MANTON
Manatona (xii cent.); Manetun, Maneton (xiii
cent.); Maynton (xvii cent.).
Manton covers an area of 1,181 acres, and is bounded
on the north by the River Gwash, and on the south
by the River Chater. The soil is mainly clay, but is
sandy in places, and the land is almost wholly under
grass. The parish was inclosed under an Act of
1804–5. (fn. 1)
The village stands in the middle of the parish on
the top of the ridge about 400 ft. above the Ordnance
datum between the two rivers, to which the land
falls about 100 ft. to 150 ft. It is on the east side of the
road from Oakham to Uppingham, where that road
meets the by-road from Edith Weston. The houses
are grouped round a rough square; several of them
are good, undated houses and cottages of stone
with mullioned windows which were saved from
the disastrous fire in 1732. (fn. 2) A house south of the
church has a bay window on the ground floor,
and another north of the church, known locally
as Manton Priory, is said to contain some features of
14th-century date, but a square-headed two-light
cinquefoiled window with embattled sill, perhaps an
insertion, is considerably later. (fn. 3) A 17th-century
house at the north-east end of the village has a panel
inscribed 'R.S. 1625.' There are also a few welldesigned 18th-century houses, two of which have
panels inscribed respectively 'I.S.S., 1703,' and
'r.g.m., 1709,' the latter recently altered; another
is dated 1753.
The Syston and Peterborough line of the London
Midland and Scottish Railway passes here through
a tunnel under the village, and has a station about half
a mile to the south, near the south entrance to the
tunnel. Manton is a junction for Nottingham,
Peterborough and Kettering.
Thomas Blore, the antiquary and historian of
Rutland, resided for a time at Manton. During his
residence here he was persuaded by Sir Gerard Noel,
of Exton, and other Rutland landowners, to undertake the history of Rutland, one volume of which
appeared in 1811. (fn. 4)
Manors
It is probable that in 1086 Manton
was one of the seven berewicks of the
king's manor of Hambleton Churchsoke.
as it is not otherwise referred to in the Survey,
Henry I gave half the manor of Manton to the Abbey
of Cluny. (fn. 5) This half of the
manor remained a possession
of Cluny Abbey (fn. 6) until the
lands of the alien priories were
finally seized by Henry V in
1414. The abbot leased the
manor in 1285 to John de
Crokesle and in 1307 to Walter
de Langeton, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, for life. (fn. 7)
Cluny Abbey. Gules two keys crossed saltirewise or in front of a sword set upright with its blade argent and its bilt and pommel or.
The manor was from time
to time taken into the king's
hands by reason of war with
France, when the lands of all
alien priories were seized. In
1342 a grant of a rent from
the manor was made to John de Ufford or
Offord, a king's clerk, who was the proctor of the
Abbot of Cluny in England, in part satisfaction
for his expenses in London on the king's affairs. (fn. 8)
In 1355 the manor was restored to the abbot, (fn. 9) who
granted it in 1361 to Nicholas de Tamworth (fn. 10) and
Joan his wife for their lives. (fn. 11) Eight years later the
manor was again seized into the king's hands, but
Nicholas and Joan, in consideration of the good services of Nicholas, were allowed to retain it. (fn. 12) Nicholas
died in 1377, when the lease of the manor was confirmed to Joan, (fn. 13) who afterwards married the king's
knight, Gilbert Talbot. In 1389 the collectors for
Rutland were ordered to withdraw their demand for
a fifteenth upon the manor of Manton, as Joan had
a every former taxation been assessed to a tenth
with the clergy and not to a fifteenth. (fn. 14) After the
death of Joan, the king in 1392 granted the manor to
Gilbert, (fn. 15) who died seised of it in 1399. The custody
was then granted to Simon Felbrigge, the king's
knight, (fn. 16) during the war with France.
Tateshale College. Quarterly: 1 and 4, Argent a chief gules with a baston azure over all, for the founder, Lord Cromwell; 2 and 3: Checky or and gules a chief ermine, for Tateshale.
Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. Barry of ten argent and gules a lion or with a crown party argent and gules.
In 1412 the king's esquire, William Porter, obtained
licence to cross the sea to bargain with the Abbot of
Cluny for the purchase of the manor. (fn. 17) The journey
was delayed until after the death of Henry IV, and
a further licence was obtained from Henry V in
April, 1413. (fn. 18) Porter's negotiations were unsuccessful
owing probably to the dissolution of the alien priories,
but in June 1413 the king gave him the custody
of the manor, (fn. 19) and in 1415 granted it to him in fee
to hold by the service of rendering a rose yearly.
