Hulcote Church

 

 
The west tower of St.Nicholas' church in March 2007

St.Nicholas' Church

St.Nicholas' church is a very unusual little creation; its structure dates in its entirety from about 1590 and a large part of the chancel is filled with a large, painted monument to its builder Richard Chernocke (his initials "RC" are picked out in nailheads on the door) who died in 1615.

An earlier church existed here as is shown by the list of rectors below and it was described in an inventory of 1552 "churche and steple coveryd with ledd and the chauncell and porch tyled". Today's church is not quite how Chernocke built it, additional fittings being brought in during the 17th century and alterations having been made in the 19th century, for example between 1836 and 1839 and the roof was repaired in 1842. Until 1867 the church sported a low spire but that was removed in this year when the tower was re-roofed and pinnacles heightened. Inside a lot of the early fittings have been removed including the 17th century west gallery. It was suggested that the church be closed in 1875 and the archdeacon noted in 1879 that "the church is now practically shut up, with knowledge and consent of the Bishop but not in legal form". By 1899 the church was disused except during burials. The church was reopened in 1953 after re-roofing with tiles instead of lead and further repairs took place in 1971.

Most of the notes on the structural history of the church can be found in greater detail in Bedfordshire Historical Record Society Volume number 77 of 1998 Bedfordshire Churches in the Nineteenth Century: Part II: parishes H to R, put together by former County Archivist Chris Pickford from numerous sources some held by Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service and some held elsewhere or published.

 
Z49/164 a Victorian drawing of the Chernocke Memorial

Union with Salford

Hulcote was united with Salford in 1750. From 1939 to 1953 Hulcote with Salford shared an incumbent with Ridgmont and since 1961 Hulcote with Salford has shared an incumbent with Cranfield, though the two parishes maintain separate parochial church councils, churchwardens and services.

V.S.C.Smith - Cricketer

Outside the church, just underneath the east window, beneath a stone now very green and nearly unreadable lies buried Villiers Shallet Charnock Smith - a member of the Chernocke family as the name implies. He was born in Plymouth [Devon] on 30 September 1821 and died in Rowley [Oxfordshire] on 1 Feb 1871, aged just 49. He was a prominent cricketer in the early 19th century and turned out regularly for the All England and United England XIs who toured round the country spreading the popularity of the game. He also played for Oxford University and the MCC.

