WHISSENDINE
Wichingedene (xi cent.); Wissenden (xii–xvii
cent.); Wixenden; Wicsinden; Wessinden (xiii
cent.).
The parish of Whissendine is on the Leicestershire
border, and the land lies between 300 ft. and 600 ft.
above the Ordnance datum. The area covers 4,033
acres, nearly the whole of which is pasture land.
The subsoil is Middle, Upper and Lower Lias, the
surface soil being strong and heavy, upon which the
chief crops are wheat, oats, barley and roots. There
was an award in 1763 for inclosing the open fields (fn. 1)
under an Act of Parliament of 1762. (fn. 2) The population
was 566 in 1921.
The village is divided into two parts by the meadow
land in the valley formed by the Whissendine Brook
and its tributary, which rise in the parish. The older
settlement on the high land to the east is grouped
around the church and the Manor House, while on the
high land on the west is the larger group of houses
along a series of by-roads. Here the disused windmill is a conspicuous object, below which a number
of 'council houses' have been built. Most of the
cottages in the village are of red brick with slate
roofs.
The Manor House near the church was formerly
the residence of the Sherards, but is now a farm house.
In its grounds are some ancient earthworks already
described. (fn. 3) Edward III was at Whissendine on 26 and
27 April 1327. (fn. 4) Sir Henry Mynn, lord of the manor
of Wittlebury, and his family were recusants, and in
1592 Henry Browne, who was presented for not
attending church, said that 'half the town was
papist.' In 1614 Thomas White, clerk and sexton,
was presented for not ringing the curfew 'as it hath
been rung.' An ancient custom still exists for letting
the pasture land called the Banks. At a parish meeting
a candle is lighted into which a pin is stuck, and the
last bidder before the pin falls is entitled to rent the
Banks for the ensuing year. (fn. 5)
Whissendine Station is 1½ miles north-east of the
village. The public mixed elementary (Church)
school dates from 1866.
Manors
Except for intervals of forfeiture,
Waltheof, Earl of Northumberland and
Huntingdon, held 4 carucates of land in
WHISSENDINE (fn. 6) until 1076; and two of the manors
continued to be held of the Honour of Huntingdon,
following the descent of the overlordship of Exton
(q.v.) until the 15th and 16th centuries. (fn. 7) John le
Scot, Earl of Huntingdon and Chester, died in 1237
leaving co-heiresses, the two daughters of his eldest
sister Margaret, who married Alan Galloway, and his
three surviving sisters, Isabel wife of Robert de Brus,
Maud, who died unmarried, and Ada wife of Henry
de Hastings. (fn. 8)
The tenant under Countess Judith in 1086 was
Hugh de Hotot, (fn. 9) whose lands here, which became
known as WAKE MANOR and later as POWIS
MANOR, seem to have reverted to the overlord.
Lands in Rutland, apparently at Whissendine, were
granted before 1130 by David, King of Scotland and
Earl of Huntingdon, to Hugh de Moreville, who
became constable of Scotland and died in 1162. (fn. 10) In
1173 Richard, son of Hugh de Moreville, constable of
Scotland, was seised of lands in Whissendine, but forfeited them for joining the young King Henry against
his father Henry II. (fn. 11) The lands were restored to the
King of Scotland, as overlord, who gave them to Earl
David. Richard de Moreville died in 1189 leaving a
son William, who died without issue in 1196, and a
daughter Helen, who brought the constableship of
Scotland to her husband, Roland son of Ughtred de
Galloway. Their son, Alan de Galloway, with his
mother Helen, obtained a charter for these lands in or
about 1212, when Alan was holding Whissendine as a
knight's fee. (fn. 12) He died in 1233, leaving by his second
wife Margaret, daughter of David, Earl of Huntingdon, two daughters, Christiana wife of John, Earl of
Albemarle, who died childless, and Divorgilla, the wife
firstly of Nicholas de Stuteville and secondly of John de
Balliol. (fn. 13) By her first husband, Divorgilla had two
daughters, Joan, who married Hugh Wake (d. 1241),and
Margaret, who died unmarried in 1235. Lady Joan de
Stuteville, for so the widow of Hugh Wake continued
to be known, (fn. 14) had alienated a quarter of the vill by
1286, (fn. 15) apparently retaining a quarter. In 1297
Donus de Podio was holding the manor for life by
demise of John, first Baron Wake, grandson of Joan,
with remainder to Lord Wake. (fn. 16) Lord Wake died
in 1300 leaving a son Thomas, aged two years, (fn. 17) who
was assessed for half a fee here in 1305 (fn. 18) and in
1316 was given as one of the four lords of Whissendine. (fn. 19) This half fee was held of the Brus's purparty of the Honour of Huntingdon. (fn. 20) Thomas died
seised of the manor and half a fee in 1349, when his
sister Margaret, Countess of Kent, was his heir. (fn. 21)
Her son John, Earl of Kent and Lord Wake, (fn. 22) died
seised in 1352 leaving a sister and heir Joan, wife of
Thomas de Holand, Earl of
Kent, (fn. 23) and afterwards the
