Miningsby is situated about 7 miles from Horncastle in a south-easterly
direction, and is approached by way of Mareham-on-the-Hill and
Hameringham. It is seven miles from Spilsby westward, and 9 miles
north-east of Tattershall Station. Letters, _via_ Boston, arrive at 9
a.m. The nearest money order and telegraph office is at East Kirkby.
In the time of the Conqueror, this manor belonged to his nephew, Ivo
Taillebois, through his marriage with the Lady Lucia, the rich heiress of
the Saxon Thorolds. It is stated in Domesday Book to comprise 6
carucates of land rateable to gelt (_i.e._, 720 acres), worked by
thirty-six soke-men, eight villeins, and 4 bordars, who had also 40 acres
of meadow, {138} which is several acres in excess of the present
measurement.
Miningsby was connected with Spalding Priory in the following manner.
That monastery was founded by Thorold de Buchenale (_i.e._, Bucknall,
near Horncastle), A.D. 952; and the Lady Lucia, his niece and heiress, in
conjunction with her husband Ivo Taillebois (who was Lord of Spalding),
added largely to the original endowment from her uncle. The churches of
Bolingbroke, Stickney, and other parishes, with “half the Church of East
Keal,” were given to the priory; also tithes from Claxby, Edlington,
Minting, Gautby, &c., and “temporalities” from Haltham, Bolingboke,
Miningsby, &c., the latter including two carucates (or 240 acres) of land
in Miningsby. On the Dissolution of the Monasteries, by Henry VIII.,
several of these properties passed to the crown, and became connected
with the Duchy of Lancaster, and the “Honour of Bolingbroke.” We mention
in the Notes on Revesby, and other parishes, how those and other lands,
passed, through the Lady Lucia’s son (by her 2nd husband), William de
Romara, to the Abbey of Revesby, and at a later period to the Stanhopes,
and, by a parallel process, although through a distinct channel, the
Stanhopes are now lords of the manor of Miningsby, and own most of the
soil.
Frequent mention is made of Miningsby in the ancient Revesby Abbey
charters. {139} By charters No. 1 B. and C., William de Romara conveys
to the abbey, 23 acres of land in Miningsby, as well as common pasture in
the same. Among the witnesses to the latter, is Baldric de Cheles, a
name still represented in the neighbourhood, by the family of the Rev.
Alan Cheales, rector of Friskney, and owner of land in Hagworthingham,
&c. By charter No. 7 C., Hugo Wac confirms to the Abbot of Revesby “two
oxgangs (or 30 acres) of land in Miningsby with right of pasturage and
the hermitage, which Ranulph the Monk made in Halton marsh.” This Hugo
Wac, would seem to be a representative of the ancient Lincolnshire Saxon
family of the Wakes, whose most distinguished member was “Hereward the
Wake,” lord of Bourne, the last hero of Anglo-Saxon independence, whose
“Camp of Refuge” for some time defied the Conqueror, and whose exploits
have been celebrated in prose and verse. By charter No. 39, Alan son of
Ranulph, of Miningsby, gives 2 perches of meadow in “Sud Bec” (south
beck) in Miningsby, free of all service and claims (temp. Henry II. or
Richard I.) We may mention here that this Miningsby beck is now the
chief feeder of the reservoir which furnishes Boston with its water
supply. By charter No. 40 B., Richard I. confirms to the monks of
Revesby certain lands and possessions in Miningsby, Kirkby, Claxby,
Mareham, &c. This is witnessed by Hubert Walter, Archbishop of
Canterbury, Robert de Harecourt and others. By No. 41, a plot of land in
Miningsby is given “for the use of the gate-monk, and for gate alms,” at
the abbey, by William, son of Roger de Bikinghesby (Wilksby?) temp.
Richard I. or John. By No. 59, William Helle, of Miningsby, gives the
right of pasturage for 60 sheep in Miningsby, free of all claim. By No.
63, William, son of Ivo, of Kirkby, gives land adjoining the place from
which the sand was taken for building Miningsby church, near
“Crosbesich.” By No. 115, William, son of John Barette, of Stickney,
residing at Miningsby, gives one perch of meadow, “for the maintenance of
two candles always burning in the Abbey Chapel.” (Date Henry III. or Ed.
