CONINGTON
Cunictune (x cent.); Cunintone, Coninctune
(xi cent.); Cunyngton, Conington (xiii, xiv cent.).
The parish of Conington lies on the west side of
the Fen and the greater part adjoins the Fen district,
where the land is flat, and from which it rises
gradually from about 2 ft. above the Ordnance datum
in the east to 40 ft. at the Ermine Street. Westward
of the Ermine Street the land rises more abruptly
and reaches 169 ft. at Conington Round Hill. The
parish covers 3,175 acres, which, although mostly
pasture, has some good arable land and about 105 acres
of woodland. The population in 1921 was 259.
Conington Fen, which occupies a large part of the
eastern side of the parish, is now mostly drained and
cultivated. Before the 17th century the Fen was
used mainly for feeding cattle and sheep and the
supply of peat turves, the cutting of which was regulated
by the Fen reeves, who also looked after the maintenance and cleaning of the dykes and ditches. On
St. Luke's Day, on the tolling of the church bell, the
tenants met at the church and went to the Fen to
view the ditches belonging to their tenements. The
systematic drainage was begun by Sir Thomas Cotton
in 1639, and in the following year the first pump was
erected. The cultivation of the Fen was then gradually
taken in hand, but it was not until the 19th century
that the greater part was ploughed. Inclosures
began at the end of the 16th century. The farms
during the 17th century were mostly pasture, but
after the purchase of the manor by Sir John Heathcote
the arable land was increased. In 1751 a good deal
of land was planted with woad. In 1800 there were
270 acres of arable land, which by 1838 had fallen to
250 acres, but by 1888 it had risen to 290 acres and by
1921 had increased to about 600 acres, which tended
to increase the size of farms. Two of the earliest
farms on the Fen are Cobalders, which occurs as early
as 1757, and Eternity Hall, which takes its name from
Edward Smith, a tenant farmer, who lived there to a
great age and was called Eternity Smith. Bog oak,
frequently found in the Fen, is indicative of former
forest land. (fn. 1)
Sir Robert Cotton is said to have found the 'skeleton
of a large sea-fish near xx feet long as was then conjectured.' The place of its deposit must have been on
the edge of the Fen, somewhere to the east of Conington
Church or Bruce's Castle. (fn. 2)
The somewhat scattered village is on the east side
of the Ermine Street and lies along the lane called
Conington Lane, which leads to the church and
Conington Castle or Manor House. A little way
along the lane are the Rectory; the Old Rectory, which
is a 17th-century half-timber house now converted
into two cottages; and some cottages called the
Village Row. Farther along the lane are the School
and some more cottages, and a 17th-century half-timber
thatched house, now two cottages. Beyond Church
Lane, leading to the church and Conington Castle, is
the Home Farm with one or two more cottages.
The ancient manor house of the Bruses stood
within the moated inclosure now called 'Bruce's
Castle Moat,' and was probably built by Bernard de
Brus soon after 1242. It is described in 1279 as
the court of the manor with a garden and spinney
containing 6½ acres. (fn. 3) Here this branch of the Brus
family lived, and here about 1317 John, son of Bernard
de Brus and Agnes, (fn. 4) and in 1336 Agnes, daughter of
John de Brus, were born. (fn. 5) From the partition of the
property between the co-heirs of John de Brus in
1360 (fn. 6) the house appears to have consisted of a hall
with wings on each side; that on the west contained a
chapel at the southern end and a chamber called the
'Great Sklat Chamber' at the north, while that on the
east doubtless contained the kitchens and servants'
rooms. Northward of the house were the great
gatehouse and drawbridge, with stables, etc., on either
side and a large room called 'le Garite' above them
all, and eastward of these were other buildings,
probably barns. Surrounding the house, and within
the moat, were gardens and yards; at the south-west
corner was the vineyard, somewhat northward was
the garden, and between the house and the gatehouse
was a herbary; at the south-east corner was the
'bake-house yard' with a pond in it. Outside the
moat a road ran northward (the approach being from
the north), and on the west side of this road was the
Barn Yard Close, containing a great barn, a hay-house
and a dove-house; and on the south and west was the
park. (fn. 7) It is difficult now to realise that the approach
was from the north, as the present road is on the
west, but it is definitely stated so.
The house was perhaps of timber, and seems to
have lasted until 1576, by which time it was probably
ruinous and quite out of date, and was abandoned
later in the same century.
The house was leased with the manor after the
death of Hugh de Wesenham at the end of the 14th
century. The Cottons resided here for a time, but
Thomas Cotton, who died in 1592, lived at Denton
and probably allowed the Bruses' house to fall into
decay. Camden in 1586 says that there were traces
of an ancient castle within a square ditch, referring to
the old manor house, and in a map of the property
of Sir Robert Cotton, made about 1600, the position
of Bruce's Castle is marked as 'ye ancient scite,'
by which time probably the house no longer existed.
A farmhouse has been built outside the west side of
the moat, which is called Bruce's Castle Farm.
