Parishes: Newbold-on-Avon

NEWBOLD-ON-AVON

Acreage:
Newbold, 1,628
Cosford, 557
Little Lawford, 444
Long Lawford, 1,715
Total 4,344.

Population:
Newbold, 1911, 728; 1921, 720; 1931, 1,685.
Cosford, 1911, 47; 1921, 41; 1931, 30.
Little Lawford, 1911, 24; 1921, 26; 1931, 21.
Long Lawford, 1911, 869; 1921, 912; 1931, 900.

The old parish contained the five townships or hamlets (fn. 1) of Newbold, Little Harborough, Cosford, Little Lawford, and Long Lawford, of which the three last became civil parishes in the 19th century. By the Rugby Urban District Extension Order of 1931 Newbold itself became part of the Urban District (since 1932 Borough) of Rugby, Little Harborough being transferred to Great Harborough. (fn. 2)

The eastern boundary of the old parish is formed by the River Swift, running for 1¾ miles southwards into the River Avon. To the west of this stream Cosford forms a roughly rectangular block, averaging 1 mile from north to south and about ¾ mile across, the hamlet lying in the extreme north on the right bank of the Swift. The north boundary runs down Spike Lane and westwards along other small lanes to Cathiron, whence a small stream runs southwards into the Avon. From the west end of Spike Lane a road leads south past Little Harborough to the village of Newbold, grouped to the north of the church on the road running west from Brownsover to King's Newnham. The village lies at the top of one deep bend of the Avon, which then makes a reverse bend, at the southern tip of which is Thurnmill (see below), probably on the site of the mill at Long Lawford recorded in the Domesday Survey as worth 14s. (fn. 3) At this point there is an island in the river and just east of it the Sow Brook enters the Avon. This brook and one of its branches form the eastern boundary of Long Lawford, of which the large village stretches for nearly half a mile along a road which runs north from the Rugby-Church Lawford road, with its chapel of St. John, built in 1839, at its north end. Immediately beyond the chapel begins the township of Little Lawford, which lies on either side of the Avon. The mill here, mentioned in the Domesday Survey as worth 4s., (fn. 4) was on the site of the later Little Lawford corn mill, the island opposite it being referred to in the 12th century as 'the holm south of the mill'. (fn. 5) The mill was then held by the monks of Pipewell Abbey and an agreement was made by which the men of Roger Pantolf were to have access to the river for fishing when the mill-pond was full. (fn. 6)

The Oxford Canal crosses the parish immediately north of Newbold village, with a branch leading to the Newbold Lime Works, south of the church. The Leicester and Rugby line of the former L.M.S. Railway runs through the centre of Cosford; the main line from Rugby to Birmingham crosses the parish due west just below Long Lawford village; and the Trent Valley branch leads north-west from the Avon to Cathiron Spinney; but there is no station in the parish.

The older part of the village of Newbold, consisting of red brick 18th-century houses and some timberframed of the 17th century, lies west of the church on a hill. At the foot of the hill, to the east, a modern settlement has developed.

Little Lawford, or Hall Farm, on the north boundary, is a long rectangular building, two stories high, of the 16th century, built of squared limestone with sandstone dressings and a chamfered plinth. It has a modern slated roof, brick chimneys, and two dormer windows. The west front was refaced and a plain parapet added in 1604. There is a string-course at first-floor level, and it has four square-headed three-light windows equally spaced to each floor; the mullions have been removed and timber frames inserted, except in one to the south which has been blocked and retains its mullions; all have hood-moulds with return ends. Above a modern central porch and door is a tablet with the date 1604. The back retains some 16th-century features; it has two wide doorways with four-centred heads, one towards each end, and several original square-headed windows of two splays to the ground floor; the first-floor windows have been blocked and modern frames inserted. There are original two-light windows to the roof space in the north and south gables. The interior has been modernized and no original features remain.

An elaborate agreement (fn. 7) was made in 1210 between the abbey of Pipewell and Roger Pantolf by which the monks were to have pasturage rights for all the cattle and beasts of their grange of Long Lawford and of Thurnmill on Long Lawford Moor, including a thousand sheep if Roger or his heirs put sheep on the moor. They were also allowed to cut turves up to the edge of the Church Lawford turbary, where they could not cut them. The thicket (spinetum) of Thurnmill was divided between the monks and Roger and each could do what they would with their half. The monks had fishing rights in their mill-pond and the right to set fish-traps (corbellas) in the 'Lavaleisun aqua' (perhaps the Sow Brook), but Roger had all the fishing in the Avon.

