ODSEY HUNDRED 



RUSHDEN 



cicept tithe of corn, hay, wool, lambs and calves, 

 which were reserved to the incumbents of the five 

 original parishes. 40 The king was patron, the advowson 

 being attached to the priory manor, then in his hands. 

 The advowson is not specifically mentioned in the 

 grant of the manor to Robert Chester, 11 but it 

 evidently passed under it. It continued in the pos- 

 session of the successive lords until 1 891, when it was 

 transferred to the bishop of the diocese. 42 



There were several devotional gilds in Royston. 

 We have reference to the brotherhood of Jesus, 43 the 

 gild of St. Laurence 44 and the Rood gild. 46 



A chantry for the soul of Richard de Stamford, 

 clerk of the Exchequer, was founded about 1290 and 

 endowed by him with certain houses in Fleet Street, 

 London. 46 



In the Parliamentary Returns of 

 CHJRITIES 1786 it is stated that — Chester 

 gave a rent-charge^ of £5 4/. per 

 annum for bread to the poor. This sum is paid out 

 of the manor of Royston and is distributed in bread 

 by the vicar and churchwardens. 



In 1609 Robert Warden left a yearly sum of 

 £2 izi. out of a tenement in St. Peter Cornhill, 

 London, to be distributed in bread every Sunday to 

 the poor. The property charged with this payment 

 now belongs to the Merchant Taylors' Company, and 

 the annuity is regularly received from them and 

 distributed in bread. 



In 1687 Sir Thomas Foot, by his will proved 

 1 7 November, gave an assignment of £42 of 

 Exchequer annuities for the benefit of the poor of 

 certain parishes, including the parish of Royston. 

 The endowment of the charity for Royston has come 

 to be represented by £56 4.1. 6d. £2 101. per cent, 

 annuities, producing £1 8s. yearly, which is dis- 

 tributed in bread to the poor every week. 



The charity of William Lee, founded by will dated 

 8 October 1527, is regulated by a scheme of the 

 Charity Commission dated 30 June 1893. The 

 property consists of two shops and dwelling-houses in 

 Royston, producing £55 yearly; a barn and yard 

 in Royston producing £8 yearly ; and a sum of 

 £598 4J. India 3 per cent, stock with the official 

 trustees, representing accumulations of income and 

 producing £17 i8j. Sd. yearly. The net income is 

 applied in accordance with the scheme in subscrip- 



tions to Herts. Convalescent Home, Royston Nursing 

 Association, Addenbrooke's Hospital and Royston 

 Cottage Hospital ; in assistance to invalids in hos- 

 pitals, and in exhibitions to children from public 

 elementary schools. 



In 1689 Joseph Wortham by his will gave 30/. 

 yearly out of his messuage in Royston to the poor, 

 zor. thereof to be distributed in bread at Candlemas 

 to poor widowers and widows of Royston, and IOJ. 

 to widowers and widows of Barley. The sum of 

 26s. out of the Falcon Inn, Royston, is received yearly 

 in respect of this gift and distributed in bread. 



In 1851 Lester Brand by his will gave a sum of 

 money now represented by £434 15*. qd. consols 

 with the official trustees, producing £10 1 7/. \d. 

 yearly, which is applied in the purchase of coal and 

 blankets for the poor. 



In 1834 Mrs. Mary Barfi eld, by her will proved 

 in the P.C.C. on 26 November, bequeathed part of 

 her residuary personal estate for the maintenance and 

 support of the almshouses situate at Bassingbourn and 

 founded by her in 1833 for poor widows of sixty 

 years and upwards inhabitants of Royston. The 

 endowment consist* of £4,022 4/. \d. India 3 per 

 cent, stock in the name of the official trustee;, and 

 producing £120 131. 4J. yearly. The almshouses 

 are now eight in number, and each inmate receives 

 5/. weekly and one ton of coal yearly. 



The charity of Mrs. Sarah Ellen Pyne, for the 

 general purposes of Royston Cottage Hospital, founded 

 by will proved at London 13 June 1899, is regu- 

 lated by a scheme of the Court of Chancery dated 

 24 March 1903. The endowment consists of a sum 

 of £5,420 \s. 2d. consols with the official trustees, 

 producing £1 35 I or. yearly. 



The same testatrix by her will also founded a 

 charity for the benefit of Royston Nursing Associa- 

 tion. This charity is regulated by the scheme above 

 mentioned. The endowment consists of a sum of 

 £542 consols with the official trustees, producing 

 £13 I is. yearly, which is applied towards the salary 

 of a district nurse. 



The same scheme also directed that a sum of 

 consols equivalent at the price of the day to £1,000 

 sterling should out of the residuary estate of Mrs. 

 Sarah Ellen Pyne be applied in providing a site for, 

 and building, a mission room for the parish of Royston. 



RUSHDEN 



Risendene (xi cent.) ; Ressenden, Ryshenden, 

 Russenden (xiii and xiv cent.) ; Rissheden, Rus- 

 shenden (xiv cent.) ; Risden (xvii cent.). 



Rushden is a small parish with an area of only 

 1,508 acres, of which about two-thirds are arable 

 land, a quarter permanent grass and a fifteenth wood- 

 land. 1 Friars Wood, of some considerable size, is in 

 the north-east of the parish and Bachelors Wood to 

 the north of Southend Green. The parish lies on 

 the chalk downs, which here reach a height of 500 ft. 

 in the north-east, sloping down to about 350 ft. in 

 the south. 



Evidence of early settlement on the chalk lands of 

 this district is furnished by the discovery of about 

 forty implements of the Bronze Age at Cumberlow 

 Green, which is the most important find of this period 

 in Hertfordshire. 11 



The village of Rushden is very small. It is situated 

 a little off the road connecting Baldock and Bunting- 

 ford, and lies about midway between these two towns, 

 in which are its nearest railway stations. An old 

 road, called in Rushden (of whichit forms the western 

 boundary) Shaw Green Lane, intersects this road 

 near Cumberlow Green, and after passing through 



« Stat. 32 Hen. VIII, cap. 44. 



« L. and P. Hot. VUI, xvi, 379 (60). 



" Kingston, Hist. e/Roysnm, 190. 



" P.C.C. Will 1 F=tipla«;cf. 1 3 Moone. 



" P.C.C. Will 1 Fetiplace. 



* s Ibid. 5 Maynwaring. 



« Memo. R. (E*ch. L.T.R.), Mich. 



265 



