GenUKI Contents

Bedfordshire

CRANFIELD

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"CRANFIELD, a parish in the hundred of Redbornestoke, in the county of Bedford, 5½ miles north west of Ampthill, and 8 south west of Bedford. Near the village, which is large, is a mineral spring. The living is a rectory (with parsonage and glebe) in the diocese of Ely, value £376, in the patronage of James C. Harter, Esq. The church, dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul, is a large and beautiful building in the Gothic style of architecture, with a tower containing six bells. The charities amount to £106 per annum, of which £60 is the endowment of Girton's school. Here is a National school, and almshouses for three poor widows. The Oakley hounds meet here. J. A. Partridge, Esq., is lord of the manor. The dukes of Dorset took from this place the title of baron."

[The above was transcribed (and edited) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2023

Gazetteer descriptions of the following places in Cranfield are to be found on this supplementary page.

Bourne End Broad Green East End Gossards Green

Tartlett End West End Wharley End Wood End

Census

• The 1851 Census Index for Cranfield can be found in the 1851 Index to Census of Bedfordshire, Volume 4, Book 4 available from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Churches

• There are photographs and a description of St Peter and St Paul's on the Bedfordshire Parish Churches website.
• The following Churches have their own websites:
  • St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Cranfield
  • The Methodist Church, Cranfield
  • The Baptist Church, Cranfield

Church History

• Church of England
  • The church of SS. Peter and Paul is a building of coarse limestone, in the Early English and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, nave, vestry with chamber over it, and a tower containing 5 bells, half turned and rehung in Feb. 1892: the interior was restored by the late Rev. George Gardner Harter, rector 1845-72: the stained east window, by Willement, was the gift of the late J. C. Harter: the west window, also stained, is filled with heraldic glass, and there are 6 other stained windows : the church is seated with richly carved oak benches: on the north side of the communion table is a brass to the Rev. James. Beard M.A. rector from 1820, and on the south are sedilia and piscina: there are also piscinae at the east ends of the aisles and a stoup, anciently used for holy water, just inside the south doorway : the pulpit of Caen stone and marble is a memorial to the Rev. G. G. Harter, rector, d. 1872: and his wife, and was presented by their children in 1882: the lych gate was the gift of the late J. C. Harter esq. : a font was presented as a memorial to Capt. Douglas Douglas Loftus, Oct. 1892, and a brass eagle lectern, at Christmas, 1891, by Mrs. Hill. The register dates from the year 1600. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
• Non-conformist
  • There are Wesleyan and two Baptist chapels. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898

Church Records

• Church of England
  • The parish record transcripts for SS. Peter and Paul are available on microfiche for the period 1600-1812 from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Gazetteers

• A transcript of the Cranfield parish entries from Samuel Lewis's 1831 Topographical Dictionary of England,
• A transcript of the Cranfield parish entries from Samuel Lewis's 1835 Topographical Dictionary of England,
• A transcript of the Cranfield parish entries from The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales, 1866-9

Military History

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