The Stories behind

Harlington’s Blue Plaques

Visit Harlington

“Visit Harlington” - Introduction

On Tuesday 3rd

July 2012 the inaugural meeting of “Visit Harlington”, a committee formed

by Harlington Heritage Trust, Harlington Parish Councillors and other interested individuals

from within the community, took place at “The Carpenters Arms” Public House. The remit

for the committee was to attract visitors to the village with an initial project proposed of

erecting six historic blue plaques within Harlington. Four of these would be mounted on

buildings relating to the event or person described while two would be mounted on

signposts pointing to the site described.

Following a number of meetings a shortlist of six signs were decided upon. Details are given

below of the event or person commemorated and the site location of each plaque:

Plaque 1 ; The 1st English Grand National Steeplechase. Front Wall of “The Carpenters

Arms” in Sundon Road.

Plaque 2 ; The 1st English Grand National Steeplechase. South side of St.Mary’s Church

Tower, facing Bury Orchard.

Plaque 3 ; John Bunyan Arrest. Harlington House, Station Road wall.

Plaque 4 ; Bunyan’s Oak ; Footpath sign at the top of Barton Road (Abbots Hill)

Plaque 5 ; John Benet ; The “Old Schoolhouse”, Front wall in Church Road

Plaque 6 ; Sir Ralph Pirot ; Footpath sign by Harlington Upper School in Goswell End Road

Funding was then sought and received from the Chiltern Conservation Board and

Harlington Parish Council, while further donations have been received from Harlington

Heritage Trust and from individuals whose buildings the plaques would be erected upon.

Permission was received from the Conservation Department of Central Bedfordshire

Council for the work to go ahead and the plaques ordered from a local village signmaker,

Drake's Labels and Nameplates.

The first plaque, relating to the 1st English National Steeplechase, was erected by Terry

Payne in March 2013 outside “The Carpenters Arms”.

The remaining five plaques were erected in May and June 2013.

The stories behind these plaques can be found in this booklet which is also available online

at http://sites.google.com/site/harlingtonheritagetrust

Editor : John Thurston

The 1st

English Grand National Steeplechase, Monday 8th

March 1830

In the early 19th

century horse racing,

and in particular steeplechasing,

began in earnest in England. As early

as 1576 a four mile race had been

staged in Crosby in Lincolnshire to

celebrate Ascension Day. This,

however, had been just a local event.

The first National Steeplechase took

place in Cork, Ireland in 1752 as the

result of a wager between Mr Cornelius O’Callaghan and Mr Edmund Blake. The race was 4

miles cross country between St.John’s Church and St.Mary’s, “steeple to steeple” chosen

because these were the highest discernible points on the landscape. Sadly both churches

have since been demolished and all that remains to record this event is a small discoloured

plaque in the church grounds of St.Mary’s. In England at the time, horse racing was also

becoming extremely popular. In 1776 the first British Thoroughbred Flat Race was staged at

Doncaster, namely the St.Leger Stakes while in 1792 the first recorded amateur

steeplechase, over an 8 mile course, was run in Leicestershire. Nearer home, in 1810,

another amateur steeplechase for certified hunters took place in Bedford over a 3 mile

course with 8 fences.

During the 1820’s and 30’s sports of many types were being taken up

by rich young men, many with military backgrounds. (One example

was the Oxford/Cambridge boat race which took place for the first

time on 10th

June 1829 at Henley with Oxford winning). George IV

(1762-1830) was especially keen on horse riding and horse breeding

and this encouraged the development of the sport still further

amongst the landed classes and aristocracy.

And so how did a small village like Harlington get involved with the 1st

National Steeplechase ?

At the end of February 1830 a party of Life Guards met at the “Turf

Hotel” in St.Albans, owned by Thomas Coleman. Coleman was a much

respected man, in favour with the King who had allowed his horse,

Hindostan, to race at St.Albans. Coleman had worked in a stables as a

boy and his hotel was a magnet for all types of sportsmen. Apart from

horse racing, Billiards and sponsored Boxing matches were also

staged there.

Many young soldiers, especially lifeguards, who had possibly trained

or fought at the Battle of Waterloo came to the “Turf” and were, of

course, superb horsemen. Quite naturally they wanted to pit their

skills against each other with large wagers being made. The

discussions at the end of February by just such a group revolved

Silsoe’s former

obelisk now erected

at Trent Park,

Enfield

around arranging a race to be staged over good hunting country not further than 40 miles

from London. The race was to be run over not less than 4 miles, with all gates and obstacles

to be jumped. Sixteen entrants put in a £25 entrance fee (equivalent to approximately

£250,000 today.) The race was to be organised by Thomas Coleman, with the route to be

kept secret until the last minute so that no rider would have an advantage.

The “Sporting Magazine” of May 1830 shows that the riders were supposed to meet at

Streatley on Monday 8th

March. There appears to have been a lot of confusion concerning

the meeting place with both riders and spectators appearing as far afield as Toddington,

Streatley and Pulloxhill. The starting point was then changed at the last moment to

Harlington, and as the race had to be 4 miles the suggested course was Harlington to Silsoe.

