CARLTON CURLIEU
The parish of Carlton Curlieu, which is 1,406 a.
in area, lies nine miles south-east of Leicester. It is
bounded on the north by the Gartree road and on the
west by one of the head-streams of the River Sence
which separates it from the parish of Burton Overy.
The village stands above the 450-foot contour on
a patch of sand and gravel overlying the Lower Lias
clays which here from part of a ridge of hills making
the watershed between the River Sence to the west
and streams flowing south-east into the River Welland. The soil of the parish is a loamy clay, chiefly
devoted to pasture. No arterial roads cross the parish,
but the village is accessible by road from Kibworth
Harcourt to the south and Illston on the Hill to the
north; the road from Burton Overy to the west is
gated. The population of the parish has never been
large, and was perhaps larger in the Middle Ages
than it has been since: the Domesday Survey enumerated 24 inhabitants, there were 37 taxpayers in
1377, and in 1563 there were 25 households. Thereafter there was a reduction in numbers and in 1670
there were only 13 households. There were 64 communicants in 1676. The population rose to 93 in
1911, and dropped to 61 in 1951. (fn. 1)
The village consists of a few farm-houses and
cottages grouped near the church and the Rectory.
Most of the houses were built of red brick in the
early 19th century; one pair of cottages on the west
side is modern. The Rectory stands in its own grounds
immediately to the west of the churchyard. The
village street, which runs north of the church and
Rectory, is part of the gated road from Burton
Overy, on the west. Near this road and elsewhere in
the parish there are old gravel pits. In the northwest corner of the field in front of the hall is a small
rectangular moat still filled with water in 1956.
Carlton Curlieu Hall, the manor-house, stands in
its own grounds to the south-east of the church. It
is L-shaped in plan and has two stories, attics, and
cellars. Facing the kitchen yard on the north the
walls, including a massive chimney, are of ironstone,
but on the other three sides they are faced with limestone ashlar. The west or entrance front (fn. 2) has three
small projecting wings, each of two stories, a roundheaded porch forming the base of the central wing.
At attic level is a row of 5 small Dutch gables, and
there are 3 similar gables to the south front. An ironstone gable-end overlooking the yard has a date
tablet of 1636 with initials I.O. and T.O. The
general layout of the house and many of its features
suggest that it was built on approximately its present
plan at this period. The internal fittings, however,
date mainly from later in the 17th century and it is
possible that the ashlar facing of the south front and
of the attic story, including the Dutch gables, were
subsequent additions by a member of the Palmer
family. The house contains panelling of the early
17th century, originally in an upper room, and of
c. 1680. The oak staircase has heavy turned balusters
and ball finials. Other internal details in the Gothic
manner, and several of the windows, are the work of
the Revd. Henry Palmer c. 1820. (fn. 3) There is a fine
collection of family portraits. In 1790, when the
house was let to a grazier, it was reported to be in
such a bad condition that in rooms seldom used the
portraits were in danger of perishing. (fn. 4)
Carlton Curlieu was the centre of one of the bailiwicks of the honor of Leicester. In the early 14th
century it contained 25 villages in which the earls
had land as of honor. (fn. 5)
MANORS.
In 1086 CARLTON CURLIEU formed
part of the extensive estates of Hugh de Grentemesnil. (fn. 6) In 1130, and probably until 1204, it
belonged to the honor of Leicester, (fn. 7) and at the death
of Roger de Quency in 1264 to the honor of Winchester. At the partition of the earl's estates, completed in 1277, Carlton passed to his daughter Ellen
la Zouche, (fn. 8) from whom nearly all the land there was
held in 1278. (fn. 9) Alan la Zouche had acquired this overlordship by 1270, when Carlton formed part of 4
knights' fees held from the honor of Winchester. (fn. 10)
In 1314 (fn. 11) and 1455 (fn. 12) it was part of a single knight's
fee, comprising lands in Great Glen, Carlton, and
Rolleston. The overlordship belonging to the Zouche
family had passed by 1328 to their descendants, the
Holands of Glen, (fn. 13) from whom it descended by 1422
to Maud Lovel, the heir of the Holand family. (fn. 14) It
was held by William Lovel at his death in 1455. (fn. 15)
Mesne tenants under the overlords included
Roger Martel who held Carlton of Alan la Zouche
in 1278 as ⅓ of a knight's fee, John and Peter FitzReynold in 1314, and Reynold and Peter FitzReynold in 1329. Other recorded holders of the subordinate lordship were Henry FitzRoger (fl. 1346), (fn. 16)
and Richard Stuckley (fl. 1455). (fn. 17) There is no conclusive evidence that any of the under-tenants of
the subordinate lords ever held the status of lord of
a comprehensive 'manor of Carlton Curlieu'.
