STILTON
Sticiltone (xi cent.).
The parish of Stilton contains 1,637½ acres of land,
the subsoil being mainly Oxford Clay, with a small
area of Cornbrash. It was inclosed in 1805 by private
Act of Parliament. (fn. 1) A few surface implements of
the Neolithic age or later have been found, (fn. 2) but of
the Roman occupation the only trace recorded at
Stilton is a heavy silver seal ring, perhaps dropped by
some traveller along the Ermine Street. (fn. 3) From the
position of the village on the Ermine Street, now part
of the Great North Road, it obtained a certain importance as a posting station, (fn. 4) with inns of a considerable
size. The office of post-master was much sought after
in the 17th century by the rival innkeepers, one of
whom offered to take the post not only without salary,
but would pay down £20 to £40 to obtain it. (fn. 5) Of the
present-day inns, although both have been rebuilt,
the Bell, an interesting stone house rebuilt in 1642,
with mullioned windows and a very fine wrought-iron
sign, was in existence before 1515. (fn. 6) In 1613 the Herald
sat at the Angel Inn to hold his visitation for this part
of the county, (fn. 7) and in 1620 it belonged to the Apreece
family. (fn. 8) Until recent years it was a fine 18th-century
red brick house, but has ceased to be an inn, and is now
divided into several tenements. It was partly burnt
down in 1923. Both inns claim to have been the first
place to sell Stilton cheese, (fn. 9) and in 1725 young Lord
Harley, passing through Stilton, tasted and disapproved the cheese sold at the Bell. (fn. 10) The cheese is
said to have been made at Stilton before 1720, but was
popularised by Cooper Thornhill, landlord of the Bell,
about 1730, who, selling more than he could obtain
locally, had it made by his relatives in Leicestershire. (fn. 11)
The village suffered from very serious fires in 1729, (fn. 12)
1798 and 1895, while the Manor House, which stands
north-west of the church, was the scene of a fire in
1907. (fn. 13) There are a Wesleyan and a United Methodist chapel in the parish.
Manors
In the time of Edward the Confessor,
Tovi held about half of Stilton as
2 hides, (fn. 14) and the other half was apparently in the hands of the king's sokemen of Norman
Cross. (fn. 15) Tovi's lands had been given to Uluuin,
Bishop of Dorchester, before the Conquest, (fn. 16) and by
1086 Eustace the Sheriff had apparently acquired the
overlordship of the sokemen's land and held it as 2
hides and 1 virgate. (fn. 17) His man John was his subtenant and had 6 oxen ploughing; and 2 sokemen and
2 villeins had one plough. (fn. 18) It would seem, however,
that 3 virgates were still held by the sokemen directly
from the king. (fn. 19)
Eustace the Sheriff's holding is not called a manor
in Domesday Book, but it seems, soon afterwards, to
have been recognised as such. It was held by Eustace's
successors, the Lovetots, whose barony, on the death
of Nigel de Lovetot, in 1219, was divided between
his three sisters or their heirs. (fn. 20) These latter, about
1256, (fn. 21) granted the overlordship of their Huntingdonshire lands and fees to Richard de Clare, Earl of
Gloucester, (fn. 22) whose descendants held it until the
execution and attainder of the Duke of Buckingham in
1521. (fn. 23) At the death of Earl Richard in 1262, Stilton
was said still to belong to the Barony of Lovetot, and
an annual payment of 2s. a year was made to the
Hundred Court of Norman Cross. (fn. 24) In 1285, the
amount due was said to have been 4s. 6d., but it had
been withdrawn for twenty-four years. (fn. 25) The Earls of
Gloucester had set up instead a view of frankpledge or
leet for their tenants in Sawtry, Winwick, Folksworth,
Wood Walton and Stilton, (fn. 26) which lands were later
known as belonging to the Honour of Gloucester fee
in Huntingdonshire. (fn. 27) In 1409, the leet was let at
farm to John Herlyngton and William Wakefeld for a
rent of 50s. a year. (fn. 28)
There were holdings belonging to the Barony of
Lovetot and the Honour of Gloucester which were
not attached to the subinfeudated manor of Stilton.
