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SLEAFORD  CHURCH. 


< 

©NTARIC 


SLEAFOBD, 


AND  THE 


WAPENTAKES    OF 


PLAXWELL    AND    ASWARDHURN, 


IN  THE 


COUNTY    OF    LINCOLN; 

5447 1 


THE 


VENERABLE    EDWARD    TROLLOPE,   M.A.,   F.S.A., 


ARCHDEACON  OF  STOW. 


LOHDOtf : 

W.    KENT  AND   CO.,    23,    PATERNOSTER  ROW  ; 

SLEAFORD : 

PRINTED  AND  PUBLISHED  BY  WILLIAM  FAWCETT, 

1872. 


TO    THE   BIGHT   REVEREND 


CHRISTOPHER     WORDSWORTH,     D.D., 
LORD    BISHOP    OF    LINCOLN. 


BELIEVING-  your  Lordship  to  be  one  of  those  who  regret  that 
there  is  no  History  of  Lincolnshire  worthy  of  such  a  desig- 
nation,  although  I  cannot  supply  that  want,  I  beg  leave  most 
respectfully  to  dedicate  this  little  volume  to  you,  as  one  which 
may  supply  some  materials  towards  a  future  History,  and  I  trust 
prove  useful  in  affording  information  respecting  Sleaford,  formerly 
a  possession  of  the  Bishops  of  Lincoln,  and  the  parishes  around 
it. 

Looking  back  upon  the  past,  as  you  are  accustomed  to  do 
with  a  keetn  perception  and  deep  interest,  I  fear  your  Lordship 
has  found  but  little  information  gathered  up  ready  for  your  use 
with  respect  to  the  important  County  of  Lincoln,  except  the  acts 
of  some  of  the  more  distinguished  of  your  predecessors,  although 
from  its  size  and  wealth,  and  connection  with  the  Eoyal  House  of 
Lancaster,  it  is  one  of  the  most  important  in  England. 

I  have  often  been  urged  to  undertake  the  task  of  compiling 
such  a  History ;  but  have  ever  felt  that  the  labour  required  would 
be  too  great  for  me,  engaged  as  I  constantly  am  in  more  urgent 
and  ceaseless  professional  duties,  as  well  as  from  the  fact  that  the 
cost  of  its  production  would  be  very  great,  if  illustrated  and 
printed  in  a  form  worthy  of  the  County  of  Lincoln,  and  of  com- 
parison with  the  already  published  Histories  of  other  Counties. 

No  doubt  much  has  been  lost  through  the  delay  that  has 
occurred  in  the  supply  of  such  a  work ;  but  something  also  has 
been  gained,  because  until  of  late  years  the  knowledge  of  ecclesi- 
astical architecture,  and  of  archaeology  generally  was  so  limited. 


11. 


I  fear  that  my  task  of  attempting  to  describe  the  town  of 
Sleaford  and  the  parishes  within  the  Wapentakes  of  Flaxwell 
and  Aswardhurn,  together  with  a  few  others,  will  not  by  any 
means  be  found  faultless,  and  has  certainly  not  been  accom- 
plished in  so  complete  a  manner  as  I  could  have  wished ;  but 
yet  considering  the  very  great  difficulties  of  compiling  even  a 
little  work  like  this,  arising  from  the  scantiness  of  materials  and 
other  causes,  I  trust  that  you  will  accept  it  as  a  small  mark  of 
the  deep  respect  I  feel  for  your  Lordship  personally,  as  well  as 
in  your  public  capacity,  as  one  of  the  most  learned  and  excellent 
of  that  long  series  of  Prelates  who  have  successively  presided 
over  the  great  Diocese  of  Lincoln. 

I  am, 
With  the  utmost  respect, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

EDWAUD    TBOLLOPE. 


PBEFACE. 

IT  is  now  forty-six  years  since  the  only  work  descriptive  of 
Sleaford  and  its  vicinity  was  published  by  the  late  Mr. 
James  Creasey,  so  that  had  this  been  a  perfect  production  ori- 
ginally, it  would  now  require  considerable  revision  and  additions ; 
but  as  the  knowledge  of  Ecclesiastical  Architecture,  of  Antiquities, 
and  other  kindred  subjects,  has  in  this  interim  very  greatly  ad- 
vanced, and  thus  enabled  us  to  describe  the  fabrics  of  churches 
and  relics  of  past  ages  with  far  greater  accuracy  than  could  have 
been  done  half  a  century  ago,  a  demand  for  a  new  History  of 
Sleaford  and  its  vicinity  has  naturally  arisen. 

At  first  it  was  proposed  to  make  the  old  work  serve  as  a 
foundation  of  a  new  one,  in  the  hope  that  with  alterations  and 
additions  it  might  be  reproduced  in  a  more  correct  form  ;  but  by 
degrees  the  old  materials  have  almost  entirely  disappeared  during 
this  process,  except  the  extracts  from  Domesday  book,  Testa  de 
Nevill,  and  Gervase  Holies,  &c.,  which  only  required  revision, 
while  even  the  limits  of  the  area  around  Sleaford  now  described, 
differ  from  those  adopted  in  Creasey 's  work,  so  as  distinctly  to 
confine  these  to  two  of  the  ancient  Wapentakes  or  Hundreds  of 
Lincolnshire,  although  at  the  earnest  desire  of  some,  a  few 
parishes  beyond  those  boundaries  are  described  in  a  supplement 
of  this  volume,  because  they  were  included  in  the  old  History, 
but  contrary  to  my  own  judgment,  because  this  interferes  with 
the  limits  of  other  Wapentakes  or  Hundreds,  the  history  of  which 
I  hope  may  hereafter  be  written.  As,  however,  by  the  arrange- 
ment adopted,  the  supplement  can  easily  be  detatched  from  this 
volume  whenever  this  work  is  undertaken,  I  am  reconciled  to  its 
temporary  appearance  in  this  volume. 

Excepting  the  engravings  of  the  Churches,  taken  from  pho- 
tographs, and  a  few  others  kindly  drawn  by  the  !Rev.  Charles 
Terrot,  all  the  illustrations  have  been  engraved  from  the  Author's 
own  drawings. 


As  the  history  of  each  parish  usually  begins  with  extracts 
from  Domesday  Book,  a  few  words  respecting  the  origin  and 
character  of  that  important  work  will  perhaps  be  acceptable.  It 
is  not  quite  certain  when  its  compilation  was  commenced,  some 
asserting  that  this  took  place  so  early  as  the  year  1080,  but 
from  the  evidence  of  the  following  entry  at  the  end  of  the  second 
volume  it  certainly  appears  to  have  been  finished  in  the  year 
1086.  "Anno  milessimo  octogessimo  sexto,  ab  incarnatione 
Domini  facta  est  ipsa  descriptio,  non  solurn  per  hos  tres  Coniita- 
tus,  sed  etiam  per  alios."  If  so,  it  did  not  altogether  owe  its 
origin  to  the  tyranny  of  the  Conqueror  as  is  usually  supposed, 
but  from  the  necessity  of  providing  means  for  the  defence  of 
the  kingdom  against  enemies,  most  probably  when  a  Danish 
invasion  was  apprehended  in  1085,  and  there  was  no  national 
army  to  protect  England,  so  that  King  William  was  forced  to 
procure  a  large  force  from  Normandy  and  Brittany  ;  but  as  these 
troops  were  quartered  upon  the  English  to  their  dislike  and  in- 
convenience they  readily  submitted  to  a  measure  providing  for 
their  future  defence  through  themselves,  according  to  the  evidence 
of  the  Council  of  Sarum.  To  apportion  this  burden  equitably  a 
survey  of  England  was  ordered  to  be  made,  and  the  feudal  tenure 
of  its  lands  was  then  commenced,  on  the  ground  of  the  necessity 
for  supplying  the  necessary  means  for  the  national  defence. 

This  survey  was  made  by  Commissioners,  of  whom  Eemigius 
Bishop  of  Lincoln,  Walter  Gifford  Earl  of  Buckingham,  Henry 
de  Ferrers  and  Adam  the  brother  of  Eudo  Dapifer  were  ap- 
pointed to  survey  the  midland  counties,  including  Lincolnshire, 
whence  we  may  fairly  assume  that  the  first  of  these  took  a  leading 
part  in  the  compilation  of  the  report  referring  to  Lincolnshire.  The 
name  Domesday  Book  was  not  a  novel  one,  for  Alfred's  Codex, 
or  Liber  Judicialis,  consisting  of  his  laws,  was  termed  his  "  Dom- 
Boc ;"  but  king  William's  book  is  of  a  different  character,  con- 
sisting as  it  does,  not  of  laws,  but  of  a  record  of  the  quantity  of 
the  lands  of  England  and  of  their  value  in  the  time  of  Edward 
the  Confessor  and  when  the  record  was  taken,  together  with  a 
description  of  the  same  and  other  particulars,  as  well  as  of  their 
possessors,  tenants  and  servants.  Occasional  reference  is  also 
made  to  the  churches  and  priests  of  the  places  described,  and 
other  matters,  but  only  in  an  incidental  and  imperfect  manner, 
was  also  called  formerly  by  other  names,  viz.,  Liber  Eegis 
Itotulus  Wintpniae,  and  Scriptura  Thesauri  Eegis,  &c. 


V. 

It  contains  the  united  returns  of  the  Commissioners  employed 
in  its  production,  who  were  empowered  to  summon  all  persons 
they  pleased  to  give  evidence  as  to  the  value,  quantity  and  particu- 
lars of  the  lands  and  possessions  of  every  lordship.  These  returns 
were  transcribed  into  two  volumes,  one  rather  larger  than  the 
other,  the  first  of  which  begins  with  Kent  and  ends  with  Lin- 
colnshire, and  was  long  kept  in  the  royal  Treasury  at  Winchester 
under  the  guardianship  of  the  auditor,  chamberlain,  and  deputy 
chamberlain  of  the  Exchequer,  but  is  now  preserved  in  the  new 
Eecord  House  attached  to  the  Rolls  Chapel. 

The  other  earlier  authorities  often  quoted  are  Testa  de  Nevill, 
compiled  in  1270;  Yalor  Eceleeiasticus,  1535  ;  Leland's  Itinerary, 
1546;  Willis's  MS. 

Some  explanation  of  the  character  and  quantity  of  the  lands 
referred  to  in  this  volume  under  different  terms  may  perhaps  be 
useful.  Of  these  the  following  are  most  frequently  mentioned, 
viz : — 

A  soc,  sock,  or  soke.  This  was  a  territory  over  which  a  lord 
exercised  the  right  of  administering  justice,  and  in  connection 
with  which  he  possessed  various  privileges. 

A  manor  is  a  lordship,  the  name  of  which  is  still  in  common 
use.  It  was  first  adopted  in  England  in  the  reign  of  Edward  the 
Confessor,  and  derives  its  name  from  tha  French  manoir. 

Demesne,  or  demesne  lands,  a  term  retained,  in  that  of  do- 
main, consisted  of  a  portion  of  a  manor  usually  lying  around  or 
near  to  the  aula  of  the  lord,  and  cultivated  for  him  by  his  servants. 

A  knight's  fee  consisted  of  8  carucates  or  hides. 

A  carucate  was  a  piece  of  plough  land  varying  in  quantity 
according  to  the  character  of  its  soil,  but  usually  consisted  of  120 
acres. 

An  oxgang,  or  bovate,  also  varied  in  quantity  according  to 
the  quality  of  the  land,  because  it  was  computed  to  be  as  much 
land  as  an  ox  could  plough  annually,  but  most  commonly  con- 
sisted of  16  acres, 

A  selion  was  a  ridge  of  land,  or  headland,  lying  between  two 
furroughs  of  no  definite  extent. 

A  croft  was  a  small  home  close. 

A  toft,  a  small  plot  of  ground  with  a  house  upon  it,  or  on 
which  a  house  had  once  stood. 

A  curtilage,  a  garden,  or  yard,  attached  to  a  house. 


VI. 


Under  the  feudal  system  all  subjects  held  their  lands  of  the 
king,  and  these  were  usually  granted  by  the  holders  to  subten- 
ants—wholly or  in  part.  Below  these  were  two  classes  of  inferior 
tenants  termed  sokemen— i.e.,  free  sokemen,  who  simply  paid  rent 
for  the  land  they  held  of  a  lord  or  sub-tenant ;  and  base  sokemen, 
who  paid  for  their  land  in  labour.  Next  in  rank  came  bprdars, 
who  were  small  tenants  or  cottagers  paying  for  their  holdings  in 
kind  to  their  territorial  lord.  Lastly  came  viUans,  who  were 
bondmen  attached  to  their  lord's  land,  and  sold  or  given  to  others 
with  the  land  on  which  they  lived  and  died. 

The  right  of  ''free  warren"  was  a  license  from  the  king  to 
preserve  and  kill  game ;  and  a  license  to  "  crenellate,"  was  one 
sanctioning  the  fortification  of  a  castle  or  house,  also  obtainable 
only  through  the  king's  consent. 

One  particular  respecting  a  now  well  known  house  in  Slea- 
ford,  that  has  come  under  the  Author's  notice  since  the  description 
of  the  town  has  been  printed,  he  desires  now  to  record.  About 
the  year  1700,  Mr.  William  Alvey,  the  founder  of  the  school  in 
Sleaford  still  bearing  his  name,  built  the  handsome  old  house  in 
Northgate  next  to  the  Sessions  House,  now  used  as  Messrs. 
Peacock  &  Handley's  banking  house.  He  erected  it  on  the  site 
of  an  old  inn  called  the  Talbot,  and  lived  in  it  until  his  death  in 
1729.  Originally  the  door  was  in  the  middle  of  the  house,  and 
over  it  are  the  initials  E.  A.  in  a  cipher,  which  were  those  of  his 
wife,  in  compliment  to  whom  they  appear  there.  This  noted 
Sleaford  benefactor  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Alvey  Darwin,  probably 
a  nephew  of  his;  and  then  by  a  surgeon.  In  1803,  Messrs. 
Peacock  &  Handley's  Bank,  first  established  in  the  Market-place, 
April  2nd,  1792,  was  removed  to  this  house,  but  its  original 
character  has  been  but  little  altered  and  is  an  excellent  specimen 
of  a  small  but  handsome  house  of  the  17th  century,  besides 
which  the  fact  of  its  having  been  Alvey's  house  gives  it  additional 
value. 

In  1723,  a  disastrous  fire  occurred  at  Sleaford,  the  recollec- 
tion of  which  has  now  entirely  passed  away  locally,  but  a  record 
of  which  remains  through  the  medium  of  the  following  adver- 
tisement in  the  Stamford  Mercury,  dated  Thursday,  March  26th, 
1723-4:  "These  are  to  give  notice  to  the  several  Towns  and 
the  Ministers  and  Churchwardens  of  the  same,  unto  whom 
divers  Letters  Recommendatory  have  been  sent,  to  collect  their 


charity  for  the  relief  of  the  sufferers  by  the  late  sad  and  violent 
fire,  which  happened  at  New  Sleeford  in  the  County  of  Lincoln, 
that  such  of  the  said  Towns  as  have  not  collected  or  returned 
their  collections  for  the  said  fire,  are  desired  to  collect  and  pay 
in  their  respective  sums  so  to  be  gathered  at  the  next  Visitation, 
viz.,  unto  Mr.  Joseph  Williamson  at  Boston,  the  Reverend  Mr. 
Thomas  Sellers  at  Sleeford,  and  Mr.  John  Algate  at  Grantham, 
who  will  be  there,  and  ready  to  receive  the  same." 

Last  year — 1871,  two  large  stones  were  found  in  Ruskington 
opposite  the  churchyard  gate,  and  about  a  foot  below  the  surface 
of  the  town  street.  These  were  a  little  more  than  3  feet  square. 
In  the  centre  of  one  was  a  socket  about  a  foot  square,  which 
seems  to  indicate  that  they  once  served  as  the  base  of  a  village 
cross. 

The  William  Benningworth,  or  Benniworth,  mentioned  in 
the  account  of  Howell  as  its  first  recorded  rector,  was  the 
founder  of  the  Franciscan  Friary  at  Lincoln,  1230. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

SI,  atonl  Church       Frontispiece. 

Anns  of  the  See  of  Lincoln,  &c ...Title-page. 

Britishcanoe Page  25 

Do.     sword       "     29 

Do.     dagger         Plate  I,  1 

Do.       do -.     »        2 

Do.     flint  hammer      ,1 

Do.     earthen  vessel ,, 

Section  of  the  Ermine  Street        '     Page  33 

Mediaeval  cross    ^     •••     »     39 

British  celt       " »     40 

Roman  milliary  stone        ,,     48 

,,       implements        ,,     64 

Car  Dike  sections        Pages  70  &  71 

Roman  camp  at  Kyme Page  78 

Roman  vases  found  at  Halfpenny  Hatch  and  Billinghay '    ,,79 

Danish  comb  case    ...      ..        ,,     98 

Saxon  vases  found  at  Quarrington    Plate  II,  Figs.  1,  2  &  3 

Do.    fibulte  found  at        do.  ,,  ,,     4,  5  &  6 

Do.    dart  head         ...         Plate  III,  Fig.  1 

Do.    glassbeads    ,,  ,,     2 

Do.    bronze  oval  fibula ..        ,,  ,,     3 

Do.    iron  spear  head ,     ,,  ,,4 

Do.    bronze  tag        •     ,,  ,,     5 

Do.    glassbeads  „  ,,6 

Do.    bronze  clasp     ,,  ,,     7 

Do.    bronze  buckles    Plate  IV,  Figs.  1,  2  &  3 

Do.    bronze  and  bone  pins     Plate  IV,  Fig.  4 

Do.    horse's  cheek -piece ,,  ,,     5 

Do.    bronze  balance  beam      !.     ,  ,,6 

Do.    iron  spear  heads          Plate  V,  Figs.  1  to  7 

Do.    iron  bosses  of  shields      8&9 


Do.  bronze  clasp 

Do.  iron  knife         

Do.  knife  handle 

Do.  bronze  circular  fibula 

Do.  do.  do. 


Fig.  10 

M  11 

„  12 
„  13 
„  14 


Do.    bronze  purse  suspender ,,  „     15 

Plan  of  Sleaford  Castle          :.     ...  Page  108 

Sleaford  Castle  in  1781      „      120 

t  Sleaford  Castle           ...  „      121 


ix. 

Sleaford  tokens           .....................      ........  Page  137 

Monument  of  Sir  Edward  Carre  in  Sleaford  Church         .......  ,.  ,,      158 

The  Handley  Monument  at  Sleaford       ..................  ,,      169 

The  Black  Bull  sign  at  Sleaford           ........  .............  ,,       170 

The  Old  Place,  Sleaford     .................  .     ...  .......  ,,      183 

The  Drake  Stone,  Anwick     ......     ....     ...     .,  .....  \  .......  „      188 

Anwick  Church          ...  .....  ,  ................     .......  ,      190 

Ashby  Church         ...     ............     ........  ..     ...   .  .......  ,      206 

Bloxholm  Hall  in  1825      .................     .........  „      210 

Digby  Church         .....  ..................  ......  ,     ...  ,,      225 

Leasinghain  Church  .,  ..........................  ,       270 

Rauceby  Church     ..................  .     ........  .......  ,,      280 

W.  Styrlay's  brass      ...     ...  .................  v.     ...     ...  „      282 

Rowston  Church.     ...............................  „      290 

Ruskington  Church  .         ..........................  ,  „      303 

Temple  Bruer         ..............  ...............  ,     ...  ,,      317 

Wilsford  Church         ...................  ............      322" 

Aswarby  Church     .................................  ,,      335 

Aunsby  Church           ...........  ..................  „      341 

Culverthorpe  Hall  in  1825     ......................  ,     ...  ,,      35$ 

Ewerby  Church           ........  ..     .  ...     ...     ...     ....     ...  .......  „      363 

Heckington  Church        .............................  .  M      389* 

Easter  Sepulchre  in  Heckington  Church        ........  .     ......  ,,      393 

Helpringham  Church     ..............  ..............  ..  „      400 

Do.          token    ...................  „     .........  M      403s 

Howell  Church       .....................     ;  ...........  n      409 

Saxon  vase   ................................  416 

Do.    scissors          ...     ...  .............     .........  i^ 

Arrowhead          ..............................  fa 

Osbournby  Church          .......................  .......  422 

Quarrington  Church    .........     ...     ,  ...........  430 

Swaton-  Church       ..............  .     .,  .............  449. 

Mediaeval  cross  at  Silk  "Willoughby-        ...     .......  .....  453 

Silk  Willoughby  Church       .....      ...............  "'..."  464' 

Ground  Plan  of  Roman  Ancaster     .....................  470 

Saxon  comb      ..............................  472 

Roman  coffin        .........      ,  ........  t>     tfi  ^73 

Group  of  Deae  Matres     ......     ...     ...     ...  .  ......  477 

Roman  altar         .........      ..............  47g 

Roman  column         ..  ......................  -^ 

Plan  of  Honington  Camp  ..  ......  .     ...     ......  4g^ 

Roman  pottery        ...     ........      ............  ^g-j 

Roman  fibula  o. 


Ancaster  Church 
Billinghay  Church      ... 
Folkingham  Church 
Threckingham  Church 
Halbert     . 


LIST    OF    SUBSCKIBEES. 


Ashington,  Eev.  H.,  Anwick 
Anders,  Rev.  H.,.  Kirkby  Laythorpe 
Andrews,  Mr.,  Osbournby 
Amcotts,  Colonel,  M.P.,  Hackthorne 

Hall,  Lincoln 
Abraham,  Mr.,  Sleaford 
Adlard,  Mr.,  Ruskington 
Atkin,  Miss  A.,  Heckington, 
Almond,  Mr.,  London 
Allen,  Mr.  E.,  Sleaford 
Allen,  Mr.  W.,  Sleaford 
Appleby,  Mr.  E.,  Grantham 
Bristol,  the  Most  Noble  the  Marquis  of 
Brownlow,  the  Right  Hon.  the  Earl  of  , 
Boot,  J.  H.,  Esq.,  M.D.,  Sleaford 
Bedford,  J.,  Esq.,  Sleaford 
Barnes,  Rev.  C.,  Digby 
Brewitt,  Mr.  Jno.,  Sleaford 
Bampton,  Mr.  T.,  Sleaford 
Barnes,  Mr.  Jas.,  Heckington 
Bellamy,  Mr.,  Spanby 
Bennison,  Mr.  M.,  Sleaford 
Blasson,  G.,  Esq.,  Heekington 
Blasson,  Thos.,  Esq.,  Billingbo-rough 
Bettis,  Rev.  G.  R.,  Doncaster 
Bacon,  Alfred,  Esq.,  Cheadle,  near 

Manchester 

Brand,  Mr.  J.,  Billinghay 
Brown,  Mr.  J.  C.,  Sleaford 
Buttifant,  Mr.  J.  G.,  Romsey 
Blaze,  Mr.,  Louth 
Baxter,  Mr.  John,  Sleaford 
Bell,  Rev.  James,  Sleaford 
Bacon,  Mr.  John,  Sleaford 
Bacon,  Mr.  John  T.,  Sleaford 
Chevin,  Mr.  H.,  Leasingham 
Chamberlain,  Mr.  G.,  Sleaford 
Cragg,  E.,  Esq.,  Threckingham 


Child,  Rev.  C.,  Sleaford 

Cook,  Mr.,  Heekington 

Cameron,  Rev.  G.  T.,  Heckingtoa 

Clarke,  Miss,  Seredington 

Coney,  Mr.,  Sleaford 

Collinson,  Mr.  H.,  Burton-on-Trent 

Collinson,  Mr.  F. 

Clements,  E.,  Esq.,  Sleaford 

Chambers,  Mr.  John,  South  Kyme 

Cumberworth,  Mr.  H.,  Heckington 

Christopher.  Mr.  Z.,  Heckington 

Cammack,  T.,  Esq.,  M.D.,  Spalding 

Clay,  Mr.,  Holdingham 

Count,  Mr.  J.  C.,  Sleaford 

Chapman,  Mr. 

Cartwright,  Mr.  E.r  Sleaford 

Dolby,  Rev.  J.  S.,  Howell 

Dudding,  W.,  Esq.,  Howell 

Dibben,  Mr.  E.  R.,  Sleaford 

England,  C.,  Esq.,  Sleaford 

Elcombe,  Mr.  E.,  Sleaford 

Evison,  Mr.,  Ewerby 

Ellwoood,  Mr.  D.,  Sleaford 

Frudd,  Mr.  J.,  Bloxholm 

Fawcett,  Mr.  T.,  Sleaford 

Foster,  "W.  H.,  Esq.,  Cranwell 

Fane,  W»  D.,  Esq.,  Norwood,  South- 
well 

Ffytche,  J.  L.,  Esq.,  Thorpe  Hall, 
Louth 

Fryer,  Mr.  W.,  Sleaford 

Graves,  Mr.,  Ashby 

Gardner,  Rev.  H.,  B.A.,  Liverpool 

Green,  John,  Esq.,  Knipton 

Godson,  G.,  Esq.,  Heckington 

Gibson,  Mr.  Joseph,  Sleaford 

Goodacre,  Mr.  W.,  Sleaford 

Green,  Mr.,  Sleaford 


ERRATA. 

Page  98,  line  20— "Saxon"  for  "Roman." 

Page  115,  line  25— "1431  "  for  "1820." 

Page  333,  line  15— "Angus"  for  "Anjou." 

Page  421,  Hue  20—  "Donington"  for  "Dorrington." 


HISTOEY 


OF 


SLEAFOED    AND     THE     NEIGHBOUEHOOD, 


INCLUDED    IN  THE 


WAPENTAKES  OF  FLAXWELL  AND  ASWAEDHUEN. 


THE  boundaries  of  the  area  around  Sleaford  proposed  to  be 
described,  and  lying  within  the  Wapentakes  of  Flaxwell 
and  Aswardhurn,  are  these,  viz. : — the  High  Dyke  on  the  west, 
Langoe  Wapentake  on  the  north,  or  a  line  just  south  of  Wellin- 
gore,  Kirkby  Green,  Thorpe  Tilney,  Walcot,  and  Billinghay, 
Kyme  Eau  and  Holland  Dyke  on  the  east,  separating  the  Divi- 
sion of  Kesteven  from  that  of  Holland;  and  the  Wapentakes 
of  Winnibriggs  with  Threo  and  Aveland  on  the  south,  or  a 
line  a  little  to  the  north  of  the  Bridgend  road.  This  area  con- 
stitutes nearly  a  perfect  square,  from  12  to  13  miles  across, 
diagonally  subdivided  by  the  boundary  between  the  two  Wapen- 
takes it  comprises,  with  Sleaford  almost  exactly  in  the  middle. 
In  the  Wapentake  of  Flaxwell  there  are  22  parishes  or  hamlets, 
containing  in  all  50,937  acres,  and  a  population  of  9,705;  and 
in  Aswardhurn  24  parishes  or  hamlets,  an  acreage  of  48,134, 
and  a  population  of  8,070.  The  soil  of  the  first  is  heath  over  an 

A 


2  SLEAFOKD. 

Oolite  rock  on  the  west,  clay  of  various  qualities  and  occasionally 
gravel  in  the  middle,  and  peaty  soil  on  the  east  over  silt,  gravel, 
or  clay.  That  of  the  latter  is  for  the  most  part  clay,  and  fen 
towards  the  east  over  Oxford  clay.  Except  the  fen  portion  of 
these  Wapentakes  their  surface  slightly  undulates  and  is  scored 
by  several  small  rivulets  flowing  from  west  to  east  towards  the 
sea,  of  which  the  Slea  is  the  chief. 

