TICKENCOTE
Tichecote (xi cent.); Tikencote (xii cent.); Tykencot (xiii cent.); Tykingkote (xiv cent.); Totyncote,
Tetyncote (xv cent.); Thekencote (xvi cent.).
The parish of Tickencote, in the eastern part of
the county to the north-west of Stamford, contains
1,293 acres, of which five are covered by water and
the greater part of the remainder are laid down to
permanent pasture. The subsoil is Inferior Oolite
and, by the river, Great Oolite. The Great North
Road, which here follows the line of Ermine Street, lies
just within the north-eastern boundary of the parish;
the small portion of the parish lying to the north-east
of this road contains Warren Wood and the building
known as Tickencote Warren. The village is picturesquely situated on the southern slope of the hill
from the Great North Road to the River Gwash, which
flows through the parish, and beside the river there is
a mill, only recently out of use. The houses, which
are of stone, include the former rectory opposite the
church, which is of considerable interest, and a number
of thatched cottages, two of which have been burnt
down and not yet rebuilt. Alterations appear to have
taken place in the village streets. It seems probable
that there was a definite road where the path runs
south-east of the school and the present flagstaff,
erected by Col. Wingfield in commemoration of His
Majesty's Coronation. The path joins the road in
the direction of Great Casterton. Probably this road
branched off to join the earlier road by the church.
This road led round the west end of the church and
thence to the south of it, along the Rifle Range
erected about 1906.
The Hall stands a short distance south-west of the
church, with Tickencote Park to the north and west.
It is a well-designed early 18th-century (fn. 1) building of
two principal stories in the Italian style of the period,
with tall sash windows, eaves, cornice and quoined
angles. On the main front the central block has a
pediment containing a shield with the arms of Wing
field, a semicircular flight of steps to the entrance,
and projecting wings. (fn. 2) A detached low two-story
17th-century building with mullioned windows and
stone-slated eaved roof, which stands a short distance
to the south-east, is apparently part of, or belonged to,
an older house, but was later used as offices and
stables.
There are besides the main village two groups of
farm buildings, Tickencote Lodge and Wild's Lodge,
the latter now used as cottages. Both groups are
close by the river. There is a wood north-west of
the village known as Tickencote Launde, and Tickencote Lodge and Wild's Lodge are suggestive of forest
land.
Manors
TICKENCOTE was held at the time
of Domesday (1086) by the Countess
Judith (fn. 3) and thence passed to the
St. Liz family and the Kings of Scotland, as parcel
of the Honour of Huntingdon, until in the reign of
Henry III, on the death of John le Scot, the honour
was divided among his co-heirs and Tickencote followed the descent of the Hastings purparty. (fn. 4) By the
time of Edward III the ' corpus of the honor was
dismembered and that feudal description ceased to
have any great significance.' (fn. 5)
In 1086 Grimbald held of the Countess 3 hides less
one bovate in Tickencote. (fn. 6) He was succeeded by his
son, Robert Grimbald, (fn. 7) who founded the Priory of
Austin Canons at Owston and gave them the church
of Tickencote, which gift was confirmed by Robert
de Chesney, Bishop of Lincoln (1147–68). (fn. 8) The
descent of the Grimbald family has been traced under
Diddington (co. Hunts, q.v.). (fn. 9) William Grimbald,
apparently son of Robert, granted land in Tickencote
to Henry, son of Richard de Tickencote, in 1199. (fn. 10)
Robert, son of William Grimbald, seems to have died
in 1216, when the custody of his lands in Tickencote
was granted to John de Candi. (fn. 11) This Robert Grimbald, or a son of the same name, in 1234 acknowledged
