List of Southill Vicars

 
Southill church east window March 2008 detail of Good Shepherd

Advowson

The first known owner of the advowson for All Saints church was Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford by reason of his wardship of John, son and heir of Walter de Treilly. The advowson was granted to Newnham Priory in 1250 and after the dissolution of the priory it reverted to the Crown. In 1681 John Kelyng was patron, then the Byng family, then the Smyth family and finally the Whitbread family who still own it.

 
Southill church chancel south window - detail of Virgin and children March 2008

Between 1797 and 1867 the living was united with that of Old Warden. Since 1994 Southill and Clifton have shared an incumbent. Each parish, however, retains its own parochial church council and officers and holds its own services

List of Vicars

 
Southill church from the road by the graveyard

• Robert: c.1160/70;
• Peter de Topesfeld, subdeacon, to a third part of the Rectory: 1225;
• William de Arkeden, subdeacon, to a third part of Rectory vacant by appointment of Peter de Topefeld to another benefice: 1229;
• John de Lond', to a third part of Rectory: 1250;
• William de Sutton, priest, ordained vicar: 12th August 1265;
• Richard de Goldington, priest, on the death of William: 22nd April 1273;
• John de Norton, subdeacon, on the death of Richard: 26th February 1294;
• William de Lobenham, on the death of John de Norton: 28th February 1313;
• Simon Edibern;
• Reyner de Brampton, on the death of Simon Edibern: 16th July 1333;
• Robert de Southwyk, on the resignation of Reyner de Brampton: 17th January 1341;
• John Baxtere of Woodford, priest, on the resignation of Robert: 11th September 1349;
• John de Hemyngburgh, presit, on the resignation of John: 6th May 1356;
• Simon Tirel;
• Thomas Basset, priest, on the resignation of Simon Tirel, who exchanged to the Rectory of Stilton [Huntingdonshire]: 9th October 1390;
• Hugh Davy of Biddenham, priest, on the resignation of Thomas Basset: 27th July 1395;
• William Tauntot, priest, on the resignation of Hugh Davy: 23rd February 1396;
• Ralph Gerveys;
• Thomas Wendy, priest, on the resignation of Ralph Gervays: 4th August 1435;
• John Goldington, chaplain, on the resignation of Thomas Wendy: 12th August 1450;
• John Shaw, priest, on the resignation of John Goldington, who exchanged to the Rectory of Ampthill: 27th October 1457;
• John Sleford, priest, on the resignation of John Shawe: 12th May 1460;
• John Goldsmith, on the death of JohnSleford: 13th August 1475;
• John Bendbowe, on the resignation of John Goldsmith: 3rd October 1476;
• Robert Hawnes, on the resignation of John Bendbowe: 20th May 1477;
• Richard Churche, priest, on the death of Robert Hawnes: 4th October 1485;
• Thomas Raynes LLB, on the death of Richard Churche: 20th November 1533;
• Thomas Best, clerk;
• Henry Daves, clerk, on the resignation of the last incumbent, presented 13th October 1562; value of the living £11/5/-: 9th February 1562;
• Thomas Irlande, clerk, on the resignation of the last incumbent: 31st May 1566;
• Thomas Harvye, clerk;
• John Abbys AB, on the resignation of the last incumbent: 12th August 1580;
• William Ridge, clerk, presented on the death of the last incumbent, he was buried 28th December 1597: 30th June 1586;
• Edward Foxcrofte AM of Brasenose College, Oxford, on the death of the last incumbent: 7th January 1598;
• John Bostocke BA, of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, on the death of the last incumbent, the living was sequestered on 15th January 1598: 27th April 1598;
• Thomas Bickley BA: 1st October 1612;
• John Snell: 1634;
• William Taylor, clerk, vacant, his wife Alice was buried 25th April 1643: 29th January 1640;
• Oliver Thorogood, clerk;
• Thomas Laurence AB, clerk: 9th April 1662;
• Thomas More MA, clerk, on the cession of Thomas Laurence, he was ordained priest 6th March 1663 by Gilbert Sheldon, Bishop of London, he was buried 1st February 1681, he married Mary Iremonger at Southill on 12th December 1643, she was buried 9th October 1656: 11 October 1667;
• Michael Sheldon MA, ordained priest 6th June 1680 by James Fleetwood, Bishop of Worcester, on the death of Thomas More, he married Sarah Hale at Campton on 18th February 1706, he held Southill in plurality with Langford, he was buried 22nd November 1710: 1st March 1681;
• Samuel Bedford AB, on the death of Michael Sheldon, he held Southill in plurality with Henlow from 1727 and with Langford]: 19th October 1711;
• Laurence Smith MA, on the death of Samuel Bedford: 11th March 1752;
• Laurence Smyth MA, on the cession of Laurence Smith: 10th January 1770;
• John Smyth MA, on the death of Lawrence Smyth: 24th April 1800;
• Frederick Hervey Neve MA, on the death of John Smith: 3rd May 1816;
• John Gerard Andrewes Baker MA, on the death of Frederick Hervey Neve, he resigned 28th February 1867: 27th May 1843;
• Charles Baldock BA: 29th March 1867;
• John Alexander Guillebaud: August 1894;
• Charles Harold Bond: January 1908;
• G.H.Jones: June 1916;
• Edward Kingsford Venner: 1919;
• William Wing Carew Baker: August 1924;
• John William Adams: May 1931;
• Thomas Wailes Griffiths: March 1949;
• Charles Wheatley Patrick: 1952;
• Frederick Ginever: 1960;
• Herbert Ralph Cousins: 1970;
• Henry Maurice Jenkins: 1971;
• Michael Gay Bourke: 1978;
• Michael Redfearn: 1986;
• J.Kenneth Dixon: 1994;
• Mark-Aaron B.Tisdale: 2005;
• 2011 Anne Margaret Hindle Bsc;
• 2016 Caren Teresa Topley B.Ed (Hons), Dip.CTM.

Southill church from the south March 2007

Visitation

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. The returns, made by the vicar, throw an interesting light on the state of the church in the parish at the time. In 1712 Samuel Bedford, the new vicar reported: "The Vicar resides in his Vicarege [sic] House. None come to church Un-baptized. Saveral not Confirmed. Divine Service twice every Lord's day...Communion 4 times a year. Of 500 Communicants not above 40 receive".

In 1717 Bedford reported: "Publick service is performed every Sunday in the church once, not twice, unless in the summer season, because I also serve the cure of Langford. 'Tis also read every Wednesday and Friday and Holiday...I administer the sacrament four times a year. I have between forty and fifty communicants and I Believe fourty [sic] did communicate last Easter".

Southill church from the north-east March 2007