Chapter V: Part 5

“The entrance into it is very stately over a faire draw-bridge. The
gatehouse a very uniforme, and strong building. Next within the
porter’s lodge is a payre of low stayres, which goe downe into a
dungeon, in which some reliques are yet to be seene of a
prison-house. Other 2 prisons more are on either side.

“The building itselfe is of a sandy stone hewen of a great square out
of the rockes thereby, which though it abide the weather longe, yet
[in processe of tyme] it will moulder, especially if wett gett within
it, which hath bin the decay of many places of the wall where the
roofe is uncovered.

“There be certaine roomes within the castle, [built by Queen
Elizabeth of freestone] amongst which is a fayre great chamber with
other lodgings.

“In a roome in one of the towers of the castle they usually kept
their auditt once by the yeare for the whole Dutchy of Lancaster,
having ever bin the prime seate thereof, where all the recordes for
the whole countrey are kept.

“The constable of the castle is Sir William Mounson Lord Castlemayne,
who receaveth a revenue out of the Dutchy lands of £500. per annum,
in part of payment of £1000. yearely given by the king to the
Countesse of Nottingham his lady.

“One thinge is not to be passed by affirmed as a certaine trueth by
many of the inhabitants of the towne upon their owne knowledge, which
is, that the castle is haunted by a certain spirit in the likenesse
of a hare; which att the meeting of the auditors doeth usually runne
betweene their legs, and sometymes overthrows them, and soe passes
away. They have pursued it downe into the castleyard, and seene it
take in att a grate into a low cellar, and have followed it thither
with a light, where notwithstanding that they did most narrowly
observe it [and that there was noe other passage out, but by the
doore, or windowe, the roome being all close framed of stones within,
not having the least chinke or crevice] yet they could never finde
it. And att other tymes it hath been seene run in at iron-grates
below into other of the grotto’s [as their be many of them] and they
have watched the place, and sent for houndes, and put in after it;
but after a while they have come crying out.”

Harleian MS. No. 6829, p. 162.

{73} The following arms and inscriptions were in the windows of this church when it was visited by Mr. Holles.

_In Fenestra Orientali Cancelli_. G. 3 lyons passants gardants d’or a labell of Comes Lancastr. 3 each charged with 3 floures de lize of the second Empaled. Castile, and Leon quarterly. A label of 3 arg. each charged with 2 de lizes sa. Empaled. France, and England quarterly. A label of 3 arg. each charged with 2 de lizes sa. Or a lyon rampant purpure Lacy. B. 2 garbes d’or Meschines. Com. Cestr. Quarterly. Sa. a crosse Ufford engrayled d’or Quarterly. G. a crosse molyn Beke Willughby. arg. Argent a fesse G between 3 bugles trippant sa. _In Fenestra Orientali ad dextram Navis_. B. 6. lyoncels rampant d’or. 3. 2. 1 Longespee. Lancaster.

England, and France quarterly.

Lacy.

G. 3 lyons passants arg. a labell of 3 d’or, each charged with a lyon rampant purpure _In_ 1_ma_ _Fenestra australi_. B. 3. garbes d’or Meschines. Chequy d’or & B a bend G. Clifford. Quarterly arg. & G. the 2d & 3d charg’d with Spenser. a frette d’or over all a bend sa. Femina gestans in veste sex leones aureos Longespee. erectos una cum leone purpure conjunctos Lacy. _In_ 2_da_ _Fenestra australi_. G. a fesse verry betw: 3 leopards heads Cantilupe. jesant floures de lize d’or G. a crosse molyn arg. Beke. B. a fesse daunce betw: 10 billets d’or Deyncourt. _In Campanili_. Quarterly France, and England Quarterly or, & G. a border sa. bezanty Rochford. Or, a chevron betw: 10 crosses botony sa. Slight. Orate pro bono statu . . . Ducis Aurelie. Ad hoc Campanile . . . Ao. r. r. Hen Quarterly. Arg. a chevron betw: 3 martlets sa. Quarterly. Chequy or & G. on a chiefe arg. a lyon passant sa.

Harleian MS. No. 6829. p. 163.

