PICKWORTH
Pakewrth, Pikeworda, Pykewurthe, Pikeworth,
Picworthe, Pikkeworth (xiii cent.); Pykeworth,
Picworth (xiv cent.); Pikworth, Pykworth (xv cent.).
Pickworth is a parish on the Lincolnshire border
of the county, containing 2,486 acres. The land
on the northern border is well wooded, Newell Wood
being partly in Aunby (co. Linc). There is another
smaller wood called Turnpole Wood to the south-east
of the village. The parish, however, is mainly
arable land, only a small part being laid down to
grass. The south-western part of the parish is known
as Pickworth Plain.
The village is situated in the middle of the parish,
at the intersection of a road from Holywell to Great
Casterton and another road called the Drift running
east and west through the parish and joining the
Great North Road at Losecoat Field.
The somewhat scattered village is an interesting
example of the changes which took place in the
19th century. It now consists of the rebuilt church
and remains of the old church, two farm houses,
one of which, near the church, has been converted into
three cottages, and the new Manor Farm House
built to take its place. The Blue Bell Inn some sixty
years ago was of stone with a thatched roof, but it has
now been given a yellow brick front and modern
roof; inside, however, there are evidences of the
original structure in the old beams and wide chimneys.
The cottages to the east of the inn were built by the
Marquess of Exeter early in Queen Victoria's reign
and took the place of cottages, now demolished, on
the south side of the road.
The site of the ancient manor house is still indicated
by some well-defined ridges in a grass field about
400 yds. north-west of the church. Blore in 1811
states that the site was traceable near the centre of
the parish eastward from the site of the church, in
two fields, one of which was called the Foundations
and the other the Back close. (fn. 1) In Wright's time
the only part of the church of Pickworth which
remained standing was the steeple then called Mockbegger. (fn. 2)
It is supposed that the parish was devastated by
the rebels before the battle of Losecoat Field in
1470, and in 1491 Pickworth was described as having
no parishioners. (fn. 3) Traces of the old floors and
fireplaces, remains of the former village, have been
found in excavations.
About a quarter of a mile south-west of the village
on the Casterton road is Top Pickworth, where
formerly there was a hamlet of some eight cottages,
which have now disappeared or been converted into
outhouses.
Tycho Wing, the astrologer, of the family of
Vincent Wing of North Luffenham, taught the arts
and sciences at Pickworth in 1727. Vincent Wing's
almanac was edited by Tycho from 1739 onwards.
He was coroner of Rutland 1727–1742, and died at
Pickworth in 1750. His portrait is in the Hall of the
Stationers' Company in London. (fn. 4)
John Clare, the Northamptonshire peasant poet,
at one time worked as a limeburner at Pickworth.
The ruins of the church at Pickworth inspired one of
his poems, which was written on a Sunday morning
after the poet had been helping to dig the hole for a
lime kiln. Clare died in 1864. (fn. 5)
Manors
PICKWORTH is not mentioned in
the Domesday Survey. It may possibly
have formed part of Oakham at that
time, as it was subsequently held of Oakham Castle. (fn. 6)
Thomas de Gyney (Gisneto, Gisnay) and Engelram, his son, paid a fine for an offence in the forest
of Rutland in 1176, (fn. 7) and William de Gyney was
apparently holding Pickworth in 1203. (fn. 8) He evidently
joined in the rebellion against King John, for in 1216
his land in Pickworth was granted to Robert de
Peverell. (fn. 9) At the same time his lands in Norfolk
and Lincoln were granted to Robert de Albeni. (fn. 10)
William de Gyney returned to the allegiance of
Henry III and his lands were restored in October
1217. (fn. 11) William was probably brother of Roger de
Gyney of Norfolk who, with his son Walter, occurs
in 1197 and in the reign of King John, in pleas relating
to land in Norfolk. (fn. 12)
Gyney. Paly or and gules a chief ermine.
