Mary’s, Weston, another of the Spalding Priory churches. The parish of
Weston formed part of the at one time large Manor of Spalding and its
members, of which the Priors of Spalding were lords; and all records
point to the able and philanthropic way the monks treated the places
within their jurisdiction. With respect to the mode in which they treated
Pinchbeck, and the means by which they built that fine village church,
the existing records of the monastery give a most interesting account.
That Weston Church was restored under the able direction of the then
vicar, the late Rev. Canon Edward Moore, F.S.A., is sufficient guarantee
that it was a thorough, though conservative, restoration, and those who
visit the church will be ready to testify that as a model of a village
church Weston St. Mary would hold a very high place.
That the present is not the first church at Weston we have proof, for
about the year 1135 Thomas de Multon, who was the chief tenant of the
Prior of Spalding, and resided at his castle at Moulton, whilst attending
the funeral of his father in the Abbey Church of Spalding, gave to the
monks, in the presence of his family, the Abbot of Croyland, and many
others, the church at Weston. Weston was in his manor of Moulton. The
gift was confirmed in the presence of the Chapter of the Priory of
Spalding, and also by Thomas de Multon depositing his clasped knife on
the high altar of the Abbey Church. This Thomas was the father of Lambert
de Multon, who, with his wife Matilda, was buried in Weston Church;
and there is still in the north-west corner of the north transept his
sepulchral slab which formerly had two effigies. Lambert doubtless was a
benefactor to the church, and so acquired the honour of sepulture within
its walls.
In the early part of the thirteenth century (during the reign of King
John), and whilst John, a Spaniard, was the Prior of Spalding, a fine
was levied between him and Lord Thomas de Multon for the advowson of the
Church of Weston, and, judging by the architecture, it was about this
time the monks began the building of the present church.
With the exception of the transepts and tower, the whole of this
pretty church belongs to the earliest part of the Lancet Period. The
two transepts belong to the Geometrical Period, and the tower to the
Rectilinear Period of architecture. The student may compare the nave of
this church with advantage with the earlier nave of Moulton, another of
the Spalding Priory churches—it seems as if the same workmen had been
engaged on both buildings. The nave has five compartments of pointed
pier arches of two orders, of which the first only is moulded, resting
on light clustered piers consisting of circular and polygonal shafts
surrounded by four light detached shafts. The piers are low and the
shafts not banded. The pier capitals present a series of carved work of
the earliest Lancet foliage, and are very stiff, but are more free and
of far more advanced character than those at Moulton. The chancel arch
of two orders is an excellent example of the early work of the Lancet
Period. The clerestories should be compared with those at Whaplode, Long
Sutton, and Moulton, which show the gradual change from the Norman to the
Transitional and the Transitional to the Lancet styles of architecture.
This church illustrates how the Transitional ideas in regard to moulding,
&c., show themselves in this early example of Lancet work.
The chancel has single lancet windows and slender buttresses of the early
part of the period, and should be compared with the two buttresses at the
east end of the south aisle of Moulton Church.
The font is an interesting one, and is of the same date as the nave.
The tower, which is the lowest in the district, does not call for
observation. The south porch is a very good specimen of the period, and
will repay careful inspection.
ALL SAINTS’, MOULTON
Old though this splendid village church is, it is not the first church
the parish possessed, for there was an earlier one which it is believed
stood on the north side of the main road leading from Spalding to
Holbeach, in the same manner as the Church of Weston now does. The site
of this early church was near the present “Bell Inn.” When the turnpike
was made in 1761, a great number of human bones were dug up and the
foundations of buildings were discovered. The impression then was that
the site of an ancient church and burial ground had been disclosed.
This church was probably a small Saxon building. Domesday Survey does
not record any church at Moulton. That need not cause any surprise, as
it was no part of the commissioners’ duty to make a return of churches.
It is true some are mentioned, but in the majority of cases, even where
churches were known to have existed, there is no mention of them in the
Survey.
The Priory of Spalding was founded a few years previously to the Norman
Conquest (_cir._ 1051) by Thorold the Sheriff, and was liberally endowed
by him and Lady Lucy, who married Ivo Tail-bois, nephew to the Conqueror.
