SOUTHOE
Sutham (xi cent.); Sutho, Suho (xii cent. and
later); Southogh (xv cent.).
This parish is bounded on the east by the Ouse,
dividing it from Great Paxton, which is reached
by a ferry. The ground near the river is liable to
floods, and nowhere in the parish rises to more than
about 150 ft. above ordnance datum. The area is
1,487 acres of land and 12 acres of land covered by
water. The soil is gravelly, and the subsoil clay.
The chief crops grown are wheat, barley, and oats.
The village lies along a by-road about a quarter of
a mile west of the main road from Bedford to Huntingdon on ground rising westward from the River Ouse.
The church stands near the crossing of two roads,
and to the west of it is the rectory, with the Rectory
Farm. To the east of the rectory is a homestead
moat which probably marks the site of the house of
the Lovetots which they made their chief home, where
John de Lovetot was born in 1298. The house was
said to be in ruin in 1350 and probably was not rebuilt,
as the property shortly afterwards went to the Earls
of Gloucester, who had many houses elsewhere. On
the east side of the village street, south-east of the
church, is a 16th-century timber-framed house with
tiled roof which, although now three cottages, was once
of more importance. It consists of a central block
and two wings, the southern of which was added a
century later than the main building. The upper
story projects and is supported on a carved beam.
There are other timber-framed houses and cottages in
the village street, at the south end of which is Manor
Farm, where there is another homestead moat, within
which probably stood the house of Ferrers or Winchester Manor (q.v.). East of the church is the
pound and to the south of it the school and the smithy,
the Old Horseshoe Inn, commemorative of the
Ferrers arms, lying west of it. There is another homestead moat at Town Orchard, south-west of the
church, which indicates the position of another
medieval house. The hamlet of Boughton lies partly
in this parish and partly in Diddington, which adjoins
it on the north-east. The Manor Farm at Boughton,
about a mile east of the village, now two tenements,
was originally built in the 17th century, possibly in
1650, when the manor was leased for 99 years to
Peter and Giles Vandeputh. (fn. 1) The house has been
much altered and received additions in the 18th century and later, when much of it was refaced with brick
and the roofs covered with slates. There is a dovecot in the grounds. About a quarter of a mile to the
south of it, and west of the Ouse, is Boughton Lodge,
another 17th-century house now almost a ruin.
At the south-east angle of the parish, bounded by
the Ouse and by a tributary stream, is Wrayhouse,
Wrayhouse Farm being across the border in Little
Paxton.
MANORS
Four and a half hides in SOUTHOE,
held before the Conquest by Dunninc,
were entered in Domesday Survey (1086)
among the lands of Eustace the Sheriff, (fn. 2) and formed
then the most important of the few manors Eustace
held in demesne, being possibly then as later, head
of the fee whose subsequent development into that
of Southoe Lovetot has been discussed in the first
volume. There was one plough on the demesne on
1½ hides of this land and a fishery rendering 1,000 eels.
The value in 1066 of 100s. had fallen to 70s. in 1086.
The Southoe fee seems to have descended with the
Peterborough holdings of the Lovetots, (fn. 3) a family that
took its name from Louvetot in Normandy. If its
early descent followed the Peterborough fees, Eustace's
holding in Southoe had passed
before 1125 to Roger de
Lovetot, who was succeeded
by his nephew Richard, son
of his brother Nigel. (fn. 4) Dr.
Farrer, however, suggests that
Southoe was brought to the
Lovetots by Richard's wife,
who, he thinks, may have
been one of Eustace's heirs. (fn. 5)
William son of Richard
Lovetot founded Worksop
Priory (co. Notts.) about 1103.
He had two sons Richard and Nigel, the elder of
whom, Richard, took the Hallamshire (co. York) fees
and the younger, Nigel, the Peterborough fees and
the Barony of Southoe, (fn. 6) which extended with Southoe,
Perry, Grafham, Winwick, Sawtry, Washingley,
Thurning, Orton Longville, Offord, Papworth, Gidding, Chesterton and Stilton. (fn. 7) Richard (d. 1171) had
a son William whose daughter Maud married Gerard
de Furnival (d. 1218). Nigel had five sons, Richard,
Roger, Nigel, Robert and William. (fn. 8) His knights
under Huntingdonshire paid their donum in 1158–9,
and reference is made to his knights' fees in the same
county in 1160–1 (fn. 10) and 1166. (fn. 11) He died about 1179,
when Richard his son paid relief for his father's lands. (fn. 12)
Richard paid scutage in respect of his lands in Southoe
in 1186 and died without issue probably in 1191, when
his brother Roger paid £100 for his relief. (fn. 13) William,
the eldest son of Roger, died childless and was succeeded by his brother and heir Nigel, a clerk in holy
orders. (fn. 14) On Nigel's death in 1219 (fn. 15) he was succeeded by his three sisters and coheirs Amice, Rose or
Royce, and Alice, his estate being thus divided into
thirds. (fn. 16)
Lovetot. Or a lion parted fessewise gules and sable.
