CHURCHES
The church of ST. HELEN, (fn. 196)
WHEATHAMPSTEAD, stands in
the midst of the village, surrounded
by a large churchyard with a lichgate at the eastern
entrance, erected in 1887. It consists of a chancel of
three bays, with a north vestry and a staircase to the
rood-loft on the north-west, a central tower, north
and south transepts, a nave and aisles of three bays,
with a large south porch and a smaller one on the
north. The church was restored in 1865–6 under the
superintendence of Mr. Edward Browning, architect,
with the assistance of the rector, Canon O. W. Davys.
The walls are of flint rubble with stone quoins. The
nave and chancel roofs are covered with slates and the
aisles with lead. The tower is surmounted by a
leaden broach spire renewed in 1865, and contains a
clock with a face on the east side. Immediately below
the spire is the original buckle-head corbel table.
The west doorway is ornamented with the ball flower
usually attributed to the reign of Edward II. The
south porch was built about 1350, but has been restored; the north porch has been rebuilt.
The first church apparently consisted of an apsidal
chancel, (fn. 197) a central tower with transepts, and a nave.
About 1230 the present chancel was built; the
three lancet windows in the east front and similar
windows in the north wall, together with the string
course round the walls, are of this date. The tower
was rebuilt during the last quarter of the thirteenth
century, and in 1290 an indulgence for twenty days
was granted by the bishop of Lincoln to all who
should contribute towards this work. (fn. 198) The lofty
tower arches are of two chamfered orders carried by
simple piers with moulded capitals. The rebuilding
of the church was gradual and continuous. So soon
as the tower was completed, the south aisle of the
nave was added early in the fourteenth century. The
arches between this aisle and the nave are of two
chamfered orders with octagonal pillars. The plain
roof timbers are old, but probably later than the aisle.
The west end, with its fine doorway, was next built,
and then the north aisle was added. The arcade on
this side is very nearly the same in design as that
opposite, but the mouldings of the capitals differ.
The recessed tomb in the north wall, which was
probably that of the founder or person who defrayed
the cost of building the aisle, and the oak-moulded
roof timbers are original. The north transept was
next rebuilt about 1330–40, with a large five-light
window having reticulated tracery on the north, and
one of three lights on the east. This latter is of
excellent design, and has its sill carried down to
support the reredos of the altar that stood beneath it.
This reredos was found walled up in 1865, and consists of a row of seven canopied niches with leafy
crockets and foliage in the spandrels, the carving of
which has not been completely finished. The rebuilding of the south transept followed. Its southern
four-light window is of about the same date as that
opposite to it in the north transept, as are also the
sedilia and canopied piscina in the chancel and the
piscina in the south transept. Finally, the lancet
windows on the north and south sides of the chancel
were replaced by others of larger size about 1380.
The two-storied vestry on the north-east side of the
chancel was added about the same time, but has been
much altered, and was enlarged in 1897 under the
superintendence of Mr. F. Trevor Davys, architect.
The lower chamber has a piscina in the south wall.
Of about the same time is the low-sided window at
the west end of the south wall of the chancel. The
easternmost window of the south aisle is of about
1430 to 1440. The timber roofs of the chancel,
now painted, of the nave, and of the transepts were
renewed in 1865, when the clearstory windows were
restored.
There were certainly three altars in the church:
the high altar of St. Helen; an altar of Our Lady in
the Brockett or Lady Chapel (fn. 199) in the south transept;
a third in the north transept was probably that of
St. Nicholas, in which chapel John Laudy, in 1507,
directed that his body should be buried. (fn. 200) In the
south transept to the north of the east window are
traces of some elaborate canopied structure with the
remains of a bracket for an image which was probably
that of St. Katherine. (fn. 201) There are a few fragments
of fourteenth-century painted glass in the east window
of the north transept. The beautiful carved font at
the west end of the nave is of the first half of the
fourteenth century; at its base will be seen some
ancient tiles. The oak Jacobean pulpit, the pews
in the north transept, one of which has the date
1631, and the oak dwarf screens across the south
transept came from the chapel at Lamer Park which
was pulled down about 1761. The dwarf screen
across the north transept came apparently from the
front of the western gallery, which was taken away in
1865. The oak choir stalls and similar fittings in the
chancel are of the date of the restoration. The large
picture of the Agony in the Garden in the south
transept was painted by Mr. J. King of Wheathampstead, in 1821. It was formerly placed over the
high altar, but was moved to its present position in
1866.
