DATCHWORTH
Decawrthe (x cent.); Daeccewyrthe, Daceworde
(xi cent.); Tachwird, Tacheworth, Thatcheworth
(xiii cent.); Dachesworth, Daccheworthe (xiv cent.).
The parish of Datchworth has an area of 2,018
acres, of which about three-quarters is arable land, the
remainder, with the exception of about 18 acres of
wood, being permanent grass. (fn. 1) It is long and narrow
in shape, sloping upwards from just over 200 ft. in the
north to over 400 ft. in the south. The road from
Aston to Bramfield winds down the centre of the parish
and is crossed in the north of the parish by the main
road from Stevenage to Watton; the hamlet of
Bragbury End lies at the cross-roads with the house
and park of Bragbury, the residence of Mr. Samuel
S. Berger, J.P. The park has an extent of about
50 acres and is watered by the River Beane. In the
south the central road is crossed by the road from
Woolmer Green to Watton, the hamlet of Datchworth Green being situated at this junction.
The village of Datchworth is on the west side of
the main road where a lane turns off south-west
towards the rectory. The site of the manor-house
with the remains of a moat is situated in the angle
thus formed and the church of All Saints is a little
further south. On the north side of the green is a
late 17th-century building of timber and plaster and
brick with a tiled roof now divided into two cottages.
The initials [W B D] and date 1694 are placed in
plaster over three gabled windows. Near by on the
green is the whipping-post, to which the handcuffs are
still attached. About half a mile south of the village
is Hoppers Hall, a timber and plaster house with
tiled roof of mid-17th-century date. It is gabled
and has a small porch. Two of the rooms still have
their original fireplaces, over one of which is a painting of a hunting scene, probably of the date of the
house. The staircase has turned balusters and square
newels with ball heads and is probably original. A
little further on is Cherry Tree Farm, a 17th-century
brick house plastered, with a tiled roof.
There are several hamlets in the parish. In the
south is Painter's Green, where the road forks to
Datchworth Green and Hawkin's Hall. In the
extreme south of the parish are the hamlets of Bull's
Green, where there are the remains of a moat, and
Burnham Green, partly in Digswell parish. By the
Divided Parishes Act of 1882 Swangley Farm and
Cottages in the north west were attached to Datchworth instead of Knebworth for civil purposes.
Oak's Cross, on the road from Stevenage to Watton,
marks the north-eastern angle of the parish.
The Great Northern main line touches the parish
in the north-west, the nearest station being Knebworth, a mile and a half from Datchworth village.
The subsoil is London Clay in the centre, surrounded
by Woolwich and Reading beds, and giving place to
chalk in the north, where there are two disused
chalk-pits. There are also two small chalk-pits in
the south-west and a large gravel-pit west of the
village.
Place-names mentioned in the 13th century are
Godbyry, Chippeden, Pesecroft, Baronesfeld, and
Baronesgrave. (fn. 2) The first three of these survive in
the early 18th century as Godbury, Chibden, and
Peascroft. (fn. 3) Others which occur in the 17th and
early 18th centuries are Candell, the Great Lawne,
Foldingshott, Cunden Field, Clubden Field, Rockleys,
Collewood or Colewood, Datts or Jacks, Lethmore,
Feeks Shott Pitle, Shoulder of Mutton Field, Hitchfield, Rush Grounds Field, and Pakesgrove. (fn. 4)
MANORS
King Edgar, who reigned from 959
to 975, gave land in Datchworth to the
church of St. Peter of Westminster, (fn. 5)
which was confirmed to that abbey by Edward the
Confessor as 4 hides and 1 virgate. (fn. 6) The abbot
himself held 3 hides and 1 virgate (fn. 7) ; the other
hide was held of him by Aluric Blac before the
Conquest. With regard to other lands Aluric was
the man of Archbishop Stigand, and his successor
Lanfranc made this an excuse for seizing Aluric's
hide in Datchworth, and was thus in possession of it
in 1086. (fn. 8) Besides the 4¼ hides in Datchworth
originally belonging to Westminster there were
3 virgates, of which previous to the Conquest 2½ virgates were held by three sokemen of King Edward, (fn. 9)
and half a virgate by Alstan, a man of Almar of
Benington. (fn. 10) In 1086 the 2½ virgates were held by
two knights of Geoffrey de Bech, (fn. 11) and the half
virgate by Robert of Peter de Valognes. (fn. 12) These
portions are not heard of again, so presumably they
became absorbed in the manor. The overlordship of
Datchworth remained in the
hands of the Abbots of Westminster. (fn. 13) When the abbey
was converted into the seat of
a bishop in 1540 Datchworth
was confirmed to the see. (fn. 14)
The bishopric of Westminster
was abolished in 1556, but in
1554 Datchworth was granted
by the queen to the Bishop of
London and his successors to
hold in free alms, (fn. 15) and an interest in the manor remained
to the see as late as 1693, when
the manor was still charged with an annual rent of
£3 to the bishop. (fn. 16)
See of London. Gules two swords of St. Paul crossed saltirewise.
