CLIFTON HUNDRED 



ARLESEY 



label flanked by pinnacled shafts. In the north 

 wall is a plainer cinquefoiled niche of the same 

 date, and close to it in the north-east angle a much 

 smaller niche with a trefoiled head. All have 

 brackets for images, but it is possible that the two 

 latter are not in their original positions, and were, 

 perhaps, moved when the wide east window was 

 inserted. Below them is a square recess, perhaps 

 sepulchral, with a filleted edge-roll round head and 

 jambs, ending on moulded bases. The sill of the 

 recess has a projecting edge, on which is a diaper 

 pattern of fourteenth-century style ; it is incomplete, 

 and obviously old material re-used and cut down to 

 suit its present place. Below is a panelled front with 

 four quatrefoils ; the whole is probably a fifteenth- 

 century insertion. Opposite to it in the south wall 

 is a trefoiled piscina recess of late thirteenth-century 

 style, which formerly had a projecting bowl, now cut 

 back to the wall face. 



At the north-west of the same aisle is a tomb- 

 recess with a segmental arch and a label with stops 

 carved as human heads, of fourteenth-century date. 



The west tower, as already noted, was rebuilt in 

 1877, but its east arch is of fifteenth-century detail, 

 flanked by two large buttresses projecting into the 

 nave, after a fashion common in the district. The 

 west window is modern, of three lights, and the tower 

 is of three stages with an embattled parapet and two- 

 light belfry windows. 



Most of the roof timbers of the nave and aisles are 

 of fifteenth-century date, and have contemporary stone 

 corbels ; two of these, at the east end of the north 

 aisle, are carved as priests' heads, the others are winged 

 angels with shields. The chancel roof is modeyn. 



At the east end of the south aisle is a fine early 

 seventeenth-century pew with an open arcade of 

 round-headed arches on Ionic columns, above which is 

 a deep frieze of dolphins in open work, very boldly and 

 effectively treated. There are no other old wooden 

 fittings in the church. 



The font is a good but somewhat mutilated example 

 of late fourteenth-century work. The bowl is octa- 

 gonal, and has panelled sides in which are carved 

 subjects representing the Fall of Man and the Atone- 

 ment. They are as follows : — I. The Creation 

 of the World. 2. The Creation of Adam. 3. The 

 Creation of Eve. 4. The Temptation. 5. Adam 

 and Eve driven from the Garden. 6. Eve spinning 

 and Adam delving. 7. The Jaws of Hell gaping 

 to receive two shrouded figures, probably meant for 

 Adam and Eve. 8. The Crucifixion. Round the 

 panels are rosettes, which are complete in every 

 respect in the first panel, but gradually become more 

 unfinished as they go round the font, until in the 



seventh they are only marked out for carving, and in 

 the eighth they do not appear at all. The stem of 

 the font has at its angles four figures, the first a 

 priest, the second a deacon, and the third St. John 

 the Baptist, while the fourth is too damaged to be 

 identified. 



In the nave floor is a brass to Richard Edwards 

 with his coat of arms above. 



There are six modern bells by Warner of Cripple- 

 gate. 



The plate consists of a communion cup of 1730, 

 and a paten, probably of much the same date, but 

 with an illegible date-letter. 



The registers begin in 1538, and the first book 

 contains baptisms, marriages, and burials up to 1692 ; 

 the second book continues the baptisms and burials to 

 1809, and the marriages to 1754 ; the third book is 

 the marriage register, 1 754-18 1 2, and the fourth has 

 baptisms and burials, 1809—12 



Before the dissolution of the re- 

 ADVOWSON ligious houses the advowson of Arlesey 

 church belonged to Waltham Abbey ^ 

 In 1225 John archdeacon of Bedford recognized the 

 right of the abbot to claim freedom from visitation in 

 this church,'' and in 1254 * dispute between the 

 prior of Strigul (Chepstow) and the abbot of Wal- 

 tham concerning tithes was settled in favour of the 

 latter." At the Dissolution the value of the impro- 

 priate rectory was assessed at j^8 10/. 6dJ^ The 

 advowson and rectory, which have never been 

 separated, were sold, together with the manor of 

 Arlesey Bury, by Henry VIII to Thomas Henneage, 

 and followed the same descent as that manor (q.v.), 

 until in 1630 the Lukes transferred them by fine to 

 William Buckby." Five years after the latter alienated 

 the rectory and advowson to Samuel Browne," who 

 owned Etonbury, and down to the nineteenth century 

 it went with that manor (q.v.)." 



In the nineteenth century it appears to have passed 

 through various hands; in 1822 M. A. Taylor owned 

 the advowson," and seven years later R. Houston.'^ 

 F. Sapte presented between 1836 and 1850," and it 

 then belonged to the Rev. Roger Smythe," who in 

 i860 sold the advowson and rectory to James Curtis, 

 from whom it passed to his grandson, the Rev. R. F. 

 Scott. His son, the Rev. R. C. F. Scott, sold Arlesey 

 Rectory in 1898 to the Rev. G. J. Mayhew, in whose 

 gift it is at present." 



The mission church of St. Andrew at Three 

 Counties, which serves as a chapel-of-ease, was erected 

 in 1900. There are also here a Wesleyan Chape!, 

 built in 1850, and a Primitive Methodist, built in 

 1875, and a Salvation Army room. 



There are no endowed charities in this parish. 



88 Dugdale, Mon. vi, 63 j CaU of Chart. 

 R. 1226-57, p. 27. 



59 Add. Chart. 18198. 7» Ibid. 17653. 

 n Valor Bed. (Rec. Com.), iv, 195. 

 73 Feet of F. Beds. Trin. 5 Chas. I. 



7» Feet of F. Beds. East. 10 Chas. I. 



'■•Inst. Bks. P.R.O. &c. In 18 17 

 John Schutz was presenting, though at 

 that time he no longer held Etonbury 

 manor {Clerical Guide, 1817). 



W Clerical Guide, 1822. 76 Ibid. 1829. 

 7' Ibid. 1836; Clergjf Lists, 1841. 

 ?8 Ibid. 1850 



79 Information supplied by Rev. R. C. F. 

 Scott. 



265 



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