ST. WYSTAN.
Among “the Chronicles and Memorials of Great Britain and Ireland during the Middle Ages,” published by the authority of Her Majesty’s Treasury, under the direction of the Master of the Rolls is the “Chronicon Abbatiæ de Evesham,” written by Thomas de Marleberge or Marlborough, Abbot of Evesham. In an appendix to the Chronicle he also wrote a life of St. Wystan from which the following facts, &c., have been gathered.
Wystan was the son of Wimund, son of Wiglaf, King of Mercia, his mother’s name was Elfleda. Wimund died of dysentery during his father’s life-time, and was buried in Crowland Abbey, and, later on, his wife was laid by his side. When the time came for Wystan to succeed to the crown, he refused it, “wishing to become an heir of a heavenly kingdom. Following the example of his Lord and master, he refused an earthly crown, exchanging it for a heavenly one,” and committed the kingdom to the care of his mother, and to the chief men of the land. But his uncle Bertulph conspired against him, “inflamed with a desire of ruling, and with a secret love for the queen-regent.” A council was assembled at a place, known from that day to this, as Wistanstowe, in Shropshire, and to it came Bertulph and his son Berfurt. Beneath his cloak Berfurt had concealed a sword, and (like Judas the traitor), whilst giving a kiss of peace to Wystan, drew it and smote him with a mortal wound on his head, and so, on the eve of Pentecost, in the year 849, “that holy martyr leaving his precious body on the earth, bore his glorious soul to heaven. The body was conveyed to the Abbey of Repton, and buried in the mausoleum of his grandfather, with well deserved honour, and the greatest reverence. For thirty days a column of light, extending from the spot where he was slain to the heavens above, was seen by all those who dwelt there, and every year, on the day of his martyrdom, the hairs of his head, severed by the sword, sprung up like grass.” Over the spot a church was built to which pilgrims were wont to resort, to see the annual growth of the hair.
The remains of St. Wystan rested at Repton till the days of Canute (1016-1035), when he caused them to be transferred to Evesham Abbey, “so that in a larger and more worthy church the memory of the martyr might be held more worthily and honourably.” In the year 1207 the tower of Evesham Abbey fell, smashing the presbytery and all it contained, including the shrine of St. Wystan. The monks took the opportunity of inspecting the relics, and to prove their genuineness, which some doubted, subjected them to a trial by fire, the broken bones were placed in it, and were taken out unhurt and unstained. The Canons of Repton hearing of the disaster caused by the falling tower, begged so earnestly for a portion of the relics, that the Abbot Randulph granted them a portion of the broken skull, and a piece of an arm bone. The bearers of the sacred relics to Repton were met by a procession of prior, canons, and others, over a mile long, and with tears of joy they placed them, “not as before in the mausoleum of his grandfather, but in a shrine more worthy, more suitable, and as honourable as it was possible to make it,” in their Priory church, where they remained till it was dissolved in the year 1538.
In memory of St. Wystan, the first Parish Church of Repton was dedicated to him, as we shall see in our account of Repton Church.
Plate 3.
Repton Church Crypt. ([Page 17.])
CHAPTER IV.
REPTON CHURCH.
Repton Church is built on the site of the Anglo-Saxon Monastery, which was destroyed by the Danes in the year 874. It was most probably built in the reign of Edgar the Peaceable (959-975), as Dr. Charles Cox writes:—“Probably about that period the religious ardour of the persecuted Saxons revived ... their thoughts would naturally revert to the glories of monastic Repton in the days gone by.” On the ruins of the “Abbey” they raised a church, and dedicated it to St. Wystan. According to several writers, it was built of stout oak beams and planks, on a foundation of stone, or its sides might have been made of wattle, composed of withy twigs, interlaced between the oak beams, daubed within and without with mud or clay. This church served for a considerable time, when it was re-built of stone. The floor of the chancel, supported on beams of wood, was higher than the present one, so the chancel had an upper and lower “choir,” the lower one was lit by narrow lights, two of which, blocked up, can be seen in the south wall of the chancel. When the church was re-built the chancel floor was removed, and the lower “choir” was converted into the present crypt, by the introduction of a vaulted stone roof, which is supported by four spirally-wreathed piers, five feet apart, and five feet six inches high, and eight square responds, slightly fluted, of the same height, and distance apart, all with capitals with square abaci, which are chamfered off below. Round the four walls is a double string-course, below which the walls are ashlar, remarkably smooth, as though produced by rubbing the surface with stone, water and sand. The vaulted roof springs from the upper string-course, the ribs are square in section, one foot wide, there are no diagonal groins, it is ten feet high, and is covered with a thin coating of plaster, which is continued down to the upper string-course. The piers are monoliths, and between the wreaths exhibit that peculiar swell which we see on the shafts of Anglo-Saxon belfry windows, &c.
