NAVISFORD HUNDRED 



THRAPSTON 



church after its demolition in 1778. Sir Thomas, 

 who died in 1719, is represented in a reclining position 

 in his judge's robes, below a canopy supported by 

 Corinthian columns ; the inscription is by Matthew 

 Prior. There is also a blue stone floor-slab marking 

 the place of burial of Sir Tliomas, and others in 

 memory of his son Thomas (d. 1719), his grandson of 

 the same name (d. 1767), and Ambrose Powys (d. 1753); 

 on the wall is a tablet to the Hon. Charles Powys, 

 R.N. (d. 1804) and his brother Henry killed at Badajoz 

 in 1812, and also a brass plate to the third Baron 

 Lilford (d. i86i).«» 



There are four bells, the first by Taylor and Co., 

 of Loughborough, 1861, the second and third re- 

 castings by Taylor in 1898 of two bells dated 

 respectively 1675 and 171 1 (the latter by Henry 

 Penn, of Peterborougli), and the tenor by Thomas 

 Eayrc of Kettering, 1735.*' There were four bells 

 in 1552. 



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

 of 1669, given by Thomas Elmes to the church of 

 Lilford, and a silver alms dish of 1713, the gift of Sir 

 Thomas Powys." 



The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) 

 baptisms, marriages, and burials, 1591-1669, with 

 gap from 1635 to 1644; (ii) baptisms 1670-1807, 

 marriages 1670-1755, burials 1671-72; (iii) burials 

 1678-1812; (iv) baptisms 1808-12; (v) marriages 



1755-1812. The first volume contains a note by 

 Robert Browne, founder of the " Brownists," who 

 was rector for thirty years. The churchwardens' 

 accounts begin in 1784. 



The churchyard is entered from the cast through 

 a lycli-gate erected in memory of the fourth Lord 

 Lilford (d. 1896). 



The advowson of the rectory of 

 ADl'OU'SON Achurch has been held by the 

 tenants in demesne of the manor 

 since tlie early 13th century. Richard de Water- 

 villa presented before 1219** and the advowson 

 accompanied all subsequent grants of the manor.** 

 In 1439, three fcoflees of John, Duke of Exeter, made 

 the presentation and™ in 1633 Thomas Ashton pre- 

 sented for one occasion." Lord Lilford is the 

 present patron. 



The church land. On the inclosure 

 CHARniES of the commonfields in the parish an 

 allotment was awarded to the church- 

 wardens in lieu of their rights in the open fields. Tlic 

 allotment consists of about 18 acres of grass land and 

 is in the occupation of Lord Lilford at a yearly rent 

 of £1% which is applied to church expenses. 



Richard Ragsdale by will 30 Jan. 1711, gave 20/. 

 yearly to the poor. This is paid out of land belonging 

 to Lord Lilford and applied by the Rector in aid of 

 the Village Coal Club. 



THRAPSTON 



Trapestone (xi cent.), Thrapeston (xiii and xiv 

 cent.). 



The parish of Thrapston contains 1,149 *cres of 

 land and is low-lying, being only about 100 ft. above 

 the ordnance datum. The subsoil is alluvium, near 

 the bed of the River Nene, which forms the western 

 boundary of the parish, upper lias, great oolite series 

 and Oxford clay. The Thorpe brook forms part of 

 the eastern boundary. About half the acreage is 

 arable land and the remainder grass land, with 

 practically no woods. A quarry is mentioned in 1330, 

 and mines and quarries in a sale of the manor in 

 1770.' There is an ironstone quarry at the present 

 day, but the Nene Side Iron Works which once 

 flourished no longer exist. 



Thrapston is a small market town, probably owing 

 its prosperity to its situation near the bridge over the 

 Nene, towards which bridge several roads converge. It 

 is the head of the Thrapston Petty Sessional Division, 

 the Thrapston and Oundle County Court District 

 and the Thrapston Rural District. It was almost 

 entirely rebuilt in the 19th century, the later buildings 

 being of red brick. A few older houses remain ; a 



cottage in the Huntingdon road is dated 175S, 2nd 

 the Baptist Chapel adjoining bears a tablet recording 

 that " This place of Worship was built by public 

 Subscription A.D. 1787, for the Propagation of the 

 Gospel of Jesus Christ." It is a plain brick building 

 of two stories. There is also a Wcsleyan Chapel in 

 the town. 



There is a market place in the centre of the town 

 and the church and manor house lie on its north side. 

 The bridge over the Nene is mentioned in 1224, when 

 Bishop Hugh of Welles granted an indulgence to 

 travellers contributing to its repair^ and in 1313 

 Bishop Dalderby granted an indulgence for the 

 fabric of the chapel of St. Thomas the Martyr next 

 the Bridge of Thrapston.' In the later 14th and early 

 15th centuries, the bailifTs and men of Thrapston 

 obtained several grants of pontage for the repair of 

 the bridge.* Leland about 1543 mentions a stone 

 bridge with eight arches,' but in a brief for its repair 

 of 1664 it is said to have twenty-four arches.* 



The Leper Hospital of St. Leonard existed in the 

 1 2th and 13th centuries, but nothing is known of its 

 history and it probably had no endowment.'* 



" There are alio memoriali in the 

 church to the firit and terond Baroni 

 (1800, 1825), the Rev. Littleton Powyt 

 (d. 1842), the Hon. Adelaide .Marjr 

 Powyi(d. i873),Thomai Atherton Powyi 

 (d. i8$i), eideit ion of the 4th Baron, 

 and Thomas Atherton Powjri (d. 1909), 

 the two latter in the chancel. 



•• The inicriptions are given in North, 

 Cb. Brllt of SoTibanit. 175. Thoje on 

 the iccond and third have been retained 

 in factimile. On the bell frame ii cut 

 • W. Selby, c.w. |S|6.' 



•' MarUiam, Ch. Phle 0/ Noribanit. 



281. The alma dish bean the arms of 

 Powyi impaling Mcdowi ; Sir Thomas's 

 second wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Sir 

 Philip Medows. 



•• Rol. Hug. di ll'ellcs (Cant, and York 

 Soc), i, J. 



•• Rol. Ric. Gravesend (Cant, and York 

 Soc), 122; Cal. Pal. 1307-13,428; Chart. 

 R. 8 Edw. II, m. 20, no. 42 ; Pat. R. 

 29 Hen. VIII, pt. I i 35 Hen. VIII, pt. 

 17; 5 Edw. VI, pt. 7; Instit. Bks. 

 (PRO), 1638, 1643, 1685, 1737, 1743, 

 '74S1 1778 i Close R. 13 Geo. Ill, rn. 19, 

 no. 7. 



139 



"> Bridges, Hill. Nonbanti. ii, 365. 

 "Instit. Bks. (P.R.O.), 1633. 

 'Cum. Pleas. Assiie R. 632, t. 73; 

 Eect of F. Northants. Trin. 10 Geo. III. 



• Rot. Hug. de Welln (Cant, and York 

 Soc), ii, 207, 219. 



• Line. Epii. Reg. Memo. Dalderby, 

 f.2<;3. 



« Cal. Pal. 1367-70, p. 273 ; 1381-1385, 

 pp. 116, 556; 1385-89, P- 457; '39'-9^ 



p. 108 ; 1408-13, p. 281. 



• Leland, //incrrfry, ed. 1744, p. 6. 



• ('al. S.P. Dom. 1663-64, p. 32O. 

 •• r.C.H. Norlhanli. ii, 166. 



