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BLETSOE, a parish in the hundred of WILLEY, county of BEDFORD, 6½ miles (N.N.W.) from Bedford, containing 383 inhabitants. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Lincoln, rated in the king's books at £17. Lord St. John was patron in 1818. The church is dedicated to St. Mary. The river Ouse runs through the parish, in which are the remains of an ancient castle, formerly belonging to Lord Bolingbroke, part of which has been destroyed for the materials. Here is a mineral spring, but the water is seldom used medicinally.
[A Topographical Dictionary of England - Samuel Lewis - 1831]
The 1851 Census Index for Bletsoe can be found in the 1851 Index to Census of Bedfordshire, Volume 1, Book 1 available from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.
The church of St. Mary is an ancient cruciform structure, chiefly in the Decorated style, and was restored in 1868, at a cost of about £1,700: it consists of chancel, nave, north transept, or St. John chapel, small south transept, south porch and a central tower with plain parapet containing a clock and 5 bells, all cast in 1786 : there are three sedilia on the south side of the chancel, and a double piscina in the north transept, which also contains some fine monuments of the family of St, John, Earls of Bolingbroke; the first on the south wall consists of a panelled base, supporting two Corinthian columns, on which rests a slightly projecting flat canopy, surmounted by a quartered shield; within are kneeling figures of Sir John St. John, 1559, and Margaret (Waldegrave), his wife and 9 children: on the east wall is another monument, elaborately carved, with cornice, pediment and arms, to Frances, Countess Bolingbroke, 1678, and there are many others of the family down to 1887: there are also memorials to several of the late rectors, and to Arabella, wife of C. C. Vivian esq. 1673: in June, 1882, a reredos was erected to the memory of St. Andrew Beauchamp, 14th Baron St. John, d. 27 Jan. 1874: the east window was placed to the Rev. the Hon. Edmund Tudor St. John and late rector, who died 30 Sept. 1884, and there is another to St. Andrew, 15th baron, d. 2 Nov. 1887: the reredos occupies the whole width of the chancel, and under canopies on each side is an arcade of four arches: on the north wall of the nave is a painting of St. George and the Dragon: a new organ has been placed in the church, at a cost of £200, raised by subscription: there are 190 sittings. The register dates from the year 1582.
[Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
The parish record transcripts for St Mary are available on microfiche for the period 1582-1812 from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.
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[Last updated 5 May 2003 Martin Edwards]