FINEDON
Tingdene, Thingdene (xi cent.); Thyngden, Tynden (xiii cent.); Thynden (xiv cent.); Thingdon
(xvi cent.); Finedon (xviii cent.).
The parish of Finedon contains 3,541 acres of land.
It rises to a little over 300 ft. above the ordnance
datum from the River Ise which forms the western
boundary. The sub-soil is Upper Lias, and Great and
Inferior Oolite, the surface soil being clay producing
wheat and barley. The parish was formed into an
urban district in 1894 with a council of twelve
members. It was inclosed under a private Act of
Parliament. (fn. 1) The large village lies at the intersection of the roads from Wellingborough to Thrapston and from Higham Ferrers to Kettering. It is
a somewhat uninteresting looking town of redbrick houses, a red brick water tower on the Irthlingborough road being a prominent landmark.
The rectory house stands on the north-west of
the church and is a well-designed building of two
stories, faced with ironstone and roofed with Collyweston slates, erected in 1688 by Roger Altham,
rector. A few late 17th or early 18th century
houses remain in the old part of the town, one of
them in Mulsho Square with a thatched roof, is dated
1693 and another in the same square is dated 1736.
In Church Street, the Charity School for girls is a
well-designed two-story house with slated roof erected
in 1712, while the Gothic revival is represented by the
Almshouses in the same street, built in 1847 and by
the Bell Inn. At the west end of the town is the
Old Hall or manor house which was rebuilt about
1835, (fn. 2) and enlarged some twenty years later, (fn. 3) but it
incorporates on the north-west side some rooms
belonging to a former structure, which appears to
have been an Elizabethan house of only moderate size.
The existing mansion is a picturesque gabled building
of local yellow stone, with Weldon stone dressings. (fn. 4)
Iron-stone was formerly worked and the Finedon
Ironworks belonging to the Glendon Iron Ore
Company are now disused. The principal industry
at the present time is the manufacture of boots and
shoes. Finedon station on the London Midland and
Scottish Railway is two miles from the village in
Isham parish.
Manors
In the reign of Edward the Confessor,
Queen Edith held the great soke of
Finedon, which contained 27 hides of
land in six hundreds. In 1086 it was in the king's
hands and formed part of the ancient demesne of the
crown. Only 11 hides were in the later hundred of
Huxloe and a holding of 9½ hides seems to represent
the manor of FINEDON. (fn. 5) In the 12th century
survey of the county, the king held 10 hides there. (fn. 6)
The men of Finedon in 1388 successfully claimed that
it was ancient demesne and proved their right to be
quit of toll throughout the kingdom. (fn. 7) The sokemen
of the ancient demesne appear in a rental of the manor
in 1423. (fn. 8) The manor apparently remained in the
crown until King John granted it in 1200 for life
at fee-farm to his clerk, Stephen de Clay, (fn. 9) who was
holding it in 1209. (fn. 10) In 1217 it was granted to Thomas
Malemains (fn. 11) and in 1218 to William Longsword,
Earl of Salisbury, (fn. 12) who possibly retained it till his
death in 1226. (fn. 13) At some time, however, it was
granted to the justiciar, Hubert de Burgh, but after
his outlawry, (fn. 14) it was given to Stephen de Segrave
and his heirs. (fn. 15) Stephen's son Gilbert was holding
the manor in 1234, when he was ordered to restore it
to Hubert de Burgh. (fn. 16) In 1241 it was at farm to the
men of Finedon, (fn. 17) but in the same year the manor
was granted in fee to William, son of William de
Forz, count of Aumale, and his wife Christina,
daughter and heir of the Earl of Chester, in part
