List of Rectors at Cockayne Hatley

Advowson

According to the Victoria County History published in 1908 the church first appears as part of the original endowment of Newnham Priory which was founded in 1166 by Simon Beauchamp. The prior and convent held the advowson in ‘pure and perpetual alms of the barony of Bedford’ and they were given a licence in 1327 to impropriate the church. Following the Dissolution the rectory became the property of the crown until it was granted to Thomas Reeve in 1564. In 1595 it was transferred to John Cockayne, lord of Cockayne Hatley manor, and it has remained in the gift of the lords of the property since then. 

List of Rectors

NOTE:

D = "Dominus" meaning Lord

M = "Magister" meaning Master

• Alan de Tawbett - 1209 [instituted by Hugh of Wells, Bishop of Lincoln]
• Philip de Sidehame - 1226 [capellanus; patron Prior & Convent of Newnham  pension of 4 marks yearly to the Prior & Convent]
• Hugh, son of Warin - 1237 [subdeacon; patron Prior & Convent of Newnham]
• Geoffrey de Sandiacre
• M.William de Thorneton - 27 May 1275 [on Geoffrey de Sandiacre having publicly contracted matrimony]
• M.Robert de Nassington
• M.John de Bissemed' - 10 Sep 1280 [subdeacon; on resignation of M.Robert de Nassington]
• M.Richard de Suthgivele - 3 Dec 1291 [capellanus; on death of M.John de Bissemed]
• John de Hardmede - 20 Dec 1292 [deacon; on death of M.John de Bissemed [?]]
• John de Hardmed - 3 Apr 1293 [deacon; vacant  because John did not prove himself to be ordained priest within a year]
• John de Hardemade - 28 May 1295 [deacon; vacant  because John did not prove himself to be ordained priest within a year]
• M.Ralph de Luffenham - 9 Mar 1297 [capellanus; on resignation of John de Hardemede]
• Peter, called Swett of Rowell - 31 Dec 1318 [on death of Ralph de Luffenham]
• Peter de Rowell - 18 Nov 1319 [acolite; vacant]
• William, called Porter of Elstow - 24 Jul 1327 [priest; on death of D.Peter de Rothwell]
• M.William de Birthorp - 31 Aug 1341 [clerk; on death of last Rector]
• D.Gilbert de Loughton - 27 Aug 1366 [Vicar in Free Chapel of St.Stephen in Westminster palace; by exchange with D.William de Birthorp]
• D.William Coke
• William Bollenhurst - 21 Dec 1398 [on death of D.William Coke]
• Thomas Tanner - 24 Apr 1401 [capellanus; vacant]
• John Scarlet - 15 Jul 1401 [priest; vacant]
• D.Thomas Tybrey - 6 Dec 1401 [priest; on death of John Skarlet, clerk]
• D.Robert Witteleseye - 19 Jul 1412 [capellanus; on resignation of D.Thomas Tyberay  exchanged to be Rector of Hemingford Abbots [Huntingdonshire]]
• Gilbert Smyth - 4 Jul 1413 [Rector of All Saints, Bedford; on exchange with D.Robert Wytteleseye]
• Thomas Boteler - 9 Jan 1413/4 [by exchange with D.Gilbert Smyth, from St.Peter de Merton, Bedford]
• D.William Hampton - 8 Apr 1424 [Rector of Great Hallingbury [Essex], on exchange with D.Thomas Boteler]
• M.John Chichley
• Thomas Fasteley alias Faukener - 22 Jun 1432 [Rector of Wylmecote [possibly Wilmcote [Warwickshire]], a peculiar jurisdiction of Collegiate Church of Stretford [Stratford-upon-Avon?], by exchange with M.John Chichley]
• Richard Staynton - 21 Aug 1432 [priest; on resignation of D.Thomas Hasteley alias Faukener]
• John Smarte - 10 Dec 1441 [priest; on resignation of D.Richard Staynton, exchanged ro be Rector of Woketon]
• William Bayly - 22 Jun 1442 [priest; on resignation of D.John Smarte, exchanged to be Vicar of Leighton Buzzard]
• Roger Nycoll - 28 Aug 1444 [priest; on resignation of D.William Bayly, exchanged to Great Canfield [Essex]]
• John Thetford - 18 May 1448 [priest; on resignation of D.Roger Nicol, exchanged to be Rector of Stanway [Essex]]
• Thomas Spake - 7 Jul 1452 [priest; on resignation of D.John Thetford]
• Roger Hun - 15 Dec 1452 [priest; on resignation of D.Thomas Spake, exchanged to be Rector of Wittering [Northamptonshire?]]