{74} “In Bolinbroc h’b Stori II car. t’ræ ad g’ld. T’ra II car. In soca I car. de hac t’ra. Ibi h’t Iuo modo II car. et XII vill. et VIII bord. et XII soch. cu. III car. Ibi æccla et mercatu. novu. et III molini X solidos et LXX ac. p’ti. T R E. val. XXX lib. mº. XL. lib. Tailla q’ter XX lib. cu. omnib’s adjacentib’s.” Domesday folio, 351.

{76} See the Charter in Dugdale’s Monasticon, vol. i. p. 822.

{79} Stukeley’s Itinerarium Curiosum, p. 28.

{81} Dr. John Taylor of Norwich was one of the earliest ministers appointed by Mr. Disney. He held his appointment from about 1715, for 18 years, and at this place composed his justly valued “Hebrew Concordance,” in two vols. folio.

{86a} Itinerarium, p. 162.

{86b} Gough, and others who have copied from him, erroneously state this tower to be two hundred feet in height.

{90} The principal part of the stained glass taken from this church was placed by the Earl of Exeter in the church of St. Martin, Stamford Baron, with some other richly stained glass, procured from the churches of Snape in Yorkshire, and Barnack in Northamptonshire.

{91a} Joan Lady Cromwell was one of the daughters of Sir Richard Stanhope, and niece and co-heiress of the Lord Treasurer Cromwell. She married Humphry Bourchier, third Son of the Earl of Essex, who was created Lord Cromwell, in the first year of Edward the fourth.

{91b} Matilda Lady Willoughby was the other daughter of Sir Richard Stanhope, and niece and co-heiress of the Lord Treasurer Cromwell.

{92a} Gough in his “Sepulchral Monuments,” vol. ii. gives a description of the arms contained in these shields, as well as in those which were attached to the figures of the Lord Treasurer and his wife. His description however differs widely from that given by Mr. Holles in his MS. vol. of Lincolnshire Church Notes.

{92b} Sepulchral Monuments, vol. ii. p. 179.

{92c} The MS. volume of Lincolnshire Church Notes, notices all the foregoing inscriptions, though not in a very correct manner. It also contains the following account of inscriptions and arms, in this church, which are now gone:

_In the upper ende of the Chancell_.

Next under another fayre monument of blew marble [as the former] the picture of one also inlayd in brasse, adorned rounde about with a border of curious workemanship in brasse, with the pictures and names of some prophets in the Old Testament, and of other saintes, and some Saxon kinges, as Edmund, Edward, Etheldred, Ethelbert, there is noe inscription, onely this ensuing escocheon upon either side of him.

[Picture: Shield]

_On the North Side under a Marble_.

Orate pro a’ia M’ri Joh’is Gigur baccalaur. Theologiæ custodis hujus collegii, ac etiam . . . Collegij Marton in Oxonia qui obijt 12º. die

_On the Wood Worke in the lower ende of the Quire_, _curiously carved in
capital l’rs this_,—

Ad honorem & gloriam Dei opt. Max. & decorum domus ejus hoc opus factum est Anno D’ni 1424.

_In Fenestris_.

The history of the passion depainted. In another Hell’s torments, where are divers creatures bound together in a chayne; amongst whome one with a crowne, another with a mytre on his head, the divell tormenting them, and under them is written—

‘Sic affiguntur pœnis, qui prava sequuntur.’

The history of Hermogenes that raysed up devills, and of Guthlake [the saint of the fens] and of Catherina, who cast them into the sea, that Hermogenes and Philetus raysed.

The history of Cosdre with his decollation.

