LILFORD-WITH-WIGSTHORPE
Lylleforde (xiv cent.); Wykenethorp (xiii cent.);
Wykyngesthorpe (xiv cent.).
This parish, though included in the Hundred of
Huxloe, is locally situated in the Hundred of Polebrook.
It lies on the east bank of the Nene, which is spanned
by a handsome stone bridge with fluted pilasters,
erected within a short distance of Lilford Hall in
1796.
The hamlet of Wigsthorpe forms the eastern portion
of the parish, the road from Thrapston to Oundle
running between it and Lilford. The few houses
which constitute the village are clustered round the
railway crossing in Wigsthorpe. In Bridges' time
Lilford possessed a village of 12 houses and a church
dedicated to St. Peter, and the hamlet of Wigsthorpe
also held 12 houses. A fine soft spring of water to
the south of Lilford Park marks what was once the
centre of Lilford village.
The greater part of the Lilford portion of the parish
is occupied by Lilford Park. Lilford Hall lies near
its western limit, and possesses an extremely charming
view, across the Nene, of Pilton with its old church
and manor house. The Hall is a fine example of
late Jacobean work built in 1635, this date appearing
on two great chimney stacks in the court at the back
of the house. The estate then belonged to the family
of Elmes, and it must have been William Elmes, who
succeeded in 1632 and died in 1641, who was the
builder. The three principal fronts are treated in the
traditional Jacobean manner, with mullioned windows
and gables, some of which are straight in outline and
some curved, the whole being disposed symmetrically;
but the entrance front has no projecting wings, its
line being only broken by a large semicircular bay
window of two stories at each end, and a porch of one
story in the middle. Wings project at the back and
form a kind of court. This general disposition is
indicative of the end of the Jacobean period. The
architectural treatment is quite simple, but none the
less satisfactory on that account. An unusual
feature is the grouping of many chimney flues in a
long straight row with separate shafts all joined
together at the top. The house stands well up above
the adjacent river Nene and has charming prospects.
Sir Thomas Powys, who purchased the property in
1711, decorated the interior in the fashion of the
time. The upstairs drawing room retains its original
character, and the main staircase dates from this
period; but the entrance hall and corridor appear
to have undergone alterations. There is one room,
the library, where the oak panelling and a handsome
oak chimneypiece of the early house still remain;
otherwise the interior work is of the 18th century and
later. Relatively small but judicious additions have
been made by the present Lord Lilford. The stables
at the rear form part of the architectural grouping.
They are of the 18th century, simply but carefully
planned and they add to the interest of the general
arrangement. The gardens have been admirably
laid out in modern times, and in conjunction with
much fine old timber, form an attractive setting to
the house. In aviaries attached to the house is a
collection of rare birds.
The area of the parish is 1827 acres of land and
13 acres of water. The ground near the Nene is
liable to floods, and nowhere rises to much more than
200 ft. The soil is clay; the sub-soil clay and rock.
To the west of the Thrapston road it is good: to the
east of it, cold and inferior. The chief crops grown
are wheat, barley and beans. The population in
1921 was 164. (fn. 1)
The vicarage is annexed to the rectory of Achurch,
where the rector, the incumbent of the combined
churches, resides.
The Public Elementary School (mixed) was built
about 1845 by Lady Lilford, and enlarged in 1866 by
Lord Lilford to hold 90 children. The children
attend from the adjoining parishes of Pilton and
Thorpe Achurch. Barnwell Station, on the London
Midland and Scottish Railway, is just within the parish
boundary.
Manor
In the time of King Edward the
Confessor, 5 hides in LILFORD were the
property of Thurchil, who held them
freely. They had probably been afterwards granted
to Waltheof, Earl of Huntingdon, who married
Judith, the Conqueror's niece. Judith continued to
hold in 1086 (fn. 2) after the execution of her husband in
1075. Their eldest daughter and coheir Maud was given
in marriage by William to his Norman follower
Simon de St. Lis or Senliz, who was made Earl of
Northampton and Huntingdon, and after his death
she was married to David, later king of Scotland, who
became Earl of Huntingdon. (fn. 3)
The overlordship followed the descent of the
earldom and honour of Huntingdon (see Fotheringhay).
