WALKERN
Walchra (xi cent.); Walkre, Waukre, Wauker
(xiii cent.).
The parish of Walkern has an area of 2,992 acres,
of which 1,727½ acres are arable land, 686¾ acres
permanent grass, and 138 acres woods and plantations. (fn. 1) Nearly all the western half is over 300 ft.
in height; the valley of the little River Beane causes
a slight depression down the centre of the parish,
but the land rises again in the east, and at three
points, Walkern Hall, Bassus Green, and Walkern
Park, reaches a height of over 400 ft.
Rook's Nest, Walkern: Ground plan
The village lies off the main road in the valley of
the Beane on the road to Watton. It is fairly large
and somewhat straggling, the church, rectory and
school, and Walkern Place, a 17th-century farm-house
of timber and plaster, refaced in the 18th century,
lying at the north end. There are several 17th-century cottages in the village, and the White Lion
Inn, although much altered, is probably of that date.
At the south end of the village are the mill on the
River Beane and the early 17th-century farm-house
called Rook's Nest. It is chiefly built of the narrow
2-inch red bricks, and is of two stories and attics.
It is L-shaped on plan, though a long brew-house
projects northward from the kitchen wing. The
main building faces east, and has the usual two-storied
gabled porch nearly in the centre of the front. At
the back is a boldly projecting staircase carried well
above the eaves of the main building and finished
with a gable. A long kitchen wing facing the south
projects from the main building. The main building
is divided internally into two nearly equal parts by
the massive substructure of the central chimney, the
drawing-room or old parlour being on the right of
the entrance, and the hall, now the dining room, on
the left. In both these rooms the old fireplaces
have been built up and modern grates substituted.
A south entrance door formerly existed from the
dining room. The staircase opens directly into the
dining room, and the arrangement of the stair is very
similar to that at Queen Hoo Hall, Tewin, and is
an intermediate stage between the newel and the
open stair; but in this instance the stair winds round
three sides only of the timber-framed newel, which
is 2 ft. 3 in. wide, and is lined up to the first floor level
with old oak panelling. The panels are moulded,
and inside each is a lozenge-shaped inner panel. This
is the only old panelling left in the house. At the
landing above are some flat-moulded balusters, cut
out of 3 in. by 1¼ in. oak. The kitchen has an
old fireplace 9 ft. 6 in. wide, with a plain lintel,
which is partly occupied by a modern range. There
is a small parlour between the kitchen entrance and
the dining room. The whole of the kitchen wing
is formed of timber framing, the timbers being
placed close together and filled in between with thin
bricks. The chimney over the main building has a
group of four square shafts set diagonally on a massive
square base; the chimney over the kitchen wing is
of wide brickwork, with a plain sunk panel in its
width. The roofs are tiled. All the windows on
the east front have moulded mullions and transoms
formed in cement, and over each is a brick dripstone
with returned ends. All the windows on the south
front have been modernized. They formerly had oak
mullions and diamond-shaped lead lights.
Bridgefoot Farm, an interesting and picturesque
timber-framed house, stands a little to the south-west
of the church, and was probably erected about the
beginning of the 17th century. It has been very
little altered externally, and internally the old arrangement of the plan is still quite clear, though a few
partitions have been added and the rooms modernized.
The plan is L-shaped and the principal entrance is
on the north side, and formerly opened directly into
the common living room or hall, but this has been
subdivided into a sitting-room, dairy and passage to
the kitchen at the back. The beams over the hall
are 17 in. wide, and the soffits are carved with a flat
geometrical ornament consisting of alternate rows of
four circles and four rectangular figures all connected
together by fillets. There is no other carved work
in the house. The old wide square-headed fireplace
of the hall still remains in the sitting room, but a
modern grate has been inserted and the sides filled
with cupboards. To the right of the hall is the old
parlour, with a wide slightly projecting bay window,
which is carried up to the floor above and finished
with a gable, very similar to those at Wymondley Hall
and Egerton House, Great Berkhampstead. Between
the parlour and the north front is a small outhouse,
evidently part of the original plan. Beyond the hall,
and forming the wing of the building, is the kitchen,
which still retains its old fireplace, 10 ft. 6 in. in
width, although it is partly occupied by a modern
range. The old seats have given way to cupboards,
but the small niches for flagons still remain, as at
Upp Hall, Braughing. A small gabled staircase
occupies the angle of the L between the old hall and
the kitchen, but the stair itself is very plain. All the
external walls are timber-framed, lathed and plastered
on the outside, the plaster being ornamented with the
usual large flush panels filled with some roughly
scratched pattern. The roofs are steep and covered
with tiles and all terminate in plain gables. There
is an overhanging upper story on the east side.