The new house built on another site was erected
in the latter part of the 16th century by Sir Robert
Cotton. We know from the estate map already
referred to that it was built before 1600. (fn. 8) It seems
to have consisted originally of a large hall running
east and west, with a porch at the south-west corner;
and to have had a kitchen and offices at the south end
and in a south-west wing, and probably private chambers for the lord and his family towards the east and
south-east. Of this building, parts of the hall
possibly remain incorporated in the walls of the
present staircase and study; while the east wall of
the kitchen, with its late 16th-century square-headed
windows of two, three and four lights, still stands and
perhaps some small parts of the west wall.
In the second decade of the 17th century a northern
range, consisting of a long gallery with a central bay
window and raised upon open arches, was added to
the house, the open arches being formed of late
15th-century stones brought either from Fotheringhay
Castle or Maxey Castle. (fn. 9) The long gallery was
scarcely completed when Sir Robert Cotton died
(1631), and it was finished and a grand staircase added
by his son, Sir Thomas, about 1634. The staircase
probably adjoined the north-west corner of the other
building and the west wall of the long gallery.
Sir John Cotton (1662–1702) did not occupy the
house and let it go to ruin, and his grandson, Sir John
(1702–1731), pulled down part of it and converted the
remainder into a farmhouse. Dr. Stukeley, writing
in 1722, states: 'I was concerned to see a stately old
house of hewn stone, large and handsome, lie in
dismal ruin.' (fn. 10)
Judging by a print of 1792, and from plans for the
restoration of the house, the parts pulled down were
the grand staircase, the private chambers and some
of the kitchen buildings, while the eastern end, at
least, of the northern range was allowed to go to ruin
and was roofless by 1800. The west end of the
northern range, when the staircase was removed,
was apparently screened by a plain wall with a flat
parapet and some modern windows.
In 1800 Mr. John Heathcote restored the house.
He re-roofed the northern range, added embattled
parapets to its walls with three stepped gables at the
west end, built up the open arches and put windows
under them, thus forming rooms in the lower floor of
this range, and moved one of the open arches from the
east end and put it in the west wall to light his new
entrance hall. He also moved the late 16th-century
porch of the old hall to the west side of the new entrance hall. He reconstructed the south-western
range, and a little later added a third story to it and
built the turret in the centre of the west side.
In 1840 Mr. John Moyer Heathcote made considerable internal alterations, including the formation
of the present main staircase.
Opposite the northern front of the house is a long
raised terrace at either end of which stood the octagonal
stone summer-houses in which Sir Robert Cotton placed
the antique stones which were given to Trinity College,
Cambridge, by the last Sir John Cotton, in 1750.
Conington Round Hill, formerly known as Conington
Down, is a spur of the range of hills to the west of the
Fens. On it is an earthwork of unknown date and use,
consisting of a five-sided moat with a tongue-shaped
projection to the south-west. (fn. 11) Perhaps the earthwork may have been thrown up in connexion with a
house which Sir Robert Cotton may have proposed
to build and afterwards abandoned.
The Crown and Woolpack, formerly the Woolpack
Inn, on the Ermine Street, is said to have been frequented by Dick Turpin (d. 1739). The well-known
episode of his putting on the shoes of his horse the
wrong way in order to mislead his pursuers is said
to have taken place here. (fn. 12)
There is reference to a guildhall (le Gyldawle) at
Conington in 1523 (fn. 13) and we have frequent bequests
to the guild of Holy Trinity in the wills of persons
living in the parish during the 16th century. (fn. 14) There
was also a guild of Our Lady mentioned in 1503. (fn. 15)
Manor
In 957, King Eadwig granted to his
faithful minister Wulfstan 9 hides
(mansas or hida) in CONINGTON
(Cunictune) to hold freely for his life and with
power to bequeath to whom he pleased. The
land granted seems, from the boundaries given, to
have been east of the Ermine Street (Earninga
Straete). (fn. 16) According to Sir Robert Cotton, Conington
was granted to Turchil the Dane, (fn. 17) who was banished
in 1021 and died, apparently in England, in 1039.
It was this Turchil who, at the command of King
Cnut, divided the fen among the adjoining townships. (fn. 18)
Sir Robert Cotton says that the property was then
granted by King Edward the Confessor to Waltheof.
There is much confusion, however, and it would seem
that Waltheof's predecessor (at least in part of the
property) was Turchil of Harringworth, whose wife,
Thurgunt or Hurugonda, left land at Sawtry to Ramsey
Abbey, that her body might be buried there. (fn. 19)
All the lands of Turchil of Harringworth were given
by King William to Earl Waltheof and his wife Judith,
daughter of Lambert, Count of Lens, and niece of the
Conqueror. The monks of Thorney claimed that
6 hides of the 9 hides at which Conington was assessed
had been leased by them to Turchil, and on representing the matter to Waltheof he, being a holy and just
man, returned the lands to the Abbey. The monks,
however, fearing that Fulcard their abbot, with whom
they had differences, might waste these lands and give
them to his kinsfolk, offered them to Waltheof on the
same terms as Turchil held them. Waltheof accepted the offer and held the 6 hides at Conington
at farm at the rent of a mark. (fn. 20) After his execution
for alleged participation in the rebellion of 1075,
Conington was held by his widow Judith, who was
holding in 1086. (fn. 21) She, however, ceased to pay the
yearly farm of one mark to Thorney Abbey, and no
one has since paid it. Maud, daughter of Judith,
married Simon de St. Liz, who thus became Earl of
Huntingdon and succeeded to the possessions of his
wife's mother.