The double string-course is terminated by the responds. There were recesses in each of the walls of the crypt. In the wall of the west recess there is a small arch, opening into a smaller recess, about 18 inches square. Many suggestions have been made about it: (1) it was a “holy hole” for the reception of relics, (2) or a opening in which a lamp could be kept lit, (3) or that it was used as a kind of “hagioscope,” through which the crypt could be seen from the nave of the church, when the chancel floor was higher, and the nave floor lower than they are now.
There are two passages to the church, about two feet wide and ten feet high, made from the western angles of the crypt.
A doorway was made, on the north side, with steps leading down to it, from the outside, during the thirteenth century; there is a holy water stoup in the wall, on the right hand as you enter the door.
For many years it has been a matter of dispute how far the recesses in the crypt, on the east, north, and south sides, extended. Excavations just made (Sept. 1898), have exposed the foundations of the recesses. The recess on the south side is rectangular, not apsidal as some supposed, it projects 2 ft. 2 in. from the surface of the wall, outside, and is 6 ft. 2 in. wide. About two feet below the ground level, two blocks of stone were discovered, (each 2 ft. × 1 ft. 4 in. × 1 ft. 9 in.), two feet apart, they rest on a stone foundation. The inside corners are chamfered off. On a level with the stone foundation, to the south of it, are two slabs under which a skeleton was seen, whose it was, of course, cannot be said. The present walls across the recesses, on the south and east, block them half up, and were built in later times.
The recess on the east end was destroyed when a flight of stone steps was made leading down to the crypt. These steps (there are six of them) are single, roughly made stones of varied length, resting on the earth, without mortar. When the flight was complete there would have been twelve, reaching from the top to the level of the crypt floor.
The steps would afford an easier and quicker approach to the crypt and church, but when they were made cannot now be said.
The recess on the north side was also destroyed when the outer stairway, and door, were placed there, probably, as before stated, in the thirteenth century. On the outside surface of the three walls, above the ground level, are still to be seen traces of the old triangular-shaped roofs which covered the three recesses, and served as buttresses to the walls. Similar “triangular arches” are to be seen at Barnack, and Brigstock.
The eastern end of the north aisle is the only portion of the ancient transepts above the ground level. During the restorations in 1886 the foundations of the Anglo-Saxon nave were laid bare, they extend westward up to and include the base of the second pier; the return of the west-end walls was also discovered, extending about four feet inwards.
Over the chancel arch the removal of many coats of whitewash revealed an opening, with jambs consisting of long and short work; a similar opening to the north of it used to exist, it is now blocked up.
The Early English Style is only represented by foundations laid bare during the restoration in 1885, and now indicated in the north and south aisles, by parallel lines of the wooden blocks, with which the church is paved. In the south aisle the foundations of a south door were also discovered (see plan of church). To this period belong the windows in the north side of the chancel, and in the narrow piece of wall between the last arch and chancel wall on the north side of the present choir. There were two corresponding windows on the south side, one of which remains. All these windows have been blocked up.
The Decorated Style is represented in the nave by four out of the six lofty pointed arches, supported by hexagonal columns; the two, on either side, at the east end of the nave, were erected in the year 1854.
The tower and steeple were finished in the year 1340. Basano, in his Church Notes, records the fact—“Anᵒ 1320 ?40. The tower steeple belonging to the Prior’s Church of this town was finished and built up, as appears by a Scrole in Lead, having on it these words—“Turris adaptatur qua traiectū decoratur. M c ter xx bis. Testu Palini Johis.”
A groined roof of stone, having a central aperture, through which the bells can be raised and lowered, separates the lower part of the tower from the belfry.