the right of the abbot of Owston to present to Tickencote church. (fn. 12) He was returned as overlord of the
manor in 1250. (fn. 13) William, son of Robert, who was a
minor in 1265, married Mabel, sister of John Kirkby,
Bishop of Ely, and their son Robert was of the age of
30 years in 1312. (fn. 14) The mesne lordship probably
passed with Diddington (q.v.) to Robert's brother,
William (d. 1328), then to William his son (d. 1350),
and to Robert his son, who died young. (fn. 15)
The tenant holding at all events a part of the manor
of the Grimbalds was Henry, son of Richard de
Tickencote, who was granted 6 bovates of land here
for a fifth of a fee. (fn. 16) Henry de Tickencote had licence
to export bread in 1224. (fn. 17) Before 1234, however, the
manor had passed to William le Daneys, who, with
his overlord Robert Grimbald, consented to the
presentation to the church of Tickencote by the abbot
of Owston (co. Leic.). (fn. 18) William had married as his
second wife Mabel, who was apparently heiress of the
Tickencotes, as on the death of William in 1250 his
widow Mabel had the custody of the manor (fn. 19) until
the majority of the heir, John, which occurred in
1253. (fn. 20) John in that year had seisin of the manor,
which had been in the king's hands on account of the
debt owing from William de Plessetis, who had a lien
on the manor from William le Daneys, saving the
dower of Mabel. (fn. 21) John le Daneys seems to have died
without issue before 1263, when lands in Tickencote
were settled on Mabel for life with reversion to
William, (fn. 22) son of Richard le Daneys, brother of Mabel's
husband William. (fn. 23) William, son of William son of
Richard, had a son Brice le Daneys, (fn. 24) who with Isabel
his wife was holding lands in Tickencote in 1287. (fn. 25)
Brice held a quarter of a fee and Hugh de Bussey half
a fee there in 1305. (fn. 26) Before 1311, however, Brice
had acquired the manor, which he settled in that year
on himself and Joan, probably his second wife. (fn. 27)
Brice was knight of the shire for Rutland in 1312 and
took a prominent part in the affairs of the county.
In the same year he was involved in a suit against
Grimbald, son of Grimbald Pauncefort, heir of Brice's
cousin, Ella le Daneys, as to lands in Hildesham. (fn. 28)
Brice died before 1344, when Oger Daveys (Daneys)
released to his brother Roland all claim to the manor
of Tickencote and all other lands which formerly
belonged to Brice in Empingham. (fn. 29) The relationship
of Brice to the brothers does not appear. Roland
was knight of the shire in 1352 and in 1362 died seised
of the manor of Tickencote. (fn. 30) His widow, Elizabeth,
held the manor for life, by gift of Alexander Skulthorpe and Richard Daneys, with remainder to John,
son of Oliver (? Oger), then aged 24 years, and died
in 1377. (fn. 31) John had livery of his uncle's lands, (fn. 32) so
we may conclude that Oliver is a scribal error for
Oger, brother of Roland. In 1400 John died seised
of the manor leaving his son and heir John, aged
25 years. (fn. 33) In 1433 John Daneys, Kt., died seised of
the manor, including a hall, chapel, dovecote, view of
frankpledge and Court Baron, and left Robert his son
and heir aged 23 years. (fn. 34) In 1434 Robert Daneys of
Tickencote was sheriff. (fn. 35) In the following or same
year he died without issue, leaving his sister Joan,
the wife of Thomas Dale, aged 22 years, and Elizabeth
aged 20, his co-heirs. (fn. 36) Thomas Dale was sheriff
of Rutland in 1457 and John son of Thomas in 1468. (fn. 37)
In 1479 John died seised of the manor, leaving William
his son and heir aged 8 years. (fn. 38) In 1535 William
settled the manor and died in 1536. His heirs were
his daughters Anne Fetyplace, Joan Wollascot and
his granddaughter, Margaret Lynne, (fn. 39) who inherited
Tickencote. Margaret married John Campynett, and
in 1551 he granted the manor of Tickencote and 40s.
