1633 Description of Ivell
1633 Description of Ivell
by Thomas Gerard of Trent
[Ivell] Of which [Newton] is a member, is the next place the river comes unto and from it takes the name. An ancient Burroughe and Markett it is yet much increased I believe by the decaye of Stafford and turning the roadway towards London through it. Their antiquity is not certainly no, but is their cheife magistrate retaining the name of Portreeve which was long before our Mayor seemes to show it. Their weeklie Markett was heretofore on Sundaies (a thing not altogether unusuall in those times) untill King John altered it unto the Friday as it continews untill this day; whose charter his the ancientest among the evidences as I have seene. The markett, of a little towne, is one of the greatest I have seene, fleshe here is none (for Thursdaies and Saturdaies supplies that) but good sea fishe if any be to be had, but the greatest commodity is cheese, which being made in great abundance in the adjoyninge country, his weeklie transported hence both unto Wilts and Hampshire in a very great quantity; hemp and linen thread of very good chafer with them too.
I cannot commend the towne for the beauty of it, yet of late some have begun to new build; but the church well observes commendation being a large and curious structure, the whole frame consisting of nothing but faire windows and pillars. And let it not be thought a greater vanity in me than in a grave Lawyer to note that here is as goodly a ring of six bells as anie in a hundred miles, and better deserves mention than his five bells at Hinckley. Underneath the quire or chancel is a faire and very lightsome vault, in which now the towne evidences are kept, but heretofore it served for a revestry. In this church heretofore were to chantries, the one founded by Robert de Samborne in Edward third's time, the other by John Sturton and others in Henry fourth's time.
To this church as I have seene amongst the records of it belonged a Rector, 9 chaplains seven singing boies and foure clerkes. The parson of Ivell was and still is Lord of the whole.