The north and south aisles were extended to the present width. The eastern end of the south aisle was also enlarged several feet to the south and east, and formed a chapel or chantry, as some say, for the Fyndernes, who were at one time Lords of the Repton Manor. A similar, but smaller, chapel was at the east end of the north aisle, and belonged to the Thacker family. They were known as the “Sleepy Quire,” and the “Thacker’s Quire.” Up to the year 1792 they were separated by walls (which had probably taken the place of carved screens of wood) in order to make them more comfortable, and less draughty! These walls were removed in 1792, when “a restoration” took place.
The square-headed south window of the “Fynderne Chapel” composed of four lights, with two rows of trefoil and quatrefoil tracery in its upper part, is worthy of notice as a good specimen of this style, and was probably inserted about the time of the completion of the tower and spire. The other windows in the church of one, two, three, and four lights, are very simple examples of this period, and, like the chancel arch, have very little pretensions to architectural merit, in design at least.
The Perpendicular Style is represented by the clerestory windows of two lights each, the roof of the church, and the south porch.
The high-pitched roof of the earlier church was lowered—the pitch is still indicated by the string-course on the eastern face of the tower—the walls over the arcades were raised several feet from the string-course above the arches, and the present roof placed thereon. It is supported by eight tie-beams, with ornamented spandrels beneath, and wall pieces which rest on semi-circular corbels on the north side, and semi-octagonal corbels on the south side. The space above the tie-beams, and the principal rafters is filled with open work tracery. Between the beams the roof is divided into six squares with bosses of foliage at the intersections of the rafters.
The south porch, with its high pitched roof, and vestry, belongs to this period. It had a window on either side, and was reached from the south aisle by a spiral staircase (see plan of church).
The Debased Style began, at Repton, during the year 1719, and ended about the year 1854. In the year 1719 a singers’ gallery was erected at the west end of the church, and the arch there was bricked up.
In the year 1779 the crypt was “discovered” in a curious way. Dr. Prior, Headmaster of Repton School, died on June 16th of that year, a grave was being made in the chancel, when the grave-digger suddenly disappeared from sight: he had dug through the vaulted roof, and so fell into the crypt below! In the south-west division of the groined roof, a rough lot of rubble, used to mend the hole, indicates the spot.
During the year 1792 “a restoration” of the church took place, the church was re-pewed, in the “horse-box” style! All the beautifully carved oak work “on pews and elsewhere” which Stebbing Shaw describes in the Topographer (May, 1790), and many monuments were cleared out, or destroyed. Some of the carved oak found its way into private hands, and was used to panel a dining-room, and a summer-house. Some of the carved panels have been recovered, and can be seen in the vestry over the south porch. One of the monuments which used to be on the top of an altar tomb “at the upper end of the north aisle,” was placed in the crypt, where it still waits a more suitable resting-place. It is an effigy of a Knight in plate armour (circa Edward III.), and is supposed to be Sir Robert Francis, son of John Francis, of Tickenhall, who settled at Foremark. If so, Sir Robert was the Knight who, with Sir Alured de Solney, came to the rescue of Bishop Stretton in 1364, and is an ancestor of the Burdetts, of Foremark.
The crypt seems to have been used as a receptacle for “all and various” kinds of “rubbish” during the restoration, for, in the year 1802, Dr. Sleath found it nearly filled up, as high as the capitals, with portions of ancient monuments, grave-stones, &c., &c. In the corner, formed by north side of the chancel and east wall of the north aisle, a charnel, bone, or limehouse had been placed in the Middle Ages: this house was being cleaned out by Dr. Sleath’s orders, when the workmen came upon the stone steps leading down to the crypt, following them down they found the doorway, blocked up by “rubbish,” this they removed, and restored the crypt as it is at the present day.
During the years 1842 and 1848 galleries in the north and south aisles, extending from the west as far as the third pillars, were erected.
Plate 4.
Repton Camp. (F. C. H.) ([Page 3.])
Repton Church. (Before 1854.) ([Page 22.])
In 1854, the two round arches and pillars, on either side of the eastern end of the nave, were removed, and were replaced by the present pointed arches and hexagonal piers, for, as before stated, the sake of uniformity! Thus an interesting portion belonging to the ancient church was destroyed. The illustration opposite was copied from a drawing done, in the year 1847, by G. M. Gorham, then a pupil in the school, now Vicar of Masham, Bedale. To him our thanks are due for allowing me to copy it. It shows what the church was like in his time, 1847.
