Hawstead, Suffolk Villages & Towns - History, Genealogy & Trade Directories
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Hawstead Public Houses
HAWSTEAD in 1844, is a pleasant scattered village, on one of the sources of the
river Lark, 3 miles S. of Bury St. Edmund's, has in its parish 2,237 acres of
fertile land, and 470 souls, including the detached extra parochial part of the
Hardwick estate, which has 19 inhabitants, and about 114 acres, and is distant
only one mile south of Bury, and encompassed by that borough and the parishes of
Nowton and Horningsheath. HARDWICK HOUSE, with the extra parochial demesne, on
which it stands, has for a long period been annexed to the parish and manor of
Hawstead, and is the pleasant seat of the Rev. Sir Thomas Gery Cullum, Bart.,
lord of the manor, and owner of a great part of the parish, the rest of which
belongs to Sir Thomas Hammond, Bart., H. Metcalfe, Esq., J. H. Powell, Esq.,
Messrs. W. Bigsby, J. Smith, and C. Johnson, and several smaller owners.
Hardwick House is a large and commodious mansion, and is picturesquely situated
in a beautiful park, upon the very line that divides the open and woodland
country; commanding, from its elevated site, pleasing views of Bury and the
surrounding country. It was given by King Stephen to Bury Abbey, and tradition
reports that it was the dairy and occasional retreat of the abbot. No part of
the present building, however, is of any considerable antiquity. It was
purchased in 1610, by Sir Robert Drury, who removed to it from the ancient manor
house called Hawstead Place, which is now a farm house, and was formerly an
extensive mansion, on a commanding eminence, forming a quadrangle, 202 by 211
feet within; but was partly taken down and its furniture, paintings, and
ornaments, removed to Hardwick. Between the two porches stands an uncouth figure
of Hercules, which formerly discharged by the natural passage, into a carved
stone basin, a continual stream of water, supplied by leaden pipes, from a pond,
at the distance of near half a mile. From the date on the pedestal, this was
probably one of the embellishments bestowed upon the place against the visit of
Queen Elizabeth, in 1578, when she slept here one night, and is said to have
knighted the owner on the occasion of his restoring her silver handled fan,
which she had dropped into the moat. Hawstead House, the seat of Henry Metcalfe,
Esq., is a large and handsome mansion, which has pleasant grounds, and was
rebuilt in 1783, of Woolpit brick, by the late Christopher Metcalfe, Esq.
Hawstead, is called Haldsted, in Domesday Book; and is estimated at 13 carucates.
The bounds of its parish pass through the north and south doors of the church of
the adjacent parish of Newton, and on its western limit there was, some years
ago, a majestic tree, called the gospel oak, under which the clergyman used to
stop in the annual perambulation, to repeat some prayer for the occasion.
Hawstead was given in the reign of Edward the Confessor, to Bury Abbey; and the
abbot afterwards granted lands here to several families, one of whom took the
name of the place. The Fitz-Eustace family, for a long period held the manor,
which afterwards passed to the Clopton's, who, in 1604, gave it to the Drurys in
exchange for the manors of Hensted and Blomstons. Sir Robert Drury, the last
male heir of his distinguished family, left three sisters, to one of whom,
married to Sir William Wray, the estate devolved. By the widow of this lady's
only surviving son, Sir Christopher Wray, the manor of Hawstead, with the
Hardwick estate, was sold in 1656, for �17,697, to Thomas Cullum, Esq, who was
created a baronet in 1660. The present worthy baronet is the only male heir and
representative of the family, consequently at his decease, the baronetcy will
become extinct. The Rev. Sir John Cullum, the late baronet, was rector of
Hawstead, and published the History and Antiquities of the parish in 1784. He
was also author of a brief account of Little Saxham Church, and Bury St.
