EXTON
Exentune (xi cent.); Exton (xiii cent.); Extune
(xiv cent.); Egeston, Exston (xv. cent.).
Exton: The Village
Exton covers an area of 4,072 acres, of which the
soil is sand and limestone on a subsoil of Inferior
Oolite. More than three-quarters of the parish is
grass and woodland, the well-wooded park occupying
most of the area; the remaining quarter of the parish
is arable land on which wheat, barley, oats, hay and
roots are grown. The land rises from about 300 ft.
above the Ordnance datum in the south to a little
over 400 ft. in the north-west.
The parish is watered by a stream called the North
Brook which flows from Greetham southward through
Exton Park, where it forms a lake, to Empingham,
where it joins the Gwash, a tributary of the Welland.
For some distance it forms the eastern boundary of
the parish. Another brook flows across the parish
from west to east through the village into the North
Brook. The population in 1921 was 550 persons.
The village is approached from Oakham and
Barnsdale by Barnsdale Avenue and adjoins Exton
Park, within which is the church. As in many
instances in the county, and indeed in other forest
areas, the main village is built on a slope, around
and within a rough square. What remains of the
village green, on which are a number of trees, is at
the cast or lower end of this square. The cottages
are stone built and mostly thatched. To the northwest of the main group of houses there is a small street
comprised entirely of thatched cottages; the views
down this street, with a background of trees through
which can be seen the spire of the church, are very
pleasing. In the village are a Wesleyan Chapel,
schools, post office and hotel. A parish hall has
been built on land given by the Earl of Gainsborough,
the foundation stone of which was laid in 1930 by the
Earl, then aged seven years.
The ruins of Exton Old Hall stand near the church.
It was built probably by Sir James Harington in the
time of Elizabeth. Judging by certain differences
of detail in the mouldings of the window-jambs, it
appears to have been subsequently enlarged, but
whether by Lord Harington when he had charge of
Princess Elizabeth, daughter of James I, in the early
part of the 17th century, or by Sir Baptist Hicks, who
purchased the estate immediately after the death of
Lord Harington in 1614, it is difficult to say. In
any case it was a fine house, with a frontage of some
150 ft. (fn. 1) It had many gables, some curved and some
straight, and they were connected by an arched stone
parapet, similar in detail to that at Hambleton Old
Hall, and that in the outer courtyard of Kirby Hall
in Northamptonshire. The great hall, which lay
to the right of the entrance, has the older detail.
This fine house was so nearly destroyed by fire in
1810, that a new house was begun at some little
distance from it, apparently as a temporary residence
during the renovation of the Old Hall. But additions
were made to it from time to time, and eventually,
after a further and considerable enlargement, it
assumed its present dimensions and appearance in
1851–52. The remains of the Old Hall were then
utilised for such purposes as a carpenter's shop, and
for supplementary cooking on great occasions. The
roofs were removed as occasion arose in order to
save the walls. But another fire which occurred in
June 1915 brought about further destruction, and
much of the work which still remained in 1880 has
fallen into hopeless ruin. Ivy has covered much of
such detail as is left, and so many of the internal
walls have been cleared away that it is only possible
for those who knew the building before the last fire
to form an idea of the disposition of the rooms. In
spite of all this, however, enough of the house remains
to show what a fine residence it must once have been.
The chapel attached to the modern house, Exton
Hall, and dedicated to St. Thomas of Canterbury,
serves the village as a Roman Catholic church. It
is a cruciform building with an eastern apse, a north
aisle and north porch and a crypt furnished with a
stone altar. It was built from designs by Charles
Alban Buckler in the 13th-century style. The south
transept forms the Lady Chapel, and in the north transept is the baptistery. The modern Hall adjoining
is at present occupied by Sir Victor Warrender, bt.,
Vice-Chamberlain of the Royal Household.
An avenue in the park, called 'The Queen of
Bohemia's Drive,' bears the later title of the Princess
Elizabeth, eldest daughter of James I. Tunneley
Wood, in the middle of the park, may represent
'Todyngley Park' of the 15th century.
