great parliamentary talents and distinguished integrity, he was one of the batch of peers created during the ministry of William Pitt in 1797, being created Baron Lilford on 26 October. He married Mary, the daughter of Galfridus Mann, and died in 1800. His son Thomas succeeded him at Lilford, as second baron. Thomas Atherton Powys, third baron, inherited Lilford at his father's death in 1825. (fn. 56) The Lilford estates, increased by a succession of inheritances, to which the eventual inheritance from Sir Littleton Powys, elder brother of its purchaser Sir Thomas, must be added, were, after the death of Thomas Powys, third Baron Lilford, at Lilford Park in 1861, dealt with by the Lilford Estate Act, passed on 29 July 1864, (fn. 57) as the result of a Chancery suit instituted by his son Thomas Littleton Powys, the fourth baron, for the purpose of amending the will of his father, dated 24 February, 1841. From the operation of this Act, Lilford, with its chief messuage, park and pleasure grounds, was expressly excluded. It was as an ornithologist that the fourth baron, one of the founders of the Ornithologists' Union, left his mark on Lilford, (fn. 58) the valuable collections he made being housed there. He travelled much, and wrote on his subject. After being twice married he died in 1896, and was succeeded by his son John, the present and fifth baron.
The Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem near Clerkenwell had a preceptory at Dingley as early as the reign of King Stephen, with lands valued in 1535 at £108 13s. 5½d. (fn. 59) In 1330 the prior of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem claimed view of frankpledge in Glapthorn from his tenants in Fotheringhay, Lilford, etc.; (fn. 60) and on 18 August 1542 a messuage in the tenure of William Whyte of Lilford, which had belonged to the preceptory at Dingley, was granted to Robert Tyrwhitt, the king's serjeant, with meadow lands, rent, etc. (fn. 61)
The church of ST. PETER was taken down in 1778, and no part of it remains on the site. (fn. 62) Three arches from the nave arcade were, however, set up in The Lynch, below Achurch, close to the river, and the monument to Sir Thomas Powys was removed to Achurch church. According to Bridges, (fn. 63) the church of Lilford consisted of chancel, nave, north and south aisles, and west tower and spire, but part of the south aisle appears to have been taken down before his time. (fn. 64) There were four bells in the tower. The registers began in 1560, the first volume containing all entries to 1778, together with a long list of briefs (1712–54), and accounts of perambulations of the parish in 1718, 1722 and 1726. A vicarage house was built in 1714. The communion plate is now at Achurch.
The presentation to the church was made in 1228 by Walter Oliphant, and the early history of the advowson is to be found with that of the manor (q.v.), with which it was held until, in 1383–4, Robert de Willoughby of Eresby and his wife Margaret made a conveyance of land in Lilford and of the advowson to Sir John Holt, kt., and others, from whom they were acquired in 1387 by John de Buckingham, Bishop of Lincoln. (fn. 65) The bishop bestowed them as 'bought and acquired with the goods bestowed on him by God,' on the dean and chapter of Lincoln, for the endowment of a chantrey called Buckingham's or Burghersh (Burgherwahas) Chantrey in the cathedral, of two chaplains and two clerks, to pray for the good estate of Pope Urban VI, the King (Richard II), Queen, bishop, etc., and the souls of Edward III, Queen Philippa, the bishop's parents, etc. (fn. 66) In 1398 a vicarage was ordained by the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield (fn. 67) and in 1535 Thomas Palfreman was receiving 20d. for the church of Lilford as chantrist of Bishop John Buckingham. (fn. 68) On 26 September 1552, among much monastic property then granted to Thomas Cecill and Philip Bold, the rectory, church, and advowson of the vicarage of Lilford, late belonging to this chantry, were included. (fn. 69) Before 1558 they had been acquired by Edmund Elmes, who was then holding them with the manor (q.v.)