compensation for her inheritance in the earldom. (fn. 18)
In 1246 they granted one moiety of the manor to
Richard de Bolebec, (fn. 19) but retained the other moiety,
which passed to their daughter Divorgilla, the wife of
John Balliol. (fn. 20) From her it went to John de Burgh,
grandson of the justiciar. (fn. 21) On his death in 1279, (fn. 22) his
moiety was assigned to his eldest daughter, Divorgilla,
the wife of Robert Fitz Walter, Lord Fitz Walter, who
in 1283 sub-infeudated their moiety of Finedon. (fn. 23)
One quarter of the manor was granted to Ralph de
Kirketon, who held it by the service of a quarter of a
knight's fee. (fn. 24) He demised it to William Bernak,
probably only in settlement on Alice de Kirketon. (fn. 25)
Alice may have been identical with Alice the wife of
John de Thorp, who jointly with her husband was
holding it in 1321. (fn. 26) She granted it for his life to
John de Harwedon, who was the tenant in 1334, (fn. 27)
but in 1341 William de Thorp sold the reversion to
Simon Simeon of Grimsthorp. (fn. 28)
Finedon: Church Porch
The other quarter of the manor was granted by the
Fitz Walters in 1283 to Ralph Seymour, also for the
service due from a quarter of a knight's fee. (fn. 29) In
1310, however, the service had been changed to the
yearly gift of a pair of gilt spurs. (fn. 30) Ralph died seised
in 1310 (fn. 31) and after the death of his widow Alice, who
held it for life, (fn. 32) it passed to his son Edmund. (fn. 33)
Lawrence Seymour was holding it in 1334 (fn. 34) presumably
as a trustee for settlements made on Thomas Seymour, (fn. 35) but the latter sold it in 1348 to Simon
Simeon, (fn. 36) who thus became possessed of the whole
moiety of the manor. He settled it jointly on himself
and his wife Elizabeth Neville. (fn. 37) He died without
heirs, (fn. 38) and Elizabeth brought the manor to her second
husband John la Warre, (fn. 39) who died seised of it in
1398. (fn. 40) She had predeceased him, and his heir was his
brother Thomas, (fn. 41) who seems to have sold the moiety
of Finedon manor between 1400 and 1405 to John
Mulsho; (fn. 42) at the same time Mulsho obtained a
quarter of the other moiety of the manor (q.v.). He
was succeeded by his son, who died in 1478, and his
grandson, who died in 1536, both named John. (fn. 43)
Thomas, the grandson of the third John Mulsho,
succeeded him (fn. 44) and bought the remainder of the
other moiety of Finedon manor (q.v.), which had been
alienated by the Count of Aumale in 1246 (fn. 45) so that
from this time the whole manor was held by the
Mulshos. Thomas's eldest son, another Thomas, sold
the manor in 1604 to his brother Robert (fn. 46) from whom
it passed in direct descent to William, Robert (fn. 47) and
Tanfield Mulsho. (fn. 48) On Tanfield's death his heirs
were his daughters Anne and Elizabeth, who married
two brothers Gilbert and John Dolben, the sons of the
Archbishop of York, but Anne and Gilbert bought
Elizabeth's share. (fn. 49) Gilbert was created a baronet in
1704 (fn. 50) and his successors were lords of the manor till
the death of Sir John English Dolben in 1837, (fn. 51)
when it passed to his daughter Frances, the wife of
William Mackworth, who took the name of Dolben. (fn. 52)
She died in 1892, and the last owner of the manor was
her daughter Ellen Mackworth Dolben, on whose
death in 1912, the whole estate was sold in separate
portions. (fn. 53)
de Burgh. Gules seven lozenges vair.
de Forz. Gules a cross paty vair.
Bolbec. Vert a lion argent.
Fitzwalter. Or a fesse between two cheverons gules.
Mulsho. Ermine a bend sable with three goats' heads razed argent with horns or thereon.
Dolben. Sable a helm between three broad arrow heads argent all pointing inwards.
