HERE LYETH THE MORTAL PART OF SUSANNAH MARIA, MAY 13TH, 1736, AGED 36, SUSANNAH, AGED 9 YEARS AND 8 MONTHS, JAMES WILLIAM, AGED 2 YEARS AND 4 MONTHS. FOR SUCH A WIFE NO MORTAL COULD FORBEAR TO FETCH A SIGH OR DROP A SILENT TEAR; HE WHO HIS WIFE CAN UNCONCERN'D RESIGN, MUST HAVE A HEART LESS TENDER FAR THAN MINE. Within the communion rails. SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF REV. JOHN HARRISON, WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE JANUARY 16TH, 1835, AGED 76 YEARS, CURATE OF ALTHORPE 52 YEARS. HERE LIES THE BODY OF THE REV. JAMES PARKE, RECTOR OF ALTHORPE, WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE, MARCH 19TH, 1740, AGED 46 YEARS. MRS. SUSANNAH YOUNG. MRS. SUSANNAH MARIE PARKE. HERE HERE LYE ANN AND WILLIAM ISSUE OF MR. JAMES AND THE LATTER MARCH 1ST, 1730. HIC JACET EZEKIAS JACOBI ET SUSANNE MARIE PARKE. DIE 5TH SEPTEMBER, TO THE MEMORY OF JOHN AND LÆTITIA HARRISON, WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE, SEPTEMBER 19TH, 1832, AGED 3 YEARS. The following is a list of the Rectors of Althorpe. There was a dispute as to the right of presentation between the Hospital of St. Leonard and the Knights Templars, and it was decided by the Court of King's Bench, pro hac vice, in favour of the Hospital. William de Gotham 1338 presented by John Holt, Prior of St. Leonard Hospital. William 66 In the register of this parish is preserved a pastoral letter, written by Bishop Reynolds, previous to his triennial visitation in 1736. It is as follows. Intending this summer to make my fifth triennial visitation of this diocese, which, in my stage of life, may reasonably be taken to be the last I can propose to inake, I shall set myself more immediately and closely to two points, i. e. first to receive complaints, and make redress of such disorders in or amongst the members of my diocese, as are grown or growing up to notoriety and scandal; and secondly, to collect a full and true state of the Churches, their edifices, endowments, for their effectual preservation from diminution or dilapidation, towards which, I trust, I shall have the ready assistance of the Ministers and churchwardens, the parochial corporations, and standing trustees for the patrimony of the Church,in their respective parishes, whose faith and honour are concerned, from time to time, and especially before all ordinary visitations, carefully to survey, and honestly to communicate to the visitants, such decays, neglects, or injuries within their respective trusts as cannot be redressed by their parochial authority. "And forasmuch as the offences which come are observed to abound most in those places where the pastoral care is most deficient, either through the non-residence of the Minister, or his undertaking the services of more churches than he can duly supply, or his temporary entertainment of adventitious, unapproved, unqualified assistants, I must the more intently apply myself to extirpate these roots of disorder. "And this previous intimation is made, that they who will hereupon order themselves, may have praise of the same; and that they who persist in their wrong methods, till the order of law makes the regulation, may have less cause to complain of its operation. "So not doubting of your ready concurrence in matters so manifestly tending to the increase of religion, to the honour of our constitution, and to the dignity and decent subsistence of all who now or shall hereafter be admitted into the Ministry, I heartily pray God to have you in his keeping. And remain, your very loving friend, R. LINCOLN.” Buckden, Mr. 26, 1736. It It appears that formerly there was a Chapel of Ease at Burringham, now at least, on the east side of the Trent, which is stated to have belonged to Althorpe, inasmuch as "Robert de Ver, de Capella de Burringham, quæ pertinet ad Ecclesiam de Althorpe" was to pay during his life the sum of four shillings to the Hospital of St. John*. This was one of Mowbray's foundations, and most probably Burringham formed a part of his possessions; but whether it was ever considered as part and parcel of the manor of Epworth, I am not able to say. At the present time it constitutes part of the parish of Bottesford. The site of the Chapel is well known, but not a vestige of it remains, though until very lately the inhabitants considered themselves as belonging, in ecclesiastical matters, to the Mother Church at Althorpe; and were frequently baptised, married, and buried there. There is a large old Manor House, of the time of Queen Elizabeth, which was most probably erected on the site of a more antient dwelling, belonging to the Newmarshes or the Nevilles. It is now much out of repair, and like every thing of the sort in this country, has been used as a common farm house. |