BRAMPTON
Brantune (xi cent.); Brantone, Bramtone (xii-xiii
cent.); Braunton, Brampton (xiii cent.).
The parish of Brampton adjoins Huntingdon on the
south-west, and comprises an area of 3,557 acres, 30 of
which are covered with water. The soil is gravel and
the subsoil clay. The greater part of the parish is
grass land, and the arable land produces cereals and
roots. Formerly the higher part of the parish was
forest, but there are now only some 300 acres of
woodland. The River Ouse forms the eastern and
south-eastern boundary and the Alconbury Brook
forms the northern boundary. Another brook,
which rises about the middle of the parish, flows eastward through the parish to the Ouse. The land
between the two brooks and that adjoining the Ouse
is low lying, being about 33 ft. above the Ordnance
datum, but the ground rises towards the southwest boundary, where it reaches 164 ft. The Great
North Road forks as it enters the parish from St.
Neots on the south, throwing off a branch road northeast which joins the Huntingdon to Thrapston road
at Bell End, a little north of Brampton village. The
Huntingdon to Thrapston road passes through the
parish, crossing the Great North Road about a mile
north-west of the village of Brampton. At the crossing stands an inn now called Brampton Hut, but
formerly known as Creamer's Hut, well known in the
coaching days.
There was an Inclosure Award in 1772. (fn. 1)
The district of Houghton (Hoghtone, Houtton,
Wodehoghton) was frequently included by name with
the vill of Brampton, and occurs in the boundaries of
Harthay of 1154 as Houtoneslinche and the field of
Houghtone. Houtoneslinche is no doubt a bank
adjoining the Ellington Brook near the road, a little
west of Stonehill Grove, and the field of Houghton
was on the west of the Great North Road extending
southward to the north-east corner of Brampton
Wood. Houghton Field is mentioned as late as
1628–9, (fn. 2) but now the name has been almost lost.
The village is large and rather straggling and stands
partly along the branch road from the Great North
Road to the Huntingdon to Thrapston road, but mainly
along the winding High Street, which runs westward
from the branch road back to the Great North Road.
The northern part of the village is called Bell End,
the south part Bridge End, from the bridge over the
brook here, the cutwaters of which are the remains of
a 17th-century bridge, and the west part Brook End,
West End or Green End, from the village green on
the south side of the street. The church stands on
the east side of the road to Bell End and on the south
side of the churchyard is the Old Black Bull publichouse, an early 17th-century house with an 18thcentury addition. South of this house is the Manor
Farm. There are a few timber-framed cottages in
the High Street, and at West End, fixed over a spring,
is the stone base of a cross of the 13th or 14th century.
The base is square brought to an octagon with bold
angle stops. Perhaps it was part of one of the 'four
stone crosses' which Cardinal Pole, at his visitation
in 1556, ordered the parishioners to rebuild. (fn. 3)
The Manor House is on the opposite side of the road
to the church. It was rebuilt in 1875, but probably
stands where there was a royal residence from before
the Norman Conquest until the 13th century.
Henry I stayed here; (fn. 4) Stephen spent the autumn of
1136 hunting at Brampton; (fn. 5) Henry II visited it
immediately after his accession, and here it was that
he promised a new charter to the Abbot of Ramsey
in order to restore the abbey after its sufferings in
Stephen's reign. (fn. 6) His houses and birds are mentioned. (fn. 7) Henry was here in July 1174, when his
corrody was accounted for at £18 4s. (fn. 8) King John
also stayed here on 4 January 1213, (fn. 9) and Henry III
on 22 November 1227. (fn. 10) The principal lay manor
having been alienated by John, and Harthay granted
by him in 1215 to the bishops of Lincoln, the royal
visits ceased. The hall is mentioned in 1251, (fn. 11) and
in 1348 it is said to have been destroyed by floods. (fn. 12)
In 1595 the 'site of the manor or tenement called
Lordship's house' is mentioned, (fn. 13) and it was called
Brampton Berry in 1652. (fn. 14)
Brampton Park, the property of the Duke of
Manchester, covers about 100 acres to the south-west
of the village. The history of Brampton Park (q.v.), and
probably that of the house, goes back to the 12th
century. In 1328 the house was said to be ruinous.