Between 1455 and 1507, when Roger Wigston
was holding the manor of John Wyvell, (fn. 18) the descent
is obscure. By 1537 Carlton Curlieu had become
attached to the manor of Theddingworth, then held
by Thomas Wigston. (fn. 19) This was subsequently
bought by William Brocas in 1575, (fn. 20) and in the same
year John Bale (d. 1621) acquired the 'manor of
Carlton Curlieu' from Sir George Turpyn and
Bernard Brocas, the father of his wife Frances. (fn. 21)
Members of the Bale family were living in the parish
by 1524. (fn. 22) John Bale (d. 1621) inherited lands at
Carlton bought by his uncle John Bale (d. 1570) in
1549, (fn. 23) and at his death held more than 30 virgates, (fn. 24)
equivalent to the greater part of the Zouche estate in
1278. (fn. 25) The manor belonged to the Bale family until
1661, (fn. 26) and was shortly afterwards acquired by
Geoffrey Palmer of Carlton (Northants.). It descended in the Palmer family and in 1957 was owned by
Sir Geoffrey Palmer, 12th Bt.
Both of the two largest estates held in 1278 by
under-tenants of Roger Martel, that of Theobald de
Nevill and that of Peter de Weston, comprised land
in demesne and land in villeinage, (fn. 27) and both were
later described as manors. The Nevill estate in Carlton was acquired as a result of the marriage of Alice
(fl. 1262), daughter and heir of Robert Curly (fl.
1253), to Peter de Nevill (d. by 1276), and had
previously belonged to William Curly (d. 1253),
father of Robert. (fn. 28) It seems probable that Carlton
Curlieu became so known as a result of the connexion
with the Curly family. The principal estate of the
Nevill family was Allexton. (fn. 29) From Theobald, son
of Alice and Peter Nevill, the lands passed to John
Hacluit, the husband of their daughter Alice, and to
William Hacluit, son of John and Alice. (fn. 30) After
William's death in 1375 the holding passed to his
mother's second husband, Sir Edward Dalyngrigge,
who sold it to feoffees in 1377, together with the
Allexton estate. At some date before 1428, when
Allexton was in the possession of Margaret, relict of
William de Burgh, the Carlton lands were separated,
probably in connexion with the marriage of Anne,
the daughter of William and Margaret, to Theobald
Ward. Anne, who before 1428 married secondly
Robert Chiselden, died in 1441 seised of a part of the
Carlton lands in dower, the inheritance of Ward's
daughter by a previous marriage, namely Margaret,
relict of John Daunsey. (fn. 31) The estate seems subsequently to have reverted to the Ward family. A John
Ward was one of the 6 free tenants at Carlton listed
in 1381. Another John Ward paid the greatest amount
of tax in the village in 1524 and 1545. In 1542 he
bought an estate of 210 a. at Carlton, formerly part
of the holding of Thomas Wigston, or possibly the
freehold of the same estate. (fn. 32) Thomas Ward, who
died in 1598, held more than 320 a. in Carlton of
William and Elizabeth Brocas's manor of Theddingworth. (fn. 33) According to Nichols this estate, which he
described as a manor, was bought at the end of the
16th century by Thomas Palmer, and subsequently
descended in the Palmer family. It was said to have
belonged formerly to the Westons. (fn. 34)
The Weston estate, 2 carucates in 1278, (fn. 35) was
described as a manor in 1359. A reversionary interest
and rent were granted by Simon and Agnes de
Weston to Master Thomas Bray in 1323, (fn. 36) and these
subsequently passed to the Ferrers family. They were
held by William de Ferrers in 1359, when William
de Weston was life tenant to his sister. Weston had
acquired the manor by 1370. (fn. 37) It was in the possession of a William Weston in 1387 (fn. 38) but may have
reverted to the Ferrers family by 1459, when
Elizabeth Grey, Lady de Ferrers, held an estate of
6 virgates and a close in Carlton. (fn. 39) The later descent
cannot be traced.
LESSER ESTATES.