wife of the Black Prince, who
held the fee here at his death. (fn. 24)
Joan died seised of the manor
in 1385, when her son Thomas
de Holand, Lord Wake, was
her heir. (fn. 25) He had licence in
1392 to entail it on his son
Thomas and his wife Joan. (fn. 26)
Thomas, the father, died in
1397 and the son was beheaded
on the accession of Henry IV. (fn. 27)
The manor, which had been forfeited, (fn. 28) was later
delivered to Alice widow of Thomas the father, (fn. 29)
and then claimed by Joan widow of the younger
Thomas. (fn. 30) After Joan's death in 1442 it reverted
to the sisters and heirs of her husband's brother
Edmund, Earl of Kent, who had died childless in
1408. Whissendine fell to the share of his eldest
sister Eleanor, wife of Sir Edward Cherleton of Powis,
and their eldest daughter and co-heir Joan, married
to Sir John Grey. Joan died in 1425 and her son
Henry in 1449–50; while Henry's son Richard sat
in the Parliament of 1455 as ' Dominus de Powis'
and is held thereby to have become Lord Grey of
Powis. He forfeited in 1459, but was later pardoned. (fn. 31) He died seised in 1466 leaving a son John,
aged 6 years, (fn. 32) who was succeeded in 1494 by his
son John. (fn. 33) The latter John died in 1504 While
in the king's wardship, leaving a son Edward, aged
one year. (fn. 34) Edward conveyed the manor in 1544
to Richard Coney of Bassingthorpe (co. Linc.), (fn. 35)
who died seised in the following year leaving a son
and heir Thomas, (fn. 36) who became a merchant of the
Staple of Calais ten years later, when he purchased
half the manor of Moorhall. He had boundary disputes here with Maurice Berkeley, George Sherard
and Henry Savile. (fn. 37) Sir Richard Coney, kt., made a
settlement in 1621, (fn. 38) and died seised of Powis Manor
and half Moorhall in Feb. 1626–7, leaving a son John, (fn. 39)
who had livery in 1630. (fn. 40) John had a son Edward, (fn. 41)
who was sheriff for the county in 1683, but no further
mention has been found of this family. By 1684 the
manor was in the hands of the Sherards,and from this
date (fn. 42) followed the descent of Hellewell in this
parish (q.v.).
Wake. Or two bars gules with three roundels gules in the chief.
Grey. Gules a lion in a border engrailed argent.
Coney of Bassingthorpe. Sable a fesse cotised between three conies argent with three scallops sable on the fesse.
The manorial dovecote is mentioned in 1349, (fn. 43) the
capital messuage in 1352 (when rents had been reduced
by the Black Death), (fn. 44) and a windmill in the 17th and
18th centuries. (fn. 45) Earl Simon III in the 12th century
had given the mill and a bovate of land to Burton
Lazars Abbey, (fn. 46) but no further reference to the lands
of that abbey here has been found. Earl David took
from Richard de Morville 123 acres of land outside the
park, which Richard had apparently given to the
Templars. (fn. 47)
The part of a knight's fee also held by the Wakes
constituted a manor known as HELLEWELL
MANOR. Possibly its origin was the 15 librates of
land warranted by Earl David in 1212 to Robert son
of Roger. (fn. 48) In 1286 Patrick le Fleming and Isabel
his wife were holding the quarter of the vill by a grant
from Lady Joan de Stuteville to Isabel. (fn. 49) In 1316
Robert de Hellewell and Thomas Wake held half the
vill between them, (fn. 50) and in 1324–5 Robert de Hellewell
made a settlement of the manor of Whissendine on his
son Robert. (fn. 51) Robert held half a fee here in 1350,
and died in 1362 leaving a widow Joan and his heir,
a minor. (fn. 52) John Hellewell held half a fee in 1442, (fn. 53)
and John son of John Hellewell, kt., after a dispute
with Margaret wife of William Wykes, kt., daughter
of Nicholas Tye (fn. 54) (Teigh), released all right in the
manor in 1466–7. (fn. 55) The Sherard pedigree shows that
the manor remained with the Hellewells till about
the reign of Henry VII and then passed by the
marriage of Margaret Hellewell with Thomas Sherard
of Stapleford. (fn. 56) The manor of Hellewell was in 1574
in the possession of Margaret's son George Sherard, (fn. 57)
who died seised in the following year, leaving a son
Francis. (fn. 58) In 1594 Francis was succeeded by his younger
son Philip, (fn. 59) who died childless in 1624, the remainder
having been settled on his younger brother William, (fn. 60)
created in 1627 Lord Sherard of Leitrim. (fn. 61) He died
in 1640, leaving two sons,Bennet and Philip, (fn. 62) and a
widow, Lady Abigail Sherard, a strong royalist and
most benevolent lady. Philip had Whissendine and
died in 1695, leaving a son Bennet, who settled the
manor in 1699, (fn. 63) probably on his son Philip, who was
concerned with the manor of Powis and half the manor
of Moorhall in 1703–4 (fn. 64) and succeeded his father in
1711. By special remainder he succeeded his cousin
Bennet as second Earl of Harborough in 1732. He
was Lord Lieutenant of Rutland from 1733 till his
death in 1750, when he was buried at Whissendine.