Unfortunately as Silsoe’s Church had collapsed the previous year, there could be no

“steeple to steeple” and instead an 86 feet *obelisk in Wrest Park was chosen as the

finishing point.

Because of the confusion it took several hours to gather all the riders and horses, who

assembled in a farmyard in Harlington, probably at Manor Farm. They then made their way

to Bury Orchard for the start of the race by the church steeple. The steeplechase eventually

got under way at 3.15 p.m., three and a quarter hours late. The signal for the start of the

race was Tommy Coleman lowering a red flag. Then, positioned at intervals along the

course, (which was unknown to the riders) were pairs of marshalls who would (literally)

jump out with red flags which the riders and horses then had to pass between. Today the

actual route taken is unknown but would not have been in a straight line, so possibly the

riders either headed north-east or south-east after leaving Bury Orchard.

While we know the winner of the race, unfortunately we do not have a complete list of

riders, horses or owners. The “Sporting Magazine” gives some details in its May 1830

edition**, while a number of corrections and amendments are made in the July 1830

edition. However, neither edition can be considered completely accurate, with various

correspondents disputing the facts between them. What we do know for certain is that

Captain Macdowall on “The Wonder”, owned by Lord Ranelagh, won the race in 16 mins 25

seconds narrowly beating Lord Clanricarde’s mount (owner and horse unknown). The

Honourable A. Berkeley on “Rockingham”, owner Captain Wombwell came in 3rd

in under

17 minutes narrowly beating Mr Haines horse

(name unknown) owned by Lord Belfast. The

winner won 300 sovereigns. One horse, “Teddy

the Tiler”, fell badly injuring its rider, 22 year

old Mr Stretfield. Despite convalescing at

Torquay, Mr Stretfield eventually died on 11th

January 1833. Another rider, Captain Martin

William Beecher (who rode a mount called

“Tatler” owned by a Mr Angerstein) was later

persuaded to help in organising the course for

the National at Aintree which started in 1836.

Beechers Brook is, of course, named after him. Start of the 1832 St. Albans Steeplechase,

outside the “Turf” Hotel

Thus the first properly organised National Steeplechase had taken place, with spectators

coming from all over England (some from 100 miles away). Due to its success, Coleman

immediately organised the next one. As he had probably seen how much takings John

Stanbridge at the “Carpenters Arms” had made on the day, not surprisingly Coleman

decided to organise a circular race beginning and ending at his own “Turf Hotel”, with the

event becoming known as the St.Albans Steeplechase. Harlington’s moment of fame had

therefore passed.

Footnotes :

* The Obelisk can be seen in a picture of Wrest Park in 1906/7 but was then later bought by

Sir Philip Sassoon in 1934. It was installed in Trent Park, Enfield, to impress the Duke and

Duchess of Kent who were honeymooning there.

** The “Sporting Magazine” of May 1830 carries a picture by J.A. Mitchel(l), shown below,

which purports to show the riders “from a sketch taken on the spot”. However, it is clearly

not the steeple of St. Mary’s in the background, so whether this was artistic licence or just

an inaccurate depiction is not known.

“STEEPLE CHASE IN BEDS.” - J.A.Mitchel, 1830

Acknowledgements :

Reverend Stephen Williams; “Chasing Steeples”, Talk to the Harlington Heritage Trust,

Sunday 25th

January, 2009.

George Robinson; “A Harlington Link with an English Sporting First” , Article in the

Harlington Heritage Trust Newsletter No. 13, May 1984.

“The Sporting Magazine”, Volumes No.1, May 1830 & No. 3, July 1830, Article and Letters.

John Bunyan (1628 – 1688)

John Bunyan, was born at Harrowden, near Elstow,

in 1628.

The son of a tinker, he followed his father’s trade

before joining the Parliamentarian Army at Newport

Pagnell in October 1644. He served at the garrison

there until 1647.

After the war he returned to Elstow and in 1650 he

married a local girl (name unknown). They had four

children, one of whom, Mary, was born blind. It was

probably this that caused John to change his life and

in 1653 he joined a christian fellowship led by Pastor

John Gifford and a close friendship ensued. In 1655

Bunyan moved to St.Cuthbert’s Street in Bedford and while there he discovered he had a

talent as a preacher.

He was also an outspoken critic of George Fox and the Quaker movement which led him to

publish his first two books; “Some Gospel Truths Opened” (1656) and “A Vindication Of

Gospel Truths Opened” (1657).

After the monarchy was restored in 1660,

England returned to Anglicanism and it

became punishable by law to "conduct

divine service except in accordance with

the ritual of the church, or for one not in

Episcopal orders to address a

congregation." Thus Bunyan no longer

had the freedom to preach that he had

enjoyed under the Puritan

Commonwealth.

Despite this, Bunyan continued with his preaching and on 12th

November 1660 he was

invited to address a congregation in a farmhouse at

Lower Samsell, near Harlington.

When his purpose became known, the magistrate at

Harlington House, Francis Wingate, issued a warrant for

his arrest under the Act of Elizabeth, which forbade

Conventicles (Religious Meetings).

