List Of Hulcote Rectors

Hulcote church February 2007

Advowson

The Victoria County History for Bedfordshire, published in 1912 gives a brief history of the advowson of the church of Saint Nicholas, Hulcote, stating that the holder of the advowson was always the Lord of the Manor of Hulcote into the 20th century.

On 25th June 1750 the parishes of Hulcote and Salford were united as one benefice with one incumbent and one set of parish officers. At the present time [2011] Hulcote is held with Salford and Cranfield. The patron of the living is the Martyrs' Memorial and Church of England Trust.

The path through the graveyard January 2008

List of Rectors

The following list of Rectors of Hulcote is as complete as records will allow.

• Hugh de Bedeforde: 13th century;
• Hugh de Saleforde: chaplain: 1221;
• Richard de Bydeham: chaplain: 1237;
• Nicholas Fromwold;
• John son of Walter de Leycton: the cure was declared vacant because Nicholas Fromwold, to whom the Bishop had committed the custody of the church from time to time in order to assist in his being ordained subdeacon and instituted to the church, had neglected to do so: 5th November 1284;
• John de Leycton: the cure was vacant because John did not procure himself to be ordained priest within a year: 28th February 1288;
• Adam Gerlaund de Blida: clerk; presented in minor orders and then ordained subdeacon and instituted: 23rd May 1293;
• Adam called Gerlaund de Blida: subdeacon; vacant because Adam did not procure his ordination as priest within a year: 5th May 1294;
• Adam Gerlond de Blida: subdeacon; vacant because Adam did not procure himself to be ordained priest within a year: 22nd February 1298;
• Gilbert Passelawe: acolyte; on the death of Adam Garelound: 8th October 1311;
• John le Gaunt of Saint Albans [Hertfordshire]; priest; on the death of Gilbert Passeleu: 12th May 1334;
• Thomas Couper: priest; on the resignation of John de Sancto Albano: 13th June 1369;
• John de Grafton: priest; on the resignation of Thomas Coupe: 13 June 1377;
• Thomas Turnour of Moulsoe [Buckinghamshire]: clerk; on the death of John Grafton: 18th April 1397;
• John Hawden: priest; on the resignation of Thomas Turnour of Moulsoe: 3rd November 1397;
• Henry Martyn: Rector of Bircholt [Kent]; by exchange with John Howden: 30th June 1402;
• John Gurry: priest; on the resignation of Henry Martyn, who exchanged to be Rector of Creton: 5th October 1406;
• Robert Warreys: Vicar of Lefene, Rochester Diocese, on exchange with John Gurry: 11th March 1408;
• Nicholas Capron: priest; on resignation of Robert Warreys: 10th July 1410;
• Thomas Hoppe: priest; vacant: 8th July 1441
• Michael Steven: priest; on the resignation of Thomas Hope: 25th February 1445;
• Thomas Carpenter: priest on the death of Michael Steven: 4th January 1453;
• Thomas Scatergode: priest; vacant: 1st August 1458;
• William Chapman: chaplain; on the resignation of Thomas Scatergood: 4th August 1460;
• John Hayward: priest; on the resignation of William Chapman: 14th August 1465;
• Walter Merston: chaplain; on the resignation of John Haywarde: 17th November 1471;
• Laurence Correll: on the death of Walter Merston: 11th April 1477;
• Thomas Paksley: Abbot of Sawtry [Huntingdonshire]; on the death of Laurence Coyvell alias Shynggieton: 18th March 1480;
• William Sharard: priest; on the resignation of John Paxley, Abbot of Saint Mary de Sawtry: 30th March 1481;
• John Barugh;
• Thomas Barrow: occurs in this year - may be mistake for John Barugh/Barrow: 1499;
• Richard Rogers: chaplain; on the death of John Barugh; his will was proved on 16th May 1543]: 19th September 1504
• Michael Shepherd: chaplain; on the death of Richard Rogers: 15th June 1543;
• Richard Peddar: on death of Michael Shepherd: 7th February 1559;
• William Nodson: clerk; vacant: 9th January 1561;
• Thomas Bradshowe: clerk; on the cession of the last Rector: 6th August 1561;
• Edmund Simpson: gentleman: 23rd November 1565;
• Richard Harrys: clerk: 25th July 1569;
• John Yonge: clerk; vacant: 1st May 1571;
• Roger Hall: buried 14th July 1576; his will was dated 14th July, proved 10th August 1576: 22nd May 1572;
• James Tyday: on the death of Roger Hall: 17th December 1576;
• Richard Parker: on the resignation of James Tydye: 15th November 1578;
• William Fones: 20th January 1596;
• Edward Plumer: priest; married Margaret Banbury at Salford on 11th July 1602; buried 17th March 1620: 5th August 1595;
• Henry Butterfield M. A : parson; married Elizabeth Fowler 13th July 1623: 8th September 1620;
• John Williams MA – 24th July 16..;
• Thomas Cookson: 10th September 1666;
• John Littlejohn B. A.: married Mary, widow of Thomas Cheney, Rector of Pertenhall and daughter of Villiers and Ann Chernocke; instituted again 11th December 1705; licence of 30th November 1670 for the marriage of John Littlejohn of Holcot, clerk and Hannah Vaux of Whipsnade in Guildhall Chapel: 16th April 1705;
• (Francis Wingfield of Potton: curate: 1726);
• Edward Hervey; clerk; on the death of John Littlejohn on 12th September 1746, aged 76: 5th January 1747;

Union with Salford on 25th June 1750.

The approach to Hulcote church December 2011

Visitations

Volume 81 published by the Bedfordshire Historical Records Society (2002) is devoted to returns made during episcopal visitations to the county by the Bishop of Lincoln in the early 18th century, edited by former County Archivist Patricia Bell. It is particularly useful that these returns were made before the union of the parishes of Hulcote and Salford in 1750 though, as will be seen below, the two were practically one even by 1712 and in 1717 only one return was completed for both parishes. Neither parish completed a return in 1720. The returns for Hulcote are as follows:

• 1712: the Rector resides in the Parish, not in the Parsonage House. None Unbaptized; some few not Confirmed. Divine Service once every Lord's day here, the other time at Salford (his father's Cure). The same Congregation in both Churches. Communion 4 times a year. About 40 receive. Those who never received before send in their names.
• 1717: I do reside at Hulcote. I have no Curate at Salford it being so near that I supply the Cure my self. I know not of any unbaptized Persons in either of my Parishes. I have severall [sic] that are of a Competent age for Confirmation and prepared for it. I preach at Hulcote every Lord's day in the Morning and at Salford in the Afternoon. I administer the sacrament of the Lord's Supper four times in each Parish, and have generally about 30 Communicants in Hulcote and about 20 in Salford.