Revesby is situated about 7½ miles from Horncastle, in a south-easterly
direction; some 12 miles north-west from Boston, 8 miles south-west from
Spilsby, and about 7 miles East, from the nearest railway station at
Tattershall. Letters, _via_ Boston, arrive at 7 a.m. The nearest
telegraph office is at Mareham-le-Fen. One derivation of the name
Revesby is from a Danish word meaning a “fox,” the Danes certainly at one
time settled extensively in this neighbourhood, and “by” is a very common
Danish termination. (Streatfeild “Lincolnshire and the Danes.”) Another
and perhaps more likely derivation is from the “reeve,” or public
guardian of the fen, {157b} who might well reside here, to look after the
means of communication, roads and channels in the great tract of country
southward, which was at one time almost a waste of morass, and subject to
frequent inundation from the sea, and in connection with this, it may be
mentioned that one of the recognised duties of religious houses, {158a}
such as the Abbey of Revesby, was to keep roads and bridges in proper
repair, and a portion of the Revesby property, named Stickney Wydale, was
granted to the abbey, on condition that the monks kept in proper order
the “Northdyke Causeway,” then a main road raised above the floods.
{158b} And among the charters and deeds of Revesby, is one (No. 7_b_),
by which William de Romara undertakes to compel the men of Holland to
keep in repair a waggon-road from Sibsey. {158c}
The history of Revesby at that period is lost to us. No Saxon chronicles
exist, as they do as regards some other places, to tell us of those early
days. Yet we can, in a degree, connect Revesby with a great Saxon
family, and one which is represented by a leading family in our county in
the present day.
The Abbey of Revesby was founded by William de Romara, A.D. 1143. {158d}
He was the son of Roger de Romara, who married (about 1093), as her 2nd
husband, the lady Lucia, who was daughter and heiress of Thorold, of
Buchenale (now Bucknall in this neighbourhood), Sheriff of Lincolnshire,
and that family survives now in Sir John C. Thorold, of Syston Hall, near
Grantham. The family of Thorold, or, as it was spelt at that time,
Turold, was even then old and distinguished. He was the brother of the
Lady Godiva, of Coventry fame, wife of Earl Leofric, and mother of Earl
Algar, and descended, according to Camden (“Britannia”, p. 474), and
others, {158e} from the Saxon Earl, Egga (and Morcar), who flourished in
the 8th century. The first husband of Lucia, was Ivo Taillebois, of
Anjou, who came over with the Conqueror, as the leader of his Angevin
auxiliaries. After the death of the brave young Saxon nobles, Edwin and
Morcar, brothers-in-law, of King Harold, who refused to submit to the
Norman yoke, their sister, the Lady Lucia, became entitled to all their
possessions, and therefore was an heiress worth securing; and, much
against her wish, the Conqueror bestowed her upon his favourite, Ivo
(A.D. 1072). With her, this Ivo acquired, among much other property, the
manors of Revesby and East Kirkby. We find the first mention of Revesby,
in Domesday Book (A.D. 1085), as follows:—“In Churchebi and Resuesbi
there are 12 carucates (or about 1440 acres) of land, rateable to gelt;”
{159} the land is 12 carucates; 54 sokemen and 14 villeins have these 12
carucates. Ivo has 1 carucate (in demense) and 2 churches, and 180 acres
of meadow land. The whole manor, with all that belongs thereto, is 6
miles long and 6 miles broad. Turold was Lord of Spalding, and his
daughter Lucia, and conjointly her husband, Ivo, founded the Priory of
Spalding. But Ivo, by his acquisitions, became so great a tyrant, to all
connected with him, that he was eventually outlawed by King Rufus, and
banished the kingdom. He fled to Anjou. After a time he was allowed to
return to his wife, the Lady Lucia, who was holding her court at
Spalding; but, to her great relief, he shortly afterwards died of
paralysis, and, writes the chronicler, Peter de Blois, “hardly had one
month elapsed after his death, when she married that illustrious young
man, Roger de Romara, and lost all recollection of Ivo Taillebois.”
