East Wykeham Church Ruins Lincolnshire
East Wykeham Church now lies in ruin and has done so since the reign of Henry VIII
It’s still a great place though . . .
The visit and pictures for this article were taken back in the summer and although it was some months ago I vividly remember my visit
The site is to the west of Louth, just off the A631 on the way to Ludford Magna, and sits in the grounds of Wykeham Hall which is still very much in existence. I received a very friendly welcome when I called at the hall and asked permission to visit the site and am duly grateful for their understanding of a would-be amateur local historian.
Although little now remains it is very evocative, perhaps more so than were it all still standing, it feels truly ancient and historic.
To the left you’ll see one of the carved stones which I’ll leave you to decide whether it has a date carved into it or not !
Although long out of use there were burials there up until 1876 and I was told whilst there that when the hall was commandeered for soldiers barracks during World War II a couple of soldiers actually broke into the crypt and opened one of the coffins - in it lay a man with a long white beard !
East Wykeham Church
Ideally I’d like to take these pictures again as I feel I could now bring you something better but they certainly suffice to give you a feel of the place.
The surrounding area was, if memory serves me correct, awash with earthworks - clearly a historic area.
At this point I should note that this is not to be confused with Wykeham Chapel in Spalding.
A Beautiful ‘Window’
The above photograph shows just how fragile what’s left actually is, I certainly didn’t enter the ruins merely took pictures from outside the wire fence.
I would hope that it gets some care and attention from the appropriate authorities. I know it’s in Lincolnshire and therefore is of little interest to the agencies who take care of such things but perhaps they could imagine it’s in Sussex or the like !
The Ruins in their Natural Ancient Setting
This one shows the setting in which it’s stood for many a year and I suspect it’s had that tree (an oak ?) for company for many of those - truly a privilege to have stood there.
Information seems really patchy for this church or chapel. I have seen a suggestion that it was dedicated to Saint Nicholas and has been in ruins since the 16th century.
I’ve been unable to verify this so would appeal to anybody out there who has and information at all about this church to please leave a comment - more must be known !
The area is rich in history, as mentioned, including priories DMVs and the like, all of these will be addressed in separate articles.
Thank you in advance for any information or anecdotes
All the best
Rod
Amiguru said,
January 16, 2010 @ 2:41 pm
Rod,
First guess is that it is a location mark rather than a date or mason’s monogram. You know the sort of thing; identifying where a piece goes in the structure.
Regards,
N : twisted: le
Rod said,
January 16, 2010 @ 5:12 pm
Neville,
good point and out of interest if you look at the second picture up from this you’ll see it in situ - top left in ‘the window’
It would seem out of place and part of some kind of ‘restoration’ or repair carried out whenever
Best
Rod
Amiguru said,
January 16, 2010 @ 10:03 pm
Rod,
Kelly’s Directory for 1885 states:
‘Near the remains of the church which stands in the park, and are preserved, is the family vault of the Child family: Mrs. Child was buried there in 1875 and George Beaumont Child Esq. in 1876.’
Rolls and Register of Bishop Sutton states:
‘Roger of Prestwold, ch[aplain], p[resented] by the P[rior] and C[onvent] of Sixhills to the vicarage of East Wykeham vacant by the death of Thomas. Inst[ituted] Banbury, January 31st. 1285, and had letters patent’
I’ll go and hunt for more now.
le
Regards,
N
Amiguru said,
January 16, 2010 @ 11:11 pm
Rod,
its from The Charters of Gilbertine Houses:
I know this’ll make your hair stand on end
‘Be it known to all the faithful of Christ that I, Supir de
Bayeux, with the assent and consent of my heirs have given in
perpetual alms to the nuns who serve God in Sixle whatever I had in
the church of Little Wykeham with a toft and other things, namely
in lands, meadows, pastures, and waters, and that it may more richly
profit my soul I have added five acres of land which are called
‘ warlant.’ And further, with the counsel of honest men and that of
my friends I have granted and given to the aforesaid nuns all the land
of that sort which is called ‘ warlant ‘ in the territory of East Wykeham
of the same fee as are the aforenamed five acres. And I have done
this in the presence of the brethren of the hospital of Lincoln and in
the presence of William the clerk of Hugh de Bayeux, and Ralf
Wilain. And lest anyone should dare to vex or disturb the nuns, I
have confirmed the freedom of this my gift with my writing, that
they may hold as freely as any alms is most freely held by the faithful.
Moreover I have made this gift in the common synod in the holy
mother church of Lincoln in the hand of Robert the archdeacon, in
the presence and hearing of many, for the safety of my soul and the
souls of my kin alive and dead.’
c. 1155
What a name “Supir de Bayeux” and he grants his warlant to the nuns!
I think that’s yet another ‘Howzat?
le
Regards,
N
Rod said,
January 17, 2010 @ 9:11 am
Neville,
now that is interesting, possibly taking a church on the site back to early 1100s.
The nuns that serve God in Sixle would be Sixhills Priory I presume (writing that up soon)
Little Wykeham church, the question is what exactly is that Neville could that be the same one or more likely one at West Wykeham where there is I believe is a Deserted Medieval Village ?
The text mentions East Wykeham so draws a distiction I suspect ?
Hugh de Bayeux
He pops up all the time Neville
Fantastic information - absolutely love it
All the best
Rod
Amiguru said,
January 17, 2010 @ 11:15 am
Rod,
Have just checked for Little Wykeham and according to British History Online, “Little Wykeham = East Wykeham” in a footnote.
Yes Sixle is Sixhills Priory. I’ve some good stuff for that when you do it and in one case it is linked to East Wykeham!
I have a murder case in East Wykeham coming up for you. Just a little matter of translating the Latin
Do you think the ‘bretheren of the hospital of Lincoln’ could be a Templar connection?
