SEATON
Segentone, Seieton (xi cent.); Saeton (xii cent.);
Seton (xiii cent.); Seyton (xiii-xvi cent.).
The parish of Seaton is separated from Northamptonshire by the river Welland, which forms the
southern boundary. The ground falls towards the
Welland, the height being not much above 180 ft. at
Thorpe-by-Water in the south of the parish; but it
rises towards the east, reaching the highest point,
500 ft., at Prestley Hill on the western border. The
Barrows, just south-west of Seaton, are not so high as
the ridge behind the village, but stand up conspicuously out of the lower ground. The valley is crossed
by a viaduct, carrying the Kettering to Manton branch
of the London Midland and Scottish Railway, opened
in 1878. Seaton station is about half a mile from the
village and two and a half miles east-south-east from
Uppingham on a different line of the same railway.
The somewhat straggling village stands on the north
side of the road from Uppingham, sheltered from the
north by the ridge which runs across the parish from
west to east. The cottages are mostly of stone with
thatched roofs, some of them being in a dilapidated
condition. The church is near the eastern end of the
village, with the Manor House, formerly known as
Up Hall, close to it. Seaton Grange is about half a
mile west. The hamlet of Thorpe-by-Water contains
a few good 17th-century stone houses, one of which,
with mullioned windows and thatched roof, has a
panel inscribed 'im, 1654.' Another larger gabled
house, with stone-slated roofs, wind-break chimneys
and mullioned windows, is inscribed 'E H M 1691.'
The soil is good, the subsoil being chiefly Upper Lias
with some Lower Oolite. The land is mostly under
grass. The parish, with the hamlet of Thorpe-byWater, contains about 2,135 acres.
Among place-names contained in local records are
the following: Prestesleye; (fn. 1) the Westfield beyond
Uppingham road, abutting on Sandhowes; Bottinghowes, abutting on Glaston brook (xiii cent.); (fn. 2) Spurres
Close, (fn. 3) Ivehall or Ivyehall, Milne Holme, the Lownd
Close, the Berryges, Bohill leyes (xvi cent.). (fn. 4)
Manors
Robert de Toeni held one hide and
one bovate in Seaton with one virgate in
Barrowden in 1086; it was worth 20s.,
and had been worth twice as much in the time of
Edward the Confessor. (fn. 5) From the reference in
Domesday Book to a priest on this manor, it seems
that Robert's holding may be identified with the
manor of UP HALL (xiv cent.), afterwards called
BELFAGE or BEWFOIS (xvi–xvii cent.) from the
family which held it. Ralf, the son of Ralf de Beaufoy
(Bellafago), is said to have had an estate in Seaton in
the time of Henry I; (fn. 6) but it was afterwards in the
possession of Hubert de Rye, who married Agnes
the daughter of Ralf. Hubert granted 'the land of
Seaton where the church stands, with the advowson
and all that belongs to it,' to Thomas, the son of the
younger Ralf de Beaufoy, who died in 1184. (fn. 7) He left
a widow Alice, the daughter of Waleran de Oiri, then
aged twenty, and a son and heir Ralf, who was two
and a half. This Ralf had no sooner come of age
than he was involved in lawsuits concerning his inheritance, (fn. 8) which he held of the Barony of Rye. (fn. 9) Gilbert
of Norfolk, who had married Emma, daughter and heir
of Henry, son of Ralf de Beaufoy, claimed his lands
in Norfolk, Rutland and Lincoln in 1204, (fn. 10) but afterwards quitclaimed all the right that he might have in
Seaton and Aslakeby to John Marshal and Aline his
wife, the daughter and heir of Fulk de Rye. (fn. 11) Geoffrey
de Chichester (Cestre) and Isabel his wife, who is
said to have been a sister of Aline, were plaintiffs with
the Marshals in the plea concerning a quarter of a fee
in Seaton, which came to an end by the death of
Geoffrey. (fn. 12) A final agreement about land and rent in
Seaton was made between Aline Marshal and Ralf
de Beaufoy in 1243; (fn. 13) but this seems to refer to the
Beaufoys' freehold (see below), as the manor of
Up Hall was supposed in 1349 to be held of William de
Ros of Hamlake, (fn. 14) whose great-grandmother, Isabel
de Albini, was said to be the great-great-granddaughter
of Robert de Toeni. (fn. 15)
Ralf de Beaufoy died before 11 July 1248, when the
king took the homage of his son and heir Ralf for
all his lands and tenements. (fn. 16) In 1251 the younger
Ralf was heavily in debt to the Jews, (fn. 17) and in 1277
he was superseded in the office of a coroner for Rutland
and verderer for the forest of Rutland, (fn. 18) the latter
office being afterwards held by Geoffrey de Beaufoy, his
heir. (fn. 19) Geoffrey died in 1292, leaving a widow Amice; (fn. 20)
he was succeeded by John de Beaufoy, who held a
quarter of a fee in Seaton in
1305 (fn. 21) and in 1309 granted
South Creke (co. Norf.) to
Peter de Croft and his wife
Amice (widow of Geoffrey) for
their lives. (fn. 22) In the same year
he received protection for
three years as he was going
beyond seas, and had letters
nominating Richard de Beaufoy and Richard de Walesden
his attorneys. (fn. 23) He had returned in 1313, when he settled
a messuage and lands in Seaton
on himself, Elizabeth his wife, and his heirs. (fn. 24) He was
knight of the shire in 1328 (fn. 25) and died about 1343, (fn. 26)
leaving a son William, against whom John of Evesham
and Alice his wife, widow of John, claimed one-third
of the manor of Seaton, as dower of Alice, in 1346.
