Records of Woodhall Spa and Neighbourhood Part 10

The Rev. J. A. Penny, formerly Vicar of Stixwould, furnished the following description of the present church, when the writer, as local honorary secretary, conducted the "Lincoln and Notts. Architectural Society" round the neighbourhood in 1894:-"The figures and pinnacles on the tower are from the old tower; the choir screen was formed from that formerly round the small choir, but only one-third of the original, {151b} which was used as a pew by the tenants of Halstead Hall. Under the stone slab nearest the screen, in the nave, were deposited the remains of a Mr. Boulton, who stabbed his mother to death in the little chapel outside the Priory gate, for which he was hanged at Lincoln. The stone face and wooden angels are from the former church, as also the bench ends on the south side. The royal arms, with date 1662, are in a wall in the Abbey farmhouse; and the holy water stoup is under the pump in the school yard. The fine slab, with cross, now under the tower, was dug up on the site of the Priory, also the stone coffin which stands there; and the rest in the vicarage garden. One of the bells is exactly the same as that in the Guildhall at Lincoln, and dates from 1370; it is dedicated to St. Katine, with foundry mark (Nottingham), founder's initials, and merchant's mark. The font is octagonal, with evangelic emblems, and names, on four sides; on the other sides, a monk seated in a chair and holding Y in his arms; next a man with arms akimbo, facing due east; next a monk, or Friar; and next a figure in flab cap, with sword, holding a rose in his left hand, his right resting on his belt. These four figures come between the emblems of St. Mark and St. Luke."

Of the Religious House, or Priory, at Stixwould, the published accounts are not quite in accord. Stukeley and Dugdale {152a} place it among the Benedictine establishments, whereas Leland calls it Cistercian; {152b} this, however, is hardly a contradiction, since the Cistercians were "the straitest sect" of the Benedictines. {152c} It is said generally to have been founded by the Lady Lucia ("Comitissa Cestriae et Lincoln"), widow of the great Norman Baron, Ivo Taillebois, who came over with the Conqueror and to have been further endowed by her two sons, Ranulph, Earl of Chester, and William de Romara, Earl of Lincoln. {152d} We may just observe here, in pa.s.sing, that the figure cut into the stone which supports the credence table, in the chancel of St. Andrew's Church, Woodhall, is supposed to be that of this Countess Lucia, being brought from the ruins of Stixwould Priory. The Rev. Thomas c.o.x, in his "Lincolnshire" (1719), however, says that the founder was Galfred de Ezmondeys. Doubtless, various persons, and at different periods, endowed or enlarged the foundation, and so became ent.i.tled to be counted among the "fundatores." By an Inquisition, taken at Stamford, 3 Ed. I., it was found that "the Master and Nuns" held divers lands at Huntington, of the gift of several benefactors, among them being Alexander Creviquer, Lucia, Countess of Chester, and her son Ranulph; and that "they had been so held for the s.p.a.ce of one hundred years." {153a} Ultimately it became a very wealthy inst.i.tution, having, besides property in Lincoln, lands lying in 13 Deaneries, and in the Soke of Grantham in more than a dozen parishes; with the advowson of the Benefices of Stixwould and Wainfleet, a pension from Alford, and other property, one item being "two tofts in Horsington to provide lamps and tapers for the service of the altar." {153b} The rules of this establishment were very strict. The lives of the nuns were to be devoted to prayer and works of charity. Their leisure hours were occupied in reading, or relating legends of Saints, in working tapestry, embroidering altar and pulpit cloths, and such like. {153c} The convent was so entirely shut in by walls, according to the old regulation, "as scarcely to leave an entrance for birds." They were not allowed even to converse with each other without license from the Prioress. If strangers wished to communicate with them, it was only allowed through a grating, veiled, and in the presence of witnesses. They confessed periodically to the Inc.u.mbent of the parish, with a latticed window between them. By one of their rules they were not to go alone even into the garden, except under great necessity, and on festivals; and no flowers, except jessamine and violets, were to be plucked, without permission from the sacrist; and they could only leave the convent on account of illness, to console the sick, or attend funerals, except by episcopal dispensation.

Nevertheless, although nominally living thus under severe restraint, it would appear that certain relaxations were allowed. They were at times permitted to exercise the accomplishments of music, and even dancing.