Regards,
le
N
Rod said,
January 17, 2010 @ 3:02 pm
Neville,
now that is good - I’ll put that date in the post as we can be more than reasonably happy that there was a church there circa 1155.
An historic murder case is always good Neville, but one which requires translation from Latin sounds even better !
“The hospital of Lincoln” I’d perhaps be more inclined to go with the Knights Hospitaller but who really knows, I mean look at Sixle !
Best
Rod
Amiguru said,
January 19, 2010 @ 7:51 pm
Cid,
You’re such a titter, (if you’ll pardon the expression.)
Working back to front, for I have been known to be backwards at coming forwards; I must say that great care should be taken when typing ‘Cillit Bang’ as digital temerity can create a totally misleading expression.
I’m quite happy to play along with latitudes, e’en to the extent of Greek hairy codpieces if it enriches the cult and legend of The Shire Folk. I’m sure Sir Rod’s antecedants would have worn the finest leather codpieces, most probably of fine pared calf richly tooled and prominently studded
Now Cif I must get back on task, for Master Rod may wish to ask
“Where is the Latin murder tale?” Recount it now, for cold’s the trail……..
As Samuel Hopkins Adams knew, translating Latin’s hard to do
And to add to the patina, my thought’s in lingua latina!
Vale…
le
N
Amiguru said,
January 19, 2010 @ 9:05 pm
Rod,
Well I’ve done my best with the Latin entry of a case in my copy of “Lincolnshire Assize Rolls 1202 to 1209″ involving Wykeham and decided to curtail the quotes to avoid tedium and expand the explanation so here goes:
At the court held in Lincoln in 1202, Geoffrey of Holtham, (”a now extinct village represented on the modern map as the farm of Holtham Carrs in Legsby”) accused Godardum de Wicham…………Hold it right there
……I just thought I would check online the Anglicised version of ‘Godardum’ and amazingly found the self same case not only published in a different volume but translated online!
Oh well, despite the two hours or so spent translating and rather than burden you with my version of events you can read both the original text as well as the translation for yourselves:
http://www.archive.org/stream/publicationsofse01selduoft#page/n61/mode/2up
It wasn’t wasted time of course as I can now check my effort against the scholarly version
As you will see, Godard and Humfrey literally, ‘got away with murder’
Will go and browse some more….
Regards,
le
N
Rod said,
January 20, 2010 @ 8:27 am
Neville,
fascinating, what a great book as well.
I’m going back to it shortly, very interesting
Thanks again for all your scholarly efforts Neville. I would have translated the Latin myself but I was a bit busy yesterday
Best
Rod
Amiguru said,
January 20, 2010 @ 7:04 pm
Rod,
Yes indeed, re the book. I’m downloading lots of pdf reference volumes now to build a focused digital local history library.
Just to clarify a couple of anomalies:
I’m quite happy with the gist of the Selden Society translation in the link above but I have investigated the place names involved and whereas they translate ‘Hotham’ as ‘Hougham’ and ‘Wicham’ as ‘Witham’, I am more inclined to the Lincoln Record Society versions which are ‘Holtham’ and ‘Wykeham’ respectively. If the geographical locations of these places is examined it is more likely to be the LRS versions which have the balance of probabilty. To be fair, I need to add that the LRS translation gives the ‘Wicham’ location as “Wykeham (East or West)” but I think that after 800+ years it makes little difference as the two Wykehams are only about a kilometer apart!
All credit to Doris M. Stenton who undertook the LRS translation of the Rolls over several years and who lays out in the volume the strict rules to which she adhered in the task, even down to placing of original superscriptions, subscriptions and punctuation!
Regards,
le
N
Rod said,
January 20, 2010 @ 7:46 pm
Neville,
for what it’s worth and going on what I’ve seen in the past I’d go with ‘Wicham’ being Wykeham rather than Witham - all things being equal.
As to Doris, she’s given something to the world Neville - not many people can say that in reality.
Best
Rod
Amiguru said,
January 22, 2010 @ 5:04 pm
Rod,
Kelly’s Directory of Lincolnshire 1885. Edited extract for East Wykeham:
“East Wykeham, formerly extra-parochial, is now a parish……….The parish consists of one farm. Wykeham Hall is an ancient mansion, which has been restored and stands in a well-wooded park, through which runs the river Bain. Near the remains of the church, which stands in the park and are preserved is the family vault of the Child family……..The estate is tithe free subject to a yearly payment to the incumbent of Ludford. George Lewis Ffytche esq. D.L., J.P. of Thorpe hall, Louth is lord of the manor and sole landowner……….poulation in 1881 was 37……….Milligan James, farmer, The Hall”
Incidentally, there is no entry for West Wykeham.
Regards,
le
N
Rod said,
January 22, 2010 @ 6:39 pm
Neville,
I think the hall is still in the hands of the Milligan family and runs as Wykeham Hall Farm
Best
Rod
Pete Skipworth said,
October 11, 2010 @ 9:11 am
Hi Rod,
Interestingly you do not need permission to look at the church this area is open access, and you are allowed to enter onto it, the internet gives you the boundaries.
Regards
Pete
Rod said,
October 11, 2010 @ 3:35 pm
Hi Pete,
thanks for the info’ and welcome to the site - very useful and I hope you’ll return
All the best
Rod
Eric Wood said,
January 22, 2012 @ 9:45 am
Just found your site ! Fascinating, I live within sight of the East Wykeham church. Have you any information on those earthworks roughly east of the church ?
Rod said,
January 22, 2012 @ 3:39 pm
Eric,
thanks for the comment and welcome to the site - not off the top of my head I’m afraid - it’s well worth looking into though - rest assured anything that comes up will go on this page
Regards
Rod