After the death of Simon, Maud married about 1109,
as her second husband, David son of Malcolm III,
King of Scotland, who ascended the throne of Scotland in 1124 on the death of his brother Alexander I. David resigned his
earldom of Huntingdon with
the lands attached to the
honour, about 1136, in favour
of his son Henry, who died
in 1152. The earldom and
honour of Huntingdon were
thereupon given by King
Stephen to Simon, son of
Simon de St. Liz and Maud,
daughter of Waltheof, who
died in the following year.
In 1157, Henry II acknowledged Malcolm, King of
Scotland, as Earl of Huntingdon and endowed him
with the lands of the honour. He was succeeded
in 1165 by his brother William the Lion, of Scotland. William forfeited on his invasion of England
in 1174, when Simon de St. Liz, son of the second
Simon above mentioned, was acknowledged Earl of
Huntingdon. He died in 1184, when the earldom
was regranted to William the Lion, who resigned
it to David, his younger brother. David died in
1219, and was succeeded by his son John le Scot,
Earl of Huntingdon, Cambridge and Chester. John
died in 1237, when his widow Helen, who had married
Robert de Quincy, held Conington with other lands
until dower should be provided for her. (fn. 22) Conington
was, however, for a time in the hands of Simon de
St. Liz, the illegitimate brother of Earl Simon III, who
died in 1184. (fn. 23) He was seneschal of David, Earl of
Huntingdon, in 1194, (fn. 24) from whom another Simon de
St. Liz, probably his son, claimed the manor in 1214. (fn. 25)
A third Simon, said to have been the seneschal's
grandson, claimed it in 1235 from John le Scot, Earl
of Huntingdon and Chester. (fn. 26)
St. Liz. Party indented argent and gules.
On the partition of the great estates of John le
Scot, Conington fell to the share of his sister Isabel,
wife of Robert de Brus of Annandale, who was holding
Conington in 1242. (fn. 27) The overlordship continued
with the elder branch of the Brus family and passed
from Robert and Isabel to Robert, their elder son, called
the 'Competitor' for the Scottish crown. In 1279
the overlordship was held by Robert de Brus of the
King of Scotland. (fn. 28) From the Competitor, who died
in 1295, it passed to Robert de Brus, his son, who, in
right of his wife, became Earl of Carrick. He died in
1304, and the overlordship of Conington, which formed
a part of the dower of Eleanor, his second wife, then
the wife of Richard le Waleys, was held by her in
1318. (fn. 29) Robert, son of the last Robert de Brus, was
crowned King of Scotland in 1306, when his English
possessions were forfeited. Eleanor died in 1330, (fn. 30)
after which date the overlordship merged in the
English crown, and the manor was held in chief as
parcel of the honour of Huntingdon for a third of a
knight's fee. (fn. 31)
Shortly after 1242 Robert de Brus and Isabel his
wife, sister and co-heir of John le Scot, gave the manor
of Conington to Bernard, their younger son, to be held
of the honour of Huntingdon.
Here Bernard apparently built
a house. (fn. 32) He joined the
Barons against Henry III and
his lands were forfeited after
the Battle of Evesham in
1265. (fn. 33) He died before August
1266. (fn. 34) Conington, however,
had been settled on his widow
Constance de Morteyn, who
was holding it in 1276–1286. (fn. 35)
Their son Bernard probably
redeemed it from Robert de
Brus, his overlord and uncle,
as he redeemed Exton in Rutland in 1280. He was holding Conington in 1295, (fn. 36) and died in 1301. A little while
before his death he granted the manor of Conington to
his son Bernard (III), (fn. 37) and in 1303 Agatha, his widow,
was holding dower there. (fn. 38) Bernard (III) was holding
in 1316 (fn. 39) and settled the manor in 1325 on himself
and Agnes his wife, with remainder to their son
Bernard (IV), (fn. 40) who was then apparently about to
marry Maud, daughter of Ralph de Crophull. The
manor had fallen in value about this time owing to
the meadows and fens having been drowned by the
great inundation of waters. An earlier settlement
had granted further remainders to John and Edmund,
younger sons of Bernard and Agnes. (fn. 41) Bernard de
Brus (III) died in 1330 seised with Agnes his wife
of the manor and advowson of Conington, leaving
Bernard (IV) his son and heir. (fn. 42) Bernard (IV) did
not long survive his father, and left as his heir his
brother John. His widow Maud, who afterwards
married Bennet de Fulsham, appears to have had
some interest in Conington, under a settlement, until
her death in 1350. (fn. 43) John de Brus settled the manor
in 1342 on himself and his wife Margaret and his heirs, (fn. 44)
and in the same year, as Lord of Conington, was called
upon to answer the Abbot of Ramsey for disseising
the abbey of lands in Walton. (fn. 45) He died in 1346 (fn. 46)
and left Bernard, a posthumous child who died within
a year of his birth, and four daughters. The custody
of the heir and afterwards of the co-heirs was granted
to John de Grey of Ruthyn in 1347. (fn. 47) The wardship
and marriage of the four sisters were sold by John de
Grey to John de Verdon and by him to Master Simon
de Islip, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury.
