ORTON LONGUEVILLE CHURCH.

Rev. PETER ROYSTON, M.A.

Reprinted from the "Journal of the British Archceological Association,'
JtV)ie, 1899, for the Peterborough Natv.ral History,
Scientific, and Archceological Society.

LONDON :
PRINTED AT THE BEDFORD PRESS, 20 & 21, BEDFORDBURY, W.C.
1899.

JD y "Z. 9 - l&

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ORTON LONGUEVILLE CHURCH.

Rev. PETER ROYSTON, MA.

Reprinted from the "Journal of the British Archaeological Association.
June, 1899, for the Peterborough Natv.ral History,
Scientific, and Archceological Society.

LONDON :
PRINTED AT THE BEDFORD PRESS, 20 & 21, BEDFORDBURY, W.C.
1899.

ORTON LONGUEVILLE CHURCH.

BY THE EEV. PETER ROYSTON, MA.
(Read at the Peterborough Congress, July 15, 1898.)

HE village of Orton Longueville lies two
miles west of the City of Peterborough,
on the high road to Oundle, and is
beautifully situated on rising ground.
The church and the hall nestle under the
protecting wing of a fine collection of
chestnut trees, seen from the road leading
to the village. It has been asserted that the name is
derived from one Long, who resided here, as also that it
was known as "lono-a villa," but I am more inclined to
think and put it down to another source. We know
that the retainers, who came over with the Conquerors,
had often grants of land made to them, and that they
gave their names to the same. The Longuevilles, of
Prestatyn, claim that they " were formerly lords of
Overton Longueville, in the county of Huntingdon "
(Burke's Landed Gentry) ; and my old friend, Mark
Antony Lower, in his Patronymica Britannica, confirms
this when he says : " From Longueville, a small town in
the department of the Lower Seine, in Normandy, of
which the Longuevilles, Earls of Buckingham, were
anciently lords. This family gave the suffix to Overton
Longueville, co. Huntingdon ; " and in this derivation I
entirely concur.
Orton is contracted from Overton, i.e., the village on
the other side of the river Nene from Peterborough.
The Church of St. Botolph (this part of the parish is
now known as " Bottle Bridge ") having become a ruin,
the parish was merged in Orton Longueville in 1721 by
the deed of Bishop Gibson, of Lincoln (Sweeting), and

4 ORTON LONGUEVILLE CHURCH.
the stone removed from there went to enlarge the
south aisle of our church for the accommodation of its
parishioners. The site is marked by an upright grave
stone. We now come to the Parish Church, which is dedicated
to the Holy Trinity. It is an interesting structure of
uniform date, being of Early Decorated character, of
about 1320 to 1330, and is, according to Mr. Traylen,
unique. The first object which attracts our attention is
the fine east window, with its five lights, and an excellent
specimen of the earliest form of what has been called "net
tracery." The lights are cinquefoiled in the head, and a
broad fillet extending round the innermost arch, with
moulded interior arch and jambs, with a base but no
capital. The south-east window is a very unusual
window of highly satisfactory design of the Decorated
Period, with three lights, cinquefoiled, and having a
double-feathered trefoil in the tracery. On the north
wall is a single window of two lights with a quatrefoil
in the head, a very beautiful design of fourteenth-century
work. On the west side of the priest's door is a low side
window of three lights, now blocked, two of which were
originally glazed, and the third had a moveable shutter.
Adjacent is a stone seat, from which the priest adminis
tered his alms, whilst near to this window are three
" Ball-flowers " of exquisite design, all different in appear
ance. It may here be noticed that on the opposite north
side is a like seat to the one on the south, and it has
often been conjectured why it should be there. Might it
not have been the seat from which the sanctus bell was
rung % On the same side, just outside the altar rails,
there is a sharply-pointed recess, 7 ins. wide and 2 ft.
10 ins. from the base to the apex of the arch. Many
conjectures have been made as to its use. May it not
have been for the depositing of the " Pyx," the orna
mental box, or casket, in which the consecrated " Host "
was reserved in the pre- Reformation Church for the use
of the sick ? To the north and south of the reading-
desk and pulpit have been two openings, the former
of which is now blocked up. It is presumed that the
ascent to the rood screen was originally here.

