Potsgrove Church

St.Mary's Church, Pottesgrove from the north - 20th century [Z50/90/1] 

This church was previously thought to be Victorian with some preserved earlier pieces. Study of early 19th century pictures as well as a detailed study of the fabric have, however, altered this perception. The current building was certainly heavily restored in the nineteenth century but retained its essentially 14th century layout. Norman work in the north wall suggests that the 14th century church was, itself, a rebuild of an earlier church on the site, this rebuilding taking place, Richard Marks suggests in volume 72 of the Bedfordshire Historical Records Society publications, around 1320-1350. The church once contained a considerable amount of medieval stained glass. In 1732 the benefice of Potsgrove was united with that of Battlesden| and it was suggested that one of the churches be pulled down, fortunately the proposal was resisted by both congregations.

Most of the medieval glass was in place at the beginning of the 19th century. In 1823 Archdeacon Bonney ordered the church to be restored including un-bricking the east window and replacing the glass and colouring the brick work in the side windows of the chancel to imitate glass. The major restoration took place under Rev.E.Norman Coles, rector from 1857 to 1888. One of his first acts as incumbent was to build a school/church in Sheep Lane as the population there was now larger than in the village itself, this chapel was known as St.John's and survives, though now a private house. In 1875 Archdeacon Bathurst described St.Mary's as "in very poor condition" and Coles undertook its restoration the work being carried out in 1880 by the architect John Dando Sedding, a new roof was provided above the old roof in the nave, a new bell turret and thoroughgoing repairs to the stonework. Sedding's work inside, especially his treatment of the 14th century rood screen showed his Arts & Crafts Movement allegiance. As early after restoration as 1894 structural problems were noted with the church and these concerns led to its closure in 1966 and approval for demolition in 1968. Fortunately the church was, for the second time, spared this ignominious fate and was given over to the Redundant Churches Fund (now the Churches Conservation Trust) in 1972. The building is now structurally secure and may be visited.

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.

In 1961 Battlesden with Potsgrove was joined with Woburn, sharing the same incumbent, Milton Bryan and Eversholt being added in 1979 so that the Rector of Battlesden is now also Vicar of Woburn, Rector of Eversholt and Rector of Milton Bryan though each parish retains its own parochial church council, churchwardens and services.

Note: When speaking of the ecclesiastical parish| the name Pottesgrove is commonly used whereas the civil parish| is spelt Potsgrove

