Reference
CRT130BLU/24
Title
Blunham Township. A lecture given at Blunham July 1973 based on material in the County Record Office.
Date free text
1973
Production date
From: 1973 To: 1973
Creator
old accession number 4865
Scope and Content
The talk centred on people in Blunham starting in 1534. Gives a description of how the village would have looked, explanation of the role of the Greys, explanation of the Brotherhood House and the Blunham Fraternity. There is a detailed account of what was happening in the village between April and October 1534 based on an account book kept by a servant of the Greys. Some information is also given from account books dated 1538-1539. Following the dissolution of the chantries under Edward VI everything was taken by the crown and sold to the Greys. The Greys then lived in the Rectory house which is described in detail.
A description of Blunham in the 18th century centres on the story of Ann Smith and Mary Emery gleaning and the rules surrounding this.
There is an account of the establishment of the non-conformist congregation in Blunham which appointed John Bunyan as pastor and gained many followers, even after the restoration when such gatherings were forbidden. Five Blunham men were imprisoned with Bunyan for holding an illegal service in the house of George Farr, grocer. However the congregation flourished and became independent of Bedford in 1724. There is an account of friction between the Vicar and the non-conformists in 1716.
An account is given of the disputes between Rev Samuel Lawry and Joseph Pawsey, steward of the Grey family and the succession of Rev Robert Beachcroft to the living on Lawry's departure, based on the Lucas letters.
The last snapshot is March 1822 when Thomas Clarkson foiled a robbery of pigeons from the dovecote.
Reference
Level of description
item