Stragglethorpe: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:45, 12 January 2024

Revision as of 01:36, 19 February 2024

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[[File:St.Michael's church, Stragglethorpe, Lincs. - geograph.org.uk - 57324.jpg|300px|left|thumb|St Michael's Church]]

[[Saint Michael]]'s Church is a Grade I [[listed building]] dating from the 11th century, now in the care of the [[National Churches Trust|Historic Churches Preservation Trust]]. It has an 11th-century [[baptismal font|font]] and 18th-century [[box pews]].<ref>{{NHLE|num=1061900|desc=St Michaels, Stragglethorpe|accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref> Several well-respected church architects have the opinion that the West wall of the church is pre [[Norman Conquest]] (1066). This wall is rubble-built with a later buttress added for the stability of the [[Bell-cot|bell cote]]. When viewed from the inside, an early west-facing doorway with triangular stone lintel and a window opening above are clearly visible. There used to be a [[Rood screen]] in the church – the carved stone supports on either side are clear evidence of this. It was mentioned in the notes of William Monson when he visited on the 9th9 August 1833, and a report in the ''[[Grantham#Grantham Journal|Grantham Journal]]'' of 1886 tells of how it was bedecked with flowers for the Harvest Festival. However, it must have been removed soon afterwards as a visitor in 1921 reports that there is no chancel screen to be seen. No photographic picture of the screen has come to light as of yet.

Stragglethorpe Hall is a Grade II listed [[Elizabethan architecture|Elizabethan]] "H plan" country house dating from the 16th century, and extended between 1912 and 1914.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1147803|desc=Stragglethorpe Hall|fewer-links=x|accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref> The stable block is also Grade II listed, dating from the same period and with a similar restoration between 1912 and 1914.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1360552|desc=Stable Block at Stragglethorpe Hall|fewer-links=x|accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref>

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The Lincoln Archives also contain the [[Hearth Tax]] of the village for 1662 & 1664. The first list recorded Sir Richard Earle as being assessed for 10 hearths, and two years later being noted as having to pay tax for 13 hearths. The majority of the village had a single hearth while a couple of doubles were noted.

There is a flat stone slab or [[ledger stone]] in the floor of the church near the altar, which commemorates the life of Richard Earle Bart., who died in March 1667. Because of continual wear through footfall over the years, it is now virtually illegible. Fortunately, the church was visited by William Monson on the 9th9 August 1833. He took the time to stand over the same stone slab and recorded the inscription upon it.

Reading and transcribing the scores of inventories that are associated with Stragglethorpe, and stored in Lincoln Archives, can be most revealing. There is an inventory from 1680 for Thomas Yates, the term "Lady Earles Ground" is mentioned twice along with Cony Close. While it is unclear where Lady Earles Field is today, the whereabouts of Cony Close is well known. The second field to the south of the village, next to Stragglethorpe Lane, has always been known as "Cony Close". It also appears on a map of a transfer deed of over a hundred years ago. The name "Cony" has one wondering whether it was once a rabbit warren, but the answer most probably lies with the Earle family's original connection to the village. Namely that Augustine Earle's third wife (who bore him several children) was Francis Cony of [[Bassingthorpe]] near [[Grantham]]. She was sister to Sir Thomas Cony, who was probably one of the wealthiest and most influential men in the county of Lincolnshire in the late C16th.{{clear left}}