Introduction

 

Situation

Chawston formed a part of the ancient parish| of Roxton. It is a small hamlet lying due north of the main village and in the early twenty first century contains a number of nurseries utilising the rich almost fenland soil. The soil is mostly clay and gravel and a stream, South Brook runs between Chawston and Roxton, the highest point lies at 273 feet above sea level.

Name

Chawston is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 where it is written Chauelestorne and Calnestorne. The name may mean “Cealf’s thornbush”.

Domesday

The Domesday Book of 1086 records that Chawston was divided amongst a number of landowners. Eudo, son of Herbert, held one hide |and one virgate|. His holding included four villagers andhad been owned in 1066 by “two of King Edward’s men”. The value had been £1 in 1066 but this had subsequently been halved due to the depredations of William I’s armies travelling north to quell rebellion. Hugh de Beauchamp, later created Baron of Bedford, held four virgates, leased to a man called Rualon, who also leased land in Roxton and Great Barford. This holding included two smallholders and had belonged to two freemen in 1066. The holding included woodland for 60 pigs and, like Eudo’s holding, had declined by half in value since 1066 when it had been worth £1.

The third landowner was William Speke. He owned two separate pieces of land. The first of these, seven hides and one virgate, he leased to William, son of Rainward. This manor contained 16 billagers, 2 smallholders and a slave. It also included a mill, worth 13/4 and woodland for 10 pigs. In 1066 it had been worth £9, which had declined to £4 when Speke acquired it, but by 1086 had risen to £6. Before the Conquest it had been owned by 12 freemen. Speke had issues with both de Beauchamp and Eudo, as the book records: “Of these 7 hides and 1 virgate William Speke’s men claim 1½ acres of meadow from Eudo the Steward’s men; the Hundred testifies that his predecessor had them before 1066. William also claims another 7 acres of land against a man of Hugh de Beauchamp by whom he was dispossessed; but his predecessor was put in possession. Eudo the Steward claims 1 acre of the said land against Rualon, Hugh de Beauchamp’s man”.

Speke’s other land holding amounted to half a hide, leased to William Gross; it included two villagers and had been held in 1066 by two of King Edward’s men. It had previously been worth 10/- but this had been halved by 1086.

Sudden Death

Volume XLI of Bedfordshire Historical Records Society series comprises translation by R.F.Hunnisett of medieval coroner's rolls for the county, entry 219 reads: "Towards vespers [dusk] on 16 Jan 1276 Philip the Tailor of Roxton was coming from St.Neots towards Chawston, and came to "Chalversternebroc", tried to cross it on a plank, fell from the plank into the stream and drowned by misadventure. The next day his daughter Ellen searched for him and found him dead…"

A New Parish

On 1 Apr 2007 Chawston ceased to be a part of the civil parish |of Roxton. Instead it became part of a newly formed civil parish made up from Roxton's three hamlets and called Wyboston, Chawston and Colesden.

 

Chawston Lodge in March 2007