This gift also included all franchises formerly held by
the abbot and convent. (fn. 20) The manor was confirmed to
Porter in 1423, (fn. 21) who settled it in 1430, and afterwards sold it for a great sum of money to Ralph,
Lord Cromwell. (fn. 22) Lord Cromwell conveyed it to
trustees for the college and almshouse of Holy Trinity,
which he founded in 1438–9 at Tateshale (co. Linc.). (fn. 23)
He died in Jan. 1455, and the manor was confirmed
to the college in 1463 by Joan, wife of Sir Humphrey
Bourchier, and Maud, wife of Gervase Clifton,
co-heirs of Lord Cromwell, (fn. 24) and by Edward IV
in 1478. (fn. 25) At the time of the Dissolution it was valued
at £6 2s. 7d. (fn. 26)
In 1545 Manton Manor was granted with the other
possessions of the college to Charles, Duke of Suffolk, (fn. 27)
who died in 1545, when it passed to his son Henry. (fn. 28)
Both Henry and his only surviving brother Charles
died in 1551, and the estates devolved on the descendants of the numerous daughters of their great
grandfather, Sir William Brandon, the aunts of the
first Duke of Suffolk. (fn. 29) On a partition made in 1560,
this manor was assigned to Sir Henry, son of Sir
William Sidney, Lord President of the Marches of
Wales. (fn. 30) Sir Henry conveyed it to trustees in 1562, (fn. 31)
and he and his wife Mary and Philip Sidney, his son,
obtained licence to alienate it in 1579 to Michael
Lewis, of Collyweston (co. Northants) and Elizabeth
his wife, the actual conveyance being made in the
following year. (fn. 32) Michael died in 1584, Elizabeth
surviving him. (fn. 33) Clement
Lewis, brother and heir of
Michael, sold the manor in
1591 to William Kirkham, (fn. 34)
of Fineshade (co. Northants).
In 1595 William and his wife
Martha conveyed the manor
to Roger Dale, of the Inner
Temple, though William had
not paid, and never did pay,
Lewis much more than half
what he should have paid. (fn. 35)
This conveyance was probably
a mortgage, but in 1604 a
further feoffment was made
by William and Martha and their son Walter,
to Roger Dale. (fn. 36) Roger afterwards stated that he
had purchased this manor and Tixover at the urgent
request of William, who had lately come out of Scotland and was in great want. In 1592 William Kirkham
was sentenced in the Court of Star Chamber, and fined
£31,000 'for divers very heinous practices and great
abuses by him committed.' The fine was soon afterwards reduced to £200, which was duly paid, but later
Kirkham was again accused of improper practices,
and a threat was made to re-impose the fine of £31,000.
Roger Dale, however, bought the manors from
William Kirkham knowing of the charge on these
manors, but expected it to be remitted. About 1609
the king actually remitted the fine, but William and
his son Walter 'carying unconscionable minds not
only to defeat their creditors but to trouble and
encomber' Roger's lands caused the fine to be continued and to be conveyed by the king to Christopher
Vickers, one of the pages of his Privy Chamber,
to their use, stating that it would be laid upon the
manors of Manton and Tixover as well as their other
estates, though a clause had been inserted in Dale's
conveyance to prevent this. (fn. 37)
Dale. Paly argent and gules a chief azure with three sheaves or therein.
In 1611 Vickers assigned his interest in the fine
to Roger Dale, who died in 1623, leaving a son Roger
his heir. (fn. 38) The younger Roger had married Margaret
daughter and heir of Anthony Andrewes of Bisbrooke,
and during his father's lifetime they lived with him.
Margaret his mother married as her second husband
Sir Francis Leigh of Newnham Regis (co. Warwick).
