Repton and its neighbourhood

by F. C. Hipkins

A little above the centre, resting on a dish, is a head, below it is a lamb lying on a missal or book. On the right side is a bare-headed, full length figure of St. Peter, holding a key in his right hand, and a book in his left. On the left side is a similar figure of an archbishop, with a mitre on his head, a book in his right hand, and a cross-staff in his left. The back ground, i.e. the surface of the block, is painted a dark olive green. The head, dish and robes an orange brown. The hair, rim of the dish, and edges of the robes, books, key, and cross-staff are gilded. The lining of St. Peter’s robe is red, that of the archbishop is blue. The head and dish occupy three quarters of the space. Dr. Cox enumerates ten similar pieces of sculpture, all of which have figures of St. Peter on the right side, and all, except one which bears a figure of St. Paul, have a mitred archbishop on the left, which is supposed to represent either St. Augustine, or St. Thomas of Canterbury. The chief differences are in the figures above and below the central head and dish. There is a cut on the forehead over the left eye. Several suggestions have been made respecting the head. It has been said to represent (1) The head of St. John the Baptist, (2) The Vernicle, (3) The image of our Lord’s face, given to King Abgarus, and (4) The First Person of the Holy Trinity. Which of these is right is a matter for discussion, but “the block, no doubt, has reference to the presence of our Lord in the Sacrament.”

At the back there are two holes, into which pegs could be inserted, for the purpose or fixing it above an altar, on a reredos or otherwise, in oratories or chantries. All the examples known were made about the same date, at the end of the fourteenth or the beginning of the fifteenth century.

The Vicar of Finderne also has an old deed, dated 1574, which sets forth that, in that year, Sir Thomas Gresham sold his property at Finderne, with manorial rights, to twelve men whose names are given. He had 1272 acres in Finderne, and 378 at Potlock.

Potlac or Potlock was the seat of the old family of Finderns, who for nine generations lived here (as tenants under the Abbots of Burton), from the reign of Edward III. to Elizabeth, when Thomas Finderne died, in 1558, leaving all his estates, here and elsewhere, to his sister Jane, who married Sir Richard Harpur, one of the Justices of the Common Pleas, ancestor of Sir Vauncey Harpur-Crewe, Bart., of Calke Abbey.

The ancient manor-house, and chapel, dedicated to St. Leonard, have disappeared. A farmhouse occupies the site of the former, and only a few cedar trees and Scotch firs remain near the house to connect it with the past.

NEWTON SOLNEY.

About a mile and a half from Repton, situated on the banks of the Trent, is the pretty village of Newton Solney. To distinguish it from the hundred or more Newtons, the name of the ancient owners Solney or Sulney is joined to it. The manor was held, in the reign of Henry III. (1216-72), by Sir Norman, who was succeeded in turn by Sir Alured, Sir William, and another Sir Alured de Solney, who came to the rescue of Bishop Stretton at Repton in 1364 (see p. 52). Sir Alured died at the beginning of the reign of Richard II. (1377-99), and left a son Sir John, who died without issue, and two daughters, Margery, who married Sir Nicholas Longford, and Alice, married three times, (1) Sir Robert Pipe, (2) Sir Thomas Stafford, (3) Sir William Spernore. During the reign of Henry VIII., the manor was bought of the Longfords by the Leighs. Anne, heiress of Sir Henry Leigh, married Sir Simon Every in the reign of James I.

Abraham Hoskins, Esq., purchased the estates from Sir Henry Every, Bart., about the year 1795, and took up his abode there. In the year 1801 he erected a range of castellated walls, called “Hoskins Folly,” on the high land between Newton and Burton, as a kind of look-out over the surrounding country, later on, he converted it into a house and called it “Bladon Castle.” Mr. Robert Ratcliff is now the owner of the manor and patron of the living, which is a donative. Besides “Bladon Castle” there are two principal houses, one occupied by Mr. Ratcliff called Newton Park, and the “The Rock” occupied by Mr. Edward D. Salt.

The picturesque church, which has been carefully restored, contains specimens of all the styles of architecture from the Norman, downwards. It consists of nave, chancel, north and south aisles, with chapels, at the east end, separated from them and the chancel by pointed arches. The chancel arch was probably removed during the Perpendicular period.

There are three very ancient monuments of knights, which are well worth a close inspection.