List of Rectors of Hulcote

- Hugh de Bedeforde - C13;
- Hugh de Saleforde - 1221 [capellanus];
- Richard de Bydeham - 1237 [capellanus];
- Nicholas Fromwold;
- John son of Walter de Leycton - 5 Nov 1284 [declared vacant because Nicholas Fromwold to whom the Bishop had committed the custody of the church from time to time in order to his being ordained subdeacon and instituted to the church, had neglected to do so];
- John de Leycton - 28 Feb 1287 [vacant because John did not procure himself to be ordained priest within a year];
- Adam Gerlaund de Blida - 23 May 1293 [clerk; presented in minor orders and now ordained subdeacon and instituted];
- Adam dictus Gerlaund de Blida - 5 May 1294 [subdeacon; vacant because Adam did not procure his ordination as priest within a year];
- Adam Gerlond de Blida - 22 Feb 1297 [subdeacon; vacant because Adam did not procure himself to be ordained priest within a year];
- Gilbert Passelawe - 8 Oct 1311 [acolite; on death of Adam Garelound];
- John le Gaunt - 12 May 1334 [of St.Albans; priest; on death of Gilbert Passeleu];
- Thomas Couper - 13 Jun 1369 [priest; on resignation of John de Sancto Albano];
- John de Grafton - 13 Jun 1377 [priest; on resignation of Thomas Coupe];
- Thomas Turnour - 18 Apr 1397 [of Moulsoe; clerk; on death of John Grafton];
- John Hawden - 3 Nov 1397 [priest; on resignation of Thomas Turnour of Moulsoe];
- Henry Martyn - 30 Jun 1402 [Rector of Bircholt [Kent], by exchange with John Howden];
- John Gurry - 5 Oct 1406 [priest; on resignation of Henry Martyn, exchanged to be Rector of Creton];
- Robert Warreys - 11 Mar 1407 [Vicar of Lefene, Roffen dioc., on exchange with John Gurry];
- Nicholas Capron - 10 Jul 1410 [priest; on resignation of Robert Warreys];
- Thomas Hoppe - 8 Jul 1441 [priest; vacant];
- Michael Steven - 25 Feb 1444 [priest; on resignation of Thomas Hope];
- Thomas Carpenter - 4 Jan 1452 [priest on death of Michael Steven];
- Thomas Scatergode - 1 Aug 1458 [priest; vacant];
- William Chapman - 4 Aug 1460 [capellanus; on resignation of Thomas Scatergood];
- John Hayward - 14 Aug 1465 [priest; on resignation of William Chapman];
- Walter Merston - 17 Nov 1471 [capellanus; on resignation of John Haywarde];
- Laurence Correll - 11 Apr 1477 [on death of Walter Merston];
- Thomas Paksley - 18 Mar 1479 [Abbot of Sawtry [Huntingdonshire]; on death of Laurence Boyvell alias Shynggieton];
- William Sharard - 30 Mar 1481 [priest; on resignation of John Paxley [sic] Abbot of St.Mary de Sawtry];
- John Barugh;
- Thomas Barrow - 1499 [occurs in this year - may be mistake for John Barugh/Barrow];
- Richard Rogers - 19 Sep 1504 [capellanus; on death of John Barugh; will proved 16 May 1543];
- Michael Shepherd - 15 Jun 1543 [capellanus;on death of Richard Rogers];
- Richard Peddar - 7 Feb 1558 [on death of Michael Shepherd];
- William Nodson - 9 Jan 1560 [clerk; vacant];
- Thomas Bradshowe - 6 Aug 1561 [clerk; on cess. of last Rector];
- Edmund Simpson - 23 Nov 1565 [gentleman];
- Richard Harrys - 25 Jul 1569 [clerk; presented on petition of Dr.Kennall];
- John Yonge - 1 May 1571 [clerk; vacant by lapse];
- Roger Hall - 22 May 1572 [buried 14 Jul 1576; will dated 14 Jul, proved 10 Aug 1576; admitted 21 May 1572];
- James Tyday - 17 Dec 1576 [on death of Roger Hall; admitted 7 Nov 1576];
- Richard Parker - 15 Nov 1578 [on resignation of James Tydye; admitted 16 Oct 1578];
- William Fones - 20 Jan 1595;
- Edward Plumer - 5 Aug 1595 [priest; buried 17 Mar 1619; married Margaret Banbury at Salford, 11 Jul 1602];
- Henry Butterfield MA - 8 Sep 1620 [parson; married Elizabeth Fowler 13 Jul 1623];
- John Williams MA - 24 Jul 1622;
- Thomas Cookson - 10 Sep 1666;
- John Littlejohn BA - 16 Apr 1705 [married Mary, widow of Thomas Cheney, Rector of Pertenhall and daughter of Villiers and Ann Chernocke; instituted again 11 Dec 1705; licence of 30 Nov 1670 for marriage of John Littlejohn of Holcot, clerk and Hannah Vaux of Whipsnade in Guildhall Chapel];
- sequestration to Francis Wingfield of Potton - 9 Feb 1725;
- Edward Hervey - 5 Jan 1746 [clerk; on death of John Littlejohn; died 12 Sep 1796 aged 76];

Union with Salford - 25 Jun 1750;

Rectors of Hulcote with Salford:

- Edward Orlebar Smith MA - 19 Dec 1782 [on resignation of Edward Hervey];
- Edward Orlebar Smith MA - 10 Dec 1790 [on cess. of Edward Orlebar Smith; inducted 2 Jul 1790 to be Rector of Bletchley [Buckinghamshire]; was also Rector of Bradenham [Buckinghamshire]];
- Boteler Chernocke Smith BA - 8 Dec 1865 [to Hulcote with Salford on death of Edward Orlebar Smith];
- Richard Curtis Folliott Scott - Nov 1898;
- Irwin Frost Smith - Nov 1939 [with Ridgmont];
- Edgar Richards - Sep 1943 [with Ridgmont];
- Alan Wilkinson - May 1949 [with Ridgmont];
- John Henry Seymour Spread - Nov 1949 [with Ridgmont];
- Charles Edward Standen - 1953;
- John William Brown - 1961;
- Derek Henry Hunt - 1978;
- Hugh K.Symes-Thompson - 1995