The common lands of Exton were inclosed and the
tithes extinguished in 1800. (fn. 2)
Manors
EXTON, which was amongst the
possessions of Earl Waltheof before the
Norman Conquest, was held by his widow
Judith in 1086. (fn. 3) Maud, their eldest daughter,
brought it, together with the earldom of Huntingdon,
in marriage, first to Simon de St. Liz, Earl of Northampton, and after his death in 1111 to David, King
of Scotland. From this date it followed the descent
of the Earldom and Honour of Huntingdon, passing
from King David of Scotland to his son Henry (d. 1152),
then to Simon de St. Liz (d. 1153) son of Maud by her
first husband, and to his son Simon (d. 1184). From
him it reverted to David, brother of William King
of Scotland (d. 1219), (fn. 4) who was engaged in litigation
with Henry de Armenters in 1207 as to the boundaries
of their parks at Exton and Burley. (fn. 5) He was succeeded
by his son John le Scot, at whose death in 1237 Exton,
subject to the dower of his widow Ellen, who married
Robert de Quency, (fn. 6) went to his sister Isabel, wife of
Robert de Brus of Annandale. Isabel granted Exton
to her younger son Bernard, but the overlordship
passed to his elder brother Robert de Brus 'the
competitor,' and from him to his son Robert, whose
widow, then the wife of Richard de Waleys, claimed
dower in it. The overlordship was forfeited to the
Crown in 1305 when Robert de Brus, great-grandson
of Isabel, became King of Scotland. It continued
in the Crown as part of the
Honour of Huntingdon. (fn. 7)
Brus. Azure a saltire and a chief or.
Bernard de Brus, enfeoffed
by his mother, Isabel, of the
manor of Exton, forfeited it
by taking part against the
king in the Barons' War. (fn. 8) It
was, however, given to his
elder brother, Robert de Brus,
and redeemed by Bernard de
Brus (I). In 1280, Robert
quitclaimed his right to his
nephew, another Bernard (II),
son and heir of Bernard (I). (fn. 9) Bernard de Brus
(II), known later as Bernard de Brus the elder, (fn. 10) who
defended his claim to view of frankpledge and waif
against the Crown in 1286, (fn. 11) died in 1301 and about
eighteen years later it was found that he had held
Exton manor with his wife Agatha by the enfeoffment
of his mother, Constance de Morteyn. His son and
heir Bernard (III), aged 26 (fn. 12) in 1301, was returned
as one of the lords of Exton in 1305 and 1316. (fn. 13) In
1320 Bernard (III) made a settlement with his cousin
Bernard de Brus of Thrapston, son of his father's
younger brother John (fn. 14) as to the manor of Exton, (fn. 15)
two thirds of which he settled five years later on
himself with remainder to his son and heir Bernard
(IV) and his wife Maud, at the same time granting
the remaining third to them and their issue in fee
tail. (fn. 16) Bernard (III), the father, died in 1330 and was
succeeded by his son Bernard (IV), his widow Agnes
obtaining a licence to marry again in the same year. (fn. 17)
Bernard (IV) left no surviving issue and Maud his
widow, who afterwards married Benedict de Fulsham,
enjoyed her life interest in the manor until her death
in 1350. Exton descended to John de Brus of
Conington, brother of Bernard (IV) whose only and
posthumous son Bernard was not a year old when he
died in 1347. The wardship of his four young
sisters was granted to John Grey de Ruthin in that
year and was sold by him to John de Verdon, who sold
it to Master Simon de Islip, later Archbishop of
Canterbury. It was purchased from Islip by John
de Wessenham, (fn. 18) a wealthy merchant, who married
Agnes, the eldest of the co-heirs, to his son Hugh de
Wessenham about 1353. (fn. 19) In order that his son
might take the whole inheritance he placed Joan, when
about eleven years of age, in Nuneaton Priory and
Elizabeth and Helen, aged about seven and five, in
Bullington Priory (co. Linc.). Joan, about 1358,
escaped from Nuneaton Priory and married Nicholas
Green, whereupon she and her husband claimed their
share of the Brus estates. (fn. 20) Much litigation followed
between the Wessenhams and the Greens as to
whether Joan was a professed nun, and the matter
was eventually referred to the Bishop of Coventry and
Lichfield. The bishop decided that she had not
been professed, and a partition was made of the
estates in 1359. By this date the two other children
are said to have become professed nuns. (fn. 21) Joan and
Nicholas Green made a settlement of their moiety
in 1361, (fn. 22) and the dual ownership still existed in 1368
when Athelina or Alana, daughter of Bernard de Brus
of Thrapston quitclaimed her right in the manor. (fn. 23)
Within five years Nicholas and Joan had acquired the
whole manor, and they settled it on their daughter
Elizabeth, the wife of Sir John de Holand, in 1373. (fn. 24)
Nicholas died in or before 1379, when his widow held
a knight's fee in Exton of the late Prince of Wales.
