GenUKI Contents

Bedfordshire

Nearby places

HOUGHTON-CONQUEST

"HOUGHTON-CONQUEST, a parish in the hundred of Redbornstoke, county Bedford, 3 miles north of Ampthill, its post town, and 6 south of Bedford. It is a small agricultural village, with some remains of the old seat of the Conquests, in which they received James L in 1605. The mansion was first erected by Sydney's sister, from a design in the "Arcadia;" it was afterwards altered by Inigo Jones for the Earl of Ailesbury, and subsequently by Chambers for the Duke of Bedford. The living is a rectory* annexed to that of Houghton Gildable, in the diocese of Ely, value £828, in the patronage of St. John's College, Cambridge. The church, dedicated to St. James, has a tower containing six bells. It was thoroughly restored in 1845, and contains a monument to Dr. Zachary Grey, editor of "Hudibras," and a commentator on Shakspeare. The charities produce about £86 per annum, of which £68 goes to Clarke's school and almshouses. Houghton Park is situated a short distance S.W. of the village, but the famous mansion of the earls of Elgin and Ailesbury is now destroyed. The Duke of Bedford is lord of the manor."

"CHAPEL END, a small hamlet in the parish of Houghton Conquest, in county Bedfordshire, 1 mile north east of Houghton Conquest."

"DUCK END, a hamlet in the parish of Houghton Conquest, in county Bedfordshire, ½ mile north west of Houghton Conquest."

"HAWHILLS, a hamlet in the parish of Houghton Conquest, in county Bedfordshire, 1½ mile south east of Houghton Conquest."

"HOW END, a hamlet in the parish of Houghton Conquest, in county Bedfordshire, 1½ mile south west of Houghton Conquest."

Census

• The 1851 Census Index for Houghton Conquest can be found in the 1851 Index to Census of Bedfordshire, Volume 4, Book 2 available from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Churches

• There are photographs and a description of All Saints on the Bedfordshire Parish Churches website.

Church History

• Church of England
  • The church of All Saints is a spacious and elegant structure, chiefly in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and an embattled tower of the Decorated period, containing 6 bells: it was restored in 1870 by the late Sir G. Gilbert Scott R.A. : the stained east window, erected in 1880 by the late Very Rev. John Burgon M.A. Dean of Chichester (d. 1888) is a memorial to three benefactors, Eliza Hargrave and Mary and Sarah Windle; the walls of the aisles bear traces of frescoes, the designs of which are in some parts sufficiently distinct to be distinguished: over the north doorway is a huge painting of St. Christopher, of the 15th century : on the north wall of the chancel is a monument of carved alabaster consisting of a species of framework in which is set the figure of Dr. Archer, rector, 1579-1620, in the act of exhortation, with book in hand, and partially resting upon a cushion; attached is a partially effaced inscription in Latin; he died in 1620: there is also an altar slab to Dame Ann Clearke, 1644; and two brasses to members of the Conquest family. The register dates from the year 1595. The parish registers of Houghton Conquest, 1539-188, are in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, having been purchased in 1884. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
• Non-conformist
  • There is a Wesleyan chapel, erected in 1878 ; the old chapel, built in 1833, is now used as a schoolroom. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898

Church Records

• Church of England
  • The parish record transcripts for All Saints are available on microfiche for the period 1595-1812 from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Gazetteers

• A transcript of the HoughtonConquest parish entries from Stephen Whatley's 1750 Topographical Gazetteer of England,
• A transcript of the HoughtonConquest parish entries from Samuel Lewis's 1831 Topographical Dictionary of England,
• A transcript of the HoughtonConquest parish entries from Samuel Lewis's 1835 Topographical Dictionary of England,
• A transcript of the HoughtonConquest parish entries from The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales, 1866-9

Military History

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