EDWINSTREE HUNDRED 



The clearstory windows are of two cinquefoiled lights 

 of modern stonework. The roof is modern, but the 

 carved stone corbels supporting the trusses are of 

 15th-century date; they comprise figures of angels 

 with musical instruments and shields and some 

 grotesques. In the south-east angle of the nave is 

 the doorway to the rood stairs set in a splay. 



The east, west and three side windows of the north 

 and south aisles and the corresponding windows of 

 the south aisle are of three lights with traceried 

 heads ; they are of 15th-century character, but all of 

 modern stonework. The south doorway has a four- 

 centred arch with continuous mouldings stopping on 

 a splayed base; it is of 15th-century date, but the 

 stone has been reworked. Near the east end of the 

 south aisle is a small piscina with pointed arch, 

 wave-moulded on edge. The roofs of the aisles are 

 modern, but the carved stone corbels under the trusses 

 are of 15th-century date, and are similar in character 

 to those under the nave roof. The south porch is 

 modern. The west tower ''^ was rebuilt in I 861, all 

 but the archway into the nave ; it is of 15th-century 

 date, with an arch of two moulded orders, the outer 

 order continuous, the inner on round engaged shafts 

 with moulded capitals and bases. Leaves are carved 

 on the angles of the capitals, the upper members of 

 which are octagonal on plan. The original wooden 

 ladder to the belfry still exists. The font and all the 

 fittings are modern. 



On the south wall is a brass with figures of a man, 

 his two wives and four daughters, with inscription to 

 Robert Poynard, 1561. On the chancel floor is a 

 brass inscription to Anna wife of John Rowley, 1613. 

 On the north chancel wall is a tablet to Susanna wife 

 of Robert Castell. On the floor are slabs to Anna 

 second wife of John Rowley, 1650, Ann wife of 

 Sir Edward Chester, 1645, and to Humfrey Boughton 

 of Warwickshire, 1637. There are several tablets 

 and slabs of the 18th century in the chancel, and 

 under the tower is n large monument to Admiral Sir 

 John Jennings, 1743. In the east windows of the 

 north and south aisles are fragments of 1 5th-century 

 glass, consisting of portions of a Jesse window and a 

 mixed collection of saints and angels, fragments of 

 inscriptions and heraldic devices. 



There are eight bells : the first to the sixth are all 

 by John Briant, 1797, the sixth being also inscribed 

 ' Gloria Deo in Excelsis.' The above form the ring, 

 besides which there is a small bell by James Bartlett, 

 1698, and another bell, not hung, inscribed 'Ave 

 Maria Gracia Plena.' It bears the stamp of the 

 Bury St. Edmunds foundry, but is undated ; it is 

 probably of 15th-century date. 



The communion plate consists of cup and cover 

 paten, two plates and a flagon, all of 1 7 1 4 ; also a 

 small silver-gilt cup, 1807, presented in 1901. 



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



BARKWAY 



entries 1538 to 1699 ; (ii) baptisms and burials 1697 

 to 1 810, marriages 1697 to 1753 ; (iii) baptisms 

 and burials 1811-12; (iv), (v) and (vi) marriages 

 1754 to 1775, 1776 to 1805 and 1805 to 1812 

 respectively. There is also a register of banns of 

 marriage 1776 to 1805. A churchwardens' account 

 book is preserved, dating from 4 & 5 Philip and Mary 

 and kept until 171 5. 



In the garden of the vicarage were some fragments 

 of richly carved and crocketed pinnacles of clunch 

 from the church. These are about to be placed in 

 the church. The old font of Reed Church, until 

 recently in a garden at Reed Hall, has been brought 

 to Barkway, and will also be preserved in the church. 

 It has five shields carved with flowers and emblems. 



There was a priest on the Mande- 

 JDFOIVSON ville fee in Barkway in 1086," but 

 it was Eudo Dapifer, lord of New- 

 sells, who gave the church of ' Newsells,' elsewhere 

 called ' Barkway,' '* to Colchester Abbey,'* and the 

 gift was confirmed by Henry I and also by Stephen 

 and his wife Maud as' overlords.^'' A moiety of the 

 church seems, however, to have been appurtenant to 

 Nuthampstead Manor (of the MandevilJe fee), since 

 Ralph Nuers, lord of Nuthampstead, granted half the 

 church to the abbey in the 12th century." 



The right of presentation remained thenceforward 

 with the successive lords of the Rectory Manor (q.v.) 

 until the sale of that manor to Mr. Alexander Cross- 

 man (see Newsells). It was then reserved by the 

 Hon. G. H. Douglas and is now held by his son 

 Captain George Sholto Douglas. 



The advowson was reserved to the Abbot of Col- 

 chester in the conventual leases of the demesne lands.'' 



Only one-third of the tithes was included in Kudo's 

 gift to Colchester Abbey.'^ The tithes of Newsells 

 Manor had been given to the abbey of S^es.'" In 

 I 249, after the settlement of a dispute between the 

 two abbeys, the Abbot of Colchester became perpetual 

 lessee of the tithes due to Sees Abbey.^^ 



At first the profits of the church were appropriated 

 to the clothing of the monks.^^ A vicarage was 

 ordained by Bishop Gilbert of London (1163-87), 

 and the rectorial tithes were then appropriated to the 

 use of the guest-house of the monastery.*' A house 

 near the church was assigned to the vicar.*^ 



There was a gild or brotherhood belonging to the 

 church which in 1498 is called the gild of St. Mary,*' 

 but by 1506 it had become the gild or fraternity of 

 the Blessed Mary and St. Thomas the Martyr.*"^ 



The following charities are ad- 



CHJRITIES ministered under the provisions of a 



scheme of the Charity Commissioners 



of 30 August 1907, under the title of the Barkway 



Non-ecclesiastical Charities, namely, the charities of 



I . Sir Edward Chester, will, 1 666, being a rent- 

 charge of £4 issuing out of 2 a. of land at Barkway. 



'^ The tower seems to have been re- 

 built or considerably repaired early in the 

 1 6th century. In 15 17 John Pynnar 

 left all his timber in Barkway and New- 

 port to the church of Barkway, so that it 

 ihould be used in things necessary as to 

 the steeple (i.e. the tower) or to the bells 

 m the steeple. He also left money for 

 buying a copper cross and making the 

 'pulpit,' possibly the rood-loft and also a 

 bell for the clock (P.C.C. 35 Holder). 

 In 1506 William Wilde, vicar of Bark- 



way, left ^6 131. 4.d. to the repair of the 

 church where it was most needed (ibid. 

 20 Adeane). 



" r.C.H. Herti. i, 331a. 



'* Cart. Man. S. Johannis de Cohuiiria 

 (Roxburghe Club), 48. 



'5 Ibid. 3. 



™ Ibid. II, 49. 



" Ibid. 173. 



'8 Mins. Accts. Hen. VIII, no. 976. 



" Cart. Mon. S. Jahamk dc CoUceitria 

 (Roxburghe Club), 48. 



35 



» Ibid. 547, 550. 



"' Ibid. 547. The rent was renounced 

 by Sies Abbey in 1305 (ibid. 577). 

 82 Ibid. 71. 

 S' Ibid. 83. 



M Ibid. 93 : 



fol. 200. 



85 Will of 

 16 Home). 



8« Will of William Wilde, 1506 (ibid. 

 20 Adeane) and will of John Pynnar, 

 1 5 17 (35 Holder). 



Lond. Epis. Reg. Gilbert, 

 John Homsted (P.C.C. 



