GenUKI Contents

Bedfordshire

Nearby places

ROXTON

"ROXTON, a parish in the hundred of Barford, county Bedford, 5 miles south west of St. Neot's, its post town, and 8 north east of Bedford. The village, which is of small extent, is situated near the river Ouse, and on the great north road. The parish includes the hamlets of Chawson and Collesdon, and is chiefly agricultural. The tithes were commuted for land and a money payment under an Enclosure Act in 1810. The living is a vicarage annexed to the vicarage* of Great Barford, in the diocese of Ely, value £288, in the patronage of Trinity College, Cambridge. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient structure with a square embattled tower containing four bells. The interior of the church contains an altar-tomb of Roger Hunt, bearing date 1439. The parochial charities produce about £1 per annum. The Independents have a place of worship. Roxton House is the principal residence. The Rev. R. Delap is lord of the manor."

"CHAWSTON, a hamlet in the parish of Roxton, in the county of Bedford, 3 miles west of St. Neot's. It is situated near the river Ouse."

"COLESDEN, a hamlet in the parish of Roxton, in the county of Bedford, 3 miles north west of Roxton."

Cemeteries

• A Survey of Grave Memorials at The Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Roxton, Bedfordshire, including photographs and transcriptions.

Census

• The 1851 Census Index for Roxton can be found in the 1851 Index to Census of Bedfordshire, Volume 2, Book 3 available from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Churches

• Here are photographs of Churches etc. in the parish:
  • The Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Roxton.
    • The font

Church History

• Church of England
  • The church of St. Mary is an ancient edifice, originally Decorated, but much altered in the Perpendicular period, and consists of chancel, nave of three bays with south aisle and an embattled western tower of Late Decorated character, containing 3 bells: the chancel retains a piscina and locker, and once had a chapel or south aisle, the arches of the arcade of which are now built in to the south wall of the chancel: part of the screen remains, the lower panels being painted and gilt, with figures; on the south side of the chancel is an altar tomb to Roger Hunt, Speaker of the Parliament 8 Hen. V. (1420-I), and again in 1433, and appointed a baron of the Exchequer in 1438; on the north side of the church is a Perpendicular arched recess, with the recumbent effigy of a female on a low slab : a brass inscribed to John Fage of Chalverstone, died 1400, has been recovered and placed in the chancel: the body of the church was restored in 1887 and 1890, at a cost of £320, under the direction of Mr. W. M. Fawcett architect, of Cambridge, and in 1893 the tower was repaired and a peal of 5 bells hung, at a cost of £260. The register dates from the year 1684. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
  • There is another history of the church on the Bedfordshire Council website, along with a list of Vicars.
• Non-conformist
  • Here is a Congregational chapel. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

Church Records

• Church of England
  • The parish record transcripts for St. Mary are available on microfiche for the period 1684-1812 from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Gazetteers

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

Military History

• The BFHS Project in conjunction with Roll of Honour contains the Roxton St Mary War Memorial transcription for WW1 and WW2 with details of the men found on it, also in the same project is the Roxton Congregational Chapel memorial.