A History of Preston
in Hertfordshire
In this article, the known inhabitants of Preston during the seventeenth century
are discussed. These lived in the village, walked its lanes and worked its fields
-
Although these folk are detached from today by up to four centuries, this is not
intended to be a superficial catalogue of names -
The researcher is ever hamstrung by the amount of information that is available -
Manorial Court Baron records for (Temple) Dinsley 1640 -
A survey of the manor of (Temple) Dinsley in 1664 and a summary of transactions from then until 1808.
Manorial Court records of Maidencroft (Ippollitts) from 1697 and Missenden (Minsden) from 1700 that contain retrospective information.
Sundry indentures and other legal documents.
Sundry wills by Preston people.
A transcription of the parish registers of Minsden 1609 -
The parish registers of Hitchin. These are mostly legible and helpfully note beside baptisms, marriages and burials that the subjects were ‘of Preston’.
The parish registers of Ippollitts.
Various Heath Tax returns for Preston.
A listing of Preston villagers prosecuted in 1688 for failing to pay Church Rate to St Mary’s, Hitchin.
A fan of documents from the seventeenth century that relate to Preston: l to r (Temple)
Dinsley Manorial Court Roll of 1640; villagers prosecuted in 1688 for failing to
pay St Mary’s, Hitchin Church Rate; Hearth Tax -
Minsden Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1609 -
and her churchwardens
The inhabitants of Preston and Langley, together with folk from farther afield, worshipped at Minsden.
People who probably lived in Preston (based on confirmed information) are shown in blue.
RAYMENT, Alice
RYCHES, Marie
BRAY, Judith
HURST, John
BUCKINGHAM, Adam
CAMFIELD, Elizabeth
CLIFFORD, Elizabeth
KINGE, Robert
FLINDALL, Elizabeth
SAUNDERS, Rebecca
DRIVER, Agnes
FIELD, Elizabeth
JOYNER, Elizabeth
WHITLIE, George
PAGE, Ann
BROWNE, Daniel
GREAVES, Robert
ASHWOOD, Elizabeth
WILKSHIRE, Elizabeth
HURST, George
CAMFIELD, Thomas
DRIVER, Rose
BURWELL, Marie
RAYSON, John
BUCKINGHAM, Thomas
SAUNDERS, Thomas
WILSHIRE, John
BOSWELL, Thomas
BUNNE, John
CHAMBERLAINE, Sarah
CHAUKLEY, Richard
WHITLEY, Dorothy
GUTTERIDGE, Richard
NASH, Elizabeth
HURST, Mary
DRIVER, John
MARDOLFE, Rebecca
BURWELL, Esther
BURR, Hannah
FLYNDALL, Thomas
BROWNE, Mary
CANFIELD, Jacob
RAYMENT, Thomas
CHAUKLEY, John
WILSHIRE, Thomas
HURST, Anne
CLIFFORD, Annys
WHISTONS, Hannah
BUNNE, Joane
WHISTONS, Thomas
REDDING, Ruth
HURST, Thomas
BROWNE, Hannah and Rhode
WILSHIRE, Mary
DIXON, Robert
CHAUKLEY, Mary
HERTFORD, William
HURST, Daniel
BURRE, Mary
PAGE, Joane
DAVY, Matthew
BURRE, Samuel
CREASE, Elizabeth
MARDOLFE, James
BOWSTRED, John
NASH, William
BUNNE, William
BUCKINGHAM, Hannah
HURST, Elizabeth
DAVY, Susan
ARNOLD, Joseph
THREDDER, Dorothy
BURR, Ruth
NASH, Edward
SIMPSON, John
BROWNE, Joane
BUCKINGHAM, Thomas
CANFIELD, Jeremiah
SIMPSON, John
NASH, Edward
BROWNE, Joan
ARNOLD, Sarah
BURWELL,Samuel
MARSHALL, Sarah
COOPER (alias GODFREY) Mary
WHITSTON, Alice
BOUSTRED, John
NASH, Elizabeth
BURR, Stephen
CRESY, John
MARDALL, Sarah
SIMPSON, Daniel and Sarah
CRESY, John
SMITH, Richard
THREDDER, Joan
CANFIELD, John
COOPER, Sarah
BOWSTRED, John
DAVEY, Helen
NEWTON, Mary
THREDDER, Joan
BUNNE, Thomas and Robert
BROWNE, Simon
HEATH, Mary
CLEMENTS, Alice
WHEELER, William
ARNOLD, Matthew
BOWSTRED, William
DRIVER, Moses
SMITH, Anne