His son Bennet (fn. 65) was succeeded by a son Robert,
Canon of Salisbury, from whom the manor passed in
1799 to his son Philip, (fn. 66) who died in 1807. Philip's
son Robert, 6th Earl, (fn. 67) died childless in 1859, when the
earldom and barony became extinct. (fn. 68) In 1861 the
manor of Whissendine, comprising 3,350 acres, was
offered for sale by auction in 39 lots. The principal
purchasers were the Earl of Gainsborough, who seems
to have acquired the manorial rights, and Lord Aveland, afterwards Earl of Ancaster. In 1899 the Earl
of Gainsborough sold his interest in the manor to Mr.
John Gretton of Burton-on-Trent, whose son, Col. the
Rt. Hon. John Gretton, M.P., is the present lord
of the manor. (fn. 69)
In 1286 Patrick le Fleming and Isabel claimed view
of frankpledge twice a year without the king's officer,
as Lady Joan de Stuteville and her ancestors had had
by immemorial right. (fn. 70)
The MOORHALL (leMorhalle, 1344) or BRUDENELL MANOR developed out of the Balliol fee. In
1306, at first at will, (fn. 71) and later in 1308 in fee, (fn. 72) £4 rent
from the manor of Whissendine was granted by
Edward I to his nephew John de Britannia with the
other lands late of John Balliol (including the farm of
50 acres in Sondersoken, Rutland). John de Britannia
had licence in Feb. 1331–3 (fn. 73) to grant this rent to his
niece Mary de St. Pol, widow of Aymer de Valence,
Earl of Pembroke, for life. In March 1345–6 the
king released all right in the £4 rent to the Countess, (fn. 74)
and in 1349 she received licence to grant it to the
warden and scholars of her New Hall in the University
of Cambridge, (fn. 75) to whom she conveyed it in 1360–4. (fn. 76)
Moorhall manor was held of Pembroke Hall until at
least 1627. (fn. 77)
Pembroke Hall, Cambridge. Barruly argent and azure with martlets gules in the border, for Valence, dimidiating Gules three pales vair with a chief or and a label azure, for Chatillon.
The tenants of the lands from which this rent was
drawn in the 13th century
seem to have been the Pantons, lords of Panton (co.
Line). In 1240–1 William
son of Gilbert and Elizabeth
his wife quitclaimed lands
here to Baldwin de Panton; (fn. 78)
and in 1285 a messuage, l6½
virgates of land, 160 acres of
meadow, 20 acres of pasture
and 18s. 4d. rent were settled
on Philip de Panton, (fn. 79) apparently the son and heir of Philip
de Panton, kt., lord of Panton.
He died childless, and his sister
and heir Maud married Sir
John Harington, kt., and
had a son Richard, (fn. 80) who
held a quarter of the vill of Whissendine in 1316. (fn. 81)
He died in 1324–5, in his father's lifetime, seised of
Moorhall manor, which he held by the rent of £4
payable at Fotheringay Castle (formerly the seat of
John Balliol and afterwards of the Countess of Pembroke). He left a son and heir, John Harington,
who also held 60 acres of the Wake fee by the rent
of 1½ stones of wax. (fn. 82) The homage and services of
John were granted to Pembroke Hall with the £4 rent
in 1360–4. He died in 1376, leaving three daughters
and co-heirs—Anne (or Amy) wife of John Carnell,
Isabel wife of Hugh Fairfax, and Alice, an infant. (fn. 83)
From this time the manor became divided. William
Fairfax made a settlement in 1442 and died leaving a
son William, who was succeeded in Feb. 1497–8 by a
son William. (fn. 84) Like Deepyng Gate (co. Northant.), (fn. 85)
this half-manor passed from an heiress, Margaret,
daughter of William Fairfax, to her husband Miles
Worsley, who died in 1515, (fn. 86) and then to Robert
Brudenell by right of Margaret his wife, together with
the ancestral manor of Panton (co. Linc.). (fn. 87) As
Margaret Brudenell, widow, she conveyed the halfmanor to Hugh Grantham in 1543–4, (fn. 88) and in 1554–5
Thomas Grantham conveyed the same to Thomas
Coney. (fn. 89) Henceforth it descended with the Powis
manor (q.v.).
