LAUGHTON
Laughton lies thirteen miles south-south-east of
Leicester in the hills along the Northamptonshire
border. The roughly triangular-shaped parish has an
area of 1,151 a.
Most of the parish lies above 500 ft. and the
Laughton Hills, in the south, exceed 550 ft. The
ground falls in the north, towards the reservoir in
Gumley and Saddington, and in the west, down to
the Saddington brook which forms much of the
parish boundary on that side. Field boundaries form
the parish boundary on the east, and on the south the
boundary lies along the steep south-facing slope of
the hills. The soil is chiefly clay, with some gravel,
and the land is mostly under pasture. Several small
woods lie on the slope of the hills in the south. There
are disused gravel workings west of the village.
Two gated roads run approximately from east to
west across the parish: one from Gumley to Mowsley, the second, along the top of the hills in the south,
from Lubenham to join the Mowsley-Theddingworth road. A cross-road links the other two. The
houses of the village lie along a short stretch of
'loop' road on the north side of the Gumley-
Mowsley road, and along a cul-de-sac (Main Street)
running northwards from the same road. There is
a small green where these roads meet. Field roads
run north from the village to Saddington and south
to Theddingworth.
Most of the houses in Main Street are small twostoried brick buildings, a few having thatched roofs
and several dating from the 19th century. On the
west side a row of cottages opposite the churchyard
is partly of medieval origin. The central cottages retain two cruck trusses of the original timber-framed
construction; other crucks have either been destroyed or are concealed by 18th- and 19th-century
brickwork. A gable-end facing the street at the south
end of the row may represent the front of a timberframed cross-wing, added later to the medieval
structure. A brick addition was used as a cobbler's
shop in the late 19th century. Other houses in Main
Street which were formerly of timber construction
are the Old House and Home Farm. The walls of
both were rebuilt in brick during the 18th century
and in the case of Home Farm the brickwork is
ornamented with vitrified headers. The older part
of this house was originally a 17th-century structure
of three bays, the position of its cross-passage being
indicated by a blocked doorway on the street frontage. The Cottage in Main Street, a low building with
a central chimney and half-attic bedrooms, may be
mud-walled. Against the churchyard a small mudwalled outhouse with a thatched roof was formerly
used as a slaughterhouse. Nearby a primitive cottage
of similar construction was demolished in 1961.
Along the loop road to the east of Main Street
there are three large houses, Killock House, Laughton House, and the Old Rectory. (fn. 1) Killock House,
formerly Killock Farm, is a two-storied brick building dating from the late 17th or early 18th century.
The front of the roof is hipped and there are three
gables facing the garden. The house has a moulded
brick plinth set on cobbled footings and the south
wall carries a slate sundial. The brickwork is ornamented with diaper designs picked out in vitrified
headers which include bold intersecting diamonds on
the south wall, small diapers in the gables, and a band
at first-floor level, now interrupted by alterations to
the window openings. A first-floor room contains
a cornice and panelling of c. 1700. The brick garden
walls and gate piers appear to be contemporary with
the house. A house to the south carries a date tablet
of 1724 with initials CIA, originating from a cottage
on the same site. Laughton House is a large threestoried red-brick building which, with its gate piers,
stables, and coach-house, dates from the early 19th
century. One pair of Council houses, erected after
the Second World War, represents the only modern
building in the village.
Lodge Farm and Old Mill Barn in the south of the
parish were both built in the 19th century. Manor
Farm is an early-19th-century house, later heightened
from two to three stories. One of two inscribed
bricks on a barn in the farmyard is dated 1832.
Brian's Close, built in the 1930's, is a large and prominent house on the wooded slopes of the Laughton
Hills.
The recorded population of Laughton in 1086 was
only 7. There were 13 households in 1563 and 18 in
1670. In 1603 there were 118 communicants, and
in 1676 65. (fn. 2) There were 20-22 families in the early
18th century, (fn. 3) and 145 people in 33 houses in 1798. (fn. 4)
The population reached 180 in 1841, but had fallen
to 87 by 1921; in 1951 it was 92. (fn. 5)
MANORS AND LESSER ESTATES.