rent in Tickencote and Empingham to trustees for
himself and Margaret in survivorship, with remainder
to their heirs and with further remainder to the heirs
of John. (fn. 40) This settlement led to much litigation, as
John Campynett died in 1557, (fn. 41) and Margaret, who
survived him, married Paul Gresham. John's brother,
William Campynett, claimed the inheritance and lost
his case. (fn. 42) On Paul's death Margaret married
Robert Ratcliffe, but as Paul Gresham had previously
settled the property upon their children, and as their
sons died without issue, the property, on the death
of Margaret in 1594, passed to their only daughter,
Elizabeth, the wife of John Wingfield. (fn. 43) Elizabeth
Wingfield died in 1602 seised of the manor of Tickencote, held of the king in chief by knight service,
leaving John Wingfield, her husband, holding the
premises by courtesy; her son and heir John Wingfield
was aged 8 years. (fn. 44) Sir John Wingfield, Kt., the
son, made a settlement on his marriage with Frances,
daughter of Lord Edward Cromwell, and died in 1632
seised of the manor and a wood called Bowyowe Wood
in Tickencote, tenements bought of Edward Maria
Wingfield, leaving a son Richard, aged 12. (fn. 45) It is
possible that Bowyowe Wood was the parcel of woodland in the parish of Tickencote containing 24 acres
of which Robert, Earl of Salisbury, died seised in
1612. (fn. 46) Sir Richard was succeeded by his son, John
Wingfield, in 1663, (fn. 47) who held the manor and also
view of frankpledge in 1673. (fn. 48) John died in 1680
and was succeeded by his son John, who held the
manor and died in 1734. (fn. 49) His son John died in his
lifetime, but he was succeeded by his grandson John. (fn. 50)
This John Wingfield held the manor and died in 1773, (fn. 51)
his wife Sarah surviving him. (fn. 52) In 1787 Sarah Wingfield and her son, John Wingfield, were dealing with
the manor and also free warren, courts leet and
courts baron. (fn. 53) John Wingfield was succeeded by
John Muxloe Wingfield, the owner in 1846 of all
the soil of the parish except 3 acres of glebe. (fn. 54) He
was succeeded by his son John Harry Lee Wingfield,
who died in 1880. (fn. 55) His elder
son, Col. John Maurice Wingfield, D.S.O., O.B.E., J.P.,
died in 1931 and left the
estates to his nephew, John
Llewellyn Parry, in tail male
with a proviso that he should
assume the name of Wingfield.
Wingfield. Argent a bend gules cotised sable with three pairs of wings argent upon the bend.
In 1185 the Knights Templars held in Tickencote of the
gift of Ralph Grimbald one
bovate of land which Asceline
the priest had for 4s. (fn. 56) This
holding is difficult to trace; in
the report of Prior Philip de
Thame to the Grand Master for a.d. 1338, there is
no mention of its having come into the hands of the
Hospitallers, and it is well known that some of the
Templars' lands were never surrendered to them. (fn. 57)
It is tempting to identify this holding with 78 acres
of glebe mentioned in an undated 18th-century
terrier in the Peterborough Diocesan Register, the
fields now forming part of the manorial lands and
probably now known as Rectory Fields. (fn. 58)
In 1504. there was a quitclaim to the heirs of Hugh
Asherton of a holding in Tickencote. (fn. 59) In 1535 Sir
Robert Peyton and Frances his wife had licence to
settle a considerable estate in Lyndon and Tickencote
on themselves for life, with remainder to their son
Robert Peyton, with contingent remainders over. (fn. 60)
In 1553 licence was granted to the said Frances,
widow, her son Robert Peyton and others to grant
the last-mentioned premises with some additions and
view of frankpledge to John Hunt his heirs and
assigns. (fn. 61) It is not clear how much of this holding was
in Tickencote, but in 1673 the view of frankpledge
had come into the hands of the Wingfield family. (fn. 62)
Church
The church of ST. PETER consists
of a vaulted chancel 21 ft. by 17 ft. 6 in.,
nave 32 ft. 6 in. by 21 ft. 6 in., north
vestry 8 ft. by 7 ft. 3 in., and south porch 8 ft. 2 in.
by 6 ft. 5 in., all these measurements being internal.
The vestry and porch are opposite one another at the
east end of the nave, the porch being carried up as a
tower, with pyramidal slated roof. The chancel and
nave are under a continuous slated roof with east and
west gables. The vestry is the full height of the walls
of chancel and nave.
With the exception of the chancel arch, which is a
particularly rich example of Norman work, c. 1160–70
or perhaps a little later, the whole of the church was
rebuilt in 1792 by Miss Eliza Wingfield from the
designs of Samuel Pepys Cockerell. (fn. 63) The chancel,
however, was rebuilt on the old plan and in imitation
of the old work, (fn. 64) and though far from being an exact
copy, still to a large extent preserves the main
characteristics of the Norman building. No attempt
was made to reproduce the old nave, Cockerell's
design being meant to harmonise with and carry
westward the main lines and features of the rebuilt
12th-century chancel: as a late 18th-century version
of Norman architecture it has a certain historical
value and interest, but the complete disappearance
of any vestige of old work west of the chancel is much
to be regretted. There exist, however, perspective
drawings and a plan of the chancel made by Dr.
