PETERBOROUGH SOKE 



HELPSTON 



ornament, still lie exposed to the weather in the 

 churchyard, and others have disappeared. 



The plate consists of a silver cup, apparently of 

 1768, two patens of 1828 (Edinburgh mark), and a 

 flagon of 1830 (Newcastle-on-Tyne), the last three 

 given by the Rev. Charles Mossop in 1847. 



There are three bells, the treble by Thomas 

 Norris of Stamford, 1671, the second by Warner of 

 London, 1866, and the tenor by Tobie Norris, 1618. 



The first book of the registers contains baptisms 

 from 1685 to 1 78 1, marriages from 1685 to 1780, 

 burials from 1685 to 1733, from 1742 to 1774, and 

 from 1778 to 1780 ; the second, baptisms and mar- 

 riages from 1 78 1 to 1800, and burials from 1781 to 

 1798; the third, baptisms and burials from 1801 to 

 1 81 2, and the fourth, marriages from 1802 to 1812. 

 There are no deeds relating to the 

 CHARITIES original Poor estate in Helpston,' 

 but enclosure allotments were made 

 by a deed of 30 March in 1820, on the enclosure of 

 Maxey with Deepingate, Northborough, Glinton with 



Peakirk, Etton, and Helpston, and the rents used to be 

 expended in a dole of coal for poor widows. Bonner's 

 charity which produced 5/. per annum for poor 

 widows was founded before 1 786. Ten pounds for the 

 use of the poor was also bequeathed by some bene- 

 factor unknown before 1786. John Porter, by will 

 of 21 June, 181 1, left a yearly rent-charge of £2 on 

 property at Helpston as a money gift to the poor of 

 the parish of over forty years of age, a preference being 

 given to widows. These various benefactions have 

 now been consolidated in the Helpston Poor estate, 

 now consisting of cottages and 22 acres of land, which 

 produces about £^l 5/. and is entirely devoted to 

 educational purposes. 



Charles Mossop and Daniel Webster by deed, dated 

 17 July, 1858 (enrolled), granted to the vicar and 

 churchwardens of Helpston, and rector and church- 

 wardens of Etton, 3 acres 3 roods of land in Etton, 

 upon trust to apply the profit thereof in moieties for 

 the benefit of the coal and clothing clubs in each 

 parish. The land is let at £^ per annum. 



MARHOLM 



Marram (xiii cent.) ; Marham (xii-xviii cent.). 



The parish of Marholm covers an area of 1,412 

 acres, of which 637^ acres are arable, 571^ pasture, 

 and 148^ woodland. The soil is light and sandy, 

 with a substratum of the great oolite 

 limestone. To the west of the Belham 

 wood rises a spring from which a rivulet 

 flows along the outskirts of the wood in 

 a north-easterly direction. 



The village of Marholm is built in 

 a very irregular manner almost in the 

 centre of the parish, and has no houses 

 of special interest. The manor-house is 

 a picturesque |_-shaped building, but has 

 nothing ancient to show beyond a few 

 beams and a massive chimney-stack. In 

 front of the Fitzwilliam almshouses lies 

 the base-stone of the shaft of a mediaeval 

 cross. The best piece of domestic archi- 

 tecture is a farmhouse at the east of 

 the village, with thatched gables and 

 red-brick chimney-stacks. On it is a 

 stone tablet dated 1 63 3, with an elaborate 

 monogram. 



There are schools in the village, and 

 an Independent chapel. The popula- 

 tion, numbering 146 in 1901, is entirely engaged in 

 agriculture. 



The tithe map is preserved with the parish register 

 in the church safe. 



The ' viU ' of MJRHOLM is alleged 

 Mj4N0R to have been confirmed to Peterborough 

 by Wulfhcre in 664,' but part at least of 

 the land there was held before the Conquest by the 

 abbey of Ramsey. About 1053 that abbey exchanged 

 with the abbey of Peterborough ' certain land in 

 Marham between Stanford and Burg situated in the 

 midst of beautiful woods,' which Ramsey had possessed 



in ' Loddington.' ' According to Hugo Candidus, the 

 monk chronicler of Peterborough, Marholm was given 

 to the abbey in ancient times by Wluric child.' It 

 is not mentioned in Domesday Book, nor directly in 



for a long time by a good title, for 9 virgates of land as 



^ According to Bridges a benefaction of 

 j^3 yearly originally given for the repair 

 of the church was afterwards used for 

 poor relief. 



Farmhouse east of the Village of Marholm. 



the description of the lands of Peterborough in the 

 early I 2th centur)', but Leofric of Marholm is said 

 to be a tenant of the manor of Glinton.* In 1 1 46 

 Marholm was part of the fee of Ascclin de Water\'ille.' 

 This family figures very prominently in the Northamp- 

 tonshire records of the iith and 1 2th centuries, an 

 'Azelinus,' holding of Peterborough in 1086 at 

 Achurch and Titchmarsh,' was probably the founder 

 of the family. About 1125 Ascelin de Watcn-ille w.as 

 holding over I 3 hides of Peterborough,- this fee in- 

 cluded lands in Thorpe, afterwards called Thorpe 

 Water\-ille, Clapton, Upton, Titchmarsh, and Achurch, 

 well as Marholm. De Watervilles, perhaps a 



» Birch, Cdrt. Sax, 

 duction to Soke. 



' Chron. Ram. (Rolls Scr.), 165 

 ably Lutton. 



* Sparke, ScriptoreSy 44. 



No. 22, see Intro- 

 Prob- 



* Chrorticon, 162. 



* Sparke, ScripnnSy 78. 



■ r.C. H. Nortbanti, i, 316. 

 ^ CbronUorij 1 69. 



499 