In 1086 2
carucates in Laughton were held by Walter under
Robert de Todeni. (fn. 6) No evidence has been discovered
for the descent of this holding in the 12th century
but by the beginning of the 13th an interest in
Laughton had been acquired by Robert FitzParnell,
Earl of Leicester (d. 1204), and it figured in the
partition of the honor of Leicester between his two
sisters and co-heirs, Amice, widow of Simon de
Montfort, and Margaret (d. 1234), wife of Saer de
Quency, later Earl of Winchester (d. 1219). (fn. 7) The
latter's share included 20s. and 5s. yearly from the
rents of Geoffrey de Cranford and Philip de
Wastenys in Laughton. (fn. 8) In 1271 Saer de Quency's
son Roger, Earl of Winchester (d. 1264), was said to
have died seised of one knight's fee in Laughton, (fn. 9)
which, at the division of his possessions among
his three daughters, was allotted to Elizabeth, or
Isabel, wife of Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan
(d. 1290). (fn. 10) The overlordship passed to Henry de
Beaumont, Lord Beaumont, by his marriage with
Alice, niece and heir of John Comyn, Earl of
Buchan (d. 1308). (fn. 11) It descended in the Beaumont
family as part of the honor of Winchester (fn. 12) until the
possessions of William, Viscount Beaumont and
Lord Bardolf, were forfeited to the Crown in 1461
and his share of the honor was granted to William,
Lord Hastings (fn. 13) (d. 1483). After the restorations of
Viscount Beaumont in 1485 and Lord Hastings's son
Edward in 1487, (fn. 14) the honor was held by these two,
together with Thomas Grey, Marquess of Dorset
(d. 1501), and afterwards his son Thomas (d. 1530), (fn. 15)
to whom had descended the inheritance of Margaret
de Ferrers, Countess of Derby, the eldest daughter
and co-heir of Roger, Earl of Winchester. (fn. 16) The
Winchester fee in Laughton was apparently held of
Viscount Beaumont (fn. 17) until his death without issue
in 1507 and subsequently of the Marquess's grandson, Henry, Marquess of Dorset, (fn. 18) created Duke of
Suffolk. After his attainder in 1554 it reverted again
to the Crown. (fn. 19)
In 1223 Margaret, Countess of Winchester,
granted to Hugh de Vere, Earl of Oxford (d. 1263),
£4 8s. in rents which included 17s. 6d. from
Geoffrey de Cranford in Laughton and the service
which he owed her. (fn. 20) In 1296 Hugh de Vere's son
Robert died seised of £4 rent from free tenants in
Belgrave, Leicester, and Laughton held of John
Comyn, Earl of Buchan. (fn. 21) The earls of Oxford were
apparently recognized as mesne lords of the Winchester fee in Laughton (fn. 22) until about 1388 when
Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland, forfeited his
possessions to the Crown. (fn. 23)
Of the known under-tenants, reference has already
been made to Geoffrey de Cranford. In 1207 Alan
Clerk of Kilworth surrendered to Thomas Malmeins
his charter from Robert, Earl of Leicester, granting
him 10 librates in Laughton. (fn. 24) About 1220 both
Malmeins and de Cranford are mentioned, with
Gregory de Forumere, as the tenants of the demesnes from which the abbey of St. Evroul (Orne)
was taking tithes. (fn. 25) In 1279 the heir of Geoffrey de
Cranford was holding 10 virgates of land in Laughton. (fn. 26) In 1323 William de Cranford conveyed 3
messuages, a mill, and 3 virgates to William de
Mowsley. (fn. 27) It is possible that all the property held
by de Cranford ultimately passed to Leicester Abbey
(see below).
