Cardington Bedfordshire Family History Guide
CARDINGTON is an extensive parish, large and handsome village, and station on the Bedford and Hitchin branch of the Midland Railway, distant 45 miles from London, 2½ south east from Bedford, 8½ west by north from Biggleswade, and 9 north by east from Ampthill, in the hundred of Wixamtree, union and county court district of Bedford, rural and archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Ely. The parish is bounded on the north by the river Ouse. Here is an extensive flour mill. Pillow lace is made here, and there is a brewery. 1.
Other places in the parish include: Fenlake, Harrowden, Cotton End, Eastcotts, East Cotts, Eastcots, and East Cotts with Cotton End.
Parish church: St Mary
Parish registers begin: 1572
Nonconformists include: Baptist, Independent/Congregational, and Wesleyan Methodist.
Table of Contents
Adjacent Parishes
Parish History
Cardington
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870
CARDINGTON, a village and a parish in the district and county of Bedford. The village stands on an affluent of the river Ouse, adjacent to the Midland railway, 2½ miles SE of Bedford; and has a station on the railway.
The parish includes also the township of East Cotts. Post Town, Bedford. Acres, 5,170. Real property, £9,079. Pop., 1,419. Houses, 275. Cardington House is the seat of the Whitbreads; and was, for some years, the residence of the philanthropist Howard. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Ely. Value, £245. Patron, Trinity College, Cambridge. The church is later English. There are an Independent chapel, a handsome industrial school, a British school, alms-houses with £50 a year, and other charities £28.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].
The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales 1851
Cardington, a parish in the hund. of Wixamtree, union and county of Bedford; 2 miles south-south-west of Willington, on the river Ouse. It includes the chapelry of East-Cotts.
Living, a discharged vicarage, formerly in the archd. of Bedford and dio. of Lincoln, now in the dio. of Ely; rated at £7 17s. 0d. ; gross income £256. The patrons are the master and fellows of Trinity college, Cambridge. A tablet to the memory of Howard the philanthropist, who lived some time here, has been put up in the church; and a monument, by Bacon — the last of his works — was erected in 1799 to the memory of Samuel Whitbread, Esq., whose family first Settled here in 1650. There is an Independent and Baptist chapel here; the church was formed in 1777. There are also two daily schools. Pop., in 1801, 509; in 1831, 594. Houses 258. Acres 5,050. A. P. £7,753. Poor rates, in 1837, £336.
Source: The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales; A Fullarton & Co. Glasgow; 1851.
Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850
Cardington, 4 miles S.E. Bedford. P. 1466
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850.
Eastcotts
The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales 1851
Eastcotts, a chapelry in Cardington parish, County of Bedford; 3½ miles south-east of Bedford. Houses 145. Pop., in 1801, 504; in 1831, 710. Poor rates, in 1838, £388 6s.
Source: The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales; A Fullarton & Co. Glasgow; 1851.
Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850
East-Cotts, in Cardington Parish.
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850
Elstow
Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850
Elstow, 2 m. S.W. Bedford. P. 562.
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850
Fenlake
Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850
Fenlake, in Cardington Parish.
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850
Harrowden
Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850
Harrowden, 2 m. Bedford. Pop. in Cardington
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850.
Bankrupts
Below is a list of people that were declared bankrupt between 1820 and 1843 extracted from The Bankrupt Directory; George Elwick; London; Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; 1843.
Bedford the Hon. Barbara, Barnes, Bedfordshire; and John Lord, Birmingham; merchants, Jun. 19, 1836.
Parish Registers
Cardington Parish Registers 1572-1812
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.
Blundell, Sir George, knight, of Cardington, Beds, widower, 38, and Elizabeth Yardley, spinster, 18, daughter of Christopher Yardley, of East Greenwich, Kent, merchant, who consents — at St. Gabriel, Fenchurch, or St. Dionis Backchurch. 16 May, 1661. F
Sandys, Edwin, of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Middlesex, esq., bachelor, 34, and Elizabeth Blundell, of St. Paul, Covent Garden, Middlesex, spinster, 28, daughter of Sir George Blundell, of Cardington, Beds, who consents — at St. Olave, Hart Street, St. Dionis Backchurch, or Christchurch, London. 26 Aug. 1676. F.
