KNEBWORTH
Chenepeworde (xi cent.); Cnebbeworth, Knebbeswrth (xiii cent.); Knybbeworth (xiv cent.); Knecbworth, Knebbeworth.
The parish of Knebworth has an area of 2,677 acres.
The north-eastern part is over 400 ft. above the
ordnance datum, and rises to a height of 461 ft.
From this point the ground slopes downwards to the
south and more gradually to the east; south of the
village it rises again to 426 ft. The greater part of
the parish is arable land, which covers 1,284 acres;
661¾ acres are permanent grass and 277 acres are
wood. (fn. 1) The main road from Hitchin to London passes
through the centre of the parish. A road turns off
from it to the west and forks, one branch going north
to St. Paul's Walden and the other south past Three
Houses. Another road turns east from the Hitchin
road, runs along the south of Knebworth Park and
turns north, forming its eastern border. The village
is situated on this road on the opposite side from
the park.
Knebworth House is a building of two stories, and
the whole of the external detail is of a florid late
Gothic type, executed in stucco during the early part
of the 19th century. The original 16th-century
house inclosed a courtyard, but in 1811 the north,
south and east sides were pulled down, and the west
wing which remained was altered and added to and
completely renewed externally. From plans (fn. 2) and
sketches of the old building prior to its demolition
it would appear that the house must have been
altered during the 17th and perhaps 18th century,
but the entrance gateway in the centre of the east
side of the courtyard, now partly incorporated in the
West Lodge referred to below, appears to have been
untouched, and was the last portion to be pulled
down. The old plan of the west wing, as it existed
before 1811, can still be traced in the present building, though no detail of the 16th century now
remains except a plain tablet fixed in the entrance
porch, which bears the arms of Sir Rowland Lytton
and the date 1563. In the centre of the east front
was the porch entering directly into the screens, on
the right was the hall, which still remains, and on the
west side of the hall was the library, now occupied by
a modern stair, and at the north-west corner was the
main staircase, now the library; this portion of the
building was probably a later addition to the 16th-century house. At the north end of the hall was the
dining parlour, now a modernized drawing room.
The south end of the wing was occupied by the
domestic offices, but all that portion facing the west
has been formed into a long picture gallery; a back
staircase at the south-east angle still retains its old
position, but the stair is modern. A modern south
wing has been added. The hall, which is of the
same extent as formerly, and which is carried up
two stories, underwent considerable alterations
during the 17th century. It has a coved ceiling with moulded oak principals, ribs and cornice
and carved brackets. The spaces between the
timbers are plastered. It was probably put up under
the original open-timber roof early in the 17th century. The screen belongs to the same period, and
behind it, over the screens, is the musicians' gallery.
The oak screen is in three bays with semicircular
arched openings. The central opening, which is the
entrance, is flanked by caryatides formed of demihuman figures on tapering pedestals, the panels of
which are carved. The spandrels of the arches are
filled with pierced ornament. Above the arches is
a bold entablature with moulded cornice and carved
frieze and brackets, surmounted by the oak front to
the gallery, which is carved with
an open arabesque pattern. Each
side arch is partly filled with solid
panelling surmounted by a broken
pediment with moulded cornice;
in each panel is a cartouche containing arms of the Lytton and
allied families.
Ground Plan of Knebworth House in 1805
The other three sides of the
hall are covered with deal panelling, the design of which is
attributed to Inigo Jones, and
which may date from about 1650.
The north end is an elaborate
design with detached fluted
Corinthian columns dividing the
end of the hall into three bays,
with an enriched entablature with
moulded cornice; this is broken
over the middle bay by a round-arched pediment with moulded
cornice and panelled soffit; in the
side bays are doors opening into
the drawing room, formerly the
dining parlour of the old house.
The east and west sides of the hall
are panelled in a more simple
manner, with fluted Corinthian
pilasters as divisions; in the centre
of the west side is a plain fireplace
with a large picture panel over,
surmounted by a moulded cornice
and pediment. The whole of the
woodwork, both oak and deal, has
been recently scraped and cleaned
and left in its natural colour. The
hall is lighted by windows in the east wall only.
The drawing room has been completely modernized.
There is a quantity of old panelling, chiefly of the
17th century, in some of the rooms on the upper
floor, most of which appears to have been brought
from elsewhere.
