Introduction

The two sets of charming reminiscences of Mrs Jane Inskip were written in March 1915 (while she was recovering from a severe illness) and in December 1924, a few weeks before her death at the age of 90. Mrs Inskip was born on 23 August 1834, Jane Street, the daughter of Thomas Street and his wife, Ann Her grandfather, George Street, whom she mentions in these reminiscences, had been a tenant of a farm of Samuel Whitbread's at Cardington called Harrowden Great Farm, from at least 1793. There is a bird's eye view of the farmhouse itself on a map of this date and the fine looking building seems to go well with her description of her grandfather as a man who “was led into a more expensive style of living than he could afford”. After his death in a riding accident in 1808, leaving a family of two sons and three daughters, his wife, Elizabeth, and his eldest son, Thomas, carried on the farm.

In 1816, this son, Thomas married Ann Malden, one of the family of four children (two sons and two daughters) of James Malden, who was a founder member of Cotton End Baptist Church, and had been appointed deacon there in November 1815. Thomas himself attended this church and had been received into church fellowship in the year before his marriage, on 2 April 1815. The year after his marriage (June 1817) saw the wedding of his sister Eleanor to Ebenezer Malden. Another sister, Sarah, married George Swannell of Filgrove, Bucks, in September 1824, and a third sister, Mary Ann, married Samuel Swannell of Felmersham, at Pavenham Church on 17 December 1824. Mrs Inskip states that her parents started married life as tenants on a farm in Clapham, but there seems to be no evidence of this. Certainly no Thomas Street is recorded as a tenant in Clapham on any of the Land Tax returns at any date, whereas he is recorded as a tenant of the Duke of Bedford's Yew Tree Farm at Cople from Lady Day, 1817, taking over the farm after the death of the former tenant, George Brooks. This would only leave six months for any tenancy at Clapham.

P.R.O. ref: S.C.6 Henry VIII 8

Lands & possessions late pertaining to Priory of Caldwell

Accounts of Edw. Copley, bailiff & collector Arrears

This volume, and the following one, contain transcripts of the first accounts made by ministers of the Court of Augmentations for revenues arising from the properties of religious houses in Bedfordshire. In the case of houses with their principal property in Bedfordshire all property whether in Bedfordshire or not has been transcribed, but in the case of those houses situated outside Bedfordshire, only the Bedfordshire property has been included. The volumes also contain a transcript of the first ministers’ accounts for the Honour of Ampthill, a royal estate created partly from former religious lands and partly from lands purchased or exchanged by the Crown. Two desmesne valors have also been included.

By the 1530’s, Henry VIII was in great need of further revenue in order to replenish his depleted treasury. Amongst those sources to which he turned were the monastic estates. The monasteries were assessed for the new royal tax of the Tenth in 1535, and the Valor Ecclesiasticus is the record of the survey made for this tax assessment. As a result of this assessment it was known that there were about 400 small monasteries throughout the country, some of which were already in financial difficulties. It was therefore an acceptable step to enact a statute [27 Henry VIII, c. 28] during the Parliament prorogued on 4 February 1536, by which all such religious houses of monks, canons and nuns “which may not dispend Manors, Lands, Tenements and Hereditaments above the clear yearly value of £200” were dissolved and their property transferred to the Crown. The occupants of these houses, except for the abbots and priors who received pensions, were given the choice of entering one of the larger houses or of receiving a capacity or licence “to live honestly and virtuously abroad” whilst acting as secular priests. Nuns could only move to one of the larger houses. Any persons who had professed under age were released from their vows. However in 1537 the Abbess of Furness only surrendered her house on condition that all the nuns received pensions and this gradually became the rule. The smaller religious houses in Bedfordshire which were dissolved under this statute were Markyate Priory, Caldwell Priory, Bushmead Priory and Harrold Priory and their first ministers’ accounts, transcribed in this volume, date from Michaelmas 27 Henry VIII to Michaelmas 28 Henry VIII [1536/7].

Honour of Ampthill with members in counties of Bedfordshire

and Buckinghamshire

Accounts of all and singular Bailiffs, Port Reeves, Beadles, Farmers, Collectors of Rents and other Ministers of several lordships, manors, lands and possessions and all those hereditaments whatsoever both Temporal and Spiritual by the Authority of the Lord King now Henry VIII’s Parliament held at Westminster in 33rd year of his reign attached and annexed to same Honor being accountable from Michaelmas 33 Henry VIII….. to Michaelmas 34 Henry VIII That is for one whole year as within

Lordship of Ampthill with members

Accounts of Wm. Button, king’s Bailiff there for time aforesd.

Arrears

None because this is first set of accounts by same Accountant for use of lord king since establishment of sd. Honor

total

Rents of Assize

Ralph Morton tent, and apts. late Jn. Salesburye 12d and tent, and adj. close late Thos. Myddelton (12d) in le Churche ende strete Ampthill as appears in cert. Rental made there by Jn. Asshton, Auditor there in Aug. 34 Hen. VIII [1542]

Jn. Geliys tent, and apts. in N. end of le Bedd[ford] Strete 2d and tent, and adj. close called the Teynterclose nxt. aforesd. tent, late Jn. Davye 7d as in sd. Rental Jn. Davye tent. opp. Market Cross in Ampthill as in sd.

Rental

Jn. Davye tent, and adj. close in Dunstable streete on E. side of highway late occ. [blank] Buttes as in sd. Rental

Jn. Davye tent, and apts. opp. Market Cross nxt. house called the Yeldehall as in sd. Rental Constance Hopkyns 2 tents, with apts. in [Bedford?] strete of which one lies on the E. and the other on the W. as in sd. Rental

Wm. Stephyns tent, and apts. in Dunstable Streete and 4 acs. land in fids, of Ampthill and Maulden as in sd.

Rental

Edw. Russell tent, and apts. in Beddtford] strete and 3 acs. land in le Oldefeild as in sd. Rental

Edw. Russell 2 tents, and apts. in Bedlford] strete as in sd. Rental

Edw. Russell tent, called the Cornerhowse in the market place of Ampthill opp. the cross as in sd. Rental

Edw.