CLIFTON HUNDRED 



HENLOW 



the first half of the fourteenth century, and has a 

 two-centred arch of two orders with continuous 

 mouldings. 



The south porch is modern ; it has a small light 

 on each side and an outer doorway of two 

 moulded orders. At the north-east angle of the south 

 aisle is the rood-loft stair, and at the south-east a tre- 

 foiled piscina recess contains a twelfth-century pillar 

 piscina. This has an octagonal shaft and base, and a 

 square carved capital with a guilloche ornament on 

 the abacus ; the drain is quatrefoiled.' 



The tower is of three stages, with pairs of stepped 

 angle buttresses dying out half way up the belfry 

 stage. It is a fine and massive structure, and looks 

 very imposing from the low ground immediately to 

 the west of it. The top stage is embattled, with a 

 stair turret at the south-west, rising above the battle- 

 ments, and has pairs of two-light windows on each 

 face. The second stage is shallow, with narrow single 

 cinquefoiled lights, and the west window of the ground^ 

 stage is of three cinquefoiled lights with tracery over, 

 and has a low four-centred head. Below it is a door- 

 way with a two-centred arch under a square head, in the 

 spandrels of which are roses. The arch towards the nave 

 is lofty and massive, of four orders, the two outer with 

 plain chamfers, the two inner with ogee mouldings ; 

 the capitals and bases are of poor and flat profile, and 

 the jambs are of four chamfered orders, with a roll 

 between the second and third orders running up to 

 the springing of the arch, with no corresponding 

 member in the arch. This awkward detail is not un- 

 common in the district. 



All the roofs of the church are modern, and there 

 are no old fittings. The font, under the tower, is 

 also modern. 



There are several mural monuments to members of 

 the Edwards, Raynsford, and other families. In the 

 nave floor is a slab with the names of John Raven and 

 Elizabeth his wife, dated l66z. 



There are five bells ; the treble, dated 1630, the 

 second, 1628, and the third, 1638, are all by Miles 

 Graye of Colchester ; the tenor was formerly of 1638, 

 but was recast in 1877. The fourth is by Joseph 

 Eayre of St. Neots, 1750. 



The plate consists of a silver communion cup of 

 1700, a second cup of 1827, a standing paten of 1824, 

 a flagon of 1766 with a separate lid, and a modern 

 chalice and paten with a second paten, plated. 



The earliest register is imperfect, running from 

 1558 to 1668, the second runs from 1 671 to 18 12, 

 but contains very few marriages, and none after 1754, 

 and the third book is the printed marriage register 

 1754-98, the fourth book completing the entries to 

 1812. 



Nigel son of Erfast gave the monks 

 JDVOWSON of Lanthony the church of Hen- 

 low," and they retained the advowson 

 until the Dissolution, when it lapsed to the crown, by 

 whom it has since been exercised. 



The rectory of Henlow belonged to Lanthony 

 Priory until the Dissolution, when it was valued at 

 £\i los. 6d.^' In 1590 it was sold by the crown to 

 John Fish and John Clarke.** Shortly after, in 1624, 

 it passed to Edward Kent," and Thomas Kent 

 alienated the moiety of the rectory in 1 670 to George 

 Edwards, who owned Henlow Warden.^ 



By 1697 George Edwards had acquired the whole 

 rectory, for in that year he transferred it to Richard 

 Buckby, who was then lord of Henlow Lanthony 

 (q.V.).«» 



It appears since to have followed the same descent 

 as that manor until its transfer from the Addingtons 

 to the Alliance Bank.'' 



The chantry of Westning, founded by Sir William 

 Inge, owned 3 roods of land in Henlow for the 

 maintenance of a light. Its value yearly was J^d., 

 and it was in the possession of the churchwardens.^ 



In 179s James Wilson by his will 

 CHARITIES left ;£ioo in trust for investment, 

 income to be applied in the distribu- 

 tion of bread-legacy, with a further sum out of the 

 rates, and it is now represented by j^l57 10/. consols 

 with the official trustees. 



In 1906 the dividends, amounting to ^3 18/. ?id., 

 were applied In the distribution of 240 large and 

 2 00 small loaves. 



The Schools. — See above, ' Schools.' 



In 1847 George Nigel Edwards by will left ^^ 1,1 00 

 consols for providing £2^ s. year for a schoolmistress, 

 residue for repairs of schoolhouse. 



In 1853 Thomas Alexander Raynsford conveyed a 

 cottage as a residence for a schoolmaster, and gave 

 j^l,ooo consols for providing £2^ a year for the 

 schoolmaster, residue for repairs of schoolhouse. The 

 sum of j^2,loo consols, belonging to these charities, 

 was in 1901 transferred Into the names of the Rev. 

 R. S. Bagshawe the vicar, G. F. Gribble, and Francis 

 Fowler. 



In 1857 Major General Hanbury Raynsford con- 

 veyed an adjoining cottage as an addition to the 

 schoolhouse. 



In 1904 Ellen Mary Holesgrove by will left 

 j^l,ooo, income to be employed in maintaining and 

 carrying on the ' Vicar's Club Room,' erected at her 

 expense. The legacy was invested in _£ 1,2 1 7 11/. lod. 

 India 2 per cent, stock with the official trustees, 

 regulated by scheme of Charity Commissioners, dated 

 30 October, 1906. 



81 Cal. Rot. Ckart. (Rec. Com.) 7. 



82 Valor Eccl. (Rec. Com.), iv, 197. 



88 Pat. R. 33 Eliz. pt. 12. The rectory 

 is here mentioned as late in the possession 



of John Oliver, and before that of Agnes 

 Huckell. 



84 Feet of F. Beds. Mich. 22 Jas. I. 



85 Ibid. Trin. 22 Chas. II. 



86 Feet of F. Beds. Trin. 9 Will. III. 



87 Cf. History of Henlow Lanthony. 

 Information supplied by Rev. R. Bag- 

 shawe. 88 Chant. Cert. Beds, i, No. 47* 



285 