Other early tenants of the Winchester fee were
Brian de Goiz of Durweston, Knighton, and Long
Crichel (Dors.), (fn. 28) and Geoffrey de Skeffington of
Skeffington. In 1279 they were reported to hold 28
virgates of Robert de Vere in Laughton. (fn. 29) In 1283
Brian de Goiz the elder held a carucate of land in
Laughton. (fn. 30) In 1344 Brian de Goiz released his
rights in Laughton to Sir John de Pulteney. (fn. 31) The
de Goiz holding (fn. 32) is probably identifiable with the
'manor' of Laughton, held from the Earl of Oxford,
of which Sir Henry Green, of Boughton and Green's
Norton (Northants.), Chief Justice of the Common
Pleas, (fn. 33) died seised in 1369. (fn. 34) He was succeeded by
his son Sir Thomas Green (d. 1391), and his grandson Thomas. (fn. 35) In 1496 the widow of the latter's
grandson, Sir Thomas Green (IV), (fn. 36) founded a
chantry in the church of Green's Norton (fn. 37) which
she endowed with property in Laughton. After the
Dissolution this property, described as 5 messuages,
13 virgates, and unspecified lands, was granted in
1549 to William Cecill and Laurence Eiresbie. (fn. 38)
The holding of Geoffrey de Skeffington consisted
in 1265 of 6 virgates and a windmill, which had
formed the jointure of his wife Iseult. (fn. 39) The Skeffington family (fn. 40) evidently continued to hold property in
Laughton (fn. 41) though no details of it are available until
1543 when Thomas Skeffington died seised of 3
messuages, 200 a. of land, and 16s. rent in Laughton. (fn. 42) In 1606 the property was described as 5 messuages, 2 cottages, a windmill, 390 a. of land, and
16s. rent. (fn. 43) At John Skeffington's death in 1613, (fn. 44)
his property in Laughton appears to have descended
to John St. Andrew of Gotham (Notts.), son and heir
of Skeffington's sister Mary. (fn. 45) John St. Andrew died
in 1626 leaving three daughters and co-heirs (fn. 46) for
whom the Laughton estate was surveyed in 1646. It
was then described as 4 messuages, 3 cottages, 9¾
yardlands, a cow pasture, and several closes. (fn. 47)
The later descent of this property has not been
traced.
Leicester Abbey may have received grants of
property in Laughton from the earls of Winchester:
Roger de Quency (d. 1264) granted the abbey freedom from his right to the services of the abbey and
its men in Laughton. (fn. 48) The greater part of its
interest there, however, probably resulted from the
licence granted in 1338 to William le Keu and Robert
'of the Hall' to alienate property in Mowsley,
Fleckney, Laughton, and Knaptoft which they had
been granted by Robert son of William de Mowsley and which was then held for life by Ellen de
Mowsley. (fn. 49) The property in Laughton consisted of
10 messuages, 10 virgates, and a mill held of the Earl
of Oxford to whom payment of 20s. was reserved on
the death or cessation of each abbot. (fn. 50) After the
Dissolution messuages and lands belonging to 5
tenants, described as the 'manor' of Laughton with
appurtenances in Laughton and Mowsley, were
granted to Anthony Williams and John Conyers in
1553. (fn. 51)
It appears that some interest in Laughton was
allotted in the partition of 1204 to Amice, Countess of Leicester (d. 1215), although it is not included
in what survives of an inquisition relating to that
partition. (fn. 52) It was subsequently held of the honor of
Leicester and the Duchy of Lancaster. The earliest
known tenant of this fee was Walter Illing who held
20 virgates there as ¼ knight's fee of the Earl of
Leicester in 1279. (fn. 53) The Illing family had been
associated with Laughton since the beginning of the
13th century: in 1206 Alan Clerk of Kilworth
claimed a virgate there against Richard de Illing. (fn. 54)
In 1324 Robert and Richard Illing of Laughton released to Robert son of Walter Doseville all their
right in a messuage, 7 virgates, 10 a. of meadow,
and 6s. 4d. rent. (fn. 55)
By 1344 Robert de Saddington, Chancellor 1343-
5, (fn. 56) held the greater part of ¼ knight's fee in Laughton of the Duchy of Lancaster (fn. 57) and in the same year
received a grant of free warren in his demesne lands
there; (fn. 58) in 1346-7 he was said to hold a fraction of
a knight's fee in Laughton of the honor of Leicester. (fn. 59)
Though he may also have possessed property in Langton, (fn. 60) it is quite likely that this ¼ knight's fee is identical with the one in 'Langhton' which he held of the
Duchy in 1330 (fn. 61) and which appears as 'Langeton'
in 1361 among the lands of Henry, Duke of Lancaster (d. 1361). (fn. 62) Robert de Saddington died in
1350 leaving as heir Isabel, the wife of Sir Ralph
Hastings. Their granddaughter Isabel Heron (d. c.
