STOKE DOYLE

Bennett’s pilgrim was to offer a penny to St Rumbold at Stoke Doyle which is some ten miles from Raunds. The church that the pilgrim visited is not the Georgian one we see today. The medieval church and steeple were taken down in in May 1722 A new church was built and designed by Thomas Eayre of Kettering (1691-1757), who was a man of many talents, being a surveyor, clock maker, and bell founder, so it is no surprise that he made the church’s bells too!

The church is usually open. 

The churchyard is a nature reserve. 

The church has the unusual dedication to the little-known St Rumbold. The story of St Rumbold stretches the bounds of incredibility and faith. In 662, Rumbold was born in a field, Walton Grounds, just outside of King’s Sutton near Brackley. His parents were a Christian queen, later to be Saint Cyneburga, and the pagan king, Alchfrid (Aldfrith) of Northumbria.

St Rumbold was born with the power of speech, uttering three times at his birth, ‘Christianus sum.’ I am a Christian. He asked to be baptised and the font in the church at King’s Sutton is reputed to be the very stone that was used for the baptism, although it is much larger than the description of the stone. After repeating his prayers, again in Latin, and giving a sermon, Rumbold died at the ripe old age of three days. After an unusual life, it is hardly surprising that Rumbold had a peculiar request of what would happen to his remains. His body should remain at Kings Sutton for a year, then stay at Brackley for two years, and finally taken to Buckingham where it was to remain forever. This may be a back story to account for the body being moved so many times.

The picture above shows St Rumwold's Well on the outskirts of Kings Sutton.