Parishes: Glatton

GLATTON

Glaedtuninga (x cent.); Glatune (fn. 1) (xi cent.); Glattun, Glatton (xii cent.).

Glatton covers an area of 2,176 acres of clay land. It is mostly laid down for pasture, but there is a certain amount of arable land which produces wheat, barley and peas. The land is undulating; it rises from the Holme Brook in the east, where it is about 40ft. above the Ordnance datum, to a ridge of low hills rising to about 145 ft. From this low ridge the land falls to another brook to the south, where the land is about 50 ft. above Ordnance datum, from which it rises again to about 220 ft. on the western boundary.

The village, which is rather scattered, surrounds a four-sided figure formed by roads, upon which converge by-roads from Lutton and the west by High Haden Road, from Denton on the north, from Holme on the north-east by the Ways, which branches off from Ermine Street, from Sawtry on the south-east, and from Gidding on the south-west by Infield Road. The church and rectory house are within this figure. To the north-west of it is the Manor Farm, in the grounds of which are the remains of a homestead moat which was probably the site of the old manor house, and in the 14th century and later possibly the residence of the Castels. There are many 17th-century houses and cottages in the village, mostly timberframed with tiled or thatched roofs. The Addison Arms Inn, on the Sawtry Road, is a late 17th-century brick house with shaped gables and tiled roof. Glatton Hall, a brick house standing in a small park, is the property of the Peterborough and District Co-operative Society. Glatton formerly included the hamlet of Holme, but even in the 13th century Holme was beginning to show a certain importance of its own, and early in the 19th century it became a separate parish; its history is therefore given separately.

Manor

In the time of Edward the Confessor GLATTON, assessed at 8 hides, belonged to Ulf, who also held Chesterton and Sibson. The 8 hides included Holme, the manor always being described as Glatton with Holme. All Ulf's lands here were granted by William the Conqueror to Count Eustace of Boulogne, who was holding them in 1086. (fn. 2) Count Eustace was the son of Eustace aux Grenons and Ida de Bouillon, his second wife, his first wife being Goda, sister of Edward the Confessor, by whom he had no children. Glatton, however, seems to have been acquired by Count Eustace by gift of the Conqueror, on their reconciliation after Eustace's forfeiture in 1067, and thus became attached to the Honour of Boulogne. Eustace married Mary of Scotland, and their daughter Maud became the wife of King Stephen. Their eldest son Eustace died in 1152, and the Honour was inherited by William de Blois, Count of Boulogne, their second son, who married Isabel de Warenne, in whose right he became Earl of Warenne. He died without issue in 1159, and his widow married Hammelin de Plantagenet. On William's death the Honour reverted to King Stephen's daughter Mary, wife of Matthew of Flanders. Their daughter Ida, Countess of Boulogne, married Reginald de Dammartin, son of Count Aubrey de Dammartin. Reginald, Count of Boulogne, did homage to King John in 1212 and in 1214 was taken prisoner in France. He died in captivity, leaving no heirs, and the Honour of Boulogne escheated to the Crown. (fn. 3)

The tenants in demesne, holding of the Honour of Boulogne, were the Dudeauvilles, a baronial family of the Boulonnais, which held estates in Huntingdonshire in the 12th century. (fn. 4) Robert de Dudeauville held Glatton at farm in 1177, and paid 25s. for relief of his lands. (fn. 5) He was dead by 1191, when his son, whose name is not given, owed 100 marks for homage. (fn. 6) The unnamed son was possibly Baldwin de Dudeauville, who owned 5 knights' fees in Glatton in 1210–12. (fn. 7) Apparently he was also known as Baldwin de Riparia, (fn. 8) or de Rivers, (fn. 9) and was amongst the debtors for scutage 'of five knights in Glatton, with the member Holm which pertains to Glatton,' to the Honour of Boulogne in 1217. (fn. 10) He was still holding the manor in 1235–6, (fn. 11) but seems to have died without heirs, as the property escheated to the Crown in 1239, by reason of his death. (fn. 12)

The manor was granted in 1242 to Fulk de Novo Castro for his maintenance in the king's service, until the king should surrender it to the right heirs, but Fulk surrendered it to the Crown on being granted the marriage of Christina, the daughter and heir of Robert de Marisco. (fn. 13) It was granted to Richard Count of Poitou and Earl of Cornwall, and his wife Sanchia of Provence, the king's sister-in-law, in 1243, (fn. 14) and the extent of the vill in 1279 was 11 hides, every hide measuring 5 virgates and every virgate 24 acres. The Earl held 3 hides in demesne. (fn. 15)