The moiety of the manor of Finedon which Lord
FitzWalter and his wife granted in 1246 to Richard de
Bolbec was held by the annual payment of a pair of
gilt spurs. (fn. 54) On the death of Richard's son Hugh in or
before 1262, it was divided between Hugh's four
daughters and heirs, Philippa, the wife of Roger de
Lancaster, Margery, the wife of Nicholas Corbet,
Alice the wife of Walter, son of William de Huntercombe, and Maud who was then unmarried. (fn. 55)
Philippa's eighth part of the manor passed on her
death before 1294 to her son John de Lancaster, (fn. 56)
who was holding it in 1321. (fn. 57) It was then held in
demesne by John, son of Robert de Lancaster, (fn. 58) but
probably before 1327 it had passed to Robert de
Sandford. (fn. 59) In 1342, Robert gave it to his son
Thomas and Margaret Spryng, (fn. 60) but in 1367 Thomas
de Sandford sold it to Simon Symeon of Grimsthorp, (fn. 61)
and from that date it seems to have followed the
descent of the other moiety of the manor (q.v.) since
John Mulsho died seised in 1478 of one moiety and a
fourth part of the other moiety. (fn. 62)
The eighth part assigned to Margery and Nicholas
Corbet was granted to Robert Burnel, Bishop of
Bath and Wells, (fn. 63) presumably as trustee of a settlement
on Margery, daughter of Nicholas and wife of Ralph
fitz William of Greystock. (fn. 64) The latter enfeoffed his
son Robert and his wife Elizabeth with all his lands in
Finedon. (fn. 65) Robert died seised in 1315 (fn. 66) and his
widow was the tenant in 1334. (fn. 67) Their direct descendants in the male line held this
part of Finedon till the death
of Ralph, Baron Greystock, in
1487. (fn. 68) It then passed to his
granddaughter Elizabeth, who
married Thomas, Lord Dacre
of Gillesland. (fn. 69) The Dacres
seem to have sold or demised
it to James Harrington, who
brought an action for recovery
of the manor against Sir
William Dacre. (fn. 70) Two years
later Harrington conveyed it
to Sir Robert Brudenell. (fn. 71) The
latter left it to his son Anthony, (fn. 72) but it came into
possession of Sir Robert's eldest son and heir
Thomas, (fn. 73) who sold it in 1542 to Thomas Mulsho, (fn. 74)
the lord of the other moiety of Finedon Manor (q.v.).
Greystock. Barry argent and azure three wreaths gules.
The share in the Bolebec moiety of Finedon,
assigned to Alice, wife of Walter de Huntercombe, (fn. 75)
was demised by them to Master Giles de Barinton,
who, presumably for his own life, granted it to
Robert Burnel, Bishop of Bath and Wells. (fn. 76) The
latter died seised in 1292 and his heir was his nephew
Philip. (fn. 77) Barinton was apparently holding it as
trustee for Amice de Shepey, possibly the daughter
of Alice de Huntercombe, (fn. 78) and when Philip Burnel
died about 1294, except for a small holding, (fn. 79) it
was in the hands of William de Shepey. In 1321,
it had passed to John Poleyn and his wife Amice, (fn. 80)
who had also come into seisin of the fourth and last
share of the moiety of Finedon manor (q.v.).