In 1333 John de Merynton, farmer of Newbold Grange, forcibly inclosed 'la grene' in front of the grange, where the tenants, great and small, had grazing rights. (fn. 8) In 1773 there is reference to 'late inclosure' at Long Lawford having altered the constitution of the yardlands. (fn. 9) By 1735 Cosford, Little Harborough, and Cathiron had mostly been inclosed, but the centre of the parish was still open-field. (fn. 10) Open fields in Newbold and Long Lawford Heath were inclosed under an Act of 1773. (fn. 11)

Manors

NEWBOLD, assessed at 8 hides, was among the estates held by Geoffrey de Wirce in 1086, (fn. 12) and with his other lands came to Niel d'Aubigny and his descendants the Mowbrays, two fees here being held of John de Mowbray at his death in 1361. (fn. 13) Early in the 12th century Robert de Stuteville was enfeoffed in Newbold, (fn. 14) and the mesne lordship remained with his descendants, (fn. 15) Thomas, Lord Wake of Lidell, holding it in 1349, (fn. 16) and Elizabeth, dowager Countess of Kent, in 1411, (fn. 17) in which year the lordship of the quarter-fee passed to Margaret, widow of the Earl of Somerset and coheir of Elizabeth's husband John, Earl of Kent. (fn. 18)

Roger de Stuteville (grandson of Robert) gave the manor of Newbold-on-Avon to his sister's son Roger Pantolf, (fn. 19) from whom it was sometimes known as NEWBOLD PANTOLF, or PAUNTON. (fn. 20) Roger's son and heir William Pantolf was a benefactor of the Northamptonshire abbey of Pipewell, to which he retired in his old age; but because he was turned out of his chamber to make room for 'a great Justice' (who was probably on circuit) William went off in anger to the priory of Monks Kirby, where he died (c. 1245) and left to that house his chief messuage, 3 carucates of land, and fishing rights in the Avon, which he had intended to leave to Pipewell. (fn. 21) William left no issue and his coheirs were his sisters Emma, who married Robert de Waver, lord of Chesters Over, and Burga, who gave her share to Pipewell. (fn. 22) The Waver portion of Newbold was held of Thomas Wake of Lidell in 1349 as a quarter-fee by Thomas de Waver; (fn. 23) it is said to have been bought by William Barbour, whose granddaughter married Richard Dalby of Brockhampton. (fn. 24) Richard died in 1477 seised of a quarter of the manor of Newbold, held of the Duke of Norfolk (representing the Mowbrays), leaving a son Robert. (fn. 25)

The priory of Monks Kirby held a moiety of the manor of Newbold Paunton in 1276 and had done so for the past twenty years. (fn. 26) In 1305 the grants of free warren and other franchises made to the priory included Newbold, (fn. 27) which was also among the manors of the priory confirmed to the Carthusians of Axholme in 1415. (fn. 28) At the Dissolution this estate was probably absorbed into the manor of Monks Kirby (q.v.), as tenements in Newbold Paunton which were held in 1626 by Adolphus Ryplingham had formed part of the Earl of Hertford's manor of Monks Kirby; (fn. 29) but a so-called manor of Newbold 'Pantoffe', formerly of Axholme monastery, was acquired in 1640 by William Boughton (fn. 30) and presumably descended with his other estates in this parish.

Burga de Bending, Roger Pantolf's daughter, gave to Pipewell Abbey land in Mikelhamme near Thyrnemill (molendinum de Spineto) in Newbold. (fn. 31) By 1291 the abbey had in Newbold, besides 1 carucate at Thyrnemill worth 16s., 2 carucates worth 30s., a mill worth 6s. 8d., and 6s. in rents. (fn. 32) In 1321 the monks leased the grange of Newbold to John de Merynton, Henry his brother, and Hugh and Agnes their parents, for their lives; the hall at this time was in ruin but there was an excellent barn, and the other buildings were all rebuilt. (fn. 33) The grange was acquired, with that of Long Lawford, by Edward Boughton in 1542. (fn. 34) It is called a manor in 1640, when William Boughton had it. (fn. 35)