The meeting had in fact been represented to Wingate as

one of seditious persons bringing arms, with a view to

the disturbance of the public peace. He had therefore

ordered that a watch should be kept about the house,

“as if,” Bunyan says, “we did intend to do some fearful

business to the destruction of the country.”

John Bunyan’s birthplace

at Harrowden, near Elstow, Bedfordshire

The intention to arrest him became known, and on Bunyan’s arrival his friends warned him

of the danger. He could easily have escaped, and he was in fact advised to do so by the

brother at whose house the meeting was to take place. Bunyan, however, was made of

sterner stuff. He had come to hold the meeting, and hold the meeting he would. He calmly

waited for the time fixed for the brethren to assemble, and then, without hurrying, he

opened the meeting in the usual manner, with a prayer for God’s blessing. He had given

out his text, the brethren had just opened their Bibles and Bunyan was beginning to preach,

when the arrival of the constable with the warrant put an end to the meeting. Bunyan

requested to be allowed to say a few parting words of encouragement to the, by now,

terrified flock. This was granted, but after listening to Bunyan’s exhortations for a while,

the constable and the justice’s servant grew weary of listening to him and “would not be

quiet till they had him away”.

As Wingate was not available that day, a friend of Bunyan offered to house him for the

night, undertaking that he would appear the next day. The following morning the friend

took him to the constable’s house, and they then proceeded to Harlington House. Bunyan

was brought before Francis Wingate, who soon realised that he had been entirely mistaken

on the character of the Samsell meeting and its object. Instead of being a gathering of

“Fifth Monarchy men,” or other such fanatics disturbing the public peace as had been

supposed, he learnt from the constable that there had been just a few peaceable, harmless

people, met together for preaching without any political motive.

Wingate, essentially to save face,

then asked Bunyan what business he

had in the area and why he was not

following his own calling instead of

breaking the law by preaching.

Bunyan replied that he had come to

exhort his hearers for their souls’

sake and he could do this as well as

following his calling. At this stage

Wingate lost his temper and

declared angrily that he would

“break the neck of these unlawful

meetings,” and that Bunyan must

find securities for his good

behaviour or go to gaol. While bail

and securities could easily be found, the real problem was that Bunyan stated that even if

these were given, their bonds would be forfeited, for he “would not leave speaking the

word of God.” Wingate then told him that this being so he must be sent to gaol to be tried

at the next Quarter Sessions at Bedford. Wingate then left the room to make out his

mittimus (a court order directing a sheriff or other officer to escort a convict to a prison).

While Wingate was away, Dr. Lindall, Vicar of Barton and subsequently of Harlington and

Wingate’s father-in-law, came into the room. Described by Bunyan as “an old enemy to the

Harlington House in the 17th

Century

truth,” he states that Lindall began “taunting at him with many reviling terms,” demanding

what right he had to preach and meddle with that for which he had no warrant, charging

him with making long prayers to devour widows houses, and likening him to “one

Alexander the Coppersmith he had read of,” “aiming, ’tis like,” says Bunyan, “at me because

I was a tinker.” The warrant was then made out and Bunyan, in the constable’s charge,

began his journey to Bedford. However, on the way he was met by two of his friends, who

begged the constable to wait a while so they could use their influence with Wingate to try

and get Bunyan released.

After a protracted conversation with Wingate, they returned with the message that if

Bunyan would wait on the magistrate and “say certain words” to him, he might go free.

Bunyan, to satisfy his friends, returned stating that “If the words were such as he could say

with a good conscience he would say them, or else he would not.”

By the time Bunyan arrived back at Harlington House it was night time. As he entered the

hall he recognised William Foster, a lawyer and Wingate’s brother-in-law, coming from an

inner room with a lighted candle in his hand. Foster was known to be fiercely opposed to

Nonconformists. Despite this, Bunyan states that Foster simulated affection, “as if he would

have leapt on my neck and kissed me,” which immediately put Bunyan on his guard, as he

had ever known him for “a close opposer of the ways of God”. Foster, he said, adopted the

tone of one who had Bunyan’s interest at heart, and begged him as a friend to yield a little

from his stubbornness. His brother-in-law, he said, was very loath to send him to gaol. All

he had to do was only to promise that he would not call people together, and he should be

set at liberty and might go back to his home. Bunyan was unimpressed and refused to give

such assurances.

Both Foster and Wingate were in fact both trying to get the case against Bunyan dismissed.

They hoped that a little firmness with a well-meaning but misguided man would restrain

Independents and save trouble later – for already Independents were sometimes spoken of

as “Bunyan his society”. They therefore intentionally used the wording “that he would not

call the people together” to provide a loophole for Bunyan’s release. Bunyan stubbornly

refused to give any such assurances and once they saw he was “at a point, and would not

be moved or persuaded,” the warrant was again placed in the constable’s hands.

By now it was dark and Bedford being 13 miles away the

constable would probably have waited until the morning

to set out for the prison. It is therefore quite possible

that Bunyan spent the night under house arrest at

Harlington House prior to his journey.