An Elizabethan house seems to have been built here,
probably by the Throckmortons, which is described
as a fair brick house. (fn. 15) This building was incorporated in a house probably built by Sir John Bernard,
who succeeded to the property in 1666. (fn. 16) The mid
17th-century house was rebuilt by Lady Olivia
Bernard Sparrow about 1820. Over her front door
were the arms of Bernard, Bernard with St. John,
and Sparrow and Bernard quarterly impaled with
Acheson. Lady Olivia lived here until her death in
1863. In 1889 it became an institution for the cure
of stammerers and was completely burnt down in
1907, when a smaller house was built on the site, which
is now the residence of Viscount Mandeville. Another
capital messuage was called in 1559 'Austin Frier'
which possibly belonged to the Austin Friars of
Huntingdon. (fn. 17) The lands of the Friars (q.v.) were
granted to the Ardernes and from them passed to
Philip Clampe (fn. 18) of Brampton, who died seised of
'Austin Frier' in 1559. (fn. 19)
At the end of the 12th century Lambert de Colne
(Colonia) gave to the Priory of St. Mary of Huntingdon a meadow called Bromholme, parcel of his
demesne of Brampton, for the health of the soul of
King Richard. (fn. 20) The priory received confirmation
of this land in 1253, when it is described as the
land called Bromholme (Bramholm) by the water of
Brampton. (fn. 21) Bromholme Bridge over a tributary of
the Ouse, near to Huntingdon, probably replaced
the ford mentioned below. After the Dissolution a
meadow called Bromholme in the tenure of the bailiffs
of Huntingdon and lately belonging to the Priory of
Huntingdon was in 1553 granted to Thomas Reve
and George Cotton of London. (fn. 22)
There is mention of the Guild of Our Lady of
Brampton in 1531 (fn. 23) and there was a Brotherhood
priest here in the 16th century. (fn. 24) Lands called
Brotherhood Lands or Lady Lands or Lady Brotherhood Lands were dealt with in 1628–9, which doubtless were those of the Guild of Our Lady. William
Ball, Brotherhood priest, obtained these lands and
they passed to his sisters, Frances and Anne Bawdes. (fn. 25)
In 1086 there were two mills belonging to the
manor; (fn. 26) in 1278–9 there were three, all water and
one a fulling-mill; (fn. 27) and in 1576–7 there were four,
one a fulling-mill, all on the Ouse. (fn. 28) There is still a
mill on the Ouse to the west of the railway. The
fishery in the mill ponds belonged to the manor. (fn. 29)
Brampton Wood Green and the bridge called Kate
Bridge are mentioned in 1652, (fn. 30) and some early fieldnames are: 'the Axe and the Helse' (now Axe and
Helve), Hardhill acres (now Hurdle Acres), the Castell
Gore, Mylne Pitt (now Mill Pits), Curriers Holme,
Great Bonest (now Great Bonurst), being parcels of
meadow lying, in 1550, in the common meadow called
Portholme. (fn. 31) The present Port Holme may represent
the 'great meadow of Brampton in Estholm super
Oldeland near the ford' mentioned in 1205, and lying
on the north-east boundary. (fn. 32) Seventeenth-century
names are: Long Stonegill (Stonehill), Bolsgraffe
meadow, Banbury close, 'the bailiff's swayth near the
ford'; and Haddon dole, Shipping dole, Sharndole, and Thackingdole, all in Portholme. (fn. 33)
John Pepys, father of Samuel Pepys the diarist,
inherited from his elder brother Robert a property
of about £80 a year in Brampton. (fn. 34) He resided here
from 1661 until 1668, when Paulina Pepys married
John Jackson and he went to live with them at
Ellington. (fn. 35) Samuel's nephew John Jackson, to whom
he left his library, is called 'son of John Jackson
of Brampton.' (fn. 36) The house in which the Pepys lived
is still pointed out, and an iron pot of silver coins,
discovered at the foot of the garden wall about 1842,
is believed to have been hidden by Samuel Pepys during
the Plague, when he hid his gold. (fn. 37)
Sir Henry Hawkins, the eminent Judge, was created
Baron Brampton of Brampton in 1899, having
inherited a small farm here from his father's halfbrother. The peerage became extinct when he died
childless in 1907. (fn. 38)
There was a parochial school, but a School Board
was formed in 1880, (fn. 39) and there are now two Council
schools, one mixed and one for infants. A Union
Chapel (Baptist and Congregational) was registered
in 1876 for the celebration of marriages. (fn. 40) The
Institute was presented to the village by Mr. John
Newberry.
The nearest railway station is Buckden, one mile
south, on the Kettering to Huntingdon branch of the
London Midland and Scottish Railway.
Manors
Fifteen hides in BRAMPTON were
held by Edward the Confessor and
passed in 1066 to William the Conqueror.
Ranulf, brother of Ilger, had the custody of the manor
and Elric, the King's thegn, held a hide and a virgate. (fn. 41)
The manor remained in the hands of the Crown until
1194 and Henry II, it is stated, had here 2 carucates
of the manor in demesne with a messuage and woods,
meadows, mills and pleas, and tilled those 2 carucates
with his own ploughs. The men of the manor at the
same time held 28 virgates in villeinage with the
meadow pertaining thereto, some at a rent of 5s.
a virgate for all services, and others by the services of
ploughing, weeding, carrying and carting of food and
venison, and giving heriot and merchet. Later the
Crown leased the services of the villeinage lands for
£20 a year to the men of the manor, retaining the
woods, mills and pleas, until King Richard, on his
return from Germany in 1194, granted the manor to
Lambert de Colonia. Lambert continued to take
£20 (fn. 42) a year from the men for three and a half years,
when he demanded new customs which the men
were unwilling to give. The men of the manor
appealed to King Richard, but he increased the farm
to £30. King John further increased the farm to
£50 a year, but permitted the men to discontinue the
payment of merchet and heriot; he continued,
however, to tallage them when he tallaged his other
demesnes. (fn. 43) He seems to have resumed the grant to
Lambert de Colonia in 1202, (fn. 44) and in the following
year granted the manors of Brampton and Alconbury
to David, Earl of Huntingdon. (fn. 45) David died in 1219
and his son John le Scot being under age, his wardship
was granted to his uncle Ranulf, Earl of Chester. (fn. 46)
John le Scot, Earl of Chester and Huntingdon, died
without issue in 1237 and Brampton was assigned to
his widow, Helen, who married in the same year
Robert de Quincy. (fn. 47) At this time (1239) the men of
Brampton paid 60 marks for a confirmation of their
farm. (fn. 48) The lands of John le Scot were partitioned,
and before 1241 the manor of Brampton and Houghton had been allotted to Henry de Hastings, husband
of Ada, sister and co-heir of John le Scot. (fn. 49) In 1247
the Crown desired to make an exchange for the manor
of Brampton under the terms of the grant to Earl
David, and writs were issued to John de Balliol and
Henry de Hastings, (fn. 50) but nothing further was done.
