ESSENDINE
Esindone (xi cent.); Essenden (xii cent.); Esenden,
Esinden, Isenden, Essendene (xiii cent.); Issingden,
Esindon, Esyndon, Essingden (xiv cent.).
Essendine is a small parish containing 1,477 acres
on the Lincolnshire border of the county. The
little village lies on the high road from Stamford to
Bourne, near the junction of the main line of the London
and North Eastern Railway with the Stamford
and Bourne branches. Some old stone cottages still
remain, but those along the main road are mostly of
yellow brick. The village and greater part of the
parish are in the valley of the river Glen, and the land
in the south of the village and the southern part of the
parish is liable to floods.
Until the inclosure of the parish about 615 acres
were open fields, and there was attached to the
manor part of a common called Aunby Heath. About
50 acres of the common fields of Essendine lay interspersed among the common fields belonging to Carlby
(co. Linc), and some of the common fields of Carlby
were in Essendine. By an agreement made in 1803–4,
these lands were exchanged, (fn. 1) and the whole parish
was inclosed by 1811.
The site of the castle of Essendine, now overgrown
with trees, is still to be distinguished to the northeast of the church, though the castle itself has long
since disappeared. The date of the building of the
castle is unknown, but it was probably the work of the
Busseys or of Robert de Vipont at the end of the
12th or early in the 13th century. It is clear that the
lords of the manor had a residence at Essendine for
some centuries, as Robert de Clifford was stocking his
park here with deer in 1296, (fn. 2) and in 1318 John de
Cromwell complained of his park having been broken
into. (fn. 3) The Despensers evidently had a residence, as
Edward le Despenser was born and baptised at
Essendine in 1336. (fn. 4) Blore suggests that the castle
may still have been standing in the time of Queen
Elizabeth, as Lord Treasurer Burghley, in his will,
mentions Essendine as a place of residence for his
younger son Robert, and there is no tradition of any
other mansion house having existed, (fn. 5) but the records
do not mention any castle. The site is a square area
of rather more than an acre, encompassed by a deep
moat.
The park of Essendine was granted to Cecily,
Duchess of Warwick, in 1447. It then contained
200 acres of wood, 200 acres of land and 20 acres of
meadow and lay in Lincolnshire. (fn. 6) The park was
excepted from the grant to Richard Cecil in 1544, and
was granted in 1548 to Sir Edward Fynes, Lord
Clinton. (fn. 7) It was then described as a wood called
Essendine Park, and had been acquired before his
death in 1598 by William, Lord Burghley. (fn. 8)
There was a watermill at Essendine in 1086, rendering 16s. (fn. 9) The mill is mentioned again in 1334, (fn. 10)
1417, (fn. 11) 1440, (fn. 12) and in 1480 it was farmed for 20s. (fn. 13)
Among place-names are Parkelonde, le Deynes,
Rowsoke, Edycroft. (fn. 14) A pasture called Shenyngthorpe or Shellingthorpe in Lincolnshire was part of
the manor of Essendine, (fn. 15) and in the 15th century the
manor was known as Essendine-cum-Shellingthorpe. (fn. 16)
Manor
At the time of the Domesday Survey
ESSENDINE was included among the
lands of the Bishop of Lincoln in Northamptonshire. It belonged to Bardi, a wealthy
Lincolnshire thegn, owner of Liddington and of
Carlby, Sleaford, and other manors in Lincolnshire,
all of which had been given to Remigius, Bishop
of Lincoln. In 1086 Walter held one hide in
Essendine of the bishop. (fn. 17) The overlordship of the
bishops of Lincoln was formally recognised until the
middle of the 14th century, (fn. 18) but, in practice, the
manor appears to have been considered as having
been held in chief. In 1241 the bishop entered
his claim to the custody during a minority, and the
matter seems to have received consideration by the
king's officers, (fn. 19) with the result that in 1242 the
custody was surrendered to the bishop, but not
before he had paid 100 marks for the right. (fn. 20) In
1265 the manor was said to be held of the king in
chief, (fn. 21) and in 1282 of the fee of the Bishop of
Lincoln. (fn. 22) In an inquisition taken in 1334, the
statement that the manor was held of the king was
corrected, and it was returned as held of the bishop. (fn. 23)
After this time the somewhat shadowy claim of the
bishop seems to have lapsed, and the manor became