Some of the windows retain their oak mullions and
transoms. The two old chimneys are groups of plain
shafts of bricks 2 in. in thickness.
Bridgefoot farm-house: Ground plan
Three roads branching to the east run into the
road to Ardeley, on the east side of which is Walkern
Bury, now a modern farm-house. Adjoining it on
the south is a small castle of the mount and bailey type,
thrown up possibly by Hamo de St. Clare in the
reign of Stephen. (fn. 2) Hamo was, we know, an adherent
of the turbulent Geoffrey de Mandeville, and was
with him at Stephen's celebrated Easter Court in
1136. Although the castle stands fairly high, being
about 400 ft. above the ordnance datum, it does not
seem to have commanded any large extent of country,
and would appear to have been built at Walkern as a
manorial stronghold, because that was the head of
the St. Clare barony in Hertfordshire. It never
apparently had any masonry works, the earthworks
being defended by a wooden keep on the mound and
timber stockades on the outer defences. The castle
was probably destroyed, with numerous other adulterine or unlicensed castles, in the reign of Henry II.
At Clay End a road branches off still further east
to Walkern Park, the residence of Mrs. Cotton
Browne. Boxbury Farm and Box Wood are in the
west of the parish. The parish lies on a subsoil of
chalk; there are many chalk-pits and gravel-pits,
especially between Walkern and the Ardeley road.
In 1403 a commission was granted to John Couper
of Walkern, John Matmakere of Watton, Thomas
Barbour and William Templier of Walkern 'to search
for certain treasure of no small amount, which the
King understands to be hidden in a pit in the field
of Walkern called "Marlepitte," and to bring it when
found before the King and Council with all speed.' (fn. 3)
The nearest railway station is Stevenage, on the
Great Northern main line, 5 miles west. The
inclosure award is dated 1850, and is in the custody
of the clerk of the peace. (fn. 4)
Place-names that occur in Walkern are Tristrammes
Grove, Cheney Hall and Tonecrofts.
MANORS
Walkern
In the time of Edward the Confessor
WALKERN was held by Alwin Horne,
one of the king's thegns. After the Conquest it was granted to Derman, a thegn of William
the Conqueror, at which period it was assessed at
10 hides. (fn. 5) Derman was succeeded in the manor of
Walkern, as in Watton, by his brother Leofstan, (fn. 6)
but the two manors did not continue in the same
hands. It seems probable that Walkern was the
'manor of Derman, which Leofstan his brother held,'
given by William Rufus to Eudo Dapifer, for he
seems to have possessed the tithes of Walkern, and
the manor appears to have been subsequently held
by his successor Hamo de St. Clare, (fn. 7) who gave the
mill of Walkern to the church of St. Mary for the
souls of King Henry and Queen Maud and Eudo
Dapifer. (fn. 8) The manor passed from him and his wife
Gunnora to their son Hubert de St. Clare, (fn. 9) who
was living in the reign of Stephen, and who died
in 1155. (fn. 10) Hubert's daughter and heir Gunnora
married William de Lanvaley, (fn. 11) whose son William
married Hawise daughter of Hugh de Bocland, (fn. 12)
and was one of the barons appointed to impose the
observance of Magna Charta. Hawise survived
William and died before 1233, (fn. 13) her son William
de Lanvaley (fn. 14) having apparently predeceased her,
for his daughter Hawise, the wife of John de
