List of Rectors

Saint Botolph's in 1761 from the parish inclosure map [MA94]

Plurality

The rector of Aspley Guise is also Vicar of Husborne Crawley and of Ridgmont. Aspley Guise and Husborne Crawley were united, briefly, in 1795 under Rev.Thomas Tipping Aveling but this ended in 1813 and the incumbents remained separate until 1980 when Bob Hardy was appointed Rector of Aspley Guise and Vicar of Husborne Crawley and Ridgmont. The three parishes are not themselves united but continue to have separate parochial church councils, churchwardens and services.

Interior of Saint Botolph's, photograph used in the Victoria County History of 1912

Advowson

The advowson| is first recorded, in 1188, as belonging to Simon de Beauchamp. He granted it to Newnham Priory who managed to fight off a challenge by Falkes to Beaute on behalf of Dunstable Priory. In 1227, however, the advowson was granted to Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent and Justiciar of England, after his death, however, the advowson seems to have reverted to Newnham Priory, as de Beauchamp's grant was confirmed to them in 1317. Over the next hundred years, however, it passed from the priory to the Gyse family who held it until it was released to the Crown in 1544. Various patrons of the living followed including the Luke family of Arlesey Bury until it passed to a Martin Hill in 1682 and in 1718 a William Booth had the advowson. By 1752 the rector, Edward Hall, was patron of the living and in that year the Duke of Bedford bought the advowson from him. In 1927 the patronage of the living passed from the Duke of Bedford to the Bishop of Saint Albans.

 
Aspley church interior looking east January 2008

List of Rectors

• Henry de Carlion - 1223 [clerk];
• Richard filius Johannes de Swaneburne - 1224 [subdeacon];
• Geoffrey de Caune - 1224 [clerk];
• Reginald de Wrastlingeworthe - 1229 [capellanus];
• Robert de Keleshey - 2 Sep 1238 [subdeacon];
• Simon de Neyuill;
• William Triket - 1247 [capellanus; on resignation of Simon de Keyuill; patron Prior & Convent of Newnham];
• Anselm de San Neoto - 1248 [subdeacon];
• Thomas de Bradewell - 19 Dec 1282 [in minor orders; on death of Anselm; ordained subdeacon 13 Dec 1282 at "Wycumb"];
• John de Haremade - 14 Oct 1288 [subdeacon; on death of Thomas];
• John de Hardemed - 22 Jun 1290 [deacon; vacant in that the said John did not procure himself to be ordained priest within a year];
• John de Feriby - 23 May 1293 [clerk; presented in minor orders and now ordained subdeacon & instituted on presentation of John de Hardmed to Hattele];
• John de Feriby - 31 May 1294 [deacon];
• Stephen Buket - 28 Sep 1295 [subdeacon; on institution of John de Feriby to another church];
• Thomas de Burgo;
• Nicholas de Salford - 21 Oct 1350 [priest; on resignation of Thomas de Burgo, exchanged for Rector of Wakerle];
• Hugh Helm of Lutterwyk - 17 Jun 1357 [priest; on resignation of Nicholas de Salford];
• Robert Fage;
• William Bilton - 1389 [Vicar of Ravensden; on exchange with Robert Fage; in plurality with Bedford, Saint Peter Dunstable];
• Henry Fuer of Bedford - 13 Mar 1390 [priest; on death of William de Bylton];
• John Danvers - 1395 [Vicar of Pulloxhill; on exchange with Henry Fiwer];
• John Benet - 20 Nov 1414 [priest; on resignation of John Danvers; exchanged to Rector of Hoggeston];
• Thomas Tybbay - 20 Aug 1415 [Rector of Suave, diocese of Kent; on exchange with John Benet];
• Nicholas Fulburn;
• William Clerk - 14 Jul 1420 [priest; on death of Nicholas Fulburn];
• John Love;
• John Legete - 16 Oct 1431 [chantry priest of Yeldhale "one of the five chantries in the chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary juxta Guildhall", City of London; by exchange with John Love, Rector of Aspley Guise];
• Thomas Sabyn - 13 Nov 1435 [priest; on resignation of John Legette; exchanged to Rector of All Saints, Bedford];
• Adam Brown - 23 Oct 1459 [priest; on resignation of Thomas Wendy; pension of 6 mares to retiring rector];
• Thomas Dorylett - 8 Nov 1470 [priest; on resignation of Adam Browne; exchanged to Rector of Radwell];
• John Bendebowe - 8 Mar 1479 [on death of Thomas Dorlette, last rector];
• John Lewenthorpe - 29 Jan 1492 [priest; on resignation of John Bendbowe];
• William Pell - 14 Apr 1498 [priest; on resignation of John Lewynthrope];
• John Markeham;
• Richard Stratton - 6 Jun 1533 [capellanus; on resignation of John Markeham];
• Adam Moldesworth - 7 Nov 1557 [priest; on death of Richard Stratton]:
• Thomas Birde - 9 Mar 1558 [priest; on death of Adam Molesworthe];
• William Tatam - 14 Jun 1558 [will dated 1 Mar 1581; proved 22 May 1582; buried 12 Apr 1582];
• William Stone - 29 Sep 1582 [MA; of Burnham [Norfolk] also Wavendon; on death of William Tatam; admitted 28 Jun 1582; 35 years Rector; died 1618 [sic] aged 72; buried 9 Sep 1617];
• John Beaumont [or Beamond] - 17 Sep 1617 [buried 21 Aug 1629; married at Kempston 19 Feb 1611 to Temperance Carter];
• William Greenough - 26 Oct 1629 [patron Oliver Luke; will dated 5 Jun 1632; to be buried in chancel; proved 17 Jul 1632; married Agnes, daughter of Geoffrey Moore of Colmworth, 12 May 1613 at St.Alban's, Wood Street, London; buried 9 Jun 1632];
• Zachary Seton - 23 Sep 1633 [buried 29 Jun 1638; desired to be buried in chancel; will proved 15 Aug 1638];
• Thomas Arkesden - 29 Nov 1639 [buried 20 Jun 1682];
• Edward Hall - 25 Jul 1682 [MA; on death of Thomas Arkesden; ordained priest 19 Sep 1675 by Nathaniel, Bishop of Durham; buried 21 Jun 1718; married as a widower to Elizabeth Benson, widow, "old Mr.Lye's daughter", of St.Mary at Hill, London on 22 Dec 1699];
• Edward Hall - 24 Oct 1718 [MA; on death of Edward Hall];
• Philip Tucke - 19 Jul 1753 [MA, Clare Hall, Cambridge, 1739; on death of Edward Hall];
• Peter le Pipre - 1 Jul 1756 [MA, Queen's College, Cambridge, 1752; on death of Philip Tuke; buried at St.John's, Bedford, 29 Sep 1782];
• William Aveling - 4 Jul 1783 [MA, St.John's College, Cambridge, 1768; on death of Peter Lepipre; in plurality with Bedford, Saint Peter de Merton; buried 4 Mar 1790];
• Edmund Williamson - 7 Jun 1790 [MA, Trinity College, Cambridge, 1786; on death of William Aveling; in plurality with Campton];
• Thomas Tipping Aveling - 24 Feb 1793 [BA, Jesus College, Cambridge, 1793; ordained deacon and licensed as curate next day; afterwards Archdeacon of Londonderry];

