ODSEY HUNDRED 



knighted in 1603 by James I," whom he had en- 

 tertained upon his first journey to London from 

 Edinburgh. 11 



Sir Robert Chester resided at Cockenhatch in 

 Barkway," and died in 164.0, having settled Royston 

 Manor upon his son Edward, who married Katherine 

 daughter of John Stone of London." The manor 

 evidently passed to their second son John. 14 His son 

 Edward was Sheriff of Hertfordshire in 1675 and died 

 in his year of office. 15 He was succeeded by his son 

 Robert, 16 whose son Edward Chester v sold the manor 

 in 1759 to Thomas Plumer Byde of Ware Park. 18 



Royston was purchased in 1770 by Thomas Brand 

 and bequeathed by him to his grandson Thomas 

 (Brand) Lord Dacre. 19 His heir was his brother 

 Henry Otway (Trevor) Lord Dacre, whose second 

 son Sir Henry-Bouverie-William Brand was created 

 Viscount Hampden. His grandson Thomas Walter, 



Brand, Viscount Hampdi 



Viscount Hampden, 



the present lord of the 



manor. 



The Priors of Royston claimed by prescription view 

 of frankpledge, gallows, tumbril and amendment of 

 the assize of bread and ale." Under the charter of 

 Richard I they had within their manor of Royston 



ROYSTON 



soc, sac, tol, tern, infangthef, utfangthef, hamsac, 

 grithbriche, bloodwhe, murder, forestall, ilemanis- 

 wite ordeal and orest." They and their men were 

 quit of scot, geld and aids, shires, hundreds, Sec. 

 Their jurisdiction was therefore very extensive ; but 

 their failure to enforce order in the 13th and 

 14th centuries has been seen. Confirmation of their 

 liberties was made in February itjl-z? and in 

 1278 their claims were again acknowledged." 



A court leet for certain of the tenants of the honour 

 of Clare in Cambridgeshire was held at Royston, 10 but 

 Richard de Clare Enrl of Gloucester and patron of 

 Royston Priory had only one tenant in the town at 

 his death in i z6z." The courts were held throughout 

 the 15th century' 8 and descended to Edward IV as 

 grandson of Anne wife of the Earl of Cambridge and 

 direct descendant of Elizabeth de Burgh, one of the 

 three sisters and co-heirs of Gilbert de Clare Earl of 

 Gloucester, slain at Bannockburn in 131+." Edward 

 assigned the court at Royston to his mother Cicely in 

 dower. 50 It was apparendy extinct by the beginning 

 of the 1 7th century. 31 



The church of ST. JOHN THE 

 CHURCH BJPTIST 33 consistsot chancel 34ft. 6 in. 

 by zz ft., north vestry and organ 

 chamber, nave 70 ft. 6 in. by zz ft., north aisle 

 58 ft. by 14. ft. 6 in., south aisle 86 ft. by 13 ft. 6 in., 

 west tower zo ft. 6 in. from north to south and 14 ft. 

 to west ; all internal dimensions. The 

 of clunch and rubble, with modern flint 

 i stone dressings. The present church 

 lainly of the chancel and quire of the 

 :hurch, with later additions. In 1600 the 

 justices of the peace certified that the church was 

 ' utterly ruinated and fallen downe to the ground,' 

 whereupon the Privy Council gave licence for collec- 

 tions to be made for its rebuilding. 33 



The history of the church is a little difficult to 

 trace owing to the alterations and re-use of old 

 materials after the dissolution of the monastery, but the 

 original church appears to have consisted of a chancel 

 which was lighted by the triple lancets, parts of which 

 remain in the north and south walls, the chancel arch 

 being at the second pier west of the modern chancel 

 arch,"* and a quire of probably two bays, of which 

 those on the south side still remain. The quire 

 screen may have stood at the west of these two 

 bays, the remains of a turret stair " b having been 

 discovered in the south wall opposite that point. 

 Another bay, perhaps similar to the others, or of 



walls t 

 facing 



