Page:VCH Bedfordshire 1.djvu/370

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

A HISTORY OF BEDFORDSHIRE Lincoln. Remigius held in seven different townships altogether hides and 2f virgates, valued at £j us., besides the church of Leighton, worth £4, and the church of St. Paul's, Bedford, which men said he had wrongfully taken from the canons there. His property has however no special interest, except the church of Leighton, which soon after furnished a prebendal stall to the cathedral ; and he did not long hold the church of St. Paul. The Bishop of Durham's property is small, but has an interest of its own. He held in Millow 4^ hides, and in Arlesey 8 hides, together worth £7, which the canons of Holy Cross at Waltham 1 had held in alms of Edward the Confessor. Both Millow and Arlesey were afterwards recovered by Waltham Abbey. 2 The abbot of St. Edmund's held land in three places ; altogether y hides and 4 virgates, value £7 6s. His property has no further interest in church history. The abbot of Peterborough had the manor of Stanwick, z hides, worth 30.C, which still belonged to the abbey in 1346. 3 This manor is now part of Northamptonshire. The abbot of Ramsey had very extensive and valuable property ; the five manors of Cranfield, Barton, Pegsdon, Holwell and Shillington, besides land in Wyboston, Barford, Clifton and Standon. It amounted to 50! hides, and was worth £48 6s. d* Cranfield, Barton and Shil- lington belonged to the abbey till the dissolution. The abbot of St. Peter's, Westminster, had only half a hide in Hol- well, worth oos. He still drew a pension of os. from Holwell church in 1291/ The abbot of Thorney had 2 hides and 1 virgate in Bolnhurst, worth 6oj-. The church remained under the patronage of the abbey till the dissolution. The abbess of Barking held the manor of Lidlington, 10 hides, worth £S, and continued to do so until the dissolution. The canons of St. Paul's, London, held Caddington ; the Dean and Chapter retain the patronage of the church until this day. The prebends of Caddington, Major and Minor, were endowed from their property in this neighbourhood. The manor was in extent 5 hides and worth 40J. ; it had been given to the canons by King William. Canon Osmund of St. Paul's, Bedford, held 3 virgates of the king in Biddenham, worth ioj. 6 Canon Ansfrid of the same church held another virgate worth 3J., of the gift of Ralf Taillebois. Ernuin, a priest, held 1 carucate in Harrowden. 1 See Domes Jay Studies, ii. 420-1. It is not clear how these two manors came into the hands of the Conqueror, whether by an exchange or by violence, as they seem to have been part of the original endowment of Waltham Abbey. J Feud. Aids, i. 19, 20. 3 Ibid. i. 8, 25.

  • The history of nearly all these acquisitions may be found in the registers of Ramsey Abbey (Rolls

Series). 6 Pope Nkh. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 49. 6 One virgate was bequeathed by Leuiet, who held it in alms of King Edward ; the other two were the gift of Ralf Taillebuis. 312