The youngest daughter of Richard Bolebec, Maud,
married Hugh de Laval, who after her death, gave her
pourparty, during his life-time, to Robert Burnel,
Bishop of Bath and Wells, who thus held a quarter of the
manor of Finedon. (fn. 81) On the Bishop's death, it passed
to his nephew Philip Burnel. (fn. 82) Hugh de Laval died
about 1301 and his wife's share passed to her nephew
John de Lancaster. (fn. 83) The latter, however, only held
as a mesne lord, as this share passed with the other
eighth share held by the Bishop to Amice de Shepey
and William de Shepey. (fn. 84) In 1321, the quarter part
of the manor had passed to John Poleyn and his wife
Amice, (fn. 85) who is said to have been the daughter of
Amice de Lacey, (fn. 86) but she was presumably descended
from the Shepeys. In 1412, a lady Poleyn had a
rent of 10 marks in Finedon, (fn. 87) but in 1415, the fourth
part of the manor had passed to Rose, the wife of
John Fish of Bishop's Hatfield. (fn. 88) Rose was a descendant
of the daughter of John and Amice Poleyn. (fn. 89) In
1415, she and her husband sold it to William Sackville. (fn. 90) A hundred years later, it is said to have been
in the hands of Thomas Sackville, who sold it about
1515 to Michael or possibly, more correctly, to
Nicholas Boughton. (fn. 91) In 1521, Edward, the son of
Nicholas Boughton, granted it to John Docwra and
Thomas Sackville. (fn. 92) In 1569, Thomas Docwra and
his wife sold the quarter part of the manor to Thomas
Mulsho, (fn. 93) who thus became lord of all the pourparties
of the manor of Finedon. It should be noted,
however, that in a Chancery case of 1533–38, John
Saby is said to have been lord of the manor of Finedon, (fn. 94) while about 1542, Gabriel Shaller and Robert
Plante and his wife Margaret sold a quarter part of
the manor to William Franklin, who had been succeeded before 1579 by his son Nicholas. (fn. 95) What
right these tenants had in the manor does not
appear.
A manor called THINGDEN and BURTON
LATIMER may be traced in part to two holdings,
one of half a hide in Finedon and the other of one and
a half hides in Burton Latimer, which Burred held in
the time of Edward the Confessor. (fn. 96) Burred also held
two hides and three virgates of land in Burton, but
whether these formed part of the later manor is not
certain. (fn. 97)
The three holdings passed to the Bishop of Coutances, (fn. 98) and the first two seem certainly to have
passed with much of his Northamptonshire land to
the Clares, as the manor was subsequently held by
knight's service of the Honour of Gloucester. (fn. 99) In
1086, the bishop's sub-tenant in the two small
holdings was named Richard. (fn. 100) In the Northamptonshire survey, William de Houton held one and a half
hides in Burton, (fn. 101) but the half hide in Finedon is not
mentioned. In 1222, Robert, son of Richard, granted
a messuage and 27 acres of land in Finedon and rents
from 7 virgates of land in Burton and Finedon to the
Abbot of Croxton in frankalmoin. (fn. 102) In 1250, this
grant was confirmed by Richard, Earl of Gloucester. (fn. 103)
After the dissolution of the Abbey, Henry VIII granted
the manor of Thingden and Burton Latimer in 1539
to Thomas, Earl of Rutland, and his wife Elizabeth. (fn. 104)
In 1555, his son Henry, Earl of Rutland, sold it to
Richard Lambert, citizen and grocer of London, (fn. 105) who
immediately re-sold it to Edward Jackman, a fellow
grocer. (fn. 106) In 1561, it was sold by Jackman to John
Isham (fn. 107) and in 1564 it passed to Richard Peacock. (fn. 108)
Peacock died in 1616, and the manor passed under a
settlement of 1604, to his cousin William Peacock,
who was succeeded in 1625 by his son Richard. (fn. 109) The
latter sold it in 1659 to William Downhall, (fn. 110) who with
his wife sold it in 1671 (fn. 111) to Thomas Goodinge. It
passed about 1673 to Tanfield Mulsho, (fn. 112) the lord of
the main manor of Finedon (q.v.).