Benefice united with Husborne Crawley - 1795

• Thomas Farmer - 12 Aug 1813 [MA; on resignation of Thomas Tipping Aveling; died 25 Jul 1843, aged 71; Rector for 30 years];
• John Vaux Moore - 13 Jan 1844 [MA; Rector of Aspley Guise with Vicarage of Husborne Crawley annexed; in plurality with Ridgmont until 1849; on death of Thomas Farmer; resigned 22 Oct 1849 [? sic]; died 12 Jan 1864, aged 65; buried 19 Jan 1864];
• Hay Macdowall Erskine - 8 Jun 1864 [clerk; on death of John Vaux Moore; resigned 24 Sep 1868 for Long Marston];
• Samuel Harvey Gem - 9 Feb 1869 [MA; on resignation of last rector];
• Daniel Pring Alford - 1878;
• James Chadwick Maltby - 1880;
• Thomas Francis Yule - Dec 1914;
• Sydney Coleman - May 1920;
• Arthur Henry Parnell - May 1925;
• Charles Leonard Drew - Jun 1928;
• Harry Legg Clothier - Nov 1938;
• Ronald Charles Jefferyes - Oct 1949;
• Alan John Samuel Freeman - 1960;
• Robert Maynard Hardy - 1975 [later Bishop of Lincoln];
• Richard William Huband - 1981;
• John Edmund Ingham - 1992;
• Graham Bradshaw - 2000

Volume 81 published by the Bedfordshire Historical Records Society (2002) is devoted to returns made during episcopal visitations| to the county by the Bishop of Lincoln in the early 18th century, edited by former County Archivist Patricia Bell. It throws some interesting light on the state of the church in the parish. For example in 1712 the rector reported: "None Unbaptized come to Church. Many not Confirmed. Divine Service twice every Lord's day. Communion 3 tines a year. Not above 16 usually receive".

In 1717 Rev.Edward Hall was in his last year on earth, he reported: "Our Minister Resides in the Parish and Preaches twice a day one half yeare, and commonly Catechises. Reads publick service twice every Lords Day and preaches once a day the short Dayes and reads prayers in the Afternoon and Catechises. No Curate. Many Baptised few confirmed no Adults Baptised. Its [services] performed twice a day every Lords day forenoon and afternoon, seldom in the Night! Except at Buryals. The minister commonly catechises the school boyes in the Afternoon: but Very few of the Parishioners sends their children or any servants to be Instructed. They Like not to be Catechised upon any account, Unless they firce them; being unacceptable. The Sacrament is administer'd in my Church eight times in the year. Fourscore, and some more, are the usual number of Communicants in my Parish. About one hundred communicated at Easter last, at the least. I give open and timely warning of the Sacrament before it is administer'd. They do not send in their names to me as requird. I have refused the Sacrament to none". He also reported in a rather incoherent stream of invective: "Divers who have come to Church (now, since the Toleration) goes no where, mere Libertines, two chief farmers, besides the Prophane Rabble Goes no where!"

In 1720 Edward Hall's son, Edward junior was Rector: "I do reside in my Parsonage house...None unbaptiz'd that I know of. Some not confirmed, one Adult baptiz'd. Publick service is read Wednesdays, Fridays and saturdays between Lady-day and Michaelmass, except in Harvest; and twice every Lord's day. Catechizing Fridays and Saturdays. the Children are sent. They learn no Catechism but that appointed by the Church. Sacrament always four times, sometimes oftener. About forty [receive]. Between twenty and thirty, the number aforesaid Easter last".

On Sunday 30th March 1851 a census of all churches, chapels and preaching-houses of every denomination was undertaken in England and Wales. the results were published by Bedfordshire Historical Records Society in 1975 as Volume 54, edited by D.W.Bushby. The figures given for Aspley church were 150 attending in the morning and 250 in the afternoon, with 85 Sunday Scholars at both services - grand totals of 235 and 335. The average for the preceding twelve months was given as 200 and 95 in the morning and 350 and 95 in the afternoon for grand totals of 295 and 445 - the census day was very wet and cold, not enticing people to travel far. The Rector, John Vaux Moore, have seating capacity of the church as 560.