They had their processions and other monastic amus.e.m.e.nts, like the monks, and even patronized the feast of fools, and other absurdities of the times. {154a} We may even picture to ourselves the Prioress indulging in the sport of hunting, for she had charters of free warren over the Priory lands, {154b} and the Harleyan MSS., in the British Museum, have illuminated representations of buxom dames, riding with hounds, and shooting stags, and bears, with cross-bow; wearing sensible clothing and seated astride on their palfreys {154c}. The State Records speak of these devotional ladies as "the holy Nuns of Stixwold," {154d} yet, at one time, public complaint was made that the Prioress of Stixwould had no scruples in so encroaching upon the waters of the Witham and diverting its course, that the vessels accustomed to ply on it with turf and f.a.ggots for the people of Lincoln, could now only do so at great peril.

{154e} We may, perhaps, however, exonerate the "Lady Superior" and her nuns from all blame in this matter, when we remember that there was a "Master of the Nuns" {154f} and other male officials who, indeed, battened on the Priory in such numbers, that it was even said that they were more numerous than the sisters. {154g}

I have dwelt thus at some length on these details, because Stixwould is the next parish to Woodhall, and within easy access of the visitor to the Spa; further, this Priory, like that of Sempringham in the south of the county, occupies a peculiar position, being one of a limited number of such establishments, which harboured the two s.e.xes, canons as well as nuns, within their walls; an arrangement of questionable wisdom and propriety. {154h} We have only to add that this Priory was suppressed by Henry VIII., with other lesser monasteries, in the 28th year of his reign; but in the following year, out of the sincere devotion that he had to the Virgin Mary, and for the increase of virtue, and the divine worship, "he reconst.i.tuted it, as a Pre-monstratensian Monastery, to consist of a Prioress and Nuns, to officiate . . . for the good estate of him and of his most dear consort, Jane, Queen of England, while they lived, and after their deaths for their souls, and the souls of their children and progenitors," and he re-endowed it with all the possessions which it had previously held. {155a} Unfortunately, as Henry's love for his consorts was not remarkable for its stability, neither was the singular favour which he thus showed to the Priory, for, two years afterwards, he again, and finally, dissolved it, and granted it to John Dighton. Sic transit!

Other objects of interest have been found in Stixwould. My friend, the late Vicar, {155b} writes "I found two gla.s.s 'bottle stamps,' 1? ins. in diameter; one of these has the figure of a dog, and 'Rowles,' in printed letters, beneath it; the other has 'Anth. Boulton, Stixwo. 1722.' The Boultons lived at the 'Abbey farm' for several generations, until the one (already mentioned) who committed murder. The bottles were made more like ship decanters, or the flagons of Australian wines, than our ordinary bottles. I also found many small pieces of mediaeval pottery, some pieces of 'puzzle jugs,' with holes, and the neck of a 'pilgrim's bottle,' of Cistercian ware, so called, as I was told by the late Sir Augustus Franks, of the British Museum, because it has only been found on the sites of Cistercian houses. The colour of mediaeval pottery is as superior to the modern as ancient gla.s.s is to that of the present day, and it is sometimes tastefully ornamented with finger marks. The stone coffins, by the tower of Stixwould Church, were dug up where the Abbey Church formerly stood, in the field at the back of the present Abbey farm orchard."

There are several large blocks of stone, at different farmyards, which came from the Abbey. The stocks, until a few years ago, stood in the centre of the junction of the Horsington and Woodhall Spa roads, at the east end of the village street.

