"Farmhouse. Late C18 ... The house is set within a substantial medieval moated enclosure"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1064031 

DB 2020

View to the south of the modern road. 

"From the early 12th century the manor was tenanted and then held by the family of Buselinus ... The settlement and manor site are believed to have been remodelled during this period.

At the end of the 14th century the Buslingthorpe family ceased, and during the 15th and 16th centuries the manor was held by the Tyrwhitts, who gradually turned the land over to sheep-rearing and moved elsewhere.

By the beginning of the 17th century the village was largely depopulated and the church ruinous ...

The remains of the medieval village take the form of a series of substantial earthworks extending to both sides of the modern road. 

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1018686 

DB 12 May 2018

Local signage states that :-

"Buslingthorpe has a moated site in the centre of the medieval village and was the site of the manor house. It would have been the most impressive residence in the village. In keeping with the high status of its occupants the house and its associated structures would have been situated on a raised island surrounded by its wide moat, most of which is still water-filled today.

Some moated sites like this one, had smaller moated enclosures for gardens or yards.

In Buslingthorpe the outline of the rectangular moated area survives in the medieval village streets to the north, south and west".

DB 2020 

St. Michael's, Buslingthorpe, dates largely from 1835 though the tower is medieval.

Its chief interest is one of the earliest brasses to be found in England; that of Sir Richard de Buslingthorpe, perhaps of 1300.

Mark Acton

St Michael's was built by E J Willson in 1835 in yellow brick (in Flemish Bond), but with a medieval tower.

Only the stubby tower remains of the mediaeval church as the nave and chancel were re-built in 1835 in yellow brick by E J Willson.

The church was declared redundant in 1984 but its care passed to the Churches Conservation Trust in 1988. It is Grade II* listed.

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1359510

Jean Howard, July 2020

The small churchyard lies only to the south and east of the building and its eastern boundary is the water-filled mediaeval moat of the later manor house.

Jean Howard, July 2020

The responds to the chancel arch were re-used from the medieval building.

May 2018

This shield, now missing from his coffin lid, reproduces the arms of Sir Richard Boselyngthorpe.

Jean Howard, July 2020

Sir Richard's stone coffin, of which this is the lid, was dug up from the graveyard in 1707. He is identified by the Lombardic script around the edge.

Starting in the centre at the top, it reads:

This is Norman French and translates as "Here lies Sir Richard, the son of Sir John de Buslingthorpe on whose soul God have mercy."

Note the shield-shaped recess which formerly held a brass with his coat of arms. The website below needs correction which I hope to effect.

https://www.spurlock.illinois.edu/collections/search-collection/details.php?a=1997.05.0003

Jean Howard, July 2020

The effigy of a knight dating from the 13th century.

June 2013

Another view of the 13th century knight.

June 2013

Close-up view of the knight showing the two angels by his pillow.

June 2013

This splendid life size effigy is of Sir John de Buslingthorpe who died c1340. He lies with his pillow supported by two angels and with a lion at his feet.

The remarkable state of preservation of this monument may in part be explained by the fact that it was discovered lying face downwards beneath the pulpit of the mediaeval church during Willson's restoration.

Jean Howard, July 2020

A very simple octagonal font of no particular merit.

May 2018

Interior of the nave and chancel at St Michael's.  It is largely the Victorian reconstruction of 1835 but the chancel arch responds contain some medieval material.

June 2013

Perhaps one of the most interesting details of this church is easily missed in the darkness of the tower. Forming the lintel of the western lancet, is part of the ledger slab for a priest from c 1300.

The section shows him in mass vestments and holding a large chalice in his left hand. Fragments of Lombardic script remain: to the rear edge: ATEM : I; to the front edge: OCO : IHV : M

Jean Howard, July 2020

The chief interest inside the church is one of the earliest brasses to be found in England; that of Sir Richard de Buslingthorpe, perhaps of 1300.

Mark Acton, 2008

This demi-figure of Sir Richard Boselyngthorpe dates from c1290 making it one of the oldest brasses in England.

Note that his head rests on two cushions, the lower with ogee detailed corners, the upper placed on the diagonal.

Between his fingers can be seen a heart shape, leading to speculation that he died abroad and only his heart was returned for burial at Buslingthorpe.

Jean Howard, July 2020

Between the figure and the plinth of Sir John's memorial is a thick section of slate, the chipped edge of which carries an inscription.

Jean Howard, July 2020 

This individual is included in the 1915 Indian Biographical Dictionary. He was made a Companion of the Order of the Star of India for public works.

One of his appointments in India involved being chief engineer and secretary for irrigation in Bengal which accounts for the biblical quotation. "The wilderness shall blossom as the Rose." is a paraphrase of Isaiah Ch 35 v1.

The tablet includes a carved rose at each lower corner.

and also : http://odlingfamily.com/bionotes.php

Jean Howard, July 2020 

Lieut Royal Engineers; born in Darjeeling during his father's career in India on 30 Oct 1893.

He is also commemorated on a plaque in the Warrior Chapel in St Mary's church, Wimbledon

Jean Howard, July 2020

Mjr Gen Royal Artillery CB OBE MC DL 1909 - 1997 joined the RoyalArtillery in 1929 and served in India until 1938.

He was made OBE in the 1963 Birthday Honours. In 1978 he gave an interview about his career which is available from Louisiana State University.

https://researchworks.oclc.org/archivegrid/collection/data/824525506

Jean Howard, July 2020

Possibly the most memorable of the Odling wall tablets is this triumphant proclamation of the raising of twelve children during a period known for high infant mortality.

The average life span of the generation is over 75 years and the number of sons, ten, goes some way to explaining the preponderance of the Odling name on Buslingthorpe's memorials and gravestones.

Jean Howard, July 2020 

These 14th century fragments of glass now in the tracery of the east window show that the church once had stained glass windows.

Three of the pieces show oak leaves and an acorn. The shield relates to the name Deyville and may be the arms of Robert Deyville, clerk, who was rector of Buslingthorpe between 1349 and 1369.

Ref: 'The Medieval Stained Glass of the County of Lincoln' by Penny Hebgin-Barnes.

Jean Howard, July 2020
 

The mediaeval tower shows the varied colours of Lincolnshire limestone. An upper stage was added in the 19th century which involved inserting a corbel table and blocking an upper window.

The low course of eroding stone perhaps explains why the plinth has been strengthened with bricks. The ground floor lancet window has an elegant trefoil head

Jean Howard, July 2020

The arched entrance to the medieval tower from the nineteenth-century nave.

May 2018