As  the  heath  and  fen  portions  of  the  two  Wapentakes  are 
peculiar  features  some  description  of  these  will  perhaps  be  ac- 
ceptable. Formerly  one  continuous  tract  of  light  land  called 
generally  Lincoln  Heath  extended  from  the  high  table  ground  on 
the  south  of  Lincoln  and  the  Witham  to  Cranwell,  or  about  1 3 
miles.  It  rises  gradually  from  under  the  Oxford  clay  stratum  on 
the  east  and  terminates  in  a  steep  ridge  as  it  sinks  suddenly  towards 
the  Lias  district  on  the  west ;  but  besides  this,  its  whole  surface 
consists  of  a  series  of  gentle  undulations  resembling  those  of  the 
Atlantic  after  a  storm,  and  the  straight  white  road  carried  over 
these  in  succession  on  its  way  northwards,  does  not  very  inaptly 
represent  the  foamy  track  of  some  vast  steam- ship,  such  as  the 
Great  Eastern  leaves  behind  her  in  calm  weather,  while  the 
shadows  of  the  little  clouds  passing  over  the  surface  of  the  Heath, 
just  as  they  do  on  the  real  ocean,  add  to  the  correctness  of  the 
comparison.  Beneath  a  thin  layer  of  light  soil,  from  9  to  18 
inches  in  depth,  is  a  thick  stratum  of  limestone,  belonging  to 
what  geologists  call  the  series  of  the  "  Great  Oolite."  At  some 
very  remote  period,  and  during  countless  centuries,  water  was 
gradually  depositing  the  limy  particles  with  which  it  was  charged 
on  the  clay  beneath  it,  until  it  formed  a  coating  many  feet  in 
thickness,  sometimes  sympathising  with  the  undulations  of  the 
subsoil,  and  sometimes  drifting  into  its  deeper  hollows,  so  as 
to  cause  a  considerable  degree  of  variation  in  its  thickness.  It 
has  also  been  subjected  to  other  subsequent  disturbing  causes, 
from  the  pent-up  powers  of  the  earth's  deeper  recesses.  A 
remarkable  example  of  this  may  be  seen  in  a  railway- cutting 
between  Ancaster  and  Wilsford,  where  an  upward  thrust  from 
below  is  exhibited,  forming  a  rounded  eminence  beset  with  fis- 
sures, now  filled  in  with  earth  that  has  been  washed  in  from 
the  surface. 

Many  deeds  of  violence  have  been  perpetrated  on  this  heath. 
One  was  long  recorded  in  the  nave  of  Lincoln  Minster  to  this 


SLEAFOED.  3 

effect  :  "  Here  lies  John  Kanceby,  formerly  Canon  of  this 
church,  who  was  with  malice  prepense  nefariously  slain  on  the 
'Haythe'  (spelt  thus)  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1388  by  William 

.     God  have  mercy  upon  his  soul."      The  surname  of  the 

murderer  had  been  effaced  either  by  accident  or  design.  In  latter 
times  it  was  men's  purses  rather  than  their  lives  that  were  in 
great  danger  on  the  heath — through  highwaymen,  by  which  it 
was  infested.  Even  in  the  last  century  the  Windmill  House  in 
the  parish  of  Leasingham,  was  a  favourite  place  of  assemblage 
for  these  gentlemen  of  the  road — as  they  were  termed,  and  a 
little  hollow  on  the  Lincoln  road  in  Dunsby  parish,  now  marked 
by  a  row  of  cottages,  was  the  most  common  scene  of  attack 
upon  travellers.  But  there  were  also  natural  dangers  arising 
from  the  character  of  the  heath  in  olden  days.  When  no  well- 
kept  roads  traversed  it,  and  it  could  boast  of  still  fewer  houses 
upon  it  than  at  present,  poor  folks  were  often  lost  upon  its 
dreary  expanse,  and  some  died  from  prolonged  exposure  to  cold 
and  wind  and  snow  on  the  heath.  In  the  register  of  Leasingham 
parish  are  several  evidences  of  such  misfortunes,  within  a  space 
of  53  years  nine  poor  travellers  having  apparently  just  reached 
that  place,  on  the  southern  confines  of  the  heath,  to  die.  They  run 
as  follows  in  the  list  of  burials :  — "  Elizabeth  Ping,  a  stranger ;" 
"  Susanna  Ellis,  a  traveller ;"  "  Dolton  Pickworth,  a  poor  stran- 
ger;" and  sometimes  even  still  shorter,  such  as  "  A  travelling 
woman,"  or  "A  travelling  man,"  without  a  name  at  all;  yet 
these  speak  of  unknown  sufferings  as  well  as  of  unknown  persons. 
Two  remarkable  instances  of  thank-offerings  for  preservation 
from  starvation  on  the  heath  still  throw  light  upon  this  point : 
the  first  is  connected  with  the  parish  of  Blankney,  where  a  small 
field  was  left  by  a  female  whose  life  had  been  saved  through  the 
tolling  of  its  church  bell,  on  condition  that  that  bell  should  be  rung 
every  evening  at  8  o'clock.  The  other  case  is  connected  with  Pot- 
terhanworth,  where  23  acres  of  land,  called  Culfrey-lands,  were 
left  by  a  traveller  who  had  been  rescued  from  the  heath  by  hear- 
ing the  sound  of  Potterhanworth  church  bell,  on  condition  that 
that  bell  should  be  tolled  every  evening  at  1 0  minutes  to  7,  by 
the  oldest  parishioner  who  had  not  received  parochial  relief,  and 
who  was  to  have  the  proceeds  of  the  land  as  his  fee.  But  at  length  a 
greater  benefactor  was  found  in  the  person  of  Sir  Francis  Dash- 
wood,  who  erected  Dunston  Pillar,  and  placed  upon  its  summit  a 


4  SLEAFORD. 

large  glass  lantern  that  was  lighted  every  night  for  the  purpose  of 
guiding  benighted  travellers  on  their  way  across  the  heath.  And 
no  doubt  it  served  that  purpose  well,  but  yet  did  not  always 
enable  people  to  get  to  their  own  homes  in  safety,  especially  when 
they  had  been  carousing  at  the  Green  Man  club — formerly  much 
frequented  by  the  gentry  of  the  neighbourhood,  and  when  far 
more  liquor  was  unhappily  consumed  than  now  ;  for  it  is  recorded 
that  two  of  these  on  their  way  towards  Lincoln,  after  they  had  been 
assisted  into  their  carriage,  and  their  coachman  had  been  previ- 
ously assisted  into  his  box,  thought  it  prudent  to  give  him  the 
following  directions: — "John,  be  sure  you  keep  the  pillar  light 
upon  your  right,  and  then  we  shall  get  home  safe,"  before  sinking 
into  sleep.  But  when  these  sleepers  awoke  they  found  the  sun 
was  rising,  and  that  they  were  still  near  the  Pillar,  and  still  in 
their  carriage  instead  of  being  in  their  beds,  one  of  them  called 
out,  "  Why,  John,  where  are  we  ?"  Upon  which  John  answered, 
"  Oh,  it's  all  right,  sir,  the  light  is  upon  my  right ;"  and  so  it  was, 
for  he  had  been  circling  round  it  all  night,  and  was  not  much 
nearer  home  than  when  he  began  to  drive.  Violence  and  dangers 
have  now  happily  passed  away,  and  there  are  no  murderers  or 
robbers  on  the  Heath,  nor  need  even  for  a  light  on  Dunston 
Pillar.  Hence  instead  of  a  lantern,  a  statue  of  good  King 
George  III.  surmounts  the  Pillar  at  Dunston  ;  but  could  he  see 
the  wonderful  change  that  has  taken  place  on  the  surrounding 
district  between  the  time  of  his  accession  to  the  throne  and  the 
year  1870,  he  would  be  indeed  greatly  astonished;  and  although 
when  it  was  told  him  that  Lord  Buckinghamshire  intended  to  set 
up  a  statue  in  his  honour  upon  Lincoln  Heath,  he  is  reported  to 
have  said,  "  Ah!  Lincolnshire,  all  flats,  fogs,  and  fens!"  and  did 
not  relish  the  idea  at  all ;  could  he  now  see  the  locality  where 
that  statue  still  stands  he  might  be  justly  proud  of  that  portion 
of  his  kingdom. 

Some  notice  of  the  character  of  the  fen  land  of  Lincolnshire, 
a  portion  of  which  lies  within  the  Wapentakes  of  Flaxwell  and 
Aswardhurn,  is  next  required, 

A  great  contest  between  the  sea  and  the  land,  leading  to  fre- 
quent changes  in  their  respective  boundaries,  had  certainly  been 
raging  upon  the  Lincolnshire  coast  for  centuries  before  the  arrival 
of  the  Romans  in  Britain,  and  that  period  when  written  records 
began  to  be  kept.  Doubtless  the  ocean  has  there,  from  time  to 


SLEAFORD.  5 

time,  swept  far  beyond  its  natural  limits  with  an  irresistible  tide, 
reaching  points  in  Lincolnshire  now  removed  nearly  twenty  miles 
from  it  ;*  and  yet,  little  by  little,  it  has,  through  its  very  fury, 
aided  to  form  a  future  barrier  against  itself.  This  it  has  done  by 
the  accumulation  of  the  silt  left  upon  its  retreat,  in  concert  with 
the  earthy  deposits  caused  by  the  continual  flow  of  the  inland 
waters,  not  only  on  either  side  of  those  points  where  they  have 
respectively  found  an  exit  into  the  sea,  but  generally  in  that  great 
bay  of  the  Wash  and  its  adjoining  shores,  reaching  from  Wain- 
fleet  to  Hunstanton  on  the  Norfolk  coast,  and  so  appropriately 
termed  by  Ptolemy  "  Mentaris  cestuarium"  or  bay  of  river  mouths. 
In  this  manner  a  considerable  portion  of  the  division  of  Holland 
has  gradually  been  gained,  or  perhaps  we  may  say,  regained  from 
the  bed  of  the  sea,  whilst  the  continued  growth  of  its  coast,  as 
well  as  of  that  of  the  southern  part  of  Lindsey,  is  evinced  by  the 
relative  position  of  the  sea-banks  that  have  been  successively 
raised  for  its  defence. 

The  subsoil  of  this  district  is  Oxford  clay,  lying  in  waves,  and 
once  forming  the  surface.  Over  this  has  swept  at  some  very 
remote  period  a  vast  and  violent  tide  of  waters  from  the  N.  W.  to 
the  S.E.  portion  of  the  county,  which  has  left  thick  beds  of  drift 
behind  it,  consisting  of  white  silty  clay,  boulders,  large  yellow 
water-worn  flints,  numerous  beds  of  gravel,  intermingled  with 
which  are  teeth  and  bones  of  elephants  and  various  animals,  f 
besides  other  deposits.  Lincolnshire  has,  apparently,  to  thank 
Yorkshire,  or  some  more  northern  locality  for  this  furious  in- 
road, for  through  some  convulsion  of  nature  a  compound  and 
chaotic  marine  flood  once  swept  along  the  vale  of  York  and  the 


*  At  Roxholme,  near  Sleaford,  there  exists  a  silty  substratum  abounding 
with  cockle  and  other  ordinary  sea  shells  ;  and  at  Holbeach  Hum,  a  distance 
of  three  miles  from  the  sea,  a  seam  of  cockle  shells,  three  inches  thick,  was 
traced  by  Dr.  Latham  two  or  three  feet  below  the  present  surface.  This  was 
on  land  in  the  occupation  of  Mr.  Daily,  near  Fleet  Haven. 

t  At  Partney,  a  fossil  tooth  was  found,  weighing  two  pounds  three  ounces, 
in  the  gravel  bed  near  Partney  Mill,  in  1822,  twelve  feet  belqw  the  surface. 
It  was  supposed  to  have  been  one  of  the  grinders  of  a  hippopotamus  or  elephant. 
— Oldfield  Addenda,  p.  20.  Another  similar  tooth  was  found  at  Quarrington, 
a  few  years  ago,  also  in  the  gravel ;  and  the  skull  of  a  cetacean,  from  the 
Lincolnshire  fens,  now  in  the  Cambridge  Museum,  was  supplied  by  the  late 
Mr.  Hopkinson,  of  Morton. 


6  SLEAFOED. 

north-eastern  portion  of  Lincolnshire,  until,  reaching  that  point 
of  the  Cliff  hills  through  which  the  Witham  flows,  at  Lincoln, 
it  burst  over  the  whole  tract  of  the  lowlands  of  this  county, 
and  found  an  exit  eventually  in  the  sea.  This  will  fully 
account  for  the  layer  of  white  silty  clay  often  found  above  the 
Oxford  clay,  and  filled  with  marine  shells,  as  well  as  for  the 
boulders  and  beds  of  gravel,  &c  ,  such  as  those  near  Lincoln,  at 
Kyme,  Tattershall,  Edenham,  Baston,  Deeping,  &c.  So  far  the 
sea  had  lorded  it  over  a  considerable  portion  of  the  Lincolnshire 
soil,  but  a  rival  then  became  predominant,  for  fresh-water  gained 
the  ascendancy,  and  has  plainly  left  the  mark  of  its  reign  behind 
it  in  the  form  of  a  soapy  blue  clay,  varying  in  tint  and  abounding 
with  fresh-water  shells.  This  is  doubtless  the  deposit  of  sluggish 
streams  and  prevalent  floods  occasioned  by  the  continual  run  of 
waters  from  the  higher  lands  of  the  county  before  they  were 
assisted  on  their  way  towards  the  sea  by  the  hand  of  man ;  but 
the  ocean  was  not  tamed  as  yet,  and  we  can  see  that  it  occasion- 
ally gave  battle  to  the  fresh  waters  and  their  prey,  at  this  period, 
by  the  existence  of  channels  filled  with  marine  silt  running  up 
into  the  blue  clay  in  the  form  of  bays  and  creeks.  This  stratum 
contained  amply  sufficient  fertilizing  matter  for  the  sustenance  of 
the  finest  trees  of  various  kinds,  and  from  it  sprang  up  oaks  of 
vast  dimensions,  lofty  firs,  alders,  hazels,  and  birch  trees,  whose 
roots  are  still  firmly  fixed  in  the  soil  that  originally  so  amply 
nourished  them,  whilst  their  innumerable  trunks  lie  prostrate 
beneath  a  funeral  pall  of  black  peaty  earth  created  by  the  debris 
of  their  own  leaves  mixed  with  decayed  vegetable  matter,  such  as 
stagnant  waters  always  produce. 

Occasionally,  but  more  rarely,  the  sea  still  disturbed  these 
vegetable  cemeteries,  for  we  find  silty  deposits  of  considerable 
thickness  in  some  portions  of  the  fens  above  the  peaty  stratum, 
and  in  a  few  instances  alternating  with  it  more  than  once.*  How 
long  the  lands  we  are  speaking  of  remained  at  a  sufficiently  high 
level  above  both  fresh  and  sea  waters  to  enable  them  to  nourish 
trees  of  great  size,  including  oaks  varying  from  one  foot  to  ten  in 


*  Tn  Sutton  St.  Edmund's  Parish,  two  strata  of  peat  are  found,  alternat- 
ing with  others  of  silty  clay,  two  or  three  feet  thick  ;  also  in  Ramsey  Fen, 
where,  below  the  peaty  surface  and  a  clay  substratum,  a  second  deep  deposit 
of  peat  exists. 


SLEAFORD.  7 

diameter,  is,  of  course,  uncertain,  but  from  their  dimensions  we 
may  safely  presume  that  this  period  of  their  growth  lasted  for 
at  least  five  centuries.  Again,  how  long  these  fen  districts 
continued  to  be  covered  with  stagnant  fresh-water,  after  it  had 
wrought  such  terrible  ruin  upon  thousands  of  acres  of  the  finest 
forest  lands,  is  undeducible  from  any  internal  evidence,  but  they 
certainly  were  for  the  most  part  still  prevalent,  when  a  new  and 
intelligent  power  drew  near,  already  well  practised  in  the  art  of 
combating  with  nature  as  well  as  with  man,  and  that  was  the 
power  of  Borne.  Probably  the  Romans  were  attracted  to  take 
possession  of  the  rich  Lincolnshire  lowlands  before  the  close  of  the 
first  century,  when  they,  no  doubt,  soon  experienced  considerable 
inconvenience  from  occasional  irruptions  of  the  sea,  and  from 
almost  unceasing  floods  of  fresh- water ;  but  as  they  never  sub- 
mitted to  such  diificulties  without  a  struggle,  in  which  they  were 
usually  successful,  they  in  this  instance  proceeded  to  encircle  the 
whole  coast  of  their  new  possession  with  a  vast  sea  bank,  capable 
of  resisting  all  further  encroachments  of  the  sea,*  and  to  deepen 
and  defend  the  outfalls  of  its  rivers.  Next  they  began  to  gather 
up  the  valuable  land  they  had  by  so  much  labour  secured,  and  by 
the  formation  of  a  main  drain,  fifty-seven  miles  long,  called  the 
"  Car  Dyke,"  reaching  from  the  Nen  to  the  Witham,  which 
caught  all  the  waters  flowing  from  the  higher  lands  before  they 
spread  themselves  over  the  lowlands,  and  by  other  drains,  they 
completely  secured  for  themselves  the  territorial  fruits  of  their 
patient  and  enormous  labours. 

But,  besides  the  coastal  line  of  fen  lands,  there  are  vast 
tracts  in  the  interior  of  Lincolnshire  of  a  similar  character,  form- 


*  It  is  interesting  to  observe  how  cleverly  the  Romans  took  advantage  of 
all  such  assistance  from  the  hand  of  nature  as  could  be  rendered  available  in 
aiding  them  to  form  this  marine  barrier,  incorporating  in  their  work,  as  they 
did,  every  sand  bank  or  range  of  Dunes  tossed  up  upon  the  shore  by  the 
united  agency  of  tides  and  violent  winds,  so  as  to  save  labour.  In  Tetney 
parish,  one  of  these  banks,  about  three  acres  in  extent,  and  fourteen  feet  high, 
has  thus  been  made  use  of,  and  still  bears  distinct  evidences  of  having  been  occu- 
pied by  the  Britons.  These  consist  of  five  circles  of  earth,  from  one  to  two  feet 
high,  and  from  nine  to  thirty-eight  feet  in  diameter  ;  and  on  a  similar  adjoining 
bank,  upwards  of  four  acres  in  extent,  and  divided  from  the  first  by  a  little 
streamlet,  is  another  circle,  thirty-six  feet  in  diameter,  and  a  large  oval  one, 
sixty -five  feet  long,^by  forty-seven  in  width. 


8  SLEAFOKD. 

ing  together  an  aggregate  of  522,000  acres,  lying  from  four  to 
sixteen  feet  below  high  water  level.  The  largest  of  these  extends 
from  the  Trent  through  the  Isle  of  Axholme  into  Notts,  and  far 
into  Yorkshire,  in  the  direction  of  Doncaster ;  De  la  Pryme,  in  his 
Paper  on  Hatfield  Chase  (Philosophical  Transactions,  No.  275, 
p.  980),  observing, — "  That  round  about  by  the  skirts  of  the 
Lincolnshire  wolds  unto  Gainsburgh,  Bawtry,  Doncaster,  Bain, 
Snaith,  and  Holden,  are  found  infinite  millions  of  the  roots  and 
bodies  of  trees,  great  and  little,  of  most  part  of  the  sorts  that  this 
island  either  formerly  did,  or  at  present  does  produce,  as  firs, 
oaks,  birch,  beech,  yew,  winthorn,  willow,  ash,  &c.,  the  roots  of 
all,  or  most  of  which  stand  in  the  soil  in  their  natural  postures, 
as  thick  as  ever  they  could  grow,  as  the  bodies  of  most  of  them 
lie  by  their  proper  roots.  Most  of  the  great  trees  lie  all  their 
length  about  a  yard  from  their  great  roots  (unto  which  they  did 
most  evidently  belong,  both  by  their  situation  and  the  sameness 
of  the  wood,)  with  their  tops  most  commonly  north-east,  though 
the  smaller  trees  lie  almost  every  way  cross  those,  some  above, 
some  under,  a  third  part  of  all  of  which  are  firs,  some  of  which 
have  been  found  of  30  yards  length  and  above,  and  have  been 
sold  to  make  masts  and  keels  for  ships.  Oaks,  have  been  found 
twenty,  thirty,  and  thirty-five  yards  long,  yet  wanting  many  yards 
at  the  small  end."  But  perhaps  the  monarch  of  all  these  sub- 
merged trees  was  an  oak,  also  alluded  to  by  De  la  Pryme,  which 
was  fourteen  yards  in  diameter,  and  forty  yards  long.  This  was 
calculated  to  have  been  not  less  than  seventy  yards  high,  and  to 
have  contained  1,080  feet  of  timber.* 

Prom  observations  made  in  sinking  a  well  in  the  Trent  valley 
it  was  found  that  a  stone  causeway  existed  on  a  shingly  gravel 
foundation,  twenty-seven  feet  below  the  present  level,  above 
which  were  fragments  of  Roman  pottery,  &c.,  then  a  thick 


*  During  the  year  1858  an  oak  was  extracted  from  Conington  Fen,  Hunts, 
sixty  feet  long  to  the  collar,  whence  sprang  two  large  limbs,  each  of  which 
alone  would  have  formed  tolerably  large  sized  trees,  the  diameter  of  the  trunk 
was  four  feet.  The  level  of  Conington  Fen  has  sunk  five  feet  in  consequence 
of  its  drainage,  from  which  cause  the  above-mentioned  tree  was  revealed. 
There  the  oaks  alone  are  broken  off  from  their  roots,  which  remain  embedded 
in  the  clayey  subsoil ;  the  elms,  firs,  and  yews,  having  been  uprooted  when 
they  fell,  and  lie  prostrate  in  all  directions. 


SLEAFOED.  9 

stratum  of  bog  earth  divided  into  two  layers  by  a  thin  interven- 
ing stratum  of  sand,  next  foundations  of  buildings  and  bones  of 
domestic  animals,  then  bog  earth  again,  and  finally  evidences  of 
modern  cultivation.  Hence  it  may  fairly  be  assumed  that  during 
the  Roman  occupation  of  Britain,  this  vast  tract  of  fen  land  bore 
quite  a  different  character  to  what  it  has  since  done  ;  that  it  had 
a  gravelly  subsoil*  and  an  ordinary  earthy  surface  covered  with 
trees,  not  usually  if  at  all  subject  to  floods,  but  that  subsequently 
it  became,  more  or  less,  constantly  submerged  so  as  to  destroy 
its  previous  forest  growth,  and  to  cover  the  bodies  of  the  former 
vegetable  giants  of  the  district  beneath  one  uniform  dark  surface 
— the  offspring  of  a  very  inferior  annual  vegetable  growth  and 
decay,  mingled  with  earthy  deposits. 

This  great  change  has  usually  been  attributed  to  the  burn- 
ing of  the  forests  by  the  Romans,  on  account  of  the  covert  it 
afforded  to  swarms  of  suffering  Britons,  who  lost  no  opportunity 
of  harassing  the  forces  of  their  subjugators  on  their  march  along 
the  great  military  road,  or  Ermine  Street,  between  Lindum  and 
Danum ;  and  there  certainly  are  apparent  signs  of  burningf  about 
the  stumps  of  some  of  these  trees,  but  others  have  clearly  been 
cut  down,  the  marks  of  the  axe  still  remaining  perfect  on  their 
surfaces,  and  many  more  have  been  torn  up  by  the  roots,  and 
occasionally  splintered,  perhaps  by  their  fall.  It  is  quite  clear 
that  the  Britons  and  the  BomansJ  used  this  great  forest,  traces 
of  both  having  been  discovered  intermingled  with  its  remains ; 
and  to  them  may  be  attributed  the  marks  of  cutting  and  burning 
still  apparent.  But  great  though  the  power  of  Rome  was,  and 
abundant  her  supply  of  British  slave  labour,  it  is  not  possible  to 

*  In  the  valley  of  the  Witham,  at  Lincoln,  all  the  burials  in  the  south- 
ern Koman  cemetery  are  in  the  sandy  subsoil  of  that  locale,  and  the  sepulchral 
monuments,  &c.,  of  that  people  are  always  found  below  the  present  superin- 
cumbent moorish  soil. 

t  It  is  very  observable  (says  De  la  Pryme)  and  manifestly  evident,  that 
many  of  those  trees,  of  all  sorts,  have  been  burnt,  but  especially  the  fir  trees, 
some  quite  through,  and  some  all  on  a  side,  some  have  been  found  chopped 
and  squared,  some  bored  through,  others  half  riven  with  great  wooden  wedges 
and  stones  in  them,  and  broken  axe  heads,  somewhat  like  sacrificing  axes  in 
shape,  and  all  this  in  such  places  and  at  such  depths  as  could  never  be  opened 
from  the  destruction  of  this  forest  until  the  time  of  the  drainage. 

J  Close  to  one  of  the  roots  of  the  submerged  trees  in  Hatfield,  eight  or 
nine  Roman  coins  were  found,  also  much  Roman  pottery  at  other  spots. 


10  SLEAFOED. 

conceive  that  such  an  enormous  tract  of  woodland,  as  Hatfield 
Chase,  was  destroyed  by  the  hand  of  man,  particularly  as  a 
clearance  of  a  few  miles  on  either  side  of  their  military  way  and 
around  their  various  Stations  by  the  Eomans,  would  have  an- 
swered every  purpose  of  security  ;  nor  would  the  felled  trees  ever 
have  so  impeded  the  flow  of  the  inland  waters  as  to  convert  an 
immense  district  of  previously  dry  land  into  a  permanent  swamp, 
as  has  been  suggested.  Another  solution  of  this  phenomenon, 
therefore,  must  be  suggested,  in  connection  with  a  still  more  re- 
markable fact  which  remains  to  be  described,  namely,  the 
existence  of  a  submarine  forest  off  the  present  Lincolnshire  coast. 

At  intervals  along  the  shore  of  this  county,  from  Sutton  to 
Glee-Thorpes,  many  banks  or  islands  are  from  time  to  time  ex- 
posed to  view.  These  are  usually  covered  with  silt,  but  when 
occasionally  stripped  of  that  marine  deposit,  they  are  found  to 
possess  a  substratum  of  moory  vegetable  soil,  filled  with  the  roots 
of  prostrate  trees  of  very  large  size,  accompanied  by  their 
berries,  nuts,  and  leaves.  Some  may  be  particularly  instanced  at 
Huttoft,  in^Calce  worth  Hundred,  and  marked  in  Mitchell's  chart 
of  this  coast  under  the  term  of  "  Clay-huts,"  whence  Huttoft 
perhaps  derives  its  name.  These  were  visited  in  1796  by  Sir 
Joseph  Banks,  and  Corria  de  Serra,  a  scientific  member  of  the 
Society  of  Antiquaries,  who  published  an  account  of  his  observa- 
tions on  that  occasion  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions  of  the 
Royal  Society,  whence  we  gather  that  these  islands  abounded 
with  the  roots  of  oaks,  firs,  and  birches,  still  firmly  imbedded  in 
the  soil  where  they  grew,  whilst  their  fallen  trunks,  covered  with 
bark  in  a  very  fresh  condition,  were  lying  near  them  in  the  midst 
of  a  bed  of  partially  decomposed  leaves,  mixed  with  decayed 
rushes,  sedges,  and  other  vegetable  matter,  forming  a  black  peaty 
stratum ;  the  water  was  observed  to  deepen  on  the  seaward  side 
of  the  line  of  islands,  so  as  to  form  a  steep  bank,  and  the  chan- 
nels between  them  were  from  four  to  twelve  feet  deep.  From 
experiments  made  below  the  surface  of  the  islands,  as  well  as  at 
Sutton,  Mablethorpe,  and  other  spots  on  the  mainland,  it  was 
clearly  ascertained  that  the  subsoil  of  both  was  identical. 

It  will  now  be  desirable  to  answer  the  very  natural  ques- 
tions that  may  be  put  in  connection  with  these  facts,  namely, 
"When  these  districts  were  severally  submerged  by  fresh  and 
salt  water  ?"  and  "  By  what  agency  ?" 


SLEAFOED. 


11 


Various  theories  have  been  advanced  for  the  purpose  of 
solving  these  problems,  the  principal  of  which  are — 

1.  The  interference  of  the  Eomans  with  the  natural  drainage. 

2.  A  change  in  the  coastal  line  through  the  action  of  the  sea. 

3.  The  agency  of  earthquakes  causing  subsidence  of  the 

earth. 

