LITTLE MUNDEN
Mundane (xi cent.).
The parish of Little Munden has an area of 1,774
acres, of which nearly three quarters are arable land,
400 or 500 acres being permanent grass, and over
100 acres wood. (fn. 1) The elevation of the parish is for
the most part over 300 ft., except a diagonal strip
from north-west to south-east where a slight depression is caused by the Old Bourne, at the south-eastern
end of which is situated the hamlet of Dane EndLittle Munden Church and School, with the Lordship
Farm and one or two cottages, are situated half-way
between Dane End and Green End, of which the
latter is about half a mile north-west of the church.
The road from Watton to Great Munden passes
across the parish; at Dane End it is joined by the
road from Sacombe, and further on roads turn off
eastwards to Potter's Green and Levens Green in
Great Munden, and northwards to Haultwick, a
hamlet in the north of Little Munden parish.
Libury Hall, now a German Industrial Home, is
situated in a north-eastern projection of the parish.
The rectory is some distance west of Dane End.
The parish lies on a subsoil of chalk; there is a
chalk-pit near Lordship's Farm, and a disused one
in the west of the parish. The nearest station is
Standon, 4 miles east, on the Buntingford branch of
the Great Eastern railway.
The inclosure award was combined with that of
Great Munden. (fn. 2)
The following field-names occur in the 14th
century: Newelond, Attresfeld, Wykefeld, Brache,
Wydiwellefeld and Dymaunfeld (fn. 3) ; and in the 15th
century Cumbes Wood, Lynleyze, Hapsele, Pondfeld, Reyneres Croft, Chosescroft, Cuttedenestrate,
Crowedenefeld and Velawesfeld. (fn. 4)
MANORS
Little Munden or Munden Frevill
Previous to the Norman Conquest LITTLE MUNDEN or MUNDEN FREVILL
was held by Lewin, a man of
Earl Harold. Before 1086 it was granted to Walter
the Fleming, and was then assessed at 5 hides and
1 virgate. (fn. 5) The descendants of Walter the Fleming
held the manor of Wahull or Odell in Bedfordshire,
from which they took their name. (fn. 6) The overlordship
of Little Munden remained in this family. (fn. 7) In 1304
it was held for the service of a knight's fee and 6s.
paid to the warden of Rockingham Castle; in 1385
the payment was 10s. (fn. 8)
Lordship Farm, Little Munden
The manor was granted by the Wahulls to the
family of Scales, though at what date is not known.
William de Scales was lord of the manor in
1181, (fn. 9) and is mentioned again in 1189. (fn. 10) He was
succeeded by his son Richard de Scales before 1208. (fn. 11)
Richard died about 1231, leaving a daughter Lucy,
whose wardship was purchased for 200 marks by
Baldwin de Frevill, who afterwards married her. (fn. 12)
From this family the manor took its name of Munden
Frevill. Baldwin was succeeded before 1278 by
Richard de Frevill, (fn. 13) whose son John inherited the
manor in 1299. (fn. 14) John de Frevill died in 1312,
leaving a son John, (fn. 15) who died before 1377. In that
year his widow Ellen sold the manor to Philip
Wyndok and William and Joan Hosell, (fn. 16) who in
1379–80 conveyed it to Sir John Thornbury. (fn. 17)
Sir John died about 1396, having settled the manor
on his son Philip, (fn. 18) and left a widow Nanerina.
Philip settled Little Munden on himself and his wife
Margaret. (fn. 19) In 1404 he went to sea on the king's
service 'in the company of the king's brother
Thomas Beaufort, admiral towards the north and east,
on the safe-custody of the
sea.' (fn. 20) In 1448 one Richard
Whitwik was 'witholden to
serve Sir Philip Thornbury
and dame Margret his wife in
the offices of lardyner, catour
and cook,' during their lives.
