CASTLE ASHBY
Asebi, Esseby (xi cent.); Essheby David (xiii cent.);
Asscheby Davy, Castel Assheby (xiv cent.).
Castle Ashby is a parish with its village seated on an
eminence 8 miles east by south from Northampton,
sharing a station with Earls Barton 1¾ miles north of the
village, on the Northampton and Peterborough branch
of the L.M.S. railway. The soil is of a fertile mixed
character on a subsoil of clay. The chief crops are
cereals. The population in 1931 was 236.
To the south-west of the village lies the hamlet of
Chadstone, in which the rectory house is situated. (fn. 1)
The castle stands in the north overlooking the valley
of the Nene having three parks with ornamental water,
covering a total area of 645 acres. One entrance is
reached by an avenue of trees which begins at Yardley
Chase, and is nearly 4 miles in length.
The mansion, which is one of the seats of the Marquess of Northampton, has nothing of the castle about
it; it is a fine house of the Elizabethan period, altered
in many places by descendants of the original builder,
Henry, 1st Lord Compton. But it was built near the
site of the medieval castle which already in the time of
Leland, early in the 16th century, was a ruin. It is
'now clene down', he says, 'and is made a septum for
beestes'. A few years before Leland's visit the estate
had been bought, in 1512, by William Compton, one
of a family that had long been established at Compton
Wynyates in Warwickshire. Henry, 1 st Lord Compton,
presumably began the house before the death, in 1574,
of his first wife, Lady Frances Hastings, whose arms
are carved on a small doorway of the south-west turret.
The house, thus begun, followed the usual plan
of the period. There was a main block containing the
great hall, kitchens, and family rooms, and from it, on
the south side, stretched two narrow wings, thus inclosing a courtyard. The fourth side was probably
open, or only closed by a wall, but near the southern
end of each wing was a staircase turret.
The suggested date of 1573–4 for the start of the
house is confirmed by the evidence of the very interesting cellar under the dining-room at the east end of the
hall. This is vaulted in stone and bears a general
resemblance to the cellar at Drayton House which is
beneath the wing dated 1584. But the detail of the
work at Ashby, being of a very late Gothic type, may
well indicate a date some ten or twelve years earlier
than 1584. In both cases the rib-vaulting is of great
interest as that form of construction had largely gone
out of fashion. At Ashby the cellar is under one end of
the dining-room and the floor over its vaulting used to
be higher than the floor of the remainder of the room,
so the whole cellar has been lowered in recent years to
the requisite level, the stonework being rebuilt exactly
as before.
At each end of the eastern wing the buildings project
beyond its face, thus leaving a long recess which in
1624 was filled in, the ground floor forming an open
arcade or loggia. But these open arcades, pleasant
enough in Italy, were not suited to the English climate,
and in many houses they have been enclosed. The
loggia was converted in 1691 into drawing-rooms.
Evelyn relates how, being on a visit to Althorp in 1688,
he was taken to see Lord Northampton's house, whose
owner, the young earl, had married a girl whom Evelyn
had known since she was a child. His reception was
not quite as cordial as he expected, for the visitors,
instead of going into the house, were entertained in a
lobby overlooking the garden, presumably the loggia
in question, and they did not prolong their stay. There
were other projections from other faces of the original
house, leaving other recesses, but these also were
eventually filled in, thus leaving the house the almost
square mass which it is to-day.
Henry was succeeded in 1589 by his son William,
who was created Earl of Northampton in 1618. However much there still remained to do, the house had
so far progressed as to be fit to receive James I and his
queen in 1605, not to mention the extreme probability
that Queen Elizabeth had stayed in it in 1603. (fn. 2) The
earl must have done much towards completing the
house before his death in 1630, for the long parapet
is dated 1624, as also is the parapet of the south-eastern
turret. Within the house not much work of this time
remains, but the fine ceiling of the room known as
King William's, that of the Old Library, and that of the
little room known as Lady Margaret's Bower, date
from the first Earl's time. He had married in 1599
the daughter of the wealthy Sir John Spencer, who was
Lord Mayor of London in 1594. He was no connexion
of the Spencers of Althorp, and he bore different arms,
which play a large part in the heraldry of the house.