Burgh, (fn. 15) seems to have succeeded her grandmother. (fn. 16) John de Burgh's son John predeceased
his father about 1278, when John de Burgh, senior,
was said to be holding the manor by courtesy as
of the barony of Lanvaley, of the heirs of John
his son. (fn. 17) In 1281 John granted to Ralph de
Hauville, for his service and for 100 marks, 14 acres
of the demesne land 'lying between the croft that
belonged to Warin de Waukre and the Greneweye
and the Heldeburweye, together with Richard de
Boxe, Ralph de Boxe, William de Boxe, William
Aumfrey, Godahuge, Stephen de Boxe, Geoffrey son
of Adam, Mila atte Holm, Isabella Ruald, Basilia
Wlmer, John son of the beadle, and Walter de Boxe,
formerly John's bondmen, with all their issue,
chattels and tenements held by them of John in
Walkern, rendering therefor two barbed arrows fledged
with peacock feathers yearly at Midsummer.' (fn. 18) John
de Burgh died shortly afterwards, leaving as his heirs
his two granddaughters Hawise widow of Robert
Grelle, and Devorgill the wife of Robert Fitz Walter,
and Walkern was assigned to the latter in 1282. (fn. 19)
In 1294 Robert Fitz Walter went to Gascony on the
king's service and let the manor to farm in the mean
time to Reginald de Silverle. (fn. 20) Devorgill died in 1284.
In 1313 a purparty of her lands was assigned to her
daughter and co-heir Christine, (fn. 21) who granted her
reversion of this moiety to her father, (fn. 22) then holding
the manor for life 'by the courtesy of England' of
the inheritance of his wife. (fn. 23) Two years later Robert
Fitz Walter granted the reversion of the manor after the
death of a life-tenant, John
Bensted, to John Lord Marshal, (fn. 24) of Hingham, co.
Norfolk. (fn. 25) Upon his death
without issue in 1316–17 it
passed to his sister Hawise,
the wife of Robert, second
Lord Morley. (fn. 26) Robert died
in 1360, (fn. 27) leaving a son
William, the third lord, who
in 1379 was succeeded by his
son Thomas, fourth Lord
Morley, (fn. 28) his widow Cecilia
holding a third of the manor in dower until her
death in 1386. (fn. 29) The fourth lord, who was Marshal
of Ireland and a Knight of the Garter, died in 1416,
being succeeded by his grandson Thomas. (fn. 30) Anne
widow of Thomas, fourth Lord Morley, married
secondly Sir Hugh Hastings, and held the whole
manor until her death in 1426. (fn. 31) Thomas, fifth
Lord Morley, was succeeded in 1435 by his son
Robert, (fn. 32) who died in 1442, leaving an only daughter
Eleanor, at that time only forty-two weeks old. (fn. 33)
She subsequently married William Lovel, who was
thereupon summoned as Lord Morley. They both
died within a month of each other in 1476. (fn. 34) The
custody of their son Henry during his minority, together with his marriage, was granted to Richard,
Bishop of Salisbury, and Peter Courteney. (fn. 35) He
died without issue in 1489, his lands passing to his
sister Alice, (fn. 36) who married first William Parker, and
secondly Sir Edward Howard, (fn. 37) afterwards Lord
High Admiral. Shortly after 1506 (fn. 38) Alice and Sir
Edward Howard sold the manor of Walkern to Sir
William Capell, Lord Mayor of London, who died
seised of it in 1515, (fn. 39) and whose descendant Arthur
Lord Capell of Hadham was created Earl of Essex
after the Restoration. (fn. 40) Walkern has descended in
this family, (fn. 41) and is now held by the seventh earl.
Rook's Nest, Walkern: East Front
Old Cottage, Walkern
Morley, Lord Morley. Argent a lion sable crowned or.