Wace, John, of St. Edmund, Lombard Street, London, bachelor, 32, and Lettice Whitebread, of Cardington, co. Beds, spinster, about 22, daughter of William Whitebread, gent., who consents — at Cardington or Copell, Beds. 19 May, 1675. F.
Widdowes, Edmund, of Castleton, co. Oxon, gent,, bachelor, 25, and Margaret Cocking, of Carrington, Cotton End, co. Beds, spinster, 20, daughter of John Cocking, of same, gent., whose consent is attested by Thomas Kinge, of St. Lawrence, Old Jewry, London — at St. Mary Magdalen, Old Fish Street, or St. Mary Woolnoth, London. 25 Nov. 1647. F.
Source: London Marriage Licences 1521 to 1869; Edited by Joseph Foster; London 1887
Parish Records
FamilySearch
Bedfordshire Historical Directories
Directory Transcriptions
Kelly’s Directory of the Wine and Spirit Trades, with which are included Brewers and Maltsters 1884
Marked thus * are Small Brewers who brew the beer they sell.
CARDINGTON, Bedford
Brewer
Hickman Charles
Source: The Post office directory of the brewers and maltsters [afterw.] Kelly’s directory of the wine and spirit trades, with which are included brewers and maltsters By Kelly’s directories, ltd. 1884
Cardington The Post Office Directory of Bedfordshire 1869
CARDINGTON is an extensive parish, large and handsome village, and station on the Bedford and Hitchin branch of the Midland Railway, distant 45 miles from London, 2½ south east from Bedford, 8½ west by north from Biggleswade, and 9 north by east from Ampthill, in the hundred of Wixamtree, union and county court district of Bedford, rural and archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Ely.
There is an elegant Industrial school, erected and supported by the daughters of S.C. Whitbread, Esq.: also a day school, erected by the late W.H. Whitbread, Esq., conducted on the British and Foreign system. The Wesleyans have a chapel here, erected in 1823. Cardington is noted as having been the residence of John Howard, the philanthropist. Howard’s Villa, now the residence of S. C. Whitbread, Esq., F.R.S. J.P., has been largely added to, but the house is retained in its original form, and most of the trees in the garden are of John Howard’s planting: in garden is an observatory, the observations in which are duly noted by the Registrar General.
The village is very finely timbered; and Cardington Cross, designed by Chantry, is prettily situated in the picturesque approach from Bedford, which is through a noble avenue of elm trees, about three quarters of a mile in length. The Whitbread alms houses, on the Green, will accommodate eight poor widows, and have an endowment of £50 per annum.
The hamlets of the East Cotts, comprising the villages of FENLAKE, HARROWDEN and COTTON END, are in this parish. The parish is bounded on the north by the river Ouse. Here is an extensive flour mill. Pillow lace is made here, and there is a brewery.
