REMINGTON CHURCH. 141 



Where the original oratory stood in 1220, it is not easy to 

 determine ; but if it held a position analogous to that at Haddon, 

 it would have been at the south-east corner of the garden, near 

 the road, and a little south-west of the present church. The 

 only masonry of this early date consists of what seems to have 

 been a portion of a gateway, at the east end of the inhabited block. 



It is very certain that the present ruin is not the building 

 referred to in 1220, for it has no architectural features prior to 

 the "Early Decorated " period, which prevailed from c. 1270 to 

 c, 1330.* The present church has a small tower, but the use 

 of a bell was denied the oratory of 1220, so that the restriction 

 concerning the bell must have been withdrawn at the erection 

 of the present building.t 



There can be no doubt but that the successor of Robert de 

 Meynell (probably Sir Thomas, living in 1279), finding the 

 population increasing round his fostering home, and anxious to 

 extern] his own privileges to his tenants and dependants, erected 

 a new and more commodious oratory just outside his own gate, 

 and I think this the solution of the whole difficulty. Some note 

 of its erection (if not consecration of altars), should be found in 

 the Episcopal Registers of the diocese. 



After this long digression, let us proceed with the extract 

 from the '■'■ Matriciihis'' : — 



" To hear divine service in their oratory, constructed ' in curia 

 sua' by their permanent chaplain, but without beating or ringing 

 of bell, reserving all rights of the mother church of Lockington, 

 paying 4 shill. yearly as compensation or arrangement between 

 us and them. The same Thomas Meynell and Alice granted 

 by the aforesaid composition that none of their heirs, nor anyone 

 else (except by special favour granted), should perform for any 

 fee, any celebration in the said oratory." 



* Plate VI. gives two views of the ruined church; the one of 1825 from 

 the Gentleman's Magazine, the other from a modern photograph. This Plate 

 has been kindly given to the Journal by Mr. Hugo Harpur Crewe. 



t There is a legend of the bell having been taken to some neighbouring 

 tower. The records still extant of the doings of the church plunderers of the 

 Tudor era might aftbrd some clue as to its fate. 