The estates of Geoffrey de Wirce in 1086 included 5 hides in [LONG] LAWFORD. (fn. 36) In the second half of the 12th century Sir John de Stuteville, who was lord of Long Lawford, Newbold, and Cosford, gave to Pipewell Abbey the grange of Lawford with the 'inland', or demesne, appurtenant to it; he also gave a thicket (placeam spinosam) called Blakethyrne, where the monks built a water-mill and a fulling-mill adjoining it and changed its name to Thyrnemill—which mills were completely destroyed by fire on the day of St. Thomas the martyr (29 December) 1328. (fn. 37) Henry II confirmed to the abbey the gifts of Robert de Stuteville, John his brother, and John and Roger, sons of the said John in Lawford. (fn. 38) Many other gifts of land in Long Lawford (fn. 39) were made to the abbey, and by 1349 the knight's fee in Newbold, Lawford, and Cosford, which had been held of the Wakes by 'the heirs of Roger Pantolf' in 1281, (fn. 40) was held by the Abbot of Pipewell. (fn. 41) In 1291 the abbey had in Lawford 5 carucates worth £3, rents amounting to 14s., a mill worth 10s., 2s. from pleas in their manorial court, and 6s. 8d. of farm stock. (fn. 42) In 1535 the monks were deriving £3 0s. 10½d. from Long Lawford and 9s. 4d. from Cosford. (fn. 43) Between 1483 and 1485 the convent of Pipewell demised the granges of Long Lawford and Newbold, with that of Bilton, to Richard Boughton, William Boughton (his son) and Agnes his wife, for 99 years. (fn. 44) William in 1522 made a settlement on his son Edward, then aged 14, who in 1542 obtained from the Crown a grant in fee of the granges, (fn. 45) of which he died seised in 1547, (fn. 46) his son William being then only 4 years old. (fn. 47) This William died in 1596, similarly seised, (fn. 48) and the granges descended with the manor of Little Lawford (see below), until the murder of Sir Theodosius Boughton in 1780, when Long Lawford went, with Brownsover in Clifton (q.v.) to his sister Theodosia, who married Sir Egerton Leigh. The manor was held in 1936 by Capt. Henry Allesley Ward Boughton-Leigh. (fn. 49)

Manors of Lawford and Cosford, formerly of Pipewell Abbey, were granted by the Crown in June 1553 to John Grene of Westminster and Ralph Hall, scrivener, (fn. 50) who in January 1554 had licence to grant them to Elizabeth Boughton, widow. (fn. 51) She had been wife of Sir Nicholas Barrington and then second wife of William (son of Richard) Boughton. (fn. 52) In September 1556 she settled tenements in Long Lawford on Thomas Boughton, the eldest of her seven sons, and his wife, Margaret daughter of Edward Cave. (fn. 53) It is possible that these manors were conveyed after her death in 1558 (fn. 54) to Thomas Wightman, who in 1562 alienated manors of Lawford, Newbold, and Cosford to Sir Thomas Leigh and Alice his wife. (fn. 55) These manors then descended with Dunchurch (q.v.) to the Dukes of Montagu and Buccleuch. (fn. 56) In 1710 the Duke held courts leet and baron in Long Lawford and Newbold and free fishery in the Avon, which with ½ yardland and 2 closes in Newbold and in Bilton were worth £5, in addition to chief rents of 4s. 8½d. In 1732 the Montagu estate in Newbold amounted to 1,230 acres, including 14 kept by the duke in his own hands and 35 in glebe. His 15 tenants included Sir Edward (237) and Lady Boughton (400 acres) and the Duchy of Lancaster (269 acres). (fn. 57)

In 1086 [LITTLE] LAWFORD, rated at 2 hides, was held of Turchil by Leveva. (fn. 58) With other estates of Turchil it came to the Earls of Warwick, being held of the earl in 1235 and 1242 as one-fifth knight's fee. (fn. 59) The one-fifth fee was assigned in dower to Alice widow of Earl Guy in 1316, (fn. 60) and was held by Earl Thomas at his death in 1400. (fn. 61)

