TITCHMARSH
Thichemers, Tychemers (xiii cent.), Tychemersh,
Tichmarsh (xiv cent.), Tichmersh (xvii cent.).
The parish of Titchmarsh contains 3,988 acres, of
which more than two-thirds are under grass. The land
lies between 120 ft. and 175 ft. above the ordnance
datum. The river Nene forms part of the western
boundary and the Thorp brook that of the north
and east. The sub-soil is alluvium, great oolite
series and Oxford clay. The parish was inclosed
under an Act of Parliament of 1778. (fn. 1) The name of
Foxholes, now a farm, is mentioned in 1227. (fn. 2)
The village lies off the main road from Northampton
to Peterborough, about 2½ miles from Thrapston.
At the north-west end of the long village street is the
church. Not far from it is the rectory house, which
was rebuilt in 1861, and has in its garden a fine cedar
tree planted about 1744. (fn. 3) The Pickering almshouses
are to the south-west of the church on the Denford
road, and form a long one-story stone building with
dormer windows, a tablet records that "This Hospital was erected and endowed for the support of
eight Poor Persons by Mrs. Dorothy Elizabeth
Pickering, eldest daughter of the late Sir Gilbert
Pickering, Bart., Anno Domini 1756." There is a
modern extension at each end. (fn. 4) Near by are two
blocks of cottages dated respectively 1742 and
1750.
The old manor house stood on the south side of the
village a quarter of a mile south-east of the church, on
or near a site which has already been described. (fn. 5) The
date of its erection is not known, but it may have been
built of stone obtained from an older house known as
Titchmarsh Castle, (fn. 6) which seems to have been deserted
at the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, and the
ruins of which were taken down in the 18th century. (fn. 7)
The earlier building would be the house which Sir
John Lovel in 1304 obtained licence to crenellate, (fn. 8)
and which in the inquisition on his death (1346–7)
was described as moated round and enclosed with a
stone wall after the manner of a castle. (fn. 9) In 1363,
however, the castle is returned as being in a ruinous
condition, (fn. 10) and no part of it now remains above
ground. An excavation of the site by Sir Henry
Dryden in 1887, (fn. 11) however, revealed considerable
remains of the lower portion of numerous buildings,
apparently of two different periods, some of the older
having been destroyed before the others were erected.
It was found impossible from the fragmentary nature
of the remains and the confusion of the plan to appropriate the greater number of the buildings or to decide
the period of their erection. The material was all of
limestone, and Sir Henry Dryden was of the opinion
that the earliest building on the site had been bounded by
a wall nearly circular in plan, inclosing several irregular
buildings, of which some of the foundations uncovered
were portions. This first building he assumed to have
been pulled down when the house was reconstructed
by Sir John Lovel, and he conjectured that it was an
early castle, built, as he suggests, by the Ferrers
family, but possibly by the grandsons or greatgrandsons of Saswalo, the Domesday holder, in the
latter part of the 12th century. If this was so, the
present quadrangular moat is of early 14th century
date, and belongs to Sir John Lovel's building, the
lower parts of whose external walls were laid bare
along the greater part of four sides, from 12 in. to
8 ft. in height above the bottom of the moat. The
space inclosed was an irregular parallelogram, (fn. 12) and
at three of the angles were found the foundations of
five-sided towers projecting from the walls; the
north-west angle had disappeared. Boniface Pickering died in 1585 seised of a pasture called Castle
Yard, with a barn standing in it which was again
mentioned in 1629. (fn. 13)
A bridge carrying the main road to Peterborough
over the brook running into the Nene south of Thorpe
station, has remains possibly of medieval work on its
south side.
Ferrers. Argent six horseshoes sable.