In the inquisitions held on the deaths of the Earls
of Gloucester and their successors, these holdings, held
directly of the honour and apparently only owing suit
to the leet and not to any manorial court, are not
mentioned. In 1379, however, the Prior of Bushmead bought 2 messuages and 19 acres of land, etc.,
which were held immediately by military service of
the Earl of Stafford, (fn. 29) and in 1506 other tenements
held directly of the Duke of Buckingham were acquired by St. Michael's College, Cambridge. (fn. 30) In
1558, when the fee and leet were in the hands of the
queen, rents amounting to 2s. a year were payable to
the fee from holdings in Stilton. (fn. 31) In 1611 James I
granted the leet and rents in Stilton to George and
Thomas Whitmore, (fn. 32) who in turn in 1612 sold them to
Sir Robert Cotton, bt., and his son Thomas. (fn. 33) They
were afterwards called the manor of Stilton and passed
with Hemington's Manor (q.v.). (fn. 34)
The manor of STILTON may be traced back to the
holding assessed at 2 hides and 1 virgate of land held
in 1086 by John, a man of Eustace the Sheriff. (fn. 35)
Whether he held it in fee or not is uncertain, but it
appears to have been subinfeudated before 1100, as it
does not seem to have formed part of the two fees
which the Lovetots held in demesne. (fn. 36) In 1166, (fn. 37) in
the charter of Nigel de Lovetot returning his knights'
fees, it does not seem possible to identify Stilton.
In 1219, the year of the death of the younger Nigel
de Lovetot, Alice de Amundeville held half a knight's
fee, less a twentieth part, of the barony of Lovetot. (fn. 38)
What relation she was to Elias de Amundeville, Nigel's
nephew and co-heir, does not appear. (fn. 39) Before
1236, she seems to have subinfeudated the manor to
the Priory of Bushmead in Bedfordshire, with the
consent of Elias de Amundeville. (fn. 40) On her death, after
1242, (fn. 41) the manor apparently escheated to the barony,
but Nigel de Amundeville, Elias's brother and heir, and
Roger de Lovetot, the grandson of Rose, the second
sister of Nigel de Lovetot, granted their third shares
of the manor to the priory to hold in fee by military
service. (fn. 42) By about 1279 the priory had increased
its holding by purchasing land from other tenants
of the manor, (fn. 43) and a hundred years later it acquired
more land in Stilton, some of it belonging to
Hemington's Manor (q.v.) and some to the Bishop of
Lincoln's fee (q.v.). (fn. 44) In 1535 the yearly value had
increased to £20 17s. 8d. (fn. 45) In the 13th century there
were free tenants and cottars amongst the priory
tenants, (fn. 46) but in 1535 the cottars had disappeared
and the lands of the manor were held by a few free
tenants and leaseholders, and no manorial court
appears to have been held by the priory. (fn. 47) This fact
probably led to the breaking up of the estate by
grants by the Crown to various feoffees. (fn. 48)
Two of the chief tenements can be traced for many
years. The George, with meadow and pasture, was
leased for 31 years in 1531 by the priory to Humphrey
Bucke at an annual rent of £4 6s. 8d. (fn. 49) In 1545, it was
granted in fee to Sir Robert Tyrwhit and his wife
Elizabeth, (fn. 50) but he sold it the same year to Miles
Forrest of Morborne; (fn. 51) in 1549 Edward VI granted the
rent of 8s. due to the Crown from the George to Sir
Edward Warner, Silvester Leigh and Leonard Bate. (fn. 52)
The George was sold in 1571, by Robert Forrest to
Robert Apreece of Washingley, (fn. 53) who died seised
of it in 1621 and had settled it on his grandson
Robert Apreece. (fn. 54) The latter died seised of it in
1644, (fn. 55) and in 1664 the family owned lands and tenements in Stilton, but the George itself is not specified. (fn. 56)
