Buntingford

BUNTINGFORD, a chapelry, and formerly a market-town, in the parishes of Aspeden, Layston, Throcking, and Wyddiall, union of Royston and Buntingford, hundred of Edwinstree, county of Hertford, 12 miles (N. N. E.) from Hertford; containing 581 inhabitants. This place takes its name from a ford on the river Rib, near which a blacksmith, named Bunt or Bunting, had a forge. It is pleasantly situated on a gentle ascent between two hills, and consists of one street, half a mile in length: the houses are in general well built, and of respectable appearance; and the inhabitants are amply supplied with water. The trade is principally in leather and malt: the fairs, formerly on June 29th and November 30th, and each for four days, are now irregularly held. The county magistrates hold petty-sessions here for the division, and a septennial court leet is held for the hundred. The living is a perpetual curacy, annexed to the vicarage of Layston. The chapel, dedicated to St. Peter, is a commodious brick building, erected by subscription, in 1626, through the exertions of the Rev. Alexander Strange, vicar of Layston, who lies interred in it: from its convenient situation, it is appropriated to the general use of the parishioners of Layston, the parish church, half a mile distant, being resorted to only for marriages. There are places of worship for the Society of Friends and Independents. The free grammar school was endowed in 1630, by Eliz. Freeman, with lands producing £10. 10. per annum; which endowment was augmented with a moiety of the produce of land left by Seth Ward, Bishop of Salisbury, to Christ's College, Cambridge, the other being applied to the endowment in that college of four scholarships, of £12 per annum each, for boys on this foundation. Eight almshouses, for four aged men and four women, were founded in 1668, and endowed with land by Bishop Ward; and the bishop also gave £600 to purchase land, the rental of which is applied to the apprenticing of children: he was a native of the town, and received the rudiments of his education in the grammar school.