IRTHLINGBOROUGH
Erdeburne, Erdinburne (xi cent.), Yrlingbure,
Irtlingburg, Irtlibure, Urtlingburch (xii cent.),
Yrthingburia, Irelingburg, Irtlingburgh (xiii cent.),
Hertillingborogh (xiv cent.), Artleborough (xvi, xvii,
xviii cent.), Itchingborowe (xvii cent.).
The parish of Irthlingborough comprises 3,676
acres, of which about half is arable and half under
grass. It lies in the bend of the River Nene, which
forms its eastern and southern boundaries, while the
Ise, a tributary of the Nene, is its western boundary.
The land rises northward and westward from the river,
reaching 260 ft. at Crow Hill near the confines of Little
Addington. The soil is clay, iron- and limestone.
Until the latter part of the 16th century Irthlingborough formed two parishes, the one with its church
of St. Peter standing in the village on the south side
of the main road, and the other with its church of
All Saints about a quarter of a mile east of St. Peter's.
The site of this church is in a field overlooking the
Nene on the south-west of the road to Higham Ferrers,
near the manor house, which was probably the manor
house of the Bataille fee to which the church was
attached. As early as 1428 (fn. 1) there were only eight
parishioners, and in 1562 the church is said to have
been 'devasted and in utter ruin.' Sir William
Cecil, being in want of lead for the roof of Burleigh
House, was informed that the parishioners of All
Saints were 'otherwise sufficiently provided of a
church,' and that the Dean of Peterborough, who had
been approached, declared the lead on the church was
worth £10, and no one should have it except Cecil. (fn. 2)
In 1570, after an episcopal visitation, the churchwardens were admonished regarding the state of the
church. The glass windows were broken 'that 20
nobles will not make them sufficient,' two altars were
half standing and 'not pulled down as they ought,'
there was 'much superstition which would grieve any
man to come to' and the churchyard was 'in confusion.' The churchwardens were ordered to certify
that the repairs had been made. (fn. 3) Probably no repairs
were carried out, and the church at this time fell into
complete ruin, although the fragment of a gravestone,
bearing the date 1670, found on the site, may indicate
that the churchyard was in use until the close of the
17th century. The church had been pulled down long
before Bridges wrote (d. 1724), though considerable
remains of it then existed, built into a house. In 1849
only the foundations of the eastern and northern walls
could be made out, and from them it was considered
that the church was smaller than that of St. Peter's.
The foundations are now only discernible for a few feet.
The village clusters round the road from Higham
Ferrers to Kettering where it is crossed by the by-road
from Wellingborough to the Addingtons and Woodford. The former road crosses the River Nene to the
east of the village by Irthlingborough Bridge, which
was built probably in the 14th century. It consists of
ten ribbed arches of three chamfered orders with five
refuge cutwaters on the down-stream side and three
further cutwaters at the south end weathering back
below the parapet. One of the cutwaters bears the
date 1668 denoting, probably, the time of some repair.
The bridge was widened on the up-stream side in 1754
by the addition of semicircular brick arches which are
advanced nearly to the front of the old cutwaters (fn. 4) ;
on a stone of one of these cutwaters are the arms of
Peterborough Monastery. The refuges above on this
side have been destroyed. The bridge was repaired
in 1922. The expense of the repairs of this bridge,
and that at Ditchford at the south of the parish, was
formerly borne jointly by Irthlingborough and Higham
Ferrers.
The market cross stands at the junction of the two
main roads. It is of late 13th century date and consists
of a calvary of seven octagonal steps (fn. 5) with a shaft
splayed from a square base to form an irregular
octagon, on each face of which at unequal distances are
carved ballflowers resembling crockets. The capital
is carved with trefoil foliage and is surmounted by a
square abacus set diagonally to the base. The cross
was restored in 1925 by H.M. Office of Works.
Bridges states that 'the staff' of the cross, in height
13 ft., was used as a standard for the pole to measure
the 'parts or doles on the meadows.' (fn. 6)
A house at the west end of the main street is dated
1624, but very few old buildings remain in the town.
On a small two-storied house in Gosham Street is a
panel inscribed:
William Trigg
built this house
for two widows
anno dom. 1724
In 1630 there is mention of a meadow called 'Towne
Hulme' probably part of the common, the tenants
of which and those of the King's meadow in Higham
Ferrers had to maintain the ditch between them. An
Act for inclosing lands in the parish was passed in
1808. (fn. 7)
Boot and shoemaking has been the principal industry
in the parish for a long time. There are also iron
works.
Peterborough Abbey. Gules two crossed keys or.