Let  us  shortly  consider  each  of  these.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
the  Romans  did  raise  a  continuous  sea  bank  along  the  greater 
portion  of  the  Lincolnshire  coastal  line,  of  which  considerable 
remains  still  exist ;  also  that  they  deepened  the  outfalls  of  rivers 
and  such  drains  as  they  chose  to  make  or  retain,  so  that  in 
after  times,  during  the  Saxon  period,  should  these  have  been 
neglected,  as  was  most  probably  the  case,  the  original  evil  would 
be  greatly  increased,  because  as  the  drainage  of  the  whole  low- 
land space  within  the  sea  bank  was  then  dependent  solely  upon 
the  artificial  and  not  numerous  outlets  provided  for  them  by  the 
Eomans,  if  these  should  be  silted  up,  a  permanent  flood  would  be 
the  consequence,  bringing  death  and  burial  with  its  waters  for 
the  forests  that  once  doubtless  covered  the  fens  of  Lincolnshire, 
no  tree  being  able  to  survive  a  continued  immersion  of  its  roots 
in  water.  This  theory,  however,  respecting  the  subterranean 
forests  of  Holland  and  Kesteven,  although  very  plausible,  is  not 
tenable,  because  it  has  been  clearly  ascertained  that  portions,  at 
least,  of  the  Eoman  bank  are  raised  upon  this  very  peaty  stratum 
of  which  it  has  been  supposed  to  be  the  originator,*  so  that  the 
submersion  of  the  forest  land  below,  clearly  belongs  to  a  date 
anterior  to  the  works  above  it ;  although  from  observations  on 
the  subsoil  of  Hatfield  Chase,  and  portions  of  the  Trent  and 
Witham  valleys,  we  have  reason  to  suppose  that  a  change  of 
levels  in  those  districts  took  place  at  a  later  period,  Eornan 
remains  having  been  found  there  below  the  peat  stratum  very 
commonly,  particularly  when  the  enclosure  of  Austerfield  was  in 
progress. 

Secondly,  finding  that  the  submersion  of  these  forest  lands 
was  not  affected  by  the  agency  of  the  Eomans,  also  that  large 
tracts  of  similar  lands  exist  beyond  the  sea  bank,  and  far  below 


*  Farming  of  Lincolnshire,    by  John  Algernon  Clarke,    Agricultural 
Journal,  vol.  12. 


ONTARIO 
12  SLEAFOKD. 

the  usual  level  of  the  sea,  it  has  been  suggested  that  a  change  in 
the  coastal  line  has  been  effected  by  the  action  of  the  sea. 

Great  changes  have  no  doubt  taken  place  in  the  outline  of 
the  Lincolnshire  coast,  owing  to  the  action  of  the  sea  on  its  ex- 
terior, and  the  ceaseless  flow  of  the  inland  waters  from  its  interior. 
Many  large  estuaries  are  now  completely  filled  up,  which  are 
known  to  have  formerly  existed;*  whilst,  from  the  remains  of 
forests  below  the  ordinary  level  of  the  sea,  it  is  clear  that  the 
coastal  boundary  once  extended  far  beyond  its  existing  limits. 
To  account  for  this  last-named  fact  it  has  been  supposed  that  a 
higher  ridge  of  land  may  have  once  existed  beyond  the  present 
tidal  line,  serving  to  protect  a  plain  lying  below  the  sea  level,  of 
which  the  islets  still  occasionally  visible  are  a  portion,  and  that 
this  ridge  was  either  gradually  worn  away  by  the  continual 
action  of  the  oceanic  currents,  which  are  remarkably  strong  off 
the  Lincolnshire  coast,  or  suddenly  broken  down  by  some  extra- 
ordinary combination  of  wind  and  tide,  upon  which  the  low  tract 
behind  it  would  also  of  necessity  become  the  prey  of  the  ocean. 
It  has  also  been  suggested  that  as  sandbanks  off  this  shallow 
coast  have  been  repeatedly  known  to  disappear,  and  to  form  again 
on  other  spots  with  great  rapidity  in  long  lines  parallel  with  the 
shore,  a  continuous  barrier  may  have  been  thrown  up  under  some 
extraordinary  combination  of  wind  and  tide,  behind  whose  shelter- 
ing limits  vegetation  might  soon  demonstrate  its  power,  so  as  to 
gradually  produce  a  forest  that  existed  for  some  centuries,  until 
at  length  that  element  from  which  it  had  been  rescued,  putting 
forth  unwonted  strength,  broke  through  the  boundary  of  its  own 
creation,  and  again  claimed  its  supremacy  over  the  tract  beyond  it. 
This  theory  is  supposed  to  have  been  strengthened  by  the  fact  of 
the  destruction  in  the  llth  century,  of  a  great  part  of  Earl  God- 
win's lands  on  the  Kentish  coast,  the  site  of  which  is  still  so 
often  and  so  fatally  indicated  by  the  Goodwin  sands,  off  Deal, 
and  exposed  to  view  during  low  tides ;  but  I  believe  both  this 
Kentish  submersion  of  land  and  that  of  Lincolnshire  arose  from 
another  cause,  which  now  remains  to  be  considered,  namely, 


*  Such  as  Bicker  Haven,  seven  miles  long,  which  still  remained  a  salt 
marsh  in  1611,  being  marked  as  such,  at  that  date,  by  Hondius,  on  a  map  of 
the  lowlands  of  Lincolnshire,  &c.,  published  at  Amsterdam,  and  which,  when 
existing,  must  have  entirely  altered  the  outline  of  the  "Wash. 


SLEAFOKD.  13 

"  Subsidence."  This  phenomenon  of  the  existence  of  submarine 
forests  is  by  no  means  a  rare  one,  and  may  be  witnessed  at 
various  points  of  the  shores  of  Scotland,  England,  and  Wales. 
On  the  northern  shore  of  Fife,  bordering  the  estuary  of  the  Tay, 
such  a  forest  may  be  seen  occasionally,  although  usually  concealed 
by  a  bed  of  stratified  silty  clay,  from  fifteen  to  twenty-five  feet 
thick,  interspersed  with  marine  shells.  In  Hartlepool  Bay,  such 
another  forest  may  be  seen  during  the  lowest  neap  tides,  whose 
stumps  of  oaks,  firs,  alders,  thorns,  and  hazels,  intermixed  with 
their  berries,  nuts,  seeds,  and  also  with  the  horns  of  the  ox,  red- 
deer,  and  even  with  the  wing-cases  of  land  beetles,  not  unfrequently 
excite  considerable  attention.  In  Yorkshire  are  several  similar 
instances.  Off  Owthorne  is  a  bed  of  fresh-water  deposit,  usually 
below  the  sea,  containing  roots  of  oaks,  hazels,  &c.,  and  amongst 
their  fallen  nuts  and  leaves,  a  British  "  dug-out,"  or  canoe,  was 
discovered,  together  with  the  horns  and  bones  of  the  red-deer ; 
and  I  am  informed  that  at  other  points,  on  the  Holderness  coast, 
submarine  forests  have  also  occasionally  become  visible,  as  well 
as  at  Holme,  in  Norfolk,  on  the  southern  side  of  the  Wash. 
The  south  coast  possesses  many  examples  of  the  same  character, 
of  which  Bournemouth  offers  one,  and  the  tract  between  Newlyn 
and  St.  Michael's  Mount  another.  This  was  once  no  doubt 
forest  land,  and  confirms  in  a  remarkable  manner,  the  ancient 
title  of  that  extraordinary  eminence,  which,  according  to  Oarew, 
was  termed  "  the  rock  in  the  wood."  Sir  H.  de  la  Beche 
says  the  shores  of  West  Somerset,  Devonshire,  and  Cornwall 
abound  with  instances  of  these  submerged  lands ;  and  one  has 
been  recently  observed  in  Padstow  Harbour,  on  the  northern 
coast  of  the  last  named  county,  which  was  suddenly  exposed 
to  view  by  the  shifting  of  a  sand  bank.  In  South  Wales, 
Giraldus  de  Barri,  or  Cambrensis,  as  he  is  usually  termed,  ob- 
served such  a  phenomenon  so  long  ago  as  1188.  He  says  in 
his  "Itinerary,"  chapter  13,  page  217 1  "The  sandy  shores  of 
South  Wales  being  laid  bare  by  the  extraordinary  violence  of 
a  storm,  the  surface  of  the  earth  which  had  been  covered  for 
many  ages  re-appeared,  and  discovered  the  trunks  of  trees  cut 
off,  standing  in  the  very  sea  itself,  the  strokes  of  the  hatchet 
appearing  as  if  made  only  yesterday ;  the  soil  was  very  black,  and 
the  wood  like  ebony.  By  a  wonderful  revolution,  the  road  for 
ships  became  impassable,  and  looked  not  like  a  shore,  but  like  a 


14  SLEAFOKD. 

grove,  cut  down  perhaps  at  the  time  of  the  deluge,  or  not  long 
after,  but  certainly  in  very  remote  times."  In  my  opinion,  how- 
ever, these,  and  many  other  instances  that  might  have  been 
mentioned,  of  the  present  position  .of  what  have  clearly  once 
formed  large  forest  districts,  but  are  now  far  below  the  usual 
level  of  the  sea,  can  only  be  satisfactorily  accounted  for  by  partial 
subsidences  of  the  crust  of  the  earth.  This  theory  may  indeed 
appear  to  be  moro  marvellous  than  the  preceding  ones,  and 
therefore  less  likely  to  be  true  in  the  opinion  of  those  who  are 
acquainted  with  geology ;  but  when  from  the  study  of  that 
science  we  find  that  certain  strata,  the  undoubted  deposit  of 
water,  are  now  upheaved  far  above  the  reach  of  that  element, 
and  that  large  tracts  of  land  have  sunk  beneath  it,  we  can  only 
regard  such  changes  as  one  of  the  usual,  but  always  wonderful, 
operations  of  nature.  Strabo  was  well  acquainted  with  this 
motive  power  in  the  earth's  crust,  who  says,  "It  is  not  because 
the  lands  covered  by  seas  were  originally  at  different  altitudes 
that  the  waters  have  risen  or  subsided,  or  receded  from  some  parts 
and  inundated  others ;  but  the  reason  is  that  the  land  is  some- 
times raised  up,  and  sometimes  depressed,  and  the  sea  also  is 
simultaneously  raised  and  depressed,  so  that  it  either  overflows 
or  returns  into  its  own  place  again."  It  may  be  said,  however, 
these  were  old — perhaps  antediluvian  changes,  and  we  are  quite 
sure  the  earth  has  long  stood  firm.  It  will  be  well,  therefore,  to 
mention  an  instance  of  the  subsidence  and  elevation  of  land  during 
the  historic  period.  Perhaps  the  most  noted  one  is  that  which 
occurred  at  Pozzuoli,  in  the  bay  of  Baise,  as  indicated  by  the 
pillars  of  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Sera  pis  at  that  place,  and  certified 
by  documentary  evidence.  Originally,  that  temple  of  course  was 
built  above  the  level  of  the  sea ;  the  site  then  sank  twelve  feet,  so 
as  to  submerge  its  columns  in  a  fresh- water  deposit  which  pro- 
tected them  from  future  injury.  The  subsidence,  however, 
continued,  and  then  the  sea  swept  over  this  newly-formed  marshy 
surface,  covering  the  columns  of  Jupiter's  temple  to  a  depth  of 
nine  feet  more,  and  exposing  them  to  the  depredations  of  that 
destructive  marine  bivalve,  the  "Lithodomus"  of  Cuvier,  from 
which  they  have  greatly  suffered.  At  one  period  then  they  were 
sunk  twenty-one  feet  below  the  sea  level,*  leaving  a  little  less 

*  Evidence  of  a  most  conclusive  character  was  obtained  by  Mr.  Babbage, 


SLEAFOBD.  15 

than  half  their  original  height  above  it ;  but  then  another  change 
began,  and  the  flat  shore  where  this  temple  stands  gradually  rose 
again ;  a  document  of  the  reign  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  of 
Spain,  referring  to  a  grant  of  land  at  Pozzuoli  made  to  the  Uni- 
versity of  that  town  "where  the  sea  is  drying  up,"  and  another 
of  Ferdinand's  alone,  a  little  later,  speaking  of  the  same 
locale  as  one  "where  the  ground  was  dried  up."  In  the  year 
1538,  the  year  of  a  great  eruption  of  Vesuvius,  the  land  about 
Pozzuoli  rose  rapidly,  but  it  has  since  slightly  sunk  again,  and 
now  is  apparently  stationary.  Again,  an  earthquake  that  occurred 
in  1819,  on  the  Delta  of  the  Indus,  was  followed  by  very  extra- 
ordinary and  permanent  changes  in  the  levels  of  the  adjacent 
district ;  the  eastern  channel  of  that  river  bounding  the  province 
of  Cutch,  suddenly  deepening  at  Luckput  from  one  foot  to  eighteen 
feet,  so  as  to  render  it  navigable,  and  at  the  same  time  creating 
a  large  inland  lake,  whilst  Sindree,  above  Luckput,  together  with 
its  fort,  gradually  sank  below  the  newly-created  waters,  until  its 
angle  towers  alone  appeared  above  their  surface ;  but  in  exchange 
for  this  depression,  an  elevation  fifty  miles  long  appeared  rising 
from  a  previously  flat  plain,  at  a  distance  of  about  five  miles  from 
Sindree,  which  the  inhabitants  very  appropriately  termed  "Ullah 
Bund,"  or  mound  of  God.  Peihaps,  however,  the  most  striking 
modern  illustration  of  what  has  once  taken  place  in  many  portions 
of  England,  may  at  this  time  be  witnessed  in  the  United  States. 
In  1811,  the  valley  reaching  from  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio  to  that 
of  the  St.  Francis  (300  miles  long),  was  convulsed,  after  which 
several  new  lakes  were  formed,  such  as  Obion  in  Tennessee,  twenty 
miles  in  length,  and  another  near  New  Madrid,  about  ten  miles 
west  of  the  Mississippi  in  Missouri,  termed  "the  sunk  country." 
This  is  seventy  or  eighty  miles  long,  and  thirty  wide,  and  from 
its  placid  surface  rise  the  trunks  of  innumerable  semi-submerged 
trees, .  all  dead,  and  whitening  in  the  wind  previous  to  the  final 
plunge  they  must  all  shortly  make  into  that  deadly  element 
below,  wherein  so  many  of  their  brothers  have  already  sunk 
before  them. 


as  to  the  elevation  of  a  considerable  tract  of  land  in  the  vicinity  of  this  temple, 
for  at  thirty-two  feet  above  the  present  sea  level,  he  discovered  a  wave- 
worn  line  covered  with  barnacles,  and  pierced  by  boring  testacea  on  the  face 
of  the  banks  above  the  tract  of  land  lying  below  them. 


16  SLEAFOKD. 

It  may  be  remarked,  however,  that  in  these  instances,  vol- 
canic agency  was  the  cause  of  the  subsidences  spoken  of,  whereas 
no  signs  of  such  a  power  exist  in  the  lowlands  of  Lincolnshire  or 
on  its  coast.  But  neither  are  they  to  be  found  in  that  of  the 
American  sunk  country,  nor  do  earthquakes  usually  leave  any 
direct  evidences  of  their  mighty  agency  behind  them,  although 
they  often  have  been  connected  with  permanent  changes  of  the 
earth's  surface  of  a  great  and  extraordinary  character.  Again, 
even  some  natives  of  Lincolnshire  may  say  "  But  when  had  we 
earthquakes?"  I  will  therefore  instance  a  few.  In  1048  there 
was  a  serious  convulsion  in  that  county,*  also  another  in  1117, 
that  particularly  affected  the  division  of  Holland,  greatly  endan- 
gering and  injuring  Croyland  Abbey,  portions  of  which,  then  just 
built,  were  with  difficulty  stayed  up  by  vast  timber  props. f  In 
1185  Lincoln  was  much  damaged  by  an  earthquake.  J  In  1448  a 
violent  shock  was  again  felt  in  the  southern  parts  of  the  county.  § 
In  1750  a  shock  occurred  throughout  its  whole  extent,  and  in 
parts  of  Lincolnshire  and  Northamptonshire,  attended  by  a 
rumbling  noise.  It  happened  on  a  Sunday  and  the  people  ran 
out  of  churches  from  their  devotions  in  great  alarm  ;  chimneys 
fell;  houses  tottered,  and  plates,  &c.,  fell  from  shelves. ||  And 
so  late  as  1792,  Bourne  and  the  neighbouring  towns  experienced 
another  shock  of  an  earthquake.  It  is  not  necessary  to  point 


*  1048.  Quo  anno  terrsemotus  factus  est  magnus  Cal.  Martii  die,  Domi- 
nica. —Historia  Ingulphi  (Oxford  edition,  1684),  p.  64. 

f  Hoc  terrsemotu  cum  etiam  Anglia  in  multis  provinciis  gravissime  vex- 
aretur,  verum  Ecclesise  Croylandensis  opus  recens,  et  adhuc  sine  constabiliente 
nave  tenerum,  proh  dolor !  in  australi  muro  corporis  sui  horribilibus  orificiis 
dehiscens,  proximam  ruinam  minabatur  acturum,  nisi  Carpentariorum  indus- 
tria  longissimis  trabibus  et  tignis  transversis  stabili  concordia,  usque  ad 
navis  impositse  confoederatiorem  deinceps  solida  constantia  fulciretur. — Ibid, 
p.  129.  Petri  Blesensis  continuatio. 

£  A.D.  1185.  Terrse  motus  magnus  auditus  est  fere  per  totam  Aiigliam, 
qualis  ab  initio  mundi  in  terra  ilia  non  erat  auditus.  Petrse  enim  scissae  sunt, 
donms  apidese  ceciderunt,  Ecclesia  Lincolniensis  metropolitana  scissa  est  a 
summo  deorsnm.  Contigit  autem  terrse  motus  iste  in  crastino  diei  dominicse 
in  ramis  palmarum,  viz.  xvii  Kal.  Maii. — Roger  Hoveden,  359. 

§  Historia  Croylandensis  continuatio,  p.  526. 

H  Collections  for  a  Topographical  History  of  the  Hundred  of  Aveland,  by 
John  Moore. 


SLEAFOED.  17 

to  any  instances  of  elevation  of  land  in  Lincolnshire  as  a 
counterpoise  to  the  subsidence  of  others  for  the  purpose  of 
corroborating  this  theory  which  I  have  ventured  to  advance, 
because  none  was  observable  in  the  case  of  the  Mississippi  valley 
and  other  examples,  but  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  a  slow 
upward  movement  has  begun  to  take  place  in  large  districts  of 
Lincolnshire  long  ago,  and  that  by  means  of  carefully  conducted 
scientific  observations  this  will  be  hereafter  certainly  proved,  and 
accurately  measured.  The  filling  up  of  channels  and  estuaries 
of  large  size  that  formerly  existed,  and  the  rapid  growth  of  its 
coasts  at  various  points,  apparently  indicate  this,  whilst  the 
known  gradual  but  continually  increasing  elevation  of  the 
Danish  coast,  and  parts  of  Norway,  greatly  strengthen  such  a 
supposition.*  Nor  need  such  an  hypothesis  be  considered  extrava- 
gant. There  stands  the  fact  of  the  existence  of  submarine  forests. 
They  must  have  acquired  their  present  depression  through  some 
convulsion  of  nature,  that  I  believe  to  be  subsidence,  and  surely 
the  upheaval  of  lands  is  not  more  extraordinary  than  their 
depression  ;  at  all  events  both  phenomena  have  repeatedly 
occurred  on  a  very  large  scale  ;  and,  in  conclusion,  I  thankfully 
shelter  my  opinion  behind  the  strong  shield  of  Sir  Charles  Lyell, 
who  says  (Principles  of  Geology,  page  289,)  "If  we  could  com- 
pare with  equal  accuracy  the  ancient  and  actual  state  of  all  the 
islands  and  continents,  we  should  probably  discover  that  millions 


*  Professor  Worsaae,  in  his  Primaeval  Antiquities  of  Denmark,  page  9,  says, 
— "  Denmark  seems  to  have  been  raised,  by  a  powerful  revolution  of  nature, 
from  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  By  degrees  its  naked  banks  of  gravel  became 
covered  with  aspen  forests.  When  the  land  rose  still  higher,  and  the  damp- 
ness diminished,  the  aspen  disappeared  after  having,  by  numerous  growths, 
formed  a  way  for  the  fir,  which  now  spread  all  over  the  country.  This  species 
of  tree  continued  for  a  very  long  period,  but  at  length  was  compelled  to  give 
place  to  a  very  different  and  a  higher  class.  At  first  the  beech  was  unable  to 
grow  here.  The  earth  was  covered  with  oaks,  of  that  species  termed  the 
winter  oak,  which  differs  from  the  now  prevailing  species  the  summer  oak ; 
these  were  succeeded  by  groves  of  alders,  until  all  was  so  prepared  and  develo- 
ped that  the  light  and  beautiful  beech  spread  its  crowns  over  the  whole 
country.  That  Denmark  in  its  primaeval  times,  before  it  possessed  its  present 
vegetation,  had  passed  through  these  four  periods,  is  clearly  proved  from  the 
ancient  peat  bogs,  in  which  are  found  stems  of  trees  of  each  distinct  period 
lying  like  beds  one  over  the  other." 

B 


18 


SLEAFORD. 


of  our  race  are  now  supported  by  lands  situated  where  deep  seas 
prevailed  in  earlier  ages.  In  many  districts  not  yet  occupied  by 
man,  land  animals  and  forests  now  abound,  where  ships  once 
sailed  ;  and  on  the  other  hand  we  shall  find  on  inquiry,  that 
inroads  of  the  ocean  have  been  no  less  considerable.  When,  to 
these  revolutions  produced  by  aqueous  causes,  we  add  analogous 
changes  wrought  by  igneous  agency,  we  shall  perhaps  acknow- 
ledge the  justice  of  the  conclusion  of  Aristotle,  who  declared 
(Meteorics,  chapter  12,)  "  That  the  whole  land  and  sea  on  our 
globe  periodically  changed  places." 


THE    BRETONS. 

Chroniclers  of  all  ages  have  usually  been  tempted  to  cast  a 
glittering  veil  over  the  origin  of  the  nations  whose  history  they 
have  undertaken  to  record,  whence  the  truth  is  often  with 
difficulty  discovered  after  the  mind  of  the  reader  has  recovered 
from  the  influence  of  this  medium,  and  gathered  strength  to  view 
historic  incidents  in  their  just  proportions.  Such  fictitious  bright- 
ness was  shed  by  the  Roman  Poets  and  Historians  over  their 
descriptions  of  the  original  colonization  of  their  afterwards 
mighty  capital,  and  nothing  less  than  a  semi-Divine  semi-Heroic 
origin  could  be  ascribed  by  them  to  so  great  a  people  as  the 
Romans,  or  entertained  by  their  countrymen,  so  that  whilst  their 
chroniclers  gilded  the  stern,  or  perhaps  really  unknown  truth, 
those  for  whom  they  wrote  gladly  fostered  it.*  Anchises  and 
Venus  were  said  to  have  been  the  progenitors  of  the  Roman 
race ;  and  in  like  manner  Brutus,  the  Great  Grandson  of  these 
same  illustrious  personages,  has  been  fixed  upon  by  some  of  our 
earlier  historians  as  the  first  British  Colonist,  and  the  founder  of 
our  nation. 


*  But  few  if  any  Nations  know  for  certain  the  exact  particulars  of  their 
first  origin.  Richard  of  Cirencester  saying  Cap.  III.  "Solis  quippe  Judseis, 
et  per  ipsos  fmitimis  quibusdam  gentibus,  hoc  contigit  felicitatis,  ut  a 
primo  inde  mundi  exordio  gentis  suse  originem  coiitinua  serie  ex  infallibilibus 
deducere  possint  monumentis. 


SLEAFOED.  19 

The  time  has  however  arrived  when  no  such  baseless  fictions 
can  be  indulged  in,  and  writers  as  a  rule  desire  only  to  elicit  and 
record  the  truth  when  speaking  of  the  past,  without  prejudice  or 
exaggeration. 

The  existence  of  Britain  was  known  to  several  southern 
nations  for  five  centuries  before  the  Christian  JEra,  Herodotus 
alluding  to  it  under  the  term  of  the  Cassiterides,  or  tin-islands  ;  * 
but  Aristotle,  who  lived  B.C.  350,  is  the  first  author  who  mentions 
it  by  name,  describing  it  as  consisting  of  two  very  large  islands 
Albionf  and  Ierne,J  called  the  Britannic,  §  and  lying  beyond  the 
Celtse. 

Little  however  was  known  of  this  country  for  some  centuries 
after  this  period,  except  by  the  Phoenicians,  who  had  held  com- 
munication with  parts  of  Albion ||  from  the  time  of  Homer  for  the 
purpose  of  exporting  tin,  but  they  were  probably  only  acquainted 
with  some  of  its  ports  on  the  Cornish  coast,  the  Scilly  Isles,  the 
Isle  of  Wight,  and  perhaps  some  portions  of  the  Irish  and  Welsh 
coasts ;  and  what  they  did  know  they  kept  a  profound  secret 
from  interested  motives  connected  with  their  trafiic  ;^[  so  that 
with  the  exception  of  a  visit  from  Himilco  sent  from  Carthage 
on  an  exploratory  expedition  between  the  years  B.C.  362  and  350, 
and  occasional  visits  from  the  traders  of  Massilia**4  and  Narbona, 


*  Strictly  speaking  the  Scilly  Isles  only  were  implied  by  this  term. 

f  A  term  doubtless  derived  from  the  whiteness  of  its  cliffs. 

J  Derived  perhaps  from  "Hiera"  or  sacred,  as  being  the  supposed 
original  seat  of  some  of  the  Celtic  Deities. 

§  The  Britons  and  their  country  are  said  by  some  to  have  received  their 
name  from  the  word  "brit  "  or  spotted,  because  of  the  devices  they  painted 
upon  their  bodies,  Martial  terming  them  "Ccerulei"  and  "Picti,"  Propertius 
"Infecti,"  and  Ovid  "  Virides,"  from  the  same  custom.  But  perhaps  they 
were  originally  so  termed  from  the  name  of  one  of  their  tribes,  as  was 
Brittany  on  the  other  side  of  the  channel. 

||  From  their  celebrated  settlement  at  Gades  or  Cadiz. 

U  It  is  narrated  by  Strabo,  III.  175,  that  a  Roman  vessel  continuing  to 
follow  a  Phoenician  one  when  on  a  cruise  to  Britain,  the  captain  of  this  last 
purposely  ran  his  Galley  on  shore  so  as  not  to  disclose  the  position  of  that 
Island,  and  that  he  was  most  liberally  rewarded  for  his  patriotism  on  his  return 
to  Cadiz. 

**  Pythias,  a  Greek  of  Massilia,  first  uses  the  term  Britannia,  who  coasted 
along  its  shores  for  six  days,  and  reached  "  Thule  "  or  the  Shetland  Isles. 


20  SLEAFOED. 

Britain  remained  almost  detached  from  the  rest  of  the  world* 
until  Julius  Caesar  made  his  celebrated  descent  upon  the  Kentish 
Coast,  B.C.  55.  He  had  previously  discovered  how  the  Phoenicians 
reached  Britain,  and  had  learnt  some  particulars  of  their  trade 
through  Publius  Crassus  whom  he  had  left  on  the  coast  of  Gaul 
after  his  first  Campaign  in  that  country ;  but  when  he  was 
advancing  himself  towards  the  British  channel  he  could  gather 
no  further  particulars  concerning  the  land  beyond  it  he  was 
proposing  to  invade,  although  he  summoned  the  chief  merchants 
and  sea-faring  people  of  the  coast  for  this  purpose ;  and  as  the 
Belgae  who  then  occupied  the  nearest  points  of  the  opposite 
shore,  still  kept  up  communication  with  their  parent  tribe  on  the 
continent,  it  was  probably  through  their  influence  that  they 
would  not,  rather  than  that  they  could  not  comply  with  his  desire. 
"Whilst  therefore  Csesar  was  assembling  his  troops  on  the  plains 
near  Calais  he  sent  Caius  Yolusenus  in  a  Galley  to  explore  the 
opposite  coast,  who  ran  along  it  for  five  days,  but  never  ventured 
to  disembark,  as  the  coming  invasion  was  well  known,  and  the 
Britons  were  generally  prepared  to  offer  a  fierce  resistance, 
although  some  tribes  had  offered  to  submit  and  to  give  hostages 
to  the  Roman  Chief.  Then  followed  the  descent,  Csesar  embark- 
ing from  the  "  Portus  Iccius, "  or  Boulogne  in  80  vessels, 
containing  his  7th  and  10th  Legions,  the  issue  of  which  adventure 
we  need  not  describe,  but  will  pass  on  to  the  condition  of 
Britain  and  its  inhabitants  at  this  very  important  period  of  its 
history. 