• D.William Crallere - 24 May 1454 [priest; Rector of Horsted Keynes [Sussex], on exchange with D.Hare]
• D.Robert Dekyn - 22 Apr 1455 [on resignation of D.William Craller, exchanged to be Vicar of Castry, Canterbury Diocese]
• D.Richard Aylesham
• D.John Chatrys - 24 Apr 1475 [on resignation of D.Richard Aylesham, last Rector, preferred to Irthlingborough [Northamptonshire]]
• D.John Wright - 25 Dec 1477 [on resignation of D.John Chatres, last Rector]
• James Barlowe - 2 Sep 1490 [capellanus; on deprivation of D.John Wryght]
• D.Oliver Grecsone - 8 Jan 1503 [priest; on resignation of D.James Barlowe]
• D.John Egerton - 8 Aug 1509 [on resignation of D.Oliver Gresson]
• D.Urianus Egerton - 31 Mar 1513 [on resignation of M.John Egerton]
• M.Thomas Richer
• M.John Egerton - 19 Jun 1519 [on death of M.Thomas Richer]
• D.John Hopkyns - 19 Jun 1519 [on resignation of M.John Egerton, exchanged to be Rector of Farthingstone [Northamptonshire]]
• D.Brian Myddilton - 16 Dec 1531 [on resignation of D.John Opkyns]
• D.John Baxster - 2 Aug 1541 [clerk; patron Edmund Clerk, by grant from late Prior & Convent of Newnham]
• Henry Mylewarde - 1556
• D.Robert Ashbie
• Nicholas Rysley - 6 Apr 1574 [patron Chad Cockyn  vacant by death of D.Robert Ashbie  admitted 23 Feb 1574]
• Gilbert Maude MA - 23 Oct 1594 [parson; buried 3 Oct 1612  patron John Cockayn]
• Thomas Rayment MA - 11 Mar 1612
• John Durrant - 2 Feb 1621 [parson; buried 13 May 1625]
• Thomas Pell - 21 May 1624
• Thomas Cordell - 19 Feb 1637
• Andrew Grooby - 28 Feb 1645 [intruded]
• John Wilson - 1657 [buried 8 Feb 1676]
• Robert Bland MA - 30 May 1677 [vacant; patron John Cockeyn, esquire; ordained priest 24 Jul 1661]
• William Sterne MA - 23 Dec 1700 [on death of Robert Bland; patron Richard Cockayne, esquire; value 8]
• Peter Clarke STB - 21 Aug 1711 [on cess. of William Sterne  patron Richard Cockayne]
• Robert Porteus BA - 14 Jul 1735 [on death of Peter Clark, clerk; patrons Samuel Cockayne, esquire, John Bagnal, esquire, Edward Sparhawke, gentleman and Thomas Hatfield, apothecary; dispensation dated 23 Mar 1742 to hold Eyworth with Cockayne Hatley]
• petition of Robert Porteus for licence to go to Virginia [USA], his native country - 1736
• Richard Cust MA - 14 Jan 1754 [on death of Robert Porteus; patron Savile Cockayne Cust, esquire]
• Brownlowe Toller BL - 28 Jan 1761 [on cess. of Richard Cust; patron Savile Cockayne Cust]
• Richard Peete LLB - 5 Dec 1766 [on resignation of Brownlow Toller; patron Savile Cockayne Cust  died 1 May 1792; buried in Bath Minster]
• Thomas Davies BA - 22 Jun 1792 [on death of Richard Peete; patron Mrs.Lucy Cockayne Cust of Grantham [Lincolnshire]]
• John Tweedy - 24 Oct 1797 [clerk; married Sarah Sharpe at St.James', Duke's Place, London on this date]
• Thomas Davies BA - 22 Apr 1801 [on cess. of Thomas Davies; patron Lucy Cockayne Cust]
• Hon.Henry Cust MA - 16 Sep 1806 [on cess. of Thomas Davies; patron Lord Brownlow]
• Edward Brickwell - 21 Jun 1861 [clerk; on death of Henry Cockayne Cust; patron William Wilson of Whitacre House [Warwickshire], esquire]
• Frederic Wakefield Piercy - Nov 1900 [on death of Edward Brickwell]; patron E.T.Hooley]
• Robert Sutton Bagshaw - Sep 1916 [on death of Frederic Wakefield Piercy; dispensation to hold Cockayne Hatley with Potton 9 Jun 1916  Rural Dean of Biggleswade 1922-1929  buried at Sandy 5 May 1938  patrons F.G.Lomax and Sir Arthur Black]
• union of Cockayne Hatley with Potton - 12 Feb 1931]
• Arthur William Collins - Sep 1938 [held with Potton; on death of Robert Sutton Bagshaw]
• Henry Thomas Pimm - Nov 1942 [held with Potton]
• Albert Henry Willson Cleaver - Sep 1946 [held with Potton]
• John Gordon McKinley - Dec 1951 [held with Potton]
• Cecil Verden Appleby Longden – 1959
• Philip Henry Cecil - 1967
• Ian Joseph Stewardson - 1973
• Ian W Arthur - 1983
• V.Wyn Beynon - 1997