Manors
IRTHLINGBOROUGH may have
been included in Edgar's grant of Kettering (q.v.) to the abbot and convent of
Peterborough. In 1086 the abbey held there five
hides and one virgate. (fn. 8) The survey of the abbey's
land made between 1125 and 1128 states that two
hides were in demesne, that
three villeins and ten halfvilleins held 1 hide, the priest
one virgate and two socmen
one bovate and a half, that
there were two cottars, and
that one hide, less half a virgate, lay vacant. Further, the
socmen of Irthlingborough
were said to hold one hide,
one virgate and one bovate
and to owe knights' service.
The Northamptonshire Survey gives the land of the abbey's fee in Irthlingborough
as five and a half hides and one small virgate. (fn. 9) A
charter of Pope Eugenius III of 1146 (fn. 10) and royal
charters of 1189, (fn. 11) 1227 (fn. 12) and 1332 (fn. 13) confirmed
their holding in Irthlingborough to the abbot
and convent. Abbot Martin de Bec (1135–55)
assigned the profits of Irthlingborough to the work
of the sacristy; (fn. 14) Abbot Walter, of Bury St. Edmunds
(1233–45), built there a new byre and new stables; (fn. 15)
and Abbot Godfrey of Crowland (1299–1321) inclosed
the right side of the manor with a new stone wall and
new gates in front of the hall, the former wall being
in ruins. (fn. 16) Officials of the abbey must have stayed
in the hall from time to time, and in 1281 it sheltered
the Bishop of Lincoln. (fn. 17) In 1321–2, there was a capital
messuage, and the demesne included 70 acres of arable
land, 21 acres of meadow, and pasture of the annual
value of 6s. 8d.; seven free tenants rendered 10s. 6d.
a year, twenty-three customary tenants held virgates
of land and were bound to do tillage, weeding,
reaping and harvesting on 46 acres of the demesne,
and to till the remaining 24 acres. Further, for each
virgate, they had to supply a man for a day in every
week in the year, except at Christmas, Easter, and
Whitsuntide, or render ½d. for each day's work of one
man. (fn. 18)
The manor continued in the possession of Peterborough Abbey until the Dissolution. (fn. 19)
In 1542 the manor of Irthlingborough was granted
to the dean and chapter of Peterborough, (fn. 20) who are still
lords.
Hugo Candidus states that when Thorold, Abbot
of Peterborough (1069–88), distributed land in knights'
fees, because he desired defenders against Hereward
the Wake, he made two fees in Irthlingborough. (fn. 21) In
1086, however, four knights held there of the abbot
five hides, less one virgate. (fn. 22) In the middle of the
next century these knights' fees were apparently represented by 3½ hides held by Reginald de la Bataille, and
one hide by Simon Basset of the Avenel fee. (fn. 23) These
holdings were included in the confirmatory charters
granted to the abbey by Eugenius III, (fn. 24) Richard I, (fn. 25)
Henry III, (fn. 26) and Edward III. (fn. 27)
With regard to the BATAILLEFEE, there appears
to have been some doubt whether it was held directly
of the abbot of Peterborough or of the Bassingbourne
fee, which was held of the abbot. (fn. 28) Reginald de la
Bataille seems to have been succeeded by William de la
Bataille (de Bello), who held land in Irthlingborough
in 1179 (fn. 29) and in 1189 he, with Richard del Peak, held
3 knights' fees in Irthlingborough and Addington.
William de la Bataille in 1214 claimed the advowson of
the church of All Saints, (fn. 30) and in the middle of the
13th century Robert de la Bataille held 1½ knights' fee
in Irthlingborough, Addington and Woodford. (fn. 31) In
1316–17 Henry de Drayton conveyed a manor of
Irthlingborough to Simon de Drayton probably in
settlement. (fn. 32) Simon held it of the fee of Bataille (fn. 33)
and in 1327 obtained a grant of free warren over his
lands there. (fn. 34) In 1353 he conveyed the manor to
John Pyel, citizen and mercer of London, (fn. 35) whose
widow Joan, at his desire, founded the college of
Irthlingborough in 1388. (fn. 36) The manor passed to
Nicholas Pyel, who did homage to the abbot of
Peterborough in 1399. (fn. 37) He married Elizabeth
Gorge and died in 1402–3. He is said to have had a
son John, who was succeeded by Elizabeth, probably
his daughter. Elizabeth married Sir William Huddleston and on her death the manor passed to her son,
Henry Huddleston, who at his death in 1488 bequeathed it to his daughter Elizabeth, wife of Thomas
Cheyney, but failing heirs of her body it was to be
devoted to the salvation of his soul and the souls of
his parents and ancestors. (fn. 38) Sir Thomas Cheyney and
others, in 1511, obtained licence to grant to the dean
and chapter of the collegiate church of Irthlingborough
lands of the annual value of £21. (fn. 39) These lands
probably went towards the endowment of the two
additional prebends of the foundation of Lady Cheyney to which reference is found in 1530. (fn. 40) At the dis-
solution of the college in 1547, it seems to have been
possessed of manorial rights in Irthlingborough. (fn. 41)
A manor in Irthlingborough was settled by Sir
Thomas Cheyney, by his will dated 1512, on his wife
Anne for life with remainder in fee-tail on Elizabeth,
his daughter by his first wife, (fn. 42) Elizabeth Huddleston.
