The Grays of Brentingby

        Brentingby is a hamlet close to the River Eye some two miles to the east of Melton Mowbray and by tradition is said to have received its name from the northern tribe of Brentings and mentioned in a Saxon poem. At the time of the 1851 Census it consisted of fifteen households, of which, six were farms. It also boasted a Manor House which had been rebuilt in 1658.
        The Church was also rebuilt at this time with the exception of the Tower which is early 14th century. The two bells which hung in the tower were pre-Reformation, one about 1380 and the other early 16th century. The last service was held in 1950 and the church finally declared redundant and de-consecrated in 1970. It was then turned into a dwelling house with most of the outside features maintained including the tower which had watched over the hamlet for the past 700 years.

        Local historian, the late Phil Hunt in his book 'The Story of Melton Mowbray' written in 1957 and revised in 1979 describes Brentingby thus:-

        This small settlement with the River Eye meandering through its meadows has belonged ecclesiastically to Thorpe Arnold since before the year 1220. It is not mentioned in the Domesday Book. The first written record of it is in the Leicestershire Survey of 1124-29 with this entry: In Brentingbie 6 carucates of land belonging to the fee of Thorp held by the Earl of Leicester.
        By the year 1231 William Zouch of Harringworth in Northamptonshire had gained possession of the Manor, and his family held some interest in it for several hundred years, although the manor and land seem to have been leased to many different occupiers. In 1317 John de Woodford held the manor and with Brentingby as his headquarters he gradually gained his great possessions in the surrounding district. The manor was held by his family for more than a hundred years and then passed through several different hands until in the middle of the 17th century a family named Smith gained possession, and in 1658 the then occupier rebuilt the manor house which has remained practically unaltered since, and is a very good example of the period. The church with the exception of the tower was rebuilt at the same time
        This small building has had a very chequered history during the past 30 years. The last service was held here in 1950 and then during the two decades following it gradually slipped into ruin and decay. It consisted of the rebuilt 17th century nave, with at the west end, a neat early 14th century tower with a distinctive saddleback topping and contemporary pieces of ball-flower ornament still in situ. The bells, two in number, the before mentioned Brentingby pancheons, should be particularly noticed. They hung for many years in an unsafe condition until taken down and placed on the floor inside Thorpe Arnold church. Both of them are of pre-Reformation date and have a Latin dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary. One of them is undoubtedly the oldest in the country. North in his 'Church Bells of Leicestershire 1876' tells us that by its marking it is 14 century, probably about 1380; the other bell is early 16th century. In the interior of the nave there were no ornaments other than the Royal Arms of George III painted on the eastern wall, there was no chancel. In 1970 it was finally decided that the church be declared redundant. It was de-consecrated, the tower fortunately preserved and the remainder converted into a dwelling house.

        I was quite surprised, when looking at the 1881 Census for Leicester, to discover that my Great Grandfather William Gray, at that time living at 22 Sarah Street Leicester, was in fact born at Melton Mowbray so it was this, probably more than any other reason, which prompted me to pursue this line of research at this particular time, although I would no doubt have eventually got round to doing so.

        There have been Gray's living in Melton Mowbray, certainly since the 1600's, as can be shown from the Parish Church Records where on the 17th January 1642, Richard Gray married Isabell Allam and on 6th November 1655, Henry Gray married Katherine Watchorne, a Widow.

        In the Burials for 1799-1810 there is the entry:

        20.3.1802 Elizabeth Gray of the Hospital Melton Mowbray. Daughter of James Gray of Melton Mowbray, Inn Holder, by Mary his wife age 70. Died 19.3.1802. Buried in the Left Hand Side of the churchyard.

        Further researches at the Melton Library, took me back another two generations to Edward & Mary Gray at Brentingby.
        The 1841 Census, conducted at Brentingby and noted for its lack of detail, simply states that Edward and Mary were born outside the county of Leicester and were both said to be, due to rounding down, 45 years of age. Also living with them were four of their Children, all born in Leicestershire, namely: John 1824; George 1829; Ann 1832; and Edmund 1835 with another child, Elizabeth 1826 living in a separate house in the village.

LRO 1841 Census Brentingby HO 107/588 p. 11
Sch	Address	Name	Rel	Mar	Age	Occupation	Place of Birth
	Brentingby	Elizabeth Gray			15		Leicestershire

LRO 1841 Census Brentingby HO 107/588 p. 11
Sch	Address	Name	Rel	Mar	Age	Occupation	Place of Birth
	Lodge	Edward Gray			45	Agricultural Labourer	outside county
		Mary Gray			45		outside county
		John Gray			15		Leicestershire
		George Gray			12		do
		Ann Gray			9		do
		Edmund Gray			5		do

        However, we discover that from the 1851 Census our ancestors Edward and Mary Gray were both born in Nottinghamshire, Edward at Bingham and Mary at Flintham. Mary was the daughter of Joseph Branston and Elizabeth Marshall. Edward and Mary's first son, who was born in 1816, was no doubt named after Mary's father, Joseph.
        Shortly afterwards they moved to Brentingby in Leicestershire. This was probably around 1818 as their second child William, was baptised on the first of November 1818 at Brentingby.
        From the Thorpe Arnold cum Brentingby Parish Registers one other child is found, Sarah 1821. In all seven of their eight children were born and baptised at Brentingby.

Melton Library 1851 Census Brentingby HO 107/2191p. 11 Folio 592
Sch	Address	Name	Rel	Mar	Age	Occupation	Place of Birth
10		Edward Gray	Head	m	55	Ag. Labourer	Bingham Notts
		Mary Gray	Wife	m	58		Flintham Notts
		Edmund Gray	Son		15	At Home	Brentingby

        The 1851 Census however gives additional details which show that since Edward's age is given as 55, he was born in 1796, and his place of birth was Bingham in Nottinghamshire. His wife Mary, at age 58, gives a birth date of 1793 and her place of birth as Flintham in Nottinghamshire. The only other person living with them at this time was their son Edmund age 15 and in the occupation column was listed as 'at home'.

        Still living at Brentingby at the time of the 1861 Census Edward and Mary were listed as both aged 69, giving a birth date of 1792, so there is a question as to their correct age. They were living at 'Burton Road' Brentingby, which would have been no more than a farm track, as indeed it is today, leading over the Midland Railway line, crossing the River Eye and the remains of the Oakham Canal before leading on to what was in the 1920's and 30's the 'Polo' fields, a Mecca for the Nobility visiting the area to spend the season with the Melton Hunts. From there it would join the Sawgate Lane before finally arriving at Burton Lazars.
        It seems likely that the 'Polo Fields' are soon to be underwater as part of the Melton Mowbray flood defence scheme which is now completed (2003).