1438) married Thomas de Hazlerigg (d. 1422) of
Eslington (Northumb.). The Saddington inheritance
in Laughton evidently descended in the Hazlerigg
family as unspecified property there was included
in a fine levied in 1516 by Thomas and Robert
Hazlerigg, Isabel's great-grandsons, to Sir Richard
Sacheverell and others. This property, or part of it,
presumably passed with Saddington from Henry
Sacheverell to John Bale in 1606 since it is mentioned
in a fine levied in 1640 by Edmund Bale to William
Wollaston. (fn. 63)
Another part of the Duchy's interest in Laughton was held in 1557 by George Belgrave of Belgrave (fn. 64) who died seised of a 'manor' and other property there, worth 9s. yearly. (fn. 65) The same inquisition
cites the settlement made by Belgrave in 1551 of
property, including that in Laughton, on his second
wife Joan, daughter of Robert Farnham of Quorndon, for life. After Belgrave's death she married
secondly Clement Saunders of East Haddon
(Northants.) and Blaby, (fn. 66) who died in 1583 seised
of 7 virgates in Laughton, then or lately in the tenure
of William Ruddington, of which 6 had been held of
Thomas Cotton and one of the queen as of the honor
of Leicester. The two holdings, which were worth
together £4 yearly, were left to his wife Joan for life
with remainder to his son and heir William. (fn. 67) Joan
was still living in 1597 when she was reported to have
'by herself, her farmers and tenants and the husband
she hath married enjoyed most of the said premises'
which had been settled on her by her first husband,
including those in Laughton. (fn. 68)
It was presumably by an amalgamation of several
holdings that the later manor of LAUGHTON was
formed. Part of this property was probably derived
from the former possessions of Leicester Abbey and
of the chantry of Green's Norton. (fn. 69) William Cotton
died seised of the manor in 1631, held in chief. It
then consisted of 6 messuages, 11 cottages, and 29
virgates in Laughton and Mowsley. (fn. 70) William's son
Thomas in 1658 levied a fine of the manor and property in Laughton, Knaptoft, Mowsley, and Lubenham to George Faunt of Foston and Anthony
Major. (fn. 71) Probably soon after 1670, Faunt appears to
have conveyed the manor to Col. William Cole (d.
1698). The latter's daughter married the Revd. B.
Shuttleworth who was succeeded by his son John
and his grandson Robert. Robert Shuttleworth in
1776 sold the manor to Lebbeus Humfrey (d. 1790)
of Kibworth Beauchamp. (fn. 72) His son the Revd.
Lebbeus Charles Humfrey (d. 1833) and his grandson, another L. C. Humfrey (d. 1852), were both
lords of the manor. (fn. 73) The last Humfrey was succeeded by Charles Smith who remained lord of the
manor until after 1896, (fn. 74) but during the 20th century, until about 1930 when they were thought to
have lapsed, the manorial rights belonged to the
trustees of the late Mr. Eames. (fn. 75) It appears that
Mr. Eames sold the present Manor Farm about
1917. (fn. 76)
ECONOMIC HISTORY.
There were 3 ploughs in
Laughton in the time of King Edward, but in 1086
only 2, one with 2 serfs in demesne held by Walter,
and one held by 3 villeins and 2 bordars. Walter
held 2 carucates of Robert de Todeni. (fn. 77)
Little has been discovered about agricultural conditions in Laughton during the Middle Ages. In
1524 and 1545 the chief landowner was apparently
Giles Norton. (fn. 78) After the Dissolution there were
three principal families, Cotton, Saunders, and
Ruddington, to which by 1603 might be added the
Bryan family. (fn. 79) The manor of Laughton was built
up from the property of these families, some of it
probably former monastic land. (fn. 80) In 1601 there were
three open fields: Coom Field, Nether Field, and
Mill Field. (fn. 81) Surviving 17th-century conveyances
suggest that the parish contained at least 100 a. of
furze and heath, and several acres of woodland. (fn. 82)
The ancient inclosures included Watermill Close
by the Saddington brook. (fn. 83)
The whole parish was inclosed by agreement in
1663. (fn. 84) The proprietors concerned were George
Faunt, lord of the manor, who held 33¾ yardlands,
Edward Rawlins, the rector, who held a yardland of
glebe, and 18 others who held approximately 14
yardlands between them. Twelve acres in Coom
Field were allotted to the poor, and it was agreed
that in order to prevent depopulation and to ensure
the survival of existing houses of husbandry, 20 a.