Through her family Spalding Priory became possessed of the manor of
Spalding, and the owners of the advowson of Moulton Church.
Cole, in his priceless MSS. now in the British Museum, states:—
“Be it known that the right of advowson of the Church of
Moulton was acquired by the Prior and Convent with the manor
of Spalding ... and they always held it without strife or
controversy.”
The Priory supplied priests to officiate in the early church at Moulton.
The following charter of Robert, Bishop of Lincoln (1094-1123), is
interesting:—
“To all the faithful in Christ and to the sons of the Holy
Mother Church Robert, by the grace of God Bishop of Lincoln,
greeting. We provide for the Church of God usefully when
we assign its benefices to fitting persons for pious uses.
Therefore, for religion’s sake, and fully trusting to the
honesty of our beloved sons H⸺ [Cole states it was Herbert]
the Prior and the monks of Spalding, we concede and confirm to
them for a perpetual alms the churches of Spalding, Pinchbeck,
Multon, and Hautebarge with all their appendages, viz. to the
Church of St. Nicholas and the monks serving God there to hold
for their own use, for the support of the Poor, of guests, and
the infirm; and we corroborate the same by the attestation
of our seal; save and excepting in all things the right and
dignity of the Church of Lincoln. Witness: Henry of Huntingdon,
archdeacon, &c.”
Cole, speaking of this charter, says: “The Prior and Convent appointed
the vicars temporal in the said churches according to their will for
seven or eight years, or for any other time at their pleasure.”
By the 4th and 5th parts of the Register of Spalding Priory, now in the
British Museum, we learn the great sway the monastery had over “their
vill of Multon”:—
“The tenants of the Prior in Multone on account of their
contracts and misdemeanors struck and committed in the fee
of the Prior assemble at the Court of the Prior in Spalding.
Likewise the Prior in his said Court of Spalding has control
over the bakers and brewers and the vendors of bread and ale
in his fee in Multone. Likewise the residents in the fee of
the Prior at Multone are in frankpledge to the Prior in the
same Court of Spalding, and came there for the purpose of
making view of frankpledge and their amendation. Likewise the
gallows of the Prior of Spalding in Spalding serve for those
condemned in his Court of Spalding, taken in his fee of Multone
and convicted of felony in his Court of Spalding. Likewise
the right of patronage of the Church of Multone belongs to the
manor of the Prior of Spalding in Spalding.”
Such was the position of affairs at Moulton when the monks at Spalding
in the twelfth century began building the present Parish Church of All
Saints.
During Prior John’s time (_circa_ 1175-1190) we next learn something
concerning the church at Moulton. Coles in his MSS. gives some curious
articles offered by the rector and patrons of the Church of Moulton
against Thomas de Multon, “a great man in these parts,” and head tenant
of the monastery, “showing the ill-feeling and jealousy which had sprung
up between the ecclesiastical and lay lords as well as the anxiety of the
monastery to secure the aid of the parishioners in building the present
church, and pointing out their duties to their ‘Mother Church.’”
“Articles offered against Thomas de Multon by the Prior and
Convent of Spalding, Rectors, and Patrons of Multon, and by the
Vicar of the same.
“In the first place, it is offered against the said Sir Thomas
that he has a certain chapel unlawfully erected in his manor,
and causes divine service to be there celebrated without the
consent and will of the said prior and convent and of the
vicar, and without the authority of any superior person, to the
danger of his soul, and to the no small prejudice and injury
of the said prior and convent and the vicar of the parish
church of Multon. Likewise, that the chaplains celebrating
in the same, by the power and authority of the said Sir
Thomas, receive the parishioners of Multon, not only at the
Sacraments, but also at the Sacraments of the Church, contrary
to the injunction of the holy canons, to the danger of his
soul, &c. (as above). Likewise, that his chaplains aforesaid,
by the power and authority of the said Sir Thomas, unjustly
appropriate to themselves, and carry away for their own use,
to convert to their own pleasure, the oblations made in the
said chapel, and also other offerings which by right belong
to the parish church aforesaid. On which account the said
chaplains are also _ipso facto_ suspended from the celebration
of the divine offices, and are irregular in like manner when
celebrating the divine offices, yea, rather profaning them.