William himself, with Maud de Gyney his mother,
widow of Baldwin de Gyney, (fn. 13) was concerned in a
plea as to a mill in Whitwell (co. Norf.) in 1205, and
in the same year he paid a fine to be excused from
supplying wood for repairs at
Norwich Castle. (fn. 14) William
made several presentations to
the church of Pickworth in
the early years of the reign of
Henry III. (fn. 15) He served as
collector of a fifteenth in
Norfolk and Suffolk in 1225,
and as a Justice of Assize in
1226. (fn. 16) His son (fn. 17) and successor,
William, was co-heir in 1254
of his uncle Peter de Pelevill,
lord of the manors of Bilney
and Bodeney (co. Norf.), William then being about
30 years of age. (fn. 18)
In 1234 William de Gyney presented Thomas,
son of Thomas de Beggeville, to the church, and he
or another of the same name made other presentations
in 1268 and 1277. In 1284, however, Thomas de
Beggeville presented William de Beggeville, but it was
probably only for that turn. (fn. 19) Four years later a
charter was enrolled recording a grant by Richard,
son of Richard de Pickworth, to Master Henry de
Massington of his manor of Pickworth in Rutland,
to be held of the grantor at a rent of 1d. (fn. 20) In the
previous year Richard had granted to Walter de
Windsor, and his wife Sabina, a mill and a virgate and
a half of land in Pickworth to hold at a rent of 1d. (fn. 21)
This estate Walter and Sabina granted in 1291 to
Master Henry de Nassington. (fn. 22)
In that same year Roger de Gyney, son and heir of
the above-mentioned William de Gyney, who died
about that time, (fn. 23) presented to Pickworth church, (fn. 24)
and it seems possible that Master Henry de Nassington was acting for him in purchasing Richard de
Pickworth's interest in the manor. Roger held one
knight's fee in Pickworth in 1299. (fn. 25) He was knighted
before 1309 when he witnessed a deed relating to
Hambleton. (fn. 26) He was summoned to attend the king
at Berwick, to march against the Scots in 1301. (fn. 27) He
was still alive in 1329, when he tried to establish his
claim to the advowson of the church of Botone
(co. Norf.), (fn. 28) but by 1340 had been succeeded as
lord and patron of Pickworth by his son William. (fn. 29)
Roger Gyney (Geney), son of William, succeeded
him before 1358, when he granted the manor of
Pickworth to trustees, Sir John le Groos and Hugh
Fastolf. (fn. 30) Roger, who served as sheriff of Norfolk
and Suffolk in 1365, (fn. 31) died in 1376 leaving a son
John aged 18 years as his heir, (fn. 32) to whom be left
Pickworth. Sir John, by his will dated 1422, directed
that he should be buried near his son Roger at the
Augustine Friary, Norwich. The manor of Pickworth was sold to Sir Henry Inglose, who had married
Anne, niece and heir of Sir John Gyney, daughter and
heir of his brother Robert by Margaret, daughter
of John Fastolf. (fn. 33) Sir Henry Inglose, who was in
possession of the manor in 1428, (fn. 34) represented
Suffolk in several Parliaments. He died in 1451,
his wife Anne having predeceased him. By his will
he left the manor of Pickworth to trustees to be sold
for the payment of his debts. (fn. 35) It was sold with
the advowson in 1456 to Robert Danvers. (fn. 36) A
conveyance of the manor made in 1462 by John
Ashefeld and Thomas, son and heir of John Fastolf,
to Simon Byrington, Danvers's trustee, (fn. 37) was perhaps
made for security of title to the Danvers.
