A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



church, but the middle window on each side is a 

 traceried circle. On the south side the windows are 

 modern. 



The tower is of two stages with a small west lancet.^' 

 and another higher up on the south side in the lofty 

 lower stage. The diagonal buttresses were probably 

 added in the 14th century when the upper story was 

 erected, the windows of which are of two trefoiled 

 lights with transom and quatrefoil in the head. 

 Immediately below the stepped battlemented parapet 

 is a band of paneUing, the design of which differs on 

 the four sides,^ and there are gargoyles at the angles 

 but no pinnacles. The 14th-century tower arch is of 

 three chamfered orders, the innermost on half- 

 octagonal responds with moulded capitals and bases. 

 There is no vice. 



The font is of the 14th century, with a plain 

 octagonal bowl moulded on the under side ; it has a 

 flat 17th century cover. 



The pulpit is modern, but worked into it are two 

 Renaissance carved panels of the same type as those 

 in St. Andrew's church, the subjects represented 

 being our Lord before the High Priest, and Pilate 

 washing his hands. There is an early 17th-century 

 low panelled chancel screen, and in the east window 

 is some 14th-century heraldic glass taken from one 

 of the windows of the chapel — (i) the leopards of 

 England, (ii) the arms of Bassingbourne, gyronny 

 of twelve argent and gules, (iii) the same with a 

 label of three points azure. In the window is also 

 some foreign glass with medallions, shields, figures, 

 etc., one piece of which is dated 1547, others being 



of the 17th century similar in style to that at St. 

 Andrew's church.'* 



There are no monuments. All the roofs are 

 modern or much restored. 



There are six bells, a treble and tenor having been 

 added to a former ring of four in 1907 by Taylor & 

 Co. of Loughborough, who also recast the old third. 

 The second bell is by Hugh Watts II of Leicester 

 1629, the third by Thomas and John Eayre of Ket- 

 tering 1 71 7, and the fifth a recasting by Taylor in 

 1857 of a bell inscribed ' S. Katerina.'" 



The plate consists of a cup and paten of 1569, 

 and a paten of c. 1682.^ 



The registers before 1812 are as follows : (i) 

 baptisms 1627-1753, marriages 1629-1752, burials 

 1627-1670; (ii) baptisms 1753-1812; (iii) burials 

 1679- 181 2; ('^0 marriages 1753-1812. There are 

 churchwardens' accounts beginning in 1755. 



The advowson of the church of 

 ADVOWSOy St. John" was given before 1218 to 

 the Abbey of St. James, North- 

 ampton,** when the pension due to the abbey from 

 the rectory was already considered ' ancient,' but in 

 1240 it was claimed by Ralph de Cranford, who 

 obtained in return for a quitclaim of all right in the 

 advowson, the homage and service of one of the abbot's 

 tenants at Cranford.*' Before 1272 the advowson 

 came into the possession of the Bishop of Lincoln,*^ 

 \,hose successors were the patrons of the living until 

 the 19th century, when the rectory of Cranford 

 St. John was consolidated with that of Cranford St. 

 Andrew and the bishop relinquished the advowson.*'' 



DENFORD 



Deneforde (xi cent.) ; Deneford (xii, xiii, xiv cent.). 



The parish of Dcnford lies on the eastern boundary 

 of the county. The land rises from the River Nene 

 eastward about 1 50 ft. The soil, which is a stiff 

 clay lying on the Great Oolite, Cornbrash and Oxford 

 Clay beds, produces barley, wheat and root crops. 

 The Kettering and Huntingdon branch of the London 

 Midland and Scottish Railway crosses the parish, 

 the nearest station being at Thrapston. There were 

 formerly brick and tile kilns which are now disused. 



The village stands on the road from Chclvcston to 

 Thrapston and adjoins the eastern bank of the River 

 Nene. The church is on the northern side of the 

 village near the river. Not far from it is the Cock 

 Inn, a two-storied house which is dated 1593: except 

 for one or two muUioncd windows, it has no special 

 architectural features. Another house in the village 

 has a panel inscribed ' T.G. 1622.' 



The parish was inclosed in 1765 but mention is 

 made in the award of previous inclosures.* 



In the reign of Edward the Confessor, 

 MANORS Burred held 5 hides of land in Denford.= 

 In 10S6 he had been succeeded by the 

 Bishop of Coutances, but it seems clear that the 

 holding as described in Domesday Book included 

 much land in other townships.' In the 12th-century 

 survey, which was drawn up after the Bishop's fief 

 had escheated to the crown, Denford seems to have 

 been included under Ringstead and Cotton.'' By 

 1 1 24-9 the manor of Denford had come into the 

 possession of Gilbert Fitz Richard, whose wife 

 Adeliza de Claremont or Montmorency in 1147-68 

 is described as Lady of Denford. Roger de Clare, 

 c. 1 152, gave to St. Werburgh's, Chester, a mark 

 yearly from Rothwcll so that when God delivered to 

 him his inlieritancc of Denford he would assign a 



'* A west doftrw.iy IhIuw the window 

 iniertrfi aliout 1X42, h.is been blocked. 



" On the north alternate c]u.ilrcfoiIcd 

 K^uarri and circled, on the ftouth roiieB 

 tourn.Tnici, on the cant quatrefoilcd 

 circles, on the west four-leaved squares. 



*' One is inscrilicd ' IIonora*"k Ian 

 Iavhin B)V»GmM~t Dt Visr ».t ANCNr.s 

 Ptup.u ION KsPKVSE,' nnuthcr has a 

 mutiLited inscription. Modern glass in 

 the east window with figures of St. 

 Andrew and .St. John commemorates the 

 union of the two rectories. 



" North, Ch. Bdh oj Noiihiuils. 231;. 

 The old third (now fourth) was by Charles 

 Graye of Amplhill, 1661, 



" Markhaiii, Cb. I'lalr 0/ A'orlhanls. 

 84. 



" I'rct of !•'. Northanl). llil. 2} 

 Ucn. 111. 



•° Rot. If. it Hrllei (Cant, and York 

 Soc), i, fi; ; ii, 221. 



" I-cet of r. Northanls. llil. 24 

 Men. III. 



" Rol. Rk. Cravcirn,! (Cant, and York 

 Soc), 120. 



" Bridges, op. cit. ii, 224 (cit. r.pi\ 

 lUg.) ; instit. liks. (I'.R.O.), 1621, 1024, 

 i'i2i;, I'liS, if>37, 1640, i(ifi2, i'i;i), 1681, 

 •7<'4. '745. '75°. '752. lyf.;, 1774, 1S15. 

 In i^i^i Edward Mnuntagu presented 

 ' pro hac vice ' and in t62t Thomai 

 I"rccnian presented. 



' I'riv. Act. 5 Geo. Ill, c. 34; Recov 

 R. Trin. 6 Geo. Ill, Deeds enrolled, 

 m. 275. 



' y.C.II. Noribanlt. i, 309*. 



' Ibid. 



* Ibid. 36511, 377a. 