There  is  little  doubt  but  what  this  Island  was  originally 
peopled  by  the  Celtic  Gauls,  f  perhaps  by  some,  who  worsted 
in  the  contest  with  a  stronger  or  more  fortunate  one  pressing 
upon  it  from  the  interior,  boldly  betook  themselves  to  their  boats, 


*  Scipio  Africanus  Minor,  and  Polybius  the  historian,  during  the  interval, 
viz  :  B.C.  150,  had  vainly  endeavoured  to  find  out  the  course  to  these  islands 
although  they  instituted  inquiries  concerning  this  point  in  the  chief  cities  of 
Gaul.  Polybius  however  speaks  of  the  manner  in  which  tin  was  smelted  in 
Britain,  and  wrote  a  treatise  upon  the  subject,  which  is  now  lost. 

t  The  Celts  were  driven  forward  by  the  German  tribes,  who  were  them- 
selves in  some  measure  pressed  upon  by  the  Sarm'atian  race.  Tacitus  doubts 
whether  the  Britons  were  immigrants  or  an  indigenous  people,  he  suggests 
however  that  the  Caledonians  might  be  of  German,  the  "Welsh  of  Spanish, 
and  the  remainder  of  Gaulish  origin. 


SLEAFORD.  21 

and  ventured  across  the  sea  to  that  line  of  white  cliffs  occasion- 
ally appearing  on  the  horizon,  which  seemed  to  offer  them  a 
peaceful  asylum.  Then  other  expeditionary  parties  followed  no 
doubt,  who  also  settled  themselves  in  various  parts  of  Albion, 
the  fresh  arrivers  either  driving  forward  the  older  settlers,  or 
retreating  inland  themselves  according  to  the  issue  of  the  en- 
counters between  them.  Multitudes  of  Celtic  Gauls  were  driven 
out  from  the  district  between  the  Rhine  and  the  Seine,  and  took 
refuge  in  Britain  B.C.  150,  under  pressure  from  the  Belgse,*4 
(  "  Musgrave's  Belgium  Britannicum,"  page  94),  whilst  this 
strong  and  more  than  usually  intelligent  people,  in  its  turn,  had 
been  compelled  to  cross  the  channel,  and  to  settle  themselves  in 
the  South  Eastern  portion  of  our  Island,  again  expelling  those 
feebler  tribes  from  their  new  settlements  whom  they  had  pre- 
viously driven  from  the  Continent,  not  long  before  the  period 
of  Csesar's  landing  on  the  Kentish  Coast.  That  great  man 
informs  us  that  Britain  was  then  very  thickly  peopled,  that  it 
abounded  with  habitations  resembling  those  in  Gaul,  and  with 
cattle,  that  the  Belgse,  or  inhabitants  of  the  East  Coast  were  the 
most  civilized,  and  that  those  beyond  them  sowed  no  corn,  and 
wore  no  woollen  clothing,  their  food  being  flesh,  milk,  and  fruit, 
their  covering  skins  of  deer  and  sheep,  whilst  they  stained  their 
persons  with  a  blue  dye  to  render  their  appearance  more  fearful 
on  the  battle  field,  f  allowing  their  hair  to  flow  freely  over  their 
shoulders  and  their  moustaches  to  grow,  but  otherwise  being 
completely  shaved.  In  height  they  exceeded  both  the  Romans 
and  the  Gauls.  All  were  warriors,  their  frequent  intestine 
wars  having  served  as  a  school  in  which  the  art  of  war  had  been 
rudely  but  generally  studied  according  to  Gaulish  rules,  their 
women  even  being  ready  to  join  in  the  fray,  who  frequently 
contended  side  by  side  with  the  men  They  fought  on  horseback, 


*  Csesar  says,  Lib.  I,  cap.  I,  "  Gallia  est  omnis  divisa  in  partes  tres ; 
quarum  unam  incolunt  Belgse,  aliam  Aquitani,  tertiam,  qui  ipsorum  lingua 
Celtse,  nostra  Galli,  adpellantur.  Hi  omnes  lingua,  institutis,  legibus  inter  se 
differunt.  Wright,  together  with  other  authors,  supposes  that  these  first  were 
of  German  origin. 

t  They  deck  out  and  paint  their  bodies  with  curious  devices,  and  the 
shapes  of  all  sorts  of  creatures,  and  are  only  partially  clad,  lest  these  orna- 
ments should  be  concealed.  Herodian  Liber  III. 


22  SLEAFOKD. 

in  chariots,  and  on  foot,  the  last  being  by  far  the  most  numerous, 
and  from  their  extraordinary  agility  they  were  most  formi- 
dable. Their  arms  were  spears,  huge  pointless  swords,  and  small 
shields.  They  commenced  the  combat  by  charging  their  opponents 
with  their  chariots,  whence  they  first  discharged  their  spears, 
and  then  rushed  on  foot  into  the  midst  of  the  enemy's  ranks  in 
the  hope  of  throwing  them  into  confusion  ;  but  if  they  failed  in 
this,  they  rapidly  retreated  to  their  chariots,  in  the  management 
of  which  they  were  extraordinarily  skilful,  and  fell  back  upon 
their  infantry.  Despising  the  aid  of  breast  plate  and  helmet, 
they  were  the  better  able  to  execute  all  manoeuvres  requiring 
speed  and  agility.  Herodian  in  his  "  Life  of  Severus,  Liber  II" 
gives  the  following  interesting  description  of  the  Britons  as 
soldiers  when  they  were  supporting  the  rebel  Albians  in  Gaul 
against  Severus.  The  British  army,  (says  he)  consisted  of  great 
and  brave  troops  of  most  excellent  soldiers,  and  though  Severus 
in  his  speech  to  his  army  when  about  to  commence  his  campaign 
against  it  affected  to  despise  it,  calling  it  a  poor  army  of  Island- 
ers utterly  unable  to  resist  his  Roman  forces,  when  a  great  battle 
was  fought  between  the  two  armies  near  Lyons,  the  encounter 
was  so  fierce  and  protracted,  that  it  was  for  a  long  time  doubtful 
which  way  the  victory  would  incline ;  for,  says  this  author,  the 
Britons  were  not  at  all  inferior  to  the  Illyrians  in  manhood  or 
martial  ardour.  Some  historians  indeed  narrate  that  Severus 
was  at  one  time  put  to  flight,  beaten  off  his  horse,  forced  to  throw 
off  his  imperial  mantle,  and  hide  himself;  buf  that  Laetus  one  of 
his  commanders  charging  the  conquering  Britons  with  fresh 
troops,  altered  the  fate  of  the  day,  put  the  Britons  to  flight,  and 
pursuing  them  into  Lyons  sacked  and  burnt  that  town,  whence 
he  sent  the  head  of  Albinus  to  Borne.  Herodian  in  his  3rd  book 
also  gives  us  the  following  particulars  of  the  character  of 
British  Warriors  and  their  country,  which  are  particularly 
applicable  to  Lincolnshire.  "  The  most  part  of  Britain  (says  he), 
being  surrounded  by  the  ocean's  continual  irruption,  is  fenny  and 
moorish.  In  those  bogs  the  Barbarians  are  accustomed  to  swim 
and  run  up  and  down,  plunging  into  them  up  to  the  middle, 
because  being  half  naked  they  care  not  for  mire  and  mud." 
Severus  therefore  to  cope  with  such  amphibious  foes  gave  orders 
for  the  formation  of  Causeways  and  Bridges  in  the  marsh  dis- 
tricts before  the  opening  of  his  campaign  in  Britain,  so  that  his 


SLEAFOED.  23 

forces  might  have  a  better  chance  of  standing  upon  solid  ground. 
The  Government  of  the  Britons  was  first  in  the  hands  of  the 
Druids,*  and  secondly  of  the  Chiefs  of  tribes,  who  often  came 
into  collision  through  their  mutual  struggles  for  supreme  com- 
mand. The  Druids  were  exempt  from  serving  in  war,  from 
tribute,  and  various  liabilities  to  which  all  others  were  subject ; 
their  President  or  Chief  being  elected  by  the  Druidical  body. 
They  held  grand  councils  at  certain  times  and  places,  a  sacred 
oak  grove  in  "  Mona,"  or  Anglesea,  being  held  in  the  highest 
veneration  for  this  purpose,  when  their  most  solemn  decrees  and 
judgments  were  delivered,  which  none  dared  to  despise  under 
fear  of  being  in  consequence  excluded  from  the  public  sacrifices ; 
when  they  were,  they  were  regarded  as  outcasts,  utterly  unworthy 
of  associating  with  their  brethren  living  within  the  pale  of 
Druidism.  Their  sacred  rites  were  performed  in  the  depths  of 
ancient  oak  groves,  a  circle  of  huge  stones  indicating  the  limits 
of  their  sanctuaries ;  and  if  they  found  the  misletoe  growing  upon 
an  oak,  esteeming  it  sent  from  heaven  as  a  token  of  the  Deity's 
selection  of  that  particular  spot  to  be  worshipped  in,  they  held  it 
in  the  highest  veneration,  and  after  sacrificing  two  young  white 
bulls,  coming  in  white  robes,  they  cut  the  sacred  plant  with  a 
golden  sickle,  and  placed  it  with  much  reverence  upon  a  white 
cloth.  But  they  had  a  far  worse  habit  than  this,  namely  the 
offering  human  sacrifices,  which  they  believed  to  be  necessary 
to  appease  the  Q-ods  when  they  were  about  to  engage  in  war  or 
any  other  dangerous  enterprise,  or  when  sickness  prevailed,  for 
which  purpose  they  discreetly  reserved  thieves  and  other  male- 
factors ;  but  if  this  supply  failed  they  scrupled  not  to  offer  up 
innocent  persons  as  expiatory  sacrifices.  In  their  hands  also  were 
the  interpretation  of  all  portents,  the  administration  of  law,  and 
the  practice  of  medicine  ;  so  that  enjoying  as  they  did  so  many 
privileges  and  possessing  so  much  power,  it  is  not  wonderful  to 
find  that  their  body  was  very  numerous,  and  that  multitudes  of 
young  men,  amongst  whom  many  came  from  Q-aul,  were  com- 
mitted to  their  care  for  instruction.  These  they  taught  orally, 
disallowing  all  written  records,  but  teaching  the  mysteries  of 
their  Order,  and  preserving  the  annals  of  their  country  by  the 


*  Lucan  refers  to  the  Druids,  as  does  Pliny,  Liber  XXX. 


24  SLEAFOED. 

aid  of  memory  alone,  they  poured  forth,  their  learning  in  profuse 
viva  voce  versification.  They  also  indulcated  a  belief  in  the  transmi- 
gration of  souls,  as  one  lessening  the  fear  of  death,  and  were 
skilled  in  astronomy  and  natural  philosophy.  Besides  the 
Druids,  there  were  Bards,  who  sang  of  the  heroic  deeds  of  their 
countrymen  in  poetic  strains,  accompanied  by  the  harp.*  Poly- 
gamy appears  to  have  widely  prevailed  among  the  Britons. 
Bright  or  golden  coloured  hair  was  common  among  both  sexes, 
and  it  is  a  curious  fact  that  the  ladies  of  Borne,  admiring  this, 
dyed  their  hair  in  imitation  of  the  British  prevalent  tint,  just  as 
some  English  ladies  have  of  late  given  the  same  tint  to  their 
hair,  through  a  foolish  temporary  fashion.  To  this  Propertius 
alludes,  saying : 

"  Nunc  etiam  infectos  demens  imitare  Britannos 

Ludis  et  externo  tincta  nitore  caput." 

The  word  infectos  or,  as  some  read  "  insectos;"  referring  to  the 
blue  dye  procured  from  woad,  still  grown  in  Lincolnshire,  with 
which  the  Britons  tattooed  their  skins.  Cattle  and  sheep  were 
their  chief  wealth  ;  but  some  of  the  Eastern  tribes  wore  a  gold 
ring  on  the  middle  finger  of  their  left  hand,  and  their  chiefs  a 
tore  of  the  same  precious  metal  round  their  necks.  The  more 
northern  natives  wore  rings  of  iron  round  their  waists  and  necks 
(says  Herodian)  which  they  esteemed  as  valuable  as  other  bar- 
barians do  gold.  For  money  they  used  brass  pieces,  and  iron  rings 
of  a  fixed  weight ;  but  they  had  also  a  coinage,  whose  character 
was  rudely  copied  from  classical  types.  Besides  the  tin,  for  which 
Britain  has  been  ever  justly  celebrated,  it  is  said  to  have  produced 
thus  early  white  lead,  iron,  and  some  gold  and  silver,  as  well  as 
muscle  pearlsf  of  various  hues,  and  a  kind  of  cockle  producing 
an  unfading  red  dye.  The  Britons  had  also  bracelets  of  glass, 
amber,  ivory  and  jet,  in  great  plenty,  and  of  good  quality ;  but 
most  of  these  were  imported.  Their  habitations  were  log  huts 
thatched  with  reeds,  and  defended  by  an  inclosure  of  felled 


*  These,  as  well  as  the  Druids,  are  alluded  to  by  Lucan. 

t  These  are  said  to  have  attracted  Caesar  to  make  his  invasion,  and  Pliny 
reports,  Lib.  IX.  35,  that  upon  his  return  to  Rome  he  dedicated  a  breast- 
plate covered  with  British  Pearls  to  the  Goddess  Venus  Genetrix.  Tacitus 
says  the  British  Pearls  were  cloudy. 


SLEAFOPJX 


25 


trees  ;  *  these  were  not  intended  for  per- 
manent use,  as  the  Britons  were  for  the 
most  part  Nomades  ;  but  some  tribes  of 
Kent  and  Cornwall  had  better  houses, 
and  wore  more  cultivated  and  hospitable 
than  those  of  the  interior.  They  had 
boats,  the  keels  and  foot-stocks  of  which 
were  of  light  wood,  and  the  rest  of  wattles 
covered  with  hides,  besides  dug-outs  or 
canoes  hollowed  out  of  whole  trunks  of 
trees.  Several  such  canoes  have  been 
found  at  various  times  in  the  fens  of  Lin- 
colnshire, and  in  1828  a  very  perfect 
specimen  was  discovered  at  Horsey,  near 
Peterborough,  at  the  junction  of  the  old 
river  with  the  Nene.  This  is  figured  in  2 
Artis's  Durobrivse,  from  which  Fig.  1  is  C 
taken.  It  was  30  feet  long,  2  feet  8  inches 
across  at  the  widest  point,  and  formed  out 
of  the  trunk  of  a  tree.  Fig.  2  gives  the 
plan  of  the  same.  Near  it  were  found 
part  of  another  canoe,  formed  of  two  logs 
pinned  together,  the  heads  of  two  barbed 
fish  spears,  two  spear  heads,  and  two 
forks. 

According  to  Solinus,  the  Britons, 
whenever  they  were  making  a  voyage, 
abstained  from  food.  They  were  of  an 
inquisitive  disposition,  besetting  such  tra- 
vellers or  merchants  as  ventured  amongst 
them  with  questions,  and  compelling  them, 
to  disclose  all  they  knew  concerning 


*  Others  were  probably  formed  of  withies  or  wattles  covered  with  mud, 
their  interiors  being  partly  sunk  in  the  ground,  groups  of  shallow  pits  of  a 
circular  form  still  existing  in  various  parts  of  this  country,  once  forming  the 
substructures  of  such  dwellings,  particularly  in  Wiltshire,  and  have  been 
described  by  Sir  Richard  Colt  Hoare,  but  as  Roman  vestigia  have  been  found 
on  the  sites  of  many  of  these,  there  is  often  much  difficulty  in  determining 
positively  to  what  people  such  sites  should  be  assigned. 

C 


26  SLEAFOKD. 

foreign  lands.  Diodorus  describes  the  corn  growing  tribes  as 
storing  up  the  produce  of  their  fields  in  thatched  houses,  from 
which  they  took  sufficient  for  their  daily  wants  in  the  straw. 

Some  tribes  burnt  the  bodies  of  the  dead,  and  heaping  up 
around  them  a  pile  of  such  articles  as  were  pleasing  or  necessary 
to  the  deceased  when  living,  viz  :  animals,  arms,  vessels,  the 
whole  were  burnt  together ;  after  which  the  ashes  of  each  body 
were  deposited  in  an  earthen  jar ;  but  other  tribes  deposited 
their  dead  in  the  ground  accompanied  by  their  arms,  over  which 
large  tumuli  were  raised,  subsequently  termed,  "beorh,"  or 
"  bearw,"  by  the  Saxons,  and  now  barrow,  or  else  hlaew,  now  low 
or  hoe.  These  often  enclosed  a  "  cromlech  "*  or  rude  sepulchral 
chamber  formed  of  three  or  more  huge  stones,  over  which  the 
earth  was  piled  to  a  great  height,  and  sometimes  surrounded  by 
a  circle  of  stones,  whilst  in  other  cases  a  single  flat  stone  covered 
the  remains  of  the  deceased.  Such  were  the  habits  of  the  Britons, 
once  termed  by  Virgil,  "  Penitus  toto  divisos  orbe  Britannos." 
The  few  particulars  respecting  the  character  of  this  country  which 
may  be  gathered  from  ancient  authors  must  next  be  recorded. 
Csesar  compares  its  form  to  a  triangle,  having  its  southern 
shore,  or  base,  opposite  to  Gaul j  Livy  and  Fabius  Rusticus  to  an 
oblong  shield  or  a  two  edged  axe,  (bipennis) ;  whilst  Tacitus 
assents  to  this  comparison  should  Calidonia  be  exeepted,  which 
lie  describes  as  stretching  out  far  to  the  North,  and  terminating 
in  a  wedge-shaped  form.  As  regards  its  climate,  we  find  that 
the  present  common  opinion  respecting  it,  dates  from  a  very 
early  period.  Herodian  saying,  Lib.  III.,  "The  pools  and  fens 
out  of  which  the  foggy  Vapours  continually  arise  make  the  sky 
always  cloudy."  Strabo  and  Diodorus  describe  this  Island  as 
being  for  the  most  part  flat  and  woody,  but  as  having  some 
strong  places  on  the  hills.  Its  salt  and  hot  springs  are  also 
spoken  of,  as  being  used  for  baths,  and  aleo  its  profusion  of  birds 
and  fish,  Juvenal  alludes  to  its  whales  and  porpoises,  Sat.  X.  14, 
and  other  authors  mention  its  "  vituli  manni,"  or  seals,  its  sal- 
mon, herrings,  eels,  and  oysters. f  British  dogs  were  famous,  and 
highly  prized  by  th©  Koinans.  Some  of  these,  Strabo  informs 
us,  were  trained  for  war,  and  used  by  the  Q-auls  against  their 


This  is  a  Celtic  term  meaning  a  sidle  tabkj 
From  "Rutupise,"  or  Richboroughi 


SLEAFOBD.  27 

enemies  in  battle,  a  custom  still  practised  by  the  Spaniards  in 
the  16th  century  against  the  American  Indians  under  Vasquez, 
Nunez  de  Balboa  and  others ;  these  were  probably  mastiffs  ;  and 
Claudian,  "IE  Consul  Stilichonis,  301,"  refers  to  others  as  being 
employed  against  bulls,  i.  e.  bull- dogs  ;  these  were  required  for 
the  amphitheatre  at  Rome,  and  an  officer  or  agent,  termed  "  Cu- 
rator Cynegii,"  was  appointed  to  reside  in  Britain,  for  the  express 
purpose  of  collecting  them,  and  transmitting  them  to  Borne  to 
take  part  in  the  combats  exhibited  there.  "  Pennant's  British 
Zoology,  Vol.  I.  p.  80."  Lastly,  we  gather  that  British  funerals 
were  magnificent,  and  especially  those  of  great  chiefs. 

Lincolnshire,  on  the  arrival  of  the  Bomans  in  Britain,  was 
part  of  the  territory  of  the  Coritam,  a  Celtic  race.  The  boundaries 
of  this  people  no  doubt  varied  at  different  times,*4  but  their  coun- 
try certainly  lay  between  that  of  the  Brigantes  on  the  north,  and 
the  Iceni  on  the  south.  Its  seaboard  reached  from  the  Humber 
to  the  Wash ;  it  was  probably  bounded  by  the  Humber  and  Trent 
on  the  north  and  north  west,  the  Severn  on  the  west  and  south 
west,  and  the  Avon  and  Welland  on  the  south  ;  thus  including 
the  counties  of  Lincoln  and  Leicester,  and  parts  of  Nottingham- 
shire,  Derbyshire,  Staffordshire,  Worcestershire,  and  Warwick- 
shire ;  although  others  think  that  it  was  bounded  by  the  Dove 
and  Goit  on  the  west,  and  the  Nene  on  the  south,  including  within 
it  Lincolnshire,  Leicestershire,  Butlandshire,  Nottinghamshire, 
Derbyshire,  and  part  of  Northamptonshire.  Their  chief  towns 
were  Lind-Coit  or  Lincoln,  and  Bage  or  Leicester.  They  were 


*  Bishop  Gibson,  in  Camden  Col.,  p.  433>  ooserves,  "The  bounds  of  the 
ancient  nations  inhabiting  Britain  can  not  be  nicely  determined,  for  how  can 
we  hope  exactly  to  distinguish  them  when  our  ancient  authors  only  deliver  at 
large  in  what  quarter  of  the  nation  they  were  sealed)  without  descending  into 
their  particular  limits.  Besides  most  Of  the  barbarous  nations  seem  according 
to  their  strength  at  different  times  to  have  had  dominions  larger  and  narrower. 
Especially  in  Britain  (where  were  so  many  kings),  we  cannot  imagine  but  that 
they  were  frequently  making  encroachments  upon  one  another.  The  boundary 
west  of  the  Hltmbe?  Seems  to  have  been  that  mountainous  country  which 
stretches  between  the  DoUne  and  the  '  Seteia '  or  Mersey,  and  afterwards  the 
Mersey  itself."  This  chain  of  rivers  and  mountains,  which  it  is  presumed  con* 
tinned  afterwards  to  be  the  march  or  limits  between  the  kingdoms  of  Mercia 
and  Northumberland,  seems  to  have  been  a  sufficient  security  against  mutual 
encroachments  of  the  Brigantes  and  Coritani,  and  that  this  was  really  th<* 
limits  of  the  kingdom  of  Mercia  in  the  after  times  might  be  easily  shown-. 


28 


SLEAFORD. 


either  a  peaceful  or  a  timid  people,  who  through  retiring  before 
their  foreign  invaders  into  the  fastnesses  of  their  forests,  or  the 
ready  asylum  of  those  fens  with  which  the  eastern  part  of  their 
territory  abounded,  thus  escaped  defeat,  and  the  bitter  conse- 
quences of  revolt  against  their  better  disciplined  invaders,  which 
befel  the  more  pugnacious  Brigantes,  and  impatient  Iceni. 
When  Ostorius  Scapula,  the  Roman  commander  in  Britain  A.D.  50, 
was  securing  the  dominion  of  that  great  people  here,  and  subdued 
the  Brigantes  beyond  them,  the  Coritani  did  not  resist  him,  as 
he  passed  through  their  country  ;  and  when  Petilius  Cerealis 
subsequently  made  a  successful  campaign  against  the  same  people 
the  Coritani  again  refrained  from  resistance,  as  they  did  when 
the  famous  Julius  Agricola,  in  the  year  A.D.  78,  and  subsequently 
not  only  pushed  the  victorious  Roman  arms  far  beyond  all  previous 
limits,  but  consolidated  the  Roman  dominion  in  Britain  generally 
by  the  formation  of  admirable  military  roads,  and  the  construction 
of  permanent  camps  and  stations  along  their  lines,  the  remains  of 
which  are  still  distinctly  visible  on  the  soil  of  Lincolnshire, 
and  especially  in  that  portion  of  it  about  to  be  described.  The 
celebrated  geographer,  Ptolemy  is,  however,  the  first  author  that 
actually  speaks  of  the  Coritani,  A.D.  120,  who  in  giving  the  names 
of  the  British  tribes,  mentions  the  Ordovices,  the  Cornubii, 
the  Coritani,  the  Catyeuclani,  and  the  Dobuni ;  of  these  the 
Coritani  appear  to  have  possessed  themselves  of  Lincolnshire  and 
Leicestershire.  The  greater  part  of  their  territory  was  covered 
with  a  vast  forest,  which  appears  to  have  been  termed  Sylva 
Calidonia,  in  common  with  another  forest  district  so  called  in 
Kent.  L.  Florus,  Lib.  Ill,  describing  Csesar  as  following  the 
Britons  "  in  Calidonias  Sylvas,"*  called  after  the  actual  Sylva 
Calidonia  of  Scotland,  while  much  later  records  refer  to  the  great 
forest  formerly  covering  the  present  Division  of  Kesteven.  This 
woodland  tract  during  the  British  period  was  tenanted  by  the 
elk,  red  deer,  wolf,  and  wild  boar  ;f  and  perhaps  by  the  bear  and 
beaver,  remains  of  all  of  which  have  been  found  beneath  the 


*  Florus  appears  to  speak  of  Calidonia  Sylva  in  common  with  Saltus 
Hercynius  proverbially  when  he  mentions  a  forest  of  any  size.  Camden 
derives  Calidonia  from  kaled — rough. 

t  To  these  we  might  perhaps  add  the  great  Irish  Elk,  "  Cervus  Megace- 
ros,"  as  its  horns  have  been  found  in  the  adjoining  County  of  York,  viz.,  in 


SLEAFOED.  29 

surface  of  its  soil.  Then  also  the  eagle,  bustard,  stork,  crane, 
bittern,  kite,  rough  and  reve,  and  heron  abounded,  besides 
water  fowl,  and  fish  in  extraordinary  profusion. 

Csesar  was  utterly  unacquainted  with  the  more  remote  Celtic 
tribes  such  as  the  Coritani,*4  and  we  have  reason  to  think 
exaggerated  their  barbarous  condition.  The  Druids  were  certainly 
acquainted  with  the  use  of  letters,  although  they  preferred  oral 
instruction  and  learning  gathered  through  that  medium,  they  had 
considerable  skill  in  constructing  large  sea-going  vessels  and  war 
chariots,  casting  bronze  weapons,  stamping  gold  coins  after  Greek 
types,  and  making  pottery ;  but  above  all  in  transporting  and 
erecting  huge  stones  for  religious  or  sepulchral  purposes,  which 
still  excite  admiration,  and  in  throwing  up  defensive  earthworks 
of  prodigious  size  and  extent. 

The  Wapentakes  of  Flaxwell  and  Aswardhurn  are  not  rich  in 
British  remains.  A  large  mound  or  tumulus  in  Aswarby  Park 
close  to  the  Sieaford  and  Falkingham  road,  and  now  surmounted 
by  a  very  large  oak  several  hundred  years  old,  may  be  of  British 
origin,  as  tumuli  of  this  size  usually  were.  A  large  leaf-shaped 
sword  was  found  with  another  less  perfect  specimen  in  1852 
in  a  field  at  Billinghay  Dales,  between  the  Tattershall  turnpike 
road  and  Billinghay  Skirth,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  Tatter- 
shall  Bridge,  and  two  miles  from  the  Car  Dyke.  It  was  produced 
by  casting,  and  still  has  a  very  sharp  edge  on  both  sides.  It  has 
lost  its  point,  but  when  complete  was  22  inches  long  without  its 
handle,  and  If  inches  wide  across  the  broadest  part  of  the  blade. 


The  handle  is  now  gone,  but  some  of  the  rivets  that  once  fastened 
this  on  to  the  blade  still  remained  when  it  was  found.      Two 


Hornsea  Mere,  Holderness.  Claudius  Paulinus,  the  Propraetor,  sent  from 
Britain  as  a  present  to  Solemnis,  in  Gaul,  amongst  other  articles,  the  skin  of 
a  seal,  six  months  old.  This  is  recorded  in  an  inscription  on  a  marble  slab 
found  at  Vieux,  near  Caen,  in  Normandy.  Gold  and  silver  are  reported  also 
to  have  been  found  in  Britain,  by  Tacitus,  in  his  "Life  of  Agricola." 