Parish Clerk Levi White
SCHOOLS:-
British, William Mortimer, master; Mrs William Mortimer, sewing mistress
Industrial, Miss Edith Harrison, mistress
Midland Railway Station, William Wood station mastr
Hillier Rev Edwd John MA Vicarage
Malden Mrs
Mellor Abel esq
Mills Colonel Charles, Howard’s villa
Payne Miss
Whitbread Samuel esq MP JP PSS Howard’s villa & 2 Queen’s gate gardens London
Whitbread Samuel Charles esq FRS JP Howard’s villa & Southill park, Biggleswade & 49 St George’s square London
COMMERCIAL
Abbney William tailor
Barker Christopher plumber painter & glazier & paper hanger
Blaby James farmer
Berrington Sarah Mrs Exeter Arms
Bodger John Edward farmer
Brimley Jsph wheelwright & undertkr
Brown Edmund cart owner
Church Samuel shoe maker
Daniel Joshua farmer
Dynes Thomas wlieelwright & thrashing machine proprietor
Ellis & Everard coal lime & salt merchants Railway station
Flood William shopkeeper
Hickman Charles brewer
Horrell Harry miller & farmer
Larkins Josiah wood steward for SC Whitbread esg
McLaren John MBMS gardener & assistant to S C Whitbread esq
Malden James farmer
Marriott Johın blacksmith
Monks Thomas carpenter to the Whitbread estate
Perry Sarah Miss dress & mantle maker
Preston William farmer Manor farm
Preston William jun farmer Pastures farm
Robinson Thomas shopkeeper
Saunderson Jobn farmer & baker
Trueman Thomas shopkeeper & plumber painter & glazier
White Frances Mrs farmer
Willis Charles farmer
Witty Richard King’s Arms
Wootton John farmer
Source: The Post office directory of Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire By Kelly’s directories, ltd 1869
East Cotts The Post Office Directory of Bedfordshire 1869
EAST COTTS is a township in the parish of Cardington, comprising three hamlets, viz.: FENLAKE, one mile east from Bedford; HARROWDEN, one mile and a half south east, and COTTON END, 3 miles south east: it is in hundred of Wixamtree, and union and county court of Bedford.
At Cotton End is a large Congregational chapel, re-erected in 1836 by subscription: it is well attended from this and the neighbouring villages, and will accommodate about 700 persons. John Bunyan used to preach this village, and was the means of gathering a congregation here, which has been of considerable numbers ever since: in connection with the chapel is a school, also a college for training young men for the ministry, under the superintendence of the Rev John Frost, the minister.
Forster’s charity amounting to about £30, is distributable, £25 in this district, and £5 in Cardington. Pillow lace is made here. The principal landowners are S.C. Whitbread Esq., the Marquis of Exeter, Brasenose College, Oxford, and Messrs J.S. and J. Cranfield. The soil is clay; subsoil gravel and clay. The chief crops are wheat, barley, beans, and turnips. The area is returned with Cardington. The population in 1861 was 847.
Letters from Bedford, which is the nearest money order office
Congregational Training College, Rev John Frost, head master
Day School, Cotton End, Miss Barton, mistress
CARRIER TO BEDFORD – George Rodgers, daily, except thursday
Cotton End
Frost Rev John Independent
Preston Mrs
Berrill Charles farmer Herring green
Cambers Benjamin, Bell
Cambers Robert beer retailer
Cole Josiah farmer
Cranfield Jonathan landowner & farmer
Gilbert James poulterer & egg merchant
Green Edward carpenter & shopkeeper
Green William carpenter
Green Wm Rudd butcher & shopkeeper
Harradine Emma Mrs farmer
Hartwell Jonathan tailor
James Robert farmer Wood End farm
Jelly William Henry brazier & tinman
Preston Joseph pig dealer
Sims John baker
Sleath John shopkeeper
Sugars James shoe maker
Summerfield George beer retailer
Taylor Lucy Mrs agricultural implement maker & machinist
Tompkins Jesse shopkeeper & bricklayer
Fenlake
Stafford Mr Robert Barry
Wells Mr George The Barns
White Mrs Fenlake house
Wootton Mr William
Abney George carter & farmer
Malin John, Anchor, & farmer
Mothers Benjamin bricklayer
Rowney William farmer
Harrowden
Bates Thomas farmer
Capon William blacksmith
Cranfield John Shepherd, landowner & farmer, College farm
Mann Isaac beer retailer
Newman Richard, landowner & farmer
Saunderson Samuel farmer
Street Frederic farmer Harrowden ho
Summerfield James shopkeeper
Source: The Post office directory of Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire By Kelly’s directories, ltd 1869
Administration
- County: Bedfordshire
- Civil Registration District: Bedford
- Probate Court: Court of the Archdeaconry of Bedford
- Diocese: Pre-1837 – Lincoln, Post-1836 – Ely
- Rural Deanery: Bedford
- Poor Law Union: Bedford
- Hundred: Wixamtree
- Province: Canterbury