WESTON FAVELL
Westone (xi cent.); Weston Fauvelle (xiii cent.).
Weston Favell is a large parish, covering an area of
nearly 2,000 acres and, since 1900, including part
of the parish of Abington. Owing to the expansion of
Northampton the population of the ecclesiastical parish
had risen to 1,094 in 1931. Much of the land consists
of permanent pasture, but cereals and beans are grown.
The lower part of the parish, which lies by the River
Nene, the southern boundary, is covered with trees
which border the lane ascending from the Billing Road
to the village, but the northern part, which lies much
higher up, is more open in character although broken
by one or two spinnies. The north of the parish is crossed
by the main road from Northampton to Kettering, while
the Wellingborough road, off which lies the village,
divides the upper and lower parts. Two roads lead off
the highway to the centre of the village where stands
the church, one of them forming the main street of the
village, with a public house and Methodist chapel, while
the other skirts the high stone wall which inclosed the
grounds of where the Ekins's mansion formerly stood,
and passes by the small cemetery and picturesque group
of thatched cottages with stone mullioned windows
opposite the church. There are several good stone
houses clustered round the church, while the rectory,
a red-brick house built by the Rev. James Hervey just
before his death in 1758, stands slightly to the south.
To the north of the parish, just off the Kettering
road, lies Weston Favell House, a stone house built by
Mr. James Manfield in 1900, with a small park. The
ground reaches here an altitude of 400 ft., and a fine
view is obtained over the sloping fields of the Nene
Valley and of the rising land beyond. From 400 ft. the
ground declines to 300 near the Weston Favell Convalescent Home, and from this point there is a gradual
descent to the River Nene on which the mill, formerly
belonging to the Ekins, is placed, the land there not
rising above 200 ft.
In the upper part of the parish is a field formerly
known as Spelhoe, from which the hundred took its
name, but now called Stocking.
John Cole, bookseller and antiquary, was born at
Weston Favell in 1792, and, after living at Lincoln, Hull,
and Scarborough, opened a shop in the Market Square,
Northampton, about 1830, and after many vicissitudes
of fortune died in 1848. (fn. 1)
Manors
In 1086 the overlordship of WESTON
(FAVELL) was vested in the Count of
Mortain (fn. 2) and passed with that of Overstone (q.v.) through the families of Mundeville and
d'Avranches into the possession of the Crevecoeurs,
Robert being overlord in 1284. (fn. 3) After this date the
overlordship may have been acquired by John de
Bois who was holding under Robert Crevecoeur in
1284 (fn. 4) and whose representative William la Zouche (fn. 5) was
overlord in 1336. (fn. 6) The Zouches possibly alienated to
the Abbots of Pipewell who appear as the overlords
from 1483 until 1509. (fn. 7) John de Bois had inherited as
younger, but eldest surviving, son of Ernald de Bois (fn. 8)
who held 2/3 of a small fee of Mortain in Weston in
1242. (fn. 9) This estate had been returned in 1236 as of the
fee of Nicholas de Haversham. (fn. 10) This Nicholas was
succeeded by a son Nicholas, (fn. 11) whose heir was intermediary between John de Bois and the actual lord of
the manor, John Favell, in 1284. (fn. 12) The heir in question
was his daughter Maud, who married Sir James de la
Plaunche, and their son Sir William de la Plaunche held
Weston under Sir William la Zouche in 1336. (fn. 13) As
late as 1570 the manor was said to be held of 'the heir
of Nicholas de Haversham', (fn. 14) but this was probably an
empty formula.
Favell. Or a bend gules and a border sable bezanty.
Griffin. Sable a griffin argent with beak and forelegs or.