The other moiety was conveyed in 1409–10 by
Robert Gryme of Langtoft and Isabel his wife, by
right of Isabel, to Sir John Berkeley, kt., (fn. 90) and this
may have been the 'manor of Whissendine' that
John Neubald and Margaret his wife quitclaimed in
1409 to Sir John Berkeley, kt., John Clerk of Whissendine, Roger Hore, the heirs of Roger, and others. (fn. 91)
Margaret, daughter and heir of Francis Clarke of
Whissendine, married Bartholomew Villiers, second
son of William Villiers of Brooksby. (fn. 92) The Villiers
were concerned with a 'manor of Whissendine'
until 1575. (fn. 93) Arthur Warren, a delinquent in 1656, (fn. 94)
also had a manor here, possibly this moiety. (fn. 95)
The capital messuage, dovecote, empty fishpond,
windmill, profits of court with two views are mentioned in an extent of Moorhall manor in 1325. (fn. 96)
WITTLEBURY manor was held of the Brus
purparty of the Honour of Huntingdon, (fn. 97) and so in
1460 of Lord Grey of Powis. (fn. 98) It developed before
1237, (fn. 99) by a grant of John, Earl of Chester, to Geoffrey
de Appleby. (fn. 100) James de Appleby had lands here
when he lost his life in the Montfort rebellion in
1265, (fn. 101) and his widow Isabel was granted the manor
during pleasure, (fn. 102) but only received dower third.
Geoffrey de Appleby in 1285 quitclaimed to Aubrey
de Wittlebury in fee a messuage, mill, one carucate,
13½ virgates land and the rent of 1 lb. of cummin,
formerly held by Aubrey and his wife Margery of
Geoffrey, for life only; (fn. 103) by lease from Isabel they
held one third of this property, and Geoffrey also
quitclaimed this in 1288. (fn. 104) Margery de Wittlebury
held 1/8 fee here in 1305 (fn. 105) and John de Wittlebury was
one of the four lords in 1316. (fn. 106) John de Wittlebury,
kt., as chief keeper of the peace for Rutland, made
attachments in 1336 on notorious offenders, exciting
the rancour of John Harington and his brothers,
Richard and Walter, and John, the vicar's brother,
of Whissendine, who went with an armed force to
his manor of Whissendine and wounded his son
Thomas. (fn. 107) In August John de Wittlebury was
murdered by Richard Harington and Robert Crowe of
Whissendine, who left the country. (fn. 108) Aubrey, son of
John de Wittlebury, succeeded (fn. 109) and died in 1349,
leaving Thomas his eldest son, (fn. 110) William about to
become a monk, and John. Thomas died childless
in 1353, and John succeeded to a manor decreased in
value, partly through inundations, partly from the
results of the Black Death. (fn. 111) He made a settlement
in 1373 (fn. 112) and died in 1400, leaving two sons, Alfred (fn. 113)
and Richard. Alfred died in 1407, leaving a daughter
Isabel aged four. It was said that he granted a
quarter of the manor of Whissendine (i.e. probably
the whole of Wittlebury manor) to Sir John Berkeley,
kt., and others to defraud the King of the marriage of
the heir. (fn. 114) Isabel married Sir Henry Plessington, kt.,
of Burley, whose brother John lived at Whissendine, (fn. 115)
but on her death in Jan. 1460–1 the manor remained
to Robert son of John, son of her uncle Richard
Wittlebury. (fn. 116) The next reference to the manor is
in 1522, when Sir Maurice
Berkeley, kt., of Wymondham
(co. Leic.) died seised of this
manor and half of Moorhall
manor, leaving a grandson and
heir Maurice. (fn. 117) It was probably as guardian of his kinsman (fn. 118) that John, Lord Hussey,
held these manors. (fn. 119) The
custody during the minority
of Maurice, son of Maurice,
heir male of John Berkeley, was
granted to Richard Tresham
in 1541. (fn. 120) Maurice, under licence, (fn. 121) alienated the manor to
Sir William Cecil and others in 1561, (fn. 122) probably for
a settlement. He was again dealing with the manor
in 1597, (fn. 123) as were Henry and Nicholas Berkeley in
1600. (fn. 124) Maurice died seised in 1600, leaving a son
and heir Henry, (fn. 125) who in 1615 conveyed it to Sir
Henry Mynn, kt. (fn. 126) Sir Henry, Lady Mary his wife,
Katherine their daughter, and their household were
from 1614 to 1641 presented for not attending their
parish church at Whissendine. (fn. 127) Possibly about
1684 (fn. 128) the manor passed to the Sherard family, when
Philip Sherard acquired the manors of Powis and
Moorhall, and has since descended with them.
