The church was erected close to the monastery late in the thirteenth century, and at the Dissolution was constituted the parish church. Thirty years ago it was restored, and more recently enlarged, and is now an imposing structure of flint and rubble, E.E. in style. The tower (W.) is embattled and carries four pinnacles. The fine lancet windows in the chancel were discovered during restoration in 1872, as were also the fragments of the old screen, since pieced together to form the present pulpit and reading desk. The alabaster effigy in the chancel, of a knight in armour, is believed to represent one of the Scales family. There are several old brasses: (1) to William Taberam, Rector of Therfield (d. 1432), this was large, but only the upper part now remains; (2) to a civilian and his wife (circa 1500); (3) to Father William Chamber, who founded an annual sermon to be preached in the church on Rogation Mondays (d. 1546). There are some good modern windows of stained glass.
James I., who had been entertained at Royston by Robert Chester during his progress from Scotland to London, built a lodge near Royston Heath, to which both he and Charles I. occasionally resorted, the latter being brought here as prisoner in 1647. Some cottages still standing on the outskirts of the Heath are said to have been used for stables when James I. used to hunt in the neighbourhood, and by inquiring for the “Old Palace” visitors will be shown what little remains of his Majesty’s hunting lodge. The Heath is now famous for its fine golf links.
Beneath the old boundary between the two counties, and close to the Post Office, is the famous Royston Cave, which visitors should not fail to see. It was accidentally discovered in 1742 by some men who were digging a hole in the market-place, and is now entered by a specially constructed passage under the street. It was visited by Louis XVIII. Hewn out of the solid chalk, its greatest height is about 25 ft., its diameter about 17 ft. It contains curious, and in some cases uncouth figures and coloured reliefs of saints, kings, queens, etc., of all sizes and ages, and some crucifixes. The late Joseph Beldam, F.S.A., was of opinion that the cave dates from pre-Christian times, that it became in turn a Roman sepulchre and an oratory, and that it was closed during the Reformation.
There are still the traces of several tumuli in the neighbourhood, and ancient coins, etc., have been found, but the evidences of any Roman occupation are not very convincing.
Royston is a somewhat quaint town, with some narrow byways and odd-looking houses, amongst which the Old Plough Inn is not the least noticeable.
Rush Green (1 mile S. from Ware) is a small hamlet.
Rushden, formerly Risendene and Risden (5 miles S.E. from Baldock), has a stuccoed brick church, Dec. and Perp. Chauncy saw in it, “no Inscription, Monument, or other Remark,” but in 1754 the monument of Sir Adolphus Meetkerke, Kt., was brought here from St. Botolph’s, Aldersgate. Meetkerke was Ambassador from Flanders to the Court of Queen Elizabeth, and the author of several volumes. Note the canopy in nave, thought to have covered a statue of the Virgin. In the reign of Henry II. the patronage of the church was given by William Basset, Sheriff of Leicestershire, to the Canons and Church of St. Peter’s at Dunstable.
Rustling Green is midway between Knebworth and St. Paul’s Walden Parks. The district is prettily diversified by small woods. By the shortest way through the park Knebworth Station is about 3½ miles E.
The Rye House, on the W. bank of the river Lea, is a famous resort of fishermen, excursionists and folk wishing to see the Great Bed of Ware, brought here from Ware in 1869. The bed is a huge construction of solid oak, quaintly carved, and large enough to hold twelve adults, as is proved by a story which can readily be found by the curious, but which is unfit for repetition in these pages. It is alluded to by Shakespeare, Byron and other writers. The present Rye House is modern, but attached to it are some remains of the old House, some account of which must be given here.
In his description of the “Mannor of the Rye” Chauncy says, “King Henry VI. granted licence to Andrew Ogard and others, that they might impark the scite of the Mannor of Rye, otherwise called the Isle of Rye in Stansted Abbot, fifty Acres of Land, eleven Acres of Meadow, eight Acres of Pasture and Sixteen Acres of Wood, erect a Castle there with Lime and Stone, make Battlements and Loopholes &c.”[6] The castle built by Ogard passed into the hands of the Baesh family; it was doubtless in part rebuilt at different times, for what remains of it is of brick. In course of time it became the property of Lieut., afterwards Col., Rumbold, known as “Hannibal” among his associates, who had been a private in Fairfax’s famous regiment of 1648. This man was the originator of the Rye House Plot.