Roger de Craft held the manor in the 12th century, when he granted a mill here to the monks of Pipewell, to hold by payment of 2 marks rent, his gift being confirmed by Henry II. (fn. 62) The rent was remitted by his son Roger, (fn. 63) the monks later agreeing to pay 10s. yearly to the priory of Monks Kirby, as rectors of Newbold, in lieu of the tithes from the mill, which they could not pay without infringing the privileges of the Cistercian Order. (fn. 64) Roger is said to have granted the vill of Little Lawford to John de Chavini, who bestowed it on Combe Abbey. (fn. 65) That abbey, whose property here was valued at £1 8s. 7d. in 1291, (fn. 66) came to an agreement with Pipewell in 1226 by which the monks of Pipewell were to pay yearly to Combe 20s. in return for a messuage and 6 acres of land; but by the 15th century it was not known where this messuage and land was, 'and that passes man's understanding and is truly marvellous', (fn. 67) so that the compiler of the Pipewell chartulary sarcastically observes that the payment was made 'because the moon shines on the water, as the saying is'; (fn. 68) none the less the payment was still being made in 1535. (fn. 69) Roger de Craft, however, held the one-fifth fee in 1235 and 1242. (fn. 70) He died c. 1250, his coheirs being his three sisters, (fn. 71) but this manor seems to have passed to Geoffrey de Craft (perhaps his uncle), who was murdered here in 1255. (fn. 72) He had married Maud sister of Philip (son of Roger (fn. 73) ) Pantolf. (fn. 74) This Philip was associated with a Roger de Craft in 1268 in a suit with the Prior of Monks Kirby. (fn. 75) Geoffrey de Craft is said to have been lord of the manor in 1276, (fn. 76) and in 1316 the one-fifth fee was held by the abbots of Combe and Pipewell and Geoffrey de Craft. (fn. 77) Alice de Craft, who was one of the largest taxpayers in Little Lawford in 1332, (fn. 78) was dealing with land here in 1327. (fn. 79) In 1360 licence for an oratory at Lawford in Newbold was granted for two years to John de Merynton, (fn. 80) and similar licences were granted to Thomas de Merynton for his manor of Little Lawford in 1367, 1370, 1372, and 1376. (fn. 81) A John Merynton of Lawford occurs in 1399, (fn. 82) and there is mention in 1406 of Thomas Merynton of Little Lawford and Margery his wife, (fn. 83) but in 1440 Geoffrey Allesley (fn. 84) and Eleanor his wife and Thomas Boughton and Elizabeth his wife (their daughter) (fn. 85) made a settlement of the manor, (fn. 86) and in 1449 Giles Norton and Alice his wife conveyed her rights in the manor to Thomas and Elizabeth. (fn. 87) Their great-grandson Edward Boughton had, as already mentioned, acquired the Pipewell property in this parish and died in 1547 seised of the manor of Little Lawford, which he had settled on his wife Elizabeth (fn. 88) (one of the daughters and coheirs of William Willington). It then descended in the family of Boughton with Brownsover in Clifton (q.v.), until the murder of Sir Theodosius Boughton, 8th baronet, in 1780; (fn. 89) his successor, Sir Edward Boughton, pulled down Lawford Hall and sold the manor to John Caldecott in 1793, (fn. 90) who built Holbrook Grange and was lord of the manor until 1835. From him it passed to Charles Marriott Caldecott, whose daughter Merriel, widow of Charles Godfrey Bolam, held the estate in 1937. (fn. 91)

The Wake knight's fee held by the Pantolfs and Wavers lay in Newbold, Lawford, and Cosford. (fn. 92) The portion constituting the manor of COSFORD evidently descended with Cesters Over in Monks Kirby (q.v.) in the Waver family, being held at her death in 1545 by Christine, daughter of Sir Henry Waver and wife first of William Browne and then of Humphrey Dymmock. (fn. 93) The Abbey of Pipewell also held land here, (fn. 94) called a manor when granted to John Grame and Ralph Hall (fn. 95) and by them conveyed to Elizabeth Boughton in 1554. (fn. 96) Two manors of Cosford have descended with the Boughton and Montagu manors of Long Lawford respectively. (fn. 97) The Montagu manor was much the larger, comprising 532 acres in 1732. Rugby School appears among the 21 tenants, holding 48 acres. (fn. 98)

Little Harborough was one of the places in which the Abbey of Combe had grants of free warren and other franchises in 1305. (fn. 99) It is referred to as a grange in 1258 (fn. 100) and the abbey's rents here in 1291 amounted to 5s. 9d. (fn. 101) In 1361 a quarter-fee here was held of John de Mowbray by the Prior of Monks Kirby, (fn. 102) but the place was never a manor. In 1732 513 acres here belonged to the Duke of Montagu, his chief tenant being Sir Edward Boughton. (fn. 103)