His daughter was a great heiress, a circumstance of
which she seems to have been fully aware, for in a letter
to her husband just before 1618 she is exceedingly
peremptory as to what she would have and what she
would not have. After indicating her very considerable wishes her final injunction is 'that you would pay
your Debts, build up Ashby House, and purchase
lands; and lend no money (as you love God) to the
Lord Chamberlain'. This lady dwelt in a mansion at
Canonbury, near London, from which in later years
two fine chimney-pieces were removed to Castle Ashby.
Plan of Castle Ashby
It is hard to say how much of the work at Ashby
should be attributed to Henry Lord Compton, and
how much to his son William the first Earl. But the
latter was responsible for some of the upper rooms and
the lettered parapet. This is a feature to be found on
very few houses, but there are examples at Temple
Newsam in Yorkshire and Felbrigge Hall in Norfolk.
The legend on the east wing at Castle Ashby runs thus:
nisi dominus aedificaverit domum in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam 1624:
that on the west wing thus:
nisi dominus custos custodiverit domum frus
and it is continued on the north side of the courtyard
thus:
17 tra vigilat qui custodit eam 71.
The latter part was evidently reworked in 1771; the
character of the letters and their less clever spacing are
in keeping with their later date. The west wing has
also at its south end the words ficant eam, which may
be survivals of an original legend, corresponding with
that on the east wing. The two staircase turrets have
similar lettered parapets. That at the south-east corner
has nisi dominus 1624 and that at the south-west
corner nisi dominus 1635.
The difference in the figures raises the question of
the date and authorship of the entrance screen that
joins the two wings at their southern end. This has
always been attributed to Inigo Jones on the authority
of Colin Campbell in his Vitruvius Britannicus. But
the rather inexpert detail of the work hardly points to the
accomplished Inigo as its designer, and taking into
account the beginning and growth of the Italian
manner in England, the date of 1635 would seem
more reasonable than 1624 were it not that it bears
the arms of the first earl, who died in 1630. The
screen carries on the idea of the lettered parapet, for
over the front entrance there is:
dominus custodiat introitum tuum,
and on the courtyard side:
dominus custodiat exitum tuum.
The same kind of ornament was revived in much later
times as part of some improvements, for on the north
front, with a return on the east and west, is the legend
beati omnes qui timent deum qui ambulant in viis
ejus laudate nomen domini amen 1827,
and of much the same date, on two bay-windows occurs
salus est in domino.
During the 17th century the original recess on the
west front must have been filled in and the handsome
staircase contrived within it. The loggia on the east
front was converted into rooms in 1691, as already mentioned, and near it was introduced another large staircase. Many of the rooms were finely panelled, and
some of them were adorned with carving. The decoration of Lady Margaret's bower was carried out by the
son of the first earl, who succeeded in 1630 and was
slain at the battle of Hopton Heath in 1643. This is
established by the presence of his arms impaling those
of his wife, who was a daughter of Sir Francis Beaumont of Cole-Orton, and the work may be part of that
to which the date of 1635 applies. The decoration
consists largely of a painted wood dado divided into
large arched panels, over each of which is affixed a
small landscape picture inscribed with a sign of the
Zodiac. But in this decoration Inigo Jones could have
had no part; it is probably due to a local craftsman,
except for the pictures, which look as though they came
from a Dutch or Flemish brush of no great skill.
In the early years of the 18th century the recess on
the north front was filled in, and further work was
done in 1748, as indicated by certain spout-heads bearing that date. Then in 1771–2 a new roof was given
to the great hall and its parapet was rebuilt and dated
1771, as already mentioned. Early in the 19th century
the eighth earl and first marquess did much work in
the house, Britton remarking that 'it has been wholly
renovated, and adapted to the comforts of refined
society, by the present noble proprietor'. The refinement of the age was inimical to the ancient decorations
and they suffered accordingly. The third marquess did
further work in the great hall, restoring its Elizabethan
character, and brought the two chimney-pieces from
Canonbury, putting one in the Hall and one in King
William's Room. He also laid out the gardens in their
present form and built the entrance lodges. Before his
time the original noble lay-out of the gardens and their
surroundings had been sadly changed (about the year
1764) by 'Capability' Brown, whose aim was to sweep
away the formality of the old lay-outs in favour of
something more natural and sylvan. He completely
ruined the old scheme at a great cost, which was met
by a sale of land, one of the deeds being endorsed with
a satirical note by the owner: 'I take the manor of
Fen Stanton to belong to Lawrence Brown Taste, Esq.,
who gave Lord Northampton Taste in exchange for it.'