Capell, Earl of Essex
Walkern Park is first mentioned in 1360. (fn. 42) In
1373 John Basset was keeper. (fn. 43) His name perhaps and
that of his family survives in Bassus Green, called by
Cussans Bassett's Green. (fn. 44) In 1379 the park had an
area of 398 acres, (fn. 45) and in 1435 the 'agistment'
was stated to be worth 26s. 8d. beyond the sustentation of the wild animals. (fn. 46) John Hotoft was keeper
in 1427 and John Humberston in 1428. (fn. 47) It is now
of the extent of 30 acres and surrounds Walkern Hall.
Walkern Mill was given to the church of St. Mary
of Walkern by Hamo de St. Clare in the reign of
Henry I (fn. 48) (see above). In 1313 a water mill was
pertaining to the manor, (fn. 49) and in 1360 a windmill is
mentioned. (fn. 50) There is still a water mill.
View of frankpledge, amendment of the assize of
bread and ale, gallows, tumbrel, infangentheof and
free warren were claimed by Robert Fitz Walter in
1287. (fn. 51) In 1360 the court leet was held on Tuesday
in Whitsun week. (fn. 52)
Boxbury or Boxe
The manor of BOXBURY or BOXE in Walkern
and Stevenage was assessed in the 11th century at
5 hides. In the time of Edward the Confessor
2 hides and 3 virgates were held by Alward, a man
of Alestan of Boscombe, (fn. 53) and half a hide by Samar,
a man of Alnod. (fn. 54) A hide and 3 virgates also in
Boxe belonged to Benington. (fn. 55) By 1086 Alward's
2¾ hides had been acquired by William de Ow, and
were held of him by Peter de Valognes, (fn. 56) who had
gained possession of the Benington portion, (fn. 57) and
Samar's half-hide was held by Osbern of the Bishop
of Bayeux. (fn. 58) These holdings may have become
amalgamated, for the only manor of which later there
is any evidence descended in the family of Valognes
with their principal manor of Benington. (fn. 59) It was
held as half a knight's fee.
The first sub-tenant of Boxbury to be mentioned
is William de Boxe, who held one knight's fee in Hertfordshire of Robert de Valognes in 1166. (fn. 60) Almaric
de Boxe was holding land in Walkern in 1200, (fn. 61) and
his son William sued Richard de Boxe for a tenement in Stevenage in 1229. (fn. 62) Richard de Boxe
obtained a grant of free warren in his demesne lands of
Boxe in 1253. (fn. 63) He appears to have been succeeded by
a John le Sarmonner or Summoner (see Boxe's manor of
Hoddesdon in Hertford Hundred). The heirs of this John
were assessed for Boxe in 1303. (fn. 64)
These heirs seem to have been
Thomas de Langton and Richard
de St. Edmund (probably sons
of his daughters). (fn. 65) Richard de
St. Edmund apparently left an
heiress Margery, who married
Ralph de Foxton (see Hoddesdon),
and in 1346 Margery de Foxton,
with John de Broxbourne,
Thomas Ty and John de Blomvile, was assessed for the half-fee
in Boxe. (fn. 66)
After this date the history of
this manor is for a long time
obscure. It reappears as the
manor of Boxbury in 1521, in
which year John Norreys died
seised of the manor, which was
settled on himself and his wife Katherine. (fn. 67) His son
John, who succeeded him, sold Boxbury in 1526 to
Philip Boteler, (fn. 68) in whose family it descended in the
same manner as Watton Woodhall (fn. 69) (q.v.) until the
death of Robert Boteler in 1622. (fn. 70) Boxbury then
came to his daughter Jane, who married John Lord
Belasyse (fn. 71) and sold the manor some time after 1638
to Sir John Gore of Sacombe. (fn. 72) The latter conveyed it in 1681 to Thomas Ashby, (fn. 73) who was still
holding it in 1727. (fn. 74) Subsequently it came into the
possession of William Hale of King's Walden, who
was lord of the manor in 1771, (fn. 75) and in whose
family it descended. (fn. 76)
Christiana de Valognes and her descendants claimed
in Boxe the same privileges which they held in their
main manor of Benington (fn. 77) (q.v.).