*  But  little  was  known  of  the  character  of  Britain  at  Eome  for  some  time 
after  its  invasion  by  Julius  Csesar.     Horace  seems  to  speak  of  it  as  the  very 


30  SLEAFOED. 

brass  daggers  of  British  origin  were  found  in  removing  a  bank 
in  South  Kyme,  during  the  year  1820.  One  is  10  J  inches  long, 
the  other  7  j  inches.  See  Figs.  1  and  2,  Plate  II.  These  are  of 
peculiar  shape,  from  the  great  width  of  their  bases  originally 
enclosed  in  handles,  and  the  very  bright  colour  of  their  platina, 
which  gives  them  a  golden  appearance.  They  are  now  in  the 
Duke  of  Northumberland's  Museum,  at  Alnwick,  An  excellent 
example  of  a  grooved  and  looped  brass  palstave,  or  implement 
used  as  an  axe  or  chisel,  when  supplied  with  a  wooden  handle 
attached  to  it  by  a  thong  passed  through  the  metal  loop,  was 
found  in  1818,  at  the  old  ford  of  the  river  Slea.  A  very  fine  flint 
hammer  was  discovered  in  digging  gravel  on  some  rising  ground 
east  of  Sleaford  by  the  Tattershall  road ;  Fig.  3,  Plate  I,  and 
a  very  beautiful  vessel  was  found  at  Billinghay  a  few  years  ago ; 
it  is  of  pale  dull  red  earthenware  of  the  usual  British  form,  and 
carefully  ornamented  ;  7£  inches  high,  and  5|  inches  diameter  at 
the  widest  part.  Fig.  4,  Plate  I. 


EOMAN     BEMAINS. 

The  district  we  are  describing  has  been  indelibly  scored  by 
the  Eomans,  and  is  still  interspersed  with  traces  of  their  former 
supreme  dominion  over  it.  One  of  the  greatest  of  their  works 
in'  Britain — the  Ermine-Street,  or  High-Dyke,  forms  the  western 
boundary  of  the  Wapentakes  tinder  notice  ;  a  branch,  of  it — now 
represented  by  Mareham  lane,  intersects  that  of  Aswardhurn,  as 
does  another  great  Roman  work  unrivalled  in  England,  viz  :  the 
Car-Dyke — a  long  and  broad  navigable  drain.  These  must  first 
be  described  through  their  just  claim  to  such  preference. 


end  of  the  earth, 

"  Serves  itumm  Caesatem  in  ultimas 

Orbis  Britannos." — Carm.  Lib,  I.,  Ode  15. 

It  was  however  in  some  measure  described  by  Liv~y,  Stfabo,  Fabius  Busticus, 
Pomponius  Mela,  and  Pliny,  besides  Csesar,  and  Tacitus.  This  last  author 
agrees  with  Herodian  in  saying  the  sky  was  there  cloudy  and  rainy,  although 
the  cold  was  not  so  great  as  in  Gaul.  He  reports  that  its  vegetable  growth 
was  quick,  but  its  maturation  slow,  also  that  the  sea  surrounding  it  was  slug' 
gish  and  laborious  to  the  rower, 


PLATE   I. 


THE    ERMINE-STREET,    OR    OLD    ROMAN 
ROAD. 

This  great  work,  constituting  one  of  the  four  principal  Roman 
Roads  of  Britain,  may  fairly  vie  with  any  of  the  other  three,  both 
as  to  length  and  grandeur  of  design. 

Its  Roman  name  is  lost,  but  by  the  Saxons  it  was  termed 
Earminga-Street,  or  Eormen- Street,*  the  terminal  of  which  de- 
rived from  the  Roman  stratum,  is  still  represented  by  the  modern 
word — street,  or  road.  Perhaps  the  term  Earminga  or  Eormen 
was  derived  from  the  name  of  some  British  tribe,  as  Weetlinga- 
Street  was  from  Wsetla,  or  from  Eormen,  a  Saxon  deity,  or  the 
same  word  applied  to  anything  vast  or  noble.  That  portion  of  it 
running  from  Castor,  near  Peterborough,  to  the  Humber,  which 
will  now  be  described,  is  called  by  various  names  in  different 
localities,  such  as  the  Forty-foot  or  Norman-gate,  the  High-Dyke, 
the  Old-Street,  and  the  Ramper,  but  the  whole  constituted  one 
continuous  road,  still  usually  designated  the  Ermine-Street.  The 
Romans  were  certainly  not  the  first  road-makers  in  Britain,  whence 
it  is  quite  possible  that  part  of  the  great  military  roads  they  con- 
structed followed  the  lines  of  more  ancient  ones ;  but  these  Roman 
works  so  far  surpassed  all  that  had  before  existed,  as  to  constitute 
a  new  era  in  British  road-making,  f  which  must  have  been  re- 
garded with  wonder  by  the  natives  of  this  island,  although  they 


*  This  term  has  often  been  given  to  one  or  more  other  ancient  roads :  but 
there  is  now  a  general  agreement  with  Morton's  opinion,  who  says,  in  his 
History  of  Northamptonshire,  p.  502  :  "Whether  there  be  another  Erming- 
street,  or  not,  this  I  take  to  be  the  very  Erming-street  which  is  usually  reckoned 
one  of  the  four  great  Ways  ;  this  being  in  many  places  as  signal  and  consider- 
able for  its  breadth  and  height  as  the  Watling  Street,  and  also  paved  as  that 
is  in  some  places." 

i1  Hollinshed,  in  his  Chronicle,  V.  I,  p.  189,  says  that  a  British  king, 
Dunwallon,  commanded  four  principal  roads  to  be  formed  in  his  dominions, 
B.C.  483,  "  which  should  lead  such  as  trauelled  into  all  parts  thereof  from  sea 


32  SLEAFORD. 

perhaps  looked  angrily  upon  them,  as  serving  to  confirm  their 
subjugation.* 

Had  not  the  Roman  Itineraries  served  to  prove  the  origin  of 
such  roads,  the  remaining  entrenched  camps  through  which  the 
Ermine-Street  passes,  the  inscribed  stones,  the  articles  of  bronze, 
iron,  and  pottery,  together  with  the  innumerable  coins  found, 
and  still  being  found  along  its  line,  would  have  proclaimed  this 
beyond  doubt.  The  great  utility  of  such  roads  to  the  Romans  is 
palpable,  for  they  at  first  needed  these  as  subjugators,  and  subse- 
quently as  colonists,  after  the  Britons  had  ceased  to  oppose  them 
,  openly,  but  were  ready  to  make  covert  attacks  upon  them  when 
they  could  do  so  with  any  hope  of  success,  and  especially  when 
the  nature  of  the  country  facilitated  such  movements. 

In  Lincolnshire  this  was  peculiarly  the  case,  where  the  great 
forest  of  Kesteven  offered  shelter  to  the  natives,  who  were  inti- 
mately acquainted  with  its  fastnesses,  as  well  as  with  the  fens  and 
estuaries  with  which  it  then  abounded  to  a  far  greater  extent 
than  at  present,  and  were  always  safe  from  the  avenging  hand  of 
their  subjugators,  against  whose  iron  sway  they  long  chafed  and 
rebelled  whenever  they  dared  to  do  so.  To  counteract  such 
natural  advantages  on  the  part  of  the  Britons,  the  Romans 


to  sea,  his  subjects  having  been  previously  sorely  oppressed  by  theives  and 
robbers  as  they  trauelled  to  and  fro.  To  these  he  gave  sundrie  large  privileges, 
whereby  they  became  safe  and  verie  much  frequented,  and  caused  the  same  to 
be  paued  with  hard  stone  of  eighteene  foot  in  breadth,  ten  foot  in  depth,  and 
in  the  bottom  thereof  hugh  flint  stones,  also  to  be  pitched,  least  the  earth  in 
time  should  swallow  up  his  workemanship,  and  the  higher  ground  ouer-grow 
their  rising  crests,  and  the  names  of  these  four  waies  are  the  Fosse,  the 
Gwethelin,  or  Watling,  the  Erming,  and  the  Ikenild."  The  importance  of 
the  Ermine -street,  during  the  later  Saxon  period,  is  declared,  by  the  more 
severe  penalties  imposed  upon  persons  guilty  of  assault  or  other  misdemeanors 
upon  it,  the  Watling-Street,  and  the  Foss  Way,  than  elsewhere,  as  ordained 
by  Edward  the  Confessor,  and  confirmed  by  the  Conqueror. 

*  Most  bitterly  must  the  British  tribes  have  lamented  over  their  own 
want  of  Union  when  they  were  subject  to  such  hard  masters  as  the  Romans 
were  ;  for  as  only  ft  few  tribes  could  be  induced  at  one  time  to  act  in  concert 
against  their  foreign  invaders,  they  were  defeated  in  detail.  Their  stubborn- 
ness  was  subsequently  manifested  on  many  occasions,  and  they  only  submitted 
to  their  conquerors  through  the  severest  pressure,  being  always  eager  to  regain 
their  freedom,  which,  for  want  of  wise  counsel  rather  than  of  valour,  they 
had  lost, 


SLEAFORD.  33 

most  wisely  constructed  roads,  in  connection  with  which  they 
formed  stations  and  entrenched  camps  at  convenient  intervals, 
whence  forces  could  be  sent  from  point  to  point  as  required; 
and  thus  the  whole  country  was  eventually  supplied  with  a  com- 
plete system  of  military  roads.  So  well  was  this  design  planned 
and  carried  out,  that  considerable  remains  of  these  roads  still 
exist;  and  especially  of  the  Ermine-street,  which  serve  to  attest 
the  energy  and  perseverance  of  those  Eoman  Legions  formerly 
stationed  in  Britain  to  secure  its  possession.  The  structure  of  the 
Ermine- Street  was  not  so  elaborate  as  that  enjoined  by  Eoman 
authorities  on  this  art,  for  from  a  section  of  it  discovered  in  the 
parish  of  Winterton,  as  carefully  recorded  by  Mr.  Padley,  the 
earth  had  simply  been  excavated  to  the  depth  of  seventeen  inches, 
and  then  two  layers  of  rough  stones  on  edge,  slanting  in  opposite 
directions,  were  laid  to  constitute  the  foundation  of  the  road, 
which  had  no  central  rise,  nor  was  there  any  trace  found  of  the 
summum  dor  sum,  or  surface  paving.  The  width  of  this  paved 
portion  of  the  road  was  between  twelve  and  thirteen  feet,  and  the 
ordinary  height  of  its  embankment  three  feet ;  but  some  portions 
of  it  are  considerably  higher.  Of  the  date  of  this  ancient  work 


we  have  no  record.  It  is  possible  that  its  formation  may  have 
been  commenced  by  the  Propraetor  Ostorius  Scapula,*  A.D.  50,  in 
connection  with  his  campaign  against  the  Brigantes,  and  who  on 


»  He  was  famed  for  his  defeat  cf  the  Icerti,  who  had  submitted  to  the 
Romans  without  giving  battle,  but  who  at  length  took  courage  to  make  irrup- 
tions into  what  had  become  Roman  territory,  and  finally  to  revolt  openly  in 
concert  with  other  tribes,  after  they  had  formed  an  entrenched  stronghold,  and 
thought  that  no  Roman  general  Would  advance  against  them  during  the 
winter.  Ostorius,  however,  did  take  action,  and  notwithstanding  the  great 
Valour  they  exhibited,  stormed  their  stronghold)  and  entirely  routed  their 
forces,  so  that  all  the  Wavering  tribes  were  forced  to  declare  for  the  Romans, 
among  whom  were,  no  doubt,  the  Coritanians  of  Lincolnshire.  Then  followed 
the  campaign  against  the  Cangi,  or  people  of  Cheshire  and  Lancashire,  and 
that  against  Caractacus  and  the  Silures.  Ostorious  died  A.D*  55. — See  Tacit. 
L.  xii*,  c.  31,  32,  and  L.  XVL,  c.  23. 


34  SLEAFORD. 

his  return,  we  are  told,  had  time  to  give  all  due  attention  to  the 
province  committed  to  his  charge  :  or  it  may  have  been  begun  or 
carried  on  during  the  subsequent  campaigns  of  his  successor, 
Didius,  the  ally  of  Cartismandua,  queen  of  the  Brigantes,  against 
her  husband  Yenusius,  when  Vettius  Bolanus  took  the  same  course 
in  the  reign  of  Vitellius,  or  when  Petilius  Cerealis,*  during  his 
second  stay  in  Britain,  made  his  northern  campaign  :  but  if  not 
made  before,  it  certainly  must  have  been  constructed  when  Julius 
Cnseus  Agricola,  the  celebrated  Propraetor  and  nominee  of  Yitel- 
lius,  had  firmly  established  the  Roman  rule  in  Britain,  who 
advanced  three  times  towards  the  north  of  Britain  before  his 
removal  from  it,  A.D.  85. f  No  doubt  this  road,  in  common  with 
the  other  great  Roman  military  roads,  was  subsequently  exten- 
sively repaired,  and  perhaps  added  to  or  altered,  according  to 
Galen,  Book  IX,  c.  13.  Trajan,  as  we  might  have  expected, 
desired  such  works  to  be  carried  out,  when  all  roads  that  were 
wet  or  miry,  were  ordered  to  be  either  raised  or  paved,  such  as 
were  overgrown  with  bushes  were  cleared,  circuitous  roads  were 
made  straight  and  their  lines  altered  so  as  to  avoid  the  ascent  of 
steep  hills,  or  desert  districts  troubled  by  wild  beasts,  and  their 
surfaces  were  levelled.  His  great  predecessor,  Augustus,  had 
ordered  mansiones  and  mutations,  or  stations,  to  be  erected  along 
such  roads;  and  probably  in  Trajan's  time,  at  least,  such  neces- 
sary adjuncts  had  been  supplied  for  the  use  of  the  Roman  army 
in  Britain. 


*  Petilius  Cerealis  was  by  no  means  always  a  successful  commander,  for 
when  in  command  of  the  9th  Legion,  first  sent  to  Britain  by  Claudius,  A.D. 
43,  he  advanced  against  the  Iceni,  under  Boadicea  and  her  allies,  A.D.  61,  the 
Romans  suffered  a  signal  defeat,  of  whose  force  70,000,  including  their  allies, 
are  said  to  have  fallen,  and  Petilius  only  saved  his  cavalry  by  flight ;  but  in  a 
subsequent  battle  80,000  Britons  fell,  which  insured  the  supremacy  of  the 
Roman  rule  in  Britain.  As,  however,  the  9th  Legion  had  been  almost  exter- 
minated, it  was  subsequently  largely  recruited  by  Nero,  who  sent  over  2,000 
Legionary  soldiers,  eight  cohorts  of  auxiliaries,  and  1,000  horses  from 
Germany,  to  strengthen  it. — Tacit.  Ann.,  L.  14,  c.  31 — 58.  "When  Petilius 
came  a  second  time  to  Britain,  A.D.  71,  he  was  victorious  in  a  series  of  battles 
with  the  Brigantes. 

t  In  the  spurious  Chronicle  of  Richard  of  Cirencester  it  is  stated  that 
Agricola  did  make  roads  to  the  north,  for  the  purpose  of  conveying  corn  to 
the  praetenturas  of  Scotland. — Stukeley's  Richard  of  Cirencester,  p.  120. 


SLEAFORD.  35 

The  Ermine-Street,  in  its  entirety,  may  be  reckoned  to  com- 
mence at  Pevensey — Anderidat  whence  it  ran  to  Chichester — 
Itegnum,  and  London  :  passing  along  Bishopsgate-Street,  it  pro- 
ceeded by  Enfield,  Cheshunt,  Ware,  Broughing — Ad  Fines, 
Eoyston,  where  the  Ikenild-Street  crosses  it,  Caxton,  Godman- 
chester — Durotipons,  Huntingdon,  Stukley,  Sawtry,  Stilton,  to  a 
point  between  Chesterton  and  Alwalton,  or  the  site  of  the  great 
station  of  Durobrivce,  close  to  the  village  of  Castor,  f  in  the  county 
of  Northampton.  This,  at  least  in  part,  existed  before  the 
Ermine-Street  was  constructed,  as  demonstrated  by  the  remains 
of  a  Roman  potter's  kiln  found  by  Artis  beneath  the  bank  of 
the  Ermine- Street,  and  when  made,  was  either  carried  through 
the  centre  of  an  entrenched  camp,  of  an  irregular  oblong  form, 
now  called  "the  castles,"  or  else  the  camp  was  subsequently 
formed  to  take  advantage  of  the  road. 

The  extensive  remains  of  a  town  and  numerous  detached 
residences  on  this  spot  clearly  prove  the  former  existence  of  an 
important  Roman  station  here,  round  which  many  wealthy  colo- 
nists had  subsequently  settled ;  but  these  remains  cannot  now  be 
noticed,  because  their  description  would  unduly  prolong  this 
description  of  a  portion  of  the  Ermine-Street. 

A  little  north  of  Castor  this  ancient  road  crosses  the  river 
Nene,  and  its  bank  is  very  perceptible,  but  soon  after,  that  which 
may  be  regarded  as  the  principal  line,  continues  its  course  towards 
the  north-west,  while  the  other  takes  a  due  north  direction.  At 
first  the  bank  of  this  last  is  entirely  gone,  although  originally  it 
appears  to  have  been  as  important  as  the  other  road  ;f  but  at  a 
point  called  Lang-dyke,  a  mile  north  of  Upton,  it  again  becomes 
visible,  and  hereabouts  it  was  itself  called  Lang-dyke  according 
to  Camden,  and  also  High-Street.  Passing  by  Hilly  Wood,  two 
miles  eastward  of  Woodcroft,  where  a  Roman  flanged  roof  tile 


*  An  abbreviation  of  Dorm-ceaster,  by  which  name  this  place  was  origin- 
ally known,  and  whence,  in  Camden's  time,  the  term  of  Dormons  was  given  to 
the  Roman  coins  often  found  there. 

f  Stukeley  thought  that  this  was  made  first,  from  its  being  "Nearer  the 
first  intention  of  a  meridian  line  than  the  other,"  which  he  supposed  was  sub- 
sequently struck  out  when  the  Romans  had  become  better  acquainted  with  the 
geography  of  the  country,  and  upon  their  finding  that  they  must  incline  the 
original  line  westward  to  reach  Lincoln,  as  well  as  to  avoid  the  fen  district, 
where  it  would  require  constant  reparation. 


SO  SLEAEORD. 

was  found  in  1867,  bearing  the  stamp — LEG  •  IX  •  HIS. — of  the 
9th  Legion,  surnamed  Hispanicus, — it  then  runs  through  the 
parish  of  Ashton,*  where  the  foundations  of  a  square  structure, 
supposed  to  be  Roman,  formerly  existed,  and  perhaps  are  still 
visible  in  a  little  wood  called  Ashton  Lawn,  and  is  intersected 
by  the  Syston  and  Peterborough  railway,  before  it  crosses  the 
low  meadows  and  bridge  of  Lollam,  wrongly  thought  by  Stuke- 
ley to  retain  a  reminiscence  of  Lollius  Urbicus.  After  reaching 
the  Welland,  where  two  Roman  swords,  two  daggers,  and 
what  was  thought  to  be  the  iron  frame  of  the  tablet  of  a 
vexillum,  were  found  in  1740,  also  a  large  brass  of  Pertinax, 
and  other  Roman  coins  five  years  later,  (Gentlemen's  Society  of 
SpaldingJ  its  first  appearance  on  the  soil  of  Lincolnshire  is  in 
the  parish  of  West  Deeping ;  whence,  under  the  term  of  King- 
Street,  it  runs  in  a  straight  line,  leaving  Langtoft  on  the  east, 
and  Gretford,  Braceborough,  and  Wilsthorpe  on  the  west,  at 
which  last  place  Stukeley  thought  there  had  been  a  Roman 
station,  and  where  many  Roman  coins  have  been  found  at  inter- 
vals. It  crossed  the  Glen  at  Katesbridge,  after  which  its  bank  is 
not  distinguishable  ;  but  it  appears  to  have  run  parallel  with  the 
Car-Dykef  and  the  present  road  to  Thurlby  and  Bourn.  In  and 
about  Bourn  many  Roman  coins  have  been  occasionally  found, 
including  a  gold  one  of  Nero,  and  others  of  the  Maxim  ian  and 
the  Constantino  period. 

Marratt,  in  his  History  of  Lincolnshire,  Yol  III,  p.  79,  thus 
speaks  of  certain  Roman  remains  at  Bourn:  "In  what  is  called 
the  Home  Close,  at  the  south  end  of  the  town,  adjoining  the 
turnpike  road,  there  is  a  square  entrenchment,  single  ditched. 
The  rampart  at  each  of  the  corners  Was  formerly  twice  as  high 
as  the  sides,  but  of  late  years  it  has  been  levelled,  and  the  ditch 


*  This  parish,  with  the  adjoining  ones  of  tffford  afld  Bainton,  constituted 
the  once  royal  manor  of  Torpell,  now  the  property  of  Lord  Kesteven.  "When 
possessed  by  Margaret,  Countess  of  Derby,  a  quadrangular  mansion,  sur- 
rounded by  a  moat,  in  Torpell  park,  stood  on  the  west  of  the  Ermine -street ; 
but  her  principal  residence  in  this  locality  was  at  Colly-Weston,  afterwards 
inherited  by  Henry  VIII.,  and  where  he  stayed  from  the  1st  to  the  5th  of 
August,  1541,  when  on  his  way  to  meet  the  King  of  Scotland  in  the  north. 

+  The  celebrated  Roman  navigable  drain,  reaching  from  the  Nene  to  the 
parish  of  Washingborough,  on  the  Witham,  a  description  of  which  will  be 
subsequently  given. 


SLEAFOBD.  37 

on  the  west  side  filled  with,  earth ;"  and  in  the  same  vol.,  p.  81, 
says  :  "About  60  years  ago  a  tesselated  pavement  was  found  in 
the  Park  grounds,  but  destroyed  a  few  days  after ; — also,  a  large 
urn  near  it,  containing  coins  in  such  a  perishable  condition  that 
they  soon  fell  to  pieces.  The  stone  that  covered  it  was  preserved ; 
there  appears  to  have  been  an  inscription  on  it,  but  it  was  quite 
illegible."  "  Extensive  potteries  continued  to  exist  at  Bourn, 
until  May  25,  1637,  when  a  great  fire  broke  out  in  Potter-street, 
Eastgate,  which  destroyed  them,  and  they  were  never  rebuilt." — • 
Ibid.,  HI,  p.  73. 

From  Bourn  the  Ermine-Street  ran  west  of  Morton  and  east 
of  Stainfield,  where  there  appears  to  have  been  a  station  from  the 
evidence  of  Boman  foundations,  pottery,  and  innumerable  coins 
found  there,  chiefly  in  a  close  called  Blackfield. 

Here  there  was  also  a  branch  road,  or  via  vicinalis,  running 
westward,  described  by  Mr.  Thomas  Leman,  in  a  letter  to  the 
Bev.  Samuel  E.  Hopkinson,  in  the  year  1819. 

Perhaps  this  road  first  branched  off  a  little  to  the  north  of 
Morton,  or  at  a  right  angle  from  it  on  the  line  of  the  present  road 
from  Hacconby  to  Stainfield ;  but  subsequently  it  certainly  ran  in 
a  line  towards  Ponton.  The  first  actual  remains  of  this  road  Mr. 
Leman  found  just  to  the  north  of  Norwood ;  he  then  traced  it  in 
the  adjoining  pasture  field  abutting  upon  the  Grimsthorpe  and 
Irnham  road,  next  in  two  other  small  pasture  closes  on  the  east 
of  that  road,  in  the  southern  portion  of  Irnham  Park,  where  it 
still  retained  its  high  ridge,  and  then,  after  a  break,  he  found  an 
equally  well  preserved  portion  of  it  in  Corby  low  pasture,  extend- 
ing as  far  as  the  Corby  and  Irnham  road,  which  it  crossed  about 
1 00  yards  south  of  a  large  pond.  Beyond  this  it  was  lost  in  the 
arable  ground,  but  it  appears  to  have  run  thence  a  little  to  the 
north  of  Burton  Goggles,  and  by  Stony-lane  towards  the  main  line 
of  the  Ermine-Street  in  the  direction  of  Ponton.  After  leaving 
this  road  to  the  west,  what  may  be  termed  the  eastern  Ermine- 
Street,  ran  nearly  on  the  line  of  the  modern  road  between  Morton^ 
Hacconby,  Dunsby,  and  Bippingale,  on  the  east,  and  Hanthorpe 
and  Kirkby  Underwood  on  the  west,  as  far  as  Graby  toll-bar,  at 
Which  place  it  How  diverges  into  a  grass  field,  where  its  bank  is 
traceable.  Passing  the  road  leading  to  the  hamlet  of  Graby,  in 
the  form  of  a  grass  lane,  or  riding,  it  runs  northwards  a  little  to 
the  east  of  Aslackby,  where  it  has  been  infringed  upon  by  some 


.38  SLEAFOED. 

cottage  gardens.  Hence  it  continues  its  course  over  a  series  of 
undulations,  the  highest  of  which  is  called  Beacon  Hill,  near 
Sempringham,*  whence  the  blue  plains  of  the  Division  of  Holland 
may  be  seen  below,  stretching  out  widely  towards  the  east ;  then 
intersecting  a  small  brook,  by  what  is  still  called  the  Street 
bridge,  and  crossing  the  road  from  Folkingham  to  Billingborough, 
it  reaches  Stow  Green,  celebrated  for  the  decisive  battle  fought 
there  between  the  Saxons  and  Danes,  A.D.  870,  and  also  for  its 
fair.  Next  it  surmounts  the  ridge  on  which  stands  Threck- 
ingham,  and  crosses  another  very  ancient  road,  now  called  the 
Holland  Road,  but  formerly  the  Salters'  Way.  This  also  was 
thought  to  be  Eoman  by  Stukeley;  and  was  certainly,  as  the 
name  implies,  used  by  those  engaged  in  the  great  salt  trade 
formerly  carried  on  between  the  Lincolnshire  coast  and  the  inte- 
rior of  the  country.  The  position  of  Threckingham  at  the  junction 


*  Famous  as  the  birthplace  of  Gilbert  de  Sempringham,  son  of  Joceline 
de  Sempringham,  rector  of  that  place.  Gilbert,  having  determined  to  retire 
from  the  world  and  lead  a  strictly  religious  life,  built  a  retreat  for  himself  on 
the  north  side  of  St.  Andrew's  Church,  in  his  native  village,  where  he  could 
devote  his  whole  time  to  prayer  and  holy  meditation.  Subsequently  he 
admitted  a  certain  number  of  persons  of  both  sexes  into  his  retreat,  and  thus 
founded  a  monastery  whose  inmates  lived  under  one  roof,  but  where  the 
monks  and  nuns  were  most  rigidly  separated  from  each  other,  the  latter 
receiving  their  food  and  other  necessaries  through  a  window.  The  Gilbertine 
rule  may  be  considered  as  a  distinct  one,  which  received  the  sanction  of  Pope 
Eugenius  III.,  by  means  of  a  bull  to  that  effect ;  but  the  monks  nearly 
followed  the  rule  of  St.  Austin,  and  the  nuns  that  of  St.  Benedict.  For  the 
maintenance  of  Sempringham  Priory,  Gilbert  de  Gant  gave  its  inmates  three 
carucates  of  land,  which  gift  was  amplified  by  similar  grants  of  land  made  by 
Reginald  de  Ba,  Hugh  de  Baiocis,  and  the  proceeds  of  the  church  of  Fordham, 
given  by  Henry  III.  Gilbert  de  Sempringham  was  admitted  as  a  saint  into 
the  Eoman  calendar  by  Pope  Innocent  III,  A.r>.  1202,  and  lived  to  see  thirteen 
monasteries  of  his  order  founded,  of  which  he  was  the  master  or  grand  prior. 
One  very  laudable  object  of  the  order  was  to  foster  learning ;  to  promote 
which  Robert  Lutteril,  rector  of  Irnham,  gave  a  house  in  St.  Peter's  parish, 
Stamford,  together  with  lands  and  tenements  in  Ketton,  Cottesmore,  and 
Casterton,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Gilbertine  scholars,  studying  divinity  and 
philosophy  in  a  school  of  this  order  at  Stamford.  To  this  was  attached  a 
chaplain,  by  a  license  of  John  Dalderby,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  dated  1303.  St. 
Gilbert  was  buried  between  the  high  altars  of  St.  Mary  and  St.  Andrew,  of 
the  monastic  church  of  Sempringham,  and  beneath  the  wall  separating  the 
monks'  from  the  nuns'  choir,  so  that  both  could  venerate  his  grave. 