Their son, William, was created first Earl of Lincoln, and, following the
example of his mother at Spalding, he gave certain lands to the monks of
Riveaux, Co. York, to found a Cistercian Abbey, the lands aforesaid being
all Revesby, Thoresby and Sithesby, and, as certain portions of Revesby
were held by another lord, he effected an exchange, by giving land
commensurate in Miningsby, and by a similar process of exchange, secured
other further portions, so as to bring the abbey estates into what would
now be termed “a ring fence.” We have not space to go to any extent into
the history of the abbey. The original charter describes the property as
“totam terram de Revesbiâ, et Thoresbiâ, et Schichthesbiâ.” Of the two
churches, one, that of Thoresby, was at the time held by a priest named
Ivo, in exchange for which the Earl William, gave him the church of East
Kirkby, and appurtenances. This church probably stood on a site of the
present church of St. Lawrence, at Revesby. (Howlett’s “Lincolnshire,”
Allan’s “Hist. Linc.”) The other church, of St. Sythe, was doubtless in
the southern part of the present park, which has retained the name of
Sithesby, or St. Scythe’s until recent times. The abbey itself was to
the south-east of the present church, at some quarter-of-a-mile distance,
and of considerable dimensions, covering some acres of ground. From a
lecture, given by the late Right Honble. Edward Stanhope, we gather that
the abbey church, built of Ancaster stone, was at least 240ft. long, and
over 60ft. wide, with many graceful pillars supporting its roof. The
choir was of unusual form, extending some distance down the nave. Beyond
it, discovered in making excavations in 1869, 70, was the tomb of the
founder, having this inscription: HIC JACET IN TUMBA WIELLIELMUS DE
ROMARE, COMES LINCOLNIÆ, FUNDATOR ISTIUS MONASTERII SANCTI LAURENTII DE
REIVISBYE. {160} Near this were tombstones inscribed to William de
Romara, son of William, Earl of Lincoln, who died before his father, and
of William de Romara, son of Lucia, Countess of Lincoln. Three bodies
were discovered and re-buried a short distance from this spot, being
doubtless those of the founder and his two sons. In his later years,
William de Romara himself became a monk, and requested to be buried
“before the high aulter;” and the site is now marked by a granite stone,
placed here in 1890, by the late Right Honourable Edward Stanhope. The
Abbey field, approached by a broad causeway, on the north side, more than
250 yards long, has traces of four mounds, at different points, probably
for outlook and defence. One of these, stands in an enclosure to the
west, called Saffron Garth, doubtless the favourite resort of the monks,
who were skilled gardeners; an enclosure on the other, north side, of the
road, opposite this “garth,” is called “Paradise,” supposed to have been
the orchard. Fish ponds, to supply the monks with their ascetic diet,
are to be traced in various parts around. At Medlam, to the south-east,
are the remains of a chapel or oratory. The abbot’s private residence
stood in the present park, and some of the outbuildings of his
establishment remained until recent years, near the later mansion of the
proprietors of Revesby.
We will now give a few peculiar extracts from some of the deeds connected
with the abbey. Most of these, until late years, were in the possession
of the Marquis of Exeter, at Burghley House, Stamford, whose ancestors,
as will be shewn hereafter, once held the property, and in 1881 they were
presented to the Right Honble. E. Stanhope, by his lordship.
In celebration of the foundation of the Abbey, William de Romara
“manumitted,” or released from serfdom, any of his villeins and
dependants who would accept their freedom, “to go where they chose, and,
if they remained on the estate, to give them land instead.” Among those
who accepted freedom, were William Medicus, or the Doctor, and Roger
Barkarius, a name still known in the neighbourhood. {161} The witnesses
to the deed of liberty were Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln, William
Archdeacon, William Chancellor, and others.
By deed No. 8, William gives land in Stickney, and services due to him,
from Alan of Stickney and his successors, to which Alan agrees; the money
to be spent on wine for the “Masses” of the Abbey services.