Berkeley of Wymondham. Gules a cheveron between ten crosses formy within a border argent.
In 1336 the capital messuage is mentioned which
was said to be in ruins in 1353. (fn. 129) The windmill,
referred to in 1288, had no suitors after the Black
Death in 1349. (fn. 130)
Church
The church of ST. ANDREW, one
of the finest in the county, consists of
a chancel 40 ft. 6 in. by 18 ft. with
north and south transeptal chapels respectively 24 ft.
by 16 ft. and 30 ft. 6 in. by 19 ft., clearstoried nave
of five bays 67 ft. 9 in. by 19 ft. 3 in., north aisle
13 ft. wide, south aisle 19 ft. 3 in. wide, south porch,
and west tower 13 ft. square, all these measurements
being internal. The width across nave and aisles is
56 ft. 6 in. There is a small vestry on the north side
of the chancel.
Plan of Whissendine Church
The south side of the chancel, the aisles, clearstory and tower are faced with ashlar, but elsewhere
the walling is of rubble, or coursed dressed stones;
the roofs are all of low pitch and leaded, except that
of the porch, which is covered with stone slates.
There are plain parapets to the chancel, but those of
the aisles and clearstory are battlemented; the lead
of the transept roofs overhangs. Internally, except
in the chancel, the plaster has been stripped from the
walls.
No part of the present building is older than the
13th century. A church is known to have existed
in the 12th century, and though evidence of its plan
is wanting, it is not unlikely that it was an aisleless
building with a tower between the nave and chancel
and a transeptal chapel on the north side of the
tower in the position of the present north transept.
It is, however, possible that, instead of its developing
normally from an earlier plan, the 13th-century
building was set out afresh with aisled nave of four
bays, chancel, and north transeptal chapel as at
present. The existing four eastern bays of the nave,
with three piers on each side, are of this period,
together with the south doorway and the arches
which separate the north transept from the chancel
and from the north aisle of the nave. In the 14th
century, after its appropriation in 1311, a general
reconstruction and enlargement of the church took
place, when a transeptal chapel was added on the
south side, or a former one enlarged, the chancel remodelled, the south aisle widened and a porch built,
the nave extended westward by a bay, and the tower
added. The north transept also was either reconstructed or remodelled at its north end, and the outer
wall of the north aisle apparently rebuilt on the old
foundations. In widening the south aisle the old
doorway was re-used, but no other external feature
of 13th-century date has survived. During the 15th
century new windows were inserted in the aisles and
the clearstory erected. Repairs of a minor nature
are recorded in the 17th century, (fn. 131) but no extensive
scheme of restoration appears to have been carried
out until 1865–70, (fn. 132) when the chancel, being in a
ruinous state, had most of its details renewed; the
chancel arch and the wall over the south transept
were also rebuilt. The north transept, then separated from the church and used as a Sunday-school
room, (fn. 133) was opened out, a west gallery and the old
high pews removed, (fn. 134) and the fabric generally put
into a state of repair. The tower and porch were restored and the whole of the church repointed in 1920.
The chancel is covered for about half its length
by the transepts, and also on the north side by a small
modern vestry, which is said to occupy the site of a
former sacristy. The five-light east window dates
from the restoration, but its tracery was altered in
1912 (fn. 135) and is now Perpendicular in character. The
three-light lateral windows, one on each side, are also
modern, in the style of the 14th century, and the
lower part of the walls is panelled. The fittings are
all modern. (fn. 136) No ancient ritual arrangements survive, but the original altar slab, found in the floor at
the restoration, has been set up. (fn. 137) The 13th-century
arch between the chancel and north transept is of
two chamfered orders on half-round responds with
moulded capitals and bases and hood-mould with headstops on the side towards the chancel. The capitals
are enriched with nail-head (east) and dog-tooth
(west). The wider 14th-century arch to the south
transept is of two orders, each with two hollow
chamfers, on half-round responds with fillets, and
moulded capitals and bases. The arch between the
chancel and the nave is of the same character, but
modern, the inner order on clustered responds and
the outer continued to the ground. There is a
modern low stone screen, or dwarf wall.
The north transept is now used as an organ-chamber.
