CALDECOTE
Caldecote (1086); Caudecote (xiii cent.); Caldecott
by Washingley (xiv cent.); Calcott (xvi, xvii cent.).
Caldecote is a small parish with an area of 795 acres,
lying on the borders of Northamptonshire, south of
Stilton and Washingley. It is a narrow strip of
country running from west to east, and crossed by
the Ermine Street. The eastern half of the parish is
fenland, but the land rises to about 200 feet above
Ordnance datum in the west. The soil and subsoil
are clay with some gravel, and the chief crops are
wheat, barley and beans. The village is near the
northern boundary of the parish, with the church
about a quarter of a mile to the west. There are
three 17th-century cottages, timber framed and
plastered, which are in poor condition. The nearest
station is at Holme, on the London and North Eastern
Railway, about 4½ miles away.
Manor
Before the Conquest, CALDECOTE,
assessed at 5 hides, was held by Stric,
but by 1086 it was in the possession of
Eustace the Sheriff, having diminished in value from
£4 to £3. (fn. 1) It afterwards became attached to the
Honour of Huntingdon, and in 1242 was held as half
a fee by Isabella de Brus, (fn. 2) sister and one of the coheirs of John le Scot, Earl of Chester, who died in
1237. The manor was held in mesne lordship by
the Brus family until the death without issue of
Thomas de Lindsey, before 1263, and again during the
tenancy of William de Brus, who held of Robert de
Brus in 1276. (fn. 3) Robert de Brus was assessed for onethird of a fee in Caldecote in 1303, (fn. 4) and died in 1304. (fn. 5)
Subject to one-third of the manor being held in dower
by his widow Eleanor, afterwards the wife of Richard
le Waleys, it escheated to the Crown on the forfeiture
of his son Robert de Brus, King of Scotland, in 1306.
It was afterwards held in chief as of the Honour of
Huntingdon.
In 1307 two parts of the manor were granted to
John Engaine for life, (fn. 6) and after his death were
given, with the reversion of the dower third of Eleanor
le Waleys (d. 1331), to Hugh le Despenser the younger
in 1324, with the advowson of the church and view
of frankpledge. (fn. 7) On his forfeiture, two years later,
they were granted to Edmund de Woodstock, Earl
of Kent, and this grant was confirmed by Edward III. (fn. 8)
No mention is made of the reversion of the dower of
Eleanor le Waleys, and the earl died seised of twothirds of the manor, which were granted to his widow
Margaret in dower, after his execution in 1330. (fn. 9) He
also died seised of a grove called Temple Grove in
Caldecote, which was the subject of a petition for
restoration, by Simon de Drayton, in 1330, Simon
alleging that it belonged to his manor of Washingley
and not to that of Caldecote, and that he had been
unlawfully disseised by the Earl of Kent. He proved
his title, and the land was restored to him as part of his
manor of Washingley. (fn. 10)
Neville. Gules a saltire argent.
John, the eldest surviving son of Edmund, Earl
of Kent, obtained a grant of his father's lands and
died seised of the whole manor in 1352, four years after
the death of his mother, Margaret. The property in
Caldecote, including a croft called Le Park, was then
in a very bad state, many houses and the water-mill
being in a ruinous condition, and the plague rife. (fn. 11)
His heir was his sister Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent,
wife of Sir Thomas Holand. She died in 1385, (fn. 12)
and her son Thomas, Earl of Kent, in 1397. (fn. 13) His
son, of the same name, forfeited his lands and was
executed in 1400, (fn. 14) leaving as his heir his brother
Edmund, who received a grant of all the lands, with
a few exceptions, forfeited by Thomas. (fn. 15) He died
in 1408, leaving 5 sisters his
co-heiresses. His brother's
widow Joan held the manor
in dower, on his assignment,
until her death in 1442, (fn. 16)
when it apparently passed to
Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmoreland, son of Edmund's
fourth sister Elizabeth. He
died in 1484 seised of the
manor of Caldecote, held of
the king as of his Honour
of Huntingdon. (fn. 17) It descended with the earldom of
Westmoreland until 1550, when it was conveyed by
Henry, Earl of Westmoreland, to Sir Edward Montagu, the Lord Chief Justice. (fn. 18) The manor, subject
to various settlements, remained in the family of
Montagu of Boughton, (fn. 19) and George, Duke of
Montagu, Henry, Duke of Buccleuch, and Elizabeth
his wife were dealing with a moiety in 1776. (fn. 20) It
passed about the middle of the 19th century to
William Wells, who owned the advowson in 1852,
and followed the descent of Glatton (q.v.) until the
beginning of this century. Mr. John Ashton Fielden
was holding it in 1914, but by 1920 the property had
been acquired by Mr. Joseph Emerton of Peterborough, the present owner. (fn. 21)
In 1086 the manor was held of Eustace the Sheriff
by one of his knights, whose name is not given in the
Domesday Survey. (fn. 22) The subtenancy was afterwards
held by the Lindseys, and in 1242–3 Felicia de Lindsey
held half a knight's fee in Caldecote of Isabella de