Edmund, Earl of Cornwall, son of Richard, died seised in 1300, without issue, when the manor reverted to the king as his heir, though it was assigned to his widow as dower in 1301; she was still holding it in 1303. (fn. 16) In 1314 the king granted Glatton to the Abbot of Thorney for life at a rent of £100 a year, (fn. 17) and in 1323 gave it to Hugh le Despenser the younger. (fn. 18) It again escheated to the Crown on his execution in 1326, and in 1327 was granted to Queen Isabella for life, 'in furtherance of a resolution of Parliament for her service in the matter of the treaty with France and in suppressing the rebellion of the Despensers and others, in increase of her dower.' (fn. 19) In 1359, after her death, the king gave it to Queen Philippa, (fn. 20) and when she died in 1369 it again reverted to the Crown. (fn. 21) The king granted the manor among many other lands to John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, in 1372, in exchange for the Earldom, Honour and County of Richmond, (fn. 22) the latter being granted to John, Duke of Brittany, and Joan, his wife. (fn. 23) John, Duke of Lancaster, settled Glatton on himself and his third wife, Katherine, and heirs tail in 1397, (fn. 24) and, with the Duchy of Lancaster, it again became vested in the Crown in 1399 when his son ascended the throne as Henry IV. The manor was granted with many other lands to Henry, Archbishop of Canterbury, Henry, Bishop of Winchester, Edward, Duke of York, John Leventhorpe, and others in 1415 for 12 years. (fn. 25) This may possibly have been a mortgage to raise money for the war with France, but in 1428 it was still held by Henry, Archbishop of Canterbury, John Leventhorpe and 'other feoffees of the king.' (fn. 26) In 1483–4 two annuities were granted from the issues of the king's lordship of Glatton. (fn. 27)

The manor apparently remained in the Crown until 1611, when it was bought by Sir Robert Cotton, (fn. 28) but in 1613 a complaint was made to the king by Robert Castel, Michael Welles, and William Browne, tenants of Glatton, against Cotton, that he had purchased the manor of Glatton and Holme from the king greatly under value, and they asked that the manor might be bought back again and that they might hold it at fee farm at a rent of £70 a year. It was, however, found that the complaint was untrue and that Sir Robert had lawfully purchased the manor. (fn. 29) Glatton descended with Conington (q.v.) until the death of Sir John Cotton without male issue, in 1752. (fn. 30) It was sold, probably at that date, to Mr. Wells, a shipbuilder of Chatham. Captain W. Wells, R.N., son of Admiral Wells, and son-in-law of the first Earl Carysfort, was the owner of Holme Wood and lord of the manor of Glatton in the beginning of the 19th century; he unsuccessfully stood for Parliament in 1818 (fn. 31) and died in 1827, leaving a son William (fn. 32) who died in 1889, (fn. 33) when his executors sold the property to Lord de Ramsey, who was returned as lord of the manor and owner of Holme Wood in 1890. (fn. 34) It was purchased from him by Mr. John Ashton Fielden in 1902. He sold it to a syndicate in 1918, who auctioned it a few months later, when it was bought by Mr. R. H. Edleston, the present owner.