were to be allotted to each house and 4 a. to each
cottage. Faunt received 614½ a. and the remaining
18 farmers 359½ a. between them. (fn. 85) In spite of the
provision to preserve houses of husbandry, very little
of the parish remained under tillage during the 18th
century. In 1798 it was reported that the general
and most profitable mode of management was to
breed sheep on land which was worth under £1 an
acre, and to fatten sheep and bullocks on the land
of higher value. (fn. 86) In the 19th and 20th centuries
most of the parish has been under pasture, and few
people have been engaged in non-agricultural
occupations. (fn. 87)
MILLS.
A windmill belonging to the principal
manor was mentioned in the conveyance to William
Cotton in 1618, and also in the fine levied to George
Faunt and Anthony Major in 1658. (fn. 88) In 1265
Geoffrey de Skeffington inherited a windmill in
Laughton with his wife's marriage portion. (fn. 89) A windmill was included in the property of Sir William
Skeffington in Laughton in 1606, (fn. 90) but was not mentioned in the 1646 survey of Skeffington land. (fn. 91)
A mill was also included in the holding of Leicester
Abbey. (fn. 92) This may have been the one which had
been held earlier by the Cranford family. (fn. 93) There
was a Watermill Close in 1663 marking the site of
a mill on the Saddington brook. (fn. 94) Old Mill Barn
in the Laughton Hills may indicate the site of
a windmill.
PARISH ADMINISTRATION.
The annual average expenditure on the poor during the years 1783-5
was only £52, but by 1802-3 the annual expenditure
had risen to £307. In the latter year the parish
erected a workhouse at a cost of £117, and 20
adults and 10 children were receiving regular outdoor relief. (fn. 95) After 1836 the parish was included in
the Market Harborough Union. (fn. 96) The vestry appears to have continued to let certain parish houses,
and 12 tenants were paying rent in 1877. (fn. 97)
During the 19th century the annual Easter vestry
meeting appears to have elected 2 churchwardens,
2 assessors and collectors of taxes, 2 overseers, 4
constables, and a waywarden. (fn. 98) Churchwardens'
accounts survive for the period 1801-1901 and
constables' accounts for 1805-35.
CHURCH.
Shortly before 1220 Saer de Quency,
Earl of Winchester (d. 1219), was patron of the
church of Laughton. (fn. 99) The advowson had probably
come into his hands in 1206-7 when the honor of
Leicester was partitioned: (fn. 1) Robert FitzParnell, Earl
of Leicester (d. 1204), had granted the tithe of his
demesne in Laughton to the abbey of St. Evroul
(Orne) c. 1190-1204. (fn. 2) The abbey was later stated
to be taking two parts of the tithes from the demesnes of Thomas Malmeins, Gregory de Forumere, and Geoffrey de Cranford. (fn. 3)
After the death of the Earl of Winchester the
advowson of Laughton passed in turn to his widow
Margaret (fn. 4) (d. 1234) and his son Roger, Earl of Winchester (d. 1264), (fn. 5) and in the partition of the latter's
possessions was allotted to his youngest daughter
Ellen (d. 1296), (fn. 6) wife of Alan la Zouche (d. 1270).
Their grandson Alan la Zouche (d. 1314), (fn. 7) left three
daughters and co-heirs (fn. 8) of whom the second, Maud,
brought the advowson to her husband Robert
de Holand (d. 1328). (fn. 9) The Crown made the next
presentation after Maud de Holand's death in 1349,
claiming the custody of her lands and heir, (fn. 10) Robert
de Holand (d. 1373). The latter was succeeded
by his granddaughter Maud (d. 1423), the wife of
John Lovel, Lord Lovel (d. 1408), (fn. 11) and the advowson subsequently descended in the Lovel family (fn. 12)
until their interest lapsed with the attainder of
Francis, Viscount Lovel, in 1485. (fn. 13)
After the Reformation the ownership of the advowson was associated with the demesne tenants of
the manor. Thomas Cotton presented the Revd.
