twenty-two acres, he holding from the king "by the service of a third part of a pound of pepper," and subletting to the others, for so many marks a year. The land apparently being valued at about 1s. 8d. an acre. From other sources we find that land thereabouts varied in value from 4d. to 8s. an acre yearly rent.
In 1345 when the abbot and abbey of Bardney by royal licence received the churches and endowments of Hale and Heckington for their own use, the abbot became rector and appointed a vicar to administer each parish. The name of the abbot was Roger De Barrowe, whose tomb was found by the excavators at Bardney in 1909.
The building of the present beautiful church was completed by Richard de Potesgrave, the vicar, in 1380. He doubtless received help from Edward III., to whom he acted as chaplain. That he was an important person in the reigns of both Edward II. and III. is shown by the former king making over to him the confiscated property of the Colepeppers who had refused to deliver Leeds Castle, near Maidstone, to Queen Isabella, wife of Edward II., in 1321; while he was selected by Edward III. to superintend the removal of the body of Edward II. from Berkeley Castle to Gloucester. His mutilated effigy is under the north window of the chancel, and in a little box above it with a glass front is now preserved the small chalice which he used in his lifetime.
CHURCHWARDENS' BOOKS The churchwardens' account book at Heckington begins in 1567, and in 1580 and 1583 and 1590 "VIs VIIId" is entered as the burial fee of members of the Cawdron family, whose later monuments are at Hale.
Another entry which constantly occurs in the sixteenth century is "for Whypping dogges out of Church," and in the seventeenth century not "dogges" only but vagrants are treated to the lash, e.g.:—
"April 21, 1685. John Coulson then whipped for a vagrant
rogue and sent to Redford.
Antho. Berridge (Vicar)."
And in 1686:—
"Memorand. that John Herrin and Katherine Herrin and
one child, and Jonas Hay and wife and two children, and Barbary
Peay and Eliz. Nutall were openly whipped, at Heckington, the
28th day of May, 1686—and had a passe then made to convey
them from Constable to Constable to Newark, in Nottingham-