Among the free tenants of Glatton in 1276, John, son of Richard, had three virgates by charter, rendering to the Earl of Cornwall 3s. rent and two capons, and to the Templars 4s. for one of the virgates. (fn. 35) This holding was afterwards acquired by the family of Castel. In 1327 the gift of John de Castello, son of Thomas le Freeman of Glatton, of a messuage in Glatton, was confirmed to the Abbot and Convent of Bourn (Lincs), (fn. 36) and in 1433–4 William Castel and Isabel his wife were dealing with a messuage, 60 acres of land, 8 acres of meadow and a rent of 3s. and two capons. (fn. 37) It is possible that this William was John's great-grandson and father of John Castel of Peterborough. (fn. 38) John Castel, junior, of the King's Exchequer, owned this property in 1499, (fn. 39) but after this date mention of the rent ceases. His son William, with Katherine his wife, was dealing with land here in 1538 (fn. 40) and 1548, (fn. 41) and William Castel, their son, was living in 1553; (fn. 42) his son Robert Castel of Glatton in 1613 was forbidden to bear arms. (fn. 43) He was one of the petitioners against the purchase of the manor by Sir Robert Cotton, and died in 1619 seised of messuages, cottages and lands in Glatton and Holme, and the advowson of the church, leaving as his heir his son John, aged 27. (fn. 44) John died in 1658, (fn. 45) and his daughter Katherine married a member of the Sherard family. They had two sons, Castel and William, and in 1660 Castel Sherard, alias Sherard Castel, was dealing with lands in Glatton. (fn. 46) Castel died in 1701, (fn. 47) leaving a daughter Katherine, who married William Sherard, presumably a relative, and grandson of William, first Baron Sherard of Stapleford (Leics.), and died in 1724. (fn. 48) The estate remained in the Sherard family, Glatton Hall being the property of Castel, 10th Baron Sherard, in 1890. (fn. 49) He died in 1902 and was succeeded by his brother Philip, who owned it in 1906. By 1914 it had passed to Mr. John Ashton Fielden, J.P., and was purchased in 1918 by the Peterborough Equitable Co-operative Society, the present owners.

One messuage and two virgates of land in Glatton were held by Richard de Glatton for life by grant of the Crown in 1323, and the reversion after his death was granted to Hugh le Despenser, junior. (fn. 50) Richard died in 1345 seised of two messuages, 52 acres of arable land and an acre of meadow, held by fealty and service of 2s. yearly, and his heirs were to pay 5s. yearly by the hands of the bailiff of the manor. (fn. 51) His son William enfeoffed John Balle of Holme of this property in 1356, (fn. 52) and in 1369 John Balle received licence to grant a messuage and 44 acres of land and 3 of meadow, held in chief, to Sir John Haukyn and Katherine his wife, with remainder to their son John and his heirs. (fn. 53)

The Earl of Cornwall held view of frankpledge in Glatton in 1276, (fn. 54) and it was granted to Hugh le Despenser the younger in 1323. (fn. 55)

Church

The church of ST. NICHOLAS consists of a chancel (29 ft. by 16 ft.), north vestry (14¾ ft. by 8 ft.), nave (39½ ft. by 17½ ft.), north transept (28 ft. by 16¾ ft.), north aisle (38¾ ft. by 10½ ft.), south aisle (56½ ft. by 15 ft.), and west tower (12 ft. by 12¼ ft.). The walls of the tower are faced with ashlar, those of the chancel with coursed hammer-dressed stone, and the rest are of rubble with stone dressings; the roofs are covered with lead.

The church is mentioned in the Domesday Survey (1086), but nothing remains of this early church. A few 12th-century stones, particularly one capital of the nave arcade, indicate an aisled church in that century. In the fourth decade of the 13th century the nave arcades were rebuilt, and somewhat later the north transept was added. The aisle walls were, apparently, not rebuilt at this period, but it is probable that the church had a tower of either 12th or 13th century date. About the year 1330 the south aisle was rebuilt and widened and extended to the western face of the tower, a wide arch being thrown across on the line of the old west wall of the aisle. Towards the end of the 15th century a considerable reconstruction was begun: the chancel was rebuilt and probably widened and lengthened, the nave arcades rebuilt and heightened and the clearstory and rood-stairs added. A little later the west tower was rebuilt and the north aisle rebuilt and widened and carried to the western face of the tower. Finally, in the early years of the 16th century the vestry was added. (fn. 56) The roof of the nave was renewed in 1615, and those of the transept and aisles were renewed in 1701. The eastern half of the chancel was rebuilt in 1839–40, the rest of the chancel largely rebuilt 1857, and the remainder of the church was restored in 1869. The nave roof was restored in 1933.

The late 15th-century chancel has a five-light east window with vertical tracery in a four-centred head, all modern except parts of the inner splays and rear arch. The north wall has an original four-light window with tracery in a depressed four-centred head, and having the inner splays carried down for a seat; a 14th-century square bracket with carved grotesque head, fixed in the eastern splay of the window; a 16th-century doorway to the vestry, with moulded jambs and four-centred head; and an early 14th-century locker with central mullion for two doors. The south wall has a four-light window similar to that in the north wall and with a similar bracket in its splay; an early 14th-century two-light low-side window with a plain spandrel in a two-centred head; a late 15th-century three-light with a four-centred head inserted above the last-named window over which the sill is stepped up; and an early 14th-century double piscina with chamfered jambs and trefoiled heads under a square label, and with one circular and one sexfoiled basin. The late 15th-century chancel arch has an acutely pointed four-centred arch of two moulded orders, the lower order carried on semioctagonal attached shafts with moulded capitals; above it, on the west side, are three late 15th-century moulded brackets carved with roses and four-leaved flowers. The roof is modern, but a few of the purlins are older timbers re-used. The walls have low buttresses square at the angles, and are finished with an embattled parapet, but all the external facing is modern, c. 1857, previously to which there is said to have been a priest's door near the western end of the south wall; the old east window is said to have resembled those in the south aisle and to have been much smaller than the present one. (fn. 57)

