As the centuries passed,
the Tichborne Dole was distributed every year on March 25 per Lady Mabella's instructions.
Sir Roger said sure,
he would donate the spoils from any stretch of land Mabella could manage to crawl around holding a lit torch.
The story began in 1150, when Lady Mabella, the wife of the miserly and cruel Sir Roger Tichborne,
asked her husband to fulfill her one dying wish.
So the story goes that the dying, crippled Mabella mustered all the strength she could, and by
sheer force of will managed to make it around 23 acres.
Before the flour is distributed, the huge box is blessed by sprinkling it with holy water and
a blessing is made for the soul of Lady Mabella Tichborne, their kindly medieval benefactor.
But, fully aware of Sir Roger's parsimony, Mabella added a chilling curse- should you or
any other Tichborne heir not honor the dole, a generation of seven sons would be followed by one with seven daughters.