Waddingworth is a small village, about 6 miles from Horncastle, in a
north-westerly direction, between Gautby and Wispington. The church,
dedicated to St. Margaret, is now in a very dilapidated condition. The
rectory is held at the present time (1904) by the Rev. L. Dewhurst, along
with that of Gautby, where he has a fairly commodious house, with
permission from the Bishop to hold only occasional services at
Waddingworth Church, as that at Gautby is almost equally convenient for
the people of both parishes.
The register dates from 1640, but entries are found in the registers of
Baumber, for this parish, from 1695 to 1779. At Bardney is the nearest
postal and telegraph office. Letters come _via_ Horncastle. It is
altogether a very out-of-the-way spot.
The antiquity of Waddingworth is probably shown in its name, which,
according to some, consists of the Saxon “Wodin” (or “Odin”), their God
of war (which name also appears in our Wednesday, or Wodin’s day), and
the Saxon “worth,” an inclosure, which also appears in several
place-names in the neighbourhood, as Benniworth, Faldingworth,
Hag-_worth_-_ing_ham. The last of these names, however, suggests a
derivation which I am inclined to think more probable. Divide the name
into three elements, and we get wad, or “woad,” a plant greatly valued by
the Britons, who dyed their bodies with it (and which name would continue
through the Saxon period, as it does still), and “ing,” Saxon for meadow,
and “worth,” Saxon for enclosure, the whole meaning an “enclosed field of
woad”; enclosed, doubtless, because of the value of the woad. It is
still a valuable crop, and frequently mixed with the Indian “Indigo.”
The earliest actual mention of Waddingworth is in Domesday Book, in which
there are two references to it. In one of these we are told that the
Conqueror gave part of the parish to the proud and powerful Bishop of
Durham, William de Karilepho, A.D. 1082, who was also Chief Justice of
England. There were 4 carucates of land, _i.e._, 480 acres, rateable to
gelt (a very small tax), the whole being 6 carucates, or 720 acres, with
20 acres of meadow (“ings”) and 25 acres of underwood. The other notice
is that the same amount of land was given by the Conqueror to one of his
distinguished Norman soldiers, Eudo the son of Spirewic. Eudo, it will
be remembered, was a comrade in arms of Pinco, the latter of whom
acquired large property in the neighbourhood of Spilsby, and his
descendants eventually became the Lords Willoughby d’ Eresby (_i.e._,
Spilsby). Eudo received the manor of Tattershall and several others, one
of these being a moiety of Waddingworth. He was the founder of Kirkstead
Abbey, which he richly endowed. This leads to a curious coincidence.
Dr. Oliver, the learned writer of “The Religious Houses on the Witham,”
mentions that among the possessions of Tupholme Abbey were lands in
Waddingworth. What more natural than that, in days when spending one’s
wealth on so-called religious works was a passport to heaven for the
giver, and for his forefathers or his descendants, Eudo should have
devoted some of his wealth to the Religious House at Tupholme, as well as
to the Religious House at Kirkstead? Tupholme was founded by two
brothers, Alan and Gilbert de Nevil, in 1160, Kirkstead was founded 1139.