Islip sold them to John de Wesenham, (fn. 48) a wealthy
merchant, who married Agnes, the eldest daughter, to
Hugh de Wesenham his son, (fn. 49) and in order that he
might take the whole inheritance, the other three
daughters Joan, Elizabeth and Helen were, in 1347,
placed in monasteries. Joan went to Nuneaton at the
age of about nine, and Elizabeth and Helen, aged
respectively about seven and five, were sent to the
Priory of Bullington in Lincolnshire, and were professed there within a year. (fn. 50) Agnes was married to
Hugh de Wesenham about 1353. In 1358 she was
declared the sole heir of her brother, the whereabouts
of Joan, it was said, being unknown, and the two other
sisters being professed nuns. Hugh and Agnes
entered into possession of the whole estate, but their
right was almost immediately challenged by Nicholas
Grene, (fn. 51) husband of Joan, who apparently had left
Nuneaton Priory and married. A good deal of litigation followed. Hugh pleaded that Joan took the
habit of religion when she was eleven, and continued
to wear it until she was over sixteen. According to
the rule of Fontevrault, of which Nuneaton was a
cell, if any woman over twelve wore the habit of the
order for a year, she was deemed to be professed.
Upon this point an inquiry was made by the Bishop of
Coventry and Lichfield, by whom it was found that
Joan was not professed up to 24th June 1358. It was
eventually adjudged that the inheritance should be
divided equally between the two sisters, and a partition
was made in 1359. (fn. 52)
Brus. Azure a saltire and a chief or.
Wesenham. Sable a fesse dancetty between three molets argent.
By the partition the houses at Conington and Exton
in Rutland were to be divided for the accommodation
of each sister and her husband, and at Conington a
new doorway was made for Agnes's use, and Joan and
her husband were to have access to the chapel. (fn. 53) In
1361 Nicholas Grene and Joan settled their half-share
on themselves in fee tail. (fn. 54) In
1368 both sisters and their
husbands received quitclaims
as to their holdings from
Athelina or Alana, daughter
of Bernard de Brus of Thrapston. (fn. 55) After this date the
whole manor seems to have
passed to the Wesenhams,
although the Grenes retained
a moiety of the advowson.
Agnes, after the death of
Hugh de Wesenham, granted
the manor to Thomas Kirkeby
(d. 1407) for life. (fn. 56) She afterwards married Robert Lovetot, who died in 1393,
when Robert de Wesenham, son of Agnes and Hugh,
then aged 30, succeeded to the manor of Conington
and half the advowson. (fn. 57) Robert de Wesenham enjoyed his inheritance only a few years and died in 1399,
leaving a son Thomas his heir, aged 13 years, (fn. 58) whose
wardship was granted in 1400 to John de Elvet, one
of the King's clerks. (fn. 59) Thomas de Wesenham lived
till 1460, when he was succeeded by his brother
Robert, aged 60 years, (fn. 60) who died childless in 1477.
His heirs were the descendants of his sisters Joan
Folville and Cecily Rydyll. Joan's daughter Mary,
then aged 54, married firstly
William Cotton, secondly
Thomas Lacey and thirdly
Sir Thomas Billing, chief
justice of the King's Bench.
Ann Kebell, another daughter
of Joan, had a son John, then
aged 40 years, who was a
serjeant-at-law, and father of
George and Thomas Kebell.
Cecily Rydyll had a son
Thomas who was then aged
36. The manor of Conington,
however, had been settled
under the will of Thomas de
Wesenham, dated 4 Nov. 1460, on Thomas Cotton,
son and heir of William Cotton, and his heirs male
with remainder to Richard his brother, and ultimate
remainders to the other heirs mentioned. (fn. 61)
Cotton. Azure an eagle argent with beak and legs or.