William, however, claimed that two-thirds of the
manor had been settled on him and his wife Alice,
and that the remaining third was held by Roger de
Beaufoy. (fn. 27) Judgment is not recorded, but no doubt
William had strong reasons to resist the diminution
of his estate; for shortly afterwards he was pardoned
the levy of 40s. for an archer, on account of his
'urgent necessity.' (fn. 28)
Beaufoy. Ermine a bend azure with three cinq foils or thereon.
William Beaufoy died in 1349, leaving as his heir
his son John aged fifteen and more. (fn. 29) His property
at Seaton was then described as 'a capital messuage,
40 acres of arable, 7 acres of meadow often flooded by
the Welland, a tenement for which a bondman used
to pay 16s. yearly, and no one will farm since his
death because of the [Black] Death, and a windmill.'
The wardship and marriage of John was granted to
Sir Roland Daneys in 1350. (fn. 30) William's wife Alice,
daughter of John de Boyville, also died in 1349; (fn. 31) and
Alice the widow of John Beaufoy (d. 1343) died in
1356, leaving her grandson John, son of William
Beaufoy, her heir of full age. (fn. 32) According to the evidence for his proof of age he was born at Stokefaston
(Stockerston, co. Leic.) and baptised in the church
there on St. Andrew's Day 1336. (fn. 33) In 1358 he
obtained seisin of his lands as the king had taken his
homage. (fn. 34) In the same year John Beaufoy enfeoffed
William Beaufoy of two-thirds of the manor of Up
Hall, granting him also the reversion of the third
which Roger Beaufoy still held. (fn. 35) The conveyance
was not completed until 1363. (fn. 36)
The relationship of William to John is not stated.
William cannot be identified with the William de
Beaufoy who succeeded to a manor in South Creek
(co. Norf.), and was only 27 years of age at the time
of the death of John his brother in 1424. (fn. 37) A
William Beaufoy was knight of the shire for Rutland
in 1363, 1365 and 1369. (fn. 38) Possibly he was a brother
of John who conveyed Up Hall to him. (fn. 39) In 1364
William Beaufoy was superseded in the office of
verderer of the Forest of Rutland 'for reasonable
causes.' (fn. 40)
William married Agnes, daughter and co-heir of
Robert de Northwode of North Creke. (fn. 41) He was still
living in 1373; (fn. 42) but the descent of the manor after
this date becomes obscure.
John Beaufoy of Seaton, who was pardoned in 1416
for the murder of Robert Nycoll and Richard
Edmond in 1415, (fn. 43) may have been a son of William.
Possibly William Beaufoy who held a quarter of a
fee in Seaton in 1428 was his son. Presumably the
quarter fee represented the manor of Up Hall,
though it is said to have been held formerly by
Simon Warde, (fn. 44) to whom no other reference has been
found in local records. William Beaufoy was knight
of the shire for Rutland in the parliaments of 1433
and 1434, and was one of those who received a commission to issue a warrant to the sheriff for proclamation in the next county court that several persons,
including William Sheffield of Seaton (see below),
should take an oath not to maintain peacebreakers. (fn. 45)
He was also a justice of the peace from 1446 to 1459. (fn. 46)
In July 1448 John Chesilden received a licence to
grant the stewardship of the forest of Rutland to
William Beaufoy and others. (fn. 47) The remaining references to William indicate that he was a Lancastrian.
In 1457 he was a commissioner for array for Rutland,
and in December 1459 he was further commissioned
to resist the rebellion of Richard, Duke of York. (fn. 48)
He was probably succeeded by an heir of the same
name. 'Phelip, late wife of William Beaufo,' who complained of oppression by William Sheffield and
William Stevens about 1493 was apparently the widow
of the younger William. She declared that her
husband, 'in the time of King Edward IV,' had been
obliged to sell the manor of South Creke, which had
been settled as her jointure; but in place thereof he
gave her 'for term of her life by his last Will the manor
of Seton in the county of Rutland, not above the
value of £12.' (fn. 49) She had occupied the manor fifteen
years after the death of her husband; but William
Stevens, having married Eleanor, one of the daughters
of William Beaufoy, before Christmas last, came in
riotous wise with might and power and took £4 4s. 0d.
of the issues, contrary to all right. This was done
with the assent of William Sheffield, one of the
feoffees for the trust, who further threatened to put
Philippa out. (fn. 50)
The other daughter, or daughters, of William
Beaufoy are not mentioned by name; but the whole
manor of Up Hall was not long afterwards acquired,
either by purchase or inheritance, by the Bassetts of
North Luffenham. Edward, the son and heir of
Thomas Bassett, died seised of it in 1534, leaving
as his heir his brother John, then aged twenty-four. (fn. 51)
John married Anne Rouse of Rouse Lench (co. Worc.), (fn. 52)
and died in 1575. In 1585 his widow joined her son
John Bassett in making a conveyance of tenements,
land and rent in Luffenham, Morcott and Seaton to
Edmund Rouse. (fn. 53) The manor of Up Hall had already
been acquired from Anne and her husband by George
Sheffield in 1568, (fn. 54) and Robert Sheffield his son died
seised of it in 1602, leaving as his heir his son John. (fn. 55)
It afterwards followed the descent of the manor of
Down Hall (q.v.), and in 1928 was in the possession
of Mr. George Edward Monckton.