Another tenement called the Tabard was held of
the Priory of Bushmead at the time of the Dissolution
by Robert Catlyn, paying £10 a year. (fn. 57) In 1545,
Henry VIII granted it to Roger and Robert Taverner. (fn. 58) Before 1590, it had passed to John and Robert
White, who sold it in that year to James Boulton. (fn. 59)
He settled it in 1597 on himself for life with remainder to William Walter and his wife Clemency. (fn. 60)
Walter granted the reversion in 1599 to Richard
Symons, (fn. 61) who died seised of it in 1606 and was succeeded by his son Richard. (fn. 62) The latter sold it to
William Downhall, who died seised in 1627 and was
succeeded by his son William. (fn. 63)
The Bell Inn was the property of Edward Tebald and
Alice his wife, whose daughter, Margaret, with her
husband, William Redehede, was suing her parents'
feoffee for possession in 1500–15. (fn. 64)
The Angel was owned by Robert Apreece, of Washingley, in 1620, when he settled it upon his grandson
Robert, and he died seised of it in the next year. (fn. 65)
His grandson died similarly seised in 1644. (fn. 66)
The remaining third part of Stilton manor was
known as HEMINGTON'S MANOR. (fn. 67) John de
Littlebury and his wife Margery, who represented the
third sister of Nigel de Lovetot, granted it in 1256
to Richard de Hemington and his wife Amice and
Richard's heirs to hold by knight's service. (fn. 68) In
1279 John son of John de Hemington, a minor in the
wardship of the Earl of Gloucester, was heir to the
manor (fn. 69) and was holding it in 1303. (fn. 70) In 1314,
Richard de Hemington had succeeded him, (fn. 71) and in
1330 granted the manor to Robert le Chamberleyn of
Stilton and his wife Mary for their lives. (fn. 72) He died
before 1373, (fn. 73) and another Richard de Hemington held
it in 1378. (fn. 74) In 1394, Katherine Drayton held the
manor for life, and a settlement of the reversion was
then made by a Richard de Hemington on himself and
his son Thomas. (fn. 75) He was living in 1403, (fn. 76) but in
1414 had been succeeded by his son Richard, Thomas
presumably having died childless. (fn. 77) In that year
Hemington's Manor was sold to feoffees and passed to
John Belle, (fn. 78) who died before 1428 (fn. 79) and was succeeded by his daughter and heir Agnes, the wife of
John Sankey. (fn. 80) Sankey died before 1437, (fn. 81) and his
widow granted the manor to feoffees in 1443, (fn. 82) presumably in trust for her heir Henry Sankey, who
obtained seisin in 1458. (fn. 83) In 1522, Marion Grim,
the widow of Thomas Sankey, died seised of lands and
tenements in Stilton, which passed to her son Thomas
Sankey. (fn. 84) He died seised of Hemington's Manor in
1548 and it passed by settlement to his son Edward
and his wife Mary. (fn. 85) In 1622, it was in the hands of
Thomas Sankey, who with his wife and other parties
sold it to William Curtys, a member of a family of
yeomen of Stilton. (fn. 86) His son, John Curtys, with the
consent apparently of his mother Alice and her
second husband, Alan Manestye, sold it to Sir Robert
Cotton, the antiquary, (fn. 87) in 1640. On the death of
Sir John Cotton in 1731, Hemington's Manor passed
to his sister Frances, the wife of William Hanbury, and
then to their daughter Mary, the wife of the Rev.
Martin Annesley. (fn. 88) The Annesleys held it till the
middle of the 19th century, (fn. 89) but in 1854 (fn. 90) the Rev.
William Strong was lord of the manor. His son,
Major Charles Isham Strong, was holding it in 1885
and still owned it in 1894. (fn. 91) It had passed to Mr.
John Ashton Fielden, of Holme, the present owner,
by 1903.
Bishopric of Lincoln. Gules two leopards or and a chief azure with the Virgin and Child or therein.
