Newton Bromswold

Newton Bromswold, a village of twenty two families, is bounded on the east and north by Melchburn and Yielding in Bedfordshire, on the west by Rushden, and on the south by Higham-park. It is situated about two miles westward of the Nyne. There is no spring in the town or lordship. In records it is usually named Newton juxta Higham to distinguish it from Newton near Gedingon. We find it once only called Newton-Bromswold or Brouneswold, for which appellation we cannot with certainty assign a reason.

At the time of the general survey the bishop of Constance, to whom William was undertenant, had two hides and an half, wanting one virgate, in Niwetone. The arable land was two carucates; in demesne were two carucates, and eight villanes and six cottagers had two carucates. There was a wood two furlongs in length, and a furlong in breadth. Before the conquest it was Azor’s freehold, and rated at xx s. but now at xl s.

In the estimate of hides taken in Hen. II’s reign, Alnoth de Bidun was found to hold in Neweton, one hide and an half. To this Alnoth or Halenad de Bidun, as he is called in the ba-ronage, succeeded John de Bidun, who in the twelfth of Hen. II. on the aid then raised for the marriage of Maud the king's daughter, was certified to be possessed of five knights fees and an half. This John de Bidun founded the priory of Lavenden in Buckinghamshire: and dying without issue his five sisters, whose names the Jury could not learn, became his heirs, and succeeded to his barony. By inquisition taken in the time of Hen. III. Richard de Newton was certified to hold in Newton half a knight's fee, and Ermenlard de Bydun a moiety of one knight's fee in Newton and Cotes, of the fees which had been John de Bydun's. In the tenth year of Edw. I. these fees were in the hands of Baldwin Wake, of whom John de Gatesden held two knights fees in Newton, Cotes, Raundes, and other places, as of the manor of Brune. And by inquisition taken in the twenty fourth of this reign Richard de Croxton and John de Gatesden were, found to hold half a knight's fee in Newinton of the heirs of Baldwin Wake, who held it of the crown. In the twentieth year of Edw. III. upon collecting the aid, for making the king's son a knight, John Druel accounted for half a knight's fee in Neunton, which Richard de Neunton formerly held of the fee of John Bydun. By inquisition taken in the twenty sixth of the lame reign, after the decease of John earl of Kent, he was found to have been seized of a fourth part of one knight's fee in Neweton the same that was antiently possessed by Baldwin Wake, in the hands of the heirs of Richard Fitz-Stephen and Richard Fitz-Richard.

In the twelfth year of Hen. VII. died John Druell possessed of the manor of Newenton near Higham-Ferrers, which he left to Richard Druell his brother and heir, a minor, fourteen, years old. By the inquisition then taken, it was certified to he held of the king as of the manor of Higham parcel of the duchy of Lancaster. In the seventeenth of Hen. VIII. Robert or as it probably should be Richard Drewell died seized of it, and leaving no male issue was succeeded by Anne and Joane Drewell his daughters and heirs : upon the decease of which Joane without issue in the twentieth of this reign her moiety of this manor devolved on Anne her sister, the wife of Thomas Peryent Esqr. By this gentleman it was sold to Thomas Brooke Esq; who at his death in the sixth of Queen Mary left Thomas Brooke his son and successor.

The king is now lord of the manor, but Mr. Henry Lambe owns the greatest part of the town.

The church, dedicated to St. Peter, consists of a body and north ile leaded, and chancel tiled. At the west end is an embatteled tower, on which a spire is raised. In the tower are three bells. The church and chancel are fifty eight foot long; the body and ile thirty foot broad. The tower in length ten foot one inch, in breadth seven foot two inches. On the north side the chancel is an arch, and on the south side a confessionary of five arches. The register bears date in 1563. In 1254. 38 Hen. III. this rectory was rated at six marks and an half; in 1535. 26 Hen. VIII. at viii l. vi s. viii d. out of which was deducted in synodals and procurations iii s. In the eighteenth year of Edw. I. Walter de Trailly died seized of the advowson, which he had purchased of Richard de Newton. In this family it continued for some time. The right of patronage is now in Mr. Bletso the incumbent. It is in the deanery of Higham.