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Bedfordshire

Nearby places

MARSTON-MORETAINE

"MARSTON-MORETAINE, a parish in the hundred of Redbornestoke, county Bedford, 4 miles north west of Ampthill, its post town, and 6 south west of Bedford. It is situated on a branch of the river Ouse, and was formerly a market town. The Bedford and Bletchley branch of the London and Birmingham railway passes through the parish, and has a station at Marston-Pillage. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture, and some few females in lace-making and straw-plait. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £1,120. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Ely, value £797, in the patronage of St. John's College, Cambridge. The church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, has a detached tower containing five bells. The walls of the tower, which is of earlier date than the real of the building, are six feet in thickness. The interior of the church is well fitted up, and contains many ancient brasses, two of which bear the dates 1420 and 1451. The church was restored in 1844. The parochial charities produce about £40 per annum. There is a large National school for both sexes. The Wesleyan Methodists have a place of worship. The Rev. John Alington, Rector of Little Barford, is lord of the manor."

"CAULCOTT, a hamlet in the parish of Marston Moretaine, county of Bedfordshire, ½ miles north east of Marston."

"LOWER SHELTON, a hamlet in the parish of Marston Moretaine, county of Bedfordshire, ¾ mile north of Marston.

"UPPER SHELTON, a hamlet in the parish of Marston Moretaine, county of Bedfordshire, 1¼ miles north of Marston.

"WOOD END, a hamlet in the parish of Marston Moretaine, county of Bedfordshire, 3 miles east of Marston"

Census

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

Churches

• Here are photographs of Churches etc. in the parish:
  • The Primitive Methodist Church, Marston Moretaine.
• 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, Marston Moretaine

Church History

• Church of England
  • The church of St. Mary is a large and ancient edifice, in the Early English and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, and massive Perpendicular tower, standing about 50 feet from the church, and containing 5 hells: in the chancel are brasses to the Snagqe family: there is a tie marble monument in the south aisle chancel chapel to Sir Thomas Snagge, Speaker of the House of Commons in the reign of Queen Elizabeth: the interior has been restored and will seat 600 persons. The register dates from the year 1703. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
• Non-conformist
  • Here are Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist chapels. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

Church Records

• Church of England
  • The parish record transcripts for St Mary are available on microfiche for the period 1703-1812 from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Gazetteers

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

Military History

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