OSSINGTON. OSCHINTON.
Osmund before the Norman invasion had a manor in Oschinton rated to the tax or
Dane-geld at six bovats. The land three car. There afterwards Raph de Buron
(whose fee it was become) had three car. four sochm. on half a bovat of this land,
sixteen villains, six bord. having six car. and eighteen acres of meadow, pasture wood
two leu. long, one len. broad: (fn. 1) In the Confessours time this was valued at 3l. in
the Conquerours when the survey was taken at 40s. It had soc in Almentune.
(fn. 2) Hugh de Burun, and Hugh Meschines his son, his younger son Roger also praisign the act, gave the church of Oscinton in the year 1144, 9 Step. to the monastery of
Lenton, as in that place and Cotgrave is shown.
(fn. 3) Roger de Burun gave his body to God and the church of the Holy Trinity at Lenton, and there took the habit and religion of the Cluniac monks, that God might avert
the scourge of his wrath from him, due for the very great multitude of his sins; and
for the soul of his lord king Richard the first, his ancestors and heirs, and likewise for
his own, gave and granted to God the said church of Lenton, and religious brethren
there serving God, the whole town of Oscington, with all its appurtenances. Howbeit
it seems he had given it to the hospitalers of St. Johns of Hicrusalem before, which occasioned suits among the religious, especially for the church.
(fn. 4) Walter Smallet by his deed inrolled, 5 Joh. for the souls of king John, the queen,
Roger de Burun, his father, mother, and their ancestors, confirmed the town of Oscin
ton to the hospitalers, retaining nothing but the prayers of the house of that hospital. (fn. 5)
[Pedigree]
The prior of Lenton, 9 Joh. produced the gift of Hugh de Burun, and confirmation
of Roger, as it is before mentioned. The prior of the hospital of Jerusalem pleaded that
they had seisin of the town of Osciuton where the church is scituate, of the gift of Roger
de Burun, who gave them that town, and produced his charter testifying the same; and
and also another charter, which especially spoke concerning the church. The prior of
Lentons atturney knew not that he should put himself on the jury, before he had the advice of his master, and therefore day was given till fifteen days after Easter, at which time
viz. 10 Joh. (fn. 6) the jury found that Roger de Burun presented the last parson, which
died, to the church of Oscington, and therefore the brethren of the hospital should have
their seisin, and the prior of Lenton be in mercy. (fn. 7) Yet not very long before Roger
arch-bishop of York admitted and instituted Galfr. the clark, parson of this church upon the presentation of the prior and monks of Lenton, and gave them 2s. a year as a pension out of it. There was a fine levied at Leycester the Munday after the feast of St. Andrew that same year, viz. 10 Joh. (fn. 8) between Peter prior of Lenton, and Robert the
treasurer of the prior of the hospital of Jerusalem, concerning the advowson of this church
which the prior of Lenton released to the hospitalers, and they gave to Lenton, the moiety
of the advowson of the church of Huneswithe of their gift. The hospitalers enjoyed this
whole township in pure alms, with priviledges spiritual and temporal. Charles
duke of Suffolk, 34 H. 8. (fn. 9) had licence to alienate the manor, and rec
tory of Ossington to Richard Andrews. gent. and his heirs. Edmund Cartwright (who
after the dissolution of monasteries had Malling in Kent) married Anna, sister of Thomas
Cranmer archbishop of Canterbury. This Edmund died, seized of this manor and rectory, 21 July, 1 Mar. but it seems he had another wise agnes, the daughter of Richard
Andrewes, who died 18 Aug. 3 & 4 Ph. and Mar. This manor and rectory continue
with the posterity and name of the same Edmund Cartwright to this day.
In the chancel on a plate of brass fixed on a marble gratestoue, this following inscription in capital letters:
Mary Pierpont, daughter of sir Henry Pierepont of Holme Pierepont,
knight, in the county of Nottingham, and wife to Fulk Cartwright of Ossington, in the
same county, died the 8th. day of March 1670.
Of your Charitie pray for the soul of Reynold Peckham of Wrotham, in the county of
Kent, esquire, which deceased the xxi day of July in the year of our Lord
God M. CCCCC L. Whose Soule God pardon.
At the upper end of the Chapel on the North side of Ossington,
Here resteth the bodies of William Cartwright, esquire, late lord of this manor of
Ossington, patron of this church; and of Grace his wife, youngest daughter and co-heir
of Thomas Dabridgcourt of Langdon Hall, in the county of Warwick, esquire; by whom
he had issue Mary, married to Thomas Rockly, Fulk, Dorothy married to Thomas
Broome; George deceased; Thomas, Christian, William, and Elizabeth deceased;
William, John, Elizabeth, and Hugh: and deceased the last of December, in the year
of our Lord, 1602. He was son and heire of George Cartwright, and of Dorothy
sole heir of William Molineux. The aforesaid Grace departed this life the 20th. day of
March, in the year of our Lord 1633.
[Throsby] Ossington.
The lordship here is owned by John Denison esq. it is almost throughout beautifully adorned with woody grounds, some of which are extensive, but in an infant state.
The whole in time, will be a splendid embellishment to the seat of that gentleman.
Ossington Hall,
Which is a dwelling of more magnitude than splendor, has a fine park and pleasure
grounds in an improving state, in which the hand of industry, and a mind fraught with
taste, are visible.
The view preceding, is from that given by Thoroton, which having an historical notice, could not be withheld, by the proprietor of this work, from the public. It
appears from historical document that it was materially damaged during the civil war
of the last century. Thoroton's words, on this subject, are engraven upon the plate
of the view of the house thus "A prospect of Ossington House from the field on the
west side, as it now is, some part of it having been ruined in the late rebellious war."
(fn. 10) This house, which was owned by the Cartwrights about that time, as Thoroton observes and who married into the family of Cranmer, continued in the possession
of that family till it became extinct; the last of that line being females, four in
number, jointly sold it to William Dennison, a great merchant, in the woollen line,
at Leeds in Yorkshire. This gentleman died at Bath, in 1782. It has been said of
him, I know not with what truth, that he died possessed of 700,000l. mostly acquired
by business. He served the office of high sheriff of the county in 1779. A magnificent Mausoleum has been erected here lately, to shelter his remains.
The church or chapel here is dedicated to Holy Rood, is newly built, as is also the
Hall. It has a kind of doom like tower, with five bells. The tombs, arms, &c. in
the preceding plate, are taken from Thoroton. Patron, William Cartwright, esq;
Propr. Knights Templars. Incumbent, Revd. John Charlesworth.