HORSINGTON.-About two miles from Stixwould, north-eastward, is Horsington, its name, probably, being compounded of the Saxon elements horse-ing-ton _i.e._, the village with horse-meadows; that the central syllable is not the patronymic "ing" is evident, since about a mile away we have, also, Poolham "Ings," which are rich meadow lands on that, the adjoining, manor. The present church of Horsington is modern, having been built in 1860, of brick, with stone dressings, in place of a previous very poor thatched structure, into which one entered by a descent of two steps, with something of the feeling of descending into a dripping well. The present edifice is neat, but of no great architectural merit, and is already, in parts, becoming dilapidated, the stonework of the spire being much weatherworn. It is not, however, strictly speaking, the parish church, but rather a chapel of ease. The ancient church was "All Hallows," the site of which is shewn by a mound in the fields to the south-west of the present village, at a point which is almost equi-distant from Stixwould in the south, Bucknall to the west, and Horsington village itself; and is said, traditionally, to have been the common church of all three parishes before their present churches were built. Separated from it now by a small drain is the old burial ground. Tradition connects this site with the Fire-ceremony of November, in British times, once prevalent in Asia, as well as Europe, and even in America. The beginning of the year was then fixed by the culminating of the constellation Pleiades, in November. On the first of the month bonfires were lighted, as they have been by the Welsh in quite recent times, and, along with the fire, the emblem of purity, offerings were made on behalf of the dead, the sacrifices of animals being so numerous on this and other days, that the month acquired the name of Blot-monath, _i.e._, Blood-month. The Venerable Bede, {156} tells us that, at the request of Pope Boniface, A.D. 611, the Emperor Phocas ordered, according to a general practice, that, on the site, in Rome, where "all the G.o.ds"

had been worshipped, which was called the Pantheon, the filth of idolatry being abolished, a church should be erected in memory of the Blessed Virgin and all Martyrs; and on this principle, in other places also, the site of the heathen worship, and the day of its special observance, were transformed into the occasion and place of observance of the Christian festival of "All Hallows," or "All Saints" day; and in the course of re-corrupting time the offering on behalf of the dead by the heathen, and the commemorative ceremony of the early Christian, pa.s.sed into "prayers for the dead," which became general in a later age. Further, to give their sympathies a wider compa.s.s, the old "Golden Legend" tells us that "Saynt Odylle ordeyned that the feast and remembraunce of all them that ben departed (generally) out of this worlde sholde be holden in al monasteryes, the daye after the fest Halowen (All Hallows even); the wyche thynge was approved after all holye Chyrche." {157} This is the old Christian black-letter festival of "All Souls," generally, as distinguished from the red-letter, "All Saints day." Such are some of the old traditions which hang, like evergreen garlands, round our sacred places. Children may once have "pa.s.sed through fire to Molech" where now the heaving turf shrouds the skeleton of a decayed church.

On the walls of the church are tablets with the following inscriptions:-"To the beloved memory of Frederick Evan Cowper Smith, Lieutenant, Royal Artillery, eldest son of the late T. F. Smith formerly Rector of this Parish. He died of Fever, brought on by over-exertion in the discharge of his duty, while on active service in Afghanistan, with the Kyber Line Field Force, on July 26th, 1880, when he had just completed 19 years of earthly life. Jesu Mercy." A second is as follows:-"Sacred to the memory of Arthur Monro Cowper Smith, Captain in the Royal Field Artillery, and graduate of Trinity College, Cambridge; he died at Beira, East Africa, on Sept. 28, 1898, in the 36th year of his age, of injuries received in a gra.s.s fire while shooting big game on the Pungwe River. He was the second son of the Rev. T. F. Smith, B.D., late Rector of this Parish."

Another tablet is in memory of the Rev. T. F. Smith, B.C., "formerly Fellow of St. Mary Magdalen College, Oxford, and Rector of this parish, who died May 21, 1871, aged 50."

A fourth is to the memory of Colonel Bonar Millett Deane, second son of Rev. G. Deane, late Rector of Bighton. He died in South Africa, gallantly leading a column of the 58th Regiment, under General Colley, at the battle of Laing's Nek, January 28, 1881, aged 46 years. "He fought a good fight, he kept the faith. Jesu Mercy." He was a relative of the late Rector, the Rev. F. H. Deane, B.D., afterwards Rector of South Kilworth, Rugby.

