MOULTON
Multone, Moltone (xi cent.).
The parish of Moulton covers an area of 3,139 acres;
the ground is fairly undulating and of an open nature
except for a few plantations. The chief crops are wheat,
barley, peas, and beans, and the soil is clay and marl
with a subsoil of ironstone and rock. The population,
which was 1,638 in 1931, is chiefly engaged in agriculture, but includes many persons engaged in trade and
manufacture in Northampton.
The village, which is large and straggling, lies about
half a mile west of the high road to Kettering. In the
village are a fair number of 17th-century gabled stone
houses, generally with thatched roofs, but in most cases
the mullioned windows have been modernized. On
one is a well-designed panel inscribed 'IME Ao 1658',
on another 'GW 1660', whilst the Artichoke Inn, a twostory building retaining its mullioned windows, is dated
1680 and has the initials RMA. There is a Methodist
chapel in the main street, and a Baptist chapel at the
west end of the village built while the well-known
Dr. William Carey, Professor of Sanskrit in Fort William
College, India, and founder of the Baptist Missionary
Society, was minister here (1785–9). The church
stands to the north, rather on the outskirts of the village,
while the vicarage is more central, near the schools.
To the north-west of the church lies the Manor Farm,
built on the site of the old manor-house, with traces of
ponds still remaining. Bridges, writing about 1720,
speaks of it as 'the new house, now called the Hall'.
About half a mile farther north, to the right of the road
leading to Holcot, and parallel with New Fox Court
and Hog Hole Spinney, is the artificial elevation known
as Castle Hill, which may have been the site of the
Fitz John's manor, for foundations of buildings have
been dug up and the remains of a moat are apparent.
A small stream crosses the parish, and where it passes
under the road leading from the village to Moulton
Grange the neighbouring ground reaches an elevation
of 298 ft. only and is the lowest lying land in the parish,
and farther on, where the stream forms the western
boundary for a few hundred yards, stands Moulton
Mill, with the old windmill, now disused, to the southeast. About three-quarters of a mile west of Moulton is
Holly Lodge, built about 1861 and now the seat and
property of Mr. J. T. P. Jeyes, while 2 miles north of
the village is Moulton Grange, standing in a pleasantly
wooded park where the elevation of 412 ft. is reached,
the property of Mrs. Manfield. The northern boundary
of the parish is formed by a stream which separates it
from Brixworth, and in 1276 Simon son of Simon of
Brixworth was accused of appropriating the fishing in a
certain stretch of water between the fields of Brixworth
and Moulton. (fn. 1) Part of the parish was inclosed under
an Act passed in 1772. (fn. 2)
Manor
In 1086 the chief manor of MOULTON was held
of the Countess Judith (fn. 3) and continued to form part of
the honor of Huntingdon, whose descent is
traced under Yardley Hastings. It is last
mentioned as attached to this honor in 1439,
when the Earl of Warwick so held it of Sir Reynold
Grey of Ruthin. (fn. 4)
Grimbald. Argent two bars azure and a border gules.
Beauchamp. Gules a fesse between six crosslets or.