Thomas Cotton (I) married Alianora Knightly
(who afterwards married John Mulshoe) and died in
1505, leaving Thomas (II) his son and heir, aged 25
years. (fn. 62) Thomas (II) married Joan, daughter of John
Parys, in 1512 and died in 1517, leaving a son and heir
Thomas (III), aged 2 years. (fn. 63) This Thomas Cotton
married Lucy, daughter and co-heir of Thomas
Harvey. He made his will in 1574, in which he left
Conington to his wife for life and other property
to his grandson Robert, son of his son and heir
Thomas (IV), and charged his estate in favour of his
sons Robert, Philip, Lawrence, John and Kenelm. He
died in the same year, leaving Thomas (IV) his son
and heir, aged 30 years. (fn. 64) Thomas married firstly,
about 1565, Elizabeth, daughter of Francis Shirley of
Stanton Harold, by whom he had two sons, Robert
and Thomas. By his second wife Dorothy, daughter
of John Tamworth, whom he married before 1579, (fn. 65)
he had four sons, Henry, Thomas, Ferdinand and John.
He died at Conington in 1592, when his eldest son
Robert was 21 years of age. At the time of his death
his six sons and two brothers, Philip and John, were
all living at Conington. (fn. 66)
Heathcote. Ermine three roundels vert with a cross or upon each.
Robert, the eldest son, was the celebrated antiquary
whose manuscripts form one of the most treasured
collections in the British Museum Library. He was
knighted in 1603. He, it is said, suggested the creation
of baronets as a means of raising money for the Crown,
and obtained the title for himself in 1611. He was
member of Parliament for Huntingdon in 1604–11,
and for various places at other times. He fell into
disgrace, being accused of writing a seditious pamphlet. He died at his house at Westminster in 1631,
his widow Elizabeth, daughter of William Brocas,
surviving him. His heir Thomas (V), who was then
36 years of age, (fn. 67) was sheriff of Huntingdonshire
in 1636–7 and member of Parliament for the county
in 1640 and for other constituencies. He married
firstly Margaret, daughter of Lord William Howard,
and secondly Alice, widow of Edmund Anderson. He
died in 1662 and was succeeded by Sir John Cotton,
his son. Sir John married firstly Dorothy, daughter
of Edmund Anderson, and secondly Elizabeth,
daughter of Sir Thomas Honywood, and died in
1702. He was succeeded by his grandson John, son
of his son John Cotton, who married Elizabeth,
daughter of James Herbert. The last-named John
died in 1731, and was succeeded by his uncle Sir
Robert Cotton, on whose death in 1749 the manor of
Conington went to his son Sir John Cotton, who died
without male issue in 1752. (fn. 68) The manor of Conington was sold in that year to Sir John Heathcote of
Normanton, son of Sir Gilbert Heathcote, a wealthy
merchant of London. Sir John
conveyed Conington to his
second son John, who married
in 1764 Lydia, daughter of
Benjamin Moyer, and died in
1795. He was succeeded by
his son John, who married
Mary Ann, daughter of George
Thornhill. He died in 1838,
leaving his son and heir, John
Moyer Heathcote, J.P., D.L.,
and High Sheriff in 1854,
who married the Hon. Emily
F. R. Colborne, daughter of
Nicholas, first Baron Colborne, and died in 1892.
His son, John Moyer Heathcote, J.P., D.L., who
succeeded, married Louisa Cecilia, daughter of
Norman Macleod of Macleod, and died in 1912. His
son, Mr. John Norman Heathcote, is the present
owner.
Bernard de Brus had view of frankpledge and royal
rights in Conington as part of the honour of Huntingdon. (fn. 69) A free fishery called a 'botesgate' in Whittlesea
Mere was purchased by Thomas Cotton (d. 1576) from
Sir Richard Williams alias Cromwell. (fn. 70)
The Bevilles of Wood Walton (q.v.) held a large
freehold in Conington. In 1261 Richard de Beville
was called upon to answer for disseising Reginald de
Bocking and Eufemia his wife of common of pasture
over 1,000 acres of fen in Conington, Sawtry and
Glatton, and liberty of cutting rushes pertaining to
their free tenement in Conington. It was agreed that
they should have their common of pasture and should
cut rushes as might be necessary for their own use. (fn. 71)
Reginald de Bocking was still holding land in the manor
in 1279. (fn. 72) In 1332 Robert de Beville and William
Attehalle were amerced for impounding the beasts
of Sir John de Den in a place called 'Seggemor'
in Conington. (fn. 73) We have reference to a Thomas
Beville at Conington in 1336–52, (fn. 74) and William Beville
was a tenant in 1461. (fn. 75) Later we find the Bevilles of
Chesterton (q.v.) as freeholders of the manor. William,
son of William Beville, died in 1503 seised of a freehold
in Conington held by the rent of a pair of gloves,
and was succeeded by his brother Robert. (fn. 76)
The monastery of Chicksand in Bedfordshire held
lands in Conington in 1279, (fn. 77) which after the Dissolution were granted in 1540 to Philip Parys and Margaret
his wife. (fn. 78) Two years later Philip Parys conveyed them
to Thomas Cotton, (fn. 79) when they became absorbed into
the chief manor.
The Priory of St. Mary of Huntingdon also held
lands in Conington, which were confirmed to it, as a
virgate of land, by bull of Pope Eugenius in 1147. (fn. 80)
These lands after the Dissolution passed to Thomas
Cotton under the same deeds as those above mentioned
referring to the monastery of Chicksand.
