GenUKI Contents

Bedfordshire

GOLDINGTON

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"GOLDINGTON, a parish in the hundred of Barford, county Bedford, 2 miles N.E. of Bedford, its post town, and 10 south west of St. Neot's. It is situated on the banks of the river Ouse. A castle was built here in early times, and a priory was founded by the Beauchamp family in the reign of Henry II. At the Dissolution its revenues were returned at £343 15s. 5d. The village is built round an open green of about 20 acres in extent. The surface is pleasantly diversified with hill and dale, and the soil remarkably rich. The living is a vicarage (with parsonage and glebe) in the diocese of Ely, value £270. The church is a small edifice of stone, with steeple cased with lead. It is dedicated to St. Mary, and contains a stone font and two brasses of the 16th century. The parochial charities produce about £14 per annum. The Wesleyans have a chapel, and there is a National school for both sexes. Goldington Lodge is the principal residence. There are considerable ruins of the old priory, and an ancient fortification called Castle Hill."

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

The following information was transcribed by Craig Pickup from Kelly's Bedfordshire Directory, 1940

• "ELMS FARM, a farmhouse in the parish of Goldington, county of Bedfordshire, ¾ mile north north east of Goldington. (This is now (2010) a well developed suburb of Bedford)"
• "GOLDINGTON BURY, a hamlet in the parish of Goldington, county of Bedfordshire, ¼ mile east of Goldington."
• "GOLDINGTON HIGHFIELDS, a hamlet in the parish of Goldington, county of Bedfordshire, 3 miles east of Goldington, the site of Risinghoe Castle."
• "PUTNOE FARM, a farmhouse in the parish of Goldington, county of Bedfordshire, 1 mile north of Goldington. (This is now (2010) a well developed suburb of Bedford)
• "RISINGHOE, a hamlet in the parish of Goldington, county of Bedfordshire, 1 miles north north east of Goldington."

Census

• The 1851 Census Index for Goldington can be found in the 1851 Index to Census of Bedfordshire, Volume 2, Book 2 available from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Churches

• There are photographs and a description of St Mary's on the Bedfordshire Parish Churches website.
• The following Churches have their own websites:
  • St Mary's Church, Goldington

Church History

• Church of England
  • The church of St. Mary, standing on high ground, is an edifice of stone in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, clerestoried nave, aisles, south transept and porch, and a tower containing 4 bells : there is one stained window, a few brasses, and some monuments : in 1859 the church was thoroughly renovated, and in 1876 the chancel was restored and new roofed, at a cost of £145: in 1879, an organ was introduced at a cost of £250, raised by voluntary subscription. The register dates from the year 1559. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
• Non-conformist
  • The Congregationalists (Bunyan Meeting) have a chapel here. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

Church Records

• Church of England
  • The parish record transcripts for St Mary are available on microfiche for the period 1559-1812 from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Description and Travel

• Newnham Priory, anciently existing here, was founded in 1247, temp. Henry III. by noise de Beauchamp, and colonised by Austin canons from the collegiate church of St. Paul at Bedford ; at the Dissolution there were 16 canons, and the revenue was estimated at £293 ; the priory afterwards fell into private hands and the manor added to the honor of Ampthill. Some remains are still standing on the banks of the Ouse. About three-quarters of a mile east, on the north side of the river Ouse, is a high conical mound, the only remains of an earthwork called " Risinghoe Castle." Newnham is the southern part of the parish and here are the outfall works of the Bedford sewage. Goldington Hall, a mansion charmingly situated, is the residence of William Marsh Harvey esq. Goldington Grange, a modern brick house belonging to Cecil Grimshawe esq. is at present (1898) unoccupied. Goldington Bury, the property of Major Shuttleworth, of Old Warden Park, has finely timbered grounds of over 40 acres and is occupied by Griflith Jones esq. The principal land-owner is Major Frank Shuttleworth J.P. of Old Warden Park, Biggleswade. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

Gazetteers

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

Military History

• The BFHS Project in conjunction with Roll of Honour contains the Goldington War Memorial transcription with details of the men found on it.