Manor
In 1086 one Hugh held of the Countess
Judith 2 hides less one virgate in ASHBY,
including woodland, and a mill rendering
6s. 8d. yearly. Attached to this holding was 1 virgate
of socland in Grendon. (fn. 3) At the time of the 12thcentury Survey William Fitz-Clarembald had 3½ hides
in Ashbyand Gladstone, (fn. 4) and in 1235 1 fee in Ashby
was part of the honor of Huntingdon with which the
overlordship remained. (fn. 5) The family of Ashby was
already well established here, (fn. 6) and by 1242 1 fee in
Ashby and Grendon was held of Henry de Hastings
by Sir David de Ashby, (fn. 7) who had presented Simon de
Ashby to the church in the previous year. (fn. 8) His tenure
gave the name of ASHBY DAVID to the manor, which
descended to David, son of William de Ashby by Amabel
daughter of Roger de St. Martin. William had died
before 1243 (fn. 9) and in 1249 Henry Muschett still had the
wardship of his land and heir. (fn. 10) David son of William
appears to have been slain at Evesham in 1265 (fn. 11) and in
the following year the king made a grant to Isabel his
widow, and her children, from David's lands in Ashby,
Grendon, and Chadstone, extended at £89 11s. 9d. a
year, which had been given to Imbert Guy. (fn. 12) David
had apparently mortgaged this holding to Moses the
Jew of London (fn. 13) whose son Elias in 1267 confirmed to
Alan la Zouche a yearly fee of £124 and a debt of £100
in 'which David de Ashby had been bound. (fn. 14) This
resulted in an inquisition two years later between
Isabel daughter of Stephen, son and heir of David de
Ashby, and Alan la Zouche, concerning David's estate
at the time of the war and the battle of Evesham. (fn. 15) That
the property was confirmed to Alan is clear from the
facts that in 1276 his widow Ellen had view of frankpledge in Ashby (fn. 16) and in 1284 her son Oliver held of
John de Hastings the fee in Ashby and Grendon. (fn. 17)
Before 1306 Oliver la Zouche had enfeoffed Walter
de Langton, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, (fn. 18) treasurer and chief minister of Edward I, who in that year
received licence to crenellate the house he was then
building at Ashby David, (fn. 19) which caused the manor to
be known as Castle Ashby. He also had a grant of free
warren in his demesne lands there. (fn. 20) During Langton's
imprisonment under Edward II, William Trenchefoill
was keeper of the manor in 1311. (fn. 21) Langton afterwards
settled it upon Robert Peverel and his wife Alice with
remainder to their son Edmund. (fn. 22) In 1325 the two
fees in Ashby were held by Robert's widow Alice. (fn. 23)
She married Thomas de Verdon with whom, in 1329,
she claimed to have view of frankpledge and free
warren in the manor, (fn. 24) and he was said to hold half a fee
in Ashby and Grendon in 1346. (fn. 25) Alice de Verdon
and her grandson John, son and heir of Edmund Peverel,
both died in 1349, probably from the Black Death.
The manor then included 160 acres in demesne, but
was not worth more than 40s. for want of servants
because of the pestilence, only six out of twenty-four
bondmen surviving. (fn. 26) John son of Edmund Peverel,
when 21, had demised all his lands in the county to
John de Lyle of Rougemont, (fn. 27) from whom the manor
passed into the possession of William de la Pole, the
husband of Margaret sister and heir of John Peverel, (fn. 28)
and he, in 1358, settled it on himself and his wife in
tail male. (fn. 29) He was succeeded in 1366 (fn. 30) by his son Sir
John de la Pole of Chrishall, Essex, who married Joan
daughter of John Lord Cobham. (fn. 31) His right passed to
their daughter Joan, afterwards Lady Cobham, (fn. 32) who
in 1390 with Sir Robert Hemenale, her first husband,
levied a fine of the manors of Ashby David and Chadstone to members of the Braybroke family. (fn. 33) In 1392
this property was settled on Gerard Braybroke sen.