Manors
In the time of Edward the Confessor,
Bundi held freely 10 hides and a portion
of a hide in TITCHMARSH. (fn. 14) In
1086 the land was held by Henry de Ferrers, ancestor
of the Earls of Derby, (fn. 15) and
the overlordship of it continued in the possession of
the Earls of Derby as of their
Honour of Tutbury until the
forfeiture of Earl Robert in
1266. (fn. 16) The overlordship
passed with the Honour to
Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, (fn. 17)
and later, with the Duchy of
Lancaster, to the Crown. (fn. 18)
The Domesday under-tenant
was named Saswalo, who held
other lands of the Ferrers. (fn. 19)
This holding appears as forming first one and a half
knights' fees, (fn. 20) and then as two knights' fees, (fn. 21) throughout the 11th and 12th centuries. Sewal, son of Henry,
held it in 1233, (fn. 22) and from him it passed to James
Shirley, said to be his son. (fn. 23) Shirley granted the mesne
lordship to Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, (fn. 24) but
presumably only for a term of years, as his son, Ralph
Shirley, had recovered the lordship by 1286. (fn. 25) Between
1298 and 1302 Ralph granted it to Bishop Walter de
Langton, the Royal Treasurer. (fn. 26) On the latter's death
it passed to his nephew, Edmund Peverel, a minor in
the wardship of the king. (fn. 27) The Peverels continued
to be the mesne lords, (fn. 28) but in 1363 their fee was
again in the king's hands, and their rights seem to
have disappeared before 1408. (fn. 29)
Shirley. Paly or and azure with a quarter ermine.
Lovel of Titchmarsh. Barry wavy or and gules.
The Ferrers' land in Titchmarsh may be identified
with the manor of TITCHMARSH, alias LOVELLS,
alias SOMERSETS. The first tenant in demesne of the
manor recorded was Ascelin
de Sidenham, (fn. 30) who in 1224
had a law suit with the Abbot
of Peterborough as to suit of
court due from his tenants to
the courts of the Hundred of
Navisford. (fn. 31) He was succeeded
by William de Sidenham,
who had died before 1233. (fn. 32)
William's heir was a minor,
and the wardship of his fees in
Titchmarsh was granted by
Sewal, son of Henry, to Sir
John de Plesseys, (fn. 33) who married William's widow (fn. 34) and held there in 1243. (fn. 35)
Maud de Sidenham is said to have been William's
daughter and heir and to have married John Lovel
of Minster Lovel, but contemporary evidence of
this does not appear. (fn. 36) John Lovel was undoubtedly
the tenant of the manor in
1268, (fn. 37) and died seised of it in
1287. (fn. 38) His son Sir John Lovel
was summoned to Parliament
as Lord Lovel of Titchmarsh
in 1299 and his descendants (fn. 39)
held the manor until the forfeiture of the lands of Francis,
Lord Lovel, in 1485. (fn. 40) The
following year the King
granted Lovel's manor to
Charles Somerset, afterwards
Earl of Worcester. (fn. 41) His
grandson, William Earl of
Worcester, obtained a new grant of the manor in
1553, (fn. 42) and in the same year sold it to Gilbert
Pickering. (fn. 43) Gilbert's son John (d. 1591) had a son
Gilbert, who married Elizabeth, daughter of . . .Hogard
of Bourn, in Cambridgeshire. He was succeeded in
1613 by his son John, who in 1609 had married
Susannah, daughter of Sir Erasmus Dryden. (fn. 44) (fn. 45) Their
son, Sir Gilbert Pickering, was created a baronet in
1638, and married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Sidney
Montagu. (fn. 46) He was an ardent Parliamentarian and
chamberlain to both protectors. He was one of the
regicide judges, but did not sign the death warrant
of Charles I, and obtained a pardon after the Restoration. (fn. 47) His great grandson, Sir Edward Pickering,
M.P., the fourth baronet, died unmarried in 1749, (fn. 48)
and his estates passed to his two sisters, Elizabeth,
who died unmarried in 1766, and Frances, afterwards
the wife of Thomas Byrd.
She also died childless and a
widow in 1765, and by their
wills the sisters directed that
the Titchmarsh estate was to
be sold. (fn. 49) It seems, however,
to have been vested in trustees
before their deaths, as Frances
Byrd conveyed her moiety of
the manor and advowson in
1764 to Edward Dickenson, (fn. 50)
while Elizabeth's moiety apparently was transferred to
Anne Pye. (fn. 51) Before 1778 it
was acquired by Thomas Powys, (fn. 52) whose descendant,
Lord Lilford, is now lord of the manor.
Pickering. Ermine a lion azure crowned or.
