Salmonby is distant from Horncastle about five miles, in an easterly
direction, on the road to Tetford, which it adjoins. The register dates
from 1558, and contains some curious entries. One is as follows:—“Helena
More, centesimo decimo ætatis anno, et undecimo die mensis Junii, Anno
Dom. 1638 fato succubuit, et die duo decimo dicti mensis sepulta est
1638,” _i.e._, Helena More succumbed to her fate in the 110th year of her
age, and on the 11th day of the month of June, A.D. 1638, and was buried
on the 12th day of the said month, 1638.
In the month of March, 1723, there were six burials within nine days,
three members of the same family; no cause for the mortality being
mentioned. In the following year (1724), there were ten burials, among
them being four of the name of Wait, three Ansels, and two Bartholomews.
The rector from 1710 to 1741, Rev. Henry Marshall, was also rector of
Fulletby, and vicar of Orby, and he was succeeded by his son in the
rectory of Salmonby, who also held the benefice of Ashby Puerorum.
There are some rather peculiar field names in this parish, two Wongs, far
and near, a relic of Saxon nomenclature; also Skerrills and Skerrills
Holt, Bramfleets, Haverlins (Haver=oats), Dry-sykes, Rotten Fen, Wallow
Farm, and Wallow Camp, and The Mires, the last four, doubtless derived
from the character of the localities. From a part of this boggy land in
the north of the parish, rises a spring of chalibeate water, said to
resemble the properties of the Tunbridge Wells; a pulverulent blue
phosphate of iron, and an earthy oxide of iron. We do not know much of
the early history of Salmondby, the village of some Saxon thane of the
name of Salmond. The manor was apparently the property of the Saxon
Earl, Harold, but William the Conqueror gave it to his nephew, Hugh de
Abrincis, or Avranches, surnamed “Lupus,” or the Wolf, from his many
deeds of violence, and it was held as part of the soke of the more
important manor, or honour, of Greetham. In an ancient charter, found
among the “Final Concords” (p. 359), it is stated that Geoffrey de
Benigworth, grants to Avice, wife of William de Benigworth, his manors of
Walmersty, Friskeney, Salmundesby, and Skreythesfeld (Scrafield), and all
appurtenances, saving the advowson of the church of Salmundesby, which
remains to Geoffrey and his heirs, and we have here an example of how the
common labourers were regarded as little better than “goods and
chattels.” Since, herewith he grants all the villeins holding the
“villeinages,” or cottages, and “all their sequels,” _i.e._, their
progeny, “to have and to hold to the said Avice all her life,” and after
her decease, the manors and services were to revert to the said Geoffrey
and his heirs for ever.
By will, dated 2 July, 1582 (“Lincolnshire Wills,” 1500, 1600, p. 105,
No. 285), Margaret Littlebury, late wife of Thomas Littlebury, Esq., of
Stainsby, in the parish of Ashby Puerorum, leaves money to the poor of
Salmonby, Greetham, and other places. This Margaret was the daughter of
John St. Paul, of Snarford, who, like the Dymokes, the Dightons,
Maddisons, Massingberds, and many other leading county families, were
mixed up in the Lincolnshire Rebellion of 1536. The Littleburies were
seated at Hagg and Somersby, as well as at Stainsby, but they seem to
have resided originally at Holbeach Hurn. Sir Humphrey Littlebury, Lord
of Littlebury, was born, 1346. He married Elizabeth, daughter and
heiress of Sir John Kirton, knight, Lord of Kirton, and there is a fine
altar tomb of them both, in Holbeach church. His will was dated, Dec. 1,
1330. But there was a Sir Ralph Littlebury, knight, a juror at Holbeche,
in A.D. 1293.
There would seem at one time to have been a substantial manorial
residence at Salmonby, for by will, dated 23 January, 1614, Edward King,
of Ashby-de-la-Laund, devises “to my sonne, John Kinge, my manor house,
of Salmondbie, _alias_ Salmonbie, with all appurtenances,” also certain
“closes,” among them being the “Rush Close, Warlowe close, the Conie
Hill, Huntepitts, Sheepe Walks, The Lings, _alias_ Gallows Hill, Rotten
Fen, &c., which manor and lands were late in the tenure of Richard
Caterton.” He adds a codicil, dated “9 day of June, 1617,” bequeathing
to his said sonne, John Kinge, various cottages, with his “commons of
Key-gaite, and Sheepe-gait acre, and sheepe pasture in other places in
Salmonbie. Lastlie, I bequeath to my right worthie and faithful friende,
Sir John Meres, knight, a ring of gold of the value of xl_s._, to be
inamiled on the outside, and within to be ingraven these words, Donum
Fidelis Amici.” This testator built the hall at Ashby-de-la-Laund in
1595. The Kings took the side of the Parliament, and Colonel Edward King
distinguished himself. The last male heir, the Rev. John King, died
without issue, a few years ago. The manor took its name from the two
families, Essheby and De la Laund, who held it till the reign of Henry
VI. It has belonged to the Kings since the reign of Henry VIII., but has
now passed to Colonel Neville H. Reeve.