In 1885 the last restoration was made, when the Rev. George Woodyatt was Vicar. The walls were scraped, layers of whitewash were removed, the pews, galleries, &c., were removed, the floor of the nave lowered to its proper level, a choir was formed by raising the floor two steps, as far west as the second pier, the organ was placed in the chantry at the east end of the south aisle. The floor of nave and aisles was paved with wooden blocks, the choir with encaustic tiles. The whole church was re-pewed with oak pews, and “the choir” with stalls, and two prayer desks. A new pulpit was given in memory of the Rev. W. Williams, who died in 1882. The “Perpendicular roof” was restored to its original design: fortunately there was enough of the old work left to serve as models for the repair of the bosses, &c. The clerestory windows on the south side were filled with “Cathedral” glass. The splendid arch at the west end was opened.
The base of the old font was found among the débris, a new font, designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield, (the architect employed to do the restoration), was fixed on it, and erected under the tower.
Since that restoration, stained glass windows have been placed in all the windows of the north aisle by Messrs. James Powell and Sons, Whitefriars Glass Works, London; the one in the south aisle is also by them. The outside appearance of the church roof was improved by the addition of an embattled parapet, the roof itself was recovered with lead.
In 1896 all the bells were taken down, by Messrs. John Taylor, of Loughborough, and were thoroughly examined and cleansed, two of them, the 5th and 6th (the tenor bell), were re-cast, (see chapter on Bells).
The only part of the church not restored is the chancel, and we hope that the Lord of the Manor, Sir Vauncey Harpur-Crewe, Bart., will, some day, give orders for its careful, and necessary restoration.
INCUMBENTS, &c. OF REPTON.
| Jo. Wallin, curate. Temp. Ed. VI. | |
| 1584 | Richard Newton, curate. |
| 1602 | Thomas Blandee, B.A., curate. |
| ” | John Horobine |
| 1612 | George Ward, minister |
| Mathew Rodgers, minister | |
| 1648 | Bernard Fleshuier, ” |
| 1649 | George Roades, ” |
| 1661 | John Robinson, ” |
| 1663 | John Thacker, M.A., minister. |
| ” | William Weely, curate. |
| 1739 | Lowe Hurt, M.A. |
| 1741 | William Astley, M.A. |
| 1742 | John Edwards, B.A. |
| 1804 | John Pattinson. |
| 1843-56 | Joseph Jones, M.A. |
| 1857-82 | W. Williams. |
| 1883-97 | G. Woodyatt, B.A. |
| 1898 | A. A. McMaster, M.A. |
Plate 5.
Plan of Repton Church. (F. C. H.)
Plan of Repton Priory. (W. H. H. ST. JOHN HOPE, Mens et Del.) ([Page 25.])
CHAPTER V.
REPTON CHURCH REGISTERS.
There are three ancient register books of births, baptisms, marriages and burials, and one register book of the Churchwardens’ and Constables’ Accounts of the Parish of Repton. They extend from 1580 to 1670.
The oldest Volume extends from 1580 to 1629: the second from 1629 to 1655: the third from 1655-1670. The Churchwardens’ and Constables’ Accounts from 1582 to 1635.
The oldest Volume is a small folio of parchment (13 in. by 6 in.) of 45 leaves, bound very badly, time-stained and worn, in parts very badly kept, some of the leaves are loose, and some are quite illegible. It is divided into two parts, the first part (of thirty pages) begins with the year 1590 and extends to 1629: the second part begins with “Here followeth the register book for Ingleby, formemarke and Bretbye,” from 1580 to 1624.
The Second Volume consists of eighteen leaves of parchment (13 in. by 6 in.), unbound, the entries are very faded, only parts of them are legible, they extend from 1629 to 1655.
The Third Volume has twenty-six leaves (11½ in. by 5½ in.). The entries are very legible, and extend from 1655 to 1670.
On the first page is written:
December yᵉ 31, 1655.
Geo: Roades yᵉ day & yeare above written approved & sworne Register for yᵉ parrish of Repton in yᵉ County of Derby
By me James Abney.
THE FOLLOWING ENTRIES OCCUR.