He was to receive 20s. yearly
with clothing, and a tenement
at Pottersgrene called 'Bathis,'
for which he was to yield
them yearly a 'roseflour' and
suit of court. He was also
to have reasonable fuel in the
east park, 'except for bakyng
or brewyng to chepe.' (fn. 21)
Sir Philip Thornbury died about 1457, (fn. 22) leaving a
daughter Margaret, who was married to Nicholas
Appleyard. (fn. 23) The manor was settled on Margaret's
daughter Elizabeth, wife of William Bastard, with
remainder to Thomas and John, sons of Richard
Thornbury. (fn. 24) In 1481 Elizabeth Bastard released
the manor to trustees, (fn. 25) and in 1486 John Thornbury
did the same, (fn. 26) apparently for the purpose of a conveyance to Sir William Say, into whose possession
Little Munden came. He died seised of it in 1529, (fn. 27)
after which it descended to his heirs in the same
manner as Benington (fn. 28) (q.v.), and came with that
manor to the Crown. It was leased to Thomas
Crompton in 1594–5 for twenty-one years. (fn. 29) In
1602 Thomas Crompton conveyed his lease to Michael
Woodcock, (fn. 30) who is said to have settled it upon his
son Michael on his marriage with Dorothy Woodhall. (fn. 31)
He was holding it in 1606, (fn. 32) but sold it in 1607 to
Peter Vaulore, (fn. 33) who conveyed it in 1614 to his sonin-law Sir Charles Caesar and his daughter Anne. (fn. 34)
The title, however, was defective, probably because only
the twenty-one years' lease of the manor had been sold
by Thomas Crompton, which term would run out
about this time. Finally the manor was bought by
Edmund Woodhall, brother of Dorothy Woodcock. (fn. 35)
He died seised of it in 1639, leaving two sons
Edmund and John. (fn. 36) Edmund died without issue,
and in 1675 Little Munden was held by his brother
John, (fn. 37) from whom it passed to his youngest sister
Mary Thornton. She had two daughters Mary and
Jane, who possessed the manor in 1700, (fn. 38) and who
both in succession married Robert Heysham. Robert
and Jane had a son Robert, (fn. 39) who died unmarried in
1734, bequeathing Little Munden to his kinsman
Giles Thornton on condition of his assuming the
name of Heysham. (fn. 40) He was succeeded by his son
Robert Thornton Heysham, (fn. 41) and his grandson of
the same name, (fn. 42) who in 1816 sold the manor to
Nathaniel Snell Chauncy. (fn. 43) In 1844 the latter
conveyed it to his brother Charles, from whom it
passed upon his death in 1866 to his daughter
Elizabeth and her husband Henry Edward Surtees. (fn. 44)
It was acquired about 1895 by Mrs. Edwin Prodgers,
the present owner.
Thornbury. Party fessewise or and argent a lion azure with two bends gules athwart him.
Little Munden Church from the North-east
Previous to 1385 the tenants of Little Munden did
suit at the sheriff's tourn held at Broadwater at
Easter and Michaelmas; in that year, however, view
of frankpledge was granted to John de Thornbury, (fn. 45)
for which he was to pay 20s. yearly. (fn. 46) This grant was
confirmed in 1439, (fn. 47) and the view is mentioned as
late as 1816. (fn. 48)
Libury (Stuterehela, Sutreshela, xi cent.; Leighbury, Lyebery, xv cent.).
—Before the Conquest and
at the time of the Domesday Survey Stuterehele, as
Libury was then called, was a large estate of almost
10 hides, but was very much divided up in ownership. In the time of King Edward Lewin held about
2½ hides (fn. 49) ; two sokemen held of him 1 hide 1 virgate 10 acres, rendering an avera (a carrying service)
or 5¼d. yearly to the king's sheriff (fn. 50) ; Torchil held
of him 1 hide and half a virgate, and Walter 11 acres. (fn. 51)
Asgar the staller had 2 hides, which were held by
Almar, rendering 2 averae or 8d. to the king's
sheriff. (fn. 52) Elmer of Benington possessed I hide
3½ virgates, of which Leueron held a hide, Alwin
3 virgates, paying ¾ avera or 3d. to the sheriff, and
'a certain woman' held half a virgate. (fn. 53) Archbishop
Stigand had 1 hide 3 virgates 22 acres, three of his
men holding all of it save 13 acres, (fn. 54) 11 of which
were held by Alward (fn. 55) and 2 acres by 'an Englishman' in mortgage. (fn. 56) There were also 25 acres held
by a sokeman of King Edward, who rendered ¼ avera
or 1d. (fn. 57)
Wahull. Or three crescents gules.
