NAPTON-ON-THE-HILL
Acreage: 4,027.
Population: 1911, 847; 1921, 805; 1931, 816.
Napton-on-the-Hill is an extensive parish and village
3 miles east of Southam. It derives its name (fn. 1) from a
prominent hill jutting out from the upland country
of western Northamptonshire which, though not much
more than 500 ft. high, commands wide views, there
being no such high ground for a long way west and
north. The remainder of the parish is comparatively
flat, lying round about 300 ft. There are no large
woods or water-courses. The parish is crossed by the
main road from Southam to Daventry, which is here
joined by roads from Stockton and from Napton
Station (2 miles away and outside the parish) on the
north, and from Prior's Marston and the Welsh Road
on the south. The village is a considerable one built
on the south and east slopes of Napton Hill below the
church. Quite a number of houses are of 17th-century
date and a few are of 16th-century origin. They are
built of stone, mostly sandstone ashlar, a few of
rubble, and were originally thatched, but in many
cases the thatch has either been covered by or replaced
with corrugated iron sheeting. Generally, the village
buildings were stone, since altered, repaired, or refronted with red brick. A quarter of a mile north of
the village there is a small group of similar houses
astride the main road, known as Butt Hill. The hill is
crowned by the church, and by a windmill whose
predecessors can be traced as far back as 1543. (fn. 2) Chapel
Green, the southern end of the village, perhaps preserves the memory of a chapel of St. Laurence in which
John Odams was licenced to hear divine service in
1392–3. (fn. 3) The parish is traversed by the Oxford Canal,
which ascends from the low ground by Hodnell and
Radbourn by a series of 7 locks, and winds round the
foot of the hill (on the west side of which, near the
canal, there are brick-works) to Napton Junction,
where the branch canal to Warwick diverges. Near
this junction there are large reservoirs to replenish
the canal.
Though situated in the middle of one of the most
sparsely populated districts of Warwickshire, the village
has always been a large one, containing 'above one
hundred houses', of which thirty-five kept teams, in
1730. It was then divided into Button's End and
Brooks End. (fn. 4) In the 16th century there were at least
four distinct manors, and a very large number of
documents relating to transfers of small properties
exist in the Public Record Office and elsewhere.
Napton, in fact, is a typical 'open' village, standing in
relation to its neighbours much as Harbury to Chesterton, and Brinklow to Combe Fields. Encroachments
and cottages on the common fields were reported in
1656, (fn. 5) and about the same time the village was
declared to be 'so burdened and overcharged with
poor' that the 'better sort of inhabitants (are) in no
way able to relieve them'. The depopulated parishes
to the south-west (Ascote, the Radbourns, &c.) were
ordered to pay towards the support of the poor of
Napton and Southam. (fn. 6)
Napton figures in the 1517 inquiry into inclosures,
Thomas Shukborugh being cited as having allowed a
capital messuage to fall into ruin and inclosed 70 acres
of arable, thereby displacing twelve persons; (fn. 7) 96 yardlands, or 3,000 acres, were inclosed by Act of Parliament in 1778. (fn. 8)
Manors
In 1086 an estate of 3 hides and 3 virgates in NAPTON was held by the Count
of Meulan, with Robert as his tenant, which
before 1066 had been in the free tenure of Leuenot
and Bundi. (fn. 9) Robert also held 3 virgates of Turchil
of Warwick, whose pre-Conquest tenant had been
Eduin; (fn. 10) and another estate of Turchil, the ½ hide of
which makes a total assessment on Napton of 5 hides,
was held both before and after the Conquest by
Ulchetel. (fn. 11)
The Count of Meulan's 3¾ hides became part of
the Honor of Leicester, and, after the partition of the
estates of the last Beaumont Earl of Leicester (1204),
of the Honor of Winchester. (fn. 12) Napton and Westonunder-Wetherley were associated as two fees in this
Honor in 1235–6 (fn. 13) and 1271. (fn. 14) In 1285 view of
frankpledge was claimed at Napton by John Comyn,