A manor in Seaton, later known as DOWN HALL,
containing land for 8 ploughs and 10 acres of meadow,
was held of the Countess Judith by William in 1086,
and had been held with sac and soc by Edward in
the time of the Confessor. (fn. 56) To this manor belonged
certain socmen in Thorpe and Luffenham. (fn. 57) The
overlordship seems to have followed the descent of
the Honour of Huntingdon. (fn. 58)
The William who held of Countess Judith was
perhaps William brother of Simon de St. Liz, Earl of
Huntingdon in right of his wife Maud, daughter and
heir of the Countess Judith. The property seems to
have passed to Simon de St. Liz, fifth Earl of Huntingdon (d. 1153), (fn. 59) and from him to Simon, eighth
Earl, who married Alice de Gant. He died in 1184 (fn. 60)
without surviving issue, his son, another Simon,
having died in his father's lifetime. (fn. 61) The manor
then appears to have gone to Simon, brother of
Simon, the eighth Earl of Huntingdon. This Simon,
described as brother of Earl Simon, granted land in
Conington (co. Hunts), probably before 1184, to
St. Mary de Pré, Northampton, for the souls of
himself and his ancestors and his nephew (nepos)
Simon (son of the eighth Earl), Alice de Gant being
a witness to the charter. (fn. 62) Simon de St. Liz, who
claimed half a knight's fee in Conington against David,
Earl of Huntingdon, in 1214, was probably a son of
Simon, the brother of Simon, eighth Earl. (fn. 63) Evidently
he opposed King John, as the sheriff of Cambridge
was notified that he had returned to his fealty in
1217. (fn. 64) In 1223, at the instance of Isabel, widow of
Richard the Crossbowman of Seaton manor (see
below), he obtained the wardship and marriage of the
heir. (fn. 65) This grant was renewed in 1227 to 'Simon
de Seint Liz, steward of Ralph de Neville, Bishop of
Chichester,' (fn. 66) who had licence to marry her without
disparagement. The heir was Amy or Anne, whom he
afterwards married. This Simon may perhaps be
identified with Simon de St. Liz, eldest son of Simon,
to whom Henry III in 1231 granted quittance of
service on juries, etc. (fn. 67)
In 1235 King Henry granted to Simon de St. Liz
(Seyntliz) and Amy or Anne his wife relief from forest
burdens in the wood of Seaton, which was of Amy's
inheritance. (fn. 68) In the same year Amy claimed common
rights in Seaton Wood against the Bishop of Lincoln. (fn. 69)
Both she and her husband were living in 1244; (fn. 70) and
in 1252 Simon gave the king 8 bezants of gold for
leave to course with his hounds the hare, the fox,
and the cat. (fn. 71) It was apparently he who in 1248
unsuccessfully claimed the third penny of the county
of Huntingdon and the Honour of Huntingdon. (fn. 72)
Simon died in 1259, when his widow claimed her
dower third in Great Stukeley against Ralf de St.
Liz, (fn. 73) presumably his brother. He was succeeded in
Westbury (co. Buck.) by his son Simon, (fn. 74) and his heir
in Seaton seems to have been his son John. (fn. 75) In the
same year John de St. Liz received protection while
accompanying the king to France. (fn. 76) He is said to
have died without issue and to have been succeeded
in Seaton by his brother Richard, who had already
succeeded to Morcott. (fn. 77) In 1275 the jurors of
Wrandike Hundred declared that he gave 40s. to
Anketin de Martival to avoid knighthood. (fn. 78) William
de St. Liz, the son of Richard, presented to the church
of Morcott in 1287 and 1295, (fn. 79) he was holding by
knight service in the Hundred of Wrandike in 1302, (fn. 80)
and in 1304 he manumitted two of his tenants in
Seaton. (fn. 81) He held Down Hall in 1316, when he was
appointed one of the commissioners of array in
Rutland for the expedition against the Scots. (fn. 82) He
was knight of the shire in 1312 (fn. 83) and died before
Trinity term 1321, when his younger son Richard de
St. Liz made a settlement of 2 messuages and lands
in Seaton, on himself, his wife, Joan Gernoun, and
their issue, with contingent remainder to his own
right heirs. (fn. 84) Richard de St. Liz was knight of the
shire in 1328, 1330, 1335 and 1336. (fn. 85) He and Joan
are said to have had four sons, William, Thomas,
Simon and John; and two daughters, Elizabeth and
Margaret. All these except Margaret died without
issue. Margaret married Robert Poynton and had a
son Robert Poynton and a grandson William, who also
died without issue. (fn. 86) In 1398 the sheriff of Rutland
was ordered to give Roland de St. Liz, kinsman and
heir of Richard de St. Liz, seisin of a third part of a
cottage and 3 acres in Morcott, the lands of an outlaw. (fn. 87)
This Roland was the son of Roland the brother of
Richard de St. Liz and Agnes de Empingham. (fn. 88)
Roland the son married Alice Pinchbeck and had two
daughters Isabel and Margaret. (fn. 89) Isabel married
William Sheffield, and Margaret married first Henry
Durant of Cottesmore and secondly John Burgh;
and in 1429 they divided the inheritance between
them, each sister settling her portion on herself, her
husband and their issue, with contingent remainder
to her sister, her brother-in-law, and her sister's
heirs. (fn. 90)
St. Liz of Seaton. Argent two bars gules with three fleurs de lis gules in the chief.
Sheffield of Seaton. Or a fesse between six sheaves gules.