Plan of Finedon Church
A market was held at Finedon at the end of the
13th century (fn. 113) and in 1330, the holders of the various
pourparties of the manor claimed to have a view of
frank-pledge, a market every Thursday, thourtol, waif,
infangthief, together with gallows, tumbril and
pillory, for their tenants. The right of thourtol,
however, was recovered at this time by the Crown. (fn. 114)
In the early 18th century part of the gallows was
still standing. (fn. 115) A grant of the right of free warren
in his demesne lands was made to Simon Simeon in
1386 (fn. 116) and is mentioned in 1720. (fn. 117) A free fishery is
mentioned in 1301 (fn. 118) and it seems, like the other privileges, to have been divided amongst the holders of
the different parts of the manor. It is mentioned in
the various transfers of the manor and appears in
1720. (fn. 119)
Three mills are mentioned in Domesday Book, but
presumably they were not all at Finedon itself. (fn. 120) In
the 14th century there was apparently only one watermill, divided up similarly as the manor, (fn. 121) but in
1650 and 1661 3 water-mills and a windmill are mentioned. (fn. 122)
Church
The church of ST. MARY-THEVIRGIN consists of chancel 51 ft. by
21 ft., north and south transeptal
chapels 31 ft. by 16 ft., clearstoried nave of four bays
80 ft. by 20 ft. 6 in., north and south aisles about
14 ft. 6 in. wide, (fn. 123) south porch, and west tower
14 ft. 10 in. by 13 ft. 6 in., all these measurements
being internal. The tower is surmounted by a lofty
spire and the porch has an upper story. There is a
modern vestry on the north side of the chancel.
Of the original 12th-century building nothing remains except the font, the church having been entirely
rebuilt at the beginning of the 14th century. With
the exception of the tower and spire it is all of one
date, and is one of the finest examples in the county
of a church of this period. (fn. 124) The tower and spire
were erected about fifty years later, perhaps shortly
after the appropriation of the church to Croxton
Abbey. The whole building is therefore substantially
of one style and it preserves a unity in design which
gives it particular distinction.
The church is built largely of dark local ironstone,
but internally a contrast of colour is obtained by the
use also of light freestone. All the roofs are leaded
and of low pitch behind battlemented parapets, except
those of the chancel, which are plain. Internally the
walls are plastered. The vestry was built in 1841 on
the site of one long destroyed and the church was
extensively restored a few years later.
The windows are of two main types: those of the
chancel and nave and the end window of the south
transept have uncusped elongated reticular tracery,
while those of the north transept and the side windows
of the south transept are composed of three acutely
pointed uncusped lights, or gradated lancets, under
a single arch, with pierced spandrels. All these
windows, with the exception of the east window of
the chancel, are of three lights with ogee heads and
hood moulds, those in the chancel and transepts
being in addition richly moulded and with internal
shafted jambs. (fn. 125) In the nave the jambs have a double
hollow chamfer only.
The chancel is divided into three bays by boldly
projecting buttresses, and was planned to carry a
vaulted roof. The springing of the ribs remains in
the corners, but the vault seems not to have been
executed. (fn. 126) The five-light east window has uncusped reticulated tracery similar to that in the other
windows, but with a circle in the head, and the
double jamb shafts have foliated capitals. In the
eastern bay the south window has been blocked, and
on the north the wall was covered by a vestry, the
doorway to which remains, as well as a piscina and
aumbry now within the modern vestry. The two
western bays are lighted by windows on each side,
the jambshafts of which, except in three instances,
have carved capitals. In the usual position in the
south wall are a rectangular aumbry, piscina, and
triple sedilia, exposed during the restoration, (fn. 127) the
piscina and sedilia forming a single composition of
four arches. The inner wall arcades of the sedilia,
on triple attached shafts with moulded bases and
carved capitals, remain, but the front arcade and
canopies have been cut away. (fn. 128) The priest's doorway, in the middle bay, is blocked, and further west
is a large shallow recess, with a pointed arch on clustered shafts, probably the rear arch of a low-side
window, (fn. 129) the opening of which no longer is visible
on the outside. (fn. 130) The chancel arch is of two moulded
orders on triple shafts, the capitals of which are
richly carved with naturalistic foliage. A burial vault
was made under the east end of the chancel about
1710. (fn. 131)
The nave arcades have arches of two moulded
orders on piers composed of four shafts with hollows
between and responds of similar character all with
moulded capitals and bases and standing on massive
square plinths of three courses of masonry. (fn. 132) The
two eastern piers are increased in diameter from
north to south, being planned to receive the spring
of transverse arches between the aisles and transepts.