Brus. (fn. 23) The pedigree of this branch of the family
is difficult to trace, but Felicia was probably the
widow of Thomas de Lindsey who was dealing with
the advowson in 1232. (fn. 24) He died before 1239, when
his heir, who was then a minor, (fn. 25) was probably Richard
de Lindsey, who married Teofania de Morwick and
died without issue; the manor passed, subject
to Teofania's dower, to his brother Thomas, who also
left no issue, and on Teofania's death it reverted to
Robert de Brus, the overlord. Thomas de Fordington,
as relative of Richard de Lindsey, claimed the manor
and brought an action for illegal seisin against Robert
de Brus in 1263, but the claim was withdrawn. (fn. 26)
The manor was afterwards held by William de Brus
of Robert de Brus, for one-third of a knight's fee, in
1276. (fn. 27) The extent of the property was returned
as 3½ hides, each hide containing 5 virgates and each
virgate 25 acres, 4 virgates being held by the lord,
in demesne. (fn. 28)
Lands in Caldecote were held in 1279 by the
Knights Templars, the prior claiming in 1286 the
attendance of three tenants at his view of frankpledge
twice a year. (fn. 29) The Priory of Huntingdon held half a
virgate of land in Caldecote in 1279. (fn. 30)
Church
The church of ST. MARY MAGDALENE (fn. 31) consists of a chancel (20 ft.
by 16½ ft.), nave (28 ft. by 19½ ft.),
modern vestry on the north side of the nave (9¼ ft. by
7 ft.), and a south porch (6¼ ft. by 7 ft.). The walls
are of rubble with stone dressings, and the roofs are
covered with stone-slates.
The church is not mentioned in the Domesday
Survey (1086), and the earliest existing remains are
parts of the chancel arch which date from the 12th
century. The chancel was rebuilt towards the end
of the 13th century, and the nave about a hundred
years later. In 1552 the chancel was in ruins. (fn. 32) The
whole church was rebuilt on the old lines in 1874, (fn. 33)
when much of the old material was re-used, but
a modern bell-cote on the west gable took the
place of the small tower which formerly stood at the
west end.
In 1871 the church (fn. 34) had a chancel (12½ ft. by
16½ ft.), nave (28 ft. by 19½ ft.), a west tower (6¾ ft. by
5¼ ft.), and a south porch (6½ ft. by 7 ft.). A 12thcentury (fn. 35) string-course is said to have been carried
round the chancel walls inside, although the east
wall had been lately rebuilt (fn. 36) about 8 feet west of its
original position. The chancel windows were all
of the 13th century, but only two, viz., those nearest
the chancel arch, were in their original position—
that on the south having a transom and the lower part
rebated for a shutter. Two other side windows of the
chancel were blocked by the rebuilding of the east
wall. The 13th-century east window (a triplet)
had been reset in the rebuilt east wall, and on the
south of it a piscina of the same date had been built in,
while on the north was a 12th-century (fn. 37) bracket on a
triple shaft. The walls were supported with buttresses some of which were mere brick slopes. The
floor was paved with bricks, and the roof was very
rough and open to the underside of the slates. The
seats and fittings were of mean character, except the
altar-rail, which was of oak and was brought from
another church. The chancel arch, originally semicircular, was much depressed.
The nave had two 15th-century windows on each
side, of two-lights under a square head. The north
doorway was plain, but the south doorway had moulded
jambs and arch—the latter much out of shape, and the
door retained its original ironwork. There was a
descent of seven steps from the porch to the nave
floor; the floor and roof were similar to those of the
chancel, and there was no step at the chancel arch.
The walls had side and angle buttresses. Many of the
original oak benches remained with plain poppy-head
ends and moulded backs, and a small portion of the
rood-screen was worked up with the more modern
seats. The pulpit was dated 1646. The octagonal
font stood on the original base placed upside down,
but the stem was wanting; one side was left flat,
from which it would seem that it was once placed
against a wall. A stone slab corresponding in diameter with the base of the font remained in the pavement close to the west wall of the tower.
The porch consisted merely of two side walls and a
mean roof.
The tower opened for its entire width into the nave
through a well-proportioned arch. The west wall was
covered with plaster which probably concealed a west
window. The upper part was larger from north to
south than from east to west, and was lighted by small
single-light windows, above which it had been rebuilt
with modern brickwork and was surmounted by a high
parapet.
There were two bells.
The church was in many places far from sound, and
it was thought probable that when the roof was removed the walls would be so shaken that rebuilding
would be found necessary.
The rebuilt church, of which the chancel has been
built to its original length, contains the following
features, which, unless otherwise stated, are from the
old church.