A doc.u.ment in the parish chest shews that the burial ground was, at one time, _re-purchased_ for a burial, and fenced in, while other papers shew how this came about, viz., that the duty of the parishioners to keep up the churchyard fence had been neglected (as has also occurred in other places in this neighbourhood), and so the land lapsed, and had to be recovered. In these papers, both church and chapel are named as distinct, which again is confirmed by the Will {158} of John Kele, parson of Horsington, 26 January, 1540, in which he directs that his body shall be "buryed in the Quire of All Hallows," and bequeaths to "the church of Horsington on ma.s.s boke (one ma.s.s book), on port huse (Breviary), on boke called Manipulus Curatorum"; he adds, "I also wyll that on broken chalyce, that I have, be sold, and _wared_ off the chancell of the chapell of Horsington; proved 17 Feb. 1540." Here he is to be buried at All Hallows, and makes a bequest to the "Horsington Church," this evidently again being All Hallows; but the money produced by the sale of the broken chalice is to be _wared_ (note the Lincolnshire word, _i.e._, spent) on "the chancell of the chapell." The pilgrim from Woodhall Spa can find his way by a pleasant walk of 2 miles, mostly through the fields, northwards from the Bath-house, or along the Stixwould-road, re-entering the fields a little westward of "Miser's Row," and so by Halstead Hall, and to All Hallows. We now proceed to later incidents in Horsington history. There are the traces of two old moated mansions, one on the right of the road going from Woodhall Spa, about a quarter of a mile before reaching the village: there is now a small farmhouse within the moat, which is shaded by its sallows or willow trees. Nearly opposite, a cross cut in the turf by the road shews where a man was killed some years ago. The other traces are to be seen in the field just to the south of the present churchyard. The field is still called "Hall close," and the moats, ponds, and mounds cover some two acres. It has been the residence of a family of importance; and we find among the list of those gentry who contributed their 25 to the Armada Fund the name of Robert Smythe, --- of Horsington. In the register of burials is the entry, dated 1671, "Bridget Hall wiff of Robert Hall buried in her own yard Dec. 1st, 1671." She lived at "Hall farm," near the road from Horsington to Bucknall; and deeming it popish to lie east and west in a churchyard, she directed that her body should be buried north and south in her own garden. Some years ago the occupier, in digging a drain between the house and the road, came upon a skeleton lying north and south, presumably that of Bridget Hall.

Here is another odd circ.u.mstance. We now have our splendid county asylums for our lunatics, but the writer can remember the case of an unfortunate lunatic who was kept chained to the kitchen fire-place in a house in Horncastle, was never unchained, and slept on the brick floor.

At Horsington the parish officers made special provision for the insane.

In the parish chest there was, until quite recently, {159} a bra.s.s collar, to which was attached a chain for securing the unfortunate individual by the neck. The writer was lately informed by an old Horsington man, over 80 years of age, that the last occasion on which this collar was used was early in the 19th century. A villager then residing near the present blacksmith's shop, and named Joe Kent, had two insane daughters, who had a very strong antipathy to each other, so that they had always to be kept apart, or they would have killed each other.

My informant took me to what formerly was the garden of Kent's house, and pointed out two spots where these two unfortunate creatures were, in fine weather, chained to the wall, one by the neck and the other by the waist, about 15 yards apart. When within doors they were similarly secured in separate rooms, treatment, surely, which was calculated to aggravate rather than alleviate their afflictions, but those were days in which rough remedies were too often resorted to.

Horsington was further connected with an incident which, had it not been nipped in the bud, might have had most serious national consequences, viz., what is known as "the Cato street conspiracy," the leader of which was Arthur Thistlewood, a native of Horsington. His proper name was Burnett, the name of his mother, he not being born in wedlock. She was the daughter of a small shopkeeper in the village. Thistlewood, his father, was a farmer, and Burnett was brought up with the rest of Thistlewood's family. Possibly his peculiar position may have soured his temper. The following extracts taken from a recent publication give contemporary information as to the details of this dangerous and daringly-conceived plot. {160} The Earl of Hardwick, writing to Lady Elizabeth Stuart, then in Paris, Feb. 24, 1820, states that he had, in London, just received information of a plot to a.s.sa.s.sinate ministers as they came from dinner at Lord Harrowby's. (The Duke of Berry had been a.s.sa.s.sinated in Paris, at the door of the Opera House, on Feb. 13th, 1820, only eleven days before.) Thirty men, his lordship says, were found in a hay-loft, all armed. Notice had been privately given to the police of the plot, and the dinner had been consequently postponed.

These men had probably met to consider the cause of this postponement.

Nine of the party were taken, the rest escaping by a rope ladder. Lord Hardwick, writing again at 4 p.m. the same day, says, "I have just seen the leaders of the horrible plot . . . Thistlewood was taken to the Treasury, where he was about to be examined. Townshend the police officer asked if I would like to see him . . . he was sitting over the fire without his hat; it was easy to distinguish him from the rest, by the character of ferocity which marked his countenance, which had a singularly bad expression . . . Sir Charles Flint took me to another room, where there were several of the arms taken; 7 pistols and bayonets, 4 daggers, or pike heads, two feet in length; and some muskets. A sergeant of the guard was wounded in the arm by a ball which had pa.s.sed through his hand; he also received three b.a.l.l.s in the crown of his hat."

