Sttulham : the Story of a Secluded Parish. By J.
E. Brown, Vicar. (Elliot Stock. 2s. 6d. net.)—Mr. Brown is doing no inconsiderable part of his duty to his parish when he gives us this history of its fortunes. The parish lies on the borders of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, being about equally divided between the two counties. In the matter of documents relating to its history it is fortunate, and its registers go further back than is usual (as far as 1570, the date of their legal beginning being 1538). One of the most interesting features of the book is its narrative of the ecclesiastical holdings within its borders. At the Dissolution no less than six monastic bodies held land within it, and to these should be added the Dean and Chapter of Windsor. This alone was permitted to keep its possessions. Whether the monks were good landlords is not quite the settled question which Mr. Brown seems to think it ; but that the distribution of their lands among a set of greedy nobles was a disaster is beyond doubt. We are much obliged to Mr. Brown for his book, which has an interest and value such as this necessarily short notice cannot adequately represent.
Previous page