The earliest recorded sub-tenant is Hugh de
Bocland, who was lord of the manor in 1192. (fn. 17) His
daughter Hawise married William de Lanvaley, and
apparently received Datchworth as a marriage portion, (fn. 18) for it does not seem to have passed to Hugh's
son William de Bocland. In 1215 the manor was
granted to Nicholas de Joland, and is described
as having belonged to Geoffrey de Bocland, (fn. 19) who
was perhaps a predecessor of Hugh. In 1217,
however, the custody of the lands of William de
Lanvaley was granted to Robert Delamare and
Thomas de Winton. (fn. 20) This suggests that William
had forfeited; eventually, however, Datchworth
returned to the Lanvaleys and descended to Hawise's
granddaughter Hawise, who married John de Burgh, (fn. 21)
son of the famous Hubert de Burgh. (fn. 22) John and
Hawise de Burgh conveyed the manor in 1240 to
Gilbert de Wauton, for the rent of a pair of gilt spurs
or 6d. at Easter. (fn. 23) Gilbert de Wauton was succeeded before 1287 by his son John de Wauton, (fn. 24)
but by 1302 Datchworth had passed into the
hands of William de Melksop, (fn. 25) and in 1346 was
held by Henry Melksop. (fn. 26) Some time after this
it was acquired by John de la Lee, from whom it
passed upon his death in 1370 to his son Walter
de la Lee, (fn. 27) who held it in 1376. (fn. 28) Walter's heirs
were his two sisters, Margery the wife of Robert
Newport and Joan wife of John Barley. (fn. 29) These
two sisters in 1406 conveyed their moieties to John
Coke, (fn. 30) who was succeeded by Thomas Coke after
1410 (fn. 31) and before 1428 (fn. 32) . Who were the heirs of
Thomas Coke is not recorded, but it seems as if the
manor was divided between two daughters. One of
these may have been Joan the wife of John
Shawarden, who died in 1479 seised of half the
manor of Datchworth. (fn. 33) She left a son John, to
whom her moiety descended, and who died in 1555.
By his will the rent of the half-manor was to be used
to raise portions for his daughters Ellen and Susan
and his younger sons Thomas and Laurence. (fn. 34)
The moiety descended to his eldest son John
Shawarden, who in 1572–3 sold it to Richard
Foster. (fn. 35)
The history of the other moiety of Datchworth
after the death of Thomas Coke is more obscure.
In 1533 a portion, which from subsequent evidence
would appear to be a half, was conveyed by Robert
and Alice Darkenoll to John Covert and others and
the heirs of John. (fn. 36) In 1559 the moiety was held
by Richard Covert, (fn. 37) presumably the son of John, and
was later purchased from him by Thomas Johnson. (fn. 38)
By his will of 1569 Thomas Johnson bequeathed his
lands to his wife Grace for life with remainder to
Margaret wife of Thomas Appowell, who seems most
probably to have been his niece. The half-manor
passed to Margaret and Thomas, but a few years later
was claimed by Richard Fuller, nephew of Grace
Johnson, on the ground that Thomas Johnson had
promised to convey it to him failing his own issue. (fn. 39)
His claim, however, was not allowed, and in 1571
the moiety was conveyed by Thomas and Margaret
Appowell to Richard Foster, (fn. 40) who a year or two later
became possessed of the other moiety. Thus Datchworth was again united in the same hands. Richard
Foster was succeeded before 1614 by Thomas Foster, (fn. 41)
who in 1620 conveyed the manor to John Gamon. (fn. 42)
Datchworth remained in the Gamon family (fn. 43) until
1693, when it was sold by Richard and Mary Gamon
to William Wallis. (fn. 44) In 1719 it was purchased from
the latter by Edward Harrison, (fn. 45) upon whose death
in 1732 the manor passed to his daughter Audrey,
who married Charles third Viscount Townshend. (fn. 46)
She survived her husband and died in 1788. Her
will provided that part of the Datchworth estate
should go to her grandson John Townshend, but the
manor was to be sold to provide an annuity for
her granddaughter Anne Wilson. (fn. 47) Anne and her
husband Richard Wilson seem, however, to have kept
the manor, (fn. 48) for they were in possession of it in
1791, (fn. 49) and sold it about ten years later to Samuel
Smith of Watton Woodhall, (fn. 50) with which manor it
has since descended.