SLEAFOED. 


39 


of  these  two  ancient  roads  was  an  important  one,  and  here  many 
Eoman  coins  have  been  found.  From  this  point  to  Sleaford 
the  Eoman  road  we  are  describing  pursues  a  nearly  straight  course 
in  an  embanked  form,  leaving  Spanby  and  Scrediugton  on  the 
right,  and  Osbournby  and  Aswarby  on  the  left.  Between  the 
last  named  parish  and  Burton  the  base  and  part  of  the  shaft  of  a 


mediaeval  boundary  cross  stands  by  the  side  of  the  road,  which  is ' 
here  twenty-eight  feet  wide,  with  a  grassy  margin  on  either  side 
of  nearly  the  same  width.  Next  the  site  of  an  old  moated  man- 
sion, called  Mareham  Hall,*  in  the  parish  of  Burton  Pedwardine, 
is  passed,  whence  the  whole  of  this  ancient  road  from  Graby  bar 
to  Sleaford,  thirteen  miles  in  length,  derives  its  present  name. 


*  Mareham  constituted  a  grange,  granted  to  Sir  Thomas  Horseman  in 
1564.  Previously  it  belonged  to  Simon  Hall.  Burton  Pedwardine,  of  which 
Mareham  now  forms  a  part,  is  so  called  from  the  Pedwardine  family,  who  once 
possessed  it.  The  manor  of  Burton  was  originally  granted  by  the  Conqueror 
to  Wide  de  Credon  or  Croun,  whose  descendants  possessed  it  until  the  eventual 
heiress  of  the  family,  Petronilla,  married  William  de  Longchamp,  son  of  the 

D 


to  SLEAFOED. 

Here  it  is  in  a  very  perfect  condition,  because  it  has  neither  been 
disturbed  by  the  plough,  nor  otherwise  injured.  Still  continuing 
its  straight  course,  and  leaving  the  beautiful  spire  of  Silk  Wil- 
loughby  Church  on  the  left,  at  a  point  about  half  a  mile  from 
Sleaford,  the  modern  road  to  that  town  has  been  diverted  from 
the  ancient  one.  The  course  of  this  last,  however,  may  still 
be  clearly  traced  on  its  way  towards  the  site  of  an  ancient 
moated  mansion,  now  termed  the  Old  Place,  about  half  a  mile 
eastward  of  Sleaford,  which  first  belonged  to  Lord  Hussey,  subse- 
quently to  the  family  of  Carre,  and  now  to  the  Marquis  of  Bristol. 
Before  crossing  the  Sleaford  and  Boston  road,  the  old  road  under 
notice  has  degenerated  into  a  worn  hollow  track,  instead  of 
standing  upon  a  bank,  and  in  the  same  condition,  under  the  term 
of  Old  Eau  Lane,  it  descends  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Old  Place 
to  the  site  of  an  ancient  ford  over  the  Slea,  a  little  to  the  east  of 
Cogglesford  Mill,  and  used  as  such  until  1792.  On  the  grounds 
of  the  Old  Place  many  Eoman  coins  and  occasionally  fragments 
of  Samian  ware  and  other  pottery  have  been  found  ;  and  in  the 
river  by  the  ford,  a  fine  brass  British  celt  was  discovered  in 
1818,  of  which  a  cut  is  subjoined. 


Before  the  inclosure  of  Sleaford  and  Leasingham  Moors, 
a  portion  of  the  embankment  of  this  ancient  road  leading  towards 
Euskington,  was  plainly  visible.  This  ran  nearly  parallel  with 
the  present  Tattershall  road,  and  westward  of  it ;  but  now  the 
only  remnant  of  this  consists  of  a  section  of  its  bank  in  a  hedge- 
row between  two  small  fields  south  of  the  Moor-lane,  in  the 


Abbot  of  Croyland.  Their  son,  Henry  Longchamp,  had  an  only  daughter  and 
heiress,  Alice,  who,  through  her  marriage  with  Roger  Pedwardine,  transferred 
the  manor  of  Burton  to  her  husband's  family,  and  died  1330.  The  Pedwar- 
dines  held  Burton  until  the  reign  of  Edward  IV.  For  further  particulars  see 
subsequent  account  of  Burton  Pedwardine. 


SLEAFORD.  41 

parish  of  Leasingham.  Passing  westward  of  Ruskington  Church, 
it  most  probably  was  continued  in  some  form  towards  the  great 
Lindum  Colonia,  through  the  parishes  of  Dorrington,  Bloxholm, 
Ashby,  Scopwick,  Blankney,  Metheringham,  Dunston,  Nocton, 
Potterhanworth,  and  Branston,  again  joining  the  other  and 
more  important  line  of  the  Ermine-Street  at  a  point  about  a  mile 
south  of  Lincoln.  No  trace,  however,  of  such  a  road  now  remains, 
and  Roman  vestiges  have  been  found  only  in  two  of  the  above- 
named  parishes,  viz.,  Ashby  and  Potterhanworth.  In  the  former, 
a  portion  of  a  tesselated  pavement  was  discovered  in  1831.  It 
was  18  feet  long  by  6  feet  wide,  and  consisted  of  black  and  white 
tesselae,  of  different  sizes  forming  bands  of  various  widths.  At 
Potterhanworth  great  quantities  of  Roman  pottery  of  different 
kinds  were  found  on  the  site  of  the  parish  school-house,  when 
its  foundations  were  laid. 

Returning  to  the  main  line  of  the  Ermine-Street  a  little 
north  of  Castor,  we  find  that  it  passes  Sutton  Wood  on  the  east, 
and  runs  through  the  hamlet  of  Southorpe,  where  coins  of  Antoni- 
nus Pius,  Marcus  Aurelius,  Claudius  Gothicus,  Magnentius,  and 
Constantino  the  Great  have  been  found,  together  with  Roman  pot- 
tery, &c.,  chiefly  in  the  pits  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  road.  Next 
it  may  be  traced  in  the  parish  of  Barnack  as  a  wide  bank,  thus 
described  in  Gough's  edition  of  Camden,  II,  p.  270, — "  Here  it 
rears  a  high  ridge,  particularly  in  the  little  wood  of  Barnack, 
where  it  has  a  watch-tower  upon  it."  This  so-called  watch- 
tower,  however,  no  longer  exists,  but  a  Roman  fibula  and  some 
urns  were  found  close  to  the  Ermine-Street  at  Barnack,  in  1731  ; 
since  then  many  Roman  coins  have  also  been  picked  up  here,  and 
more  recently  the  torso  of  a  small  nude  male  figure  cut  in  Barnack 
stone  was  dug  up,  now  in  the  possession  of  the  Incumbent,  the 
Rev.  Canon  Argles.  Hence  the  Ermine-Street  runs  by  Walcot 
Hall  and  through  Burghley  Park,  since  its  enlargement  by  John, 
Earl  of  Exeter,  in  1655,  but  before  that  time  it  formed  part  of 
the  public  road  between  Stamford  and  Peterborough.  Here  it 
is  now  not  traceable,  because  its  bank  having  been  formed  of 
gravelly  materials,  was  carted  away  to  make  walls  about  Burgh- 
ley  House. — Bridge's  Northamptonshire,  II,  p.  501*  Next  it  may 


*  Portions  of  its  materials  were  also  subsequently  used  for  the  repair  of 
a  neighbouring  road  ;  Stukeley  in  a  MS.  memorandum,  when  speaking  of  it, 


42 


SLEAFOED. 


be  detected  crossing  a  branch  of  the  Welland,  near  Worthope 
Park  wall,  where  its  bank  is  three  feet  high  and  twenty  feet 
wide,  whence  it  descends  the  valley  of  the  Welland,  and  crossing 
that  river  at  a  spot  on  which  Bredcroft  Hall*  formerly  stood, 
enters  Lincolnshire,  according  to  Stukeley's  words,  "  with  a  broad 
elated  crest."  Passing  by  the  sites  of  the  Benedictine  Nunnery 
of  St.  Michael  and  the  Augustine  Priory,  it  leaves  the  town  of 
Stamfordf  on  the  east,  in  the  form  of  a  broad  raised  bank,  called 
Green-bank,  and  then,  as  a  turnpike  road,  reaches  Oasterton. 
None  of  the  Roman  Itineraries  mention  the  existence  of  a"hy  town 
or  station  between  Durobrivse  and  Causennse,  yet  there  certainly 
was  a  large  camp  at  Casterton,  ten  miles  north  of  Durobrivse,  or 
Castor,  a  considerable  portion  of  which  still  remains,  close  to 
Ermine-Street.  Probably  this  camp,  like  the  one  below  Castor, 
was  made  before  the  road  that  subsequently  passed  by  it.  It 
is  situated  in  a  bend  of  the  river  Wash,  which  thus .  defended 


says,  "The  overseers  of  the  highways  of  St.  Martin's  parish,  Stamford,  had  in 
a^sacrilegious  manner  digged  it  up  to  mend  their  wicked  ways  withal." 

*  This  spot  was  so  called  in  King  John's  reign,  when  it  belonged  to  Lucy, 
wife  of  "William  de  Humet,  lord  of  Stamford,  who,  out  of  her  lands  here,  gave 
half  a  mark  of  silver  yearly  to  the  nuns  of  St.  Michael,  on  condition  that  they 
should  observe  her  anniversary  with  an  obsequy ;  half  of  which  was  to  be  ex- 
pended on  a  pittance  on  that  day,  and  the  other  half  to  be  bestowed  upon  the 
infirmary. — Peck's  Antiquarian  Annals  of  Stamford,  Lib.  VIL,  p.  11.  Sub- 
sequently the  sessions  for  the  county  of  Eutland  are  said  to  have  been  held  in 
Bredcroft  or  Bradecroft  Hall,  the  foundations  of  which  were  still  visible  on 
the  north  bank  of  the  adjacent  water  course  in  the  last  century. 

t  During  the  year  1868,  a  Eoman  stone  coffin,  lying  east  and  west,  was 
discovered  in  a  field  of  Mr.  Gilchrist's  farm,  near  Stamford,  about  half  a  mile 
from  the  Ermine-street,  through  the  grating  of  a  plough  against  its  lid. 
Unfortunately  it  was  immediately  disinterred,  and  dragged  out  of  its  long 
resting-place  by  horse-power,  and  then  its  contents  were  emptied  out  hurriedly 
by  persons  wholly  incompetent  either  to  observe  or  report  the  result.  It  is  of 
a  massive  character,  without  ornament,  and  simply  coarsely  tooled,  a  flat  slab 
forming  its  lid.  "Within  were  remains  of  two  bodies,  a  male  and  female, 
whose  skulls  lay  at  each  end  of  the  coffin  ;  also  about  a  dozen  earthen  vessels 
— probably  of  Durobrivan  ware,  a  glass  lachrymatory,  and  some  bone  pins. 
On  the  north  side  of  this  coffin  other  human  remains  were  found,  forming 
portions  of  another  skeleton  ;  and,  from  the  fact  of  some  large  iron  nails  being 
discovered  with  these,  we  may  conclude  they  were  originally  deposited  there 
in  a  wooden  coffin.  Shortly  after  a  tesselated  pavement  also  was  found  near 
this  spot,  indicating  the  former  existence  there  of  a  Koman  house. 


SLEAFORD.  43 

nearly  two-thirds  of  its  circumference.  Its  area  was  about  twenty- 
seven  acres  in  extent,  and  it  was  probably  wholly  surrounded  by 
a  fosse  and  vallum.  These  still  remain — so  far  as  they  existed 
on  the  north-eastern  side  of  the  turnpike-road  passing  through 
the  village  of  Castor,  beginning  at  a  point  a  little  to  the  south  of 
the  church,  and  joining  it  again  after  having  enclosed  an  irregular 
shaped  parallelogram  just  before  the  road  to  Ryhall  branches  off 
from  it;  but  there  are  now  no  traces  of  the  remainder.  Its 
situation  in  a  low  valley,  although  objectionable  in  some  respects, 
secured  for  it  a  plentiful  supply  of  water,  and  also  an  additional 
source  of  strength  from  its  proximity  to  the  little  river  Wash. 
Stukeley  thought  that  the  Ermine-Street  diverged  from  its  direct 
course  so  that  it  might  pass  through  this  station,  but  in  reality  it 
is  only  the  modern  road  that  does  so,  which  leaves  the  old  via  a 
little  to  the  south  of  Casterton  Church.  This,  pursuing  a 
straighter  course,  must  have  crossed  the  Wash  twice,  although 
its  bank  here  for  some  little  way  is  lost ;  but  near  Tickencote  it 
again  becomes  visible  on  the  western  side  of  the  turnpike  road 
from  Stamford  to  Grantham,  with  which  it  is  once  more  incorpora- 
ted. Stukeley  reports  that  many  foundations  of  .Roman  buildings 
had  been  found  at  Casterton  before  he  wrote  his  Itinerarium,  and 
also  many  coins,  of  which  he  mentions  a  denarius  of  Pompey,  a 
large  brass  of  Nero,  and  specimens  of  the  reigns  of  Trajan, 
Antoninus  Pius,  Severus,  Claudius  Gothicus,  Maximianus,  and 
Constantino. 

North  of  Tickencote  Hall  the  Ermine-Street,  under  the  name 
of  Horn  Lane,*  runs  straight  to  Greetham  Mill,  leaving  Bloody 
Oaksf  on  the  west.  At  Greetham  Mill  it  turns  directly  towards 
the  north,  and  Gale  thought  that  a  branch  road  led  hence  to 


*  Horn  was  formerly  a  distinct  parish,  containing  830  acres  of  land,  but 
is  now  included  in  the  parish  of  Empinghain,  and  the  site  of  its  church  is  in 
Exton  Park,  to  which  the  successive  rectors  were  long  inducted  under  a  cer- 
tain old  thorn  bush  in  that  park. 

i1  So  called  from  the  slaughter  of  the  Lancastrians  here,  after  a  desperate 
battle  between  Sir  Robert  Welles,  placed  at  the  head  of  30, 000  Lincolnshire 
men  by  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  and  Edward  IV.  at  the  head  of  a  still  larger 
force,  which  was  fought  in  Horn-field,  March  12,  1470.  In  this  battle  King 
Henry's  adherents  were  utterly  defeated.  Sir  Robert  Welles  and  his  brother- 
in-law,  Sir  Thomas  De  la  Launde,  were  taken  prisoners,  and  beheaded  at 
Doncaster  three  days  later.  The  name  of  Bloody  Oaks  still  commemorates  the 


44 


SLEAFOED. 


Nottingham ;  but  there  are  no  traces  of  such  a  road  now.  Pass- 
ing Stretton,  or  Street-town,  on  the  east,  and  South  Witham  on 
the  west,  where  it  constitutes  a  portion  of  the  old  North-Eoad, 
and  thence  on  between  the  site  of  Lobthorpe  Hall*  and  North 
Witham,  it  reaches  a  point  half-a-mile  north  of  the  once  well- 
known  Black  Bull  of  Witham  Common,  where  the  modern  road 
turns  northward  and  passes  through  Colsterworth,  and  the  old 
Eoman  via  is  difficult  to  trace  for  a  space  of  about  two  miles,  so 
that  it  will  be  well  to  describe  this  more  particularly.  On  its 
first  divergence  from  the  North-Eoad,  soon  after  passing  Honypot- 
Lane  on  the  right,  it  runs  along  the  eastern  side  of  a  triangular 
field  belonging  to  Earl  Dysart,  whence  it  proceeds  as  a  grass  lane 
until  it  reaches  the  Colsterworth  and  Bourn  turnpike-road.  On 
the  north  of  this  it  has  again  ceased  to  exist  as  a  road,  but  its 
line  may  still  be  traced,  running  through  a  field  in  which  are 
some  stone  pits,  belonging  to  Mr.  J.  Dove,  two  fields  belonging 
to  the  Eev.  J.  Mirehouse,  two  others  belonging  to  Christopher 
Turnor,  Esq.,  and  then  between  two  old  pasture  fields  (also  Mr. 
Tumor's),  where  an  oak  tree  stands  on  the  right  of  the  line.  It 
continued  to  run  in  the  same  direction  through  the  parish  of 
Easton,  having  an  old  hedge  there  marking  its  eastern  boundary, 
until  it  reached  that  point  where  it  is  still  used  as  a  modern  road 
under  the  ancient  term  of  the  High  Dyke,  with  which  it  now 
communicates  by  a  short  grass  lane  running  abruptly  westward, 
instead  of  running  on  straight  as  it  did  originally.  In  a  field 
north  of  the  road  leading  to  the  village  of  Easton,  and  about  150 
yards  from  that  road,  was  a  Eoman  camp  of  considerable  size,  on 
the  site  of  which  Eoman  relics  have  been  occasionally  found, 
including  a  horse's  bronze  bit,  broken  in  two,  but  otherwise  in 
perfect  condition.  Here,  also,  among  others,  the  following 
Eoman  coins  have  been  discovered,  viz.  :  a  small  silver  one, 
having  on  the  obverse  the  head  of  Nero,  and  the  legend,  "  NERO' 
CAESAR  •  AUGUSTUS  ";  reverse,  Jupiter  seated,  holding  a  bolt  in 


fall  of  the  10,000  men  who  fell  in  the  conflict,  and  a  field  between  Little  Cas- 
terton  and  Stamford,  is  also  called  Losecote -field,  from  a  local  tradition  that 
the  Lancastrians  here  divested  themselves  of  all  that  encumbered  their  flight 
from  the  battle  field  and  their  victorious  foes. 

*  This  was  the  ancient  seat  of  the  Sherard  family.     It  is  surrounded  by 
a  fosse  originally  nine  yards  wide,  and  is  130  yards  long  and  100  yards  wide. 


SLEAFORD.  45 

his  right  hand  and  a  hasta  pura  in  his  left;  legend,  "  JUPITER  • 
GUSTOS."  A  small  brass,  having  on  the  obverse  the  head  of 
Licinus,  and  the  legend,  "  LICINUS.  jmsr.  NOB.  c."  ;  reverse,  two 
trophies  between  two  soldiers,  each  holding  a  spear  in  one  hand 
and  a  shield  in  the  other.  In  the  exergue,  "  T.  R.  P.",  and  a 
star.  Licinus  became  Caesar  A.D.  317,  and  was  executed  A.D. 
326.  After  passing  through  Easton  parish  the  Roman  road 
shews  itself  clearly  enough,  sometimes  a  little  on  the  right  and 
sometimes  on  the  left  of  its  present  representative,  first  leaving 
Stoke  Rochford  on  the  west,  and  next  Great  Ponton,  where, 
according  to  Stukeley,  many  Roman  vaults,  tesselated  pavements, 
urns,  coins,  bricks,  &c.,  were  found  during  the  last  century.* 
Then  it  passes  by  a  group  of  cottages  at  Woodnook,  a  mile  west- 
ward of  Little  Ponton,  f  and  on  to  Cold  Harbour,  J  two  miles 
westward  of  Grantham,  where  it  is  intersected  by  the  old  Salter's 
Way — now  called  the  Brigend-road  §  or  Haydor-lane.  Scarcely 
any  Roman  remains  have  been  found  at  Grantham,  but  Burton, 


*  In  the  township  of  Little  Humby,  three  and  a  half  miles  east  of  the 
Ermine-Street,  and  nearly  parallel  with  Great  Ponton,  many  Roman  vestiges 
were  found  in  1828,  such  as  pottery,  pins,  and  coins,  most  of  which  were 
secured  by  the  late  Mr.  William  Cragg,  of  Threckingham.  These  last  chiefly 
consisted  of  small  brasses  of  Claudius  Gothicus,  Magnentius  Posthumus, 
Constantinus  Magnus,  and  Constantinus  II. 

f  Four  miles  westward  of  Little  Ponton,  a  Roman  villa  was  discovered 
in  the  parish  of  Denton,  during  the  year  1727.  Two  of  its  tesselated  pavements 
were  engraved  by  William  Fowler,  one  from  a  drawing  made  by  Dr.  Stukeley, 
the  other  by  himself,  in  1800.  These  were  both  composed  of  grey  tesselse, 
with  a  centre-piece  of  richer  work,  the  one  being  an  oblong,  nine  feet  by  three, 
having  long  octagons  and  small  squares  designated  by  grey  and  white  borders 
upon  a  red  ground  ;  the  other  a  square  of  nine  feet,  having  a  star-like  figure 
in  the  centre,  surrounded  by  diamonds,  each  having  an  interlaced  knot  in  its 
centre,  within  a  square  surrounded  by  a  guilloche  border,  composed  of  grey, 
red,  and  yellow  tesselse. — See  Philosophical  Transactions  for  1804. 

J  It  is  remarkable  that  spots  so  named  are  very  frequently  found  near  to 
ancient  roads  ;  one  exists  in  Cammeringham  parish,  near  Tillbridge  Lane,  a 
branch  of  the  Ermine-Street,  north  of  Lincoln  ;  another  near  Stewton,  by 
Louth ;  another  near  Hessle,  Yorkshire  ;  another  near  Wye,  in  Kent ;  and 
another  at  Titsey,  by  the  Pilgrim's  Way,  in  the  same  county. 

§  Leading  to  Bridge  end — or  as  it  is  commonly  spelt  Brigend  Priory, 
from  its  nearness  to  Holland  bridge.  This  was  a  Gilbertine  House,  founded 
in  the  reign  of  John,  by  Godwin,  a  rich  citizen  of  Lincoln,  in  honour  of  Our 
Lord.  At  the  dissolution,  as  parcel  of  Sempringham  Abbey,  it  was  granted 


46 


SLEAFOED. 


in  his  Commentary  on  the  Antonine  Itinerary,  p.  216,  states  that  a 
great  stone  trough,  covered  with  a  stone,  and  filled  with  Roman 
coins,  was  dug  up  there.  He  also  remarks  that  one  of  its  streets 
is  called  Castle-street ;  that  between  this  and  the  river  founda- 
tions of  a  castle  were  discovered,  and  that  he  had  a  piece  of  glass 
found  in  the  Grange  garden,  which  he  believed  to  be  Roman. 
The  Ermine-Street,  from  the  Brigend-road,  takes  a  perfectly 
straight  course  northwards,  over  a  series  of  undulations,  leaving 
Welby  on  the  east,  and  Londonthorpe,  Belton,  Syston,  Barkston, 
and  Honington  on  the  west.  On  an  eminence  in  this  last-named 
parish,  and  a  mile  and  a  half  westward  of  the  Ermine-Street,  is 
a  strongly  entrenched  earthwork,  pronounced  to  be  a  castrum 
exploratorum  of  the  Romans,  by  Stukeley  ,  but  it  must  certainly 
be  of  British  origin,  and  in  no  respect  resembles  a  Roman  camp. 
It  consists  of  an  area  of  irregular  form,  containing  an  acre  and  a 
quarter  of  ground,  surrounded  by  a  triple  vallum  and  a  double 
fosse,  occupying  two  more  acres.  The  average  height  of  the 
outer  vallum  is  three  feet,  that  of  the  other  two,  seven  feet,  and 
the  level  of  the  enclosure  is  three  and  a  half  "feet  above  that  of 
the  bottom  of  each  fosse.  The  width  of  the  inner  vallum  is  nine- 
teen feet  four  inches,  of  the  middle  one  twenty-seven  feet  four 
inches,  of  the  outer  one  fifteen  feet  four  inches.  As  the  slope  of 
each  vallum  can  be  easily  surmounted,  perhaps  there  were  no 
regular  entrances  to  the  central  area,  but  there  are  slight  depres- 
sions at  four  different  points  through  these,  which  may  or  may 
not  be  of  subsequent  formation.  The  whole  remains  in  a  very 
perfect  state,  only  a  portion  of  the  outer  vallum  having  been  par- 
tially cut  away  at  two  points.  This  earthwork  was  undoubtedly 
occupied  by  the  Romans,  as  in  1691  an  urn  containing  a  peck  of 
Roman  coins  was  discovered  within  it,  and  subsequently  others 
were  found,  a  score  of  which  Stukeley  obtained  in  1728. 
Amongst  these  he  names  a  large  brass  of  Agrippa,  another  of 
Julia,  the  daughter  of  Augustus,  and  one  of  Magnentius.  Frag- 
ments also  of  weapons  are  said  to  have  been  ploughed  up  here. 


to  Edward  Lord  Clinton,  up  to  which  time  prayers  had  been  daily  said  by  its 
inmates  for  travellers  who  had  to  encounter  the  dangers  of  the  fens.  The 
remains  of  its  buildings  were  taken  down  in  1770,  and  were  employed  in 
building  an  adjacent  farm  house. 


SLEAFOED.  47 

In  a  direct  line  between  this  earthwork  and  Ancaster,  in  a 
field  called  the  Twelve  Acre  Close,  a  rudely  formed  Roman  stone 
coffin  was  more  lately  discovered,  still  bearing  upon  its  outer 
surface  the  tooling  of  its  makers  very  distinctly.  It  is  six  feet 
ten  inches  long,  two  feet  two  inches  wide  at  the  head,  diminish- 
ing to  one  foot  ten  inches  at  the  foot,  and  one  foot  eight  inches 
deep.  The  head  is  rounded  like  other  examples  of  Roman  stone 
coffins  found  at  Bath.  Upon  it  was  a  rude  slab,  four  inches 
thick.  It  lay  in  a  north  and  south  direction,  at  so  slight  a  depth 
as  to  have  been  discovered  through  the  action  of  the  plough,  and 
contained  the  skeleton  of  a  male,  in  a  tolerable  state  of  preserva- 
tion. It  now  stands  in  Ancaster  churchyard. 

The  Ermine-Street  descends  sharply  before  it  passes  through 
Ancaster,  a  once  important  Roman  station,  most  probably  that  of 
Camennis  or  Isinnis,  placed  by  the  pseudo  Richard  of  Cirencester 
and  the  Antonine  Itinerary  between  Lindum  and  DurofcivOj  and 
estimated  at  thirty  miles  from  the  latter,  which  is  nearly  correct ; 
but  at  twenty-six  miles  from  the  former,  or  twelve  miles  too  much, 
probably  through  the  interpolation  of  a  superfluous  Roman  X. 

Such  a  site  was  an  excellent  one  for  a  Roman  station,  from 
its  proximity  to  a  never-failing  streamlet,  and  its  sheltered 
situation.  Here,  accordingly,  an  irregular  parallelogram,  contain- 
ing nine  acres  of  land,  was  surrounded  by  a  fosse  ten  feet  deep 
and  fifty  feet  wide,  affording  a  secure  camp,  through  which  the 
Ermine- Street  ran. 

Postponing  a  description  of  Ancaster,  we  must  here  advert 
to  a  via  vicinalis,  which  branches  off  from  the  great  Roman  road 
at  this  place,  and  is  now  called  the  Potter-gate  Road.  This  runs 
nearly  on  the  edge  of  a  high  ridge  on  the  west  of  the  Ermine- 
Street,  and  overlooking  the  villages  of  Caythorpe,  Eulbeck, 
Leadenham,  and  Welbourn,  it  passes  close  to  the  east  of  Wellin- 
gore,  and  rejoins  the  parent  road  at  Navenby.  Roman  coins 
have  frequently  been  found  near  this  road,  and  in  1857  an 
interesting  discovery  was  made  within  forty  yards  of  it,  in  a 
field  at  Caythorpe,  belonging  to  the  Rev.  C.  D.  Crofts,  through 
the  grating  of  a  plough  against  a  large  stone.  This,  on  examin- 
ation, led  to  the  uncovering  of  the  base  of  a  pillar  two  feet  in 
diameter,  upon  which  was  another  circular  stone,  containing 
within  a  cavity  a  small  black  earthenware  olla,  enclosing  sixteen 
Roman  coins,  among  which  were  a  large  brass  of  Faustina  Junior 

E 


48 


SLEAFOBD. 


— reverse,  Juno  ;  a  small  brass  of  Constantius  ;  one  of  Magnen- 
tius;  one  bearing  on  the  obverse  "  UEBS  ROMA";  reverse,  the 
wolf  and  twins  ;  one  of  Gratianus,  and  another  of  Honorius  or 
Arcadius.  Here  also  were  found  a  very  small  square  incense 
altar,  the  base  and  feet  of  a  statuette  and  portions  of  the  legs 
and  arms,  cut  in  stone.  This  not  improbably  formed  the  sepul- 
chral effigy  of  a  Eoman  colonist,  placed,  as  usual,  within  a 
niche. 