Sir Thomas died seised in 1514 and was succeeded by
his daughter Elizabeth, then aged 9 years, and affianced
to Thomas, son and heir of Sir Nicholas Vaux, (fn. 43) who
became second Lord Vaux of Harrowden. Elizabeth
died in 1556 and was succeeded by her son William,
third Lord Vaux, (fn. 44) who settled the manor in 1564. (fn. 45)
He held lands inherited from his mother in Irthlingborough and those of the late College. (fn. 46) In 1574 he
mortgaged the glebe lands of the rectory and parsonage. He married Mary, sister of Sir Thomas
Tresham, and was imprisoned as a recusant in 1583. (fn. 47)
In 1591 his second son Ambrose was accused of having,
at his father's instigation, carried off the barley of
Robert Gage, farmer of the parsonage. (fn. 48) Lord Vaux
died in 1595, having been predeceased by five weeks
by his son George, whose heir Edward was a minor. (fn. 49)
For assurance of title he obtained a crown grant of
the manor in 1612 and 1613, (fn. 50) and in 1616 he had a
fresh grant of free warren. (fn. 51) The manor was settled
on him in 1628. (fn. 52) In 1632 he married Elizabeth,
widow of the first earl of Banbury, and in 1646, (fn. 53) and
1655 (fn. 54) he settled Irthlingborough manor on his
reputed son by her, Nicholas, who was born in 1632,
and had succeeded to the earldom of Banbury.
Nicholas inherited the manor on the death of Lord
Vaux in 1661, and died in 1680, (fn. 55) when Irthlingborough manor passed to his eldest daughter Anne,
the wife of Sir John Briscoe, knight. By Sir John it
was sold before 1724 to John Underwood, attorney-atlaw, of Higham, who was succeeded by his son John,
a minor at this date. (fn. 56) John Underwood settled the
manor on himself and his wife in 1738, (fn. 57) and was
dealing with it in 1768. (fn. 58) It subsequently passed to
the dean and chapter of Peterborough, who are the
present owners.
The AVENEL FEE in Irthlingborough of one
knight was held of the abbot of Peterborough by
William Avenel (1125), whose son William was living
in 1168. (fn. 59) The second William left two daughters,
Amice, the wife of Richard de Vernon, and Elizabeth,
the wife of Simon Basset. (fn. 60) The whole fee seems to
have passed to Simon Basset. (fn. 61) after William, son of
Richard and Amice, had subinfeudated one —
Harang of their share. Simon Basset left a son John
Basset (1212) and a daughter Mabel, the wife of Guy
Wake. Robert son of John Basset was succeeded by
his grandson Robert. (fn. 62) The last Robert had a son
Robert Basset of Rushton, who did homage to the
abbot of Peterborough for his father's lands in
Irthlingborough of the fee of Avenel in 1291. (fn. 63) John
Basset was holding in 1348, when we find that Hugh
Wake, John le Warde and Henry Green held the
knight's fee of him. (fn. 64) Hugh Wake was the greatgrandson of Guy and Mabel Wake, referred to above,
whose son Thomas had a son Hugh, whose son Hugh
was the holder in 1346. (fn. 65) John le Warde and Henry
Green represented the interest of — Harang, above
referred to, whose share passed to Walkelin de Arderne,
and from his son Peter it seems to have been divided
between Richard le Warde, whose son John le Warde
was holding in 1346, and Hugh Heroun whose share
passed to Henry Green. (fn. 66) By 1428 the whole fee of
Hugh Wake and John le Warde, possibly including the
share of Henry Green, had been acquired by William
Braunspath. (fn. 67) The later descent of this holding has
not been traced, but it was probably acquired by the
chief lords, the abbot and convent of Peterborough,
who were purchasing much property about this time.