Joan 'lady of Exton' died in 1421. Sir John de
Holand and Elizabeth having died without issue,
Exton descended to John Culpeper son of Eleanor,
the younger daughter of Nicholas and Joan, by Sir
Thomas Culpeper. (fn. 25) John Culpeper was knighted
in or before 1432, when with his wife Juliana he
settled the manor upon their only child Katherine,
wife of John Harington. Katherine married as her
second husband Brian Talbot, and they dealt with
lands in Exton in 1464 and 1481. (fn. 26)
Culpeper. Argent a bend engrailed gules.
Harington. Sable fretty argent.
Richard III granted the manor in 1484 to Sir
Henry Grey, lord of Codnor, (fn. 27) but the grant must have
been annulled, as the inheritance of Katherine Culpeper
passed to Robert Harington her son. Robert died
in 1501, and was succeeded by his son John (d. 1523),
whose son of the same name was sued by Alice, his
father's widow, for dower. (fn. 28) This younger John
Harington, who was knighted in 1536, died in 1553
seised of two-thirds of the manor of Exton. (fn. 29) His
son Sir James Harington and his wife Lucy settled
the manor in 1573 on the marriage of their son
John with Anne, daughter of Sir Robert Kelway,
Surveyor of the Court of Wards and Liveries. (fn. 30)
Sir John Harington, who had been member for the
county, was upwards of fifty-two years old when he
succeeded his father in 1592.
It is said that his descent
from the Brus family brought
him into favour with James I, (fn. 31)
who in 1603 raised him to the
peerage as Lord Harington of
Exton. (fn. 32) The charge of the
Princess Elizabeth, with which
the king next honoured him,
involved him in financial embarrassment. At his death in
1613 he was deeply in debt, (fn. 33)
and within six months his son
and heir, John, second and last
Baron Harington of Exton, died without issue, having
sold the manor to Sir Baptist Hicks. (fn. 34) In 1629
Baptist Hicks, then Viscount Campden, settled the
manor on the elder of his two daughters, Juliana, wife
of Edward Noel, Lord Noel of Ridlington, who
succeeded to his father-in-law's title on his death
a few days later. (fn. 35) From Edward Noel, Exton
descended to his son Baptist Noel, third Viscount
Campden, and to his son Edward Noel, created Earl
of Gainsborough in 1682. His son and heir
Wriothesley Baptist, the second earl, died in 1690,
and as he left no son his title and estates passed to his
cousin Baptist Noel (fn. 36) lord of Exton 1706–7. From
this date the descent of the manor has followed that
of the earldom of Gainsborough. (fn. 37) Charles George
Noel, eighth Earl of Gainsborough, died in 1881, (fn. 38)
and the trustees of his great-grandson, a minor, are
now lords of the manor of Exton.
Basset. Or three piles gules and a quarter ermine.
