Simon
le Bret. (fn. 113) Simon granted it to Robert de Tothale,
who was ordered by the king in 1249 to redeliver it
to Simon; the latter, apparently on his death-bed,
promised that after his death Robert should have seisin
of the manor. (fn. 114) In 1250 Robert held it, pending
the result of a law-suit brought by Simon's heirs, (fn. 115)
who were his two daughters, Maud, wife of Ralph
Haniton, and Alexandra, and his grandson, Eudo
de Freskeney. (fn. 116) Their claim was successful, and Eudo,
or more probably his heir, seems to have obtained
two-thirds of the manor. (fn. 117) The third assigned to
Maud cannot be traced after 1279. (fn. 118) Eudo was
living in 1261, (fn. 119) but had been succeeded before 1279
by Ralph de Freskeney. (fn. 120) In 1309 it was held by
Sir Walter Molesworth, kt., (fn. 121) who died seised in or
before 1318, leaving two daughters Margaret and
Katherine, minors, as his heirs. (fn. 122) The manor had
been settled for life on his widow Katherine, (fn. 123) who
very quickly married Richard de Bayeux. (fn. 124) In 1333,
she and her husband obtained a quit-claim of the
manor from Richard de Pevenesse and his wife
Margaret, presumably one of the daughters of Molesworth. (fn. 125) In the same year they had settled it on
themselves for life and on their son Richard. (fn. 126) For
the following century the history of the manor is
obscure. Before 1381, (fn. 127) it appears to have been
divided into four purparties, possibly among the
daughters and heirs of Richard de Bayeux, junior.
In 1386, Hugh Grenham and his wife Katherine and
William Gerneys and his wife Maud sold a moiety of
the manor, with warranty from the heirs of Katherine
and Maud, to Thomas Hemington. (fn. 128) It seems probable that this moiety passed to Katherine, daughter
of Oliver Raghton and wife of John Asplion, who died
seised of a manor of Puttocks Hardwick in 1436. (fn. 129)
It passed to her daughter Katherine, wife of Thomas
Manningham. (fn. 130) In 1509, Isabella Manningham,
widow, settled this manor on herself for life, with
remainder to Sir Walter Luke and his heirs. (fn. 131) He
died in 1544 and was succeeded by his son Nicholas. (fn. 132)
The other moiety, or possibly only a quarter part,
of Puttocks Hardwick seems to have been granted
in 1381 by Richard Knyvet to John Herlyngton, (fn. 133)
who died in 1408. (fn. 134) Herlyngton's son Thomas
predeceased his father, who shortly before his death
granted it to Thomas's widow, Elizabeth, and her
second husband, William Molesworth, with remainder
to the heirs of their bodies. (fn. 135) Elizabeth, as a widow,
recovered seisin of the manor in 1427 from feoffees
of William Molesworth. (fn. 136) It may perhaps be
identified with a quarter part of the manor of Puttocks
Hardwick, of which William Turpin died seised in
1523. (fn. 137) His grandson, George Turpin, (fn. 138) sold a
manor of Puttocks Hardwick in 1553 to Nicholas
Luke, (fn. 139) who had already inherited the other moiety
of the manor. There is no record of the remaining
quarter of the manor. From this time those parts of
the manor which had come into the possession of the
Lukes followed the descent of Caldecote manor (q.v.). (fn. 140)
In 1086 the Bishop of Lincoln held two hides of
land in COTES. (fn. 141) This may probably be identified
with the land in WEALD, a hamlet lying partly in
Eynesbury and formerly partly in St. Neots. It does
not seem to have formed a separate manor, but the
bishop's land and his sub-tenants there are frequently
mentioned in the 12th and 13th centuries. (fn. 142) In 1641
the Bishop of Lincoln had inclosed lands in the parish
of St. Neots. (fn. 143) Another estate in Weald may be
identified with the two hides of land which Alan the
steward held of the Countess Judith, as of her manor
of Eynesbury, in 1086. (fn. 144) The Priory of St. Neots
held land in both portions of Weald. (fn. 145)
In 1279 Margaret Countess of Derby and Ellen
la Zouche claimed to have free warren in Eynesbury; (fn. 146)
in 1285 Thomas de Berkeley and his wife Joan and
Oliver la Zouche claimed the right, (fn. 147) which is not
mentioned in later documents. Oliver also claimed
to have waifs in Eynesbury. (fn. 148) View of frankpledge
was claimed by the lords of the manors of Eynesbury