Across the last page of the register is written this sage piece of advice:
“Beware toe whome you doe commit the secrites of your mind for fules in fury will tell all moveing in there minds.”
Richard Rogerson, 1684.
NAMES OF REPTON FAMILIES IN REGISTERS.
- Pickeringe, Pyckering.
- Meykyn, Meakin, Meakyn, Meakine, Meykyn.
- Orchard.
- Byshopp, Bushopp.
- Cautrill or ell.
- Measam, Measom, Meysom, Mesam, Mesom, Messam, Measome, Meysum, Measham, Meysham.
- Gamble, Gambell.
- Ratcliffe, Ratleif.
- Waite, Weat, Wayte, Weyte, Weite, Weayt.
- Marbury, Marburie, Marberrow.
- Keelinge.
- Wayne.
- Gilbert.
- Nubould, Nuball.
- Chedle, Chetle, Chetill.
- Bancrafte, Banchroft.
- Thacker or Thackquer.
- Guddall.
- Myminge, Meming, Mimings.
- Gudwine, Goodwine.
- Bull.
- Eyton, Eaton, Eton.
- Drowborrow.
- Dowglast.
- Bladonne, Blaidon, (carrier.)
- Dakin, Dakyn.
- Wainewrigh, Waynewright.
- Rivett, Ryvett, Rivet.
- Kynton.
- Heawood.
- Budworth.
- Mariyott.
- Pratt.
- Smith als Hatmaker.
- Bykar.
- Ward.
- Nicholas, Birchar.
- Bolesse.
- Shaw.
- Heardwere.
- Stanlye.
- Chaplin, Charpline, Chaplayne.
- Myrchell.
- Bowlayes.
- Fairebright.
- Hygate.
- Denyse, Deonys.
- Heiginbotham, Higgingbottom.
- Shortose, Shorthasse.
- Howlebutt.
- Wixon, Wigson.
- Waudall or ell.
- Morleigh.
- Hastings Crowborough, or Croboro, Crobery, Crobarrow.
- Damnes. (2nd usher of school.)
- Boakes, Boaks.
- Proudman.
- Bakster.
- Chauntry, Chautry.
- Ebbs.
- Wallace.
- Sault.
- Bastwicke.
- Hooton.
- Truelove.
- Gressley, Greasley.
- Pegg.
- Jurdan.
- Ilsly.
- Robards.
- Steeviston of Milton.
- Rathbone, Rathban. (under schoolmaster.)
- Poisar.
- Nuton.
- Dixcson.
- Doxy.
The Register book of the Churchwardens’ and Constable’s Accounts extends from 1582 to 1635, and includes Repton, and the Chapelries of Formark, Ingleby, and Bretby.
It is a narrow folio volume of coarse paper, (16 in. by 6 in., by 2 in. thick), and is bound with a parchment which formed part of a Latin Breviary or Office Book, with music and words. The initial letters are illuminated, the colours, inside, are still bright and distinct.
At the beginning of each year the accounts are headed “Compotus gardianorum Pochialis Eccle de Reppindon,” then follow:
(1) The names of the Churchwardens and Constable for the year.
(2) The money (taxes, &c.,) paid by the Chapelries above mentioned.
(3) The names and amounts paid by Tenants of Parish land.
(4) Money paid by the Parish to the Constable.
(5) Money “gathered for a communion,” 1st mentioned in the year 1596. At first it was gathered only once in July, but afterwards in January, June, September, October, and November.
The amounts vary from jd to vjd.
(6) The various “items” expended by the Churchwardens and Constable.
Dr. J. Charles Cox examined the contents of the Parish Chest, and published an account of the Registers &c., and accounts, in Vol. I. of the Journal of the Derbyshire Archæological Society, 1879. Of the Accounts he writes, “it is the earliest record of parish accounts, with the exception of All Saints’, Derby, in the county,” and “the volume is worthy of a closer analysis than that for which space can now be found.” Acting on that hint, during the winter months of 1893-4, I made most copious extracts from the Accounts, and also a “verbatim et literatim” transcript of the three registers, which I hope will be published some day.
Dr. Cox’s article is most helpful in explaining many obsolete words, curious expressions, customs, and references to events long ago forgotten, a few of the thousands of entries are given below:
The first five leaves are torn, the entries are very faded and illegible.
