Willington Church

Willington church from the east in 1812 by Thomas Fisher [LL18/52]

St.Lawrence's Church

Nikolaus Pevsner in his guide to the Churches of Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire & Peterborough describes St.Lawrence's church as historically important. Certainly in architectural style it is all of a piece - late perpendicular indicating it was built around the end of the Middle Ages and, given the Sir John Gostwick was such a prolific builder (the dovecote and nearby stable were built by him) it seems likely that he either completely rebuilt the church or considerably altered the older building after he became Lord of the Manor in 1529. He is buried in the church and his plain tomb chest is between the chancel and north chapel. Interestingly the church has two helmets of Sir John's, one a fighting helmet of the 1520s, the other a ceremonial helm worn by him at the Field of the Cloth of Gold (the sumptuous meeting of Henry VIII and Francis I of France between Ardres and Guines, not far from Calais, in 1520, an event organised by Gostwick's master Cardinal Wolseley). The church also contains the tombs of Sir William Gostwick (died 1615) and Sir Edward (died 1630). As can be seen from the list of vicars there was obviously a church in Willington before Sir John Gostwick and this is reinforced by the known fact that the advowson (the right to appoint the vicar) was granted to Newnham Priory in 1166.

Willington church from the east in November 2006

Later additions to Gostwick's church included the font, damningly described by one writer as "an Apothecary's marble mortar enclosed in a wooden case" was acquired early in the 19th century. A partition was erected in the tower arch in 1835 and the chancel was repaired about 1847 and it was probably then that the remains of the old rood screen were removed and destroyed. The Duke of Bedford paid £182 for improvements to the church in 1867 when pulpit, desk and seating was altered, a new stone font provided and five windows re-glazed, a further two receiving the same treatment in 1885-1886. The eighteen year old organ of Cople church was reconditioned and moved to Willington in 1875, it had been built by poet and hymn writer Rev.William Henry Havergal - father of the prolific hymn writer Frances Ridley Havergal, who wrote "Take My Life and Let it Be" and "Who is on the Lord's Side?" amongst over seventy works.

Willington church from the south in November 2006

The main church restoration was carried out in 1877 by the Duke of Bedford's favourite architect, Henry Clutton (who built the church at Aspley Heath and the new church at Woburn). The work cost over £2,500 and one of its most striking legacies is the stained glass in the east window by Heaton Butler & Bayne. Later work included new choir stalls in 1914, repairs to the Gostwick Chapel in 1928 a new altar and screen in the lady Chapel in 1959 and the new organ by E.J.Johnson of Cambridge in 1969.

Most of the notes on the structural history of the church can be found in greater detail in Bedfordshire Historical Record Society Volume number 79 of 2000 Bedfordshire Churches in the Nineteenth Century: Part III: parishes S to Y, 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.

Vicarage

In 1927 the Vicarage was rated under the 1925 Rating Valuation Act and the valuer found that the living had a gross value of £310 per annum. The house consisted of a hall, dining room ("fair"), drawing room ("fair"), library ("small poor"), kitchen ("low small"), scullery ("poor") and pantry downstairs and five bedrooms above, along with a room used as a bathroom, a lumber room, two maid's rooms and two attics. Outside were a wood barn, coachhouse, old stable, garage, stable and old glasshouse, the lawns and grounds were "very good" and overall the "back portion of house better than front" but it was a "poor property". With the vicarage went 2.506 acres of grassland as well as a cottage, occupied by S.E.Scotton, consisting of a living room, kitchen and two bedrooms it was a "very poor place".

Plurality

Since 1945 the Vicar of Willington has also been incumbent of Mogerhanger and, since 1969, of Cople also, though the churches retain their own parochial church councils and services.