an appurtenance of Oakham Castle. (fn. 24)
Walter, who held Essendine of the bishop in 1086,
appears to be identical with Walter Espec, founder
of the monasteries of Rievaulx and Kirkham in Yorkshire and of Warden in Bedfordshire, in the time of
Henry I. He was probably son of William Espec,
holder in 1086 of a number of manors in Bedfordshire
including Warden. (fn. 25) Walter died without issue, and
the manor passed before 1159 (fn. 26) to his nephew and
co-heir, William de Bussey, son of Walter's sister,
Hawisia. William died about 1177, leaving two sons,
Bartholomew, who died about 1179, and Walter, who
died before 1182, neither of whom apparently left
any issue. (fn. 27) William's widow Rose, daughter of
Baldwin Fitz Gilbert de Clare, married Baldwin
Buelot and was again a widow by 1185, when, it was
reported, she had two daughters, Cecily the wife of
John de Builli and Maud the wife of Hugh Wake. (fn. 28)
Rose, with the consent of her daughters, gave to the
monks of St. Andrew, Northampton, 12 acres of the
demesne of Essendine, for which they undertook to
maintain a chaplain to serve the chapel there. (fn. 29) She
also gave them 18 acres of her demesne and the tithes
of the assarts of Essendine to be received with the
tithes of the rest of the town. (fn. 30)
Vipont. Or six rings gules.
Essendine passed to Rose's daughter Cecily, wife
of John de Builli, son of Richard de Builli founder of
Roche Abbey. Cecily had two daughters, Joan the
wife of Thomas Gravenel, and Idonea the wife of
Robert de Vipont. (fn. 31) Essendine went to Idonea, and
she and her husband had livery of the lands in 1213.
Robert de Vipont was active in the service of King
John, and he and his brother Ivo were accounted by
Matthew Paris as among the king's evil counsellors. (fn. 32)
Robert was with the king in
France in 1202, (fn. 33) and Arthur,
the king's nephew, was committed to his charge. He was
sheriff of Nottingham in 1207 (fn. 34)
and later of Cumberland and
Westmorland. (fn. 35) He died before 1 Feb. 1228, when the
custody of his land and of
John de Vipont, his heir, was
granted to Hubert de Burgh,
Earl of Kent, the Justiciar. (fn. 36)
Idonea's inheritance, which
had been taken into the king's hands on Robert's
death, was restored to her, (fn. 37) and in 1230 she
claimed to be quit of suit of shire and hundred
courts for her men of Essendine. (fn. 38) John de Vipont
and his mother Idonea both died in 1241. The
marriage of John's children was granted to John
Fitz Geoffrey. (fn. 39) In 1242 Alice, Countess of Eu, and
the Bishop of Lincoln each made a fine of 100 marks
for having the custody of the land which Idonea held
in their respective fees. (fn. 40) Robert, son and heir of
John de Vipont, (fn. 41) was an adherent of Simon de Montfort, and his name appears among the list of barons
whose seal was required to ratify the peace made
between Henry III and the barons in 1261. (fn. 42) He
died in 1264, when the custody of the county of Westmorland and all his lands was granted to John, son
of John. (fn. 43) His manor of Essendine was then valued
at £50. (fn. 44) He left as heirs two young daughters; the
wardship and marriage of the elder, Isabel, was
granted in 1265 to Roger de Clifford, and of the
younger, Idonea, to Roger de Leyburn. (fn. 45) Idonea,
who was in the charge of Bertha de Furnival, and
Isabel, who was in the charge of the Countess of
Winchester, were to be sent to the king. (fn. 46) In the
following year the trespasses of their father were
remitted at the instance of Roger de Clifford and
Roger de Leyburn. (fn. 47) Isabel, then the wife of Roger,
son of Roger de Clifford, came of age in 1269. (fn. 48) Her
sister was married to Roger de Leyburn. Up to the
time of the death of Roger de Clifford in 1281 there had
been no partition of the estates between the sisters, (fn. 49)
and as Roger died in debt to the Crown, Isabel
had to give security for Roger's goods in the manor
of Essendine. (fn. 50) Isabel was probably dead before 1296,
when her son, Robert de Clifford, received four live
bucks and eight does to stock his park of Essendine. (fn. 51)
Robert de Clifford was still holding Essendine in 1305, (fn. 52)
but a partition was probably made about this time, for
Idonea and her second husband, John de Cromwell,
were in possession in 1308, (fn. 53) when they obtained a
grant of free warren there. (fn. 54)
Despenser. Quarterly argent and gules fretty or with a bend sable over all.