Stukeley in 1731, (fn. 65) a plan of the whole building and
other drawings made by Carter in 1780, (fn. 66) and a view
from the north-east by Carter taken in 1785. (fn. 67) From
these a fairly complete knowledge of the church as it
existed in the half-century prior to its rebuilding can
be obtained, though there are discrepancies in the
drawings, and their accuracy has been questioned. (fn. 68) It
is difficult, therefore, to determine with what amount
of fidelity the old work was followed at the rebuilding.
Carter's plan (fn. 69) shows an aisleless nave about 33 ft.
6 in. by 23 ft., with north and south doorways near the
west end, the former blocked, a west window of three
lights, and north and south windows of two lights
in the eastern half. The south doorway was covered
by a porch. The north wall was of considerable
thickness (fn. 70) at its east end, where it joined the chancel
arch, but gradually narrowed westward, and the west
and south walls appear to have been about 27 in.
thick. The other drawings show that the south doorway was of 12th-century date, with an outer roundheaded arch of a single cheveron moulded order on
jambshafts with cushion capitals, but the inner order
or arch was apparently much later with a flat-pointed
head. (fn. 71) The nave was covered by a low-pitched,
leaded eaved roof, and over the chancel arch was a
bell-cote with arched openings for two bells under a
single gable surmounted by a cross and pierced by a
small pointed opening. (fn. 72) The bell-cote, like others
in the county, was probably of 13th-century date,
in which period the nave may have been rebuilt.
There was a 13th-century moulded tomb recess, (fn. 73)
containing a coffin lid with floriated cross, in the north
wall, but the evidence of the drawings is not sufficient
to enable a definite date to be assigned to the nave as
a whole. There is, however, no reason to suppose
that the 12th-century south doorway was not part
of the original structure, which was probably reconstructed in the 13th and altered in the 15th
century. The north and south windows were
square-headed and apparently of the latter period,
and the low-pitched roof was probably then
erected. (fn. 74) The west window is not shown in any
of the drawings.
Sketch by Dr. Stukeley of Tickencote Church
The whole of the building is said to have been in a
state of dilapidation and decay in the years immediately preceding the rebuilding. Both Stukeley's and
Carter's drawings bear this out, as well in the chancel (fn. 75)
as in the nave. The round-headed east window
appears to have been lengthened downwards, its sill
cutting into the wall-arcade below, (fn. 76) and mullions
dividing it into three lights inserted. (fn. 77) The easternmost window on the north side had also been divided
into two lights by a mullion. The other north window
was blocked and a doorway had been cut through the
wall below it. (fn. 78) On the south side little or nothing
of the 12th-century walling remained, a chapel
dedicated to the Holy Trinity having been added on
that side early in the 14th century, and two pointed
arches pierced through the wall, one on each side of
the abutment (fn. 79) of the transverse arch of the vault.
The chapel measured internally about 18 ft. by 15 ft., (fn. 80)
but had long been demolished, the arches filled in and
square-headed windows inserted.
In rebuilding the chancel the old materials are said
to have been re-used where possible, (fn. 81) but a stair in
the thickness of the wall at the north-east angle,
which led to the roof space, or a chamber above the
vault, was omitted, and part of the floor (at the west
end) was raised. (fn. 82) The rebuilt elevations, as already
pointed out, are conjectural restorations rather than
copies of the then existing work: the whole of the
south wall is new, the design being copied from what
remained on the north side, and the cornice (fn. 83) has no
relation to anything that was there before,
the old roof being eaved.
The chancel is of two bays combined into
one by the use of a sexpartite vault (fn. 84) and
lighted on each side by two round-headed
windows and by one at the east end. The
external elevations consist each of four bays,
formed by tall half-round buttresses, and are
divided horizontally into three well-marked
stages, with two more above in the east gable.