The tenants in demesne were the Oliphants
(Olifard, Holyfard) who from being holders of land
in England under the kings of Scotland transferred
their allegiance to Scotland, becoming magnates and
peers there. (fn. 4) Three branches of the family apparently held lands within the counties of which the
King of Scotland was earl. The earliest member of
the family as yet found is Roger Oliphant who
witnessed a charter of Simon de St. Liz to St. Andrew's
Priory, Northampton, not later than 1108. (fn. 5) In the
survey of the reign of Henry I (1100–35) William
Oliphant was holder of 5 hides in Lilford of the king
of Scotland and was living about 1147. (fn. 6) He was
probably succeeded by David Oliphant godson of
King David of Scotland, who assisted at King David's
escape after the rout at Winchester in 1141. (fn. 7) It was
he probably who was attesting charters to 1167. (fn. 8)
His successor was possibly William whose name
appears in these counties about this time. (fn. 9) Walter
Oliphant was given as a hostage by William of Scotland
in 1174 (fn. 10) and a William and his sister Agatha were
connected with Northamptonshire in 1201. (fn. 11) It was
another Walter, probably, whose land in Lilford was
in 1216 committed to Ralf de Trubleville. (fn. 12) This
Walter was a man of considerable importance in
Scotland, holding the office of justice of Lothian and
being constantly in attendance on the king. (fn. 13) He
presented to the church of Lilford in 1228 (fn. 14) and
he (fn. 15) and William (fn. 16) Oliphant were dealing with lands
in Lilford and Wigsthorpe in 1232. In 1242–3 the heir
of Walter Oliphant (as though Walter were dead) is
said to hold one fee in Lilford
of the Earl of Albemarle of
the Honour of Huntingdon. (fn. 17)
This heir was apparently David
Oliphant, one of the magnates
of Scotland, who in 1244 was
returned as holding one fee in
Northamptonshire of William
de Forz, Earl of Albemarle,
and Christine his wife. (fn. 18) It
would seem that this David
was dead without issue before
1266 when Walter de Moray
(Moravia), apparently one of his heirs, presented to
the church of Lilford. (fn. 19) Divorgilla his widow,
described as Lady of Lilford, held the manor of
Lilford for life by gift of Walter de Moray, who
reserved the advowson of the church. (fn. 20) Divorgilla
Oliphant gave to Divorgilla daughter of Sir Walter
Montfichet (Montefixo) all the lands in Armiston
which she held by gift of Roger Wallenger, with remainders to Divorgilla Montfichet's brothers Laurence
and John. (fn. 21) In 1287 William Montfichet, Lord of
Kirgill (Kirkhill) in Scotland, and heir of the Lady
Divorgilla Oliphant, Lady of Lilford, granted the
lands he had received from her to Laurence son
of Sir Walter de Montfichet, his kinsman, with reversion to John son of the said Laurence. (fn. 22) In 1296
Divorgilla claimed the advowson of the church of
Lilford against William son of Walter de Moray, and
the King presented because the lands of Scottish
magnates had been taken into his hands. (fn. 23) However,
in 1299, the presentation was quashed as having been
made in error, the patronage belonging to William de
Moray. (fn. 24) In 1300 the manor and advowson of
Lilford were conveyed by William de Moray to
Anthony Bek, the famous Bishop of Durham, (fn. 25) and
he bequeathed them at his death in 1310 to his great
nephew Sir Robert de Willoughby, first Lord
Willoughby of Eresby, and Margaret his wife, daughter
of Edmund Lord Deyncourt, (fn. 26) Sir Robert being son
of Alice wife of Sir William de Willoughby and
daughter of John Bek of Eresby, brother of the bishop. (fn. 27)
Sir Robert de Willoughby obtained confirmation of
his title (fn. 28) and in 1316 was returned as holding Lilford
and its members. (fn. 29) He died in the same year seised,
jointly with his wife Margaret, of the manor and
advowson held of John de Britanny as of the Honour
of Huntingdon by the service of one knight's fee, his
heir being his son John aged 15 years. (fn. 30) John de
Willoughby confirmed a grant of the manor for life
to William de Willoughby and in 1330 was called
upon to justify his claim to soc and sac, tol and theam,
infangenthef and outfangenthef, free warren, view
of frank-pledge, freedom from
pontage, tolls, sheriff's aids,
etc., in Lilford. (fn. 31) John de
Willoughby was returned as
holding half a knight's fee in
Lilford in 1346. (fn. 32) He was
present at the battle of Crecy
in that year and died in 1349. (fn. 33)
He was succeeded by his son
Sir John de Willoughby, third
Lord Willoughby, who settled
the manor of Lilford and its
member Hockington in 1361. (fn. 34)
He took part in the battle of Poitiers and died
in 1372, having settled the manor on his son
Robert, fourth Lord Willoughby, and Robert's second
wife Margaret, daughter of William Lord Zouche
of Haringworth. (fn. 35) He re-settled the manor and
advowson in 1376 (fn. 36) and in 1384 he and his wife
Margaret granted the advowson to Sir John Holt and
others. (fn. 37) He died seised of the manor in 1396 and
was succeeded by his son William, fifth Lord Willoughby. (fn. 38) William died in 1409 leaving a son Robert,
sixth Lord Willoughby. (fn. 39) The manor of Lilford
had, however, been settled for life on Joan widow of
William, who after his death married Henry, Lord
Scrope of Masham, and later Sir Henry Brounflete.