Hastings. Or a sleeve gules.
Henry de Hastings died in 1250 and Geoffrey de
Lusignan, the king's half-brother, had a grant of
the manor in 1251 during the
minority of Henry, son of
Henry de Hastings. (fn. 51) Although the king had authorised Henry de Hastings in
1242 to take tallage from his
men of Brampton, (fn. 52) they refused in 1243 to be tallaged
and raised hue and cry on the
bailiffs of the sheriff who had
been called upon to assist the
bailiffs of Henry de Hastings,
and drove them to Huntingdon. Upon judicial inquiry it was adjudged that
Henry could tallage his men, but only when the
king tallaged his manors and demesnes. (fn. 53)
Henry, son of Henry de Hastings, was among the
partisans of Simon de Montfort in 1265, (fn. 54) and the
king seized Brampton until he 'came in.' (fn. 55) Henry
died early in 1269 and was succeeded by his son
John, (fn. 56) first Lord Hastings of Abergavenny, who died
in February 1313. His second wife, Isabel, (fn. 57) with
the assent of his son and heir John, received the
manor in dower in 1313, (fn. 58) and was returned as sole
proprietor in 1316. (fn. 59) She died in 1334, (fn. 60) John
having predeceased her in 1325, leaving a son and
heir, Laurence, a minor, created Earl of Pembroke
in 1339. He died seised in 1348, leaving a son John
aged one year, (fn. 61) who in 1362–3 received the custody
of the manor. (fn. 62) John died in 1375 and, on the death
of his son and heir John, still a minor, (fn. 63) in 1389, (fn. 64)
the earldom of Pembroke became extinct, the barony
of Hastings remaining dormant until 1841. Sir
Hugh de Hastings, younger son of John, first Lord
Hastings, had a son John who should have inherited
in 1389, but for some unknown reason he was passed
over. He died without issue
in 1393, and his great-nephew
and heir Hugh died in 1396
without issue. (fn. 65) When John
the last Earl of Pembroke
died, Reginald Grey of Ruthin,
son of Reginald, son of Elizabeth, daughter of John de
Hastings and Isabel his wife,
was declared to be heir to this
manor. (fn. 66) His superior claim
rested on his descent from
the first Lord Hastings by
his first wife, while Hugh was
descended from the second
wife. In 1410 a court of chivalry granted the Greys
of Ruthin the right to quarter with their own arms
the quarterly coat of Hastings and Valence, (fn. 67) and
in 1428 Reginald, Lord Grey of Ruthin, held the
knight's fee in Brampton and Houghton that John,
Earl of Pembroke, had held. (fn. 68) He died in 1440
and was succeeded by his grandson Edmund, whose
desertion at the battle of Northampton in 1460
ensured the Yorkist victory. He was created Earl
of Kent by Edward IV in 1465 and, dying in
1489, was succeeded by his son George, who died
in 1503, leaving a son Richard, lord of Brampton. (fn. 69)
Richard died childless in 1524, having greatly wasted
his estate, (fn. 70) and his sister Anne, wife of John, first
Lord Hussey of Sleaford, (fn. 71) inherited Brampton,
which came to the Crown on Hussey's attainder in
1537 (fn. 72) for his share in the Pilgrimage of Grace. It
was sold in 1538 to Richard Cromwell, (fn. 73) who in
1542 exchanged it for the manor of Upwood. (fn. 74)
Edward VI granted the manor, with the meadows
called Portholme and Southolme, to Princess
Elizabeth in 1550 in part fulfilment of the will of
Henry VIII, (fn. 75) and in the following year confirmed
it to her. (fn. 76)
Grey of Ruthin. Barry argent and azure with three roundels gules in the chief.
Immediately after his accession James I granted it to
Queen Anne, (fn. 77) and on her death he bestowed it on
his favourite George Villiers, Marquess (afterwards
Duke) of Buckingham, who, however, was allowed to
exchange it for other lands. (fn. 78) In 1627 it was leased to
Henry, Earl of Manchester, for 40 years and it was
further disposed of by the Commonwealth government
in February 1651–2. (fn. 79) At the Restoration it was
granted to the Queen Mother, and in 1622 the reversion of the lease in fee was granted to the Earl of
Sandwich. (fn. 80) It has since descended with Hinchingbrooke (q.v.) to the present Earl of Sandwich.
