Page:Highways and Byways in Lincolnshire.djvu/394

 CHAPTER XXXIII

SCRIVELSBY, DRIBY, TUMBY AND TATTERSHALL

The Hereditary Grand Champion of England—History of the Dymokes—Siward the Saxon—Simon de Dryby—The Abbot of Kirkstead—Robert de Tateshalle—John and William de Bernac—Ralph, Baron Cromwell builds the brick Castle and founds the College and Almshouses at Tattershall—The Carved Mantelpieces—Bishop Waynflete's brick buildings—Esher Place—Tattershall Church—Stained Glass Windows—The Brasses—The Castle safe at last.

The manor which carried with it the title for its possessor of "Hereditary Grand Champion of England," was a very interesting old house till the year of the Coronation of George III., when it was destroyed by fire. An arched gateway remains near the house, where once a moat, drawbridge, and portcullis protected the courtyard. The picturesque Lion Gateway at the entrance to the park from the Horncastle road, opposite to which under some trees are seen the village stocks, was set up by Robert Dimoke about 1530. It is built of rough stones but has a fine stone lion, passant and crowned, above it, and a rebus of an oak tree (Dim oak) carved at the side of the archway. The manor with this peculiar privilege attached was given by the Conqueror to his steward "Robert the Dispenser," Lord of Fontenaye and ancestor of the De Spencers and the Marmions.

Sir Walter Scott speaks of the Marmion of his poem, though he was an imaginary character and of much later date, as—

"Lord of Fontenaye Of Lutterward and Scrivelbaye Of Tamworth tower and town."

In the Scrivelsby parish church of St. Benedict is a mutilated