A Vein of Deceit

Historical Note

Twenty-first century Haverhill is a thriving market town with a population that expanded radically after the Second World War, and fires – particularly one in the seventeenth century – have robbed it of much of its medieval heritage. Although considerably smaller than today, it was still a bustling village in the Middle Ages. It was located on a major road, and tolls probably added to its wealth. It had a huge triangular marketplace, with shops that sold meat, cloth, fish and fancy goods. Archaeological investigations have also found animal bones in the kind of number that might suggest some serious slaughterhouse activity.

Two churches were extant in Haverhill in the 1350s. One was St Mary the Virgin, which still stands in the marketplace today. Adam de Neubold and John de Hilton were both priests appointed shortly after the plague. The second church was earlier, and was also dedicated to St Mary, although reference to ‘Bovetownchurch’ (meaning ‘upper church’, probably because it was on a hill) has led some sources to speculate that the dedication might have been to St Botolph. The Alneston Chantry was mentioned in later wills, and its location is uncertain.

Haverhill boasted several manors, too. The main one was called the Castle, and was owned by the de Clare family until the early fourteenth century, when it passed to the Earl of Gloucester (Hugh d’Audley). A sub-manor of Haverhill was Helions (also spelled Elyan or Helyan). It was in the hands of Henry de Elyan and his wife Agnys in 1332. Then it passed to their son John, and to John’s son Henry. Folyat is another name that crops up in contemporary records of the area.

Pretty Withersfield, just a couple of miles north-north-west of Haverhill, had one manor, which was owned by the Luneday (or Loveday) family. A William of Withersfield lived in the village just before the plague.

Meanwhile, back in Cambridge, historical records show that King’s Hall purchased timber and coal (or possibly charcoal) from Haverhill in the fourteenth century. Its Warden in 1357 was Thomas Powys, who had earned his Master’s degree by 1333. He died in 1361. Thomas Paxtone was a Fellow of King’s Hall by 1342, and went on to take posts in Lincoln, Chichester and Hackney. Their colleague John de Shropham was Powys’s successor as Warden.

The Master of Michaelhouse was Ralph de Langelee, who remained in post until 1366. Michael de Causton was a contemporary, as were John Clippesby, Thomas Suttone, William de Thelnetham, and Simon Hemmysby. John Valence and William Risleye were members of Michaelhouse in the 1400s. John Tesdale, who was a Fellow in the 1380s, bequeathed the University library a large number of books. John Wynewyk was an early benefactor of Michaelhouse, whose name was included in the list of people for whom prayers were to be said.

The College’s founder, Hervey de Stanton, left Michaelhouse two silver-gilt chalices when he died, which were said to be among its most valued possessions.