The chancel has in the east wall a 13th-century
window of three graduated lights and a rectangular
locker. The north wall has two 13th-century lancets,
much restored, and a square moulded bracket on a
triple shaft. The south wall has two similar lancets,
the westernmost carried down below a transom as a
blocked low-side window; a double piscina with trefoiled heads, chamfered jambs and central shaft with
moulded capital and base. The chancel arch has a
modern semicircular arch on reset 12th-century
jambs having scalloped capitals. Above it, on the
west side, are two brackets.
The nave has two 16th-century two-light windows
in each wall, those on the north much restored; a
14th-century south doorway with a two-centred arch
and wave-moulded jambs. The west wall has a low
two-centred arch with continuous chamfered jambs,
perhaps the old tower-arch reset; beneath it is a
modern two-light window with a 13th-century quatrefoil in its head; and above it is a small light with
ancient splays and rear-arch. Above the west gable
is a modern stone bell-cote for two bells.
The vestry has a modern two-light window in the
east wall and a modern north doorway.
The modern south porch, like its predecessor, consists of two plain side walls; it has a timber beam and
gable, and carved oak barge boards. A rough bracket
and a carved head have been built into the walls.
The 15th-century font has an octagonal bowl with
a bold splay on its lower edge, the western side of
which is left square; it stands on an octagonal stem and
moulded base, the west faces of which are extended
to suit the bowl above.
There are two bells, both inscribed: Recast 1926.
In loving memory of Alice M. Westlake, the wife of
the Rev. F. T. B. Westlake, M.A., B.D., Rector.
An undated terrier, c. 1709, says that there were
then two bells; (fn. 38) and an inventory of 1771 says the
same. (fn. 39) Owen in 1899 described the old bells as
'modern looking and blank, . . . they came from the
former church and are rung by levers.' (fn. 40) They were
in bad repair, harsh and of inferior quality of tone and
much out of tune, (fn. 41) and were recast and rehung by
John Taylor and Co. of Loughborough in 1926.
The ancient oak seating and altar-rail have disappeared. The oak pulpit, dated 1646, is of simple
design with a little carving in the upper panels.
In the vestry are a small table and a chest, both of
17th-century date. A fragment of a 13th-century
coffin-lid, with the double-omega ornament, lies loose
in the chancel.
In the rectory garden are two 13th-century
moulded capitals, and two pieces of circular shaft,
which are all known to have come from Sawtry Abbey.
There are the following monuments: in the chancel, window to Maria Alicia Wells and her son
Lionel Francis Wells, erected 1872; in the nave, to
William Lamb Shepherd, erected 1890; and War
Memorial, 1914–18; in the vestry, to the Rev. Isaac
Gregory, Vicar of Peterborough, and Ann his wife, d.
1707; and Robert Newcomb, Rector, d. 1744, and
Anne his wife, d. 1720.
The registers are as follows: (i) baptisms 30 July
1740 to — 1785 (one entry in 1806), marriages
24 March 1739/40 to 1 Oct. 1750, burials 4 Dec. 1740
to 6 Dec. 1791; (ii) baptisms and burials 25 Dec.
1798 to 14 March 1813; the usual modern books.
The church plate consists of a silver cup and
cover, (fn. 42) with some simple Elizabethan ornament, no
identifiable mark; a modern silver flagon with two
bands of ornament (Elizabethan style), no marks; a
plated dish on three legs.
Advowson
The Abbey of Crowland apparently
had some claim to the advowson of
Caldecote, but the abbot quitclaimed
it in 1232 to Thomas de Lindsey in exchange for
lands in Hulseby, (fn. 43) and in 1239, during his son's
minority, Hugh de Pateshull presented as guardian
of Thomas de Lindsey's lands. (fn. 44) The advowson
reverted to the overlords with the manor, and Robert
de Brus died seised in 1304. (fn. 45) It followed the same
descent until the beginning of the 17th century, when
it was evidently separated from it. Martin Warren
presented in 1613 and was followed by a succession of
patrons, but later it was again owned by the lord
of the manor, William Wells, who presented in 1852.
It again followed the same descent, (fn. 46) and was held
by Mr. John Ashton Fielden in 1914. Mrs. Churchill
is the present patron (1928). (fn. 47)
The living was always a rectory. It was annexed
to that of Denton in 1853 and both were united to
Stilton in 1928. (fn. 48)
The Priory of Huntingdon received a pension of
6s. 8d. from the church of Caldecote in 1428. (fn. 49)
Charities
Poor's Estate.—This charity is regulated by a scheme of the Charity
Commissioners dated 14 Oct. 1887
and consists of a garden and grass land and
£138 2s. 7d. Consols with the Official Trustees. The
income is distributed to the poor in coals.
Under the charity of James Charles Dymock
Robertson, founded by will proved 17 June 1895, a
yearly sum of money is distributed in coals to the aged
and needy. The share of the charity for this parish is
administered by the rector.
A sum of money is also received annually by the
rector in respect of the charity of Sir Thomas Hussey
Apreece, an account of which is given under Washingley.