It has diagonal buttresses of two stages with cusped
triangular heads, and a good three-light pointed
window with curvilinear tracery in the north wall,
the hollow moulding of which is enriched with ballflower; the east window is modern. The 13thcentury arch between the transept and nave aisle
is of two chamfered orders, the outer dying into
the wall, the inner on half-round responds with
moulded capitals and bases; the capital on the north
side is enriched with nail-head. (fn. 138)
The south transept, or chapel, is of two bays, with
pairs of three-stage angle buttresses and two muchrestored windows of three lights in the east wall,
with plain intersecting tracery and hood-moulds
with notch-stops. In the south wall is a large
transomed window of five lights with shafted jambs,
the top of which was cut away when the transept
roof was lowered in the 17th century. (fn. 139) The sill
and jambs of the window apparently belong to the
14th-century opening, but otherwise the window is
of 15th-century date, with moulded mullions and
elaborate transom with strawberry-leaf enrichment.
The upper lights have sevenfoil cusping, but below
the transom the openings are quatrefoiled. A 13thcentury piscina at the east end of the south wall
suggests that the 14th-century transept replaced
an older chapel, though the piscina may have belonged
to some other part of the church; it has a moulded
trefoiled head on shafted jambs with moulded capitals
and bases, groove for wooden shelf and fluted bowl.
At the north end of the east wall is an image bracket
supported by a head. The transept stands in front
of the aisle about 10 ft. and has a pointed doorway in
the west wall, of three double hollow chamfered
orders with moulded imposts. The 14th-century
arch between the transept and the aisle is of two
double hollow chamfered orders on clustered and
filleted responds with moulded capitals and bases.
There are modern Gothic screens of the time of the
restoration between the chancel and transepts, and
one of later date (1925) (fn. 140) between the north transept
and aisle. The screen between the south transept
and aisle was originally the screen between the chapel
and ante-chapel of St. John's College, Cambridge,
and was acquired for Whissendine church in 1869,
when the old college chapel was pulled down. (fn. 141) It is
of early 16th-century date, with three openings on
each side of the doorway, traceried upper openings
and coved top with carved rail. The doors are of
Renaissance design, with strapwork panels, Ionic
pilaster covering the meeting stiles and dentilled
cornice. (fn. 142)
Of the 13th-century nave arcades that on the north
is somewhat the earlier; the four arches are of two
moulded orders with hood-mould on the side towards
the nave, the outer order and soffit of the two middle
arches being enriched with nail-head. The hoods have
small head-stops over the first and second piers and a
larger head over the third. In the piers there is great
variety of treatment. The east respond is very slightly
keeled and has a capital of stiff foliage through which
shows a face, and a much restored moulded base. The
first pier from the east consists of a cylinder with
four attached columns slightly keeled, with moulded
bases and capitals carved with stiff leaf foliage and a
face on the south side; the bases stand on a diagonal
plinth. The second pier is square on plan with attached filleted columns, the capitals and bases as
before, but the third pier is a plain cylinder with
moulded base and stiff leaf capital in which are two
faces. All the bases are waterholding. These three
piers, owing to the settlement of the foundations,
have a considerable list to the north, necessitating the
erection at a later period (fn. 143) of strongly buttressed
transverse arches across the aisle, the two westernmost
being further strengthened by large supporting buttresses on the outside.
In the south arcade the arches are of two moulded
orders with hood-moulds on both sides stopped with
large heads, on piers more or less corresponding with
those opposite, but differing in detail. The east respond is a half-round with plain bell capital and
restored moulded base, and the first pier is a cylinder
with four attached keel-shaped columns with moulded (fn. 144)
capitals and bases on a square plinth. The second pier
is like that opposite, but the capitals of the columns are
moulded, and the third is a cylinder with moulded
capital ornamented with a trail of six-leaved flowers,
and moulded base on a long square plinth. In the
south arcade the base mouldings are only slightly hollowed.
The 14th-century westernmost pier of each arcade
is square on plan, with hollowed angles and four
attached filleted columns with moulded capitals and
bases, on a diagonally placed plinth, and the responds
are similar in character; the arches are moulded. Cut
in the face of the south-east respond is a 14th-century
trefoil-headed niche, (fn. 145) flanked by small brackets, and
in the north wall of the north aisle, immediately west of
the easternmost window, a plain pointed niche with
chamfered hood-mould, but no ancient ritual arrangements in connection with either of the aisle altars
remain. (fn. 146)
The south doorway is in the middle bay, with two
windows on each side, and the north doorway is
directly opposite. The 13th-century south doorway
has a pointed arch of two orders, the inner order consisting of a wide hollow enriched with large dog-tooth
ornament, now cut away, on moulded (fn. 147) jambs and
imposts; the outer moulded order rests on disengaged
banded shafts with moulded bases and capitals
enriched with nail-head. The hood-mould has headstops. The arch of the 14th-century north doorway is
of a single chamfered order on moulded imposts.
