ARLSEY is a village, parish, and station on the Great Northern Railway, 37 miles from London, 12 south east from Bedford, 4 south from Biggleswade, and 5 north from Hitchin, in the hundred of Clifton, union and county court district of Biggleswade, rural deanery of Shefford, archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Ely1.
Status: Ancient Parish.
Alternative names: Arlsey
Parish church: St. Peter
Parish registers begin: 1538
Nonconformists include: Wesleyan Methodist
Table of Contents
- Adjacent Parishes
-
Parish History
- The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870
- Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850
- A Topographical Dictionary of England 1848
- The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales 1840
- Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland 1833
- A Topographical Dictionary of England 1831
- Arlesey Schools 1818
- Parish Records
- Directories
- Maps
- Administration
Adjacent Parishes
Parish History
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870
ARLESEY, Arlsey, or Arsley, a village and a parish in Biggleswade district, Beds. The village stands on the river Hiz, a little E of the Great Northern railway, 4 miles ESE of Shefford; and it has a station on the railway, and a post office under Baldock, and was formerly a market-town.
The parish comprises 2,370 acres. Real property, £5,357. Pop., 1,401. Houses, 270. The property is divided among a few. An ancient castle stood at Etonbury, near the road to Baldock; and appears, from an entrenchment which still remains, to have been a place of considerable strength. The living is a vicarage, united with Astwick rectory, in the diocese of Ely. Value, £420. Patron, James Curtis, Esq. The church is a plain edifice; was recently fitted with new benches; and contains some ancient monuments.
There are a Wesleyan chapel, a national school, and extensive brickworks.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].
Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850
Arlsey, 26½ m. S.E. Shefford. P. 820
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850
A Topographical Dictionary of England 1848
ARLSEY (St. Peter), a parish, in the union and hundred of Biggleswade, county of Bedford, 6 miles (S.) from Biggleswade; containing 820 inhabitants.
This place is in the Domesday survey noticed as a markettown, and in 1270 Stephen Edworth, then lord of the manor, obtained a confirmation of the grant for its market, and a grant of a fair on the festival of St. Peter and St. Paul, both of which have been long discontinued.
The parish is bounded on the north by the river Ivel, and on the west by the Hiz, both of which unite in the north-west extremity. It is intersected by the road from Baldock to Bedford, and comprises by measurement 2303 acres, of which about 1600 are arable, 500 pasture, 20 wood, and 50 common; the sub-soil is gravel and clay. The women and children are employed in the straw-plat manufacture.
The living is a discharged vicarage, with the rectory of Astwick annexed, and valued in the king’s books at £8 per annum; it is in the patronage of Mrs. Roger Smith. At the inclosure of the parish, 255 acres were allotted in lieu of tithes, and there are 15 acres of grass land round the glebehouse. The church is a neat edifice.
There is a place of worship for Wesleyans. At Etonbury, near the road to Baldock, are the remains of a Roman encampment; and a spot still called the Hermitage, was the site of an ancient religious house.
Source: A Topographical Dictionary of England by Samuel Lewis 1848
The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales 1840
Arlsey, a parish in the hund. of Clifton, union of Biggleswade, county of Bedford; 4 miles north west of Baldock. Living, a discharged vicarage united to the rectory of Astwick, formerly in the archd. of Bedford and dio. of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Ely; rated at £8; gross income £300. Patron, in 1835, F. Gapte. There are two Sunday schools in the parish. The great and small tithes, the property of the lord of the manor and the vicar, were commuted in 1804. Pop., in 1801, 404; in 1831, 688. Houses 126. Acres 2,370. A. P. £3,203. Poor rates, in 1837, £248.
Source: The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales; A Fullarton & Co. Glasgow; 1840.
Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland 1833
Arlsey, co. Bedford.
P. T. Baldock. (37) 4 m. NW. Pop. 562.
A parish in the hundred of Clifton; living, a discharged vicarage, united to the rectory of Astwick, in the archdeaconry of Bedford and diocese of Lincoln; charged in K. B. 8l.; church ded. to St. Peter; patron (1829) R. Houston, Esq.
Source: A Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland by John Gorton. The Irish and Welsh articles by G. N. Wright; Vol. I; London; Chapman and Hall, 186, Strand; 1833.
A Topographical Dictionary of England 1831
Arlsey, a parish in the hundred of Clifton, county of Bedford, 4¾ miles (N.W. by W.) from Baldock, containing 562 inhabitants. The living is a discharged vicarage, united with the rectory of Astwick, in the archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Lincoln rated in the king’s books at £8. R. Houston, Esq. was patron in 1824. The church is dedicated to St. Peter.
Source: A Topographical Dictionary of England by Samuel Lewis 1831
Arlesey Schools 1818
Schools – none
Sunday Schools – A Sunday school, established and supported by Sir John Jackson, containing about 37 boys and 30 girls.
Observations – The poor are desirous of having the means of education.
Notes – Return signed by J. Atkinson, vicar.
Source: 1818 Digest of Returns to Circular Letter from the Select Committee on Education of the Poor, &c.