At the dissolution of the monasteries, Henry VIII. seized monastic
property, and this is why we find the King as Patron of Waddingworth in
“Liber Regis,” and also in much later authorities. It is, indeed, now in
the patronage of the Lord Chancellor, as representing the crown. The
Conqueror seized it by the right of conquest; Henry VIII. seized it as
the plunderer of monasteries. This carries us down to nearly the middle
of the 16th century. There were, however, other small proprietors who
owned land, besides these two prominent parties. At an early period,
there is a “Final Concord,” so called, or agreement, of the 13th century,
as follows:—“On October 19, A.D. 1200, Petronilla, the widow of Richard
de Waddingworth, claimed of Robert de Waddingworth, tenant of a 3rd part,
viz., 20 oxgangs (or 300 acres), with 6 tofts, in Waddingworth, besides
lands in Bucknall and Horsington, as her dower, given to her by her late
husband, the said Richard; and Robert surrendered all claim to the lands
in favour of the said Petronilla for her life, for which Petronilla gave
him 2½ marks.” After the dissolution of the monasteries, though the
crown retained the patronage of the benefice, the land seems to have
passed into several other hands. In 1559, Roger Fulstow, of
Waddingworth, claimed of his sovereign, Queen Elizabeth, protection
against the outrages committed by the mad Earl of Lincoln, who lived at
Tattershall; and was well known for his violent proceedings towards the
Saviles of Poolham, and others. {219a} He (Fulstow) was afterwards sent
on an embassy to the Landgrave of Hesse. Macaulay, the historian, says
that a Fulstow, of Waddingworth, incurred the displeasure of Henry VIII.,
and was punished, though he does not say how. This was probably the same
man earlier in life, and the employment of him, by Elizabeth, shows that,
having annoyed the father, he recovered the favour of the daughter. But
even earlier than this, Thomas Dighton, of Waddingworth, gent. (son of
Edmund Dighton, and grandson of Robert Dighton, lord of the manor of
Stourton) was intimate with the Dymokes, and was visiting at Scrivelsby
Court at the time of the “Lincolnshire Rising,” against Henry VIII.
(otherwise called the Pilgrimage of Grace), in 1536, which led to the
merry monarch pronouncing his well-known criticism on the men of
Lincolnshire, that they were “the most beastly in all the realm.” These
Dightons came of a mercantile stock in Lincoln, where they were Mayors
and Sheriffs, and amassed large fortunes. One of them, Robert, of
Stourton, married Joyce {219b} St. Paul (or vulgarly Sampoole), daughter
and heiress of William St. Paul of Snarford, who was also involved in the
Rising aforesaid; the chief member of the family being Sir George St.
Paul, who died childless in 1614, when, with him, the family became
extinct. In the lists of those gentry who contributed to the defence of
the country, when the Spanish Armada was expected, are the names of G.
St. Paul, who contributed “1 lance, and 2 light horse”; while Thomas
Dighton, of Waddingworth, of that day, contributed also 1 lance, and 1
light horse. In the year 1546, Robert Hoberthorn, a native of
Waddingworth, became Lord Mayor of London (“Weir’s History,” vol. i., p.
313.) We have an early presentation to the Benefice of Waddingworth, in
John Smith, clerk, appointed by Queen Elizabeth to the Rectory, _vacant
by the resignation of Thomas Rumney_; this institution took place in
1563. {220a} This notice implies a good deal more than it contains to
the uninitiated. Thomas Rumney had doubtless to resign, or rather was
expelled from his living by “the bloody” Queen Mary, because he was a
Protestant, and the living, like many others, remained for some years
vacant, until the Protestant Queen Elizabeth, succeeding her sister Mary,
had time to look about her, and she in 1562 filled the vacancy by
instituting John Smith.
In the Stixwould Register there is an entry relating to Waddingworth,
stating that Mr. George Townshend died at Halstead Hall, and was buried
at Waddingworth “on Wensdaie night, the 13 of February, 1627.” The cause
of this is supposed to have been, that he was a Romanist, and therefore
could not legally be buried at a Protestant place of worship. Mr.
Rutland Snowden, and Mrs. Frances Townshend, were married “the 25
December, being Christmas daie, 1628.” This looks rather as if, after a
year’s delay after the death of Mr. G. Townshend, to be respectable, Mrs.
Townshend, his widow, married Mr. Rutland Snowden. {220b} I find another
record that Mr. George Townshend of Halstead Hall, by will, dated 1627
(he evidently dying rather suddenly) left his land in Waddingworth to his
second son, George, the executor being Nicholas Larke, parson of
Waddingworth. This Mrs. Townshend was the widow of an Evington of
Halstead Hall, so that she had three husbands, Rutland Snowden being the
last, and by him she had several children. He was the son of the Bishop
of Carlisle. They lived, it is recorded, at Horncastle, as they
naturally would do, the Bishop being then officially the Lord of the
Manor of Horncastle, having his episcopal residence near the present
manor house. He was buried at Horncastle in 1654, and his wife in 1658.