As ancient demesne of the Crown, Brampton was
subject to tallage. (fn. 81) The jurors of 1278–9 said that
Brampton used to make the sheriff's tourn but had
ceased to do so, and view of frankpledge, gallows,
and fines under the assize of bread and ale belonged
to the manor. (fn. 82) In 1286 John de Hastings was
summoned to show his right to these privileges and
to waifs, tumbril, etc., and the jury stated that when
the Crown held the manor, the men of Brampton
paid a mark yearly for view of frankpledge and that
they ought still to pay this direct to the king. The
grandfather of John de Hastings, however, had by
oppression and distraint compelled them to pay the
mark to himself and he paid it to the king to have
view of frankpledge; and his successors had retained
the mark for themselves. An order was given for the
king to recover his seisin of this payment. (fn. 83) The
lord's court is mentioned in 1292. (fn. 84) In 1302 Hastings
received a grant of free warren in all his demesne
lands of Brampton and Lymage, (fn. 85) a member of this
manor. (fn. 86)
The tenants of Devorgilla de Balliol, who shared
Brampton with the Hastings in the thirteenth
century, are mentioned in 1278–9, (fn. 87) and John de
Hastings said that he held the manor jointly with her
and Robert de Brus in 1286. (fn. 88) After the forfeiture
of Balliol his lands were granted in 1306 to John de
Bretagne, or Britannia, Earl of Richmond, the king's
nephew, including a rent of 26s. 8d. from Brampton. (fn. 89)
In 1313 he was granted tallage 'for the manor' as
ancient demesne of the Crown; (fn. 90) in 1331 he had
leave to grant his rent here to Mary, Countess of
Pembroke, for life. (fn. 91) John de Britannia died childless
in 1334, and his nephew and heir John (fn. 92) does not seem
to have succeeded, in spite of an order for delivery of
seisin. (fn. 93) Apparently this fee passed to Henry of
Lancaster, Earl of Derby, who was in possession
in 1338, when his pound was broken by 46 persons
of Brampton and some outsiders, whose beasts he
had impounded for services due. (fn. 94) This fee certainly merged in the Crown with the accession of
Henry IV, if it had not already done so in 1341 on
the death childless of John de Britannia. (fn. 95)
BRAMPTON PARK, called for many centuries
a manor, can be traced back to the twelfth century
and was held in socage of the king until at least
the end of the fourteenth century, (fn. 96) and afterwards
in chief. (fn. 97) William the Sokeman paid 6s. rent in
1167 (fn. 98) and from 1167–97 Walter the Sokeman held
by this service. (fn. 99) In 1191 Ralph the Sokeman paid
this amount 'of his relief.' (fn. 100) Ralph the Sokeman
was probably the same as Ralph de Brampton, who
held 5 virgates of land here by serjeanty in 1210–12
for 5s. (fn. 101) In 1279 Philip Daules (de Aulys, de Aules),
free sokeman of the king, held 5 virgates in chief,
paying 6s. a year for all services; and 12 free tenants
held of him. (fn. 102) He died in 1288 leaving a son and
heir, Robert, (fn. 103) who was succeeded in 1328 by his son
Reyner. (fn. 104) In the following year Reyner conveyed
a messuage, land, meadow and rent of 24s. 9d. in
Brampton to John de Farendon, (fn. 105) clerk; his son and
heir, John Daules, giving his assent in 1335. (fn. 106) In
1340 John de Farendon enfeoffed John de la Wyke of
a messuage, 86 acres of land, 15 acres of meadow and
24s. 9d. rent in Brampton, to be regranted to John
de Farendon for life with remainder in fee to John
son of John Faron of Newbury. (fn. 107) John de Farendon
died in 1349, John son of John Faron having predeceased him, leaving a brother Richard, aged 20, (fn. 108)
who had seisin in the same year. (fn. 109) Richard was
dead in 1377, when his Brampton lands were divided
among his three daughters and co-heirs, Isabel,
Margaret and Amice. (fn. 110) Amice died in 1383, still a
infant; (fn. 111) Isabel married John Palmer and had
a son John who died in 1427, when his aunt, Margaret,
then the wife of Adam Forster, was his heir. (fn. 112) Adam
survived and died seised in 1439, leaving a son and
heir Gerard. (fn. 113) William Forster of Ramsey, yeoman,
died seised in 1508, leaving a son and heir John
'Foster,' (fn. 114) who died in 1526 leaving an infant son
Gerard. (fn. 115) The estate at this time became called
'Gerard's manor' or 'Foster's manor.' Gerard
had livery in 1545, (fn. 116) and in the same year obtained
licence to alienate it to John Newton, (fn. 117) whose wife
Elizabeth appears to have been related to Gerard. (fn. 118)
John Newton borrowed from William Betts of Haddenham (co. Camb.), on the security of this manor,
but when he was unable to pay Elizabeth refused to
sell. (fn. 119) However, all parties joined with Gerard
Foster in 1550 in conveying the manor to Simon
Throckmorton (Throgmorton). (fn. 120) Simon Throckmorton of Brampton was M.P. for Huntingdon in
1554. (fn. 121) He died at Brampton in 1585 leaving a son
and heir, Robert. (fn. 122) Simon, brother of Robert, (fn. 123)
died seised in 1613, leaving a brother and heir, Joseph, (fn. 124)
who sold it in the same year to Thomas Hetley (fn. 125)
(afterwards Sir Thomas Hetley, kt., of Brampton,
serjeant-at-law), whose grandfather was of Riseley
(Beds). (fn. 126) He died at Brampton in 1637, leaving
two sons, Francis, (fn. 127) who died in 1638, and William, (fn. 128)
who in 1653 conveyed the
manor to John Bernard, (fn. 129) son
of Robert Bernard of Huntingdon, Judge of the Isle of
Ely. John Bernard, who took
a leading part in county
affairs, married Elizabeth,
daughter of Oliver St. John
of Bletsoe. His father was
created a baronet in 1662
and John succeeded in 1666.