After  the  Ermine-Street  has  emerged  from  the  little  valley 
in  which  Ancaster  lies,  its  bank  is  both  wide  and  high,  and 
especially  so  on  the  summits  of  the  natural  undulations  of  the 
line  it  traverses.  A  quarter  of  a  mile  north  of  Ancaster,  and 

close  to  the  edge  of  the  old  road  we 
are  describing,  nearly  the  whole  of 
a  small  rough  stone,  forming  a  mil- 
liary,*  was  discovered,  bearing  this 
inscription  : —  "  IMP  •  c  •  FL  •  VAL  • 

CONSTANTINO  P  •  F  '  INT  '  AVG  '  DIVI  ' 
CONSTANTINI  '  PII  '  AVG  •  FILIO"  ;  Or, 

Imperatori,  Ccesari,  Flavio,  Valeria, 
Constantino,  Pio,  Fetid,  Invicto,  Au- 
gusto,  Dim,  Comtantii,  Pii.  Augusti, 
Filio.  This  was  not  in  its  original 
position,  and  its  base  had  been  bro- 
ken off.  In  size  it  is  two  feet  three 
inches  long,  one  foot  wide,  and  seven 
inches  thick.  It  was  apparently 
used  to  mark  the  spot  where  a  fu- 
neral deposit  had  been  made,  as 
some  fragments  of  human  bones 
and  pottery,  and  also  part  of  a  red 
deer's  horn  sawn  cleanly  from  the 
remainder,  were  found  with  it. 


*  Had  this  military  stone  been  perfect,  we  might  possibly  have  ascer- 
tained with  certainty  the  Roman  name  of  Ancaster,  as  in  the  case  of  the  one 
found  at  Leicester,  which  bears  the  Roman  name  of  that  town,  and  formerly 
constituted  the  second  milestone  from  it.  These  stones  were  renewed  from 
time  to  time  by  the  curatores  viarum,  or  road  surveyors. 


SLEAFOKD.  49 

Stukeley  mentions  the  existence  of  stones  by  the  side  of  the 
Ermine-Street  in  his  time,  but  he  never  saw  one  with  an  inscrip- 
tion cut  upon  it,  and  perhaps  in  reality  no  milliary  at  all.  In  Iter. 
V.,  p.  87,  he  says,  "  Upon  our  road  there  are  many  stones  placed, 
but  most  seem  modern,  and  like  stumps  of  crosses,  yet  probably 
are  milestones;"  and  speaks  still  more  positively  in  Iter.  I.,  p. 
80,  when  describing  this  via,  "  I  have  seen  bases  of  milliaries, 
and  one  or  two  fragments  of  milliaries  on  its  sides."  These  are 
no  tests  of  the  date  of  a  Eoman  road,  as  they  were  often  replaced, 
and  probably  sometimes  at  least  in  anticipation  or  commemoration 
of  the  transit  of  some  great  personage,  in  whose  honour  they 
were  inscribed ;  but  we  are  more  fortunate  than  Stukeley  was, 
for  we  may  still  see  a  milliary  existing  at  Ancaster,  bearing  a 
complimentary  legend  cut  in  honour  of  Constantine  the  Great  * 
and  not  improbably  so  cut  by  persons  who  actually  saw  him  in 
company  with  his  father  Constantius,  on  their  way  from  Boulogne 
to  York,  at  the  head  of  a  large  Roman  force  marching  against 
the  Calidonians,  along  the  Ermine- Street,  and  through  Ancaster ; 
or  when,  after  the  loss  of  his  father,  he  hastened  back  to  secure 
the  empire  for  himself. 

Between  Ancaster  and  a  spot  called  Bayard's  Leap,f  where 
the  Ermine-Street  is  intersected  by  the  Sleaford  and  Newark 
road,  it  presents  a  grand  appearance,  its  well  developed  bank, 
from  three  to  six  feet  high,  and  wide  in  proportion,  remaining  in 
nearly  as  perfect  a  condition  as  when  it  was  first  made  by  the 
Romans ;  but  before  reaching  the  above-named  spot,  its  bank 
has  been  partly  destroyed.  From  this  point  the  Ermine-Street  is 
no  longer  stoned,  and  the  whole  space  devoted  to  the  public  use 


*  Constantine  had  made  a  wonderfully  fast  journey  from  Nicomedia 
across  Europe,  by  the  aid  of  the  imperial  military  roads,  and  the  mutationes 
agminales,  or  posting  houses,  established  along  their  lines,  and  was  just  in 
time  to  join  the  Emperor  at  Boulogne,  or  Gessoriacum,  before  he  embarked  for 
Britain.  He  accompanied  him  in  his  campaign  against  the  Calidonians,  and 
back  to  York,  or  Eboracum,  where  Constantius  died,  which  occasioned  Con- 
stantine's  speedy  return  to  Italy. 

f  Or  the  bay  horse's  leap,  so  called  from  a  local  tradition  that  a  nameless 
horseman,  pursued  by  a  witch,  who  sprang  upon  his  steed,  fled  towards  the 
refuge  of  a  cross  road,  over  which  both  horse  and  man  bounded  with  a  pro- 
digious leap — still  marked  upon  the  turf  margins  of  that  road — and  at  which 
point  the  supernatural  assailant  fell  dead. 


50  SLEAFOBD. 

on  either  side  of  it  is  deeply  scored  with  ruts.  Through  this  the 
bank  of  the  old  road  wends  its  way,  but  just  before  it  reaches  a 
small  planting  called,  from  its  shape,  the  Cocked-hat  plantation, 
near  Temple  Bruer*  it  inclines  to  the  western  side  of  its  modern 
area,  and  its  bank  has  been  partly  carted  away.  Beyond  this 
point  it  has  been  much  injured,  and  sometimes  almost  obliterated, 
until  it  reaches  the  turn  to  Wellingore,  where  it  has  been  repaired 
and  stoned  for  a  short  distance.  Soon,  however,  it  resumes  its 
former  dilapidated  condition,  occasioned  by  turf-cutting  and  par- 
tial removal  of  its  bank ;  and  as  a  grassy  way,  but  little  used, 
passes  by  Navenby  and  Boothby  Graffoe  on  the  west,  where  the 
towers  of  Lincoln  Minster  begin  to  constitute  a  grand  terminus 
towards  which  this  ancient  road  directly  points,  and  J)unston 
Pillar  f  is  seen  about  two  miles  to  the  east.  Parallel  with  the 
village  of  Harmston,  on  a  slight  eminence,  the  bank  of  the  old 
road  is  distinctly  visible,  where  it  extends  into  an  adjoining  field 
on  the  right,  and  at  another  spot  a  little  further  on.  Hence  it 
continues  its  course  northwards  as  a  grassy  way  in  a  perfectly 
straight  line  until  it  reaches  a  small  house  called  Waterloo  Cot- 
tage, from  which  point  not  even  a  footpath  indicates  the  former 
course  of  this  great  road ;  yet  some  very  slight  traces  of  its  bank 
may  be  detected  even  here,  pointing  towards  the  west  end  of  a 
farm  house,  called  Friezland,  soon  after  which  it  begins  to  serve 
its  original  purpose  as  a  foundation  to  the  .road  between  "Wad- 
dington  and  Lincoln,  which  it  will  be  observed  has  a  higher  bank 
as  long  as  it  runs  on  the  line  of  the  old  Roman  road.  Before 
approaching  Red  Hall  these  two  roads  again  diverge,  the  Ermine- 
Street  pursuing  its  course  northwards,  which  is  marked  by  a 
footpath  in  front  of  the  above-named  house,  and  terminates  in  an 


*  Temple  Braer,  or  the  Temple  Preceptory  on  the  heath.  This  was 
founded  by  Elizabeth  de  Cauz,  in  the  reign  of  Henry  II.,  and  afterwards  richly 
endowed  with  lands  for  the  maintenance  of  the  Templar  fraternity.  In  1324 
this  establishment  was  granted  to  the  Hospitallers,  when  it  became  a  Com- 
mandery  of  that  order,  and  so  continued  until  its  suppression  in  1538.  A 
small  Early  English  tower  is  all  that  now  remains  of  its  once  extensive  build- 
ings, the  lower  story  of  which  is  richly  arcaded,  and  served  as  a  chapel. 

t  Erected  as  a  lighthouse  for  the  benefit  of  persons  travelling  across  the 
formerly  desolate  Lincoln  Heath,  by  Sir  Francis  Dashwood,  in  1772.  Its 
lantern  was  eventually  blown  down  by  a  storm,  and  in  1810  the  pillar  was 
surmounted  by  a  statue,  in  terra  cotta,  of  George  III. 


SLEAFORD.  51 

irregular  strip  of  grass  land  by  the  side  of  the  modern  Sleaford 
and  Lincoln  turnpike-road,  exactly  on  the  summit  of  the  high 
ground  bordering  the  valley  of  the  Witham,  before  it  descends 
that  valley.  There  more  care  was  required  in  making  its  bank, 
and  more  pains  were  taken  in  constructing  the  road  itself,  as  it 
passed  over  the  fenny  soil  through  which  the  Witham  flows,  to 
the  southern  entrance  of  the  important  Roman  colonial  town  of 
Lindum.  Here  it  was  joined  by  the  via  fossata,  or  Foss-road,  as 
it  is  still  called,  and  crossing  the  two  branches  of  the  Lindis, 
Viciius,  or  Witham  river,  whether  by  bridges  or  fords  we  know 
not,  ran  through  the  lower  Roman  town,  then  beneath  the 
southern  gateway  of  the  upper  town,  which  it  nearly  bisected,. 
and  its  northern  gateway,  or  Newport  Arch,  after  which  it  con- 
tinued its  course  northwards,  through  the  centre  of  Lincolnshire, 
towards  the  Aim,  or  Humber,  whence  it  has  been  called  the 
Hulnber-Street,  as  well  as  the  High-Street,  and  the  Old-Street. 

"The  Hermen-Street,"  says  Stukeley,  " going  northward 
from  Lincoln,  is  scarce  diminished  because  its  materials  are  hard 
stones,  and  the  heath  on  both  side  favours  it."  Itin.  Y.,  p.  93. 
While  Abraham  de  la  Pryme,  an  antiquary  of  the  last  century, 
speaking  of  this  ancient  road,  says,  "It  is  cast  up  upon  both 
sides  with  incredible  labour  to  a  great  height,  yet  discontinued  in 
many  places,  and  then  begun  again.  Where  it  runs  over  nothing 
but  bare  mould  and  plain  heath,  it  then  consists  of  nothing  but 
earth  thrown  up  ;  but  when  it  runs  through  the  woods,  there  it 
is  not  only  raised  with  earth,  but  faced  with  great  stones  set 
edgeways,  very  close  together,  the  better  to  preserve  it — its 
width  being  seven  yards."  We  have  seen,  however,  that  at  one 
point  the  paved  portion  of  this  via  did  not  exceed  thirteen  feet  in 
width.  From  a  recent  excavation  it  has  been  discovered  that  the 
Ermine-Street  immediately  after  it  left  the  Newport  Arch,  ran 
slightly  to  the  east  of  the  present  road,  but  with  this  exception 
it  followed  the  line  of  that  road  very  exactly,  and  its  swelling 
bank  may  still  be  seen  in  much  perfection  as  it  passes  Riseholme, 
in  a  series  of  undulations  on  its  way  to  the  north.  At  a  point 
four  miles  distant  from  Lincoln  is  a  Roman  branch  road,  or  via 
vicinalis,  now  called  Till  Bridge  Lane,  which  leads  to  the  Trent, 
and  eventually  to  Doncaster. 

It  was  naturally  conjectured  by  Horsley,  Brit.  Horn.,  III.,  c.  2, 
p.  434,  that  this  road,    sometimes   called  the   Old-Street,   ran 


52  SLEAFOBD. 

directly  from  the  great  colonial  city  of  Lindum  to  Danum,  or  Don- 
caster  ;  but  such,  was  not  the  case,  as  it  branched  off  from  the 
Ermine-Street  as  above  mentioned.  The  first  mile-and-a-quarter 
of  this  old  road  is  now  disused,  but  may  be  detected  in  the  fields 
through  which  it  ran  ;  and  on  its  site  various  small  brass  Roman 
coins  have  been  found  of  the  Oonstantine  period,  as  recorded  by 
Archdeacon  Blingworth,  in  his  Topographical  Account  of  the  Parish 
of  Scampton,  p.  4.  Half-a-mile  northward  of  this  point  Till 
Bridge  Lane  branches  off  at  a  right  angle  from  the  Ermine- 
Street,  and  into  this  the  old  Roman  road  to  Doncaster  falls  near 
to  the  village  of  Scampton,  where,  as  one  and  the  same  road,  it 
runs  in  a  straight  line  to  the  Trent  (Trevona),  and  Littleborough, 
on  its  western  bank — the  Roman  Agelocum  or  Segelocum,  its  whole 
length  being  ten  miles. — Stukeley  thus  describes  it :  "  This  ridge 
is  likely  to  be  of  eternal  duration,  as  wholly  out  of  all  roads,  it 
proceeds  directly  on  the  heath,  then  descends  the  cliff  through 
the  rich  country  at  bottom,  between  two  hedge-rows,  by  the  name 
of  Till  Bridge  Lane ,  When  you  view  it  on  the  brink  of  the  hill, 
'tis  as  a  vista  or  avenue  running  through  a  wood  or  garden,  very 
straight,  and  pleasanter  than  when  you  come  to  travel,  wanting  a 
Roman  Legion  to  repair  it."  Iter.  V.,  p.  87. 

At  Scampton,  the  remains  of  a  very  large  Roman  villa  were 
found  in  1795,  chiefly  through  the  instrumentality  of  Archdeacon 
Illingworth,  the  then  incumbent  of  Scampton,  who  published  an 
account  of  that  discovery.  Having  heard  that  some  bricks  had 
been  turned  up  in  getting  stone  from  a  pit,  in  a  field  lying  south- 
east of  the  village,  and  north  of  Till  Bridge  Lane,  he  was  led  to 
examine  them,  and  finding  they  were  Roman,  he  ordered  exca- 
vations to  be  made,  which  disclosed  the  foundations  of  a  Roman 
house,  that  had  occupied  an  elevated  site  about  200  feet  square 
in  area,  and  contained  forty  rooms.  It  was  built  of  the  stone  of 
the  district,  and  its  walls  were  usually  two  to  three  feet  thick,  but 
one  wall  was  from  five  to  five-and-a-half  feet  thick.  These 
foundations  were  from  two  to  three  feet  below  the  surface,  and 
from  one  to  two  feet  only  in  height,  chiefly  forming  the  substruc- 
ture of  the  house,  so  that  it  could  not  be  ascertained  how  one 
room  communicated  with  another,  nor  what  was  the  character  of 
the  superstructure  ;  but  the  sill  of  the  principal  doorway  still 
remained  in  situ.  Probably  most  of  the  hypocausts  of  this  villa 
escaped  notice,  as  the  furnace  of  only  one  of  these,  on  the  eastern 


SLEAFORD.  53 

side,  seems  to  have  been  discovered  and  noted.  In  all,  the  remains 
of  thirteen  tesselated  pavements  were  laid  bare,  some  of  quite 
coarse  work,  but  others  of  much  beauty  ;  the  white  tesselse  being 
cut  from  the  native  limestone,  and  the  red  and  grey  being  formed 
of  terra  cotta,  or  baked  clay,  varying  from  half  an  inch  to  an  inch 
and-a-half  in  size.     These  pavements  were  laid  upon  a  thick 
substratum  of  cement  composed  of  lime,  gravel,  and  pounded 
brick.     The  most  beautiful  of  the  pavements  was  engraved  by 
Fowler.     This  was  found  in  a  room,  fifty  feet  long,  but  only  ten 
feet  wide,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  house.     It  was  not  quite 
perfect,  but  its  general  design,  composed  of  grey,  red,  yellow, 
and  white  tesselee — still  retaining  their   original  tints — was  as 
perfect  as  ever.     Portions  of  the  fallen  stucco,  or  plaster,  with 
which  some  of  the  rooms  were  lined  remained  on  the  floors,  and 
especially  in  the  above  named  .room.      These  were  painted  with 
various  colours,  such  as  green,  or  red  and  white,  and  blue  and 
white  in  stripes.     On  the  floors  of  the  rooms  also  lay  quantities 
of  flanged  and  scored  roof  tiles,  charred  wood,  and  melted  lead, 
clearly  indicating  the  way  in  which  this  house,  like  almost  all 
others  of  Roman  origin  eventually  perished.     Here  also  were 
found  the  shaft  of  a  small  pillar,  a  spear  head,  innumerable  frag- 
ments of  earthenware,  and  some  glass  vessels,  fibulae,  bone  pins, 
and  many  coins  of  the  lower  Empire.     Since  this  many  others 
have  been  found,  and  also  the  skeleton  of  a  female,  round  the 
bone  of  one  of  the  fingers  of  which  still  remained  a  small  Roman 
bronze  ring,  now  in  the  possession  of  the  Diocesan  Architectural 
Society.     Many  skeletons  were  disclosed  during  the  excavations 
carried  on  in  and  about  the  site  of  this  villa,  but  these  were  the 
remains  of  bodies  buried  in  the  cemetery  of  St.  Pancras's  Chapel, 
built  in  the  twelfth  century  on  this  spot,  which  has  also  passed 
away.    A  well  of  Roman  origin  close  by,  called  St.  Pancras's  Well, 
besides  the   adjacent  chapel  now  unfortunately  destroyed,  thus 
commemorated  that  young  Roman  saint  martyred  in  Diocletian's 
reign,  to  whom  Augustine  dedicated  the  first  Christian  church  at 
Canterbury,  and  whose  name  was  perhaps   given  to  this   well 
and  chapel,  as  being  appropriate  in  connection  with  the  site  of  a 
Roman   house,    some  remains  of  which  may  then  have  been 
apparent  above  ground. 

Till  Bridge  Lane,  after  passing  Scampton  and  crossing  two 
branches  of  the  little  river  Till,  whence  it  derives  its  name,  passes 


54  SLEAFOBD. 

through  Sturton  or  Street-town,  which  evidently  is  so  called 
from  its  propinquity  to  the  Roman  road.  North  of  this  is  Stow, 
whose  venerable  church  justly  claims  to  be  the  mother  church  of 
the  Diocese  of  Lincoln,  and  probably  stands  on  the  site  of  the 
Roman  Sidnacester,  although,  so  far,  unfortunately,  very  few 
Roman  remains,  such  as  coins,  &c.,  have  been  found  in  or  about 
it,  to  confirm  this  belief. 

Crossing  the  railway  from  Lincoln  to  Retford,  this  old  road 
passes  near  to  Marton,  situated  on  a  ridge  overlooking  the  valley 
of  the  Trent.  Here  portions  of  the  pavement  of  a  Roman  house 
were  remaining  until  the  beginning  of  the  last  century,  Magna 
Britannia,  II.,  p.  1454,  and  many  Roman  coins  have  since  been 
found  in  this  parish,  including  a  large  brass  of  Hadrian,  and 
another  of  Oarausius. 

From  Marton  the  road  descends  into  the  valley  below,  point- 
ing directly  to  Littleborough,  on  the  Nottinghamshire  bank  of  the 
Trent.  Here  was  a  ford  made  by  the  Romans  in  the  manner 
they  usually  adopted  as  an  aid  to  the  transit  of  rivers.  On  either 
side  the  bank  was  sloped  away,  so  as  to  make  an  easy  descent 
leading  to  a  raised  causeway  in  the  bed  of  the  river.  This  was 
eighteen  feet  wide,  and  held  up  by  strong  stakes  driven  into  the 
soil  on  either  side,  and  paved  with  stones.  It  existed  until  1820, 
when  through  the  obstruction  it  created  to  the  navigation  of  the 
river  during  dry  seasons,  it  was  removed ;  but  a  portion  of  the 
paved  descent  on  the  Nottinghamshire  side  still  remains.  Such 
works  were  ordered  to  be  constructed  by  the  Emperor  Hadrian, 
during  his  visit  to  Britain,  A.D.  120,  when  he  directed  the  banks 
of  roads  to  be  repaired,  and  their  surfaces  to  be  paved  afresh, 
built  bridges  over  some  rivers,  and  made  paved  causeways  across 
the  beds  of  others,  such  as  this  at  Littleborough.  He  therefore 
may  have  been  the  author  of  this  work,  and  it  is  a  curious  fact 
that  in  a  cleft  of  one  of  its  piles,  a  large  brass  coin  of  his  reign 
was  found,  bearing  a  figure  of  Justice  on  the  reverse.  It  afforded 
the  means  of  communication  with  a  Roman  station  surrounded, 
as  usual,  by  a  wall  and  deep  fosse,  of  which  some  remains  may 
still  be  detected.  It  is  generally  agreed  that  this  was  the 
Agelocum,  of  the  Antonine  Itinerary,  or  the  Argolico  of  the  pseudo 
Richard  of  Cirencester,  an  opinion  which  is  confirmed  by  its 
relative  distance  from  Lindum  Colonia,  or  Lincoln,  and  Danum,  or 
Doncaster,  viz.,  fourteen  miles  from  the  former  and  twenty  one 


SLEAFORD.  55 

from  the  latter.  Many  Roman  relics  have  been  found  at  various 
times  on  this  spot,  and  especially  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  village, 
where  the  river  has  disturbed  part  of  its  site.  Here  Stukeley 
observed  foundations  of  buildings  and  portions  of  pavements  pro- 
jecting  from  the  river  bank,  and  here  Gale  likewise,  when  crossing 
the  river,  saw  a  cor  aline  urn,  i.e.,  a  piece  of  Samian  ware,  in  its 
bank,  "  This  (says  he,)  I  pulled  out,  but  it  was  broken  in 
pieces,  as  it  stood  it  had  bones  in  it,  and  a  coin  of  Domitian." — 
Gale's  It.  Anton.,  p.  13.  In  1718,  part  of  a  coarse  gritstone  altar 
was  found  in  a  sandpit  here,  whose  foculus,  or  hollow  for  fire  on 
the  top,  was  perfect,  and  whose  mouldings  were  quite  entire,  and 
clean  as  if  newly  cut,  but  nearly  the  whole  of  the  inscription  on 
it  had  been  cut  away,  as  if  preparatory  to  cutting  another  upon 
it,  but  the  end  of  the  original  one  remained  legible,  viz.,  c<  us  • 
AKAM  •  D  •  D."  By  this  was  found  another  wrought  stone,  which  a 
contemporary  antiquary,  conceived  to  be  of  a  monumental  cha- 
racter. These  formerly  stood  on  each  side  of  the  steps  leading 
from  the  ferry  to  the  inn  above,  but  have  now  disappeared.  Per- 
haps one  of  these  is  what  Stark,  in  his  History  of  the  Bishopric  of 
Lincoln,  p.  1 1 2,  calls  a  milliary  stone,  and  was  used  as  a  horse  block. 
Ella,  in  a  letter  to  Stukeley,  contained  in  Reliquiae,  Galeanoe,  p. 
118,  thus  speaks  of  his  researches  at  Littleborough  : — "  Frag- 
ments of  the  finest  coral  coloured  urns  are  frequently  discovered, 
and  some  with  curious  bassi  relievi  upon  them,  and  the  workman's 
name  generally  impressed  with  extant  letters  at  the  inside  of  the 
bottom.  I  have  in  my  hands  the  fragments  of  some  urns  and 
vessels,  one  of  which  is  the  largest  part  of  a  Roman  discus,  or  sacri- 
ficing platter,  another  which  seems  to  be  a  cover,  but  I  never  had 
the  good  fortune  to  meet  with  any  urn  or  vessel  complete,  nor 
heard  of  any,  except  one  of  a  singular  make,  with  an  Emperor's 
head  embossed  upon  it,  the  same  which  Dr.  Gale  has  given  us 
the  figure  of,  found  at  York." —  Gale's  It.  Anton.,  p.  23.  "  The 
urns,  or  vessels,  are  most  of  them  of  this  coral  colour,  and  but 
few  of  the  coarse  grey  sort  which  are  met  with  in  other  places  ; 
though  we  might  have  expected  great  numbers  of  this  coarse  sort, 
this  station  being  within  a  few  miles  of  one  of  the  most  noted 
potteries  in  this  island,  Santon,  near  Brigg,  in  Lincolnshire, 
where  these  were  made." — Phil.  Coll,  JST.  IV.  p.  88.  "  There  are 
also  found  here,  but  very  rarely,  Roman  signets  of  agate  and 
cornelian  ;  one  of  the  finest  and  largest  I  ever  saw  was  found  at 


56  SLEAFOBD. 

this  place  ;  I  thought  it  so  valuable  as  to  bestow  the  setting  upon 
it,  but  the  workmen  did  it  so  slightly,  that,  to  my  great  regret,  it 
dropped  out,  I  know  not  when,  and  was  lost.  The  engraving  was 
well  performed,  and  the  polish,  though  it  must  have  lain  1300 
years  at  least  in  the  soil,  much  exceeded  anything  I  have  seen 
of  English  workmanship.  Here  also  a  Roman  medical  seal  or 
tally  was  found." — Gough's  Camden.,  II.  p.  404.  This  station  has 
produced  a  vast  number  of  coins,  especially  about  the  year  1736, 
when  the  fields  between  the  town  and  bridge  were  ploughed  up, 
including  many  very  minute  pieces  (minnims).  They  have  also 
been  picked  up  at  the  edge  of  the  river,  very  commonly  when  the 
tide  has  been  out,  in  dry  seasons,  besides  being  found  in  plough- 
ing and  digging,  and  used  to  be  termed  "  Swine  Pennies," 
because  they  were  sometimes  rooted  up  by  those  animals.  Mr. 
Ella  regrets  that  so  many  specimens  were  so  covered  with  rust  as 
to  be  of  little  use  for  the  cabinet,  and  that  no  Thecce  Nummarice  had 
been  discovered,  the  contents  of  which  might  be  better  preserved. 
Coins,  however,  have  been  found  here  of  Nero,  Vespasian, 
Domitian,  Trajan,  Hadrian,  Marcus  Aurelius,  Faustina,  Gallie- 
nus,  Yictorinus,  Tetricus,  Carausius,  Allectus,  Constantinus 
Magnus,  Constantius,  Constantinus  Secundus,  and  Crispus, 
besides  many  of  the  Constantine  period,  having  on  the  obverse  a 
galeated  head  and  "  TJRBS  BOMA  "  ;  reverse,  the  wolf  and  twins  ; 
and  others  with  "  CONST  ANTINOPOLIS  "  as  a  legend.  Two,  struck 
in  Trajan's  reign,  and  described  in  a  letter  of  Ella  to  Stukeley, 
are  particularly  interesting;  the  one — a  large  brass  of  that 
Emperor,  bore  on  the  reverse  a  representation  of  one  of  his 
great  works,  the  mole  at  Ancona,  and  the  other  a  figure  of  Bri- 
tannia, holding  a  spear  in  her  left  hand,  with  a  shield  at  her  left 
foot,  and  the  name  "  BRITANNIA  "  on  the  exergue.  From  Little- 
borough  this  Eoman  road  may  be  distinctly  traced  on  its  way 
through  a  second  Sturton,  or  Street-town — distinguished  from 
the  other  by  the  addition  to  its  name  of  "  le  steeple," — South 
and  North  Wheatley,  Doncaster,  Castleford — Legiolium,  Tad- 
caster — Colearia,  to  York — Eburacum  or  Eloracum. 