Amice, the eldest sister, married Ralph de Amundeville or Mundeville and had two sons Elias or Ellis and
Nigel. (fn. 17) Elias was engaged in a dispute with the
abbot of Ramsey as to common of pasture in Southoe
in 1226 and died in 1231. (fn. 18) He was succeeded by his
brother Nigel de Amundeville who, with his cousins
Richard de Lovetot, son of Rose, and William Patrick,
son of Alice, granted lands in Worksop and Southoe to
Maud wife of Gerard de Furnival (see above). (fn. 19) In
1259 Nigel de Amundeville and his wife Joan conveyed
their third of the manor of Southoe to Richard de
Clare, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, (fn. 20) who died
in 1262 seised of a third of a fee in Southoe held for
life by John de Amundeville and another third
similarly held by John de Littlebury and Margery his
wife, daughter of Alice. (fn. 21) These two-thirds passed
to the successive Earls of Gloucester and to Hugh de
Audley, husband of Margaret de Clare, sister of
Gilbert the tenth earl. Hugh de Audley died in
1347, when the title became extinct.
Rose or Royce, the second sister of Nigel de Lovetot,
married Hubert de Bromford, (fn. 22) and had a son Richard,
who took his mother's name (fn. 23) and was a party to the
conveyance to Maud de Furnival in 1234. (fn. 24) Roger
son of Richard died in 1274. (fn. 25) He was succeeded by
Thomas de Lovetot his son, (fn. 26) who in 1276 received
grants of land in Southoe from John son of Richard
de Lovetot and John son of Roger de Lovetot. (fn. 27)
Thomas in 1279 was entered both in the list of the
free tenants in Southoe of the Earls of Gloucester
and as holding in fee farm of Nicholas Peysun, with
a free fishery in the Ouse from Paxton Mills to
Madedike. (fn. 28) He was living in 1287, (fn. 29) but before
1294 he had apparently conveyed part of his property in Southoe to his son John, who died in that
year, leaving a son and heir John. (fn. 30) This latter John
sold his share in Southoe, or a portion of it, to William
de Cleye, citizen of London, who enfeoffed either
William le Parker or Hamo and John his sons. Hamo le
Parker was a bastard and died without heir of his body
in 1302 and John was the heir of William le Parker. (fn. 31)
Thomas de Lovetot, probably brother of either John
de Lovetot the elder or John the younger, was
returned in 1301 with the Earl of Gloucester and
Hamo le Parker as owner of woods in Southoe afforested
in the reign of Henry II (fn. 32) and in 1303 as holding, with
the Earl of Gloucester, Southoe Lovetot cum Perry
by the service of one knight's fee. (fn. 33) In 1311 he settled
lands in Southoe, held in chief, on his wife Beatrice, (fn. 34)
but died before 1319, when his son and heir John, born
and baptised at Southoe, proved his age. (fn. 35) The
vill was returned as held jointly by the heirs of
the Earl of Gloucester and of Thomas de Lovetot in
1316. (fn. 36) John de Lovetot died in 1349 seised of
lands and rents in Southoe and Overton Watervile
held of the king in chief by the service of a third of a
knight's fee. (fn. 37) The messuage was ruinous and John
had possibly met with a violent death, as in 1361
John, son of John Waldeshef of Diddington, for good
service in the war in France in the company of Robert
de Herle, received pardon for the death of John de
Lovetot of Southoe killed some time before. (fn. 38) John
de Lovetot's son and heir Edward received licence
in 1359 to settle a messuage, carucate of land, and
£10 rent in Southoe, Boughton, and Overton Watervile, held of the king in chief, on his wife Joan, (fn. 39) to
whom they were delivered after his death in 1369. (fn. 40)
He was survived by an eight-year-old son and heir
John, (fn. 41) but on the death of Joan in 1405 Margaret
the wife of Sir John Cheyne was said to be Edward's
daughter and heir. (fn. 42) It was evidently this property
with which William Herle and his wife Margaret
(who, from Boughton (q.v.) inquisitions, appears to
have been the daughter of Edward de Lovetot, and
widow of Sir John Cheyne) in 1418–19 were dealing
as a manor of Southoe. (fn. 43) This third part of
Southoe had been acquired by the owners of the
Gloucester two-thirds before 1428, when the Earl of
Stafford was returned as holding the fee in Southoe
Lovetot cum Perry, which the Earl of Gloucester
and Thomas de Lovetot had previously held, (fn. 44) and
the Herles may have been then their tenants.
The third of the Lovetot fee which went on the
death of Nigel Lovetot to his sister Alice and William
Patrick, her husband, passed on her death to her son
William. (fn. 45) This William the younger was party to
the conveyance to Maud Furnival in 1234 and afterwards gave his interest to his sister Margery, the wife
first of William or Warren de Vernon (fn. 46) and, secondly,
of John de Littlebury. (fn. 47) Her daughter Royce
[Vernon?] married John de Littlebury. In 1259
John de Littlebury and Margery his wife conveyed
their third of Southoe to Richard de Clare, Earl of
Gloucester (fn. 48) from which date it passed with Amice's
third share.
