Turvey is a village and parish on the borders of Buckinghamshire, from which it is separated by the river Ouse, with a station on the Bedford and Northampton branch of the Midland railway, 7 miles north-west from Bedford, 4 east from Olney and 9 north-east from Newport Pagnell, in the Northern division of the county, hundred of Willey, petty sessional division, union and county court district of Bedford, rural deanery of Felmersham, archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Ely. The streets and principal dwellings are lighted with gas. The church of All Saints is an edifice of stone, chiefly in the Early English style, with traces of Saxon and Norman work with Early Decorated and Perpendicular additions, and consists of chancel, with sacristy and organ chamber on the north, cleresoried nave of five bays; aisles, vestry on the south side of the tower, south porch, and a low embattled western tower, with short pyramidal spire and containing 6 bells and a clock, presented in 1893 by Mr. G. Sargent, a former parishioner; in 1852-4 the church was much enlarged and decorated under the direction of the late Sir. G. G. Scott R.A. the cost being defrayed by the late Charles Longuest Higgins esq. lord of the manor, who also presented the very fine organ, at an additional expense of £1,600: the church was reopened and consecrated anew, Oct 10, 1854, by the Bishop of Ely; the east window and three others in the chancel are stained: the west window was given by William Bartholomew Higgins esq. of Picts’ Hill: at the east end of the south side was a chapel of the Virgin; here still remains three Early English sedilia and a piscina: an arched sepulchral recess in the same chapel contains a fresco, representing the two Marys at the foot of the Cross, which has been glazed for its better preservation: the carved oak pulpit was the gift of the Rev. W. B. Russell, a former rector, and the lectern, also of oak, a present from Miss Gorst, of Preston, Lancashire: the font consists of a square-shaped basin, with sides craved in panels, and a massive rim adorned with volute ornaments, and resting on four shafts; it is probably Norman, though three of the panels appear to have been chiselled out at a later period: westward of the south door is a stoup projecting from a recess: two candelabra were given in 1872 by Miss Baker, the then lessee of Turvey House: the north chapel, now converted into an organ chamber, was the burial place of the Mordaunt family, a number of whom are interred in the vaults beneath, including John, Earl of Peterborough and Monmouth K.G. General of the Marines, who died at Lisbon in 1735: in the chapel of St. Mary is an altar-tomb of Purbeck marble with recumbent effigies, to Sir John Mordaunt kt. who died 11th September, 1506, and Edith (Latimer), his wife: the effigy of Sir John is in armour, over which is a robe, with the collar of S.S.: that of his lady is an a long gown and coif; the inscription, now lost, is given in Halstead, and quoted in Harvey’s “History of Willey Hundred;” the sides of the tomb are ornamented with traceried panels inclosing small shields; on the south side of the chancel, in the space between it and the chapel of St. Mary, is the lofty and magnificent monument of John, first Lord Mordaunt, son of the preceding, who died in 1562, and Elizabeth Vere, his wife, with recumbent alabaster effigies of both, on an altar-tomb under a semi-circular arch, on either side of which are projecting pedestals with pilasters and coupled columns supporting an ornamental frieze and cornice; above this on either side are caryatides in turn supporting a plain pediment surmounted by three female figures; in this space over a cornice is a large quartered shields with crest and supporters; in the north aisle now stands the fine tomb of John, second Lord Mordaunt, who died in April 1571, and was buried here on 16th of May following; ; it consists of eight stilted columns of the Roman Doric order, supporting a flat canopy, surmounted by a quartered shield, and formerly had eagles holding scrolls at the angles: within on separate altar-tombs, are recumbent effigies of Lord Mordaunt and his wives, Eleanor (Fitz-Lewis) and Joan (Farmer); at the west end of the same aisle is the tomb of Lewis, third Lord Mordaunt, who died June 16, 1601, moved hither from the east end of the north chapel during the restoration; it is a plain altar-tomb raised on two steps, represented in marble as covered with a black pall, fringed with white, on which are affixed inscriptions and shields of arms; at the west end is a large quartered shield with crest, mantling and supporters: on the floor of St. Mary’s chapel