Part of the original gateway of the old house,
which was pulled down in 1811, was incorporated
in the West Lodge of the park on the Hitchin road,
and the fact is recorded on a tablet, dated 1816, on
the walls. The lodge is in two parts, connected by
the old arches which span the drive. Two old
windows and a turret doorway have also been reset
in the walls of the lodge, which have been partly
built with old thin bricks at the back. All the old
work, which is of clunch, belongs to about the
middle of the 16th century. The two four-centred
arches which span the drive are of two double-ogee
continuously moulded orders, a good deal restored
and with cement panelled bases. The windows are
of two lights with four-centred arches under square
moulded labels; the jambs and mullions are moulded.
The turret doorway has a moulded four-centred arch
with carved spandrels under a square head; one
spandrel is carved with foliage, the other with a tun or
barrel and vine leaves and fruit. The ornamental iron
gates under the eastern arch and the fencing to the
windows next the park are of 18th-century work.
Knebworth House: West Lodge Arches from the West
From the centre of the village a road runs eastward to Deard's End, where there is an interesting
late 16th-century farm-house of timber and brick
nogging and a tiled roof. The church of St. Mary
is situated in the park which surrounds Knebworth
House, and lies a short distance north-west from the
village. Rustling End is a hamlet in the north-west
of the parish, with Crouch Green about half a mile
south. Little Rustling End Farm is a 17th-century
timber and brick and timber and plaster house. Part
of the hamlet of Broadwater lies on the north-eastern
boundary of the parish. There are two tumuli in
Graffridge Wood, somewhat damaged.
The subsoil of the parish is chalk. There are
chalk-pits beside the railway and disused ones in
Knebworth Park and west of Rustling End. There
is a gravel-pit at Deard's End and another near
Three Houses. There is a railway station on the
Great Northern main line, situated in the extreme
east of the parish near Deard's End.
The inclosure award was made in 1819, the
authorizing Act being passed in 1810. (fn. 3)
In 1882 a portion of the parish on the east,
including Swangley's Farm, was transferred to Datchworth. (fn. 4)
Place-names mentioned in 1638 are Courtfield,
Blackhouse Ground, Coxe, Black Pitt, Neze Field,
Blackwell Field and Wellfield. (fn. 5)
MANORS
Knebworth
The manor of KNEBWORTH was
held in the time of Edward the Confessor by Aschil, a thegn of the king.
In 1086 it formed part of the lands of Eudo Dapifer,
son of Hubert de Ryes, and was assessed at 8¼ hides. (fn. 6)
About the middle of the 12th century the 'honour
of Eudo Dapifer' was in the hands of Warine
Fitz Gerold. (fn. 7) This honour evidently included
Knebworth, for it is found in the possession of
Margery or Margaret daughter and heir of Warine
son of Warine Fitz Gerold, who married Baldwin
de Redvers Earl of Devon, after whose death in
1216 (fn. 8) she received Knebworth in dower. (fn. 9) She
married secondly Falkes de Breauté, who held the
manor in right of his wife, but was banished in
1224, when his lands were taken into the king's
hands. (fn. 10) Certain timber which Falkes had felled at
Knebworth was then granted by the king to William
Earl Marshal for building purposes. (fn. 11) The manor
was restored to Margaret, being part of her own
inheritance. Baldwin, Earl of Devon, her son, died
in February 1244–5, and his son Baldwin in 1262, (fn. 12)
leaving no issue. In 1267 there was a process concerning Knebworth between Margaret his widow and
her sister-in-law Isabel, the wife of William de
Fortibus Earl of Albemarle and heir of Baldwin. (fn. 13)
Isabel died without surviving issue in 1293, (fn. 14) where-upon the descendants of Warine Fitz Gerold became
extinct. The overlordship of Knebworth then passed
to the descendants of Henry Fitz Gerold, brother of
Warine. Henry's daughter and heir Alice, wife of
Robert Lisle, had two sons, Robert and Gerard. (fn. 15)
Robert Lisle, the grandson of the elder son Robert,
therefore became heir of the Fitz Gerold property
in 1293. (fn. 16) He was summoned to Parliament as
Lord Lisle of Rougemont from 1311. (fn. 17) He was
succeeded by his son John, (fn. 18) of whom Knebworth
was held in 1346. (fn. 19) He died in 1356, and was
succeeded by his son Robert
Lord Lisle, (fn. 20) who probably
died without issue about
1399, (fn. 21) when Knebworth
presumably passed to Thomas
Lord Berkeley, husband of
Margaret, a descendant of
Gerald Lisle, younger son of
Alice Fitz Gerold and Robert
Lisle. (fn. 22) The overlordship of
Knebworth would thus pass
through Elizabeth daughter of
Thomas Lord Berkeley and
wife of Richard Earl of Warwick to her daughter Margaret Countess of Shrewsbury, whose son John Talbot
was created Lord and Baron
of Lisle and died in 1453.