An early grant from an Earl of Huntingdon was
probably the origin of the BASSET FEE. Richard
Basset, who married Maud daughter of Geoffrey
Ridel and Geva illegitimate daughter of Hugh de
Avranches Earl of Chester, was holding lands of the
Honour of Huntingdon in the 12th century. (fn. 39) He
was followed by a succession of Ralf Bassets, the fourth
of whom granted 9 virgates of land in Exton to
Richard de Thanay and Amice his wife in 1225. (fn. 40) His
son, another Ralf, was killed at the Battle of Evesham
in 1265 fighting against the king, and his land in
Exton, valued at £4, (fn. 41) was seized by the Crown. His
widow Margaret, daughter of Roger de Somery, however, obtained restitution for the laudable service of
her father. (fn. 42) Ralf, son of this last Ralf and Margaret,
was summoned to parliament in 1299 and is considered
the first Lord Basset of Drayton. He died in that
year, and his son Ralf was holding half a knight's fee in
Exton in 1305 and 1316. (fn. 43) This half-fee, a year and a
half later, was held of Robert de Brus presumably of
the Honour of Huntingdon, but the overlordship had
been seized by the Crown on the forfeiture of Robert
de Brus the younger. (fn. 44) Basset's property in Exton
was raided during his absence on the king's service in
Gascony in 1326. (fn. 45) He died in 1343 (fn. 46) and his son Ralf,
the last of the Bassets of Drayton, quitclaimed his
lands at Exton to Richard, Earl of Arundel, in 1360
before his journey into France. (fn. 47) It is not clear what
happened at this time; possibly the Earl of Arundel
conveyed the manor to the Bruses, the lords of the
chief manor, but some nineteen years later Joan, one
of the Brus co-heirs, late the wife of Nicholas Green,
held a knight's fee in Exton, (fn. 48) and her grandson John
Culpeper was holding the Basset half-fee in 1428, and
thereafter the property became merged in the chief
manor. Certain lands and tenements in Exton, however,
belonged to the Sir Ralf Basset who was seised of
their reversion after the death of Thomas Wyldebore
at his death in 1390. The reversion of these lands
descended to William, brother
and heir of the late Thomas
Earl of Stafford and kinsman
and heir of Sir Ralf. In 1398
they were held of Joan, lady
of Exton, the Brus co-heir. (fn. 49)
Zouche. Gules bezanty with a quarter ermine.
Some manorial rights seem
also to have been attached
to lands in this parish forming
the ZOUCH FEE sold by
Bernard de Brus in 1345 to
Thomas younger son of
William first Lord Zouche of
Harringworth, on whom with
his wife Christine other tenements in Exton were
settled a few months later. (fn. 50) Part, if not all, of
these lands descended to William second Lord Zouche
of Harringworth, son of Eudo, younger brother of
Thomas, who died seised in 1382 of a messuage and
carucate of land in Exton of the inheritance of
Bernard de Brus. (fn. 51) The property passed to William
third Lord Zouche (d. 1396) (fn. 52) and William fourth
lord, who settled them to the uses of his will and with
his brother John further settled them on Sir John
Lovell and other trustees. (fn. 53) In 1415 shortly before
his death William granted an annuity from lands in
Exton, held of the lady of Exton to Roger Flete of
Oakham. (fn. 54)
The MORTIMER FEE was held by Waleran de
Mortimer as a quarter of a knight's fee in 1305 and
1317 of Robert de Brus and, after the Brus forfeiture,
of the king. (fn. 55) Waleran was succeeded by his son
Ralf and he by another Ralf de Mortimer in 1325. (fn. 56)
More than a century later unnamed heirs of Waleran
de Mortimer held this quarter fee. (fn. 57)
There were two mills in Exton in 1086. From one
of them Simon de St. Liz made a grant of 20s. to the
abbess and nuns of St. Mary, Northampton, for a
light in their church, which was confirmed by his son
Simon de St. Liz. The third Simon granted 'the
mill of Exton' to the monks of St. Andrew of Northampton. (fn. 58) A watermill with the holm belonged to
the manor in 1421. (fn. 59) Sixty years later Katherine
Culpeper owned three mills, and a windmill is mentioned in 1559–60. (fn. 60) In the 13th century the Brus
lords of Exton claimed free warren by virtue of a
charter from Henry III and view of frankpledge and
waif from time immemorial. (fn. 61) The right to hold view
of frankpledge continued as late as 1817. (fn. 62) In 1225
there was a capital messuage in Exton belonging to
Ralf Basset. (fn. 63) The park of Exton which David, Earl
of Huntingdon owned, and later went to Bernard de
Brus, is mentioned in 1185 (fn. 64) and may possibly be
identified with the wood called 'Bernardeshul' in
1329 and the 'Barnardeshilpark' of 1421. (fn. 65) The
name of Bernardshill appears as early as 1207, (fn. 66) and
40 acres of woodland belonged to the Culpeper manor
in the reign of Henry VIII. (fn. 67)
Church
The church of ST. PETER AND
ST. PAUL consists of chancel 31 ft. 6 in.