ORTON LONGUEVILLE CHURCH. 5
The south of the nave aisle has been enlarged ; this
was done for the accommodation of the parishioners living
at St. Botolph's, when the church there was abandoned.
In the east are two windows of three lights, of the same
date as the church.
Attached to the pillar in the south arcade, opposite
the south door, is a brass money-box, which is generally
used for offerings of women who have been churched.
In the tower, on the north side, is a recess about 9 ft.
high and 4 ft. in diameter, which has puzzled the brains
of many archaeologists to determine the use to which it
was put. It is arched at the apex, and was evidently
not intended as a staircase to the belfry, as this was on
the opposite side. My own opinion, which may be
adopted or not, is, that it was used as a confessional.
On the north side of the nave is a shallow cupboard
in the wall. Upon opening the door, there is displayed
to view a painting of St. Christopher bearing Christ. It
is in a very perfect condition, and is one of the largest
known in this country. Beyond this is a marble tablet
to the memory of Lord Douglas William Cope Gordon
(by H. H. Armstead, R.A.), fourth son of the tenth Mar
quis of Huntly, who was M.P. for West Aberdeenshire
from 1876 to 1880, and for the county of Huntingdon
from 1880 to 1885.
In the chantry is an elaborate monument to Lady
Elizabeth Conyngham, daughter of the first Marquis ~of
Conyngham, and wife of the late Marquis of Huntly.
There is also a window placed to his memory by the
tenantry, and a monument erected by his wife and
family. There is also a sitting figure, a beautiful tribute
to Lady Mary Seymour, the wife of Lord Aboyne, by
Chantrey. But we must not omit to mention the effigy
of a cross-legged knight, somewhat mutilated, but very
interesting as being of a date coeval with the erection
of the church, and probably representing the founder of
it. Tradition says this was Sir Overton Longueville.
The head and neck have the usual chain hauberk of the
period (about 1330) ; a kite-shaped shield, suspended by
a strap from the shoulder ; the baudrick, or sword-belt,
holds also a dagger in a sheath ; the figure has a long sur-

6 ORTON LONGUEVILLE CHURCH.
coat ; the legs seem to be partly cased in plate-armour,
and the foot (only one remains) has the prick-spur. There
is not a doubt that this effigy belongs to the early part of
Edward I IT. We must not omit to mention that above a
magnificent slab of Alwalton marble is an extrn ordinary
monument with sixteen quarterings, erected to Elizabeth
Rayner, only daughter and heiress of William Rayner of
the county of Huntingdon, and wife of Henry Talbot,
who died in 162.9. He was a close connection of George,
sixth Earl of Shrewsbury, who had the custody of Mary
Queen of Scots committed to his charge in the 11th of
Elizabeth, when confined at Fotheringhay ; and it is said
that he passed through the old gateway at the south of
the hall, and signed her death-warrant on the night before
her execution. He had been appointed January 16th,
1571-2, at the arraignment of the Duke of Norfolk, Lord
High Steward of England ; and after the execution of
that nobleman, Earl Marshal.
And now for a few words on the exterior. The tower
has the appearance of being oblong, rather than square ;
but this is due to the buttresses, which widen it some
what on the north and south sides.
The two niches on the south side of the chancel may
have been used for the figures of saints ; or, as someone has
suggested, been originally a part of the sedilia, removed
and placed there after some restoration of the church.
The priest's door in the chancel has an excellent
specimen of floriated ironworked hinges. No doubt this
is de Legh ton's work, of about 1294, and most probably
belonged to an older door, and was put on here when the
church was built. They have the distinctive features of
the stamped ornaments and the curious lappets.
It may be interesting if I quote what Mr. I. Starkie
Gardner says upon this subject, viz. : —
" There is nothing certain as to the dates of ironwork either in
France or England, until we come to the Eleanor grille in West
minster Abbey, made by Thomas de Leghton in 1294, which is a
close copy of a grille once in St. Denis. I am compelled to believe
that the ornament in relief in ironwork, instead of merely incised
ornament, originated in the He de France, among the pioneers of
Gothic architecture, who brought it to perfection. The change