Not long after his purchase of the manor Robert
Danvers was disturbed in his possession by John
Browe, who 'imagining as well by great mayntenance
and champertie as by great routes and riots to resist
the said Robert and put him in such drede that he
should not be so hardy as to occupy nor approche
the said manor, . . . assembled with 300 persons
armed and arrayed in manner of war and rioutously
at the said maner lay in a wayte of the said Robert
to have distroyed him . . . and then gaf him that
he durst not for drede of his lyfe ther abyde nor
occupie the fruytes.' (fn. 38) Robert, however, retained
his possession and died about 1472 as Sir Robert,
leaving no son. Of his three daughters Alice the
eldest married George Burneby, Anneys or Agnes
married Walter Denys, and another daughter married
Hugh Unton or Umpton. She was represented at
Sir Robert's death by her son Thomas Unton. The
shares of the co-heirs were purchased in 1472 by
Richard Danvers, who was probably brother of Sir
Robert. (fn. 39)
David Malpas presented to the church in 1491,
and in 1495 Sir William Hussey, Chief Justice of the
King's Bench (1481–95), died seised of an interest
in the manor. (fn. 40) Guy Fairfax, one of the justices of
the King's Bench, and others were holding the manor
as trustees for David Malpas, for his life, with remainder
to Hussey and his heirs. (fn. 41) David died two years
later, (fn. 42) and the manor passed to Sir John Hussey,
eldest son of Sir William. Sir John, who became
Lord Hussey in 1529, served the king in many
capacities until 1536, when he fell under the king's
suspicion and was imprisoned in the Tower. In
1537 he was convicted of treason and executed, when
Pickworth manor came to the Crown. In 1541
Lawrence Lee, one of Queen Katherine's footmen,
was appointed keeper of the seven woods in Rutland,
including Pickworth wood which had belonged to
Lord Hussey. (fn. 43) Three years later a lease for 21 years
was made to Richard Greneway, of certain closes and a
warren of coneys in Pickworth
Infield and of the pastures in
Pickworth Outfield, then held
by Robert Harington. (fn. 44)
Hussey. Or a cross vert.
Sir William Cecil, afterwards Lord Burghley, presented to the church in 1560
and 1563 and had probably by
that time acquired the manor.
In 1594 Queen Elizabeth
granted a rabbit warren and
woods in Pickworth, late parcel of the possessions of
Sir John Hussey, to Sir Thomas Cecil with remainder
to his son William Cecil for life, with remainder to
William Cecil, Lord Roos, son of William. James I
made a further grant of the same premises to Thomas,
then Lord Burghley. (fn. 45) In neither grant is any reference made to the manor, but in 1612 Thomas, then
Earl of Exeter, settled the manor of Pickworth on
himself for life with various remainders. (fn. 46) He died
seised of the manor in 1623, (fn. 47) and it has since remained
in the possession of the Earls and later of the
Marquesses of Exeter, following the same descent as
Barrowden (q.v.). (fn. 48)
The priory of Oulston (co. Leic.) held property
in Pickworth at least as early as 1358, (fn. 49) though it is
not known how they acquired it. In the valuation of
the priory's property taken at the Dissolution it is
returned as the farm of a pasture at Pickworth valued
at 13s. 4d. a year. (fn. 50) In 1537 the King's Receiver
accounted for the farm of a pasture called Abbots
Stocking in Pickworth and land called Withawe
Pitts, which had been leased in 1524 under the conventual seal to Sir John Hussey for 50 years. (fn. 51) This
land, which afterwards became known as the manor
of PICKWORTH STOCKING, was granted in
1539 to John Harington, esquire of the Royal Body. (fn. 52)
John was afterwards knighted, (fn. 53) and his grandson,
John, Lord Harington of Exton, died seised of the
manor of Pickworth Stocking in 1613, at Worms, (fn. 54)
being then on his return from attending the marriage of the Princess Elizabeth to Frederick, Prince
Palatine, at Heidelberg. His son John died shortly
afterwards, (fn. 55) and the manor passed to his sister
Lucy, wife of Edward, Earl of Bedford. Lucy and
her husband sold it in 1616 to Francis Stacy of
Clipsham, who sold it in 1623 to George Boteler of
Lye Lodge and Harington Boteler of Cambridge. (fn. 56)
From this date the descent followed that of Clipsham (q.v.).
Church
The church of ALL SAINTS, built
in 1821, stands a short distance to the
south-east of the site of the medieval
church, which is said to have been partially destroyed
at the time of the battle of Losecoat Field, and was
so much decayed in the latter part of the 17th century
that nothing but the steeple was then standing. (fn. 57)
This appears to have consisted of a tower and spire
and was described by Stukeley as 'a very fine steeple,
seen all round the country,' but the spire was taken
down about 1728, and the tower in 1731, to build or
repair bridges at Wakerley and Casterton. (fn. 58) The only
existing remains of the old church (fn. 59) consist of the
14th-century pointed arch of the porch doorway,
which is of two chamfered orders, the outer continuous
and the inner on jambs consisting of three clustered
columns with moulded bases and capitals carved with
beautiful natural foliage: in one case the leaves issue
from the mouth of a human face, and in the other
there is a face in the middle of the foliage. (fn. 60) The
arch stands isolated on open grassland adjoining a farm.