As under-tenant at the time of the Domesday Survey
stood Grimbald, (fn. 5) whose descendants held Moulton
until the middle of the 13th
century. His grandson Robert
Grimbald married Maud, the
daughter and co-heir of Pain de
Houghton. (fn. 6) After his death his
widow married Richard de la
Pek, (fn. 7) who held the manor in her
right towards the end of the
12th century. (fn. 8) Robert Grimbaud was returned in 1242 as
holding of the honor of Huntingdon in Moulton, (fn. 9) but the
actual manor is said to have
been acquired from the Grimbalds in the reign of Richard I by Geoffrey Fitz Piers,
Earl of Essex, (fn. 10) whose descendant (fn. 11) and heir, John Fitz
John, certainly held the manor and in 1276 was holding
a view of frankpledge in his court from his tenants, who
were geldable at the hundred and had not paid suit of
court there for 20 years. (fn. 12) On his death in the same
year, the manor, then held mainly as one fee of William
Grimbaud, passed to his brother Richard, (fn. 13) who also
died without issue in 1297, leaving three sisters or their
descendants as his heirs. (fn. 14) Moulton, which was then
worth £43 6s. 11d. yearly, was at first assigned to
Maud, the eldest sister, wife of William de Beauchamp,
Earl of Warwick, (fn. 15) but a subsequent partition awarded
the manor to the heirs of Isabel de Vipont, a second
sister and co-heir. They were Idonea her daughter,
widow of Roger de Leyburn, and Robert de Clifford
her grandson. (fn. 16) Idonea, who married John de Cromwell,
held half the manor in 1292 (fn. 17) but probably acquired the
remaining half from Robert de Clifford soon after, as
her husband was lord of Moulton in 1316 (fn. 18) and no
further mention is found of the manor in moieties. In
1325 Robert de Wombwell and Robert Tree were
fined £300 for damages done by wilful entry of Moulton and Yardley Manors, where they devastated John
Cromwell's goods and furniture and expelled him by
force and arms, (fn. 19) but in the following year Moulton
was given to Roger de Bilney as John remained abroad
aiding the queen against the king. (fn. 20) The profits of the
manor and all things pertaining to her chamber were,
however, granted to Idonea (fn. 21) and Moulton was restored
to John by Edward III in 1327. (fn. 22) In 1330 John and
Idonea Cromwell claimed view of frankpledge in the
manor. (fn. 23) John died shortly afterwards, and on his
widow's death in 1334, without issue, Moulton passed,
according to the terms of a settlement made in 1320, to
Edward the son of Hugh le Despenser the younger,
hanged in 1326. (fn. 24) It is likely, however, that this settlement never took effect and that
the manor was acquired by the
Beauchamps, Earls of Warwick,
co-heirs with Isabel de Vipont,
as in 1339 Thomas de Beauchamp, nth Earl of Warwick,
settled it on his daughter Joan
on the occasion of her marriage
with Ralph grandson of Ralph
Basset of Drayton, the final reversion of the manor being vested
in the Earl of Warwick. (fn. 25) The
elder Ralph dying in 1343 (fn. 26)
and his widow in 1353, (fn. 27) their
grandson Ralph succeeded them in the lordship (fn. 28) and
received a grant of free warren in 1360. (fn. 29) Ralph
died in 1390, when the manor reverted to Thomas
Beauchamp, son and heir of the nth Earl. (fn. 30) On the
arrest of the Earl for high treason in 1396, Moulton
with the other estates was forfeited, (fn. 31) but restored on the
accession of Henry IV and passed on Thomas Beauchamp's death in 1401 to his son Richard, (fn. 32) who by his
second wife Isabel le Despenser, Countess of Worcester,
left a son Henry, aged 15 when he succeeded to Moulton on the death of his father and mother in 1439. (fn. 33)
Henry died in 1446, leaving an infant daughter Anne
Countess of Warwick, (fn. 34) who died three years later,
when the manor devolved on Anne sister of the whole
blood to Richard and wife of Sir Richard Neville,
created Earl of Warwick and known as 'The KingMaker'. (fn. 35) After his death on the battle-field of Barnet in
1471, his estates were divided between his two daughters
and co-heirs, although his widow Anne was still alive. (fn. 36)