Thistlewood was taken in White Cross Street, near Finsbury Square, in his bed. The place where the conspirators were discovered by the police was the loft of a stable at the "Horse and Groom" public-house, in John Street, Portman Square, which is between the square and Edgware Road.

They were to have forced themselves into the house, at Lord Harrowby's, while dinner was going on, which they could easily have done by knocking at the door and then overpowering the footmen; or, according to another version, to have a.s.sa.s.sinated the ministers as they came away in a body.

The Countess of Caledon, writing, about the same date, to Lady Elizabeth Stuart, says, "Since the Gunpowder Plot there has been nothing so terrible. Sir Willm. Scott says there was a plan to set London on fire in twelve places. They only waited for the signal that the a.s.sa.s.sination had taken place at Lord Harrowby's. Seven thousand persons were ready that night to act on the signal. We should never have escaped a Revolution."

Truly the Horsington lunatic's collar might well have been employed in curtailing the movements of this seditious native; but the public safety was more effectually secured by hanging him on May 1st in the same year, 1820. {161a}

The church bell bears the date 1754, with founder's name, "Dan Hedderly."

I may add that one of the bells in St. Mary's Church, Horncastle, has the inscription "Supplicem Deus audit. Daniel Hedderly cast me, 1727." In the present churchyard at Horsington grows the St. Mary's thistle referred to in a previous chapter, among the Flora. I find a note with reference to the same plant growing in a field near Somerford Grange, the farm of the monks of Christchurch. "It is supposed to have been brought from the Holy Land, and only found near Religious Houses." {161b} The writer happens to know that, in this case, the plant was imported some 20 years ago from Kirkstead, where it is now extinct. Had it a tongue to speak with, it would appeal to the pity of the visitor in the words "Noli me tangere."

BUCKNALL lies barely two miles from Horsington, to the west. The name (Buckehale in Domesday Book, or Buckenhall) would seem to indicate a former hall, or mansion, surrounded by beech trees; {161c} and in a field, still called "Hallyards," to the south of the village, there are traces of such a residence, near the farm now occupied by Mr. W. Carter.

This was probably the home of the Saxon Thorold, Sheriff of Lincoln, and lord of the demesne, before the Conquest. His daughter, the Lady G.o.diva (or G.o.d's gift), of Coventry fame, and probably born here, married Leofric, the powerful Earl of Mercia. She was a great benefactress to the Church. Thorold gave to the monastery of St. Guthlac at Croyland, "for the salvation of his soul," land in Bucknall, comprising "1 carucate, {162} with 5 villiens, 2 bordars, and 8 soc-men, with another carucate; meadow 120 acres, and wood 50 acres." The two princ.i.p.al features in the village are now the rectory house and the church. The former, a substantial old gabled building, standing in a large old-fashioned garden, probably dates back some 300 years. By a curious arrangement, in some of the rooms the fireplace stands in the corner, instead of in the centre of the room wall. The church, dedicated, like so many others in the neighbourhood, to St. Margaret, has no very striking features. Its architecture is mainly Early English, with some traces of Norman; embattled tower, with four pinnacles, and conical roof.

It has been renovated and improved at various periods. In 1704 it was re-roofed and considerably altered. It was thoroughly restored in 1882, at a cost of about 1,500, the older features being judiciously retained.

The late rector, Rev. E. W. Lutt, introduced a new Communion table, chancel rails, and lamps. In 1899 a handsome carved eagle lectern was given by his parishioners and friends. Under the present rector, Rev. W.

H. Benson-Brown, a beautifully-carved oak reredos, of chaste design, was erected, and dedicated Sept. 17, 1902. Two coloured windows were presented, and dedicated Dec. 23, 1903, the subject of one being St.