In 1275 it was found that the Abbot of Westminster
had been holding view of frankpledge illegally in
Datchworth for the past forty years and had neglected
to attend the sheriff's tourn, for which offence he was
fined. (fn. 51) Apparently, however, he continued to hold
it, sometimes as appurtenant to his main manor of
Stevenage. (fn. 52)
Free warren was granted by Henry III to Gilbert
de Wauton in 1253, (fn. 53) and there is a reference to free
fishery in the manor in 1719. (fn. 54)
Hawkin's Hall or Hawkyns
The reputed manor of HAWKIN'S HALL or
HAWKYNS first appears in 1564, when it was in the
possession of the younger branch of the Bardolf family,
who held the manor of Crowborough in Watton-atStone until 1564. Hawkin's Hall seems to have
extended into Watton parish, so it probably joined
their lands there. In 1564 Edmund Bardolf settled
the manor of Hawkin's Hall on Elizabeth Bardolf,
widow, presumably his mother, for her life, with
annual rents to be paid to Edward, Ralph, and
Richard Bardolf, with remainder to himself and his
heirs. (fn. 55) Lands in Tewin and elsewhere were conveyed with the manor. (fn. 56) In 1591 the estate was
sold by Francis and John Symonde and John and
Elizabeth Clerke to Edward Fitz John. (fn. 57) In 1657
it was in the possession of Ralph Pennyfather, (fn. 58) who
in 1673 sold it to Edmund Knight. (fn. 59) After this date
there is no further record of the manor.
Hawkin's Hall, now a farm-house, is situated a
little east of Datchworth Green on the road to Watton.
Bragbury
BRAGBURY (Bragborrowes, Brackberrie, xvii
cent.) was owned at the end of the 16th century by
Thomas Michell, son of John Michell, who held it of
the manor of Friars in Standon in socage by fealty.
He settled it in 1602 on his son Thomas, who was
about to marry Martha Bussye, and who succeeded his
father in 1610. (fn. 60) Bragbury is now in the possession
of Mr. Samuel S. Berger, J.P.
Datchworth Church from the South-east
CHURCH
All Saints
The parish church of ALL SAINT
(fn. 61)
consists of a chancel, nave, north aisle,
north vestry, west tower and south porch.
It is built of flint rubble with stone dressings, and the
roofs are tiled. The whole building is plastered
externally. The nave is probably of the 12th
century. Late in the 13th century the north aisle
was added, and the lower part of the tower dates from
the 14th century. The chancel arch is of late 15th-century date, but the rest of the chancel was wholly
remodelled at the end of the 16th or the beginning
of the 17th century, and none of the original work
can now be traced. The south porch is probably of
the same date as the alteration of the chancel. The
top stage of the tower was rebuilt in 1875 when the
church was restored; the north vestry is modern.
The chancel has an east window, and two in the
south wall, of about 1600. The east window has a
four-centred head which has been blocked, and the
three cinquefoiled lights in a square top are modern.
The two south windows are of two lights. On the
north a modern two-centred doorway leads to the
vestry. The roof, of the late 16th or early 17th
century, is of the collar beam type, with plaster.
The nave has a north arcade of four bays, which is
now much out of the perpendicular, and a truss has
been thrown across the aisle,
against it, with a buttress
outside the aisle wall to support it. The arches are
two-centred, of two hollowchamfered orders, and rest on
octagonal columns with
moulded capitals and bases.
The responds have modern
detached shafts of Purbeck
marble with crudely foliated
capitals, which support the
inner order only, the outer
hollow chamfer descending
without interruption to the
ground. In the south wall
are two windows, one on each
side of the south door. That
on the east, of about 1360,
is two-centred within, but
externally shows two cinquefoiled lights in a square head.
That on the west is also of
two cinquefoiled lights much
repaired. The heads are
wholly modern, but the jambs
are old.
The south doorway is
modern, with detached shafts
on the outside. The 17th-century south porch has a
four-centred entrance arch and
four narrow blocked loops,
two in the east and two in
the west wall.
The roof of the nave is of
the 15th century and is
plastered.
The north aisle has a 15th-century window of two
cinquefoiled lights in a square head at the eastern
end of the north wall. The jambs only are old.