by 17 ft., with north vestry and organchamber, north and south transeptal chapels each 16 ft.
by 14 ft., clearstoried nave of four bays 64 ft. 6 in. by
24 ft., north aisle 11 ft. wide and south aisle 9 ft. 6 in.
wide, the width across the nave and aisles being
50 ft. 6 in., south porch and west tower 13 ft. square,
all these measurements being internal. The tower is
surmounted by a spire.
No part of the building is older than the 13th century, in the early part of which period the church
appears to have been rebuilt on its present symmetrical
plan, the tower being added in the 14th century, and
the clearstory erected. In this latter period, too, the
chancel and aisles appear to have been remodelled, the
north aisle being then perhaps widened. The building may thus be said to be mainly of 13th and 14th
century date, but a restoration carried out about
1850, following the destruction of the spire by lightning, (fn. 68) was so wide in its extent and so drastic in its
manner as to amount almost to a complete rebuilding,
and much apparently sound material was discarded and
replaced by new work. (fn. 69) Externally the church has
in a large degree the appearance of a new building,
though in the main the fabric retains its original
character and the beautiful tower and spire have lost
little or nothing by restoration. (fn. 70) With the exception
of the west window of the south aisle, which is of
14th-century date, and one now blocked in the corresponding position in the north aisle, all the windows
are modern. The restoration included the removal of
galleries, the reduction in height of the aisle walls, (fn. 71)
and the renewal of the roofs. The old porch was taken
down (fn. 72) and a new one built, and the vestry and organ
chamber were added.
Plan of Exton Church
The tower is faced with ashlar, but elsewhere the
walling is of coursed dressed stone. The roofs of the
chancel and vestry are covered with stone slates, but
the other roofs are leaded; there are parapets (fn. 73) to the
nave only. Internally, with the exception of the tower,
all the walls are plastered.
The chancel has a modern east window of five lights,
but internally the shafted jambs are of 13th-century
date, as is apparently the single sedile, under a plain
chamfered arch, in the south wall. (fn. 74) In the north
wall is a tomb recess with plain two-centred chamfered
arch, within which a later tomb described below is
set, and in the south wall two modern three-light
windows and a priests' doorway. At its west end
the north wall is open to the organ-chamber by a
modern pointed arch. (fn. 75) Externally the chancel has
diagonal angle buttresses, and on each side of the
east window is a large trefoil-headed niche; a smaller
niche in the gable is an original feature restored. The
13th-century chancel arch is of two moulded orders, (fn. 76)
with chamfered hood-mould, springing from half-round
responds with moulded bases, (fn. 77) and capitals carved
with stiff-leaf foliage.