In 1625 Roger sued her for withholding goods which
had belonged to his wife, Margaret, who had died in
1622, without issue, (fn. 39) and for failing to carry out the
terms of his father's will. (fn. 40)
Charles Dale son of Roger made a settlement of
the manor in 1656 (fn. 41) and in 1682 it was conveyed by
the trustees of the four daughters of Charles Dale
to the Rev. Abraham Wright of Oakham (d. 1690),
and his son James. (fn. 42) Anne, (fn. 43) wife of Robert Connington and Katherine, wife of Edward Hastings, the two
married daughters of Charles Dale, conveyed their
interest in the manor to James Wright in 1682–3. (fn. 44)
James Wright, who became a member of the Middle
Temple in 1669, and was called to the Bar in 1672,
was a skilful antiquary and author of the well-known
History of Rutland. He possessed many rare and
valuable manuscripts, which were consumed in a
fire at the Middle Temple in 1678. Thomas Hearne
records that he died a papist, having adopted that
faith in the time of King Charles II. (fn. 45) He died
unmarried in 1716. (fn. 46)
In the early part of 1714 Henry Smith and Penelope
his wife, and Elizabeth wife of Edward Shield conveyed
the manor to Thomas Roberts and John Sharpe. (fn. 47)
Probably Penelope and Elizabeth were the heirs of
James Wright, for the editor of Magna Britannia
(1727) states that Mr. Wright or his heirs had
the manor. Henry Smith, who was sheriff of
Rutland in 1707, (fn. 48) died in 1716, leaving two
daughters. His widow Penelope died in 1727, (fn. 49)
the younger daughter Elizabeth, wife of the Rev.
W. Shield, rector of Saddington, having predeceased
her in 1724.
In 1741 Kenelm Johnson, who was Sheriff of Rutland in 1740, conveyed the manor to Thomas Jackson, (fn. 50)
presumably for a settlement, and in 1767 it was held by
Robert Johnson. He sold it in 1790 to Mr. Springthorpe, who conveyed it in the same year to Hugh
Jackson. It passed in 1798 to Thomas Jackson and in
1813 to Thomas Hippisley Jackson. In 1821 it came
into the possession of George Watson Smyth and
passed in 1830 to Edward Watson Smyth, who died in
1869. His trustees held it till 1871, when it passed
to George Bradley and Edward Westwood. George
Bradley was lord till 1899, when Benjamin Colet
Pulleyne came into possession. He died in 1907 and
his trustees are the present owners.
The Court Rolls show that it was customary to
appoint at each court a constable, a 'Thirdborough and
a Pindard.' (fn. 51)
The other half of Manton was granted with Barrowden to William Mauduit, the King's Chamberlain,
and was held with Barrowden, South Luffenham and
Morcott by serjeanty of being the King's Chamberlain. (fn. 52) Manton was included in a grant by Henry II
to William son of William Mauduit of the barony
which his father held 'on the day when my men came
to Woodstok.' (fn. 53)
Mauduit. Argent two bars gules.
Beauchamp. Gules a fesse between six crosslets or.
In 1297–8 Thomas de Bokland was the undertenant
of the Earl of Warwick for a messuage, 9 tofts and
9 virgates of land in Manton. (fn. 54) Thomas had in 1286
acquired from Almaric de Paris 8 messuages and 8
virgates, (fn. 55) and in 1297 he bought of Reginald Toky
and Alice his wife, a messuage and a bovate of land
in Manton. (fn. 56) In 1330 Robert son of John de Exton
and Maud his wife conveyed to Alfred de Broke an
eighteenth part of a tenement at Manton, including a
mill. Isabel de Bokland held the estate for life of
Maud's inheritance. (fn. 57) A similar eighteenth part
was conveyed in the same year by John de Gretham
of Exton and Margery his wife to John de Luffwyk
and Joan his wife. Part of the premises were held by
Roger Putot and Elizabeth his wife for their lives of
the inheritance of Margery. (fn. 58) Roger had in the same
year acquired of Robert son of John de Exton and
Maud, an estate in Manton, Glaston and Ridlington
which they held in right of Maud. (fn. 59) Alfred de
Broke had purchased several other estates at Manton,
including a messuage and 90 acres bought in 1319
of John Reynvile of Manton and Alice his wife, (fn. 60)
and a similar estate in 1325 of Robert de Luffwick
and Alice his wife. (fn. 61) Robert and Alice sold him
another larger property in Empingham, Manton,
Langham and Okeham in 1328, (fn. 62) and in 1331 he
acquired of John de Gretham and Margery his wife
a third of a messuage and a virgate of land in Manton. (fn. 63)
John and Margery retained some land in Manton,
which they conveyed in 1335 to Richard de Marnham. (fn. 64)
Some of this land became known as 'the manor
of Manton called Luffewyk.' John Lynford died in
1401 holding it in right of his wife Katherine. It
was held of the Earl of Warwick, and passed to
John's son John, (fn. 65) who was in possession in 1403. (fn. 66)
This manor has not been found later.
