Part 26 (2/2)
In the churchyard is the lower part of the shaft of a cross, standing on an octagonal base. Opposite the east end of the south aisle is a tombstone in memory of James Roberts, ”who sailed round the world in company with Sir Joseph Banks, in the years 176871, on board H.M.S. the Endeavour, Lieut. James Cook, Commander,” attending him ”also on other voyages.” {194a} The tomb of Archdeacon Goodenough is on the north-east side of the church. Within a few feet of the south b.u.t.tress of the tower is a fragment of an old tombstone, shewing part of a foliated cross on both sides, and the monogram I.H.S., in old characters, probably Saxon; Mareham being one of the 222 parishes in the county which had a church in Saxon times {194b}
Gervase Holles (temp. Chas. I.) gives the following arms and inscriptions, as existing in the church in his time. In the east window:
Empaled Arg' a crosse sa.
Arg. on a crosse G. a bezant.
Arg, a crosse sa.
Empaled Quarterly arg. and G., on the 1st and 4th quarters a popinjay vert. membred and beked G.
In the western window on the left of the tower:
Orate pro a'ia Joh'is Tott, Agnet, et Helene, uxorum ejus, & specialiter pro Andrea Tott, Artium Baccalaureo, qui istam fenestram lapidari, necnon vitreari fecit.
Over the b.u.t.tress, on the east side:
Quarterly Ufford and Beke . . . Willoughby
3 crosses portate . . .
2 chevrons between 3 roses . . .
A crosse . . .
A lyon pa.s.sant . . .
”Domus mea domus orationis vocabitur, 1591.”
{195a}
The register dates from 1558. An entry records that on 22nd Nov., 1685, a ”Briefe was read and published, for Saresden in Oxfords.h.i.+re, for loss valued at 1,449. Granted June 14th, 1686.” Another entry, under date 23rd Nov., 1685, is as follows: ”Thomas Eresby of Revvesby maketh oath yt Theodosie, his daughter, who was buried in the churchyard upon Sunday last, was wound and wrapped up in woollen only, according to the late Act of Parliament, in yt case made.” In explanation of this it may be stated that in 1677 British and Irish woollens were prohibited in France, which injured the woollen trade very much; and in the next year (1678) in order to encourage the trade at home, it was enacted by 29 Charles II., c. 3, that all persons, except those who died of the plague, should be buried in wool, under a penalty of 5. {195b} Another entry states that a collection was made, the amount not known, to afford relief, after the great fire in London, Sept., 1666.
The rectory, adjoining the church, stands in a large, well wooded garden.
It is a good substantial residence, rebuilt by Archdeacon Goodenough in 181819, and much improved in 1855. In the entrance hall are two old prints of the church and rectory before their restoration, dated 1785.
They were presented to the late rector, Rev. W. Sharpe, by Alfred Cobbett, Esq., and they are preserved as heirlooms by the rectors for the time being. The Rev. F. J. Williamson is the present rector, late of Lydgate. The Bishop of Manchester is patron of the benefice; the patronage of this, and several other benefices in this neighbourhood, formerly held by the Bishops of Carlisle, being transferred to the See of Manchester some years after its creation, in 1848.
The national school, built in 1840, is endowed with nearly an acre of land, given by Archdeacon Goodenough; it was considerably enlarged by J.
Banks Stanhope, Esq., in 1877. Some of the inhabitants are ent.i.tled to the benefits of the almshouses at Revesby. There is a navigable drain from the Witham, pa.s.sing near the village, affording communication with New Bolingbroke and Boston. A former part of the parish is now included in the district of Wildmoor Fen.
In Liber Regis this parish is named ”Marrow, alias Marym, alias Mareham in le Fen.” It is called in _Domesday Book_ Meringe (or the sea-ing, _i.e._ sea-meadow). Another form was Marum; the Revesby Charters, Nos.
47 and 48, mention a piece of land, near the boundary of Marum, called ”Mare Furlong,” and the gra.s.s (Psamma arenaria) which now grows on the sea banks is commonly called Marrum gra.s.s. All these names probably refer to the marish (Latin, marisc.u.m), or marsh, character of the locality, caused by its proximity to the sea (le mer), which then came much nearer than it does now, and frequently flooded the land.
The manor was given by the Conqueror to the powerful Norman, Robert Despenser, who, as his name implies, was the King's High Steward. He was the ancestor of the Despensers, Earls of Gloucester, and he held 15 manors in Lincolns.h.i.+re alone, besides 17 in Leicesters.h.i.+re, and several in other counties. Much of the land of this parish was at a later period given to Revesby Abbey, and at the dissolution of the monasteries some of this was granted by Henry VIII, to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk.
{196a} In later times it became, by purchase, the property of Mr. Joseph Banks, M.P. for Grimsby, born in 1681, and eventually came to his distinguished descendant, Sir Joseph Banks; and on his death some of the Mareham land pa.s.sed to the ancestors of the present Sir Henry M. Hawley.
Other proprietors are now Major Gape, Messrs. J. R. Chapman, Joseph Lake, and other smaller owners.
<script>