Which said chaplains the said Sir Thomas, contrary to the law
of God and justice, sustains and defends in the wickedness
of such iniquity and manifest error, to the prejudice and
subversion of the rights of the parish church of Multon, to
the danger of his soul, &c. (as above). Likewise, since it
pertains to parish rights, that all the parishioners ought,
at least on Sundays and Feast-days, to attend their parish
church devoutly, there to attend to the prayers diligently,
to listen to the divine offices and other salutary admonitions
which are wholesomely made for the information of the people;
nevertheless the same Sir Thomas has hitherto refused, with
contempt, to attend his parish church at Multon aforesaid,
whilst he remains there, or in any way to acknowledge it by
his personal presence, and still unduly, to the danger of his
soul, &c. (as above). Likewise, that since the parishioners,
according to ecclesiastical discipline, ought on Sundays and
Feast-days, as aforesaid, to come to the parish church not
alone to pray there, and hear the divine offices, but also
that they might be present together, anxious and attentive to
the Declaration of the Feasts and of the Bans, to the mandates
of the Church and their superiors, and to the executions and
injunctions there made by the ministers of the church as the
custom is, for the information of the people and the salvation
of their souls, and that they might reverently and devoutly
fulfil such injunctions and instructions to the utmost of their
power; nevertheless the said Sir Thomas and others of the
parish of Multon, by the authority only of the said Sir Thomas,
and by occasion of the said chapel, under-estimating and
despising their own parish church, assemble in the aforesaid
chapel on the said Sundays and Feast-days to hear mass there
only, entirely regardless of the salutary admonitions of their
mother church, and all injunctions and informations of the
same, like sons degenerate towards their mother, which is
horrible, to the manifest danger of his soul, and of the souls
of many others, and to the prejudice of the parish church, &c.
Likewise, that by his own authority, and by occasion of the
said chapel, he differs from the community of the parishioners
of Multon, and strives to avoid parochial law and subjection,
in that although he is a parishioner there he will not receive
the holy bread, like as others his parishioners devoutly and
thankfully receive it, chiefly because he is not the patron
of the said church, neither does he admit the clerk bearer of
the holy water, which is disgraceful in such a lord, since
even the poor villeins of the parish, and the miserable women
likewise, cherishing their household-god, receive it gratefully
and kindly; the duty of which said clerk was first of all
devised for the common convenience of the parishioners, and
thus far laudably approved, and, from time immemorial, has been
generally observed.
“Likewise that, since all the parishioners are bound by
parochial law to contribute to the building of the parish
church, and to acknowledge and sustain it, like as sons a
mother, the same Sir Thomas, although a parishioner of the
church of Multon, and a son of the same, among others greater
and more powerful, has refused to contribute any part of
his goods towards the building of the church, and refuses
unlawfully, because by no special law is he free from this kind
of duty, to the danger of his soul, &c. (as above).
“Likewise, since it belongs to the church of Multon and to
its ministers to make citations through the parish, and
corrections, for the most part enjoined by the mandate and
authority of superiors, the said Sir Thomas, wishing to
exempt his chapel aforesaid, and by reason of the said chapel
the whole of his manor of Multon, does not permit any one
of his family, by reason of any compact or contract, to be
cited within the boundaries of the said manor, nor otherwise
justified according to the form of the Church, but as well
he as others of his family, under his authority and power,
waywardly resist and intolerably rebel, lest they should be
cited and corrected, as well for the cruel injuries oftentimes
brought upon the ministers of the said church, as also for
mortal threats, so that the ministers of the said church dare
not approach the manor of Multon aforesaid for the purpose of
making any citation or execution on the part of the church,
neither can they do so without danger of death, or pain of
body; on which account many sins committed by the said family
are left unpunished, and ample opportunity for sinning is
afforded by the said Thomas, whilst he cherishes and defends
such persons in sin and error, contrary to the state of the
Church, and the reverence of God and the Church, and likewise
to the notorious detriment of his soul and of the souls of
many others, and to the prejudice and injury of the church of
Multon, and of the said prior and convent and of the vicar.