Isabel inherited the manor of Seaton and the
manor and advowson of Morcott. Although Margaret left heirs by her first husband, she apparently
had none by her second on whom the settlement was
made, and the whole manor of Down Hall with the
manor and advowson of Morcott passed to the
Sheffields. William Sheffield and Isabel left a son
and heir John. His son William had a son John who
with his son Edward sold Morcott in 1528. John
was holding Down Hall in 1533 (fn. 91) in which year he died,
leaving Edward his heir. (fn. 92) George Sheffield, the son
of Edward, settled the manor in 1556; (fn. 93) and Robert,
his son, died seised of it in 1602. (fn. 94) His wife Dorothy
survived him with two children, John and Dorothy,
both of whom died young; (fn. 95) on John's death in 1607,
at the age of eight, his uncle Sampson Sheffield was
found to be his heir. (fn. 96) Sampson Sheffield and his
wife Elizabeth (Woodruffe) made a settlement of the
manor in 1610; (fn. 97) and Sampson died seised of it in
1619, leaving as his heir his son Sampson then aged
thirteen. (fn. 98) The manor at this time was given the
name of St. Lucy's or 'Saincte Luce,' evidently a
corruption of St. Liz, and was said to be held in
soccage (fn. 99) of the Bishop of Chichester. (fn. 100)
Tryon of Bulwick. Azure a battled fesse between six stars or.
In 1634 Sampson Sheffield and Jane his wife sold this
manor, with the manors of Up Hall and Seaton, to
Sir John Hanbury, Robert Tanfield and Edward
Palmer; (fn. 101) and twelve years later all three were bought
from Edward Hanbury, Geoffrey Palmer, William
Montague and Edward Lord Montague by Peter
Tryon (fn. 102) of Bulwick (co. Northants) who died in 1660. (fn. 103)
Peter was succeeded by his son James who was holding
the manor in 1684, (fn. 104) and he by Charles Tryon, who
died in 1705, leaving a son Charles. (fn. 105) The manor was
sold by Charles Tryon about 1771 to Lord Galway for
his son, the Hon. John Monckton. (fn. 106) Sir George Pigott, bart.,
and Dame Mary Anne his
wife, Monckton's daughter and
co-heir, were parties to a settlement in 1830. (fn. 107) The present
owner is Mr. George Edward
Monckton, descendant of the
Hon. Edward Monckton, and
Sophia, daughter of Sir George
Pigott, bart.
The King's manor of
Barrowden had three outlying
members, at Seaton, Thorpe,
and Bisbrooke with Glaston. (fn. 108) The whole was worth £3
in King Edward's time, and in 1086 was valued at £7.
As the later manor of SEATON had appurtenances in
Thorpe, Bisbrooke and Glaston, it may perhaps be conjectured that all these members of Barrowden were
afterwards held as one manor by serjeanty probably by
Ernisius the Crossbowman who paid danegelt in Rutland in 1130 (fn. 109) and by Richard the Crossbowman whose
land in Seaton was valued at 100s. at the time of his
death in 1198. (fn. 110) Richard left a son and heir Ernisius, who
married Bridget, daughter of William Mauduit, (fn. 111) and
in 1204 claimed the church at Morcott against Isabel
Mauduit and her son Robert, but withdrew his plea. (fn. 112)
He seems to have died about 1223, when Isabel
the widow of Richard his father persuaded Simon de
St. Liz to buy the wardship and marriage of the heirs
from the king. (fn. 113) On 14 April 1232 Henry III
granted in frankalmoin to Ralf de Nevill, Bishop of
Chichester, and his successors, the homage and service
of Richard the Crossbowman and his heirs, 'who held
of the king in chief in Morcote and Seaton (co.
Rutl.), by serjeanty as crossbowmen: to hold quit of all
suits of counties and hundreds.' (fn. 114) Notwithstanding
this grant, the manor was said in the 17th century to
be held 'as of the Hundred of Wrandike by suit at
court and a pair of gold spurs,' but this was clearly a
mistake; the manor of Down Hall being supposed, at
the same time, to be held of the Bishop of Chichester. (fn. 115)
Ernisius was succeeded by his son Richard, usually
called Richard de Seyton, (fn. 116) the serjeanty having been
altered into military service. In 1253 the king granted
him exemption for life from being put on juries, etc., (fn. 117)
and in 1265 he had a safe-conduct to go to the king. (fn. 118)
Presumably he had been one of Montfort's supporters,
though his kinsman, Master Roger de Seyton, afterwards Chief Justice, appears to have been a royalist
and received protection from 13 April 1264 until
Ascensiontide following. (fn. 119) In 1268 an inquiry was
ordered as to those who came to Kettering churchyard
and there took Richard de Seyton and kept him in
prison until they had extorted from him £200 for his
ransom; and who burned his manors of Seaton (co.
Rutl.) and Maidwell (co. Northants) and his mills at
Seaton and maltreated his miller there; and plundered his goods in divers places to the value of 500
marks. (fn. 120) The date of Richard's death is uncertain;
he seems to have been succeeded by another Richard,
probably his son, (fn. 121) who with his wife Alice received
seisin of lands in Oxfordshire in 1275. (fn. 122) He was
afterwards knighted, (fn. 123) and died about 1282, leaving as
his heir his son John, a minor, whose wardship was
granted to Anthony Bek, in respect of his lands in
Buckinghamshire. (fn. 124)
Seyton. Gules a bend argent between six martlets or.
