Stoughton, anciently called Stoctone, in the Matriculus of 1220 is described as a chapelry of Thurnby, to be served by a resident priest supplied from the mother church, and both were under the patronage of the Abbot and Convent of Leicester, who possessed this chapel as the gift of their founder.
The first volume begins at the early date of 1537 and therefore anterior to the compulsory keeping of Parish Registers; it seems to be the earliest extant Register in the county. It consists of 39 parchment leaves measuring variously 10 3/8,½, 5/8, ¾, 7/8, by 7 3/8 inches, bound in limp parchment with green strings, rather worm eaten but, considering its age, wonderfully good. This is a transcript of an earlier book down to 1605 or possibly later, as the writing is very regular. The scribe of this portion signs it thus : “ Extra (? extracted) et all (flourish, -owed ?) 23 Junii 1601 W. Styroppe.” This same scribe similarly signs the Knossington Register. This volume contains all classes of entries mixed 1537-1701. Writing is generally good, especially the first half of the book, later it varies greatly and is sometimes bad, generally very legible ; but the latter part is very badly and casually entered ; in the last four leaves are wide blanks and few entries on a page, the last page but one quite blank. From 1637 badly kept, so many gaps and irregularities that readers must study the entries as they occur for missing periods, frequent and serious.
Some quaint entries are :——
“1637 none prepared for god this yeere.” “Anno Domini 1638 I hope will bee a more fruitful yeere.”
“A.D. 1638 in wh: yeere whosoever dyoth make them 0 Lord passe out of Adam bodie into Abraham bosom.” [Henry Boulter, Curate.]
“Rec. of the inhabitants of Stoughton towards a Briefe for the relief of the turkey slaves 4.6 and the same payd accordingely by Gregorie Forman Churchwarden in the yeare 1670”
Good names occuring are :- Hames, Farnham (1563), Belgrave (1566), Gravener (1566, also at Thurcaston), Ashburnham (1594), Beaumont (often).
Volume II. contains 18 parchment leaves measuring 11 1/3 – 7/8 by 7¾ (bare) in. About a quarter of the first and more than half the second leaves are cut away, second and third pages are blank, also portions of several more. About 1¼ in. is cut off top of last leaf apparently carrying at least one entry, for part of a line and the loop of a letter still show. The last page is blank. Bound in parchment boards. Two blank paper fly leaves at beginning, three at end blank except for some unimportant memoranda. Green strings. Contents all classes of entries, Baptisms and Burials 1702-73, Marriages 1702-57.
Volume III.— Mariages 1755-1810. Ruled parchment.
Volume IV. should be Baptisms and Burials only, but it registers also four marriages which are not registered in Volume III. in the middle of which, by dates, they occurred. The Burials are at the end inverted. Mostly beautifully written by William Newton, Vicar. Contains nine parchment leaves nearly 13¼ by 8¼ full inches; bound in rough tooled calf, in quite good condition. Two pages in middle have only two entries each, rest blank, one page is quite blank. Several leaves cut out of the middle, doubtless blank, may have been used for transcripts as seems to have been a common practice.
Volume V. Marriages 1814 to 1835. Printed forms.
The Bishop’s Transcripts exist for the following years either in the Archdeacon’s Registry, Leicester, or (marked *) at Lincoln for the years :—1563-4, 1571-2, 1581-2, 1584, 1604*-6-8*-12-13-17-18*-21-22-25, 1627-29, 1632-34, 1636-39, 1672-75, 1678, 1680-87, 1693-98, 1700.
These abstracts have been made by Mr. E. K. Elliott and the Rev. William Seaver, the Vicar, by whose permission they are printed.
Volume I.