At the trial at Bedford, Bunyan was found guilty and was

subsequently imprisoned in Bedford County Gaol for 12

years.

During this time he wrote a number of works including

“Profitable Meditations” (1661), “I Will Pray With The

Spirit” (1663), “Christian Behaviour” (1663), “The Holy City” (1665), “The Resurrection Of

The Dead” (1665) and “Grace Abounding” (1666).

He was released in 1672, but was then further imprisoned for a further six months in 1676

for refusing to take communion. Following this, Bunyan wrote his most famous work, “The

Pilgrims Progress”, Part 1 being published in 1678, Part 2 in 1685 (In between “The Life And

Death Of Mr Badman” (1680) was also published).

Within Bunyan's own life-time “The Pilgrims Progress” sold 100,000 copies. Since then it has

been translated into over 200 languages and is said to be the second biggest selling book in

world history after the bible, having sold a further 250 million copies.

John Bunyan’s eventful life ended in 1688 when he died after contracting a chill whilst

riding through the rain from Reading to London.

Bunyan’s Oak

This large oak tree is said by tradition to be the

place where John Bunyan gave his open air

sermons in the area prior to being arrested in

1660.

The tree, of very large girth, is hollow thus

providing a natural pulpit. With the ground sloping

upwards from the tree it made it extremely easy

for Bunyan to be seen and heard by the assembled

congregation.

Although the oak tree died sometime

in the 1950s, its gnarled trunk and

many branches remain. After a

particularly large branch fell in 1987,

an oak altar table and tall feature

table were crafted by Tim Jarvis to a

basic design by the Reverend Stephen

Williams for St.Mary’s Church. These

were a gift to the church from James

Smith, the farmer on whose land the

oak tree stands, and his wife, Mrs

Betty Smith, fittingly perhaps, a local

magistrate.

In July 1988, on the tercentenary of Bunyan’s death, a service was held at the oak and

television naturalist David Bellamy planted a new oak tree to grow alongside the original.

David Bellamy at Bunyan’s Oak in 1988,

the Tercentenary of Bunyan’s death

John Benet (? – circa 1474) ;

Vicar and Renowned Author

John Benet was the Vicar of Harlington from March

1442/3, the year Edward IV was born. While we

know little about Benet’s early life or schooling, we

do know he was a well-educated man who became

Vicar of St.Mary’s, Harlington, under the patronage

of the prior and convent of Dunstable. Although we

cannot be certain, Benet probably spent the next

29 years living in Harlington and was known to

have been resident in 1461 and 1468.

Benet’s fame derives from chronicles he compiled

between 1462 – 1471 in Harlington (“Apud Herlingdone”). Containing material from a host

of different sources, these combined chronicles can best be described as a “commonplace”

book, a type of scrapbook developed in the 15th

century which contained items of

knowledge such as poems, prophecies, quotes, tables, proverbs, prayers, current news,

histories and chronological notes on both secular and ecclesiastical matters and a whole

host of miscellaneous articles that the particular author was interested in. Benet’s

chronicles, written in both Latin and English, contain in particular important political events

which occurred between 1448-69, mainly concerning London.

Some of the typical and varied items

contained within Benet’s writings include

a ballad entitled “ The Five Dogs of

London”(1456), Lydgate’s verses on “The

Kings of England”(1458), a poem entitled

“Stere welle the good shype”(1458), a

descriptive list of “The Wonders of

England”(1459), lists of collective nouns, a

mythical ordinance of God for keeping the

Sabbath and other prophecies (1460/1)

and notes on the Battle of Northampton

and the rebellion of Robin of Redesdale

(1469).

Most of the information contained within

the chronicles appears to have been

written before the end of 1462, with later

additions in 1468/9 and concluding entries

written towards the latter part of 1471

(e.g. one of the final entries, a list of the

casualties at the Battle of Tewkesbury,

given by Benet has his added signature

together with a date of 13th

November

1471.)

“Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the Library of

Trinity College”, Pages 78 & 79

The book was then probably bound late in 1471, just before Benet left Harlington to take up

the post of Rector of Broughton, near Newport Pagnell. He died sometime before

November 1474 when Dom.John Stanway took over the post vacated by Benet’s death.

During May 2007 I made a brief visit to Dublin and was extremely fortunate in being able to

visit Trinity College and examine these chronicles in the Manuscripts Department Reading

Room. The individual 223 pages (folios) are contained in single brown leather volume

inscribed “Prophetiae Poemata & c. E.5.10” which was foliated in July 1958. The pages are

a mixture of both paper and vellum, with the latter in various shapes and sizes. The writing,

as previously mentioned, is a mix of both English and Latin and is written both horizontally

(portrait) and vertically (landscape) on different pages. The (discoloured) brown ink script is

occasionally offset by some illuminated red ink characters at the beginning of a sentence on

several of the pages.

While I was not permitted to photograph pages of the book, I was allowed to photocopy

the description of the chronicles contained in the “Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the

Library of Trinity College” (Compiled by T.K.Abbott in 1900) which is reproduced here.