In May 1303 John de Seyton, being in Scotland in
the king's service, had letters of respite for debts due
to the king in Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire; (fn. 125)
and in 1314 his heir, Nicholas
de Seyton, being also in Scotland on the king's service,
received letters of protection. (fn. 126)
In 1316 Nicholas was still said
to be holding the manor of
Maidwell; (fn. 127) probably he died
about that time, since his son
and heir John, a minor, was
returned as holding in Seaton
and Thorpe. (fn. 128) John de Seyton
was knight of the shire for Rutland in 1337; (fn. 129) he was succeeded by another John, who
was knighted and served as knight of the shire for
Northampton in 1378. (fn. 130) In 1383 he settled his land
preparatory to going abroad. (fn. 131) In 1393 Sir John Seyton,
kt., by virtue of the king's commission, arrested certain
men for rebellions. (fn. 132) He and his wife Joan were living
in 1395. (fn. 133) He died in Jerusalem in 1396 and was
succeeded by his son John. Thomas, son of John,
was succeeded by John, whose son Thomas Seyton (fn. 134)
disposed of his lands in Hallaton (co. Leic.) in
1464. (fn. 135) He was succeeded by his son Everard, who
died in 1476, leaving as his heirs his daughters—Anne,
aged four, and Joan, aged three. (fn. 136)
Joan Seyton married Francis Metcalfe, and in 1517
they conveyed their moieties of Maidwell, Seaton and
Barford St. Michael to James Metcalfe and others and
the heirs of James Metcalfe, and gave warranty against
the heirs of Joan. (fn. 137) In 1526 James Metcalfe sold the
property to Edward Catesby, (fn. 138) son of Euseby Catesby
and Anne Seyton. (fn. 139)
Catesby. Argent two leopards sable crowned or.
Michael Catesby, the son of Edward, dealt with the
manor in 1577. (fn. 140) He seems to have been succeeded
here by his son Erasmus, who conveyed it in 1589 to
his brother Kenelm for the
purpose of a settlement on
himself and his heirs, discharged from all incumbrances. (fn. 141) In 1597 he sold it
to Robert Sheffield, and it
afterwards followed the descent of Down Hall (q.v.) and
Up Hall. (fn. 142)
A reputed manor of
THORPE BY THE WATER
was probably parcel of the
manor of Down Hall (q.v.), as
the St. Liz dealt with lands
and the mill of Thorpe. It is first mentioned in 1615,
when it was conveyed to John Osborne by Edmund
Clipsham and Dorothy his wife, who warranted against
the heirs of Edmund and Michael Clipsham, the father
of Edmund. (fn. 143) From this it appears possible that the
'manor' was the freehold belonging in the 16th century
to Richard Marler and leased in 1588 by Robert Clerke
and Thomas Allen and their wives, the sisters and coheirs of George Marler, to William Clipsham for 21
years for 20 marks yearly. (fn. 144) Clerke seems afterwards to
have quitclaimed his interest to Clipsham; and he subsequently complained that though William Clipsham
and Anthony (his adopted son) knew that Clerke and
his wife could only grant a moiety, and that Anne, wife
of Edward Andrewes and widow of Richard Marler,
had a life interest, and that the children of Anne
Newport, another sister of George Marler, claimed a
third part, yet Anthony Clipsham caused a lease to
be drawn containing a covenant that the lessee should
enjoy the premises discharged of incumbrances. (fn. 145)
The descent of the so-called manor is obscure.
John Osborne conveyed it in 1626 to Philip Holman
and his heirs. (fn. 146) In 1690 it was conveyed to Richard
Peach by William Scarlett and Mary his wife, Samuel
Archer and Theodosia his wife, William Cole and Mary
his wife and Nathaniel Scarlett; (fn. 147) and later in the
same year by John Symonds and Dorothy his wife. (fn. 148)
Warranties were granted against the heirs of Mary and
Nathaniel Scarlett, Theodosia Archer, and Mary Cole:
possibly the heirs of Philip Holman. In 1701 Mary
Scarlett widow, Thomas Martyn and Theodosia,
Lionel Denton and Mary, John Symonds and Dorothy,
Vincent Simpson and Elizabeth, and James Ostler
and Margaret quitclaimed their interest in the manor
to William Clewe and Hugh Ashton and the heirs of
William, with warranty against the heirs of both
Marys, Theodosia, Dorothy, Elizabeth and Margaret. (fn. 149) Nine years later Richard Shuttleworth and
his wife Emma quitclaimed their interest to William
Potterall and Henry Oliver and the heirs of William. (fn. 150)
Dorothy Roberts, spinster, in 1772 settled it on herself
and her heirs and assigns for ever. (fn. 151)
In 1243 Aline Marshal acknowledged the right of
Ralf de Beaufoy (represented by his son Ralf) to 9
oxgangs of land and 13s. rent in Seaton which had
previously been held by Thomas de Beaufoy, Ralf's
father, of her father Fulk de Rye. (fn. 152) This freehold,
which (though assessed as a whole knight's fee) never
seems to have been regarded as a manor, was evidently
settled upon the younger Ralf. The overlordship
remained with the Marshals until Hawise, sister and
heir of the last John Marshal, brought it to the
family of Morley by her marriage to Robert de Morley:
it subsequently followed the descent of his barony. (fn. 153)
In 1295 complaint was made by Ralf de Beaufoy
that John de Seyton and Richard his brother, with
others, had pulled down his houses at Seaton and cut
down and carried away his trees, and when Ralf
appealed them of robbery they accused him of the
death of Stephen Stute, so that he might be imprisoned and prevented from his prosecution. (fn. 154) Ralf
was succeeded by another Ralf de Beaufoy, probably
his son, who was collector in Huntingdonshire of the
subsidy in 1306 and 1307, and knight of the shire for
Rutland in 1310. (fn. 155) This Ralf died before 8 July
1326, leaving a widow named Sara, (fn. 156) and a son Ralph,
who had been indicted with others in the summer of
1321 for assaulting John Hakluyt, keeper of the
forest of Rutland. (fn. 157) Ralph married Isabel de Shipton
before 12 November 1338, and died before 18 March
1360, when his lands were held by Richard de Beaufoy,
who was still in possession ten years later. (fn. 158) The
descent of the freehold after this date becomes
obscure. According to the pedigree given in the
Visitation of Rutland in 1618, the last-mentioned
Ralph Beaufoy died without issue, and was succeeded
either by his brother or his nephew William. (fn. 159) If
his heir may be identified with the William Beaufoy
who was enfeoffed by John Beaufoy in Up Hall, it is
possible that the freehold followed the descent of that
manor until the death of the last John Beaufoy in 1427.