Apparently the first feoffee of the GARGATE FEE
of one knight in Irthlingborough and Warmington
was Hugh Gargate, who was enfeoffed probably in the
reign of Henry II. (fn. 68) Hugh was followed by Gunfrid
Gargate, whose son David granted to Walter, abbot
of Peterborough (1233–45) 17 virgates of land with a
messuage in Irthlingborough. (fn. 69) About 1228 the fee
became divided, two-thirds of it in Warmington going
to the St. Liz family and one-third in Irthlingborough
to Robert de Meysy and John de Dene. In 1254
Ralph Fitz Henry paid aid on this part of the fee and
in 1315 it was held by Roger de Lisle and later by
John de Lisle. (fn. 70)
In 1341 John de Seymour (St. Maur) died seised
of rents in Irthlingborough, held of Alan de Seymour,
leaving a son John, (fn. 71) who in 1347 held of the abbot of
Peterborough in Irthlingborough one-third of the
knight's fee in Warmington and Irthlingborough
which had been in the tenure of Hugh Gargate. (fn. 72)
This John de Seymour died in 1349, leaving a son
John, a minor, but before his death he had demised
his holding in Irthlingborough to William de Seymour
of Hardwick. (fn. 73) This conveyance may have been in
trust, for in 1357 Thomas de Seymour died seised of
messuages and land in Irthlingborough, held of the
abbot of Peterborough. The holding had been
settled on Thomas, in tail, by the grant of Warine
de Seymour, with remainders to his brothers, of whom
Nicholas alone survived and inherited, since Thomas
died without issue. (fn. 74) In 1428 the tenants of the fee
in Irthlingborough once in the tenure of John de
Seymour were said to be William Braunspath, Richard
Lord and John Lord. (fn. 75) The later descent cannot be
traced.
Plan of St. Peter's Church, Irthlingborough
Church
The church of ST. PETER consists
of chancel 41 ft. by 16 ft., with north
and south chapels, nave of four bays,
44 ft. 6 in. by 18 ft. 6 in., north and south transeptal
chapels, 17 ft. by 16 ft., north and south aisles,
west porch, 18 ft. by 11 ft. 6 in., and west tower
13 ft. square, all these measurements being internal.
The north aisle is 13 ft. 6 in. wide and the south aisle
15 ft., the width across nave and aisles being 51 ft. 6 in.
There are clearstories both to chancel and nave, with
battlemented parapets, but elsewhere the parapets
are plain. All the roofs, except that of the porch,
are leaded and of low pitch.
The tower stands west of the porch and is connected with it by a building measuring internally
14 ft. by 10 ft., to which other buildings were attached
on the north side covering the tower : the vaulted
cellars of these remain. This western structure formed
part of the buildings of the college: other collegiate
buildings appear to have been on the south side.
The church is built of rubble, and internally the
walls have been stripped of plaster, except in the aisles
and transepts. The use of mingled ironstone and
freestone in the nave and chancel arcades produces a
rich note of colour.
The original church was of 12th-century date. It
had a nave the same size as at present and a south
arcade the moulded pier-bases of which are still
in situ, but no other work of this period remains, the
church having been entirely rebuilt in the second
quarter of the 13th century, approximately on the
existing plan. The chancel, chapels, nave, transepts and aisles are substantially of this period, but
the chancel was lengthened a bay, c. 1280–90, and
windows inserted in other parts of the building.
The tower was probably built or begun by John
Pyel, but may not have been completed at his death
in 1376: he was also responsible for the west doorway,
porch, and connecting building, and the establishment
of the college led to other alterations in the church,
the chancel being heightened by the addition of a
clearstory and new windows inserted in other parts.
The nave clearstory was added in the latter part of
the 15th century.
The tower having long been in a dangerous state (fn. 76)
was taken down in 1887 and rebuilt on a new concrete
foundation in 1888–93 as far as possible with the old
stone. The first portion was completed in the spring
of 1889 and the tower finished as far as the battlements in 1892: the octagon was rebuilt in 1893.
The chancel has an east window of five gradated
lancets with pierced spandrels, and north and south
windows of two lights with forked mullions, all having
chamfered rear arches and plain jambs. North of the
altar in the east wall is a triangular headed aumbry,
and in the south wall below the window a double
piscina. (fn. 77) Below the north window is a segmental
wall recess with inner moulded arch and trefoiled
cusping, containing a 13th-century coped coffin lid
with cross in circle. Thus far the work belongs to
the late 13th century bay, which extends about 12 ft.
beyond the chapel on the south side. Further west
in the south wall is a fragment of the earlier 13thcentury piscina and a rectangular aumbry, the lintel
of which has a cusped trefoil cut on the face. The
western half of the chancel, which formed the collegiate
quire, is open to the chapels on both sides by 13thcentury arcades of two arches on piers composed of
four clustered shafts and half-round responds, all
with moulded capitals and bases: the arches are
of two chamfered orders. The wide and lofty chancel
arch is of similar character, the outer order continuous,
the inner springing from attached shafts with moulded
capitals and bases on high plinths. The chancel
clearstory has four square-headed three-light windows on each side, the western windows being
narrower than the rest.
The chapels differ in size, but that on the north
has been rebuilt and its east wall moved slightly
west of the respond of the chancel arcade. This was
probably done at the beginning of the 16th century
by Sir Thomas Cheyney, whose arms occur on two of
a row of otherwise blank shields on the parapet. The
walling is rather rough and without string-course or
buttress, but the old windows were re-used. As
rebuilt, the chapel measures internally 21 ft. 6 in. by
13 ft., and it is divided from the north aisle by a 13thcentury arch of two chamfered orders springing from
half-round responds at a considerably higher level
than those of the nave and chancel arcades. The east
window is of two lights with forked mullion and in
the north wall is a restored 14th-century window of
two trefoiled lights and quatrefoil in the head.
