A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



and burials 1663-96 and 1698-1781, marriages 1667- 

 96 and 1698-1753; (ii) marriages 17 54-71; (iii) 

 marriages 1772-18 12; (iv) baptisms and burials 

 1782-1812. 



The church of Wollaston was 

 ADVOWSON granted by Robert de Chocques to 

 the abbey of St. Mary Delapre by 

 Northampton during the reign of Stephen," and re- 

 mained in their possession until the Dissolution,^ after 

 which it became attached to the manor, then in the 

 king's hands. The right of presentation to the living 

 was granted to John Earl of Bridgwater before 1634,^ 

 and subsequently followed the descent of the manor, 

 Francis Dickins being the patron in \'&\1 ^ The vicar- 

 age was annexed to Irchester before 1854, and so 

 continued until 21 June 1880, when it was again 

 separated. It is now in the gift of the Bishop of 

 Peterborough. 



In 1533 Thomas Leson obtained from Thomas 

 Cromwell a 'letter directed to the abbess of Delapra 

 for his brother Mohoon the King's servant for the 

 lease of the parsonage at Wollaston', but apparently 

 failed to obtain it,^ and the rectory was granted for life 

 to Sir William Parr of Horton after the Dissolution.* 

 In I 564 it was bestowed by Queen Elizabeth on George 

 Carleton,' who sold it in i 581 to John Neale.^ In i 594 

 Neale, as proprietary rector of the church, reported 

 that the chancel was very ruinous and almost falling, so 

 that it was 'of no use either to the church or the 

 inhabitants, and moreover cannot be repaired except 

 at great cost, therefore he desires to be relieved of the 

 obligation'.' John Neale's descendants remained in 

 possession for over a hundred years. He with his wife 

 Elizabeth and Edmund Neale, who was perhaps their 

 son, dealt with the rectory by fine in 1623 and again in 

 1633.'° Edmund Neale died in 167 1, and his son 

 Thomas, who died in 1675, was succeeded by Charles 

 Neale. Charles Neale, with Edmund and James Neale, 

 John Horton and Lucretia his wife, and Elizabeth and 

 Ann Neale, levied a fine concerning the rectory in 1 7 2 3 ." 

 Thomas Neale by his will dated 5 

 CHARITIES September 1674 charged a piece of 

 land at Wollaston with zs. weekly to 

 be laid out in bread for the poor by the churchwardens 

 and overseers. A sum of ^^5 \s. is received annually in 

 respect of this charity from the owner of Wollaston 

 Hall. 



By his will dated 16 July 1730 Charles Neale gave 

 ^\20 to be laid out in lands the rents thereof to be 

 applied by the churchwardens and overseers in the 

 distribution of bread to the poor. In 1820, in satisfac- 



tion of this charity a sum of J/J173 6i. %d. Consols was 

 transferred to trustees. The stock produces ^^4 bs. %d. 

 yearly in dividends. 



John Hazeldine, who died in 1732, gave 3 three- 

 penny loaves a week to 3 of the poorest people of 

 Wollaston. The sum of /^ I igj. per annum is received 

 out of land in Wollaston belonging to several owners. 



The above-mentioned charities are administered by 

 trustees appointed by the parish council in place of the 

 churchwardens and overseers, and bread is distributed 

 weekly to about 26 recipients. 



By codicil to his will dated 14 July 1800, Jonathan 

 Bettle gave to the vicar and churchwardens money to 

 be laid out in the public funds as would be sufficient 

 to produce ^^5 4/. annually to be distributed in bread 

 to poor widows, and £^if annually to be laid out in books 

 for the choir or in such other manner as the choir may 

 direct. The endowment consists of ^^306 13/. \d. 

 Consols producing jj] 13/. i^d. yearly in dividends. Of 

 this £■!, \%s. is applied in bread and the remainder is 

 paid to the choir. 



The Congregational Chapel and Trust Property is 

 comprised in indentures of 16 December 1752 and 

 22 January 1754. 



The Charity of David Hennell for the minister of the 

 chapel was founded by will proved on 14 September 

 1830. The endowment consists of a sum of 

 j^io9 17X. \\d. Consols producing [j. \\s. %d. yearly 

 in dividends. 



The Charity lor the minister of the chapel founded 

 by indentures of lease and release dated respectively 

 II and 12 April 1837 and 2 and 3 January 1840 con- 

 sists of a house in Wollaston let on a monthly tenancy 

 and producing £^\o per annum. 



The Charity of John Ward for repair of the chapel 

 founded by indenture dated 28 October 1853 consists 

 of 3 messuages in Wollaston with gardens (formerly 

 Guillons) let on monthly tenancies and producing 

 ;^I9 \os. yearly. 



The Charity of John Ward for repair of the house 

 of the minister of the chapel was founded by will 

 proved i May 1855 and consists of ^^517 9/. "jd. 

 Consols producing ;^i 2 1 8/. %d. yearly in dividends. 



The trustees also hold certain sums representing 

 accumulations of income. The above-mentioned chari- 

 ties in connexion with the Congregational Chapel are 

 regulated by a Scheme of the Charity Commissioners 

 dated 21 June 1894. The income is applied in the 

 upkeep of the property and in the maintenance of 

 the chapel. The several sums of Consols are held by 

 the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds. 



' Chart. R. 2 Edw. Ill, m. 15, no. 47. 

 ^ Cal. Pat. 1348-50, p. 332; 1350-4, 

 . 356; L. and P. Hen. Fill, vi, 349. 

 3 Recov. R. Hil. 10 Cfias. I, m. 2. 

 •• Inst. Bks. (P.R.O.). 

 s L. and P. Hen. Fill, vi, 349. 



' IbiJ. xviii, pt. i, 547; XX, 678. 



' Pat. 6 Eliz. pt. 10. 



* Feet of F. Nortfiants. Mich. 23 and 

 24 Eliz. 



'> Cal. of the Court BIS. of Peterborough, 

 printed in Northanti. A'. &f jj. (n.s.), iii, 2 1 6. 



'" Feet of F. Northants. Mich. 8 Jas. I; 

 East. 9 Jas. i; Hil. 20 Jas. I; Mich. 9 

 Chas. I; Bridges, Hist, of Northanti. ii, 201. 



" Feet of F. Northants. Trin. 9 Geo. \\ 

 Recov. R. Trin. 9 Geo. I, m. 154. 



62 