By 1086 the land had entirely changed hands
with the exception of the Englishman's 2 acres, which
he continued to hold of Lanfranc, Stigand's successor. (fn. 58)
Three virgates were held by Derman, and belonged
to his manor of Watton. (fn. 59) Peter de Valognes had
obtained all Elmer of Benington's land, (fn. 60) and had
taken in addition the 25 acres of the sokeman of
King Edward on the ground that he had not discharged the king's geld, but the men of the shire
moot testified that the land was free of geld. (fn. 61) This
part of Libury doubtless became absorbed in Peter's
manor of Benington. Walter the Fleming was in
possession of I hide ½ virgate and 11 acres, formerly
held of Lewin by Torchil and Walter. (fn. 62) The rest of
Lewin's land had been acquired by the Bishop of
Bayeux, and was held of him by Peter. (fn. 63) The bishop
also had the half hide of Lewin Scoua and the whole
of Stigand's land, (fn. 64) with the exception of the 2 acres
already mentioned; he also had the 2 hides of Asgar
the staller, which were held of him by Turstin (fn. 65) ;
his holding therefore amounted to 5¾ hides. The
fee of Walter the Fleming is the only one which
can be traced. His descendants
took the name of Wahull or
Odell from their chief manor
in Bedfordshire, and the overlordship of the manor of
Libury remained in their
hands. (fn. 66) In 1304 it was held
for a quarter fee of Thomas de
Wahull and paid 18d. to Rockingham Castle (Northants).
Spence. Sable a fesse battled argent.
John de Grey was the subtenant of the manor under
the Wahulls in 1243, (fn. 67) and
was still holding it in 1265. (fn. 68)
He was the second son of Henry Grey of Grays
Thurrock, Essex, and was some time Steward of
Gascony and Governor of the castles of Northampton, Shrewsbury, Dover and Hereford. (fn. 69) He
was succeeded by his son Reginald, (fn. 70) who became
Lord Grey de Wilton about 1295. (fn. 71) From this date
the manor of Libury descended in the family of Grey
of Wilton (fn. 72) until it came to John Grey of Wilton,
who in 1496 sold it to Richard Hill. (fn. 73) Richard
settled the manor to the use of his wife Elizabeth for
her life, with reversion to Ralph Latham. Elizabeth
married secondly Anthony Poyntz, and in 1506
leased the manor to Ralph for a yearly rent of £75. (fn. 74)
Ralph Latham died about 1520, leaving Libury to
his son William and Elizabeth his wife, after the
death of his mother. (fn. 75) By 1580 it had come to
another William Latham and Susan his wife, who in
that year sold it to Richard Brokeman. (fn. 76) The latter
conveyed it in 1582 to Rowland Beresford, (fn. 77) who died
seised of it in 1605, leaving a son Rowland, (fn. 78) who
inherited the manor. (fn. 79) In 1608, however, he sold
Libury to Robert Spence, (fn. 80) from whom it passed to
his son Robert in 1618, (fn. 81) who was still holding it in
1648. (fn. 82) He is said to have had two sons—William,
who died without issue, and John, (fn. 83) who with Edith
his wife was holding it in
1682 (fn. 84) and whose son John
was lord of the manor in
1700 (fn. 85) and as late as 1713. (fn. 86)
The son of the latter, Charles,
was holding Libury in 1779, (fn. 87)
and was succeeded by his
daughter Graciana Spence
before 1821. (fn. 88) Graciana died
in 1858, her nearest heirs
being Henry Lowry Jearrad
and Harriet Lister. A partition of the property was made
in 1864, when Libury was
apportioned to the former. (fn. 89) Mr. Jearrad was still
holding it in 1899, after which it was acquired by
Baron Schroder, Baron Bruno Schröder and Mr. C. A.