From the Earls of Gloucester, Southoe descended
to their heirs the Earls of Stafford and Dukes of
Buckingham. (fn. 49) John Earl of Wiltshire (son of Humphrey Duke of Buckingham) at his death in 1470 was
holding it of his brother Henry Duke of Buckingham,
with his wife Constance, who survived him and held
the manor at his death. (fn. 50) By the attainder and
execution of Edward Duke of Buckingham in 1521 it
was forfeited to the crown (fn. 51) and was in 1522 granted
in tail male to Henry Norres, esquire of the body, (fn. 52)
himself later to be attainted. In 1536 Edward Ashfield, receiver of the lands of Henry Norres, accounted
for £36 10s. rents of the manors of Southoe and of
Tylbroke (co. Bedford). (fn. 53) The site of the manor,
the demesnes, etc., were in 1595 granted by Queen
Elizabeth as the manor of Southoe Lovetot to Robert
Smithson for 21 years, (fn. 54) and a grant was made by her
in 1600 to William Hawkins and George Tomson, (fn. 55)
from whom it passed to Sir Richard Dyer, owner of
the Ferrers manor in Southoe, who was in possession
of manors of Hail Weston, Paxton and Southoe in that
year. (fn. 56) In 1603 Sir Richard Dyer made a settlement
on himself of manors including the manors of Southoe
Lovetot and Hailweston, and a manor of Southoe
which was evidently Southoe Ferrers, and died in
Fetter Lane, London, in 1605. (fn. 57) His son and heir,
Sir William Dyer, married Catherine daughter and
co-heir of John Doyley of Merton, and was dealing
with the manor in 1609. (fn. 58) He was succeeded by his son
Sir Lodovick Dyer. (fn. 59) The manors of Southoe Lovetot, Southoe Ferrers, and Little Paxton were conveyed to Henry Pickering of Moulsey (co. Surrey), in
1647 (fn. 60) by Sir Lodovick Dyer, bart, his mother Katherine Dyer, widow, his brother Richard and Robert
Bernard. These manors continued to be held by the
Pickerings, and were dealt with in 1697 by Sir Henry
Pickering, bart, and his wife Grace. (fn. 61) In 1703 Sir
Henry, as Sir Henry Pickering of Whaddon, bart, sold
them to John Bacon of London, merchant. (fn. 62) Two
years later they were dealt with by Thomas Bacon and
his wife Elizabeth, (fn. 63) in whose possession they still
were in 1719. (fn. 64) From the Bacons the Southoe
manors had passed by 1739 into the hands of John
Standley and his wife, (fn. 65) who, with Peter Standley,
were dealing with them in that year. John Standley
died in 1761. Henry Pointer Standley is mentioned
in 1784 and in 1797 he was returned as lord of the
manor of 'Southoe with Lovetots' in the parish of
Southoe, evidently of both Southoe manors. He
died in 1812 (fn. 66) and was succeeded by another Henry
Pointer Standley who died in 1844. His executors
sold, probably in 1845, to Samuel Jones (Loyd), Baron
Overstone, at whose death in 1883 it passed to his
only daughter Harriet Sarah, wife of Sir Robert
James Loyd-Lindsay, created in 1885 Baron Wantage
of Lockinge, (fn. 67) in whose hands the manor remained
until their deaths without issue, the manorial rights
being shared apparently by them with Arthur John
Thornhill, of Diddington, who was succeeded by his
nephew, Mr. Noel Thornhill, and the rector, with
whom they are now owned by Mr. Claude Davison.
The manor of SOUTHOE FERRERS or SOUTHOE
WINCHESTER can be identified with 2 hides in
Southoe held in 1066 by Saxi
and had passed to Robert son
of Fafiton in 1086. The
land had fallen in value from
40s. in 1066 to 20s. in 1086.
Robert son of Fafiton had a
son Eustace and a grandson
Aubyn. (fn. 68) Before 1210–12,
Roger de Mortimer son of
Hugh de Mortimer was
holding three knights' fees
in Southoe and Trumpington
(co. Camb.). (fn. 69) He died in
1214 and was succeeded by
his son Hugh. The overlordship apparently continued in the Mortimers,
Lords Mortimer of Wigmore and Earls of March, (fn. 70)
until Edward, Earl of March ascended the throne as
Edward IV in 1461, when the manor was held in
chief of the crown.
Mortimer. Barry or and azure a chief or with two pales between two gyrons azure and a scutcheon argent over all.
Early in the 13th century the Quincys were tenants
in fee of the manor. In 1231 Roger de Quincy,
Earl of Winchester, had licence to assart his wood of
Stert or Stirtlow, (fn. 71) and in 1235–6 received a gift of
some of the king's deer from Weybridge Forest for
stocking his park at Southoe. (fn. 72) He died in 1264 seised
of a knight's fee in Southoe Weston, held of the fee of
Wigmore of the small fee of Mortain, and 2 carucates
of land in Stert or Stirtlow in the same manor, held of
the honour of Huntingdon. (fn. 73) His third wife Eleanor,
widow of William de Vaux and daughter of William
Ferrers, 5th Earl of Derby, married Roger de Leybourne, (fn. 74) and in 1271 claimed dower in the manor
of Boughton and in all Margery Vernon's lands in
Southoe. (fn. 75) These latter lands had been acquired
by Roger de Leybourne and Eleanor from Margery
de Vernon, and sold before Roger's death to Nicholas
Pessun or Peysonn and Henry de Bozstalle, clerk.
Nicholas Pessun's share of the property was a
messuage, the demesne and other lands which were
held in 1279 at fee farm for 10 marks a year by Thomas
de Lovetot (fn. 76) with his share of the Lovetot manor
(q.v.)
