For this church:

Introduction

Location

History

Archaeology

Contacts

Fittings

Glass

Organ

Bells

Clock

Monuments

War Memorial

Churchyard

References

Pictures

List of Incumbents

Budby
Chapel

History

Domesday Book indicates Buteby [Budby] was a village in the Medieval Parish having two Caricutes of land taxable, forming part of the Berewick in Edenstow [Edwinstowe] which itself had one Caricute of land to be taxed, land to two ploughs, a church and a priest, being in an outlying part of the Royal Manor of Mansfield. The Medieval parish also consisted of the other villages of Perlethorpe, Carburton, Ollerton, and Wellow.

As chapelries of Edwinstowe, these were given by William II to the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln and are listed in the earliest charter of 1146.

On 16 January 1422 the parishioners of the Chapelries, including Budby, Thoresby, and Perlethorpe led by men of Wellow, caused to appear before the Dean and Chapter, Robert Gomondely, Vicar of Edwinstowe, where a petition was made against the vicar, concerning the annuity of 11 nobles given by the Dean and Chapter part for the Vicar and part to be divided amongst the poor.

Whites Directory of 1853 reports that Ann and William Monday, in 1627, granted their homestead and 16a 3r 22p of land in Edwinstowe, to the churchwardens, for the use of the poor of Edwinstowe, Clipstone and Budby. At the enclosure, in 1818, the charity received an allotment of 132 acres, of which the trustees sold 40 acres for £375, which they expended in closing and fencing the remainder, except £97 14s 6d, which is placed in the Retford Savings Bank. The whole property produces £60 per annum, half of which is given to the poor of Edwinstowe, two thirds of the remainder to those of Clipstone, and the rest to those of Budby.

After the Civil War Thomas Bowes, Vicar of Edwinstowe, petitioned the Dean and Chapter on behalf of the poor of parishes including Budby for a resumption of the ‘Lincoln Dole’, “11 nobles, 5 nobles for the vicar and 40s to the poor...relating neere to 30 families”. And he would like the arrears since the Restoration. Unfortunately this letter is not dated. However as this petition, was made by Thomas Bowes, Vicar of Edwinstowe, we have a time span from 1647 to 1680. (Bowes signed the churchwardens’ accounts on 3rd July 1647, and remained until his death in 1679/80 – he was buried on the 2nd February.)

Bowes was also active on 22nd November 1659 as he married Tho. Millner and Eliza. Stock, both of Budby, in his house, presumably because “balliffs was in Towne to arrest ye vica’.” A point made in the parish register of Edwinstowe.

Budby model village was built by the Earl Manvers in about 1807 with the houses in a Swiss/Gothic style and has been subject to many pleasant comments over the years by a variety of commentators.

During the late 19th century there was an insistence for all parishioners, the majority of whom worked on the Thoresby Estate, to attend regular Sunday church services, and a more localised place of worship was considered.

On petition to the Earl Manvers, he agreed to fund the provision of a Mission Chapel, sited adjacent to the River Meden, but still on the Estate Land at Budby.

A suitable iron-clad building with a corrugated roof became available at Winthorpe, which by order from the Earl Manvers was transported to the new site in 1887 and suitably adapted with a room at the back, behind the altar. A turret and canopy was fitted over the porch to house the single bell.

The Proclamation of Thanks

A proclamation of thanks for the Chapel, suitably illuminated, was signed by twenty-nine villagers of Budby and issued to the Earl Manvers in 1888. This was later hung in the Chapel. It is now retained, on loan, at the Dukeries Antiques Centre, Budby.

The Chapel never became a Chapel of Ease in the normal sense, but was owned by the Thoresby Estate, though geographically in Edwinstowe parish.

The Chapel was at that time lit only by candlelight, and so most services were conducted during the hours of daylight. It was properly illuminated for the first time on 25th October 1888.

The Mission Chapel became known locally as the ‘Cocoa Tin’ owing to its brown external colour, and later the ‘Tin Tabernacle’. Many held it with great affection. It was maintained by Mr Leslie John Bland and his wife Ellen for many years. Mr Bland resigned as Treasurer during 1965 after many faithful years of service.

Services were held at regular intervals, but, although the floor was wooden, there was little comfort and it smelt damp and musty.

The continuing depopulation of Carburton, noted in the 1966 Vicar’s Annual repor: “Three houses were demolished, another three are to be, and there are some three others vacant which makes for uncertainty in the future, as does the continuing difficult situation at Budby.”

During 1967 the bell turret collapsed and the general condition of the Chapel came under further scrutiny. It was reported that the cost of the necessary restoration, including rewiring and the provision of adequate heating, would cost something in the region of £300.

The Estate authorities considered this would not be economic, especially when for many years so few had made use of the facilities for worship. It was therefore suggested that the building be demolished, provided that alternative arrangements for worship could be made. Following a personal inspection by the Archdeacon, and in view of the conditions obtaining, it was felt that no other course of action could take place.

It was stated that until such time as the pastoral anomalies of the whole area were ironed out and any re-organisation of boundaries took effect, the facilities for worship would continue to be provided as far as was possible.

The February 1968 Edition of the St Mary’s Edwinstowe, St Giles Carburton and Budby church magazine reports that an evening service at Budby would be held that month (1968), which was to be the last service to be given there. During the service the vicar the Revd Harold Pickles told the congregation, “the Church is first and foremost the people of God and not just a building or place, although we naturally have hallowed associations with such. Whatever we can do to incorporate them into the worship and life of the Church we shall do, and it will still be possible to have services and gatherings in homes, or the reading room.”

The traditional Easter services in April were held at Carburton, transport being arranged to take the Budby parishioners there to the Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Day services.

The Revd Harold Pickles further reported in the March 1968 copy of the magazine: “... the dismantling (of the Budby Chapel) mentioned in my annual report, had taken place.”

The various items of church furnishings were subsequently disposed of. The Altar was sent to St Giles Church Carburton, to replace the one there which was worm eaten through age. The wooden font and 13th Century bell were recovered to the Thoresby Estate wood-yard, pending a decision as to their future disposal. The wooden lectern and church plate were passed into the care of St John the Evangelist Church Perlethorpe. The chairs and pews were generally used to equip the newly formed youth club on the Thoresby Estate, at Home Farm, although several were kept at St John’s Church.

The 13th century bell has been subsequently given to the John Taylor Bell Museum at Loughborough.

Reading Room

The Reading Room was created within the Budby village schoolhouse itself being erected in 1807 at which 18 poor girls would be clothed and educated by the charity of the Lady Manvers, the Earl and his successor.

The inscription over the porch-way of the house reads:

The inscription on the Reading Room

HEAR INSTRUCTION AND BE WISE AND REFUSE IT NOT PROVB CH VII V33

A M MDCCCVIII

BE PIOUS PATIENT HONEST AND INDUSTRIOUS

A monthly service offered by the Vicar of Edwinstowe is maintained at the various parishioners’ homes within the Budby Village.