The land of the Count of Mortain was divided into
two portions at the Domesday Survey, one of which,
consisting of 3 hides, was held of him by Walter, (fn. 15) and
the other 2½ hides in extent was held by the Count
himself. (fn. 16) These two portions probably coalesced to form
the 4 hides held by Richard de Weston in the 12th
century, (fn. 17) but did not long remain intact as on the
death of Richard the estate was divided between
Ralph Griffin of Gumley, Leicestershire, the husband
of Richard's sister Alice, (fn. 18) and John Favell of Walcot
who probably married another sister and co-heir and
from whom Weston derived its additional name of
Favell. The moiety held by John Favell, known as
WESTON FAVELL MANOR, was confiscated by
King John on account of his adherence to the Barons, (fn. 19)
but was restored by Henry III in 1216 (fn. 20) and remained
in the Favell family, whose pedigree has been traced
under Walcot in Barnack, (fn. 21) until on the death of Sir
William Favell without heirs, c. 1316, it passed into the
Griffin family by the marriage of Elizabeth his sister
with Sir John Griffin, (fn. 22) the great-grandson of Ralph
above-mentioned, and lord of the other moiety of
Weston. The manor, thus reunited, remained vested
in the Griffin family for many generations, (fn. 23) but by the
marriage of Thomas, Sir John's grandson, with Elizabeth the daughter and ultimate heir of Sir Warine
Latimer, the Griffins acquired the manor of Braybrook, (fn. 24) which then became the seat of the family. By
a settlement made in 1528 when Sir Thomas Griffin
was lord of the manor, Weston was to pass after his
death to his son and heir Richard. (fn. 25) Richard, however,
died during his father's lifetime leaving an only child
Mary, the wife of Thomas Markham of Ollerton,
Notts., (fn. 26) and a fresh settlement was made in 1561 (fn. 27) by
which Mary and Thomas Markham released all their
right in the manor to Sir Thomas Griffin: the latter
died in 1566, when Weston passed to his son Thomas
of unsound mind, (fn. 28) for whom it was held in trust by
the executors of Sir Thomas's will, of whom Edward
Griffin was one, and a fresh arrangement was made the
following year by which the reversion of the manor was
settled in Mary and Thomas Markham. (fn. 29) Thomas
Griffin, the idiot, dying without issue, Weston Favell
passed to Mary while Braybrook was inherited by
Edward. (fn. 30) Thus the connexion between the two manors
was severed, and Weston was apparently settled on Sir
Griffin Markham, son of Mary, but was confiscated
by James I in 1603 on the attainder of Sir Griffin for
implication in the Bye plot, (fn. 31) and although Sir Griffin
was remanded his estates were not restored and Weston
was bestowed on Sir John Harrington in 1604. (fn. 32) Mary
Markham, however, appears to have obtained a restitution of the manor for in 1608 she alienated it to Henry
Travell (fn. 33) by whom it was sold in 1616 to Alexander
Ekins. (fn. 34) The latter was succeeded by his son and
grandson, both of the name of Alexander, (fn. 35) the second
of whom acquired Tyringham's Manor in Weston
Favell by his marriage with Rebecca one of the daughters and co-heirs of Martin Hervey. (fn. 36) In 1664 he
petitioned the King for a letter to the mayor and aldermen of Northampton, to elect him to the stewardship
of the corporation, alleging that he lost most of his
estates during the war for adherence to the sovereign, (fn. 37)
and in 1666 he was appointed deputy to James Earl
of Northampton, Master of his Majesty's Leash, with
authority to take as many greyhounds within 10 miles
of Weston Favell as he should think fit. (fn. 38) Alexander
died in 1676, (fn. 39) leaving Weston to his son Hervey Ekins,
Sheriff of Northamptonshire in 1681, upon whose
death in 1730 the manors were inherited by Rebecca,
his only surviving child, wife of Justinian Ekins, her
cousin. (fn. 40) As Rebecca died without issue, Justinian
settled the estate on his nephews Hervey Ekins, Justinian, William, and Robert Kerry respectively in tail
male (fn. 41) but all dying without issue within a few years of
one another, (fn. 42) the manors reverted to Elizabeth Ellen,
the widow of Hervey Ekins, nephew of Justinian, who
demised them to trustees to be sold for the benefit of the
representatives of her husband's sisters. (fn. 43) In accordance
with the terms of her will, Weston was sold in 1814 for
£23,970, the two principal farms being purchased by
Edward Bouverie of Delapré Abbey (fn. 44) from whom they
have descended to Miss Bouverie, now of Hardingstone, (fn. 45) while the manors were acquired by Thomas
Butcher, solicitor, of Northampton. After this date
the manorial rights appear to have lapsed; for, although
in 1874 Mr. H. B. Whitworth is described as lord of
the manor, (fn. 46) there is no trace of them at the present
day.