At the eastern angles the buttresses form large,
triple-clustered shafts (fn. 85) extending to the
middle of the third stage. The ground stage
throughout is occupied by a wall-arcade consisting of intersecting semicircular moulded
arches, one full arch to each bay, springing from
jambshafts with moulded abaci only, middle-shafts
with scalloped capitals, all with plain bases on a
continuous chamfered plinth and sub-plinth. The
stringcourse above the arcade has a round between
two quirks and forms the sills of the windows. The
second stage is blank except for the windows, like
the third stage on the north and south, the dividing
stringcourse being decorated with a double billet.
This string serves as a hood to the windows, and like
the one below is taken round the buttresses. The
window arches are of a single enriched moulded order
on jambshafts with cushion capitals and moulded
bases, the enrichment consisting of the same ornament
as that used in the cornice. At the east end the third
stage is occupied by a series of four round-headed
recesses, or blind windows, the arches decorated
with double cheverons on jambshafts, with cushion
capitals and moulded bases, and an outer continuous
billet-moulded order. Above this the gable is
divided into two more stages by enriched strings, the
topmost triangular portion having three squareheaded recesses with another above. (fn. 86) The fourth
stage is occupied its full height by an arcade of continuous cheveron moulded arches, on either side of a
tall round-headed window, the sill of which is extended downward to the middle of the stage below.
This window has two continuous lines of billetmoulding, and an enriched sill supported by carved
heads; there are also carved heads above and on
either side of the opening. This upper window lights
the roof space over the vault, which cuts across and
blocks its lower portion, (fn. 87) though the opening is now
glazed its full height. The whole of the work in the
east front is of a very elaborate description, (fn. 88) nearly
every part being enriched with cheveron, billet or
other ornament, the only unrelieved surfaces being
in the second stage. The middle buttress stops below
the east window, but those on either side are taken, in
receding stages, almost the full height of the wall.
Plan of Tickencote Church by J. Carter, Sept. 1780
Internally there is a string round the chancel at
sill level and the windows have an outer cheveron
arch on shafts with cushion capitals and moulded
bases; the splays are continued round the heads.
The vault ribs spring at the angles from low pillars
with scalloped and cushion capitals varying in design,
flanked by tall shafts carrying the moulded wall
arches, (fn. 89) and the transverse arch from a similar halfround column or respond on the north side. (fn. 90) The
ribs and the transverse arch are elaborately decorated
on each side with cheverons and the circular boss at
the intersection is carved with three small heads. The
cells of the vault are plastered. The walls are of
bare stone. There are no ancient ritual arrangements
in the form of piscina, sedile or aumbry. (fn. 91)
The magnificent chancel arch is the chief feature
of interest in the church and the only part of the
fabric that was not taken down in 1792. It has been
carefully preserved and there are no indications of
its having been in any way altered or rechiselled. (fn. 92)
Settlement has caused the arch to spread and has
pushed the jambs outward; its shape is now an irregular half-ellipse. On the side facing the nave the arch
is of six elaborately moulded and enriched orders with
hood-mould, but towards the chancel of two orders
only. On the west side the outer order rests on
square jambs with moulded imposts, and the next
four orders on angle-shafts with scalloped and other
capitals varying in design, the abaci of which are
similar to and continue the line of the chancel string.
The shafts have moulded bases on tall double plinths.
The inner order of the arch, which has a large round
soffit moulding with an edge-roll on each side, springs
from half-round responds, with cushion capitals, and
moulded bases on square plinths with spurs. On the
east side the outer order has a shallow hollow moulding
with double cone ornament on the edge, and flat
soffit. The enrichment of the arch on the west side
is as follows: (i) the innermost order already described;
(ii) cats' heads; (iii) battlemented, with cheveron on
edge; (iv) grotesques, alternately heads and foliage; (fn. 93)
(v) enriched cheveron on both planes; (vi) conventional
leaf, or stepped tongue on the wall plane, and plain
soffit; the hood-mould has a double billet. The effect
of the whole is extraordinarily rich. (fn. 94) Over the arch
in the thickness of the wall (fn. 95) is a passage 3 ft. 9 in.
wide, access to which is now only by a trap-door in
the vestry. (fn. 96) The chancel roof in its present form is
modern, and how far it reproduces the old one is uncertain. Little, therefore, can be said regarding the
reputed chamber, or priest's room above the vault, (fn. 97)
and whether the stairway (fn. 98) at the north-east angle of
the chancel was an original feature or a later insertion
it is impossible now to say.
