Fulletby lies about 3½ miles from Horncastle, in a north-east by north
direction, on the road to Belchford. Letters, _via_ Horncastle, arrive
at 10 a.m. The nearest Money Order Office is at Belchford, the nearest
Telegraph Office at Tetford, or Horncastle. We do not know very much of
the ancient history of this parish. In Domesday Book it is stated
(“Lands of the Bishop of Durham”) that the Saxons, Siward and Edric, had
there two carucates (or about 240 acres) and six oxgangs of land,
rateable to gelt. William, a vassal of the Bishop {54} had also there
two carucates (or 240 acres) and five villeins and 19 socmen, who had two
carucates and two oxgangs. In Hearne’s “Liber Niger” (vol. ii) Ranulph,
Bishop of Durham, is said to have “in Fuletebi and Oxcum 4 carucates and
6 oxgangs which Pinson holds” (Circa A.D. 1114). Pinson was a Norman
soldier, Dapifer, or Steward of the Durham Bishops, and held many lands
in this neighbourhood under them for the service of acting as their
bailiff; the Bishop holding, “in chief,” direct from the sovereign.
Pinson thus became (deputy) Lord of Eresby, and other Episcopal
Lordships, and by the marriage of Walter de Beck, with Agnes, a daughter
of Hugh Pinson, several of these lands passed to the family of Bec, or
Bek; one of the family, Anthony de Bec, himself became Bishop of Durham.
In 1214 the Bishop of Durham’s land in Fulletby and Oxcomb was held under
him by Henry Bec, and in the reign of Ed. I. John Beck and John de
Harington held a Fee (doubtless the same property in Fulletby and
Oxcombe). At another date, temp King Henry II., a certain “Count
Richard,” probably the Earl of Chester, had “in Fulledebi 2 carucates.”
By the marriage of Sir William Willoughby with a daughter of Baron Bec,
of Eresby, several of these Lordships passed to the Willoughby d’ Eresby
family; and among them (“Testa de Nevill,” page 318) were lands in
“ffotby”; and in Feet of Fines, Lincoln, (file 69, 31, Ed. I. A.D. 1303)
it is stated that Robert de Wylgheby held “rent of 6 quarters of salt in
ffoletby, Beltefford, Golkesby, &c.” While Gervase Holles says
(“Collectanea,” Brit. Mus., vol. iii., p. 770) that in the reign of
Elizabeth, “Carolus, Dominus Willoughby de Parham,” was Lord of the Manor
of Fulletby (“Old Lincolnshire,” vol. i., pp. 213–214). The lands have
passed from these old owners many years ago, and are now the property of
the Elmhirst, Booth, Riggall, and other families.
In the rebellion, called “the Lincolnshire Rising,” in 1536, Robert
Leech, of Fulletby, joined with the insurgents, and, although his
brother, Nicholas Leech, parson of Belchford, escaped trial, Robert was
put to death with Thomas Kendall, vicar of Louth, the Abbots (Matthew
Mackerell) of Barlings, and (Richard Harrison) of Kirkstead, and many
others. Their names were included in a “List of Lincolnshire Martyrs,”
sent to the Apostolic See, who were “first made Venerable, then Blessed,
and lastly Canonised,” by his holiness, for their steadfastness in the
Papal cause. Other persons, known by name, connected with the parish as
patrons of the benefice, have been the heirs of Nicholas Shepley in 1701;
George Lascells, Esq., in 1741; Thomas Rockliffe, Esq., in 1782; Francis
Rockliffe, clerk, in 1784; Mrs. A. R. Rockliffe, 1826; Rev. J. Jackson in
1863. F. Charsley, Esq., is the present patron; and Rev. R. Barker is
rector, who has a substantial residence in the parish. The benefice was
formerly charged with a pension of 6s. 8d. to Bullington Priory.
The Church, St. Andrews, is a modern edifice, almost entirely rebuilt in
1857 by Messrs Maughan and Fowler, of Louth; a previous larger church
having been erected in 1705, on the site of a Saxon church, mentioned by
Archdeacon Churton, in his “English Church,” as one of the two hundred
and twenty-two churches in Lincolnshire existing before the Norman
conquest. No traces of the original Saxon church remain. The fabric,
400 years ago, is said to have been considerably longer, to have had a
tower, and north and south aisles. In the later fabric, the aisles had
disappeared, as shewn in an old print, and the tower which partly fell,
in 1799, was then cut down to the level of the nave roof, with a small
wooden bell-turret above it.
The Land Revenue Records (bundle 1392) state that there were “iij bells
and a lytel bell.” In 1566 the Churchwardens reported a “sacringe bell”
as still remaining (Peacock’s “Church Furniture” p. 81.) There are now
only two bells; and a tradition still lingers, that the largest of the
former bells now hangs in the belfry of Tetford church. In 1834, the
Church, like several others in the neighbourhood, was thatched; at that
date the roof was repaired, and covered with tiles.
The east window is a good triplet, in early English style. The present
pulpit was put up by the late Rector, the Rev. G. E. Frewer; and, along
with the Reredos, was carved by Mr. Winn, living in the parish. The
reading desk was carved by a former Rector, Rev. J. Jackson, but has of
late years, been altered. There is a handsome brass lectern given by the
present Rector, Rev. R. Barker. In the floor of the chancel is a slab,
with this inscription, “Depositum Ricardi Dugard qui obiit anno ætatis
68, salutis 1653, Januarii 28.” He is supposed to have been a nephew of
William Dugard, who printed the original edition of “Ikon Basilike,” in
his own house. The two present bells are inscribed “Warner and Sons,
1857.” All the registers previous to 1750 have been lost. Of the
communion plate, the chalice and paten are dated 1688; the flagon is
modern.
In 1566 there was in the church “one alb, one cope, a crosse, super
altaire, ij images, a mass, a piece of wood, whereon stood xxiv candels.”
George Monson, the royal commissioner, ordered that “they must awaie with
(these) this side the first of Maie, and certifie.”
In 1846 six Roman urns, containing calcined bones, were dug up in this
parish in an abandoned brickyard; and, about 5 years afterwards, another
similar urn was found near the same place. There are still found there a
considerable quantity of fossils, ammonites, gryphæa, &c.; and the writer
of these notes possesses a vertebra of a large saurian, one of several
which have quite recently been found at the same place.
Fulletby School was rebuilt in 1849. The 1st stone being laid in the
last week in August, to contain 60 children, by Dr. Spranger, Rector of
Low Toynton, who gave handsomely, besides building at his own expense and
endowing a School at New York. The Rev. W. M. Pierce, Rector,
contributed, also Mrs. Elmhirst, of Yorkshire; the Lady of the Manor, the
Queen Dowager giving £10. (“Lincolnshire Chronicle,” August 28th, 1849).