Tyringham. Azure a saltire engrailed argent.
One hide in Weston in 1086 was appendant to the
manor of Torp (Kingsthorpe), part of the ancient
demesne of the Crown, (fn. 47) and was so held in the 12th
century. (fn. 48) It was probably comprised in the estate held
by Alan de Stokes who died in 1393 seised of 5 messuages, 1¼ carucate of land in Weston Favell held of the
King in chief, and for 8d. yearly
paid to Kingsthorpe Manor.
Alan left two nieces as his heirs,
Maud wife of William Smith
and Agnes wife of Thomas
Knight, (fn. 49) but there is no further mention of this estate. It
is possible that it reappears in
TYRINGHAM'S MANOR.
John Tyringham of London
and Northampton, lord of the
manor of Tyringham, Bucks., (fn. 50)
in his will, dated 12 July
1484, mentions his nephew Thomas Tyringham
of Weston and his daughters, of whom Elizabeth is
named; (fn. 51) but this manor is first mentioned by this
name in 1509 as a moiety held by Richard Higham
and Anne his wife who in that year alienated it to
Thomas Edon. (fn. 52) This Anne was apparently one of the
daughters and co-heirs of Sir William Chamberlain,
who had held the manor; her sister Mary had married
John Higham. (fn. 53) A moiety was in the possession of
Richard Edon in 1523. (fn. 54) Thomas Edon with Griselda
his wife held, apparently, the whole manor in 1537, (fn. 55) and
conveyed it in 1546 to John Davenport. (fn. 56) The latter with
Anne his wife in 1555 sold their right in the manor to
Edmund Tyringham of Stanton Wyville, Leicestershire, (fn. 57) probably a descendant of the original owners.
Edmund was succeeded by his son Francis, (fn. 58) who
alienated this estate in 1615 to Thomas Pentlowe, (fn. 59) and
when the latter in 1620 conveyed it to Stephen Hervey
Joseph Tyringham the son of Francis released any claim
he might have in the manor. (fn. 60) In 1635 Stephen Hervey
and Elizabeth his wife settled it on their son Martin
on his marriage with Rebecca the daughter of George
Strode, (fn. 61) and on Martin's death before 1670 it was
inherited by his three daughters, of whom Rebecca the
second daughter acquired her other sisters' moieties, (fn. 62)
and brought the manor into the family of her husband
Alexander Ekins, lord of the principal manor of
Weston, with which Tyringham's Manor was afterwards held.
In addition to the Count of Mortain's land, Gunfrid
de Cioches had ½ virgate in Weston in 1086 which was
held of him by John. (fn. 63) This small estate passed to the
Prestons of Little Billing (q.v.), who held that manor
of the same overlord, and is found in their possession
in 1273, (fn. 64) but after that date no further mention has
been found of this land.
Weston Favell appears to have possessed many mills
at one time, and in 1562 four are mentioned (fn. 65) while the
number had increased to six in 1567. (fn. 66) In 1580 Edward
Griffin brought an action against William Raindford,
Henry Nelson and his wife for arrears of rent due from
two water-mills, one a corn-mill and the other a fullingmill, and for damage done to the groundwork and
floodgates of the mills. (fn. 67) A mill was purchased by
George Spokes at the sale of the Ekins estate in 1814 (fn. 68)
and is apparently the one situated on the Nene at the
present day.
Church
The church of ST. PETER consists of
chancel, 29 ft. 3 in. by 16 ft. 4 in., with
north vestry and organ-chamber, nave of
three bays, 41 ft. 6 in. by 22 ft., north aisle, 13 ft. 6 in.
wide, north and south porches, and west tower, 9 ft.
6 in. square, all these measurements being internal.
