Northill Church

 
Northill church by Bradford Rudge 1859 [Z49/413]

Early History of the Church

The list of rectors of St.Mary the Virgin, as set out below, dates back to 1224 proving that there has been a church in Northill since at least that date and probably many centuries previous. The current church, however, is of 14th century date - the earliest part, the nave, dating to between 1325 and 1350. The chancel may be late 14th century or may date to 1404 when the church became collegiate. The college was created by the executors of Sir John and Sir Reginald de Trailly and was intended to pray for their souls. The college contained four fellows (all clergymen) who elected a master, who was always the rector. The college was dissolved in 1547 as part of Henry VIII's dissolution of religious bodies in the wake of his break with Rome and his need to raise money. The church still contains some stalls in the chancel which were created whilst the college was in existence.

Northill has a very full set of churchwardens' accounts dating from 1561 and they note that the rood loft was dismantled in 1563. In 1637 the bell frame was restored, paid for by a levy on inhabitants on the parish, including Ickwell, Caldecote and the smaller hamlets. The Grocer's Company of London purchased the patronage of the living in the 1660s and one of their first acts, in 1662, was to restore the chancel, installing a three light east window. They also provided the parish bier (1663) and chest (1663) and popular history credits them with commissioning the church clock from Thomas Tompion in the same year; however, the clock is first recorded in 1706 when the church terrier notes that it was "set up". The Grocer's Company have a new silver flagon to the church in 1696 and a set of fire buckets. In the next century the Company painted the windows in the chancel in 1760 and repaired the chancel roof.

Northill church from south east Jul 2007

Repairs and Restorations

In 1765 Lord Deloraine added a large private gallery pew on the south side of the church, this lasted until at least 1847 when mentioned in an article in the Northampton Mercury. At the end of the 18th century the tower was repaired as it was found to be: "cracked from the top to the ground three sides of the square".

Many repairs and alterations were carried out in the 19th century: seating and window repairs in 1825, the bells were re-hung in 1827, the medieval font was replaced by a modern one in 1828, the roof was re-covered in 1832-1833 and yet another new font provided in 1858. It was in this year that Rev.Arthur Sidney Pott, who had the church at Upper Caldecote built, became rector. He commissioned architect Henry Woodyer of Guildford [Surrey] to restore the fabric of Northill church in 1862. The chancel arch was rebuilt, new roof and floor for the chancel were provided and a stone reredos. A vestry and organ chamber were also added to the church, the nave was re-seated and the tower restored, the latter involving removing a brick wall built across the internal opening of the tower in the repair work of 1796, taking off the spire and adding a new stair turret. The church was reopened in 1863.

Northill church from south with "Tompion" clock in tower Jul 2007

A gale in 1873 necessitated further repairs to the church and a new pulpit was installed in 1882, by architect Arthur W.Blomfield. Clayton & Bell installed stained glass in the windows in the west end of the church in the 1870s and the east window was installed in 1885, the glass installed by the Grocers' Company in 1664 (which had been altered in the 1862 restoration) being removed to the south aisle. Later work in the church included re-hanging the bells in 1896, repairing the organ in 1897, installing the Harvey memorial window the same year, building the Astell memorial chapel in 1904, installing the Leatham memorial window in the same year, installing a new organ in 1921 and restoring the tower again, by Ampthill architect Professor Albert E.Richardson, in 1932.

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.

The Rector of Northill also became incumbent of Caldecote in 1981 and Old Warden in 2000; the parishes remain separate, however, with their own parochial church councils, churchwardens and other officers.

 
Old Rectory in 1960s [Z50/84/50]

Rectory

The Old Rectory is an imposing building. It was listed by Department of Environment in 1952 as Grade II, meaning it is of special interest. The Department's architect reckoned it to be 18th century with later 19th century additions and alterations, such as the porch added on the north side in 1879.

In 1927 Northill, in common with the rest of Bedfordshire, was visited by valuers under the Rating Valuation Act1925. Every building and piece of land was valued for rates, the Rectory being no exception. The valuer noted: "house has been added to", it was built of brick and tile and "income [of the living]sufficient for house". the property contained; a hall ("poor"); dining room ("good"); drawing room ("good"); door to garden; study; store ("was servants' hall"); pantry; back stairs; kitchen; cellar and larder; half landing. On the first floor were a bedroom and dressing room; three further bedrooms; a dressing room; bathroom; kitchen; store and box room. On the 2nd floor were: bedroom and dressing room and three bedrooms "all good". Outside was a brick and tile garage; store; boot room; trap house; coal hovel; big store room; room; two pigsties. Overall the valuer's opinion was "v.g. house".