The leper hospital of St. Margaret near Huntingdon was endowed with lands in Conington by King
David I (1124–53) and King Malcolm IV (1153–65)
of Scotland, which were confirmed to it by Isabel
de Brus and Robert her son. (fn. 81) In 1294 the king
claimed the year and day of the lands in Conington of
Geoffrey, son of William son of Henry de Conyngton,
an outlaw, which he held of the warden and brethren
of the hospital of St. Margaret. (fn. 82) It was found on
inquiry in 1307 that the hospital did not owe suit at
the view of frankpledge for the Brus manor. (fn. 83) After
the decline of the hospital these lands were granted
in 1461 to the master and fellows of Trinity Hall,
Cambridge, who by deed dated 10 March 1564 sold
them to Thomas Cotton, (fn. 84) from whom they passed
with the chief manor.
Malcolm IV, King of Scotland, granted lands in
Conington to the Abbot of Sawtry, (fn. 85) and David,
Earl of Huntingdon, in 1219 gave with his body, to the
Abbot of Sawtry, 8 virgates of land in Conington.
This gift was confirmed by Isabel de Brus, daughter
of Earl David, but the grant was contested by Earl
John in 1228. (fn. 86) Robert de Brus confirmed these gifts
in 1254, and in 1279 the abbot was said to hold a hide
with seven tenants. (fn. 87) After the Dissolution these lands
were granted in 1537 to Richard Williams alias Cromwell, (fn. 88) who in 1540 sold them to Thomas Cotton, from
which time they passed with the principal manor.
Church
The church of ALL SAINTS (fn. 89) consists of a chancel (27 ft. by 14¼ ft.),
north chapel (12½ ft. by 13¼ ft.),
south chapel (12½ ft. by 13½ ft.), nave (55¾ ft.
by 16 ft.), north aisle (10½ ft. wide), south aisle
(10½ ft. wide), west tower (14¼ ft. by 14¼ ft.), and
small north and south porches. The walls are
of stone rubble with stone dressings, and the tower
is faced entirely with ashlar; the roofs are covered
with lead and stone-slates.
The church is mentioned in the Domesday Survey
(1086), but we have no indication as to the form of this
early building or as to its later evolution, for the
whole church underwent a complete rebuilding at the
latter end of the 15th century. Possibly the lower parts
of the chancel walls may be of c. 1400, but the upper
parts are of approximately the same date as the rest
of the church, although slightly earlier. The tower is
slightly later than the nave; this, however, was not
the first tower, as in 1336 the belfry of the church
of St. Mary was rebuilt by the parishioners. (fn. 90)
In 1638 the embattled parapets were restored by Sir
Thomas Cotton. (fn. 91) The church was restored and repewed in 1841; a new east window was inserted in
1852; (fn. 92) the tower strengthened with iron girders in
1862; and other repairs done in 1897–99.
In the following description all the features are
of the extreme end of the 15th century unless otherwise stated.
The chancel has a five-light window nearly all
modern except the inner splays and arch. In the north
wall is a three-light window and a two-centred arch
to the chapel of two moulded orders on moulded
responds having attached shafts with moulded
capitals and bases. The south wall has a similar
window and arch to those in the north; a piscina
and sedilia, the former with a cinquefoiled arch under
a square embattled head, septfoiled basin boldly projected and carried on a carved head, and a plain shelf,
—the latter with three cinquefoiled arches under a
square embattled head, the soffits vaulted, and the
riser of seat below ornamented with reticulated panelling. The chancel arch is similar to those opening into
the chapels, but bears the marks where the screen went. (fn. 93)
The north chapel (fn. 94) has a five-light east window and a
four-light window in the north wall. The arch opening into the aisle is similar to that opening into the
chancel, and under it is a simple oak screen. In the
north-west corner is a circular staircase leading to the
rood-loft and to the aisle roof; externally it becomes
an octagon above the roof, and is surmounted by a low
spirelet with a rather large finial. In the south wall,
east of the arch, is a small piscina with a square basin
in a projecting sill, and with a stone shelf. There is in
the north-east corner a moulded shelf bracket.
The south chapel has windows, arches, screen and
staircase similar to the north chapel. The south
window is blocked. In the south wall is a piscina
very similar to that in the north chapel. The doorway
of the staircase has been blocked up, but a plain
external doorway has been formed.
The nave has an arcade of four bays on each side,
the western arches being much wider than the others,
and having a four-centred arch, whereas the others are
two-centred. The arches are of two moulded orders
carried on narrow piers formed by the continuation
downwards of the outer orders between two groups
of three attached shafts having moulded capitals and
bases. On the north and south sides of each pier is a
small attached shaft running up to support the jacklegs of the roof. The blocked upper doorways to the
rood-loft remain on both sides. The clearstory has
three three-light windows and one five-light on each
side, and is surmounted by embattled parapets.
Above the chancel arch are three small 15th-century
brackets. The flat roof has moulded tie-beams, jacklegs and braces.