Their inner faces differ but slightly from the piers
further west, but towards the aisle the southern pier
is elongated by the addition of three smaller shafts,
and its capital is finely carved with naturalistic foliage
like that of the chancel arch. The north pier is similarly planned, but differs in detail, and the capital
has been rebuilt. The transverse arches are of two
moulded orders similar to those of the nave arcades,
and spring from shafted responds against the aisle
walls.
In course of time, the transverse arches came
to exercise strong outward pressure, against which
the supporting piers proved inadequate and the
expedient of a strainer arch across the nave was
adopted. The arch appears to be of early 15th century date, or of the last years of the 14th century,
and consists of a moulded segmental pointed lower
arch, springing from the capitals of the greater piers,
with an upper single-centred segmental inverted
arch resting upon it. The spandrels are filled with
large traceried circles and elongated quatrefoils,
and the inverted arch is richly decorated with a band
of pierced quatrefoiled circles between embattled
mouldings, the whole producing a very striking and
characteristic effect, combining grace with strength.
The transepts project 16 ft. beyond the aisles and
have two windows in the east wall, and one in the
end and west walls. The south transept has coupled
buttresses of four stages, but on the north the
buttresses are set diagonially, as also those of the
porch. There is a rood stair turret north of the
chancel arch, the doorway to which from the transept
is now blocked, a new one having been made outside;
the turret stair occupies the angle of the transept
and chancel, and gives access to the roofs. There is
a rectangular aumbry in the east wall of the north
transept, but no other ancient ritual arrangements
remain west of the chancel. A moulded string runs
all round the church at sill level inside. There are
eight clearstory windows on each side, of twolights with ogee heads.
The north and south doorways are in the second
bay from the west, and have continuous mouldings.
The porch is vaulted and has an outer doorway of
three moulded orders, the two inner springing from
attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases.
The chamber over measures internally 11 ft. 3 in.
by 9 ft. 6 in., and is lighted on the south by a transomed window of two trefoiled lights with quatrefoil
in the head, and there was also a window, now blocked,
at the north end opening to the church. The original
stairway from the aisle is blocked, access to the chamber being by an external stair turret at the north-east
corner, added in 1794, (fn. 133) the doorway to which, as
already stated, was removed from the chancel and
placed here about 1841. The porch chamber contains
a collection of about a thousand books given to the
church in 1788 by Sir John Dolben. (fn. 134)
The tower is of four stages, with moulded plinth
and coupled buttresses well set back from the angles
and finishes with a battlemented parapet, the height
to the top of which is 76 ft. There is a vice in the
north-west corner. The tower was built clear of
the church and afterwards joined up to the nave,
the length of which was thus extended by about 5 ft.
The west doorway has continuous mouldings and
ogee crocketed hoodmould, flanked by pinnacles,
and above it is a three-light window with reticulated
tracery. The two lower stages are blank on the north
and south sides, but in the third stage is a window
of two trefoiled lights with quatrefoil in the head,
breaking an ornamental panelled band composed
of trefoiled triangles arranged alternately with the
base and apex uppermost. The bell-chamber stage
is slightly recessed, the angles of the tower above
the buttresses forming plain pilasters. The lofty
double windows are of two trefoiled lights with a
quatrefoil in the head and have separate hoods; above
them is a row of quatrefoils, and an elaborate trefoiled
corbel table supporting the parapet. The spire is
133 ft. high above the ground, and has ribbed angles
and two sets of lights on each of the cardinal faces.
It was rebuilt in 1897. The tower arch is of two
chamfered orders which die into the wall.
The 12th-century sculptured font has already been
described. (fn. 135)
Before the restoration in 1848, the nave and aisles
were filled with oak seats of late 15th or early 16th
century date, with tracery panelled ends and original
doors of the same character. A number of these
still remain, but all the doors have disappeared.