In 1278 one carucate at
Carlton was held by the bailiff of Carlton bailiwick
in serjeanty; (fn. 40) the bailiff in 1322 was Roger de
Pickering. (fn. 41) Henry, Duke of Lancaster, at his death
in 1361, was seised of 4 views of frankpledge in the
bailiwick as part of his honor of Leicester. (fn. 42) In 1482
the College of the Newarke, Leicester, acquired the
office of bailiff and the lands in Carlton which were
attached to it. Both had formerly been in the possession of John Weston. (fn. 43) The office was afterwards
acquired by the Hastings family, and at his death in
1595 Henry Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon, held the
bailiship of the Crown as 1/100 knight's fee. His heir,
George Hastings, held it at his death in 1604. (fn. 44) The
lands seem also to have been acquired by the Hastings
family, before 1513 when George, Lord Hastings,
entailed his 'manor of Carlton Curlieu'. (fn. 45) Neither
the bailiship nor the lands figure in the valor of the
college estates made in 1535. (fn. 46) In 1549 the Hastings
lands—6 virgates, 60 a. of meadow, and 60 a. of
pasture—were sold to John Bale (d. 1570) by Francis,
Earl of Huntingdon, son of George, Lord Hastings,
and subsequently formed part of the Bale manor of
Carlton Curlieu. (fn. 47)
In 1086 and 1130 6 bovates at Carlton belonged to
the royal soke of Great Bowden, (fn. 48) and these lands
were held in 1278 by various tenants of Richard
de Harcourt. (fn. 49) Their subsequent history is obscure.
ECONOMIC HISTORY.
In 1086 117/8 carucates
were enumerated in Carlton. (fn. 50) On the estate of Hugh
de Grentemesnil (111/8 carucates) there was land for
7 ploughs. Hugh had 3 ploughs in demesne, with 5
serfs; and 9 villeins, 8 bordars, a Frenchman, and the
priest had a further 5 ploughs between them. There
were 16 a. of meadow. (fn. 51) Before 1081 one of the
villeins in Carlton had been granted by Hugh de
Grentemesnil to act as tithe-collector for the abbey
of St. Evroul (Orne). (fn. 52) In 1278 Carlton was assessed
at 11 carucates, (fn. 53) and at another date at 12 carucates. (fn. 54)
The inquisition of 1278 lists 13 separate holdings
ranging from 14 virgates to ½ virgate; these included
the rector's one carucate, one caracute held by
serjeanty, and 3 virgates held in socage. (fn. 55) In 1381
there were 14 tenants at will and 6 free tenants. (fn. 56)
A major change in the land-use of the village took
place between 1599 and 1607, when there was conversion from arable to pasture on a large scale. It was
presented to the depopulation commissioners in
1607 that before this conversion there were 48 yardlands worked by 13 ploughs, and afterwards only
8 yardlands worked by 3 ploughs. John Bale was
said to have converted 4 ploughlands (totalling 150 a.)
and to have put out of use 2 farms with barns and
stables, his son George Bale 90 a. and a farm with
barns and stables, George Ward 20 a., John Raven a
ploughland of 40 a., and another freeholder an unknown acreage and a farm with barns, all of which
he had since sold to George Bale. The presentment
enumerates only 300 a. of converted arable, or say
400 a. to allow for the conversion by the unnamed
freeholder, but also states that 40 yardlands (i.e.
10 ploughlands) were converted from tillage and that
10 ploughs had been put out of use. To reconcile
these statements it is necessary to postulate a ploughland of about 40 a., which is an unusually low figure
for the district but accords with the evidence about
the conversions by John Bale and John Raven.
The conversion from arable of 1599–1607 affected
five-sixths of the arable previously cultivated (40 out
of the 48 yardlands, which accords closely with the
decrease in the number of ploughs from 13 to 3);
thus there were about 480 a. of arable in the parish
before 1578, the first year within the depopulation
commission's terms of reference. (fn. 57)
This relatively low proportion of arable in the
total acreage of the parish suggests that there had
been conversion from arable to pasture before 1578.
At what period inclosure took place is not clear. It
has been assumed that the conversion of 1599–1607
was also a process of inclosure, (fn. 58) and a reference in
1601 to the inclosure of the glebe supports this. If,
however, there was conversion from arable to pasture
before 1578 it may be assumed that it was preceded or
accompanied by inclosure, and the evidence of the
depopulation commission does not preclude the
possibility of inclosure of the converted land either
some time before or some time after the conversion.
