| As part of the entry for the market-town of Royston, there are descriptions of local villages, including Tharfield... |
| About three miles south-west, among the tops of small hills, hanging, as
it were, over Royston, stands the village of Tharfield, anciently Thurreweld, so called from the hill on which it is seated. The manor of the town was given by Ethericke bishop of Sherborne, A.D. 980, to the abbey of St. Benedict, of Ramsey ; and it continued in that tenure till the dissolution of monasteries, and served as a pleasant retirement for the abbots of that monastery ; for there still remains the old cell or abbot's house, making a part of the parasonage, and kept in good repair be the present worthy incumbent. The church was erected by one of those abbots, who were patrons of it, and endowed it so well, that it was generally called the rich priesthood of Tharfield ; and it is at this day rated at fifty pounds per annum in the first-fruit's office. Both the manor and the church came into the hands of King Henry VIII, anno regni 34, at the dissolution of Ramsey abbey ; and, after two years, were granted by that prince to the dean and chapter of St. Paul's, London, who are still lords of it, and keep a court- leet and court-baron here. |
| THERFIELD, or THARFIELD, — that is, the field of the god Thur, — is a village and parish in Odsey Hundred and Royston Union, upon the chalk range, 3 miles south-west of Royston, and 6 north-east of Baldock. The village is small. The area is 4,761 acres, and the population, in 1851, was | 1,335. The living is a rectory, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's, and Incumbency of the Rev. Thomas Robinson, D.D. Here is an ancient parish church, an Independent chapel, a National school, and a British school. On the hills to the north are numerous barrows. |
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GENTRY. |
Drage Levi, farmer Foster Thomas, farmer, Reed end Gatwood James, shopkeeper Gatwood John, beer retailer Gatwood Thomas, 'White Horse' Giffen Joseph, shopkeeper Groom John, shoemaker, Dane end Hagger Mary (Mrs.), farmer Hale James, blacksmith & brazier Hinson William, farmer Kent William, farmer Lacey John, parish clerk Leete Reuben, blacksmith Manning Frederick, farmer |
Manning William, farmer Noades James, beer retailer Pettett Thomas, farmer, Rook's nest Preston Barnard & Edward, carpenters Preston Joseph, carpenter Shackleton Mary (Mrs.), 'Dray Horse' Sole ---, farmer, Five house Spruce George, 'Red Lion' Turney George & Thomas, farmers Wilkerson John, farmer Woodcock Wm, 'Bell' & harness maker Letters through Royston, which is also the nearest money order office. |
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Rev.Adolphs.Frdk.[Independt] Fordham George, esq |
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TRADERS. |
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George, shopkeeper Ashman William, 'Fox & Duck' Batt Benjamin, shopkeeper Beale James, farmer & miller Beale Richard Owen, farmer Beale William, farmer Bird Edward Rant, farmer Chapman Thomas, butcher & farmer Clarke Robert, shopkeeper Clarke Thomas, farmer |
| National School, Mrs. Kezia Winter, mistress | Independent Free School, Miss Philpot, mistress |
| THERFIELD is a village and scattered parish, in Odsey hundred, Royston union and county court district, rural deanery of Baldock and archdeaconry and diocese of St. Albans, situated upon the chalk range, 3 miles south-west from Royston, 7 north-east from Baldock and 3 east from Ashwell station. The old chuch of St. Mary the Virgin having become dilapidated, a new edifice of flint and rubble stone has been erected on its site, consisting of chancel, nave, with clerestory and arcades of four bays, aisles and a south porch : the tower contains 6 bells, dated respectively 1689, 1626, 1656, 1597, 1608 and 1707, but at present the funds in hand are not sufficient for its restoration : the one bell now in use hangs in a tree in an adjoining field ; up to the present year (1882) £4,600 have been expended on the church, exclusive of the rebuilding of the chancel, effected at the cost of the rector, the Rev. J. G. Hale, who, in conjunction with his wife, has also contributed £1,000 to the building fund, the other principal contributors being, the Church Building Society, J. and J. E. Phillips and F. J. Fordham esqs. Mrs. Hornby, Mrs. De Freville and the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's : G. E. Pritchett esq. of Bishop's Stortford, is the architect. The register dates from the year 1538. The living is a rectory, yearly value about £1,000, with 67 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's and held by the Rev. John Godwin Hale, M.A. of Oriel College, Oxford. The Congregational chapel is a building of flint, capable of seating 250 persons and was restored in 1867 at a cost of £300 : the minister's residence is adjoining. Boteman's charity of £60 13s. yearly is derived from 38 acres 24 poles of land, left some time previous to 1580 by one | Boteman, of
Sandon. Money Croft charity, amounting to £2 a year, left in 1772 by
John Clerke, is given in bread. Here are three manors ; the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners are lords of one manor, Capt. Usborne of the
manor of Mardlebury and the rector of the third. The principal landed
proprietors are F. J. Fordham and J. and J. E. Phillips esqs. Rev. Sir
Frederick Arthur Gore Ouseley bart. Capt. Usborne, with some others.