 
Northill Men's Bible Class 1907 [P10/28/17]

List of Rectors

- Richard de Loda - 1224 [clerk, instituted Rector];
- Henry de la Suche - 1252 [subdeacon];
- William de Trailly - 17 May 1302 [acolite];
- Thomas Trailly - 22 Sep 1326 [priest on death of William Trailly];
- Roger de Lameleye - 18 Jan 1330 [Rector of Lameleye, by exchange with Thomas Trailly, Rector of Northill];
- Thomas Trailly - 30 Jan 1346 [clerk, on death of Roger de Lammeleye];
- Ardenne, Andrew - 3 Feb 1347 [priest, on resignation of Thomas Trailly];
- Thomas Trailly - 11 Mar 1348 [clerk, on resignation of Richard de Ardenne];
- William de Ardenne - 24 Apr 1350 [priest, on death of Thomas Trailly];
- Nicholas de Markele - 14 Jul 1354 [priest, on resignation of William de Ardenne];
- John de Logedon - 18 Sep 1369 [Canon of Lichfield and Presbyter of Berulford there, & Rector of Toresby, by exchange with Nicholas, Rector of Northill, for Toresby Rectory];
- Nicholas de Markele - 18 Nov 1375 [priest, on death of John de Logedone];
- Thomas Herny - 7 May 1377 [priest, on death of Nicholas Markele];
- William Borskill - 22 May 1378 [priest, on resignation of Thomas Henry];
- John Warde - 24 Sep 1389 [on death of William Borstall, who died in the Rectory 13 Sep last. Inquiry held by Richard, Rector of Barton, Richard , Rector of Maulden & others];
- Richard Hethe - 5 Jul 1422 [Rector of Strithlington, to Mastership of Collegiate Church, on death of John Warde];
- William Graveley - 1443 [priest, on death of Richard Hethe];
- Thomas Taylard - 23 Mar 1474 [S.T.B., to Church and Mastership of College on death of Thomas Grenele, last Rector];
- William Porter - 15 Oct 1493 [M.A., priest to College, on death of Thomas Taylard];
- Thomas Randolff - 14 Nov 1494 [licensed priest to Mastership of College on resignation of William Porter];
- Andrew Beustede - 11 Jan 1498 [Rector of Multon, in the jurisdiction of Church and Chapel of Canterbury, on exchange with Thomas Randolffe. Elected Warden by the subdeacon and fellows];
- John Underhill - 18 Dec 1507 [on resignation of Andrew Bousted];
- Robert Gostwyk - 4 Aug 1529 [L.L.B., on resignation of John Underhill];
- Thomas Grene - 1534 [chaplain, on resignation of Robert Gostwike];
- John Carter - 21 Feb 1535;
- Carter - 1548 [Fellow of College granted 10 stipend in place of curate by Augmentation Warrant];
- Robert Enewe - 1565 [curate, buried];
- John Leache - 1565 [died 1580];
- John Lynch - 1565;
- Anthony Hoggett - 1604 [died 1591];
- Thomas Adams - 1604 [clerk, buried 8 Mar 1565];
- William Hawkins - 1565;
- John Wilmer - 1612 - 1655 [buried 20 Nov 1655];
- Edward Fowler - 1656 [D.D. Born 1632. B.A. of Corpus Christi College, Oxford 23 Dec 1653. Incorporated M.A. Oxon 5 Jul 1656. Died at Chelsea, Middlesex 26 Aug 1714];
- Robert Cordell - 13 Oct 1662 [priest];
- William Sclater - 1664;
- Robert Hancock - [minister, buried 10 Sep 1683];
- James Calamy - 1683 -1687 [Rector, died 1708];
- Capell Berrow - 1715 [B.A. 1703, M.A., 1712, Christ College Cambridge. Chaplain to William, Earl Cowper. Sarah his wife buried 16 Feb 1722];
- William Seele Maxey - 1751 [buried 20 Sep 1780];
- John Markham - 21 Nov 1780 [M.A., to curacy of Northill on death of William Seele Maxey];
- John Taddy - 27 Jul 1811 [M.A., on death of John Markham];
- Arthur Sidney Pott - 27 Mar 1858 [M.A., on death of John Taddy];
- Francis Pott - 28 Jun 1866 [M.A., on death of A S Pott];
- Clement Michael Greenstreet - Aug 1891 [B.A., on resignation of Francis Pott];
- H.L.D.de Brisay  - 25 Dec 1907;
- Harold Curling Dunn - Dec 1930 [M.A.];
- Alfred Jonathan Nix-Seaman - Jul 1943 [M.A.];
- Thomas Albert Frost - 1956;
- Charles Edward Jones - 1965;
- Norman William Hill - 1974;
- Timothy Havelock Girling - 1980;
- Thomas Denis Desert - 1989;
- Frank Coleman - 2000

Northill church from north-east Jul 2007