Earl of Buchan, and William Ferrers, Earl of Derby,
husbands of two of the Winchester coheiresses. (fn. 15) The
former was overlord of 1 knight's fee in Napton in
1292, (fn. 16) and his grandson Henry, Lord Beaumont, of
I fee at his death in 1369. (fn. 17) Further references to this
overlordship are found in 1396 (fn. 18) and 1413. (fn. 19)
The tenants of the Napton fee were a family taking
their name from the village and considered by Dugdale
to be descended from Robert, the Domesday tenant. (fn. 20)
In 1202 Adam de Napton quitclaimed 30 acres of land
in Napton to Osbert; (fn. 21) and his grandson, another Adam,
held 2 carucates at his death in 1292. (fn. 22) His son Robert,
then aged 22, received in 1321 a grant of free warren,
a Thursday market, and an annual fair on the vigil,
feast, and morrow of the Assumption, at Napton. (fn. 23)
The family had been employed in local government
for at least two generations (fn. 24) and had risen to some
eminence, Robert marrying Lucy, daughter of Guy,
Earl of Warwick. (fn. 25) Their son Adam and his wife
Ellen in 1348 settled their possessions in Napton, consisting of 7
tenements, 2 tofts, 2 mills, 3
carucates, and 1 bovate of land,
34 acres of meadow, and 12 of
pasture, with various rents, on
themselves with remainder to
their son Adam and his wife Joan
and their heirs. (fn. 26) In 1382 John
Napton remitted all claim in
certain lands which Thomas
Evesham had at that date and
which had been acquired by John
Evesham of Robert Napton; (fn. 27) and in 1400 he and his
wife Alice were dealing with the manor (fn. 28) in which he
then or later enfeoffed William de Napton. (fn. 29) The latter
may be the 'William son of Alice Betons' of Napton,
who with his wife Agnes in 1411 passed the manor to
William Shukborough (fn. 30) who was in possession of a half
and a sixth of a knight's fee in Napton in 1428. (fn. 31) Since
this date the manor has descended with that of Upper
Shuckburgh (q.v.). In 1560 it was stated to be held
of the queen as of the honor of Winchester. (fn. 32)
Napton. Argent a fesse azure with three scallops argent thereon.
The overlordship of the earls of Warwick as regards
Turchil's 3 virgates can be traced in 1235 and 1242 (fn. 33)
as to a half and a tenth of a fee, the tenth-fee being
again returned in 1268 (fn. 34) and a fifth of a fee in 1315 (fn. 35)
and 1401, the last instance being described as in
NAPTON BOSCHER, (fn. 36) a form found in a list of fees
of the early 14th century. (fn. 37) The sub-tenant in 1235,
1242, and 1268 was Thomas de Arderne, a descendant
of Turchil; in the first case Ralph de Normanvill was
associated with him. The service demanded of
Thomas, as regards two virgates, was that of keeping
one of the king's brachet dogs. (fn. 38) In 1315 Ralph Basset
of Sapcote (Leics.) appears as the sub-tenant. A halffee formerly held by Thomas 'Darderne' occurs in
1428. (fn. 39)
Another 'manor' in Napton occurs in 1315 when
John de Wileby settled it on Robert de Harewedon for
life, with remainder to John's son Robert and his wife
Emma, and their heirs. (fn. 40) In 1334 Robert and Emma
settled 6 virgates of land in Napton on their son John
and his wife Katherine. (fn. 41) This manor was referred to
in 1428 as a quarter of a fee formerly held by Robert
Willoughby. At the same time there was also a third
of a fee which had been held by Thomas Chaumbre; (fn. 42)
he, who held it in right of his wife Eleanor, said to have
been the 'heir general of Willoughby', (fn. 43) conveyed the
'manor' in the same year to Richard Buklond, (fn. 44)
probably in trust. How the manor came to Sir William
Vaux is not certainly known, but William his grandfather is said to have married
either a Chambers heiress or else
Helen daughter of Thomas (son
of Thomas) Drakelowe (fn. 45) who
in 1369 was dealing with a
manor of Napton (fn. 46) and who
was apparently either husband
or son of Alice Wileby. (fn. 47) Sir
William Vaux was a keen Lancastrian and forfeited his manors
by attainder in 1461, (fn. 48) after
which the fee simple of this
manor, known as VAUX'S
MANOR, was granted to Ralph Hastings; (fn. 49) it then contained a messuage, 30 acres of land, and 5 of pasture.