In the early 13th century, the geld payable by
Titchmarsh was divided amongst the three holders of
fees there, Ascelin de Sidenham, Ralph, son of Ralph,
and Robert, son of Thomas. (fn. 53) The holding of Ralph,
son of Ralph, may probably be identified with the
knight's fee held of John de Plesseys in 1242 by Ralph
de Titchmarsh, Robert le Her and William de
Suthburc. (fn. 54) Sir Ralph de Titchmarsh witnessed a deed
as to lands in Hemington in 1264 (fn. 55) and Robert
witnessed charters of a few years later. (fn. 56) Ralph de
Titchmarsh whose heirs held a several fishery in the
Nene in 1348 may have followed in the descent. (fn. 57)
Possibly the fee had been divided before this, since
Sir John Lovel's lands had been considerably subinfeudated; one quarter of a fee was held by Richard,
son of Guy and his wife Joan, another quarter by
William de Claybrook and his wife Elizabeth, a third
quarter by Isabel Drayton and two eighth parts
respectively by John de Seymour and the successors
of Simon Mullesworth. It seems possible that these
tenants represented the heirs of Ralph de Titchmarsh. (fn. 58)
Creed. Azure a cheveron between three swans argent.
A rent of 20 marks held in 1412 by Nicholas Mores,
in Rothewell, Titchmarsh, and Glapthorn may have
arisen from one or more of these portions of land (fn. 59) and
equally be represented by the manor, later known as
TYRRINGHAMS, which was bought from John
Morice in 1512 by Thomas Tyrringham and others. (fn. 60)
On the death of Thomas, the manor, which was held
of Lovel's manor by fealty only, passed to his son
Robert, a minor. (fn. 61) The latter died in 1532 and his heir
was his brother Thomas, (fn. 62) who settled the manor in
1544 on Edmund, his son, and he, in 1557, conveyed it
to Thomas, probably his brother. Apparently, in 1557,
it was held by Boniface Pickering, (fn. 63) the third son of
the Gilbert Pickering, (fn. 64) who had bought Lovel's
Manor (q.v.). In 1583 Boniface settled the manor on
his second son, James, on his marriage with Anne
Clifford. James obtained seisin when his father died
in 1586. (fn. 65) He was succeeded
in 1629 by his grandson
Christopher, (fn. 66) who owned the
manor in 1655. (fn. 67) On his death,
it seems to have been divided
between his two heiresses,
Anne the wife of Alexander
Wilkinson and Jane Pickering. (fn. 68) They probably sold it
in 1679 to John Farrer and
William Sherard, (fn. 69) who sold
it in 1685 to John Creed, of
Oundle, (fn. 70) who had married
Elizabeth, daughter of Sir
Gilbert Pickering, the lord of Lovel's 'manor. John
Creed died in 1701, and his eldest son Major Richard
Creed was killed at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. (fn. 71)
John, brother of Richard, apparently succeeded and
died in 1731. (fn. 72) He was succeeded by his son John, (fn. 73)
who made a settlement of the manor, in 1745, on
another John Creed, the younger. (fn. 74) In 1766, the
property was in the possession of Dr. William Walcott
and his wife Mary, (fn. 75) the younger daughter of Col.
John Creed (d. 1751). Their son, William Walcott,
died in 1827
Margaret, the daughter of Ascelin de Sidenham, the
tenant of Lovel's manor, married Simon de Borard
and Joan their heiress brought the manor of Clifton
Reynes, iu Buckinghamshire, to her husband Thomas
de Reynes about 1293. (fn. 76) It seems probable that she
brought land in Titchmarsh also, since in 1349 Thomas
de Reynes, grandson of Thomas and Joan and Geoffrey
de Titchmarsh held 1/15 of a fee of John Lovel. (fn. 77)
In 1383, Sir Thomas de Reynes, of Clifton Reynes,
son of the last named Thomas, settled lands in Titchmarsh and other places on his younger son Richard (fn. 78)
and in 1412 Robert Reynes had rents in Titchmarsh
of 26s. 8d. a year, (fn. 79) but this appears to be the last
mention of this holding.
TITCHMARSH alias KNOLLES manor was held
of the Abbey of Peterborough. In 973, 2½ hides of land
at Titchmarsh are mentioned in a forged charter of
King Edgar to the Abbey (fn. 80) and in 1086 it held 3 hides,
1 virgate there. (fn. 81) The overlordship is last mentioned
in 1428, (fn. 82) but it presumably lasted till the dissolution
of the abbey.
