Читать книгу Records, Historical and Antiquarian, of Parishes Round Horncastle - J. Conway Walter - Страница 14

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Fulletby lies about 3½ miles from Horncastle, in a north-east by north direction, on the road to Belchford. Letters, via Horncastle, arrive at 10 a.m. The nearest Money Order Office is at Belchford, the nearest Telegraph Office at Tetford, or Horncastle. We do not know very much of the ancient history of this parish. In Domesday Book it is stated (“Lands of the Bishop of Durham”) that the Saxons, Siward and Edric, had there two carucates (or about 240 acres) and six oxgangs of land, rateable to gelt. William, a vassal of the Bishop [54] had also there two carucates (or 240 acres) and five villeins and 19 socmen, who had two carucates and two oxgangs. In Hearne’s “Liber Niger” (vol. ii) Ranulph, Bishop of Durham, is said to have “in Fuletebi and Oxcum 4 carucates and 6 oxgangs which Pinson holds” (Circa A.D. 1114). Pinson was a Norman soldier, Dapifer, or Steward of the Durham Bishops, and held many lands in this neighbourhood under them for the service of acting as their bailiff; the Bishop holding, “in chief,” direct from the sovereign. Pinson thus became (deputy) Lord of Eresby, and other Episcopal Lordships, and by the marriage of Walter de Beck, with Agnes, a daughter of Hugh Pinson, several of these lands passed to the family of Bec, or Bek; one of the family, Anthony de Bec, himself became Bishop of Durham. In 1214 the Bishop of Durham’s land in Fulletby and Oxcomb was held under him by Henry Bec, and in the reign of Ed. I. John Beck and John de Harington held a Fee (doubtless the same property in Fulletby and Oxcombe). At another date, temp King Henry II., a certain “Count Richard,” probably the Earl of Chester, had “in Fulledebi 2 carucates.” By the marriage of Sir William Willoughby with a daughter of Baron Bec, of Eresby, several of these Lordships passed to the Willoughby d’ Eresby family; and among them (“Testa de Nevill,” page 318) were lands in “ffotby”; and in Feet of Fines, Lincoln, (file 69, 31, Ed. I. A.D. 1303) it is stated that Robert de Wylgheby held “rent of 6 quarters of salt in ffoletby, Beltefford, Golkesby, &c.” While Gervase Holles says (“Collectanea,” Brit. Mus., vol. iii., p. 770) that in the reign of Elizabeth, “Carolus, Dominus Willoughby de Parham,” was Lord of the Manor of Fulletby (“Old Lincolnshire,” vol. i., pp. 213–214). The lands have passed from these old owners many years ago, and are now the property of the Elmhirst, Booth, Riggall, and other families.

In the rebellion, called “the Lincolnshire Rising,” in 1536, Robert Leech, of Fulletby, joined with the insurgents, and, although his brother, Nicholas Leech, parson of Belchford, escaped trial, Robert was put to death with Thomas Kendall, vicar of Louth, the Abbots (Matthew Mackerell) of Barlings, and (Richard Harrison) of Kirkstead, and many others. Their names were included in a “List of Lincolnshire Martyrs,” sent to the Apostolic See, who were “first made Venerable, then Blessed, and lastly Canonised,” by his holiness, for their steadfastness in the Papal cause. Other persons, known by name, connected with the parish as patrons of the benefice, have been the heirs of Nicholas Shepley in 1701; George Lascells, Esq., in 1741; Thomas Rockliffe, Esq., in 1782; Francis Rockliffe, clerk, in 1784; Mrs. A. R. Rockliffe, 1826; Rev. J. Jackson in 1863. F. Charsley, Esq., is the present patron; and Rev. R. Barker is rector, who has a substantial residence in the parish. The benefice was formerly charged with a pension of 6s. 8d. to Bullington Priory.

The Church, St. Andrews, is a modern edifice, almost entirely rebuilt in 1857 by Messrs Maughan and Fowler, of Louth; a previous larger church having been erected in 1705, on the site of a Saxon church, mentioned by Archdeacon Churton, in his “English Church,” as one of the two hundred and twenty-two churches in Lincolnshire existing before the Norman conquest. No traces of the original Saxon church remain. The fabric, 400 years ago, is said to have been considerably longer, to have had a tower, and north and south aisles. In the later fabric, the aisles had disappeared, as shewn in an old print, and the tower which partly fell, in 1799, was then cut down to the level of the nave roof, with a small wooden bell-turret above it.

The Land Revenue Records (bundle 1392) state that there were “iij bells and a lytel bell.” In 1566 the Churchwardens reported a “sacringe bell” as still remaining (Peacock’s “Church Furniture” p. 81.) There are now only two bells; and a tradition still lingers, that the largest of the former bells now hangs in the belfry of Tetford church. In 1834, the Church, like several others in the neighbourhood, was thatched; at that date the roof was repaired, and covered with tiles.

The east window is a good triplet, in early English style. The present pulpit was put up by the late Rector, the Rev. G. E. Frewer; and, along with the Reredos, was carved by Mr. Winn, living in the parish. The reading desk was carved by a former Rector, Rev. J. Jackson, but has of late years, been altered. There is a handsome brass lectern given by the present Rector, Rev. R. Barker. In the floor of the chancel is a slab, with this inscription, “Depositum Ricardi Dugard qui obiit anno ætatis 68, salutis 1653, Januarii 28.” He is supposed to have been a nephew of William Dugard, who printed the original edition of “Ikon Basilike,” in his own house. The two present bells are inscribed “Warner and Sons, 1857.” All the registers previous to 1750 have been lost. Of the communion plate, the chalice and paten are dated 1688; the flagon is modern.

In 1566 there was in the church “one alb, one cope, a crosse, super altaire, ij images, a mass, a piece of wood, whereon stood xxiv candels.” George Monson, the royal commissioner, ordered that “they must awaie with (these) this side the first of Maie, and certifie.”

In 1846 six Roman urns, containing calcined bones, were dug up in this parish in an abandoned brickyard; and, about 5 years afterwards, another similar urn was found near the same place. There are still found there a considerable quantity of fossils, ammonites, gryphæa, &c.; and the writer of these notes possesses a vertebra of a large saurian, one of several which have quite recently been found at the same place.

Fulletby School was rebuilt in 1849. The 1st stone being laid in the last week in August, to contain 60 children, by Dr. Spranger, Rector of Low Toynton, who gave handsomely, besides building at his own expense and endowing a School at New York. The Rev. W. M. Pierce, Rector, contributed, also Mrs. Elmhirst, of Yorkshire; the Lady of the Manor, the Queen Dowager giving £10. (“Lincolnshire Chronicle,” August 28th, 1849).