Of the earlier monuments in the church we have
the following:— (fn. 202)
A brass on the floor of the north transept to Hugh
Bostock and Margaret Macry, his wife, c. 1436.
Below is a foot inscription in leonine verse, evidently
by the hand of Abbot John Wheathampstead of
St. Albans, son of the said Hugh and Margaret.
Underneath are the indents for three sons and three
daughters, and at each corner a shield, the brass for
only one of which now remains. This has the arms
of the three bats.
A fifteenth-century brass of a knight and his lady
in the south transept. (fn. 203)
A brass, c. 1510, showing a civilian and a woman
with a 'butterfly' head-dress. Inscription gone.
Below are in brass two sons and six daughters. It is
possible these do not all belong to one monument, as
the brasses are not apparently fitted into their original
indents.
A brass in the north transept to John Heyworth
and Elizabeth his wife, 20 December, 1520. Underneath is a foot inscription and four sons and five
daughters. At each corner is a shield of arms. The
Heyworth coat with the bats appears once; twice is
given a shield with a fesse charged with a molet for
difference (which is no doubt intended for the
Bostock coat, although the fesse of Bostock is usually
cut off at the ends) impaling a rose between two lions
passant; and the fourth shield is Heyworth quartering
this Bostock coat. It is not safe to rely for the colours
of these shields on the painting of the quartered coat
that is above the monument of his son John Heyworth.
Two Shields from the Brass of John Heyworth who died 1520
An incised slab of white marble on the east wall of
the north transept to John Heyworth, who died in
1558, and Margaret his wife, showing a civilian with
a short beard, in a long robe and a ruff, kneeling at
an altar with his hands raised in prayer and an open
book before him. On the other side of the altar is a
lady kneeling in prayer, wearing a 'kennel' head-dress
and a long dress puffed at the sleeves. Behind the
man are two sons, and behind the woman a daughter. Above is a shield of arms identical in its quarterings with the second coat figured above from his
father's brass, and below a long inscription.
A large altar tomb on the east side of the south
transept to Sir John Brockett and Margaret his wife,
with two life-size recumbent figures in alabaster.
The effigy of Sir John Brockett shows his head, uncovered, with long hair and a long beard (which has
been broken off), resting on a helmet. Round his
neck are two massive chains, from the lower of which
hangs a cross patée, now hidden by plaster used to
support the hands. He is dressed in plate armour
with a hauberk of mail beneath. His hands are raised
on his breast in the attitude of prayer. On his feet,
which rest upon a lion, he wears sollerets, on his left
side his sword, and on his right a misericorde hanging
from the sword belt by a cord. The head of the
lady, which rests upon a pillow, has been much
damaged; she wears a close-fitting cap and a necklace,
a long dress fitting closely to the figure with sleeves
puffed and slashed at the shoulders; the arms are
broken off; the skirt is open in front and ornamented
by rows of knots. A pomander hangs from the front
of her waist by a long chain. Her feet rest on a dog
or leopard, much broken. From her shoulders hangs
a cloak, kept in position by cords tied in front and
hanging down to her feet. Around the tomb is the
inscription, 'Here lyeth the bodyes of Sir John Broket
knighte and Dame Margaret his wiffe dowghter an
ayre of Willm Benstede ye wch Sir John departyd this
worlde ye XXIII of Marche in ye yere of or Lord God
M° D° LVIII an ye sade Dame Margaret departede this
world ye [blank] day of[blank] in ye yere
of oure Lorde God M° D° [blank] whych
Sir John and Dame Margaret had yssue x sonnes and
thre dowghters.' On the south side of the tomb are
three small male figures, one bearded, each holding a
shield, and in the middle the arms of Brockett within
a garter. On the west side are two small effigies of
Sir John Brockett dressed in exactly similar manner
to the recumbent figure above. Each figure holds a
shield. On the north side are three small female
figures holding shields, and in the middle a lozenge
containing the arms of Benstede in a garter. There
yet remains a considerable amount of the paint and
gilt with which the monument was ornamented.
A mural tablet on the south wall of the chancel to
Nicholas Bristow, servant to Henry VIII, Edward VI,
Mary and Elizabeth, who died in 1584. The
inscription gives his family and descendants. (fn. 204)
A slab in the north transept to Alice wife of Jonas
Bailey of Mackarye End, who died in 1642.
A large monument against the west wall of the
north transept in marble of various colours, consisting
of a round arch surmounted by a broken entablature
and supported on Corinthian columns of blue marble.
