EDWINSTREE HUNDRED 



ANSTEY 



ANSTEY 



Anestige, Anestei (xi cent.) ; Anastia (xii cent.) ; 

 Anesty (xiii and xiv cent.) ; Anstey-ad-Castrum (xv, 

 xvii and xviii cent.). 



The parish of Anstey has an area of 2,150 acres. 

 The altitude varies from 444 ft. near Puttock's End 

 to 300 ft. near the south-western extremity of the 

 parish. On the higher land to the east of the village 

 are Hale Hill, the Rectory, which is surrounded by 

 a moat, and Hale Farm, near to which is a moated 

 tumulus, whilst to the south-west is Lincoln Hill, 

 near Anstey windmill, and south of this Fox Hill. 

 The soil is clay and chalk, with gravel in small 

 quantities. Of the woods which figure largely in the 

 early history of Anstey there remain principally East 

 Wood, partly in Nuthampstead, which is mentioned 

 in 1 30 1-2,' and Northey Wood in the north-west 

 part of the parish. 

 Of other early place- 

 names Payneshalle, 

 Payneshallegrene, 

 and the croft called 

 Panefeld, which 

 occur in 1478,' may 

 probably be identi- 

 fied with Pains End 

 near Northey Wood, 

 where is a homestead 

 moat. Burryfelds 

 mentioned at the 

 same date as lately 

 part of the demesne 

 may be connected 

 with modern Burry 

 Farm, Hale with 

 Hale Farm and Hale 

 Hill, Snowdon with 

 Snow End,' and 

 Ladylye with Lady- 

 like Grove.' In 1610 

 there is reference to 

 land called Lon- 

 dayes,* which may 

 have been identical 

 with or situated near 



Lundas Grove. There is mention also of the field 

 called Berdene* (xiii cent.), Westmore,' Pesecroft 

 and Leyhegg' (xiv cent.), Burstalfeld, Vorlowfeld, 

 Wasshedell, Litelmedefeld, Ladyesacre, Oberneflend, 

 Collefat Mede, Baillyhill, Hungyrhill, and the 

 suggestive Lymekylnshotte, Chapelgate and Ansty 

 Galwes ' (xv cent.), Puttock End and Parlebiens '" 

 (xvii cent.). 



The parish is traversed by the North Road, which 

 is partly coincident with its western boundary and 

 which crosses the River Quin at Biggin Bridge and 

 Stapleton Bridge. The village is situated on a winding 



road from Brent Pelham village, which is eventually 

 connected with the North Road. At its junction 

 with the road to the North Road is the hamlet called 

 Snow End, north of which is the ancient village 

 containing the church, the school and the hall, the 

 latter near the site of the castle. At the entrance to 

 the churchyard is a picturesque mediaeval lychgate. 

 It is of timber and divided into three bays, one of 

 which has been built up with red brick to form the 

 village lock-up. 



At the north-western end of the parish is Biggin, 

 where stood the biggin or hospital of St. Mary. 

 Here is Biggin Farm, surrounded by a moat. Bandons 

 is north-west of the village beyond Northey Wood. 



Two rectors of the parish were men of distinction. 

 James Fleetwood, chaplain to Charles II, became 



"'^■^"-r 





Anstey : Lychgate to Churchyard 



rector of Anstey after the Restoration, and subse- 

 quently in 1675 was instituted Bishop of Worcester. 

 In 1 67 1 Robert Neville was presented to the rectory 

 by Sir Roland Lytton. He was author of a five-act 

 comedy called ' The Poor Scholar.' '" 



An award for inclosing the lands of Anstey parish 

 was granted in 1829 " and supplemented in 1830 by 

 a deed poll.'* 



Anstey is a good example of the smaller 



CJSTLE type of mount and bailey castle.'^ There 



are now no masonry works above ground, 



but its * motte ' is perhaps finer than that at Berk- 



' Mina. Accts. bdle. 862, no. 1. 

 Northeyfeld occurs in 1419 (Ct. R. [Gen. 

 Ser.], portf. 176, no. 124) and Eastwood 

 coppice and Northwood coppice in 1544 

 (L. and P. Hen. Fill, xix [i], 1035 

 [97]). 



2 Rentals and Surv. R. 268. 



* Ibid. Snowen End in Church Reg. 

 of 1576. 



* Ct. R. (Gen. Ser.), portf. 176, no. 124. 



* Chan. Inq. p.m. (Ser. 2), cccxvi, 38. 



6 Anct D. (P.R.O.), A 1040. 



' Mins. Accts. bdle. 862, no. 1. 



8 Ct. R. loc. cit. 



' Rentals and Surv. R. 268. There is 

 a hill still known as Gallows Hill on the 

 west side of the North Road. Ladyacre 

 and Hungyrhill were names within living 

 memory. 



'» In 1560 the baptism of Benedict 



II 



Beaucock of Parlebiens occurs in the 

 register (see also monuments in church 

 below). Possibly the present rectory was 

 once known as Parlebiens (inform, from 

 Rev. F. R. Williams). 



"> Did. Nat. Biog. 



" Com. Pleas D. Enr. Mich. 3 Will. IV, 

 m, 2. ^^ Ibid. m. 40. 



1^ See description of the earthworks of 

 the castle, V.C.H. Herts, ii, 112. 