The grant was renewed by Richard III on his accession, (fn. 50) but with the reversal of fortunes after the battle
of Bosworth the manor reverted to the Vaux family, Sir
Nicholas, Sir William's son, settling it on his wife Anne
(Greene) and dying in possession in 1523. (fn. 51) The subsequent descent is obscure. In the mid-16th century it
appears to have been in the hands of the Cheney family
and to have become divided amongst coheiresses, as in
the next documentary reference (1595) it is called
CHENEY'S alias VAUX'S MANOR; three parts
were passed at this time by Lawrence and Edward
Eyton to Thomas Decons, (fn. 52) who received the remaining part from Simon and Thomas Porter in 1606. (fn. 53)
Decons entailed it on his son William at his marriage
to Grace, daughter of Hugh Beresford of Slateley, in
1614. (fn. 54) It later came to the Loe or Low family, John
Loe and Mary his wife dealing with it in 1664 and
1666, (fn. 55) and 'one John Low, a Soldier', claiming the
royalty in 1730. (fn. 56) Another John Loe was lord in 1747,
and Matthew Loe in 1753. (fn. 57) The latter sold it to Sir
Theophilus Biddulph, bart., of Birdingbury in 1767,
when it was alleged to include view of frankpledge. (fn. 58)
Sir Theophilus was vouchee in recoveries of 1782 and
1790, (fn. 59) when the manor was known as NAPTON
NORTH. Between 1804 and 1827 Joseph Walker
was lord, (fn. 60) but manorial rights had lapsed by 1850,
when the Shuckburgh lordship alone survived. (fn. 61)
Vaux. Checky or and gules a cheveron azure with three roses or thereon.
Napton does not figure in the foundation charter of
Coventry priory, but in 1236 Simon de Cubinton and
in 1242 Hugh son of Laurence held land assessed at
half a knight's fee of this monastery, (fn. 62) and in 1316
this estate was reckoned important enough for the
prior to share the lordship of Napton cum membris
with Robert de Napton, and to be sole lord of the part
of Napton which was a hamlet of Weston by Cubbington. (fn. 63) In about 1412 Thomas Hayton, in right
of his wife who was daughter of John Odams, 'with
his partners' held of the Prior of Coventry, as half a fee,
by payment of 3s. yearly to the infirmary of the priory
12 virgates of arable in Napton called 'Lanney fee', or
'Lannesfee'. (fn. 64) The priory estate was producing 26s. 8d.
in rents in 1535. (fn. 65) After the Dissolution this presumably constituted the manor of HAITONS or
HEYDONS conveyed along with the Vaux manor to
Thomas Decons in the 1595 fine. Thomas Andrews
(died 1496) held a messuage and 6 acres of land, worth
6s. 8d., of this manor. (fn. 66) It was included with the Vaux
manor in the fines of 1664 and 1666, (fn. 67) but later
passed to the Shuckburgh family, members of which
were vouchees in recoveries of 1707, 1785, and
1810. (fn. 68)
Another estate in Napton, comprising in 1509 4
messuages, 3 gardens, 4 tofts, 200 acres of land, 30 of
meadow, 20 of pasture, and 6 of wood, with 4s. rents,
was at that time known as BROWN'S MANOR. (fn. 69)
It had been in possession of Henry Broun, who at his
death in 1501 held considerable parcels in the Shuckburgh, Vaux, and Haiton manors as well as this estate,
which was held of the king as of his lordship of Warwick
by fealty only. (fn. 70) He left two daughters Joan and
Margaret as co-heirs; Joan was wife of John Cranowe
and mother of Christopher, who in 1509 passed his
interest to Richard and Thomas Wyllys and others,
subject to a life tenancy of John Cranowe his father. (fn. 71)
This manor remained with the Willis family, being
usually stated as held of the lordship of Southam, (fn. 72)
till 1638, when George Willis sold it to Richard
Schuckburgh. (fn. 73)
A branch of the Spencer family in the late 16th
century held land in Napton that was described as a
manor. (fn. 74)
In 1473 John Hugford and Thomas Waldyeve were
licensed to alienate to Stoneleigh Abbey 3 acres of
land and 2 of meadow in Napton. (fn. 75) One meadow,
valued at 18d., was in possession of the abbey in 1535. (fn. 76)
The life grant to Mary, Duchess of Richmond and
Somerset, in 1539 of various possessions of Combe
Abbey mentions Napton, (fn. 77) but there is no Napton
property entered against Combe Abbey in the Valor.
