The building of the present beautiful church was completed by Richard de Potesgrave, the vicar, in 1380. He doubtless received help from Edward III., to whom he acted as chaplain. That he was an important person in the reigns of both Edward II. and III. is shown by the former king making over to him the confiscated property of the Colepeppers who had refused to deliver Leeds Castle, near Maidstone, to Queen Isabella, wife of Edward II., in 1321; while he was selected by Edward III. to superintend the removal of the body of Edward II. from Berkeley Castle to Gloucester. His mutilated effigy is under the north window of the chancel, and in a little box above it with a glass front is now preserved the small chalice which he used in his lifetime. [Sidenote: CHURCHWARDENS’ BOOKS] The churchwardens’ account book at Heckington begins in 1567, and in 1580 and 1583 and 1590 “VIˢ VIIIᵈ” is entered as the burial fee of members of the Cawdron family, whose later monuments are at Hale. [Sidenote: WHIPPING FOR TRAMPS] Another entry which constantly occurs in the sixteenth century is “for Whypping dogges out of Church,” and in the seventeenth century not “dogges” only but vagrants are treated to the lash, _e.g._:— “April 21, 1685. John Coulson then whipped for a vagrant rogue and sent to Redford. “Antho. Berridge (Vicar).” And in 1686:— “Memorand. that John Herrin and Katherine Herrin and one child, and Jonas Hay and wife and two children, and Barbary Peay and Eliz. Nutall were openly whipped, at Heckington, the 28th day of May, 1686—and had a passe then made to convey them from Constable to Constable to Newark, in Nottinghamshire, and Will Stagg was at the same time whipped and sent to Conton in Nottinghamshire.” A good, sound method of dealing with “Vagrom men,” but for the women and children one wonders the parson or churchwardens were not ashamed to make the entry. [Illustration: _Great Hale._] The book also shows the accounts of the “Dike-reeve” (an important officer) for what in another place is called “the farre fenne.” [Sidenote: HALE MAGNA]