CHAPTER VI.
REPTON’S MERRY BELLS.
“Barrow’s big boulders, Repton’s merry bells,
Foremark’s cracked pancheons, and Newton’s egg shells.”
Thus does a local poet compare Repton bells with those of neighbouring parishes. It is not intended to defend the comparison, for as Dogberry says, “Comparisons are odorous”! but to write an account of the bells, derived from all sources, ancient and modern.
Llewellynn Jewitt, in Vol. XIII. of the Reliquary, describing the bells of Repton, writes, “at the church in the time of Edward VI. there were iij great bells & ij small.” Unfortunately “the Churchwardens’ and Constables’ accounts of the Parish of Repton” only extend from the year 1582 to 1635. I have copied out most of the references to our bells entered in them, which will, I hope, be interesting to my readers.
Extracts from “the Churchwardens’ and Constables’ accounts of the Parish of Repton.”
Extract from the diary of Mr. George Gilbert.
“A.D. 1772, Oct. 7th. The third bell was cracked, upon ringing at Mr. John Thorpe’s wedding. The bell upon being taken down, weighed 7 cwt. 2 qr. 18lb., clapper, 24lb. It was sold at 10d. per lb., £35. 18s. Re-hung the third bell, Nov. 21st, 1774. Weight 8 cwt. 3 qr. 24lb., at 13d. per lb., £54. 7s. 8d., clapper, 1 r. 22 lb., at 22d., £1. 2s. 10d. £55. 9s 6½d.”
This is all the information I can gather about “Repton’s merry bells” from ancient sources.
For some time our ring of six bells had only been “chimed,” owing to the state of the beams which supported them, it was considered dangerous to “ring” them.
During the month of January, 1896, Messrs. John Taylor and Co., of Loughborough, (descendants of a long line of bell-founders), lowered the bells down, and conveyed them to Loughborough, where they were thoroughly cleansed and examined. Four of them were sound, but two, the 5th and 6th, were found to be cracked, the 6th (the Tenor bell) worse than the 5th. The crack started in both bells from the “crown staple,” from which the “clapper” hangs; it (the staple) is made of iron and cast into the crown of the bell. This has been the cause of many cracked bells. The two metals, bell-metal and iron, not yielding equally, one has to give way, and this is generally the bell metal. The “Canons,” as the projecting pieces of metal forming the handle, and cast with the bell, are called, and by which they are fastened to the “headstocks,” or axle tree, were found to be much worn with age. All the “Canons” have been removed, holes have been drilled through the crown, the staples removed, and new ones have been made which pass through the centre hole, and upwards through a square hole in the headstocks, made of iron, to replace the old wooden ones. New bell-frames of iron, made in the shape of the letter H, fixed into oak beams above and below, support the bells, which are now raised about three feet above the bell chamber floor, and thus they can be examined more easily.
During the restoration of the Church in 1886, the opening of the west arch necessitated the removal of the ringers’ chamber floor, which had been made, at some period or other, between the ground floor and the groined roof, so the ringers had to mount above the groined ceiling when they had to ring or chime the bells. There, owing to want of distance between them and the bells, the labour and inconvenience of ringing was doubled, the want of sufficient leverage was much felt: now the ringers stand on the ground floor, and with new ropes and new “sally-guides” their labour is lessened, and the ringing improved.
When the bells were brought back from Loughboro’ I made careful “rubbings” of the inscriptions, legends, bell-marks, &c., before they were raised and fixed in the belfry. The information thus obtained, together with that in Vol. XIII. of the Reliquary, has enabled me to publish the following details about the bells.
The “rubbings” and “squeezes” for the article in the Reliquary were obtained by W. M. Conway (now Sir Martin Conway) when he was a boy at Repton School.
Plate 6.
REPTON BELL MARKS AND ORNAMENTS.
The 1st (treble) Bell.
On the haunch, between three lines, one above, two below,
FRAVNCIS THACKER OF LINCOLNS INN ESQᴿ, 1721.
a border: fleurs-de-lis (fig. 7): Bell-mark of Abraham Rudhall, (a famous bell-founder of Gloucester): border (fig. 7).
