A History of Cranfield

Some years ago, a series of articles appeared in a local newspaper, and Cranfield Express felt it would be of interest to readers to repeat the series during the next few months. Here is article number 1.

Frequented by Cranes - Recorded history of Cranfield dates back to 998. It was then referred to as Cranfeldinga, and the name under-went many changes of spelling until the present day Cranfield. After Cranfeldinga, it was known as Crangfeld, and during the next 400 years (until 1526) had changes which included Cranfelle, Cranefeld, Craunfeld, Cranafeld, Cramfelt, Cranfeld, Cranefeud, Craumfeld, Crangefeud, and Crainfeld. The name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon crane feld - open country frequented by cranes.

In common with other places in the district, Cranfield was, no doubt, originally a Saxon settlement. In 998 Ailwin Niger (surnamed Swart) granted a manor to the monks of Ramsey Abbey, Huntingdonshire. It is almost certain that a church was built by the monks, and the manor continued in their care until 1539. When the monasteries were dissolved during the reign of Henry VIII it reverted to the Crown. It is recorded in the Chartulary of Ramsey Abbey that Alwyn the Black, who died in 998, gave the manor to the Abbot and Convent of Ramsey. This grant of Cranfield and all its appurtenances was confirmed by Edward the Confessor in 1060, by William I in 1078. The last grant speaks of a church.

A life estate in Cranfield was granted to Ralph, Earl of Hereford, by the last Saxon Abbot, Alfwin. In the eleventh century, two of the abbots are mentioned as having alienated land at Cranfield belonging to the Abbey, giving it to their relatives. The manor is the only one recorded in the Domesday Survey as being owned by Ramsey Abbey. The Survey states: "The Abbot of St Benedict Of Ramsey holds Cranfelle. It is assessed at 10 hides worth £9. There is land for 12 ploughs. In Edward the Confessor's time it was worth £12. In the village there are eighteen villiens having ten ploughs."

At that time Cranfield had the second largest woodland in the county which explains the large number of swine it was assessed to feed. As Ramsey Abbey held the manor, it is probable that there is no manor house but there may have been a "grange", or farming establishment, occupied by the steward. The Abbey held lands in various parts of the county - at Wyboston, Barford, Clifton and Stondon - ammounting to 50.5 hides valued at £48-6s-4d.

Ralph, the steward of Cranfield, held a half hide of the demesne assets freely by service of attending the Abbot's pleas throughout Bedfordshire. The priest had to attend the County and Hundred Courts, with three other free tenents. At that time the hide was more an assessment of the value of land for taxation purposes than in actual measurement. Cranfield soil being cold clay, there was more area to one hide than in places where the ground was better. It is noticeable that several viallages on this clay belt were assessed at ten hides although their areas varied.

The Lords of the Manor, who were all-powerful during the eleventh and twelfth centuries, had land in the open field as well as the demesne and the priest also had a share. The classes in the village were serfs, bordars, villiens, and freeman. The latter class came later, there being no mention of them in the Domesday Survey.