The font is of stone, octagonal, having four different kinds of crosses on the alternate faces, a circular shaft ending in octagon, and on octagonal pediment. Within the south porch, over the outer and inner doorways are old fragments of massive zigzag pattern, all that remains of a whilom Norman structure. The modern doorway arch, externally, has a dog-tooth moulding, with floriated finials. The tower, over the porch, is square below, octagonal above, with small lancet windows in each face, and is surmounted by a low spire; it contains one bell. The roof and sittings are of pitchpine.
The chancel arch is of massive stone, plain, and of wide span. In the east wall of the chancel are three narrow windows, the central higher than the other two; they have good coloured glass by Clayton and Bell. Beneath is a handsome reredos of Caen stone, erected in memory of the late Mr. Thomas Terrot Taylor. It has one large central device, the Agnus Dei within a circle, and on each side four divisions, containing a dove with olive leaf, Fleur de Lys, ears of corn, a passion flower, vine leaves and grapes, a crown, a rose, and a conventional flower. On each side are memorial tablets of the Ball family. In the south wall is a brass tablet in memory of Mr. Taylor, and a small pointed window. In the north wall is a doorway leading to the vestry. Within the vestry, lighted by a similar small pointed window, are three more Ball tablets, and a priest's door. In the centre of the nave floor, close to the chancel step, is a large slab "In memory of the Rev. William Robinson, 22 years Incumbent, who died May 8, 1830, aged 56." The register only dates from 1715, and contains no entries of special interest.
In a List of Institutions to Benefices, preserved at Lincoln, it is shewn that in 1562, on the resignation of the then Vicar, one John Howsone, Michael West, Clerk, was appointed to this vicarage, along with that of Nether Toynton, by Richard Bertie, Esq, the ancestor of the present Earl of Ancaster. This was probably by some private arrangement with the Bishop of Carlisle, as the Berties (as the Willoughbys are now) were patrons of Low Toynton, but not of Upper, or High, Toynton. He was instituted to the two benefices on July 9th of that year.
MAREHAM-ON-THE-HILL.
Of this parish, ecclesiastically annexed to High Toynton, little can be said. The name was anciently written Maringes,[1] or Marun[2]; the former probably from the low "marish," or marsh, "ings," i.e. meadows, the suffix being the Saxon "ham," a homestead. It lies about two miles south-east from Horncastle, connected with High Toynton by footpath, and bridle road, across the fields barely a mile in length, but for carriages a detour of more than double that distance has to be made.
This parish, like High Toynton and West Ashby, is in the soke of Horncastle. In Domesday Book it is stated that the manor comprised 3 carucates, or about 360 acres of land, with 21 soc-men and 11 bordars,[3] who had four
- ↑ Testa de Nevill, fol. 348 (556).
- ↑ Domesday Book.
- ↑ Soc-men were small tenants who held their lands under the lord, on the terms of doing certain agricultural service for him Bordars, from the Saxon "bord" a cottage, were a lower class of smaller tenants, who had a cottage and small allotment, supplying to the lord more continuous labour, and also eggs and poultry. By statute of Queen Elizabeth (31 Eliz., c. 7), which probably only confirmed old usage, at that time liable to fall into abeyance, it was enacted that any proprietor erecting a new cottage should be compelled to attach thereto four acres of land. If something like this were done in these days we should probably hear less of the rural population migrating to the towns, to the increase of pauperage.