A catalogue of Rings of Bells cast by A. R. and others, from 1684-1830, is in the Bodleian Library, Oxford: this bell is mentioned as the gift of Francis Thacker.
At the east end of the north aisle of our Church there is a mural monument to his memory.
The 2nd Bell.
On the crown a border of fleurs-de-lis (fig. 9). Round the haunch,
Is sweetly toling men do call to taste on meats that feed the soule
between two lines above and below, then below the same border (fig. 9) inverted.
1622 Godfrey Thacker Iane Thacker
This bell is referred to in the Churchwardens’ accounts under dates 1615 and 1623.
The 3rd Bell.
Round the haunch, between two lines,
THOˢ. GILBERT & IOHN TETLEY CHVRCH WARDENS 1774 PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT
Below, a border, semicircles intertwined.
This is the bell referred to in the extract quoted above from George Gilbert’s diary.
The 4th Bell.
Round the haunch, between six lines (3 above and 3 below),
✠ Melodie Nomen Tenet Magdelene
a shield: three bells (two and one), with a crown between them (fig. 1), (Bell mark of Richard Brasyer, a celebrated Norwich Bell founder, who died in 1513) a lion’s head on a square (fig. 2): a crown on a square (fig. 3); and a cross (fig. 5).
The 5th Bell.
Round the haunch, between two lines, one above, one below,
✠ Vox du̅i̅ ihū x̅r̅i̅ vox exultarionis
same marks (except the crown) as No. 4 Bell: a king’s head crowned (fig. 4): and a cross (fig. 6). Below this, round the haunch, a beautiful border composed of a bunch of grapes and a vine leaf (fig. 8), alternately arranged.
Below, the Bell mark of John Taylor and Co. within a double circle, a triangle interlaced with a trefoil, and a bell in the centre. Above the circle the sacred emblem of S. John Baptist, the lamb, cross, and flag. The name of the firm within the circle.
RECAST 1896.
The 6th Bell (the tenor Bell).
Round the haunch, between four lines, two above, and two below,
Hec Campana Sacra Fiat Trinitate Beata GILB THACKAR ESQ IC MW CH WARDENS 1677
(no bell marks).
Below, a border like that on the fifth Bell.
RECAST 1896.
| G. WOODYATT, | VICAR. | |
| J. ASTLE, | } | CHURCHWARDENS. |
| T. E. AUDEN, | } |
Bell mark of J. Taylor and Co. on the opposite side.
(Owing to the difference of the type of the inscription, and names, it is supposed that this bell was recast in 1677, so it may have been one of the “three great bells” in Edward VI.’s time.)
The following particulars of the bells have been supplied by Messrs. John Taylor & Co.
| Diameter. | Height. | Note. | Weight. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ft. | in. | ft. | in. | cwt. | qr. | lbs. | |||
| No. | I. | 2 | 9½ | 2 | 3 | C♯ | 7 | 3 | 19 |
| ” | II. | 2 | 10¾ | 2 | 4½ | B | 7 | 2 | 27 |
| ” | III. | 3 | 0½ | 2 | 4½ | A | 8 | 1 | 18 |
| ” | IV. | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6½ | G♯ | 9 | 2 | 21 |
| ” | V. | 3 | 6 | 2 | 10 | F♯ | 12 | 2 | 26 |
| ” | VI. | 3 | 11 | 3 | 1 | E | 17 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | 3 tons | 4 cwts. | 0 qrs. | 27 lbs. |
Key-note E major.
To complete the octave, two more bells are required, D♯ and E, then indeed Repton will have a “ring” second to none.
CHAPTER VII.
THE PRIORY.
THE PRIORY FOUNDED, &c.