Thomas Cotton in 1588, and although Drugo Lucas
made the next presentation in 1618, another Thomas
Cotton presented Thomas Hill in 1638. (fn. 14) The advowson passed from the Cottons to George Faunt
(d. 1697) of Foston and from him to William Cole
(d. 1698). (fn. 15) The latter's daughter married the Revd.
B. Shuttleworth who presented himself to the living
in 1742. (fn. 16) Shuttleworth's grandson Robert sold the
manor and advowson in 1776 to Lebbeus Humfrey
of Kibworth. (fn. 17) It is not known how the advowson
was transferred to the Revd. A. Matthews, Rector
of the adjoining parish of Gumley, who presented
J. B. Fawssett in 1876. (fn. 18) In 1889 he presented his son
A. H. J. Matthews, who was the last to enjoy the
independent rectory before its union in 1928 with
the rectory of Knaptoft with Mowsley to form a new
benefice, Mowsley with Laughton and Knaptoft. (fn. 19)
The patronage of the united benefice was shared by
the former incumbents, A. H. J. Matthews and
D. A. G. Taylor, the latter being also the first incumbent of the new living. (fn. 20) Mrs. A. H. J. Matthews
presented to the living in 1933, but at the next
vacancy in 1945 Mr. D. A. G. Taylor was unable to
make a presentation, (fn. 21) and the advowson fell to the
Diocesan Board of Patronage. (fn. 22)
The rectory was valued at £5 in 1254, (fn. 23) and £6 in
1291. (fn. 24) The gross annual value in 1535 was £11 1s.
4d. (fn. 25) Some of the rectorial tithes were commuted
under the agreement made in 1663 for inclosing the
open fields of the parish. By an agreement made
with the rector in 1665 (fn. 26) the lord of the manor was
allowed to hold his lands tithe-free, and the former
in compensation for loss of tithes was allotted 56½ a.
in Coom Field and 3½ a. in Mill Field, as well as
21 a. in Mill Field in lieu of glebe. These allotments
were equal to the current value (£60 a year) of the
ancient glebe and tithes. In addition the rector was
to receive payments amounting to £22 19s. charged
on the other allotments, including the Poor's Land,
at the rate of 1s. 3d. an acre. (fn. 27) By Act of Parliament
for discharging the manor of Laughton and other
lands in the parish from the payment of tithes, (fn. 28) the
rector in 1778 received another allotment of 21 a. (fn. 29)
In the 19th century the glebe therefore consisted of
98½ a. (fn. 30) In 1798 the rectory was valued at nearly
£130, out of which the rector allowed £30 for his
curate, (fn. 31) and in 1831 it was valued at £247. (fn. 32) By the
tithe apportionment of 1839 the rector received rentcharges worth £108 a year in lieu of the tithes payable from 383 a.; this was land not belonging to the
manor either in 1663 or 1778 and the tithes on which
had not been discharged. (fn. 33)
The two-thirds share of the tithes from certain
demesne lands in Laughton which in the early 13th
century belonged to the abbey of St. Evroul (fn. 34) was
subsequently taken by the abbey's cell at Ware. (fn. 35) It
was commuted for a sum of money paid by the Rector of Laughton to Ware Priory; (fn. 36) the priory's portion out of the rectory was stated to be 16s. in 1291. (fn. 37)
At some unknown date (fn. 38) and at a time when St.