She died in 1434, (fn. 40) when Robert sixth Lord
Willoughby succeeded. He was engaged in the wars
in France, being present at Agincourt, and died in
1452. His heir was his daughter Joan, the wife of
Richard de Welles, (fn. 41) seventh Lord Welles, who was
summoned to Parliament in her right as Lord
Willoughby, retaining this title apparently after her
death in 1460. The paternal estates of her husband,
forfeited by the attainder of his father Lyon or Leo,
Lord Welles, slain at the battle of Towton, where he
fought on the Lancastrian side, were restored to him
in 1464–5, and in 1468 he obtained full restitution
in blood and honours. But in 1469 he, his son-in-law
Sir Thomas Dymock, and his son and heir, Sir Robert
de Welles, were all beheaded near Stamford, in
consequence of the latter's participation in the
Lincolnshire rebellion. (fn. 42) The heir of Sir Robert de
Welles (whose execution followed that of his father)
was his sister Joan, who, being then the childless
widow of Richard Piggott of London, married as her
second husband Richard Hastings, brother to William,
Lord Hastings, Chamberlain of the Household to
Edward IV. (fn. 43) A faithful Yorkist, he obtained a grant
in 1470 of the lands his wife would have inherited
but for the attainder of her father and brother.
Lilford and its member, as conveyed to himself and
his wife Joan by grant of Thomas Fitzwilliam, senior,
and Thomas Fitzwilliam, junior, (fn. 44) were expressly
excepted from the act of attainder and forfeiture
against Richard Lord Welles, his son Lord Robert,
and his sons-in-law Thomas de la Laund and Sir
Thomas Dymock and others, and from the petition
for its repeal presented in 1485 (fn. 45) by the heirs of
Lord Welles. In 1473 Lilford was conveyed by
Sir Richard Hastings, kt., and Joan his wife, daughter
and heir of Sir Richard Welles, kt., sometime Lord
de Welles and Willoughby, to William Brown of
Stamford, John Brown of Stamford, Sir William
Stoke, kt., Thomas Stoke, clerk, John Elmes of
Henley-on-Thames, and William Est. (fn. 46) In 1475
an exemplification was obtained at the request of
William Brown of Stamford, merchant, of the article
in the act of attainder exempting Lilford from its
operation, as being at the date of the passing of the
act in the hands of the Fitzwilliams, by whom it
had been conveyed as above to Sir Richard Hastings
and his wife, who afterwards sold it to the said
William. (fn. 47)
Oliphant. Gules three crescents argent.
Willoughby. Or a fret azure.
William Brown settled the manors of Lilford and
Papley on himself and his wife Margaret, with
remainder to John Elmes and his wife Elizabeth,
daughter of William and Margaret, for the life of
Elizabeth, to William Elmes, the son and heir of
John Elmes and Elizabeth, to John brother of the
said William, and to the heirs of Elizabeth, and the
heirs of each successively. Both William and
Margaret died in 1489. (fn. 48) From this date the manor
of Lilford follows the descent of Warmington and
Papley (q.v.) to the death of Arthur Elmes in 1663.