The organ is in a west gallery; it was originally
built for this position by Christopher Shrider at
the cost of Dr. Dolben in 1717, and the handsome case
remains unaltered.
The lower part of a stone chancel screen remains,
but it was so extensively restored in 1858 as to be
practically of that date. The upper or 'ornamental
portion ' was destroyed in 1848. (fn. 136)
Painted on the plaster of the north wall of the
tower is the name 'William Clifton clarke and sixston
1686,' and six other names.
There are eight bells, two trebles having been added
in 1897 to a former ring of six; five of these were
recast by Gillett and Johnson, of Croydon, in 1913.
The tenor is by Taylor and Co., of Loughborough,
1875. (fn. 137)
The plate consists of a silver-gilt cup, cover paten,
flagon and breadholder of 1683. There are also a
mother of pearl christening bowl and alms-dish presented by Sir John English Dolben, bart.; the sides
of the bowl are formed of curved sections riveted
together and enclosed by a metal rim, and the dish
is of the same character. Both appear to be of foreign
workmanship. (fn. 138)
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i)
baptisms (November) 1538–1708, marriages (May)
1539–1705, burials (November) 1538–1678; (ii) baptisms and marriages 1695–1728, burials 1678–1728;
(iii) baptisms 1729–1785, marriages 1729–1753;
burials 1729–1784; (iv) marriages 1754–1812; (v)
baptisms and burials 1785–1812.
There are churchwardens' accounts 1653–82,
1732–84, and 1825–32.
A lychgate was erected in 1888.
Advowson
The advowson of the church of
Finedon was apparently held by
the king (fn. 139) until 1241, when it was
granted with the manor to William de Forz and
his wife Christina. (fn. 140) It passed to John de Burgh,
who presented to the rectory in 1262, (fn. 141) but after his
death his daughters and their husbands exchanged
it in 1280 with the king for lands in Somerset. (fn. 142) In
1339, Edward III granted it to the Abbey of St.
Michael at Antwerp, in consideration of the long
residence of the king and queen and the birth of the
king's son Lionel there. (fn. 143) In 1346 the abbot obtained
licence to assign the advowson in frankalmoin to
the Abbey of Croxton, which, like Antwerp, belonged
to the Premonstratensian order. (fn. 144)
Leave to institute a vicarage was obtained from
Pope Clement VI in 1347, 15 marks a year being
assigned to the vicar. (fn. 145)
After the dissolution of Croxton Abbey, the rectory
and advowson of the vicarage were held by the lord
of the manor of Thingden and Burton Latimer (q.v.),
till after 1805. (fn. 146) In 1810 the advowson of the
vicarage was in the possession of Samuel W. Paul (fn. 147)
and in 1874 of the Rev. George Woodfield Paul.
It was purchased about 1895 by Miss Mackworth
Dolben from Canon Paul and presented by her to
the Bishop of Peterborough, who is now patron of the
living. (fn. 148)
A chantry was founded by William Aston, but no
date is recorded, for a priest to sing mass in the church
of Thingden. He received a pension of 7 marks a
year. In 1549, at the dissolution of the chantries,
John Cotton, M.A., the incumbent, was stated to be
well-learned and a preacher, who taught the children
of the parish. (fn. 149) The chantry lands seem to have been
confiscated, but in 1597 Richard Walter obtained
licence to found a free school at Finedon. (fn. 150)
The Friends' Meeting House was founded in 1690,
and there are also Wesleyan and Wesleyan Reformed
chapels in the parish.
Charities
The Church Land.—By an award
pursuant to the Parish Inclosure
Act of 1805, land containing nearly
35 acres was awarded to the vicar and churchwardens
for the parish church. The land was sold in 1916
and the proceeds invested in £2,894 1s. 1d. Consols
producing £72 7s. yearly in dividends.