The manor in Stilton assessed at 2 hides, which
had belonged to Tovi and was afterwards given to
Uluuin, Bishop of Dorchester, (fn. 92) was held in 1086 by the
BISHOP OF LINCOLN,
and John held it of the
bishop. (fn. 93) In the 13th century
the bishop held it as a
knight's fee (fn. 94) and in 1279 it
was held of him by various
sub-tenants by military service. (fn. 95) The bishop then had
a view of frankpledge at
Stilton; he claimed waif there
and to be quit of murdrum
and suit to the county and
hundred courts. (fn. 96)
The Bishop of Lincoln had
a fishery, worth 4s. per annum. (fn. 97) Another fishery of
the same value was attached to the manor of Stilton
(q.v.), held by the Prior of Bushmead. (fn. 98) The prior's
mill was worth 20s. a year. (fn. 99) In 1555, Robert Apreece
died seised of a windmill in Stilton, (fn. 100) and in 1621
another Robert Apreece died seised of it, together
with a second and new windmill. (fn. 101) In 1570 Robert
and Henry Forrest held a mill in Stilton. (fn. 102) A horsemill was acquired in 1590 by James Boulton, together
with the Tabard (fn. 103) (q.v.).
In 1792 a market was held at Stilton every Wednesday. (fn. 104) A fair was held on the Monday before Easter
in the second half of the 17th century, (fn. 105) but in 1792
the only fair appears to have been held on 16 February. (fn. 106) No grant of either market or fair seems to
exist and both had disappeared before 1885. (fn. 107)
Church
The church of ST. MARY consists
of a chancel (27½ ft. by 13¼ ft.), with
vestry and organ chamber (14½ ft. by
11 ft.) on north, nave (43½ ft. by 14½ ft.), north aisle
(6¼ ft. wide), south aisle (6¼ ft. wide), west tower
(10½ ft. by 8¼ ft.), and south porch. The walls are of
rubble with stone dressings, and the roofs are covered
with stone-slates and lead.
The church is not mentioned in the Domesday
Survey (1086), and the earliest parts of the present
church are the 13th-century nave arcades, of which
that on the north is slightly the earlier. Practically
all the rest of the church was rebuilt in the 15th
century, but the south porch and the vestry are
probably a little later, c. 1500. The chancel and
vestry are said to have been rebuilt in 1808, when
the vestry, originally a chapel, was reduced in length.
The church was much restored in 1857, when the
gallery was removed from the west end, and the
chancel and south porch were restored; the clearstory and the nave roof probably belong to this
restoration. Some repairs were done in 1887–88, when
the chancel arch and the east wall of the south
aisle were rebuilt. In 1908–9 the south aisle was
partly rebuilt.
The 15th-century chancel (fn. 108) has a modern threelight east window under a two-centred arch (fn. 109) —the
whole of the east wall having been rebuilt. The north
wall has a modern segmental-pointed arch to the
organ chamber. In the south wall are two modern
two-light windows. The modern chancel arch is of
two chamfered orders dying into plain chamfered
responds without capitals.
The rebuilt north organ chamber and vestry, on
the site of a chapel, has a reset late 15th-century
square-headed three-light east window. In the west
wall are a modern fireplace and a blocked 15th-century
four-centred arch to the north aisle.
The 13th-century nave has a north arcade of three
bays, the two eastern arches being semicircular, of
two plain orders on a circular column and similar
half respond-column on the east having moulded
capitals and bases. The western arch, probably
15th century, is two centred and of two chamfered
orders, and rests on an octagonal column and a similar
half respond-column at the west having moulded
capitals and bases. The upper doorway to the rood
is at the east end of this wall. The south arcade is
also of three bays, the two eastern having semicircular arches of two chamfered orders and the western
bay a clumsily built two-centred arch, probably
15th century; the columns are circular with mould
capitals and bases, and the responds have simil
attached half-columns. There are three modern tr
foiled clearstory windows on the south side. The ro
is modern and of very steep pitch, and in the east
gable above the chancel roof is a modern trefoiled
window.
The 15th-century north aisle has three two-light
windows with four-centred heads; and a doorway
with chamfered jambs. In the east wall is a blocked
four-centred arch to the organ chamber; and high up
in the south-east corner is the jamb of a blocked door
way of the rood-stairs.
The largely rebuilt south aisle has a three-light
window partly of 15th-century date in the east wall.
The south wall has a similar three-light window;
a 14th-century three-light window much restored;
a 15th-century doorway with continuous moulded
jambs; a 15th-century piscina with two-centred head
and a round basin; and a semicircular-headed stoup.