A twentieth part of a knight's fee in Manton was
held in 1305 by William de Hokthorp. (fn. 67) It afterwards
passed to Robert Hokthorp, (fn. 68) but belonged in 1353
to William Wade. It formed part of the Earl of
Warwick's estate at Manton.
What was probably the greater part of the Earl of
Warwick's estate at Manton, including the mill,
became the endowment of a chantry or college at
Manton founded by William Wade. In 1351 he
obtained the king's licence to grant a messuage and
3 virgates of land in Manton to a chaplain to
celebrate for the soul of William and his ancestors
daily in the church of Manton. The return to the
writ of ad quod dampnum shows that this parcel of
land was held of John de Lye, chaplain, by fealty
and service of 10s., and that John held it of Robert
atte Halle of Luffenham by service of 1d., and
Robert held of Richard de Caldecote by service of
one rose, and Richard of John de Braunche by the
service of 2d and John held of the king in chief. (fn. 69)
Two years later William Wade obtained licence to
grant messuages, land and a mill in Manton to two
chaplains to celebrate in Manton church. Of this
land one messuage and a virgate were held of the
rector of the parish church of Manton for service of
9s. 10½d., and the rector of the church and the Earl of
Northampton were mesne lords between the king and
William Wade for a similar quantity of land. One
messuage and a virgate were held of the Earl of Warwick by homage and fealty and scutage, as parcel of
a tenement which William de Hokthorp once held,
and a messuage and one virgate and a sixth of a
messuage and the mill were held of the Earl of
Warwick as parcel of a tenement which Hamo del
Park once held, the whole tenement being held of the
Earl for the service of a red sparrow hawk or 2s. (fn. 70)
The chantry was founded by William Wade in
1351 (fn. 71) in the Lady Chapel of Manton church for the
maintenance of a Master and two stipendiaries or
brethren to sing three masses every day, the first a
requiem for the founder and all Christian souls;
the second at the celebrant's discretion was to be a
mass of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, the Holy
Cross, the Blessed Mary or St. Thomas of Canterbury,
and the third was to be of the season, such as Christmas and Easter. (fn. 72)
John Wade, clerk, brother of the founder, in 1360
added to the endowment of the chantry a rent in
Lye (co. Rutl.), (fn. 73) and in 1364 messuages and land in
Pickwell (co. Leic.). (fn. 74) In 1383 John Wade made the
additional gift of the advowson of the church of
Manton, and the King and Queen, John Holt, William
Burgh and John de Lincoln, clerk, were added to
those enjoying the benefits of the chantry. (fn. 75) The
advowson of the chantry itself belonged to the Dean
and Chapter of Lincoln (fn. 76) and the cure of Manton
was served by one of the stipendiary priests. (fn. 77) The
rectory was appropriated to the chantry under the
terms of John Wade's gift.
The chantry was dissolved by Edward VI and its
possessions were then of the yearly value of
£26 18s. 8d. (fn. 78)
The whole of the possessions of the late chantry,
including, in Manton, the capital house and site,
a windmill, and the rectory and church, as well as
a rent from the manor of Lyefield and a tenement in
Pickwell, were granted in 1548 to Gregory, Lord
Cromwell, and Elizabeth, his wife, for their lives. (fn. 79)
Gregory died in 1551, (fn. 80) and after the death of
Edward VI some doubts arose as to the validity of the
grant to Elizabeth, and Queen Mary in 1553 confirmed it to her. She soon afterwards married John
Pawlet second Marquess of Winchester. (fn. 81) On the
death of Queen Mary, similar doubts again arose as to
Elizabeth's status, and Queen Elizabeth at the petition
of John and Elizabeth in 1559 confirmed the estate
to them for the life of Elizabeth. The patents of
Queen Mary and of Queen Elizabeth contained a
stipulation that Elizabeth during the term of her
lease should pay to the curate of the parish church of
Manton £8 a year for his stipend. (fn. 82)
The chantry, its site, possessions and windmill
were granted in 1563 to Robert Lord Dudley, afterwards Earl of Leicester, in fee, (fn. 83) but he reconveyed
it in 1566 to the queen. (fn. 84)
The college, rectory and chantry were leased for
21 years in 1581 to Edward Harington and the lease
was renewed to him for a further term of 21 years in
1588, Edward undertaking to repair all houses and