(N.B. I subsequently received an e-mail from Trinity indicating that if the Harlington

Heritage Trust would like to order photographs of individual folio pages these are available

at a cost of £12 for a 10” x 8” black and white copy or £15 for a colour version. While we

would certainly like to obtain a few sample folio pages from this important work for our

archive collection, unfortunately at this point in time our funds do not stretch to this)

So how did a Vicar from a small country

village manage to source material

needed to write about such varied

events occurring around the country ?

Several possibilities exist. He could have

travelled to London and Oxford to

obtain both first hand accounts and to

purchase books and material. A stand-in

Curate would have been employed in

Benet’s absence at Harlington to carry

out Ecclesiastical duties. An alternative,

and more likely explanation, was that

Benet had access to literary works, news

and other material at both Dunstable

Priory and Toddington. The Priory was

situated at an important crossroads for

travellers journeying north from London and Oxford, thus current news and information

would have been readily available while it would also have been possible to exchange, buy

or barter works of literature. In Toddington, John Broughton had founded the Toddington

Dunstable Priory, pictured in an 1818 print.

Perhaps John Benet obtained the latest national

news while visiting this church, which was

conveniently situated next to important north-

south, east-west crossroads.

Hospital in 1433. Broughton was a noted book collector who purchased in London, and the

college at Toddington was possibly the repository of some of these acquisitions.

After completion, the early history of what

happened to the bound volume of “John

Benet’s Chronicles” (as it is has now been

subsequently named) is unknown. More

than a century later, however, it had

become the property of James Ussher

(1581-1656), the Anglican Archbishop of

Armagh and eventual Primate of All Ireland.

It was later bequeathed to Trinity College,

Dublin and forms an important part of the

Ussher Collection of Books and documents.

The book remained a fairly obscure work

until quite recently when its historic

importance was noted by Dr. A.I.Doyle in the

“Bulletin of the Institute of Historical

Research” in November 1965. Subsequently

a more comprehensive study was written by

G.L. and M.A. Harriss in 1972 which

appeared in “Camdens Miscellany Volume

24, Fourth Series Volume 9” published by the

Royal Historical Society. Today the chronicles

are seen as important archive material when

researching events of the period.

For a country Vicar in a small Bedfordshire village to write such a remarkable work in the

middle of the 15th

century is truly amazing and we are most fortunate that the work has

survived and has become such an important part of this island’s history.

Acknowledgements :

Dr Bernard Meehan and the Manuscripts team at Trinity College, Dublin, who

provided excellent service and help during my 2007 visit.

James Ussher (January 4, 1581- March 21,

1656), Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of

Ireland, was highly regarded in his day as a

theologian and as a scholar. A tireless collector,

he eventually donated the collection to Trinity

College, Dublin, which his uncle Henry Ussher

(c.1550-1631) helped found.

SIR RALPH PIROT AND THE HARLINGTON MOATED SITE

Sir Ralph Pirot (Pyrot/Perot) ;

Knight, Rebel and

Professional Soldier

By the beginning of the 14th

century, the Pirot family had

established themselves as Lords

of the Manor of Harlington for

over 120 years. Ralph Pirot (1226

– 1305) was the fifth “Ralph” to

become Lord succeeding his

father, also Ralph, who had died

in 1252. The family were almost certainly living in

or near the Moated Site, next to the Upper School, described later in this article.

Ralph was a knight who had quite an extraordinary career under two different monarchs.

He first served under Henry III during the king’s abortive campaign against the Welsh, led by

Llewelyn, in Anglesey in 1257. Ralph probably received his arms at the time which were

subsequently borne by all the Pirots namely “Quarterly indented per fesse or and azure”

shown on the right. He attended the King in France in 1259 and was also summoned for

service, again in Wales, in 1263.

However, events at home were proving more pressing than abroad as England was soon to

become embroiled in Civil War. The English barons, led by Simon de Montfort, demanded

more say in the running of the kingdom. A feud between the King and French-born de

Montfort had originated after Henry, in an outburst of anger over de Montfort's behaviour

in a financial matter, accused de Montfort of seducing his sister and forcing him to give her

to de Montfort to avoid a scandal. Confronted by the Barons about the secret marriage that

Henry had allowed to happen, the situation soon reached a crisis. In the 1250s de Montfort

was brought up on spurious charges for actions he had taken as lieutenant of Gascony, the

last remaining Plantagenet land across the English Channel. He was acquitted by the Peers

of the realm, much to the King's displeasure.

De Montfort became leader of those who wanted to reassert Magna Carta and force the

king to surrender more power to the baronial council. Ralph Pirot threw his lot in with De

Montfort and was at Northampton in 1264 when the King's army captured the town in April

1264. Among the King’s prisoners were de Montfort’s younger son Simon and Sir Ralph

Pirot. However, the tables were turned with Henry’s defeat and capture at Lewes on 13th

May the same year, de Montforts’s virtual dictatorship ensuring that the Northampton

prisoners were released.