and his wife Isabel with reversion to the said Joan and
her second husband Sir Reynold Braybroke. (fn. 34) Gerard
died in 1403 seised of the castle and manor, held of
Reynold de Grey of Ruthin, (fn. 35) which then passed successively from Sir Reynold Braybroke to Sir Nicholas
Hawberk and Sir John Oldcastle (fn. 36) the third and fourth
husbands of Joan Lady Cobham. When Oldcastle
was executed as a lollard and traitor in 1417, (fn. 37) the
manor, including one water-mill worth 40s., was seised
into the king's hands, but restored to his widow in
1418. (fn. 38) In 1419 Joan demised the manors of Ashby
and Chadstone to Sir Gerard Braybroke for thirty years
at a rent of £10, which term he assigned to the chief
lord, Sir Reynold de Grey of Ruthin, in December
1423. (fn. 39) In September of this year he had already conveyed the reversion of the property held by Joan and
her fifth husband, Sir John Harpenden, to John de
Grey of Ruthin and others. (fn. 40) After her death in 1434
it appears to have descended with the rest of the possessions of this family for several generations, (fn. 41) until
Richard Earl of Kent wasted the estate, which in 1506
was conveyed to his brother-in-law Lord Hussey (fn. 42) and
in 1512 to Sir William Compton, a distinguished
courtier and soldier, son of Edmund Compton of
Compton Wynyates in Warwickshire, (fn. 43) who also acquired other property of the earl.
Compton. Sable a leopard or between three helms argent.
Sir William Compton married Werburga daughter
and heir to Sir John Brereton and widow of Sir Francis
Cheyney, and died in 1528
leaving lands in eighteen counties. The manor of Ashby David,
with 20 messuages and a watermill, passed to his son Peter, a
minor in the wardship of Cardinal Wolsey. (fn. 44) He died under
age in 1539 leaving a son Henry
by his wife Anne daughter of
George Talbot, 4th Earl of
Shrewsbury. (fn. 45) Henry became
Lord Compton by writs of summons to Parliament, 1572 to
1589, and was one of the peers
for the trial of Mary Queen of Scots in 1586. The
successor to his title and property three years later was
his son William by his first wife Frances daughter of
Francis Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon; he was created
Earl of Northampton in 1618. (fn. 46) From this date the
manor has remained in the possession of the family and
it is the seat of the present Marquess of Northampton. (fn. 47)
The manor of CHADSTONE, rated in 1086 at
1 hide and 3 virgates, was then held in chief by Dru
de Bevrere. (fn. 48) He is said to have fled the country for the
murder of his wife, and his lands were given to Odo
de Champagne. (fn. 49) The overlordship therefore descended
with the earldom of Aumale. (fn. 50) In 1235 it was held by
Reynold de Ashby as 1/12 fee, and in 1242 similarly by
William de Bussepay and Amabel his wife (presumably
the widow of William de Ashby), (fn. 51) but Oliver la Zouche
held it in 1284 as a quarter fee. (fn. 52) From this time it
descended with the main manor of Castle Ashby.
Church
The parish church of ST. MARY MAGDALENE
stands in the park, south-east of the castle, and
consists of chancel, 41 ft. 3 in. by 18 ft.
6 in. with chapel on its north side; nave
of three bays, 49 ft. 6 in. by 17 ft.;
north and south aisles respectively 15 ft. 6 in. and 14 ft.
3 in. wide; north and south porches, and west tower
13 ft. square, all these measurements being internal.
The width across nave and aisles is 52 ft. The chapel
forms the east end of the north aisle and covers the
chancel for nearly half its length.
The building throughout is of limestone rubble with
ironstone dressings, and all the walls are plastered internally. The roofs are of low pitch and leaded. There
are straight parapets to the chancel, aisles, and porches,
but the lead of the nave roof overhangs. Between 1836
and 1849 alterations, chiefly in the chancel, were
carried out by the 2nd Marquess of Northampton, (fn. 53)
and in 1870, during the incumbency of Lord Alwyne
Compton, the building was extensively restored under
the direction of George Edmund Street. (fn. 54) The tower
was repaired in 1935.
Plan of Castle Ashby Church
The outer doorway of the north porch is of late
12th-century date, but there is no other work of this
period, and the doorway is not in its original position.
Whether it belonged to an earlier building on the site
or was brought here from elsewhere cannot now be
determined. (fn. 55) The existing structure can only be regarded in the light of a 14th- and r 5th-century rebuilding. The north aisle is of the former period, but in the
15th century the nave arcades were entirely rebuilt,
the south aisle added or widened, and the present chancel, south porch, and tower erected. In the main,
therefore, the building is of 15th-century date, though
the windows of the north aisle are excellent examples
of 14th-century work.
