GenUKI Contents

Bedfordshire

Nearby places

WILSTEAD

"WILSTEAD, (or Wilshamstead) a parish in the hundred of Redbornestoke, county Beds, 4 miles south east of Bedford. The village is traversed by the road between Bedford and Luton. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Ely, value £350. The church, dedicated to All Saints, was erected in the reign of Henry VII., and had once a tower, which fell down in 1742. It contains a brass of a priest bearing date 1450. The Wesleyans have a chapel. The charities produce about £31, of which £20 is the endowment of Wells' school.

"CHAPEL END, a hamlet in the parish of Wilstead, county of Bedfordshire, 1 mile east of Wilstead."

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

"LITTLEWORTH, a hamlet in the parish of Wilstead, county of Bedfordshire, 1¾ mile east north east of Wilstead."

"WILHAMSTEAD COTTON END, a hamlet in the parish of Wilstead, county of Bedfordshire, 1½ mile east north east of Wilstead."

Census

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

Churches

• All Saints Church, Wilstead.

Church History

• Church of England
  • The church of All Saints is an edifice of stone in the Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and an embattled western tower containing 2 bells: the hammer-beam roof is a fine example, and richly carved: there is a very ancient font and a piscina, and in the north aisle is a brass, with the effigy of a priest, and an inscription in Latin; in 1873 the chancel was entirely rebuilt, and organ chamber and vestry erected, and the nave restored and re-seated, at a cost of about £1,800. The register dates from the year 1594. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898
• Non-conformist
  • Here is a Wesleyan chapel. [Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]

Church Records

• Church of England
  • The parish record transcripts for All Saints are available on microfiche for the period 1594-1812 from the Bedfordshire Family History Society.

Gazetteers

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

Genealogy

• The BURR family who lived for many generations throughout the 18th & 19th Centuries in Wilstead. The family originated in nearby Pulloxhill but the present generations can be found both in Wilstead and in the U.S.A.

• A local history book on the village of Wilstead has been written and this book can be ordered - contact Christine Papworth, email address wilsteadbook@ntlworld.com

Military History

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