A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



buttresses and battlemented parapet, below which is a 

 band of lozenge quatrefoils. The walls slightly batter, 

 and the bell-chamber windows are of two cinquefoiled 

 lights with a quatrefoil in the head. There is a vice in 

 the south-west angle, and a west window of two lights 

 in the lower stage. The lofty tower arch is of two cham- 

 fered orders, the inner springing from half-octagonal 

 responds with moulded capitals and chamfered bases. 



The font is ancient and consists of a plain octagonal 

 bowl and stem on a chamfered base. 



The oak pulpit, c. 1600, has panelled sides and back 

 and a modern canopy.' The upper panels are carved 

 with winged heads and the back with a winged and 

 crowned female figure holding orb and sceptre.^ 



The lower part of a 1 5th-century oak chancel screen 

 remains in position, cut down to rail level. It has two 

 traceried panels on each side of the opening and the 

 rail is carved. Part of the stalling is made up of wood- 

 work of the same type and period. The altar rails are 

 Jacobean, with turned balusters. 



In the chancel floor is a large slab on which was 

 formerly the brass of Sir John Boyvyle (1493), but the 

 figure and four shields of arms have disappeared.^ The 

 inscription remains.'* There are no other monuments 

 earlier than 1800. 



There is a ring of six bells cast by Taylor & Co. of 

 Loughborough in 1906 from an old ring of four, to 

 which two trebles were added. ' 



The plate consists of a silver cup and cover paten 

 c. 1680, a silver bread-holder of 1683, a pewter flagon, 

 and a brass alms dish.* 



The registers before 1 8 1 2 are as follows: (i) baptisms 

 and burials 1701— 1805, marriages 1701-54; (ii) mar- 

 riages 1754-1812; (iii) baptisms and burials 1806-12.' 

 The church was valued in 1291 in 

 ADFOIVSON two portions. These were held by 

 two rectors as the Upper and the 

 Lower Fee, each portion being worth ^^5, with pension 

 deducted.* The pension was that of the Abbot of St. 

 Andrew's (Northampton), returned in Falor Ecclesi- 

 asticus as 13/. 4</. The combined rectories were valued 

 in the Falor at ^^16 \y. Sd., the rectory of Upper 

 Isham being returned as worth £j 10/.' The rectors 

 of the two portions were called comportioners. The 

 rector of the Lower Fee was in 1634-5 before the High 

 Commission Court for procuring himself to be super- 

 instituted, and resigned his title to the rectory;'" and the 

 parish registers show that in 1662 the rector of Lower 

 Isham was removed for 'contending for the Upper 

 Parsonage', when Mr. Galston was presented to both 

 by the Bishop of Lincoln and the king." But it was 

 not until 1841 that the two portions were consolidated 

 into one benefice by Order in Council, the Bishop of 

 Lincoln being patron. Since the division of the bishopric, 

 the patronage has been in the Bishop of Peterborough. 



The advowsons of the rectories of the two portions 

 of Isham church belonged originally apparently to the 

 owners of the manors held respectively of the Latimers 

 and of the Huntingdon fee, that of the Lower Fee 

 having apparently been given'^ to the priory of Hunt- 

 ingdon, by whom the presentation was made in 1227'-' 

 and in i23o.''* Though the presentation to the Lower 

 Fee was made in 1235 by St. James's Abbey,'^ this must 

 have been done by permission of the priory of Hunting- 

 don, by whom the presentation was made in 1238.'* 

 Before the close of the 13 th century the advowson of 

 this fee was in the hands of the Bishop of Lincoln, and 

 so continued until the union of the two rectories. 

 Though in 1546 William Holdenby included the ad- 

 vowson in the sale of the manor, he does not seem ever 

 to have owned it. 



