HERTFORD HUNDRED 



about 8 ft. ; it has a Urge edge-roll on the west side 

 and is square on the east. The west jambs have 

 engaged shafts with carved capitals and moulded bases. 

 It is of 12th-century date. Portions of the jambs have 

 been cut away. The roof of the chancel is modem. 



In the north wall of the nave is a single-light 

 window with izth-century inner jambs and arch and 

 brick exterior. There is a north doorway, now 

 blocked. In the south wall is a window of two tre- 

 foiled lights with tracery under a square head, of late 

 14th-century date, repaired with cement ; the other 

 window is also of two lights, but has been renewed in 

 cement. The south doorway is of 1 ith-century date, 

 with an inner round arch and a flat lintel on the 

 outside, and moulded imposts ; the brick south porch 

 is of 1 8th-century date. In the west wall is a window 

 of three cinquefoiled lights under a square head ; it is 

 of 15th-century date and has been repaired with 

 cement. The open collar-beam roof over the nave 

 appears to be old, but the timber bellcote is modern. 

 The south doorway has an old oak door which may 

 date from the 14th century. On the jambs of the west 

 window on the south side of the chancel are some 

 faint remains of distemper paintings of figure subjects 

 in which the figure of a bishop can possibly be dis- 

 cerned, and on the east wall of the nave are other 

 indications of figures, one of which is crowned ; on the 

 chancel walls is a red chequer pattern under which is a 

 much older masonry pattern. Under the communion 

 cable are a number of 14th-century tiles, much worn. 



There is one bell, dated 1636, by Robert Oldfeild. 



The plate consists of a cup and paten, i6z6, a 

 flagon, two chalices, and two patens, i86z. 



The registers before 1 8 1 z are as follows : (i) 

 baptisms 1538 to 1696, burials 1547 to 1696, 

 marriages 1539 to 1696 ; (ii) baptisms 1696 to 1782, 

 marriages 1696 to 1754 ; (iii) burials 1678 to 18 I z ; 

 (iv) baptisms 1783 to i8iz; (v) marriages 1754 

 to 1797 ; (vi) marriages 1797 to 1812. 



The modern church of HOLT TRINITY was 

 erected in 1855 of squared rubble with ashlar dressings, 

 and consists of a chancel with organ chamber and 

 vestry, nave with aisles, and western tower. 



A priest is mentioned in the 



JDFOWSON Domesday Survey as holding land 



of Geoffrey de Beck 6 ' In 1 156 the 



LITTLE 

 BERKHAMPSTEAD 



church of Bengeo was granted to the monks of 

 Bermondsey by Reginald de Tany. The grant 

 was confirmed by Henry II in 11 59 and by Richard 

 de Tany in 1172.™ The monks of Bermondsey 

 retained the rectory and advowson of the vicarage 

 until the Dissolution.*™ They may, however, have 

 mortgaged part, for in 1268 a fine was levied, by 

 which Richard Michelcfeld and Alexandra his wife 

 acknowledged the advowson of a fourth part of the 

 church of Bengeo to be the right of Michael 

 Testard. 70 The king presented In 1338 and 1378, 

 when the temporalities of the priory were in the 

 hands of the Crown by reason of the war with 

 France." In 1553 Edward VI granted the rectory 

 and church of Bengeo to Edward Walter of London," 

 and in 1563 they were sold by Henry Walter to 

 George Horsey, '^ whose son Sir Ralph Horsey sold 

 them to Henry Fanshawe in 1 596," from which 

 date they followed the descent of the manor of 

 Bengeo !1 until the sale of the Byde property in 

 1845. They were then bought by Mr. Abel Smith, 

 whose son Mr. Abel Smith endowed the vicarage 

 with the great tithes in 1848."" The living was 

 declared a rectory in 1867. Mr. Abel Henry Smith 

 is the present patron. 



Meeting-places for Protestant Dissenters were cer- 

 tified in 1810, 1812, 1813, 1817 and 1831. 76 



Mrs. Clarke, as stated in the 

 CHARITIES Parliamentary Returns of 1786, gave 

 land for the poor. The charity is 

 known locally as Shaw's Charity. The land is 4^ 

 acres in extent and is let at £•} a year, which is 

 distributed in bread. 



In 1870 Captain William Rayner Best bequeathed 

 £200, now represented by £215 6s. zd. consols, in 

 the names of trustees, the annual dividends amounting 

 to .£5 Js. dd. to be applied, subject to the repair of 

 tomb, in the distribution of money or articles in 

 kind. 



The almshouses, the origin of which Is unknown, 

 consist of six almshouses occupied by six poor widows 

 without children. 



The Lammas lands consist of 20 a. at Chapmore 

 End let in allotments, producing in 1908 about £33 

 a year, which was divided in sums of is. 3^. among 

 577 recipients. 



LITTLE BERKHAMPSTEAD 



Berchehamstede (xi cent.). 



The parish of Little Berkhampstead is bounded on 

 the north by the River Lea, which separates it from 

 the parish of Hertingfordbury. The area of the 

 parish is 1,581 acres of land and 6 acres of water. 

 The soil is of clay and gravel, the subsoil clay and 

 chalk, and the chief crops are grass and wheat. The 

 village, standing at a height of nearly 400 ft., is 

 situated on a road which runs north to the Lea and 

 south to Tyler's Causeway, which forms part of the 

 southern boundary of the parish, and is continued 



as the road to Cheshunt. The church lies at the north 

 end of the village, and a little further along the road 

 is the old manor-house of the Welds. The house is 

 a timber and plaster building of the early part of the 

 1 7th century, with a tiled roof. It has an open timber 

 porch on the east side and a bay window with moulded 

 wooden transoms and mullions on the north. Most of 

 the internal details are modern, but part of the original 

 hall ceiling still exists decorated with roses and other 

 flowers in low relief. The house is the property of 

 Mr. A. Hale, and is now used as a cyclists' resort. 



fr.cn. Hira. i, 334*. 

 63 Dugdale, Mob. Angl. v, 89 ; Harl. 

 MS. 331, fol. 18,42. 



6s Dugdale, op. cit. V, 102. 



n Cal.Pat. 1338-40, p. 60; 1377-81, 

 p. 277. 



71 Add. MS. 27979 (Ware, co. Herts. 

 Abstract of Evidences, 1570-1668), fol. 



71 Add. MS. 27979, fol. r6 ; I 

 Mich. 38 Sc 39 Eliz- 



** Inst. Bks. P.R.O.; Recov. 



■ick, Nmcmf. in Hera. 484 