Langtons
LANGTONS, a manor of which scanty records
remain, was probably that part of Boxe which
descended to the second heir of John le Sarmonner,
Thomas de Langton (cf. Langtons in Hoddesdon).
Later it came into the same hands as Boxbury. John
Norreys died seised of it in 1521, (fn. 78) and it apparently
came with that manor to Philip Boteler in 1526, for
Sir John Boteler was holding it in 1562. (fn. 79) It probably
became merged with Boxbury.
CHURCH
The church of ST. MARY THE VIRGIN stands to the north-east of
the village on the east bank of the River
Beane. It is built of flint rubble with dressings of
Barnack stone and clunch, and consists of a chancel,
nave and aisles, west tower, south porch and modern
north and south chapels. (fn. 80)
Rook's Nest, Walkern, from the South-west
The original church consisted probably of a chancel
and nave. The former has been wholly rebuilt, and
the earliest part of the existing church is the nave,
which dates from the 11th century and is probably
part of the pre-Conquest church, as the walls are only
2 ft. 3 in. thick, and over the position of the former
south door is a piece of sculpture of pre-Conquest
date described in detail below. The south aisle was
added early in the 12th century. In the following
century the chancel was rebuilt and the north aisle
added. The tower was built in the middle of the
14th century. In the early part of the 15th century
the south porch was added, and at the end of the
same century new windows were inserted in both
aisles, while early in the 16th century the clearstory
was built. The north and south chapels were added
and the chancel was completely restored during the
19th century. Thus the church as a whole presents
a complete series of examples of architecture from the
earliest to the latest of the English styles.
The east windows of the chancel are three modern
lancets. The arches opening into the chapels are also
modern. In the north wall is a modern single lancet,
and in the south wall is a 13th-century piscina with
shafted jambs, and to the west of it three sedilia of
the same date separated by detached shafts. Both the
piscina and sedilia are much restored.
Plan of Walkern Church
The material of the two-centred chancel arch is of
13th-century date, but it has been rebuilt late in the
14th century. The nave has a north arcade of the
13th century of three bays, with two-centred arches
of two chamfered orders. The columns, with their
moulded capitals and bases, are octagonal. The bases
are much mutilated. At the east and west ends the
inner orders rest on corbels on the faces of the
responds. The easternmost capital was either recut
or inserted in the 15th century. The south arcade
is of the 12th century, and is of two bays with semi-circular arches of one square order. The abaci are
plain with one exception, which is cable-moulded.
The clearstory windows, three on each side, do not
correspond with the bays of the arcades. They are
each of two four-centred lights with a dropped twocentred rear arch and square external head.
The north aisle has two windows of three lights in
the north wall and a similar window of two lights in
the west wall. All are of late 15th-century date and
are much restored. The pointed north doorway,
which is to the west of both the north windows, is of
late 14th-century date, and is of two continuously
moulded orders. The south aisle has in its east wall
a modern doorway to the south chapel, and in the
south wall is a late 15th-century four-light window
in a four-centred head. The entrance to the rood
stair is from a splay in the north-east angle of the
south aisle by a doorway some height from the ground.
The stair is intact, and the upper doorway to the
rood loft is visible from the interior of the stair, but
is quite hidden by plaster on the nave side. In the
west wall of the south aisle is a window of three
lights similar to that in the south wall, and traces are
visible in the wall above the modern doorway in the
east wall of another window of like date and detail.
The south doorway is of the 12th century, and has
been much restored. It has a semicircular head and
shafted external jambs, the outer order being continuous. The south porch is of two stages, of early
15th-century date, and has an entrance archway with
a two-centred head, the inner order supported on
semi-octagonal responds and the outer continuous.
The ground stage has a two-light window with a
quatrefoil in a pointed head in the east and west walls.
The vaulting is on the original springers, but is
modern. The upper stage is approached by a stair
from the aisle, its lower doorway opening to the west
of the south door. The stair turret projects externally
in the angle of the aisle and porch as one side and a
half of an octagon. The upper stage of the porch
has one two-light window in a square head in the
south wall. Immediately above the doorway to the
parvise stair in the aisle is one jamb and part of
the rear arch of a semicircular-headed 12th-century
window.