The Visitation pedigree of 1618 shows that this John
had a brother Ralph who succeeded to the freehold,
and left as his heir a son and namesake, whose daughter
and heir Jane married Ralph Wymarke of North
Luffenham. (fn. 160) Jane Wymarke died seised in 1533,
leaving as her heir her son John, then over thirty-six. (fn. 161)
Edward, the grandson of John Wymarke, died in
1634, leaving as his heir his sister Frances the wife of
John Greene (fn. 162) of Market Overton.
Wymarke. Argent a bend cotised azure with three scutcheons argent on the bend.
A mill is first mentioned as an appurtenance of
the manor of Up Hall in 1349. (fn. 163) This was a windmill; it followed throughout
the descent of the manor, and
presumably stood on the same
site as the windmill still in
use in 1928. A watermill
rendering 36d. yearly was an
appurtenance of the king's
manor of Barrowden in 1086:
this was situated in Seaton, (fn. 164)
and was afterwards attached
to Seaton manor. (fn. 165) Possibly
it stood on the site of the
watermill still in use in 1928;
but two more watermills were
attached to the united manors
during the 17th and 18th centuries and remained in
use as late as 1830. (fn. 166)
Church
The church of ALL HALLOWS consists
of chancel 41 ft. 2 in. by 18 ft. 6 in., with
organ-chamber (former vestry) on the
north side, clearstoried nave of three bays 51 ft. 8 in.
by 17 ft. 10 in., north and south aisles 8 ft. 3 in. wide,
south porch and west tower 11 ft. by 12 ft., all
these measurements being internal. The tower is
surmounted by a spire. The width across nave and
aisles is 39 ft. 6 in.
The building is of rubble, with straight parapets
and slated roofs, except that of the porch, which is
leaded. The walls are plastered internally. There
was an extensive restoration of the fabric in 1874–5, (fn. 167)
when many of the windows were wholly renewed, new
roofs erected, and the present small circular clearstory
windows inserted. (fn. 168) The oldest parts of the building
are the responds of the chancel arch and the south
doorway, which date from the first half of the 12th
century, and formed part of a church consisting of an
aisleless nave which covered the space occupied by the
two eastern bays of the present nave, (fn. 169) and a short
chancel. To this early building a north aisle was
added c. 1180–90, the wall being pierced by an arcade
of two bays, and early in the 13th century a south aisle
of three bays was thrown out, increasing the nave
to its present length, and the north arcade and aisle
were extended a bay westward, the old respond being
re-used and a new pillar and arch similar to those on
the south side erected. The old south doorway was
at the same time moved outward to its present position. Later in the 13th century the chancel was
rebuilt on its present plan, and about 1280–1300 the
tower and spire were added. The east window of the
south aisle is also of this latter period, and other
windows, afterwards altered, appear then to have been
inserted in the aisles. The porch was probably first
built late in the 14th century. Evidence is wanting
of the existence of a clearstory before the 17th century,
but sometime after 1660 the roof of the nave was removed and one of lower pitch substituted, the aisle
walls heightened, and a clearstory made. (fn. 170) The
tracery is said to have been removed at this time from
most of the aisle windows, converting them to plain
square-headed openings. (fn. 171)
Plan of Seaton Church
The lofty chancel arch is of a depressed semicircular
form, and is probably contemporary with the older
part of the north arcade. It is of two moulded orders,
with large half-round soffit moulding, and has a
hood-mould on the side towards the nave only. The
12th-century responds have been much restored and
some of the carving is new or wholly recut, (fn. 172) but they
still retain a great deal of very beautiful original
work. The inner order of the arch rests on halfround columns, and the outer order on the angle shafts,
facing east and west, all with richly carved capitals
and moulded bases on high square chamfered plinths.
The enriched abaci are carried through to the adjoining
walls on the nave side and for a short distance facing
the chancel, the carving consisting chiefly of scrolls
and hatching. The capitals have early volutes and
a variety of sculptured ornament.
The south doorway has a segmental arch with
billet hood-mould and two outer orders with edgerolls, on jambshafts with carved capitals and moulded
bases; the plain chamfered inner order is continued to the ground. The capitals have small
volutes and abaci enriched with studs, scrolls and
fret ornament.