To one deed (No. 20), for conveyance of pasturage for 20 cattle, 20 pigs,
and 100 sheep, the witness is Thorold, Dean of Horncastle, a scion,
doubtless, of the family of the Lady Lucia. He is further designated as
“Magister Willelmus Novi Operis,” _i.e._ of Newark.
By deed 24, Matilda daughter of Roger de Huditoft (Huttoft) widow of
William of Stickney gives half a bovate of land in Stickney “in the time
of my widowhood” _i.e._, when the property became at her own disposal.
The witnesses are two women, Christiana, wife of Henry de Claxby, and
Eda, wife of Richard, priest of Mareham; not, therefore, a celibate.
By deed 27, Alan Smerehorn of Kirkby (East) gives a sedes molendini,
_i.e._ a water mill and premises, with right to draw water through his
land from Bolingbroke and Kirkby.
By deed 30, Hamelinus de Jherdeburcg (Jerburg) gives land in Stickney,
“quam tenui de hospitalibus de Jerusalem in terretorio de Stickenei”
_i.e._ which he had held of the monks of the Hospice of Jerusalem in
Stickney, there having been a minor religious house there; of which
Robert Picha is named as Preceptor in another Deed (25), temp. Henry II.
By a charter of Richard I. (Dugdale V. 456) the abbots are confirmed in
the possession of lands in Toynton, the grange of Toft (still existing)
Fulsby, lands in Miningsby, Kirkby, Claxby, Mareham, Tumby, Hameringham,
Wood Enderby, Skegness, and many other parishes.
By deed No. 41, William, son of Roger de Bikinghesbi gives land in
Miningsby for gate alms, _i.e._ to relieve beggars at the Abbey-gate, the
monks being the great, and almost only, friends of the suffering and
needy.
By deed No. 50, Ranulph, Earl of Chester, gives to the Abbey “his servant
Roger, son of Thoreword of Sibsey, with all his property and chattells.”
Here the man himself is treated as part and parcel with the chattells.
By deed 69, Gaufrid of Kirkby gives certain lands “ad chorum ecclesiæ
aspergendum et decorandum,” _i.e._ for washing and decorating the choir.
Deed 75 conveys to the Abbey another servant, Radulph, son of Gamel the
Palmer, with goods and chattells. The father here mentioned had
evidently made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
Deed 78 gives to the Abbey “the homage of Gaufrid Le Neucume of Stickney
and all his service.” Here, (temp. Henry III.) is one of the family of
Newcome, or Newcomen, who, centuries later, became connected by marriage
with the Banks family, in the person of the grandfather of Sir Joseph
Banks.
By No. 108, Hugo de Lindsey gives one selion of land to maintain one
candle burning before the altar of the blessed Virgin in the Chapel of
St. Lawrence, (temp. Henry III. or Ed. I.)
By No. 115, William of Stickney gives land for the maintenance of candles
to be kept burning in the Abbey church, one before the altar of the
blessed Virgin, in honour of St. Margaret, and the other at the altar of
St. Nicholas, in honour of St. James the Apostle.
By No. 141, the Abbot leases land in Wilksby (A.D. 1344) to John
Hardegray, who is to pay “unum granum piperis” (pepper corn rent),
annually at Christmas.
By No. 144, the Abbot and Convent grant to Richard Cave of Stickney
certain land on payment of 8 silver pence annually. (2 Hen. V. Jan. 25,
1415.)
Then follows finally at the Dissolution, deed No. 150A, by which John,
Abbot of Revesby, and the convent, grant (Nolentes Volentes) to Charles
Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, and his heirs, and assigns, the office of chief
steward of the manors, lands, etc., of the Abbey, with an annuity of £26
3_s._ 8_d._ (Harleyan Charter, 44, Brit. Mus.)