In a wide recess with a
dropped two-centred head and
simple continuous moulding is
a fine recumbent effigy in Purbeck marble of about 1220,
possibly that of William de
Lanvaley, who married Hawise
de Bocland. The legs are
crossed and the hands are
clasped on the hilt of a great
sword. The figure is clad in a
fine mail hauberk, with a coif
and chausses without knee-cops.
The long surcoat is parted
above the knees, and on the
left arm is a long kite-shaped
shield reaching from the
shoulder to below the knee.
The left leg is broken, but the
fragment is undamaged. The
figure wears a flat-topped helm
with a wide eye-slit and perforations.
On the south side of the south wall of the nave,
rather westward of the middle and above the arcade,
and so now included in the south aisle, are the
remains of a rood of very early date, about 4 ft. 6 in.
high, carved in chalk. It probably indicates the
position of the original south doorway of the
nave, over which it stood, and affords additional
evidence of the pre-Conquest date assigned to the
nave.
The west tower is of three stages with an embattled
parapet and spire. The tower arch is original work
of the 14th century. The west window is also of
the 14th century, and has net tracery in a pointed
head. The bell-chamber has single-light windows of
the 15th century. On the plinths of the tower are
several consecration crosses worked in scappled flints
and chalk.
The roofs of the nave and aisles are 15th-century
work, almost entirely plain. The font is of the late
14th century and is made of clunch, octagonal in
shape and roughly moulded. It has plain sides and
angle shafts.
In the chancel are the brasses of William Chapman,
1621, and his wife, 1636, with an inscription. On
the north side of the nave is a brass of the late 15th
century of a civilian and his wife, with a shield of arms
of Humberstone; at the west end is a brass of Edward
Humberstone, 1583, and his wife, which is said to be
a palimpsest; it has an inscription. In the north aisle
is an inscription only to William Bramfeilde, 1596;
in the vestry a brass, with an imperfect inscription, to
John Humberstone, 1590, and an inscription to
Rychard Humberstone, 1581, which is a palimpsest
on an inscription to John Lovekyn, 1370.
Besides these brasses and the 13th-century monument described above there are two 17th-century
mural monuments, the one in the south wall of the
chancel to Daniel Gorsuch and his wife, 1638, a classical
composition with kneeling figures, and the other on
the south side of the nave to Giles Humberstone, 1627,
and his wife, having kneeling figures, arms and an
inscription.
The small oak pulpit is of the early 16th century.
It is octagonal, with plain
panelled sides.
The chancel screen of
five bays is of the 15th
century. The upper panels
of the side bays are open
and traceried, and the lower
are close. The centre is
occupied by the doorway.
There are five bells, the
first being dated 1626, by
an unknown founder; the
second is by Thomas Mears,
1833; and the third, fourth
and fifth of 1713, by John
Waylett.
The plate consists of a
silver chalice and paten and
almsdish, the gift of Benjamin Heath, rector, 1782.
The registers begin in
1680, and are contained in
one book: baptisms 1680 to
1812, burials 1680 to 1812,
marriages 1680 to 1812. (fn. 81)
Boxe is said to have
anciently been a parish possessing a church. In
1700 the foundations of the church are said to have
been visible in a field called the Church-yard, near
Boxe Wood. (fn. 82) There is no mention of Boxe Church
in the Taxation of Pope Nicholas or the Valor Ecclesiasticus of Henry VIII, but it is worthy of note that
at an early date the tithes of Boxbury were in
different hands from those of Walkern.