GODFREY (alias COOPER) Francis
Dau of Thomas and Grace
Dau of Richard and Joan
Dau of Thomas and Mildred
Son of John
Son of Adam
Dau of Thomas
Dau of Richard
Son of William
Dau of Thomas
Dau of Thomas
Dau of John
Dau of John
Dau of John
Son of John
Dau of William
Son of Thomas
Son of John Greaves and Elizabeth Lacy. Baseborn Dau of John Ashwood the younger
Dau of John
Son of John
Son of Thomas of Hill End
Dau of John
Dau of John
Son of William
Son of Adam
Son of Thomas
Son of John
Son of John
Son of John
Dau of Robert
Son of John
Dau of John
Dau of William
Dau of William
Dau of John
Son of John
Dau of William
Dau of John
Dau of Stephen
Son of Thomas
Dau of Thomas
Son of Thomas
Son of George
Son of John
Son of John
Dau of Edward
Dau of Richard
Dau of Thomas
Dau of John
Son of Thomas
Dau of Jason
Son of John
Daus of Thomas
Dau of John
Son of Robert
Dau of John
Son of William
Son of John
Dau of Edward
Dau of William
Son of Thomas
Son of Stephan
Dau of John
Son of William
Son of John
Son of William
Son of John
Dau of Thomas
Dau of John
Dau of Thomas
Son of John
Dau of William
Dau of Stephen
Son of William
Son of George
Dau of Thomas
Son of Thomas
Son of Thomas
Son of George
Son of William
Dau of Thomas
Dau of John
Son of John, snr
Dau of Christopher
Dau of William
Dau of Thomas
Son of John
Dau of Edward
Son of Stephen and Mary
Son of John
Dau of William and Alice
Ch of George and Mary
Son of John
Son of Richard
Dau of William
Son of Thomas
Dau of William
Son of William
Dau of Thomas
Dau of Edward
Dau of William
Sons of John
Son of Dennis
Dau of Mary
Dau of David (and Alice?)
Son of William
Son of John
Son of John
Son of John
Dau of Richard
Son of William and Mary
1609 Dec 05
1610 Aug 05
1610 Sep 16
1620 Nov 05
1620 Nov 12
1620 Nov
1620/1 Feb 4
1621 Apr 8
1621 July 8
1621 July 15
1621 July 15
1621 Nov 11
1621 Nov
1621/2 Jan 13
1621/2 Feb 24
1621/2 Mar 17
1622 Sep 01
1622 Nov 01
1622 Dec 28
1622/3 Feb 10
1623 June 22
1623 June 29
1623 Sept 25
1623 Nov 09
1623 Dec 7
1623/4 Mar 29
1624 Apr 22
1624 June 06
1624 Sept 26
1624 Sept 26
1624 Oct 18
1624 Dec 12
1624 Dec 19
1625 June 08
1625 June 30
1625 June 30
1625 July 03
1625 Aug 07
1625 Oct 02
1625 Oct 16
1626 Apr 23
1626 June 14
1626 Oct 01
1626 Oct 08
1626 Nov 29
1626 Nov 29
1626 Dec 10
1626 Dec 31
1626/7 Mar 11
1628 Oct 05
1628 Dec 26
1628 Dec 29
1828/9 Mar 28
1829 July 16
1630 May 30
1630 June 03
1631 Dec 28
1631/2 Mar 03
1632 May 04
1632 May 31
1632 July 11
1632 July 20
1632 Oct 03
1633/4 Jan 13
1633/4 Mar 06
1634 Mar 27
1634 Apr 13
1634 Apr 20
1634 July 22
1634 Nov 09
1634 Nov 16
1635 June 03
1636 Apr 08
1636 Mar 31
1636 Sept 07
1636 Apr 24
1636 May 26
1636 Dec 29
1637 Mar 26
1637 Mar 28
1637 Apr 06
1637 May 18
1637 Aug 05
1637 Sept 10
1637/8 Mar 25
1638 May 20
1638 Oct 18
1638 Nov 30
1638 Dec 20
1638 Dec 20
1638/9 Jan 24
1638/9 Mar 24
1638 Dec 20
1638/9 Mar 11
1638/9 Mar 11
1639 May 18
1639 Sept 01
1639 Sept 01
1639 Oct 10
1639 Oct 10
1639 Nov 22
1639/40 Jan 26
1639/40 Jan 26
1640 Apr 26
1640 May 10
1640 Sept 20
1640 Sept 27
1640 Dec 10
1640/1 Feb 18
1641 May 09
1641 Sept 16
Baptisms
Marriages
MANFIELD, Thomas
BURWELL, John
IUORY, John (cler)
KYDNER, Thomas (cler)
REEUE, John
SMYTH, Richard
FOWLER, William
ASTWOOD, John
BURWELL, John
SLOW, Robert
LINDALL, William (Dr of Divinity)
FOWLER, John
MARSHALL, Christopher
PAGE, William
DICKINS, Richard
KINSLEY, Samuel
HURST, Robert
BATTLE, William
NEWTON, Edward