ORTON LONGUEVILLE CHURCH. 7
consisted in striking the hot iron into prepared dies, as wax is
pressed into a seal, and in designing the ironwork with the same
minnte care that was given to the other details, such as the carving
and the stained glass. The secret of using prepared steel or chilled
iron dies must have been jealously kept, since we find that it took
manv years to reach England, and never reached Germany. . . .
hardly reached the independent duchies of France, nor Spain, nor
Italy. From the identity of the stamps and forms used by Thos.
de Leghton, we can only conclude that he had been to France and
fathomed the secret for himself. Though apparently so simple, it
was not a method that would occur spontaneously to a smith. A
celebrated French smith, time of Louis XIII, did not know how it
was done. We know nothing of de Leghton, and only identify
him with Leighton Buzzard, because there are hinges on the church
door there by the same hand. There are specimens of the same
work at Eaton Bray, Turvey, Colchester, Norwich, Tunstall,
Windsor, Oxford, Lichfield, York, Chester and Westminster. . . .
They are all formed of easy scrolls flowing one from the other, and
which rarely complete a second whorl. The leaves that spring
from the whorls spring invariably from the outer edge of the
curve only. The stamps consist almost solely of a few sizes of
rosettes, the symmetrical thirteenth-century vine leaf, more rarely
of a trefoil leaf and a bunch of grapes. The same small dragons'
heads are invariably introduced in all, and the collars and fastenings
are the same in all."
In the inside and outside of the church, at the termi
nations of the label mouldings, are masks or notch
heads, which are well worthy of notice, for you are aware
that they are so designed as, when viewed from a
distance to resemble a grotesque head, no two being
exactly alike in their extremely elegant outline. This
feature is prevalent from the latter end of the thirteenth
century. And, to crown all, we must not omit to mention
the fine wheel cross which exists above the gable of the
nave.

8 ORTON LONGUEVILLE CHURCH.
COPY OF THE EPITAPHS IN ORTON LONGUEVILLE
CHURCH.
Made by the Eev. Eobekt Smyth, of Woodstone, in 1734.
From the Pierpoint Monument the following shields are now
missing — on the left side Nos. 2, 12, 14, 15, and 16, and on
the right side Nos. 1, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14. February,
1896.

At ye upper end of ye North Isle has been a chap where against
Ye middle of Ye same wall is a large mon't of Allerton marble with
Piladers of Alabaster & this on an arched slab of Black Marble in
ye middle, Bordered with alabaster in cap.
M.S.
Secundum Christi Bedemptoris Adventum
expectat Elizabetha sola filia & H seres
Wmi Ebyneii de Com Huntingtonise Equitis
Aurati chariss* Henrici Talbot (Junioris
Filii Georgii comitis Salopi.e) conjux
Quae Gertruda. & Maria reliquit
Gerteuda nupta Eoberto Pierpoint
Comiti de Kingston Maria
primo Tiiom^e Holcroft
Secundo Guilielmo Aemyne
Baronetto Qui ad
Posteritatis memoria
Hoc monumentum
Anno Salutis
MDCXXIX P.P.
On another part below —
Secundum etiam Christi Bedemptoris Adventum expectat
Prsedicta Maria hie Inferiu Tumulata
Vixit lxxxv annos Quatuor menses et undecem dies
Obiit xxvn° die Febr anno Salutis mdclxxiiii0
Senioris Prosapiae Comitum de Salopia cognomento Talbot
periodus
On another Tablet still lower —
Talbott Armyne filius Gulielmi Armyne et Ma
Ei^e uxoris ejus primogenitus et hseres
Ipsius Marle natus fuit apud Overton
Loiiguevile ; xm : Pie Aprilis A.D. mdcxxx.