Bingel. It has been converted into a German Industrial and Farm Colony to provide work and shelter
for German-speaking unemployed and destitute, under
the management of these three trustees.
The manor of Libury possessed two mills in
1086. (fn. 90) Mills are mentioned in 1608, (fn. 91) but do not
appear to belong to it now, the estate having been
much reduced.
John de Grey received a grant of free warren in
1243. (fn. 92) In 1370 the lord of the manor held a
court every three weeks and view of frankpledge. (fn. 93)
Giffords
The manor of GIFFORDS is first heard of in
1473, when it was held by Ralph Ashley. (fn. 94) In the
16th century (or perhaps in the late 15th century)
'certain lands and tenements in Much and Little
Munden called Giffords' were held by William
Andrewe. (fn. 95) It was probably no more than a freehold
held of the manor of Great Munden. (fn. 96) Andrewe's
possession of the estate was disputed by Thomas
Ashley, and it was decided by arbitrators that William
Andrewe should keep it for life upon payment of £8,
with remainder to Thomas Ashley and his heirs. After
the death of William a fresh suit took place, Giffords
being claimed by George Carleton, who stated that
he had purchased Thomas Ashley's interest in the
estate, and was therefore the rightful owner, but that
John Andrewe, William's son, and John Lane would
not allow him possession. John Andrewe denied
Thomas Ashley's title to Giffords, and said that the
arbitrators decided that it
was to remain to William
and his heirs. He also said
that the deeds connected
with the matter had been
stolen by William's wife
Anne and delivered to John
Lane, who claimed the
estate by just conveyance. (fn. 97)
The result of the suit is not
recorded, and Giffords had
passed by 1580 into the
possession of Matthew Lowe,
who apparently held it in
right of his wife Anne. (fn. 98) It
was then called a manor.
Soon after it came into the
hands of William Kinge,
who sold it to his brotherin-law Robert Brisco. (fn. 99)
Robert died seised of it in
1616, holding it of the king
in free socage as of the
manor of Great Munden,
by fealty and free rent of
10s. yearly. He left it by
will to his wife Ellen, after
whose death it presumably
passed to his nephew and
heir Edward Brisco. (fn. 100) In
the following century it had
passed into the hands of the
Spence family, (fn. 101) lords of the
manor of Libury, in which
manor it presumably became
merged.
Two parks are mentioned
in Little Munden in 1299. (fn. 102)
One of them, however, seems
to have been disparked
before the 15th century, for
in 1480 and again in 1594 only 'Munden Park' is
mentioned. (fn. 103) It does not now remain, unless Lordship's Wood is a survival of it.
CHURCH
All Saints
The church of ALL SAINTS, standing on high ground about the centre
of the parish, is built of flint rubble
with stone dressings and the roofs are tiled. It consists of a chancel, north chapel, nave and north aisle,
south-west tower, north and south porches and south
vestry. (fn. 104)
Little Munden: Old Cottage at Dane End
Although the original 11th-century church has
been almost wholly obscured by later alterations and
additions, it seems certain that in the latter half of
that century it consisted of a chancel, nave and north
aisle, with an arcade of three bays. The 14th-century
alterations consisted of building the western portion
of the present north chapel about 1340, and about
1360 replacing the two eastern bays of the nave
arcade by those now in existence; at the same time
the aisle may have been widened. In the 15th
century the north chapel was extended eastwards to
its present size, new windows were inserted almost
throughout the church, a rood turret was built, and
the aisle was probably rebuilt and towards the end
of the century the west tower was built. In the
19th century the church was restored, the western
arch of the nave was replaced by a two-centred arch
and the south vestry and north and south porches
were added.