The nave arcades are of four pointed arches, the
three easternmost on each side moulded, (fn. 78) and the
westernmost arch of two chamfered orders, all with
hood-moulds. (fn. 79) On the north side the arches spring
from cylindrical piers and half-round responds, the
responds and the easternmost pier having capitals
with stiff-leaf foliage, that of the pier enriched with
human heads below the leaves. The other piers
have circular moulded capitals, and all the bases are
moulded, but differ in design. (fn. 80) In the south arcade
the responds are again half-rounds, but the piers consist of eight attached shafts, with moulded capitals
following the same plan, and water-holding bases on
low, square-chamfered plinths. (fn. 81) The capital of the
eastern respond has stiff-leaf foliage similar in character
to that of the chancel arch, but that of the west respond is moulded and enriched with nail-head. All
the arches and the two easternmost piers of the south
arcade, as already stated, were rebuilt at the restoration, (fn. 82) but though no doubt much of the stonework
was re-used there is a great deal that is entirely new
and the work seems to have been done in a somewhat
haphazard manner. (fn. 83)
The chapels were built in conformity with the
design of the nave and aisles, the width of each chapel
being the same as that of the easternmost bay of the
arcades; the chapels are under separate gabled roofs
and are divided from the aisles by transverse arches of
two chamfered orders (fn. 84) springing from half-round responds with moulded capitals enriched with nail-head,
and from the adjacent piers of the nave arcades. The
south transept has pairs of buttresses at the angles,
and a modern three-light window in the east wall; the
remains of a window in the south wall were removed
at the restoration, (fn. 85) and the wall built solid. No
ancient ritual arrangements remain in this part of
the church, but in the north transept there is a piscina
in the south-east angle, with plain moulded recess and
fluted bowl. This transept has a modern three-light
window in the north wall, but its east window was
removed at the restoration when the organ chamber
was built. (fn. 86) The diagonal north-east buttress, which
was a 14th-century addition, has a triangular head with
cinquefoil cusping and fleur-de-lys cresting. (fn. 87)
The restored 14th-century window at the west end
of the south aisle is of two trefoiled lights with a
quatrefoil in the head, but the corresponding blocked
window of the north aisle is apparently rather earlier in
date, of two uncusped lights with forked mullion. The
modern windows of the aisles are of three lights with
geometrical tracery; the north and south doorways
are also modern. The clearstory windows are square
headed and of two trefoiled lights.
The tower is of three stages marked by strings, and
has a chamfered plinth and high moulded base, with
pairs of buttresses set well back from the angles.
The buttresses have triangular heads in the two lower
stages, but slope back at the top. There is a vice in
the south-west angle, lighted by a series of small
cusped circular openings. In the lower stage is a
west window of two trefoiled lights and quatrefoil
in the head, the north and south sides being blank,
and the middle stage has an uncusped circular opening
on each side in its lower part, the north and south
sides having in addition a lozenge-shaped quatrefoil
opening higher up. The tall and deeply recessed
double bell-chamber windows are of two trefoiled
lights with quatrefoil in the head and embattled
transom at half height, the openings below which
are again trefoiled. Each face of the tower is slightly
recessed, the plain buttressed angles supporting four
large octagonal turrets, between which the tower
proper terminates with a battlemented parapet.
Behind this rises a somewhat lofty octagon, forming
the base of a short but well-proportioned spire. The
octagon has shafted angles and a battlemented parapet,
and each of its faces is pierced by a transomed window
of two trefoiled lights with quatrefoil in the head.
The spire has plain angles and two tiers of gabled
lights. Internally the tower opens into the nave by
a pointed arch of three moulded orders, the innermost
order springing from responds composed of three
engaged columns (fn. 88) with moulded capitals and bases.
The lower stage has a restored quadripartite vaulted
roof with circular well-hole.
The octagonal 14th-century tub font has shafted
angles with moulded bases and capitals from which
spring trefoiled ogee arches terminating in rich finials,
between which, in the spandrels, are heads, alternately
male and female. Within the niches the sides have
trefoiled panels. (fn. 89) The flat cover of oak and bronze
dates from 1905.
The pulpit and other fittings are modern. (fn. 90) There
is no chancel screen. A Jacobean altar table, (fn. 91) long
removed, was restored to the church in 1908, and is
now used in the south transept, which is fitted up
as a War Memorial chapel. In the nave, above the
arcades, is a great display of the funeral banners and
armour of the Harington and Noel families.
It remains to notice the fine series of monuments
in different parts of the church. (fn. 92) The earliest of
these is a table tomb on the north side of the chancel
commemorating Nicholas Green (ob. c. 1379) with
marble slab and panelled sides (fn. 93) of freestone. The
slab has a floriated calvary cross in slight relief, with
a blank shield on the stem and one on either side;
round the verge is an inscription in Norman French. (fn. 94)
The fine marble table tomb of John Harington
(d. 1524) and his wife Alice, with recumbent alabaster
effigies, (fn. 95) is now under the tower, but formerly stood
on the south side of the body of the church. (fn. 96) Each
of the long sides has three panels with the arms of
Harington and Culpeper and round the verge is a
Latin inscription. (fn. 97)
Against the south wall of the south transept is a
large coloured marble monument with recumbent
effigy of Robert Kelway, lawyer (d. 1580), erected
by his daughter Ann and her husband John, Lord
Harington, who are represented kneeling on either
side of a small altar tomb on which is a child's recumbent figure: behind the lady is a young daughter.