Having survived both her daughters, however, she
obtained the restitution of her estates by Act of Parliament in 1487, (fn. 37) but was obliged to surrender them to
the king in the following year. (fn. 38) Henry VII and
Henry VIII kept the manor in their own hands, and
during the latter's reign the services of several of the
king's retainers were rewarded with the office of bailiff
of the manor or grants of free warren and land. (fn. 39) In
1550 Edward VI bestowed Moulton on the Princess
Elizabeth for life, (fn. 40) and James I in 1613 granted it to
Charles Prince of Wales and his heirs. (fn. 41) After Charles's
accession to the throne the manor was sold in 1628 to
Edward Ditchfield, John Highlord, and others, trustees
for the City of London, for a fee-farm rent of
£52 17s. 8d., (fn. 42) and some question as to the validity
of the letters patent arising, the sale was confirmed in
the following year. (fn. 43)
The manor seems to have been sold by the trustees in
various small lots, one of which, acquired by the
Saunderson family, was sold in 1740, under the name of
Moulton Manor, by Mary widow of John Saunderson
to Timothy Rogers for £1,500. (fn. 44) By his will dated
15 June 1765, Timothy left his property to his sister
Ann Rogers, to whom various yardlands were assigned
at the inclosure of the parish in 1772. (fn. 45) The latter, by
her will 12 July 1787, bequeathed the manor for life
to her faithful servant Elizabeth Lyon with reversion to
her cousin Osborn Standest of the Navy Office, London,
who by his will in 1814 left the property to his wife
Elizabeth with remainder to his children in equal portions, of whom it was purchased in 1850 by Mr. Lewis
Loyd. (fn. 46) This property descended to Lady Wantage, the
grand-daughter of Mr. Lewis Loyd, but there are no
manorial rights exercised at the present day.
Another portion of the estate was purchased by
Richard Worley in 1630 (fn. 47) and passed to his descendants,
being known as a manor when in the possession of John
Worley in 1805. (fn. 48) It was bought with the Saunderson
property by Mr. Lewis Loyd in 1850.
The rent of £52 17s. 8d. was sold to William Deacon
in 1650 by the trustees for the sale of fee-farm rents, (fn. 49)
but was afterwards granted to Queen Katharine in
1665 (fn. 50) and the reversion sold in 1672 to Sir Richard
Rainsford, (fn. 51) since which date its descent is similar to
that of the fee-farm rent of Kingsthorpe (q.v.), purchased about the same time.
A second holder of land in Moulton at Domesday
was Robert de Buci, (fn. 52) whose fief passed to the Bassets of
Weldon, of whom Moulton continued to be held. This
constituted the ENGAINE FEE.
In the Northampton Geld Roll, dated before 1075,
a William Engaine is mentioned where land at Moulton
was in default, (fn. 53) and in the Survey of 1086 this William
was under-tenant of Robert de Buci, of whom he held
2 hides, 1½ virgates. (fn. 54) His descendants continued to hold
this estate, Richard Engaine being in possession in the
middle of the 12th century; (fn. 55) he was succeeded by his
son Vital, (fn. 56) who died c. 1248, (fn. 57) leaving two sons, Henry
who died without issue in 1271 and John. (fn. 58) The
Engaines subinfeudated the Fitz Johns, who already
held the other manor in Moulton; for in 1296 John
Fitz John died holding his manor of Moulton partly, as
⅓ fee, of John Engaine. (fn. 59) This estate thus became
amalgamated with Moulton Manor, whose descent has
been traced, the last mention of
the Engaine overlordship being in
1323, when John Engaine died
seised of part of a knight's fee in
Moulton, held as of his manor of
Blatherwyke (q.v.). (fn. 60)
Engaine. Gules crusily and a fesse dancetty or.
Other lands in Moulton were
held of the Balliol family, as of the
honor of Castle Bernard; these,
which in the 12th-century survey
were assessed at 1½ hides and I
small virgate, were held by Guy
de Balliol as of the fee of Faxton, (fn. 61)
and were granted with Faxton to the Balliol family, probably by William Rufus. (fn. 62) The Balliols subinfeudated
Adam de Periton, (fn. 63) and the estate descended with the
manor of Faxton (q.v.).