buildings and the chancel of the church. (fn. 85) The
rectory of Manton was granted in fee in 1607 to
William Blake and George Tyte, at the petition of the
Duke of Lennox, and in 1599 the site of the college
was granted in fee to Thomas Eastchurch and Henry
Best. (fn. 86) After this time there is no further mention
of the site, and the lands of the chantry with the
rectory appear to have come into the hands of the
Burneby family. Nicholas Burneby was a tenant
under the college before the Dissolution, and his
holding is mentioned in the various grants by the
Crown. In 1571 Thomas and Richard Ardys conveyed a capital messuage and land in Manton to
Thomas Burneby, (fn. 87) and in 1611 Thomas Lightfoot
and Jane his wife sold land and a windmill in Manton
to Robert Burneby. (fn. 88) Jasper Burneby and Margaret
his wife were parties to a conveyance of land and tithes
in Manton in 1627. (fn. 89) During the Commonwealth
period, Thomas Burneby son of Jasper held half the
rectory of Manton, Peregrine Buck being owner of
the other half in right of his wife Mary. (fn. 90) Before
the Restoration, Buck sold his share to William
Towell, and in 1684 Robert Towell and Rebecca his
wife sold land in Manton and half the rectory to
Richard Burneby who had succeeded his father,
Thomas, about 1683. (fn. 91) Richard and his wife Sarah
moved to Martinsthorpe about 1687, and gave
Manton rectory to their son Thomas. (fn. 92)
Thomas became involved in a dispute with the
farmer of the rectory of Hambleton about certain
tithes from Manton payable to the rectory of Hambleton. Jasper and the first Thomas Burneby had paid
£10 yearly in lieu of this tithe, but during the Civil
Wars the farmers of the rectory had disturbed Buck
and Burneby in their possession of the tithes. Owing
to the war nothing was done by Burneby about this,
and afterwards, as the Towells
refused to join with him in
disputing the rector's right to
tithe in kind, and very little
wheat was then grown at
Manton, Burneby decided
that it was not worth while
to prosecute a suit. In 1701,
however, the farmer of the
rectory of Hambleton seems
to have set up a claim that
of the 30 yardlands in the
fields of Manton, 27 owed no
tithe to the rector of Manton,
two of the remaining 3 yardlands being in Burneby's
own possession. Thomas Burneby maintained that the
sum of £10 which he paid to the rector of Hambleton
was in lieu of the old right to tithes, and since the
tithes of wheat and oats had now become much more
valuable than in his grandfather's time he withstood
the claim of the rector of Hambleton, (fn. 93)
with results that are not known.
Burneby. Argent two bars with a leopard gules in the chief.
Thomas Burneby married Mary
daughter of Thomas Jackson of Duddington. He died in August 1705, (fn. 94)
leaving two daughters Mary and Sarah.
Mary and her husband John Maddocks
conveyed land and the tithes of Manton
in 1720 to Thomas Jackson, (fn. 95) and in
the same year Thomas Jackson and his
wife Sarah conveyed half the same
estate to John Arme, clerk, and Francis
Jackson, junior. (fn. 96) The estate passed
to the Jacksons, and in 1867 the Rev.
W. H. Jackson was impropriator of the
tithes.
Church
The church of ST.
MARY stands on high
ground in the centre of
the village and consists of chancel
25 ft. by 14 ft. 6 in., clearstoried nave
of four bays 48 ft. by 14 ft. 9 in.,
north and south aisles respectively 7 ft.
and 5 ft. 3 in. wide, north transept
16 ft. 6 in. by 16 ft. 3 in., south transept 13 ft. 6 in.
by 15 ft. 9 in. wide, and south porch, with chamber
over, 6 ft. 8 in. by 8 ft., all these measurements being
internal. The width across nave and aisles is 31 ft.
10 in. The west wall of the nave is surmounted by
a bell-cote containing two bells.
The building is of rubble plastered internally, and
the chancel has a stone-slated eaved roof. The other
roofs are leaded and of low pitch and there is a plain
parapet to the north transept, but elsewhere the lead
overhangs. The chancel was almost entirely rebuilt
in 1796 (fn. 97) and externally is wholly of that period.
There was a restoration of the fabric in 1887. The
chancel was new roofed in 1894. (fn. 98)
Plan of Manton Church
The earliest church on the site was probably a
12th-century aisleless building with small square-ended
chancel, the extent of whose nave is represented by
the existing three eastern bays. About 1200 a north
aisle was thrown out and an extra bay added at the
west end, increasing the nave to its present length.