Ferrers, (fn. 149) Berkeley (fn. 150) and Bulkeley, (fn. 151) and the view
was held by Sir James Dyer and his successors in the
reunited manors. (fn. 152) A free fishery in the Ouse was
claimed in 1279 by the Countess of Derby. (fn. 153) In
the 16th century a fishery was appurtenant to the
manor of Eynesbury Berkeley (fn. 154) and to Eynesbury
Cresseners. (fn. 155)
A sheep fold at Eynesbury for 662 sheep is mentioned in Domesday Book (1086). (fn. 156) No other sheep
fold appears in the Huntingdonshire Survey. Two
mills were attached to the manor of Eynesbury at this
time. (fn. 157) One of the Earls of Winchester, most
probably Roger, the last of the de Quincy earls,
granted these mills to the Abbot of Sawtry for a rent
of 6d. a year, which he assigned to the chapel of
St. Thomas at Hardwick (q.v.). (fn. 158) The abbot paid
scutage, however, in 1279, to Margaret Countess of
Derby. (fn. 159) After the Dissolution of the Monasteries,
reversion of the possessions of the abbey in Eynesbury
were granted to Sir Richard Williams alias Cromwell. (fn. 160)
He granted a horse-mill in 1540 to Stephen Bull
of Eynesbury. In 1590 (fn. 161) a windmill was sold by
Philip Clopton and his wife Beatrice to Paul Luke. (fn. 162)
Plan of Eynesbury Church
CHURCH
The Church of ST. MARY
(fn. 163) consists
of a chancel (34½ ft. by 15¾ ft.), nave
(61¾ ft. by 20¾ ft.), north aisle (13¼ ft.
wide), south aisle (6 ft. wide), tower at the south-east
corner of the south aisle (12 ft. by 12½ ft.), modern
north porch, and south vestry (19 ft. by 14¼ ft.). The
walls are of rubble, with stone dressings, and the tower
of ashlar; the roofs are covered with lead and tiles.
The church is mentioned in the Domesday Survey
(1086), but the earliest work visible is the late 12thcentury north arcade of the nave, and possibly the
base of the south wall of the chancel. Considerable
rebuilding seems to have taken place during the
latter half of the 13th century, probably commencing
with the building of the tower, then rebuilding of the
south arcade and aisle, the chancel and the widening
of the north aisle. The clearstory was added in the
15th century. The tower fell in 1685, destroying
the chancel and a great part of the nave and south
aisle. (fn. 164) The chancel was rebuilt at once in a mean
manner, but after some delay a new tower was
erected in 1687. The church was restored in 1858,
when the chancel was rebuilt and the north porch
added; the porch was rebuilt in 1873, and the vestry
built in 1929.
The modern chancel (fn. 165) has a triple lancet in the
east wall, and a two-light window and an arched
recess in the north wall. The lower part of the
western end of the south wall appears to be ancient,
and perhaps 12th century, and it retains the lower
part of a 13th-century priests' doorway; the rest of
the wall is modern, and has two lancet windows and
a reset 15th-century piscina. The north-east and
south-east angles retain small portions of 13thcentury walling. The chancel arch is late 13th
century, but the responds have been cased with
modern marble slabs.
The nave has a late 12th-century arcade of five bays
on the north, having pointed arches of two orders
resting on circular columns with varied caps, those
at the western end being scalloped, and those at the
eastern end having carved foliage. The late 13thcentury south arcade is also of five bays; the pointed
arches are of two orders, resting on octagonal columns.
The late 15th-century clearstory has five two-light
windows on each side, and the east gable has a
sanctus-bell cot. The west doorway and the threelight window above it are modern. The roof is
modern and of flat pitch; the line of an earlier roof
may be seen on the east gable outside.
The late 13th-century north aisle has a two-light
window in the east wall and four others in the north
wall, all modern except the internal splays and reararches, which are original. The north doorway is
partly original but much restored.
The late 13th-century south aisle has a modern
two-light east window, with original internal splays
and rear-arch; the wall above it is very thick and
carried by a wide arch of uncertain date.
The south wall has one 15th-century two-light
window, two modern two-lights with original internal
splays and rear-arches, and a plain original doorway.