The north aisle has three four-light windows in the
north wall and a doorway with a four-centred arch on
moulded jambs. There are attached shafts on the
face of the wall running up to support the jack-legs
of the roof. The west wall has a four-light window
similar to the others. The walls are surmounted by
plain parapets. The roof has moulded tie-beams,
jack-legs and braces, but is largely modern.
The south aisle is similar to the north, except that
the parapets are embattled; on one of the merlons
is cut '1703 Christopher Bray laid me.' The roof
is similar to that of the north aisle, but retains more of
its old timbers. Over the south door are some remains
of a wall painting, possibly St. George and the Dragon,
but almost obliterated. (fn. 95)
The tower is unusually fine; in plan it is a square
with shallow semi-octagonal panelled turrets at the
angles; as the stages of the tower diminish, these
turrets become more pronounced until, at last, they rise
above the embattled parapets as large octagonal turrets
finished with bold, pierced crocketed pinnacles each
surmounted with a vane. The tower is of four stages.
The lofty tower arch has a two-centred arch of one
chamfered order with two chamfered ribs below it
which spring from semi-octagonal shafts with moulded
capitals; between these shafts, on the ground level,
are doorways leading to the staircases in the northeast and south-east turrets. The ground floor of the
tower is cut off from the nave by a solid wall built
between the eastern corners of the responds of the
tower-arch, probably modern, and having a doorway
with a four-centred head. The west doorway of the
tower has a two-centred arch of two continuous
moulded orders. In the north and south walls are
two-light windows. This ground-floor stage of the
tower is vaulted with modern stone vaulting. The
second stage has a five-light window in the west wall,
and is vaulted with a modern plaster vault. The
architectural third stage consists of two stories, the
lower of which has a doorway in the east wall opening
on to the nave roof, and a square-headed two-light
window in the other three walls. The upper story
has a circular window in the north and south walls.
The belfry windows are four-lights with transoms.
The north porch has a four-centred outer arch of two
continuous moulded orders, and has a stone roof. The
south porch is generally similar to that on the north.
The mid 13th-century font has an octagonal bowl
ornamented with an arcade of intersecting pointed
arches on shafts with moulded capitals and bases;
it stands on a modern stem and base.
There are six bells, inscribed: (1) Thomas Mears of
London, Founder, 1834; (2) T. Mears of London
fecit; (3), (4) and (5) T. Mears of London fecit, 1827;
(6) T. Mears of London fecit, 1827 (and on second
line) Replaced by John Heathcote, Esq., and the
treble bell added, anno domini 1827. In 1709 there
were only four bells. (fn. 96) In 1802 three bells were sold
and a church clock bought with the proceeds; five
bells were paid for in 1828, and one in 1835; (fn. 97) so the
undated second bell is perhaps the ancient bell
retained in 1802 and recast in 1827.
In the chancel is an early 16th-century oak chair
having in the back a traceried panel with spandrels
carved with the Annunciation, an embattled top rail,
traceried elbow sides carved with figures of angels,
and with headless figures surmounting the back
posts; it has been patched at times and the front
and seat are modern. It is locally said to have come
from Fotheringhay and to have been the last chair
upon which Queen Mary sat before her execution.
Dr. Stukeley, however, calls it the Abbot of Peterborough's chair. (fn. 98) The 17th-century Communion
table has turned legs and plain rails and brackets;
and there is a plain 17th-century chest. The altar
frontal has parts of two 17th-century Italian maniples
and two stoles repaired in modern times. Dr. Stukeley
(1722) says there was some fine painted glass in the
windows, but nothing now remains. (fn. 99)
In the south chapel is a Purbeck marble effigy,
c. 1300, of a man in chain mail covered by a monk's
habit and cowl and with a knotted cord round his
waist. (fn. 100) On the tower floor is the matrix of a 15thcentury brass, having a central cross, kneeling figures
on either side with narrow scrolls issuing from their
mouths, shield at top and marginal inscription plate.
In the chancel is a brass inscription plate to Henry
Williamson, Rector, d. 1613–4. (fn. 101) There are two cenotaphs in the north aisle, erected 1600 (1) to Prince
Henry of Scotland: a panel flanked by two Corinthian
columns and surmounted by a shield, Scotland impaling Warenne; (2) to David, Prince of Scotland
and Earl of Huntingdon: (fn. 102) two panels divided and
flanked by Corinthian columns supporting a cornice,
above which is a round-arched niche flanked with
Corinthian columns, and surmounted by a shield
quarterly 1 Scotland, 2 the Anglo-Saxon kings,
3 Waltheof, 4 Aeldred. On the base are shields for
Henry the Fowler, Emperor of Germany; France;
the Anglo-Saxon kings; William the Conqueror;
and Scotland. These are evidently intended to show
the descent of Earl David from five kings. On three
brackets are shields for David King of Scotland impaling Maud daughter of Earl Waltheof; Malcolm
King of Scotland impaling Margaret daughter of
Edward Aetheling; and Siward (or Waltheof) impaling
Aeldred. (fn. 103) In the south aisle two monuments (1) to
Thomas Cotton, d. 1519, and Joan (Paris) his wife: a
tablet flanked by two Corinthian columns supporting
a cornice surmounted by a shield of Cotton impaling
Paris; (2) to Thomas Cotton, d. 1547, and Lucy
(Harvey) his wife, and to Thomas Cotton, d. 1592,
and Elizabeth (Shirley) his wife: a double monument
with two arched recesses between three Corinthian
columns with cornice, surmounted by a shield of
twelve quarterings, and with other shields dispersed
about the monument.