The east window of the chancel is of three cinque-foiled lights with tracery above in a two-centred
head, and has been almost entirely restored. In the
south wall is a similar window of two trefoiled lights
which has been wholly restored. In the north wall
are two arches, the easternmost being of the early
15th century. It is four-centred, and has a panelled
soffit and a carved figure of an angel holding a shield
in the apex; an ogee label, with a finial and crockets,
piercing a square outer label, surmounts it, and in the
spandrels of the outer label are shields, while a rose
fills the space above the apex of the arch. This arch
forms a canopy for a tomb to be described below.
Plan of Little Munden Church
The westernmost arch is two-centred, of about
1340, and is of two moulded orders with shafted
jambs. In the south wall is a doorway of the 12th
century, but almost wholly restored. It was formerly
external, but now leads into the modern vestry. To
the east of the window in the south wall is a piscina
of the late 14th century with a trefoiled head. The
chancel arch is 15th-century work, and is of two
moulded orders with shafted jambs and a label with
return ends. The openings of the windows of the
north chapel are of the 15th century, but the windows
are otherwise modern. Of the low two-centred
arch leading to the aisle only the north jamb is
original. It is filled by a screen of the late 15th
century, of three bays, with open upper panels with
tracery and solid lower panels. The roof of the
chapel is an early 16th-century king-post roof, much
repaired. The nave has a north arcade of three
bays, of which the two eastern arches are of about
1360, of two chamfered orders and supported on an
octagonal column and half-octagonal responds, of
which the western abuts on a jamb of the 11th century,
one of the two of that date which support a modern
two-centred arch, the third of the arcade. These
jambs have abaci roughly cable-moulded, and the
eastern is set in pink mortar, which does not appear
elsewhere in the church. In the easternmost respond
of the arcade are three niches, those at the side higher
than that in the centre and trefoiled, while the centre
one is cinquefoiled; all three have crocketed labels
and small pinnacles at the sides. In that on the north
side is a portion of a small female figure. On the
north side of the western pier of the arcade is a small
bracket. The rood-loft door pierces the north wall at
the eastern end, its sill being at the level of the abacus
of the eastern respond. In the south wall at the
eastern end is a window of three lights, of the 15th
century, with modern tracery. The rear arch is
original and is ogeed at the head. The south doorway is of the 14th century, and is of two continuously
moulded orders, unrestored. The south porch is
modern. At the west end of the nave a two-centred
archway opens into the west tower, which is of three
stages, with an embattled parapet and a small leaded
spire. The west doorway, with a pointed arch in a
square head and tracery in the spandrels, the west
window above, and the four bell-chamber lights are
all of the late 15th century, the date of the tower
itself. The vaulting of the ground stage is modern.
The north aisle has at the north-east angle a newel
stair to the rood-loft, approached by a 15th-century
doorway with a four-centred head and continuously
moulded, and opening at the upper end by a plain
splayed four-centred archway. The two three-light
windows in the north wall are
of the late 15th century, with
cinquefoiled heads, and are very
much restored. A two-light
window in the west wall is
probably a little earlier, but is
also restored. The north doorway is of the 15th century, and
has a four-centred head continuously moulded with the
jambs. The north porch is
modern.
The tomb under the eastern
arch in the north wall of the
chancel is that of a knight and
his lady, with recumbent effigies
on an altar tomb with panelled
sides, of about 1440. The
knight is in full plate armour,
with a finely carved girdle and
collar, and wears a rich and
heavy orle on his uncovered
head, which rests on his great
helm. His feet rest on a lion. The lady, whose
arms are broken away, wears a square headdress.