ORTON LONGUEVILLE CHURCH. 9
Bound the monument on ye border of Alabaster in distinct
shields of arms is ye atchievem' of Talbot in 16 coats viz., at top
Talbot ye others going down on ye left side.
1. Gul. a Lyon ramp' or armd & langud Az with" a bordre engrd of
ye 2nd (Talbot as now from ye dr of Eyce ap Griffyth, Prince
of South Wales)
2. Az. a Lyon ramp' or arm'd & langud Gul within a border of
ye 2nd (Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury)
3. Bendy of 10 pieces Gul & Arg (Talbot, ancient or proper)
4. Gul. 3 Garbes 2. 1. with" a Double Tressure Flory & Counter
Flory. or (Cumyn)
5. Barry of 10 pieces Arg & Az 10 Martlets 3.2. 2. 3. Gul
(Valence, Earl of Pembroke)
6. Or. 3 Inescutchns 2.1 each barry of 6 Vaire & Gul (Mon-
chesney, Baron)
7. Per Pale. Or & Vert Overall a Lyon ramp1 gul. armd & langud
or (Earl Marshall)
8. Arg. 2 Lyonclls pass' in Pale gul arm'd & langud Az. (qy. or)
(Strange of Blackness, Baron)
9. Gul 3 Lyonclls passant in Pale arg arm'd & langud of ye Is
(Gyffard)
10. Cheeky. Or & Asure overall a Bend. gul. (Clyfford)
11. Gul. A Saltire Arg. thereon a Martlet Prop (Nevyle, Lord
Furnevall)
12. Lozengy. Or & Gal a Canton Erm.
N.B. — Three of these are broken off', as are three in ye next set,
but are all supplied from the entire coats as follows : —
13. Gul. A Lyon ramp1 Or : Billety Sab armd & Langud of the 1st
(Balvace, Baron)
14. Arg. A Bend between 6 Martlets Gul (Furnevall, Baron)
15. Or. A fret Gul (Vesilon, Baron)
16. Arg. A Lyon ramp1 pr. Fesse Gul & Sab (Lovetoft, Baron)
On ye other side goes down in like manner from Talbot as ye
centre Reyner Pierrepont &c on fourteen or fifteen shields tho' 3 at
least are gone.
1. Az. a saltyre engii'd erm
2. Erm. on a chief Iendentd Az. 2 Mullets or (Eayner)
3. Gul. A fess Indentd betw'n 10 crosse crosslet's, 4 in chief and
6 in Base, 3, 2, 1 Arg.

