A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



with moulded capitals and bases. The responds are 

 octagonal, but the third arch (from the west) on the 

 south side rests on a moulded corbel attached to the 

 masonry pier. At the east end the aisles are separated 

 from the chapels by pointed arches of two chamfered 

 orders. The aumbry in connexion with the former aisle 

 altar remains in the north wall, and at the east end of the 

 naves, south of the chancel arch, is a trefoiled recess 

 high in the wall. 



The south doorway is of two hollow-chamfered 

 orders stopped above the impost and hood-mould with 

 heads: the jambs are only slightly chamfered. The 

 early-i4th-century north doorway is of three moulded 

 orders, the middle one on shafts with moulded capitals 

 and bases, the others wave-moulded; the hood -mould 

 terminates in heads. The floor of the south porch is 

 level with that of the nave, but on the north there is a 

 descent of three steps. In the south-west angle of the 

 north porch is a stoup with ogee-headed canopy tre- 

 foiled within, and in the east wall a rectangular recess. 

 Above the outer arch is a trefoiled niche. An inscrip- 

 tion on the north-east buttress reads: 'A° dni. m°. cccc. 

 Ivj editicatur'. 



At the west end of the north aisle is an original lancet 

 W'indow, the jamb only restored, but the other windows 

 of the aisle are modern. The windows of the south 

 aisle are square-headed, and in two of them the mul- 

 lions have been renewed in wood. The clerestory 

 windows are also square-headed. 



The tower is of four stages, with moulded plinth, 

 west doorway, coupled buttresses, and vice in the north- 

 west angle. Above the doorway is a vesica-shaped 

 quatrefoil, and in the second stage facing south an ogee- 

 headed opening: otherwise the two lower stages are 

 blank. The third stage was the 14th-century bell- 

 chamber story and has a pointed window of two cinque- 

 foiled lights with moulded head and jambs on each face. 

 The later upper story sets back and has double bell- 

 chamber windows of two cinquefoiled lights with 

 transom at mid-height, and a band of quatrefoils and 

 blank shields above. The pierced quatrefoil parapet has 

 octagonal angle pinnacles, but a wooden lantern with 

 'leaded dome and cross at the top', which formerly sur- 

 mounted the tower,' has disappeared. The 13th-century 

 tower arch is blocked and partly hidden by the gallery, 

 but it consists of four chamfered orders, the innermost 

 springing from half-round responds with moulded 

 capitals and bases. 



The font, which has a circular bowl, was in use in 

 1825 as a horse-trough at a neighbouring farm,'^ and its 

 carved ornamentation has suffered but it is apparently 

 not earlier than the 14th century. The hexagonal 

 wooden pulpit is part of an old three-decker. 



In the chancel is a mural monument, erected in 

 1732, to John Palmer, archdeacon of Northampton and 

 rector of Ecton 1641-79, with bust by Rysbrack; 

 one to his son-in-law Samuel Freeman, dean of Peter- 



borough, who died on a visit to Ecton in 1 707 and was 

 buried there, and a third to John Palmer, esquire, 

 patron (d. 1763). The south chapel contains a monu- 

 ment to Ann Isted (d. 1763) and other members of the 

 family. In the north aisle is a modern bronze tablet to 

 Benjamin FrankKn, the American statesman (1706- 

 9o).3 



The royal arms of George III (before 1801), for- 

 merly over the chancel arch, are now at the west end of 

 the south aisle. 



A circular floor-drain stone is built into the south 

 aisle wall outside, and on the east jamb of the south 

 porch is a scratch dial of wheel t>'pe, with two con- 

 centric circles and lines radiating in all directions.'' 



There are six bells, the treble dated 1749, ^^^ second 

 (old treble) by James Keene of Woodstock 161 2, and the 

 others by Hugh Watts of Leicester, the third and fifth 

 being dated 1612, the fourth 1634, and the tenorl622.5 

 A clock was erected in i63oandaset of chimes in 1690.* 



The plate consists of a silver cover paten of 1569, a 

 cup of I 591, an alms dish of 1673 with the arms of 

 John Palmer, rector, two cups and patens, and a flagon 

 of 1728, and a large spoon of 1908.' 



