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Kempston first appears in the Domesday Book as “Camestone”.
The evidence of a thriving, peaceful community, in existence before
the neighbouring town of Bedford, was found in a Saxon Cemetery,
on the site of the present day Saxon Centre. The most important
discovery being a glass drinking horn in a perfect state of preservation
which is now kept in the British Museum Other artefacts which were
found are displayed in the Bedford Museum.
In A.D.885, Kempston was situated within King Alfred’s territory
of Wessex.
In the reign of Edward the Confessor, Camestone was held by Earl
Gyrth, killed alongside his brother, King Harold at the Battle of
Hastings.
After the Norman Conquest, King William gave Kempston to his niece,
the Countess Judith de Balliol, wife of Waltheof, Earl of Northampton.
Unfortunately, Judith is remembered for her treachery against her
husband when he was unjustly tried and subsequently executed for
treason.
In 1086, Judith founded the Benedictine Convent for Nuns at the
nearby village of Elstow. At that time, it is recorded that Kempston
comprised of 2,400 acres of arable land that needed 20 teams of
oxen to maintain it and a large part being uncultivated because
it was too wet and marshy. Also, on the river Ouse, stood a working
mill where the local people took their corn to be ground. At that
time, the population was reputed to be 40-45 men and their families.
In 1237, the Manors of Kempston are mentioned with names, which
are still used today.
Daubeney. In 1333,
the Crown granted this Manor to William Daubeney, remaining in his
family until 1502. Kempston Manor in Manor Drive, alongside the
river walk is built on the site of the original Manor House. Henry
III visited Kempston in 1224 whilst at the siege of Bedford and
is reputed to have stayed at the Daubeney Manor House.
Kempston St. Johns and Brucebury
originally were granted to Isobel, wife of Robert de Bruce and claimant
to the Scottish throne.
Hastingsbury or Greys
was granted to Ada, the wife of Henry Hastings, eventually being
inherited by the Greys of Wrest Park. The Manor House stood to the
west of the present Bury House, on Cemetery Road.
In 1400, there were recorded small hamlets, which surrounded the
main settlement of Kempston. These were known as Ends being Bell
End, Church End, Box End, Moor End, Bridge End, Thistley End, West
End, East End, Wood End, Crow End, Green End, Up End, and Kempston
Hardwick.
Some famous residents with Kempston connections, are remembered
in street names.
Balliol Road was named after John de Balliol who
founded the college of the same name in Oxford and married Devorguilla,
a descendant of Countess Judith. She was the mother of a second
John de Balliol who became King of Scotland.
Cater Street was named after William Cater who
bought the Kempston Greys Estate in 1624 for £7,200. The family
owned the Kempston Mill and remained in Kempston for a further 175
years.
Dennis Road was named after William Dennis, a London
merchant who bought the Daubeney and St. Johns manors in c.1603
for £7,356.00.
Williamson Road is named after the Rev. Edmund
Williamson who bought the Manor from William Dennis. Subsequently
in 1815, he built “the house between the street and the river”,
namely The Manor. It was Mrs. Williamson in her will who made possible
the building of the Church of the Transfiguration and had the St.
Johns almshouses in Bedford Road, built in her husband’s memory.
Littledale Street was named after Henry Littledale,
a director of the Sun Insurance Company, who built the Kempston
Grange in 1845 in an area known then as Ham Field.
Thornton Street was named after Harry Thornton, a nephew
of Henry Littledale who inherited the Grange in 1866.
Howard Street is named after James Howard, who
purchased the Grange in 1885 and whose widow bequeathed the Grange
and its surrounding parkland to the people of Kempston in memory
of her son Addison who died in World War 1.
The nineteenth century saw a growth of urban housing and building
in the New Town including the building of the Kempston Barracks
in 1874-6 for the XVI the Regiment of Foot. In 1881, it became the
Depot of the Bedfordshire Regiment and in 1918 for the amalgamated
Beds. & Herts Regiment. However, in 1958 the barracks closed
with the Keep on Bedford Road being retained as a centre for the
Freemasons incorporating a Regimental Museum, very appropriate with
the Regimental War Memorial opposite. The remaining land was used
for housing development.
Kempston has also, had historical events that include;
27th February 1826 when the great fire of Kempston destroyed 40
houses in the High Street, including part of the King William Public
House. A fund for the 55 victims raised £344.13s.0d.
4th April 1829 when Matthew and William Lilley were hanged at Bedford
Gaol for the murder of a gamekeeper whilst poaching for food for
their families.
8th January 1904 when a second fire occurred at the Half Moon near
Water Lane. The host, Mr. Anthony was getting ready for a “smoker”,
when he discovered the fire at 1.30pm. The message reached the Post
Office who telegraphed it through to Bedford and at 1.50pm the horsed
Fire Brigade steamer Victoria dashed to the scene. Unfortunately,
it was too late as the thatched roof had gone and so had Mr.Anthony’s
600 cigars.
More recent history is recorded with some of the street names on
the housing development at Hillgrounds being named after those who
had given their lives during the World Wars, as commemorated on
the War memorial in the High Street.
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Kempston
