SCRIVELSBY.
About two miles south of Horncastle, on the road leading from that place to Boston, stands the village of Scrivelsby, which is included in the Hundred of Gartree.
At the time of compiling the Domesday survey, it appears that part of this parish, then called Scrivelesbi, was annexed to the Soke of Horncastle, which was then retained by the conqueror. [62] By the same record, the manor appears to have been then holden by Robert de Spenser, but by what service is not said. How it passed from De Spenser to the family of Marmyon; whether by inheritance, or escheat of the crown, and subsequent grant, cannot now be ascertained. It was however shortly after in the tenure of Robert Marmyon, whose male descendants enjoyed the same until the twentieth year of Edward the first, 1292, when Philip the last Lord Marmyon died seized of this manor, holden by barony and the service of champion to the kings of England on their coronation day; [63a] and seized also of the castle of Tamworth in Warwickshire, held therewith as parcel of his barony, but by the service of knight’s fees, to attend the king in his wars in Wales. [63b] This Philip had only female issue, and between them his great estates here, in Warwickshire, Leicestershire, and elsewhere, were divided. By this partition, the manor and barony of Scrivelsby were allotted to Joan, the youngest daughter, by whose grand-daughter and heir the same passed in marriage to Sir John Dymoke, who, with Margaret his wife, had livery thereof in the twenty-third year of Edward the third.
At the coronation of Richard the second, Sir John Dymoke claimed in right of his wife, to perform the office of champion; but this right was counterclaimed by Baldwin Freville, who as lord of Tamworth, also claimed to perform that service; but the commissioners of the court of claims, deciding in favor of Sir John Dymoke, he performed that office; and from that period to the present time, nearly five hundred years, their male issue have continued in possession of the same inheritance. The present champion, Lewis Dymoke, Esquire, is the sixteenth of his family, from Sir John Dymoke, who has inherited that high and singular office.
The chief part of Scrivelsby Court, the ancient baronial seat, was destroyed by fire, between fifty and sixty years ago. In the part consumed was a very large hall, on the pannels of the wainscottings of which were depicted the various arms and alliances of the family, through all its numerous and far traced descents. The loss has been in some degree compensated for, by the addition which the present proprietor has recently made, to those parts which escaped the ravages of the fire.
The church is a small building, consisting of a nave, with a north aisle, and a chancel. At the eastern end of the aisle are two tombs, on one of which is the figure of a knight, in chain armour, cross-legged; on the other that of a lady, with a lion at her feet. By the side of these is the tomb of Sir Robert Dymoke, who was champion at the coronations of Richard the third, Henry the seventh, and Henry the eighth; by the last of whom he was made a knight banneret. On the top of the tomb is a plate of brass, on which is sculptured his figure in full armour, in a recumbent posture, with his helmet under his head, and a lion at his feet. Above him is a shield, containing arms, and under him is the following inscription:
“Here liethe the Body of sir Robert Demoke of Screvelsby knight & baronet who departed owt of this present lyfe the xv day of Apryl in ye yere of our lord god mdlxv upon whose sowle almighte god have m’ci Amen.” [64]
The shield contains these arms:
1. Dymoke. Sable, two lions passant in pale argent, ducally crowned or.