In the middle is a shield of the arms of Garrard and
Nethermill quarterly, and on each side is a reclining
figure. Underneath the entablature are four shields,
all bearing the arms of Garrard, impaling those of
Nethermill, Barkham, and another. In the spandrels
of the arch are the figures of an angel and of Time as
Death. Within the arch is the figure of Sir John
Garrard with a pointed beard, leaning upon his left
elbow and wearing a suit of plate armour. His left
hand supports his head and his right rests on his
sword; at his feet is a leopard, the crest of the
Garrards. On a lower stage is the effigy of his wife,
Elizabeth, in the same position, with her head
slightly turned towards her husband and holding in
her right hand a book. She wears her hair in loose
curls, upon which is a veil, and has the somewhat
stiff dress of the period, with sleeves puffed and
slashed, and a tippet of lace. At her feet is the crest
of Barkham, two arms holding a sheaf of arrows.
Below, at the base of the monument, are carved in
high relief the kneeling figures of six sons and eight
daughters. In the upper part of the archway is a
long inscription, without date, to Sir John Garrard
and Elizabeth his wife, and to Isabella Garrard, who
died in 1677. Sir John Garrard died about 1637.
On the floor of the south transept is an inscription
to Edward Brockett, son of John Brockett, who died
in 1669, and next to it a slab to Mary, wife of John
Brockett, who died in the same year.
A mural tablet to Thomas Stubbing, temp.
Charles II.
An inscription in the north transept to Sir John
Garrard and Jane his wife, who died respectively in
1686 and 1692.
A slab in the chancel floor to Elizabeth, daughter
of John Hunsdon, who died in 1695.
There are six bells in the tower cast by Richard
Phelps, of London. About 1880 three of them,
which were cracked, were recast, and the remainder
quarter turned.
The communion plate consists of a chalice and
cover of the year 1648. A rim was apparently added
to the cover in 1841. (fn. 205) There are also a silver flagon
and paten, the gift of the Very Rev. John Lamb, D.D.,
dean of Ely and rector of the parish 1673–1708,
with his name and arms, and the arms of the deanery
of Ely. A new chalice and paten were lately given
by Mr. A. B. Loder in memory of his wife.
The first book of the registers contains baptisms
from 1690 to 1740, burials from 1690 to 1743, and
marriages from 1693 to 1741; the second, baptisms
from 1741 to 1800, burials from 1744 to 1800, and
marriages from 1742 to 1754; the third, baptisms
and burials from 1800 to 1812; the fourth, marriages from 1754 to 1781; and the fifth, marriages
from 1782 to 1812.
The churchwardens' accounts begin in 1800.
The church of ST. NICHOLAS, HARPENDEN,
consists of a chancel with aisles (one bay of the north
aisle being occupied by the organ), short transepts,
nave and aisles, the northern of which was enlarged
in 1898, south porch, and a western tower. East of
the north aisle of the chancel is a small clergy vestry,
on the north of which is a larger choir vestry added
in 1897. In 1862 the whole church, except the tower,
was rebuilt with stone. The tower dates back to about
1470, and is of three stories with a stair turret on the
south-west corner. It is of flint with bond-stones and
stone quoins, the flint being plastered externally. There
is a clock on the south side. The former building,
much of the interior of which was of the Norman
period, consisted of a chancel, transepts, nave with
aisles, and south porch, and it is said from evidence
which came to light when pulling down the old church
that there was at one time a central tower which it is
thought was destroyed by fire and was replaced by
the present tower built at the west end. (fn. 206)
The Purbeck marble font near the south door has
an octagonal bowl ornamented on each side with two
slightly sunk panels with plain pointed arches, of
about 1200. (fn. 207) It is said that the central shaft and
eight detached columns which support the bowl are
modern. (fn. 208) The font was restored in 1862 in memory
of E. T. R. Vaughan.
There are two ancient brasses in the church, one at
the east end of the nave, representing a civilian and
his wife, with a dog at the feet of the former. Below
is a foot inscription to William Anable, who died
4 October, 1456, and Isabel his wife. The other
brass, on the east wall of the north transept, shows a
man and his wife each kneeling at a desk. Below is
a foot inscription to William Cressye, who died on
24 October, 1 Elizabeth, A.D. 1559, and Grace Johnson his wife, who died on 14 February, 1571–2.
There is a monument in the tower to Robert Rudston,
who died in 1642, and later monuments to the Jenkin
and Wittewronge families.