The outer north doorway, which is characteristically
Transitional in style, has a wide semicircular arch of
three orders, separated by lines of four-leaved ornament, the outer order enriched with chevron and the
middle order with lozenge moulding, in each case
on both the wall and soffit planes. The inner order
has a simple quarter-round on the edge, and the hood
an enriched indented moulding. All three orders rest
on nook-shafts, the capitals of which are carved with
stiff plantain-like leaves, the jambs between the outer
shafts being enriched with round studs. The two
larger shafts on each side have been renewed, and the
arch generally has been much restored, especially
the outer orders. (fn. 56)
The north porch, of which the doorway forms the
'frontispiece', is sometimes claimed to be of the 13th
century, apparently on the evidence of its plain pointed
lateral windows and one, wholly restored, above the
arch. These windows are, however, of a rather rough
and nondescript character, (fn. 57) and in the upper part of
the east wall, originally lighting a chamber, the floor
of which has been removed, is an unrestored singlelight window with trefoiled ogee head of c. 1400. The
present doorway from the aisle to the porch is apparently of the same period, (fn. 58) and the porch is probably
not earlier. Access to the porch-chamber was from the
north aisle by a circular stone stair, which is still in
position.
The chancel is of three bays, marked externally on
the south side by buttresses, and is lighted by a fourcentred east window of five cinquefoiled lights with
vertical tracery, and on the south by three windows of
similar character but of three lights; all these windows
have double-chamfered jambs, and hood-moulds with
head-stops. In the middle bay, below the window, is a
chamfered priest's doorway with four-centred arch,
the original oak door of which remains, though not
used. There are no windows in the north wall, but
near to its east end is the blocked doorway of a former
sacristy. The piscina is of an unusual type, with cinquefoiled ogee head, stone shelf, and two lower compartments, the bottom one containing two trefoil-shaped
bowls, and the upper a plain circular bowl. There are
no sedilia. On the north side the chancel is open to
the chapel by a pointed arch (fn. 59) of two chamfered orders,
the inner order on half-octagonal responds with moulded
capitals and chamfered bases. The much-restored
chancel arch (fn. 60) is of the same character, except that
both orders spring from moulded capitals. The arches
are without hood-moulds. There is no chancel screen
nor any traces of the rood-loft. (fn. 61)
The nave arcades consist of three lofty pointed arches
of two chamfered orders, without hood-moulds, springing from octagonal pillars with moulded capitals and
bases, and from responds of similar character but with
chamfered bases. The 14th-century north aisle is
lighted by three pointed windows in the north wall,
each of three trefoiled lights with reticulated tracery,
and at each end by a pointed window of rather later
character, of three cinquefoiled lights and decorated
tracery, the jambs of which are moulded. All these
windows, the easternmost of which light the chapel,
have hood-moulds. The doorway and porch, in each
aisle, occupy the westernmost bay. In the west wall of
the north aisle, near its south end, is a plain pointed
recess 6 ft. 10 in. wide, the sill of which is about 15 in.
above the floor. (fn. 62) There is no structural or other division
between the chapel and aisle, but its floor is raised one
step, and in the usual position in its south wall is a
pointed piscina with plain ogee head and circular bowl.
The lean-to roof of the aisle and chapel is continuous,
but externally there is a low-pitched gable at each end. (fn. 63)
The south aisle has diagonal angle buttresses and is
lighted by pointed windows of three lights similar to
those in the chancel. Internally, on each side of the
east window is an image-bracket, that on the south side
moulded, the other in the form of a man's head, and
between the latter and the window is a niche with trefoiled ogee head and square hood-mould. Another
and larger niche in the south wall was brought here
from Grendon church in 1848. (fn. 64) The plain trefoilheaded piscina of the aisle altar has a circular bowl and
stone shelf. The pointed south doorway has a simple,
continuous hollow moulding and hood with returned
ends.