POULTER, John
WALLIN (alias POULTER), John
GOLDSMITH, Thomas
MUNCK, John
SHEPPARD, Alice
WINCHESTER, Hester
RADCLIFFE, Elizabeth (dau of Sir Edward)
YOUNGE, Grace (widow)
HURST, Joane
RICHES, Agnes
STALLWORTH, Grace
STALLWORTH, Dinis
HEATH, Alice
?, Judith
PEIRCE, Mrs Elizabeth, widow
FEILD, Sarah
BARKER, Elizabeth
BALL, Mary
GRAY, Sarah
TRISTRAM, Elizabeth, widow
HURST, Hanna
HUCKLE, Elizabeth
MARDALL, Maria
SHEFFEILD, Maria
SHEFEILD, Mary
HUTCHINSON, Lettice
GOLDSMITH, Hannah
1609 Oct 15
1622 Nov 25
1629/30 Jan 29
1630 Aug 24
1632 Apr 25
1632/3 Jan 24
1633/4 Feb 13
1633/4 Feb 13
1635 June 24
1635 July 21
1636 Oct 31
1636/7 Feb 23
1636/7 Feb 23
1637 June 20
1637 Aug 20
1839 Apr 16
1638 May 03
1639 Aug 06
1639 Nov 01
1639 Nov 27
1639 Dec 11
1639/40 Mar 27
1640 July 23
Burials
SMITH, Ambrose
SIMPSON, George
FLINDEL, wife and dau of Thomas
1636 Aug 26
1636 May 15
1636 Sept 20
Churchwardens
NASH, Robert
RICHES, Richard
RUGMER, Richard
CLIFFORD, Richard
SAUNDERS, Thomas
DRIVER, John
WILTSHIRE, William
THREE, Henry
FARR, John
HOMES, Thomas
BUCKINGHAM, Roger
NASH, Edward
DAVY, Thomas
WHISTONS, Thomas
ROE, Henry
SMITH, Richard
SMITH, Jeremy
WHITLEY, John
CRANWELL, Jeremiah
WHITLEY, John
FLINDEL, Thomas
WHITLEY, John
WHITLEY, John
WHITLEY, Thomas
BROWNE, Simon
NASH, William
RICHES, Richard
NASH, Edward
HEATH, John
CARRINGTON, John
1610
1621
1621
1622
1624
1625
1629
1632
1633
1634
1635
1636
1637
1638
1639
1640
1641
1642
St Mary’s, Hitchin -
of Preston people 1679 -
The Hitchin register ‘through the carelessness and neglect of the former Registrar is wholy lost for the space of seventeen years’ from February 1648 to August 1665. As a result, it is impossible to produce a pedigree of many Preston folk before 1665.
The following are noted in the St Mary’s register as being ‘of Preston’
Baptisms
BOWSTRED, Sarah
BOWSTRED, Ralph
BOWSTRED, John
BROWNE, Robert
BROWNE, Edward
WHEELER, John
NEWTON, Elizabeth
COLLINS, Elizabeth
HANSCOMBE, Matthew
THRUSSELL, Robert
THRUSSELL, Elizabeth
AUDEY, Thomas
EVERITT, John
DEARMER, Richard
AUSTIN, Ssarah
HOBBS, Susan
HOBBS, Ann
HOBBS, Susan
HOBBS, John
Dau of John
Son of Andrew
Son of John
Son of Thomas
Son of Thomas
Son of John
Dau of William
Dau of John
Son of Matthew
Son of Edward
Dau of Edward
Son of Thomas
Son of William
Son of Richard
Dau of John
Dau of John
Dau of John, son of John snr
Dau of John Hobbs snr
Son of John
Born 1681 Oct 21
Born 1695 Mar 07
Born 1691 Oct 22
Born 1694 Sept 17
Born 1696 Aug 10
Born 1699 May 16
1665/6 Feb 25
1665/6 Apr 16
1667 Nov 20
1672 July 16
1674 Aug 05
1674 Nov 21
1676/7 Feb 22
1781 June 21
1679 June 02
1684 Jan 27
1689 Apr 21
1690 Dec 05
1690/1 Jan 24
1699 Nov 17
1699 Nov 17
1699 Nov 17
1699 Nov 17
1699 Nov 17
1699 Nov 17
Marriages
BROWNE, Thomas and HEATH, Agnes
BROWNE, Thomas and BROWNE, Anne
STRINGER, Richard and BOWSTRED, Mary of Preston
AUSTIN, John and MARTIN, Mary of Preston
MARSHALL, Jeremy amd OAKLEY both of Preston
BOWSTRED, George and GODFREY, Elizabeth of Preston
1632 Nov 08
1670/71 Jan 31
1684 Dec 10
1689 Oct 10
1691 Sept 21
1698 Nov
Burials
THREDDER, John -
BOWSTRED, John -
BOWSTRED, Elizabeth -
WHISTONS,Thomas -
BROWNE, Judith -
SIMSON, George
ANDREWS, George
DAVIES, Anne -
ANDREWS, George
CLEMENT, Anne -
GOLDSMITH, Anne -
GOLDSMITH, Thomas
BROWNE, Elizabeth -
FOSTER, Anne -
WHEELER, John -
DAVE, Susan
REASON, Mary
DEARMER, Mary -
CARRINGTON, Thomas
BROWNE, William -