His granddaughter and heir
Elizabeth Talbot married Sir
Edward Grey, who was also
created Lord Lisle, (fn. 23) and
Knebworth was held of him
in 1482. (fn. 24) His son John
died in 1504 without male
heirs, when the overlordship
escheated to the Crown, for
in 1517 and after it was held
of the king as of the duchy
of Lancaster, of the fee of
Lisle, by knight's service and
suit of court of the duchy at
Walbrook. (fn. 25)
Lisle. Gules a leopard argent with a crown or.
Grey, Lord Lisle. Barry argent and azure with three roundels gules in the chief and a label argent.
The sub-tenant of Knebworth in 1086 was
Humphrey d'Ansleville (fn. 26) or Andevill, whose immediate heir is not known. Thomas de Andevill held
lands of Eudo Dapifer's fief in 1166, (fn. 27) and Richard
son of Thomas de Andevill seems to have been
lord of the manor of Knebworth in 1214. (fn. 28) This
Richard held the lands in Cambridgeshire which
belonged to Humphrey d'Ansleville in 1086, and so
was apparently his descendant. (fn. 29) In 1214–15
Richard settled the advowson of the church on
Hamelin de Andevill. (fn. 30) In 1215 20 librates of
land in Knebworth, 'which were of Hamon de
Ablevill,' were granted to Hugh of Bath, clerk,
to hold as long as the king pleased. (fn. 31) This was
possibly owing to a forfeiture, for Richard de
Andevill was holding Knebworth before 1224, and
received seisin of it again in that year, with corn and
timber, &c, for a payment of £50, after the king
had taken it into his hands at the banishment of
Falkes de Breauté. (fn. 32) The successor of this Richard
is not known, and Knebworth next appears in 1292
in the possession of Robert de Hoo, (fn. 33) who seems to
have held the Andevill lands in Cambridgeshire as well.
He was still holding Knebworth in 1303, (fn. 34) but died
before 1316, when his widow Beatrice conveyed the
manor to Richard and Joan de Perers, who were to
pay her 50 marks annually during her life, and afterwards a rose at Midsummer to her heirs. Failing
the heirs of Richard and Joan de Perers, the manor
was to return to Beatrice de Hoo and her heirs. (fn. 35)
Richard and Joan, who appears to have been Beatrice's
daughter, (fn. 36) had a son Richard, who died before 1346,
leaving a son Edmund, who enfeoffed Walter de
Mauny and his heirs of the manor and died
without issue. (fn. 37) In 1346 Knebworth was said to
be held by Walter de Mauny and Thomas de
Hoo (fn. 38) (grandson of Robert and Beatrice), (fn. 39) who
possibly had a life interest. The heirs of Edmund
de Perers were his three sisters, Isabel, Margaret
wife of John de la Ryvers, and Joan, (fn. 40) and in 1348
they confirmed Knebworth to Walter de Mauny, (fn. 41)
who died seised of it in 1372. (fn. 42) After his death
it seems to have been acquired by Guy de Bryan,
who in 1388 conveyed it to Thomas Beauchamp
Earl of Warwick. (fn. 43) The latter forfeited his lands in
1397, about which time Knebworth was conveyed
by his brother Sir William Beauchamp (fn. 44) and others
to Richard Forster, who held it jointly with Thomas
Thorneburgh, John Onyng and John Shordich. (fn. 45)
In 1398 an action was brought against Richard
Forster by William de Hoo, who stated that he was
son of Thomas grandson of Beatrice de Hoo, and
claimed the manor by the terms of the fine of 1316
(see above), by which Beatrice had conveyed Knebworth to Richard and Joan de Perers, with reversion
on failure of their heirs. Edmund de Perers and his
three sisters, the grandchildren of Richard and Joan,
had all died childless. William de Hoo was their
cousin and heir, but he also claimed that their father
had had two sisters, Margaret and Rose, and that
Margaret's grandson Richard Fitz Herbert, or Twycrosse, and Rose's great-grandson Walter Touneford
should have been the rightful heirs, but were also