The soil is mixed, heavy and light ; subsoil, chalk and clay. The
chief crops are wheat, barley, beans and some roots. The area is 4,761
acres ; rateable value, £4,831 ; and the population in 1881 was 1,175. POST, MONEY ORDER & TELEGRAPH OFFICE & Savings Bank. - Barnard Preston, sub-postmaster. Letters through Royston arrive at 7.30 a.m.; dispatched at 6 p.m. in winter. PILLAR LETTER BOX at 'Red Lion', London road, cleared at 6.20 p.m. SCHOOLS :- In 1876 a school board of five members was formed & the three schools placed under its control. These schools unitedly hold about 250 children & have an average attendance of about 150 Board, Miss Schofield, mistress Infant, vacant British, Miss Georgiana Wood, mistress Registrar of Births, Deaths & Marriages & Relieving Officer of Royston District, William Barker. CARRIER TO ROYSTON - Nathan Pratt, daily ; Cannon, to London on thursday, returning on friday |
| Andrews Mrs. The Elms Groom Mrs. Hale Rev.Jn.Godwin M.A.,J.P.Rectory Howe Thomas, The Limes Scott Rev. Joseph [Congregational] |
Batt
John, tailor Bird Mary (Mrs.), farmer Bonfield Robert, beer retailer & wheel- wright, Buckland Bullard Joseph, beer retailer, Dane end Bullen James, farmer Clarke Robert, shopkeeper Clarke Thomas, dealer Drage Levi, farmer, Dane end Gatward Sarah (Mrs.), beer retailer |
Gatward Henry,pig dealer,Five Houses farm & beer retailer, Hoops lane Gatward Thomas, farmer, Dane end Griggs Charles, butcher Groom Richard, shoe maker Hale James Turner, brazier &c Hale John, farmer, Dane end Harper Charles, blacksmith Howe Thomas, farmer Jones James, shopkeeper |
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COMMERCIAL. |
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| Barker William, relieving officer & registrar of births, deaths, & marriages for Royston sub-district | ||
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continued on next page... |
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| Kingsley John Feast, veterinary surgeon & farmer, Hay farm Lawrence James, farmer Moule Frederick, beer retailer, Reed end Noades Philip, beer retailer, Hay green Phillips John, police officer Pratt Nathan, shopkeeper & carrier |
Preston Barnard, builder, & post office Preston Joseph, carpenter Preston Joseph, hurdle maker Rand William, farmer, Hay green Shackleton Susan (Mrs.), straw bon.ma Shackleton William, shoe maker Smith John, Fox & Duck, & shoe maker |
Spruce L. (Mrs.), Red Lion, London rd Stratton Joseph, shoe maker Tucker James, baker & grocer Turney T.frmr.Mardlebury & Reed end Unwin Henry, farm bailiff to J. E. Phillips esq. Rook's nest Woodcock Wm. beer retailer & saddler |
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