This was the beginning of the end. The monks, who, with all their
faults, had preserved for us our Bibles, had been the great patrons of
learning, the friends of the poor, the teachers of agriculture, who had
maintained our bridges and our roads, were forced to accept pittances
smaller than those they had, on a generous scale, dealt out to thousands
of others. To Charles, Duke of Suffolk, were granted the Abbey estates
in 1539. He died in 1545, and was buried at Windsor. His two sons both
died in one day, July 16th, 1551, at the Bishop of Lincoln’s house at
Buckden. The Dukedom descended to the Marquis of Dorset, who had married
the half-sister of Charles. The estates were divided, in 1552, among the
descendants of Sir William Brandon. They were Sir Henry Sidney, Knight;
Thomas Glemham, Esq.; John Carsey, Esq.; and Francis his son by Margaret
his wife, sister to Charles Brandon; Christian Darnell, widow; Walter
Ayscoughe, Esq.; and Henry Ayscoughe his son by Elizabeth his wife; and
John Tyre, gentleman, and Elizabeth his wife.
John Carsey (also spelt Kersey) had the Revesby estate, Wilksby and Wood
Enderby, and resided at Revesby. His son Francis probably resided at
South Ormsby, and in 1575, the father and son jointly sold the estate to
Thomas Cecil, Lord Treasurer Burleigh. The property then descended,
through the 1st and 2nd Earls of Exeter, and Elizabeth, wife of Thomas
Howard, Earl of Berkshire, to Henry Howard. He dying without male issue,
was succeeded by his nephew, Craven Howard, in 1663. Craven Howard built
a mansion here. But the entire property was sold in 1714 to the Banks
family for £14,000, by his representatives the daughters of Henry Howard.
{164} The last of the Banks family was Sir Joseph Banks, well known for
his enclosure of the Fens and other works of public utility in the
county, his patronage of science in every form, and his voyages of
discovery. He died in 1820, and, by his will, most of the estates were
bequeathed to Col. the Honble. James Hamilton Stanhope, who served in the
Peninsular War, and at Waterloo, other portions being left to Sir Henry
Hawley and his heirs, “with remainder to Sir Edward Knatchbull” (who
managed the estates for his widow, Lady Banks). (Weir’s “Hist. Linc.”
vol. i., p. 414, Ed., 1828; “Saunders’ Hist.” vol. ii., p. 113). He held
them for a very short period, and was succeeded by J. Banks Stanhope,
Esq., formerly M.P. for N. Lincolnshire (in 1823), who, some years ago,
surrendered the estates to his cousin and adopted heir, the Right Honble.
E. Stanhope, 2nd son of the 5th Earl Stanhope; and late M.P. for
Horncastle Division.
Mr. Banks Stanhope greatly improved, and, indeed, may be said to have
rebuilt the mansion of Revesby, from designs by the architect Burns,
which now stands in beautiful grounds, and an extensive park, near the
site of the former residence of the abbots. Vast sums have also been
spent by him on the improvement of the estate; the rebuilding of
farmhouses and cottages, so as to make the village a model one in every
way. The Abbey, which is constructed throughout of Ancaster stone, and
in the style of James I., is the repository of objects of art, of natural
history, and of antiquarian interest, collected by Sir Joseph Banks, J.
Banks Stanhope, Esq., and more recently by the Right Honble. E. Stanhope,
sufficient to form a museum.
A subject of interest which has not yet been noticed is two tumuli, or
barrows, in the parish, on the left hand, close to the road, and not many
yards south of the Red Lion Inn. They were considered by the antiquarian
Stukeley (“Itin Curios,” p. 23) to have been the burial place of two
British kings, and probably also connected with the religious services of
the Druids. They stand in an enclosure, the breadth of which, he says,
“is 100 Celtic feet, and the length 300.”
In 1780 the northernmost of these barrows—there were formerly three—was
explored by Sir Joseph Banks, but nothing was found of any interest
beyond indications that it had been examined before, and since that time
it has been levelled. He thought, however, that it had been the site of
religious sacrifices. In August, 1892, explorations were carried out
under the eye of the late Right Honble. E. Stanhope. Here again there
were indications of former examination, not however to any great depth,
and when the centre of the mound was reached a kind of sarcophagus, made
of puddled clay, was found, from 5ft. to 6ft. in length, lying north and
south, the sides 7in. or 8in. thick, and having an arch rising to a
height of 2½ft.; the bottom, slightly concave, rested on the original
soil, within this was black earth quite different in colour to the rest,
which was believed to be human remains. No bones, however, were found.
