Nothing now remains of the Priory itself, beyond some stone coffins lying close to the north wall of the parish church, which were found to the west of the Abbey Farm house. There remained, however, until 1846, when they were removed to give space for the present farm buildings, a postern gate, and the east end of the Priory chapel [197] with a window of the date of Edwd. III.; under the arch of the gateway were the arms of the Leake family of Lincolnshire carved on a truss of wood, “Argent a chief, gules, over all a bend engrailed, azure.” A rough sketch of these remains by Mr. Willson, architect, is in the possession the lord of the manor and from it a sketch is given by the Rev. J. A. Penny, late Vicar, in vol. iii., of “Linc. N. & Q.” p. 161. The moat round the Priory enclosed an area of about 4 acres, and was connected with the Witham, about three-quarters of a mile distant, doubtless for the conveyance of goods to the monastery, as well as for the renewal of the moat water, and that of the stew ponds, a matter of some importance where a supply of fish was required for the “fasting” diet of “the religious.”
We now proceed to a description of the church, dedicated to St. Peter, which possesses features of more than usual interest. This was rebuilt in 1831, the architect being Mr. W. A. Nicholson, of Lincoln.
The former building was on the same site as the present, but larger. Wilson (architect, of Lincoln), in a MS. collection of churches (vol. ii., p. 87), has the following notes on the earlier fabric:—“Stixwould, spacious; has been elegant, full of curious remnants; style, Edwd. VI. or Henry VIII.; tower very handsome, but much decayed, the walls being built of soft-grained stone (i.e., the usual ‘Spilsby’ sandstone). Interior has been very beautiful, lofty pointed arches, roof of nave and south aisle supported on rich carved figures of angels, with shields, etc.; windows full of scattered remnants of beautiful stained glass; old oak desks and benches with carved (finials); curious font; upper end of south aisle inclosed by two screens of oak, mutilated, but exquisitely rich and elegant; this is called ‘the little choir,’ and belongs to Halstead Hall in Stixwould; choir screen very lofty, with front of rood-loft over it, painted with Ten Commandments, in ‘black letter’; choir same date as nave; east window spoilt; some ancient slabs, one of two children of the Welby family (this is now lost) in the little choir; both aisles have had altars; two bells; curious stone, with letters like a clock face, in front of tower [198] (N.B.—This was removed some years ago, to Newport, Lincoln, but has been seen at Stixwould by the present writer). Base and part of pillar of churchyard cross remain; Mr. Turnor (lord of the manor), took some painted glass from the church ‘to the Hall at Stoke Rochford’.” So far, Mr. Willson. We may add that the panels of the pulpit of Lea Church, 12 miles beyond Lincoln, were taken from Stixwould.
As to the present fabric, I have been favoured with the following observations by the Rev. J. Alpass Penny, Vicar of Wispington, formerly of Stixwould. The church consists of nave, chancel, and a good tower containing two bells; one of these being exactly the same as that in the Guildhall at Lincoln, with date 1370, dedicated to “St. Katrine,” with Nottingham foundry mark, founder’s initials, and merchant’s mark. The pinnacles and figures on the tower are from the former tower; the choir screen, now only one third of the original, consists of three equal-sized bays, the central one forming a doorway; and has been pronounced by Dr. F. Mansel Sympson (“Architectural S. Journal,” 1890, p. 211) to be “of excellent work;” it has however, been recently removed, by the late vicar (in 1899), from the chancel arch to its eastern wall, and now forms a rather elegant reredos. The chancel was enlarged, and the nave reseated, in 1864. The stone slab in the nave floor, nearest to the Chancel arch, of date 1722, is in memory of a Boulton, who, as well as his ancestors for several generations, resided at the Abbey Farm house: he stabbed his mother to death in the little chapel outside the Priory gate, no longer existing. [199] The stone figure-heads and angels within the church belonged to the former edifice, as did also the bench ends south of the nave. The royal arms, with date 1662, formerly in the church, are now in a wall of the entrance hall at the Abbey Farm house; and the holy water stoup is now under the pump in the school yard. There is a fine slab, with cross, lying outside the tower, which was dug up on the site of the Priory, also a stone coffin; other fragments were found in the vicarage garden. The font is octagonal, divided into panels by rich pinnacles with lions and flowers, the panels bearing four quaintly-cut emblems of the Evangelists, with names in black letter, but now very indistinct; the figures between them being a monk, seated in chair, and holding Y in his hand, representing January; next, a man with arms akimbo, facing east, meaning February; next, a friar, for March; and next, a man in flat cap with sword, holding a rose in his left hand, and his right resting on his belt, for April. This curious font is engraved, in outline, by James Sandly Padley, in his work “Selections from the Ancient Monastic, Ecclesiastical, and Domestic Edifices of Lincolnshire.” Waterlow, 1851.
The register dates from 1543. In a parish book are some curious items between 1624 and 1629, or the early years of the reign of Charles I. These shew that the parish overseers “held the artillery in charges,” also the “town musket and knapsack.” The military forces were at that time a sort of militia, maintained by local rates, and every parish contributed towards it, in money, arms, and accoutrements. Probably these contributions were sometimes compounded for by a lump payment, as we here find mention of a sum being paid “for excusing of the town” from its liability. There is also mention of alms being given to certain persons who had been taken prisoners “by the Dunkirkers” i.e., the Dunkirk privateers. This, however, must belong to a rather later date, since the English and Dutch were in conflict at Dunkirk in 1635, and Dunkirk was taken by the French and English from the Spaniards, and finally handed over to England, in the last year of Cromwell’s administration, June, 1658.