The first entry is
William Tomson & Elizabeth Boultbie 9 Aug. 1537
Thomas Mariat & Annis Jakes 1 July 1539
George Joneson & Margaret Ward 25 Oct. 1539
Robert Garlande & Elizabeth Mason 18 Jan. 1540
William Mariat & Amy Jakes 13 Sept. 1541
John Swanne & Annis Ridgley 7 Oct. 1541
Robert Duffelt & [no Christian name] Coals 11 Oct. 1542
[The Baptismal entries don’t give parents’ names]
Willm Rowser & Annis Spencer 25 Oct. 1544
Thomas Saunderson & Joan Croson 26 Apr. 1545
Thomas Evington & Joan Lewin 21 Nov. 1546
Willm Glover & Annis Tookie 22 Nov. 1546
Willm Glen & Jane Glover 2 Nov. 1547
John Brian & Joan Garlande 23 Nov. 1547
Henry Brian & Jane Garlande 23 Nov. 1547
Willm Shawe & Joan Hames 30 June 1548
Gegory Farma[n] & Agnes Swanne 21 Jan. 1550
Henry Mason & Elizabeth Burdett 26 Jan. 1550
Bartholomew Monstn [?] & Alice Scampton 30 June 1550
John Winter & Elizabeth Roberts 7 Oct. 1550
Thomas Bealie & Margaret Cowper 20 Nov. 1556
Richard Cowper & Amy Bealie 22 Nov. 1556
Richard Pow[e?]l [or Pole?] & Joan Etton 6 July 1557
Robert West & Margaret Bealy 26 July 1557
John Palmer & Joan Bealy 20 Nov. 1557
John Mason & Elizabeth Dawkins 18 June 1558
John Fletcher & Alice Muston 16 July 1559
Robert Poole & Agnes Cowper 16 Sept. 1559
Robert Wrest & Maud Wayrin 26 Nov. 1559
John Thorpe & Joan Whyte [out of order] 15 Nov. 1559
John Bealie & Alice Blower 26 Nov. 1559
Robert Warren & Margaret Frisbie 21 Jan. 1559
Willm Bealie & Joyce Coocke 23 Jan. 1559
Willm Phillippe & Margaret Ellis 12 Oct. 1560
John Chamberland & Agnes Watts 30 Nov. 1560
Willm Haydes & Margaret Waters 3 May 1561
Willm Cookes & Alice Walker 7 June 1561
Thomas Mason & Mudreyne [?Modwin] Blackborne 3 Oct. 1561
Peter Raynforde & Mary Turkie 11 Apr. 1562
John Swetname & Margaret Martin 12 July 1562
Willm Hodes & Elizabeth Sheene 25 July 1562
John Swayne, of Medbourne, & Joyce Garlande 1 May 1563
Francis Saunders, of Welford,
& Ellen Farneham were married at Evington 13 May 1563
Walter Apowrocke & Mary Wakerley 27 Nov. 1563
[None in 1564-5]
John Fylkes & Anne Belgrave 3 June 1566
Richard Tomson & Joan Marrite 22 July 1566
Richard Atkin & Margery Gravener 24 Sept. 1566
Thomas Neele & Joan Cappe 25 Nov. 1566
Christopher Yeoman & Margaret Sheyne 19 Jan. 1566
Thomas Yaytes & Barbara Smyth 2 Nov. 1567
[None in 1568-9]
Robert Bishop & Ellen Barsey 21 May 1570
John Garland & Agnes Orlande 26 Jan. 1571
Thomas Noone & Bettrisse [Beatrice] Frisby 29 Jan. 1571
Robert Ward & Amy Hames 20 Nov. 1572
Nicholas Arnesby & Jane Scampton 23 Nov. 1572
Richard Thorpe & Elizabeth Frampton 3 Aug. 1573
Thomas Mariat & Amy Sheene 5 Sept. 1574
John Maisters & Margaret Harrison 17 Jan. 1574
[None in 1575-6.]