The south chapel is 29 ft. long by 16 ft. wide, and
has a moulded outer doorway and two two-light
windows with forked mullions in the south wall.
The east window is blocked: on its north jamb is
an image bracket and another in the north wall
adjoining. From the north-east angle of the chapel
a 15th-century squint with cinquefoiled and embattled head is directed to the high altar. (fn. 78) The
arch to the aisle is similar to that on the north side,
but has been restored.
The 13th-century nave arcades consist of four
arches (fn. 79) of two chamfered orders springing from piers
of four clustered shafts with moulded capitals and
bases and from half-round responds. The capitals
of the north arcade are more elaborately moulded
and of greater projection than those opposite, but on
both sides the arches are built of approximately
alternate voussoirs of ironstone and freestone, like
those of the chancel arcades. (fn. 80) The bases of the piers
of the south arcade stand upon square plinths and
12th-century circular moulded bases with foot ornaments: the plinths alone remain on the north side.
The lines of the high-pitched 13th-century roof are
still visible at the ends of the nave and high in the
west wall is a three-light 14th-century window with
excellent tracery, probably inserted by Pyel. The
lofty clearstory windows have very depressed arches
and are of three trefoiled lights. The doorway to
the rood loft remains in the south wall west of the
chancel arch: towards the aisle several steps of the
rood stair remain in the thickness of the wall.
The north aisle has a late 14th-century squareheaded window of four trefoiled lights at the west end
and in the north wall a blocked doorway with continous mouldings, a 15th-century window of three
lights like those of the nave clearstory, and further
east a square-headed 14th-century two-light window.
Externally, east of the doorway, is a mutilated stoup
and above it a moulded rectangular recess with blank
panel.
The south aisle has a restored west window of three
gradated lancets, and in the south wall a squareheaded 14th-century three-light window with good
reticulated tracery. West of this is a single lancet
which, though modernised, appears to be one of the
original windows of the 13th-century church: there
is another in the west wall of the south transept.
This transept is divided from the aisle by a wide
14th-century arch of two chamfered orders, the inner
springing from half-octagonal responds with moulded
capitals and bases, and is lighted at the end by a
pointed 14th-century window of three lights with
reticulated tracery: in the east wall is a late 13th
century two-light window with forked mullion.
Below the transept is a crypt, or bone-hole, approached
from the aisle by a staircase in the thickness of the
west wall and covered by a single bay of quadripartite
vaulting, the ribs of which spring from low angleshafts. The crypt is lighted by windows on the
south and east.
The 13th-century arch to the north transept is
similar in character to that between the aisle and
the north chapel. Externally the transept has low
diagonal buttresses, and is lighted at the end by a
window of three gradated lancets and from the west
by a two-light window with forked mullion. In
the east wall is a wide and deeply recessed moulded
arch resting on three short shafts; the arch appears
never to have been opened and probably contained
the transept altar.
The west porch had originally a chamber over, (fn. 81)
but is now open its full height and covered with a
modern high-pitched tiled roof hipped at the east end
so as not to interfere with the nave window (fn. 82) The
porch has four doorways, those north and south being
external and placed near the west end of the walls.
They have a continuous moulding and labels on the
outside, but internally plain segmental rear arches
only. The east doorway is, of course, the west
doorway of the church and is moulded similarly to
the porch, but with some difference in the terminations of the label. On each side of the doorway is a
trefoiled niche and above are two transomed, or double
stage niches with groined canopies and the arms of Pyel
below the sills. The doorway into the forebuilding of
the tower corresponds in moulding with the others, and
over it is a trefoiled niche with a flue behind, evidently
intended for a light. (fn. 83) The porch is now lighted by
modern pointed windows of two lights in the north
and south walls, but traces of square-headed windows
remain on the south side, one of which, high in the
wall, retains its label.
The 15th-century font has an octagonal bowl with
elaborate traceried panels and embattled top moulding
on a panelled stem.
There are four 15th-century stalls on each side
of the quire, but the misericords are missing from
three: of the others one has a man holding a shield
and four are moulded.
The pulpit and seating are modern.
