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Bedfordshire

Nearby places

BLUNHAM

"BLUNHAM, a parish in the hundred of Wixamtree, in the county of Bedford, 8 miles to the east of Bedford. St. Neot's is its post town. It lies between the rivers Ouse and Ivel, the former of which bounds it on the west, the latter on the east The hamlet of Moggerhanger belongs to this parish, and has a district church of its own recently erected. Blunham was formerly a market town, the inhabitants having obtained a grant of a market and fair early in the 14th century. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Ely, of the value of £731, in the patronage of Earl de Grey. The church contains some monuments of the Longuevilles and Bursalls, and is dedicated to St. Edmund. There is a chapel belonging to the Baptists. The principal seats are Blunham House, the residence of Sir C. Payne, Bart., and Blunham Park."

"MOGGERHANGER, (or Muggerhanger or other spellings) a hamlet in the parish of Blunham, hundred of Wixamtree, county Bedford, 4½ miles north of Biggleswade. It is situated between the rivers Ivel and Ouse. Colonel Godfrey Thornton is lord of the manor.

Census

• The 1851 Census Index for Blunham can be found in the 1851 Index to Census of Bedfordshire, Volume 3, Book 1 available from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.
• The 1851 Census Index for Moggerhanger can be found in the 1851 Index to Census of Bedfordshire, Volume 3, Book 1 available from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Churches

• Here are photographs of Churches etc. in the parish:
  
  • The parish Church is difficult to photograph due to the large number of (ugly) trees around the church, including some which must surely be damaging the Church. Surely it's better to be able to see the Church rather than the trees?
    • St. Edmund's Church, Blunham.
      • The East Window
      • The Medieval font
    • The approach to the main Church door.
    • A tree right next to the Church!.
    • An old postcard of the Church (when you could actually see the Church!)
  • The Baptist Chapel, Blunham (in 2000)
  • The Baptist Chapel in 1907(in 1907)
  • The Providence Strict Baptist Chapel, Blunham.
  • The Cemetery Chapel, Blunham.
  • The Church of St. John the Evangelist, Moggerhanger.
• There are photographs and a description of St Edmund or St James on the Bedfordshire Parish Churches website.
• There are photographs and a description of St John's, Moggerhanger on the Bedfordshire Parish Churches website
• The following Churches have their own websites:
  • The Providence Strict Baptist Chapel, Blunham
  • The Church of St. John the Evangelist, Moggerhanger

Church History

• Church of England (Blunham)
  • The church of St. Edmund is a building of sandstone, partly of the Norman period, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles and a lofty embattled western tower, with pinnacles, containing a clock and 5 bells : in the south wall of the chancel is a monument with recumbent effigy to Susanna (Grey), daughter of Charles, 7th Earl of Rent of that family, and wife of Sjr Michael Longueville, 17th century: there are also memorial slabs to the Bromsall family, including one to Margaretta Bromsall, 1664: the church was restored and entirely reseated in 1860, and in 1862 the organ was considerably enlarged at the expense of Miss Polhill of this place, who also contributed largely to the refitting of the church: the church plate includes a paten of silver given by Dr. Archer, of Blunham, in 1862: there are 350 sittings. The register dates from the year 1571. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
• Non-conformist (Blunham)
  • There are two Baptist chapels. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
• Church of England (Moggerhanger)
  • The ecclesiastical parish was formed in 1860. The church of St. John the Evangelist, consecrated July 31st, 1861, is an elegant building of stone, in the Early Pointed style, and consists of apsidal chancel, nave, aisles and a central tower with pyramidal roof, containing one bell: the church was erected at the expense of the late Mrs. Dawkins, formerly of Morhanger House, as a memorial to her husband, the Rev. E. H. Dawkins (d. 1859), who is buried in the chancel: the chancel windows are stained, and there are memorial windows to Lieut.-Col. H. G. Thornton and Jeremiah Titmas, first parish clerk: the church affords 180 sittings. The register dates from the year 1861. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
• Peter Holden has researched the link between Our Lady of Messines (Mesen) and the connection with St Edmund's Church Blunham.

Church Records

• Church of England
  • The parish record transcripts for St Edmund are available on microfiche for the period 1571-1812 from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.
• A transcript of Roll of Honour for WWI in St. Edmund's Church, Blunham

Description and Travel

• A web-site for the village, maintained by Colin Hinson, contains a short description of the modern village, backed up by lots of photographs from the year 1905 up to modern times.
• Moggerhanger Park is the seat of Richard Mercer esq. who is lord of the manor; the mansion, a building in the Classic style, stands in the contre of a very picturesque and thickly-wooded park; the approaches are lined with some fine elm trees, and the rivers Ivel and Ouse form the boundary. St. John's is the residence of Mrs. Thornton. The principal landowners are Richard Mercer esq. H. F. Dawkins esq. and Arthur Thornton esq. of Bedford. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
• "The Park" is owned and being restored by The Moggerhanger House Preservation Trust.

Directories

• A transcript of the Blunham parish entries of "professions and trades" in Kelly's 1877 Directory of Bedfordshire
• A transcript of the Blunham parish entries of "professions and trades" in Kelly's 1906 Directory of Bedfordshire
• A transcript of the Blunham parish entries of "professions and trades" in an 1862 Bedfordshire Directory

Gazetteers

• A transcript of the Blunham parish entries from Samuel Lewis's 1831 Topographical Dictionary of England,
• A transcript of the Blunham parish entries from Samuel Lewis's 1835 Topographical Dictionary of England,
• A transcript of the Blunham parish entries from The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales, 1866-9
• A transcript of the Blunham parish entries from Kelly's 1877 Directory of Bedfordshire
• A transcript of the Blunham parish entries from Kelly's 1898 Directory of Bedfordshire
• A transcript of the Blunham parish entries from Kelly's 1906 Directory of Bedfordshire

Memorial Inscriptions

• A transcript of the War Memorial for WWI in St. John's Church, Moggerhanger

Military History

• The BFHS Project in conjunction with Roll of Honour contains the Blunham War Memorial transcription for WW1 and WW2 with details of the men found on it.
• The BFHS Project in conjunction with Roll of Honour contains the Moggerhanger War Memorial transcription for WW1 and WW2 with details of the men found on it