Margaret, the patron saint of the church; that of the other, St. Hugh, patron saint of the diocese. The inscription on the former is "To the glory of G.o.d, and in loving memory of Jessie Syme Elsey, who entered into rest May 1st, 1903. This window was given by her sisters Louisa Pepper and Nancy Margaret Richardson." The inscription of the other window is "To the glory of G.o.d, and in loving memory of Robert Brown, who entered rest Nov. 21st, 1897, also of Mary Jane Brown, who entered rest March 22nd, 1903. This window was given by their son, W. H. Benson-Brown, Rector." Through the Rector's efforts coloured gla.s.s is shortly also to be placed in the chancel east window. A processional cross was presented to the church as a thankoffering, by the Rector and Mrs. Brown, on the recovery of their son, Langton Benson-Brown, after a serious operation, Sept. 11th, 1899.

The churchyard was enlarged, and consecrated by the Bishop, May 22nd, 1900.

The general plan of the church is nave, with small north and south aisles, and chancel. At the east end of the south aisle, in the south wall, is a piscina; a slab of considerable size below it, indicating that this has been formerly a chantry, with altar at the east end, lit up by two small windows, one in the eastern wall, the other over the piscina.

In the easternmost bay of the north arches, which now extends within the chancel, there is, at the base of the arch moulding, a nun's head. This, however, is believed to be modern work, introduced at the restoration.

The pulpit is of old oak, nicely carved, with peculiar Masonic-looking design, the money for its erection being left by Henry Taylor, Esq., of All Hallows, Barking, in 1646. The font is hexagonal, having a simple semi-circular moulding in the centre on four sides, the other sides being plain. There is a good old oak parish chest in the tower. The tower, externally, has two good original gurgoyles, the other two being modern.

The Communion plate was "the gift of Mrs. Hannah Ashley, 1786." In the chancel is a pewter alms dish, with the name "Bucknall," and the date, hardly legible, "1680." The bell of the church is evidently ancient, and has several curious devices graven upon it, including a Tudor Rose, beneath which are four crosses, alternating with four capital S's; besides these, there is a long cross, with upper end branching into a trefoil, its lower end forming a fork, resting on a circle, on each side being a smaller stem, slightly foliating at top.

On the east side of the south doorway is an old stone having a sundial graven on it; now built into masonry which must have come from some other part of the fabric. Opposite the porch, in the churchyard, slightly raised above the path, is a large, flat square stone, nearly a yard broad, and with some moulding below. This is called "the t.i.the stone."

It may have been the base of a churchyard cross; but, as in olden times the cross often served as a place of barter and business, it may well also have received the t.i.thes and other dues belonging to the rector.

(See "Old Stone Crosses," by Elias Owen, 1886.) I may add that there was a similar stone in the churchyard in the neighbouring parish of Waddingworth.

A list of non-jurors connected with this parish in 1715 has the following names:-"Susanna Smith, widow, 10 0s. 0d.; William Smith, gent, 30 0s.

0d.; Samuel Martin, gent., 36 0s. 0d." (It may be remembered that non-jurors were subject to double taxation, although they erred in such company as the saintly Bishop Ken and other prelates.)

It may be further mentioned that in the reign of Charles I. an inhabitant of this parish, Mr. Thomas Toking (who was also of Ludgate Hill, London), presented a pet.i.tion to the King's Commissioners, showing that he held under the Bishop of Carlisle a lease of the manor of Horncastle, which had been sequestered through the default of his predecessor, Rutland Snowden, and praying for a commission of enquiry.-State Papers, Domestic.

Chas. I. Vol. 345, No. 42.

The Rector has supplied me with a list of the Rectors of Bucknall, complete, with the exception of the period between 1608 and 1660. As there are but few parishes of which such a record is obtainable, I give this below, as interesting. We notice among them two members of the formerly well-known family of Dighton; also another known name in Robert Clifton. Evan Yorke Nepean, Rector 18591868, afterwards succeeded his uncle in the baronetcy, while the second Rector, who held office from 1227 to 1244 being named Eusebius, was probably a foreigner, and, possibly, as was common in those times, though enjoying the income, never resided in the parish, leaving his duties to be performed by a scantily-paid subst.i.tute.

RECTORS OF BUCKNALL FROM A.D. 1219.

Richard (clerk) 1219

Eusebius 1227

Bartholomew de Bukenhal 1244

Henry ----

William Gascelyn 1294

William de Rasen 1297

Thomas de Swayneshaye 1298

Walter de Maydenstone 1299

Robert de Wythme 1306

John Denery 1307

Richard Mahen ----