Evroul's possessions were in the king's hands, tithes
in Laughton were apparently held by Leicester
Abbey. (fn. 39) In 1415 Ware and its possessions were
granted to Sheen Priory, (fn. 40) and at the Dissolution
2s. 6d. was being paid to Sheen for the tithes due
from Laughton. (fn. 41)
The former rectory house at Laughton was built
in 1818 for the Revd. L. C. Humfrey (d. 1833). (fn. 42)
It is a two-storied stucco house with a hipped slate
roof and with the ground-floor front windows set
in round-arched recesses on each side of a Doric
portico. On the north side a service wing including
the kitchen may belong to a pre-1818 house. It was
sold in 1927 when the benefice was united with
Knaptoft and Mowsley, (fn. 43) and since then the incumbent has always lived at Mowsley Rectory. (fn. 44)
It was found that Thomas Cotton, the rector in
1607, did not read the morning or evening service
further than the second lesson and did not wear
a surplice. (fn. 45) His successor Thomas Hill was ejected
from the living in 1647 and replaced by Richard
Muston. (fn. 46) The benefice was sequestrated in 1662
when the latter refused to subscribe. (fn. 47)
The church of ST. LUKE consists of chancel,
aisleless nave, bell-cote, south porch, and vestry,
and is built of cobble walling and ironstone. There
are some features of the 13th century and later
medieval date in spite of the extensive rebuilding
which took place in the 18th and 19th centuries and
which included the demolition of former north and
south aisles. The nave in part is of the early 13th
century. Its west wall, built of cobbles, has an external projection below the bell-cote and this is
pierced by a narrow lancet window with a roundheaded rear arch. The north nave wall has, externally,
a blocked pointed piscina, which presumably served
an altar in the former north aisle. The nave arcades,
now incorporated in the north and south walls, are
each of three bays and have pointed chamfered
arches with a low springing line. A well-preserved
capital survives at the west respond of the north
arcade. Differences in the treatment of the hoodmoulds at this end of the arcades suggest that their
building may not be of exactly the same date. A
clerestory, later removed, was added to the nave,
probably in the 15th century.
Before the 19th-century restoration the chancel
had cobble walling, a priests' door with a large fourcentred arch, and a two-light Perpendicular window. (fn. 48) In spite of extensive rebuilding the chancel
retains ancient triple-moulded jambs to the east
window and a medieval piscina and sedilia.
The aisles were removed about 1780 and the arcades built up to form external walls. (fn. 49) The windows
inserted at this time had leaded casements in square
frames. Large brick buttresses were built on either
side of the southern door and these supported a pentice roof which formed a porch. The flat-pitched roof
of the church was slated, as was the brick bell-cote. (fn. 50)
A general restoration was undertaken in 1879-80
at a cost of £1,400 under the direction of Charles
Kirk of Sleaford (Lincs.). (fn. 51) A new chancel was built,
incorporating some earlier features, and a north
vestry was added. The nave was re-roofed, new
paired lancet windows were inserted, and a south
door was provided; the bell-cote was also rebuilt.
It was presumably at this time that the clerestory
was removed: it had still existed in 1798. (fn. 52) The
stained glass window at the west end of the nave was
presented by the contractor who carried out the
restoration. (fn. 53)
The communion table and altar rails are believed
to date from 1761, (fn. 54) but the remaining furniture
was mostly installed during the restoration of 1880.
In 1798 the church was described as 'newly pewed
and seated with deal', (fn. 55) and W. C. Humfrey, rector
1833-74, constructed a gallery across the west end
of the nave in 1850 and refurnished the interior in
1859. (fn. 56) In 1880, however, the gallery was removed
and new pewing introduced; the pulpit and font
were also removed, and although a new font was
installed in the same year the pulpit has never been
replaced. Part of the old pewing and the original font
could still be seen, at Killock Farm, in 1958, the
former in the barn and the latter in the garden. By
1961 the old font was in the church, though not in
use; it is octagonal with roll mouldings at each angle
and rests on an inverted capital of the late 13th century, serving as a base. The lectern was designed,
made, and given by A. H. J. Matthews, rector 1889-
1927. The organ was installed in 1920. (fn. 57) There are
memorial tablets to Col. William Cole (d. 1698) and
four former rectors: Barton Shuttleworth (d. 1754),
William Major (d. 1774), Lebbeus Charles Humfrey
(d. 1833), and William Cave Humfrey (d. 1874).
The churchyard wall on the north and west sides
is of mud with a slate capping. The gates date from
1945. There is one bell: 1777, by Edward Arnold of
St. Neots. (fn. 58) The plate includes a silver cup dated
1781 and a paten dated 1880; a pewter set may date
from the early 18th century. (fn. 59) The registers begin
in 1754 and are substantially complete.
NONCONFORMITY.