Henry was reduced to becoming a figurehead king while de Montfort broadened

representation to include each county of England and many important towns—that is, to

Pyrot

Quarterly

fessewise

indented or

and azure

groups beyond the nobility. Henry and his son, Prince Edward, were to remain under house

arrest for the next 15 months. Edward then escaped, being freed by his cousin Roger

Mortimer, and he then led the royalists into battle, turning the tables on de Montfort who

was killed at the Battle of Evesham on 4th

August 1265. Three days earlier, on the night of

1st

August, De Montfort’s son Simon and Sir Ralph Pirot were at Kenilworth when the town

was taken by surprise. Their lucky escape, together with a few other survivors, saved them

from the slaughter at Evesham.

While Simon the younger escaped to France, Ralph became a captain in a rebel faction

known as the “dispossessed”, or disinherited, in the Isle of Ely. They harried the nearby

countryside, while Pirot seems to have made contact with the monks at Dunstable,

borrowing money and horses from them. The Earl of Gloucester eventually obtained more

favourable terms for the Ely “dispossessed” and after their honourable surrender to Prince

Edward in July 1267, Ralph Pirot returned to Bedfordshire. His relationship with the

Dunstable monks (who secretly agreed with the reforms proposed by Ralph Pirot and

Simon De Montfort) continued and after he got into debt with some merchants of Cahors

(France) the monks stood surety for 120 marks (approximately £80) for which they pledged

their wool from the Peak District against Pirot’s rents of Harlington. The Dunstable Annals

recorded the transaction in 1272 :

“On the feast of All Saints, for Ralph Pirot we bound ourselves to the merchants of Cahors

for 120 marks. They took our wool from the Peak at eight marks a sack until they paid the

120 marks”.

In 1273, Pirot’s behaviour finally caught up with him and he was imprisoned in the Tower of

London upon charges of breaches of the King’s Peace until 1276.

In 1272 Edward I had succeeded his father Henry III and despite Ralph Pirot’s former

allegiances and history, he once again would find favour as a professional soldier after his

release. Over the next few years he served in Wales (1277, 1282 and 1283), Gascony (1294)

and in Scotland (1296 - 1298 and 1303).

A writ of 26 January 1296/7, addressed 'Radulfo Perot', shows he was also summoned to an

assembly of Earls, Barons, and military tenants at Salisbury; and 'cum equis et armis' (with

horses and arms)to a military council at Rochester on 20 Aug 1297. He was never, however,

a peer to a properly constituted Parliament.

By his marriage to Cassandra de Argentein, Ralph Pirot had 6 children :

1. Ralph (6), of Radwell b: ABT 1257 in Radwell, Hitchin, Hertfordshire.(Died young in battle)

2. Simon, of Lindsell & Sawston b: ABT 1259 in Lindsell, Dunmow, Essex.

3. Thomas, of Knowlton b: ABT 1261 in Wyboston, St. Neots, Bedfordshire.

4. Joan, Heir of Windridge & Ashingdon b: ABT 1263 in Windridge, St. Albans, Hertfordshire,

5. Reginald, of Harlington b: ABT 1265 in Carlton, Bedford, Bedfordshire.

6. Alan , of Ringleton b: ABT 1267 in Radwell, Hitchin, Hertfordshire.

Ralph Pirot died sometime before 26th

April 1305 in Lindsell, Dunmow, Essex. As his eldest

son, Ralph (6), had predeceased him, he left his Harlington Estate to another son Reginald.

Disputes then arose between Reginald and his grandson, Ralph (7) culminating eventually

with the Pirot’s Lordship of the village ending in 1336.

Acknowledgement :

F.W.Kuhlicke, F.S.A. “The Bedfordshire Magazine”, No 24. Spring 1953, P316 -381

“A Bedfordshire Armorial – Pirot”

The Moated Site ; Two accounts of the Excavations in 1958

Account 1 ; Report by the Excavator, P.J.Savage (Ministry of Works)

Archaeological excavations on the site of a medieval moated manor near Harlington,

Bedfordshire, have been carried out during February and March by the Ministry of Works,

in view of the impending destruction of the remains for farming purposes. The work was

directed on behalf of the Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments by Mr. Paul Savage.

Three moated and embanked enclosures were visible on the surface. Two were of large size

and lay side by side, east and west respectively. The third, to the north, was smaller.

It was within the western large enclosure that the most important discoveries were made.

There were found the chalk and stone foundations of a substantial medieval building, its

main axis aligned north and south; flanked by lesser buildings of the same period, of which

one lay to the west and two to the east.

The main building was a hall sixty-four feet long and twenty-two feet wide, with a partition

or screen twelve feet from each end. Its chalk foundations were dwarf walls which

originally carried horizontal beams on which the sturdy timber framework of the building

was based. Blocks of sandstone were set at regular intervals along these low walls to

receive the main vertical members. The framework of the walls was filled in and encased

with cob (a plaster-like mixture of sand and clay, like that used in the construction of

surviving cottages in the south-west of England). The floor, which had been kept reasonably

clean during the life of the building, was of puddled chalk six inches thick. In the centre of

the hall was a hearth made of tiles set on edge.