Robert Bolhead & Mary Coliar 16 Nov. 1577
John Burton & Jane Frisby 16 Feb. 1578
Thomas Cooke & Christian Mulne 30 June 1578
Richard Averie & Alice Frampton 4 Oct. 1579
Thomas Adcocke & Jane Atherley 2 Jan. 1580
John Messengar & Amy Duffelt 3 June 1583
Hugh Turlington & Ellen Warren 30 Nov. 1583
John Chamberlein & Ellen Skampton 11 Jan. 1583
Thomas Warde & Agnes Tooley 16 Aug. 1586
Francis Garlande & Lorence [sic] Thorpe 27 Nov. 1586
John Wilson & Emote Phillip 27 Nov. 1587
Henry Chamberlen & Jane Hodge 27 Nov. 1587
Thomas Coales & Margery Atkin 18 Nov. 1588
John Renoulde & Agnes Bealie 25 Nov. 1588
Richard Tomson & Agnes Bredwell 13 Nov. 1589
Anthony Neale & Kat[h]erin[e] Warren 14 N[sic] 1590
Willm Fost[e]r & Isabell Hames 20 Apr. 1591
John Hames & Ellen Turlington 27 Apr. 1591
Willm Lewin & Agnes Skampton 16 Apr. 1592
John Chamberlein & Mary Cooke 31 May 1592
Anthony Phillip & Elizabeth Ballard 4 Oct. 1592
Willm Dando[?e] & Margaret Thorpe 15 Dec. 1593
Thomas Mawson & Joan Phillip 19 Jan. 1593
Willm Ball & Margaret Ballarde 4 Nov. 1594
Thomas Dawma[n] & Isabell Skampton 25 Nov. 1594
John Ashbeaneham [(Nicholl) Ashburnham], Esquire,
& Elizabeth Beaumont 27 Nov. 1594
Hugh Sherwood & Margaret Bealie 26 Jan. 1595
John Slater & Agnes Phillip last day of Feb. 1595
Peter Patricke & An[n] Blacke 4 July 1597
Willm Reynor & Joane Neale 6 Aug. 1597
Nicholas Atkin & Ursula Warren 2 Nov. 1597
Richard Goodma[n] & Jane Dent 27 Feb. 1597
John Hardima[n] & Isabel Ratcleife 27 Feb. 1597
[None in 1598-1601.]
Thomas Smythe & Emote Bealie 24 Oct. 1602
Robert Hawnes [? Hames] & Kat[h]erin[e] Skampton 27 Nov. 1602
Robert Waldram & Margaret Tacie 16 May 1603
Willm Gretland & Elizabeth Ridgley 23 June 1604
Edward Deacon & Lucy Atherley 30 Oct. 1604
William Welden, of Leic., & Mary Northe, of Syston 1 May 1605
John Noone & Margery Atherley 11 Nov. 1606
Robert Smythe & Katherin[e] Baily 4 July 1607
Thomas Hynde & Elizabeth Webster 19 Aug. 1607
George Duffelt & Katherin[e] Iye 29 Nov. 1607
George Poole & Elizabeth Horne 1 Jan. 1608
George Ridgley & Alice Woodcocke 7 July 1610
Richard Watts & Anna Croftes 16 Oct. 1610
Thomas Blythe & Amy Marriat 22 Apr. 1611
Willm Cannam & Ursula Bealie 27 Apr. 1611
William Joneson & Mary Gatemon [?] 10 Oct. 1613
John Mason & Margaret Noone 4 Feb. 1614
Thomas Neale & Elizabeth Hames 8 May 1615
Thomas Hames & Katherin[e] Neale 8 May 1615
[None in 1616—19]
Thomas Belgrave & Elizabeth Garlande 18 Oct. 1620
Thomas Skamnpton & Frances Hames 4 May 1622
Richard Lorde, of Sutton, p. Broughton Astley, & Anne Neale 6 Feb. 1622
John Duffelt & Agnes Farma[n] 11 Nov. 1623
Thomas Beak & Anne Skampto[n] 13 June 1625
