A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



separating the vestry from the north aisle was erected 

 in 1931.' 



On the north wall of the chancel is a monument to 

 William Ward (d. 1737), his wife Bridget (d. 1735), 

 and seven of their children, erected by two surviving 

 daughters in 1775. The floor slabs of William Ward 

 (d. 1674) and Thomas Ward (d. 1687), mentioned 

 by Bridges, are under the altar. ^ 



In the churchyard is a memorial cross to thirteen 

 men of the parish who feD in the war of 1914-18. 



There are five bells in the tower. The first is by 

 Thomas Russell of Wootton (Beds.) 1720, the second 

 by Henry Bagley I 1669, the third by James Keene 

 1624, the fourth by Henry Bagley II 1685, and the 

 tenor by Matthew Bagley I 1685.^ 



The plate consists of a cup of 1685; a paten and 

 flagon of 1721, each inscribed 'The Gift of William 

 Ward Esq. 1722'; a 17th-century bread-holder without 

 marks;"* and a chalice and paten of 1 897—8. 



The registers before 181 2 are as follows: (i) all 

 entries 1 541-1632; (ii) 15 58-1695; (iii) 15 58-1669 

 on paper; (iv) 1653-95; (v) 169 5-1 7 36; (vi) bap- 

 tisms and burials 1 742-1 801, marriages 1742- 

 54; (vii) marriages 17 54-1812; (viii) baptisms and 

 burials 1801—12. The first two volumes have been 

 rebound. 



Payn de Houghton presented to 

 ADVOWSON the church^ before 1161, and the 

 advowson was shared by his daughters. 

 Robert Grimbald gave Maud's share, on the day he 

 died, with his body, to the Priory of St. Andrew, 

 Northampton. Robert, Bishop of Lincoln (i 147-66), 

 confirmed this grant, as did Maud, her heir Simon, 

 and her second husband Richard del Peak.* Arnold 

 de Bois II at the request of Emma his wife gave their 

 moiety to Biddlesden Abbey to provide lights in the 

 church for ever before 1 189.' That abbey alienated it 

 early next century to St. Andrew's Priory, for 2 marks 

 annual pension,* which was stiU paid at the time of the 

 surrender.' John de Bois quitclaimed in 1285.'" The 

 priory continued to present, except when its possessions 

 as an ahen priory were in the king's hands owing to 

 the Hundred Years War, until 1538, when the rec- 

 tories and advowsons of Little Houghton and Brafield 

 and all the possessions of the priory there were sur- 

 rendered." The Crown retained the advowson when 

 leasing the rectory in 1568-9 and in 1587-8 granted 

 both to Edward Downing and others.'^ John Stanley 

 and John Payne are said to have been seised in fee of 

 the two rectories and sold to Lord Zouche,'^ but Henry 

 KnoUys and Anne his wife conveyed this rectory in i 590 

 to Lord Zouche.'"* The advowsons descended with the 



manors (q.v.) until 1774, when Mary and Dorothy 

 Ward sold the joint advowson of the two parishes, 

 which had been united about 1685, to Mrs. Ann 

 Walker, and presentation was made by TiUey Walker 

 in 1775. Next year the Rev. J. Walker sold it to 

 Esther Mendham, who presented in 1794. She sold in 

 1808 to Thomas Graham, who conveyed it in 1 817 to 

 the Rev. John Johnson, who was vicar from 18 17 to 

 1838, in which year the advowson was bought by 

 William Tyler Smyth for his son the Rev. Christopher 

 Smyth, in whose family it has remained, being now in 

 the gift of Miss Smyth and Mrs. Davidge.'^ 



The vicarage was ordained in the time of Hugh de 

 Welles, Bishop of Lincoln'* (1209-35), who in 123 1 

 deprived the vicar Peter de Northampton tor refusing 

 to appear at his summons or reside at Little Houghton 

 or perform his ofBce." 



Edward Lye (1694- 1767), the Anglo-Saxon 

 scholar, was vicar of Little Houghton 172T-50.'' 



William Grimbald, lord c. 1265-84, obtained from 

 the priory the right to a chapel for himself and his 

 heirs, presumably in the manor-house, whenever stay- 

 ing at Little Houghton, saving the rights of the mother 

 church." 



Town Estate or Church Land and 

 CHARITIES Cottages. An allotment of 8 a. 3 r. was 

 set out on an Inclosure in this parish in 

 lieu of certain parcels of land in the open fields, which 

 had from ancient time been held as appropriated to the 

 reparation of the church. There are also six cottages 

 belonging to this charity the origin of which appears to 

 be uncertain. The land and cottages are let and the 

 rents amounting to ;^2 8 (approximately) yearly are 

 applied by the churchwardens towards the repair of the 

 church. 



Dorothy Ward by her will dated nth June 1792 

 bequeathed £200, the income to be applied in putting 

 out poor boys as apprentices. The endowment is now 

 represented by Stock held by the Official Trustees 

 producing {^\o js. bd. yearly in dividends. 



Gifts of Mary, Martha, and Dorothy Ward. Dorothy 

 Ward by her will dated as above also directed two sums 

 of £100 each given by her sisters, and /[loo given by 

 herself, to be invested, the interest to be distributed 

 among the most necessitous poor old persons of the 

 parish. The endowment is now represented by ;{^5oo 

 Consols held by the Official Trustees producing 

 £12 IOJ-. annually in dividends. This charity is now 

 regulated by a Scheme of the Charity Commissioners 

 dated 5 May 1905, by which 5 trustees were appointed. 

 The income of the charities is applied in apprenticing 

 and for the benefit of the poor. 



^ It is a memorial to Charles Farr, 

 vicar 1924-g. 



^ They were uncovered in 1932, when 

 the top step, dating from 1873, was re- 

 moved. 



^ North, Ch. Bells of Norlhanls. 310, 

 where the inscriptions are given. On the 

 bell-frame is cut '1637 Edward Freeman 

 of Brackley made this frame. John 

 Maryeat and Thomas . . . ys Church- 

 wardens March the 27.' 



•• IVIarkham, Ch. Plate of Northants. 

 163. The cup has the maker's mark EV 



crowned, above a pellet in a shaped shield, 



5 Assize R. 6 1 9, m. 13 d. 



*■ Cott. MS. Vesp. E. xvii, fols. 67-8, 

 2S9, 290 d. 



' Harl. MS. 4714, fol. i d.; Harl. 

 Chart. 84 H. 47. 



8 Harl. Chart. 84 F. 40; Cott. MS. 

 Vesp. E. xvii, fol. 68 d, yy d, 79. 



' Valor Eccles. (Rec. Com.), iv, 314- 



"" Feet of F. Northants. 14 Edw. I. 

 " Feet of F. Div. Co. Hih 29 Hen. 



Vni i L. and P. Hen. Fill, xiii (l), 404. 



'^ Pat. 30 Ehz. pt. 15. 



" Exch. Dep. East. 11 Chas. I, no. 11. 



" Feet of F. Northants. East. 32 Eliz. 



'5 Deeds at Little Houghton House, 

 ex- inf. Mr. C. Vere Davidge; and Inst. 

 Bks. (P.R.O.). 



'^ Bridges, op. cit. 374. 



■' Rat. Hug. de ffelles (Cant, and York 

 Soc), 175, 270. 



" Diet. Nat. Biog. 



'9 Cott. MS. Vesp. E. xvii, fol. 68. 



270 



