page_title: Southill, Bedfordshire
section_title: Earliest written history
hierarchical_section_title: Southill, Bedfordshire / History / Earliest written history
caption_attribution_description: English: Bayeux Tapestry - Scene 31 (detail): Archbishop Stigand. Titulus: STIGANT ARCHIEP[ISCOPU]S (Archbishop Stigand) Français&#160;: Tapisserie de Bayeux - Scène 31 (détail)&#160;: l'archevêque Stigand. Légende en latin&#160;: STIGANT ARCHIEP[ISCOPU]S (L'archevêque Stigand). Nederlands: Het tapijt van Bayeux - Scene 31 (onderdeel): aartsbisschop Stigand. Latijnse uitleg: STIGANT ARCHIEP[ISCOPU]S (Aartsbisschop Stigand)
context_page_description: Southill is a rural village and civil parish in the Central Bedfordshire district of the county of Bedfordshire, England; about 8 miles south-east of the county town of Bedford.
  The 2011 census showed the population for the civil parish as 1,192.
  The civil parish includes the villages of Broom and Stanford and the hamlet of Ireland
  Its eastern fields are on the plain of the River Ivel; its west is hilly. The village centre is a close cluster.
  The principal residence, Southill Park, was one of at least four manors, and was for three generations the home of the local branch of the landed Byng family, the Viscounts Torrington, Navy admirals, by whom it was sold at the end of the 18th century to industrialist Samuel Whitbread. Admiral John Byng is buried in All Saints Church, which is a 14th and 15th century church embellished in 1814.
context_section_description: Southill is part of the ancient hundred of Wixamtree and is mentioned as such seven times in the Domesday Book (detailing Southill landholdings of noblemen or freemen), some of which may be records as under-lords of the others (see subinfeudation).  The total tax assessed was 9.7 geld units (very large) and recorded households numbered 29 (quite large).  The Book shows sixteen freemen formerly owned its most valuable entry upon conquest, replaced by two Frenchmen at the time of its compilation in 1086.  The annual value of this entry was estimated or attested as £3 upon conquest, £4 and a half pounds in 1070, then £4 in 1086.   Southill landowners in 1086 included gentry Hugh of Beauchamp, Countess Judith (Judith of Lens) who founded nearby Elstow Abbey in 1078, Walter of Flanders, Richard Poynant, William of Cairon and Alric (Wintermilk) who was a Saxon landowner — his very small £0.2-rated estate was substituted by one of equal worth, though valued at more in the interim and having 40% more ploughlands.  The estates of Archbishop Stigand were seized nationwide in 1070 including one here.  Earlier seized were two holdings of Leofwin the noble of Caddington taken on conquest and which holder the Book adds held under King Edward's overlordship.
caption: Stigand's office as Archbishop of Canterbury spanned Saxon and Norman monarchies before his fall from grace. He is depicted well in the Bayeux Tapestry.
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