I.) By No. 119, Nicholas, son of Roger Herod of Miningsby, gives “one
meadow, free of all claims,” and stipulates that “the monks shall pay
annually one penny towards maintaining the light before the image of St.
Nicholas, in Kirkby church, every St. Nicholas Day.” By No. 131, Alan of
Miningsby, gives “one selion, {140} and four akerheveds” of land in
Miningsby, in two places, called “Hankes” and “Claxby dale,” free of all
claim (date, Ed. I.) By charter No. 150 B., the King, Henry VIII.,
grants to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, all rights and property,
hitherto belonging to the monastery of Revesby, in Miningsby, Moorby,
Wood Enderby, Wilksby, East Kirkby, and many other places, “having come
into our hands by reason of the dissolution of the said monastery.” The
Duke’s title is to date from March 1, in the 29th year of our reign, A.D.
1538. (British Museum, additional MSS. 24805, fol. 32).
Among “Lincolnshire Wills,” we find Richard Skepper, of East Kirkby, in
his will, dated 26 May, 1556, mentioning among other land, which he
devises, certain copyhold lands in Miningsby.
By will, dated 22 Dec. 1615, Robert Hustwait, of Great Grimsby, makes his
brother, Edward Hustwait, of Miningsbye, and his cousin, Tristram Smith,
of Awdbee Grange, supervisors, and gives them twenty shillings each. The
Husthwaites were above the yeoman class, but not important enough to
appear in the Visitations of the Heralds; they intermarried with the
Wrights of Grimsby and Smyths of Audby, and lived at Little Coates and
Bradley.
By a Chancery Inquisition post mortem, 23 Henry VII., No. 78 (A.D.
1507–8), taken at Horncastle, Jan. 14th, John Parke of Mynyngesby, John
Skayman, of Mynyngesby, being among the jurors, it was shewn that Thomas,
the Abbott of Revesby, was entitled to hold from the King, among other
lands, 10 acres of arable land and 4 acres of meadow, called “Symondes
lands” in Mynyngesby (“Architect. S. Journal,” 1895, p. 59),
notwithstanding the Statute of Mortmain.
By a Feet of Fines, Lincoln, file 68 (32), 30 Edw. I., Robert de Wylgheby
(Willoughby) granted to John Beek (Bec) certain lands in Hareby, Kyrkeby,
Bolyngbrok, Mythyggesby, &c., and “the advowsons of the churches of
Spillesby, Kyrkeby next Bolingbroke, and the Church of Toynton.”
(“Architect. S. Journal,” 1897, p. 56.)
Among the deeds connected with property in East Kirkby, now in the
possession of Porter Wilson, Esq., of Louth, is one, by which Beatrix,
wife of William Wriht of Mythingesby, quitclaims to Robert de Silkeston,
and Robert, son of Isabella Skells (Scales), all her right in the lands
and tenements in Mythingesby, which they held of the gift of the said
William her late husband. Given at Kyrkeby juxta Bolingbrok, on Thursday
next before the feast of St. Michael, 1 Edw. III. (A.D. 1327.)
By another Deed, “Robert de Menynggesby, chaplain,” with “Thomas de
Marketon, Rector of Harreby,” and another, “give to Robert de Silkeston
of Kyrkeby,” certain lands “in Menyngesby, Kirkby, Bolynbrok, &c.” Given
at Kirkeby, 26 Dec., 29 Edw. III. (A.D. 1355.)
Among charters of the Ipré family, it is shewn that Sir John de Ipré
acquired “lands in Est Kerkeby, Mithyngesby, &c., of Sir John de Nevill,
knight, Lord of Raby; which property descended to his son Thomas Ipré,
who granted the said lands for the use of Robert Grynne, and Richard
Grynne his son.” Date, 31 December, 1392.
N.B.—Sir Robert Sylkeston, knyght, of Est Kyrkeby, had issue “Alicia
maryed unto Robert Grynne”; whose great great granddaughter “Audrya
maryed unto Ric. Skepper,” a member of the family already mentioned.
(“Linc. N.& Q,” v., pp. 73–4.)