The west window of the south aisle is of four
cinquefoiled lights with vertical and curvilinear tracery,
double hollow chamfered jambs, and hood-mould
continued along the wall as a string; the tracery is
earlier in character than that of the other aisle
windows, which are all 15th-century insertions, and
this window is perhaps contemporary with the rebuilding of the aisle. The corresponding window in
the north aisle is also of four cinquefoiled lights
divided into two groups by a master mullion, with
plain double chamfered jambs, and elaborate tracery
with three battlemented transoms. The lateral
windows of the aisles fall into two groups, the two
windows east and west of the doorways being similar in
design on north and south. All the windows are of
three cinquefoiled lights with hoods continued as a
string along the walls, but stopping at the buttresses,
and differ only as regards the character of the tracery.
In the easternmost pair of windows on each side this
includes a transom and large sexfoil opening in the
head, whilst in the other pair there is no transom
and the head of the middle light has a quatrefoiled
circle. In both aisles the hollow string below the
parapet is enriched with heads and four-leaved
flowers, and there is an animal at the north-west angle
above the buttress.
The porch is 13 ft. square internally, with stone
bench tables and a pointed doorway of three continuous double hollow chamfered orders, with
moulded imposts, and hood with head-stops; the highpitched gable has a plain coping.
The clearstory has six pointed, transomed windows
on each side, of three cinquefoiled lights with vertical tracery, the openings below the transoms being
trefoiled. The hoods are continued as a string along
the walls. The nave roof is of seven bays (fn. 148) and is
mainly 15th-century work, but some earlier material
is said to have been re-used. (fn. 149) The tie-beams, struts,
ridge and purlins are moulded and the wall-pieces
are carved with a series of full-length figures, some
playing musical instruments, supported on corbels in
the form of crouching figures. There are also carved
foliated bosses. The line of the 14th-century roof
remains on the east face of the tower at the level of the
clearstory windows. The lean-to roof of the north aisle
is also in the main original, with moulded middle purlin
and two good moulded principals at the west end, with
curved struts resting on carved corbels. The roof of
the south aisle is modern.
The magnificent west tower, 100 ft. high, has
much in common with that of Oakham, (fn. 150) especially
in the treatment of the west window and doorway
and of the angle turrets and parapet; it is of
three stages, the upper stage being very lofty, but
is without a spire. (fn. 151) The tower is built of Barnack
stone and has a boldly moulded plinth, pairs of
buttresses its full height but diminishing at each
stage, massive octagonal pinnacles or angle turrets
and parapet with three round-headed openings on
each side. The vice is in the south-west angle. (fn. 152)
The west doorway and window are contained
within a lofty pointed arch of three moulded
orders, on jambs composed of three engaged and
thrice banded shafts, with moulded capitals. (fn. 153) The
window is of three lights (fn. 154) with reticulated tracery,
and the doorway has a pointed arch of two moulded
orders on moulded imposts. Above, in the middle
stage, as at Oakham, are three slightly ogee niches,
formerly containing statues, but now empty. On the
north and south the two lower stages are blank.
In the bell-chamber are pairs of tall and deeply recessed windows of two trefoiled lights on the north
and east sides, with quatrefoils in the heads, divided
horizontally by trefoiled ogee transoms; the arches
are of three moulded orders on twice banded shafts
with moulded capitals and bases, and the wall space
on either side is filled with blind tracery of the same
character in single narrow arches. On the south and
west sides, where the position of the openings is
affected by the vice, one of the windows is omitted
and the remaining wall space is filled with blind
tracery. Below the parapet is a cornice of ball-
flower and heads and a fine series of grotesque gargoyles, two on each side. Internally the tower is
lined with ashlar and opens into the nave by a lofty
arch of three richly moulded orders, (fn. 155) on jambs
composed of three engaged columns or shafts with
moulded capitals and bases. (fn. 156)
The 14th-century font has a small octagonal bowl,
four sides of which have sunk quatrefoil panels, the
designs on the other sides being merely set out. The
stem, base and cover are modern. The Ketton stone
pulpit was erected in 1888.
In the north aisle are two broken 13th-century
coffin lids, (fn. 157) the crosses on which have stems with
'omega' ornament, and in the south transept is a
small Jacobean altar table with baluster legs.