There are eight bells in the tower, of which
the treble and second are by Warner, 1902, and the
third and fourth by the same founder, 1898. The
old fourth was by John Grene, 1574. The fifth of
1612, is by Robert Oldfield, and the sixth and seventh
by Warner, 1898. The old sixth was by John
Grene, 1571, and bore an inscription: 'In multis annis
resonat campana Johannis,' doubtless borrowed from
its mediaeval predecessor. The old seventh was by a
London founder, John Walgrave, c. 1430, inscribed:
'Intonat de Celis vox campana Michaelis' (sic). The
tenor is by Robert Oldfield, 1613.
The communion plate consists of two chalices and
an alms-dish presented by Mr. G. W. Lydekker in
1862, and a large silver flagon with a paten bearing
the Jenkin arms, and having an inscription to the
effect that they were given to the church by Godman
Jenkin in 1720.
The first book of the registers contains baptisms
from 1563 to 1677, and burials and marriages from
1562 to 1677; the second, baptisms from 1677 to
1725, burials from 1677 to 1728, and marriages
from 1678 to 1728; the third, baptisms from 1704
to 1709 and from 1713 to 1717, burials from 1699
to 1717, and marriages from 1701 to 1709, and
from 1713 to 1717; the fourth, baptisms from 1727
to 1777, burials from 1728 to 1777, and marriages
from 1728 to 1756; the fifth, baptisms and burials
from 1718 to 1746, and marriages from 1718 to
1746, and from 1769 to 1772; the sixth, marriages from 1754 to 1768; the seventh, burials
from 1778 to 1808; the eighth, baptisms from
1778 to 1808; and the ninth, marriages from 1772
to 1812.
The churchwardens' accounts begin in 1739.
ADVOWSON
Wheathampstead has apparently
always been a rectory. Early in the
thirteenth century the church was
the subject of a dispute among the abbot and convent
of Westminster, the bishop of Lincoln, and the rector,
which terminated by an ordination of the pope dated
21 January, 1220–1. This ordination recites a
mandate of Pope Honorius III in 1217, which sets
out that the abbot and convent of Westminster had
petitioned him stating that Pope Alexander (1159–81)
and Pope Clement (1187–91) had granted them
certain churches for the hospitality of the poor and
sick and other pious uses, and that Pope Innocent
had forbidden them to transfer such churches to other
uses. Under these bulls they claimed the church of
Wheathampstead and prayed that they might be inducted into corporal possession of the same. The
bishop of Lincoln objected to this, probably as patron,
and the dispute was submitted to Richard, bishop of
Salisbury and others, who awarded among other things
that the messuage which was next to the chapel of St.
Nicholas (now Harpenden church), which before had
belonged to the parson, and the moiety of the tithes
of sheaves from all the parish of Wheathampstead
should go to the monastery of Westminster, that the
right of patronage should belong to the bishop of
Lincoln and his successors for ever, and that the rector
should have the church with the messuage and all the
court which belonged to the monastery of Westminster at the time of the ordination, with all the altarages
and the remaining part of the tithes of sheaves and
the land of the church and the homages, rents, and
other things belonging to the church. (fn. 209) This
apportionment of the tithes remained, the rector
being entitled to all the vicarial and one half the
rectorial tithes, and Westminster taking the other
half. The patrons of the church certainly from this
time, and probably before, were the bishops of Lincoln,
till by an order in council dated 5 May, 1852, the
advowson was transferred from the see of Lincoln
to that of Peterborough. The chapel of Harpenden
is the chapel of St. Nicholas above referred to in 1221, (fn. 210)
and is named in the licence to Sir William Inge to
found a chapel at Ing's Place in 1297. (fn. 211) By a deed
dated 22 December, 1319, Pope John XXII granted
to the inhabitants of Harpenden licence to receive
sacraments and sacramentals, (fn. 212) and to have the right
of burial in the chapel and chapel-yard, which privileges were confirmed by Henry VIII on 1 February,
1536. (fn. 213) The chapel was always served by the rector
of Wheathampstead or his curate or chaplain, although,
as before mentioned, there was a proposal in 1650 to
make it a separate parish church. On 29 July, 1856,
the inhabitants of Harpenden petitioned Dr. George
Davys, bishop of Peterborough, as patron of the parish
church of Wheathampstead, that at the next vacancy
of the rectory Harpenden might be made a distinct
parish. The memorialists showed that the total
value of the whole living was £1,591, of which
Harpenden contributed £809. At the next vacancy,
which occurred in 1859, Harpenden was made a perpetual curacy, and in 1866 it became a rectory under
the District Tithes Act of 1865, and a year or two
later the bishop of Peterborough exchanged the
advowson for that of Oundle in Northamptonshire
with the Lord Chancellor, with whom the patronage
now lies.