In the floor of the north chapel is a fragment of
the brass inscription from the grave of Richard
Frysseby, first dean of the college, which reads
'. . . pro anima domini Ricardi . . . qui obiit . . .' (fn. 84)
The monument of the founder John Pyel (d. 1376)
and Joan his wife in the south chapel has already
been described: (fn. 85) the effigies are mutilated and lie
on a tomb with panelled sides. A later mutilated
female effigy, (fn. 86) supposed to represent Elizabeth, first
wife of Sir Thomas Cheyney, lies on the floor of the
chapel, and against the east wall is a 16th century
canopied table tomb at the back of which are indents
of two figure brasses, two shields and two inscriptions. (fn. 87) In the floor of the chapel are three grave
slabs containing indents, one a blue stone with figure
of priest, inscription, shield and corner roundels,
another with figures of knight and lady and shields
at bottom, and the third is a fragment only with
canopy work and two shields.
In the north chapel are wall monuments to Mary,
wife of Anthony Leybourne (d. 1690), Henry Wyckley
(d. 1723), Simon Taylor (d. 1786), Simon Oliver
Taylor (d. 1819) and Ann his wife (d. 1773).
The tower is of unusual design and stands about
36 ft. west of the nave, having apparently been
planned with the college buildings, of which it formed
part. It is of four stages, with battlemented parapets
and angle turrets and is surmounted by an octagonal
lantern of two stages with pointed roof, or short
spire of lead. The total height of tower and octagon
is 99 ft. The three lower stages of the square tower
have rectangular buttresses set back a little from the
angles and carried up the bell-chamber stage as flat
pilasters. The lower stage has windows on three
sides, that on the north being square-headed and on
one side set towards the east. The middle stage has
openings on the north and west only, while in the
third stage there are windows on all four sides with
the arms of Pyel in a panel above. The bell-chamber
windows consist of two single pointed openings with
flowing tracery and hoods, set widely apart and with
a trefoiled and gabled niche (fn. 88) between. The two
external stages of the lantern are divided by a string
and in the lower one wide rectangular openings with
trefoiled heads, except on the west side, which is blank.
On each face of the upper stage is a square-headed and
panelled window of three trefoiled lights with quatrefoils in the head. The tower has a vice in the northeast corner giving access to the bell-chamber: the
parapet is carried on a corbel-table and has cross
loopholes.
In a description of the tower written by Professor
Freeman about 1848, (fn. 89) it is stated that the buttresses
on the south side were then new and 'but feeble
imitations of the older work.' A vast buttress had
been built against the east face as high as the bellchamber windows, concealing any openings on that
side, the tower having 'previously been in a somewhat
dangerous state, which had been increased by opening
a small doorway in the south wall.' (fn. 90) At that time
the structure leaned 'very perceptibly' to the southeast.
Internally the lantern was divided by floors into
three stories connected by staircases and passages
in the thickness of the walls. The lower and uppermost chambers had fireplaces, and all three (fn. 91) floors
appear to have formed part of the collegiate buildings.
The uppermost chamber was lighted from the large
panelled 'windows' of the top stage, the lower parts
of which, however, were blocked. The theory that
the interior of the lantern had been cased and the
fireplaces added some time after its actual building
and that the stability of the tower was thus affected, (fn. 92)
was not borne out by any structural evidence at the
time of demolition. No straight joint in the thickness
of the wall was found, the outer and inner stones
being tailed into the wall and built with lime mortar,
but the filling-in between was found to be of rubble
and mud. Upon removing the recessed stone
traceried panelling of the upper windows it was found
that on seven sides the spaces between the mullions
had been filled in with ironstone without bonding
into the mullions or jambs, and in the remaining one
(facing north) the filling was worked out of the solid
stone. The walls of the square tower from the bellchamber downwards were also constructed with a
filling of rubble, and it was found that as the walls got
thicker the proportion of rubble filling in the centre
increased in ratio, causing the walls to split apart
vertically and thus largely to crush and destroy the
wrought stone. (fn. 93) The failure of the 14th-century
structure therefore seems to have been due to an
unequal pressure of the lantern on walls of very
imperfect construction below, rather than to any
additional weight imposed later. As rebuilt, the
lantern retains its original internal features, but the
floor joists are left open to allow of greater dispersion
in the sound of the bells.
The doorway in the middle stage on the north side
of the tower no doubt gave access to a building on
that side, which was continued eastward as far as
the porch, covering and forming part of the existing
building between the porch and the tower. The
cellars of this structure, as already stated, still remain
and consist of two vaulted chambers about 6 ft.
high, one opening from the other. The larger is
entered from the chamber west of the porch and has
two bays of quadripartite vaulting in one of which the
boss bears the arms of Pyel: the smaller cellar north
of the tower is about 13 ft. square and has a more
complicated vault the boss of which is carved with
a rose. Both cellars are lighted by splayed windows
just above ground level.
The building between the porch and tower is
approximately the height of the second stage of the
tower, but its south wall has been rebuilt. On the
north side it is of two stories with a blocked pointed
doorway in each. From the ground floor the tower
is entered by a moulded doorway and in the south-east
corner is a squint piercing the buttress and commanding the south doorway of the porch.