In 1323 John and Idonea settled this manor on
themselves during the life of Idonea, with remainders
to Hugh le Despenser, the younger, for life, to Hugh
le Despenser, the elder, for life, and to Edward, son
of Hugh le Despenser, the younger. (fn. 55) Three years
later John was under the king's displeasure, as he
refused to return from beyond seas in spite of repeated
commands to do so. All his
manors, including those held
in right of his wife, were given
into the custody of Roger de
Bylney, but the issues were
in August 1326 granted to
Idonea during pleasure, and
she was to be permitted to
have the stock and goods and
all jewels, etc., belonging to
her chamber, but the horses,
armour, falcons, jewels and
other possessions of John were
reserved to the king. (fn. 56) John
de Cromwell probably returned early in the reign of
Edward III, as he was suing his bailiff, Richard de
Roderam, touching his accounts for the manor early in
1327. (fn. 57)
In 1331 John de Cromwell and Idonea took advantage of the statute annulling all fines levied by force
and duress after the exile of the Despensers, and
tried to obtain an annulment of the fine of 1323,
which they said had been so levied. (fn. 58) They were
evidently unsuccessful, for when Idonea died in 1334.
the manor was delivered to Edward, son of Hugh le
Despenser, the younger, as next in remainder under
the settlement of 1323, both Hughs being then dead. (fn. 59)
Edward died in 1342. His son and successor, Edward,
was born at Essendine on 24 March 1336, and baptised
in the church of St. Mary Magdalen there on the same
day. He proved his age in 1356. (fn. 60) He granted twothirds of the manor to his brother Thomas for life,
and on Thomas's death in 1381, this part reverted
to Thomas, son of Edward, (fn. 61) who had succeeded his
father as Lord Despenser in 1375. (fn. 62) In 1381 Thomas
was still a minor, and the two-thirds of the manor were
committed to his mother, Elizabeth, till he should
come of age; (fn. 63) she claimed in 1382 the remaining
third as dower. (fn. 64) Elizabeth survived her son, who
was executed in 1400. (fn. 65) He had given the manor to
Hugh le Despenser for life, and on Hugh's death the
king granted the manor in 1401 to his esquire, John
Blount, to hold during the minority of Richard, son
of Thomas, Lord Despenser. (fn. 66) The site of the
manor was assigned as dower to Thomas's widow,
Constance, who died in 1416, Richard having died in
1414 while still a minor. (fn. 67) Isabel, sister of Richard,
was twice married. By her first husband, Richard
de Beauchamp, Lord Bergavenny, she had one
daughter, Elizabeth, who married Sir Edward Neville,
created Lord Bergavenny. Her second husband was
Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, cousin of
her first husband, who was holding the manor of
Essendine in her right in 1428. (fn. 68) The Earl and
Countess both died in 1439,
their son Henry being then
16 years of age. (fn. 69) He was
created Duke of Warwick in
1445, and died seised of Essendine manor in June 1446, (fn. 70)
leaving a daughter Anne, aged
two. The manor was granted
to Henry's widow, Cecily, in
May 1447. (fn. 71)
Beauchamp. Gules a fesse between six crosslets or.