There are modern mission churches at Coldharbour
and Kinsbourne Green, in the parish of Harpenden.
There are two national schools in Wheathampstead,
that near the church having been built in 1863, a
church schoolroom used occasionally for services at
Gustardwood, and one council's school and three
national schools at Harpenden.
The old Congregational chapel at Wheathampstead, of red brick, a little to the west of the church,
was opened on 5 July, 1815; beside it stands a new
and larger chapel opened on 22 May, 1877. There
is also a Wesleyan chapel in the village.
At Harpenden there was early in the nineteenth
century a Congregational chapel. (fn. 214) Another chapel
was opened on 14 July, 1840, and rebuilt in 1897.
There is a small chapel for Primitive Methodists, and
a Wesleyan chapel, built in 1886. (fn. 215)
CHARITIES
The charities of the old parish of
Wheathampstead have been allotted
to the separate parishes of Wheathampstead and Harpenden as follows:—
Wheathampstead
James Marshall, by his will dated 13 December,
1719, bequeathed 48 acres 1 rood 31 perches of land
in Harpenden and Luton for apprenticing poor boys
of Wheathampstead and Harpenden. A small portion of the land was sold to cover the cost of redeeming the land tax, and the remainder, which included
four houses and 40 acres of land, was exchanged for
two houses at Harpenden and for Leasy Bridge Farm.
The endowment now consists of a farm and land at
Wheathampstead let at £59 a year, three houses and
premises in Harpenden producing £63 13s. a year,
and £119 14s. consols. The total income, amounting
to about £125, is divided between the parishes.
Edward Smith in 1632 gave a charge upon a field
called Nineteen Acres, parcel of Place Farm in Wheathampstead, with the payment of £10 a year, to be distributed among the poor of the parishes of Hatfield,
Wheathampstead, Harpenden, Redbourn, and Sandridge. Of this, £2 a year has been lost; but the
balance is distributed in bread, in accordance with
the terms of this benefaction.
Thomas Kentish, who died in August, 1712, made
a charge of 10s. yearly upon his farm called Cross
Farm, for the benefit of the parish. This sum is distributed at Christmas to poor families in money and
bread.
The dean and chapter of Westminster have paid
yearly from time immemorial a sum of £4, under
the title of the Labourers' Gift, to be distributed
among the poor, which, it is suggested, is in satisfaction
of an inclosure of common land. (fn. 216)
Parish or Church Lands.
—The parish was possessed
from time immemorial of 3 roods in Pickford Common,
and 3 roods 13 perches in Upper Down Common,
and of two tenements and gardens in the village, the
rents of which were applied in the repairs and maintenance of the parish church. In 1897 the property
in the village, then consisting of 21 perches of land,
and a dwelling-house and shop erected on part
thereof was sold for £700, which, together with
the sum of £12 received from a sale of 16 perches,
then recently acquired by exchange, was invested
in £633 4s. 7d. consols. The income, amounting
to about £20 a year, is applied in the repairs of the
church.
In 1883 George Ephgrave by his will left £600 to
be invested and income applied in December of every
year in the distribution of coal among poor and deserving widows. The legacy—less duty—is represented by £523 consols with the official trustees, and
the annual dividends, amounting to £13 1s. 4d., are
applied in accordance with the trusts.
Harpenden
William Hunt gave, by his will dated 16 March,
1592, a rent-charge of £6 13s. 4d. a year on his house
at Top Street, a hamlet in this parish, and 1½ acres
in Wheathampstead and Harpenden for the benefit
of the poor. He also charged his house and 16 acres
of land at Balmwell Green with the payment of 10s. a
year for the purchase of bread and wine for the sacrament in the church. These payments are made by
Sir Charles Lawes-Wittewronge, bart.
For Marshall's and Smith's charities see above.
By an order of the Court of Chancery dated
18 February, 1870, a sum of £424 11s. 4d. consols,
arising under the will of Dr. Francis House Kingston,
M.R.C.S. (dated 15 June, 1868), was transferred to
the official trustees, the interest whereof to be distributed among the poor in bread or blankets.
In 1871 Miss Elizabeth Kingston by her will left
£500 consols, dividends to be applied for the benefit
of poor widowers. The same donor also bequeathed
£1,000 consols, dividends to be applied for the benefit
of poor widows and fatherless children.
The several sums of stock are held by the official
trustees, and under an order of the Charity Commissioners dated 5 August, 1902, the several charities
are administered by one body of trustees under the
title of the Harpenden United Charities.