The 15th-century west tower has a two-centred
tower arch of one continuous chamfered order having
two soffit ribs carried on semi-octagonal attached shafts
with moulded capitals and bases. The west doorway
has continuous moulded jambs and a four-centred
head, and above it is a two-light window with a four
centred head but with the mullion and tracery
destroyed. In the next stage is a square-headed
two-light window. The belfry windows are two-
lights with four-centred heads. The tower has
diagonal buttresses at the north-west and south-west
angles, and is finished with an embattled parapet.
Formerly it was surmounted by a low pyramidal roof
covered with lead rising from within the parapets; (fn. 110)
this spire is not shown in Suckling's sketch of c. 1825. (fn. 111)
The south porch, c. 1500, much restored, has a
stilted four-centred outer arch of two moulded
orders, the inner order carried on semicircular
attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases.
In the east wall is a 15th-century moulded and carved
bracket.
All the roofs of the church are modern.
The 15th-century font has an octagonal bowl, and
an octagonal stem and base having a square rectangular buttress-like projection on their west sides.
There are two bells: (1) inscribed Thomas Norris
made me 1639; (2) has no inscription, but the
stamps of the Oldfields' foundry at Nottingham,
together with the figure of the Virgin and Child. In
1709 there were three bells; (fn. 112) one of these was recorded
as newly split in 1799, (fn. 113) and was still said to be broken
in 1853, (fn. 114) and to have been sold some time between
1859 and 1892. (fn. 115)
There is a 17th-century oak chest with panelled
front and carved rails in the vestry.
In the south aisle is a tapered coffin-lid with
crudely formed cross at each end of a central rib,
probably of 12th-century date, and found in the
foundations of the south wall; and in the churchyard
are three fragments of coffin-lids, one with carved
cross and a calvary. Also in the churchyard is part
of the octagonal stem of a 15th-century churchyard
cross on a moulded octagonal base.
On the nave floor are two brasses on one slab:
(1) civilian in furred gown and woman in high-crowned
hat, and inscription plate, to Richard Curthoyse,
d. 157¾, and Anne his wife, d. 1606; and (2) two
civilians, one in furred gown and the other in doublet
and cloak, to Thomas, d. 1590, and John, d. 1618,
sons of Richard and Anne Curthoyse.
There are the following monuments: in the
chancel, to Jane (Wing), wife of the Rev. Daniel
Twining, d. 1820, the Rev. Daniel Twining, Rector,
d. 1853, and their children—Daniel, d. 1843, Mary
and Hugh, infants, Francis, d. 1864, and Jane, d.
1869; War Memorial, 1914–18; the Rev. George
Archer, Rector 1892–1927; floor slabs to Allison
Butcher, clerk, d. 1775; Joshua Devereux, d. 1716,
Margery his wife, d. 1755, Price their son, d. 1756,
and several children; and glass window to William
Worthington, d. 1866. In the north aisle, to Elizabeth wife of Thomas Henderson, d. 1833; and Joseph
Vise, d. 1841, and Charlotte his wife, d. 1847. In
the south aisle, to John Apreece brother of Sir Thomas
Hussey Apreece, bart., of Washingley, d. 1821; and
Henry Oliver, d. 1842.
The registers are as follows: (i) baptisms,
marriages and burials, 25 April 1660 to 10 March
1750/1 (ii) the same, 24 June 1750 to 28 September
1783, marriages end 5 July 1761; (iii) marriages,
30 April 1754 to 14 October 1783: this is not the
usual officially printed book; (iv) baptisms, marriages
and burials, 4 October 1783 to 28 December 1812:
this is a printed book, very similar to the ordinary
official marriage book, and has burials in the front,
marriages in the middle and baptisms at the end.
The church plate consists of a silver cup inscribed 'This . cupe . made . in . the . yeare . of . our .
Lord . God . Anno . domini. 1626 . for the Towne of
Stillton George Gresswell and John Scotson (fn. 116) churchwardens. Anime salutem Memento,' hall-marked
for 1626–7; a silver cup inscribed 'Stilton – 1822.
