Part 23 (1/2)
In this ”b.u.t.ts” field rises a spring, which is the source of a small runnel, called ”Daubeny's Beck.” This bearing westward, for some distance forms the boundary between the parishes of Thimbleby and Langton, then flowing through Woodhall falls into the ”Monk's Beck,” at Poolham. The name ”Daubeny” is doubtless a corruption of D' Albini. The D' Albinis held the Barony, and built the castle of Belvoir, and had other large possessions in this county and elsewhere; the name is not uncommon as a field name, &c. There is a field in Langton called ”Daubeny's (_i.e._ D' Albini's) Walk.”
In the grounds of Mr. W. A. Crowder, further to the east, near the Lincoln ”Ramper,” as the highway is locally called, there was found, a few years ago, a so-called ”Roman” tomb, somewhat rudely constructed of blocks of Spilsby sandstone. Within it was a human skeleton, with bones of a dog, a sword, and the head of a spear. In connection with this, we may also mention, that in the Rectory grounds there is an ancient well, of great depth, lined also with Spilsby sandstone, and said to be Roman; which in the immediate proximity of the Cornucastrum, or Roman fort of Banovallum, would not seem to be at all improbable.
An old parish book of Thimbleby, recently shown to the writer, proves the care which was taken by the parish officials, before the present poor law system was established, to secure the comfort and maintenance of poorer paris.h.i.+oners.
At a parish meeting, Nov. 1st, 1819, Thomas Kemp, Churchwarden, in the chair, it was ordered that John Sharp's daughter was to have a gown and pettycoat, worsted for two pairs of stockings, and one blue ap.r.o.n. Four boys were to have two smocks each, and eight old people a strike of coals each per week. At another meeting Margaret Day was to have worsted for two pairs of socks for her two boys, herself to spin it; and one pair of shoes for her daughter. Robert Kemp, and his son Richard, in order to find them work were to be paid 2s. per day, to ”gether” stones for the parish.
Again, Maria Day's shoes were to be mended; Mary Atkin to have a pair of blankets, and her chamber window put in and thatched. Benj. Benton one pair of shoes, Willm. Adkin a waistcoat. Mary King's family four s.h.i.+rts, two pairs of shoes, three frocks, three petticoats, and three dabs (_i.e._ pinafores). A pair of breeches for George Skipworth; Willm.
Skipworth to have a spade.
Again, Mr. Thos. Kemp was ”to be allowed 20 for the use of the poor-house, to be insured for 200 by the parish, and, when given up to be left in the same state.”
At a meeting on 7th August, 1820, Robert Dixon in the chair, it was ordered that all paupers receiving a.s.sistance should regularly attend Divine Service, and on their non-attendance the a.s.sistance should be stopped. Mary Todd was to receive her money (which had been stopped) having given satisfaction to the vestry for not attending the church.
Mary Hobbins' boy to be put to school. ”To get the Lord's Prayer, and the 'I believe,' put in the church at the parish expense.”
At a meeting held 27th August, 1830, Thomas Kemp in the chair, it was agreed that 75 be borrowed of Mr. Thos. Kemp, to pay Mrs. Farmer's expenses to America, to be repaid by the parish, 30s. weekly, with legal interest. Church rates are now among the ”has beens,” but in 1843 a rate was pa.s.sed of ”1d. in the pound for the support of the church, and 10d.
in the pound for the highway repairs.”
In the churchyard, along the south side of the church, are a group of gravestones of the Kemp family. Eastward are several of the Marshall family, formerly numerous here, and in the neighbourhood, holding a respectable position, but now extinct. {175} There are also a number of tombs of the Todd family, respectable small farmers, resident in the parish, from the first notice of a burial, June 24th, 1738, down to recent years. The Tebbuts and Dixons were also resident, as tenants or small owners, for many years.
Among the marriage registers, which date from 1695, is the following note: ”March 23, 1779, a marriage was attempted to be solemnized; but the intended bridegroom, to the great surprise of the congregation a.s.sembled, remaining away, the ceremony, &c. . . .” The rest is illegible.