In the Survey of 1086 and in that of the 12th century, 1½ hides and 1 bovate of land in Moulton are
recorded as of the socage of Torp (Kingsthorpe) which
was ancient demesne of the Crown, (fn. 64) and part of this
holding may be identical with the 5 virgates bestowed
by John in 1199 on the church of St. Frideswide,
Oxford. (fn. 65) In 1227 the priory was concerned in a dispute with Adam de Periton of Faxton touching the
customs which he demanded from them, (fn. 66) and in the
reign of Henry III (fn. 67) and in 1291 their land in Moulton
was said to be worth 12s. a year, (fn. 68) but there is no
further mention of this estate.
The ancient inclosure known as THORPELANDS,
which lies on the outskirts of the parish and is bounded
by Weston Favell parish, may have developed from the
remainder of this Kingsthorpe socage. The name
Thorpelands first occurs in 1450, when William
Tresham, Speaker of the House of Commons, setting
out from Rushton to meet Richard Duke of York, who
was crossing from Ireland, was waylaid by some retainers of the Lancastrian, Lord Grey of Ruthin, and
there killed by them. (fn. 69) Thorpelands was acquired by the
lords of Moulton Manor and passed with it into the
possession of the Crown, by whom it was leased in 1516
and again in 1538 to Edmund Haslewood for 21 years. (fn. 70)
It was afterwards leased to John Freeman, who was in
occupation in 1577, (fn. 71) but it was sold with the manor in
1628 to the trustees of the City of London (fn. 72) and was
shortly afterwards acquired in 1631 by Sir William
Wilmer of Sywell. (fn. 73) The Wilmers apparently retained
it for some years, but it passed through many hands in
the 18th century (fn. 74) to William Drage of Stanwick, of
whom it was bought in 1816 by Mr. Clarke Hillyard, (fn. 75)
afterwards passing to Lord Overstone and then to Lady
Wantage.
St. Andrew's Priory acquired a considerable estate in
Moulton from the Grimbalds (fn. 76) and other benefactors,
among whom were William son of Roger and Master
William of Cogenhoe, who granted the priory ½ virgate
of land (fn. 77) and Alexander of Moulton who gave it 1 virgate of land which he held from his lord, Simon le Bret,
at a rent of 12d. (fn. 78) In 1291 the value of the estate in
rents was £2 1s. 4d. and 4s. in lands. (fn. 79) In 1443 the rents
of assize came to £2 14s. 5d., (fn. 80) and they were afterwards
farmed out to Thomas Chipsey for a term of years of
which there were still four remaining in 1535. (fn. 81) In
1538 the priory surrendered to the king, (fn. 82) and part of
the lands, in the tenure of Thomas Chipsey, was given
in 1543 to Richard Andrews, (fn. 83) after which date there is
no further record of this property.
A small estate here was owned by Owston Priory,
Leicestershire, founded by Robert Grimbald before
1153 and endowed by him with lands in Moulton (fn. 84)
which in the 13th century were assessed at 5s. (fn. 85)
Other lands in Moulton held by Fineshade Priory
were granted to it by Richard Engaine the elder who
founded the priory at the beginning of John's reign. (fn. 86)
His descendants augmented his benefactions, (fn. 87) and the
value of the priory's property here in 1291 was £2 2s.
a year, (fn. 88) but in 1535 was said to be £1 only. (fn. 89) After the
Dissolution in 1540 these lands were confirmed to
Thomas Locke who held them on a £50 years' lease
from the priory; (fn. 90) but in 1545 they were granted to
John Bellery, Edward Bales, and their heirs, (fn. 91) after
which date all trace of them is lost.
There is a mill mentioned in the Survey of 1086 on
the estate held by William Engaine, which rendered 8d.