is a small brass to a member of the Mordaunt family with impaled shield, and a scroll inscribed with a couplet in Latin, and there are tow other brasses, one with the figure of an ecclesiastic, and another with arms and inscription to Alice Chubnoll, the wife of Richard Bernard esq. 1606; suspended in the aisle are two helmets, a sword, gauntlets, collar and spurs: there are other memorials in the church to the Rev. Legh Richmond M.A. the well-known author of the “Dairyman’s Daughter,” rector (1805-27), his sons, Samuel Nugent Legh, 1824; Thomas Henry Wilberforce, 1825, two infants, and others of his family; the Rev. Erasmus Middleton, rector (1804-5), Rev Richard Rands, rector (1669-99), and the families of Higgins, Carter, Clarke-Jervoise &c: the church was repewed in 1846, but has since been completely refitted in oak: the communion plate of silver gilt was presented by Margaret, daughter of the Hon. Henry Mordaunt, in 1788: there are 550 sittings: in the churchyard adjoining the south wall, is a plain altar-tomb to John Richardson, a faithful retainer of the Mordaunts in the 16th and 17th centuries: a substantial modern lych-gate forms the entrance to the churchyard. The register dates from the year 1629. An earlier book dating from 1606 is now lost. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £202, with residence, in the gift of W. Francis Higgins esq. and held since 1869 by the Rev. George Frederick Woodhouse Munby M.A. of Trinity College, Cambridge and rural dean of Felmersham. The present rectory house was built in 1838-9 on the site (and partly with the materials) of the old one. There are Wesleyan and Congregational chapels. A Cemetery for this parish, one acre in extent, was consecrated July 18th, 1871, and interments in the old churchyard have since been discontinued, except in cases where vaults or brick graves had previously existed; the cemetery is under the control of the parish council. Charities. - John, and Lord Mordaunt, left by will, 8d. weekly to four poor persons, payable out of land in the hamlet of Eastcoates, in Cardington parish: Thomas Carter esq. by a nuncupative will in 1731, left £100, now invested in Consols, the interest for the most necessitous poor to be distributed at Christmas: Dame Anne Mordaunt left by will, in 1791, £100, the interest to be similarly distributed: an unknown donor left about an acre of land in Lavendon parish, Bucks, the rent to be distributed at Christmas among poor widows of this parish: Charles Higgins esq. by will, in 1792, left £1,000, the interest for the clothing of 20 poor women of Turvey parish, since reduced by the Charity Commissioners to 17; he also left the interest of £300 for the support of a Sunday school, provided that the stipend of the master be made up to £20 yearly, which was done by John Higgins esq. who in 1829 conveyed about 13 acres of land, called “Ball’s Pasture,” in trust for this purpose: Miss Ann Maria Higgins, by will in Nov. 1838, left £700, the interest to be applied to the support of the Sunday school, and another sum of £700 for providing the poor with coals at Christmas; these two sums are invested in Consols: Mr. John Robinson left by will in 1835, £50, the interest to be given to the necessitous widows of Turvey at Christmas: Lieut-Col W. B. Higgins left by will 1879, £150, the interest to be given to the National and Infant schools in the parish, also £100, the interest to be given to the Working Men’s Room in the parish of Turvey: all these charities, except those which are a charge on land, are now in the hands of the Charity Commissioners, and the interest is paid by them. A large and handsome block of buildings close to the railway station, consisting of a memorial hall and almshouses, was erected and endowed in 1884 by James Barton esq. of London, for the relief of 20 single or married persons, inhabitants of the parish of Turvey and the town of Bedford; it is known as the James, Mary and Louisa Barton charity: a service is held in the hall every Sunday afternoon by arrangement of the Rev. G. W. F. Munby, M.A. rector. Here is a reading room, a working men’s room and a museum. The houses and cottages are nearly all built of native stone, and are unusually neat and capacious. The Three Fishes inn is an ancient hostelry with projecting gables, and bears the date 1624. A great flood, on September 26th, 1797, rose about four feet above the roadway, near the “Three Fishes.” Nell’s well, in this parish, was restored in 1873, at the cost of Col. Higgins. Pillow thread lace is made here, though not to so large an extent as formerly; shoe making is also carried on. The approach to Turvey from Bedford is