The tower, built in 1687, largely of 13th-century
material, has a 13th-century arch on the north side,
opening into the south aisle, which has probably
been reset, and the east and south walls have each a
small 13th-century window. The west wall has a
plain doorway. Higher up in the south wall is
another 13th-century lancet, and a panel inscribed
'1687. Henrey Ashley. Thomas Rutland, Churchwardnes.' The belfry windows are of two lights
of reset material. The tower is finished with an
embattled parapet with pinnacles at the angles,
surmounted by a brass vane ornamented with fleur-delis and pierced with the letters 'H.A. 1688.' The
height from the ground to the top of the balls is 78 ft.
The modern font is octagonal on a central and four
small shafts.
There are six bells, inscribed: (1) 1810; (2) R.
Taylor. St. Neots. Founder. 1810. S. Orris. ex
Officer professor Campanology. (3) and (4) R.
Taylor. St. Neots. Founder. 1810. (5) R. Pattison and T. Atkinson, Churchwardens. 1810.
(6) R. Taylor, Founder, St. Neots. 1810. W.
Palmer, Rector, T. Atkinson and R. Pattison, Churchwardens. They were rehung by John Warner and
Sons in 1905.
The north aisle is seated with early 16th-century
open benches with rather crudely carved bench-ends,
having animal forms on the poppy-heads.
The pulpit, c. 1700, is hexagonal, inlaid and carved
in high relief.
In the south aisle is an 18th-century communion
table with inlaid top; and there are three old chests
in the church.
There are three indents of brasses in the south aisle:
(1) civilian and wife with inscription plate, late 15th
century; (2) three civilians and a lady in veil headdress, and inscription plate, c. 1500; (3) lady kneeling
at a fald-stool, two inscription plates, and a narrow
border fillet with roundels at the angles, 15th century.
A fragment of another indent, showing two shields,
the tops of two canopies and a border fillet, is now in
the rectory garden.
There are the following monuments: In the
chancel, to the Rev. William Palmer, rector, d. 1851;
Cecil Elizabeth, wife of Rev. William Maule, d.
1889; the Rev. William Maule, rector, d. 1898;
Lilian Mary (Maule), wife of Commander C. J. C.
Kendall; Albert Edward Jennings, d. 1917; and
windows to Mary Bisset, d. 1842; Elizabeth B.
Vardon, d. 1859; John Nicholson, d. 1861. In the
north aisle, floor slab to William Humbley, d. 1709;
Mary, his wife; and Philip Humbley; and windows to
John Bishop, William and Selina Bishop and Frank
Bishop, erected by Harry Underwood Bishop, 1924;
Amy Nicholson and Lilian Mary (Maule) by their
sister Margaret Blomfield Godwin-Austin, 1913;
William Emery, d. 1915; Harriet Goodgames, d.
1922. In the south aisle, to George Chapman, d.
1904; John Watson, d. 1925; and windows to
Elizabeth Bird, d. 1858; Hannah Elizabeth, wife of
Henry Maule, d. 1873; Douglas Nicholson Maule,
d. 18—. In the tower, to the Rev. John Turner,
rector, d. 1705; the Rev. Edward Turner, rector,
d. 1714, Mary, his mother, d. 1708, and John, his
brother, d. 1710; the Rev. William Cole, rector, d.
1808, Ann, his relict, d. 1808, and Rev. Thomas
Johnson, her brother, vicar of Swineshead, Hunts,
d. 1792. In south porch, to Lt.-Col. William
Humbley, d. 1857; Mary his wife, d. 1871; and
Col. William Wellington Waterloo Humbley, d. 1886.
The registers are as follows: (i) Baptisms, 25 Oct.
1545 to 2 May 1580; marriages and burials, 29 Oct.
1538 to 30 June 1582; (ii) baptisms, marriages and
burials, 25 March 1653 to 15 March 1719–20; (iii)
baptisms, 5 Nov. 1673 to 1 June 1706; marriages,
2 June 1661 to 17 June 1700; burials, 17 June 1665
to 11 March 1707–8; a small paper book, probably
original notes for the other register; (iv) baptisms,
marriages and burials, 1 May 1720 to 5 Sept. 1789,
except 1783 to 1787, marriages ending 4 Feb. 1754–5;
(v) baptisms and burials, 5 Oct. 1783 to 26 Feb. 1787;
(vi) the same, 11 Oct. 1789 to 21 Nov. 1812; (vii)
the official marriage book, 28 July 1754 to 24 March
1783, and 21 January 1793 to 9 April 1802; (viii)
the same, 27 Nov. 1783 to 16 Nov. 1792; (ix)
the same, 23 April 1802 to 11 Dec. 1812.