Jane, widow of Arthur Elmes, seems to have married
Sir Francis Compton, kt. and had a life interest in
the manor which she and her husband conveyed to
Sir John Langham, kt. and bart. in 1666. (fn. 49) Arthur
Elmes evidently died without issue and was succeeded
by his cousin Thomas Elmes, the youngest son of
Anthony Elmes of Greens Norton. He was knighted
as Thomas Elmes of Lilford in 1688 (fn. 50) and died in
1690. He was succeeded by his brother William
Elmes, who made various settlements of the manor of
Lilford cum Wigsthorpe and the advowson. (fn. 51) He
died in 1699, 'the last male branch of that ancient and
honourable family of the Elmes.' (fn. 52) John Adams
and other trustees under the abovementioned settlements conveyed the manors of Lilford and Wigsthorpe, the rectory and advowson, to Sir Thomas
Powys in 1711, who took a fine of them in 1713. (fn. 53)
Sir Thomas Powys, the second son of Thomas
Powys of Henley (co. Salop) and of Anne daughter
of Sir Adam Littleton, was the judge who conducted
the trial of the Seven Bishops in 1688. He died in 1719,
and was buried at Lilford. (fn. 54) Thomas, his eldest son by
his first wife Sarah, daughter of Ambrose Holbech
(co. Warwick), who succeeded him, married Catherine,
daughter and heir of Thomas Ravenscroft of Broadlane
(co. Flint), and died in 1720. His son and heir, also
named Thomas, married Henrietta daughter of
Thomas Spence, Serjeant of the House of Commons. (fn. 55)
He was succeeded by his son Thomas, who was M.P.
for the county from 1774–97. A man of great
parliamentary talents and distinguished integrity,
he was one of the batch of peers created during the
ministry of William Pitt in 1797, being created
Baron Lilford on 26 October. He married Mary,
the daughter of Galfridus Mann, and died in 1800.
His son Thomas succeeded him at Lilford, as second
baron. Thomas Atherton Powys, third baron,
inherited Lilford at his father's death in 1825. (fn. 56)
The Lilford estates, increased by a succession of
inheritances, to which the eventual inheritance from
Sir Littleton Powys, elder brother of its purchaser
Sir Thomas, must be added, were, after the death of
Thomas Powys, third Baron Lilford, at Lilford Park
in 1861, dealt with by the Lilford Estate Act, passed
on 29 July 1864, (fn. 57) as the result of a Chancery suit
instituted by his son Thomas Littleton Powys, the
fourth baron, for the purpose of amending the will
of his father, dated 24 February, 1841. From the
operation of this Act, Lilford, with its chief messuage,
park and pleasure grounds, was expressly excluded.
It was as an ornithologist that the fourth baron, one
of the founders of the Ornithologists' Union, left his
mark on Lilford, (fn. 58) the valuable collections he made
being housed there. He travelled much, and wrote
on his subject. After being twice married he died in
1896, and was succeeded by his son John, the present
and fifth baron.
Elmes. Ermine two bars sable charged with elm leaves.
Powys, Lord Lilford. Or a lion's leg razed set bendwise between two crosslets fitchy gules.
The Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem near Clerkenwell had a preceptory at Dingley as early as the reign
of King Stephen, with lands valued in 1535 at
£108 13s. 5½d. (fn. 59) In 1330 the prior of the Hospital of
St. John of Jerusalem claimed view of frankpledge
in Glapthorn from his tenants in Fotheringhay,
Lilford, etc.; (fn. 60) and on 18 August 1542 a messuage in
the tenure of William Whyte of Lilford, which had
belonged to the preceptory at Dingley, was granted
to Robert Tyrwhitt, the king's serjeant, with meadow
lands, rent, etc. (fn. 61)
Lilford Church Ruin
Church
The church of ST. PETER was taken
down in 1778, and no part of it remains
on the site. (fn. 62) Three arches from the
nave arcade were, however, set up in The Lynch,
below Achurch, close to the river, and the monument
to Sir Thomas Powys was removed to Achurch church.
According to Bridges, (fn. 63) the church of Lilford consisted
of chancel, nave, north and south aisles, and west
tower and spire, but part of the south aisle appears
to have been taken down before his time. (fn. 64) There
were four bells in the tower. The registers began in
1560, the first volume containing all entries to 1778,
together with a long list of briefs (1712–54), and
accounts of perambulations of the parish in 1718,
1722 and 1726. A vicarage house was built in 1714.
The communion plate is now at Achurch.
