A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



The roof of the chance), as also that of the nave, is 

 or the 15th century, low pitched, with moulded 

 trusses, with carved bosses at the intersections of the 

 trusses with the purlins. The screen is a good 

 example of early 16th-century woodwork, with 

 tracery in the heads. The capitals of the chancel 

 arch have been much mutilated to admit of the fitting 

 of the screen, and the arch probably dates from the 

 first years of the 16th century. 



In the nave very few original details can be traced ; 

 the north arcade is of course contemporary with the 

 building of the aisle in 1 8S3, and the south windows 

 are also modern. The walls, however, are probably 

 of the 13th century. A lofty four-centred arch opens 

 from the nave to the tower, and is original. The 

 west window is also original, and is of three lights, 

 with tracery above, much restored, and repaired with 

 cement. In this window is a little white and gold 

 1 jth-century glass. The modern south porch is 

 approached by a two-centred doorway, and has east 

 and west windows of two lights in square heads. lis 

 entrance arch is two-centred with shafted jambs ; it 

 is faced with flint and stone in quarries, and has a 

 gable with a stone coping and cross. 



The tower is of two stages with diagonal buttresses, 

 and has a 15th-century west door, much repaired. 

 The bell-chamber is lighied by four louvres with 

 two centred heads. 



The communion table is of the 17th century, and 

 tie pulpit is octagonal, of panelled oak, of about 

 1630. There is a brass on the floor of the nave of 

 John Kent and his wife, with an inscription and the 



id include a second and 

 d 1629. The fifth is also 



date I 592. 



The bells numbe 

 third by Miles Gray 

 of 1629, but recast in 1840. 



The plate includes a cup, a cover paten and a paten 

 of 1571, and a cup of 1612. 



The registers are in two books : (i) baptisms and 

 burials from 1558 to 1812, and marriages from 1558 

 to 1753 ; (ii) marriages from 1754 to 18 12. 



In 1 50; Sir John Smith, the parson of Aston, left 

 26;. Sd. towards the making of a tabernacle for the 

 image of St. Margaret in the church," and in 1524 

 John Kent left 40J. for the same purpose." An altar 

 of St. Katherine is mentioned, with that of the 

 Blessed Virgin, in 1484." 



The invocation of Aston Church 



stDFOHSON seems to have been changed about 



the end of the 15th century, for in 



1430 and apparently in 1490 it is referred to as 



St. James," but in 1505 and after as our Lady." 



The presentation to the church seems to have always 

 belonged to the lord of the manor. It waj confirmed 

 to the monastery of Reading by William Earl of 

 Arundel, Queen Adelaide's husband," and by 

 Henry II* 1 and Edward III." The church was 

 never appropriated, and the living is a rectory. 

 The abbey continued to hold the advowson until 

 the Dissolution." In 154O it was granted together 

 with the manor to Sir Philip Boteler," and followed 

 the same descent until 1801, when ic was sold 

 after the death of Paul Bendfield to Alexander 

 Ellice of Bath," who presented to the living in 1804.** 

 His son William Ellice" presented in 1809." John 

 Corfield made presentation in 181 5," and was still 

 patron in 1822 s0 ; but this was probably only an 

 alienation for a term of years, as the Rev. James 

 Ellice presented in i829. SL The latter held the 

 advowson until 1849, when the Rev. George Augustus 

 Oddie became patron/ 1 and remained so until 1890. 

 For the next five years the presentation was held by 

 Mr. John Oddie and five others," who were succeeded 

 in 1895 by the Rev. George Venables Oddie, the 

 present patron and incumbent." 



A portion of the tithes, granted in 1253 to the 

 abbey of Colchester," is recorded in the Taxation of 

 Pope Nicholas in 1 29 1, ** and in the assessment for 

 a feudal aid in 1428." In both these entries the 

 portion of Reading is valued at £1, and that of 

 Colchester at £2 6s. 84. 



A terrier of the parsonage made in 1638 states 

 that there was then ' a dwelling house with an orchard, 

 a garden, a courtyard : and an outyeard with z barnes, 

 2 stables, one hayhouse, a Cart house, a Dove coate, 

 2 smal garners : a woodhouse, a woodyard, a hen- 

 house, with an old outhouse.' ia 



A meeting-place for Protestant Dissenters was 

 certified at Aston at various dates between 1697 and 

 1834. * There is now an undenominational mission- 

 room. 



It appears from the parliamentary 

 CtURITIES returns of 1786 that a sum of £80 

 was given for the poor by a donor 

 unknown. The gift, with accumulations, is now 

 represented by £104 15/. consols with the official 

 trustees. The annual dividends, amounting to 

 £2 its. 4^., are applied in the distribution of fuel or 

 clothing by the rector and churchwardens. 



The official trustees also hold a sum of £65 \2i. i,d. 

 consols, arising from the sale of the Calvinistic Baptist 

 chapel at Aston End. The annual dividends, amount- 

 ln g to £1 121. 81/., are applied towards the support 

 and maintenance of the chapel at Stevenage. 



"P.C.C. +] HolfTavc. 



^ISii, lr BoJfrldt 



J " W.lis, Archd. of St. Alhin., W 4.1 



M P.CaSt one ha m ,6iWLU.,A«hd. 



of Si. Albins, W ;Sd. 



55 P.C.C. 41 Ht-lgravc; I? Bodf.lde ; 

 Bacon, Ub,r R,g :i . ' 



"Add Chart. 195S6, 



"Ibid. 19593. 



"Co!, Clou, 1537-9, P- S- 

 See L. and P. Hen. Fill, vi, 1 

 " Pat. 32 Hen. VIII, pl . viii, n 

 w Clutterbuck, op. dt ii, z + 8, 

 K Inst. Bits. (P.R.O.). 

 17 Clutterbuck, loc. cit. 

 :• Bke. (P.R.O.). 



'» Ibid. 



■:J r;„i/,. 



M Ibid. 



« Ibid. 



"' Cat. Chart. R. ni6-$ 7 , p. 424. 



48 Pope Nick, Tax. (Rcc. Com.), 37«- 



61 Feud. Aids, ii, 463. 



" Hern. Gen. aid Anliq. ii, 70. 



69 Urwick, Nottonf, in Her!,. 561 J. 