There are eight bells, two trebles by J. Taylor
and Co., of Loughborough, having been added in
1893 to a former ring of six cast by T. Mears of
London in 1829. (fn. 94)
The plate consists of a cup, paten, flagon, and two
plates with the London date-letter 1832–3, each
inscribed 'Irthlingboro' 1833.' (fn. 95)
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (1)
baptisms and burials 1562–1739, marriages 1562–1738;
(ii) baptisms and burials 1739–1812, marriages
1739–1753; (iii) marriages 1754–1812. The earlier
entries in the first volume were copied from an old
register book in the year 1603.
Advowson
The church of St. Peter must be
that church of Irthlingborough confirmed to Peterborough Abbey in the
charters of Eugenius III, (fn. 96) Richard I, (fn. 97) Henry III, (fn. 98)
and Edward III. (fn. 99) Pope Eugenius III also confirmed
to the abbey two parts of the tithes of the lordship
of Irthlingborough. (fn. 100) In 1291 the value of the church
was £16 13s. 4d. a year, in addition to a pension of
£2 6s. 8d. paid to the abbot of Peterborough. (fn. 101) In
1332 an inquisition having found that no wrong
would thus be done, (fn. 102) the abbot and convent of Peterborough received licence to grant to the parson of
St. Peter's Church in Irthlingborough, for the
enlargement of the rectory house, a messuage there,
in exchange for another messuage and an acre of
land in the same place. (fn. 103)
In 1388 the rectory became Irthlingborough
College (fn. 104) (q.v.) and the patronage was exercised
alternately by the heirs of the founder and the abbot
of Peterborough. This house, when dissolved, was
found to hold lands and other property to the value of
£73 4s. 9d. a year, and to have goods and chattels
variously returned as worth £6 13s. 4d. (fn. 105) and £7 3s. 2d. (fn. 106)
The commissioners stated that 'a vicar of necessitie
is to be indowed there forasmuch as the master of
the seyd college is both vicar and person there.'
The college house, which was annexed to the church,
was roofed with lead. (fn. 107) The rectory, the advowson of
the vicarage and the church were, in 1581, granted by
the queen in fee-farm to Edward Downing and Peter
Ashton, the fee simple being vested in John Morley. (fn. 108)
At this time the holder of the rectory was bound to
pay out £25 10s. 3½d. a year, namely £13 6s. 8d.
to the curate for his stipend, 33s. 4d. to the dean and
chapter for their pension, and £9 2s. 10½d. to them for
their due rent, 13s. 4d. to the bishop for his pension
and 3s. 4d. to him for the visitation of Irthlingborough
College, and 10s. 9d. to the Archdeacon of Northampton for synodals and procurations. (fn. 109) In 1597
Irthlingborough rectory was conveyed to Edward
Vaux, Lord Harrowden, by Sir Thomas Tresham and
others. (fn. 110) It is not clear when the advowson passed
to this family. Thomas Infield, clerk, in 1639 petitioned Archbishop Laud, who had, he alleged,
licensed him in 1633, during a vacancy of the bishopric
of Peterborough, to serve the cure of St. Peter's,
Irthlingborough. He stated that subsequently
William Crane, clerk, had been nominated to the cure
by Edward, Lord Vaux, and that the archbishop,
by an oversight, had licensed him. George Broughton,
Lord Vaux's bailiff, had seized the keys of the church
and kept Infield out of it, so that on Sunday, 21
October 1638, there had been no service. Infield
declared that the records had been searched and the
church found to be a vicarage to which the king
presented, institution and induction being by the
archbishop. Crane counterpetitioned, stating that
he was a poor man with a wife and eight children and
no means of subsistence except his curacy, and that
Infield had created a disturbance in the church.
The Court of High Commission found in favour of
Infield, Broughton and Crane being ordered to make
submission and the former fined £20 and the latter
£10. Crane was also ordered to pay costs. (fn. 111)
It seems to have been established that the advowson
was vested in the Crown, for in 1641 the receiver of
the king's revenues for Northamptonshire was directed
to stay payment to Thomas Infield of the stipend due
to him as curate of Irthlingborough, since he was
acting as vicar and claiming tithes. (fn. 112) The advowson
of St. Peter's vicarage, as well as the rectory, was,
however, settled in 1646, (fn. 113) 1651 (fn. 114) and 1655 (fn. 115) on
Nicholas, first Earl of Banbury, the holder of the
manor. From him both the rectory and the advowson
of the vicarage passed to his son Charles, the second
earl. (fn. 116) He in 1694 conveyed these rights to Thomas
and George Watson, (fn. 117) and in 1696 George Watson
conveyed them to Thomas Wentworth, alias Watson,
and his wife Alice. (fn. 118) This Thomas, the third son of
Lewis Watson, first Earl of Rockingham, had in 1695
inherited the estates of his mother's brother, the
second Earl of Strafford, and had then assumed the
additional surname of Wentworth. He was created
Baron and Earl Malton, and inherited the earldom of
Rockingham in 1746. In 1738 he presented to the
vicarage William Knowler, who a year later published
The Earl of Strafford's Letters and Despatches from the
collection inherited by his patron. (fn. 119) Lord Malton
was created Marquess of Rockingham in 1746 and
died in 1750, leaving a son and heir Charles, who died
without issue in 1782, when the rectory and advowson
of Irthlingborough passed to his sister's son, William,
fourth Earl Fitzwilliam. (fn. 120) They are now in the
tenure of George Charles Wentworth-Fitzwilliam,
grandson of the fifth earl.