Broken pieces of pottery and two old nails, were found outside this
receptacle, which were pronounced by Sir A. W. Franks, of the British
Museum, to be mediæval, and to have probably been introduced by previous
explorers. (Account by E.S., “Linc. N. & Q.,” vol. iii., pp. 145–7.)
We have little more to say of the past history of Revesby. When the
Spanish Armada was expected to invade our shores in 1589, one of those
Lincolnshire gentry who subscribed £25, a large sum in those days,
towards the defence of the country, was Nicholas Saunderson of Rearsby,
or Revesby; he also, at the muster at Horncastle in 1586, furnished “1
light horse”; John May of Mareham doing the same (“Architect. S.
Journal,” 1894, p. 214.)
Among the old observances of Revesby was the annual fair, an occasion of
much jovial festivity, and in the days of Sir Joseph Banks, that fine old
English gentleman, the Sir Roger de Coverley of his day, encouraged such
old time customs, providing ale most generously for all comers, and
driving down to the village green, where the booths were arranged, with
his party in two or three coaches. Morrice dancing and the mummers play
always had his patronage. In these days of “_autres temps_, _autres
mœurs_,” all these have gone out of vogue. Whether the modern, _soi
disant_, more refined practices at village feasts are an improvement on
the old is a question we leave others to decide.
Revesby church, dedicated to St. Lawrence, was formerly a small
structure, rebuilt in 1735, partly with materials taken from the former
Abbey, by Joseph Banks, Esq. (great grandfather of the Right Honble. Sir
Joseph Banks), who purchased the property from the Honble. Henry Howard,
3rd son of the Earl of Berkshire, in 1714. The benefice then, as now,
was a chaplaincy to the owners of the Revesby Abbey estate. {166} That
church contained among its chief features a memorial tablet at the east
end of the chancel to Nehemiah Rawson, Esq., who died in 1657, a name
still common in the neighbourhood; another to the above-named Honble.
Henry Howard, who died in 1663; and on the north side of the chancel was
a large marble monument, surmounted by a bust, and an inscription in
Latin to Joseph Banks, Esq., who died 1727. After renovation at various
periods this old fabric was removed, and, on the same site, the present
handsome church, a fine specimen of the 14th century, flamboyant style,
was erected at the joint expense of J. Banks Stanhope, Esq., and the late
Right Honourable Edward Stanhope, M.P., lord of the manor in 1890–2. The
church consists of western tower, surmounted by a lofty spire; nave, with
north aisle and south porch; and chancel, with organ chamber and vestry
on the north side; the whole forming an elegant structure, reminding one,
though on a smaller scale, of the famous marble church of Bodelwyddan in
North Wales. It is built generally of Ancaster stone, the walls inside
being lined with red Hollington sandstone. Mr. Hodgson Fowler was the
architect, and in several details of the building he reproduced features
borrowed from the original Abbey.
The following is a detailed description of the church:—In the south wall
of the interior of the tower, in a recess, are various carved and other
fragments of stone, and near them the capitals and bases of some small
Norman columns; and on the north wall is a fragment of a canopied niche;
all these being carefully preserved remnants of the original Abbey
church.
In the centre is a small Norman font with plain bowl, supported on a
shaft of 8 clustered columns, resting on a square base. In the tower
above is a peal of 8 carillon bells of good tone, embracing the octave.