He was succeeded by his son
Sir Robert and he by his
son Sir John, whose son
Robert, the last baronet, died
in 1789 and left an estate of £14,000 a year to the son
of his sister Mary, Robert Bernard Sparrow, then at
Westminster School. Robert, afterwards Brigadier
General, married Lady Olivia Acheson, daughter of
the first Earl of Gosford, and died in 1805 leaving a
son Robert Acheson Bernard St. John Sparrow, and
a daughter Millicent. The son died in 1818 and his
sister and heir Millicent married Viscount Mandeville, afterwards 6th Duke of Manchester. Lady
Olivia outlived the Duke and Duchess and died in
1863. She made Brampton Park her home and was
a philanthropist and a friend of Wilberforce and
Hannah More. Brampton Park descended to her
daughter's great-grandson, the present Duke of Manchester. (fn. 130)
Bernard. Argent a bear rampant sable muzzled or.
PREBENDAL MANOR. King Stephen in
1146–9 granted the church of Brampton, with its
lands, tithes and all appurtenances, for the foundation
of a prebend in Lincoln Cathedral. (fn. 131) The prebend
continued in possession (fn. 132) until 1848, when the lands
attached were vested in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. (fn. 133) The family of Burnaby were lessees
of the prebendal house in 1722–59 (fn. 134) and afterwards
acquired the freehold. They lived in the house until
about 1895, when it was let for a time. In 1908
it was put up for auction, but it was not sold. It
remained empty for a year or two and was later
bought by James Edwin-Cole, Duke of Polignano,
who died here in 1920. The house was then sold to
Mr. Charles Scholefield, the present owner. The
prebendary's court, view of frankpledge and rents
of assize are mentioned in the 13th and 14th centuries. (fn. 135)
A large part of the western side of the parish
formed the FOREST OF HARTHAY (Hertehey,
Herteye, Harthey, xiii cent.). In 1086 there
was woodland in Brampton for pannage, half
a league by two furlongs, (fn. 136) an area which would
approximately correspond to that of Brampton Wood.
In 1278–9 a wood belonging to the chief manor
covered the same area, (fn. 137) and in 1302 John de Hastings
had licence to sell timber from his wood in Brampton
which was said to be in Weybridge Forest. (fn. 138) It was
further shown in 1086 that there were 36 hides in
Brampton which Richard Engaine, hereditary forester,
wrongly claimed to belong to the forest, but were
the king's demesne. (fn. 139) These 36 hides probably
included the Forests of Weybridge and Harthay and
must have been distributed among the king's demesnes
in Brampton, Alconbury and apparently the waste
hide in Ellington (q.v.), and, as many of these wrongful
claims of 1086 were later allowed, these lands may
have formed a forest. In 1130 the county made payments for the hays of Brampton, (fn. 140) that is, probably
Weybridge, afterwards in Alconbury (q.v.) and
Harthay in Brampton. The boundaries of Harthay
in 1154 and 1299 were as follows: 'From Houtoneslinche (near Stonehill Grove) between the field of
Houghtone and cover of said wood as far as Brampton
wood, and so by the bounds of the same wood from
Brampton and Hertheye to the field of Sybethorpe
(in Ellington parish) and so between the same field
and the cover of Hertheye as far as Rokespol (probably
where the boundary between Brampton and Ellington
turns north-east), and so by the duct descending to
Wykenelond (in Ellington parish).' The two hays
were contiguous, and both were royal demesne,
afforested before Henry II afforested all Huntingdonshire on his accession. (fn. 141) Harthay did not form part
of the forest of Weybridge, (fn. 142) which developed in the
next century, but was granted by King John in 1215
to St. Mary's (Cathedral), Lincoln, as 'our wood of
Harthay,' in compensation for the waste and destruction perpetrated by himself and his supporters in
the park of Stow (Lincs) during the Interdict.
The church might inclose and impark or assart the
wood, (fn. 143) which was not far distant from the Bishop
of Lincoln's manor and palace of Buckden to the
south, while the church of Brampton was already
a prebend of Lincoln Cathedral. Among the lands
of Brampton in 1279 were 2 hides at Harthay held
of the Bishop of Lincoln by James Grim, (fn. 144) and this
land appears subsequently to have descended with
the Prebendal Manor. Grounds called 'the Great
Hartyes' and 'East Harty or Newbery's Hartyes'
are mentioned in connection with the Prebendal
Manor in 1722–3. (fn. 145) The name High Harthay in the
north-west of the present parish indicates the site
of this royal and episcopal wood, while the large
wood to the south represents the ancient manorial
wood.
Church
The church of ST. MARY THE
VIRGIN consists of a chancel (42½ ft.
by 18½ ft.) with north vestry (17¾ ft.
by 12½ ft.), nave (55½ ft. by 22 ft.), north aisle (62¾ ft.
by 14½ ft.), south aisle (60 ft. by 14½ ft.), west tower
(13 ft. by 12½ ft.), and north and south porches.
The walls are of rubble with stone dressings, except
those of the tower and the west walls of the aisles,
which are of ashlar. The roofs are covered with lead
and slates.
Reproduced by permission of the Controller of H.M. Stationery Office from the Report of the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, Hunts.
The church is mentioned in the Domesday Survey
(1086), but, with the exception of a few pieces of 12thcentury chevron-ornament built into the tower walls,
no part of the church is earlier than the 14th century.