Richard Evington, of Halstead Hall, according to an old record, on his
death in 1612, left 40_s._ to Abdeel and Joel Larke, sons of the
above-named Mr. Nicholas Larke, parson, of Waddingworth. The will of
George Snowdon, of Waddingworth, was proved in 1704. He left his lands
in Waddingworth and Horsington to his nephew, Edward Dymoke, of Lincoln,
gentleman, and to his heirs. It is not clear who this George Snowdon
was, but Jane Snowden, granddaughter of Rutland and Frances Snowden,
married Charles Dymoke, of Scrivelsby, and died childless in 1743; and
Abigail Snowden, daughter of the same Rutland and Frances Snowden,
married Edward Dymoke, younger son of Sir Edward Dymoke, of Scrivelsby,
from whom sprang the Tetford branch, who now hold the property of
Scrivelsby and the Championship; and so Waddingworth passed to the
Dymokes. There is still a tablet in the church of Waddingworth referring
to these parties. It is a slab of black marble in the pavement, in the
centre of the nave, and runs as follows:—“Here lyes ye body of Edward
Dymoke, Esq., son of Edward Dymoke, of Tumby, in the County of Lincoln,
Esq., grandson of the Honble. Sir Edward Dymoke, Champion of England. He
married Mary, daughter and co-heiress of John Lodington, Esq., {221}
relict of Captain Booth, of Market Rasen, in the county of Lincoln, and
died April 29, A.D. 1729, aged 78 years, leaving Jane, his only surviving
daughter and heir, married to Edward Southwell, Esq. of Wisbeach, in the
county of Cambridge. Here also lies interred Abigail, daughter of the
said Edward Dymoke and Mary his wife, who died March 22nd, A.D. 1708,
aged 17 years.” Above this inscription are the crest, a sword and
mantle, and on the shield, two lions, crowned, passant. In course of
time the manor passed, through the above marriage, to Edward Southwell,
of the Trafford Southwell family, who now live at Wroxham, in Norfolk,
and who, with the Vyners of Gautby, own the parish.
The old Manor House, or Hall, stood in the centre of the parish, and was
at one time occupied by the Calthrop family, until they removed to West
Ashby Manor, near Horncastle; the last of them residing there is
remembered by the present writer, and there is a memorial in Ashby Church
of Richard Calthrop, an officer who fell during the siege of Algiers.
John Calthrop afterwards removed to Stanhoe Hall, in Norfolk. The old
Hall of Waddingworth was a ruin 60 years ago, and afterwards pulled down.
The outline of it can still be traced. The interesting old Rectory, of
mud and stud, still survives as a cottage, to the north of the
churchyard. There is an inverted base of a churchyard cross still
remaining on the south side of the Church. Over the west door, which is
of the Perpendicular style, but sadly dilapidated, is a reticulated
window, and above that, let into the wall, is an Early English tombstone,
or, more probably, a “consecration cross,” carved as a “cross flory,” in
heraldic phrase.
It is recorded that some ancient armour was some years ago found in a
cottage in the parish, consisting of the helmet, breast-plate,
back-piece, and gorget of a cavalier, probably a fugitive from the battle
of Winceby.
The Church, although now so dilapidated, was rebuilt in 1808, the
previous edifice having been a much handsomer and larger structure.
There was a very remarkable case of robbery, which occurred near this
parish, on January 2nd, 1841, and which is recorded in the “Stamford
Mercury,” of March 12th, of that year, with which we may fitly close our
records of Waddingworth.