Robert Bingham & Alice Mallabourne 7 Oct. 1626
[Nonein 1627-8]
John Jervice & Winifred Turlington 9 June 1629
Robert Eaton & Emmot Skampton 14 Nov. 1631
Thomas Buzzard & Margaret Skampton 18 June 1632
Robert Hames & Anne Readell 10 Nov. 1632
William Ashley & Agnes Noone 16 Feb. 1632
William Noone & Katherin[e] Hames 1 July 1633
George Coleman & Elizabeth Ridgley 28 Nov. 1633
[None in 1634-5]
Edward Parker, the son of John Parker, minis [?minister],
& Anniss Hames, the daughter of John Hames, Se [?senr],
husbandman, & Anniss, his wife [out of order] 21 May 1636
[None in 1637]
Henry Scampton, the son of John Scampton, husband[man],
& Katherine Burnby, the daughter of Richard Burnby, husbandman 9 May 1640
[This entry is very faded]
Thomas Marriott & Mary Wilson 17 Aug. 1641
Thomas Linne & Anne Vicars 1 Nov. 1641
Thomas Hounds & Anne Palmer 24 May 1643
John Littlewood & Anne Spell 3 Nov. 1643
Robert Homes & Alice Orton 2 Dec. 1643
Richard Francis & Mary Read 2 Oct. 1649
Richard Alewood & Margaret Johnson 6 Jan. 1652
Thomas Steanson [?] [?Swanson] badly written] & Katherine Duffelt 30[?]Nov. 1664
Bryan Gardiner [&] Elizabeth Bird 8 Jan. 1671
Elizabeth Wington & Charles Readell [No day stated] 1671
[The previous entry is in Feb., the next in June]
John Croson & his wife [no name] 28 Sept. 1672
John Noone & Elizabeth Gardiner [?]5 Feb. 1672
William Peake & Frances Skimpton 12 Oct. 1674
William Cobly & An[n] Skimpton 6 Apr. 1675
Job Dawe & Mary Scampton 27 Nov. 1675
[9 years gap]
Thomas Willson & Jane Greene 17 Nov. 1685
Robert Kirk & Elizabeth Radell 23 Oct. 1687
Joseph White & Elizabeth Duffill 20 Oct. 1689
Henry Bryers & Elizabeth Pick 24 June 1695
Rice Chapman & Ann Stratton 17[?] Apr. 1699
[A Baptism in 1702 shows the father’s name plainly as Rice and
describes him as servant.]
Francis Watts & Catherine Porter 21 Jan. 1700
Volume II.
John Prieston, labourer, & Mary Gritland, both of S. 12 Apr. 1702
[Nearly a third of the leaf cut away, next page blank, more than
half the second leaf cut away, 1st page blank, 2nd page contains
only four entries, all Marriages as follow]
William Hazzell, of Arnesby, stranger [?very bad writing]
& Elizabeth Noon 13 Oct. 1704
John Bown, a mason, & Deborah Cox [no day stated] 1705
Samuel Davenport & Hannah Meadows 6 Nov. 1712
Thomas Spencer & Susannah Plummer 30 Nov. 1712
Zechariah Yerby & Ann Davis 21 July 1718
Richard Stretton & Ann Labus [?Latus] 17 Jan. 1718
John Spencer & Elizabeth Duffield [out of order] 25 Apr. 1719
Thomas Swanson & Elizabeth Dawkins 13 Feb. 1719
John Duffill, tuner [? junior], & Jane Johnson 28 Apr. 1722
Robert Spencer & Mary Spencer 1 June 1724
