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Bedfordshire

Nearby places

STEVINGTON

"STEVINGTON, (or Steventon), a parish in the hundred of Willey, county Bedford, 5 miles north west of Bedford, its post town. The village is situated near the river Ouse. The land is wholly arable. In the centre of the village stands an ancient cross. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Ely, value £168. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient edifice, with a tower and five bells. The interior contains a brass of T. Salle, bearing date 1422. The parochial charities produce about £20 per annum, which go to Barringer's almshouses. There is a National school for both sexes. The Baptists have a place of worship. Near the church is a spring, which is called the Holy Well. Crewe Alston, Esq., is lord of the manor.

"CHURCH END, a village in the parish of Stevington, county of Bedfordshire, ½ mile north of Stevington."

"DUCK END, a hamlet in the parish of Stevington, county of Bedfordshire, ½ mile south west of Stevington."

"PARK END, a hamlet in the parish of Stevington, county of Bedfordshire, ½ mile south east of Stevington."

"WEST END, a hamlet in the parish of Stevington, county of Bedfordshire, ¾ mile north west of Stevington. There is here a Baptist chapel."

Census

• The 1851 Census Index for Stevington can be found in the 1851 Index to Census of Bedfordshire, Volume 1, Book 2 available from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Churches

• Here are photographs of Churches etc. in the parish:
  • The Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Church End.
  • The Baptist Meeting, Stevington.

Church History

• Church of England
  • The church of St. Mary is an ancient edifice of stone, chiefly in the Decorated and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel with lateral chapels, now ruinous, nave with clerestory, porch and a tower containing 5 bells, the lower part of the tower, as far as the inset of the aisles, is of Saxon work: in the pavement of the south aisle at the east end is a brass with the effigy of a knight in armour: in the church, on the bench-ends, are several small figures representing men drinking, sleeping and reading, also various animals : the chancel retains a piscina and hagioscope, and inside the porch is a stout: on the north side of the church is a low side window: the church was restored in 1871-2, at a cost of about £2,000, chiefly defrayed by the Duke of Bedford. The register dates from the year 1653. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
• Non-conformist
  • Here is a Baptist meeting-house, established in 1655, during the time of the celebrated John Bunyan, the present building was erected in 1720; the Primitive Methodist chapel erected in 1863, has 50 sittings. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
  • The is a short history and a list of the members etc. of the West End Baptist Meeting on the Bedfordshire council web site.

Church Records

• Church of England
  • The parish record transcripts for St. Mary, are available on microfiche for the period 1653-1812 from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Description and Travel

• Details of the Stevington Windmill can be found on the Bedford Borough Council site.

Gazetteers

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

Military History

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

Societies

• The Stevington History Group was formed in September 1999 to research the history of the Village. The object of the Trust is to advance the education of the public in the history of Stevington (Bedfordshire).