There are other monuments: in the chancel, to
the Rev. George Heathcote, Rector, d. 1895; and
floor slabs to John Cotton, d. 1635; and Henry
Harris, Rector, d. 1698/9; in the north chapel, to
Sir John Cotton, bart., d. 1702; and floor slabs to
D. C. [Dorothy (Anderson) wife of Sir John Cotton,
bart.], d. 1662/3 and [Sir] John Cotton, d. 1702; in the
south chapel, to Sir Robert Cotton, bart., d. 1631;
Sir Thomas Cotton, bart., d. 1662; and floor slabs to
M. C. [Margaret (Howard) wife of Sir Thomas Cotton,
bart.], d. 162½ Sir R. C. [Robert Cotton], d. 1631;
Sir T. C. [Thomas Cotton], d. 1662; and Catherine
dau. of Sir John Cotton, bart., d. 1714; John Heathcote, d. 1838; Catherine Sophia, wife of the Rev.
George Heathcote, d. 1840; the Hon. Emily Frances
(Colborne), wife of John Moyer Heathcote, d. 1849;
Mary Anne, relict of John Heathcote, d. 1854; Henry
Francis Heathcote, d. 1854; William George Heathcote, d. 1857; John Moyer Heathcote, d. 1892;
Louisa Cecilia (Macleod) wife of John Moyer Heathcote, d. 1910; and John Moyer Heathcote, d. 1912;
in the nave, floor slabs to Thomas Sibley, d. [1756];
William (?) Hanbury, d. 1731; in the north aisle, to
Elizabeth (Honywood) second wife of Sir John Cotton,
bart., d. 1702; and floor slabs to . . . Johnson,
curate of Holme, d. 1670/1 Kenelm Collins, d.
1681; . . . wife of Thomas Sibley, d. 1704; Mary
Chubnall, d. 1714; Ann Bonner, d. 1718; William
Sibley, d. 1727, and Ann his widow, d. 1778; William
Sibley, d. 1729; in the south aisle, to Frances Catherine
(Heathcote) wife of the Rev. William Rooper, d. 1882;
and floor slabs to Ishmael Sibley, d. 1708; John son
of Thomas Cotton, d. 1717; William, d. 1734, and
Rebecca, d. 1737, infant children of Joseph and Anne
Sibley; and B. Bonner, d. 1767; and in the tower to
H.H., d. 1674; and Mary Bray, d. c. 1700.
In the Rectory garden are several old stones some
of which look remarkably like the stones from Sawtry
Abbey. One is a cusped quatrefoiled panel inclosing
a shield: checky, on a bend three water-bougets.
The registers are as follows: (i) baptisms, marriages
and burials 5 April 1583 to 23 February 1698/9 the
register has lost its cover, and the entries for 1619–27
are missing; (ii) the same, 18 Sep. 1660 to 24 Dec.
1811, marriages end 25 Oct. 1753; (iii) marriages
from 18 June 1756 to 25 Dec. 1812; the usual
modern books.
The church plate consists of (fn. 104) a large Britannia
silver cup, hall-marked for 1711–12; a Britannia silver standing paten richly ornamented but perhaps
altered from its original form, hall-marked for
1702–3; a large silver plate with a foreign mark; a
large silver flagon hall-marked for 1837–8, during the
last weeks of the reign of King William IV. (fn. 105)
Advowson
The advowson followed the descent
of the chief manor of Conington
down to the partition in 1346 between the daughters and heirs of John Brus, namely,
Agnes, wife of Hugh de Wesenham, and Joan, wife of
Nicholas Grene, when each heir had half the advowson
or alternate presentation. Agnes's rights passed with
the manor. The share of Nicholas Grene and Joan
went, on the death of Joan in 1421, to her grandson
John Colpepper, son of their daughter Eleanor. (fn. 106)
John had a daughter and heir Katherine, who married
John Harington and had a son Robertwhose great-greatgrandson John, Lord Harington of Exton (Rutland,
q.v.) sold his half of the advowson on 20 April 1608
to Sir Robert Cotton for £150. (fn. 107) Thus Sir Robert
obtained the whole of the advowson, which has since
continued with the lordship of the principal manor.
In 1413 the feast of the dedication of the church
of St. Mary of Conington next Sawtry was changed
to Sunday in the octave of the Assumption. (fn. 108)
Charity
A part of the Flitwick Charity left
by Sir John Cotton goes to the Rector
of Conington.