In 1086, the under-tenant was Ascelin (fn. 83) who may
be identified as the ancestor of the de Watervilles,
who held Thorpe Waterville and Achurch of the
Abbey. (fn. 84) In the early 13th century, the manor was
sub-infeudated (fn. 85) and the mesne-lordship followed the
descent of Thorpe Waterville (q.v.), Lord Burghley
being the mesne lord in 1590. (fn. 86)
The manor was held in demesne by a second family
named Titchmarsh, but their pedigree is obscure. A
Robert de Titchmarsh was living in 1199 (fn. 87) and may
have been the same as Robert son of Thomas, who
paid geld from his fee in Titchmarsh early in the 13th
century. (fn. 88) In 1243 he had been succeeded by Thomas
son of Robert, who held a fee of Reginald de Waterville. (fn. 89) Robert de Titchmarsh was seised of land in
Titchmarsh before 1269 (fn. 90) and was living in 1280. (fn. 91)
His son William was living in 1298, (fn. 92) but before 1301
it seems to have passed to Henry de Titchmarsh,
presumably the husband of the youngest Waterville
heiress. (fn. 93) In 1317, he settled the manor of Titchmarsh on his elder son John, (fn. 94) but he seems to have
been living in 1324. (fn. 95) John was seised of other family
property in 1330 (fn. 96) and, in an undated inquisition,
was said to hold half a knight's fee in Titchmarsh. (fn. 97)
Before 1348, he was succeeded by his son Henry. (fn. 98) from
whom the manor passed to Katherine, the wife of
John Bray. Two parts of the manor were acquired
by Sir John Lovel, who died seised of them in 1408,
when the remaining third part was held for life by
Margaret, widow of Henry de Titchmarsh of the
inheritance of Katherine Bray. (fn. 99) The Brays' portion
is not mentioned again, (fn. 100) but the two parts acquired
by Sir John Lovel remained with his descendants
presumably until the forfeiture of Francis, Lord
Lovel in 1485. (fn. 101) They do not, however, seem to have
been included in the grant of Lovel's manor (q.v.)
to Sir Charles Somerset. Possibly they may be
identified with the manor held in 1532 by Sir John
Mordaunt, in right of his wife Elizabeth (fn. 102) and sold
by him to William Saunders, John Smyth and Thomas
Saxby. In 1553, a settlement of the manor was made
on Gilbert Pickering and his son John, to which
Roger Knolles was a party and presumably the manor
took its name from him. (fn. 103) From this time the manor
of Knolles was held with Lovel's Manor by the
Pickerings and is last mentioned as a separate manor
in 1638. (fn. 104)
Plan of Titchmarsh Church.
In 1274 John Lovel claimed free warren at Titchmarsh, (fn. 105) but it is not mentioned later. The right of a
free fishery in the Nene is mentioned in 1314 as parcel
of Lovel's manor (fn. 106) and in 1348 it was said to be several
except that the parson of Titchmarsh, Henry de
Titchmarsh, then tenant of Knolles' manor, and the
heir of Ralph de Titchmarsh, had the right to fish
from the river bank. (fn. 107) The free fishery attached to
Tyrringham's manor (q.v.) is referred to in the 17th
and 18th centuries. (fn. 108)
A mill is mentioned on the land of Henry de Ferrers
in Domesday Book and later (fn. 109) there was a water-mill
in Lovel's manor (fn. 110) and a windmill is mentioned in
1330 (fn. 111) and was parcel of Knolles' manor in 1553. (fn. 112)
A mill in Tyrringham's manor is mentioned in 1613. (fn. 113)
An interesting custom of Lovel's manor is recorded
in 1350 that each of the bond tenants with his wife
dined with the lord on Christmas Day and that each
dinner was worth 3d. At the same date a common
oven is mentioned. (fn. 114)
In 1305, Edward I granted the second John Lovel
a weekly market on Mondays and an annual fair to be
held on the eve and day of Trinity Sunday and on the
seven days following. (fn. 115)
Church
The Church of ST. MARY THE
VIRGIN (fn. 116) consists of chancel 42 ft.
6 in. by 18 ft. 9 in., with north aisle or
chapel 31 ft. 10 in. by 15 ft. 8 in., clearstoried nave of
three bays 50 ft. 6 in. by 21 ft. 8 in., north and south
aisles each 12 ft. 3 in. wide, short north transept,
south porch, and lofty west tower 17 ft. 6 in. square,
all these measurements being internal. There is a
small modern vestry north of the chancel aisle.