The early 16th-century north vestry has in the east wall an original square-headed two-light window; an original doorway with two-centred head and continuous chamfered jambs; and a small niche with semicircular head. In the west wall is a blocked fireplace; and a small semicircular-headed opening into the foot of the rood staircase, but it is much too low for a doorway. The vestry is vaulted in two bays of quadripartite vaulting having moulded ribs springing from simple corbels; above it, entered by a doorway from the rood-stairs, was a small chamber, the floor of which remains, but the flat lead roof has given place to a pent-roof of slates reducing the chamber to a mere loft. It has a diagonal buttress at the northeast corner; the east wall is finished with an embattled parapet, and the north wall has a moulded cornice ornamented with a bold battlement ornament and with a band of quatrefoils beneath it.

The 13th-century nave, reconstructed in the late 15th century, has an arcade of three bays on each side. The arches are semicircular and of two chamfered orders, the 13th-century stones probably being reused with but little alteration. The piers are circular and the responds semicircular; the moulded bases (except that to the second column on the north) and some 4 ft. in height of the piers are of 13thcentury date, but the upper parts of the piers are of the late 15th century. The moulded octagonal capitals on the north side are of the late 15th century; those on the south side are of the 13th century, except that of the first pier, which is a late 12thcentury scalloped capital. In the north-east angle is the rood staircase and its upper doorway, with a twocentred head and continuous moulded jambs. The late 15th-century clearstory has on each side three three-light windows with vertical tracery in depressed four-centred heads. The 17th-century oak roof is of three bays with moulded beams, jack-legs and braces, and incorporates a few 15th-century timbers. The eastern beam has the inscription 'ANNO 1615.'

The late 13th-century north transept has in the east wall two original two-light windows each with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head, that to the south blocked by the vestry; a small blocked piscina; a large rectangular bracket carved with the chevron ornament and crude foliage; and two 14th-century carved mask corbels fixed as brackets. The north wall has an early 14th-century three-light window, the centre light of which is very much wider than the others, with a late 15th-century four-centred head; and a 14th-century rectangular double locker divided by a stone partition. The west wall has a late 14th-century two-light window widened in the 15th century and with a four-centred head; two wide recesses in the lower part of the wall having segmental arches and chamfered jambs, and the southern arch reduced in width when the north aisle was widened in the 15th century. In the south-east angle is the rood staircase with the lower doorway similar to the upper doorway in the nave. The oak roof, c. 1700, has chamfered tie-beams, ridge and purlins. The transept was used as a schoolroom in the early part of the 19th century, and a doorway was cut through the north wall, the marks of which are still visible.

The late 15th-century north aisle has in the north wall two original two-light windows with four-centred heads; and an original doorway with continuous moulded jambs and a fourcentred head. At the extreme east end of the wall, just above the floor, is a 13th-century moulded base for three attached shafts, which it is difficult to account for. The west wall has a two-light window with a fourcentred head. The pent-roof of c. 1700 has simple hollow-chamfered beams, but incorporates one early 16th-century beam.

The south aisle, c. 1330, has an original three-light window with intersecting tracery in a two-centred head. The south wall has three original two-light windows with plain spandrels in two-centred heads; an original piscina with a trefoiled head and an octofoiled basin; and, in the western bay, a late 15th-century doorway with a four-centred head and continuous moulded jambs. The walling of the third and fourth bays shows signs of considerable alteration, and probably the door and window have changed places, for the third bay has no string-course or plinth, and the doorway in the fourth bay has certainly been cut through both. In the west wall is a window similar to that in the east wall, but somewhat wider. A wide 14th-century arch spans the aisle at the line of the eastern wall of the tower, and seems to involve the existence of a tower before the present one. The aisle has diagonal buttresses with gabled tops at the south-east and south-west angles, and three square buttresses on the side, one of which is a later addition and larger than the others. The three eastern bays have a hollow-chamfered cornice with small carved heads below the embattled parapet; and the lower part of a similar string-course remains on the west wall. The pent-roof of c. 1700 has chamfered beams and jack-legs; one of the beams at the west end is inscribed 'I H 1701 S. C. W.K. W.M.,' and a purlin has the letters 'R.N.' The following inscription is cast on the lead: 'e. yardy. church-warden. april. 4. 1759. w. everell. plumber.'

