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 ©2015 Deborah Richardson

The Turvey Website The history and families of Turvey in Bedfordshire, England

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Home Mail: deborah@turveybeds.com

During the nineteenth century a number of non-conformist churches were established in Turvey.


Kelly's Directory of 1898 names both a Wesleyan Methodist and a Congregational church.

In 1665 the Five Mile Act was passed which outlawed Nonconformist ministers from preaching within five miles of a town.


Anyone caught attending meetings could be subject to severe fines.


To avoid detection, the Baptish Church in Stevington village was built very near the parish boundry with Turvey.  If the parish officers came looking, they would push through the hedge in to Turvey to escape detection.

The house of Jeremiah Sansome was registered as a Baptist meeting house in November 1824.  The house was occupied by Robert Tysoe at this time.

The Weslyan Chapel was registered on 13 December 1828 by George Finch who was a Turvey baker.

Quaker Burials


The following burials listed in the Parish Registers are noted as having been Quakers.


1723, May 12 - Samuel Tysoe, a Quaker and Shopkeeper

1727, Sep 22 - Hannah, wife of Robert Negus

1727, Sep 28 - Hannah, dau of Robert Negus

1730, Feb 19 - Samuel Richardson

1731, Sep 11 - William Richardson

1731, Sep 20 - Martha wife of William Richarson

Turvey Residents who were buried in the West End Baptist Meeting House in Stevington - circa 1655:


John Harrison

John Norris and his wife,    Elizabeth Norris

Turvey Non-conformists

Congregational ChurchUnited Reformed Church

Early Quakers


In 1663, William Richardson, George Hates, Richard Woodin and Robert Tysoe (all yeomen of Turvey) appeared before the Bedfordshire Winter Assizes for not attending church on 1 April 1662.  


The reason given was “Being people commonly called Quakers, did not attend church”.