Henry Cowlston & Elizabeth Swanson, lic. 10 Jan. 1725
John Billson & Eliz. Freestone 11 Apr. 1726
Richard Hart & Sarah Cook 21 June 1726
William Watts & Mary Freestone 30 Apr. 1727
John Rysk [?Kyrk] & Ann Maruel [?Marvel] 18 Feb. 1728
Hugh Kirk, weaver[?], & Elizabeth Woodcock, of Thurnby 3 Feb. 1729
Mr. John Chandler, citizen of London, & Eliz: Darker, lic. 29 Jan. 1730
Richard Belmay of Streten [?Stretton] & Eliz. Simkin, of S., lic. 29 Aug. 1731
John Noon & Mary F[?T]iter 17 Oct. 1731
Thomas Bilson, of Narbor[ough], & Frances Watts 11 Apr. 1732
William Ho[? e]g, of Wicor[?], co. Nottm., & Grace Simpkin, of S. 9 June 1734
Neale Cobley, of Beeby, & Sary [? Sarah] Ward, of S. 23 June 1734
Francis Watts & Sara[h] Pallmer, both of S. 5 Jan. 1734
Thomas Spencer & Grace Simpkin, lic. 15 Oct. 1736
Thomas Bryan, of Evington, & Eliz. Stretton, of S. 18 Oct. 1736
James Buswell, of Burton Overy, & Anne Musson, of S. 19 Oct. 1736
Thomas Benit of Wilaby [?Willoughby Waterleys]
& Judy Darker, of S. 30 May 1737
William Duffiel[d] & Susannah Spencer, lic. 8 Jan. 1739
Thomas Bird & Mary, his wife 8 Apr. 1740
John Munk, of Oadby, & Anna Maria Streton, of S., lic. 25 Dec. 1740
Thomas Beaumont & Mary Haden 25 May 1741
Mr. Thomas Vann & Mrs. Mary With, lic. 25 July 1741
William Cellen[?] & Mary Smith 29 Sept. 1744
Thomas Kimber & Ann Haddon 2 May 1745
William Bushup [?Bishop] & Jane Ludlam 26 Jan. 1745
Thomas Geley [?Jelley] & Elizabeth Wright 17 June 1750
John Gothard & Ann Wilison 1 Sept. 1751
John Spencer & Elizabeth Wilkinson, lic. 18 Sept. 1751
John Meadows & Mary Voss 15 Oct. 1751
John Kirk & Mary Beaumont 13 Aug. 1753
Volume III.
William Grant & Mary Bird 9 Feb. 1755
Edward Stretton, of S., & Sarah Holmes, of Wigston, lic. 14 Apr. 1755
John Duffield, of S., & Sarah Harrison, of Evington, lic. 4 Jan. 1757
[The last two also registered in Volume II.]
John Kirk, of S., & Catherine Bishop, lic. 12 Aug. 1759
[None in 1760-2]
Thomas Jelley, of S., & Ann Normon, of Humberstone, lic. 18 Oct. 1763
William Underwood, of Scraptoft, & Mary Bunter, lic. 19 Jan. 1764
Richard Ross, of Oadby, & Ann Monk 25 June 1764
William Noon & Sarah Spencer 21 Oct. 1764
William Fewkes, of Humberstone, & Mary Kirk 1 Sept. 1766
Richard Hole, of Stoughton Grange,
& Ann Oliver, of Hope, co. Derby, lic. 19 Jan. 1767
Joseph Norfolk & Dorothy Alsop 20 Apr. 1768
William Noon & Mary Gilbert 31 Oct. 1768
Randal Pain, of Huncote, & Unice Freer, lic. 31 July 1769
Ralph Mason, p. St. Martin, Leic., & Ann Noon 26 Nov. 1770
Henry[?] Turner & Sarah Gervice[?], lic. 13 Dec. 1771
[Badly written with a bad pen and ink, hardly marked.]
