Bridges’ Directory for the Fawsley Hundred, an ancient administrative division of the county of which Welton was a part, is a comprehensive survey originally compiled by the 18th-century historian John Bridges.
John Bridges (1666—1724) was a country gentleman and London lawyer. He split his time between his estate at Barton Seagrave and his chambers in London, holding a succession of lucrative government posts
He began collecting material in 1719 with a personal visit to every parish in the county. He also hired researchers and artists to record legal, historical, and parochial details. By the time of his death he had amassed some 30 folio volumes (plus many other loose pieces and smaller volumes) of material.*
However, nothing had been written. In his will, Bridges directed that his historical books and records be kept separate from the rest of his library as a family heirloom (the rest of his collection was sold). His brother William then attempted to get the work printed. *
A publisher was found, a writer, Dr. Samuel Jebb, was retained, and the project moved forward. It was decided to publish the work as a series of fascicles and subscriptions were sought (at 4 guineas). The first numbers duly appeared after a few years, but then the publisher went bankrupt and the project stopped. Many of the engraved plates were scattered.*
Then in 1755 a number of the gentleman of the county formed a committee under the leadership of Sit Thomas Cave to see the project through. They bought up the materials, paid off Jebb, and recruited Peter Whalley to compile the volume. Gradually, the elderly gentlemen of the committee died off and the project sputtered to a halt near the finish line, with much of the work languishing with the Oxford University Press for seven years. Eventually, a new committee took over and the book finally appeared in 1791 (over 65 years after Bridges died) in two volumes totaling near 1400 pages.*
Most of Bridges’ materials ended up at the Bodleian.*
The result is highly detailed historical database of the region which, whilst published in 1791, was written much earlier.
This is Welton’s entry and it gives a fascinating history of the village from the time of the Domesday Book.
We’ll admit it’s a bit of a long haul – but even if you don’t read to the end, you get a real sense of the history in Welton and just how old the village really is.
Note: The full history text below uses the modern letter s in place of the long ſ for ease of reading.
The original material has been broken into paragraphs to improve readability.
The genealogical table in the source has not been transcribed, as it contains inaccuracies and so is omitted here. The paragraphs struck through are known to be inaccurate.
Lists of clergy and incumbents in source have not been transcribed in this version.
Read the full historical description of Welton
Welton on the east hath Long Buckby, Watford on the north, Braunston west, and Daventre on the south. The town is long and situated on a great ascent. It rises with the hill from Daventre, and has a stone causeway running quite through it.
There are in it eighty‑four houses, including six called the Town‑houses, which are set apart as dwellings for the poor.
The greatest extent of the lordship is computed to be two large miles. Daventre‑brook, which takes its rise from springs in the common fields of Drayton and of this parish, divides it from Daventre, and bounds it to the south and east, whence it passes to Whilton‑mill, and there joins the Nyne. Another rivulet, called Smith‑meadow‑brook, divides it in part from Watford, and passing on to Long Buckby falls into this brook in the common field.
There are four hills here, and six springs distinguished by name; of which Middle‑well spring is the most remarkable. It falls into a kind of grotto enclosed with pales, which is judged to be curious. Over it are built two large rooms, and the water passing through the walls supplyeth a fish‑pond.
It belongs to Mr. Richard Clarke of this town. Mr. Adams, the present Lord of the Manor, has one seat in the parish, and Mr. Ashley of Legers‑Ashby another, but of less note than the former. The Watling Street touches twice upon this lordship; first on the side towards Norton, where it enters into the common field, and crossing it passes a little way through Murcote, and then dividing Welton from Watford in part bounds it to the north.
At Domesday survey Leuric held half a hide, and one virgate wanting the fifth part of half a hide in Welton and Thorp of the Countess Judith the Conqueror’s niece. The arable land was one carucate. In demesne was half a carucate, with two cottagers; and the whole was valued at 8s. This Leuric was in possession of it in the reign of King Edward. By the same survey Osborn held in Welton three hides wanting one virgate of Hugh de Grentemaisnil. The arable land was seven carucates. In demesne were two, and three servants with five villanes had four carucates. There was a mill of the yearly rent of 12d. and eight acres of meadow. The whole was valued at 40s. In King Edward’s time it was rated at 20s. and was the freehold of Baldwin.
In King Henry II’s time William de Welton held here two hides and a half, and two small virgates of the fee of Leicester. Hugh, called Vicecomes, had five small virgates and a half of the fee of Berkhamsted, which were held of him by the monks of Daventre. And Richard Mallore had two small virgates; but by what tenure he held them is not mentioned.
