ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 
of Dorchester, while it was distinct from Leicester and Lindsey.* At 
the union of these three under Leofwin towards the end of the tenth 
century,’ the county became part of a diocese very much larger, though 
retaining for some time the same name and centre of government. 
From 1075° until 1837 it formed a single archdeaconry within the 
diocese of Lincoln, being finally transferred at the latter date to the 
diocese of Ely.‘ 
The names and limits of the rural deaneries were fixed certainly 
before the Taxation of Pope Nicholas IV. in 1291 ; but how long before 
it is not easy to say. In 1199 mention is found of deans of Bedford and 
Ravensden®; of a dean of Luton in 1232,’ a dean of Westoning in 
1232, and in 1249 a dean of Pulloxhill;° but it is possible that these 
places were only the parishes of which the various deans were at the 
time incumbents, and do not represent the names of their rural deaneries. 
In 1291 there were six deaneries :— 
Eaton, containing 18 parishes 
Clopham _,, 18 ,, 
Bedford ,, 17 
Dunstable _,, 20 yy 
Fleete 5 22° 
Shefford _,, 27 yy 
In 1535, the date of the Valor Ecclesiasticus, these divisions re- 
mained unaltered ; even the total number of parish churches (122) re- 
mained as before.” The same names of deaneries are given in the earliest 
clergy lists till 1880, with the same schedule of parishes; though from 
1870 each deanery has two divisions—Bedford and Dunstable a first and 
second ; Clopham, Fleete and Shefford an eastern and western, and 
Eaton a.northern and southern division. But on 27 February 1880” the 
deaneries were completely reconstituted, with a new schedule of parishes: — 
The deanery of Ampthill, containing 11 parishes 
5 Bedford % TI 355 
ne Biggleswade __,, 15 55 
Pa Dunstable $5 rs &. 
” Eaton ” 8 yy 
55 Felmersham __,, ra 
” Fleete ” 14 yy 
” Luton »” 9 » 
” Riseley ” 9 » 
5 Shefford 5 12 
” Haynes ” 9 » 
There has been no further change, except by the addition of two 
parishes to the deanery of Bedford and two to that of Luton. 
1 Florence of Wore. (Engl. Hist. Soc.), i. 36, 339. 
? William of Malmesbury, De Gestis Pontif. (Savile ed.) p. 290. 
3 The year when Remigius first signed as Bishop of Lincoln (S.P.C.K. Diocesan History, p. 48). 
* London Gazette, 30 May 1837. 
5 Harl. MS. 3656, f. 60 ; Add. MS. 24465, f. 2gb. ® Ann. Mon. (Rolls Series), iii. 108. 
7 Harl. MS. 1885, f. 52b. 8 Linc. Epis. Reg., 11 Grossetéte. 
9 The chapel of Clapham is a rectory in the Valor, and the churches of St. Peter and St. Mary 
Dunstable are reckoned as one ; so that these two items balance each other. 
10 Londou Gazette, 27 Feb. 1880; Clergy List, 1881. 
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