No part of the existing structure appears to be
older than the 13th century, but the rear arch of the
priest's doorway is a 12th century semi-circular
arch re-used, and in all probability a 12th century
church stood on the site consisting of an aisleless
nave and chancel. The first extension was probably
made by the Lovel family, in 1250, by adding an aisle
on the north side and by lengthening the chancel to
its present extent. The chapel is also of the same
period and seems to have been part of the original
re-building. A south aisle was added, or a former one
rebuilt, early in the 14th century, and a little later
the north aisle was rebuilt in its present form and
the transept added. The tower, clearstory and porch
were additions of the 15th century, at which period
new windows were inserted in the chancel, aisles,
and chapel, the building then assuming its present
appearance. There were restorations in 1840–3 and in
1866, and in 1926 a chancel screen and new pulpit
were erected. The tower, which is about 100 ft. high,
has lately been repaired.
The tower is faced with wrought Weldon stone, but
the rest of the building is of rubble with wrought
stone buttresses and dressings. The parapets of
the chancel and clearstory are battlemented, but elsewhere plain, and the roofs, which are modern, are of
low pitch, leaded. The porch has a chamber over, at
one time used as the pew or 'gallery' of the Pickering
family, (fn. 117) and said to have been connected by an overhead passage with the manor-house, which then stood
immediately to the south of the church. The
chamber is now inaccessible, the openings having
long been blocked: the chimney from the fireplace
remains on the west side.
The walls of the chancel and the arcade opening to
the chapel (fn. 118) on its north side are of 13th century date
and the walls of the chapel are probably contemporary,
but with one exception all the windows are 15th
century insertions. The four-centered east window
is of five lights with perpendicular tracery, and in the
south side are three windows of similar type but of
three lights. The pointed 13th century priest's
doorway has a plain continuous chamfer; the reararch already referred to is ornamented with chevrons.
The piscina is original, with trefoiled head and stone
shelf above the bowl, but the sedilia are formed in the
sill of the easternmost window at two levels. Below
the westernmost window is a blocked rectangular
low-side opening, and in the north wall at the east
end is a restored recess similar to that of the piscina.
West of this a low pointed 13th century doorway,
now blocked, led to what appears to have been a
priest's room, or sacristy, the lean-to roof of which was
below the sill of the late 13th century two-light window
with forked mullion at the east end of the north wall
of the chancel. The greater length of this wall is
open to the chapel by an arcade of two arches springing
from a cylindrical pier and half-round responds, all
with moulded capitals and bases, the nail-head
occurring in the former. The lofty chancel arch was
rebuilt in the 15th century, but the north jamb to a
height of about 7 ft. is original. (fn. 119)
The chapel had originally an east window of two
lights, which was refashioned in the 15th century
into one of four lights, using the old hood-mould, the
jambs re-used for the wider opening and the sill
lowered: it has external shafted jambs with delicately
carved capitals at its original 13th century springing.
A three-light window in the north wall has been
blocked. The original piscina in the south-east
corner was cut through in the 14th century to form a
squint from the chapel; the openings on either side
have cusped heads and moulded jambs. The chapel
is open to the north aisle of the nave by a 13th century
arch.
The north arcade of the nave has arches springing
from cylindrical piers and half-round responds, all
with moulded bases and capitals, in the latter of which
the nail-head occurs. The 14th century south arcade
is generally of the same character, the piers having
moulded bases, but the capitals have boldly carved
upturned leaf ornament, and the mouldings are later
in character and without the nail-head.
The moulded north doorway belongs to the 14th
century rebuilding of the aisle, but has been restored:
west of it is a restored window with intersecting
tracery, and in the west wall a square-headed window
of two trefoiled lights. The other window and that in
the transept are 15th century insertions. In the
south aisle all the windows are 15th century insertions
with four-centered heads, cinquefoiled lights and
perpendicular tracery, similar in type to those of the
clearstory, of which there are five on each side.
In the south aisle, between the two easternmost
windows, is a 14th century tomb recess (fn. 120) with pointed
arch of two hollowed orders, containing a 13th century
grave slab with floriated cross. The south doorway
is a modern restoration. A scroll string runs round
the south aisle externally, and the buttresses are of
an early type with gabled heads.
