HITCHIN HUNDRED 



Chertsey conveyed a moiety of the manor to John 

 Fray," from whom it passed with Parkbury to 

 Hungate,' 6 and the two manors subsequently descended 

 together. 



Besides the three manors which formed the holding 

 of the Says in Kimpton there was another manor 

 called BIBBESWORTH (Bybesworth, xiv cent.), 

 which was held of the manor of Pirton," from 

 which it was evidently formed by subinfeudation. 

 It gave its name to, or took its name from, a family 

 of Bibbesworth, who held it under the lords of 

 Pirton. 58 In 1277 Walter de Bibbesworth was 

 holding the manor, and received a grant of free 

 warren in January of that year (1276-7)." William 

 de Bibbesworth settled it in 1301 on his son Hugh 

 de Bibbesworth and Emma his wife. 60 Later Hugh 

 granted half a hide of his estate to the monastery of 

 St. Albans. 51 He was succeeded by his son John de 

 Bibbesworth, 6 * who died in 1 36 1, 63 having previously 

 settled the property on his son Hugh and Amice his 

 wife. 6 ' In 1402 they settled the manor on their son 

 Edmund. 65 After his death it was held by his wido 

 Goditha, 66 she outliving her son 

 1 44S, 5 ' leaving a son Thomas, 

 entered into the property on at 

 in 1467. 68 He died without issi 

 being his cousins, Jo; 

 John Cotys of Hun 



manor of Bibbesworth 

 Thomas Barlee.' At h 

 a son Robert," who 

 Francis." 



In 1 5 60 the manor 



r ho died 

 ainor. Thomas 

 ing his majority 

 tfiout issue in 1+85, his heirs 

 wife of Thomas Barlee and 

 gham, co. Warwick." 9 The 

 was assigned to Joan and 

 s death in 1524 Thomas left 

 was succeeded by his son 



owned by Richard Barlee," 

 probably son of Francis. Richard died in 1593, 

 leaving as heir a son Thomas," who became a lunatic 

 in 1603, but seems to have held the manor till some 

 four years later, when his heirs are returned as his 

 three sisters, Dorothea Osbum, Anna Lady Dacres 

 and Maria Wiseman.' 1 Apparently, however, he 

 had a daughter Grace (perhaps born after this date), 

 the wife of Cressy Tasburgh, who suffered sequestra- 

 tion as a recusant in 1650, but obtained restoration 

 of his lands in 165 I. 76 In 1659 Robert Barlee and 

 William Wiseman, probably their trustees, conveyed 

 to Sir Jonathan Keate," and the manor remained with 

 his descendants ' 8 together with Hockinghanger (q.v.). 

 LITTLE BIBBESWORTH was another estate 

 formed out of the manor of Pirton. John de Limesi, 

 lord of that manor in the latter part of the 12th 



KIMPTON 



century, granted 8 acres in Bibbesworth to Richard de 

 Puteo, who gave them to the monastery of St. Mary, 

 Hertford (to which Ralph de Limesi [see Pirton] 

 had made a grant of tithesand of pannage in his wood 

 there), to the use of the kitchen." In 1291 the 

 priory had lands valued at £2 13*. 6V. in Kimpton. 60 

 the Dissolution this estate was granted under 



the n 



Jibbesw 



his wife. 81 

 o Nicholas 



ailed Little 

 n Nicholas, 



1634, and Robert his 

 mple of the Bristowc 

 ;ems to have descended 



of the 

 1537-8 to Anthony Denny and Joan 

 They conveyed the manor in 1 543 I 

 Bristowe and his wife Lucy. 8 * In the 

 taken on his death in 15 84 the manor is 1 

 Bibbesworth. 95 He was succeeded by his si 

 who died at Ayot St. Lawrence in \6z6. u 

 also Nicholas, died m July : 

 brother inherited the fee 

 estates. 84 After this time 

 with the advowson (q.v.). 



A reputed manor called PLUMMERS 6 ' was con- 

 veyed in 1596 by Thomas Hoo to Edward Sibley," 

 and the next year was acquired from the latter by 

 Thomas Halsey a/ids Chambers. 69 The farm ol 

 Plummers is now occupied by Mr. Robert Avery. 



Another reputed manor of LEIGH or Ll'GH was 

 held by Sir Edward Benstede, kt., at his death in 

 1518. John Ferrers, his kinsman and heir, succeeded.™ 

 In 1547 tne manor was conveyed by Francis Ferrers 

 to John Brockett and his wife Margaret." 1 Edward 

 Peade was holding it in I 5 89, when he alienated it 

 to Thomas Cheyne. 91 



The parish church of ST. PETER 

 CHURCH AND ST. PAUL stands at the north 

 end of the village. The church consists 

 of a chancel, nave, south chapel, north and south 

 aisles, west tower of three stages with leaded spire, 

 south porch of two stages with an octagonal north- 

 west stair turret, north vestry and organ chamber." 

 It is built of flint rubble with freestone dressings. 



The existing nave is probably of the same plan as 

 that of the original 12th-century building, which 

 consisted of an aisleless nave and chancel. About 

 1200 the north and south aisles were added, and at 

 the same time, or perhaps a little later, the chancel 

 was enlarged to its present size. There are traces of 

 14th-century alterations in the chancel, but it was 

 not until the 15th century that any further addition 

 was made, when the south chapel was built, the 

 south aisle probably partly rebuilt, the clearstory of 

 the nave was made, and the south porch and west 