The chancel, with part of the east wall of the vestry,
was built in the early years of the 14th century. The
chancel arch, nave, aisles and porches were built
early in the 15th century. The west tower is dated
1635, probably replacing one of 14th-century date,
the western bay of the north clearstory, the western
principal of the nave roof and much of the facing of
the west walls of the aisles were rebuilt at the same
time. The south porch was rebuilt in 1828. The
church was repaired and repewed in 1835, when the
pulpit was removed from the second column on the
north to the north side of the chancel arch, a fireplace
was made at the end of each aisle, and the old box
pews were abolished. A thorough restoration took
place in 1877–8, when the south porch was again
rebuilt and the gallery at the west end was removed.
The vestry was rebuilt before 1851 (fn. 146) and was enlarged
in 1897.
The early 14th-century chancel has a five-light east
window with a two-centred head, but the mullions
and tracery are modern. (fn. 147) The western part of the
north wall has a wall-arcade of two two-centred arches
resting on a triple attached shaft with moulded capital
and base in the centre, and on carved respond corbels
at the ends. In the spandrel between the arches is a
carved head. Under each arch is a tall two-light
window with tracery in a two-centred head. In the
eastern part of the wall is a doorway with a two-centred
head and continuous chamfered jambs; and a
rectangular recess with projecting sill and circular
basin, probably moved from elsewhere, fitted with
modern doors. Below the western window is a
modern squint from the rood-stairs. The south wall
has a wall-arcade of four two-centred arches, the
third arch narrower than the others. The shafts
between the arches appear to have been similar to
that on the north, but those on either side of the
narrow arch have been almost destroyed; the end
arches rest on moulded and carved respond corbels.
The two eastern spandrels have carved bosses as on
the north. Under each of the three larger arches is a
two-light window similar to those on the north, the
western light of the western window being carried
down below a transom as a low-side window. Under
the narrow arch is a doorway with a two-centred
head and continuous chamfered jambs. In the plain
wall eastward of the wall-arcade is a piscina with a
trefoiled head under a gabled crocketed label with
remains of side pinnacles, and having an octofoiled
basin, and a shelf partly of stone and partly of
wood.
The early 15th-century chancel arch is two-centred,
of two moulded orders, and is carried on responds
formed of three attached shafts with moulded capitals
and bases. The roof is modern. The modern vestry
incorporates a short piece of early 14th-century east
wall in which is a single-light window. There is a
modern two-light window in the north wall and a
doorway in the west wall.
The early 15th-century nave has an arcade of five
bays on each side, having two-centred arches of two
moulded orders carried on columns composed of four
semicircular shafts with hollow mouldings between
them and having moulded capitals and bases. In
the east wall north of the chancel arch is the upper
door of the rood-stairs, exceptionally low down and
a long way from the stair turret. The contemporary
clearstory has five two-light windows on each side,
having simple tracery in four-centred heads. The
early 15th-century roof is of moderate pitch with
moulded beams and jack-legs and curved braces
forming two-centred arches with traceried spandrels.
At the intersection of the timbers are boldly carved
bosses. The jack-legs rest on stone corbels carved
with angels holding shields. The western principal
seems to have been repaired in the 17th century,
probably when the tower was rebuilt, and its jack-legs
rest on 17th-century corbels.
The early 15th-century north aisle has a five-light
east window with intersecting tracery in a depressed
four-centred head. The north wall has four fourlight windows with vertical tracery in depressed fourcentred heads, and a doorway with a two-centred
arch and continuous moulded jambs. The west wall
has a four-light window similar to those in the north
wall. In the south wall, eastward of the arcade, is
a piscina with cinquefoiled head and a modern
wooden shelf. (fn. 148) In the south-east angle is the
square-headed lower doorway to the rood-stairs.
The contemporary pent-roof has moulded beams and
jack-legs with curved braces and traceried spandrels.
The jack-legs are carried on stone corbels mostly
carved with angels holding shields, some with emblems
of the Passion, but one with the arms of the See
of Canterbury, and another with those of the See of
Ely. The aisle has bold buttresses coming to a point
in front, rising straight from the plinth to the top
and having large carved gargoyles at the base of the
top weathering.
The early 15th-century south aisle is generally
similar to the north. The east window has vertical
tracery. The south doorway is finer than that on
the north, and has a two-centred arch and continuous
moulded jambs; and the folding doors have tracery
of a rich flowing pattern in their heads. An early
16th-century semi-octagonal pedestal piscina, with
curved under-edge carved with leopards' heads and
leaves in the hollow (found in the garden at Hinchingbrooke), was fixed here in 1922. The roof is similar
to that on the north aisle. The buttresses come to
a point in front, but the carved gargoyles are rather
lower down than on those of the north aisle, and
the buttresses are carried up as square pilasters to
the top of the coping of the aisle parapet.
The west tower (1635) has a 14th-century twocentred tower arch of two orders, one continuous
moulded, and the other chamfered and resting on
semicircular attached shafts with moulded and
embattled capitals and moulded bases. The 14thcentury west doorway has a two-centred head of three
continuous moulded orders, and is, no doubt, the
doorway of the earlier tower re-used. Above it is an
inscription 'an. dni. 1635.' The three-light west
window has intersecting tracery in a very straightsided four-centred head, and above it the date
'1635' in a panel. The stage above has a singlelight window in the west wall, and a small squareheaded and transomed opening into the nave roof in
the east wall. The belfry windows are transomed,
of two lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head
having an ogee label with a large finial. The tower
has a bold plinth the lower part of which is 14thcentury material, square buttresses set in from the
angles and finished level with the heads of the belfry
windows. The tower is finished with a string-course
carved with an imitation dog-tooth, and surmounted
with an embattled parapet having crocketed pinnacles
at the angles. The whole tower is a remarkably
successful attempt to produce a 'gothic' effect in
the 17th century. The stairs are in the south-west
angle and one of the lights is a 14th-century slit with
crocketed label.