Before we write an account of the next most important event in the history of Repton, viz., the founding of Repton Priory, we must go back to the year 1059, when Calke Abbey is supposed to have been founded by Algar, Earl of Mercia. Dr. Cox is of opinion that it was founded later, at the end of the reign of William (Rufus), or at the beginning of that of Henry I. circa 1100. About that date a Priory of Canons regular of St. Augustine, dedicated to St. Giles, was founded. Many benefactors made grants of churches, lands, &c., a list of all these will be found in Cox’s Derbyshire Churches, vol. iii., p. 346. There is a curious old Chronicle, written in Latin, by one T(h)omas de Musca, Canon of Dale Abbey. Each section of the Chronicle begins with a letter which, together, form the Author’s name, a monkish custom not uncommon. The section beginning with an E. (Eo tempore) records the arrival, at Deepdale, of the Black Canons, as they were called, from Kalc (Calke). Serlo de Grendon, Lord of Badeley or Bradeley, near Ashbourne, “called together the Canons of Kalc, and gave them the place of Deepdale.” Here, about 1160, the Canons “built for themselves a church, a costly labour, and other offices,” which became known as Dale Abbey, in which they lived for a time, “apart from the social intercourse of men,” but “they began too remissly to hold themselves in the service of God; they began to frequent the forest more than the church; more to hunting than to prayer or meditation, so the King ordered them to return to the place whence they came,” viz., Calke. During the reign of Henry II., Matilda, widow of Randulf, 4th Earl of Chester, who died 1153, granted to God, St. Mary, the Holy Trinity, and to the Canons of Calke, the working of a quarry at Repton, (Repton Rocks), together with the advowson of the church of St. Wystan at Repton, &c., &c., on condition that as soon as a suitable opportunity should occur, the Canons of Calke should remove to Repton, which was to be their chief house, and Calke Abbey was to become subject to it. “A suitable opportunity occurred” during the episcopate of Walter Durdent, Bishop of Coventry only, at first, afterwards of Lichfield. He died at Rome, Dec. 7th, 1159. The usual date given for the founding of Repton Priory is A.D. 1172, but this must be wrong for the simple reason that Matilda addresses the Charter of Foundation to Bishop Walter Durdent, who died, as we saw, in 1159: moreover, the “remains” of the Priory belong to an earlier date; probably the date 1172 refers to the coming of the Canons from Calke to Repton, as Dugdale writes, “About the year 1172, Maud, widow of Randulf, removed the greater part of them here (Repton), having prepared a church and conventual buildings for their reception.” To those interested in Charters, copies of the original, and many others, can be read in Bigsby’s “History of Repton,” Dugdale’s “Monasticon,” and Stebbing-Shaw’s Article in Vol. II. of “the Topographer,” in which he has copied several “original Charters, not printed in the Monasticon,” which were in the possession of Sir Robert Burdett, Bart., of Foremark, and others.
Plate 7.
Repton Priory.
The Charters, containing grants, extend from Stephen’s reign, (1135-1154), to the reign of Henry V., (1413-1422), and include the church of St. Wystan, Repton, with its chapels of Newton Solney, Bretby, Milton, Foremark, Ingleby, Tickenhall, Smisby, and Measham, the church at Badow, in Essex, estates at Willington, including its church, and Croxall.
In 1278 a dispute arose between the Prior of Repton and the inhabitants of the Chapelry of Measham, which had been granted to the Priory about 1271. The chancel of Measham Church was “out of repair,” and the question was, who should repair it? After considerable debate, it was settled that the inhabitants would re-build the chancel provided that the Priory should find a priest to officiate in the church, and should keep the chancel in repair for ever after, both of which they did till the dissolution of the Priory.
In the year 1364 Robert de Stretton, Bishop of Lichfield (1360-1386), was holding a visitation at Repton in the Chapter House of the Priory. For some reason or other, not known, the villagers, armed with bows and arrows, swords and cudgels, with much tumult, made an assault on the Priory gate-house. The Bishop sent for Sir Alured de Solney, and Sir Robert Francis, Lords of the Manors of Newton Solney and Foremark, who came, and quickly quelled this early “town and gown” row, without any actual breach of the peace. The monument in the crypt of Repton Church, where it was placed during the “restoration” of 1792, is supposed to be an effigy of Sir Robert Frances. “The Bishop proceeded on his journey, and, on reaching Alfreton, issued a sentence of interdict on the town and Parish Church of Repton, with a command to the clergy, in the neighbouring churches, to publish the same under pain of greater excommunication.” See Lichfield Diocesan Registers.
On October 26th, 1503, during the reign of Henry VII., an inquisition was held at Newark. A complaint was heard against the Prior of Repton for not providing a priest “to sing” the service in a chapel on Swarkeston Bridge, “nor had one been provided for the space of twenty years, although a piece of land between the bridge and Ingleby, of the annual value of six marks, had been given to the Prior for that purpose.”