yearly, (fn. 92) and in 1248 was valued at 20s. (fn. 93) By 1296 2
water-mills are found attached to Moulton Manor,
which with the fishing of the ponds were worth 40s. (fn. 94)
These mills passed to Idonea de Leyburn, on whose
death in 1334 they were in a bad state. (fn. 95) Probably one
of them was bestowed by the Bassets or Beauchamps on
St. Andrew's Priory, as in 1443 the prior demised to
William Cook of Hannington for his life, at an annual
rent of 2s., the site of a long mill situated in the
fields between Holcot and Moulton, together with
Westmylne holm. (fn. 96) In 1551 Elizabeth, afterwards
Queen of England, obtained a grant of a water-mill in
Moulton for the term of her life, (fn. 97) and James I in 1609
granted to Edward Ferrers and Francis Phelipps a
water-mill and horse-mill with the mansion house and
meadow in Northmeade adjoining the mills, at a rent
of £1 15s. 4d. (fn. 98) This fee-farm rent was sold to William
Deaconin 1650 (fn. 99) and follows the descent of the fee-farm
rent of the manor (q.v.). In 1706, John Saunderson
was in possession of a windmill and a water grist-mill
in Moulton; (fn. 100) and there is a mill at the present day
situated in the small stream which divides this parish
from Boughton.
Church
The church of ST. PETER AND ST. PAUL consists of chancel, 27 ft. 6 in. by 16 ft. 3 in., with north
and south chapels; clerestoried nave, 45 ft. 3 in. by
20 ft. 4 in., with north and south aisles continuous
with the chancel chapels; south porch, and west
tower, 12 ft. 6 in. by 12 ft. 3 in., all these
measurements being internal. The north
aisle is 15 ft. wide and the south aisle
16 ft. 7 in., the total width across nave and aisles being
56 ft. 6 in. The chapels extend almost the whole length
of the chancel, the east end of which projects beyond
them about 3 ft.
The building is of rubble throughout, except the
upper story of the tower, and internally all the plaster
has been removed. The roofs are modern and covered
with lead, that of the nave high-pitched, the others low,
and all behind plain parapets.
When the church was restored in 1885–6 a portion
of a carved pre-Conquest cross-shaft (fn. 101) was found below
one of the piers of the south arcade, and is now placed in
the chapel south of the chancel arch. Though this
implies a burial ground and church of some kind on the
site, it is probable that the first stone building was the
12th-century aisleless structure, some portion of which
survives in the north wall of the nave, Two pieces of
12th-century ornament are built into the west wall of
the south aisle and the south wall west of the porch, and
the head (fn. 102) of a semicircular window remains above the
second arch from the east of the nave arcade.
About c. 1180–90, a very plain arcade of four
rounded arches of two unmoulded orders was cut
through the north wall of the nave and an aisle added on
that side. The arches are without hood-moulds and
spring from piers consisting of four half-rounds against
a square centre, with divided plain bell capitals and
square abaci, on chamfered bases of cross plan, and from
responds of the same character.
The south arcade is probably part of a very extensive
rebuilding of the church which took place soon after
1298, in which year the Bishop of Lincoln ordered the
inhabitants to rebuild 'the church, tower, and churchyard' which are described as being 'miserably in ruins'.
A tower, therefore, must have been added before this
time and enough evidence still remains to suggest that
the church had been considerably enlarged during the
13 th century. The existing fabric, however, is in the
main the reconstructed church of c. 1300, with subsequent alterations. The rebuilding no doubt included
the erection of the south aisle, which appears to be contemporary with the arcade, followed by the widening of
the north aisle and chapel, beginning at the west end
(with a slight break near the north doorway), the building of the tower, and the reconstruction of the chancel
and south chapel in their present form. The clerestory
and porch appear to be additions later in the century,
while early in the 15th-century the tower was heightened
by the addition of an upper stage in dressed stone, with
short lead-covered wooden spire, and new windows
were inserted, or old ones altered, in the aisles and
chancel. The spire was pulled down in the time of the
Civil War. (fn. 103) A west gallery, erected in 1738, was removed during the restoration of 1885. (fn. 104)
The chancel has a four-centred 15th-century east
window of four lights with vertical tracery, and in the
south wall a trefoil-headed piscina recess with mutilated
bowl, west of which is a blocked 15th-century doorway
and over it the remains of a window opening. (fn. 105) Beyond
this the chancel is open to the south chapel by an arcade
of two arches of two chamfered orders, without hoodmoulds, springing from an octagonal pier with moulded
capital and base and from end corbels. On the north
side there is a 13-ft. length of blank wall at the east end, (fn. 106)
beyond which the chancel is open to the chapel by a
single wide arch of two chamfered orders with hoodmould, the inner order springing from mutilated corbels. The arches on both sides are of the 14th century,
and were originally filled with screens, the marks of
which remain. The early-14th-century chancel arch is
also of two chamfered orders, without hood-mould, the
inner order on half-octagonal responds with moulded
capitals, and bases standing on high plinths. (fn. 107) Lintel
doorways to the rood-loft remain north and south of the
arch high up at the east end of the nave walls, but there
are no stairs. The roof of the chancel, and all its
fittings, are modern. There is no chancel-screen.