The shallow north porch, formed by enclosing the
space between two buttresses, has a two-centred
outer archway of one wave-moulded order on continuous responds; the gabled roof is of stone carried
on two chamfered wall ribs. It has been much
restored.
The south porch, originally of 15th-century date
but rebuilt in 1828 and again in 1878, and now mostly
modern, has a flat four-centred outer archway of two
continuous chamfered orders. On either side of the
arch are niches with carved brackets, trefoiled heads
and ribbed vaults; the label of the archway has a
lilly-pot as a finial, over which is a small projecting
canopy. The side walls of the porch have each a
modern two-light window with simple tracery in
four-centred heads.
The font, c. 1400, has an octagonal panelled
bowl, one side having a shield with the cross of
St. George, and with coved under-edge ornamented
with carved faces, rosettes and two shields, one
charged with a cross and the other with a cross paty.
The octagonal panelled stem and moulded base are
modern.
There are five bells and a sanctus bell, inscribed:
(1) Prais the Lorde 1600. (2) Thomas Norris made
me 1659. Recast 1934. Mears and Stainbank, London.
(3) Ambros. (4) Thomas Russell of Wootton made
me. 1741. (5) All glori be to God one hi. 1630.
I. K. The sanctus bell is blank. The first and third
bells are by Watts, of Leicester; the fifth by James
Keene, of Woodstock. In 1552 there were 'five great
bells in the steeple and one littell bell.' (fn. 149) The late
Mr. Owen thought that the sanctus bell had been
recast since 1552. (fn. 150) The bells were rehung in 1902,
but the first and second were afterwards cracked.
The first was welded and the second recast and all of
them rehung by Mears and Stainbank in 1934; the
old frame being reconstructed.
Under the chancel arch is a low oak screen of c.
1370. It consists of a moulded top rail and four
uprights; two side divisions each have a middle rail
and are divided by narrow mullions into six lights,
each with simple tracery in the head. The lights
at the two ends are wider than the others and have
lost their tracery; the central opening is fitted with
folding doors of similar design to the rest but with
more elaborate tracery. The coving and loft have
been destroyed.
The eastern end of the south aisle has been enclosed
as a chapel, with modern oak screens with many coats
of arms of the Montagu family.
There are three oak stalls of c. 1350, having deeply
moulded divisions and carved misericordes: (1) a
knight and lady holding a shield once painted with
a coat of arms; on one side, a man writing, and on
the other an animal; (2) a man and a woman haymaking; on one side a carpenter at work, and on the
other a weaver or cloth-shearer at work; (3) a man
reaping corn, a woman with a sickle, and a man blowing a horn; on one side a woman gleaning, and on
the other sheaves of corn. These stalls were taken
out of the church, for repair, in 1878, but owing to
the removal of the rector they were sold and came
into the possession of the Museum of Archæology
at Cambridge, (fn. 151) but were purchased and restored to
the church in 1929.
The 17th-century Italian frontal of the altar in the
south aisle is of wood carved and painted. The 17thcentury turned oak Communion rails of the high altar
have been brought from elsewhere and made up.
Built into the east face of the tower (in the nave)
are several fragments of 12th-century chevron-ornament. Lying loose in the tower is a piece of the
shaft of a 13th-century cross, having bold rolls at
the four angles with the dog-tooth ornament between
them; another piece has been built into the wall of
the modern heating chamber. These stones were
brought to the church, from private gardens, in 1917.
In the churchyard, east of the south porch, is a 13thcentury stone coffin with shaped head.
There are the following monuments: in the chancel,
to the Rev. William Bunbury, late Vicar, d. 1754;
Jane Richards, wife of Samuel Wells, of Huntingdon,
d. 1822; Eliezer Heywood, d. 1839; Catherine
Palmer, d. 1845; Ethel Mary Burnaby, d. 1908;
Leslie Benito Fisher, d. 1915; floor slabs to Constant
Silvester, d. 1671; (fn. 152) Henry Burnebye, d. 1716; the
Rev. Benj. Burnebye, Rector of Whitwell, Rutland, d. 1716; and glass windows to Isabella Susan,
wife of the Rev. H. S. Budge, d. 1888; the Rev.
Henry Simcoe Budge, Rector, n.d.; Edward George
Henry, 8th Earl of Sandwich, erected 1917; and
Edmund Laundy Flint, Sarah his wife, and Marianne
Charlotte their daughter, erected 1918. In the nave,
to John William, 7th Earl of Sandwich, d. 1884;
Lt.-Gen. Philip Smith, d. 1894; floor slabs to
Elizabeth Young, d. 1710; Thomas Littlebury,
d. 1765; Caroline Eden Want, d. 1811; Henrietta,
wife of the Rev. C. Holworthy, d. 1835; and Arabella
Want, d. 186–. In the north aisle, to James Lovesey,
d. 1743, and Mary his wife, d. 1752; Etheldred
Harriet, wife of Charles Seawell, d. 1831; floor
slabs to Mrs. Eden Want, d. 1781; Caroline Matilda,
wife of Basil Montagu, d. 179–; Charlotte Want,
d. 1802; and glass windows to George Wady, d.
