PETERBOROUGH SOKE 



MAXEY 



feathered cusps and square embattled cornice enclosing 

 carved spandrels over a recess in the wall with 

 panelled back and blank shields. The recess contains 

 an altar tomb with panelled front, and probably served 

 as a place for the Easter sepulchre. It dates from the 

 15th century, and is worked in clunch. 



There are a few fragments of 14th-century glass in 

 the east window of the south aisle, and in the east 

 window of the north chapel two small standing figures 

 under canopies. 



The font is modern, square, with marble angle 

 shafts, and stands under the tower. At the east end 

 of the south aisle is a disused 18th-century cup-shaped 

 font. 



There are several floor slabs in the north chapel 

 with indents or inscriptions. One has 



' Hie jacet Thomas Anable qui fecit hunc tum- 

 ulum fieri mense decembris anno domini millio 

 cccc secundo cuius ale ppicietur deus ame.' 



Another is in memory of John de Byker,' a former 

 vicar, and is not dated, and pieces of a third incised 

 slab are to be seen. Of the indents of brasses, one 

 shows a man and woman under crocketed canopies 

 with shields over them, another has a small half-length 

 figure, and a third three figures side by side. 



The plate' consists of a silver communion cup of 

 1570, an interesting silver gilt secular cup of 1 601 

 with shallow bowl and baluster stem, a silver-gilt 

 paten of 1878, a silver paten of 1893, a pewter 

 flagon, a pewter almsdish of Flemish workmanship 

 with inscriptions repeated round the rim and centre, 

 two pewter plates, and a gilt metal plate. 



There are six bells — the treble by C. and G. Mears 

 of London, 1853 ; the second and fifth by Thomas 

 Osbom of Downham, 1800 ; and the third, fourth, 

 and tenor, by Thomas Norris of Stamford, 166 1. 



The first book of the registers contains baptisms 

 from 1552 to 171 2, burials from 1538 to 171 3, and 



marriages from 1538 to 171 2 ; the second, marriages, 

 baptisms, and burials from 171 3 to 1756 ; the third, 

 baptisms, marriages, and burials from 1757 to 1780 ; 

 the fourth, baptisms and burials from 1 780 to 1 8 12 ; 

 the fifth, marriages from 1754 to '812. 



The church estate in Maxey consists 

 CHARITIES of residuary estate left by William 

 Gerard of Nunton by will of 10 

 January, 1484, in Maxey, UfFord, and Ashton, for 

 church repairs and works of charity. In 1903 the 

 land and cottages rendered ^^83, of which j{^6 11/. 

 was contributed to the Sunday-school, and the rest 

 used for church purposes. The official trustees hold 

 a sum of j^io consols arising from a sale in 1898 to 

 the School Board of 243 square yards adjoining the 

 school. John Dunning left land in 1 62 3 for the 

 poor of Maxey, which is treated as part of the fore- 

 going charity. 



Susan Worsley by will of 20 December, 1666, left 

 estate in three places in Lincolnshire for the poor of 

 Maxey. As the result of an exchange effected in 

 1840 the endowment now consists of about 20 acres 

 in Northborough. The rents of /30 are distributed 

 in money. 



Mary Walsham in 1745 gave jf 100, £1 of the in- 

 terest of which is paid for a sermon and the remainder 

 distributed with the produce of Worsley's charity to 

 the poor. The official trustees hold ;^i 56 5/. consols 

 in respect of this charity. 



Mrs. Jane Baines, by will proved 8 August, 1 823, 

 left the interest of jf 19 19;. for poor widows in 

 receipt of parish relief. 



Elizabeth Bellars, by will proved in 1875, left the 

 income of ^{^ 104 14/. 2d. consols (official trustees) for 

 the poor of Maxey and Deeping Gate, which is distri- 

 buted in coal. 



The Rev. Charles Cookson, by will proved 1881, 

 left the income of ^89 15/. lid. consols (official 

 trustees) for the same purpose. 



NEWBOROUGH 



The parish of Newborough covers 5,530 acres 

 and was cut off from the Borough Fen on the 

 enclosure of the latter in 1822 under the pro- 

 visions of an Act passed in 18 1 2 and amended in 

 1819.' 



The soil is light upon an alluvial substratum, 

 3,478 acres are arable land, and 813^ pasture. The 

 population in 190 1 numbered 682. 



The village, which is small and straggling, is built 

 along the Gunton Road, which runs in a northerly 

 direction from Peterborough, with the church and 

 school about the centre. There is a Primitive 

 Methodist chapel at the hamlet of Milking Nook 

 which lies to the west of the village. Mr. 

 G. C. W. Fitzwilliam and the Marquis of Exeter 

 are the principal land-owners. At Decoy Farm, 

 which has been occupied for several generations 

 by the family of Williams, a wild-fowl decoy is still 

 worked. 



The church of St. Bartholomew was 

 CHURCH built in 1821 from funds raised by sale of 

 part of the Borough Fen,* the advowson 

 being in the hands of the crown. The church is of 

 brick, with a shallow chancel, nave, south porch, and 

 west tower. The parish registers begin in 1830, and 

 the plate consists of two plated cups and patens and 

 a brass alms dish. 



A school here was endowed with 

 CHARITIES part of the proceeds of the sale of the 

 Borough Fen estate consequent upon 

 the enclosure of 1822. A Church of England ele- 

 mentary school, established in 1873 and rebuilt in 

 1 898, is allowed, under a scheme of the Charity Com- 

 missioners, j^20 of the income of the previous school, 

 and £y 17/. from the same source is applied for 

 scholarships. The official trustees hold a sum of 

 ^^928 13/. Sd. consols in respect of the Borough Fen 

 and Newborough School Charity. 



' Near the north rail of communion 

 table in Bridges's time. 



" Markham, Cb. Plate of Norltanis, 

 190. 



3 For previous history of this land see 

 Borough Fen. * Ibid. 



507 



