from her husband Ivo Taillebois (who in the time of William the Conqueror was Lord of Holland), who was given the land by Peterborough Abbey. Following Lucy's death, Countess Close passed to her son, who then gave the land to Spalding Priory in 1147. Countess Close is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. St John the Baptist Church Earliest records show a church here in 1052, and the tower is of typical Saxon design. The architecture of the church shows there have been many changes to the building throughout its long history. The font, although set on a modern base, dates back to Norman times. The oak reredos behind the altar was made by the famous Robert (Mouseman) Thompson (also known as Mousey Thompson) of Kilburn. His signature mouse can be seen on the right hand upright. The reredos was placed in the church as a memorial in the early 1920s. Under a capping stone set in the floor near the tower entrance, lies what is believed to be a stone of Romano-British origin. For some years the church housed a pair of Grotrian-Steinweg grand pianos belonging to the Goldstone and Clemmow piano duo, and was used for many of their recordings. Possible Thomas Becket connection In 1697, Abraham de la Pryme reported the existence of a stone in the ruined chancel of the church, bearing the inscribed names of "Richardus Bruto Necnon Menonius Hugo, Willelmus Trajo templum hoc lapidus altum, Condebant patria gloria dignia Deo". The inscription is translated as "Richard Brito as well as Hugh Morville and William Tracy, built with stones this lofty temple, a worthy glory to God", suggesting that three of the four knights who murdered Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170, (namely Sir Hugh de Morville, Lord of Westmorland, Sir William de Tracy and Sir Richard le Breton), took refuge in Alkborough and helped with restoration of the church. If any such stone ever existed, it cannot now be found. Alkborough tower mill The tower mill at Alkborough was built circa 1860 of red brick and tar, originally for the milling of cereals. It replaced a post mill which was recorded as still standing in 1853. It remained in wind operation until 1916 (but continued with engine operation for a short while thereafter), and from 2009 became part of a private dwelling. The mill retains two millstones in situ on the first floor. The floors