Southill Bedfordshire Family History Guide

Southill is an Ancient Parish in the county of Bedfordshire.

Alternative names: South Hill, Sudgible, Sudgivele (xi cent.); Southyevell (xii–xiv cent.). Rueye, Runheye (xii, xiii cent.); Rowndehay, Rownhey (xvi cent.).

Other places in the parish include: Broom and Stanford.

Parish church: All Saints

Parish registers begin:

Parish registers: 1538
Bishop’s Transcripts: 1602

The registers previous to 1813 are contained in five books: (1) all 1538 to 1710; (2) all 1710 to 1766, marriages till 1754; (3) marriages (printed) 1754 to 1799; (4) baptisms and burials 1767 to 1812; (5) marriages (printed) 1799 to 1813.

Nonconformists include:

Independent
Baptist
Methodists

Table of Contents

Adjacent Parishes

Parish History

Southill with Rowney, including the hamlets of Stanford and Broom and the extra-parochial hamlet of Shefford Hardwick, forms a large parish lying a mile west of the Roman Way. The land slopes towards the River Ivel, which forms the eastern and southern boundary of the parish.

The lowest point is near Stanford Mill, and is 108 ft. above the ordnance datum; the highest point north of Rowney Warren is 269 ft. above ordnance datum. The area is 6,094¾ acres, of which 3,122 acres are arable land, 888¾ are permanent grass and 341 woods and plantations. The soil is partly gravel and partly clay, the subsoil principally clay. The chief crops are wheat, barley, beans and turnips; an increasing area is devoted to market-gardening, an industry which is rapidly developing.

Southill village is of considerable size; it consists mainly of substantial thatched or tiled cottages— many bearing the initials of that Samuel Whitbread who purchased property here more than 100 years ago—standing in pleasant gardens or orchards. There are a few examples of half-timbered cottages. The ancient church stands at the extreme north-west corner of the village away from the main street. Southill Park, the seat of Mr. Samuel Whitbread, covering some 800 acres, is west of the village. The grounds are well wooded and include a fine sheet of ornamental water. About 2 miles west of the village is Southill station on the Bedford and Hitchin branch of the Midland Railway.

Stanford is a scattered hamlet containing a school, two inns and a mill. Stanfordbury Farm lies near Shefford Hardwick, which consists of one farm, the property of Mr. Samuel Whitbread. Broom forms a compact little hamlet in the eastern part of the parish, containing Broom Manor Farm, an infant school and an assembly room. Broom Hall, the residence of Mr. Rupert Fordham, in the north of the hamlet, stands in a fine park. Gastlings, which derives its name from the Gastlyn family, who lived there in the 13th century, is in the west of the parish. A few scattered houses to the north of the parish are known as Ireland (the Inlonde of the 16th century).

Two Romano-British vaults were found near Stanfordbury Farm in this parish in the early part of the 19th century. The following place-names have been found in documents relating to this parish:—Stratfurlong, Trottesmere, Rowmerfurlong in the 14th century; Cockinsteleland, Herteshyne, le Meredither, Doys House, Bryky Close, Duf Close, Great Hell Close, Ketilsey, Pondefeld, Graces Ground in the 16th century.

Source: Extracted from Victoria County History of Bedford: Volume 3 1912.

Southill

The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870

SOUTHILL, or South-Hill, a township and a parish in Biggleswade district, Beds. The township lies adjacent to the Midland railway, 3¼ miles SW of Biggleswade; contains a village of its own name; and has a station with telegraph on the railway, and a post-office under Biggleswade. Real property, £3,890. Pop., 619. Houses, 122.

The parish contains also the hamlets of Broom and Stanford, and comprises 6,180 acres. Pop., 1,391. Houses, 291. The manor belongs to Lord Ongley. S. Park belonged formerly to Lord Torrington, and belongs now to W. H. Whitbread, Esq. The living is a vicarage, united with Old Warden, in the diocese of Ely. Value, £384. Patron, W. H. Whitbread, Esq. The church is ancient. There are a Baptist chapel and a free school.

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

Southill, 3 miles S.W. Biggleswade. P. 1379

Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850

Broom

Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850

Broom, 1½ m. Biggleswade. P. 365.

Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850

The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales 1851

Broom, a hamlet in the parish of Southill, hund. of Wixamtree, county of Bedford; 2 miles south-west of Biggleswade. Pop., in 1801, 187; in 1831, 257. Houses 56. Other returns with the parish.

Source: The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales; A Fullarton & Co. Glasgow; 1851

A Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland 1833

Broom, co. Bedford.

P. T. Biggleswade (45) 2m. SW b S. Pop. 226.

A hamlet in the parish of Southill and hundred of Wixamtree

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.

Stanford

Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850

Stanford, in Southill parish. P. 435.

Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850

Parish Registers

Southill Parish Registers 1538 – 1812

Free Download
Bedfordshire Parish Registers V.12

Read more

London Marriage Licences and Allegations 1521 to 1869

The following have been extracted from London Marriage Licences 1521 to 1869.

Abbreviations. — B. Bishop of London’s Office; D. Dean and Chapter of Westminster; F. Faculty Office of Archbishop of Canterbury; V. Registry of the Vicar-General of Canterbury.

Holder, Dennis, of St. Sepulchre, London, bachelor, 27, and Elizabeth Mordaunt, spinster, about 20, daughter of George Mordaunt, of Southill, co. Beds, who consents, attested by Lewis Mordaunt, of St. Magnus, London — at St. Sepulchre aforesaid. 21 Dec. 1690. F.

Moody, Bartholomew, presbyter, vicar of Tollesbury, co. Essex, and Millicent Ridge, of St. Gabriel, Penchurch, London, widow of Mr. — Ridge, late of Southwell, co. Beds — at Haysley, CO. Essex. 11 April, 1605. B.

Source: London Marriage Licences 1521 to 1869; Edited by Joseph Foster; London 1887