Church
The church of ST. LAWRENCE
stands on the summit of Napton Hill in
the middle of a small churchyard to the
north of the village. The church was built in the 12th
century and probably consisted of chancel, north and
south transepts, nave, and west tower. It was rebuilt
in the 13th century, when the aisles were added, and at
a later date, probably in the 17th century, a vestry
and porch were built. The tower has been completely
rebuilt within recent times, re-using some of the 12thcentury materials, and a clearstory has been inserted.
All the roofs are modern.
The east wall of the chancel is built of sandstone
ashlar with gabled buttresses in two stages, the upper
gablets having cinquefoil panels, a plinth of two splays,
and a moulded coping to the gable. The window, of
four modern cinquefoil pointed lights, has a fourcentred head and a modern hood-mould. The south
side, also ashlar, has a plinth of one splay. There is a
modern doorway in the centre with a segmental chamfered head and square label, flanked by modern twolight pointed windows with hood-moulds. Above the
door there is a square, brass sundial. The north side
is of random sandstone rubble with a chamfered stringcourse immediately below the window sills, which
stops short of the east end at the point where the chancel
has been extended. It has a plinth of one splay and is
lighted by three narrow lancet windows. The east side
of the south transept is built of sandstone ashlar and has
a plinth of two splays. It is lighted by a plain tracery
window of two trefoil lights, pointed arch of two splays,
and a hood-mould with its stops missing; it is all modern
except part of the arch. The south side has diagonal
buttresses in two weathered stages, and a plinth of two
splays. There are three tall narrow trefoiled windows
with hood-moulds, the centre one taken up above the
others; above the windows there is a semicircular
relieving arch, part of a modern rebuilding of the
gable. There are no windows on the west side, which
has been patched all over with cement. The east side
of the north transept is built of squared and coursed
sandstone, with a plinth of one splay. It is lighted by
a triple lancet, with a taller centre light and hoodmoulds carried over each arch, and by a single lancet
to the south. On the north side are three tall narrow
trefoil lights under a moulded semicircular arch; the
two roll-moulded members form shafts with moulded
capitals and bases, and the outer member forms a hoodmould. On the west side is a tall lancet window,
modern, but probably a replacement.
The north aisle has a low-pitched lead roof with a
plain parapet on a splayed string-course and a projection for a recess at the east end with a plain parapet,
lighted by a square-headed three-light window of two
chamfered orders with a hood-mould and by a canted
rectangular window in the angle where it joins the
nave wall. A vestry has been built in front of the north
door with a pitched tiled roof and a two-light ogee
trefoiled window with a square head. On the west
side it butts against a later buttress, in three stages,
with a moulded plinth, built against the nave wall.
The clearstory, which was formed by lowering the
pitch of the aisle roof, has three circular lights, one
quatrefoil, one trefoil, and the other with eight cusps.
The west wall is built of random rubble and has a single
lancet window without a hood-mould. The south
aisle has two windows of two ogee trefoil lights with
square heads and hood-moulds, one on either side of
the porch; except for a few stones they are modern
restorations. The porch appears to have been rebuilt
about the end of the 16th century, when openings were
made on either side, filled in with odd pieces of tracery
supported on short circular shafts with moulded bases,
probably 12th-century, and later blocked up. The
pointed entrance arch is moulded on both faces with a
panelled soffit, moulded capitals, and external hoodmould with diamond-shaped stops. It has an open
pitched roof with moulded timbers dating from the
end of the 16th century. The south door dates from
the late 12th century and was probably moved from
the nave when the aisles were built. It has a semicircular head of two orders of roll-mouldings, and a
hood-mould with head-stops; the outer order is supported on carved capitals; the detached shafts are
missing but their moulded bases remain. The clearstory has three circular lights, one cinquefoil, one with
six cusps, and the other with seven.
The tower has been completely rebuilt in brown
sandstone ashlar with white sandstone dressings. It
rises in two stages, marked by a band of white stone,
with pilasters at the western angles having classic
moulded capitals and bases. It has a plain parapet of
red sandstone ashlar, pinnacles at each angle with ball
finials and a roll-moulded string-course at its base. On
the west face there is a round-headed light with white
sandstone dressings; on the north two loop-lights to
the staircase; and on the south a door with a roundheaded window above. The belfry windows on all
four faces are of two pointed lights with transoms and
a plain semicircular head flush with the wall face; on
the east face the lights below the transom are blocked
with brickwork.
