Monument record 1679 - Higham Ferrers

The medieval borough of Higham Ferrers was granted in 1251.

{3} For a full discussion of the borough see section 6 Borough/Burgage in main report.
Creation of a free borough in 1250-1. By 1377 a mayor is recorded in the town. In 1556 a new charter was granted confirming its liberties and bounds and with a mayor, seven aldermen and 13 chief burgesses. In 1558 the town was made a corporation and granted right of representation with two members of the House of Commons, later returning one member until 1834. Then in 1558 the town was made a corporation and granted right of representation with two members of the House of Commons, later returning one member until 1834. In 1251 the Earl had granted burgage rights to 92 of his villein tenants, comprising 79 men and 13 women. It is clear that existing cottagers with specialist commercial and industrial occupations were simply being granted freedoms, a recognition of existing urban character rather than the initiation of urbanisation.
The location of the burgages as recorded in 1730 shows a very clear concentration in the southern half of the town, especially around the market place and in Newlands. The bakehouse to be used by the burgesses was also in the market place. Although in the 18th century there were a number of burgages in the northern part of the town, including 7 in the Bond End, this is clearly a discrete part of the settlement with its own bakehouse for the bond tenants. It maybe that all or at least the majority of the 30 agricultural tenements of 1251 lay in the northern end of the settlement. The bounds of the Borough are defined in detail on the map of 1789 and this appears to be the same as that of 1591 where the borough is said to have extended from Spittle Cross on the south to another cross near Mallards Close beyond the north end of the town. The 1789 Inclosure map boundary crosses the main north south road just to the south of Mallards Close as recorded in 1737, at the junction of three roads. As such the borough thus included the whole settlement of Higham by 1591. However these bounds may have been newly defined by the charter of 1556 and may not have been of medieval in origin, when the distinction between the town and the Bond End was the significant one, although no formal boundary between the two has been identified.

{4} Medieval borough of Higham Ferrers; in 1251 it was granted a free borough by William de Ferrers, The Earl of Derby.

{13} Brass rubbings of Thomas Chichele and his wife Agnes (1400), Lady Edith Chanceler (1435), William Thorpe and his wife Marion (1504).

{18} Letters and newspaper cuttings relating to the College, the Vicarage, the Bede House, the School house, Church and churchyard;

{19} Two photographs of a barn dated 1835 associated with ?Lymington House. [Not found].

<1> COLBECK J., 1737, Higham Ferrers, 1737 (NRO Map 1004), (unchecked) (Map). SNN100548.

<2> Bainbridge T., 1789, Higham Ferrers, 1789 (NRO Map 1000), (unchecked) (Map). SNN100544.

<3> Foard G.; Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Higham Ferrers (Medieval - Industrial), (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN100543.

<4> Beresford, MW, and Finberg, HPR, 1973, English medieval boroughs: a handlist, p. 141 (Document). SNN33700.

<5> NORDEN, 1591, MAP, (unchecked) (Map). SNN55933.

<6> 1789, HIGHAM FERRERS TOWN PLAN, (unchecked) (Map). SNN54817.

<7> COLE J., 1838, The History and Antiquities of Higham Ferrers (With Notes on Rushden and Irthlingborough), (unchecked) (Book). SNN71019.

<8> SANDERSON H., 1841, Map of Higham Ferrers (NRO Map 1656), (unchecked) (Map). SNN54819.

<9> MAP, (unchecked) (Map). SNN57984.

<10> BALLARD & TAIT, 47/142 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN55270.

<11> The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.263-79 (unchecked) (Series). SNN10247.

<12> SERJEANTSON R.M., 1918, The Court Rolls of Higham Ferrers, (unchecked) (Article). SNN75224.

<13> Brass Rubbings at Ashmolean Museum, (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN41806.

<14> Kerr, W.J.B., 1921?, Higham Ferrers and Its Ducal and Royal Castle and Park Part 1, (unchecked) (Book). SNN108293.

<16> Foard, G. & Ballinger, J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Higham Ferrers, (unchecked) (Report). SNN103119.

<17> Lofthouse, B with Tobin, G, 2019, Higham Ferrers 1251-1914: A portrait of the town and people through its historic charters (Book). SNN112486.

<18> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/149/24-28 (Archive). SNN115.

<19> Miss June Swann, 1960s- 70s, Miss June Swann Photographic Archive, Taken 1965 (Photographs). SNN116665.

Record last edited

Apr 11 2025 9:42AM