The new church consists of chancel 16 ft. square,
aisleless nave 40 ft. 6 in. by 22 ft., and south porch
7 ft. 3 in. by 7 ft. 9 in., all these measurements being
internal. The porch is at the east end of the south
wall of the nave, to the full height of which it is
carried as a quasi-tower. The building, which is of
rubble with ashlar dressings and has slated eaved roofs,
is of a very plain character. (fn. 61) It was erected by the
Rev. Richard Lucas, rector of Great Casterton, 'at his
own desire and expense,' on land given by the Earl of
Exeter, (fn. 62) but was not consecrated until 1824. The
windows are large round-headed openings with jambshafts, and a heavy round moulding carried round the
head, (fn. 63) and the outer doorway of the porch is of similar
character, but has double jambshafts and a double line
of moulding in the head; the tympanum is quite plain.
The chancel has windows in the east and south walls,
and in the nave there are two windows on each side
and one at the west end. The 'tower' finishes with a
cornice and plain parapet and is without windows, but
in the wall above the doorway are two blind circular
panels. Internally the walls are plastered and the
floor flagged. The chancel is divided from the nave
by a semicircular arch, and both nave and chancel
have plaster ceilings of segmental form. The inner
doorway of the porch is square headed. The threedecker deal pulpit was originally at the west end of
the nave and all the pews faced in that direction. It
is now in the north-east corner of the nave (fn. 64) and the
box-pews (fn. 65) face eastward; the lower part of the nave
walls is panelled in deal.
The square block font has bevelled edges and may
be old; its flat oak cover dates from 1905. The
18th-century communion table has curved legs and
claw feet. The Royal Arms, dated 1839, are over the
west window.
There is one modern bell, rung from the
porch. (fn. 66)
In the chancel is a marble tablet to Joseph Armitage, of Wakefield, Yorks (d. 1820), 'gratefully placed
by the Rev. Rd. Lucas, rector of Casterton Magna
cum Pickworth, who, by property derived from him in
the year 1822, was enabled to erect and endow this
church.' There is a memorial in the nave to three men
of the parish who fell in the war of 1914–19.
Some ancient glass now at Clipsham is said to have
come from the old church at Pickworth.
The plate consists of a cup, paten and a plate all
inscribed 'Pickworth, Rutland. The gift of Richard
Lucas, Rector.' (fn. 67)
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) baptisms and burials 1660–1789, marriages 1660–1753; (ii)
baptisms and burials 1790–1812. (fn. 68)
Advowson
The advowson of the church of
Pickworth belonged in early times to
the lords of the manor. (fn. 69) It is not
mentioned in the conveyance of 1472 by which the
co-heirs of Sir Robert Danvers sold the manor to
Richard Danvers, possibly because the church was
then destroyed, nor is it mentioned in the inquisitions
taken on the deaths of Sir William Hussey and David
Malpas. It is said there were no churchwardens
in 1546 and no church in 1598. (fn. 70) In 1650 at an inquisition held at Uppingham it was found that in Pickworth 'there is noe incumbent or church or hath
beene tyme out of my mynd.' (fn. 71) The advowson of
the sinecure, which seems to have passed, on Lord
Hussey's attainder, to the Crown, was granted in 1588
to Edward Downing and Miles Dodding, who thereupon conveyed it to William, Lord Burghley. (fn. 72) After
the acquisition of the manor by Thomas, Lord Burghley, manor and advowson once more followed the same
descent, though presentations were made by the
Crown in 1636 and 1734. (fn. 73) In the latter year, the
church having long since been destroyed and the
profits being too small to support a rector had the
church been rebuilt, Pickworth was, at the petition of
the parishioners of both parishes, united with Great
Casterton, (fn. 74) the advowson of the latter parish being
also vested in the Earls of Exeter.
There are no charities in this parish.