Blunham
[From Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831.]
BLUNHAM, a parish (fomerly a market town) in the hundred of WIXAMTREE, county of BEDFORD, 5¼ miles (N,N.W.) from Biggleswade, containing, with the hamlet of Moggerhanger, 945 inhabitants. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Lincoln, rated in the king's book at £46.2.11., and in the patronage of Countess de Grey. The church, dedicated to St. Edmund, contains several ancient monuments to the memory of different members of the families of Longueville and Bromsall. There is a place of worship for Particular Baptists. The market, which was on Wednesday, and a fair on the festival of St. James were granted in 1315. The navigable river Ouse runs on the western, and the Ivel on the eastern, side of the parish. There is a mineral spring, called Poplarwell but the water is not used for medicinal puposes.
Photographs Copyright © Martin Edwards 2001
St Edmund's Church
The church of St. Edmund is a building of sandstone, partly of the Norman period, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles and a lofty embattled western tower, with pinnacles, containing a clock and 5 bells : in the south wall of the chancel is a monument with recumbent effigy to Susanna (Grey), daughter of Charles, 7th Earl of Rent of that family, and wife of Sjr Michael Longueville, 17th century: there are also memorial slabs to the Bromsall family, including one to Margaretta Bromsall, 1664: the church was restored and entirely reseated in 1860, and in 1862 the organ was considerably enlarged at the expense of Miss Polhill of this place, who also contributed largely to the refitting of the church: the church plate includes a paten of silver given by Dr. Archer, of Blunham, in 1862: there are 350 sittings. The register dates from the year 1571.
[Kelly's Directory - Bedfordshire - 1898]