The descent of the advowson of the Over Fee was 

 the same as that of the manor of the Over Hall (q.v.) 

 until 1726, when Francis Hawes and his wife Susan 

 conveyed it with the manor of Kettering to Sir Thomas 

 Crosse, bart., and Matthew Lant." In 1745 William 

 Franks, clerk, and Anne his wite with Thomas Whit- 

 worth and Elizabeth his wife conveyed it to Sir John 

 Dolben, bart., and Langham Rokeby by fine, with 

 warranty against the heirs of Anne and Elizabeth,'^ and 

 the presentation was made in 1 744 and 1 749 by Samuel 

 Morton, a minor; in 1752 and 1760 by Anne Franks, 

 widow; and in 1774 by Thomas Rokeby." In 1804 

 the advowson was held by William John Lushington 

 and his wife Barbara, who conveyed it by fine to 

 Benjamin Clarke Raworth.^" By Order in Council, 

 21 August 1 841, the rectories of Isham Superior and 

 Inferior were united. The patronage of Isham 

 Superior was then in the hands of Sir George Stamp 

 Robinson, from whom the Bishop of Lincoln obtained 

 it in exchange for Cranford St. John, of which church 

 Sir George was rector. The united rectories were 

 transferred to the Bishop of Peterborough in 1852.-' 

 Church land, Constable's land, and 

 CHARITIES Apprentice land. On the inclosure of 

 the parish in 1774 three allotments in 

 Broadmoor Field were awarded in lieu of lands and 

 rights in the open fields. The property consists of about 

 30 acres let for ^^45 yearly, and the invested accumula- 

 tions of income of the Apprentice lands produce about 

 ,^5 yearly. About £2^ is applied to church expenses, 

 ^'10 10/. as apprenticeship premium, and ^'3, from 

 the Constable's land, to public uses. The charity is 

 administered by the vicar and four other trustees. 



Ann Green by her will dated 28 August 1829 gave 

 19 guineas, now producing 10/. yearly, to the minister 

 and churchwardens upon trust to apply the income for 

 the benefit of the Sunday school; and also ,^40, now 

 producing ^i yearly, to be distributed in bread. 



By his will dated 30 March 1829 William Green 



^ The pulpit was restored and the 

 canopy added in 1870. A panel originally 

 belonging to the door now serves as a 

 hymn-board. 



^ There is a similar figure in Holcot 

 church. 



3 They are recorded as 'torn away*, by 

 Bridges (ii, no). The figure was 30 in. 

 high. The slab measures 8 ft. 3 in. by 



■♦ It reads *Hic jacet Johes Boyvyle 

 armiger expectans miam dei qui obiit xxxO 

 die mens' Mail anno domini MiUmo 

 ccccLxxxxin cujus anime propicietur Deus 

 Amen'. 



5 For the old bells, see North, Ch. Bells 

 of Nortltants. 313. The treble, second, and 

 tenor were by Hugh Watts of Leicester, 

 dated respectively 1626, 1619, and 161 5. 

 The third was undated, but bore the 

 stamps both of Newcombe and Watts ; it 

 was inscribed 'Ambrose -\-\ and was 

 probably a medieval bell recast. 



' MiTkhim,CJi. Plale of Nori/ianls. 166. 



' The burials begin in 1807, there 

 having been none in 1806. 



8 Tax. Eccl. (Rec. Com.), 39, 42. 



■* Op. cit. (Rec. Com.), iv, 305. 

 "> Cat. S.P. Dom. 1634-5, pp. 271, 319, 

 536. 



■■ Quoted N. & Q. Norlhants. 1886-7, 

 p. 12. 



■^ No trace of the gift or of any con- 

 firmation of it can be found. Possibly it 

 was held on a lease, or for a term of years. 



" Rot. Hug. de fVelles (Cant. & York 

 Soc), ii, 156. ■■* Ibid. 172. 



'5 Rot. Rob. Crosseteste (Cant. & York 

 Soc), 213. 



■6 Ibid. 233. 



" Feet of F. Northants. East. 1 2 Geo. I. 



■8 Ibid. Trin. 18 & 19 Geo. II. 



■» Inst. Bks. (P.R.O.), 



-" Feet of F. Northants. Hil. 44 Geo. III. 



^' Ex inf. Mr. H. Savory. 



194 