A former rector of Salmonby, Phyllip Robert, clerk, by will, dated 26
July, 1617, but not written in a clerkly style, desired “to be buried in
the queare” (choir) of the church.
By a Chancery Inquisition (18 Henry VII., No. 46), it was found that
Hamon Sutton, held the manor of Salmonby, with Maydenwell and others, and
also the advowson of Salmonby, holding them of the Lord the King, as of
his Duchy of Lancaster, and in the time of Queen Elizabeth, Anthony
Thorold, knight, is named in certain documents still in the British
Museum, as being lord of the manor at that time. (“Collectanea” G.
Holles, vol., iii., p. 770.)
In 1415, John Kyghly, of Salmonby, a feoffe of Sir William Cromwell,
knight, presented to the chantry in Driby church, because he, Sir
William, was “out of the realm.” It is probable that he was with Henry
V. at the battle of Agincourt, October 25, 1415. (“Architectural
Society’s Journal,” 1895, p. 124).
Among the Revesby charters is a deed of Symon, son of Gilbert of Halton,
and his wife Sarah, by which they jointly give to the Abbey of Revesby,
all “their lands in Salmonby and in Scraydesfield (Scrafield), and in
Stickney, and all their claims on the goods of Gilbert of Benniworth.
Witnesses, Gilbert Cusin, seneschal of the house of the Earl Chester, and
others.” Date, temp. Hen. III.
The patronage of the benefice of Salmonby was at one time attached to the
crown, probably as an appurtenance of the honour of Greetham and Duchy of
Lancaster, but it has now passed into private hands. In 1779, Henry
Marshall, clerk, already referred to, was patron and incumbent. Prior to
1840, W. Bowerbank held the patronage and rectory. He was succeeded by
the late Rev. Henry Fielding, formerly Canon of Manchester, next followed
Rev. R. F. Ward, then for a brief period, Rev. F. Cooper, and it is now
held by the Rev. John Booth, who is also patron. It has the unique
distinction of having once been held in commendam by William Patten,
commonly known later as William Waynflete, from his birth place,
Wainfleet, in Lincolnshire; that most munificent divine, Provost of Eton,
Bishop of Winchester, Lord Chancellor, Founder of Magdalen College,
Oxford, and of a free school at his native place.
The church, dedicated to St. Margaret, was until recent years, an
ivy-mantled structure, of the period Edwd. III. but it was restored in
1871, during the incumbency of the Rev. R. Fawssett Ward, at a cost of
about £600, who also enlarged the rectory, and it now forms an
interesting, well-kept and complete church, in the Perpendicular style.
It comprises nave, chancel, south porch, and small spire, which contains
one bell, and stands at the N.E. corner of the chancel. The east window
was given by the late Henry James Fielding, Esq., eldest son of the
former rector, in memory of his father and mother. It has five lights,
with numerous compartments above, and is filled with good coloured glass,
the subjects being, the Crucifixion above, and the Last Supper below, the
design adapted from a window in the Refectory at Milan. There is a
piscina in the south wall of the chancel. The south wall has also one
three-light, and one two-light window in the Perpendicular style. The
nave has, in the south wall, one three-light, and one two-light window,
and the porch door; and in the north wall, one three-light window. The
west window again, of three lights, has good stained glass, in memory of
the Rev. Matthewman Manduel, for more than fifty years curate or rector
of Tetford; the subject is, Christ Blessing Little Children. The tracery
of all these windows is good. There is an organ, by Nicholson, of
Lincoln, with nine stops, and handsome coloured pipes in front, the gift
of the Rev. F. Cooper. The chancel sedilia and choir stalls are of good
carved modern oak, by Messrs. Walter & Hensman, of Horncastle. The nave
is fitted with open benches, which, with the roof, are of pitch pine.
The font is modern, octagonal, with shields and roses floriated on
alternate faces of the bowl, supported by an octagonal shaft and
pediment. There is a graceful ogee arch as the priest’s entrance to the
vestry. There was formerly in the nave of the church a brass of a
civilian of the 15th century, much defaced, but it some years ago
disappeared; it is mentioned among the list of sepulchral brasses
supplied to the Archæological Institute on their visit to Lincoln in
1848, so that it still existed at that date. (“Journ. Archæol.
Institute,” 1848, p. lii, etc.)
The lady of the manor is now Mrs. Nesbitt Hamilton Ogilvy, as
representing the late Right Honble. Robert Adam Christopher Nesbitt
Hamilton, a staunch Protectionist, who was one of the eight members of
Parliament who voted to the last against the abolition of the corn laws.
Some of the land belongs to F. S. Dymoke, Esq., and other smaller owners.
An interesting family heirloom preserved at the rectory, is a massive
silver urn-shaped cup, 13 inches high, which was presented to Major
Robert Booth, great uncle of the present Rector, by the officers and
privates of the Wainfleet Infantry Volunteers, comprising three
companies, which were raised at the time, when the first Napoleon was
expected to invade this country in 1808, and of which he was Major
Commandant (Oldfield’s “History of Waynfleet” 1829).