BEDDINGTON IN THE MEDIAEVAL PERIOD. 



who took the name and arms of Carew. Sir Walter Raleigh was 

 beheaded in Sir N. Throckmorton's lifetime, and it was to him that 

 the widow, his sister, wrote the following curious letter, praying him 

 to allow the remains of her unfortunate husband to be buried in 

 Beddington Church. Whether the request was refused I know not ; at 

 all events the body of Sir Walter Raleigh was buried in St. Margaret's 

 Church, Westminster, while the head was sent to his son at West 

 Horsley in Surrey, where it was interred : 



" To my best b 



SUR NICHOLAS 

 CAREW, at 

 beddington. 



" I DESIAR, good brother, that you will be plessed to let my berri the worthi boddi 

 of my nobell hosbar Sur Walter Ralegh in your chorche at beddington ; wher I 

 desiar to be berred. The lordes have geven me his ded boddi, though thoy denied me 

 his life. This nit hee shall be brought you with too or three of my men : let me 

 her presently, " E. R. God hold me in 



my wites." 1 



The lands at Beddington remained in the same family until 1791, 

 when Sir Nicholas Hackett Carew, baronet, left them for life to his only 

 daughter, then at her death to the eldest son of John Fountain, Dean of 

 York, and if he had no son (which he had not) they were then entailed 

 by will on the eldest son of Richard Gee, Esq., of Orpington, Kent, who 

 took the name and arms of the Carews. Thus the lineal descent of the 

 Carew family has twice failed since their residence at Beddington. 



BEDDINGTON CHURCH. 



The parish church of Beddington adjoins the Hall. Aubrey, the 

 historian, considered that it was built in the reign of Richard II. By 

 Sir Nicholas Carru's will, which was proved in 1390, he leaves a legacy 

 of 20 towards building the church at Beddington ; by that, it may be 

 supposed that it was built about this period. A church is, however, 

 mentioned in Domesday Book as existing at this place, and it is said 

 that there still exist some remains of the architecture of the eleventh 

 and twelfth centuries. The church was reckoned by Aubrey to be 



1 Manning and Bray. 