The north chapel has a 14th-century east window of
three trefoiled lights with reticulated tracery and chamfered rear-arch, and on the north side a three-light
window with quatrefoil tracery. In the usual position
in the south wall is an early-13th-century trefoiled
piscina with fluted projecting bowl, and the slots for a
wooden shelf above. The south chapel has an east
window of four lights, c. 1300, with intersecting
tracery and chamfered rear-arch, but the two contemporary four-light windows in the south wall were
re-topped in the 15th century with cusped lights and
very depressed arches. (fn. 108) There is a trefoil-headed piscina c. 1300 with fluted bowl, and also in the south
wall a later pointed doorway, to give headway for
which the eastern light of the adjoining window was
shortened.
The late-12th-century north arcade has been described, but at some later period the two western piers
were encased, built up solid, for some 3 or 4 ft., the
westernmost in circular and the other in hexagonal
form. The south arcade is also of four bays, with
pointed arches of two chamfered orders without hoodmould, on octagonal piers and responds with moulded
capitals and bases. There are five square-headed clerestory windows of two trefoiled lights on each side
placed very high in the walls: the line of the early-14thcentury high-pitched roof remains over the tower arch.
The west window of the north aisle and one in the
north wall west of the doorway are of two lights with
forked mullion c. 1300, and those in the corresponding
positions on the south side appear to have been contemporary, but the mullion is cut away in the west
window and the other is modern. Near the east end of
the north aisle is a three-light window with tracery
similar to that in the north chapel, and the south aisle
has a four-light window east of the porch like those in
the south chapel. The 14th-century north doorway is
of two continuous orders, the inner wave-moulded and
the outer with a hollow chamfer. The south doorway is
in part of late-12th-century date with a later pointed
arch of two orders, apparently of the 13th century, the
outer chamfered, the inner covered by the wooden
frame of an inserted panelled door. (fn. 109) The 12th-century
jambs were originally shafted, but the shafts are gone,
though the capitals and imposts remain. The 14thcentury outer doorway of the porch is of two chamfered
orders, the inner springing from moulded corbels: there
is a good but much-weathered line of carving on the
low-pitched gable of the porch.
The tower is of four stages, the three lower constituting the 14th-century structure, with diagonal buttresses
to the top of the second stage, and a vice in the southwest angle corbelled out internally. The west doorway
is of two moulded orders, with hood-mould and finial,
and an inner order moulded only half-way, the jambs
of which differ. Above it in the second stage is a window
of two trefoiled lights with quatrefoil in the head, but
on the north and south the two lower stages are blank.
The original bell-chamber windows are of the same
character, but those of the superimposed 15th-century
upper stage are tall double transomed openings of two
trefoiled lights. The tower finishes with a battlemented
parapet and mutilated angle pinnacles. (fn. 110) The arch
opening to the nave is of four chamfered orders on the
east side, three of which die out, and the innermost
springs from half-octagonal responds with moulded
capitals and bases. The vice doorway has a lintel on
rounded corbels. Below the arch is a portion of the
early-18th-century turned oak altar railing.
The font in use was given in 1886, (fn. 111) and the pulpit
also is modern.