The magnificent west tower is of a type uncommon
in the county, being rather akin to the towers of
Somersetshire. It is of four stages, with open parapets and lofty angle and intermediate pinnacles. The
two lower stages are blank on the north and south
but in the third stage is a pointed two-light window
with transom at half-height, and the double bellchamber windows (fn. 121) are of the same type, the thick
dividing mullion between them being carried up the
face of the wall to form the intermediate pinnacle.
Ornament is chiefly concentrated in the ground
story and upper stage, there being a triple band of
quatrefoils in circles above the moulded plinth, and on
either side of the west doorway a pointed niche with
straight-sided crocketted hood-mould. There are
also canopied niches in the second and third stages on
the west side, all the niches being filled with modern
statues. The moulded arch of the doorway, which has
an ogee crocketted label, is set within a rectangular
frame, the spandrels of which are filled with blank
shields in quatrefoils. The vice is in the south-west
angle and is lighted by quatrefoil openings. The
four-centered west window is of three cinquefoiled
lights, with double transoms and perpendicular
tracery. The lofty arch to the nave is of three hollow
orders, the two inner resting on embattled imposts,
below which the jambs are moulded.
The 15th century font consists of an octagonal
panelled bowl and plain pedestal. Bridges records
some old glass, (fn. 122) but this has disappeared.
At the east end of the south aisle is a mediæval
grave slab, re-used in the 17th century, inscribed
round the verge in Lombardic characters—' Margery
la femme Johan ci Dieu de sa alme eyt mercy.' (fn. 123)
In the north chapel is a mural monument to Sir
John (d. 1703), Sir Gilbert (d. 1735), and Sir Edward
Pickering (d. 1749), baronets, and other members
of the family down to 1766; and a table tomb to
John, eldest son of Sir Gilbert Pickering, who died in
1703 in his eighth year. The chapel also contains two
wooden mural tablets painted by Mrs. Elizabeth
Creed, the first about 1710 (fn. 124) in memory of her brother
the Rev. Theophilus Pickering, D.D., Prebendary
of Durham, and successively rector of Gateshead and
Sedgefield, who died in 1710; (fn. 125) the second in 1722 in
memory of her cousin John Dryden, and his parents
Erasmus Dryden and Mary Pickering, which is surmounted by a wooden bust of the poet. (fn. 126)
The east end of the south aisle, which was the
burial place of the Creed family and formerly enclosed
by a wooden screen, (fn. 127) contains mural monuments to
John Creed of Oundle (d. 1701), 'a wise, learned,
pious man,' who 'served His Majesty King Charles
ye II in divers Honorable employments at home and
abroad' ; (fn. 128) his wife Elizabeth (d. 1728), daughter of
Sir Gilbert Pickering; (fn. 129) his son Richard who was
killed at Blenheim in 1704; (fn. 130) and his daughter
Jemima (d. 1705). In another part of the aisle is a
monument to Colonel John Creed (d. 1751) who
'served under the Duke of Marlborough in the
wars during the reigns of King William and Queen
Ann.'
There are three scratch dials on the south side of
the church, (i) on porch, (ii) on gable of middle
buttress of aisle, and (iii) on lower stage of angle
buttress of chancel.
There were formerly six bells in the tower, but two
trebles were added in 1885, and the whole eight recast
in 1913 by Gillett and Johnson, of Croydon. (fn. 131)
The plate consists of a silver cup and cover paten of
1670, another cup and cover paten of 1674, a flagon
of 1670 (inscribed '1671'), and a silver alms-dish of
1836, given in 1837 by the Hon. and Rev. L. Powys,
rector. (fn. 132)
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i)
baptisms 1544–1651, marriages 1556–1646, burials
1543–4, 1556–1646; (ii) all entries 1653–1715; (iii)
baptisms 1715–1789, marriages 1715–1754, burials
1715–1787; (iv) baptisms and burials 1789–1812; (v)
marriages 1755–1812. There are two volumes of
churchwardens' accounts: (1) 1730–1766; (ii) 1779–
1792.