The monument bears a long Latin inscription. (fn. 98)
The monument to Sir James Harington (d. 1591)
and his wife Lucy Sydney stands against the north wall
of the chancel and is of coloured marble with alabaster
figures kneeling before a faldstool, in separate round
arched recesses; over the figures are respectively
the arms of Harington and Sydney, and the entablature, which is supported by black marble columns, is
surmounted by tall obelisks, flanking a large strapwork
armorial panel. A long Latin inscription (fn. 99) occupies
two panels in the base.
Another monument, now in the tower but formerly
in the north transept, (fn. 100) is the black-and-white marble
table tomb with recumbent figure of Anne, wife of
Lord Bruce of Kinlosse and daughter of Sir Robert
Chichester and his wife Frances, one of the daughters
and co-heirs of John Lord Harington, Baron of Exton;
she died in childbirth in 1627 in her 22nd year. The
tomb bears an inscription in Latin and English. (fn. 101)
Against the west wall of the north transept is the
white marble effigy of James Noel, second Viscount
Campden, who died at the age of eighteen in 1681.
He is represented standing, with his right elbow on a
pedestal on which are two infants on a cushion. The
inscription includes Latin and English verses. (fn. 102)
Occupying the whole of the east wall of the same
transept is an elaborate marble monument with
standing figures of Baptist Noel, third Viscount
Campden (d. 29 Oct. 1683) (fn. 103) and his fourth wife
Elizabeth Bertie who in her own lifetime gave moneys
and left orders for the monument's erection, 'which
by her third son and executor, the Hon. John Noel,
was punctually performed, 1686.' The monument
is the work of Grinling Gibbons, (fn. 104) and comprises
several sculptured white marble panels of great
beauty. Lord Campden is represented in Roman
dress; by his four wives he had nineteen children.
The two remaining monuments belong to the latter
half of the 18th century, and are by Nollekens. The
earlier, which stands against the west wall of the
north aisle, commemorates Lieut.-General Bennett
Noel (fn. 105) (d. 1766), and consists of a round arched canopied recess in which is a female figure with extin
guished torch leaning upon a large urn on which
is carved a bust of the deceased. The arch is carried
on fluted pilasters and has an armorial keystone and
cherubs in the spandrels. The monument was erected
in 1787 in conformity with the bequest of General
Noel's widow, Elizabeth Adams (d. 1784), who is
buried with her husband.
The later monument, which stands against the south
wall of the chancel, was erected in 1790 in memory
of Elizabeth (Chapman), Countess of Gainsborough
(d. 1771) and her two husbands, Baptist fourth Earl
of Gainsborough (d. 1751) and Thomas Noel, Esquire,
of Wilcot Hall, Northants (d. 1788). (fn. 106) The Countess
is represented reclining upon a sarcophagus, her right
arm resting on a cornucopia and her left hand pointing
to medallion busts of herself and her husbands:
below the medallions is a weeping cherub with
extinguished torch. (fn. 107)
There are also memorials to Frances, Countess of
Gainsborough (d. 1885), the Hon. Henry Lewis
Noel (d. 1898), George, second Baron Penrhyn (d.
1907), Tom Cecil Noel (killed in action 1918), and
to fifteen men of the parish who fell in the war of
1914–19.
There are six bells, five of which were cast in 1675
by Tobie Norris (II) of Stamford, and the tenor by
Joseph Eayre of St. Neots in 1763. (fn. 108)
The plate consists of a cup and cover paten of
1581–2, a cup and paten of 1630–1, a paten of 1637–8,
an alms dish of 1630–1, a cup of 1850–1, and a modern
flagon. (fn. 109)
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) all
entries 1598–1700; (ii) 1708–52; (iii) baptisms and
burials 1753–95; (iv) baptisms and burials 1795–1812;
(v) marriages 1754–1812.
