GenUKI Contents

Bedfordshire

STEPPINGLEY

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"STEPPINGLEY, a parish in the hundred of Redbornestoke, county Bedford, 2½ miles south west of Ampthill, its post town, and 10 south of Bedford. It is a small agricultural village, bounded on the north by the Flitt stream, flowing into the river Ouse. The living is a rectory (with parsonage and glebe) in the diocese of Ely, value £266, in the patronage of the lord chancellor. The church, dedicated to St. Lawrence, has a tower containing four bells. The parochial charities produce about £1 per annum. The Duke of Bedford is lord of the manor."

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

Census

• The 1851 Census Index for Steppingley can be found in the 1851 Index to Census of Bedfordshire, Volume 4, Book 3 available from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Churches

• St. Lawrence's Church, Steppingley.

Church History

• Church of England
  • The church of St. Lawrence, rebuilt in 1860 by the Duke of Bedford and the rector, is a building of local sandstone in the Early Decorated and Perpendicuiar styles, consisting of chancel, nave, north aisle and a tower containing 4 bells : it is seated with open oak benches for 240 persons. The register dates from 1562, but is continuous only from 1647. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
• Non-conformist
  • Here is a small Wesleyan chapel. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

Church Records

• Church of England
  • The parish record transcripts for St. Lawrence, are available on microfiche for the period 1647-1812 from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Description and Travel

• The Duke of Bedford is lord of the manor and the principal landowner. The soil is chiefly sand; subsoil, sand. The chief crops are wheat, barley, clover and turnips. The area is 1,308 acres ; rateable value, £1,404; the population in 1891 was 308. [Extracts from Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

Gazetteers

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

Military History

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