ADVOWSON
A certain Hamo, brother of
Robert de Villiers, possibly a lord
of the manor, gave two parts of
the tithes of Walkern and a bordar with 2 acres
to the monastery of St. John at Colchester. (fn. 83)
William de Lanvaley, the second husband of
Hawise de Bocland, gave the church to the
monastery of St. John the Baptist at Colchester, (fn. 84)
and in 1204 the abbot and monks were 'canonically
instituted and inducted' as rectors, saving the vicarage
of Geoffrey de Bocland for his life, on condition that
he paid them I mark yearly. (fn. 85) No more is heard of
the vicarage, so that probably after the death of
Geoffrey de Bocland the monastery either served the
church by one of their own monks or put in a
stipendiary. The living was a rectory at the Dissolution. (fn. 86)
Walkern Church from the South-west
In 1546 the advowson was granted to Sir Philip
Hobby and his heirs. (fn. 87) After this the descent lacks
documentary evidence for more than a century. It
is said to have come into the possession of John Cock
of Broxbourne, whose son Henry Cock conveyed it in
1560 to Henry Willan of Kelshall, who sold it in
1564 to George Brende of London. In 1587
George Brende sold it to Edward Horne, then rector,
who conveyed it in 1604 to Conant Prowse, and in
1609 the latter sold it to Agnes Wardley, widow.
Five months later she conveyed it to William Humberstone of Digswell, who sold it before 1632 to
Daniel Gorsuch. It was afterwards purchased by
Andrew Gardiner, who conveyed it in 1669 to the
Rev. Samuel Gardiner, (fn. 88) who presented in 1686. (fn. 89)
It was purchased from him in 1702 by King's College, Cambridge, (fn. 90) the present patrons. (fn. 91)
The tithes of Boxbury belonged to St. Alban's
Abbey before the Dissolution, and were leased in 1518
to William and Alice Day for forty years from July
1531. William and Alice sold their interests in 1519
to John Norreys, after whose death they were to come
to Robert Hocknell. The latter complained that two
years after this George Clarke of Walkern purchased
the tithes and took them by force while Hocknell
was away in France, and continued to do so. (fn. 92) Hocknell's suit appears to have been successful, for he is
mentioned as holding them later. (fn. 93) The abbey leased
them in 1539 to John Rotherham, (fn. 94) but Henry VIII
granted them in 1544 to Richard Bowie, barbersurgeon, and John Howe, grocer, of London. (fn. 95) In
the 17th century the tithes seem to have been paid
partly to Walkern and partly to Stevenage, presumably
according to the parish in which the lands lay. In
1671 the tithes of Boxwood, held by John or Thomas
Harvey, were paid to Walkern, (fn. 96) and in 1728 tithes
from part of Boxbury, owned by Thomas Adams,
were paid to Stevenage. (fn. 97) Mary Adams was holding
this land in 1748. (fn. 98) In 1783 tithes in the manor of
Boxbury were conveyed by Rose and Mary Nicolls
to Richard Down. (fn. 99)
Meeting-places of Protestant Dissenters in Walkern were certified from 1699. A Congregational
chapel was built in 1810, (fn. 100) which still exists, and
there is also a Baptist and a Wesleyan chapel in the
parish.
CHARITIES
The charities subsisting in this
parish have by a scheme of the
Charity Commissioners, 8 March
1907, been consolidated and placed under the
administration of one body of trustees.
They comprise the charities of:—
An unknown donor No. 1, mentioned in the Parliamentary returns of 1786, consisting of 3 a. 1 r. 31 p.,
known as Cadcroft Field, and 1 a. known as Brockwell
Shot, in Walkern, of the annual rental value of £6.
Unknown donor No. 2, consisting of 1 a. 2 r. 20 p.
in Yardley, let at £3 a year, known as Leycroft,
comprised in deed of 24 January 1707.
Unknown donor No. 3, being a rent-charge of 6s. 8d.
for the poor, vested in the rector of Walkern; and the
charity of John Izard Pryor, being £108 11s. consols,
with the official trustees, derived from will proved at
London 13 July 1861, producing £2 14s. yearly.
The scheme provides that the yearly income of the
charities shall be applied for the benefit of the poor in
such way as the trustees may consider most conducive
to the formation of provident habits, including donations
to any dispensary, infirmary, provident club, provision
of nurses, &c, or in distribution of articles in kind.