through an avenue of trees, nearly a mile in length; at the further extremity of the village is a bridge of eight arches over the Ouse, facing which, in the water, is a statue group representing the story of Jonah; the other entrances to the village are also picturesque. Turvey House, the property of Major William Francis Higgins and now occupied by George William and Lady Elizabeth Taylor, is a stately mansion of three stories in the Italian style, built in 1794, by John Higgins sen. esq.; the principal facade consists of a central portion, relieved by pilasters and flanked by slightly projecting wigs with Corinthian pillars supporting a frieze and projecting cornice, which runs round the whole structure above the second story; the upper stage is low, and finished with a plain parapet: the house is situated in a pleasant park of 150 acres, extending to the Ouse. Turvey Abbey, the residence of Mrs. Higgins, widow of Charles Longuet Higgins esq. J.P. is a long gabled building, to which considerable additions were made 1855 and 1860, and is surrounded by a finely wooded park of 100 acres; in one of the rooms is a chimney piece of the time of Henry VII, and the handsome stone chimney piece in the drawing-room is of the era of James I.; two of the gables bear the dates 1603 and 1608. Picts’ Hill, 1 ½ miles east of Turvey, the property of Major Higgins, now (1898) unoccupied, has grounds of 25 acres. Turvey Cottage, a commodious residence, pleasantly situated on rising ground, overlooking the river Ouse, and the property of the family of Major W. F. Higgins, is now occupied by Joseph Bishell esq. Woodside House is a pleasant residence, also the property of Major W. F. Higgins: it is about three-quarters of a mile from the village of Turvey. and is occupied by John William Pascoe esq. Holmwood House, at the east end of the village, is occupied by Miss Platt Higgins: it is the property of H. Longuet Higgins esq. who also owns the Laws House, occupied by Frederick William Wood esq. Chauntry House is the residence of Major William Francis Higgins D.L., J.P. H. Longuest Higgins esq. 6 Park Hill, Richmond, Surrey, who is lord of the manor, and Major W. F. Higgins are the principal landowners. The soil is mixed gravel and strong clay; subsoil, clay, gravel and rock. The land is chiefly arable. The area is 3,977 acres of land and 34 of water; rateable value 5,080; the population in 1891 was 882, which includes 57 in the reformatory.
Parish Clerk, Robert Wooding
POST, M.O. & T.O., T.M.O., S.B., Express Delivery, Parcel Post & Annuity & Insurance Office. - Miss Jane Mardlin, sub-postmistress. Letters received from Bedford at 8 & 12 a.m.; dispatched at 11 a.m. 4.30 & 6.30 p.m.; sundays, arrive at 8.20 a.m.; dispatched at 3.40 p.m.
WALL LETTER BOX, near the station, cleared at 4.45 p.m. week days and 3.35 on sundays
SCHOOLS:-
National (mixed), built in 1847, with master’s residence, for 350 children; average attendance, 65; George Edward Hopkins, master
Infants’, built in 1856, with mistress’s residence, for 60 children; average attendance, 40; Miss T. Hulatt, mist.
The Bedfordshire Reformatory, in this parish, was founded in 1857 by the exertions of the late Thomas Charles Higgins esq. of Turvey House, then chairman of quarter sessions for the county, & was certified on April 9th in that year for 70 boys; it is now, with Government aid, self-supporting; the building consists of a large school room, dining room, dormitories & smaller sleeping-rooms for the use of the boys, besides apartments for the superintendent & matron, assistant matron, school master & two labour masters; the outbuildings include a workshop, tool-shed, bakehouse, dairy & open shed; the farm buildings comprise a barn, sheds and stables; the land belonging to the school farm is about 50 acres, to which an additional farm of 75 acres was added in 1887; the boys are employed on the farm & are taught all kinds of agricultural work; they are admitted from Buckinghamshire, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Wakefield, Boston, Oxfordshire, Leicestershire, Middlesex & the borough of Leicester, by agreement; & the managers do not object, upon proper application, to take in boys from other counties or towns: this institution is under the management of a committee of visitors; chairman, Maj. W. Francis Higgins, Chauntry House: there are now (1898) 45 boys, who are maintained & instructed in agricultural pursuits: Morris Fisher Cock L.R.C.P. Lond. medical officer; Rev. William Henry Denison M.A., hon. sec.; John Jones, superintendent; Mrs. Jones, matron; Miss Jones, assistant; John Gardner, schoolmaster; Ernest Jones, assistant schoolmaster.
