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Reference
AU34/19/2/2
Title
Essay on history of Ampthill
Date free text
1893
Production date
From: 1893 To: 1893
Scope and Content
Essay handwritten by Albert Edward Grimmer of Arthur Street, Ampthill: "Essay on Ampthill The quiet little healthily situated Bedfordshire town of Ampthill, formerly possessed an important straw plait market, and is at the present time the centre of a considerable, if more general trade. Standing in the hundred of Redbornstoke, about eight miles south-south-west of the county town, between two hills, it comprises within the parish bounds 1928 acres, and had at the latest computation a population of about 2,500. There are two annual fiars, one on the 4th of May, and the other - for cattle - on November 30th; while a weekly market is held every Thursday. The living of Ampthill is a rectory in the Bedford archdeaconry of the diocese of Lincoln, the Church being dedicated to St. Andrew. The sacred fane (of the perpendicular Early English decorated style of architecture) was restored in the years 1846 and 1877, and is a striking, if not imposing structure. Over the porch is a sacristy, now used as a clerical library. Among several memorials of interest within the building is a brass to the memory of Sir Nicolas Hervey, who was in attendance upon Katherine of Aragon during her residence, for the time of her trial at Ampthill Castle; and a mural monument to Richard Nicholls, of Ampthill House, who was killed in a naval engagement in 1672. Besides these there are several other notable old brasses, the following being the inscription of the largest and oldest: 'Here lies William Hicchecoh, Woolman formerly Merchant and Locum tenens of the staple of the Town of Calais. Who died 14th March 1450, and Lady Agnes his wife, on whose souls may God have mercy.' The fine east window and various other Embellishments of the Church were presented by members of the Wingfield family. The decorative Angels in the roof bear various coats-of-arms. There are five bells, each one having an inscription - on the smallest is graven: 'Ihs hazarene Rex Indeonum Pilider Misiere mer gloria des Soli A, dom 1725.' The inscription on the second is 'J. Briant, J. B. Stone, J. Kirk, C. Wardens. Hertford fecit. 1811.' The third bears the legend 'Christopher Graye made me 1665.' The fourth, 'David John Brodie Leach Esq. Churchwardens. Charles Wheeler, William Jones, William Emerton of Wootton, made me 1768.' On the fifth is the inscription 'Ihs hazarene Rex Inaaeorum fili Dei. Miserere naci Gloria Patri filio et spiritui sancto teayre Rett 1725.' The parish contains extensive ironworks and a large brewery, and possesses almshouses and other charities, the almshouses and affiliated schools were founded by Mr Cross, at one time principal of New College, Oxford. Ampthill Park is renowned for oaks of great age and size; some of them are still sound and flourishing but the greater part, though of little value in the eyes of a timber merchant, are just in a state which a poet or painter would desire. Some of them are (supposed) to be upwards of a thousand years old, whilst two are more than thrity-six feet in circumference. The largest tree bears the following rhyming inscription: 'Majestic tree, whose wrinkled form hath stood Age after Age, the patriarch of the wood Thou who hast seen a thousand springs unfold The ravelled buds and dip their flowers in gold. Ten thousand times yon moon relight her horn, And that bright star of evening gild the morn. Gigantic oak! thy hoary head sublime Ere wile must perish in the wreck of time. Should round thy head innocuous lightnings shoot And no fierce whirlwind shake thy stedfast root Yet shalt thou fall thy leafy tresses fade, And those bare scattered Antlers strew the glade Arm after arm shall leave the mould'ring bust And thy firm fibres crumble into dust; The muse alone shall consecrate thy name; And by her powerful Art prolong thy fame. Green shall thy leaves expand - thy branches play And bloom for ever in the immortal lay.' Ampthill Park House was built by Lord Ashburnham in the time of Charles the Second; it is a plain but neat edifice, built of good stone. It occupies ground much less elevated than the site of the old Castle. The passing traveller would have no idea of the magnificent alley of lines in the rear of the mansion. In the centre of the house is an angualr pediment on which is sculptured Lord Ossory's arms while over the main entrance door is a small circular pediment, with an antique bust, supported by two Ionic columns. At the foot of the staircase is a large painting, formerly in fresco at Houghton House which was removed from the wall and placed on canvas by an ingenious process of Mr. Salmon. It represents a gamekeeper, or woodman, taking aim with a crossbow set round wil curious perspective scenery. There is a tradition that the figure is a person of high rank in disguise; some say King James the first who visited Houghton. Henry the Eighth made Ampthill a Manor Royal and a branch of the Russell family derives the title of Baron from it. In more recent times, Ampthill House was occupied by Lord and Lady Holland and also by Lord Wensleydale; at present the mansion and estate are the property of his grace the Duke of Bedford. There formerly stood a Castle on the higher ground behind Ampthill Park House, built in the reign of Henry the Sixth; here it was that Queen Katherine sojourned during her trial, a circumstance which is referred to by Shakespeare in his 'Henry VIII Act IV, scene I' one of the characters being made to say that his Grace of Canterbury held a court at Dunstable six miles off from Ampthill, where the 'Princess lay'. The castle was demolished so long ago as the beginning of the seventeenth century. On its site now stands a Gothic stone monument, consisting of an octagonal shaft raised on four steps and surmounted by a cross, bearing a shield with Queen Katherine's arms. On a tablet inserted in the base of the cross is the subjoined inscription by Horace Walpole: 'In days of Old here Ampthill towers were seen, The mournful refuge of an injured Queen. Here flowed her pure but unavailing tears; Here blinded zeal sustained her sinking years. Yet Freedom hence her radiant banner wav'd, And love aveng'd a realm by priests enslav'd. From Katherine's wrongs a nation's bliss was spread, And Luther's light from Henry's lawless bed.' On the reverse side of the monument are the following words: 'Johannes, Comes de Upper Ossory Posuit 1773.' Situated near the Park on the opposite side of the Woburn Road, is the Alameda, a fine grove of lime trees planted by direction of Lady Holland; the design was taken from an avenue of the same name at Madrid. The ornamental gates which for many years stood at the entrance of this pretty walk were removed by order of the late Duke of Bedford, and a wooden gate and palings very far from picturesque put in their place. The Alameda and the adjacent 'Firs' form leading attractions of Ampthill. Houghton Park, adjoining Ampthill, is a favourite resort of picnic parties in the summer time. It is in the pleasant Houghton Park that Sir Philip Sydney is said to have written his Arcadia, while staying with his sister the Countess of Pembroke. Though a pear tree associated with the name of the great writer is still shown, the statment is doubtful. Houghton House is supposed to have been built by Inigo Jones, about 1620. There now remain some picturesque ruins of the mansion. On the south front of these ruins may yet be noticed entire on the frieze various monograms and devices of the families of Sidney & Dudley. The dwelling is believed to have been dismantled towards the close of the eighteenth century by the Marchioness of Tavistock, who deemed this a fitting expression of her grief at the loss of her husband, who was killed while hunting in the Park. Tradition tells us that the Swan Inn, and the bridge at Bedford were largely built from materials from the demolished house. The modern market-house and the obelisk of Portland stone, furnishing a receptacle for a pump, are chief features of the neat streets of Ampthill, which are thronged on market days by the inhabitants of the surrounding district, who are mainly engaged in agricultural and kindred pursuits. Albert E. Grimmer Arthur St. Ampthill."
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