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.