In 1411 the abbess of Font-Everard had the king's license to alienate the manor of Grovesbury to John Worship. In 1413 it was purchased by Sir John Phelip, who settled it upon his wife Alice, a granddaughter of the poet Chaucer, and their joint heirs. It seems to have been seized by the crown on the death of her third husband, William Duke of Suffolk, for in 1472 it was granted for life to the duchess as a compensation in part for debt due to her by the crown.

At the entrance of the town is an almshouse for eight poor widows, founded by Matthew Wilkes in 1630. Their allowance is three shillings a week each, besides firing and clothes. The Hon. Mrs. Leigh, about the year 1790, built a house for the Sunday schools, to which she subscribed twenty pounds per annum. In the centre of the market-place is a pentagonal cross, which has long attracted the attention of archæologists.

The market-cross is a well-known and elegant structure in the Perpendicular style, with flat four-centred arches below, and figures under ogee canopies, and terminates by a crocketed spire. Rickman describes it as "Perpendicular of good composition, but its details and execution are not equal to the design." There are engravings of the cross in "The Beauties of England and Wales," Vol. I; Britton's "Architectural Antiquities," Vol. I, p. 80.

In the "Gentleman's Magazine" for 1801, Vol. LXXI, p. 321, reference is made to the cross as follows:

Whether the conformity of its grotesque ornaments with those in the parish church is any proof that the two structures are coeval must be left to better judges.

In the same magazine for October, 1851, p. 418, is an account of a joint. meeting at Leighton Buzzard of the Architectural and Archæological Societies of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, at which it was proposed to repair "the ancient cross of Leighton Buzzard-with figures of kings, &c.," as represented in Farrington's illustrations to Lysons's "Britannia." A picture of this cross appears in the present book.

In "Church Bells" for August 19, 1892, is a description of the church in which our Thomas Sayre's parents were married and in which he was baptized, which we transcribe. It was accompanied by a full-page illustration, but we have had prepared another view, taken from an original photograph.

ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, Bedfordshire.

This fine cruciform church is a familiar object to travellers on the London and North-Western Railway. The tower is of the Early English period, and the massive spire, 193 feet high, is probably of only a little later date; both were originally built upon severe designs, but have been modified by subsequent alterations and insertions. The tower is built of a cretaceous limestone, and the spire, the condition of which is surprisingly unimpaired, probably of an oolitic limestone. The chancel is also in great part of Early English date; the transepts (fourteenth century) have Perpendicular windows. The nave is surmounted by a remarkably fine Perpendicular clerestory, the large and beautiful three-light windows of which are arranged in couplets. In the interior, the elaborately carved Perpendicular roof of the nave, of unusually high pitch for the style, is very fine. The ancient carving and the series of stalls, with miserere seats, in the chancel are remarkable.

The most superficial observer could scarcely take a circuit of this fine old church without being struck by the iron scroll-work which decorates the west door. It consists of two hinges, eight feet by four feet ten inches, covering the door. The handle is in the shape of a skeleton hand, and is alluded to by Parker, in his book on Gothic Architecture, as a good specimen of the iron-work of the period.

The font consists of a massive bowl, supported upon a bold central and four plain smaller columns, the capitals of which run up to the level of the top of the bowl; the water-holding mouldings of the bases of these columns indicate unmistakably that the font is of Early English date. The metal plug bears the date of 1630. An ancient wooden lectern, the base of which is of the thirteenth century date, in the form of an eagle with wings spread, well carved, is popularly supposed to represent a buzzard, in allusion to the name of the town; but the unusually pronounced aquiline beak confutes this view, to say nothing of the probability that the word 'Buzzard' (formerly spelt Bussard') is simply a corruption of Beau Desert.'

The church is said to have been built by St. Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln, who founded a prebendal stall, or rectory, the first incumbent being Nicholas Hyam. The church was finished in 1288, and in that year was consecrated by Oliver Sutton, then Bishop of Lincoln, and a legend in connexion with the carved eagle and the consecration is that, while the ceremony was proceeding, 'the Bishop was much annoyed by an arch-enemy in the form of a large bird hovering about him; he cursed it, and it fell down, a broken, battered thing.' A red cedar pulpit, beautifully constructed after the fashion of the time, and presented, nearly 230 years ago, by the founder of the Wilkes' Almshouses, has up to the present time stood in the chancel, but is now placed in the nave. The figures of one panel at the back represent the Sacrament of Baptism the putting off of the old, and the assumption of the new, life.

The church was judiciously restored by Messrs. Bodley & Garner in 1886, the old galleries and pews were removed, and the church made free and open. During the progress of the work several very interesting discoveries were made. In the transepts were found the remains of two altars of the Perpendicular period, and a stone string-course of the Decorated period running round the walls of both transepts. The remains of the coloured battlemented reredos have been carefully restored, and an oak altar table added, which is now used for week-day Celebrations. Six stained-glass windows, including the west window, have been inserted. They are from the studio of Mr. Kempe. ·

The Rev. J. W. Richards has been vicar of the parish since April, 1862, during which time over 12,000l. has been spent in Church work.

Francis Sayre was a mercer, or "silkman," as he is denominated in the taxroll of 1609-10. The following names are taken from the "Lay Subsidy Rolls" for the years and localities mentioned, and include Francis Sayre, some of his sons, and others who were doubtless near kin. The William Sayre, called "an Assessor" at Podington, was probably the William Sayre (brother of Francis) who drew up and witnessed the will of Edmund Squire at Podington in 1592, and whose signature thereto, "in a fair hand," would apparently fix the correct spelling of the name at that date. In the will of Edmund Squire, William Sayre is called his "cousin," a word used at that period to describe a nephew or other kinsman, and not restricted as at present.

FACSIMILES OF CHURCH RECORDS AT LEIGHTON BUZZARD, BEDFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND

Francis Sayre and Elizabeth Atkins Married November 15 [1591]

Thomas Sayre, son of Francis Sayre, was baptized July 20 [1597]