The chancel is very much restored, but preserves
all its 13th-century features. It is divided externally
into two bays by buttresses, and there are pairs of
buttresses at the angles, all of two stages with triangular head at each slope. Externally there is a keelshaped string at sill level, the corresponding string
inside being moulded. In the south wall is a plain
chamfered doorway with moulded imposts and hood
with head-stops. The windows are of one type,
consisting of grouped lancet lights with wide chamfered mullions under a single pointed arch, but they
differ slightly in detail. The east window is of three
graded lights, and its hollow-chamfered containing
arch springs from twice-banded jambshafts with
foliated capitals and moulded bases. The east wall
is faced with alternate courses of ironstone and freestone. The lateral windows, two in the east bay
on each side, and one in the west bay on the south
side, (fn. 173) are of two lights, under an arch with double
chamfered jambs, the spandrels being left plain,
except in the easternmost window on the south side,
which has a sunk quatrefoil. The hoods of the east
and south-west windows have head-stops, but on the
south side the others are continued along the wall.
Internally all the chancel windows have shafted jambs
and mullions and hood-moulds with head-stops.
Except in the east window, where the capitals are
foliated, the shafts have moulded capitals and bases.
The piscina and triple sedilia form a single architectural composition consisting of four moulded trefoil
arches, springing from detached shafts and shafted
jambs with moulded bases and moulded and foliated
capitals. (fn. 174) The sedilia are stepped, and the stops
of the hood-moulds are carved with heads and foliage;
the piscina occupies the easternmost recess and has
an octofoil fluted bowl. At the east end of the north
wall is a pointed aumbry, and there are two trefoiled
aumbries in the east wall, north and south of the
altar. (fn. 175) At its west end the north wall is open to the
organ-chamber by a modern arch. A tall roundheaded opening over the chancel arch was formerly
square-headed and had an oak lintel. (fn. 176) An alabaster
reredos was erected in 1889. (fn. 177)
The nave arcades have semicircular arches of two
orders, on cylindrical pillars and half-round responds.
The two late 12th-century arches of the north arcade
are moulded, with hoods on the side towards the nave,
and the soffits have a hollow between two round
mouldings; towards the aisle the outer order is chamfered. The pillar and responds (fn. 178) have circular
moulded bases, with octagonal lower member,
on square plinths and the capitals have inverted
volutes and divided abaci. In the south arcade both
orders of the arches have edge-rolls, (fn. 179) and there are
hoods on the nave side; the pillars and west respond
have circular moulded capitals and bases, the former
enriched with nail-head and the latter on square
plinths. The contemporary west arch and pillar
of the north arcade are of the same character. At
the east end of the south arcade the arch springs
from a chamfered impost and square respond (fn. 180)
in which is a round-headed rebated recess or aumbry,
and in the aisle adjoining, below the east window,
is a tall square-headed recess without rebate. The
window is of three tall trefoiled lights with cusped
intersecting tracery, and in the usual position in the
south wall is an original round-headed piscina with
plain circular bowl. About 2 ft. further west there
is a later moulded piscina with square trough and
elaborate ogee cinquefoiled head, the canopy of which
has been cut away, probably inserted late in the
14th century, when the chapel may have been remodelled. The west window of the south aisle is a
trefoil-headed lancet with wide internal splay and hood
with notch-stops, but the corresponding window
in the north aisle is a pointed opening of two uncusped
lights with quatrefoil in the head. The jambs of a
former north doorway are visible below the present
north-west window of the aisle. The square-headed
lateral windows of both aisles are modern, of three
and four lights, with tracery copied from that of the
east window of the south aisle. The porch has a coped
gable, pointed continuous moulded outer doorway
and small flanking panelled buttresses; the side windows are blocked.
In the south wall of the south aisle are two wide
pointed tomb recesses, with arches of three chamfered
orders and hood-moulds, in the easternmost of which
a mutilated 13th-century effigy was placed at the
restoration. (fn. 181)
The tower is of three stages, marked by strings,
and has a moulded plinth and pairs of buttresses
at the angles reaching to the top of the second stage,
above which they are continued as flat buttresses
about two-thirds of the height of the bell-chamber.
There is no vice. The pointed west window is of two
uncusped lights with a quatrefoiled circle in the head,
and in the middle stage, north and south, are small
circular windows from which the cusping has been
removed. The pointed bell-chamber windows are
of two lights with circle in the head, but they differ
somewhat in design, those north and south having
jamb and mid-shafts with foliated capitals and moulded
bases, the lights being trefoiled on the south side and
plain lancets on the north. On the west side the windows have hollow chamfered jambs, the outer hollow
being continued to form the inclosing arch, and the
circle in the head is blocked; the east window is of
similar type, but restored, and with a quatrefoil
in the head. Internally the tower opens into the
nave by a pointed arch (fn. 182) of three hollow chamfered
orders, (fn. 183) the two outer continuous, the innermost
on triple clustered shafts with moulded capitals and
bases; the hood-mould has head-stops, one of which
is that of a king. The spire rises directly from the
tower by a series of weatherings, above which it becomes octagonal, with short broaches. There are
three tiers of gabled spire-lights in the cardinal faces,
each of two openings.
The font and pulpit are modern. The old font
had an octagonal bowl, each face carved with a plain
cross, but it was discarded and sawn up at the restoration, and its eight sides, stem, and four legs now form
the back and supports of a stone seat at the west end
of the south aisle.
Wright in 1684 mentions an ancient monument
without any epitaph in an arch in the south wall of the
body of the church on which were 'two coats of arms
cut in the stone uncoloured.' (fn. 184) Of this monument
only the two shields remain, built into the wall
of the south aisle near the doorway. (fn. 185) In the chancel
is a tablet to the Hon. John Monckton of Fineshade
Abbey (d. 1830) and other members of the Monckton
family, (fn. 186) and in the north aisle a memorial to seven
men of the parish killed in the war of 1914–19.