Advowson
The church of Exton was given
'with the whole tithe and whatsoever Walter the chaplain held in the
same' by Henry I to the monks of La Charité serving
God in the church of St. Andrew of Northampton,
a grant confirmed by his grandson Henry II, by
Hugh de Wells, Bishop of Lincoln, and in 1329 by
Edward III. (fn. 110) To the same religious house Bernard
de Brus in 1283 granted this church in frankalmoigne,
together with the tithes of hay in his park of Bernardshill and elsewhere and all service and suit at his court
and confirmed the gift of his grandmother Isabel,
of pasture for eight animals in the woods and meadows
of the manor of Exton. (fn. 111) From 1381 to 1397 presentations to the vicarage were made by the King,
the alien priory of St. Andrew, Northampton, being
then in his hands on account of the war with France. (fn. 112)
In March 1538–39 Francis, Prior of St. Andrew in
Northampton, surrendered the possessions of his house
including the rectory and advowson of Exton. (fn. 113)
The rectory and advowson were granted in 1543 to
Richard Andrewes of Hayles (co. Glouc.), who immediately sold them to Sir John Harington, lord of the
manor, (fn. 114) the descent afterwards following that of
the manor (q.v.).
In 1539 it was stated that a pension of £6 was
due from the Priory of St. Andrew in Northampton
to the chaplain of the chapel of Exton. (fn. 115) Sir John
Harington claimed this chantry in 1548. (fn. 116) In 1553,
however, he bought from the Crown a rent of £6 from
lands of the Priory in Sywell, Northamptonshire,
given to a priest to celebrate in the parish church of
Exton, and also lands in Exton, Sywell and elsewhere
also given to a priest for celebration in the south side
of the same church at the Altar of St. Mary of Pity. (fn. 117)
In 1282–83 Bernard de Brus is said to have presented his chaplain Robert de Tisho to the free
chapel built in his manor at Exton, and about thirtyfour years later his son Bernard made a similar
presentation. (fn. 118) In 1320 the latter Bernard acknowledged himself bound to warrant to his cousin Bernard,
son of John de Brus of Thrapston, the advowson of
the chapel of Exton, presumably to be identified
with the chapel of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist
of Exton, mentioned in 1308 and 1318. (fn. 119) In 1382,
two or three years after the death of her husband,
Joan, widow of Nicholas Green, one of the Brus coheirs, gave a messuage and lands in Exton towards
the maintenance of Thomas Hodgekyn, then chaplain
of the chantry in the chapel of St. John the Evangelist
in Exton manor. (fn. 120) At Joan's death in 1421 it was
found that Henry Durant, of Cottesmore, held land
of her in that parish by the service of finding oil for
the lamp of the chapel within Exton manor. (fn. 121) The
chantry in the manor of Exton is referred to in the
second half of the 15th century and in 1539. (fn. 122) In
1553 Sir John Harington bought of the Crown lands
in Exton and elsewhere, some of which belonged to
the late chantry in Exton. (fn. 123) The chantry itself was
granted, twenty years later, by Queen Elizabeth to
Percival Gunson. (fn. 124)
Charities
Ryall Estate (now known as
Church Estate).—The origin of this
charity is unknown. The rents of a
small cottage and land were received by the vicar of
Exton and appropriated as to one-half for his own
use and the remainder to repairs of the church. The
endowment now consists of a sum of £708 7s. 1d.
2½ per cent. Consols, held by the Official Trustees,
producing £17 14s. per annum.
Lady Ann Harington's Charity.—A sum of £25
per annum is received by the vicar of Exton, and is
distributed by him and his co-trustees in coal to 60
poor inhabitants.
The Bread Charity or the Rathby Dole (fn. 125) consists
of a sum of £5 per annum issuing out of an estate
at Ridlington, supposed to have been given many
years ago by Nicholas Green (ob. c. 1379), to provide
a penny loaf on Sundays for the benefit of 24 specified
houses in Exton. Loaves are distributed among about
50 poor inhabitants.