GenUKI Contents

Bedfordshire

THURLEIGH

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"THURLEIGH, a parish in the hundred of Willey, county Bedford, 7 miles north of Bedford, its post town, and 2 east of Bletsoe. The village is considerable, but irregularly built. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in agriculture, and in the manufacture of pillow lace. In this parish are Bury Hill round camp and the moated site of Blackbull Hall. The living is a vicarage (with parsonage and glebe) in the diocese of Ely, value £142. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, contains the brass of a knight, and a carved block of stone representing the Temptation and Fall. The parochial charities produce about £16 per annum. There is a National school, in which six boys are educated free. The Baptists have a chapel. J. S. Crawley, Esq., 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

The following information was transcribed by Craig Pickup from Kelly's Bedfordshire Directory, 1940

• "BACKNOE END, a hamlet in the parish of Thurleigh, 1 mile north of Thurleigh."
• "CHURCH END, a hamlet in the parish of Thurleigh, ¼ mile west of Thurleigh."
• "CROSS END, a hamlet in the parish of Thurleigh, ½ mile east of Thurleigh."

Census

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

Churches

• Here are photographs of Churches etc. in the parish:
  • St. Peter's Church, Thurleigh.
  • The Baptist Church, Thurleigh.
• The following Churches have their own websites:
  • St. Peter's Church, Thurleigh

Church History

• Church of England
  • The church of St. Peter, situated on an eminence, is a fine and ancient building of stone, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles end a central tower of Norman date, containing a clock and 6 bells, a 6th bell and a clock dial being added in 1897, in commemoration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee: the chancel and tower are covered with ivy: in the nave is a brass to John Harvey, supposed to be of the 13th century: in the chancel is a marble slab to John Harvey or Hervey, the last of the family, who died in 1715: the church was thoroughly restored in 1882, at a cost of about £700; the chancel was restored in 1887, at a cost of £100, and the bells in 1889, at a cost of £150: in 1887 a beautiful stained window was inserted at the east end of the chancel by Mr. and Mrs. Feazey in memory of their children: during the restoration of the chancel a low-side window was discovered on the south side with traces of ancient fastenings. The register dates from the year 1562. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
• Non-conformist
  • The Baptist chapel here was built in 1888, with schools attached, at a cost of £1,000. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

Church Records

• Church of England
  • The parish record transcripts for St. Peter are available on microfiche for the period 1562-1812 from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Community Websites

• The parish of Thurleigh

Description and Travel

• Two acres of land in this parish and a rent-charge of 40s. yearly, arising from land in the Parish of Goldington, are appropriated to the education of the children of the parish. Harvey's charity of £16 yearly, arising from the rent of the "Red Lion," is distributed to the poor at Christmas. Near the church are moated earthworks, known as "Bury Hill." J. Francis Ornwley esq. (Iny impropriator) J.P. of Stockwood, Luton, William Wade-Gery esq. and William Thompson esq. are the principal landowners. The soil is clay; sub-soil, clay. The chief crops are cereals; a few beans are grown. The area is 3,417 acres; rateable value, £2,659; the population in 1891 was 529. SCOLD END, three quarters of a mile south, and PARK END, a mile and a half south-east, are parts of the parish. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

Gazetteers

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

Military History

• During World War II the USAF were based here. Kevin Quick has photographs of the USAF Memorial close-up and the USAF Memorial as it is in general view, both of these are situated on the airfield at Thurleigh.
• Kevin Qucik has a photograph of the Thurleigh War Memorial, this Thurleigh memorial has been transcribed as part of the BFHS project in conjunction with Roll of Honour.