There are said to have been numerous remains of
wall paintings before the restoration, but they were
'too dilapidated to be preserved.' (fn. 187) There was a
St. Christopher on the north wall opposite the entrance. In the porch is an old iron-bound oak chest.
There are five bells in the tower: the first by Henry
Bagley of Chacombe, 1684, the second and fourth
dated 1597, the third by Richard Benetlye of Leicester (c. 1585), and the tenor by Tobie Norris (II) of
Stamford, 1669. (fn. 188) The bells were rehung in a metal
frame in 1914.
The silver plate consists of a cup and cover paten
of 1570–71. There are also a pewter flagon dated
1670 and a pewter plate. (fn. 189)
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) all
entries 1538–53, 1561–1678; (ii) burials 1678–1724;
(iii) baptisms 1680–1757, marriages 1683–1747;
(iv) burials 1725–1812; (v) marriages 1748–76; (vi)
baptisms 1758–1806; (vii) marriages 1777–1812;
(viii) baptisms 1807–1812.
Built into the wall of the organ-chamber are portions
of three coffin lids and another mediæval fragment.
Advowson
A priest is mentioned as living
on Robert de Toeni's manor in
1086. (fn. 190) The advowson was afterwards granted by Hubert de Rye to Thomas de
Beaufoy, and was claimed in 1204 by John Marshal
and Aline and Geoffrey de Chichester and Isabel
against the Prior of Selford and Thomas de Hotot.
Thomas claimed it as dower of his wife Alice, evidently
the widow of Thomas de Beaufoy; and the prior
apparently claimed it of the gift of Thomas de
Beaufoy, for he called Ralf son and heir of the said
Thomas to warrant. (fn. 191) The suit was stopped by
the death of Geoffrey de Chichester. (fn. 192) Apparently the
parties afterwards arrived at an agreement, for in
1239 Roger de Chichester and Ralf de Beaufoy presented to the church; (fn. 193) but later the advowson
remained entirely with the Beaufoys, John Beaufoy
presenting William Beaufoy to the church 'vacant
by the removal of Thomas Beaufoy infected with
leprosy' in 1298. (fn. 194)
In 1349 and 1350 Sir John de Boyvill, the elder,
father of Alice, widow of William de Beaufoy, presented to the church, probably as trustee. (fn. 195) In 1361
Sir Rowland Daneys, guardian of John son of William
Beaufoy, enfeoffed certain trustees of the Glebe acre
in Seaton with the advowson of the church on trust
to reconvey them to him, or in the event of his death
to the Prince, to be appropriated to a chapel which Sir
Rowland had begun to found in honour of the Trinity
in Tickencote churchyard. (fn. 196) The trustees seem to have
presented to the church, but the grant presumably
did not take effect, as the advowson appears to have
remained in the possession of the lords of Up Hall
manor, the descent of which it followed until 1816; (fn. 197)
though John Dryden presented for one turn in 1627,
Lord Montague in 1674, and Edward Cony in 1682. (fn. 198)
In the early part of the 19th century the advowson
was acquired by Philip, fifth Earl of Harborough,
who married Eleanor, daughter and co-heir of Col.
the Hon. John Monckton, and presented in 1842
and 1849. Thomas Heycock presented in 1866,
and the Heycock family in 1894 presented Rev.
Charles William Cartwright, who purchased the
advowson shortly afterwards. The living is a rectory,
net yearly value £682, including 45 acres of glebe,
and is now in the gift of the Rev. Charles Johnson
Cartwright.
Charities
Tryon's Charity, comprised in indentures of lease and release, the
release dated 28 October 1707,
whereby in consideration of a legacy bequeathed by
Charles Tryon for the use and benefit of Seaton
and the poor thereof, and also of a sum of money
paid by Wellesbourn Sill and others and belonging
to the poor of Seaton, certain lands situate in Blaston
(co. Leic.) were conveyed upon trust for the use of
the poor. The lands, containing about 6 acres,
are let at an annual rent of £8, and the income is
paid by the rector and churchwardens to widows
and poor in the parish.
Poor's Land.—The origin of this charity is not
known, but it is understood in the parish that the
land was left by a lady for the benefit of the poor of
Seaton and Thorpe in the proportions of two-thirds
and one-third, and it appears from an entry in an
ancient parish account book under date 18 January
1689, which records the receipt of two years' rent,
that one-third was considered at that time to belong
to the poor of Thorpe. The land has since been
sold, and the endowment is represented by a sum of
£76 16s. 6d. 2½ per cent. Consols with the Official
Trustees, producing £1 18s. 4d. yearly in dividends,
which sum is paid by the churchwardens and one
trustee appointed by the vestry to the poor of Seaton
and Thorpe.
Poor's Land.—The origin of this charity is not
known, but for many years the rent of about 1 rood
of land was applied for the poor of Thorpe.
Manton's Charity is supposed to have been given
many years ago by a person named Manton, but no
will or other document relating to it can be found.
The land, containing about a rood in Thorpe Meadow,
was let, and the rent applied among poor widows of
Thorpe.
For many years the rents of these charities were
received and added to the rents of the Poor's Land
at Seaton, and it is believed that they are now represented in the stock held for that charity.
Charity for benefit of Parish Clerk of Seaton.—
No particulars of appropriation are known in the
parish, nor are there any writings to be found respecting it, but for many years six small pieces of land in
the open field of Seaton, containing about 1½ acres,
have been enjoyed by the parish clerk of Seaton for
the time being, and are considered as attached to
the office of clerk.