Flitton
General History
Kelly's Directory of Bedfordshire 1894 (Extract)

Places > Flitton > General History

Flitton is a village and parish, bounded on the north by the Flitt, a tributary of the Ouse, 3 miles south-east from Ampthill station, on the main line of the Midland railway, and 10 south-east from Bedford, in the Southern division of the county, hundred of Flitt, petty sessional division, union and county court district of Ampthill, rural deanery of Ampthill, archdeaconry of Bedford and diocese of Ely. The church of St. John the Baptist is a building of sandstone in the late Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles and an embattled tower containing 5 bells; here is the mausoleum of the De Grey family, containing many splendid monuments, dating from the 16th century. The register dates from the year 1583. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value 350, including 190 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of Earl Cowper K.G. and held since 1884 by the Rev. James William Sawyer M.A. of Emmanuel College, Cambridge. There is a Wesleyan chapel at Greenfield. A Cemetery of about half an acre was formed in 1881, and is under the control of a Burial Board of 5 members. One of the Earls of Kent, of the De Grey family, 150 years back, left 300 11s. 8d. invested in South Sea Annuities, for educating the poor of the parishes of Flitton and Silsoe, in the proportion of two-fifths for Flitton and three-fifths for Silsoe; there is also the Daniel and Cox legacy; viz.-127 6s. 7d., 2 3/4 per Cent. Consuls, three fifths for Silsoe and two-fifths for Flitton, which is distributed to seven poor persons on Sundays in bread; Sharpe and Robinson's charities of 6 yearly are also for bread. The rent of the turf land (about 15 yearly) is distributed to the poor of Flitton and Silsoe. Earl Cowper K.G. who is lord of the manor, and the Drapers' Company are the principal landowners. The soil is principally sand; subsoil, sandstone. The chief crops are wheat, barley, potatoes and beans. The area is 1,022 acres; rateable value, 2,467; the population in 1891 was 561.

Greenfield is a hamlet, principally in this parish, but partly in that of Pulloxhill. Devine service is conducted in the school-room at Greenfield.

Parish Clerk, Thomas Weston.

WALL LETTER BOX cleared at 6pm; on Sundays at 9.15am; WALL BOX at Greenfield cleared at 5.40pm. Letters arrive from Ampthill at 7.15am. Silsoe is the nearest money order & telegraph office

Schools:-

Church, Greenfield, for 150 children; average attendance, 100; Miss Charlotte M. Mellor, mistress.

Infants' Flitton, for 70 children; average attendance 20; Miss Mary Catherine Fennemore, mistress.

Carrier to Luton-William Wilsher, sat. ; Geo. Millard, wed. & sat.

Page last updated: 28th January 2014