The Parish Clerk's Charity is regulated by a
scheme of 27 June, 1916. The property originally
consisted of nearly an acre of land known as the
Clerk's Close. This was sold in 1916 and the proceeds
were invested in £72 0s. 11d. Consols producing
£1 16s. in dividends. The income is payable to the
parish clerk, or if there is no clerk, to the verger or
person performing the clerk's duties.
The parochial charities are administered by the
vicar and churchwardens and 5 other trustees in conformity with the provisions of a scheme of the Charity
Commissioners dated 25 Oct., 1878. They comprise:
The charity of Thomas Harvey, given in 13 Elizabeth.
The charity of Mary Mulso, founded in 1677.
Joan Mulso, who died in 1636, by her will gave 40s.
a year to the poor. This charge is paid out of land
in Finedon belonging to the Ebbw Vale Iron Co.
Deborah Hampton by her will in 1725 gave 16 acres
of land with a messuage and premises for the maintenance of a poor maiden.
Mrs. Catherine Whitelock by her will left £100
for the poor to be paid after the decease of her sister,
which happened in 1813. This gift was augmented
by a sum of £20 given by Mrs. Frances Dolben and
the two sums were invested in 3 per cent. Annuities.
The property now consists of £145 4s. 8s. Consols.
Mrs. Elizabeth Whitworth by her will dated
28 May, 1810, gave a sum of £1 1s. yearly to be paid
out of her land in Finedon to be laid out in the purchase of two gowns to be given to the two most
aged, infirm and necessitous virgins and if no virgins,
to two widows.
Juliana Dolben. Will dated 1 June, 1863. The
property consists of £666 13s. 4d. Consols.
The gifts of Thomas Harvey and Mary Mulso
were invested in about 29 acres of arable land with
3 cottages in Church Street. This land, together
with the land belonging to Deborah Hampton's
Charity, was sold in 1916 and the proceeds invested
in £3,610 14s. 10d. Consols. The 3 cottages were sold
in 1924 for £130. Of this £107 11s. was spent in
repairs to the cottage occupied by the Hampton
pensioner and the residue invested in £38 5s. 8d.
Consols. By an order of the Charity Commissioners
dated 20 March, 1925, £400 Consols was placed
to an investment account to replace the cash
expended.
The income amounts to £104 11s. yearly. In 1924
£20 9s. was paid to the Hampton pensioner, £64 12s.
was distributed in cash to 165 recipients, and donations of £10 were made to the Northampton Hospital
and the Finedon Nursing Association.
Juliana Dolben, before-mentioned, by her will gave
£50 Consols to the vicar and churchwardens upon
trust that the income should be applied in giving a
dinner and tea and 6d. each to 12 poor inhabitants.
The charity of Ellen Frances Julia Mackworth
Dolben, founded by her will proved in Peterborough
Registry, 20 September, 1912, is regulated by a
scheme of the Charity Commissioners dated 21 April,
1914. The charity is administered by the vicar
and the endowment consists of 50 shares of £5
each in the Finedon Gas Co. The interest, which
amounted to £24 7s. 10d. in 1924, is applied in
supplying milk, eggs and medical comforts to the
sick poor. There were 46 beneficiaries in 1924.
The Wesleyan Chapel and Trust Property is comprised in indentures of 20 November 1822, 10 and 11
April, 1838, and 28 February, 1849, and the property
is vested in a body of trustees appointed by order
of the Charity Commissioners dated 8 October,
1889.
The Independent Chapel and Trust Property,
whereof trustees were appointed by order of the
Charity Commissioners, dated 23 August, 1895, is
comprised in indenture of 22 November, 1752, will
of George Wallis dated 11 June, 1755, will of John
Carver dated 29 April, 1796, and indenture of 11 June,
1851. The property consists of the chapel and
2 cottages and a yard in High Street and 1 r. 27 p. of
land in Orchard Road, producing £25 18s. 8d. yearly.
The income is applied towards the repairs of the
chapel.
The several sums of stock are with the Official
Trustees of Charitable Funds.