 
The south door in November 2006

List of Vicars of Willington 

- Nicholas de Wileton [capellanus];
- John;
- Ralph de Wahull - 1 Mar 1274 [priest; on death of John];
- Nicholas de Harewedon - 20 Jan 1275 [priest; on death of Ralph];
- Hugh de Tiffeld - 3 Jul 1304 [on resignation of Nicholas de Harwedon];
- John de Stacheden;
- William Kybbel [priest; on resignation of John de Stacheden];
- Thomas Alkoc - 7 Dec 1350 [of Bereford [Great Barford?]; priest; on resignation of William];
- John de Sibiston - 6 Feb 1361 [priest; on death of Thomas];
- John, son of William Wryghte - 7 Aug 1372 [of Wolde; priest; on resignation of John de Sibeston];
- William Barker - 12 Apr 1377 [of Spaldwick [Huntingdonshire]; priest];
- John Downe - 22 Jul 1381 [priest; exchanged with William Barker for Bedford, All Saints];
- Richard Knyghton - 20 Aug 1401 [Vicar of Wottone [Wooton?]; on resignation of John Downe, exchanged to Wottone];
- Ralph Lokyn - 12 Sep 1401 [capellanus];
- John Moysond - 18 Dec 1401 [chantry priest of St.Paul's Cathedral, London; on resignation of Ralph Lokyn with whom he exchanged];
- William Touee - 4 Apr 1404 [priest; on resignation of John Moysand, exchanged to Rectory of Thornhaugh [Northamptonshire]];
- Bartholomew Fermour - 4 Feb 1405 [priest; on resignation of William Toue, exchanged for Chantry of St.Mary in All Saints church, Rissheton [Rushden, Northamptonshire?];
- John Clardon - 31 Dec 1420 [priest; on death of Bartholomew Holygoste];
- Robert Calyser - 16 May 1421 [priest; on resignation of John Clardon];
- Robert Chapman;
- Hugh Chapman - 12 Jan 1432 [priest; on resignation of Robert Chapman];
- William Hoveden - 14 Feb 1449 [priest];
- Richard Whythove - 9 Aug 1452 [priest];
- Richard Newton - 22 May 1457 [priest];
- William Gibbison- 8 Nov 1457 [capellanus; on resignation of Richard Newton];
- Richard Dalby - 10 Oct 1458 [priest; on resignation of William Gibbeson];
- Thomas Marchall - 1 May 1463 [priest; on resignation of Richard Dalby];
- John Whirlett;
- William Hamond - 22 Apr 1471 [priest; on resignation of John Whirlet];
- John Wilkyns - 3 Dec 1473 [on death of William Hamonde];
- Robert Pecher - 27 Oct 1489 [priest; on death of John Wylkyns];
- William Fissher;
- Robert Reve - 7 Apr 1508 [capellanus; on resignation of William Fissher; pension of 20/];
- William Colley - 10 Jan 1538 [clerk; on death of Robert Reve];
- George Armourer - 18 Feb 1545;
- John Small - 21 Dec 1546 [clerk];
- William Ward - 1570s [also at Biddenham];
- William Smithe MA - 16 Oct 1579;
- Augustine Topcliffe MA - 3 Aug 1588;
- Thomas Adams - 22 Aug 1611 [instituted 21 Dec 1614 to Wingrave [Buckinghamshire]];
- Thomas Cookson - 5 May 1615 [minister];
- Thomas Cookson - 18 Oct 1619;
- Robert Howgyll MA - 13 Jun 1622 [capellanus; will proved in PCC29 Jul 1645; to be buried in church before door of the reading pew; died 9 Oct 1643];
- William Iveson - 23 Oct 1643 [clerk];
- Richard Hanchett - 1650;
- Thomas Skinner MA - 17 Jul 1665 [clerk; on death of last Vicar];
- Thomas Stirke BA - 19 Nov 1670 [ordained priest by John Wilkins, Bishop of Chester, 17 Nov 1670; on resignation of Thomas Skinner];
- Matthew Jones AB - 3 Oct 1698 [on death of Thomas Stirke; clerk; buried 12 Mar 1713];
- Benjamin Holloway LLB - 21 Sep 1713 [on death of Matthew Jones];
- John Betts AB - 20 Jul 1727 [on cession of Benjamin Holloway; buried 6 Jul 1745];
- Thomas Shepherd BA - 2 Aug 1745 [on death of John Betts; died 14, buried 19 Jun 1751, aged 36];
- John Smith - 20 Sep 1751 [clerk; on death of Thomas Shepherd];
- (Robert Holt Butcher SCL - 20 Dec 1767 [of Trinity College, Cambridge; ordained deacon to cure of souls]);
- Richard Leach - 25 Sep 1786 [clerk; on death of John Smith; died 18, buried 23 Apr 1810, aged 67];
- Philip Hunt LLD - 5 May 1810 [on death of Richard Leach];
- Henry Fuller BA - 4 Apr 1834 [on cession of Philip Hunt];
- Augustus Orlebar MA - 9 Dec 1858 [on cession of Henry Fuller; died Oct 1912 at Willington];
- Frederick William Kingston BA - Apr 1913;
- George Herbert Kingston - May 1933;
- Thomas John Landy Davies - May 1938 [Vicar of Mogerhanger];
- Harold Phoenix - Oct 1947 [Vicar of Mogerhanger];
- Edward Arthur Nobles - 1971;
- Christopher Philip Huitson - 1978;
- John Arthur Terry - 1990;
- Nicholas T.Macneill - 1998