The east and west windows and the western of the
two in the north wall are modern, of two lights,
with rear arches of the late 14th century. Over the
east window of the aisle are the remains of three
small niches.
The tower arch is lofty, and, in common with the
whole of the lower stage of the tower, is of about
1380. The west doorway is blocked and the
tracery in the west window is modern. The upper
stage of the tower and the tiled octagonal spire with
dormers is modern. The windows of the upper
stage are of two cinquefoiled lights, with a quatrefoil
over, in a two-centred head.
A recess under the south-east window of the nave,
with a chamfered two-centred arch of the 14th century,
contains a stone slab with a floreated cross. There is
a brass in the chancel to William Paine, with a
symbolical device. The date is about 1600.
The font, standing at the south entrance, has an
octagonal bowl with trefoiled panelled sides and an
embattled edge, on a moulded octagonal stem and base.
A chair in the chancel and an oak chest with three
locks in the vestry are of the 17th century, to which
century also the poor box may probably be referred.
A bequest to the altar of St. Dunstan occurs in
1512. (fn. 62)
There are six bells, of which the last four are by
Anthony Chandler, with the date 1673.
The plate includes a cup and cover paten of 1569.
The registers are in four books: (i) all entries
1570 to 1700; (ii) baptisms and burials 1710 to
1783 and marriages 1710 to 1753; (iii) baptisms
and burials 1784 to 1812; (iv) marriages 1754 to
1812.
ADVOWSON
The advowson of the church of
All Saints (or All Hallows) at Datchworth belonged to the lords of that
manor at an early date. In 1192 the Abbot of
Westminster made an agreement with Hugh de
Bocland, then lord of the manor, that he should pay
20s. to the abbot on each institution. (fn. 63) In 1240,
however, John de Burgh, who was lord of Datchworth
and Walkern, granted the manor of Datchworth to
Gilbert de Wauton, but kept the advowson of that
parish with his manor of Walkern. (fn. 64) From that
date Datchworth advowson followed the same descent
as the manor of Walkern (fn. 65) until 1725, when William
Capell, third Earl of Essex, sold it to the Rev.
William Hawtayne. (fn. 66) The latter a few months later
sold it to William Greaves, fellow of Clare College,
Cambridge, (fn. 67) and he shortly afterwards conveyed it to
his college, (fn. 68) in whose hands it has since remained. (fn. 69)
A terrier of the reign of Charles I gives a
very detailed description of the rectory-house
and lands. The house is described as being
covered with tiles, the chiefest part of the building whereof is
62 ft. longe north and south and is 18 ft. broade east and west,
which is devided into two stories conteyning 10 roomes, whereof
5 are upon the ground viz. one little lodgeing chamber, one
seller, one hall, one parlor, one buttery. And 5 roomes over
these, viz. one chamber over the seller and little chamber, one
chamber over the hall with a closet or studye belongeing to it,
and one chamber over the parlor, with a studye over it over ye
buttery. One other part or parcell of the said dwellinge house
adjoyning unto the forenamed part and is 35 ft longe east and
west and 14 ft. broad, which containeth 4 roomes, viz. one
kitchen and a brewhouse on the ground and 2 chambers and
boarded over the kitchen.
There was also near by another 'parcell of buildinge'
covered with thatch, 44 ft. by 15 ft., with 'three
severall roomes upon the ground, and one roome at
the west end hath a chamber boarded over it.'
Another similar structure but smaller contained three
rooms, and there was also a great barn 94 ft. long,
with six bays, and a small barn 34 ft. long. These
buildings were surrounded by a garden, an orchard,
and various yards. The glebe lands then extended
over about 15 acres. (fn. 70)
Places of meeting for Protestant Dissenters were
certified in Datchworth from 1719 to 1809. (fn. 71) There
is now a Baptist chapel at Datchworth Green.
CHARITIES
In 1685 Richard and Mary Gamon
granted an annuity of 40s. charged
upon an estate called Datchworth
Bury Farm, for the use of the poor, to be distributed
at Christmas.
In 1881 Mrs. Elizabeth Bunting by her will,
proved at London 30 November, bequeathed £500,
which was invested in £500 11s. consols, the annual
dividends, amounting to £12 10s., to be applied in
support of the Sunday school and day school held in
the National schoolroom.
In 1899 the Rev. John Wardale, the rector, by
deed gave the sum of £22 London, Brighton and
South Coast Railway 5 per cent. stock, the annual
dividends of £1 2s. to be paid to the parish clerk for
the winding up of the church clock.
The sums of stock are held by the official trustees.