Mr. James Turner, a considerable farmer, of Waddingworth, declared, on
his own public affidavit, that he was attacked by robbers when riding
home from Horncastle market, for, be it remembered, gigs were then little
used; men rode to and from market, and carried their wives behind them on
pillions (as the present writer has frequently seen, as a boy). To use
Mr. Turner’s words, he said, “When I had proceeded a quarter-of-a-mile
through the village of Thimbleby (which he needs must pass), a little
after 6 o’clock, p.m., I observed three men, walking in the middle of the
road, about 100 yards before me. I was riding at a canter, as it was
moonlight. Two of the men walked in the ‘ruts,’ on either side, and one
in the middle. He was a little behind the others, and he remained so,
till I nearly rode over him. I tried to turn out of the road, to avoid
him, but I then found he had seized my horse by the rein. The two men
said ‘good night,’ and I replied to the same effect. I then said to the
man, ‘What! Are you going to rob me?’ He made no reply, and I struck
him with my stick on the head. The mare I was riding then began to
plunge, and the other two took hold of me, and dragged me from my saddle.
I lit on my feet, but the mare got away. I struggled with the men, and
got away from them. The two stood on my left, and as I saw the third
coming in on my right, I struck at him, and he for the moment gave way,
but then, supported by the others, he again sprang at me, and seized me
by the collar (which in those days were large). The three then threw me
to the ground, and placed a stick across my throat, and so kept me down.
They hurt me considerably, but I lifted the stick across my throat to my
chin, which was much bruised. They then tore my waistcoat open and took
from my pocket a book containing blank cheques and memorandums, and my
game license. On this, they began muttering among themselves, and the
one who first attacked me, said, ‘Where’s your money?’ I threw myself,
as much as I could, on one side, to protect my ‘fob,’ but they tore my
breeches open, and took from my right-hand pocket two canvas purses, in
one of which I had two notes and some silver, and in the other £5 in
gold. They took all this, and an old-fashioned silver watch, and some
loose coins besides. I begged them not to murder me. They took from my
mackintosh a small bundle and threw it on the road, which contained my
banking book and memorandum book, both of which I subsequently recovered.
They then struck, or kicked, me violently in the ribs, and ran through a
gate into a field, towards Edlington.”
Mr. Turner testified to his recognising the men, as it was a moonlight
night, and he had seen one of them before, in Bucknall, an almost
adjoining parish. Further evidence was very strong against them. Anne
Dawson, whose husband kept the “Nag’s Head” Inn, at Bardney, proved that,
earlier on the same day, three men had called at the Inn, for
refreshment, and took the road for Thimbleby. Joseph Aukland also
testified that, in returning from Horncastle market, the same evening, he
saw the men only a few yards from the spot, before the robbery took
place. At the “Ram” Inn, at Stourton, three men called about 8.30 p.m.,
to have some ale, for which they paid, apparently (as was noticed) having
plenty of money, and asked their way to Market Rasen. On the next
morning, Sunday, at 7.30 a.m., one of them entered the “White Hart,” the
leading hotel in Rasen, and had refreshment. Later, two of them called
at a shop at Glentham, and produced two £5 notes (such as were stolen).
They were then on their way to Gainsborough. They subsequently went to
the “Dog and Gun” Inn at that place, and the landlord changed a £5 note
for them, and a Mrs. Watson another of the same value. One of them, next
day, bought a new coat at Gainsborough, for £4 13_s._; one prisoner was
taken at Lynn, in Norfolk, wearing the said coat; and the others were
subsequently captured, where is not stated. The Judge pronounced the
evidence to be most decisive, and the sentence was “Transportation for
Life.” The victim of this outrage arrived at his home late that night,
in rather a sorry plight. I think readers of this account will agree
that Mr. James Turner made a very brave stand against such odds. He must
have been a powerful man, as his son, Mr. Jabez Turner, certainly was in
his day. I have myself been inside the house, for refreshment, of Mr.
James Turner when shooting on the farm, but the robbery took place before
I was old enough to carry a gun. So end our annals of Waddingworth, with
not the least stirring incident in its history.