In 1274 a partition was made of Roger de Quincy's
lands among his daughters and coheirs, namely,
Margaret de Ferrers Countess
of Derby, Ellen, who had
married Alan la Zouche, and
Elizabeth wife of Alexander
Comyn Earl of Buchan. On
a division of the dower lands
in Southoe in 1275 (fn. 77) a third
part on the south with a
third of the chief messuage
fell to Margaret de Ferrers
Countess of Derby; a third
on the north and a third
of the chief messuage to
Alexander Comyn Earl of Buchan and his wife
Elizabeth; and a third in the middle with a third
of the chief messuage to Ellen la Zouche. (fn. 78) It was
agreed that if the Earl of Buchan and his wife Elizabeth
preferred it, they should have the chief messuage
of Southoe, with the buildings, gardens, vineyards,
fishponds, etc., contained within the inclosure,
exchanging with the other coparceners properties
elsewhere. The Earl Alexander and his wife were
required to come personally to England to do homage
before receiving seisin, which, however, was directed
to be delivered to them on 22 May, 1275. (fn. 79) From
later evidence, however, it appears that the Ferrers
acquired the third share of the Earl of Buchan and
Elizabeth, thus making their share two-thirds and
the Zouche share one-third. (fn. 80) In 1279, Margaret,
Countess of Ferrers and Ellen la Zouche only are
returned as holding Southoe Weston Winchester. (fn. 81)
De Quincy. Gules seven voided lozenges conjoined or.
The Zouche third share was apparently conveyed
by Ellen in 1284 to her younger son Oliver (fn. 82) who
held with John de Ferrers
a knight's fee in Southoe
Winchester in 1303 (fn. 83) and onethird of a fee as against twothirds held by the Ferrers in
1304. (fn. 84) On the death of Ellen
about 1296 (fn. 85) her grandson
Alan, son of her son Roger,
was returned as her heir.
Alan died in 1314, when
Oliver held of him a messuage and 2 carucates of land
in Southoe Winchester by the
service of half a knight's fee.
Alan left three daughters and coheirs, Ellen the wife
of Nicholas de St. Maur, Maud the wife of Sir Robert de
Holand and Elizabeth a nun at Brewood. (fn. 86) A knight's
fee in Southoe Winchester of the yearly value of 20
marks held by Oliver la Zouche was included among
those assigned in purparty in 1314 to the younger
daughter Maud and her husband Robert de Holand,
with the assent of Ellen, wife of Nicholas de St. Maur,
eldest daughter and co-heir of Alan la Zouche described
as tenant in chief in 1314, (fn. 87) and in 1316 the heir of John
de Ferrers, in the custody of the king, and Oliver la
Zouche were returned as holding the vill of Southoe
Winchester. (fn. 88) It would seem that after this time the
Zouche third share either got split up and so lost its
entity or was acquired by the Ferrers and merged in
their two-thirds share. In 1279, the Countess Margaret had in demesne 260 acres of land, with 60 acres
of wood in Southoe Park and 80 acres in Rushoe Park. (fn. 89)
She died before 1281, and in that year the custody
of the manor was granted to John de Aese or Aysse,
Vicomte of Tartase, and by him to Baldwin Wake
and his wife Hawise to hold during the minority of
Margaret's (fn. 90) grandson and heir, John de Ferrers,
whose father, Robert de Ferrers, Earl of Derby
(d. 1279) had forfeited his earldom and lands in
1266. (fn. 91) John de Ferrers never recovered the earldom,
but his share of the manor of Southoe Winchester
was restored to him, and he was the ancestor of the
Lords Ferrers of Chartley. John de Ferrers died in
1312, and was succeeded by his son John, a minor, (fn. 92)
the custody of whose lands was granted to Hugh
le Despenser the elder. (fn. 93) During the custody of
Hugh le Despenser, forcible entry was made on the
manor of Southoe Ferrers by various persons, including
the Earl of Hereford, Sir Roger de Mortimer, the
nephew, Sir Roger de Mortimer, the uncle, and Sir
Maurice Berkeley. (fn. 94) Although still a minor in 1321,
John de Ferrers had licence to enter upon the manors
of Southoe and Keyston. (fn. 95) He died childless, apparently unmarried, in 1324, his brother Robert being
his heir. Robert married as his second wife Joan
de la Mote, (fn. 96) on whom he settled the manor of Southoe
as dower 'at the door of the church.' (fn. 97) Joan died
in 1375, when the manor went to her grandson Robert
son of John de Ferrers (fn. 98) and Elizabeth, daughter
of Ralph Earl of Stafford, which John was born and
baptised at Southoe. (fn. 99) Robert married Margaret
daughter of Sir Edward le Despenser, and died in
1413, leaving a son and heir Edmund, who married
Eleanor de la Roche and died seised of the manor of
Southoe Ferrers in 1435. (fn. 100) A knight's fee in Southoe
Winchester formerly held by John de Ferrers and
Oliver la Zouche was returned in 1428 as held by
Joan Cheyne (Chyne) (fn. 101) , who appears to have been the
daughter of Sir John Cheyne and Margaret daughter
of Edward Lovetot who held the manor of Boughton
(q.v.). Edmund's son William married Elizabeth,
daughter of Hamon Belknap, who was dowered with
Southoe, and at his death in 1450 (fn. 102) left an only
daughter Anne, who married Walter Devereux, Lord
Ferrers, on whom the manor of Southoe had been
settled in 1446. (fn. 103) Elizabeth, widow of William
Ferrers, was assigned South Park and Stirtgart in
Southoe as dower in 1451, (fn. 104) and in 1454 granted for
the term of her life 50 acres of wood to the Archbishop
of Canterbury. (fn. 105)
Zouche. Gules bezanty with a quarter ermine.