The inclosure of the glebe apparently preceded the
inclosure of the field in which it lay, (fn. 59) and the glebe
had by 1633 been 'swallowed up in the inclosure not
long since made by Sir John Bale'. (fn. 60) If this refers to
the Sir John Bale living in 1633 the inclosure mentioned took place after 1622, when he succeeded his
father. (fn. 61) The evidence therefore suggests that the
inclosure of Carlton Curlieu, and perhaps the conversion from arable, was a gradual process extending
over several years. The amount of arable continued
to decrease, and by 1801 there were only 30 a., of
which 9 a. were under turnips and 6¾a. under oats. (fn. 62)
In 1928 all but about 100 a. of the parish was used
for pasture. (fn. 63)
The manorial estate acquired by John Bale in 1575
included '3 mills', and a windmill was recorded in
1592 and 1661; (fn. 64) it gave its name to Mill Close,
mentioned in 1723. (fn. 65)
PARISH ADMINISTRATION.
The only surviving record of the parish chest is a modern vestry
minute book, 1915–30. (fn. 66) In 1802–3 there was no
workhouse and 4 adults and 5 children were given
out-relief. (fn. 67) Carlton was placed in the Billesdon
Union in 1836. (fn. 68)
CHURCH.
Carlton Curlieu church was granted
before 1081 to the abbey of St. Evroul (Orne), with
5 virgates of land. (fn. 69) A priest is mentioned at Carlton
in 1086. (fn. 70) The chapel of Illston on the Hill was
attached partly to Carlton and partly to Noseley in
the Middle Ages, but later it depended upon Carlton
Curlieu alone. (fn. 71) In 1940 the living was combined
with that of Shangton. (fn. 72)
From the early 13th century and probably before,
the Prior of Ware (Herts.) made presentations to the
benefice on behalf of St. Evroul. (fn. 73) In 1415 the advowson was granted to Sheen Priory (Surr.), which
held it until the Dissolution. (fn. 74) In 1552 it was granted
to Sir Thomas Wrath, (fn. 75) and was probably granted by
him to William Weston, who had been presented to
the living by Sheen Priory in 1534, (fn. 76) or to a member
of his family. In 1576 Nicholas Weston presented
the third Weston to hold the living. (fn. 77) John Bale had
presented, perhaps for one turn only, in 1560, (fn. 78) and
in 1590 the advowson was warranted to him by
Thomas Weston. (fn. 79) Thereafter the advowson descended with the manor, although the Crown presented in 1626, 1628, 1682, and 1684, and Sir Francis
North in 1676. (fn. 80) The advowson remained in 1957
in the possession of Sir Geoffrey Palmer, 12th Bt.,
who presents alternately with the Church of England
Trust to the combined livings of Carlton Curlieu
and Shangton. (fn. 81)
The rectory was valued at 12 marks in 1217, 15 in
1254, and 26 in 1291. (fn. 82) In 1535 the gross value was
£22, and the net value £18 5s. 7¼d. (fn. 83) In 1650 it was
valued at £70 and at £420 in 1831. (fn. 84) The church
was paying a pension of 4 marks yearly to the abbey
by 1220, (fn. 85) and was still paying it in 1535. (fn. 86) The
tithes were commuted in 1850 for £43 10s., payable
to the rector. (fn. 87)
The glebe was reallotted after the inclosure. In
1637 a survey stated that the glebe consisted of a
close of meadow, half of another close called the
Long Old Field (100 a.), another close held by Hugh
Weston, clerk (30 a.), and 2 closes called Astells
Closes (25 a.). These lands had been conveyed by
deed to the rector and his successors and acknowledged by fine and recovery by Sir John Bale and
other freeholders. (fn. 88) This allotment may have been
made as a result of complaints in 1633–4 that the
glebe had been swallowed up by the inclosure, (fn. 89)
although the glebe terrier of 1601 refers to the glebe
'as it is now inclosed and plotted out within the field
of Carlton'. (fn. 90) The glebe had been reduced to 96 a.
by 1846. (fn. 91)
The old Rectory stood by the churchyard and was
finally demolished by the Revd. T. Thorp (d. 1846),
Rector of Burton Overy and of Carlton Curlieu,
1819–46, who built the south part of the present
Rectory to the west of the church. The new house
was completed in 1846 by his successor, the Revd.