Fitzwilliam. Lozengy argent and gules.
Wentworth. Sable a cheveron between three leopards' beads or.
The church of All Saints followed the descent of the
Bataille fee to 1214, when William de la Bataille
gave the advowson to the abbot and convent of
Peterborough in exchange for lands in the tenure of
Nicholas, son of Geoffrey. (fn. 121) In 1313 the pope gave
to Robert de Bukyngham, alias de Selford, rector,
dispensation to accept another benefice of the value
of £40. (fn. 122) John de Thornton was provided to the
church in 1328, and on his death in the same year the
king successfully claimed the right to present during
a vacancy of the abbacy. (fn. 123) After the Dissolution the
rectory, namely, the great and small tithes, the house
and the glebe, was worth 106s. 8d. (fn. 124) The advowson
of the rectory was granted in 1541 to the dean and
chapter of Peterborough (fn. 125) who presented in 1661
and 1664. (fn. 126) The bishop collated in 1675, but in
1646, 1651, 1655 and 1683 (fn. 127) the advowson of All
Saints together with that of St. Peter was settled as
parcel of the estates of the earls of Harrowden. The
church, as already stated, had fallen into ruin and the
site and parsonage seem to have passed with the
manor (q.v.)
Charities
William Trigg built a school and
an almshouse in two tenements and
by his will, dated 25 Feb. 1728,
charged his lands with rentcharges amounting to
£27 4s. The charity is regulated by a scheme of the
Charity Commissioners dated 18 May 1897, pursuant
to which rentcharges of £17 and £1 issuing out of
various properties in Finedon and Irthlingborough,
including the house at Irthlingborough in which the
founder lived, were made the endowments of a separate
charity called the Educational and Ecclesiastical
Charity of William Trigg. £17 is applied to the
National School and £1 to the rector, the trustees
being the incumbent, churchwarden and two
others.
The remaining rentcharges issuing out of various
pieces of land in Irthlingborough, and amounting to
£9 4s. yearly, form the endowment of William Trigg's
charity for the poor. The trustees are the incumbent
and two others appointed by the U.D.C. £2 is paid to
each of the two inmates of the almshouse. £1 4s. is
distributed to poor widows, and the balance in
coal.
Richard Glover, by indenture dated 1 July 1801,
settled his land in trustees for the benefit of the poor
people of the Society of Friends and charged the same
with £10 yearly for the benefit of the poor of the
parish. The land known as Glover's Charity Farm,
and containing about 177 acres with farmhouse and
buildings, was sold in 1916 and the proceeds were
invested in £2,387 11s. 1d. Metropolitan Water Board
Stock, £916 8s. 2d. 5 per cent. War Stock, £3,793
19s. 10d. 3½ per cent. Conversion Stock, and £2,530
3s. 2d. Liverpool Corporation 5½ per cent. Red.
Stock with the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds,
producing £389 8s. yearly in dividends.
There are five trustees each of whom is entitled to
£1 1s. yearly for his own use; £10 is distributed to
the poor at Christmas and the residue is applicable
for the benefit of poor Quakers.
The Church Land:—An allotment was awarded
on an inclosure to the churchwardens in lieu of
lands previously appropriated to the repairs of the
Church. The property consists of 19 a. 2 r. 22 p. of
land abutting on Marsh Lane and is leased to the
U.D.C. at a rent of £70 per annum.
The Irthlingborough Nurses' Home Trust was
founded by indenture dated 4 June 1921. The
indenture recites that during the late War a fund
was raised called the Northamptonshire Regimental
Prisoners of War Fund, and as the objects for which
had been completely satisfied and a balance of
£1,059 left in the hands of the Prisoners of War
Committee, it was determined to apply the balance for
the purposes of the Irthlingborough Nurses' Home
Trust to provide accommodation for a nursing staff
for the parish and for the stretchers and other appliances belonging to the St. John Ambulance Association. £615, part of the sum of £1,059, was applied in
the purchase of three tenements known as Nos. 27,
29 and 31 Victoria Street, which premises are used
for the purposes of the trust. The trustees consist of the rector for the time being and four
others.