Josoph Vise, Esqr. Mr. William Smith, Churchwardens,' hall-marked for 1810–11; a silver standing paten inscribed 'Jno Broughton & William Day,
Churchwardens, 1630,' hall-marked for 1630–1;
a silver standing paten inscribed 'Stilton – 1822.
Joseph Vise, Esqr. Mr. William Smith, Churchwardens,' hall-marked for 1822–3; a silver flagon
inscribed 'To the Glory of God In commemoration
of the Peace & of the Coronation of King Edward VII.
1902. G. A. Rector. T. T. – W. N. Churchwardens,' (fn. 117) hall-marked for 1903–4; a pewter plate
inscribed ' I*M 1748 Church Warden Stilton.' (fn. 118)
Advowson
No church is mentioned at Stilton
in Domesday Book. (fn. 119) In the early
13th century it appears to have been
attached to the fee of the Bishop of Lincoln, and
Bishop Hugh de Welles between 1215 and 1218
collated to the rectory by authority of the Lateran
Council. (fn. 120) The advowson belonged to the Bishop of
Lincoln until it was transferred in 1852 to the Bishop
of Peterborough, (fn. 121) who presented in the next year. (fn. 122)
The advowson was transferred to the Crown in
1874, (fn. 123) the Lord Chancellor now being patron.
In 1222, on the collation of Alan de Keilestorp
to the rectory, a pension of 100s. a year was reserved for the maintenance of the clerks of the
choir of Lincoln cathedral, (fn. 124) but this pension is not
mentioned in 1291. (fn. 125) A portion, valued at 10s. a
year, was then payable to the Priory of Huntingdon. (fn. 126)
After the Dissolution, (fn. 127) the portion came to the
Crown, and was granted in 1600 by Queen Elizabeth
to Bishop Heton of Ely. (fn. 128)
The church was taxed at £6 13s. 4d. in 1291 and
1428, and the value in 1535 was £12 6s. 8d. (fn. 129)
In 1338 John de Poynton of Stilton and his wife
Emma, formerly wife of John de Stilton, who had newly
built the chapel of St. Mary in the church of Stilton,
obtained the royal licence to endow it with a messuage
and 24 acres of land, held of the Bishop of Lincoln. (fn. 130)
No return was apparently made of this endowment at
the Dissolution of the Chantries, (fn. 131) when an acre of
land at Stilton, valued at 4d. a year, had been given
for the provision of lamps. (fn. 132) There was a guild of
St. John in the church in 1527. (fn. 133)
Charities
Church Land.—This land originally
consisted of arable land known as
Dammas' abutting upon Fen Drove,
Stilton, containing 5 a. 1 r. 34 p. Under an order of
the Charity Commissioners dated 17 January 1908, this
land was exchanged for 8 a. 1 r. 22 p. of land in
Stilton. The land is let for about £20 per annum,
which is carried to the churchwardens' account and
applied to the repairs of the church.
William Worthington, by will proved 17 August
1866, bequeathed to the rector and churchwardens
£500, the interest to be distributed in bread and coals
to the deserving poor residing in the parish. This
sum is now represented by £467 14s. 6d. Consols
with the Official Trustees, and the dividends are
distributed in accordance with the directions contained
in the will of the donor.
Mrs. Worthington's Charity.—This charity is
comprised in indentures dated respectively 25 February 1867 and 15 March 1869, the will of Frances
Worthington, proved 20 October 1876, and is also
regulated by a scheme of the Charity Commissioners
dated 19 June 1914. The endowment now consists of
six small almshouses occupied by three poor men
and three poor women, together with sums of
£1,468 17s. 7d. Annuities and £1,491 19s. 11d.
Consols with the Official Trustees. The income
is applied in maintaining the almshouses and inmates
in accordance with the directions contained in the
above-mentioned indentures.
John Apreece, who died 6 July 1821, bequeathed
a sum of stock, the dividends thereon to be distributed among seven poor women of the parish
of not less than 60 years of age. The endowment
is now represented by £154 7s. Consols with the
Official Trustees, the dividends of which are distributed to seven poor women according to the will
of the donor.
Under the charity of James Charles Dymock
Robertson, founded by will proved 17 June 1895, this
parish receives a yearly sum of £10, which is distributed to the poor in coal.