Stephen Daft & Sarah Bunter 3 Nov. 1771
Freer Gee, of Evington, & Sarah Wharmley 14 July 1772
William Worth & Ann Terry 17 Feb. 1773
Neal Cobley, of Evington, & Sarah Johnston 8 July 1773
Charles Riley, w., & Sarah Exon, lic. 19 June 1774
Thomas Lawson, of Gillin, co. York, & Eliza Clayton, lic. 19 June 1774
John Jelley & Elizabeth Broadhurst, lic. 6 Dec. 1774
John Oliver & Sarah Duffill, lic. 17 Dec. 1775
John Kirk & Ann Broadhurst, lic. 5 Mar. 1776
William Norfolk & Mary Jarvis 7 June 1778
William Clar[k]son the younger of Evington & Mary Watts, w., lic. 25 Sept. 1779
[None in 1780—1]
James Marden, of Oadby, & Ann Sharp 4 Nov. 1782
John Ashby, of Burton Overy, & Elizabeth Spencer, lic. 23 Mar. 1783
[None in 1784-6]
William Sturgis, of Laughton, & Elizabeth Meadows 12 Feb. 1787
Thomas Smally & Hannah Watts 9 Apr. 1787
Samuel Matthews, of S., & Hannah Balm, of Evington 2 Nov. 1788
John Kirk & Mary Burdit 13 Oct. 1789
William Gude [?Goode], of Evington, & Frances Tebbs 13 Oct. 1789
[None in 1790-3]
[See contents of Volume IV. below.]
John Cartwright & Sarah Harrison, lic. 15 May 1799
Charles Daws & Ann Jelley 28 Dec. 1799
[None in 1800—1]
Thomas Noon & Hannah Johnston, both of Houghton[-on-Hill] 14 Jan. 1802
Thomas Gibbs & Sarah Jelly 31 Mar. 1803
John Coley & Ann Kirk 22 Aug. 1804
William Miles, of Kilby, & Elizabeth Chapman 25 Dec. 1804
Jacob Wheet, of llston-on-Hill, & Elizabeth Gamble 13 Feb. 1804
George Watts & Mary Jelly, lic. 22 Feb. 1804
John Freeman & Ann Chapman, lic. 8 July 1805
John Johnson, of Anstey, grazier, & Sarah Watts, lic. 26 Nov. 1805
Charles Adams & Alice Cartwright, lic. 22 Jan. 1807
Thomas Wykes, of Kirkby Mallory, & Mary Chapman, lic. 2 Feb. 1807
William Jelly & Mary Barker 14 Oct. 1807
[None in 1808-9.]
Thomas Bellamy & Elizabeth Kirk 29 May 1810
[None in 1811-3]
Volume IV.
[This Volume is really Baptisms and Burials, but contains four
Marriages not registered in the proper Volume (III.) as follow]
Joseph Spencer [&] Mary Ingram, lic. 18 Jan. 1788
William Grant & Frances Wildman 20 Oct. 1794
Thomas Dexter & Mary Goode, w., lic. 23 Oct. 1796
Joseph Swinglar, of Dunton Bassett, & Ann Norfolk 14 Nov. 1797
Volume V.
Thomas Sharp, of Burbage, servant, & Elizabeth Noon 3 Mar. 1814
William Allen & Sarah Goode 16 Oct. 1814
Thomas Bright & Ann Clarke, consent of parents 6 Nov. 1815
William Kirk, of S., & Mary Buswell, of Turlington 28 Nov. 1815
John Brown & Catherine Ball, consent of parents 26 Dec. 1815
Thomas Smalley & May Warner 28 Nov. 1819
Richard Bennitt, of Hungerton, & Martha Hunt 25 Nov. 1819
William Colyer & Mary White 20 Oct. 1820
[None in 1821—2]
Thomas Ward, of Wilbarston, co. Northampton, & Mary Bettoney 23 June 1823
Joshua Waite, of Thurnby, & Eleanor Slingsby 28 Oct. 1823
James Chapman & Alice Freer 4 June 1827
Thomas Wilkinson & Ann Dalby 28 Oct. 1830
Isaac Rudkin, of Thurnby, & Ann Noon 26 Sept. 1831
Thomas Allen, of Kibworth Beauchamp, & Ann Penn 1 Dec. 1831
Richard Swain & Ann Pratt, lic. 4 Aug. 1834
Francis Heap, of Houghton-on-Hill, & Anne Hunt, lic. 20 Oct. 1834
John Parker, of Hopwell, co. Derby, & Sarah Hall, lic. 17 Sept. 1835
Thomas Bent, of Billesdon, & Isabel Ball 30 Dec. 1835
[There are no further Marriages prior to July, 1837.]