Walter Devereux, who, after this marriage with
the Ferrers heiress, became Devereux de Ferrers or
Lord de Ferrers, (fn. 106) was slain at Bosworth Field in
1485 with Richard III, when he was succeeded by
his son John (d. 1501), whose son and heir Walter,
as Walter Devereux Lord Ferrers, was dealing in
1512–13 with Weston, Southoe and other manors. (fn. 107)
He was created Viscount Hereford in 1550 and was
succeeded at his death in 1558 by his grandson and
heir Walter Viscount Hereford, son of his son
Richard Devereux, kt. (fn. 108) In 1571, Walter Viscount
Hereford conveyed to Sir James Dyer, kt., Chief
Justice of the Queen's Bench, the reversion of the
manor, which at that date the second wife of his
grandfather, Margaret Viscountess Hereford, was
holding for life. (fn. 109) She was the daughter of Robert
Garnes of Kenton, co. Suffolk, and after the death
of her first husband married William Lord Willoughby of Parham, whom she survived. (fn. 110) Her son
and executor, Edward Devereux, was in 1600–1
defendant in an action brought by Sir George Hastings,
kt., Earl of Huntingdon (whose daughter Dorothy was
the wife of Richard Devereux, son of the first viscount)
and by Sir Richard Dyer and others. Sir Richard
Dyer, the grand-nephew and heir of Sir James Dyer,
claimed to be seised of the manors of Hayleweston,
Southoe, and Paxton by good and lawful conveyance
from Lady Margaret Willoughby, previously Viscountess Hereford. Sir Edward Devereux, who, it
was alleged, had been demanding rents from tenants
in these and other manors, pleaded in his defence
the forfeiture of recognizances entered into in
connection with settlements of the manor at the
marriages of the Lady Margaret and of Dorothy
wife of Richard Devereux. (fn. 111) Sir Richard Dyer
died seised of the manors of Southoe Ferrers and
Southoe Lovetot (q.v.) in 1605, (fn. 112) from which date
both manors descended together.
A hide of land in BOUGHTON (Bucheton xi
cent.; Boudon, Bowdon xiv cent.), the hamlet
partly in Diddington and partly in Southoe, was
returned in the Domesday Survey among the lands
of Eustace the Sheriff in Toseland hundred as having
been held by Godric the priest, (fn. 113) who was tenant
there of Earl Waltheof before the Conquest. (fn. 114)
Evidently the disintegration of Eustace's property was
followed by the recovery of this hide by Waltheof's
heirs, of whom it continued to be held as of the honour
of Huntingdon. In 1199, Ivo Quarrel of Boughton
was sued by Ralph Sanzaver for a hide of land in
Croxton (co. Camb.), when he pleaded that his
ancestors had held that hide since the Conquest. (fn. 115)
Probably the same Ivo is mentioned as a knight in
Huntingdonshire in 1206. (fn. 116) A William Quarrel
was dealing with land in Boughton in 1224–5, (fn. 117) and
in 1242–3 Ivo Quarrel held half a knight's fee there
of Isabella de Brus as of the honour of Huntingdon. (fn. 118)
Ivo was owing money to Isaac the Jew of Cambridge
in 1245, and he and his wife Joan gave half a mark for
an assize in Bedfordshire in 1262. (fn. 119) The Quarrel
half-fee in Boughton seems to have passed to the
Stokes family. In 1279 John de Stokes held of Robert
de Brus half a fee in Boughton in which Isabel his
mother had her dower. (fn. 120) John de Stokes was holding
in Southoe in 1302, (fn. 121) but before 1315 Boughton had
become divided between two sisters and coheirs,
possibly his daughters, Margery de Stokes and
Eleanor de Stokes. Margery predeceased her husband
John Fin, who died in 1349, the year of the plague;
their son John was then dead, and Eleanor died in
the same year, leaving a son Thomas de Walton or
Wauton, who was heir of both sisters. (fn. 122) Thomas
de Walton had a son Thomas who in 1390, as Thomas
Wauton of Basmey (co. Beds.), (fn. 123) released his right
in the manor formerly belonging to John de Stokes
to John Swynstede, William Boys and Robert Kyrkely,
clerks, Richard Parker of Southoe, John Parker and
Richard Dalton and the heirs and assigns of John
Swynstede, William Boys and Robert Kyrkely. (fn. 124) The
manor and lands were then held for life by Richard
Parker, John Parker and Richard Dalton with reversion
to John Swynstede, William and Robert, evidently
feofees. The conveyance was to bar the heirs of
Thomas de Walton, who were not to be sued for the
value of the premises. (fn. 125)
The manor at this date had apparently again fallen
to coheirs; the Parkers had held lands in Boughton
and Southoe of John de Stokes. William le Parker
owned lands here with Felicia his wife, which he
settled on Hamo le Parker, his bastard son, with
remainder to John his son and heir. (fn. 126) Hamo died
childless in 1302 and John succeeded. In 1363,
John Billing and Mary his wife and Hugh Archer
and Joan his wife conveyed two parts of the manor
to Walter Walshe. (fn. 127) Mary or Margery wife of
John Billing, Joan wife of Hugh Archer or Arthour,
and Elizabeth, wife of John FitzHugh were daughters
and coheirs of Nicholas son of William Gamage
(d. 1349), who held lands in Gloucestershire, of
which Elizabeth gave her share to Thomas de Wauton. (fn. 128) In 1379–80, Hugh Brian and Christine his
wife conveyed to Richard Parker, parson of the
church of Great Stoughton, and other feofees, a
quarter of the manor. (fn. 129) All these shares fell to a
certain Joan, who married firstly Edward Lovetot, who
died in 1369 leaving a son John, (fn. 130) who apparently
predeceased his mother, and secondly, Simon de Burgh.