Although no conventicle
was reported in Laughton in 1669, (fn. 60) there were 2
nonconformists in 1676 (fn. 61) and 2 others in 1705-16. (fn. 62)
Samuel Beasley's house was licensed as a meetingplace in 1720, (fn. 63) and Thomas Wilson's in 1787. (fn. 64) It
seems probable that there were two separate sects
in the early 19th century. Elizabeth Taylor licensed
her house in Laughton as a meeting-place for dissenters in 1825, and William Wood his house in
1826. The latter was a Methodist. (fn. 65) The Wesleyan
chapel, erected in 1859, (fn. 66) an extension on the south
side of Home Farm on the west side of the main
street, was apparently not used after 1879 when it
was converted into a private dwelling-house. (fn. 67) This
date and the owner's initials, T.T.P. (Thomas Tertius
Paget), could be seen in 1958 on a plaque in the east
wall of the building.
SCHOOLS.
There was a schoolmaster in Laughton
in 1634. (fn. 68) By 1819 a Sunday school was already in
existence; (fn. 69) in 1833 it contained 22 children. (fn. 70) It is
not certain whether the private school containing 12
boys and 14 girls which was reported in 1871 (fn. 71) was
in fact Laughton National School or another independent institution.
The National school was erected in 1852-3 with
donations from Mrs. Mary Anne Humfrey (d. 1869),
the second wife of the rector, W. C. Humfrey, and
others. (fn. 72) In 1862 it was reported that over £19, the
annual income from the rents of the Poor's Land,
was being applied to the maintenance of this school. (fn. 73)
The Laughton charity trustees were apparently
school managers and appointed the mistress. (fn. 74) A
Charity Commissioners' Scheme of 1891 which
regulated the Poor's Land charity still allowed part
of its income to be applied in school prizes and in
bursaries to encourage children to stay at school. (fn. 75)
Mrs. Humfrey, by will dated 1856 and proved in
1874, also bequeathed £200 to be invested for the
benefit of the school. Religious instruction was to be
on strictly Church of England lines. (fn. 76) In 1894 there
were 13 children in attendance, but shortly before
1900 the school was closed for lack of pupils. (fn. 77)
Arrangements were made to send the remaining
children to Mowsley, and the trustees of Mrs. Humfrey's bequest paid their annual income of £5 17s. to
the Mowsley school managers. (fn. 78) The former school
building has been acquired since the Second World
War by Laughton parish meeting as a village hall. (fn. 79)
It is built of brick with stone dressings in the
'Tudor' style and is surmounted by a lead cupola
and a chimney stack with diagonal shafts.
CHARITIES.
The origin of the Poor's Land
charity was apparently an allotment made at the
time of the inclosure in 1663. (fn. 80) The earliest surviving
reference to it is in a deed enfeoffing new trustees in
1777. The property of the charity in 1837 consisted
of a close of pasture land containing 12 a. of which
2 a. had been broken up into gardens. It was then
shared between 5 labourers, each pasturing one
cow, and 16 labourers, each with an allotment garden, and their rents yielded an annual income of
£9 17s. 4d. which was applied with the poor rate to
general parish purposes. (fn. 81) After 1852 the charity was
apparently used to support the village school (see
above). In 1862-3 the property included a cottage
and garden as well as 12 a. of land, and yielded
£19 12s. a year. (fn. 82)
Probably in the mid-17th century, (fn. 83) Thomas
Hefford and William Cave each gave £3 to the poor
of Laughton. Until the early 19th century the capital
was held by a local farmer who gave 6s. interest to
the vestry each year, which was divided between 6
poor persons. (fn. 84) It was afterwards deposited in a
savings bank and in 1862-3 yielded only 3s. 6d. (fn. 85)
All the Laughton charities were regulated by a
Charity Commissioners' Scheme of 1916 which replaced an earlier Scheme of 1893. By its provisions,
the trustees are entitled to make subscriptions to
hospitals, friendly societies, a village reading room,
society or club, to provide nurses and proper care
for the sick, to buy clothes or fuel, and to give
temporary relief in money to the poor. (fn. 86) In 1956
they gave away 3 vouchers for food and provisions
which were worth £3 each. (fn. 87)