Catalogue description NOSTON ABBEY CHARTER, 1218

A beautifully written and well preserved document on vellum, 9" x 7½" (seal missing) in a typical monastic hand.

Transcribed and translated by the Rev T. G. Porteus, M.A., B.D., Vicar of Coppull.

Confirmation of Grants of Churches and Land to NOCTON ABBEY, co. LINCOLN, by NORMAN DE ARECI.

To all the faithful etc. NORMAN DE ARECI, greeting, know, etc. that I have granted and confirmed to God and to the Blessed Mary Magadalene of NOOTON PARK (de Parcho Noketune) and the Canons serving God there, in free, etc, alms, as freely as any alms can be given, and all the grants and gifts which my father, THOMAS DE ARECI, and his ancestors made and confirmed by their charters.

Namely, the church of NOKETUNE [Nocton], The church of DUNESTUNE [Dunstan] and the Church of CALKEWELL [Cawkwell] with their appurtences, and the whole of the land in plain, in wood, and in pasture which is between the road which reaches near the dyke of my park to the trench in the fen and between the outer dyke of the pasture of HAILSCOT on the North, and the whole dale which is near BERCH and between ALDFLET in the fen (marisco) on the east, and between the outer dyke of the park on the west, and the space of land ditched around which is between HAILSCOT and my park before their gate (portam). And one caracate of land in NOKETUNE [Nocton] of my own cultivated land. And one dwelling [mansionem] in the vill of NOKETUNE which SUVARTEBRANT held as far as the flow of the brooks. And three sites of mills on the water of DUNESTUNE with all their appurtenances. And all the land in the heath which is between the boundary of HANEWRTHE [Hanworth] and FINCHOU and the greater King's highway of the West (maiorem viam regalem del West). Without any retention or reservation of common to me and my heirs, so that neither I nor my heirs shall have or claim to have common of pasture with the said Canons in the said heath. Moreover I give and grant to the said Canons the site of their dwelling (loci) and all their wood so freely and quickly that I retain to me and my heirs neither warren nor any other right. The trench of NOKETUNE, moreover, which is in the fen from head to head I grant freely etc. to the said Canons, so that they may have free entry and course there, and that freely and without any hindrance they may cut and preserve there their fuel and their other possessions which pertain to their own uses throughout the same dyke wherever they wish and whensoever, both after and before the feat of ST.MARTIN. Moreover I confirm to the aforementioned Canons all grants etc., made to them through my entire fee as their donors witness by charter, provided that the said donors preserve to me the service due to me for all things granted. All these things I give and grant free and quit from all exaction and secular service. I verily and my heirs warrant this my alms to the said Canons against all men. But that my gift and confirmation may stay forever firm and true I have sealed this present writing with the witness of many who corroborate. This charter is made in the year 1218 (Given in words) from the Incarnation of the Lord on the feast of ST. BOTULPH (17th June).

Witnesses: ROBERT DE AINCURT, parson of BUNEI [Bunney], co.Notts., WILLIAM DE LA LANDE, MASTER WILLIAM DE BRANTCEWELL, ALEXANDER his brother, RALPH DE AINCURT, JOHN COLEMAN, Knight, JORDAN DE ESSEBI [Ashby], Knight, ROBERT DE DUNESTUNE [Dunstan], Knight, RANULF DE BLANCKENEI [Blankney], MICHAEL DE ARECI, ROBERT DE ARECI brother of THOMAS DE ARECI, HENRY DE ARECI, ANDREW PINTUN, and many others.

Seal gone.

Endorsed: Confirmation of NORMAN DE AROY

Senior, 1218. In later hand: Prior 16

NOCTON is a few miles south-west of Lincoln, a place called POTTER HANWORTH adjoins it. BLANKNEY is on the south, and ASHBY DE LA LAUNDE further south. CAWKWELL in the hundred of CARTREY is about five miles S.W. of LOUTH.

The Abbey was founded by ROBERT DE ARECI in the time of STEPHEN c.1140.

"Domesday Book tells us that Noton was divided in unequal shares between two landlords, Ulf and Usulf; on the land of the former there was already a church with a priest in 1086. These owners had given place to one Norman de Ardreci, written later de Aresci, and finally D'Arcy, a companion of the Conqueror. Norman D'Arcy's son granted the churches of Nocton and Dunstan to the Benedictines of St.Mary's Abbey, York, also some land to the Carthusians of Kirkstead Abbey, and himself founded a priory at Nocton for canons of the Orders of St.Augustine, who first settled in England in 1108. The buildings are quite gone, but the site is still called the Abbey Field, and the vicarage is called the Priory; the Priory well, whose water was said to be "remarkably good", in 1727, was only filled up about fifty years ago." From Highways and Byways in Lincolnshire, by W.F.Rawnsley.

The facts stated above about the Churches of Nocton and Dunston do not appear to be correct as they are included in this confirmation to the Augustin Canons of Nocton. Norman's father Thomas was, presumably, the son of Robert the original grantor, who was probably son or grandson of the original Norman settler, Norman de Areci.

The oldest document found at Euxton and presented amongst the Supplementary Anderton Papers to the Wigan Public Library by Sir Francis Anderton, 12th November, 1931.