The parsonage, a good residence, erected by J. Banks Stanhope, Esq., stands in pretty grounds and is now adorned, internally, with much carved oak furniture, cabinets, overmantel, &c., &c., and with a display of numerous silver cups, trophies won in various competitions, by the Rev. P. O. Ashby, the active and energetic chaplain.
Salmonby.
Salmonby is distant from Horncastle about five miles, in an easterly direction, on the road to Tetford, which it adjoins. The register dates from 1558, and contains some curious entries. One is as follows:—“Helena More, centesimo decimo ætatis anno, et undecimo die mensis Junii, Anno Dom. 1638 fato succubuit, et die duo decimo dicti mensis sepulta est 1638,” i.e., Helena More succumbed to her fate in the 110th year of her age, and on the 11th day of the month of June, A.D. 1638, and was buried on the 12th day of the said month, 1638.
In the month of March, 1723, there were six burials within nine days, three members of the same family; no cause for the mortality being mentioned. In the following year (1724), there were ten burials, among them being four of the name of Wait, three Ansels, and two Bartholomews.
The rector from 1710 to 1741, Rev. Henry Marshall, was also rector of Fulletby, and vicar of Orby, and he was succeeded by his son in the rectory of Salmonby, who also held the benefice of Ashby Puerorum.
There are some rather peculiar field names in this parish, two Wongs, far and near, a relic of Saxon nomenclature; also Skerrills and Skerrills Holt, Bramfleets, Haverlins (Haver=oats), Dry-sykes, Rotten Fen, Wallow Farm, and Wallow Camp, and The Mires, the last four, doubtless derived from the character of the localities. From a part of this boggy land in the north of the parish, rises a spring of chalibeate water, said to resemble the properties of the Tunbridge Wells; a pulverulent blue phosphate of iron, and an earthy oxide of iron. We do not know much of the early history of Salmondby, the village of some Saxon thane of the name of Salmond. The manor was apparently the property of the Saxon Earl, Harold, but William the Conqueror gave it to his nephew, Hugh de Abrincis, or Avranches, surnamed “Lupus,” or the Wolf, from his many deeds of violence, and it was held as part of the soke of the more important manor, or honour, of Greetham. In an ancient charter, found among the “Final Concords” (p. 359), it is stated that Geoffrey de Benigworth, grants to Avice, wife of William de Benigworth, his manors of Walmersty, Friskeney, Salmundesby, and Skreythesfeld (Scrafield), and all appurtenances, saving the advowson of the church of Salmundesby, which remains to Geoffrey and his heirs, and we have here an example of how the common labourers were regarded as little better than “goods and chattels.” Since, herewith he grants all the villeins holding the “villeinages,” or cottages, and “all their sequels,” i.e., their progeny, “to have and to hold to the said Avice all her life,” and after her decease, the manors and services were to revert to the said Geoffrey and his heirs for ever.
By will, dated 2 July, 1582 (“Lincolnshire Wills,” 1500, 1600, p. 105, No. 285), Margaret Littlebury, late wife of Thomas Littlebury, Esq., of Stainsby, in the parish of Ashby Puerorum, leaves money to the poor of Salmonby, Greetham, and other places. This Margaret was the daughter of John St. Paul, of Snarford, who, like the Dymokes, the Dightons, Maddisons, Massingberds, and many other leading county families, were mixed up in the Lincolnshire Rebellion of 1536. The Littleburies were seated at Hagg and Somersby, as well as at Stainsby, but they seem to have resided originally at Holbeach Hurn. Sir Humphrey Littlebury, Lord of Littlebury, was born, 1346. He married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Sir John Kirton, knight, Lord of Kirton, and there is a fine altar tomb of them both, in Holbeach church. His will was dated, Dec. 1, 1330. But there was a Sir Ralph Littlebury, knight, a juror at Holbeche, in A.D. 1293.
There would seem at one time to have been a substantial manorial residence at Salmonby, for by will, dated 23 January, 1614, Edward King, of Ashby-de-la-Laund, devises “to my sonne, John Kinge, my manor house, of Salmondbie, alias Salmonbie, with all appurtenances,” also certain “closes,” among them being the “Rush Close, Warlowe close, the Conie Hill, Huntepitts, Sheepe Walks, The Lings, alias Gallows Hill, Rotten Fen, &c., which manor and lands were late in the tenure of Richard Caterton.” He adds a codicil, dated “9 day of June, 1617,” bequeathing to his said sonne, John Kinge, various cottages, with his “commons of Key-gaite, and Sheepe-gait acre, and sheepe pasture in other places in Salmonbie. Lastlie, I bequeath to my right worthie and faithful friende, Sir John Meres, knight, a ring of gold of the value of xls., to be inamiled on the outside, and within to be ingraven these words, Donum Fidelis Amici.” This testator built the hall at Ashby-de-la-Laund in 1595. The Kings took the side of the Parliament, and Colonel Edward King distinguished himself. The last male heir, the Rev. John King, died without issue, a few years ago. The manor took its name from the two families, Essheby and De la Laund, who held it till the reign of Henry VI. It has belonged to the Kings since the reign of Henry VIII., but has now passed to Colonel Neville H. Reeve.
A former rector of Salmonby, Phyllip Robert, clerk, by will, dated 26 July, 1617, but not written in a clerkly style, desired “to be buried in the queare” (choir) of the church.
By a Chancery Inquisition (18 Henry VII., No. 46), it was found that Hamon Sutton, held the manor of Salmonby, with Maydenwell and others, and also the advowson of Salmonby, holding them of the Lord the King, as of his Duchy of Lancaster, and in the time of Queen Elizabeth, Anthony Thorold, knight, is named in certain documents still in the British Museum, as being lord of the manor at that time. (“Collectanea” G. Holles, vol., iii., p. 770.)