The lofty south porch has a low-pitched gable and
moulded four-centred outer doorway, above which is
a niche with cusped ogee head. The lateral windows
are square-headed and of two trefoiled lights. (fn. 65)
The tower is of three stages, with moulded plinth,
diagonal buttresses, and battlemented ashlar parapet
with angle pinnacles. The pointed west doorway has
a continuous-moulded arch within a square frame, and
traceried spandrels; above it is a tall pointed window
of three cinquefoiled lights and vertical tracery. The
lower stage is blank on the north and south, and the
middle stage on the north and west, except for a clock
dial, but on the south and east is a restored single-light
window. The pointed bell-chamber windows are of
two cinquefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in the head,
and the tower has a pyramidal leaded roof and iron
vane. There is a vice in the south-west angle. The
lofty pointed arch to the nave is of two chamfered
orders, the inner order on half-octagonal responds with
moulded capitals and bases. The lower part of the
opening is filled with a modern oak screen.
The font has a plain octagonal bowl and stem on a
moulded base, and is probably contemporary with the
nave arcades.
The hexagonal oak pulpit is of the early Jacobean
period with panelled sides and elaborate canopy. (fn. 66) A
contemporary panelled reading-desk was converted in
1870 into a screen for a small vestry at the east end of
the south aisle, two of its narrow panels being replaced
by new ones a little wider, and small balusters added at
the top for height. (fn. 67)
The effigy of Sir David de Esseby (1265) in the
north chapel has already been described. (fn. 68)
The beautiful monumental brass of Walter Ermyn,
rector (1401), had originally a shield at each corner of
the slab and was surrounded by a marginal inscription, (fn. 69) but the figure of the priest alone now remains.
He is represented vested in a cope, upon the borders of
which are engraved small figures of St. Peter, St. Paul,
St. Andrew, St. Nicholas, and St. Lawrence on one side,
and on the other St. Anne, St. Katharine, St. Margaret,
St. Mary Magdalene, and St. Elena. (fn. 70)
On the east jamb of the chancel doorway is a scratch
dial.
There are several monuments to members of the
Compton family. Of these the most notable are
(1) a marble group in bas-relief by Pietro Tenerani,
in memory of Margaret wife of the 2nd Marquess of
Northampton, who died in 1830; (fn. 71) (2) the large marble
figure of the Angel of the Resurrection, by the same
sculptor, (fn. 72) in memory of Spencer, 2nd Marquess of
Northampton (d. 1851), at the west end of the nave;
and (3) the recumbent marble figure, in a recess in
the north wall of the north aisle, of Lady Margaret
Leveson-Gower (d. 1858), 2nd daughter of the 2nd
Marquess of Northampton, the work of Baron Marochetti. There are also memorials to Charles, 1st Marquess of Northampton (d. 1828), and his wife (d.
1843); (fn. 73) to Lord Alwyne Compton (d. 1906) who was
rector of Castle Ashby 1852–78; (fn. 74) John Segrave,
rector (d. 1836); and to six men of the parish, including Lord Spencer Compton, killed in the war of
1914–18.
No ancient glass now remains. (fn. 75)
There is a ring of five bells, the first and second dated
1610, the third inscribed 'Sancta Agatha ora pro nobis',
and the fourth and tenor by R. Taylor & Son, Oxford,
1826. (fn. 76)
The plate is all silver-gilt and consists of two cups
and patens, a flagon, a bread-holder, and an alms dish,
made in 1713 by Pierre Platel, each inscribed 'Given
by Mary Countess of Northampton to Ashby Church'. (fn. 77)
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) all
entries 1564–1650; (ii) 1653–97; (iii) 1698–1720;
(iv) burials 1678–1744; (v) all entries 1683–1706;
(vi) 1721–1812; (vii) marriages 1754–1812.
In the churchyard is a cross erected in 1883 as a
memorial to Charles, 3rd Marquess of Northampton
(d. 1877).
Advowson
The first known presentations to
this rectory were by David de Ashby
in 1240 (fn. 78) and Henry Muschet, as
guardian of the younger David, in 1249. (fn. 79) From this
time it passed with the manor. During the minority of
an heir in 1356, the king granted this rectory to Thomas
de Brantingham who later became Lord Treasurer and
Bishop of Exeter. (fn. 80) In the reign of Henry VIII John
Baker, the new parson, complained that the servants
of the executors of his predecessor had negligently
destroyed two great barns while sheep branding. (fn. 81)
Charity
James Burgess, who died in 1802, left
£100 3% Consols to the poor of the
parish. The endowment is now represented by a sum of £100 2½% Consolidated Stock held
by the Official Trustees and the dividends amounting
to £2 10s. are distributed by the rector and two trustees.