Advowson
The church of St. Mary the Virgin (fn. 133)
is a rectory, of which the advowson
was held by the lord of Lovel's
manor since the early 13th century. (fn. 134) The first
recorded presentation was by Ascelin de Sidenham in
1224. (fn. 135) At the present day, Lord Lilford is patron. In
1616, Sir John Pickering sold the next presentation
to Lord Say and Sele, (fn. 136) who presented, together with
Robert Horseman in 1633, (fn. 137) while in 1660, (fn. 138) presumably before Sir Gilbert Pickering, the Parliamentarian,
obtained his pardon, a presentation was made by the
Crown. The rector of Achurch, in 1291, had a
portion in the rectory worth £1 a year. (fn. 139)
The free chapel of St. Stephen (fn. 140) founded by John,
son of John Lovel, is first mentioned in 1293 (fn. 141) and
was a chantry chapel in the castle or manor of Titchmarsh. It was served by a chaplain presented
by the lords of Lovel's manor, (fn. 142) the last recorded
presentation being by Alice, the widow of William,
Lord Lovel in 1462. (fn. 143) No chantry certificate exists
and presumably the Somersets retained possession of
the Chantry lands, though the latter and some of the
demesne lands called Somerset's lands were later
separated from Lovel's manor. They came into the
possession of Boniface Pickering, who died seised
of the Chantry lands in 1586, which were held in chief
of the Crown. (fn. 144) The lands presumably passed with
Tyrringham's manor (q.v.) to the Creeds, but they
did not include the Chapel itself and the Chapel Hill,
which were held by James Pickering, the second son of
the first Gilbert Pickering. On his death in 1602
they passed to his grandson William Bury, (fn. 145) who is
said to have sold them again to the Pickerings. (fn. 146)
Bridges mentions the Chapel Hill in the centre of the
village in the early 18th century. (fn. 147)
In 1672, George Foule obtained licence to use
James Cole's house and barn at Titchmarsh as a
Congregational Chapel. (fn. 148) There is now a Wesleyan
chapel in the parish.
Charities
The Hospital or Almshouses
founded by Dorothy Elizabeth
Pickering and Frances Byrd by indentures dated 1 and 2 January, 1756, consist of The
Almshouses in Titchmarsh and a farm of 210a. 1r. 6p.
at Molesworth, Huntingdonshire, let for £165,
including sporting rights. The property and the
following subsidiary charities are regulated by a
scheme of the Charity Commissioners dated 6 June,
1882. Mrs. Francis Byrd by her will and codicil
gave £1,500 Bank Annuities, now Consols, and producing £37 10s. yearly, for the benefit of the Hospital.
Thomas Knight by his will proved at York, 19 June,
1858, gave £900. This sum was invested in £839 3s. 3d.
India 5 per cent. now 3½ per cent. Stock producing
£29 7s. 4d. yearly. Thomas Attenborough by Declaration of Trust 1 September, 1891, gave £1,000, which
was invested in £1,047 2s. 4d. India 3 per cent. Stock
producing £31 8s. yearly. The Almshouses are
managed by a body of trustees consisting of the rector
and five others. The full number of almswomen is
twelve and during the year ended 30 June, 1924,
£134 15s. was applied in stipends, £33 0s. 4d. in
firing, £25 10s. 4d. in clothing, £9 10s. in nursing and
medical attendance for inmates.
By his will dated 30 March, 1697, Edward Pickering
gave £300 to the poor. The money was laid out in
the purchase of land let for £15 yearly and 17a. 3r. 14p.
let in allotments and producing about £18 yearly.
The sporting rights are let to Lord Lilford for £1 10s.
yearly. The charity is known as The Nonecclesiastical Charity and is regulated by the scheme
of the Charity Commissioners regulating the Almshouses and the trustees consist of those for the
Almshouses, together with five trustees appointed by
the Parish Council. The income is applied in subscriptions to the local coal and clothing clubs, in
urgent relief of poor and in subscriptions to hospitals.
An allotment of five acres of land was set out upon
the inclosure of the open fields in or about the
year 1778 in lieu of land formerly appropriated to
the use of the church. The land is let to Mr. A.
Abbott for £10 yearly which is applied by the
churchwardens in the maintenance and upkeep of the
church.
By her will proved in P.R. 23 June, 1887, Caroline
Powys bequeathed £500 to the rector and two other
trustees for the benefit of the poor. The endowment
consists of £534 L. and N.E.R. 3 per cent. Debenture
Stock and the income, amounting to £16 0s. 6d., is
applied in doles to about 40 aged poor.
The several sums of stock are with the Official
Trustees of Charitable Funds.