“But the said prior and convent and the vicar protest that,
if the said Sir Thomas has, for himself, any special right,
by reason of which he can duly claim such rights, or defend
himself in the premises, and be in any way exempt from
parochial right, that such right and judgment being shown in
due form, or inasmuch as he shall show that he is lawfully
protected by special privilege with regard to any article in
the premises, they will be so far ready to yield to these
oppositions, and to cease from their pursuit in this matter,
and to dismiss him in peace commended to the Lord.”
The Prior of Spalding, powerful though he was, had formidable opponents
in the Multon family, who not only had the Pope, who had given Sir Thomas
licence for his chapel, on their side, but also the temporal power of
the State. So great was the Multon influence, that the Prior was glad
to come to terms with the “head tenant,” and a composition was signed
by the parties in the Church of Weston, on Wednesday next before the
Circumcision of our Lord in the year 1259.
“Composition between the Prior of Spalding and Sir Thomas de
Multon, in a suit moved between them, regarding the minor
tenths and an annual rent.
“Memorandum, that in the presence of Sir (dominus) John Prior
of Spalding, on the one part, and Thomas de Multon, on the
other part, in the Church of Weston, on Wednesday next before
the Circumcision of our Lord, in the year MCCLIX., to treat
of peace between the parties aforesaid, conceded and agreed
upon by the will of both, in a suit moved in the Court of
Christianity, regarding the minor tenths, namely, hunting in
the park of Multon, herbage of the garden, cut wood, dovecots,
butter, domestic geese, fisheries; and in a suit moved in the
Court of our lord the King, regarding an annual rent of 60s.,
peace was renewed in the manner following, the mediators being
Master Alexander, Rector of the Church of Swineshead, at that
time Official of the Lord Archdeacon of Lincoln, Sir James de
Bussi, parson of Skirbeck, Master William de Walpol, Sir John
de Grethford, Vicar of Multon, Gilbert de Cheile, and others,
namely, that the said Thomas shall pay the tenth of milk at
the tenth day, or cheese, with all the collected cream (cum
tota pinquedine coagulatim) at the will of the Lord Prior,
and the right shoulder of venison (bestiæ suæ venationis).
In like manner he shall pay the tenth of domestic fowl, and
of his dovecot, fully and wholly without contradiction. But
the Lord Prior has remitted to the said Thomas the tenths of
the fish-ponds. Moreover the petition regarding the tenths
of garden herbage and of cut wood shall cease between the
aforesaid parties, until the tenths of this nature shall be
generally paid. Moreover the said Thomas has agreed to the
payment of the said annual rent of 60s. to the Lord Prior at
the proper terms, and with his glove has invested the same in
the hands of the said Prior, and has mortgaged the arrears of
three years, namely nine pounds; nevertheless the said Lord
Prior, at the instance of common friends, has remitted to
the said Thomas the half of those nine pounds. And the said
mediators are witnesses of this peace.
“Robert, Sub-prior of Spalding; John de Tid; John, monk of
Spalding; Master Henry de Edinham, clerk; William de Cletham,
clerk; officials, &c., and many others being present, seeing
and hearing. In testimony whereof the seal of the office
aforesaid is affixed.”
Cole gives an interesting composition between the Prior of Spalding and
the vicar of Moulton regarding a pension; likewise regarding portion of
the vicarage.
One cannot but think with the erection of All Saints’, Moulton, began
the church-building rivalry between the two neighbouring monasteries of
Croyland and Spalding, which lasted until the dissolution of the greater
abbeys. Croyland had built the Norman portion of the present church of
Whaplode. Then Spalding Priory, about 1175, began the present Church of
Moulton, the nave of which would be considerably larger than the Norman
nave of Whaplode, and though Moulton nave is built in the Transitional
Period, in a great number of its details it resembles Whaplode; for you
have at Whaplode four shafted compound piers, while at Moulton you have
the four shafts arranged round a central column forming part of the solid
masonry, still all engaged and forming a solid pier of coursed masonry;
next you have a further development of the idea—four larger and four
smaller shafts placed alternately, but still engaged, almost immediately
followed by the disengaged shafts of the Lancet Period, as at St. Mary’s,
Weston.