The church plate consists of: A silver-gilt chalice
chased and jewelled and inscribed 'To the Glory of
God and as a thank-offering this Chalice was presented
to St. Mary's, Eynesbury, by Richard and Mary
FitzHerbert, Xmas 1872,' hall-mark of the Birmingham Office, for 1872–3; a silver-gilt paten,
engraved 'O Lord our Governor how excellent is
Thy name in all the World' and inscribed 'To the
service of God and the memory of George Maule,
this paten was dedicated by his children, William
and Cecil. Easter 1854,' hall-marked for 1853–4;
a silver-gilt flagon, engraved 'Glory be to God on
high,' and inscribed as last, but the word 'flagon'
substituted for 'paten,' hall-marked for 1853–4.
one plated paten, and two small plated sets; a
Jacobean pewter flagon with no inscription or marks;
two plated plates inscribed 'William Palmer,
Rector, Edward Peck, Joseph Howitt, Churchwardens, A.D. 1821.'
ADVOWSON
The Church of St. Mary was
mentioned in 1086, when it belonged
to Countess Judith's manor (q.v.). (fn. 166)
Before 1111, it was granted by her son-in-law, Simon
de St. Liz, with his wife's consent, to the Priory of
St. Neots. (fn. 167) In 1204, an agreement was made between
the Priory and Saher de Quincy, Earl of Winchester,
then lord of the manor, by which the parish was
divided into two parts. The earl recovered the advowson of the old church of Eynesbury, to which were
assigned the land of the church and half the tithes,
while the other half of the tithes, consisting of those of
Weald and Caldecote, all tithes at Puttocks Hardwick,
excepting from the demesne of the earl, the tithes from
the land of Henry Launcelin and half the tithes of
corn from the earl's demesne at Eynesbury were
assigned to the Priory of St. Neots. (fn. 168) The latter also
retained the third part of the tithes of corn from the
demesne lands at Eynesbury, which had previously
been granted to it. (fn. 169) After the death of Roger de
Quincy and the division of the manor of Eynesbury,
the advowson passed with the manor of Eynesbury
Ferrers (q.v.). (fn. 170) Elizabeth Countess of Buchan and
her son unsuccessfully claimed it against John de
Ferrers in 1296, (fn. 171) and the lords of the manor of Eynesbury Bulkeley (fn. 172) (q.v.) claimed to hold a third of the
advowson, but they never presented to the church.
The advowson passed with the reunited manor (fn. 173)
until 1808, when William Palmer of Brampton and
others presented, pro hac vice, (fn. 174) and the next presentation, in 1851, was made, again pro hac vice, by the executors of George Maule. (fn. 175) In 1890 the Earl of Sandwich again presented and still owns the advowson. (fn. 176)
In 1291 a portion of £6 13s. 4d. was payable from the
rectory of Eynesbury to the Priory of St. Neots. (fn. 177)
After the Dissolution, an annual pension of £3 6s. 8d.
was granted in 1542 to George Zouche, (fn. 178) who alienated
it the same year to Hugh Gibson, clk. (fn. 179) It passed,
with certain tithes of corn in Eynesbury, formerly
belonging to the priory, to Thomas Moote, who died
seised in 1561. (fn. 180) Katherine Mott, or Moote, presumably his widow, was called on to prove her title
in 1565, (fn. 181) and Queen Elizabeth seems to have recovered
them, but in 1580 she granted the pension and tithes
to Philip Clopton, grandson and heir of Thomas
Moote. (fn. 182) Philip seems to have sold them in 1590
to William Webster. (fn. 183) The tithes in Weald, Caldecote and Hardwick, which had been assigned to
St. Neots Priory in 1204, were granted, excepting
those from the demesne of Saher de Quincy, in 1584
by the Queen to Anthony Collins and George Woodhill, (fn. 184) but in 1600 she granted them to Martin Heton,
Bishop of Ely. (fn. 185) They were sequestrated under the
Commonwealth and claimed by the rector of Eynesbury, to whom on the expiration of a lease of 1637,
they were assigned in 1658. (fn. 186) They were recovered
after the Restoration and in 1770, at an inclosure of
the parish of St. Neots, land in Wintringham
was assigned to the Bishop of Ely in lieu of the
tithes. (fn. 187)
In 1797, when the parish of Eynesbury was inclosed,
allotments were made in lieu of the tithes due to the
rector, with a special clause relating to the tithes at
Lansbury (q.v.). (fn. 188)
Before 1204 a pension of 100s. from the rectory of
Eynesbury had been granted to the Priory of Newenham. (fn. 189) On the division of the tithes the pension was
to be paid by the monks of St. Neots from their part
of the rectory of Eynesbury. (fn. 190)
In 1291 this pension was only 13s. 4d. a year, (fn. 191) and
the same sum was paid at the Dissolution of the
Monasteries. (fn. 192)
Two acres of land in Eynesbury were returned as
having been given to provide a light in the church,
and in 1549 they were granted to John Doddington
and William Warde. (fn. 193)
In 1514 William Forest, the rector of Eynesbury,
left three acres of land for the benefit of certain poor
persons of the parish, who were to pray for the soul
of the donor and others. After the dissolution of the
chantries, the trustees converted the land to their
own use. (fn. 194) In 1597 Robert Clopton obtained a lease
of the land for 21 years for 1s. 6d. a year, on condition
that the poor should receive two bushels of corn from
the land annually.