While the smaller building to the west had similar foundations and floor, it was orientated

east-west. Extensive marks of burning and a thick midden deposit containing large

quantities of shells (including oysters, mussels and limpets) indicated that this was the

normal detached kitchen block of the period.

A greater width of foundation was the main characteristics of the other two domestic

buildings which also lay north to south.

In the north-west corner of the second large enclosure the chalk foundation of a building

thirty-two feet long and sixteen feet wide was revealed. This was probably a farm building,

perhaps a stable. In the centre of the same enclosure was the stone-rubble foundation of a

cattle or sheep pen, adjacent to a small pond.

The pottery fragments found during the excavations indicate that the site was in occupation

from late in the thirteenth century to the end of the fifteenth. Among the other medieval

objects found were fragments of bronze cauldrons, two iron arrowheads, a rowel-spur, a

number of knives, several ox-shoes, a flesh-hook and a silver penny of Edward I (reigned

1272 - 1307) or Edward II (reigned 1307 – 1327), minted in London.

Correlation of the new archaeological evidence with that from surviving documents

suggests that this was the site of the manor of Harlington. The manor is mentioned in

Domesday Book, but it would seem that the site of the original manorial buildings was

abandoned in favour of the one which has now been excavated, since no material earlier in

date than the thirteenth century has been found.

Editors Notes :

1) A revised version of this report appeared in the “Journal of the Society of Medieval

Archaeology”,

Volume 3, 1959.

2) Sadly, Mr Savage passed away in tragic circumstances a few years later and what

happened to the finds from the site are unknown. However, the report below by

local historian Ivan Odell, published in the Harlington Heritage Trust Newsletter 92

from March 2004 states :

“ It is hoped that the material found will be presented to the Luton Museum and to it

can be added five or six pottery fragments and a large fragment of a hard stone

mortar which I picked up on the site and took to the museum this a.m. (18/04/1958)”.

Perhaps a search of Luton Museum’s store rooms may yet reveal the elusive finds ?

3) As Mr Savage suggests, there was probably an earlier Manorial site in the village, but

again its whereabouts are unknown.

Mr P.Savage examining some surface finds Part of the Moated Site

Account 2 ; Report by Local Historian, Ivan O’Dell

“18.4.1958.

I visited the site a/m and

by good fortune chanced

to meet the owner of the

land – Mr. Davidson of

Home Farm, Tingrith - he

came up on to the

excavation as I stood

there looking at it. We

had nearly ½ hours

conversation on it.

Having given the Ministry

of Works the customary

three months notice he

will bulldoze away all the

footings at present

exposed, put back the top soil removed and fill all the moats - a very great pity; but having

lost ten acres to the new road he feels he must recoup his losses - and this ancient site is

the victim. It can never be completely obliterated – short of blasting it out of existence by

an atomic bomb. The line of the moat will be visible from the air. I told him, that being on

the side of all things threatened with extinction, I greatly regretted his decision. But the law

is his - the excavators have, apparently, got all they want to date and record it - so why

perpetuate a useless few acres of ground? Why indeed?

I asked how the excavation came to be undertaken in the first place and he told me that

having bought the land this site ‘stuck out like a sore thumb’ - hence his approach to the

Ministry of Works (but I recall distinctly that not so long ago this site was scheduled as a site

for preservation). As “manors” and moated granges go - it is of no great importance etc.

etc. The excavation began in February and has since been finished - though Mr. Davidson

told me that towards the end the excavators grew weary - thinking they had a site of a

more spectacular nature than it has since proved to be. As the Bedfordshire Times article -

which begins Medieval and ends Norman - says. Mr. P. Savage was in charge of the work. It

is hoped that the material found will be presented to the Luton Museum and to it can be

added five or six pottery fragments and a large fragment of a hard stone mortar which I

picked up on the site and took to the museum this a/m.

Locally, the site is known as “Hangings” - i.e. on a slope - as indeed it is and Mr.& Mrs.L.

Brinklow told me to-day that the story went that there was ‘a castle’ there at one time - a

very interesting example of ‘folk memory’ preserving a version in which something like a

grain of truth lay hidden. It is possible the spot was chosen because of the water springs

that rose at that point on the field slope. The moat, by whomever dug, served as merely

decorative rather than functional purpose and my guess is that it conformed for a well

established custom of having a moat for prestige reasons - around your residence - just as

battlements adorn churches derivatively and add something of a military character.

The site is roughly rectangular and the excavators have opened numerous trenches all

about the area. There must have been some sort of bridge(s) across the moat - the only

appropriate spot being on the east side and leading to the cobbled yard - for it is pretty

certain the house faced east. They should have dug out trenches in the moat - but the place

is so wet that it would have been well nigh hopeless. I approached from the SE and went

straight to the foundations as exposed.

Principally the house was a rectangle some 23 yards by 8 yards - though there are abundant

signs of ‘rooms’ added W. Foundations appear to have been of great ironstone blocks at

corners, a course of two of chalk (blocks) from the hills to the S (the excavators appear not

to have tried to find out how deep the chalk footings go - or went). Presumably the house

had a timber frame and wattle and daub walls - there is a complete absence of brick

anywhere - though smashed tiles lie about in abundance - unless upon the family leaving

and the house falling derelict, any timber and brick was carted off.

