Flitton, Bedfordshire

Flitton (Flichtam, Fllite, Flute) is a small village in Bedfordshire, England which forms part of the parish of Flitton and Greenfield. The village derives its name from river Flit which flows close by it. It is notable primarily as the home of the De Grey Mausoleum adjacent to St John the Baptist church. Richard Milward, the editor of Selden’s "Table Talk" was born at Flitton in 1609. There are two pubs, "The White Hart" by the church hall and "Jolly Coopers" at Wardhedges.

Church of St John the Baptist

The church, which stands on a slight mound on the west side of the village, was probably built by Edmund Grey, Earl of Kent (1465), between 1440 and 1489. It has a convert|27|ft|m|sing=on chancel, nave convert|39|ft|m long with aisles, south porch and west three-stage tower with a projecting rood stair turret; the whole appears to be one built in local ironstone, embattled. On the walls of the north aisle are three fragmentary brasses commemorating: Eleanor Conquest (1434), Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Waren (1544) and Alice, wife of Reginald Hill (1594).

There are five bells, two (1902 and 1904) by Bowell of Ipswich, and three (1687) by Richard Chandler of Drayton Parslow.

See also

*De Grey Mausoleum
*Wrest Park

References

*Page, William, editor: "The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Bedfordshire", University of London, Dawsons, London 1972, pp 325-332
*Pevsner, Nikolaus: "The Buildings of England: Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough", Penguin Books, London 1968