This is indicated, as at Burley, by a break in the north
arcade between the third and fourth bays from the
east, where a masonry pier, or short length of wall with
a respond on each face represents the position of the
original west wall, which probably was left standing
till the completion of the arcade. The erection of the
present west end of the church was then proceeded
with, the old wall taken down and a south aisle added,
the new arcade being set out in four regular bays after
the demolition of the south wall. All this work is
very early in the 13th century, and the chancel, from
the evidence of the existing chancel arch, seems to
have been built, probably on its present plan, at the
same time, or shortly after. The slightly greater
width of the north aisle seems to have obtained from
the first: there is no indication of any widening
having taken place and its west window is somewhat
larger than the corresponding one in the south aisle. (fn. 99)
In the 14th century new windows were inserted in
the aisles, the porch and clearstory erected, the wall
of the south aisle heightened and the pitch of its roof
altered. A north transept may have been added at
the time of the foundation of the chantry in 1351,
but if so it was apparently remodelled, or rebuilt in a
more elaborate fashion in the following century, (fn. 100)
when the walls were heightened, the new roof thus
covering the eastern bay of the clearstory. (fn. 101) The
south transept was probably added about the same
time, but it is of very plain character, without distinguishing architectural features of any kind except
in the windows, which are of 15th-century date.
The chancel appears to have been rebuilt on the old
foundations, its chamfered plinth being apparently
original. The lower part of the east wall, in which
there are two round-headed recesses, or aumbries, (fn. 102)
one on each side of the altar, appears also to have been
left standing, and two grotesque stone corbels in the
eastern angles, supporting the wall-plates, are also old.
Otherwise the chancel is as rebuilt at the end of the
18th century, with a round-headed east window, and
two windows of similar character on the south side. (fn. 103)
The north wall is blank. The pointed 13th-century
chancel arch is of two chamfered orders on half-round
responds with moulded capitals and bases, the latter
much mutilated: the capitals have plain bells.
The nave arcades consist of four semicircular arches
of two chamfered orders, with hood-moulds on the side
towards the nave, springing from cylindrical pillars
and half-round responds, all with moulded capitals and
bases. In the north arcade the three eastern arches
are of equal size, but the western arch, beyond the
masonry pier, is of less width and height and the
capitals of its responds correspondingly smaller. The
outer order of the easternmost arch and that on the
east side of the second, have moulded stops above the
capitals, and there are head-stops and one with an
ornamented disc to the hood-moulds. In the south
arcade the arches are uniform and the outer order of
each has moulded stops; there are head-stops to all
the hood-moulds. The bases of all the pillars stand
on short square plinths, which are probably portions
of the original nave walls.
The north transept, in which the organ is placed,
has a moulded plinth and string at sill level along the
north and east walls. There is a single north-west
buttress and a pair at the north-east angle, the two
buttresses facing north going up the full height of
the wall, breaking the parapet, and finishing originally
with pinnacles, the stumps of which alone remain.
The east buttress stops below the parapet with a
crocketed triangular head, and has on its face a
shallow trefoiled niche, with moulded bracket and
battlemented sill. The transept is lighted in the
north and east walls by two large pointed windows
each of three cinquefoiled lights, with moulded jambs,
sloping sills and vertical transomed tracery. The sill
of the north window has large moulded battlements.
The west wall is wholly occupied internally by a fourcentred widely chamfered tomb recess, with hoodmould, and trefoiled panelling on the chamfer face, to
provide for which the wall is continued about 3 ft. into
the aisle, and from it a stone lintel is carried to the
nave wall above the arcade; the end of the wall and
the soffit of the lintel are panelled. At the south end
of the east wall is a cinquefoiled piscina with projecting
fluted bowl and embattled sill supported on a halfoctagonal pedestal with chamfered plinth. No other
piscina remains in the church.
The south transept is lighted from the south and
east by windows of three cinquefoiled lights, that on
the east square-headed with simple vertical tracery;
the taller south window is four-centred with moulded
jambs and mullions and transomed tracery with a
large quatrefoil in the middle light. There is a
moulded image bracket on each side of the east
window. The west wall of the transept is carried
across the aisle on a wooden lintel.