This question - put by the owner - as to whether any other buildings stood on this site

previously - but again, the excavators have not gone any deeper than the presumed floor

levels. With what were these floors covered? Probably they were merely beaten earth. My

guess is that after the house was left by its last occupants it stood derelict - at some tine

there was either a great collapse of the roof which would explain the profusion of tiles lying

smashed across the middle room, or else, as I have said, the place was dismantled

thoroughly and all brick – even to the chimney stack - removed (unless the hearth was an

open one and the smoke escaped through the roof - but I do not think this likely). It is

significant that the ‘north’ room is almost free of tile fragments and that the S room has far

fewer littered about than the middle room. In this is the hearth - now discernible by an area

of tiles placed flat (thin) ways on actually this is upside down. It is definitely not of ‘cobbled

stones’ - as the Bedfordshire Times ‘report’ has it.

Of other features - doors, windows, an upper storey, stairs, it is not possible to do more

than surmise - yet there must have been an entrance on the E side. Breaks in the calk

‘walling’ are so definite indication of a door.

Clear indication of what the people ate is provided by a litter of oyster and mussel shells on

the W side near the S end as though having eaten the oysters, the folk threw the shells

outside and let them stay - I should have liked to count the shells - since the number would

have revealed (perhaps) that this delicacy was a matter of occasional indulgence. It might

have been possible to identify the species - and would be interesting to know where they

came from. I saw a few meat bones lying with this debris. If the excavation has been

thoroughly done (and I don’t think it has) every scrap of this sort of evidence should have

been considered. The oyster shells appeared to me to be smaller in size than the usual

specimens found in association with Roman sites. I did not pick any up and so did not see

any ‘nicks’. Mussel shells also abound.

To the immediate N of the site - one crosses the ditch and mounts the bank to get to it - is

another moat, rectangular in shape, enc1osing a low, long ‘mound’. The excavators opened

a trench along its length and another half way along at right angles on the S side without

discovering anything. I suggest that this was the site of a largish barn - about 25feet x 8feet

- and that it was of board and timber and thatched - has the excavators tried along the

SIDES and not the middle they might have come across remains of post holes. In my view

such a building was placed there away from the house to reduce risk of fire - though it is

difficult to see why it was moated also. In any case, the people living at this spot, would

have needed houses, presumably some vehicles and certainly storage space for grain and

hay.

To sum up - here is a medieval site, late rather than early, chosen because of the adequate

water supply - and of fair dimensions. There may have some kind of stockade - but no

excavation seems to have been done to reveal any. Approach is a problem - possibly a track

led across from the present road leading to GoswelI End. The site is, of course, overlooked

from the higher ground to W and E. The surplus water must have drained away N.W.

Pottery evidence points to the 1350’s - and will no doubt be studied in detail. Metal objects

were also found. One wonders where all the rubbish was thrown during the occupation

period - much went in the moat no doubt - and what sanitation there was and where.

These buildings had no ‘gardrobes’.

How long was the site occupied? By whom? Why abandoned? When? Such questions

cannot be answered in detail and it is extremely doubtful, in my view, whether there is

documentary evidence to provide any clues. No coins seem to have been found. Were the

elderbushes and elms cleared away - as they will all be when the site is “restored to

cultivation”(!) - and were the house entire, it would look quite imposing in its small way:

coming along the road from Westoning and taking the road leading past Adelaide Cottages,

the site has a certain distinction and clarity of out-line. The ditches surrounding it have

preserved their definition in a quite remarkable way and only at the eastern end and along

the upper slope where considerable filling from earth falling from the field has taken place,

have they lost some of their clarity of shape. In general the width was about 15 feet with a

depth of up to 10 feet.”

The 1st English Grand National Steeplechase.

Front Wall of “The Carpenters Arms” in Sundon Road.

The 1st English Grand National Steeplechase.

South side of St.Mary’s Church Tower, facing Bury Orchard.

John Bunyan Arrest. Harlington House, Station Road wall.

Bunyan’s Oak ; Footpath sign at the top of Barton Road (Abbots Hill).

John Benet ; The “Old Schoolhouse”, Front wall in Church Road.

Sir Ralph Pirot ; Footpath sign by Harlington Upper School in Goswell End Road.

Sir Ralph Pirot ; Footpath sign by Harlington Upper School in Goswell End Road.

(Map courtesy of Meryl Parker)

Produced by “Visit Harlington”

Chairman : John Thurston, Telephone : 01525 874683 (johnthurston@screaming.net)

Secretary : Janice Tuckett, Telephone : 01525 877419 (jtuckett01@aol.com)

Further copies of this booklet available from Harlington village outlets, names available on request from the

above.

Kind Acknowledgements to the following organisations and individuals for providing help and donations:

Central Bedfordshire Council

Chiltern Conservation Board

Drake’s Labels and Nameplates

Harlington Heritage Trust

Harlington Parish Council

St.Mary’s Church

David Blakeman

Meryl Parker

Terry Payne