The chancel (39 ft. 2 in. by 18 ft. 4 in.) is stonepaved, with a tiled altar space, one step to the rail, and
one to the altar. It has a modern king-post roof, and
the walls are plastered. On the north the lancet
windows have widely splayed recesses with semicircular heads. The east window has a four-centred
rear-arch with a chamfer dying out on splayed jambs.
On the south the two modern window recesses have
been carried down to form seats, and the door has a
modern segmental-pointed rear-arch. At the southwest corner there is a rectangular squint, now fitted
with a pointed trefoil head and jambs which formed
part of a window. On the north wall there is an
incised brass to John Shuckburgh, died 1625, inclosed
in a marble frame. It has the figure of a man kneeling
at a desk on which is an open book, and below are the
inscription and a shield of arms.
The north transept (18 ft. 6 in. by 16 ft. 3 in.) has
a modern trussed rafter roof, plastered walls, and a
modern tiled floor. The lancet windows on the east
side have segmental-pointed rear-arches over widesplayed recesses. The north window has a pointed
rear-arch with a hood-mould over three pointed arches
also with hood-moulds, resting on detached shafts
having moulded capitals and bases, all modern. In the
south-east corner there are the mutilated basins of a
twin piscina in a modern recess. Below the window
there are two 12th-century tomb recesses with rollmouldings, semicircular arches resting on short attached
shafts with moulded capitals, one at each end, and a
cluster of three in the centre; both have plain coffin
lids. Under the seating against the east wall there is a
stone altar-slab with consecration crosses.
The south transept (19 ft. by 16 ft. 2 in.), which is
used as an organ chamber, has a modern roof and a
wooden floor rising in shallow steps. The walls are
plastered, with a boarded dado, and behind this dado
in the south wall a 13th-century tomb recess is partly
visible. It has a segmental-pointed arch of two deep
moulded orders with alternate rolls and hollows,
extending to the back of the recess; its hood-mould has
been cut away; the lower part is not at present visible.
The three lancets in the south wall have pointed reararches with splayed jambs, and on the east side the
window has a stop-chamfered rear-arch with a splayed
recess carried down to the floor.
The nave (49 ft. 5 in. by 18 ft. 6 in.) has a modern
roof and tiled floor, boarded under the benches, except
at the west end, which is stone-paved with a slight rise
to the west wall. The south arcade has four bays, one
opening into the transept. They have pointed arches
of two splayed orders springing from octagonal pillars
with moulded capitals and alternate splayed and
moulded bases. At the east end the respond repeats the
arch splays with moulded capitals and bases; the west
respond has been cut away and its capital left as a
corbel. The north arcade is very similar but the capitals
vary in detail, the eastern arch dies into the wall without
a respond, and all the bases are moulded. The chancel
arch is pointed, of three splayed orders with narrow,
moulded capitals carried round each of the splayed
orders, with square bases and splayed corners, one of
the splays on the south side having a carved head. They
rest on a wall 3 ft. 3 in. above the chancel floor, probably
part of the earlier chancel wall. There are two steps
to the chancel from the nave. The pointed tower arch
has three splayed orders, the two outer splays slightly
hollow, which are continued to the floor without
capitals; it has been bricked up. The circular clearstory windows have segmental-pointed rear-arches.
The font, placed in the centre of the nave opposite the
south door is modern, with an octagonal basin and
shaft. The pulpit, also modern, is placed to the south
of the chancel arch.
The south aisle (35 ft. 8 in. by 7 ft.) has a modern
tiled floor and flat, plastered ceiling. The west window
has a pointed rear-arch with wide splayed jambs; the
two on the south have flat heads, and the south door a
semicircular rear-arch carried up higher than the arch
to the door. The arch to the transept is pointed, of
two splayed orders resting on a moulded corbel on the
south wall and mitring with the arcade splays on the
north.