CARRIERS:-
Charles Bailey, to & from Bedford, mon. wed. & sat.; to & from Olney, thurs
Field passes through from Olney to Bedford, thurs
Midland railway, to all parts; Edward Arnold, statn. mstr
CONVEYANCE:- George Osborn, cab to & from Turvey station & village, to meet trains as required
PRIVATE RESIDENTS:-
Arthur R. B. Station villas
Bishell Joseph, Turvey cottage
Chilton William, Station villas
Cock Morris Fisher
Cooper Mrs. The Grange
Dunkley Misses, The Cot
Gordon Rev. John (Congregational)
Higgins Major William Francis B.S., D.L., J.P., Chauntry house
Higgins Mrs. Turvey abbey
Higgins Miss Platt, Holmwood house
Munby Rev. George Frederick Woodhouse M.A. (rector & rural dean of Felmersham), Rectory
Pascoe John William, Woodside house
Pressland John, Studley villa
Skevington Mrs. Vine cottage
Taylor George William & Lady Elizabeth, Turvey house
Whitworth Mrs. Station villas
Wood Frederick William, Laws house
COMMERCIAL.
Bailey Charles, carrier & farmer
Bamford William, bricklayer
Barcock Thomas George, baker
Bedford Co-operative Society Limited (No. 2 branch)
Bedfordshire Reformatory for Boys (Morris Fisher Cock M.R.C.S. Eng., L.R.C.P. Lond. medical officer; Rev. William Henry Denison M.A. hon. sec.; John Jones, superintendent; Mrs. Jones, matron) (letters should be addressed Carlton, Bedford)
Birch Mary Ann (Mrs), Railway Swan P.H.
Burdin Alice (Miss), stationer
Cemetery (Charles Dent, sexton)
Cock Morris Fisher M.R.C.S. Eng., L.R.C.P. Lond. surgeon & medical officer & public vaccinator, Turvey district, Bedford union & No. 9 district, Newport Pagnell union & certifying factory surgeon
Cooper & Sons, coal & coke merchants, Railway station
Davidson Charlotte (Mrs.), shopkeeper
Edmunds John, shoe maker
Ellis & Everard Limited, coal & coke merchants, Railway station; chief offices, Bedford
Finch Charles Pickford, butcher
Finch Georgina (Mrs.), butchr. & frmr
Gardner John, schoolmastr, Reformtry
Gas Company (Geo. H. Paine, sec)
Gough James, blacksmith
Gudgin Charles, farmer, Priory farm
Hall John, farmer, Park farm
Hammond Robt. Thos., Three Cranes P.H.
Hinde Thos. Woodhams, blacksmith
Horn Peter Henry, Three Fishes P.H.
Howe John (Mrs.), apartments, Cottage road
Jones John, supt. Reformatory
Kingsley William, farm bailif to Geo. Hawkes esq. Grove & Mt. Pleasant farms
Lancaster Joel, farmer, Copy Moor farm
Lay Thos. carpenter & wheelwright
Mardlin Jane (Miss), grocer & post office
Maycock William, farmer, Turvey lodge
Memorial Hall & Almshouses (James Bird, superintendent)
Nidd Clement, grocer & draper
Osborn George, miller (water), cab proprietor & sawing mills
Paine George Harris, baker & grocer
Paine Mary Ann (Miss), draper & grcr
Ratcliff William, saddler
Reading Room (R. Wooding, Librarian)
Robinson Henry, farmer, Turvey hall
Rouse Cecil, farmer, Crown farm
Settles George Arthur, farm bailiff to Reformatory, West End farm (letter should be addressed to Carlton, Bedford)
Sharman Maria (Mrs.) shopkeeper
Smith Robert, King’s Arms P.H.
Stanton Thomas, carter
Wallinger Eliza (Mrs.), apartments
West George, boot & shoe maker
Wilding Alfd. farmer, Elders Well frm
Wilford Wm. builder & decorator
Witney
Jesse, florist & seedsman
Woods Eli, boot & shoe maker
Wright Henry, carpenter & builder