Joan died in 1404 seised of the whole manor, leaving a
daughter and heir Margaret who was then married to
Sir John Cheyne. (fn. 131) Their daughter Joan Cheyne
was returned as holding in 1428 a knight's fee in
Toseland, Little Paxton and Boughton, which Robert
de Brus formerly held, (fn. 132) but by 1439 the manor of
Boughton had passed to Hugh
Boville (Boyvyle or Bonville)
who in that year granted it
to Thomas Rous for life
with successive remainders to
Thomas, son and heir of
Anne, lately the wife of
Thomas Rous senior, to
Richard Rous, brother of
Thomas junior, and to
William, son of Richard
Rous, to William Cheyne, to
John Boville and Elizabeth
his wife and the heirs of Elizabeth and, failing the heirs
of all these persons, to the right heirs of Margaret who
was the wife of Sir John Cheyne. (fn. 133) Thomas Rous
died in 1453. (fn. 134) Thomas Rous, probably his nephew,
made a grant of the manor to feoffees in trust
for Margaret and Richard Barneby in survivorship,
with remainder to his own brother and heir William. (fn. 135)
After the death of Thomas the manor of Boughton
was the subject of Chancery proceedings instituted
by Richard Barneby and his wife Margaret and
by William, brother and heir of Thomas Rous
of Lenche Randulph, against these feoffees. (fn. 136) Margaret, as widow of William Nutteberne, died in
1512, when Thomas son of William Rous was returned
as heir to the manor of Boughton. (fn. 137) The widow of
William Rous, Rosamund, had married William
Grace, (fn. 138) and in 1515 Thomas Rous obtained livery
of the manor of Boughton, as his inheritance, after
the death of Margaret Nutteberne or Barneby, and
licence to enter on the manor of Southoe, also of his
inheritance when the death of Rosamund Grace
should occur. (fn. 139) In 1527 Thomas Rous settled the
manor of Boughton on his wife Dorothy, and died
in 1543, being then described as of Overston (co.
Northampton) and leaving a son and heir John. (fn. 140)
John Rous in 1572 made a conveyance of the manors
of Boughton and Southoe to his son and heir-apparent
Edward (fn. 141) and in 1598 they were conveyed by three
generations of Rous, John and his wife Eleanor,
Edward Rous the son and heir-apparent of John,
and John Rous son and heir-apparent of Edward,
to William Chaderton, Bishop of Lincoln. (fn. 142) The
bishop immediately settled these manors, rents,
etc., held of the king in chief, on himself and his
wife Katherine during her widowhood, with remainder
to his daughter Joan Brooke, (fn. 143) wife of Sir Richard
Brooke, and her heirs male. Joan Brooke died
before the bishop (d. 1608) and her daughter Elizabeth, wife of William Sandes, succeeded to her
grandfather's estate. (fn. 144) She is said to have married
Tyrrell Jocelyn of Holywell, (fn. 145) whose daughter
Theodora was in 1644 holding both manors, (fn. 146) of
which she made a conveyance in 1646 with her father
and others. (fn. 147) She married Samuel Fautrey or Fortrey
of Hoggington (co. Camb.) (fn. 148) and they together granted
a lease of both manors in 1649–50 for 99 years to
Peter and Giles Vandeputt, (fn. 149) and were again dealing
with them, with free fishery and foldage, etc. in
1668. (fn. 150) Theodora Fortrey, then a widow, with
Talbot Samuel Fortrey, suffered a recovery in 1682
of both manors, free fishery, etc. (fn. 151) By 1718 the
manors of Boughton and Southoe were in the possession of Richard Banner. (fn. 152) They were dealt with
by Richard Banner and his wife in 1740, (fn. 153) and in
1751 Richard Banner conveyed them to William
Finch. (fn. 154) In 1779 William Finch Finch held the
manors of Boughton and Southoe with a free fishery,
10 dove houses, courts leet, courts baron, etc. (fn. 155) He
was returned in the Inclosure Act of 1797 as lord of
the manor of Boughton in Southoe, (fn. 156) which possibly
represented both manors, now apparently held with
the manor of Southoe by joint owners of Southoe
manorial rights.
Rous. Argent two bars engrailed sable.
Edmund Hatley and his wife Joan were dealing
in 1550 and 1555 with land in Southoe, Diddington
and Boughton. (fn. 157) A messuage and 40 acres of land
in Southoe, with lands in Fen Stanton, were mortgaged
about 1618 to Edmund Pye and Thomas Allen, of
London, by Edmund Hatley; they were subsequently
conveyed to William Hickes, 'who died suddenly
in the great sickness,' and were the subject of Chancery
proceedings instituted against Edmund Pye in 1625
by Randolph Hickes, son and heir of William Hickes,
of Ludgate Hill, in London. (fn. 158) Before 1629 Randolph
Hickes, gent, had died seised of three-quarters of a
chief messuage in Southoe Lovetot, late in the tenure
of John Hatley. (fn. 159)
Thomas Hatley was also dealing with land in
Southoe in 1550. (fn. 160) In 1576 the lease of Baxters
Ferries in Southoe, bequeathed by Philip Hatley,
of Little Paxton, to his sister Agnes wife of Thomas
Lawe, of Southoe, was the subject of a suit tried by
the Bishop of Lincoln at Buckden. (fn. 161)
CHURCH
The Church of ST. LEONARD consists of a chancel (32 ft. by 14¼ ft),
nave (37¼ ft. by 21¼ ft.), north aisle
(23½ ft. by 10¾ ft.), south aisle (39 ft. by 7¼ ft.),
tower (11 ft. by 11 ft.) at north-west corner, and
south porch. The walls are of pebble rubble, except
the tower and clearstory, which are of red brick,
and all have stone dressings; the north aisle is of
ashlar. The roofs are of slate and lead.