Essendine passed in the same
way as Barrowden to George,
Duke of Clarence. In 1480 the
manor was in the king's hands, and he appointed John
Walle, one of the valets of the Crown, to be bailiff,
William Hussey being then steward. (fn. 72) In 1485
Everard Digby was appointed bailiff, (fn. 73) and in the
following year Simon Digby became steward. (fn. 74) He
surrendered this office in 1515 to Everard Digby, (fn. 75)
son of the above-named Everard. The father,
Everard, died early in 1509, (fn. 76) and David Cecil was
appointed in that year to succeed him as bailiff. (fn. 77)
Cecil also obtained a lease of the demesnes of the
manor for 21 years. (fn. 78) In 1532 David's son Richard
obtained a lease in reversion for 60 years, (fn. 79) but in
1544 the whole manor, with the exception of the park
and advowson, was granted in fee to Richard, then
described as the king's servant. (fn. 80) In the following
year a further grant of the manor was made to Richard,
then of Little Burghley (co. Northant.), and his son
William, who was afterwards Lord Burghley, and
Mildred, one of the daughters of Anthony Cooke,
whom William afterwards married. (fn. 81) Richard died
19 March 1553. (fn. 82) William Cecil made several settlements of the manor, (fn. 83) and died seised of it in 1598. (fn. 84)
It then passed to his second son Robert, (fn. 85) Principal
Secretary of State from 1596–1612. He was created
Baron Cecil of Essendine in 1603 and Earl of Salisbury
in 1605. He died in 1612, (fn. 86) and was buried at Hatfield.
His son William had just come of age. William
was on the side of the Parliament in the Civil War,
and sat in Cromwell's House of Commons in 1645,
1654 and 1656. After the Restoration, however, he
was received into favour by Charles II, and was made
High Steward of St. Albans. He died in 1668 at
the age of 78. (fn. 87) His grandson James, son of Charles
Cecil, succeeded, and the manor of Essendine passed
with the title of Earl and Marquess of Salisbury. (fn. 88) The
Marquess of Salisbury was
holding in 1811, (fn. 89) but the
subsequent descent is obscure,
and probably the manorial
rights have fallen into desuetude.
Cecil. Barry of ten argent and azure with six scutcheons sable each charged with a lion argent and in chief the difference of a crescent gules.
Church
The church of
ST. MARY
MAGDALENE (fn. 90) stands on the southwest portion of the site of the
earthwork known as Essendine
Castle, (fn. 91) and consists of chancel 25 ft. 6 in. by 15 ft., and
aisleless nave 43 ft. by 17 ft.
6 in., with double bell-cote over the west gable.
These measurements are internal. The building
has been a good deal repaired, and in part rebuilt,
but in the main is a 12th-century structure remodelled
in the 13th century, in which latter period the chancel
appears to have been rebuilt on its present plan,
new windows being inserted later in both chancel
and nave. A considerable amount of reconstruction
appears to have taken place during the second quarter
of the 19th century, (fn. 92) the west wall being taken down
and rebuilt, a massive buttress which had been erected
against the middle of the wall, hiding the west window,
being then removed. (fn. 93) The chancel has also been rebuilt
but retains many of the ancient features. There was a
further restoration in 1888.
The nave is of rubble, and the north side of the
chancel is built of coursed dressed stones, but on the
east and south the chancel is faced with ashlar above
a high chamfered plinth of dressed stones. The
chancel and nave are under separate stone-slated
eaved roofs, the ridge of the chancel roof being the
higher. The walls are plastered internally.