By a Deed, dated 19 May, 24 Henry VI. (1446), Henry the King orders that
certain rents for lands in Est Kirkby, Menyngesby, &c., which had been
unlawfully withheld by Alice Browne, shall be duly paid to John Grynne,
and Richard, his son, “they being at the time of acquisition, men (_i.e._
bond-tenants) of our manor.” “Given under our seal of our Duchy of
Lancaster at our palace of Westminster.” (“Linc. N. & Q.” vol. v. p.
89.)
According to Liber Regis, there was formerly a charge of 1_s._ 6_d._
annually on certain lands in Miningsby, towards the repairs of the church
windows.
The Church, dedicated to St. Andrew, consists of nave, chancel and a
double bell-gable at the west end. It was restored at the expense of J.
Banks Stanhope, Esq., in 1878, when nearly the whole fabric was taken
down by the architect, the late Mr. James Fowler, of Louth, and carefully
reconstructed so as to preserve its most interesting features. The stone
then employed is already (1901) showing signs of decay. The south wall
of the nave retains portions of an earlier Norman building, viz., one
Norman window and a semi-circular headed doorway, set flush with the
wall, enclosing a later pointed arch, also set flush. {142a} The chancel
is early English, with lancet windows, in the east end and side walls;
there is also a lancet window in the north wall of the nave. There was
formerly a chantry in the north side of the church, the arch of which is
now blocked. In the west wall are two tall trefoil windows. The font is
perpendicular, with octagonal embattled bowl, supported by four columns
with square flowers in the capitals. The chancel is separated from the
nave by a good open rood screen, containing portions of the original.
The whole interior presents a well-ordered church appearance. {142b} The
object, however, of special interest here, is a so-called “Runic” stone,
covered with the involuted “knot,” or “figure of eight” pattern. Not
many years ago it formed the threshold of a door, but was rescued by the
Rev. G. Maughan, rector of East Kirkby, when he had charge of this
parish, who had it placed against the north wall of the chancel. It is
fortunately still in a very fair condition, with the exception of a
portion gone from one end, and a crack towards the other end. There are,
or were recently, two other specimens in the neighbourhood, one, a
fragment at Lusby, and the other at Mavis Enderby. The Lusby fragment is
said to have been Norman. (“Linc. N. & Q.” vol. iv. p. 225). That at
Mavis Enderby, now used as a church door step, and the pattern,
consequently much defaced, is, like this at Miningsby, said to be of
pre-Norman style, though not necessarily pre-Norman date. The former,
however, is coped, while the latter is flat. The Rev. G. Maughan
believed that there was another similar stone within the same chancel
wall, but, as that part of the fabric was not taken down by the
architect, it was not exposed to view. (“Linc. N. & Q.” vol. iii. p.
157.) The frill border of the Miningsby stone is decidedly Saxon in
character. It is 44 inches long, by 19½ wide, and 6in. thick. These
stones are specially interesting and far from common. Interlaced work
was an ancient Hittite ornament, as shewn in a seal, engraved in the
“Archæological Journal,” vol. xliv. p. 348. Specimens are found,
however, in Italy, Greece, France, as well as similar patterns in Saxon,
Lombardic, and Spanish MSS. The stones are more common in Ireland than
in England. Several are found like the Iona cross in Scotland, probably
imported from Ireland, by the missionaries of St. Columba. There is an
excellent sketch of the Miningsby stone, by the Rev. J. A. Penny, vicar
of Wispington, in “Lincolnshire Notes and Queries,” vol. iv., p. 225.
After the Reformation, the earliest presentation which we find to this
benefice is that of William Clerke, by King Edward VI. (as Duke of
Lancaster); he was instituted as rector, 4, Edwd. VI., A.D. 1550–1.
(“Architect. S. Journal,” 1897, p. 23.)
Recent rectors have been the Rev. E. Repton, in the earlier years of the
century; the Rev. W. Nevins, later; and the Rev. H. Caukwell, appointed
in 1878. The register dates from 1688, earlier records being lost. The
children have a right to go to the free school of East Kirkby.
There is a modern commodious house, occupied by the present rector, who
has 170 acres of glebe; but it is remarkable that about 100 acres of
glebe are missing; the award made by the commissioners in lieu of tithe
being largely in excess of the land now attached to the benefice. This
parish also contains about 100 acres of charity land belonging to
Stamford school.