The plain round-headed north doorway, now
blocked, is contemporary with the nave arcades, and
has a chamfered hood-mould; the pointed south doorway is of 14th-century date, of two continuous orders,
the inner hollow chamfered, the outer with wave
moulding, and the hood has rounded stops. The lateral
windows of both aisles are square-headed and of two
trefoiled lights without tracery, the westernmost on
the north side being rather earlier in character than
the others, with single-chamfered jambs and soffit
cusping.
The porch has buttresses of two stages east and
west, and pointed doorway of two continuous orders
similar to that of the nave, with wooden gates. The
upper story stands awkwardly above the roof of the
aisle and has a low-pitched coped gable at each end.
The chamber was approached from the aisle by a
staircase contained in a rectangular buttress-like projection, of which only the upper steps remain, and
was lighted at its south end by a small square-headed
grated window.
There are three square-headed 14th-century
windows of two trefoiled lights on each side of the
clearstory, and on the south a fourth and larger one
of three cinquefoiled lights at the east end inserted
in the 15th century: the easternmost window on the
north side is now covered by the transept, the west
wall of which blocks one of the lights of the second
window. There are also two single-light 15th-century
cinquefoiled windows, now blocked, at the east end
of the nave above the chancel arch, and on the apex
of the gable is a sanctus bell-cote.
The west end of the building forms a very interesting early 13th-century composition, the end wall of
the nave being thickened to about 5 ft. to support the
massive bell-cote, which rises high above the roof,
and is strengthened by three buttresses, one at each
angle and one centrally placed which is carried up in a
series of stages almost the full height of the bell-cote.
The buttresses have a greater projection than Norman
pilasters, but are more or less of the same type;
those at the angles stand well in front of the aisle
walls and are surmounted at the second stage by tall
cylindrical pinnacles terminating in truncated cones.
At the end of the aisles are the lancet windows already
described, (fn. 104) and the middle buttress is pierced by a
taller but very narrow lancet splaying internally to
over 5 ft. The bell-cote terminated originally in a
single large gable with lateral gablets at its base facing
north and south, but the upper part of the gable has
been removed (fn. 105) and its place taken by a roughly wrought
ridged roof; the gablets, surmounted by crosses,
remain. The bell openings have arches of three
chamfered orders.
The early 13th-century font has a circular bowl
with simple round arched arcading, standing on five
later octagonal shafts.
The pulpit and all the fittings are modern.
In the south transept is a well-preserved 13thcentury coped coffin lid with floriated cross, the stem
of which has the 'omega' ornament.
The nave roof is nearly flat and of 15th-century
character, but one of the tie-beams is dated 1637 and
another 1804.
Over the chancel arch are extensive remains of a
well-painted Royal Arms, probably dating from
1796. (fn. 106) Near the south doorway is a square pillar
alms-box with three staples, carved with simple
scroll work and the initials and date 't. b. 1637.'
The 'small plate of brass fixt on a gravestone,'
noted by Wright, is still in the floor of the north
transept close to the nave; the inscription reads
'Hic jacet Willielmus Wade fundator hujus cantarie,
cujus anime ppicietur Deus.' (fn. 107) On the north wall of
the transept, now hidden by the organ, is a brass plate
recording the benefactions to the chantry of William
Villers, bachelor of laws, formerly master, Thomas
Villers his brother, and Robert Newton, master, the
dates of whose deaths are not stated. (fn. 108) On the eastern
most pillar of the north arcade is a brass plate to
William Chesilden (d. 1698), in the south transept a
tablet to Thomas Burneby (d. 1705), and in the north
aisle tablets to Henry Smith (d. 1716), lord of the
manor, and Penelope his widow (d. 1727), whose
'extraordinary success in Physick and her extensive
charity to thousands of poor people (made) her loss
universal to the British Nation.' (fn. 109)
The two bells were recast by Taylor and Co. of
Loughborough in 1920. (fn. 110)
The plate consists of a cup and cover paten of
1570–71, and a paten of 1638–9, the latter inscribed
'Manton 1639.' (fn. 111)
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i)
baptisms 1573–1705, marriages 1571–1652, burials
1661–1705; (ii) baptisms, marriages and burials
1705–51; (iii) baptisms and burials 1752–1812;
(iv) marriages 1754–1812.
There is a War Memorial Cross in the churchyard.