The church is not mentioned in the Domesday
Survey (1086), but about 1160 a stone church was
built here, of which the greater part of the chancel
with the chancel arch remains, and the south doorway has been reset in the wall of the south aisle.
In the 13th century the chancel was lengthened,
the nave rebuilt with a south arcade and south aisle;
and about 1500 the north arcade and aisle were added,
the south aisle largely rebuilt, and the clearstory and
porch added. Finally, towards the end of the 16th century the tower was built on the site of the western
bay of the north aisle. (fn. 162) The church was restored
in 1859, when the south-west corner of the chancel,
the clearstory, the east respond of the south arcade,
the east window of the south aisle, the west window
of the nave, and the porch were rebuilt, and the whole
of the roofs, which were mean and modern, (fn. 163) were
renewed.
The chancel, partly 12th and partly 13th century, has
an early 16th-century five-light window with transom
in the east wall; the north wall has a two-light window
of c. 1300, and a 13th-century lancet. The south
wall has a two-light of c. 1300 with the sill carried
down to form two graduated seats, a 13th-century
doorway, and a plain piscina in a modern recess;
the western end was rebuilt in 1859, before which
it had a three-light 15th-century window; high up,
on the outside, is a rectangular panel, perhaps for a
sundial, and built in, just west of the doorway, is
the drain of a pillar piscina. Both north and south
walls have a flat 13th-century buttress marking the
junction of the earlier and later work. The chancel
arch, (fn. 164) c. 1160, is two centred of two chamfered
orders resting on responds having attached jamb
shafts with cushion caps, some of which exhibit a
crude volute. In the north-west corner is an early
16th-century squint.
The 13th-century nave has in the east wall, just
north of the chancel arch, a 14th-century wall recess
with two-centred arch. The early 16th-century north
arcade is of three bays with two-centred arches of two
chamfered orders resting on octagonal columns and
semi-octagonal responds with moulded capital and
bases. The 13th-century south arcade, also of three
bays, has two-centred arches of two chamfered orders
resting on circular columns and semicircular responds
with moulded capitals and bases. The west wall has an
early 16th-century doorway with a four-centred arch
under a square head, having the letters 'I.B.' in the
spandrels; above it is a modern three-light window
with transom. The clearstory, rebuilt 1859, has on the
north two early 16th-century square-headed two-light
windows, and on the south one three-light and two
two-light windows, nearly all modern. The parapet is
embattled, and the east gable has a cot for a sanctus bell.
The north aisle, (fn. 165) c. 1500, has a four-light window
in the east wall; and in the north
wall a three-light and a two-light
window (the latter curiously widened
at the top), a doorway under a
square head and with recess for a
stoup on the east, and sepulchral recess
having an ogee head with panelled
reveals and soffit. In the south
wall, east of the arcade, is a square-headed piscina with a modern sill. The
walls are faced with ashlar and finished
with an embattled parapet with a
crocketed pinnacle at the angle, and
the string-course is carved with the
letters T., R., O., S.F.I., R., E.
The south aisle, largely rebuilt
c. 1500, has a three-light window in
the east wall. In the south wall
two two-lights, and a piscina; also
a reset doorway of c. 1160 having a
tympanum carved with a chequered
pattern under an arch of two orders—one a bandedroll and the other
enriched with the star ornament—and a label with billet ornament; the jambs have
enriched shafts with crudely designed caps, and there
is a large impost moulding with lozenge ornament.
In the west wall is a two-light window, below which
is a reset 12th-century string-course.
The late 16th-century tower (fn. 166) stands partly
upon the north arcade; its eastern wall has a small
doorway, apparently modern; and in the west wall
is a reset two-light window of c. 1300. The stage
above has a small light in the east and west walls,
and the belfry windows are of two lights. The tower
is finished with an embattled parapet with crocketed
pinnacles at the angles.
The south porch, rebuilt 1859, partly of 14th-century material, has a two-centred outer archway
of two moulded orders on attached shafts. There is
a square-headed light in each of the side walls.
The font has a modern octagonal bowl on an early
16th-century octagonal stem and base.
There are four bells, inscribed (1) Peace and good
neighbourhood; (2) Long live King George the fourth;
(3) William Dobson, Founder. Downham, Norfolk.
1828; (4) The Revd. Robert Pointer, Rector, - - - (fn. 167)
Harper, Ch. Warden, 1828. There were four bells
in 1709. (fn. 168) Two bells had been recast by Taylor,
of St. Neots, in 1794. (fn. 169)
In the south-east corner of the churchyard is an
early 14th-century coped stone with head and
shoulders of a man under a trefoiled canopy, on his
breast a cross with Calvary at the foot. (fn. 170) Another
coped stone with traces of a cross, of early 14th-century date, is used as coping to the churchyard
wall; and the walling itself includes numerous worked
stones, one being a 12th-century cushion capital.
