A Short History of the Church taken from A Guide to the Parish Church of All Saints Scraptoft, Leicestershire, by N.K. Freebody

The name of the village is Scandinavian, but it is not known if there was an Anglian settlement here before 'Scrapi' arrived at the time of the Danish invasions. In 1043, during the reign of King Edward the Confessor, Earl Leofric of Mercia gave twenty-four manors to the newly-founded priory at Coventry. One of the manors was Scraptoft, which may have even then had a small place of Christian worship, for there is no doubt that the Earl and his pious wife, the Lady Godiva, supported Christianity in the Kingdom of Mercia.

Until the 13th century Scraptoft was a daughter-chapel to nearby Humberstone, which was then held by Leicester Abbey. When it was transferred to Coventry Priory about 1265 the Prior paid 2 marks yearly compensation to the Abbot.

The first known priest was 'Peter the parson' who was inducted about 1206. Thirty years later, when the rectory had fallen vacant again, a nephew of Pope Gregory IX, Thomas de Trevi, Canon of Fulginate in Italy, became the new rector. He was instituted by proxy and never came to England. Although it was common practice to have absentee rectors, Thomas de Trevi made no arrangements for his distant parish. He was, therefore, ordered by Bishop Grossteste of Lincoln to appoint a priest for 'the cure of souls'. A local chaplain, Thomas de Scraptoft, was ordained in 1236 and he became vicar for the time being, taking only the lesser tithes for his income.

In 1268 Bishop Gravesend re-organised many of the poorer livings in the diocese, including Scraptoft. From now on it became a permanent vicarage and the rectory reverted to the patrons. The Priory of Coventry kept the great tithes and were responsible for the cost of the ordinary expenses of the church. Extra-ordinary expenses such as the repair of the chancel and the supplying of books, and ornaments were shared between Coventry Priory and the vicar of Scraptoft in the proportion of two to one.

The priest at this time was William the chaplain' who lived in the rectory house. He farmed the glebe which later, in 1341, consisted of two virgates of land for the vicar, four virgates for the rector, Coventry Priory, and three lay fallow in the open fields.

During the 13th century the living increased in value from £7 6s. 8d. to £20 Os. Od. This was partially through Bishop Gravesend's efficient re-organisation, but it also reflected growing prosperity for the church was rebuilt in stone about this period.

Little is known of the 14th and 15th century incumbents but Peter Kylbourne, who held the living in the early part of the 16th century, left an inventory. This shows that he lived in a modest two-roomed vicarage and farmed his own glebe. Not until the reign of Queen Elizabeth I did a Scraptoft vicar hold a degree. He was Robert Singleton, M.A. an absentee, living in Oxford. He died of the plague at St. John's College and a brass to his memory is in the chapel there.

Scraptoft vicars were frequently endowed with longevity. Perhaps a small parish, a comfortable vicarage, and a healthy situation helped them to live to a venerable old age in the service of God.