The north aisle has 4 lofty bays. In the north wall are four two-light
windows with trefoil and other tracery above. Against the west wall of
this aisle is a massive marble monument surmounted by a bust, probably
the old monument renewed, bearing in English the inscription, “In memory
of Joseph Banks, M.P. for Grimsby and Totnes, born 1681, died 1727,
married Mary Hancock, and had issue Joseph, and Mary, Lady Whichcote,
died 1726”; to the left, “Joseph Banks II., born 1695, died 1741,
married, 1st, Annie Hodgkinson, and had issue, &c.; Eleonora (the
youngest) born 1723, died 1793, married the Honble. Henry Grenville, and
was mother of Louisa, Countess Stanhope; married, 2ndly, Catherine widow
of Newcomen Wallis.” Right inscription, “William Banks, born 1719, died
1761, married Sarah Bate, and left issue, (1) Joseph, afterwards Sir
Joseph Banks, (2) Sarah Sophia, born 1744, died 1818.”
The south nave wall next to the porch eastward has two two-light windows
similar to those in the north wall, and next to the chancel wall a large
three-light window, flamboyant above, of coloured glass—the subjects
being St. James, St. Peter, and St. John, bearing the inscription below,
“Presented by the tenants of the Revesby estate as a token of esteem for
James Banks Stanhope, Esquire, of Revesby Abbey, 1892.” The pulpit is of
carved modern oak, being Flemish work, the subjects scriptural, resting
on a stone base; the sittings throughout are of oak with carved panels at
the ends. There is a good brass lectern, and oak fald-stool. The choir
stalls in the chancel are of massive carved oak with good poppy heads.
The panels of the sedilia are from the Abbot’s house; the encaustic tiles
are copies of the originals, the remains of which are preserved in the
bell chamber of the tower. The east window is of five lights with rich
flamboyant tracery above. It is filled with coloured glass by Messrs.
Heaton, Butler and Bayne, and erected by public subscription in memory of
the late Right Honourable Edward Stanhope. The subjects are two rows of
figures; in the lower row, in the two lights on the north side, are St.
Edward and St. Matthew, then St. Boniface and St. Wilfred; in the central
compartment, three figures, St. George, St. Martin, and St. Alban; then,
to the south, St. Hugh and St. Jerome, in one light, St. Thomas and St.
Lawrence in the other outside light. In the upper row, the central
figure is the Saviour, crowned, His right hand uplifted in blessing, His
left holding a sceptre; in the two compartments, on either side, are
angels with harps, viols, &c. In the tracery above are heads of angels,
and above all, the Angus Dei. The reredos is of plush velvet. A
jewelled cross stands on the super-altar. The communion table is covered
with a rich altar cloth of velvet and lace. To the north and south of
the table, the walls are panelled with oak, to the height of the east
window, with devices representing the ivy, olive, rose, gourd,
pomegranate, vine, and fig; the fruit being inlaid mother of pearl, given
by the Honble. Mrs. Stanhope. There is a brass tablet in the north wall,
giving an account of the east window. In the south wall is a plain
two-light trefoiled window, and a long stone seat below. The organ has
handsome coloured pipes, and has in front a richly-carved oak screen. At
the main entrance to the churchyard is a lich gate, “erected by friends
and tenants, in loving memory of the Right Honourable Edward Stanhope.”
In the churchyard, beneath the east window, is the Stanhope grave, framed
in white marble, with a recumbent cross of the same material within it.
Beneath that spotless emblem of our faith, lies all that was mortal of a
noble being, a man “sans peur et sans reproche,” singularly gifted, of
varied tastes, wide sympathies, generous instincts, of indefatigable
industry as a statesman in the service of his Queen and country, and we
may add without presumption, a sincere Christian, of strong convictions.
Edward Stanhope, died, 22 December, 1893, admired by his opponents almost
as much as he was beloved by his friends, and of him, we may truly say
that his gain was our loss. Opposite the village green are alms-houses,
for five poor men and five poor women, founded by Joseph Banks, Esq., in
1727, who endowed them with an annual rent charge of £50. Revesby is
emphatically a model village, the residences of the tenants and their
labourers, being alike maintained in the best order.
The parsonage, a good residence, erected by J. Banks Stanhope, Esq.,
stands in pretty grounds and is now adorned, internally, with much carved
oak furniture, cabinets, overmantel, &c., &c., and with a display of
numerous silver cups, trophies won in various competitions, by the Rev.
P. O. Ashby, the active and energetic chaplain.