Fleckney Village Sign

The new Fleckney Village Sign that has been recently installed on the Village Green is based on the Fleckney Emblem that was created by Cllr John Middleton in 1987 for the Village. It incorporates the arms of five families who owned the manor of Fleckney from the 11th century until the beginning of the 20th century and incorporates the Lovelace motto, “Labor Ipse Voluptas” which means labour is its own reward. The ribbon has the medieval spelling of Fleckney.

The five principal Lords of the Manor that are represented in the emblem are:

Marmion - An anglo/norman baron that fought at the battle of Hastings and Lord of Fonteney le Marmion in Normandy. Rose to prominence in the reign of Henry I when Roger Marmion held the fief of Tamworth in 1129. In norman french Marmion translates to cheeky kid and Roger is possibly the nephew of Robert Despensator first Lord of Fleckney.

stings - Connected to the Marmion family and retained the English name from the 13th century. Sir Nicholas Hastings is the first Hastings named Lord of Fleckney in 1247, with a house at Wistow. Fleckney and Wistow were jointly valued as one knight’s fee (service in war for the King) The Hastings retained the manor of Fleckney until 1542 when Sir John Hastings sold it to Thomas Harvey (or Cave) of Elmsthorpe when the family went out of royal favour and he had no male heir.

Noel - Thomas Harvey had no male heir and died shortly after buying the manor and the church living in 1544. His estate was left divided between his 4 daughters. Thomas’s granddaughter Ann Fowler eventually inherited most of the estate and married John Noel of Dalby the 3rd son of Andrew Noel, Sheriff of Rutland, about 1580. Her grandson Verney regained the rest of the manor in 1636. The Noels were staunch Royalists during the civil war and came to prominence with the restoration of the monarchy.

Byron - Ann Isabella Milbanke was 11th Baroness of Wentworth and only daughter of Judith Noel (10th baroness) and Sir Ralph Milbanke. She married Lord George Byron the poet in 1815. She inherited the manorial rights and her cousin was rector of Fleckney church. Lady Anne Isabella took an active interest in the village where Charles Noel was her land agent, providing money for a school and the church restoration.

Earl of Lovelace - Augusta Ada Byron was the only daughter of Lady Anne Isabella and married William King, 8th Baron of Ockham. He was created Earl of Lovelace in 1838 using an extinct title from his wife’s family. Ada Lovelace was a highly educated mathematician and found renown from working with Charles Babbage creating the first computer. After her death in 1852 the Earl assumed the additional surnames of Noel and Wentworth. The title died out in 2018.

For further information on the history of Fleckney visit Fleckney Library or the Fleckney History Group website at: http://fleckneyhistorygroup.btck.co.uk