The north aisle (34 ft. 10 in. by 7 ft.) has a modern
tiled floor and a flat, plastered ceiling. The arch to
the transept is pointed, of two splayed orders, and rests
on a moulded corbel in the aisle wall and on a shaft
attached to the arcade pillar, which has a circular upper
member to its moulding that is carried round the shaft
to form a capital; the moulded base is also continued
round the shaft as a base. The base of this pillar stands
on a piece of wall 1 ft. 10 in. high, probably part of
the 12th-century work. Opening off the aisle is a
shallow recess lighted by two windows; what its use
was is uncertain. The window at the west end has
a segmental-pointed rear-arch, with a wide-splayed
recess, and the north door a chamfered rear-arch. The
north door now gives access to a small vestry, which
has plastered walls and a modern red-tiled floor. The
doorway has a richly moulded pointed arch, dying out
on splayed jambs, and a hood-mould with head-stops;
it is fitted with a counterboarded door hung on strap
hinges, probably 17th century, and has a small wicket
of later date. On the east wall there are two lists of
charities painted on canvas, and below them is an oak
chest on legs, with two locks, with an inscription:
'The gift of Thomas Garit and Isabel his wife 1642'.
The tower has a concrete floor and in the north-east
corner, which is splayed for the tower stair, there is a
doorway with a semicircular head, probably 12thcentury re-used. The bricked-up tower arch shows as
three splayed orders carried down to the floor and
above it are traces of an earlier semicircular tower arch.
In the north window of the north transept there are
coats to the Shuckburgh family in modern coloured
glass.
There are four bells by Thomas Russell, 1731, and
a fifth which was recast by J. Warner & Son in 1874. (fn. 78)
The communion plate includes a silver chalice of
1752.
The registers begin in 1604.
Advowson
There was a priest at Napton in
1086, (fn. 79) and in 1291 the value of the
church was £16 13s. 4d. (fn. 80) The
history of the advowson in the 14th century is complicated, and gave rise to a lawsuit in 1447 between
Thomas Shuckburgh, lord of the manor, who claimed
it by descent from his grandmother Joan, one of the
de Napton coheiresses, and John Thurstone, Warden of
the college of Corpus Christi in St. Laurence Pountney
church in the city of London, (fn. 81) who claimed by
letters patent of 1385 authorizing Richard, Earl of
Arundel, to grant to the college the advowson of
Napton in exchange for an inn called Pulteneysyn,
held of the king in burgage. (fn. 82) Judgement was given
in favour of the college in the following year. (fn. 83) Licence
to alienate in favour of this chantry or college had been
given to Sir John de Pulteneye, whose mother was
Maud daughter of John de Napton, (fn. 84) as early as 1337,
when the Pope, at the request of King Edward,
directed the Archbishop of Canterbury to appropriate
Napton church thereto. (fn. 85) Owing to a technical error
this was not done until 1344, when the next Pope
made the appropriation, (fn. 86) the king giving permission
in 1345. (fn. 87) Richard de Napton, rector of Whilton
(Northants.), relinquished all claims in certain lands,
rents, and reversions in Napton to Sir John de Pulteneye
in 1348. (fn. 88) This grant still did not take effect, for in
1348 John (Stratford), Archbishop of Canterbury,
obtained the advowson from John de Pulteneye in
exchange for that of Eastling (Kent) and was licensed
to assign it to his recently founded college of chantry
priests in Stratford-on-Avon parish church. (fn. 89) Archbishop Stratford died before this could be carried out,
and his brother and heir, Bishop Robert Stratford
of Chichester, granted the advowson to William de
Shareshull, Thomas de Ludelowe and William Banastre,
who in 1361 obtained licence to alienate it, with a
messuage and an acre of land, to Combe Abbey. (fn. 90)
This, again, seems not to have been done, for by 1367
it was in the hands of Richard, Earl of Arundel, (fn. 91) who
in 1385 made the exchange mentioned above. This
was apparently not to take effect till after his death,
for on his attainder in 1397 it was assigned to his widow
Philippa in dower. (fn. 92)
The value of the vicarage in 1535 was £9 14s., with
8s. for procurations and synodals. (fn. 93) A payment of
40s. yearly was due from the college to Coventry
Priory (fn. 94) for the great tithes of 12 virgates of which
the priory was 'rector' (see above). The rectory in
1535 was farmed at £20. (fn. 95) It was granted in 1575 to
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, (fn. 96) and by him in
1582 to Sir John Hubaud. (fn. 97) The patronage remained
with the Crown, and is now exercised by the Lord
Chancellor.
Charities
Sarah Tolley, by will dated 14
January 1932, gave to the vicar and
churchwardens of Napton £100, to
apply the income at Christmas for the benefit, in such
manner as they think proper, of ten widows, each of
whom shall be aged 60 years or over and shall be a
poor person residing in the parish. The annual income
of the charity amounts to £3 3s. 8d.