The tower is of late-12th-century date, of Transitional Norman character, and the chancel belongs
mainly to the first half of the 13th century, being a
rebuilding at that time of a 12th-century chancel, the
priest's doorway of which was retained. This doorway
is earlier than the tower and indicates the existence of
a mid-12th-century building. The north aisle dates
only from 1881 but takes the place of a former aisle
which was injured by the fall of the spire in 1725 (fn. 69) and
was afterwards taken down. The spire has never been
rebuilt, but its base, covered with a low pyramidal roof,
still remains, forming a rather unusual feature. In
pulling down the north wall of the nave in 1881, preparatory to rebuilding the new aisle, a large number of
stones of various periods were found, some in the
window-jambs, others at the bottom of the footings and
in other parts of the walls. These included a Transitional Norman capital and base, (fn. 70) considerably injured,
part of a lancet window-head, (fn. 71) portions of circular
pillars, probably from a former arcade of late-12thcentury date, and a quantity of 15th-century tracery. (fn. 72)
From the presence of these fragments in the wall it has
been surmised that the nave as it then was had been
wholly rebuilt since the 15th century, possibly in 1725,
though there is apparently no documentary evidence of
this. (fn. 73) In 1851 the chancel was restored, (fn. 74) in 1869 the
nave was re-roofed, the chancel arch rebuilt, and the
south porch restored, and in 1892 the north porch was
added. There was a general restoration in 1925.
The tower and chancel are of rubble with dressed
quoins, and all the roofs are covered with slates. (fn. 75) The
north aisle and organ-chamber are faced with brown
Duston stone.
The chancel is unbuttressed and has a modern east
window (fn. 76) of three lancets under a 13th-century hoodmould. The south wall is pierced by an original window of three lancets under a single hood-mould west of
the priest's doorway, the portion farther east being
blank. The doorway has a semicircular arch of two
square orders and hood-mould, with chamfered jambs
and imposts. There is a trefoiled piscina recess in the
plastered wall, and in the north wall a square-headed
aumbry. The wide semicircular chancel arch is of two
chamfered orders.
In its present form the nave is modern, with double
lancet windows and an arcade of pointed arches on
round pillars.
The tower is of four receding stages, and is considerably battered in the upper stage. (fn. 77) It has a plain
parapet carried on a corbel table of carved heads, and
gargoyles at the western angles. The round-headed
west doorway has long been blocked and little or no
architectural detail remains: above it in the second
stage is a double lancet with head cut from a single
stone, but the third stage is blank. The bell-chamber
windows are of two widely spaced lancets with separate
hood-moulds carried round the tower as a string. (fn. 78) The
walls are of great thickness in the lower stage and are
unbuttressed, but heavy buttresses have been added
at a later time at the junction with the nave. The
pointed tower arch is of three square orders, with
chamfered imposts and hood-mould.
The font is of 15th-century date, with octagonal
panelled bowl, similar to that at Abington, and the oak
pulpit is Elizabethan on a modern pedestal: a wroughtiron hour-glass stand has been retained.
The slab in the sanctuary floor which marked the
burial-place of the Rev. James Hervey, rector (d. 1758),
'that very pious man and much admired author', is now
placed upright in a recess on the north side of the
chancel. There are brass floor plates to Elizabeth, wife
of Francis Hervey (d. 1642), and Mary, wife of William
Hervey (d. 1645), and a number of 18th-century
mural tablets. In the vestry is preserved a piece of
needlework representing the Last Supper, wrought by
the wife of Sir John Holman in 1698, and formerly
over the communion table. (fn. 79)
There are five bells, four cast by Henry and Matthew
Bagley of Chacombe in 1683, and the tenor by Henry
Penn of Peterborough in 1707. (fn. 80) In 1552 there were
three bells and a sanctus bell.
The plate consists of a silver cup and paten 'the gift
of Lucas Ward minister of Weston in ye county of
Northampton 1674', and a silver alms dish of 1724
given by Frances Lady Twysden in 1725. (fn. 81)
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) baptisms
1540–1735, marriages 1545–1735, burials 1540–
1678; (fn. 82) (ii) baptisms and burials 1735–1812, marriages
1735–53; (iii) marriages 1754–1812. The first
volume has been newly bound.