C. M. Hesilrige, at his own expense (£1,000). (fn. 92) It is
a square two-storied brick house.
The church of ST. MARY THE VIRGIN consists of west tower, nave, chancel, south porch, and
combined vestry and organ chamber. Of the 12thcentury church only the lower stages of the tower
remain. The belfry stage was added in 1686, and in
1767 the chancel and nave were rebuilt by Sir
John Palmer and his sister Catharine. (fn. 93) The vestry
dates from 1880–1 when the rest of the church was
thoroughly restored.
The two lower stages of the tower, divided by a
stone string, date from the 12th century and are
built of roughly-coursed mixed rubble, with limestone quoins. There are no buttresses. In the west wall
of the lowest stage is a round-headed window and
there is a similar very small window in the stage
above. Internally the semi-circular tower arch of
three orders is enriched with chevron ornament and
is supported on scalloped capitals below which the
shafts are missing.
There is no record of the appearance of the main
body of the early church, but it is known that before
its rebuilding in the 18th century it contained a north
aisle with a small chapel at its east end. (fn. 94) In 1510 the
building was apparently in good condition, the only
complaint being that there was no font cover. (fn. 95) In
1639 minor repairs were needed. (fn. 96) In 1686 (fn. 97)
Geoffrey Palmer restored the church and added the
belfry stage to the tower. This is of limestone ashlar
and is surmounted by a plain parapet with ball finials
at the angles and a commemorative inscription on its
north side. On each face is a round-headed window
with curious stone tracery consisting of a flattened
circle above two round-headed lights. These windows are similar to those in the church of St. Mary
in Arden (Great Bowden parish), which was designed
in 1692 by Henry Dormer, (fn. 98) and it is probable that
the same architect was employed here.
The old church, with the exception of the tower
and north chapel, was demolished in 1767. The rebuilding was carried out in red brick with stone
buttresses and dressings, and was in an 18th-century
version of the Gothic style. (fn. 99) There is no structural
division between nave and chancel, the former
being of three and the latter of two bays. The pointed
windows in the north and south walls are of two
lights, the spandrels between the pointed heads of
the lights being pierced by circular openings. The
design of these windows dates from 1767, (fn. 1) but the
stonework may have been renewed in 1880. The
tracery of the east window, which contains 19thcentury stained glass, is of the interlacing type.
In 1880–1 the building was restored, re-roofed,
and refitted internally by Sir Geoffrey Palmer. At
the same time the north chapel was rebuilt as a vestry
and organ chamber. (fn. 2) This structure, which contains
the early-17th-century tomb of John Bale, is of ironstone and limestone ashlar, the windows being
copied from those already in the church. In the
north window are shields of arms of the Palmer
family, the 18th-century glass having been transferred from the chancel. (fn. 3) The south porch, which is
of timber on a brick base, dates from the late 19th
century.
The simple oak reredos with enriched panel mouldings may represent the remains of an altarpiece
which was supplied by John Westley of Leicester
c. 1767, (fn. 4) but which has now disappeared. The
painted royal arms above the tower arch probably
date from soon after 1776, in which year these, together with the Creed and Lord's Prayer boards,
were stated to be missing. (fn. 5) The other fittings, including the pulpit, pews, and circular stone font,
date from 1880–1.
The fine alabaster monument in the vestry bears
the recumbent effigies of John Bale (d. 1622) and his
wife Frances (d. 1624) (fn. 6) with the standing figures of
their children carved in relief behind them. The
base has shields of arms and inscribed panels. Also
in the vestry are wall tablets to members of the
Palmer family (1840–1905). An altar tomb sur
mounted by an obelisk and inscribed to the Revd.
William Fenwicke (d. 1733) stands outside the north
wall of the vestry.
There are three bells, all dated 1732. (fn. 7) The plate
consists of a cup and paten of 1686, given by Frances
Grantham, daughter of Sir George Wentworth of
Wolley (Yorks.), whose daughter married into the
Palmer family. (fn. 8) The registers date from 1749 and
are complete.
NONCONFORMITY.
None known.
SCHOOL.
There was no school at Carlton Curlieu
in 1833. (fn. 9) The school at Illston on the Hill, erected
in 1848 and closed in 1947, was intended to accommodate children from Carlton Curlieu. (fn. 10) Since 1947
the latter have attended school at Church Langton.
CHARITIES.
None known.