Church

The church of ST. BOTOLPH stands just below the summit of a hill in a small churchyard. It dates from the 15th century and is built on the site of an earlier one, indicated by an exposed portion of an early-14thcentury tiled floor 3 in. below the present level of the nave floor. The chancel was rebuilt in the 19th century, a parapet was added to the south aisle and the whole church reroofed. It consists of a chancel, nave, north and south aisles, north and south porches, and west tower. It is constructed of a mixture of sandstone and limestone rubble with sandstone dressings.

The rebuilt chancel is of sandstone ashlar with diagonal buttresses at the angles, central buttresses on the north and south, and a low-pitched roof behind a plain parapet. The east end is lighted by a traceried window of three cinquefoil lights with hood-mould and head-stops; the north side by two of two lights; the south also by two of two lights, with a moulded pointed doorway between them. The south aisle has diagonal buttresses at the angles and a low-pitched roof behind a rebuilt plain parapet with crocketed pinnacles at each end; the string-course at its base has also been renewed, but retains two original gargoyles. It is lighted by four traceried windows of three lights with four-centred heads of two hollow splays, one west of the porch, two east, and one in the west wall.

The south porch is rectangular, with diagonal buttresses at the angles, terminating above a plain parapet in crocketed pinnacles. It is built of red sandstone ashlar, but has been almost entirely refaced and the pinnacles, centre panel, and parapets have been renewed. The entrance is wide with a richly moulded four-centred head, the mouldings continuing down the jambs to splayed stops. Above the entrance, spandrels have been formed by continuing the parapet to meet the apex of a low-pitched gable, where it is carried up as a panel containing a sundial within a canopied niche. (fn. 104) The ceiling is a stone vault with moulded ribs resting on carved and moulded corbels in each angle and terminating in an octagonal boss decorated with four quatrefoils. On either side there is a pointed traceried window of two trefoil lights with a hood-mould. The doorway is modern and has splayed jambs with a fourcentred head; the stone seats on both sides are also modern.

The clearstory has battlemented parapets on moulded string-courses with carved gargoyles at intervals and is lighted on both sides by four traceried windows each of three trefoil lights under four-centred heads; all their tracery has been restored. The north aisle is similar to the south except for the omission of the parapet wall.

The north porch, built of red sandstone ashlar, has a low-pitched roof behind a plain parapet, diagonal buttresses at the angles and a moulded plinth. Internally it has a plain flat plaster ceiling. The entrance has a pointed arch with a deep moulded splay and hoodmould, both supported on moulded capitals, the arch mouldings being continued down the jambs to die out on the splayed plinth. On the porch side all the mouldings have been hacked off to a rough splay. On each side of the entrance there are two moulded trefoiled niches with elaborate gabled and crocketed canopies, and below there are bowl-shaped pedestals for images, supported on short half-round shafts. The buttresses are panelled with trefoiled heads, gabled and crocketed and terminating in bases for missing pinnacles. The stonework has been somewhat mutilated and is badly decayed, and much of the detail has been lost. It is lighted on each side by a pointed hollow-moulded window of two trefoil lights with a pierced quatrefoil. The doorway has a four-centred arch under a flat head.

The tower, built of red sandstone ashlar, rises in four stages, diminished by weathered offsets at each stage except on the west side, which is diminished at the two upper stories only. The two lower stages have wide flat buttresses splayed to diagonal and carried up to the top of a battlemented parapet to form square bases for pinnacles, now missing. The parapet rests on a coved string-course with grotesque gargoyles on each face. A large moulded traceried window of five cinquefoil lights with a hood-mould and mask stops occupies the two lower stages of the west side. On the south is a square-headed loop-light to the ringing-chamber, and on the second stage of the west buttress there is a sundial. There is a narrow doorway with a fourcentred head to the tower stair on the north side against the west buttress, the stair having loop-lights in each stage, and in the third stage there is a clock dial. The belfry windows on each face have two cinquefoil lights under four-centred heads of two splayed orders.

