The graphic representation of the foundation stone above shows the peculiar doubling of some of the letters and roughly translated the inscription reads ‘This church was built by William the Noble in honour of the chaste name of the Holy Virgin Hilda’
Though this William cannot be identified with absolute certainty it seems logical to assume that he was a Norman knight and there is a plaque in a church at Dives-sur-mer in Normandy which commemorates all the knights who said Mass with William the Conqueror before they departed for England in 1066. One of the names is Guillaume Espec and though his name was not recorded amongst the Norman nobility who held lands recorded in the Domesday Survey of 1086 his son Walter l’Espec held vills at the beginning of the 12th century which included those previously held by
Count Mortain the half brother of William the Conqueror that were forfeited to the Crown after Mortain took part in an unsuccessful rebellion in 1088. Though no part of Bildesdala was recorded in the Domesday Survey it is possible that it could also have been held by Mortain and granted to Guillaume Espec in 1088 or had possibly been granted to him earlier in the 11th century and was inherited by Walter after the death of his father in 1096.
If these suppositions are correct they would place the building of the first church of St Hilda before the year 1096 and it was part of the grant of Bilsdale land made by Walter l’Espec to Kirkham Priory in 1122, supposedly after the death of his son in a riding accident.
COONDDIT ECLEE
SIAAM WIILLELMVV
NOBILIS ISSTAAM INTEME
RRATE NOOMMIINNE SC
E VIIRGINNIIS HILDE
