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GRAVENHURST (LOWER), a parish in the hundred of FLITT, county of BEDFORD, 3 miles (E.) from Silsoe, containing 63 inhabitants. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Lincoln, rated in the king's books at £7.12.11., and in the patronage of the Crown. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, was built by Robert de Bilhemore, whose armorial bearings are displayed on the porch, and to whose memory there is a tomb without date.
[A Topographical Dictionary of England - Samuel Lewis - 1831]
The 1851 Census Index for Lower Gravenhurst can be found in the 1851 Index to Census of Bedfordshire, Volume 4, Book 1 available from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.
Church of England
The church of St. Mary is a small but ancient building, chiefly in the Decorated style, consisting of chancel and nave, under a continuous roof, and a massive embattled Perpendicular western tower with a large octagonal turret at the south-east angle, and a small spirelet, and containing 1 bell : the chancel retains Decorated sedilia, piscins and a bracket, and Decorated, has tracery of the original painting : the tracery of some of the windows is singular : there remains a brass to Robert de Bilhemore, who rebuilt the church, with the following inscription : "Robert de Bilhemore chiualer ge fait faire cette eglise de nonele gist icy dieu de salme eit merci. Amen" : another brass with effigies is inscribed to Benjamin Pigott esq. 1606, and his three wives. The register dates from the year 1569.
[Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
The parish record transcripts for St Mary are available on microfiche for the period 1569-1812 from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.
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[Last updated 16 March 2003 Martin Edwards]