History and Antiquities of the Country of Hertford Icheton,
Lefstanchirche otherwise Layston Vol III pages 427 to 438
Thine active spirit, while to flesh allied.
The joint affairs of heaven and earth employ'd,
But thou art gone, blest shade, to realms above,
Where all is adoration, praise, and love.
On another tablet at the West end, similar to the last:
This marble is consecrated to the memory of Thomas Heton, Clerk, many years Vicar of this, and the parish of Widdial, whose painfull labours in the ministry, whose active abilities employed in the service of his friends, whose great knowledge of and love for the Church and State, justly endeared his person and recommend his memory to posterity. He survived Helen, his most faithfull and affectionate wife, buried here the 5th of May, 1743, aged 73, mixing his ashes with hers in one common grave, the 29th of August, 1748, aged 84. To perpetuate further the remembrance of their only son Charles Heton, for some years also his father's successor in this Vicarage, who by his will, proved in the Prerogative Court on the 10th of March, 1754 gave an annuity of forty shillings a year, for the repairing and keeping up the Chapel of Buntingford, charged on six acres of freehold land lying in Snail's Mead and Mill Field in Layston and Aspeden, for ever, died 6th March 1764 [it should be 1754], aged 48.
On the floor:
Edward Saunders, Esq. ob. 4th Jan. 1800, aged 55.
BENEFACTIONS.
HENRY SKINNER, by deed, dated the 23d of February, 1558, left to the poor of the parish of Layston, the house known by the sign of the Black or Crowned Lion, with a close or orchard adjoining, and a house with a close adjoining and six acres of land.
HENRY MARSHALL and THOMAS ADAMS, by deed, dated the 16th of January anno 24 Elizabeth, A. D. 1581, gave five acres and an half of land, lying in the several parishes of Layston, Throckiug, and Widial, to the use of the poor in Buntingford (g).
JOHN WATTS, Citizen and Alderman of London, who was afterwards knighted, by deed of gift, dated the 22d of November anno 45 Elizabeth, A. D. 1602, granted an annuity of four pounds, issuing out of a messuage and close of pasture adjoining, known by the sign of the King's Head, for the only benefit, relief, and good of the poor inhabitants of Buntingford.
ALEXANDER STRANGE, B. D. Vicar of Layston, by deed, dated the 26th of January, anno 1 Charles I. A. D. 1625, gave an acre of land, situate at a place called Bramble Hill, in Corney-fieid, in the parish of Layston, for the use of the Vicar, for reading divine ser¬vice, and preaching yearly a sermon, on the Monday after the Feast of St. Michael; and, by another deed, dated the 22d of July, 1642, he gave eight acres and an half of land, lying in Great Hormead and Layston, towards the repair of the Chapel of Buntingford.
WILLIAM BROWN, of Layston, Locksmith, by deed, dated the 10th of October, 1626, conveyed to trustees half an acre of land lying in a common field in the parish of Layston, called Church-field, next the glebe land there on the South, the land of James Goulston, Esquire, on the North, and upon Maddow-field on the East, for the payment of 3s. yearly for the repair of the windows of the Chapel at Buntingford.
JOHN CROUCH, of Alswick, Gent, by deed, dated the 20th of September, anno 7 Car. I. A. D. 1632, gave £5 per annum, payable out of five tenements in Layston, to twelve poor people in Buntingford.
The Lady JANE BARKHAM, by her will, dated the 22d of February, A. D. 1653, gave to the schoolmaster of the grammar school in Buntingford £100, the rent to be paid to the master thereof for teaching five poor children.
ELIZABETH FREMAN, widow of William Freman, Esquire, of Aspeden Hall, built the school of Buntingford, for the instruction of seven poor children of Aspeden, and gave a farm in Much Munden for its support.
Dr. SETH WARD, Bishop of Salisbury, built a neat house of brick near the Chapel, containing apartments for four poor men, and as many poor women, that have lived handsomely and by misfortune have come to poverty. He endowed it in 1684, and settled it on trustees, who are to choose upon a vacancy, out of the parishes of Aspeden
(g) For the benefaction of Mrs. Joan Sanbach, to this parish and that of Aspeden, see p. 357.
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and Layston. The same prelate also, gave £1000 to Christ's College in Cambridge, with which an estate was bought at Wimbish in Essex, and settled for the payment of four scholarships of £I2 per annum a piece. Afterwards, he purchased fee-farm rents of the value of £22. 11s. per annum, to be settled to the same uses as the estate at Wimbish. He ordered the four scholarships to be first paid, and the overplus to be equally divided, the Master and Fellows of Christ's College to have one half, the Master of Buntingford School the other. These scholarships are appropriated to persons born in Hertfordshire and educated in Buntingford School; and of them, such as are born in that part of the town of Buntingford which lies in the parish of Aspeden are to be preferred(b).
CHARLES HETON, Vicar of Layston, by his will, proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury the 13th March, 1754, gave an annuity of 40s. for the repairing and keeping up the Chapel of Buntingford, charged on six acres of freehold land lying in Snails Mead Field and Mill Field, in Layston and Aspeden for ever.
(a) For the bequest of Dr. Seth Ward for placing out children apprentices, see the benefactions of the parish of Aspeden,
p. 357.
(g) For the benefaction of Mrs. Joan Sanbach, to this parish and that of Aspeden, see p. 357.
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