RAUNDS

John Bennett of Raunds

There appears to be little recorded of Bennett’s life. The surviving parish registers for Raunds only begin fifty years after his death, dating from 1581. When Bennett was born, how he earned a living and who he married, if he married, I have not been able to discover.

I have gone through as much as I can in the Raunds Library archives, National Archives catalogue etc and have not been able to find any direct reference to this John Bennett. There is no memorial to him in the Parish Church.

A John Bennett was a vicar at Raunds from 1580/81 until 1608, see the photo above.

He was not poor as he had obtained a BA. He may or may not be a descendant. The Raunds Parish Registers have several references to Bennetts, mostly as children of a John Bennett. They are, Anna, Debora, Elizabeth, Margaret, Mary, William, Susanna and Charles, all christened at Raunds Parish Church between 1587 and 1608, all recorded as either daughter or son of John. Mary was married in 1610 to John Piggott.

St Peter's Church and

John Bennett's Bequests

John Bennett was certainly religious because not only did he bequest money for pilgrimages, he left money to Raunds church, St Peter's, make an altar dedicated to St. John the Baptist.

The residue of all my goods unbequeathed I give to make a tabernacle for Saint John Baptist in the parish (church) of Raunds.

John Bennett also left his house and some land to the Guild or the Fraternity of the Sepulchre,

Item, I bequeth to the said gyld my tenement or howsse the qwich I dwell in & a closse lyeng in Northende . , . the said gyld to have thes for evermore.

This house probably no longer survives as the oldest house in Raunds is Thorpe House in Thorpe Street.

Bennett's house may have become part of a modern farm building or was completely demolished.

Raunds in the Early 16c

In the early 1500's, Raunds was a rural town, surrounded by fields. Rather different to now! The church was the centre of many people's lives as a place of religion and social gathering.

Raunds have several springs to supply fresh water, one of which was petrifying, like the one at Mother Shipton's Well at Knaresborough.

Raunds was the source a fine ragstone, with a good texture and strength, which was known as Raunds marble. It was full of fossilised shells and said to be similar to the Italian, Nephiri marble.

Many of the larger houses of Northamptonshire had fireplaces and window frames made of this stone.

St Peter's Church

Until the fourteenth century, the church was dedicated to Mary.

The interior of the church is notable for a rare surviving clock dated to c.1420. The round dial is set into a tympanum above the lower entrance to the bell tower. Like other medieval clocks there is only a single hand. Either side of the clockface are painted two angels with outstretched arms as if they are supporting it. There are also fifteenth century wall paintings. Three skeletons, represent the, Quick and the Dead, who have surprised three sumptuously dressed lords with rabbits scurrying at their feet. Similar paintings often include a warning,

As you are now, so once were we.

As we are now, so shall you be!

There was a Village Cross at the north end of the town, which may refer to the cross that is next to the porch of the church.

I wyll that the crosse att northende townesende be new maden with good

& sufficient stone at my own proper cost & charge. T. Bukke, 1537.

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