Mention is also made of the payment of “dog-whippers,” officials who drove dogs out of the church at the time of service. In some churches in Wales the whips are still to be seen. Another item is the payment of “dyke-reeve,” a very useful official in parishes in, or bordering on, the fens, where inundations were only to be avoided by keeping the “dykes and meres” in proper order.
We are enabled to give here a list of the vicars of Stixwould from A.D. 1425 to the present time, except for an interval of about 70 years, through the researches of Mr. Gibbon, author of “Early Lincolnshire Wills.” Thomas Lane, 1425–1440; Giles Storror, 1440–1472; John Shadworth, 1472–1482; Thomas Tymson, 1482–1485; Alexander Anyson, 1485–1502; John Aby, 1502–1520; John Robynson, 1520–1530; John Oregower, 1530. Down to this date, all appointments had been made by the Lady Prioress; and there is a gap in Mr. Gibbon’s list till 1603. We are, however, able partly, if not entirely, to fill up the gap, since we find that in 1548, Thomas Wilson, clerk, S.T.B., was presented by Edmund Dighton, of Donington (kinsman, doubtless, of Robert Dighton, to whom the Priory estates were granted by Henry VIII. on the Dissolution), “this turn of advowson being given by the late Prioress and convent of B.V.” (Institutions to Benefices, “Architectural Journal,” 1898, p. 476, No. 328). Also, in a List of Institutions in the 16th century, without date, but among several others in the middle of that century (“Linc. N. & Q.” vol. vi., No. 45, p. 10), we find John Cressie, clerk, appointed by Thomas Disney, of Carlton-in-Moreland, gentleman, by grant of the Prioress to him and others, vacant by resignation of John Boysworth, and these three nominations may well have embraced the 70 years. The next vicar was probably Richard Travisse, who is mentioned in Mr. Gibbon’s list as signing, in 1603, a bequest (and therefore, we may assume, near the close of his vicariate) of “xls.”, the interest to be used “for the benefit of the poor, and church, of Stixwould.” He was succeeded by Thomas Burton, buried October 21st, 1617. Then followed Francis Bowman, vicar in 1618; Richard Skiggs, 1648; John Skelton, 1665: a note here states that from 1677 to 1704, being in the time of Mr. Fox, vicar, the registers were all on loose papers, and were lost by W. Reading, vicar. (This Thomas Fox was appointed by Sir John Coventry, K.B., in 1685). He was succeeded by William Reading, just named; who was followed by Anthony Baker, appointed by Lord Anson, 1753; George Blennerhaysett (also vicar of Saxilby) was appointed by Thomas Anson in 1767; Bernard Cracroft (also vicar of Bardney) was the first nominee of Edmund Turnor, of Panton, in 1778; William Mounsey, 1802; Washbourn Uvedale, 1832, who died within the year; William Gurdon Moore, 1833; John Francis Wray, 1839; John Woodlands Watkin, 1852; William Lush, 1870; William Bennett, 1881; J. A. Penny, 1888; A. R. Wilson, 1896; James Bryan Turner, 1901.
We now proceed to treat of the Halstead Hall estate, in this parish, formerly a distinct lordship. The earliest mention we can find of this as a separate manor, is in the 13th century, a deed of that period naming Roger, son of Roger de Stixwould, and Sir Theobald de Stykeswald, knight: this Theobald also witnessed a deed as “Dominus Theobaldus de Halstead,” May 22nd, 1281. (“Linc. N. & Q.” 1897, p. 82). Their grandfather would appear to have been the Roger de Stixwould who, with Gerard de Camvill, was sheriff of Lincoln A.D. 1190, and again 1192–1193. In the survey of the county, made between 1114 and 1118, Ralph de Stixwould is named as holding 1 carucate and 4 oxgangs (180 acres) in Edlington, under Ranulph de Meschin, Earl of Lincoln, son of the second Lady Lucia, already referred to. We may therefore infer that these four generations, at that early period, resided at Halstead, being designated indifferently “de Stikeswald” or “de Halstead.” We have then to pass over an interval of more than 180 years, when, in 1465, a Richard Welby, of Moulton, names Halstead in his will as part of his property. He was sheriff in 1471, and M.P., 1472. We find a Chancery Inquisition (18 Henry VII., No. 96) held at Spalding, 24 April, 1503, whereby it was shown that Thomas Welby, who was sheriff in 1492, died October 16, 1497, seised of the manors of Moulton, Freeston, Sutton, Farlesthorpe, and Halstead, besides lands in several other parishes. (“Architectural S. Journal,” 1895, p. 18).
His will was dated Dec. 9, 1493; the executors being Sir Edward Borough, knt., Sir G. Tailbois, knt. (a name, as we have seen, already connected with this parish), and others.
He was succeeded in these possessions by his son and heir, another Thomas Welby. In 1586, Vincent Welby, “of Hawstead” Esq., is mentioned, along with Thomas Dighton, of Waddingworth (another name already mentioned in connection with Stixwould), Sir E. Dymmock, Sir G. Heneage, etc., as contributing “horses and lances” for the defence of the country against the Spanish Armada. (“Architect. S. Journal,” 1894, p. 213). This Vincent Welby was son of the above, second, Thomas Welby, [202] by Dorothy, daughter of Vincent Grantham, of Goltho, near Wragby, and of St. Martin’s Lincoln; a name still surviving in good position in the county. Vincent Welby also subscribed, in 1589, £25 towards the loan for the defence of the country, along with his neighbours, Robert Phillips, of Wispington, Robt. Smithe, of Horsington, Willm. Heneage, of Benington, and others. (“Linc. N. & Q.” vol. ii., p. 133).