The alabaster tomb of Bartholomew Villers and his
wife, recorded by Wright, (fn. 158) has disappeared. The
south transept contains mural monuments to Bennet
Sherard (fn. 159) (d. 1711) and his wife Dorothy (d. 1744),
daughter of Lord Fairfax, and of Lieut.-General the
Hon. Philip Sherard (d. 1790). In the north aisle is a
memorial to nineteen men of the parish who fell in the
war of 1914–19.
There are six bells, two trebles having been
added to a former ring of four. The first is by
Taylor of Loughborough 1906, the second by
Warner of London 1897, the third by Edward
Arnold of Leicester 1785, the fifth a recasting by
Taylor 1872, and the fourth and tenor by Henry
Oldfield of Nottingham 1609. (fn. 160) The bells were
rehung in 1919.
The plate consists of a cup and cover paten of
1627–8, two patens of 1721–2, made by Edward
York, and a flagon of 1705–6. (fn. 161)
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) all
entries 1577–1640; (fn. 162) (ii) 1637–48, 1655–70; (iii)
1670–1718; (iv) 1718–39; (v) baptisms and burials
1740–86, marriages 1740–54; (vi) baptisms and burials
1787–1812; (vii) marriages 1754–October 1787; (viii)
marriages 1787–1812.
The iron entrance gates to the churchyard, on the
south side, were erected in 1927 in memory of Seymour
Pleydell Bouverie.
Advowson
The church of Whissendine was
given by Earl Simon de St. Liz III
to St. Andrew's, Northampton,
between 1174 and 1184. It must, however, have
reverted to the donor, as Earl David, between 1195
and 1198, granted it in free alms to the abbey
he had founded in 1178 at Lindores, Fife. (fn. 163) Helen
de Moreville and Alan her son claimed the
advowson in 1213, (fn. 164) and Alan's granddaughter
Divorgilla de Balliol in 1289; (fn. 165) but Lindores Abbey
remained in possession. (fn. 166) To Master Roland, the
Pope's chaplain, who became rector in 1245, they gave
a pension of 10 marks out of the church. (fn. 167) From 1275
the pension and tithes were collected by Sempringham
Priory; (fn. 168) and in 1309 Lindores Abbey had licence to
alienate the advowson to Sempringham, (fn. 169) which in
February 1310–11 received leave to appropriate the
church, (fn. 170) and in 1319 and 1327 the Archbishop of
Canterbury received papal mandates for the purpose. (fn. 171)
Edward III ratified the appropriation in 1343, (fn. 172) a
vicarage having been ordained in 1321. (fn. 173) In 1356 the
prior complained that Sir John Harington, kt., and
others would not let his servants carry goods to his manse
here. (fn. 174) The priory remained in the possession of Sempringham until the Dissolution of the Monasteries, (fn. 175)
and in 1552–3 the rectory, church and advowson of the
vicarage were granted by Edward VI to John Whiteing
of Garthorpe (co. Leic.) and Thomas Freman, (fn. 176) who
conveyed them to Edward Watson in the same year. (fn. 177)
In 1571–2 Edward Watson, senior, and his son and
heir Edward alienated them to George Sherard, (fn. 178)
who, however, seems to have presented to the church
in 1561 and 1566. (fn. 179) The advowson remained in the
Sherard family, lords of the manor, until the death
of Philip Sherard, the sixth and last Earl of Harborough. It was sold with the manor in 1861, when it
was purchased by the Earl of Gainsborough. He sold
it in 1864 to the father of the then vicar, who left it
to his son, Rev. E. L. Horne. The Rev. E. L. Horne
sold it in 1901 to Mr. John Gretton of Burton-onTrent, (fn. 180) whose son, Col. the Rt. Hon. John Gretton,
M.P., is patron.
Charities
Rev. Thomas Potter Hurst, by his
will dated 1 August 1799, bequeathed
the sum of £50 3 per cent. consolidated
bank annuities to the vicar of Whissendine, the income
to be distributed among the poor on Christmas Day.
The endowment now consists of a sum of £50 2½ per
cent. Consols held by the Official Trustees and producing in dividends £1 5s. per annum, which sum is
distributed by the vicar and churchwardens among
many recipients.
Poor's Land (or Clawson's Gift).—There are no
deeds or writings in the parish relating to this charity. (fn. 181)
The endowment consists of 16 acres 2 roods of land
situated at Long Clawson, known as the 'Whissendine Poor's Land.' The land is let at £40 per annum
and the income is distributed by the parish council
among 85 families by way of vouchers redeemable for
groceries, bread, meat, coal, etc.
Henry Jackson's Charity, founded by will proved
3 May 1910, consists of a sum of £241 11s. 7d. India
3 per cent. stock held by the Official Trustees and producing in dividends £7 4s. 8d. per annum. The income
is distributed by the vicar and churchwardens annually at Christmas in coals, meat or money to about 24
recipients.