The west tower, c. 1500, stands on three arches within the church; that to the nave is two-centred and of two orders, the inner order carried on semicircular attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases. The side arches are similar, but not so high, and they have two additional orders on the outside which carry walls in continuation of the clearstory and containing three-light windows exactly similar to those in the clearstory itself. The west doorway has a four-centred head and moulded jambs with traceried spandrels under a square head over which the quatrefoiled band above the plinth has been carried. Above it is a four-light window with transom and vertical tracery under a four-centred head inclosed by a square label and having traceried spandrels. The embattled parapet of the clearstory is carried across the west face of the tower and ornamented with a band of quatrefoils. Up to this point the tower has two square buttresses on the west side only; but here it sets back behind the parapet and continues up with clasping buttresses at each angle. In the next stage there is a four-light window with transom and tracery in a square head in the west wall, and a low doorway on to the nave roof in the east wall. The belfry windows are similar to the window below; and the tower is finished with an embattled parapet below which is a band of quatrefoils; at the angles of the parapet are large squatting beasts something like heraldic antelopes and hounds but too much worn to be identified with certainty. The stairs are in the southwest corner.

The font has a modern octagonal panelled bowl (fn. 58) on a late 15th-century octagonal panelled stem, moulded base, and octagonal step.

There are four bells, inscribed: Com Com and preay 1595; (2) Searve God and O beay thy princ 1595; (3) J: Taylor & Co. Founders Loughborough 1863; (4): Omnia fiant ad gloriam dei . . . : . . . + . . . gloria deo soli: +: . . Tho: Eayre 1736. The treble and second are by Watts, of Leicester. There were four bells both in 1709 and in 1776, (fn. 59) but in 1748 the archdeacon records 'the first and second bells bad'; (fn. 60) possibly he meant what we should call the third and fourth. The bells were in bad condition for ringing in 1899, and were rehung in a steel frame in 1904, and a chiming apparatus added in 1919.

Under the chancel arch is a late 15th-century oak screen of five bays; the upper part has crocketed and finialled ogee canopies and tracery, and the lower part has sub-cusped trefoiled panels; the coving and loft are replaced by a plain moulded beam.

In the nave are considerable remains of 15th-century seating with quaintly carved poppy heads.

The mid 17th-century Communion table has turned legs and a carved top rail. In the vestry is a 17th-century hutch-shaped chest.

There are remains of late 15th-century paintings in the nave on each side of the chancel arch: on the north, figure of St. Mary Magdalene on a background powdered with crowned M's, and inscription 'Sancta Maria Magdale . . Int'cede p. nobis'; on the south, figure of Christ rising from the tomb, and with kneeling figure of a priest on the adjoining wall.

Numerous worked stones are built into the walls, particularly: in the sill of the east belfry window, a rough stone with roll-edges; in the west wall of the north aisle, a piece of chevron moulding; in the east wall of the south aisle a piece of 12th-century diaper-work; in the east gable of the nave several pieces of dog-tooth ornament.

In the chancel is a mid 17th-century monument having two semicircular-headed recesses flanked by Doric columns supporting an entablature; it has no inscription but is stated to have borne the arms of the Castel family. (fn. 61) At the east end of the south aisle is a copper plate fixed in a wooden frame, to Catherine Sherard, d. 1724. Other monuments are: in the chancel, to the Rev. John Thomas Lee, Rector, d. 1928; and floor slabs to the Ven. John Sturges, Rector, Archdeacon of Huntingdon, d. 1725; John Parsons, d. 1743; the Rev. Nicholas Addenbrooke, Rector, d. 1778, Lucy (Hopkinson) his wife (n.d.) and Elizabeth (Fuller) his second wife (n.d.), and seven infants; and the Rev. Gerrard Clough, LL.B., Rector of Little Gidding and curate of Glatton, d. 1831. In the south aisle, to the Rev. Castel Sherard, Rector of Stainby-cum-Gunby and Edmonthorp, Leicestershire, d. 1803, Jane (Caryer) his wife, d. 1810, and their children: Louisa, d. 1806, Philip Castel, d. 1814, George, d. 1818, Frances, d. 1819, Caryer, d. 1823, Robert, d. 1835, and Charlotte Wilhelmina, d. 1844; Philip Castel Sherard, Lord Sherard, d. 1886, and Ann his wife, d. 1835; and War Memorial 1914–18.

