A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



warrant to him a quarter of a virgate of land in 

 Gilston which he had by charter of Thomas his 

 father." In 1307 Ralph Giffard was among the 

 tenants at Gilston assessed for a lay subsidy,' 6 and in 

 1324 this Ralph was in debt to Hugh le Despenser, 

 jun., for £40, which were to be levied on his lands in 

 Essex and Hertfordshire. 77 John GSfford made a 

 settlement of two messuages, two mills, 240 acres of 

 land with appurtenances in Gilston, Sawbridge worth 

 and Eastwick on himself and his wife Margaret in 

 " William Gifford, possibly son of John, left 

 :nd heir Margaret, who married John 

 d in 141 8 a quitclaim of a moiety of 

 e above mentioned was made to John and 

 : by William Johan of Hatfield Broadoak, 

 co. r,ssex, and his wife Joan, who was presumably 

 another heiress. 781 John Chauncy, son of John and 

 Margaret, died in I479 seised of a messuage called 



Chauncy, 



Margar 



coated with cement ; the tower it of brick ; the 

 roofs over nave and chancel, which are continuous, 

 are tiled, those over the aisles being slated. 



The church appears to have been rebuilt late in 

 the 13th century, an early 13th-century doorway 

 from the former church, which was probably without 

 aisles, having been re-set in the north wall ; the 

 tower is mainly of late 16th-century work, and was 

 probably rebuilt then. The church was thoroughly 

 restored during the 19th century, the south aisle 

 rebuilt, a north vestry added to the chancel, a new 

 east window inserted and the stonework of most of 

 the others renewed, a south porch erected, and the 

 nave and chancel and aisles re-roofed. 



The east window is modern ; a single lancet in 

 the north wall and two in the south wall belong to 

 the 1 3th century ; the westernmost windows on the 

 south and north sides have low sills, about 2 ft. 8 in. 



GifTords in Gilston and Sawbridgeworth held of the 

 manors of Overhall and Pishobury.' 8b He was suc- 

 ceeded by his son John, who acquired Netherhall, 

 and the two manors then descend together. 



The farm-house of GifTords was situated at the 

 lower end of the lake. It was pulled down in the 

 19th century.' 81 



The church of ST. MART consists of 



CHURCH chancel 25 ft. by 12 ft. 6 in., north 



vestry, nave 46 ft. by 12 ft. 6 in., 



north and south aisles 6 ft. wide, south porch, 



west tower 1 2 ft. by 11 ft. ; all dimensions taken 



lally. The walls of the nave and chancel are 



of flint 



ith stone dressings, the chancel walls being 



74 Ret. Cur. Rig. (Rec Com.), i, 167. 



76 Subs. R. bdle. 120, no. g. For 

 Ralph Giffard see also Feet of F. Hem. 

 19 Edw. II, no. 431; io Edw. II, 

 no. 438. 77 Col. C/at, 1323-7, p. 171. 



fl a Ibid. 6 Hen. V,Qo.3 7; t>< 

 ;n by Clutterbuck, op. cit. ii 

 iiincy, op. cit. 187. 



from the ground, but the heads of all the windows 

 are on the same level. In the south wall is a piscina 

 and credence combined ; it has two moulded 1 3th- 

 century arches, having shafted jambs with moulded 

 capitals and bases ; the central shaft is of Purbeck 

 marble; in the eastern opening is a nine-foiled bowl, 

 the other being plain as a credence. At some 

 later period, probably the 16th century, the two 

 arches have been united under a pointed arch with a 

 star-shaped ornament and a rose in the centre, all of 

 plaster. There is no chancel arch. 



The nave has north and south arcades of four 

 bays ; the arches are of two hollow-chamfered orders 

 with moulded labels, with piers of four clustered 



■ HI, "bchao. i Bq . p . m . I0 Edw „. 



no ; fz. 

 artert "c Information from Mr. C. E. Iocd- 



L. and linn. * 