The tomb is probably that of Philip Thornbury,
who died about 1457. Under the western arch of
the same wall is another altar tomb of the late 14th
century, probably that of Sir John Thornbury, who
died about 1396. It has large shields in square
quatrefoiled panels, alternating with niches containing small figures. One of the shields bears the arms
of Thornbury. The effigies are those of a knight
and lady. The former wears plate armour with a
pointed basinet and a camail. The head rests on the
great helm and the feet on a lion, while the head of
the lady, who wears a honeycombed headdress, is
supported by figures, now broken away, and her feet
rest on a lap-dog. The figures are in very bad condition, the arms of both being gone, and many names
being scratched upon them, but there are traces of
gilding on the effigy of the knight. In the north wall
of the north chapel is a tomb-recess of the 15th
century.
There are six bells: (1) by Miles Graye, 1629;
(2) a mid-15th-century bell, inscribed 'Sancte Petre
ora pro nobis' and maker's mark D. I. (John Danyell);
(3) by J. Briant, 1816; (4) a mid-15th-century bell,
with inscription 'Sit nomen Domini benedictum'
and the royal arms, which is probably also by John
Danyell; (5) by Warner & Sons, 1859; and
(6) modern.
The plate consists of a silver chalice and a silver
paten; there is also a flagon.
The registers begin in 1680, and are contained in
two books: (i) baptisms 1610 to 1812, burials 1680
to 1812, marriages 1680 to 1753; (ii) marriages
1754 to 1812.
Little Munden Church: The Nave looking North-east
ADVOWSON
The advowson of the church belonged to the lords of the manor (fn. 105)
until about 1818, when it was sold
to Francis Riddel Reynolds, who presented in 1819. (fn. 106)
He sold it about 1830 to the Rev. C. Jollands, (fn. 107) who
continued to hold it until 1867, when it was acquired
by Licut.-Col. Loyd. (fn. 108) The latter died about 1891,
when the advowson passed to his wife, who held it
until 1900. (fn. 109) It continued in the hands of her trustees
for the next two years, after which it came into the
possession of Mr. Llewellyn Loyd, the present patron. (fn. 110)
Early in the 13th century a vicarage seems to have
been endowed, for upon the presentation of Andrew
de Scales by William de Scales, which must have
occurred shortly before 1209, a vicarage was reserved
to William de Standon. This vicarage consisted of
1 acre of land, the tithes of the whole parish, and of
the vill of Haultwick. (fn. 111) This arrangement seems to
have been only temporary.
In 1335 William de Munden had licence for an
oratory in his manor in the parish of Munden Frevill. (fn. 112)
Meeting-places for Protestant Dissenters in Little
Munden were registered from 1709 onwards. In
1809 a chapel was registered, (fn. 113) but there is now no
Nonconformist place of worship in the parish.
CHARITIES
This parish was in possession of
detached pieces of land and cottages
which were supposed to have been
derived under a devise by will of Ralph Fordham, dated
in 1591. The land and two cottages were sold in
1886, and the proceeds invested in £399 5s. consols
with the official trustees, producing £9 19s. 4d. yearly.
In the parliamentary returns of 1786 it is stated
that donations amounting to £60, being the gifts of
Thomas Hall, 1643, John Kent, 1665, and others,
were made for bread to the poor. These gifts are
now represented by £69 9s. 4d. consols with the
official trustees, producing £1 14s. 8d. yearly.
In 1883 George Pooley by his will, proved at
London 29 June, bequeathed £1,000, the income
to be applied towards the maintenance and support
of the poor under the title of 'The George and
Mary Ann Pooley Trust.' The legacy was invested
in £984 Os. 2d. consols with the official trustees,
producing £24 12s. yearly. The income of these
charities was in 1908 applied mainly in bonuses to
members of coal and clothing clubs, interest on
children's bank, and in temporary relief in money.
In 1906 Joseph Singleton by will, proved 25 June,
left a legacy, represented by £269 12s. 8d. consols
with the official trustees, the annual dividends, amounting to £6 14s. 8d., to be applied in bread (or in
such way as minister approves) for poor of sixty years
of age and upwards on 1 January yearly.