Parish Records
FreeReg
| Place | Churches | Registers | Search |
| Arlesey | St Peter | Other Transcript | Search FreeReg |
FamilySearch Catalog
Census
Census returns for Arlesey, 1841-1891
Church Records
Bishop’s transcripts for Arlesey, 1602-1859
Parish register of Arlesey, 1538-1812
Parish registers for Arlesey, 1538-1958
Parish registers for St. Andrew’s Church, Bedford, 1915-1983
Computer printout of Arlesey, Beds., Eng
Parish register printouts of Arlesey, Bedford, England ; christenings, 1736-1878 – Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Genealogical Department
Parish register printouts of Arlesey, Bedford, England ; marriages, 1736-1837 – Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Genealogical Department
Parish register printouts of Arlesey, Bedford, England, christenings, 1538-1735 – Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Genealogical Department
History
Arlesey : the history of a village – Hames, William; Catcheside, Paul
Court Records
Court records, 1377-1890 – Manor of Arleseybury. Court (Bedfordshire)
Occupations
Parish registers for Arlesey, 1538-1958
Poorhouses & Poor Law
Overseers and constables’ records, 1735-1794
Parish registers for Arlesey, 1538-1958
Schools
School log books, 1864-1927 – Arlesey Board School
Taxation
Land tax assessments for Arlesey, 1797-1949
Directories
Arlesey Kellys Bedfordshire Directory 1869
Arlsey is a village, parish, and station on the Great Northern Railway, 37 miles from London, 12 south-east from Bedford, 4 south from Biggleswade, and 5 north from Hitchin, in the hundred of Clifton, union and county court district of Biggleswade, rural deanery of Shefford, archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Ely.
The church of St. Peter is a plain stone structure, and is fitted with open benches: it contains several fine marble monuments; those in the body of the church, of the Browne and Edwards families, are of very ancient date: the chancel contains the vault of the Jackson family. The register dates from the year 1538.
The living is a vicarage, with the rectory of Astwick annexed, joint yearly value £450, with residence, in the gift of, and held by, the Rev. Richard Folliott Scott, M.A., of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.
There is a National school, and a Wesjeyan chapel. Here are extensive brick works, carried on by Mr. R. Beart, of Godmanchester, and the Great Northern Company, where large quantities of perforated white bricks and draining tiles are made, affording considerable employment in the neighbourhood. Tbe chief landowners are Sir Glynne Earle Welby-Gregory, Bart., and Samuel Bedford Edwards, Esq., who is lord of the manor. The soil is strong clay; subsoil, clay;. The chief crops are wheat, barley, beans and peas.
The population in 1861 was 1,401, the area is 2,303 acres.
Parish Clerk, Joseph Devereux.
Letters received through Baldock. Shefford is the nearest money order office
National School, Joseph Allison, master
Railway Station, David Watts, station master; station master at Arlsey Siding, Philip Walters
Edwards Saml. Bedford, esq. Arlsey Bury
Hailey Miss
Henderson Rev. William Lawes, M. A. [curate]
Scott Rev. Richard Folliott, M.A. The Vicarage
COMMERCIAL.
Albone George, beer retailer
Albone William, beer retailer
Allen Ambrose, beer retailer
Beacher Thomas, shopkeeper
Beart Robert, brick maker; & at Godmanchester
Bennett James, beer retailer
Boothey John, Brick Ground inn
Brittain Joseph, builder
Cartwright George, beer retailer
Cartwright James, beer retailer
Clark David, poulterer
Cox James, beer retailer
Davies Elizabeth (Mrs.), farmer
Davies Joseph Crout, builder
Day William, tailor
Dennis William, brick maker
Fletcher John, shopkeeper
Folbigg Simon, shopkeeper
Great Northern Brick Co. (John Philip Hawkes, manager)
Hall Harriet, beer retailer
Hare Frederick, baker
Hawkes George, thrashing machine proprietor & farmer
Hildred Henry, Lamb
Hill Arabella (Mrs.), White Horse
Hyde Charles, Old Oak
Jeeves Offspring, beer retailer
Johnson Robert, beer retailer
King Samuel, butcher
Kirby Geo. beer retailer & shopkeeper
Kitchiner George, butcher
Kitchiner John, baker
Leng Henry Thomas, plumber& glazier
Levitt Frederick, shopkeeper
Levitt William, beer retailer
Maxey Thomas, Prince of Wales
Pack Thomas, tailor
Payne William, baker
Pike Henry, beer retailer
Prutton William, beer retailer
Purser Charles, farmer, The Chase farm
Samuel William, Cricketers
Stalby George, beer retailer
Stamford George, butcher
Street Joseph, farmer
Tasker William, shopkeeper
Thornaby Thomas, beer retailer
Toller Cliristopher, farmr. Waterloo farm
Trustram James, farmer
Tufnail Joseph, blacksmith
Webb Mary (Mrs.), beer retailer
Webb William, shopkeeper
Winters Amos, beer retailer
Winters Mary (Mrs.), farmer
Source: Post Office Directory of Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. Printed and Published by Kelly and Co., 51, Great Queen Street, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London; 1869.
Directories Available online
Arlesey Kelly’s Directory of Bedfordshire, 1914
Maps
| Service | Map | Topo |
|---|---|---|
| Bing Maps UK | Map | OS maps |
| StreetMap | Map | OS maps |
| Vision of Britain historical maps | Map | OS maps |
| Ordnance Survey | OS maps | |
| Defra’s MAGIC service | Map | |
| National Library of Scotland | OS maps | |
| Old OS maps | OS maps | |
| Old-maps.co.uk | OS plans | |
| Where’s the Path? | Map | |
| SABRE Maps | Map | OS maps |
Administration
- County: Bedfordshire
- Civil Registration District: Biggleswade
- Probate Court: Court of the Archdeaconry of Bedford
- Diocese: Pre-1837 – Lincoln, Post-1836 – Ely
- Rural Deanery: Shefford
- Poor Law Union: Biggleswade
- Hundred: Clifton
- Province: Canterbury
1. ARLSEY is a village, parish, and station on the Great Northern Railway, 37 miles from London, 12 south east from Bedford, 4 south from Biggleswade, and 5 north from Hitchin, in the hundred of Clifton, union and county court district of Biggleswade, rural deanery of Shefford, archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Ely.