Advowson
The first mention of Weston Favell
church occurs about 1200 when
Richard de Weston bestowed the advowson upon St. Andrew's Priory, Northampton. (fn. 83) He,
moreover, bequeathed to the Prior and Convent 1 virgate of land in Weston which Godric held, with his
palfrey, harness, and saddles, a barn and 10 measures of
corn to make wafers, 7 silver spoons, a silver cup with
carved handle, and a silver gilt ring. (fn. 84) The right of
presentation to the church was afterwards contested by
John Favell and Ralph Griffin, but decided in favour of
the priory in 1233. (fn. 85) Sir Hugh Favell the son of John
bestowed upon the Prior and Convent a messuage in
Weston, to be held by the rectors for the time being, (fn. 86)
and in 1261, with Richard Griffin, the grandson of the
above-mentioned Ralph, confirmed to the priory the
advowson, of the gift of their ancestor, Richard de
Weston. (fn. 87) The church, which was worth £6 in 1291, (fn. 88)
had increased in value to £17 6s. 8d. in 1535. (fn. 89) After
the dissolution of St. Andrew's in 1538, (fn. 90) the advowson
was apparently granted to Sir Thomas Brudenell who
died seised of it in 1550, when it was inherited by his
son Sir Edmund (fn. 91) who in 1573 alienated it to Richard
Burbanke. (fn. 92) By 1580 it was in the possession of Robert
Gage and Anne his wife, who in that year conveyed it to
William Gage and Margaret his wife. (fn. 93) In 1583 they
sold it to Edward Travell and Clara his wife; (fn. 94) the latter
in 1593 alienated it to Henry Travell, a brother of
Edward, and Elizabeth his wife, (fn. 95) of whom it was purchased three years later by their nephew Robert
Travell, (fn. 96) afterwards rector of Weston, who was deprived for non-conformity but restored, on submission,
in 1605, (fn. 97) and retained his office until 1640. (fn. 98) The right
of presentation then passed, probably by purchase, to
Francis Hervey, nephew of the Stephen who acquired
Tyringham's Manor in 1620, (fn. 99) and he was succeeded by
his son William, patron and rector of Weston, who died
in 1736. (fn. 100) His son, another William, also patron and
rector of the church, died in 1752, (fn. 101) when the right of
presentation devolved on his son James, rector there,
and the author of Meditations among the Tombs. (fn. 102)
On his death in 1758, without issue, the advowson
ought to have been sold according to the terms of the
will of his father, (fn. 103) but an arrangement was arrived at in
1777 by which it passed to his sister Mary and her husband Robert Knight, the rector of Weston, (fn. 104) and after
their deaths it was inherited by their son Robert Hervey
Knight, also rector. (fn. 105) It is now in the gift of the
Church Association Trust.
Charities
The Charities of Hervey and Elizabeth Ekins for
education, apprenticing for the poor, and for a sermon,
were founded by indentures of lease and release dated
27 February 1704 and augmented by land conveyed by
deeds in 1707, 1717, and 1755. The charities are
administered by a body of trustees, of
whom the rector is one, appointed by
a Scheme of the Charity Commissioners
of 22 December 1874.
By a Determination Order of the Charity Commissioners dated 2 November 1906, £80 Consols out of
Stock representing accumulations of income was set
aside to provide the endowment of the Poor Charity of
Hervey and Elizabeth Ekins and £32 Consols for the
endowment of the Ecclesiastical Charity of Hervey and
Elizabeth Ekins. The income of the Poor Charity
amounting to £2 yearly is distributed in bread on St.
Andrew's Day and 16s., being the income of the Ecclesiastical Charity, is paid to the rector for a sermon
on that day.
Lady Jane Holman by her will dated in or about the
year 1711 gave to the minister and churchwardens a
close of land of about 8 acres called Greenway Furze,
to pay out of the rents 20s. a year to the minister for
a sermon on Good Friday and to distribute the residue
to the poor. The land was sold in 1919 and the proceeds invested, producing £37 5s. 2d. yearly in dividends. The charity is administered by the rector and
two trustees appointed by the Parish Council in place
of the churchwardens. Varying cash payments are
made to about fifty poor.
The several sums of Stock are with the Official
Trustees of Charitable Funds.