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SOULDROP

SOULDROP is a parish and village on the borders of Northamptonshire, half a mile to the west of the road from Bedford to Higham Ferrers and Kettering, 2 miles north-west from Sharnbrook station on the main line of the Midland railway, 10 north-west from Bedford, 6 south from Higham Ferrers and 60 from London, in the Northern division of the county, hundred of Willey Warnbrook petty sessional division, union and county court district of Bedford, rural deanery of Felmersham, archdeaconry of Bedford and diocese of Ely.

The land is chiefly arable. The area is 1,076 acres; rateable value, £4,742; the population m 1891 was 221.

[Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

 

Census

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

Church History

Church of England

The church of All Saints, rebuilt, with the exception of the tower and spire, in 1861, from designs by Mr. Glutton, architect, is a very handsome building, in the Early English style, consisting of chancel, with vestry, north transept, nave, north aisle, south porch and a western tower with octagonal broach spire, relieved by two tiers of dormers, and containing 3 bells: the chancel has a stone groined roof, and the capitals of the chancel arch and other features display some splendid specimens of stone carving, by Earp, of London: the windows in the chancel are stained: one ancient Latin inscription to John Hanger, 1608, has been preserved: there is another to William Robinson, 1701; the old church partly fell at Christmas 1795, and in 1800 was rebuilt from plans by Mr. Robert Salmon, at the cost of John 6th Duke of Bedford K.G. ; in 1860-61 it was again rebuilt at the expense of William, 8th Duke of Bedford: here are 180 sittings. The register dates from the year 1670.

[Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

Church Records

Church of England

The parish record transcripts for All Saints are available on microfiche for the period 1670-1812 from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Description and Travel

Pillow lace is made here to a small extent. William Clarence Watson esq. J.P. Colworth, is lord of the manor and chief landowner. The soil is clay; subsoil, gravel and clay.

[Extracts from Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

Military History


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[Last updated 16 March 2003 Martin Edwards]