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After another generation or two, Matthew Thymbleby’s widow of Poolham, married Sir Robert Saville, Knt., who, through her, died possessed of the Manors of Poolham, Edlington, and several more. Confining ourselves here to Poolham, we find the Saviles, who were members of the Saviles of Howley, co. York (now represented by Lord Mexborough, of Methley, co. York, etc., etc., and the Saviles, of Rufford Abbey, co. Notts.), continuing to own Poolham until 1600, when Sir John Saville, Knt., sold it to George Bolles, Esq., citizen of London, whose descendant, Sir John Bolles, [37b] Bart., sold it to Sir Edmund Turnor, of Stoke Rochford. It has recently been sold to Dr. Byron, residing in London.

As we have, thus far, chiefly confined ourselves to the owners of the hamlet of Poolham, we will now make some rather interesting remarks upon the old Poolham Hall, and matters connected with it. The old mansion was probably built originally on a larger scale than the present farm house. It is enclosed by a moat, in the south-west angle of which stand the remains of a chapel, or oratory, now in the kitchen garden; they consist of an end wall and part of a side wall, each with a narrow window. The font, a few years ago, was taken away, and in order to preserve it from destruction, it was placed, some twenty years ago, in the garden of Wispington Vicarage, by the Vicar (the late Rev. C. P. Terrot), a great ecclesiastical antiquarian. It has further again been removed by the present writer, and, on the restoration of the Church of St. Margaret, at Woodhall, in 1893, it was once more restored to its original purpose, as font in that Church, being further adorned by four handsome columns of serpentine, the gift of the Rev. J. A. Penny, the present Vicar of Wispington. Near the chapel, there was till recently, a tombstone, bearing date 1527. This stone was a few years ago removed, and now forms the sill of a cottage doorway in Stixwould. The writer should here add that, on the moat of this old Hall being cleaned out a few years ago, there was found in the mud, beneath the chapel ruins, a curious object, which at once passed into his possession. It proved to be an ancient chrismatory, of which there has never been found the like. The material is terra cotta, with peculiar primitive ornamentation, of a pale stone colour, containing two divisions, or wells, with spouts at each end, each having been covered with a roof, although one of them is now broken off, curiously carved. The use of the chrismatory, was, in mediæval times, connected with baptism; as the child was brought into the church, it was sprinkled with salt, and at the font it was anointed with oil. The two wells were meant to hold the salt and oil. As I have said, it is unique. Its use was first explained to me, by Sir Augustus Franks, of the British Museum. It has been exhibited among the ecclesiastical objects of art at the Church Congresses, at Norwich, London, Newcastle, Northampton, and other places. It has created very great interest, and has been noticed in various publications. According to Ecton’s “Thesaurus,” this chapel was connected with Bardney Abbey, but it is now a ruin, and unused. The population is limited to three houses, and the most convenient place of worship is Woodhall, St. Margaret’s.