dead without issue, and that the line being extinct
the manor reverted to him. Richard Forster denied
the existence of Rose de Perers and the descent of
Richard Fitz Herbert, and apparently based his claim
on the various conveyances of the manor since the
death of Walter de Mauny. Judgement was given
for Richard Forster, (fn. 46) and William de Hoo finally
surrendered his claim to him in 1401–2. (fn. 47) In 1407
Richard conveyed Knebworth to Robert Brome, (fn. 48)
who released it to William Askham and others in
1411–12, (fn. 49) apparently for the purpose of a conveyance to John Hotoft, who
was in possession of the manor
soon afterwards. In 1426 a
claim to the manor was made
by William Beleverge, who
also declared himself to be a
descendant of Beatrice de
Hoo, and based his claim on
the fine of 1316. The pedigree he gave claimed that
Beatrice had had a son James,
whose daughter Margaret had
a son William Beleverge,
whose son Stephen was the
father of the claimant. The
descent, however, seems to
have been entirely spurious,
and his claim was unsuccessful. (fn. 50)
Knebworth House: West Lodge
Lytton of Knebworth. Ermine of chief indented azure with three crowns or therein.
John Hotoft was holding
Knebworth in 1428, (fn. 51) and in
1430–1 received a release of
all right in the manor from
William Perers. (fn. 52) In 1440
he settled it on himself for
life, with remainder to his
daughter Idonia, wife of Sir
John Barre, and her heirs. (fn. 53)
Sir John Barre died in 1483,
and was succeeded by his
daughter Isabel, widow of
Humphrey Stafford Earl of
Devon, who married secondly
Thomas Bourghchier. (fn. 54) Isabel
and Thomas settled Knebworth on themselves in the
same year, (fn. 55) and again in
1491, (fn. 56) and afterwards sold
the reversion to Robert
Lytton, (fn. 57) to whose son
William Lytton two-thirds of
the manor came upon Thomas
Bourghchier's death in 1492, (fn. 58) one-third being claimed
by Anne, Thomas's second wife, who survived him
and was living in 1519. (fn. 59) William Lytton died in
1517, leaving an infant son
Robert, the custody of whom
was granted to Sir Richard
Weston, (fn. 60) then a knight of the
body to King Henry VIII. (fn. 61)
In 1518 Sir Richard was
made a Knight of the Bath,
and next year was one of the
'sad and ancient knights put
into the king's privy chamber.' (fn. 62) In 1520 he accompanied the king to the Field
of the Cloth of Gold, and in
the following year sat on the
jury which condemned
Edward Stafford, third Duke of Buckingham. In
1525 he was made Treasurer of Calais and in 1528
Under-Treasurer of England. (fn. 63) In 1533–4 his
connexion with Knebworth ceased, for in that year
Robert Lytton came of age and received his inheritance. (fn. 64) Upon Robert's death without male
heirs Knebworth passed by will to his brother
Rowland, (fn. 65) whose son Rowland inherited it in 1582. (fn. 66)
William Lytton, son of the second Rowland, succeeded
to Knebworth at his father's death in 1615, (fn. 67) and
held it until 1660, when he was succeeded by his
son, another Rowland. (fn. 68) William son of Sir Rowland
Lytton inherited the manor in 1674, and died in
1705 without issue, when Knebworth passed to
Lytton Strode, grandson of William's sister Judith
and son of George Strode and Mary Robinson. (fn. 69)
He assumed the surname of Lytton, which was also
taken by his cousin William Robinson, who succeeded
him in 1710, but had no Lytton descent. John
Robinson-Lytton inherited the manor from his
father in 1732, but died without issue in 1762,
when his nephew Richard Warburton succeeded
and took the name of Lytton. His daughter
Elizabeth Barbara Warburton-Lytton married William
Earle Bulwer, and upon inheriting Knebworth in
1810 assumed the surname of Lytton in addition.