Plan of Tickencote Church
Below the south-east window of the chancel is a
flat-arched recess (fn. 99) containing a defaced wooden
effigy, said to be that of Sir Roland le Daneys (fn. 100)
(d. 1363), removed from his tomb in the Holy
Trinity chapel at the time of its demolition. (fn. 101)
The 13th-century font has a square bowl, with
an arcade of intersecting round arches on each
face, foliage above and a line of dog-tooth at each
angle stopped by a head below the chamfered
rim. The pedestal is modern.
There is a good oak altar-table with bulbous
legs, given in 1627 by Lady Ann Beverly. (fn. 102) It
stands on a slab of Purbeck marble. (fn. 103) There is
a lectern, but no pulpit.
The design (fn. 104) of the new nave was based on
that of the chancel, the lines of the sill string
and cornice being carried all round the building,
and the windows and buttresses are 'copied'
from the older work. The nave, however, is
much plainer in character, with three windows on each side and one at the west end. Internally the plaster has been stripped from the walls.
The entrance is at the east end of the south wall,
covered by the porch-tower, with lofty round-headed
doorway of three orders; the tympanum has an inscription recording that the church was 'repaired' by
Eliza Wingfield in 1792 'with that true sense of religion and reverence for her Maker which ever distinguished her life.' The tower is of three stages,
with four tall round-headed openings on the south
side in the upper stage.
As originally built a pulpit and desk were placed at
the west end. (fn. 105) Some alterations appear to have been
made in the pews in 1807, (fn. 106) but the present seating
dates from 1875, in which year the church was reroofed and the former plain doorways from the nave
to the vestry and porch were given 'Norman' casings.
An iron ring with pierced escutcheon of great
beauty was attached to the south door of the old nave,
but it has long disappeared. (fn. 107)
A fragment of medieval glass, with the head of Our
Lord, is preserved in the middle window on the north
side of the nave.
In the nave are memorials to John Wingfield
(d. 1841) and other members of the family, and to the
Rev. Maudaunt Barton (d. 1904), rector, in whose
memory the vestry was restored. (fn. 108)
There are two bells in the tower, the first blank, the
second by Thomas Norris of Stamford, 1630. (fn. 109)
The plate consists of a cup and cover paten (fn. 110) of
1607–8, 'given by John Wingfeld and Margarett his
wife anno 1608,' and a paten and flagon of 1712–13,
'the gift of John Wingfeild, Esq., and Eliz. his Wife
to ye Parish Church of Trikencote in ye County of
Rutland on ye 25th of Decembr. 1712.' There were
provided by a legacy of Col. J. M. Wingfield and dedicated on 28 April 1932 a silver-gilt chalice and paten,
a silver cross and altar candlesticks made by the Goldsmiths' Company. There were also obtained with
the same legacy various other gifts, including communion rails, standard candlesticks, credence tables
and reredos, all of carved oak enriched by gilding.
The registers before 1812 are as follows:
(i) baptisms 1574–1803, marriages 1574–1754, burials
1574–1803; (ii) marriages 1755–1812; (iii) baptisms
and burials 1804–1812. (fn. 111)
Advowson
The first authenticated mention of
the advowson is found in the confirmation by Robert de Chesney,
Bishop of Lincoln (1147–1168), of the gift of Robert
Grimbald of the church of Tickencote to the priory of
Austin Canons at Owston (co. Leic.). (fn. 112) In 1234, as
already stated, the abbot of Owston presented to the
church after acknowledgment of his right had been
made by Robert Grimbald and his tenant William le
Daneys. (fn. 113) In 1300 Brice le Daneys after suit renounced his claim to the right of presentation and the
abbot and convent of Owston presented and continued to do so until the dissolution of that house.
The last presentation was in 1528. (fn. 114) In 1553 the
king granted to William Fitz William and Arthur
Hilton (inter alia) the advowson and rectory of
Tickencote, (fn. 115) which in 1553 the grantees conveyed to
John Campynett. (fn. 116) John Campynett presented in
1556 and his brother, William Campynett, in 1563 and
Gaspar Hunt in 1568. The Bishop presented on the
next two occasions, and in 1623 John Wingfield
presented, and the advowson has since descended
with the manor. (fn. 117)
There are no charities in this parish.