Castle Hedingham: Churchmen

The parish registers give a good look at the men of St Nicholas Church throughout the centuries.  Here are the names I found of the ministers, clerks, churchwardens and sextons.  The dates refer to when I found a record about them and not to their actual tenure.

St Nicholas Church, Castle Hedingham (from http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/176094)

© Copyright Robert Edwards and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

John FRANCIS, Minister to 1579
The first record of a minister was that of the burial of John FRANCIS "minister of the towne" on 3 September 1579.

Christopher LANGTON, Minister 1579-1619/20

Above a baptism on 6 Dec 1579 is written the name “LANGTON” in different ink and handwriting from the rest of the entries. Likewise, after a burial on 18 January 1579/80, is noted "Eliz. Reg vicessimo secundo" - the 22nd year of the reign of Elizabeth, and above this is written "LANGTON". Although it's not clear to what Langton refers in both records, as John Francis, the previous minister, was buried on 3 September 1579, presumably this marks the arrival of Christopher LANGTON.  The Biographical Register of Christ's College (Cambridge) notes that a Christopher LANGTON held the curacy of Castle Hedingham by 1598 and queries whether this might be the same Christopher LANGTON who received his BA in 1570/1.

“Christopher LANGTON Gentleman Minester of this towne was Buried the 29th of ffebruary 1619. Jacobi Anglie 17o”

See the Leap Year in an odd-numbered year? The date would be 1620 in the modern calendar.

John CARVER, Minister 1627

“Mr John CARVER Minister singell man & Elizabeth FFOWLE Widowe wear maryed ye 15th of Auguste 1627”

Note that this doesn't actually say that he was minister at Castle Hedingham.

Edmund BREWER Sr, Clerk and Minister, ~1633-1658

Baptism of "Sammuell BREWER ye Sonne of Edmund BREWER, Clarke: Aprill 25 [1633]"

“Mr Edmunt BREWER minester sonne of Mr Edmunt BREWER minester was buryed the 3d of July 1648 at Shellys”

The National Archives holds a document showing the appointment of Edmund BREWER as preacher at Witham in 1643.

“Edmunde BREWER Minister” buried 23 August 1658

William HOLGATE, ?minister, 1652/3

“Mr Willyam HOLGATT my good master was buryed the 11th of Januarye 1652”

As this was written by the clerk, was Mr HOLGATT a minister?

Gilbert KEM..., minister to 1662/3

"Gilbert KEM… buried on 31 January 1662/3." 

A stain renders his surname illegible, but after the stain the record does clearly state that he was a minister.

Mr BEDFORD, ?minister 1669

“John PEARCE singleman and Mary MOTT widow were married november 2th by Mr BEDFORD” [1669]

Richard COURTMAN, Curate, later Rector 1684-1722

Before a baptism on 17 July 1684: “Mr COURTMAN came to Town” – the arrival of Richard COURTMAN, Curate of Castle Hedingham.

“Mr Richard Courtman Rector of this Parish Buryed May 25th 1722”

Reverend Thomas BALDWIN, minister ~1741/2

Baptism 4 February 1741/2: “Sarah of The Revd. Mr Thomas BALDWIN & Sarah his Wife”

Reverend Thomas SMYTHIES, ?minister ~1742/3

Marriage 6 Jan 1742/3: “The Revd Thos Smytheis & Miss Ann Summers”

There's no indication that he was the minister of Castle Hedingham, however.

Reverend George CHAPMAN, ?minister to 1755

Burial 18 February 1755: “The Revd. Mr. George Chapman”

Reverend James BONES, minister 1773-?

Baptism 21 May 1773: William “Son of the Revd. James Bones & Ann his Wife Born 5 Feb”

Burial 1 November 1776: “Ann, wife of the Revd. James BONES”

Reverend Daniel SANDFORD, ?minister 1780

Burial 21 March 1780: “The Revd. Daniel SANDFORD”

Reverend Richard GREGORY, minister ~1785-1788

Baptism 18 October 1785: Harriot, “Daughter of the Revd. Richard GREGORY & Susan his Wife”

Burial 31 December 1788: “The Revd. Richard GREGORY”

Reverend George CASWELL, Curate to 1807

Burial 30 June 1807: “The Rev. George CASWALL, Curate of this Parish aged 70”

Reverend Hector Davies MORGAN, minister early 19th century

Baptism 30 July 1811: James Davies “Son of The Revd. Hector Davies MORGAN and Frances his Wife” born 17 June 1811

Reverend Henry Lewis MAJENDIE, visiting minister

Baptism 19 November 1820 of William James, son of John & Mary Rist (born 20 October 1820) performed by the Rev. H.L. [Henry Lewis] MAJENDIE of Bedworth[?] Berks [there’s a Bedworth in Wiltshire…]

S.R. MILLS, incumbent to 1862

Burial for 15 January 1862 was the last performed by S.R. MILLS, incumbent.  This is followed by a six-month gap in the register until the next burial on 13 July 1862, by Henry WILKINSON, incumbent.

Henry WILKINSON, incumbent 1862-1869

Baptism 31 August 1862 of Lewis, son of Henry & Anna Maria WILKINSON of The Parsonage, born 10 July 1862.  Father was a Clerk in Holy Orders.

Sidney PHILLIPS, Vicar, 1869-1875, H.J. HARDY and Henry A. LAKE, Vicar 1875-?

Baptism on 25 April 1869 of Mary Alice, daughter of Sidney & Alice Margaret PHILLIPS of The Vicarage, born 26 March 1869.  Father was a Clerk in Holy Orders.

Burial on 2 June 1875 was the last performed by Sidney PHILLIPS, Vicar, and followed by a gap of more than six months before the next burial, on 24 December 1875, performed by H.J. HARDY, then a further gap until 22 February 1876 where a burial was performed by Henry A. LAKE, the new Vicar.

James Henry FRY, Clerk in Holy Orders, 1871

Baptism on 29 October 1871 of Stuart James Bernard, son of James Henry & Helen Forbes Stuart FRY of Nunnery Street, born 8 October 1871.  Father was a Clerk in Holy Orders.

Reverend John James TWIST and Reverend George Cecil TWIST, late 19th and early 20th centuries

Burial on 7 July 1898 of Rev John James TWIST, aged 59, the incumbent for a number of years.

Baptism on 19 September 1913 of George, son of George Cecil & Edith Mary TWIST of The Vicarage.  George Cecil was a Clerk in Holy Orders

Clerks, Sextons and Churchwardens

“Richard COOPER clerke was buried the 5th of Aug.1595.E.37o.”

“John BLOWER our good old clerke was buried the 8th of no.1595.E.37o." 

There is a cross in the margin next to the second entry. I like the notes for John BLOWER because there’s a sense of the respect he commanded coming through across the centuries.  Although, as Richard COOPER, also a clerk, was buried just three months earlier, should it be read that Richard was not a good old clerk? J

"Millezant WHATLOCK sexton was buried ye 26th of februar 1615. Jacobi 13o"

Burial 11 September 1757: John CORDWELL, Parish Clerk

Burial 20 July 1767: John CORDWELL, Parish Clerk

Burial 19 April 1781: William RICHARDSON, Parish Clerk

Burial 27 April 1795: “William STAMMERS (Church Warden)”

Burial 9 February 1800: “Barker MYALL Church Warden”

Baptism on 5 November 1876 of George Unwin, son of James & Elizabeth WRIGHT.  James' occupation was Sexton.