The registers are as follows: (i) baptisms, marriages and burials, 26 March 1578 to 5 March 168⁴/5; (ii) the same, 26 March 1685 to 24 October 1812; marriages end 26 February 1754; (iii) baptisms and burials, 17 October 1764 to 4 October 1812; (fn. 62) (iv) marriages, 29 April 1754 to 27 December 1813; the usual modern books.

The church plate consists of (fn. 63) a silver cup inscribed 'Glatton in Com. Hunt.' and hall-marked for 1695–6; a standing paten inscribed 'Presented to the Church at Glatton, Hunts, by Philip Castel Sherard, 1856. Revd. George Wingfield, Rector' hall-marked for 1847–8; a plated flagon inscribed 'Glatton St. Nicholas, Hunts, Presented by J. Fickling, Rector, 1891'; two pewter plates.

Advowson

The church formed part of the foundation endowment of Missenden Abbey, founded by William of Missenden in 1133. (fn. 64) It is not clear who made the gift, but Missenden Abbey was attached to the Abbey of St. Nicholas at Arrouaise in the Pas de Calais, and as Glatton formed part of the Honour of Boulogne, it may have been given by one of the Counts of Boulogne to the latter abbey and afterwards allotted to Missenden. The church of Glatton was confirmed to Missenden by various popes, beginning with Innocent II (fn. 65) (1130–43), and in 1353 the abbot and convent received licence to ordain a vicarage, because they had 'manifold charges by the frequent coming of persons to the Abbey' and were 'impoverished by great dearth in past years.' (fn. 66) This does not seem to have been carried out and the living is still a rectory. The abbey received a pension of £4 13s. 4d. a year, which was paid to the Crown by the rector in 1554. (fn. 67) Glatton belonged to the abbey until the Dissolution, and in 1551 the advowson was granted to Lord Clynton and Saye. (fn. 68) In 1554, 1558 and 1578 Kenelm Watson presented to the church; (fn. 69) the rectory was granted by the Crown to George Gardner and others in 1602. (fn. 70) The advowson was acquired by the Castel family before 1614 and Robert Castel died seised in 1619. (fn. 71) The Castels and the Sherards retained it until the beginning of the 18th century, but Nicholas Addenbrooke, clerk, owned it in 1726, and sold it to James Digby in 1748. (fn. 72) John Hopkinson presented himself in 1778, and it was acquired by the Wingfields of Market Overton (Rutl.) before 1834, (fn. 73) but in 1932 it passed to the Bishop of Ely, the present patron.

There were three guilds in the church of Glatton: Holy Trinity, St. Mary and St. John. Thomas Heth of Alconbury, in his will made in 1483, left 3s. 4d. to the Guild of Holy Trinity in the church of Glatton, and in the same year John Cole of Great Catworth bequeathed 6s. 8d. to the fraternity of Glatton and 20d. to the priest of the Holy Trinity of Glatton. (fn. 74)

In 1501 William Bond of Great Gidding left a legacy to the Guild of Holy Trinity of Glatton and of St. Mary in the same town, (fn. 75) and John Garnett of Huntingdon in 1538 left 3s. 4d. to the Guild of St. John. (fn. 76)

Charities

Glatton Church Land.—The endowment of this charity originally consisted of land containing about 20 acres called the Church Close set out in the award of the Commissioners for inclosing the open fields dated 15 Feb. 1820. The land was sold in 1905 and the proceeds invested in the purchase of £861 3s. 4d. India 3 per cent. Stock in the name of the Official Trustees. The income is carried to the churchwardens' account and applied towards church expenses.

The Widows' Charity.—A piece of land in Glatton containing 3 roods is appropriated to the relief of poor widows of the parish, but there are no documents to show the origin of the charity. The land is now let for about 15s. per annum which is distributed among the poor widows of the parish.