The 19th-century chancel (30 ft. by 15 ft. 4 in.) is paved with stone, including some 18th-century memorial slabs, and has plastered walls. The altar and rails are of oak and date from the 17th century, the rails having turned oak balusters with moulded rail and sole-piece. On the north wall there are two 19thcentury memorials, one to Sir Egerton Leigh, bart., died 1818; and built against the south wall there is a large black and white marble monument, (fn. 105) by John Hunt of Northampton, to Sir William Boughton, died 1716, and his wife Catherine. It has two figures, lifesize, in the dress of the period. Between them is a large urn flanked by two skulls. Behind them there is a canopy supported on Corinthian pilasters with a scroll pediment containing a coat of arms with curtains below drawn back to reveal three cherubs' heads in clouds. On the south wall, suspended from an iron bracket is a helmet with the Boughton crest and a sword, probably 17th-century.

The nave (56 ft. by 18 ft. 4 in.) has plastered walls and a modern roof supported on the original corbels. The arcades each consist of four bays with pointed arches of two splayed orders supported on lozengeshaped piers composed of the outer arch splays and roll-mouldings, which die out on plain bases. At each end there are responds formed by half-piers. The inner order rests on large roll-mouldings with moulded capitals and smaller ones are continued as shafts on either side with moulded capitals to support the nave and aisle roofs. At the east end of the south arcade there is a narrow ogee-headed doorway, rebated for a door to a circular stair leading to an upper door with a chamfered pointed head which gave access to a roodloft. The chancel arch is pointed, of two splayed orders, supported on responds which repeat the arch mouldings with a moulded capital to the inner order. On the nave side, a modern label-moulding with return ends has been added; above it there is a framed royal arms, dated 1796. The tower arch is pointed, of three splayed orders, resting on half-round responds with moulded capitals and bases. All the clearstory windows have plain four-centred rear-arches. The pulpit of oak, placed to the north of the chancel arch and dated 1909, is octagonal with linenfold panels. The font, standing in the centre of the nave at the western end, is of stone, octagonal, each side decorated with sunk quatrefoils, and supported on a panelled octagonal shaft, the panels having trefoiled heads. It has a deep lead-lined basin, the lead being dressed over the rim and finished with a cable-moulded edge. The stonework has been redressed, but it probably dates from the early 14th century.

The north aisle (52 ft. 6 in. by 9 ft. 3 in.) has a modern roof supported on the original corbels, a stonepaved floor and unplastered walls. In the north side of the arcade wall at its eastern end there is a piscina with a four-centred head, but the projecting portion of its basin has been cut away. The door and windows have plain four-centred rear-arches.

The south aisle (53 ft. 10 in. by 10 ft. 6 in.) is similar to the north, but the western bay has been screened off as a vestry and organ chamber. The eastern bay has been enclosed by an oak open panelled screen dated 1905, presented by a member of the Boughton family to enclose four monuments. The earliest of these monuments is that of Geoffrey Allesley and Eleanor his wife, who died 1441. It is an altar tomb with trefoil-headed panels, ten on each side and three at the ends. The slab, which has a hollow-moulded edge with paterae, is of white alabaster incised with the outlines of a man and woman in the dress of the period with dogs at their feet and a marginal inscription, the outlines and inscription filled with pitch. (fn. 106) Under a modern tomb recess in the south wall there is a similar type of monument (fn. 107) with a marginal inscription to Thomas Boughton and Elizabeth his wife, died 1454. The two figures are in black outline, with six shields enamelled in black and red, three above, and three below the figures. The man is dressed in armour, wearing spurs and has a dagger on his right side and a sword on his left, his feet resting on a muzzled bear with a collar and chain. The woman is in the dress of the period, two dogs at her feet each holding the hem of her dress in their teeth. The sides have roundheaded panels containing demi-angels holding blank shields. On the north wall there is an alabaster wall memorial, redecorated in colour, to Edward Boughton, died 1548, and his wife Elizabeth, died 1583. (fn. 108) It is in two tiers separated by an inscription, each tier has fluted columns at the ends supporting a cornice. In the upper tier, on the left are two women wearing ruffles, and a swathed child, one of the women kneeling at a desk with an open book. On the right are a man in armour kneeling at a desk and three swathed children. Between the two kneeling figures there is an heraldic shield. The lower tier is divided into two panels by a fluted column, the left panel having the standing figures of a man and woman holding a shield of arms between them, each carrying a scroll. The woman wears a ruffle and the man armour, with a sword on his left side. The panel to the right contains the standing figure of a man in doublet and hose holding a scroll in one hand and a shield of arms, the sinister half left blank. There is no inscription to the lower tier. Opposite, on the south wall there is another monument of similar type, to Edward Boughton and Elizabeth his wife; Edward died 1625, Elizabeth died 1619; and to his son William, died 1635, and Abigale his wife, died 1636. (fn. 109) In the upper tier are a man and woman kneeling, with a shield of arms between them, on the left a son and two shields, on the right a daughter and one shield. The man is in armour and both are wearing ruffles. In the lower tier are a man and woman kneeling, with a desk between them an open book facing each. Above the desk there is a shield, and another to the left of the man. On the left are three sons kneeling, two now headless; on the right two daughters, both have their heads missing. The man is in armour and the woman in the dress of the period. It is surmounted by a pediment containing a shield of arms and below the lower inscription there is a pendant representing a heart.