We have now to speak of the church. The present edifice stands on the site of a former 14th century church, which, judging by the remains that have been found, must have been of much larger dimensions, and consisted of nave, two aisles, chancel, and bell tower; the total breadth having been 52-ft. Several fragments of stained gla.s.s have, at various times, been found in digging graves, showing that this early church, like several others in the neighbourhood, had good coloured windows. This was taken down in 1744, and from the materials remaining a small fabric was erected in its place, consisting of nave and apsed chancel, with no pretensions whatever to architectural beauty. This (as has been generally the case with badly constructed edifices of that period) became also, in turn, so decayed that the present Rector, on entering on the benefice, decided to rebuild the church once more; and in 1879 the present structure was completed at a cost of over 1,000, in the best early Decorated style.
It consists of nave, chancel, organ chamber on the south, and an octagonal bell turret, designed by the late Mr. James Fowler, the Architect, and containing one small modern bell, graven with the date and initials of W. Carey, Churchwarden in 1744, {176a} who demolished the old church. The nave has three two-light windows, of the decorated style, in the north and south walls; there is a square-headed two-light window in the organ chamber; the chancel has a single-light window in the north and south walls, with a good east window of three lights, trefoiled, and with a triangle of trefoils above. In the north wall is a credence recess, and in the south wall are two stone sedilia. The tiles within the chancel rails are copied from ancient tiles, which were found some years ago, at Revesby Abbey. In the west front, over the door, is a large two-light window, and above it a clock, the only village church clock in the neighbourhood, by Smith of Derby. Within the west doorway, let into the north wall of the tower bas.e.m.e.nt, is a fragment of an old battlement, having a s.h.i.+eld in the centre, probably a relic from the original church.
The font is modern, having a plain octagonal bowl, shaft, and pediment.
The roof is of pitch pine, the timbers being supported by plain corbels.
The lectern, chancel stalls, and communion table are of good modern oak
Used as a stile in the south fence of the churchyard is a large slab, on which, above ground, is the matrix of a former bra.s.s, representing one figure, with a broad transverse bar for an inscription, and connecting it with other figures, which are now below the ground. {176b}
The church plate includes an interesting paten, presented to the church in 1837, by the mother of the late Rector, but bearing hall-marks of 17278, with the letter M and a five-pointed star below. The chalice is still more interesting, as it bears an old Lincoln hall-mark, of date about 1570; there are only eight other known examples of this period in the county.
The rectory is a commodious house, built in 1839, doubtless on the site of the former monastic grange; it stands in an extensive garden, embowered among trees of goodly growth. A fine oil painting at the present time adorns the entrance hall. It is reputed to be by Spagnoletto, and was formerly in the monastery of St. Jerome, in Lisbon.
Its size is 5-ft. by 4-ft., the subject being St. Jerome translating the Vulgate scriptures.
WEST ASHBY.
This parish, like High Toynton, Mareham-on-the-Hill and Wood Enderby, was formerly a hamlet of Horncastle, of which it adjoins the northern boundary. We find them all coupled together in an extract from the Testa de Nevill [folio 348 (556), quoted _Lincs. Notes & Queries_, vol. iii, p.
215] as follows: ”The church of Horncastre, and of Askeby, and of Upper Thinton, and of Meringes, and of Hinderby, are of the gift of the Lord,”
_i.e._ the Lord of the Manor. In _Domesday Book_ it is called Aschebi.
Queen Editha, wife of Edward the Confessor, who owned various lands in this neighbourhood, was Lady of this Manor, as well as that of Horncastle. She held here six carucates of land (or about 720 acres), besides which there were 45 soc-men, 5 villeins, and 13 bordars, with eight carucates (or about 960 acres), and 500 acres of meadow and pasture. (_Domesday_, ”Soke of Horncastle.”)
[Picture: The Manor House, West Ashby]
_Domesday_ also mentions that the Saxon thane, Chetelburn, who had property in Coningsby, Keal, Candlesby, Friskney, and other places in the county, had at Ashby ”a mill worth 12s. yearly,” a very considerable sum in those days. The manor was afterwards held by the Conqueror himself (_Domesday_, ”Property of the King”); and it would seem, although there is no direct evidence of it, that he bestowed the manor on one of his chief favourites, Ranulph de Paga.n.a.ll, who received from his sovereign extensive grants in the counties of Somerset, Devon, York, Northampton, and Lincoln, {177} including all the lands formerly held by the Saxon Merleswain, in this county and elsewhere. Ranulph Paga.n.a.ll founded (A.D.