CHAPTER XXXIII
SCRIVELSBY, DRIBY, TUMBY AND TATTERSHALL
Scrivelsby.
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
