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HUSBOURNE CRAWLEY

HUSBORN-CRAWLEY, a parish in the hundred of MANSHEAD, county of BEDFORD, 2½ miles (N. by E.) from Woburn, containing 572 inhabitants. The living is a discharged vicarage, in the archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Lincoln, rated in the king's books at £9, endowed with £200 private benefaction, and £200 royal bounty, and in the patronage of the Duke of Bedford. The church, dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, occupies an elevated situation, and has a tower eighty feet high.

[A Topographical Dictionary of England - Samuel Lewis - 1831]

Census

The 1851 Census Index for Husbourne Crawley can be found in the 1851 Index to Census of Bedfordshire, Volume 5, Book 1 available from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Church History

Church of England

The church of St. Mary, situated on an eminence, is an edifice of the Decorated and Perpendicular periods, consisting of chancel, nave of three bays, aisles and a fine and lofty embattled western tower containing a good peal of 6 bells and a clock: in the church is a monument, with the effigies of a knight in armour and his lady, under a canopy, supported by Doric columns, and appears, from the shield of arms thereon, to commemorate some of the Thomson family, by whom the manor was held in the 17th century: in the church is a curious iron-bound parish chest: there are sittings for 200 persons. The register dates from the year 1558..

[Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

Non-conformist

The Primitive Methodist chapel was built in 1867.

[Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898

Church Records

Church of England

The parish record transcripts for St. Mary are available on microfiche for the period 1538-1812 from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Description and Travel

Crawley House, the residence of Mrs. Orlebar, is pleasantly seated in park-like grounds, and the view from the garden front is very picturesque. The Duke of Bedford, who is lord of the manor, Mrs. Orlebar and Mr. Morris are the principal landowners. The soil is light sandy; subsoil, gravel; the chief crops are wheat; barley and beans. The area is 1,610 acres; rateable value, £2,419; the population in 1891 was 410.

[Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

There is a website for Husbourne Crawley village.

Gazetteers

Land and Property

GRANBOROUGH HOUSE
270 Bedford Rd, Husbourne Crawley.

In the 18th century the property was owned and lived in by the GRANBOROUGH family, William and Francis Granborough and their son William. A large wing of the house was demolished by Francis after the death of her husband and son in approx 1785 and a new Georgian red and black brick facade was built to replace the timber framed front. The three wills are preserved in the Bedford Archives, the family are all buried at Husbourne Crawley church. In the late 19th century the property was let to Mr Barnwell and was listed as the local baker and corn dealer.

Military History


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[Last updated 20 June 2003 Martin Edwards]