Raithby.
Raithby is situated about 2 miles from Spilsby and about 9 miles from Horncastle, on the main road between the two towns, via Hagworthingham. It is within the ancient soke of Bolingbroke, and an appanage of the Duchy of Lancaster. There is a post and money order office, and letters, via Spilsby, arrive at 7.5 a.m., and depart at 5.40 p.m. The nearest telegraph office is at Spilsby. Not much of the early history of this parish is to be found. As is stated in the notes on Mavis Enderby, these two parishes were closely connected, land in both being held by the Saxon, Elnod (Domesday Book), also, in early Norman times, by William de Karilepho, the powerful Bishop of Durham, and by the Conqueror’s favourite, Ivo Taillebois, who, from the vast possessions which he acquired through his wife, the Lady Lucia, seems to have verily suffered from the disease of “land hunger.” Rather later, Eudo, son of Spirewic, the founder of the Tattershall family, held lands in Raithby, as well as at Mavis Enderby. In the reign of Edwd. I. (1402), the manor and advowsons of Raithby and Mavis Enderby were held by Robert de Willoughby, ancestor of the present Lord Willoughby. The descendants of Ivo Taillebois seem to have retained at least some of their property in Raithby for a longer period than they did in some other parishes, as we find that “Thomas Tailbus” of Raithby, by will, dated 7 March, 1556, requested that he might be buried “in our Lady’s Choir.” He states that he made his will while “mighty of mind, whole of witt and understanding.” He makes his wife, Johan, executrix, and desires her to give to their son Roger, and Agnes Harper (presumably a married daughter), “as much as may be conveniently spared.” (“Lincolnshire Wills,” by Canon Maddison).
The pedigree of the Taylbois’ of Raithby is given in the Visitation of 1562.
Again, by will, dated 5 March, 1579, John Taylboys, of Raithby, gent., desires that he may be buried in the church. He leaves everything to his wife, except 10s. to his mother, and William Thompson and “Wil Cockson,” executors are to pay £12, “bequeathed by my father to sexe children.”
The Littleburies had also land in Raithby; since by will, dated 1 Sep., 1568, Humphrey Littlebury, of East Kirkby, left land at Raithby, and other places, to his son, John Littlebury, and John Littlebury of Hagworthingham, by will, dated 28 Sep., 1612, left his lands at Raithby to his son John. As I mention in the notes on Salmonby, the Littlebury family were originally located in the Holbeach neighbourhood; Robert and his ancestors held land there, and at Whaplode, of the abbots of Croyland long before the reign of Edw. III. But he began to get in arrear with his rent, as shewn by the following list of omissions recorded against him:—
| £ | s. | d. | |
| For his own and his men’s table with the abbot of Croyland | 40 | 0 | 0 |
| Farms of tithes in Whaplode | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Denariis mutuo receptis (i.e. money borrowed) | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Several horses borrowed and not returned | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Other items are given as a set off, as well as his legacy of | 40 | 0 | 0 |
| But there still remains a debt of | 60 | 0 | 0 |
This was a large sum in those days. But John Littlebury gave the abbot “diverse jewels” in payment of this debt. (Appendix to Cough’s “Croyland,” from the Abbey register.)
Sir Martin Littlebury was Chief Justice of England, A.D. 1243. His wife was Anne, daughter of Sir Henry Rochford. They intermarried with several other families of position and influence. Their pedigree is given in the Herald’s Visitation of Lincolnshire, in 1562–64, coming down to Humphrey Littlebury, of Stainsby, named above, as holding land in Raithby. (“Notices on Holbeach,” by G. W. McDonald).
By will, dated 4 March, 1599, Anne Skipwith, of Hanney, left legacies to Thomas and Robert Raithby, and this patronymic is not uncommon in the neighbourhood still.
In later years the manor of Raithby was the property of the Brackenburies, who had a handsome residence, Raithby Hall, which was, in 1848, purchased by the Rev. E. Rawnsley, who is now lord of the manor. A curious circumstance connected with the Hall is that during the time when it was owned by Mr. Robert Carr Brackenbury, he, being a friend of John Wesley, granted him the use of the hay loft for religious services, and subsequently by will provided that all future owners of the property should fulfil this condition, and these services are still occasionally held there, so that we have now the anomaly of the Hall being owned and occupied by a clergyman of the church of England, while the loft over his stables is used by a Wesleyan minister.