Advowson
The presentation to the church
was made in 1228 by Walter Oliphant,
and the early history of the advowson
is to be found with that of the manor (q.v.), with which
it was held until, in 1383–4, Robert de Willoughby of
Eresby and his wife Margaret made a conveyance
of land in Lilford and of the advowson to Sir John
Holt, kt., and others, from whom they were acquired
in 1387 by John de Buckingham, Bishop of Lincoln. (fn. 65)
The bishop bestowed them as 'bought and acquired
with the goods bestowed on him by God,' on the
dean and chapter of Lincoln, for the endowment of
a chantrey called Buckingham's or Burghersh (Burgherwahas) Chantrey in the cathedral, of two chaplains
and two clerks, to pray for the good estate of Pope
Urban VI, the King (Richard II), Queen, bishop,
etc., and the souls of Edward III, Queen Philippa,
the bishop's parents, etc. (fn. 66) In 1398 a vicarage was
ordained by the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield (fn. 67)
and in 1535 Thomas Palfreman was receiving 20d. for
the church of Lilford as chantrist of Bishop John
Buckingham. (fn. 68) On 26 September 1552, among much
monastic property then granted to Thomas Cecill
and Philip Bold, the rectory, church, and advowson
of the vicarage of Lilford, late belonging to this
chantry, were included. (fn. 69) Before 1558 they had been
acquired by Edmund Elmes, who was then holding
them with the manor (q.v.) with which since then
they have again been held.
Lilford was one of the parishes which received an
augmentation of its living under the Commonwealth. (fn. 70)
About 1755 Thomas Powys, father of the first
Lord Lilford (see above), pulled down such of his
tenants' houses as were in Lilford, and built others in
their place in Wigsthorpe; he then petitioned the
Bishop of Peterborough (alleging as his reason that
it was now necessary for the vicar to reside at Wigsthorpe in consequence of the removal thither of the
inhabitants) for leave to obtain a conveyance to
himself of the old vicarage house in Lilford, and to
erect instead, before 1 January 1757, a substantial
house of stone for a new vicarage upon a certain piece
of land in Wigsthorpe. The bishop gave his consent
in an instrument dated 27 March 1756, (fn. 71) but when
Thomas Powys died on 2 April 1767, the old vicarage
house and lands had not been conveyed to him. By
indenture of 21 August 1767 the ground on which the
old vicarage formerly stood was conveyed by the
vicar and churchwardens of Lilford to his son, the
fourth Thomas Powys of Lilford. (fn. 72) He completed
the work his father had begun, by obtaining in 1778
an Act of Parliament (fn. 73) authorising the consolidation
of the rectory of Achurch and vicarage of Lilford
(he was lord of both manors and owner of the advowson in each parish), and the removal out of Lilford
parish of both church and vicarage into Achurch.
Lilford church was to be pulled down and the materials
used for the repair of that of Achurch, the vicarage
newly erected in Wigsthorpe to be exchanged for a
house and 2 acres of land near the rectory lands in
Achurch, and an acre added by him for a graveyard
there; this was accordingly done. In this Act it
was stated that the parish church of Lilford was
falling into decay, and would be an expense to repair, (fn. 74)
and it was enacted that as much of the building as
Thomas Powys might require should be left as a
private chapel to his mansion house, in which the
rector of Lilford cum Achurch was to perform divine
service, and the rest sold or otherwise applied to
repairing Achurch church : the inhabitants of Wigsthorpe and Lilford to be in future rated for repairs
with those of Achurch.
Before the passing of the Act the profits of the
vicarage of Lilford, exclusive of the vicarage house
and a small homestead thereto belonging, consisted in
some small tithes and a right of common belonging to
the vicarage house, for which the lord of the manor
paid in 'nature of a composition' £65 yearly. Under
the Act of 1778 it was agreed that 65 acres
called Wigsthorpe Little Wold, and 46 acres, the
east part of a piece of ground called Wigsthorpe
Great Wold contiguous, should be vested in the
rector of Achurch in lieu of all tithes. An exchange
was also effected of the vicarage and land in Wigsthorpe already referred to for a house and lands in
Achurch. (fn. 75)
A chapel was at one time in existence at Wigsthorpe,
the presentation in 1347 being made to 'the church
of Lilford with the chapel of Wygesthorp.' In
Bridges' time no trace of this chapel remained. (fn. 76)
Charities
Richard Ragsdale by his will
dated 30 Jan. 1711 charged his land
and hereditaments in Bythorne and
Thorpe Achurch with 20s. yearly for the poor of
Lilford. 20s. is received yearly in respect of this
charge and distributed by the churchwardens to the
poor on St. Thomas's Day.
William Lassells by will dated 9 Sept. 1770 gave
£100, owing to him on a mortgage of the tolls of the
turnpike road between Market Harborough and Brampton to be applied in 'putting apprentice' poor children
of Wigsthorpe. The principal sum has increased to
£164 9s. 9d.