BOZEAT, mentioned in Domesday as "Bosiete", is a parish on the London road from Wellingborough, and on the borders of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, 5¾ miles north from Olney station on the Bedford and Northampton branch of the Midland railway, 11 east from Northampton and 6 south from Wellingborough, in the Eastern division of the county, hundred of Higham Ferrers, petty sessional division, union and county court district of Wellingborough, rural deanery of Higham Ferrers (first portion), archdeaconry of Oakham and diocese of Peterborough.  The church of St. Mary is an edifice of stone consisting of chancel, clerestoried nave of three bays, aisles, south porch and a western tower of Norman date, with an octagonal broach spire, and containing a clock and 5 bells: the chancel is divided from the nave by a Late Decorated oak screen, formerly painted with a representation of the “Adoration of the Magi,” one panel of which is still preserved at the vicarage: on the eastern wall is a painting of a monk: the rood loft stairs remain on the north side of the chancel arch: the side windows of the chancel are Perpendicular: the stained east window, a Decorated work, is a memorial to the only son of Thomas Revis esq.: on the south side of the chancel is a double piscina, and at the east end of the aisles are brackets, canopies and piscinae: the south porch is Perpendicular, but the doorway is Early English: the chancel was restored chiefly at the cost of the Rev. F. J. Pizey, a former vicar, in 1873-5, when a new organ was placed at a cost of about £200: in 1883 the tower was rebuilt, the oldest bell recast, the whole peal rehung, and the clock repaired, at a cost of £1,000: during the removal of a quantity of rubbish on the south side of the tower in 1883, the remains of a body were discovered about 12 inches underground, with the head facing eastwards; the spot is now marked by a red brick cross: the communion plate dates from 1696: there are 300 sittings.  The register dates from the year 1729 only; the earlier registers were destroyed by fire on the 9^th September in that year.  The living is a discharged vicarage, with the rectory of Strixton annexed, tithe rent-charge £28, joint net yearly value £200, including 120 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of Earl Spencer K.G. and held since 1892 by the Rev. William Drake Sargeaunt B.A. of New College, Oxford. The Independent Wesleyan chapel, erected in 1892, has about 100 sittings.  The Wesleyan Reform chapel, built in 1851, seats 200, and there is a Baptist chapel, erected in 1844, with 50 sittings.  The church lands consist of 13 acres, producing £19 10s. yearly, the rent of one acre is applied to the maintenance of the town well, and the remainder applied to the repairs of the church and the payment of the parish clerk.  The Royal Exchange Assurance Company are lords of the manor, principal landowners and lay impropriators.  The manufacture of shoes is carried on here to a considerable extent, and gives employment to a large number of hands.  At SHIRE-WOOD, about 2 miles south-east, is a stone which marks the boundary of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Northants.  The soil is a stiff loam; subsoil, limestone.  The chief crops are cereals.  The area is 2,523 acres; rateable value, £3,260; and the population is 1891 was 1,273.

Sexton, Robert Timpson

POST, M. O. & T. O., S. B. & Annuity & Insurance Office, - John Warren Partridge, sub-postmaster.  Letters arrive by mail cart from Wellingborough about 8.30 a.m. & 2.25 P.m.; Sundays, 8.45 a.m.; dispatched at 4.45 p.m.; Sundays, 10.25 a.m.

County Police, Thomas Swingler, constable in charge.

A School Board of 5 members was formed July 14, 1871; C. Matthews, Wellingborough, clerk to the board; Samuel Cooper, Bozeat, attendance & enquiry officer.

Board School (mixed & infants) erected in 1873, at a cost of £2,150, inclusive of site (£300), & enlarged in 1892 at a cost of about £600, for 330 children; average attendance, mixed 170; infants 80; there is a master’s house; John Kirby, master; Mrs. A. Bennell, infants’ mistress.

CARRIERS

Thomas Drage, to Wellingborough, Wed. & Fri., Njorthampton, Tues. & Sat.

Summerlin & Darnell, to Wellingborough, Mon., Wed., Fri. & Sat.; to Northampton, Tues., Wed., & Sat.

William Surridge, to Wellingborough, Mon., Tues., Wed. & Thurs.; Northampton, Sat.