The registers before 181 2 are as follows: (i) baptisms, 

 marriages, and burials 1559-84,^ 1591-1637; (ii) bap- 

 tisms 1637-53, 1 656-1 7 54, marriages 1638-53, 1662- 

 1753, burials 1638-53, 1659-1754; (iii) asmall parch- 

 ment book kept by the 'Register' under the Protectorate, 

 containing births 1653—6, marriages 1654-5, burials 

 1653-7; (iv) baptisms 1754-April 18 10, burials 1754- 

 1812; (v) baptisms May 1810— 1812; (vi) marriages 

 1754-80; (vii) marriages 1780-1812. 



The advowson was attached to the 

 ADFOfVSON main manor, presentation being made 

 in 1220 by the Earl of Derby as 

 guardian of the heir of William de Montgomery,' and 

 in 1244 by Sir William de Montgomery.'" In 1275 

 Nicholas de Cogenhoe and Amice his wife, who had it 

 of the gift of John de Montgomery, restored it to 

 William de Montgomery." It remained appurtenant to 

 the manor (q.v.) until 17 1 2 when Ralph Freeman 

 transferred it to Thomas Palmer whose son, then rector, 

 held it in 1720.'- John Palmer was patron from 1732'^ 

 to 1758. '•* In 1762 Barbara Whalley presented Peter 

 Whalley, the editor of Bridges's Northamptonshire.''-^ 

 The Rev. John Christopher Whalley held it in 1853 but 

 subsequently sold it. Since 1874 the right of presenta- 

 tion has been exercised by the Crown. In 1 29 1 the 

 value of the church of Ecton was /[20'* and in 1535 

 ;^2I \%s.-]dP 



John Barker, who died in or about 

 CHARITIES 1729, devised i acre of land in West 

 Holme, the rents to be applied by the 

 rector and churchwardens in providing coats for two 

 poor men. This charity and the charity of the Rev. 

 Palmer Whalley following are regulated by a Scheme 

 of the Charity Commissioners dated 3 January 1893. 



' Cole, Hist, of Ecton^ 9. The dome 

 and cross were repaired in 181 1, when the 

 vane was heightened ; the height of the 

 tower is given as 78 ft. 8 in.: to the top 

 of the vane the height was 1 14 ft. The 

 weathercock was removed and four vanes 

 placed on the pinnacles in 1849. 



^ Ibid. 49. It was in the farmyard of 

 Mr. William Fascutt. The bowl only is 

 ancient. 



' On the north side of the churchyard 

 arc the graves, marked by headstones, of 

 Thomas Franklin (d. 1702) and Eleanor 



his wife (d. 171 1), uncle and aunt of the 

 statesman. The tablet was erected in 19 I 2. 



* Assoc. Arch. Soc. Reports^ xxiii, 361; 

 Home, Primiti've Sun-Dials, 12. 



5 North, Ch. Belli of Northanis. 259, 

 where the inscriptions are given. The bells 

 were rehung in 1912: prior to 1749 the 

 number was five. 



' The chimes played at 4, 6, 8, and 12 

 o'clock, but are now out of use. 



' Markham, Ch. PlateofNorthants. 113. 



8 'From that year (1584) to the yeare 

 1 59 1 nothing is found yet extant": Entry 



in Register. 



» Roi. Hug. de fVelles (Cant. & York 

 Soc), ii, 104. 



"> Rot. Rob. Grossetesle (Cant. & York 

 Soc), 220. 



" Close 3 Edw. I, m. 17 d.; De Banco 

 R. 7, m. 39. 



'^ Bridges, Nortkants. ii, 143. 



" Inst. Bks. (P.R.O.). 



'♦ Priv. & Loc. Act, 32 Geo. II, cap. i. 



" Co\e, History of Eclort, 17. 



'6 Pope Nich. Tax. (Rec Com.), 37. 



" Falor Eccles. (Rec. Com.), iv, 305. 



126 