The free chapel of St. Thomas the Martyr (fn. 195) at
Puttocks Hardwick was founded before 1222, probably
by Everard Trumpington, certainly by a member of
the family. (fn. 196) The founder endowed it with rents in
Todenham and Farndon for the support of two
chaplains, (fn. 197) and further grants were made in the same
century of land in Eynesbury and Hardwick. (fn. 198) The
first chaplain was presented by Gilbert, the rector of
Eynesbury, (fn. 199) but the chapel was not parochial, and
in the 14th century presentations were made by the
Trumpingtons. (fn. 200) Sir Walter presented in 1451; (fn. 201)
from him the advowson passed to his daughter
Eleanor, the wife firstly of John Enderby and secondly
of Sir Edmund Luce. (fn. 202) Her daughter and heir,
Eleanor Enderby, married Francis Pigott, and they
made the last presentation in 1546. (fn. 203) In 1534 the
endowment was valued at £3 18s. 3d. a year. (fn. 204) The
chapel was dissolved as a chantry in 1548, (fn. 205) and a
pension was assigned to the chaplain, Thomas Merrell. (fn. 206) In 1549 the chapel, church house and lands
were granted to Richard Venables and John Maynerde. (fn. 207)
A chapel at Weald seems to have been founded in
the 12th century on the land held by Alan the steward,
on the manor of the Countess Judith. (fn. 208) He or his
successor of the same name granted the chapel,
9 acres of land and all tithes of his land at Weald to
the Priory of St. Neots. (fn. 209) The monks had two lawsuits over the advowson of the chapel in the later
12th or early 13th century, (fn. 210) but they seem to have
retained it. The chapel is mentioned in a lease,
granted by the Priory in 1514, of tithes in Weald and
Caldecote, together with the grass and herbage of
the cemetery and chapel. (fn. 211) In 1518 Thomas Edows
left money for the repair of the chapel. (fn. 212) The lease
was renewed in 1582 to Nicholas Luke, (fn. 213) but in the
meantime the chapel itself with its lands had been
granted by Queen Elizabeth in 1570 to Hugh Councell
and Robert Pistor. (fn. 214) It was presumably pulled down,
but its site is probably preserved in the Chapel Yard
at Weald.
There is a Primitive Methodist Chapel in Eynesbury.
CHARITIES
Bell Rope Field. The origin of this
charity is unknown and consisted of
a piece of land known as 'Bell Rope
Field,' containing 1¾ acres. Under the authority of
an order of the Charity Commissioners dated 18 June
1926 the land was sold and the proceeds invested in
the purchase of £147 11s. 7d. 5 per cent. War Stock
1929–47 in the name of the Official Trustees. Under
a scheme of the said Commissioners dated 8 April
1927 this sum of stock was apportioned, viz.:—
(1) A sum of £115 10s. 5 per cent. War Stock was
set aside to constitute the endowment of a charity
called the Eynesbury Bell Rope Charity.
(2) A sum of £32 1s. 7d. like stock was set aside
to constitute the endowment of a charity called
St. Neots Bell Rope Charity.
The charity numbered (1) is administered by the
rector and churchwardens of Eynesbury for ecclesiastical purposes in connection with the Church of England in Eynesbury.
The trustees of the charity numbered (2) are the
vicar and churchwardens of St. Neots, and the income is applied for ecclesiastical purposes in connection with the Church of England in St. Neots.