BROADWATER HUNDRED 



of the chancel roof, between two windows of the 

 clearstory. 



The north aisle has three 15th-century windows of 

 three lights with restored tracery, and a modern north 

 door to the west of them, in the north wall. This 

 door opens to the north porch, which is also modern. 

 The west window of three lights has for the most 

 part modern stonework, but a few old stones remain. 



The south aisle has three 1 r,th-century windows in 

 the south wall and one in the west wall, all of three 

 lights with repaired tracery. The south doorway of 

 the 14th century is to the west of the three windows, 

 and to the west of it is a small 15th-century doorway, 

 formerly leading to the staircase of the parvise. The 

 oak door of this doorway is of the 15th century with 

 • a scutcheon for a ring. The south doorway has a 

 two-centred head. It is chamfered internally, and 

 has a fine quadruple suite of mouldings on the exterior 

 side. The south porch has two-light windows on 

 the east and west. The north-west angle stair turret 

 and the floor of the parvise have been removed, and 

 the porch is now open to the roof. A break in the 

 line of the south wall probably indicates the junction 

 with a former transept. 



The west tower has a two-centred 14th-century 

 arch of four moulded orders opening to the nave. 

 The west window of three lights is also of the 14th 

 century, with a two-centred rear arch, but the tracery 

 has been much restored in cement, as have the belfry 

 windows also. 



The font is of the 13th century, and has an 

 octagonal bowl with beaded edges and a circular stem 

 flanked byoctagonal shaftswith moulded bases. Near 

 the pulpit is a strong mediaeval iron-bound chest. 



In the north chapel is a Purbeck marble coffin lid 

 of the 13th century, with a cross in relief. On the 

 north wall of the chapel is a brass of a man and his 

 wife, of about 1400 ; the man is dressed as a forester, 

 and the lower part of his figure, and the dog at his 

 feet, together with the inscription, are missing. On 

 the floor is the brass of a man and his wife, of about 

 1470. On the north wall are two, one with shrouded 

 figures of a man and his wife, of c. 1520, the other 

 an inscription to Margaret Benet, dated 1587. 



At the west end of the nave is a brass with a three- 

 quarter figure of a nun of about 1400. The inscrip- 

 tion plate is gone and in its place is an inscription to 

 a rector of Baldock of the date 1807. On the floor 

 is also a slab with an indent for a floreated cross. 

 Near the doorway of the north aisle is a slab with an 

 inscription in Gothic capitals, of the 14th century. 



In the south aisle are the indents of a man and his 

 two wives, of the 15th century. 



Outside the church in the wall of the north aisle 

 is a 14th-century recess with an ogee arch, of which 

 the jambs are restored. Set in the recess is a 14th- 

 century coffin lid with a cross in relief. Also outside 

 in the wall of the south aisle are two recesses, probably 

 of the 15th century, of which the stonework has been 

 renewed. 



There is a peal of eight bells : (1), (»), (3), ( + ), (6) 

 and (7) by Taylor of Loughborough, 1 882 ; (5), with 



BALDOCK 



inscription 'Miles Graye made me, 1650'; and 

 (8) 'Laudo Deum verum plebem voco, convoco 

 clerum defunctos ploro nuptus colo festa docoro. 

 Wm. Goodwyn Jam. Manison ch[urch] wards 

 171 1.' 



The plate includes a cup and cover paten of 1629. 

 The registers arc in six books : (i) all entries 

 from 1558 to 1709 ; (ii) baptisms and burials from 

 1710 to 1792 and marriages from i7ioto 1753; 

 (iii) baptisms and burials from 1793 to 1812 ; (iv) 

 (v) and (vi) marriages from 1754 to 1788, 1788 to 

 1804, and 1804 to 181 i, respectively. 



The advowson of the church of 

 ADVOWSON St. Mary at Baldock belonged to 

 the Knights Templars, who built 

 the church, and it continued in their possession until 

 their suppression in 1309." It was then granted, 

 together with the manor of Baldock, to the Knights 

 Hospitallers, who in 1335 granted the advowson for 

 ten years to John de B!omvill. 5a The latter in I 343 

 granted it for two years to Walter de Mauny, S9 after 

 which it presumably reverted to the Hospitallers. 

 In I359it was claimed by the Crown as parcel of 

 the church of Weston. d0 There seems no reason 

 why the king should have claimed either church at 

 that time, for both belonged to the Hospitallers ; 

 however, his claim seems to have been allowed, for 

 the Crown presented to the church in 1383, el and 

 apparently continued to do so until after 1822. 6S 

 The patronage was transferred before 1829 to the 

 Lord Chancellor.* 3 The latter held it until I 865, 

 when it was transferred to the Bishop of Rochester, e " 

 who presented until 1877, when it was acquired by 

 the Bishop of St. Albans. Since 1903 the presenta- 

 tion has been in the hands of the bishop and the 

 Marquess of Salisbury alternately. 66 



A terrier of 1638 states that the rectory ' Ioyneth 

 the churchyard against the west end,' and that it 

 included ' Five lower roomes, a bakeing or brewhouse, 

 a hall, two little butteries and a parlour. A loft over 

 the bakehouse, a chamber over the parlour, a studdie 

 and a little loft at the staires head.' The outhouses 

 included a barn and awoodhouse, 'both are thatched 

 and soe is the one side of the bakehouse and the rest 

 is tyled.' CB 



The Fraternity or Gild of Jesus in the church 

 of Baldock was founded, as already stated, in 1459, 

 and the charter confirmed in 1533." At that date 

 it had a master, wardens, brethren and sisters, 68 and 

 found a priest who helped the parson of the church 

 in his duties. m At the inquiry of 1548 William 

 Tybie was the brotherhood priest, and he assisted the 

 parson of Baldock in serving his cure. 70 In iero 

 it was granted, with the lands belonging, to John 

 Cock. 1,1 



Modern Dissent is represented in Baldock by the 

 Congregational chapel in Whitehorse Street, built in 

 1826, the Wesleyan chapel also in Whitehorse 

 Street, the Primitive Methodist chapel in Norton 

 Street, and the Friends' meeting-house in Meeting 

 House Lane, and that of the Plymouth Brethren in 

 Orchard Street. Fox visited Baldock in 1655 and 



'- Ibid. 1401-5, pp. 345,486; 



p. Bz ; 1436-41, p. 493 i 1467-77, 

 p. 44°; "47<5-S;, pp. 54, 465; Inst. 

 Bks. (P.R.O.) ; Bacon, Lib,r Regis. 



<■* Clerical Guide, 



" Load. Gaa. Index, 88. 



71 



>-/.. Gen. andAviq. ii, i Q 6. 



wf.w ffl .ra/,vi, S7 8( 2 s]. 