She died in 1843, leaving Knebworth to her third
son Edward George, the famous novelist, who became
Lord Lytton of Knebworth in 1866 and died in
1873. His son Edward Robert was created Earl
of Lytton, and was succeeded in 1891 by his
third but eldest surviving son Victor Alexander
George Robert Lytton, second earl, who is the present
lord of the manor. (fn. 70)
Lytton, Earl of Lytton
The great park of Knebworth is mentioned in
1472. (fn. 71) There is still a deer park of 156 acres, which
is finely wooded and surrounds the house. A fair was
granted to Robert de Hoo in 1292, to be held
annually on the vigil, day and morrow of the Decollation of St. John the Baptist (fn. 72) (28–30 August). It
was confirmed in 1547, (fn. 73) but was discontinued before
the end of the 18th century. Free warren was granted
and confirmed at the same time as the fair and was
also confirmed to Richard de Perers in 1317 (fn. 74) and to
William Lytton in 1616. (fn. 75)
A mill is mentioned in Knebworth in 1086 (fn. 76) and
in 1611, (fn. 77) but does not appear to exist now. In
1274–5 the lord of the manor held view of frankpledge, gallows and the assize of bread and ale; he
paid 17s. 4d. yearly to the sheriff's tourn. (fn. 78) Court
leet was granted to William Lytton in 1616. (fn. 79)
Threhous
The manor of THREHOUS (Trehus, le Trehouse,
Treyhouse) is first mentioned in 1303. (fn. 80) It seems
to have been a part of the manor of Knebworth and
was perhaps the two messuages, 160 acres of land and
100 acres of wood which were excepted in the fine
of 1316, settling Knebworth on Richard and Joan de
Perers. (fn. 81) This estate was conveyed by William de
Beauchamp to Richard Forster and others, but owing
to its omission from the fine could not be claimed
by William de Hoo in 1398. (fn. 82) It followed the same
descent as the manor of Knebworth, (fn. 83) and presumably
became eventually merged in it. The manor of
Threhous is last mentioned separately in 1616. (fn. 84) It
lay in the western part of the parish, and the locality
is still marked by a tenement called Three Houses.
CHURCH
The parish church of ST. MARY
AND ST. THOMAS OF CANTERBURY (fn. 85) stands to the north-east of
Knebworth House in the park. It is built of flint
rubble, with clunch dressings and the roofs are tiled.
It consists of a chancel and nave, north chapel, west
tower, south porch and north vestry.
The nave was built about the middle of the 12th
century and the chancel is probably of the same date.
The west tower dates from about 1420, the north
chapel from a century later, and the south porch from
about 1600. The nave was re-roofed in the 15th
century and the north chapel was rebuilt about 1700.
In the 19th century the chancel was almost entirely
rebuilt and the north vestry was added.
The chancel, which is almost wholly modern, still
has in the north wall a blocked window with an edge-roll moulding of about 1150, and below it is an arched
recess of the early 16th century. To the west of the
recess and of the same date is the arch which opens
into the north chapel. It has been much repaired
and has half-octagonal responds supporting the inner
order. The round chancel arch, of about 1150, has
engaged shafts with rudely scalloped capitals. On
the south side of the chancel under the easternmost
window is a 14th-century piscina, with an ogee
cinquefoiled head. The sill is modern. The chancel
roof has an oak-panelled wagon ceiling.
The north chapel has two square-headed windows,
at the east and north, of about 1700, with wooden
frames. An elaborate ironwork screen of the same
date, set in the arch on the south side, separates the
chapel from the chancel. The flat plaster ceiling is
of about the same date also.
Knebworth Church from the South-east
The nave is approached from the north chapel by
a square-headed skew doorway emerging at the northeast corner of the nave. Beside it, in the north wall,
is a single-light window with modern tracery. Immediately above this window is the upper doorway of
the rood-loft stair, and the blocked lower doorway
with a moulded two-centred arch is visible to the
west of the window. To the west of this is a much
repaired two-centred arch, which now leads to a
vestry, and west of this is a wide single-light window,
a modern insertion, which probably marks the
position of an earlier two-light window.