BIGG, Grace -
BROWNE, Thomas
NORTH, George
MARTIN, William -
MARTIN, Sarah -
CLEMENT, Dorothy
RICHES, Joane
JOYNER, John son of Daniel
RICHES, John
CLARK, Valentine
1632 May 14
1633/34 Mar 20
1633 May 12
1638 May 28
1639 Aug 12
1639 June 06
1639 May 20
1641 Sept 22
1666/7 Jan 12
1668 May 29
1668 Dec 18
1668/69 Jan 22
1669 Oct 07
1672 May 20
1675/76 Feb 21
1679 Dec 19
1680 Aug 06
1681 Oct 22
1681/82 Feb 11
1682 Aug 30
1684 Oct 21
1687 Oct 06
1688 Apr 20
1688 Sept 15
1693 Sept 19
1696 June 20
1697 April 21
1697 April 26
1697 May 07
1699 Nov 06
Note: With a population of more than one hundred at Preston in the seventeenth century, it’s clear that the entries listed above are not the only Preston folk to have been born, married or buried. Others may be included in the
St Mary’s registers and not noted as being ‘of Preston’ and still more may have been noted in the records of Minsden, Ippollitts, Kings Walden and St Paul’s Walden.
The Hearth Tax and Preston
The hearth tax was introduced in 1662 and was the government’s major source of revenue. Each hearth in a home was taxed at two shillings a year which was payable in two instalments. People too poor to be rated for church or poor rates were exempt.
Where Hearth Tax records survive, there is a listing of all the households in a district together with a rough indication of their prosperity, that is, the number of hearths they had and whether or not they were taxed.
Sociologists have concluded that the population of a town or village can be calculated by multilpying the population by a factor of around 4.3. So, on the basis that there were around 27 households in Preston at this time (see below), the population of the village was approximately 120.
There are two listings villagers for Hearth Tax purposes that I will include. The first list is dated 18 May 1663 and includes those liable for Hearth Tax with a note of the number of hearths.
SADLEIR,Sir Edwin -
FOSTER, John -
GODFREY, John -
RICHES, John -
BIGGE, John -
BROWNE, Thomas -
KINGE, Edward -
SIMSON, widow -
TALER, John -
The second list is dated 27 June 1670 and is of those who were exempted from the tax on the ground of ‘poverty and slenderness of estate’. The majority of these would have related to the homes of labourers and widows of labourers.
SIMSON, widow
MARTIN, Judeth
WHEELER, Will(iam)
CARRINGTON, John
BRIDGES, James
DRIVER, Tho(mas)
BOWSTRED, John
GOUTRIDGE, widow
OAKLEY, Tho(mas)
BIGG, John
Preston villagers prosecuted re: payment of Church Rates to St Mary’s Hitchin
This issue in 1688 is described in another article-
SLATER, Jane Elizabeth
NORTH, widow
FOSTER, John
GODFREY, John
GODFREY, Jeremy
KING, Leonard
HEATH, John Heath
HEATH, Richard
COOPER, Robert
RICHES, Widow
GOTTERIDGE, John
FARR, John
To be continued...
DAVEY, widow
CREASEY, Ann
BROWNE, widow
BOWSTREAD, Andrew
SMITH, William
CLEMENCE, David
ANDREW, widow
CRAWLEY, Thomas
BROWNE, Robert
REASON, Mary
The final list is dated 17 March 1674 and shows occupiers of houses and numbers of houses.
DRIVER, Thomas
CRESSEY, Ann
DAVEY, Susan
BIGG, John
CLEMENTS, David
ANDREWS, Katherine
CRAWLEY, Thomas
RAYMENT, Widow
BROWNE, Widow
REASON, Mary
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
2
DEARMER, Richard
MARTIN, Judith
WHEELER, William
BRIDGES, James
CARRINGTON, John
OAKLEY, Thomas
BOWSTRED, John
SMITH, Widow
GOOTHERIDGE
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1