The pier bases are similar to those at Whaplode, though they show the
slight advance art had made, but at Moulton you will find a circular
bench round the base. The Croyland monks, when they saw the church at
Moulton was finer than theirs at Whaplode, not to be outdone by the
younger monastery, lengthened the nave of Whaplode; and though Spalding
long afterwards added a bay to the nave at Moulton, that at Whaplode is
still the longest and narrowest nave in the district.
The capitals of Transitional work at Moulton are interesting—the stiff
engaged leaves are all inclined one way, and follow one another round the
necks of the capitals.
Mr. Sharpe says—
“In the pier capitals of the eastern part of the nave of
Whaplode and the nave of Moulton churches we see the early
efforts of the artists of the period to produce relief and to
disengage the flowers and the leaf from the surface to which
it was attached. The strong resemblance of the ornamentation
of the capitals in these two churches leaves no doubt that
the Transitional portion of the nave at Whaplode and the nave
at Moulton are contemporaneous work, the same artists having
probably been employed on the carved work of the naves.”
At Moulton an arch at one time apparently sprung from the westernmost
pair of pillars, across the nave, from the engaged pillar rising through
the capital of the nave pillar. There is a strong buttress at the back
of each of these pillars, which are continued to the clerestory, and
can be seen from the outside. There probably was a tower or campanile
standing between the two pillars, which was pulled down probably in the
Rectilinear Period, when the present tower was erected—one bay further to
the west. The northern clerestory, which is Transitional and earlier than
that of the south side, may be compared with that of Whaplode. The south
clerestory is Late Transitional. In the Rectilinear Period, in 1400, the
windows of the clerestories were altered and the present roof was built.
The aisles, originally only 10 feet wide, were in about 1310 widened
to 17 feet, the south aisle being first done. Some of the original
Transitional buttresses were re-used (the eastern and smaller ones), as
was also the fine south Transitional doorway. The north aisle was done
about 1320-25, and the original Transitional doorway was re-used. When
the tower and spire were built about 1380, the aisles were lengthened,
like the nave. Sharpe writes on the tower and spire: “Their relative
proportions may be pronounced faultless.... The tower and spire may be
taken as the most perfect realisation of the Rectilinear form of this
noble addition to the English parish church to be found anywhere.”
The walls of the tower appear to have settled as the work progressed,
but the architects of those days were equal to the emergency, and so
rectified the work as the building progressed, and so well was it done
that the tower has kept its perpendicular for five centuries. The spire
is 6 feet 8 inches at base, and the stone 6 inches thick.
The chancel was rebuilt late in the fourteenth or early in the fifteenth
century, but the chancel arch is post-Reformation work. The east window
and the organ chamber are new. The sedilia were reset in the fourteenth
century. In the north wall is a mutilated sepulchre or founder’s tomb;
also there is a blocked-up vestry door of the same period. The vestry and
room over it have long since disappeared. The rood-screen, which has been
recently very well restored, is of the same date as the chancel, and is
by far the best specimen of a rood-screen in the district.
The church was restored in 1867-8, when (_inter alia_) the organ was
removed from the gallery at the west end and placed in the new organ
chamber. There were also placed in the church a new font, pulpit,
reading desk, and seating, mullions placed in the aisles’ windows, roofs
repaired, gallery at west end of nave removed, and new windows in the
chancel. There were formerly several chapels with altars in the church,
the last vestiges of which were removed at the restoration in 1867-8.
Members of the Multon, Welby, Wigtoft, and Kyme families rest in the
church, as well as the body of John Horrox, the founder of the Moulton
Grammar Schools. Unfortunately at the restoration the sepulchral slabs
were removed to “fit in better,” and at the present time are not over the
bodies of those whose memory they perpetuate.
ST. MARY’S, WHAPLODE
This church is not only the oldest in the district, but, in spite of the
lamentable condition to which it has been reduced by the ill-usage and
neglect in bygone days, it is one of the most instructive and interesting
to the architectural student in South Lincolnshire.