The tower (12 ft. by 11 ft.) has unplastered walls and is shut off from the nave by a wrought iron railing with ornamental panels each end, ornamental cresting, and the Boughton arms and crest blazoned in colour. These railings originally enclosed the monument in the chancel to Sir Wm. Boughton. A doorway has been cut through the wall to the tower stair to give internal access in addition to the original external door. The upper stage is corbelled out to an octagon for a spire which has either been destroyed or was never built.

The clock is by Sam Dalton of Rugby and dated 1795. An earlier clock was in bad condition in 1655 but the parishioners refused to contribute to its repair, 'they having no benefit thereby'. (fn. 110) In the nave and aisle there are a number of 17th-century forms with turned legs and ovolo-moulded edges to the seats. These may date from 1653, when it was said that many 'substantial parishioners' had no seats in the church and other seats were so narrow that people could not kneel in them. Moreover, most of the church was filled with servants and boys, while aged people and others of better rank were seated near the door, in so cold a part of the church, standing upon a hill, that they cannot endure the cold in the winter. Mr. Richard Hall, the rector, and the churchwardens were to appoint seats. (fn. 111) Sir William Boughton, the patron, then advanced £16 10s. out of his own pocket to repair the church, which was so in decay that people could not sit dry to hear the Word of God, but the parishioners disputed the levying of a church rate. (fn. 112)

In the chancel there are two 17th-century oak chairs with carved backs and turned front legs, one dated I.P. 1675. An early-18th-century carved chair with cane back and seat and a long oak chest of the 17th century with a panelled front, half-hexagonal shaped lid bound with iron straps, and fitted with four locks.

The plate consists of a silver alms-dish, the gift of Dame Catherine Boughton, 1703; a silver flagon—gift of Sir Wm. Boughton, bart., 1708; and a silver chalice, with hallmark of 1732.

There are six bells, all cast by John Briant in 1792, one being then new and the other five recast from the metal of four old bells. (fn. 113)

The registers commence in 1559.

The chapel of ST. JOHN, at Long Lawford, north of the village in a small churchyard, consists of a chancel, nave, south porch, and a small vestry. It was built in 1839 of red brick with artificial stone dressings, now washed over with cement; the roof is slated and has a bell-cote for a single bell at the west end. It has triple lancet windows on the east and west and three lancets on the north and south. Internally the walls are plastered and the floor is stone paved. The nave is 40 ft. by 25 ft. and the chancel 15 ft. by 7 ft. 6 in. There is a pointed arch to the chancel with a corresponding one to a recess at the west end. The plate consists of a silver flagon, chalice, and paten, the gift of J. Caldecott in 1839.

The churchyard is entered by a timber-framed lychgate roofed with stone slates, erected in 1902.

Advowson

The church and tithes of Newboldon-Avon were given to the abbey of St. Nicholas, Angers, by Geoffrey de Wirce and were therefore part of the endowment of that abbey's cell, the priory of Monks Kirby. (fn. 114) Early in the 13th century the church was appropriated, the monks receiving two-thirds of the issues of the rectory and the vicar the other third. (fn. 115) In 1291 it was valued at £12 13s. 4d. (fn. 116) With the other possessions of the priory it passed to the Carthusian priory of Axholme, amongst whose property the rectory and advowson were surrendered to Henry VIII in 1539. (fn. 117) They remained in the hands of the Crown until 1640, when they were bought with the Axholme manor of Newbold (fn. 118) (see above), with which they have since descended with the Boughton estate.