10 ORTON LONGUEVILLE CHURCH.
4. Arg. Crusuly of Crosse-croslets & 3 Eoses, 2, 1, Gul. seeded
and leaved. Prop.
5. Arg. Semee of cinque foyls Gul. & a Lyon Eampt. Sub. armed
& langu'd of ye 2nd (Pierrepoint)
6. Arg. 6 Annulets. 2, 2, 2 Sab (Maltravers)
7. Az. 3 Hedge-Hogs. Passant. 2, 1 Or (Herryz)
8. Arg. On a Fess. Gul. 3 Bezants.
9. Arg. An Eagle. Sab. holding in his talons a child, gul. Face
Prop. Swaddle'd Or.
10. Arg. A Squirrel Seiant, cracking a nut. Gul. (Culchett)
11. Quarts Gul & Arg. In ye 2nd Quart1- a Mullett Sab.
12. Arg. On a Bend Sab. 3 cups covered as ye 1st
13. Gul. A Fess Arg. betwn 3 Parrots Prop, membr'd & Beak'd.
Or.
14. Gul. a Bulls Head, cabosh'd Arg arm'd Or.
Above ye inscription are 10 shields all connect'd by so many Pair
of hands conjoyn'd & Branches descending down, taking ye descent as
from ye common root from Sir Wm. Reyner & his Lady.
The 1 shield is Quartly of ye first 4 in this 2nd Division. Imp.
Arg. a Lyon ramp' Double Queue. Sab. arm'd & langud. Gul.
Branching from ye 2 last under ym are 3 others in ye. middle, ye
4 again at ye first 4. in ye 2nd division 1 on ye left. Talbots of 16
as 1 division. 3 is of 8 coats.
1. Arg. a crosse. within a border both engr'd Sab. (Holcroit).
2. Culcheth. 3 as 10 in 2 division. 4 as 11. 5 as 12. 6 as 13. 7 as
8. 8 as 14
Below ye last 5 others. Yt in ye middle being quartly.
1 & 4. Erm a Saltyre engr'd Gul on Chief of ye last a Lyon pass't.
Guard't Or, Arm'd & Langu'd Az. (Armyne)
2. Arg. on a crosse Gul. 5 mullets. Or. Pierced Az. (St. Medard)
3. Gul. A Fess. between 3 escallops or. on each side ye last are 2
again of Talbots. 16 on ye outside to ye right is Holcroft.
again of 8. and on ye left, outside Pierrepont. Quartly with
Maunvers & Herryz.
In ye east window of this Chap, are 3 coats in a Bow. 1 as 4. in
2' Divisn 3 eta 3 betiveen which 2 is Arg. on a Bend between 6 mart-
Ids Gal. 3 Bezts. {Worthy.) Under this window on ye floor by
yc wooden skrcen on yc North side is an antlent Tomb-stone & thereon
lying at full length in armour it' %uith his shield on his left shoulder
ye efflgie of a man in yc usual Posture of Devotion, but it has had

ORTON LONGUEVILLE CHURCH. 11
no inscription or arms to discover him by. In ye middle Isle of ye
Church are 3 modem Hatchments. 1 for Hen. Earl of Lincoln
who rented ye Hall here, when he dyed this hangs against ye South
wall under ye windows, being Arg. 6 crosse-crosslets.
Fetchy 3.2.1 Sab. on a chief Az. 2 mulletts. Or
Pierc'd of ye 3rd Imp.
Az. 3 Pelicans 2. 1 Arg. Vulning ye Breasts & Prop.
Against ye opposite wall 2 others 1 for ye Lady Frances only Dr.
to Charles, Earl of Sutherland, by his 1 Wife, Arabella dr & cohr
to Hen Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle ye 1 wife to Hen late Earl
of Carlisle who had this manor by her, which on her death & her
Sons, went ye same way, by special Entayl with ye Lady Arabella
her eldest Dr marryed to Jonathan Cope, Esq™ only son to Sir Jona
than 0. of ye arms being 6 coats.
1. Gul. on a Bend, betw'n 6 crosse-crosslets Fetchy, Arg. an
inescutch'n Or, thereon a Demy Lyon Bamp1 Pierc'd through
ye mouth, with an arrow, with a Double Tressure Flory &
Counter Flory, all of ye field (Howard)
2. Gul. 3 Lyonclls Pass't Guard't in Pale Or. in chief a label of
3 Points, Arg. (Thos-de-Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk)
3. Cheeky. Or & Azure (Earl Warren)
4. Gul. a Lyon Bamp1 arg. arm'd & lang'd Az (Moubray, Duke
of Norfolk)
5. Gul. 3 Escalops 2, 1 Arg. (Dacre Baron)
6. Barry of 6 Arg. & Az. 3 chaplets 2, 1 Gul. (Greystoeke, Baron)
These Imp.
Quartly Arg. & Gul. in ye 2 & 3 Quart's a Fret Or. overall a Bend.
Sab. thereon 3 escalops of ye 1st (Earl Spencer)
Ye other for Lady Arabella Cope, " viz. " Arg. on a chev Az. between
3 roses. Slipped. Gul. leaved and stalked Prop, as many
Fleur de Luces Or. imp Howard (Impaling here is incorrect,
as she was an heiress before her death).