NAVISFORD HUNDRED 



PILTON 



restoration of the church in 1874-5 involved a l.irgo 

 ainount of rebuilding, but the reconstruction appears 

 to have followed the lines of a 12th and 13th century 

 church, considerable portions of which remain. The 

 cliancel is faced with dressed stone and has a slated 

 eaved roof, but the rest of the building is of rubble, 

 plastered internally, with plain parapets and low- 

 pitched leaded roofs. The tower and spire were 

 restored in 1896. 



The chancel is of three bays with windows in the 

 13th century style, but the arch to the nave is old, of 

 two chamfered orders, the inner springing from half- 

 round responds with restored 13th century capitals 

 and bases. The nave arcades are of two chamfered 

 orders, the outer stopped by a half dog-tooth, on 

 octagonal piers and responds with moulded capitals 

 and bases. The nail-head ornament occurs in the 

 capital of the eastern pier on the south side. 



The south doorway (c 1 170-80) has a round arch 

 of two orders. The outer order has a row of chevcrons 

 on the wall-plane, and another on the sofiit-planc, 

 forming a series of hollow lozenges : the capitals of 

 the jamb-shafts have water-leaf ornaments, and there 

 is a row of dog-tooth in the hood. The south 

 porch is mainly of the 13th century. It has lateral 

 benches and a chamfered arch, with nail-head on 

 the chamfer and in the hood. On either side of the 

 opening, below the springing of the arch, are two 

 shields, set one above the other. The upper shield in 

 each case bears a saltire, while the lower shield, 

 which is larger, bears three trefoils, the arms of the 

 Treshams who were lords of the manor from the 

 15th century. 



Much of the outer walls of nave and aisles is old, 

 as well as of the window-tracery, but all has been 

 patched with new masonry. In the east wall of the 

 south aisle is a very good three-light window with 

 cusped circles in the head, and the neighbouring two- 

 light window in the south wall is of similar character. 

 The east window of the north aisle is composed of 

 three very slender lights with intersecting tracery, 

 and there is a three-light 15th-century window at the 

 east end of the north wall. A two-light square 

 headed window of the late l6th or early 1 7th century, 

 has been built into the north wall of the vestry. 



The tower is tall and slender, of three stages, with 

 moulded plinth and diagonal buttresses. The west 

 doorway, with rather solid 13th century mouldings 

 on jamb-shafts with moulded capitals and bases, 

 has been much restored. The bell-chamber has two- 

 light openings with forked mullions and excellent 

 mouldings, c. 1 280- 1300. There is no vice. The 

 spire is contemporar)', with two rows of spire-lights, 

 above a corbel table of heads and other devices. 



These portions of ancient work indicate the re- 

 building of a 1 2th century church towards the end 

 of the 13th century. The clearstory and parapet of 

 the nave were added in the later part of the 14th 

 century ; the windows of the clearstory, two on each 

 side, appear to be old, with tracery of quasi-flam- 

 boyant character. 



The font is octagonal, with a band of carved foliage 

 on the underside of the bowl, on an octagonal pedestal 

 with moulded base and grifles at the angles. The 

 piscina in the south aisle is modern, but is probably 

 imitated from an earlier one. An old scratch dial is 

 built into the east jamb of the western window in 

 the south wall. 



The pulpit and other fittings arc modern. There 

 are brass tablets to the 4th Baron I.ilford (d. 1896), 

 and his first wife Emma Klizabcth Brandling (d. 1884). 



There are four bells in the tower, the same number 

 as in 1552. The treble is by Thomas Newcombe, of 

 Leicester (1506-20), with the recurrent letter S 

 alternating with a cross ; the second and third are 

 by Tobie Norris, of Stamford, 1610, and the tenor 

 has the inscription ' Nomen Magdalene Canipana 

 gcret melodic,' with the marks of John Danyell, of 

 London (1450-61).'* 



The plate consists of a silver cup, paten, and flagon 

 of 1864, given by the Rev. Richard Hodson, rector.'* 



The registers before 1 81 2 are contained in two 

 volumes; (i) baptisms and burials 1569-1812, 

 marriages 1569-1754, (ii) marriages 1754-1812. 



The advowson of the church was 

 ADVOIVSON presumably always appurtenant to 

 the manor, the first recorded pre- 

 sentation being in 1221 by Roger de Torpel." The 

 presentations have been made uninterruptedly by the 

 lords of the manor or their trustees,'* with the possible 

 exceptions of Thomas Beofitz in 1472 and 1475,'* 

 and James Digby in 1670.'" Lord Lilford is the 

 present patron of the living. The benefices of Pilton 

 and Wadenhoe being united in 1925, the presentation 

 is now made alternately by Lord Lilford and the 

 trustees of Capt. Hunt. 



The charity of Thomas Thurlby 

 CHARITIES founded by will dated 24 September 

 1515, and the Inclosure Rent Charge 

 recited in a deed poll dated 30 March 1756, arc 

 regulated by a scheme of the Charity Commissioners 

 of 10 July 1900. The property originally consisted 

 of a close of 2 acres called Chambers Close, and 

 about 15 acres of land and a rent charge of £2 out of 

 land in Pilton. The land has been sold and the 

 rent charge redeemed and the endowment now con- 

 sists of ;^6oi 5^. 2d. Consols producing ^^15 os. \d. 

 yearly in dividends. The income is applied by the 

 Churchwardens as to two-thirds in church expenses 

 and as to one-third in the distribution of coal. By 

 his will dated 30th January 1711, Richard Ragsdale 

 gave a sum of los. yearly to the poor. This sum is 

 charged upon Lord Lilford's estate, and is applied 

 by the churchwardens in the distribution of clothing. 



By his will proved in the Prerogative Court of 

 Canterbury 4 May 1863, John Baseley Selby gave a 

 sum of money, now represented by ^^48 7;. ■},d. 

 Consols producing ^l 4J. yearly in dividends. The 

 income is distributed by the rector and churchwardens 

 to the poor in coal. 



The sums of Consols are with the Official Trustees 

 of Charitable Funds. 



" North, Cb. Belli of Norlbantt. 382, 

 where the inscription! on the second and 

 third .ire alio given. 



" .Markham, Cb. Plait of Noribanis. 239. 

 An inscription on the fi:igon records that 

 Mr. Hodson presented .ilso * the new 



chancel and all its furniture.* He was 

 rector 1858-70. 



" Roi. Hug. it WcUts (Cant, and York 

 Soc), iii, p. III. 



" Bridges, //u/. of KortbanU. ii, 375 ; 

 Inq. a.q.d. file 240, no. 18 ; Feet of K. 

 niv. Cos. Trin. 7 Ric. II ; Norihanti. 



N. &■ Q., iv, p. 141 ; Chan. Inq. p.m. 

 (Scr. ii), dcxcvi, 2 ; cccclxxxi, 13 ; Feet 

 of F. Northants. East. 13 Anne j Recov. 

 R. Mich. 6 Geo. IV, ro. 265 ; Instit. Bks. 

 P.R.O. 1625, 1666, 1671, 1765, 1772, 1794. 



'• Bridges, /or. cit. 



•» Instit. Bks. F.R.n. iC/o. 