Clara Cole by will dated 10 August 1938 bequeathed
to her trustee the field known as The Hollow at
Napton and the sum of £100 and directed him to
carry out her wishes that the field might be used as a
playing-field for the children of the village of Napton
and the sum of £100 be applied for its improvement. By
a Trust Deed dated 2 August 1947 the trustees named
therein were appointed to be trustees of the charity
called Granton Playing Field for Children of Napton.
Thomas Meddoms, by will dated 9 March 1761,
gave £50 to be laid out in the purchase of land to be
conveyed to the vicar and churchwardens of Napton
upon trust to pay the net yearly rents and produce to
such poor people of the parish as they should think
proper by two equal half-yearly payments on Christmas
eve and Easter eve. The endowment of the charity
now consists of a sum of stock representing the investment of the proceeds of the sale of the land purchased.
It is recorded on tablets in the vestry of Napton
parish church that Henry Bates left £50, the interest
to be divided equally between 20 poor widows on
St. Thomas's Day.
Joseph Adams in 1816 gave to the poor £10.
Unknown donors gave £12 10s.
The annual income of these charities and the charity
of Thomas Meddoms amounts to £3 18s. The charities
are administered by a body of trustees consisting of the
vicar ex officio and four trustees appointed by the
parish council.
The Rev. Coleston Carr. The Returns to Parliament
under the Act of 1786 mention a rent-charge of 4s. 8d.
for bread for the poor. This gift is also recorded on the
benefaction table as a charge upon an estate to be
distributed on St. Thomas's Day and Good Friday.
The charity is administered by a like body of trustees.
Town Lands. By deed dated 15 October 1629 one
half-yardland was assured upon trust to apply the rents
and profits in defraying the needful and common and
town charges of the town of Napton as had been
theretofore accustomed. The Act for inclosing the
open fields of Napton-upon-the-Hill, dated 1778,
directed that the rents of land to be allotted in lieu of
the half-yardland should be applied to such purposes
as should be agreed upon by the major part of the
inhabitants of the said parish assembled at a vestry.
By an Award dated 26 July 1779 a plot of land containing 9 a. 0 r. 2 p. was awarded to trustees for the uses
mentioned in the Act. The endowment of the charity
now consists of 11 a. 0 r. 11 p. of land, the income
thereof being laid out in the purchase of coal. This
charity is also administered by a like body of trustees.
Fuel Allotment. By an Award dated 26 July 1779
land containing 12 a. 0 r. 26 p. was awarded to the
vicar, churchwardens, and overseers in lieu of the right
of the parishioners of cutting furze and fuel, to be let
and set by such trustees, the rents and profits to be
received by them and on 21 December yearly be laid
out in the purchase of fuel, meat, corn, apparel, or
other necessaries to be distributed amongst the industrious and honest poor of the parish not receiving
collection or relief of the said parish. This charity is
also administered by a like body of trustees.
Church Allotment. By the above-mentioned Award
a plot of land containing 23 a. 0 r. 3 p. was awarded
to the churchwardens of the parish of Napton in
exchange for other lands the rents of which had always
been applied to the repairs and other expenses of the
church.
Charles Cox and James Whitehead (for the Poor's
Charity) by an Indenture dated 28 April 1882
voluntarily granted to the then vicar, churchwardens,
and the two elder overseers of the poor of the parish
of Napton land containing 16 a. 3 r. 6 p. at Butt Hill,
in the parish, upon trust to apply the rents for the
benefit of old and deserving poor natives or inhabitants
of the parish in such manner as a majority of the
trustees should think fit. Four trustees of the charity
are now appointed by the parish council in place of the
churchwardens and the overseers.
Charles Cox and James Whitehead (for Napton
Friendly Society, &c.) by Indenture dated 28 April
1882 conveyed to the then vicar, churchwardens, and
overseers of the poor of the parish land called the Dairy
Close or Nineteen Leys containing 11 a. in Napton
upon trust to pay the net income to the treasurer or
trustees of the Napton Friendly Society so long as such
Society should exist for the purposes thereof, but if the
Society should cease to exist as a Friendly Society then to
apply the income for the benefit of old or deserving poor
natives or inhabitants of the parish in such manner as a
majority of the trustees should direct. The annual
income of the charity is applied for the benefit of the
poor of the parish and the charity is administered by
the trustees of the charity of Cox and Whitehead
(Poor's Charity).