St.Mary's church in January 2007

List of Vicars of Pottesgrove

- Richard;
- Henry de Brantingham - 1260 [priest; on death of Richard];
- Waldewyn Peleyn - 1 Jun 1281 [capellanus; on death of Henry];
- William de Wyni;
- Simon de Leycton - 3 Apr 1297 [on resignation of William de Wyni];
- Henry de Coblington - 21 Dec 1312 [capellanus; on resignation of Simon];
- Adam de Fordham - 23 Jun 1323 [priest; on resignation of Henry de Cobelynton];
- William Dean - 24 Apr 1350 [of Leighton [presumably Buzzard]; priest; on death of Adam];
-  Ralph Haddon;
- John Fakenham - 3 Apr 1364 [of Caddington; priest; on resignation of D.Ralph Haddon];
- William Hanne - 20 Jun 1369 [of Wootton ;priest; on resignation of D.John de Fakenhame of Dodington];
- John Curteys;
- Hugh Carpenter - Aug 1380 [priest; on resignation of John Curteys];
- John Bilcok - 8 Apr 1385 [on exchange with Hugh Carpenter for Millbrook];
- Geoffrey Tymkoc - 19 May 1389 [vacant];
- John Saunders - 12 Nov 1399 [priest; on death of John Bylkok [?]; entered again as on 13 Nov];
- John Payntour - 9 Dec 1400 [Vicar of West Farley [Kent], by exchange with John Saunders];
- William Smyth - 26 Oct 1402 [capellanus; on death of John Peyntour];
- Walter Clent - 13 Aug 1406 [on resignation of William Smyth, exchanged to Vicarage of Threckingham [Lincolnshire]];
- William Etyngdon;
- William Skynnere - 3 Nov 1408 [of Wrangle [Lincolnshire]; capellanus; on resignation of William Etyngdon, exchanged to Rectory of Tynchehurst];
- William Sankervyle - 26 Aug 1415 [priest; on resignation of William Wrangle, exchanged to Rectory of Pickworth [Lincolnshire]];
- Henry Gustard - 22 Oct 1415 [priest; on resignation of Robert Sankervyle [?]];
- Thomas Dalton - 26 Jul 1423 [priest; on resignation of Henry Gustard];
- William Honyborne;
- John Brygge - 12 Oct 1440 [priest; on resignation of William Honyborne];
- Robert Meridale - 27 Mar 1454 [capellanus; vacant];
- Thomas Webbe - 3 Sep 1460 [on resignation of Robert Merydale];
- Thomas Tyler - 1 May 1463 [priest; on resignation of William Webbe];
- Thomas Baker - 26 Nov 1463 [on resignation of William Tyler];
- Humphrey Graunger - 13 Jul 1465 [priest; on resignation of Thomas Baker];
- John Ely - 4 Aug 1467 [priest; on resignation of Humphrey Graunger];
- John Lewys;
- John Garlond - 15 Dec 1502 [priest; on death of John Lewys];
- Richard Pigott - 1526;
- William Saunders - 11 May 1549;
- Roger Singleton - 19 Jun 1549 [clerk; on death of Richard Pykett; patron Joan Mylwarde by grant];
- John Barker - 24 Jun 1561 [clerk; on resignation of last Vicar];
- Henry Wattes - 18 Oct 1571 [vacant by cess.; patron William Duncombe, gentleman; admitted 4 Oct 1571];
- John Raynes MA - 29 Sep 1594 [will dated 7 Feb 1649, proved in PCC 28 May 1653];
- Thomas Baker MA - 13 May 1661 [clerk];
- William Vaughan [minister; buried 10 Sep 1684; Curate of Linslade c.1635-1664];
- Henry Layng AM - 4 Mar 1707 [on death of last Vicar; value 10/18/6];
- William Capell - 15 Mar 1726 [clerk; on death of Henry Lang];

 List of Rectors of Battlesden with Pottesgrove

- Edward Bouchier - 22 Jun 1732 [M.A., to Battlesden cum Potsgrove, on resignation of last incumbent];
- Henry Watkins - 23 Nov 1738 [B.A., on cessation of  Edward Bouchier];
- George Charles Black - 15 Aug 1759 [on death of Henry Watkins];
- Thomas Sawell - 12 Apr 1775 [M.A., on death of George Charles Black.];
- Edward Henry Whinfield - 11 Dec 1784 [B.A., on death of Thomas Sawell];
- Henry Wrey Whinfield - 17 Sep 1821 [M.A., on death of Edward Henry Whinfield];
- Henry Edmond Fryer - 8 Jun 1849 [M.A., on death of H. W. Whinfield];
- Edward Norman Coles - 24 Nov 1857 [clerk, on resignation of H.E. Fryer];
- James Davidson - 13 Oct 1888;
- Heneage Horsley Jebb - 1895 [M.A., Patron, Duke of Bedford, exchanged to Streatham.  Died 18 Jan 1913];
- Harold Sellon Watts - Jan 1905;
- William Joy Clarke - Oct 1918;
- William Nevitt Westmore - Oct 1922;
- Arthur Arnold Carter - Sep 1930;
- Garnet George Stapylton Kenyon - 1946;
- William George Dean Pitt Mercer - 1960;
- Robin Orbell Osborne - 1961;
- John Terence Wenham - 1965;
- Paul Richard Miller - 1979;
- James Alan Heslop - 1999;
- Stephen Nuth - 2004

Site of St.John's chapel opposite the turn to Potsgrove village in Sheep Lane - February 2007

St.John's Chapel, Sheep Lane

In 1862 a church and school, St.John's, was built by the Duke of Bedford for Sheep Lane. This hamlet of Potsgrove was, in fact, bigger than the main village and desperately needed some form of Anglican provision of worship, there being Baptist|, Wesleyan| and Primitive| Methodist chapels already situated there. In 1927 Potsgrove was valued under the 1925 Rating Valuation Act and the valuer noted that the chapel and its school, now closed, had last been used in 1898; clearly the buildings were demolished at some point between 1927 and the end of the century.