_In Fenestris ex latere Australi_. Arg. a chiefe G. surtout a bend B. Crumwell. Quarterly.—Crumwell, with chequy d’or Tateshall. and G. a chiefe ermyne G. a lyon rampant d’or Fitz-Alane. Arg. 3 cinquefoyles and a canton Driby. Bendy of 10 pieces arg. and G. Ermyne a fesse G. Bernake. B. a fesse daunce betw: 10 billets d’or Deyncourt. G. 10 annulets d’or Chequy d’or and G. a bend ermyne Clifton. Quarterly.—Crumwell and Tateshall Empaled. Arg. a chiefe G. surtout a Crumwell. bend B. Empaled. Arg. a chevron B. a file with 3 lambeaux d’or Barry of 6 arg. and B. a bend G. Grey of Rotterfield. Verry a fesse Marmyon. Arg. a chiefe G. surtout a bend B. a labell of 3 ermyne Lozengy arg. and G. Fitz-William. _Ex latere boreali_. Empaled. Chequy d’or and G. a bendlet B. Empaled. Lozengy arg. and G. Fitz-William. B. a crosse patonce arg. Party p. pale G. and sa. a lyon rampant arg. crowned d’or Arg. 3 water-pots covered G. a border Monboucher. [ut upinor.] sa. bezanty Empaled. Arg. a chiefe G. over all a bend B. Empaled. Party p. pale G and sa. a lyon rampant arg. crowned d’or Arg. a chevron betweene 3 pots covered G. a border sa. bezanty. Arg. a chiefe G. surtout a bend B. a labell of 3 d’or Barry of 6 arg. and G. a bend engrayled d’or Crumwell with a labell of 3 ermyne _In Fenestris utrimq. supra portas Australem et Borealem_. Orate pro a’ia Radulphi nuper D’ni de Crumwell & Tateshale Thesaurarij Angliæ, & fundatoris hujus Collegij. _The Roode Loft_, 1524. G. a saltier arg. a file with 3 Nevile. lambeaux B. Lozengy sa. and erm. on a chiefe sa. 3 Wainflet Ep’us Wint. lillies arg. Wainflet Ep’us Winton cujus insignia sculptata sup. utranq. porticum in saxo.

Thomas Howard gen. & Beatrix consors ejus vitriaverunt fenestram borealem in honore s’cæ Catherinæ, cujus passio ib’dm. Empaled. Arg. a chevron chequy d’or and G. betw. 3 flesh-hookes sa. Empaled. B. a fesse betw. 3 storkes arg. Arg. a chevron betw. 3 catherine wheels d’or Deyncourt sup. portam collegii. Sup. crucem in foro ville Crumwell & Tateshall paling Deyncourt & p. se 3.

_Gravestones in the Church_.

Hic jacet Thomas Gibbon Artium Liberalium M’gr. Rector nuper de Wiberton Socius & precentor hujus collegij qui obijt 16º. die mensis Januarij An’o D’ni 1506 cujus &c.

_Another_.

Orate pro a’ia D’ni Henr. Porter capti quondam Socij Collegij de Tateshall, ac præcentor ejusdem Eccl’ie, qui obijt 12º. die Martij An’o D’ni 1519.

_Another_.

Hic jacet Edwardus Okey nup. unus sex clericorum hujus Collegij qui obijt 29 die January An’o D’ni 1519, cujus &c.

_In Insula Australi_.

Hic jacet Ric’us English artium liberalium Mgr. socius ac p’centor huj. Collegij & Vicarius Eccl’iæ de Burwell qui obijt 27º. die Martij A’o D’ni 1522.

_Another_.

Orate pro a’ia M’ri Rob’ti Sudbury sacræ Theologiæ Baccalaureus nuper Rector . . . ac quondam p’centor & socius hujus Collegij qui obijt 19º. Decembris An’o 1482.

_Under the arched worke of the Partition betw. the Chancell and the body
of the Church_, _this_,

Orate pro a’ia Rob’ti de Whalley . . . hujus collegij qui hoc opus fieri fecit A’o D’ni 1528. cujus a’ie p’pitietur Deus. Amen.

_Within a Chapel on the North side_, _a fayre flatt Marble_, _on which
this Epitaph_,

Have mercy on the soule [good Lord] we thee pray
Of Edward Hevyn, lay’d here in sepulture,
W’ch to thine honour this chappel did array
With ceeling, desk, perclose and pourtrayture,
And paviment of marble long to endure.
Servant of late to the excellent Princesse
Mother to King Henry, of Richmond Countesse.

_The Armes on the Gravestone are_ Empaled. A chevron betw. 3 boares heades couped, having Hevyn. so many pomeis in their mouths; on the chevron a crescent Empaled. A chevron betw. 3 bulls heades. Hevyn.

Harleian MS. No. 6829. p. 184–189.

{97} “One of the Cromwelle’s builded a preaty turret caullid the Tour of the Moore; and thereby he made a faire greate ponde or lake, brickid about. The lake is commonly caullid the Synkker.” Leland’s Itinerarium, vi. 58.

{100a} By some called _Bind_, by others _Clunch Clay_.

{100b} At Donington, 103 yards; and at Kirkstead, 150 yards. A succinct account of the boring at Donington may be seen in the Transactions of the Geological Society, vol. 3.