Advowson
The advowson of Manton appears
to have been held by the Crown
during the 12th century. Queen
Eleanor presented to the church in 1223. (fn. 112) King
Henry III gave the advowson to his brother Richard,
Earl of Cornwall, when he gave him the county of
Rutland, and Richard's son Edmund, Earl of Cornwall,
claimed it in 1274. (fn. 113) He presented frequently (fn. 114) and
the advowson is mentioned among his possessions
at his death in 1300, (fn. 115) after which it reverted to the
Crown. It was apparently included in the grant of 1317
of the Castle of Oakham to Hugh de Audley Earl of
Gloucester and Margaret his wife for their lives. (fn. 116)
A grant from the end of their term was made in
March 1336–7, to William de Bohun, Earl of Northampton, (fn. 117) and this took effect in January 1341. (fn. 118)
William died in 1360 and his son Humphrey de Bohun,
Earl of Hereford, Essex and Northampton made
presentations to the church in 1363 and 1372. (fn. 119) He
died in 1372 (fn. 120) and the advowson reverted to the
Crown. It was purchased of the king in 1383 by
John Wade, clerk, the part founder of Manton
chantry, and was given by him to the master of the
chantry. (fn. 121) The master presented to the church in
1401, but after that the presentations were made by
the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln who, as patrons of
the chantry, presented the master who was in effect
rector of Manton. (fn. 122) In 1537 the master made an
attempt to acquire the advowson of the benefice from
the dean and chapter, (fn. 123) apparently without success,
for the advowson passed to the Crown and was
conveyed in the lease of the chantry to Edward
Harington in 1581. (fn. 124) No vicar was, however,
appointed after the suppression of the chantry until
1772. In the meantime a succession of curates took
charge of the parish and the rectory belonged to the
owners of the site and lands of the chantry. (fn. 125) The
king presented a vicar in 1772, (fn. 126) and in 1774 Miss
Mary Bourne of Abbots Langley (co. Herts.) presented. (fn. 127)
In 1828 George Watson Smyth presented the Rev.
William Watson Smyth, and on his resignation
Edward Watson Smyth, presented in 1859. In 1867
the Rev. W. H. Jackson was patron and impropriator. (fn. 128)
He sold the advowson to the Rev. Trapp, who left it
to his daughter Miss Edith Trapp. When the living
was united to Martinsthorpe, about 1897, the patronage was alternately with the Duke of Devonshire and
Miss Trapp. In 1930 these parishes were united to
Lyndon and Mr. R. J. E. Conant now has the gift
of the combined livings. (fn. 129)
Charities
Thomas Lightfoot, by his will
dated 30 June 1789, bequeathed to the
churchwardens and overseers a yearly
sum of £4 charged upon his real estate at Manton
to be applied amongst the poor. The charge was
redeemed and the endowment now consists of a sum
of £216 10s. 2d. 2½ per cent. Consols producing in
dividends £5 8s. per annum. The income is applied,
together with that of Jane Lightfoot's charity, in
payments in money to poor widows and other poor
persons.
Jane Lightfoot, by her will proved in the P.C.C.
on the 26 May 1882, gave the sum of £200 to the vicar
and churchwardens, the income to be distributed
on Christmas Day among the poor. The endowment now consists of a sum of £178 17s. 8d. 2½ per
cent. Consols producing in dividends £4 9s. 4d. per
annum.
Thomas Fryer, by his will dated 14 January 1903
bequeathed two freehold cottages situate at Manton
to be used as almshouses for aged or infirm persons
residing in Manton or Hambleton. He further bequeathed a sum of £1,200 and directed the income to
be equally divided among the inmates of the almshouses. The endowment now consists of the almshouses and the following sums of stock producing in
dividends approximately £58 per annum, viz.:—
£73 13s. 9d. 8 per cent. cumulative preferred ordinary
stock of the British Electric Traction Co., Ltd.;
£7 14s. deferred ordinary stock of the same company;
£66 4s. 6d. 6 per cent. cumulative participating preference stock of the same company; £200 5 per cent.
perpetual debenture stock of the same company;
£180 4½ per cent. cumulative 1st preference shares
of the Bournemouth and Poole Electric Supply Co.,
Ltd.; £140 6 per cent. cumulative preference shares
of the City of London Electric Supply Co., Ltd.; and
£490 19s. 8d. 4 per cent. Consolidated stock.
The charity is managed by a body of trustees
appointed under the provisions of a scheme of the
Charity Commissioners dated 21 September, 1917.
The several sums of stock are with the Official
Trustees.