A tenement called the Chantry House with lands in this parish belonging to a former chantry in Newbold was granted in 1564, to William Grice and Anthony Foster. (fn. 119)

Charities

Alice Elizabeth Ward BoughtonLeigh, by will dated 11 May 1923 bequeathed £100 to the vicar and churchwardens of Newbold-on-Avon, the income to be applied in the purchase of coals to be distributed each Christmastide among the deserving poor of this parish. The annual income of the charity amounts to £3 10s. approximately.

Richard Fostered by will dated 10 August 1508 gave his house and land at Frankton to the parishes of Rugby and Newbold-on-Avon, the yearly rent to be divided equally between them; that portion of rent that the parish of Rugby should receive to remain to the maintenance of so much of the Rugby Bridge as they were bound to repair; and that portion that the parish of Newbold-on-Avon should receive to remain to the maintenance of the Long Bridge, betwixt Long Lawford and Newbold. The charity is regulated by schemes of the Charity Commissioners dated 24 March 1903 and 19 December 1933. The schemes appoint trustees to administer the charity and direct the application of the income of the charity. The annual income of the Newbold-upon-Avon branch of the charity amounts to £68 approximately.

George Millington. It is recorded that in 1734 he gave 5s. annually on Good Friday to be distributed in the parish church of Newbold at the discretion of the minister and churchwardens among such poor of the parish as usually attend divine service and should be there that day. The charity is now regulated by a scheme of the Charity Commissioners dated 7 April 1891 which appoints a body of trustees and directs that the annual income shall be applied for the benefit of deserving and necessitous persons of this parish.

John Pearson, by will dated 27 January 1866 bequeathed to the vicar and churchwardens £200, to lay out the interest in the purchase of bread, coals, or blankets, to be distributed annually on 24 December among the deserving and poor inhabitants of the parish. The annual income of the charity amounts to £5 6s. 8d.

Mary Elizabeth Norman, by will dated 16 December 1924 bequeathed £250, the income to be applied in keeping in thorough repair the graves of the Norman family in the churchyard of Newbold and, subject thereto, in keeping in repair the said churchyard.

Thomas Goodman Norman by will dated 12 May 1926 bequeathed £250, the income to be applied in like manner.

Sir Edward Boughton by an indenture dated 18 September 1716 conveyed a piece of ground in Rugby upon trust that the yearly rents and profits should be paid to the poor of the town of Long Lawford.

Poors' Plot. The earliest account respecting the land belonging to this charity is contained in a lease dated 25 March 1719, by which John Bradford, overseer of the poor of the liberties of Long Lawford, for himself and for the other inhabitants and for his successors, overseers of the poor there, demised to Thomas Bagshawe that parcel of inclosed ground commonly called the Poors' Plot in Long Lawford, containing 20 acres or thereabouts, to hold for 21 years at the rent of £10 5s. per annum to the overseer of the poor of the liberties of Long Lawford.

William Smith. This parish participates in this charity to the amount of 4s. each year, which, in accordance with the terms of the bequest, is required to be distributed in bread to the poorest people of the parish. For particulars of the charity see under parish of Bilton.

James Croft, by will dated 30 June 1830 gave to the minister and parish officers of Long Lawford £400, to apply yearly £10, part of the interest, in educating 10 children of the most deserving poor of Long Lawford in some school at Long Lawford, and to distribute the remainder of the interest on New Year's Day in clothing and fuel amongst the most deserving industrious poor of Long Lawford.

The above-mentioned charities are regulated by schemes of the Charity Commissioners dated 8 March 1904 and 30 June 1908 under the title of the United Charities of Sir Edward Boughton and others. The schemes appoint a body of trustees and contain directions for the application of the income of the charities, which amounts to £325.

Miss Louisa Hartlet Townsend's Reading Rooms. By an indenture dated 15 February 1886 the building and premises in Long Lawford used as three readingrooms and a cottage adjoining were settled upon trust to be used as reading-rooms and coffee-house by and for the inhabitants of the hamlet of Long Lawford and for a residence for the manager or manageress of the reading-rooms and coffee-house. The deed provides that the reading-rooms be for ever hereafter called 'Miss Louisa Hartlet Townsend's Reading Rooms' and be under the sole control and management of the trustees or of a committee or manager to be appointed by the trustees.