In the north aisle is a broken 13th-century coffin lid
with cross and 'omega' ornament: (fn. 112) an armorial slab to
John Sanderson (d. 1689) is now against the north wall. (fn. 113)
There are no other monuments older than the middle
of the 18th century. In the vestry is a parish chest
apparently of 17th-century date.
There is a ring of six bells cast by Edward Arnold or
Leicester in 1795, and rehung by Taylor of Loughborough in 1884. (fn. 114) A clock and chimes were erected in
1903. In 1552 there were four bells and a sanctus bell
and 'one other great bell hanging in one frame by itself'.
The plate consists of a silver cup of 1607, a paten
c. 1685 with maker's mark W.R., and a silver breadholder of 1735 given by Mrs. Sarah Page. (fn. 115)
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) baptisms 1565–1635, (fn. 116) 1689–1740, marriages 1566–1652,
1689–1739, burials 1565–1632, 1689–1740; (ii)
baptisms and burials 1740–99, marriages 1740–54;
(iii) marriages 1755–1812; (iv) baptisms 1800–12; (v)
burials 1800–12. The baptisms from 1565 to 1812
have been printed. (fn. 117) The first volume contains a list of
briefs 1692–1730, and of unbaptized persons c. 1700.
The churchwardens' accounts begin in 1778.
Advowson
The Grimbald family were great
benefactors to St. Andrew's Priory and
the founder of the family, Grimbald,
who witnessed the foundation charter of the priory
between 1093–1100, bestowed upon it the church of
Moulton with 7 virgates of land and freedom from
suit of court: (fn. 118) gifts which were confirmed by his descendants and by William Mandeville Earl of Essex. (fn. 119)
Between 1209 and 1235 a vicarage was ordained which
consisted in all things belonging to the church except
the tithes, which were appropriated by the priory; (fn. 120) but
subsequently assignment was made to the vicar of one
half of the tithes. (fn. 121) The priory continued to hold the
advowson and had a pension in the vicarage of 13s. 4d.
which was paid till the Dissolution, (fn. 122) but during the
French war of the reign of Edward III, the king is
often found presenting to Moulton church, as the
priory, being an alien one, was then taken into his
hand. (fn. 123) In 1535 the vicarage was worth £15, (fn. 124) and after
the dissolution of the priory was granted in 1552 to
John Whiting and Thomas Freeman, (fn. 125) who at once
conveyed it to Edward Watson. (fn. 126) The latter and his
wife Dorothy sold it in 1554 to John Lane of Walgrave, (fn. 127) on whose death three years later, (fn. 128) it passed to
his son William, who died while still a minor in 1560, (fn. 129)
when he was succeeded by his brother John, of whom
the advowson was purchased by John Freeman of Great
Billing in 1576. (fn. 130) John Freeman continued in possession until 1615, when on his death it passed with
Great Billing Manor (q.v.) to his grandchild and heir
Katharine the wife of Sir Edward Gorges, afterwards
Baron Dundalk. (fn. 131) By her first husband Edward Haslewood of Maidwell, Katharine had a son, Sir Anthony
Haslewood, (fn. 132) to whom she and Sir Edward Gorges conveyed the advowson in 1628, (fn. 133) and it remained vested
in the Haslewoods, (fn. 134) passing on the death of Anthony's
son William in 1681 to the latter's two daughters and
co-heirs, Elizabeth and Penelope, who afterwards
married Christopher Lord Hatton of Kirby and Henry
Portman respectively. (fn. 135) Penelope gave up her right in
the advowson to her sister and Lord Hatton, (fn. 136) to whose
sons William and Henry, who both died without issue
before 1762, it passed in due course, afterwards descending according to the terms of a settlement to
Edward Finch the fifth son of Anne, wife of Daniel
Finch, Earl of Winchilsea, and daughter of Christopher
Lord Hatton by his first wife Cecily. (fn. 137) Edward Finch
assumed the additional name of Hatton in 1764 and
on his death in 1771 left the right of presentation to his
son George, (fn. 138) by whom it was probably sold some time
between 1818 and 1823, the date of his death. (fn. 139)
During the rest of the 19th century it passed through
many hands, and is at present vested in the Church
Association Trust.