There are the following monuments: in the chancel,
to the Rev. James Pointer, vicar, d. 1796, and Dennis
his wife, d. 1804, and two infant children, Mary Wood,
relict of Lawrence Wood and mother of Dennis
[n. d.], and the Rev. Robert Pointer, their son, vicar,
d. 1858; Henry Pointer Standley, d. 1812, and
Persis (Lens) his wife, d. 1823; John Lens, d. 1820,
and Martha his wife, d. 1825; Henry Pointer
Standley, d. 1844; the Rev. John Standley, vicar,
d. 1848; and floor slabs to M. L. 1820, and J. L.
1825; in the nave, War Memorial, 1914–18; in the
south aisle, South African War Memorial, and Lawrence Arthur Barker, k. 1917; in the tower, to
Hannah, wife of John Lord, vicar, d. 1734; and
Elias Wiles, d. 1810.
SOUTHOE. PARISH CHURCH OF ST LEONARD.
Reproduced by permission of the Controller of H. M. Stationery Office, from the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, Hunts.
The registers are as follows: (i) Baptisms,
marriages and burials, 5 Aug. 1558 to 4 Feb. 1671–2;
(ii) the same, 1 April 1670 to 5 May 1746; (iii) the
same, 17 May 1746 to 26 Nov. 1812; marriages
ending 25 March 1776; (iv) the official marriage
book, 13 April 1754 to 12 Oct. 1812; the marriages
from 1754 to 1776 appear to be recorded in both
books.
The church plate consists of: A silver cup and
cover paten, inscribed 'Southoe Church on its
Restoration, A.D. 1859,' hall-marked for 1858–9;
a silver flagon, similarly inscribed, but hall-marked
for 1859–60. In 1709 there was a silver cup weighing
6 ounces, and inscribed 'The Communion Cup
for the Parish of Southow. 1696.' (fn. 171)
ADVOWSON
The advowson was held by the
owners of the Lovetot Manor
down to the division among the
Lovetot coheiresses of the manor (q.v.) in 1219.
Elias de Amundeville, who died in 1231, bequeathed
the advowson to the priory of Huntingdon, and his
brother Nigel confirmed this gift. (fn. 172) In 1255 it was
conveyed to the prior by John de Littlebury and his
wife Margaret and Roger de Lovetot. (fn. 173) In 1358
the advowson was unsuccessfully claimed by John de
Clipstone, during a vacancy of the priory, (fn. 174) and in
1361 an inquiry ordered after the presentation had
been made by Joan, widow of Robert de Ferrers,
established the right of the priory to the advowson
of the church, and the payment of 20s. to the priory
and 20s. to the prior of Newnham. (fn. 175) The rector of
Southoe in 1355–61 publicly agreed that the prior
of Huntingdon and his successors, patrons of Southoe,
had the right to two portions of the greater and lesser
titles. (fn. 176) In 1377 the priory received licence to appropriate the church of Southoe and chapel of Hail
Weston, (fn. 177) the incumbents of which then became
vicars, until the living was made a rectory in 1873. (fn. 178)
The appropriation evidently was followed by friction
with the incumbent John Tubbe, to whom the prior
undertook in 1381 to pay an annual pension of 35
marks until another rectory had been procured for
him. (fn. 179) The income from the church was to be used
for the repair of the conventual buildings. (fn. 180) In the
same year the prior complained that he and his
fellow-canon, William Hemingford, and his servants
had been assaulted and besieged by Walter Tubbe and
others in his house and close at Southoe Lovetot. (fn. 181)
The appropriation was confirmed in 1383 (fn. 182) and
1462. (fn. 183) At the Dissolution the vicarage was valued
at £20, less £5 6s. 8d. to the curate of Hail Weston. (fn. 184)
In 1544 the advowson of the vicarage of Southoe
with Hail Weston, as part of the possessions of Huntingdon Priory, was granted with lands in Hail Weston,
etc., to Oliver Leader of London and his wife
Frances. (fn. 185) It was held with Staughton by their
successors there, the Baldwins of Lymington, (fn. 186)
and later of Midloe, John Baldwin of Midloe dying
seised of it in 1611. (fn. 187) It passed to Katherine his
widow, and after this date presentations were made
by — Reading (1635), Conyngsby Williams
(1669), William Dyer (1684), Conyngsby Williams
(1686), Richard Pyke (1690), Robert Pulleyne (1692),
and Christopher Grove and Hannah his wife (1747). (fn. 188)
The last of these in 1747 conveyed the advowson
to Henry Pointer of London. (fn. 189) The Pointers lived
at Paxton Place, and their property passed, apparently
by marriage, to the Standleys, who owned the manor.
The advowson went to the Rev. John Standley,
who presented himself in 1838 and died in 1848.
His executors presented the Rev. Joseph Robertson
Moorsom, who seems to have acquired the advowson
and made the living into a rectory. On his death in
1895 the Rev. Richard Moorsom presented himself, (fn. 190)
and after 1914 gave the living to Merton College,
Oxford, the present patrons.
Tithes in the parishes of Southoe and Hail Weston
were in 1786 conveyed by William Darnell to John
Barber. (fn. 191)
Allotments in lieu of tithes and for glebe and
common rights were made by the Inclosure Act of
1797 to the vicar.
CHARITY
Church Land.
On the Southoe
Inclosure Award, dated in 1799, an
allotment of about 3 acres was set out
in lieu of land which had from time immemorial been
appropriated to the repairs or service of the parish
church. The rent of the land is paid by the rector to
the churchwardens and applied for the repairs of the
church.