This William de Welton was descended from Allelm the son of Rory, who came into England with the Conqueror, and whose posterity enjoyed the lordship of Welton for many generations.
In the eighteenth year of Edward I, Philip de Montgomery levied a fine of this manor. He died in the twenty‑third year of this reign, jointly seized of it with Felicia his wife, and left it to Anne, his sole daughter by Felicia, who at the time of his decease was a minor of three years.
In the ninth year of Edward II, John Mallore was Lord of Welton, in whose male line this lordship continued for some time, and then descended to Margaret, wife of Thomas Peyton, Esq. of Iselham in Cambridgeshire, the sole daughter and heir of Elen, daughter and heir of John Mallore by Jane his wife.
From this gentleman it descended to Thomas Peyton his grandson, of whom it was purchased in the second year of Richard III by William Catesby of Leghers Abbey, Esq., who levied a fine of it in the same year, and from whom it was named Catesby’s Manor.
Upon the attainder of William Catesby, it was granted to William Owen, Esq., in the fourth year of Henry VII. Of whose son Sir David Owen, in the ninth year of the same reign, William Stafferton held three messuages and one hundred acres of arable land in Welton by an unknown service.
From the family of Owen it passed into the hands of John Newport, Esq. In the fifth year of Queen Elizabeth, William Warde of Yelvertoft held certain lands and tenements in Welton as of his manor of Welton.
This gentleman was the son of John Newport of Pelham in Hertfordshire, by Joan the daughter of Sir Thomas Mountford of Kingshurst in Warwickshire. He married Catherine the daughter of Anthony Jenkinson of Swell, Esq; by whom he had issue four sons and nine daughters. In the seventeenth year of this reign, he levied a fine of this Manor, and was succeeded in it by John his eldest son.
The present Lord of the Manor is William Adams, Esq; whose ancestors have enjoyed it for several generations. The first mention that occurs of this family is in the eighteenth year of King James I. at which time died William England, Gent. seized of large possessions in Welton, which were divided after his decease amongst his sisters and coheirs, Joyce the wife of Thomas Harris, Agnes the wife of Edward Adams, and Elizabeth the wife of Robert Smith.
These possessions were then held of John Newport, Esq; as of his Manor of Welton. Edward Adams had issue by Agnes his wife five sons and two daughters: William, his second son, married Anne the daughter of John Newport, Esq; and by this marriage it should seem the Manor was transferred into that family.
Gentlemen who possess estates in this lordship besides Mr. Adams, are Mr. William Clarke, Mr. Ashley of George’s Ashby, Mr. Richard Clarke of Drayton, and Mr. Barker of Daventre.
The lands which were given to the monks of Daventre were first granted upon the dissolution of that convent to Cardinal Wolsey, and upon his fall to King Henry VIII’s new foundation in Oxford. These were sold in the sixth year of Queen Mary to Gregory Isham, Esq; under the name of King Henry VIII’s College Manor.
Part of the town owes suit and service to Mr. Breton’s court at Norton.
The church, dedicated to St. Martin, consists of a body, two aisles, and a chancel leaded, with a porch on the south side tiled. The steeple is a plain coped tower, in which are four bells, all bearing date in 1629. The church is forty‑eight foot nine inches long, and thirty‑nine foot seven inches broad. The chancel is in length thirty‑one foot one inch, and fifteen foot nine inches in breadth. The whole length of church and chancel is seventy‑nine foot ten inches. The register begins in 1578.
This church was originally a chapel to the church of Daventre, and given by William de Novo‑Mercato, Lord of Welton. At the time of the general taxation by the bishop of Norwich in the year 1254, it does not appear to have been endowed; but in 1291, 19 Edw. I. the vicarage was rated at five marks, the usual stipend in that age to a capellane or curate. In 1535, 26 Hen. VIII. the vicarage was valued at virl.
The rectory which had been given to Cardinal Wolsey towards the erection of his new colleges at Ipswich and Oxford, and upon his fall was resumed by the crown, was then in the hands of the master and fellows of St. Frideswide’s College in Oxford, and let for 14 l. per annum.
The tithes, called Ayre’s tithes, which formerly belonged to the convent of Daventre, were purchased of the crown by John Marshe in the sixteenth year of Queen Elizabeth. This vicarage stands discharged from the payment of first fruits and tenths, as amounting in the clear yearly value to no more than 23 l. 2 s. 8 d. It is in the deanery of Daventre.
- All asterisked paragraphs: Reference material: Nichols, John. Literary Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century, vol ii, 1812.
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