1892, and Mary his wife, d. 1874; Edmund Wady,
d. 1904, and George Wady, d. 1919; and War
Memorial window, 1914–18. In the south aisle, to
Sir John Bernard, bart., d. 1679; Brig.-Gen. Robert
Bernard Sparrow, d. 1805; Robert Acheson Bernard
St. John Sparrow, d. 1818; Millicent (Sparrow)
Duchess of Manchester, d. 1848, and Lady Olivia
Bernard Sparrow, d. 1863; Paulina Jackson, widow,
last of the family of Pepys of Brampton, d. 1689; (fn. 153)
floor slab to Eliezer Heywood, d. 1839; glass windows
to Mary, Countess of Sandwich; the Hon. Sydney
Montagu; Col. the Hon. Oliver Montagu, d. 1893;
Adml. the Hon. Victor Alexander Montagu, d. 1915;
and oak screen to Agneta Harriet, widow of the
last named, d. 1920. In the tower, to John Miller,
d. [16]81, and Thomas his son, d. [16]83; Mary
Burnaby Palmer, d. 1795; Thomas Jay, d. 1817;
Jane Cleaver, d. 1819; William Palmer, d. 1824;
Edward Martin, d. 1839, and Judith Susanna
his wife, d. 1863; John Allen, d. 1919; and Rose
Emily Lowry, wife of Walter Judd, d. 1921, and
Blanche Elizabeth Pryce Jones her sister, d. 1921.
The registers are as follows: (i) baptisms 8 June
1653 to 8 Aug. 1686, and 9 November 1783 to 27 July
1788, marriages 6 April 1675 to 8 May 1708, burials
15 July 1658 to 27 August 1708 and 6 October 1783
to 19 August 1788; in great disorder: (ii) the same
25 March 1708 to 21 February 1769, marriages end
19 April 1754; (iii) baptisms and burials 29 November
1767 to 27 December 1812, except October 1783
to August 1788; (iv) marriages 19 August 1754 to
14 October 1783; (v) marriages 19 October 1783 to
13 December 1794; (vi) marriages 13 December
1794 to 30 November 1812.
The church plate consists of a large and coarse
Britannia silver cup inscribed 'Given by the Reverend
Mr. Benjn. Burnebye Clerk Anno Dni 1716,' hallmarked for 1721–2; (fn. 154) a large and coarse silver cup,
hall-marked for 1724–5; a standing paten inscribed
'brampton,' no date-letter, but a single mark
seems to indicate it as a companion to Mr. Burneby's
cup; a plate with rounded edge mounted on a cylindrical band, inscribed 'brampton,' no date-letter;
a silver flagon inscribed 'The gift of Mr. James
Lovesey & Mary His Wife to the Church of Brampton,
1743,' hall-marked for 1743–4; a large brass almsdish, engraved with the Annunciation, stags and
hounds, and a 16th-century German inscription, now
illegible, also engraved with a shield, now almost
obliterated, surmounted with the letters 'e.b. c.w.'
and dated '1618,' also inscribed 'Ipsum midd
1697.'
Advowson
There were a church and priest
at Brampton in 1086 (fn. 155) and the advowson followed the descent of the
prebendal manor. (fn. 156) It continued in the possession
of the prebendaries of Brampton until the 19th century. The benefice was transferred from the diocese
of Lincoln to that of Ely in 1839 (fn. 157) and the lands of
the prebend were vested in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1848. (fn. 158) The patronage passed to the
Bishop of Ely, in whose gift it remains. The living
was made a rectory about 1875. (fn. 159)
The vicarage was assigned a house inhabited by
Lecia the glove maker, in 1277. (fn. 160) It was endowed
in 1852 with 99 acres of land, (fn. 161) most of which was sold
in 1926.
Charities
Mrs. Emily Burnaby, by will
proved at Peterborough, 15 November 1893, bequeathed to the rector
of Brampton the sum of £100, the interest to be
applied towards providing a meat tea for widows.
The charity is now regulated by a scheme of the
Charity Commissioners dated 10 October 1902,
under the provisions of which the rector and churchwardens of Brampton were appointed trustees of the
charity. The endowment consists of £104 12s. 4d.
India 3 per cent. stock, with the Official Trustees,
the income from which is distributed to deserving
and necessitous widows in accordance with the provisions of the said scheme.
Good Friday Charity.—The origin of this charity
is unknown. The endowment consists of a rent
charge of 13s. 4d. per annum issuing out of a close
in Brampton allotted on the Inclosure Award of the
parish dated 19 January 1775 to the Master and
Scholars of Clare Hall, Cambridge. The charge is
received regularly and distributed to the poor in
bread.
Thomas Miller, by will dated 22 December 1681,
gave to the town of Brampton 4 acres of meadow in
Portholme and a close called Cherry Orchard containing 3 roods. The Portholme is a common
meadow, the grass of which is cut every year and
sold to the highest bidder, and Cherry Orchard is
let for £3 a year. The sum of 10s. is annually paid to
the minister for preaching a sermon and the remainder
of the rent is distributed among a number of poor
people in money.