Though much rebuilt, the south wall of the nave
retains its original doorway, the date of which is
c. 1130–40. The semicircular tympanum is set
within a segmental arch, (fn. 94) the space on either side
being made up with stone filling, which suggests
that it is part of an older (fn. 95) doorway re-used, or that
there has been some reconstruction of the existing
doorway subsequent to its erection. The tympanum
is carved with a half-length figure of Our Lord in
glory within an incomplete vesica supported by an
angel on either side with hands upraised; on the
dexter side above the angel is the abbreviated name
IHC. (fn. 96) The bottom of the tympanum has apparently
been cut to a slight camber, in order to provide
more headroom. The flat jambs of the doorway,
within the arched opening, are elaborately carved,
but the sculpture is much weathered, and is now
rapidly perishing. The carving may have originally
extended to the inner surfaces, but in places some of
the stones have been moved and others mutilated,
making identification of the subjects represented
difficult. Some of the sculpture is now set up inside
the nave on the east side of the doorway. Externally,
on the west side, are two figures (fn. 97) under a tree in the
upper part, but the lower part is obliterated, and on
the east side is a stag under a tree; inside is a mutilated stone with figures of two men (fn. 98) holding crooks,
or sticks, and on another is the foot of a beast. The
inclosing arch is of a single square order with cheveron
on the wall plane and hood-mould enriched with
lozenge ornament; the ends of the hood-mould
are turned outwards and slightly upwards. (fn. 99) The
arch springs from angle-shafts with moulded bases and
plain cushion capitals with heavy chamfered abaci, the
whole surface of the shafts to within about 5 in. of
the neck moulding being carved with spiral ornament,
the upper part having a band of diaper-work.
The north doorway is also of 12th-century date,
but is of very plain character and square-headed
externally, the lintel having two rows of plain incised
indented ornament; on the inside there is an
unmoulded semicircular arch and plain recessed
tympanum.
The opening between the chancel and nave also
belongs to the 12th century, but the arch was rebuilt
in pointed form in the succeeding century, the old
stones being re-used. On the side towards the nave
it is of two orders, the outer carved with bold
cheverons on the wall plane, and the square inner
order with a large round moulding on the soffit.
There is no hood, and towards the chancel only one
square order. The inner order springs from halfround responds with moulded bases and plain capitals
with octagonal abaci, and the outer from angle-shafts
with tall flattened cushion capitals (fn. 100) and moulded
bases. All the bases have indented ornament on the
lower member. No other distinctly 12th-century
architectural features remain.
The chancel is of two bays marked externally by
buttresses; it has a modern east window of three
graded lancets, (fn. 101) and in each bay on the south side,
and in the east bay in the north, a pointed two-light
window with forked mullion. These windows are
modern, but are copied from one on the north side
of the nave inserted in the latter half of the 13th
century. At the west end of the south wall of the
chancel is a blocked 14th-century low-side window,
consisting of a quatrefoil within a square, fitted inside
with modern oak doors, (fn. 102) and in the usual position
near the east end a plain 13th-century piscina, the
bowl of which has been mutilated.
At the west end of the nave is a widely splayed
and much-restored lancet window, and there is a
13th-century window of two pointed lights with
straight-sided hood-mould, (fn. 103) near the east end of the
south wall. Two other windows on the south side
are modern. A small rectangular moulded window
at the east end of the north wall, the sill of which is
about 7 ft. above the ground, appears to be a 17thcentury insertion, probably to light a pulpit.
The 13th-century bell-cote has two gablets without
crosses, and the openings consist of single-chamfered
arches on shafted jambs with moulded capitals and
bases. The bells are both dated 1808, but are without
founder's name or mark. (fn. 104)
The font has a plain octagonal basin with chamfered
under edge, on a modern square stem.
At the east end of the nave, south of the chancel
arch, are the remains of a wall-painting. (fn. 105) A memorial
to four men of the parish who fell in the war of 1914–19
is on the same wall.
The pulpit and all the fittings are modern. (fn. 106)
The plate includes a silver cup of 1577–8, inscribed
'Essendine Church ' in later lettering.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) baptisms 1600–05, 1621–1778, marriages 1624–90,
1697–1754, burials 1621–1778; (ii) baptisms 1779–
1812, burials 1780–81; (fn. 107) (iii) marriages 1754–1812. (fn. 108)
Advowson
Essendine is a chapelry of Ryhall
and its advowson has followed the
descent of that of Ryhall (q.v.).
There are no charities for the parish.