In 1301 an indulgence was granted for the chapel of
the Blessed Mary in the church, (fn. 140) and in 1495 Thomas
Stanner, glazier, bequeathed his possessions and 40s.
for the use of Moulton parish church, the parishioners
to pray for the souls of himself, his father, mother, and
friends. (fn. 141) Moulton rectory was appropriated to St.
Andrew's Priory before the Dissolution, and descended
with the advowson until the first quarter of the 19th
century. It was assessed at £8 in the reign of Henry III (fn. 142)
and in 1291, (fn. 143) but by 1535 had risen to twice that value
and had been leased to Edward Watson for a term of
years, of which four then remained. (fn. 144) It passed with the
advowson to the Haslewoods; and in 1649, when Sir
Anthony Haslewood compounded for delinquency, the
impropriate rectory of Moulton, worth £115 a year,
was accepted in part payment of the fine, and £55 a
year was to be settled on Moulton church, £35 in
augmentation of the minister's salary. (fn. 145) The Lane
family laid claim to the rectory as well as to the advowson, (fn. 146) and the dispute was not settled until 1662, when
Montague the son of Robert Lane gave up all his
claims to William Haslewood. (fn. 147) In 1772, when the
parish was inclosed, the great tithes were commuted for
396 acres 17 poles of land, (fn. 148) and the estate was sold in
1818 by Colonel George Finch Hatton, the impropriator, to William Abbot, who was sheriff for Northamptonshire in 1824 and resided in the house built on
this road known as Moulton Grange. (fn. 149) Between this
date and 1835, this rectorial estate was sold to John
Nethercote, (fn. 150) whose ancestors Edward and his wife
Susanna held land in Moulton in 1611. (fn. 151)
The Engaines of Blatherwycke apparently settled
two-thirds of the great tithes of certain lands in Moulton
on the rector of Blatherwycke. These two-thirds were
represented in 1291 by a pension of 13s. 4d. in Moulton
rectory, (fn. 152) paid in 1600 from land called the 'Wenge'
containing 9½ yardlands. (fn. 153) At the inclosure of the parish
in 1772, some 32 acres were alloted to the rector of
Blatherwycke in lieu of two-thirds of the great tithes
arising from Wenglands or Blatherwycke lands, and
from Keybery and Fletlands, (fn. 154) and this small estate is
still enjoyed by the rectors of Blatherwycke.
Charities
Robert Mills in or about 1611 gave
out of land belonging to him 20s. a year
to be distributed on St. Stephen's Day
in bread to twenty Church widows and 6s. 8d. for a
sermon on that day. This charge was redeemed and the
endowment now produces £1 2s. in dividends. The
charity is administered by the churchwardens.
Martha Spraggott by her will proved in Prerogative
Court of Canterbury 4 May 1848 gave a sum of money
to the vicar and churchwardens for the poor. The
endowment produces £1 7s. yearly in dividends, which
are distributed with the Mills charity.
William Barber by his will proved in Northampton
22 April 1882 gave £50 to the vicar and vicar's warden
and the owner of Moulton Grange for the benefit of
the aged poor. This sum now produces about £1 5s.
yearly in dividends.
John Francis by his will proved 26 April 1907 gave
£100 to the churchwardens for the benefit of the poor.
The money was invested, producing £3 7s. 6d. yearly
in dividends.
The income of these four charities is, after the payment of 6s. 8d. to the vicar for a sermon, distributed in
doles to about twenty poor widows.
The vicar of Moulton receives annually £30 from
the trustees of Sir Edward Nicholls's Charity, which is
described under the parish of Kettering.
The several sums of stock are with the Official
Trustees of Charitable Funds.