The Church of St. Mary, Yaxley

This list of the Vicars of Yaxley is far from complete, but may lead others to improve on it by further research. From 1684 onwards (there are no earlier Registers remaining) the list of names is complete, but Barker and Rolfe were largely absentee Vicars, and it was there curates who in practice served the parish. Rolfe lived at his vicarage in Hempnall, Norfolk, and for many years Robert Rose, obviously a relative, did duty for him at Yaxley. From 1846 until his death in 1850, Henry Sewell, father of William Henry Sewell, was Rolfe's curate; oddly enough he was also patron, holding the advowson which would, after Rolfe's death, enable his son to hold the living.
1198 Richard 1703 Richard Armitage
1207 William de Cretyng 1739 Francis Burton
1263 Ralph de Coggeshall 1746 James Barker
Henry Thaleboth 1770 John Gibbs
1268 William Var 1796 Robert Rose Rolfe
1334 William la Zouche 1851 Edward Augustus Cobbold
1418 Henry Boold 1861 William Henry Sewell
1483 Thomas Carman 1897 Charles Barnard Nash
1498 Thomas Den 1924 Robert Cruso Magee
1544 William Eglyn 1950 Eric Basil Miles
1570 Giles Poley 1967 William Philpot
1608 Nathaniel Wadesworth 1972 Raymond Jones
1620 Thomas Burgis 1977 John W. Larter
1639 Richard Neech 1984 Richard H. Smith
1684 Thomas Wheatcroft

I am very grateful to Miss Joanna Northeast for her line drawings which illustrate this account, Birkin Haward for information about the glass, Peter Northeast for Will details and to Mrs. Sally Dawson, churchwarden, for her help on our visits to the church.

John Blatchly - January 1987

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