Edmund's, inserted with views, in the Antiquarian Repertory. Hawstead CHURCH,
(All Saints) was rebuilt about the middle of the 15th century, and has undergone
many repairs and improvements. It is constructed of freestone and flints, broken
into smooth faces, which, by the contrast of their colour, produce a pleasing
effect. The square steeple, which contains three bells, is 63 feet high, and the
lower part of it, as well as the porches, parapets, and buttresses, has the
flints beautifully inlaid in a variety of patterns. The walls, for about two
feet above the ground, are of freestone, and project all round in the manner of
a buttress. In 1780, the thatched roof was exchanged for tiles. The nave and
chancel are parted by a wooden screen of Gothic work, on which hangs one of the
small bells, rang in Catholic times, at the consecration and elevation of the
host. The church has many headless figures of saints and angels, mutilated in
Cromwell's time, and its windows still retain several coats of arms of the
Drurys and Cloptons, of whom here are several monuments Within an arched recess,
in the chancel wall, lies a cross legged figure, in stone, supposed to have
represented one of the Fitz-Eustaces, who were lords here in the reigns of Henry
III. and Edward I. In the middle of the floor is a flat slab of Sussex marble,
which, by its escutcheons in brass, appears to cover the remains of Roger Drury,
who died in 1500. On a flat stone, in front of the communion table, is the
figure of a lady in brass, with a head dress of the age of Henry VII. On an
altar tomb, are inlaid in brass, the figures of Sir William Drury, kt., his two
wives, and 17 children. In the chancel is a fine marble bust of another Sir
William Drury, kt., who was elected one of the knights of the shire, in 1585,
and again in 1589, and was killed in a duel in France. In the south-east corner
of the chancel is an elegant mural monument of painted alabaster, in memory of
Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Robert Drury, who died in 1610, aged 15. Under an
ornamental arch, lies the figure of a young female, as large as life, with her
head reclining on her left hand; and above is an emblematical figure surrounded
with a glory, and scattering flowers on the figure below. Opposite, is a noble
mural monument, in honour of her father, of whom it bears a spirited bust in a
marble frame, over the arch. This Sir Robert accompanied the Earl of Essex, to
the unsuccessful siege of Rohan, in 1591, where he was knighted at the early age
of 16. The Drury family, which so long flourished here, produced many persons
distinguished in their time, but the most celebrated was Sir William, who passed
his youth in the French wars, his maturer years in Scotland, and his old age in
Ireland, where he was appointed lord president of the province of Munster, in
1575, and lord chief justice of Ireland, in 1578, but died in the same year,
when proceeding to reduce the rebellious Earl of Desmond. Here are also several
elegant monuments of the Cullum family, one of which is of white hard plaster,
painted and gilt, in honour of the first baronet, who purchased the estate,
after amassing a large fortune as a diaper in London. The rectory, valued in
K.B. at �11 16s. lOd., has a yearly modus of �581, awarded in 1843, in lieu of
tithes. The Rev. Sir Thomas Gery Cullum, Bart., is the patron, and the Rev.
Edward Gosling, now in his 80th year, has been the incumbent more than half a
century. The Rev. Joseph Hall, afterwards bishop of Exeter and Norwich, was
presented to this rectory in 1601.
An Almshouse, for six poor unmarried women, was founded at Hardwick, in 1616, by
Sir Hubert, kt, who charged the manor of Hawstead Hall cum-Buckenhams, with a
yearly rent charge of �52, to be applied as follows, viz: �5 to each of the six
almswomen, �22 to the poor of the following parishes, viz: �6 to Hawstead; �5 to
Whepstead; �4 to Brockley; �4 to Chedburgh; and �8 to Rede. The founder directed
that the six almswomen should be selected as follows; one from each of the
parishes of Hawstead, Whepstead, and Brockley; one from Chedburgh or Rede; and
two from Bury St. Edmund's. Sir Thomas G. Cullum, Bart., as lord of the manor,
pays the rent charge of �52. The Almshouse, at Hardwick, having fallen into
decay, was taken down about 1820, and in lieu thereof, an almshouse for two poor
women was purchased at Bury, and another for four poor women was purchased at
Hawstead. The Town Estate comprises the Church-house, occupied by paupers, and
three cottages and about eleven acres of land let for �21 a year, of which �2
16s. belongs to the poor, and the remainder to the church. The poor of Hawstead
have also a yearly rent charge of �5 10s., left by Sir Thomas Cullum, for a
weekly distribution of bread in 1662, and now paid by the Draper's Company,
London. Lady Cullum supports a school here for 25 poor children.
HAWSTEAD.
Cullum Rev. Sir Thomas Gery, Bart., Hardwick House
Bligh Rev. Thomas, curate, Rectory
Arnold Elizabeth, schoolmistress
Clarke William, & Musk J. shoemakers
Metcalfe Henry, Esq., Hawstead House
Mortlock Michael, blacksmith
Pawsey Richard, butcher
Pryke William, wheelwright, &c.
FARMERS.
Bigsby William, Hawstead Green
Buck Samuel, Hawstead Lodge
Catchpole Robert, Pinfer-end
Payne Samuel, Hawstead Place