On the south side are a modern single-light
window, a square-headed window of three lights
with much restored tracery of about 1350, and a two-light window of the 15th century, which is also much
restored. To the west of these is the south doorway,
of about 1380. It has a two-centred arch, much
repaired, leading to the south porch, which is heavily
covered with ivy and shows only traces of the
original windows. The entrance archway is fourcentred and coated with cement. To the west of
the south doorway is a window of about 1500, from
which the central mullion is gone.
The tower arch, of about 1420, is of two moulded
orders with engaged shafts. The tracery of the west
window is modern, but the window itself is original
with grotesque heads on the stops of the labels. The
west doorway has a two-centred arch in a square
head. There are shields in the spandrels, one of
which bears the arms of Hotoft: Sable three
dragons' heads erect and razed argent.
On the north and south sides of the second stage
are narrow loops, and in the bell chamber are four
windows of two cinquefoiled lights with a quatrefoil
over.
The nave is seated throughout with a complete
set of 15th-century oak seats, moulded and having
rich tracery in the end panels. At the north-east is
a high pew with pinnacles at the corners and a
pierced cresting. The pulpit is of richly carved
16th-century Flemish panelling, made up in the
18th century. One of the panels is dated 1567.
There is similar panelling on the east wall of the nave
behind the pulpit.
The font is octagonal, of limestone and plainly
moulded. It dates from about 1480.
In the chancel is a brass of Simon Bache, 1414, a
priest in eucharistic vestments, with figures of saints
on his cope, and an inscription; under the archway
between the chancel and the chapel and partly
covered by the iron grille another, to John Hotoft,
of about 1470, with an inscription on six strips of
brass, and three shields of arms. The brass is said to
have been on an altar tomb and is not now on its
original slab. On the chancel wall is a slab to Judith
Lytton, wife of Nicholas Strode, 1662; and a floor
slab is to John Ham, clericus, 1684.
The monuments in the chapel are mostly to
various members of the Lytton family. There are a
brass of Rowland Lytton and his two wives, 1582, with
arms and an inscription; a monument, 1601, to
Anna the wife of Rowland Lytton, with arms; a tomb
of Sir William Lytton, 1704–5, with a recumbent
marble figure under an elaborate canopy with the
arms and quarterings of Lytton. There are floor
slabs to Judith the wife of Rowland Lytton, 1659;
to Sir William Lytton, 1660; Sir Rowland Lytton,
1674; Judith (Lytton) wife of Sir Thomas Barrington, 1657, with arms, and to the son of Giles
Strangways, 1646. In the nave, on the west splay of
the north window, is a defaced inscription, said to be to
John de Hall, rector, with the date of birth, 1395.
There are five bells: (1) by John Waylett, 1716;
(2) and (3) by Edward Hall, 1730 and 1732; (4)
dated 1697; and (5) by J. Briant, 1812.
The plate includes a 17th-century cup, with the
date erased, and a paten of 1668.
The registers are contained in four books: (i)
all entries 1606 to 1702; (ii) baptisms and burials
1703 to 1812, marriages 1703 to 1753; (iii) baptisms
and burials 1709 to 1812, marriages 1709 to 1753;
(iv) marriages 1754 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The advowson of the church has
always belonged to the lord of the
manor. In 1214–15 it was granted
by Richard de Andevill to Hamelin de Andevill and
his heirs (fn. 86) (see manor). The Earl of Lytton is the
present patron.
A terrier of 1638 describes the parsonage as 'contayning a hall, two parlours, a kitchin, a larder and
buttery below stayres and seaven severall roomes
above stayres.' There were also 'a milke house and
bolting house, a barne contayning five bayes, a
garner, a stable, an hayhouse, a carthouse, a little
stable, hogscoate and hennhouse; a garden and oarchard.' The glebe lands consisted of 51 acres, with
a cottage 'tyled contayning three rooms below and
one above.' (fn. 87)
There seems to be no record of early Dissent in
Knebworth, but a Congregational chapel was erected
in 1887.
CHARITIES
In 1811 William Johnson by his
will bequeathed £100 consols, the
annual dividends, amounting to
£2 10s., to be distributed among eight poor housekeepers, with a preference to those attending divine
worship. The stock is held by the official trustees.
In 1836 Mrs. Elizabeth Barbara Bulwer Lytton
erected five almshouses on the Codicote road for old
and deserving people of the parish, supported by the
Earl of Lytton.