Returning  to  the  main  line  of  the  Ermine- Street,  where 
Till  Bridge-lane  branches  from  it,  this  ancient  road  proceeds  to 
Spital  *  after  passing  which  it  becomes  very  conspicuous  from 

*  The  usual  abbreviation  of  hospital,  a  retreat  or  home  for  poor  widows 


SLEAFOED.  57 

the  size  of  its  bank,  where,  in  some  instances,  it  is  very  promi- 
nent. Blyborough  is  then  left  on  the  west,  where  part  of  a  coarse 
tesselated  pavement  was  found  some  years  ago,  and  then  Kirton, 
which  lies  a-mile-and-a-half  westward  of  the  Ermine-Street,  and 
was  thought  by  Pegge  to  be  the  In  medium  of  the  spurious 
Eichard  of  Cirencester,  as  it  is  about  half  way  between  Lincoln 
and  the  Humber.  Opposite  Kirton  the  Ermine-Street  becomes 
simply  a  grass  lane,  and  part  of  its  bank  lies  on  the  left  of  the 
modern  track  ;  but  when  it  reaches  Eedbourn  the  bank  is  on  the 
right  of  the  present  road,  and  planted  with  trees.  About  a  mile 
further  northward,  and  on  the  west  of  the  road,  is  Grainstrop,  the 
site  of  a  destroyed  village,  where  Eoman  coins,  pottery,  and 
bricks,  have  at  different  times  been  discovered.  Just  beyond  the 
point  where  the  Ermine-Street  is  intersected  by  the  Manchester, 
Sheffield,  and  Lincolnshire  Eailway,  and  in  the  parish  of  Hibald- 
stow,  is  an  entrenched  camp  of  Eoman  construction.  This  lies 
low  between  two  small  streams,  which  probably  led  to  its  forma- 
tion there.  The  northern  and  southern  limits  are  traceable  through 
a  slight  rise  and  fall  in  the  ground,  still  serving  to  indicate  the 
fosse  and  agger  of  those  sides  of  the  camp.  The  eastern  boundary 
is  entirely  gone  ;  but  its  western  one,  four  hundred  yards  long,  is 
quite  discernible.  Eoman  coins  have  occasionally  been  found 
here,  and  the  pavement  and  hypocaust  of  a  Eoman  house  were 
laid  bare  near  the  camp,  when  the  adjacent  railway  was  made. 
Two  miles  northward  of  this,  two  pavements,  with  hypocausts 
beneath  them,  were  discovered  some  years  ago  in  the  farm  yard 
of  Mr.  Granthani,  of  Scawby,  and  were  engraved  by  Mr.  W. 


having  been  established  here  in  the  reign  of  Edward  II.  This  charitable 
institution  was  subsequently  enriched  by  Thomas  de  Aston,  Prebendary  of 
Centum  Solidorum,  Lincoln,  Sept.  17th,  1390,  but  subsequently  Prebendary 
of  Liddingtou,  and  Archdeacon  of  Stow.  Born  at  Aston,  Staffordshire,  he 
obtained  a  licence  from  Richard  II.,  to  build  and  endow  a  chapel  there,  as 
well  as  to  reconstruct  and  endow  "a  certain  habitation  at  Spittall-o'-the-Strete 
for  poor  men,"  in  1394.  At  both  places  daily  prayers  were  to  be  offered  up 
for  the  king  while  living,  and  for  his  soul's  salvation  when  dead,  as  well  as 
for  the  souls  of  the  Prince  of  Wales  his  father,  his  grandfather  Edward  III., 
and  others.  This  grant  to  the  hospital  consisted  of  four  messuages  in 
Hemswell,  one  toft  and  thirty  acres  of  land  at  Spital,  and  the  profits  of  the 
churches  of  Skellingthorpe  and  Carlton.  Thomas  de  Aston  died  June  7th, 
1401,  and  was  buried  in  the  nave  of  Lincoln  Cathedral. 


58  SLEAFOED. 

Fowler,  in  18 18.  One  was  composed  of  a  light  grey  or  white 
ground,  having  an  oblong  compartment  in  the  centre,  filled  with 
a  scale  pattern  of  black,  red,  and  white  tesselae.  The  other  had 
four  central  squares,  filled  with  alternated  devices,  surrounded 
by  the  guilloche  pattern,  a  wider  border  of  the  same  device, 
a  strip  of  chequered  work  on  the  sides,  and  then  a  narrow  white 
and  a  broad  red  border,  beyond  which  were  coarser  light  grey 
tesselse.  A  small  camp  is  also  said  to  have  existed  in  Scawby 
parish,  as  well  as  some  of  the  original  stone  pavement  of  the 
Ermine-Street,  until  the  middle  of  the  last  century.  After  passing 
the  turn  to  the  village  of  Scawby,  the  bank  of  the  old  road  be- 
comes very  conspicuous,  being  about  five  feet  high  here.  Running 
past  Twigmoor,*  a  long  tract  of  woodland  on  the  west,  and  then 
across  a  light  sandy  district,  whose  surface  is  liable  to  shift, 
through  the  action  of  the  wind,  the  ancient  road  is  partly  buried 
by  these  sands.  At  Broughton  is  a  conspicuous  mound,  looking 
like  a  barrow,  but  when  it  was  opened  some  years  ago  no  evidence 
appeared  that  it  was  of  artificial  origin.  Here,  however,  some 
Roman  vestiges  have  occasionally  been  discovered,  such  as  frag- 
ments of  pottery,  and  bricks  or  tiles.f  Emerging  from  the  sand, 
and  as  a  gravelled  road  passing  through  a  still  sandy  tract 
covered  with  wood,  past  the  site  of  Gokewell  Nunnery,^  the 

*  A  remarkable  moor,  in  the  centre  of  which  is  a  piece  of  water,  round 
which  countless  numbers  of  the  larus  ridibundus,  or  black -headed  gull,  have 
bred  for  many  years.  These  birds  arrive  in  February,  and  leave  about  the 
middle  of  July.  The  black  patch  on  their  heads  disappears  during  the  winter 
season.  Some  breed  also  in  the  adjoining  parish  of  Manton.  Two  other 
instances  of  such  inland  gulleries  exist  in  England,  one  at  Scoulton  Mere, 
near  Hingham,  Norfolk,  twenty-five  miles  from  the  sea,  and  the  other  at 
Pallinsburn,  the  seat  of  A.  Askew,  Esq. 

f  Eight  British  barrows  were  opened  in  this  parish  during  1850,  by 
Messrs.  Arthur  Trollope  and  Joseph  Moore.  Several  vases  of  rude  earthen- 
ware, flint  implements,  &c.,  were  then  discovered. — Archaeological  Journal, 
VIII.,  pp.  341,  351.  In  this  parish  also  certain  lands  are  held  by  an 
extraordinary  manorial  service  of  cracking  a  gad -whip  in  Caistor  Church  once 
a  year,  which  service,  however,  has  of  late  years  been  discontinued. — Archaeo- 
logical Journal,  VI.  pp.  239,  248. 

£  A  Cistercian  nunnery,  founded  by  William  de  Alta  Bipa,  previous  to 
1185.  At  the  Dissolution  its  prioress  and  six  nuns  were  dispossessed  of  their 
home,  and  their  house  and  lands  were  granted  to  Sir  William  Tyrwhit.  A 
few  year\ago  several  stone  coffins  buried  in  the  cemetery  were  brought  to 
light. 


SLEAFORD.  59 

Ermine-Street  reaches  a  spot  called  Britons'  Graves,  on  the  edge  of 
Thornholme  Moor,  whence  the  site  of  the  once  stately  priory  of 
Thornholme*  may  be  seen.  Here  is  another  sandy  district,  often 
suffering  much  injury  from  its  tendency  to  blow,  appropriately 
called  Santon,f  where  a  Roman  pottery,  and  several  furnaces  were 
discovered  some  years  ago,  also  a  brass  grating  of  a  cruciform  shape, 
and  many  fragments  of  pottery,  together  with  a  few  coins.  Towards 
the  summit  of  one  of  the  numerous  sand  hills  near  the  Ermine- 
Street  a  large  flat  stone  was  found  some  time  since,  probably  indi- 
cating a  sepulchral  deposit  below,  but  whether  Roman  or  not  is 
uncertain.  A  mile  and  a  half  north  of  Santon  lies  Appleby,  where 
an  earthern  vase,  surrounded  by  dark  soil,  and  containing  a  con- 
siderable number  of  Roman  silver  coins,  was  discovered  in  a  rabbit 
warren.  Two  miles  north  of  Appleby,  and  a  mile  and  a  half  to  the 
west  of  the  Ermine- Street,  lies  Roxby,  where,  in  the  last  century, 
a  labourer,  in  repairing  the  fence  of  a  small  field  of  Robert 
Gary  Elwes,  Esq.,  lying  to  the  south-west  of  the  church,  discovered 
part  of  a  Roman  tesselated  pavement,  many  large  stones  and 
roof-tiles  of  the  house  to  which  it  belonged,  and  portions  of  its 
wall- plaster,  painted  red  and  yellow,  near  to  which  Roman  coins 
have  since  been  found.  Subsequently  this  pavement  was  so  far 
uncovered  as  to  allow  of  its  being  copied  and  engraved  in  1799, 
by  Mr.  William  Fowler,  of  Winterton.  After  passing  through 
Roxby  pasture  the  Ermine-Street  enters  the  next  parish,  Win- 
terton, where  very  beautiful  tesselated  pavements  have  been 
discovered,  indicative  of  the  former  existence  there  of  a  superior 
class  of  Roman  Colonial  houses,  the  whole  of  which  were  drawn 
and  engraved  by  Mr.  Fowler.  In  1 747  three  more  were  uncovered 
just  below  the  Cliff  House,  to  the  west  of  the  village,  and  a  mile 
and  a  half  from  the  Roman  road  now  being  described.  One  is 
twenty-eight  and  a  half  feet  long  and  nineteen  feet  wide ;  the 


*  This  was  an  Augustine  house  founded  by  King  Stephen,  and  dedicated 
to  the  Virgin  Mary.  At  the  Dissolution  its  site  and  lands  were  given  to 
Charles  Brandon,  Duke  of  Suffolk. 

t  In  dry  times  these  sands  drift  so  much  as  to  injure  the  adjacent  land 
greatly,  and  sometimes  are  so  heaped  up  in  ridges  as  to  resemble  snow  drifts. 
In  this  parish  there  were  three  barrows  previous  to  its  inclosure,  where  procla- 
mation was  made  of  any  straying  cattle  by  a  bellman,  which  cattle,  if  not 
redeemed  within  twelve  months  and  a  day,  were  sold  by  public  auction. 


60  SLEAFOKD. 

second  forty  feet  long  and  thirteen  feet  wide.  In  the  centre  is  a 
bust  of  Ceres  within  a  circle  surrounded  by  a  double  guilloche 
border,  placed  within  a  square,  flanked  first  by  two  narrow 
compartments,  filled  with  a  scale  pattern  formed  by  red  and  grey 
tesselse,  and  then  by  two  oblongs,  ornamented  with  interlaced 
circles  in  a  very  pleasing  manner;  a  plain  border  composed  of 
red,  white,  and  grey  tesselse,  disposed  in  bands  of  various  widths, 
surround  the  whole.  The  third  was  damaged,  but  it  had  a  border 
composed  of  red,  white,  and  grey  squares,  containing  oblong 
compartments  within,  in  one  of  which  was  a  stag.  Another 
pavement  was  found  here  in  1797.  This  had  a  figure  of  Apollo, 
within  a  circle,  surrounded  by  a  guilloche  border  of  red,  grey, 
and  white  tesselse  in  the  centre,  a  compartment  on  either  side 
filled  with  an  interlacing  pattern,  and  a  series  of  red,  white,  and 
grey  bands  round  these,  constituting  the  outer  border.  Other 
Roman  remains  have  also  been  found  here,  snch  as  a  brass  eagle, 
as  recorded  in  the  Minutes  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries,  a  spear 
head,  much  pottery,  and  many  tiles,  bricks,  and  coins,  including 
a  large  brass  of  Yespasian,  a  silver  one  of  Antoninus  Pius,  and 
many  of  the  Constantino  period.  About  half  way  between  the 
Ermine-Street  and  these  pavements,  a  Roman  potter's  kiln  was 
accidentally  discovered  in  1868.  It  had  been  formed  by  excavat- 
ing a  hollow  penetrating  the  surface  soil,  a  thin  stratum  of  clay, 
and  the  sand  below,  and  resembled  one  or  more  found  by  the  late 
Mr.  Artis,  at  Castor  (DurolrivceJ,  in  Northamptonshire.  Its 
shape  was  that  of  an  inverted  cone,  six  feet  deep,  and  the  same 
in  diameter  at  its  widest  part.  Its  wall  was  constructed  of  clay, 
mixed  with  gravel,  four  inches  thick  below,  increasing  to  ten 
inches  above.  The  floor  of  the  furnace  was  covered  with  black 
ashes  and  broken  pottery.  With  this  a  lateral  flue  communicated, 
formed  of  flat  oolitic  stones,  whose  blackened  and  reddened  sur- 
face indicated  the  great  heat  to  which  they  had  been  exposed. 
From  the  middle  of  the  furnace  rose  a  concave  clay  shaft,  one 
foot  nine  inches  high,  whose  widely  spreading-  base  and  head 
enable  it  the  better  to  support  the  floor  of  the  piles  above.  This 
floor  was  broken,  but  appears  to  have  been  made,  as  usual,  of 
tiles  covered  with  clay.  The  domed  top  of  the  kiln  had  also  dis- 
appeared, but  its  debris,  consisting  of  broken  tiles  and  pieces  of 
plaster,  lay  within  the  kiln.  The  surface  of  the  clay  lining  and 
the  flue -shaft,  was  of  a  pale  blue,  fading  off  into  red  and  ochreous 


SLEAFOED.  61 

yellow,  occasioned  by  exposure  to  heat.  Many  fragments  of  pot- 
tery were  found  in  and  about  this  kiln,  chiefly  of  grey  ware,  plain 
and  scored,  among  which  were  some  of  vessels  having  compressed 
sides.  Three  miles  and  a  half  eastward  of  Winterton  the  tesse- 
lated  pavement  of  a  Eoman  villa  was  discovered  in  the  parish  of 
Horkstow.  It  was  not  wholly  uncovered,  but  evidently  belonged 
to  a  long  narrow  room,  and  was  divided  into  three  compartments, 
surrounded,  first  by  a  narrow  grey  and  white  border,  and  then  by 
another  of  red  and  white.  One  of  these  compartments  contains 
a  most  curious  representation  of  a  Eoman  chariot  race.  On  a 
white  ground  the  cavea,  carceres,  spina,  and  metce,  of  the  circus  are 
depicted,  and  four  drivers  of  liga  are  contending  for  a  prize* 
The  first  of  these  is  triumphantly  pulling  up  hi^  steeds  opposite 
the  winning  point ;  the  second,  when  closely  following,  loses  his 
advantage  by  the  fall  of  one  of  his  steeds,  for  the  third,  through 
this  misadventure,  will  give  him  the  go-by,  and  the  fourth,  through 
collision  with  one  of  the  other  chariots,  or  with  the  wall  of  the 
spina,  is  in  the  act  of  being  thrown  out  of  his  chariot  from  the 
loss  of  one  of  its  wheels,  while  two  horsemen  hasten  to  his 
assistance,  one  of  whom  is  dismounted  and  is  attending  to  this 
unfortunate  competitor.  A  portion  only  of  the  corresponding 
compartment  of  this  pavement  remains,  but  its  subject  is  that  of 
the  Parcce,  or  Fates.  The  circular  centrepiece  pourtrays  Genii 
preparing  the  thread  of  the  Fates  gathered  from  the  contents  of 
a  high  basket  or  calathus.  Eound  this  is  a  large  circle  divided 
into  four  compartments,  each  having  a  circular  medallion  within 
it.  In  one  of  these  Clotho  and  Lathesis  are  represented  with  the 
thread  of  Fate  between  them,  and  in  another  Atropos,*  whose  task 
it  was  to  cut  this  vital  thread.  On  either  side  of  these  medallions 
are  Nerieds  mounted  on  Seahorses,  attended  by  Grenii ;  in  the 
angles  of  the  squares  without  the  wide  interlaced  border  of  this 
circle,  are  Tritons,  in  reference  to  the  idea  that  the  Fates  were 
the  daughters  of  the  sea.  Divided  from  the  last-named  subject 
by  a  narrow  compartment  composed  of  interlated  circles,  &c.,  is 
part  of  a  circular  subject  within  a  square.  In  the  middle  is 


*  The  charioteers  of  the  circus  were  often  distinguished  by  colours  repre- 
senting the  four  seasons  of  the  year  ;  one  set  wearing  green,  for  spring,  termed 
the  factio  prasina  ;  a  second  red,  for  summer,  termed  russata ;  a  third  blue, 
for  autumn,  termed  veneta ;  and  a  fourth  white,  for  winter,  termed  alba. 


62  SLEAFORD. 

a  figure  of  Orpheus  in  a  Phrygian  cap,  playing  on  a  lyre,  and 
attended  by  a  peacock;  in  a  circle  around,  divided  into  eight 
compartments,  edged  by  a  guilloche  border,  are  various  beasts 
and  birds,  supposed  to  have  been  attracted  by  Orpheus's  strains. 
Among  the  former  appear  a  dog,  deer,  boar,  bear,  and  a  young 
elephant.  In  the  angles  between  this  circle  and  the  square  com- 
partment in  which  it  is  placed,  are  large  busts  composed  of  red 
tesselee  on  a  white  ground,  accompanied  by  small  red  circles,  one 
bearing  a  white  and  the  other  a  red  cross,  like  a  Christian  dedi- 
cation symbol. 

The  Ermine-Street  can  no  longer  be  traced  in  Winteringham, 
its  bank  having  been  destroyed  through  the  enclosure  of  that 
parish,  and  subsequent  cultivation ;  but  there  is  no  doubt  as  to 
its  line,  and  the  spot  where  it  reached  the  Humber ;  for,  continu- 
ing its  former  straight  course  northwards,  it  would  at  length 
reach  the  summit  of  a  small  promontory  on  that  great  river,  half 
a  mile  north-east  of  the  village  of  Winteringham,*"  which  for- 
merly protected  a  little  haven  called  Flashmire,  now  silted  up. 
This  terminal  was  marked  by  a  Station,  probably  that  ofAdAbum, 
which  Stukeley  states  was  ploughed  up  a  few  years  before  he 
wrote  his  Itinerarium  Curiosum.  In  his  account  of  this  spot,  he 
speaks  of  the  existence  of  a  fine  spring  here — always  a  desirable 
adjunct  to  a  Station — of  vast  stones,  pavements,  and  foundations, 
which  often  broke  ploughers'  shares,  and  of  remains  of  streets  or 
roads  made  of  gravel  or  sea  sand.  He  also  gives  an  engraving  of 
the  appearance  of  this  spot,  dated  1776,  and  states  that  several 
intakes  had  been  made  here  in  the  memory  of  man.  Roman  coins 
have  not  unfrequently  been  found  at  Winteringham ;  one  of 
Claudius  was  brought  to  Stukeley,  and  a  collection  from  Flash- 
mire  was  brought  to  the  author  when  he  visited  the  site  ofAdAbum, 
in  1855.  Stukeley,  speaking  of  Winteringham,  says,  "  This  place 
is  over  against  Brough,  the  Roman  town  on  the  Yorkshire  shore, 
but  it  is  rather  more  eastward,  so  that,  with  the  tide  coming  in, 
they  ferried  over  very  commodiously  thither  ;  "  and,  in  confirma- 
tion of  this  opinion,  a  discovery  was  made  here,  and  at  Brough, 
during  the  remarkably  dry  summer  of  1826,  when  the  Humber 


*  In  this  parish  is  a  tumulus  near  the  Church,  surrounded  by  a  stone  wall, 
and  here,  in  north  beach  gravel-pit,  a  cinerary  urn  and  twenty  celts  were 
discovered— probably  British. 


SLEAFORD. 


63 


was  very  low,  viz.,  the  remains  of  a  raised  causeway,  or  jetty, 
stretching  out  from  both  places,  similar  to  the  vadum  descent  in 
the  Trent  at  Littleborough,  and  apparently  of  Roman  construc- 
tion. Brough  was  undoubtedly  a  Eoman  Station — perhaps 
Prsetorium.  Hence  the  Ermine-Street  ran  to  Market  Weighton, 
where  it  divided ;  one  branch  leading  thence,  by  Thorpe-on-the- 
Street  and  Wilberfoss,  to  York,  the  other  by  Londesborough, 
New  Malton,  and  Cawthorn,  to  Whitby. 

From  Winteringham,  in  Stukeley's  opinion,  a  Roman  road 
ran  over  Whitton  brook,  not  far  from  West  Halton,  where  many 
Roman  coins  have  occasionally  been  found,  to  Alkborough, 
where,  on  a  commanding  height  overlooking  the  confluence  of 
the  Trent,  Humber,  and  Ouse,  as  well  as  the  whole  Isle  of 
Axholme,  is  a  Roman  camp,  surrounded  by  a  fosse  and  vallum, 
three  hundred  feet  square,  having  an  entrance  on  the  north, 
and  its  western  side  protected  by  a  steep  declivity  of  the  cliff 
on  which  it  stands.  The  field  in  which  this  camp  lies  used  to 
be  called  Countess  Close,  from  a  Countess  of  Warwick,  who 
gave  the  manor  of  Alkborough  to  Magdalene  College,  Cam- 
bridge. Close  to  this  camp  is  a  turf  labyrinth,  thirty  feet  in 
diameter,  of  mediaeval  design,  supposed  to  be  of  Roman  origin, 
but  in  reality  of  later  date.*  These  works  were  sometimes  called 
Julian's  bowers,  or  Troy  towns,  which  helped  to  deceive  Stukeley 
as  to  their  extreme  antiquity,  and  although  there  certainly  were 
Roman  labyrinthine  devices,  one  of  which  has  lately  been  dis- 
covered worked  in  a  tesselated  pavement  at  Caerleon,  the  turf 
labyrinth  at  Alkborough  is  distinctly  a  medieeval  work,  or  at 
least  a  copy  of  one. 


*  For  the  history  of  such  works,   see  Archaeological  Journal,  vol.   15, 
p.  16, "or  Architectural  Societies'  Papers,  vol.  4,  p.  351. 

F 


THE    CAE-DIKE. 


I.  Pickaxe  from  Trajan's  Column.  II.  A  Hoe  from  do.  III.  A  Spade  from  a  sepulchral 
bas-relief.  IV.  A  Shovel  from  Pompeii.  V.  A  Spade  from  a  sepulchral  painting.  VI.  A  two- 
pronged  Hoe  from  a  gem.  VII.  A  Hatchet  from  Trajan's  Column.  In  the  centre  is  a 
Labourer's  Basket,  also  represented  on  Trajan's  Column. 

The  fens  of  this  portion  of  England  afforded  the  means  of 
exhibiting  the  versatile  genius  of  the  Eomans  during  the  period 
of  their  dominion  in  Britain.  It  was  nature  that  here  offered  far 
greater  difficulties  to  that  people  than  the  owners  of  the  soil, 
for  after  the  Romans  had  enforced  the  submission  of  the  Girvii, 
or  fen  men,  settled  on  the  border  of  the  Wash,  they  found  that 
they  had  to  control  an  element  whose  power  had  hitherto  remained 
undisputed  within  their  newly  acquired  territory  and  to  rescue 
the  fen  lands  of  parts  of  Lincolnshire  and  Northamptonshire 
from  the  dominion  of  the  upland  waters,  before  much  profit  could 
be  derived  from  the  extraordinary  fertility  of  their  newly  acquired 
lowlands^ 


SLEAFOBD.  65 

An  immense  amount  of  labour  was  required  to  effect  this 
design ;  but  the  Eomans  were  not  a  people  to  shrink  from  its 
execution ;  and  that  they  succeeded  in  accomplishing  it  is  evident 
from  the  still  existing  testimony  of  one  of  their  great  earthworks, 
termed  "  the  Car-Dike."  This  was  once  a  wide  and  deep  catch- 
water  canal,  commencing  at  a  point  on  the  Nene  about  half  a  mile 
from  Peterborough,  and  terminating  in  the  parish  of  Washing- 
borough,  near  Lincoln,  where  it  formerly  communicated  with  the 
Witham  after  a  course  of  56  miles  in  length.  Such  being  its 
character,  we  may  perceive  two  additional  inducements  that  would 
lead  the  Eomans  to  carry  out  such  a  work.  As  the  depth  of  the 
Oar-Dike  was  amply  sufficient  to  float  boats  of  considerable  size, 
such  a  canal,  before  the  Coritani  were  completely  subjugated, 
would  afford  a  ready  means  of  transporting  military  stores  through 
a  dangerous  district,  because  here  the  light  armed  natives  would, 
from  the  nature  of  the  ground,  possess  unusual  advantages  over 
their  heavily  armed  invaders  ;  while  afterwards,  in  peaceful  times, 
such  an  inland  navigation  would  be  very  valuable  to  the  Eomans 
for  trading  purposes,  connecting  as  it  did,  the  river  Nene  with 
the  Witham,  and  thus  affording  a  means  of  inland  communica- 
tion by  water  between  the  important  cities  of  Lindum  Colonia  and 
Durolrivce,  whereby  the  dangers  of  the  ocean  were  avoided,  as 
well  as  the  difficulties  of  land  transportation. 

Of  the  Eoman  origin  of  the  Oar-Dike  there  has  never  been 
any  doubt,  although  the  date  of  its  formation  is  unrecorded,  and 
the  name  of  its  originator  unknown,  because  the  Britons  never 
dedicated  so  great  an  amount  of  labour  as  this  required  in  behalf 
of  a  peaceful  object,  while  the  Eoman  remains  and  traces  that 
have  been  left  on  or  near  it  point  most  satisfactorily  to  the  nation 
under  whose  auspices  it  was  created. 

It  has  been  thought  by  some  that  the  name  Car-Dike 
may  have  been  derived  from  some  entrenched  strongholds  in  its 
vicinity,  as  well  as  from  its  having  afforded  a  means  of  transit 
between  the  British  "  Caer  Dorm,"  or  "Durobrivse,"  and  "  Caer 
Lin,"  or  "  Lindum  Colonia  "  ;  but  it  is  far  more  likely  that  this 
name  is  of  a  much  later  date,  and  one  that  simply  means  fen-dike, 
or  a  cutting  carried  through  the  "cars,"  a  term  still  commonly 
used  in  connection  with  fen  lands. 

This  ancient  work  is  also  occasionally  called  "  the  Bell-Dike," 
from  a  tradition,  partially  prevalent,  that  the  original  large  bell, 


06  SLEAFOED. 

or  " Great  Tom"  of  Lincoln  Cathedral,*  was  floated  on  a  raft 
or  boat  to  its  destination  all  the  way  from  Peterborough  by 
means  of  the  Car-Dike  canal ;  some  adding  that  the  bell  was  a 
present  from  an  Abbot  of  Peterborough  to  the  Cathedral  of  Lin- 
coln, and  others  that  it  was  forcibly  abstracted  from  his  Minster. 
Such  a  popular  belief  is  probably  founded  on  the  fact  of  some  bell 
having  been  floated  along  the  Car-Dike,  and  certainly  points  to  a 
time  when  this  cutting  was  used  as  a  navigation  for  the  trans- 
mission of  heavy  goods. 

Evidence  on  this  head  was  also  afforded  some  years  ago  by 
the  discovery  of  a  quantity  of  sculptured  stones  in  that  portion  of 
the  Car-Dike  passing  through  the  parish  of  Morton.  These 
stones  were  clearly  intended  for  the  construction  or  reparation  of 
some  ecclesiastical  building,  but  seem  to  have  been  accidentally 
sunk  in  the  Car-Dike,  in  whose  bed  they  remained  for  several 
centuries. 

This  great  work  was  most  probably  formed  under  the  super- 
vision of  a  Eoman  military  engineer,  and  in  part  by  the  actual 
labour  of  Eoman  troops,  as  they  were  habitually  employed  upon 
such  works  of  utility,  as  well  as  of  defence,  when  their  services 
were  not  immediately  required  in  the  field ;  for  instance,  in  the 
midst  of  a  war  with  Gaul,  the  Senate,  while  it  commissioned  one 
of  the  Consuls,  Lucius  Anicius  Gallus  to  prosecute  the  campaign 
ordered  the  other,  Marcus  Cornelius  Cethegus,  to  superintend  the 
drainage  of  the  Pontine  Marshes,  "  they  thinking,"  as  Livy  in- 
forms us,  "that  they  could  in  no  way  better  prove  themselves  to 
be  faithful  supervisors  of  the  Commonwealth  than  by  redeeming  a 
large  tract  of  land  for  its  use;"  the  same  author  also  elsewhere 
states,  "  that  the  Eoman  Consuls,  to  prevent  idleness  on  the  part 
of  the  soldiery,  habitually  employed  them  in  making  highways,  so 
that  they  were  almost  as  well  versed  in  the  use  of  the  spade  as  of 
the  sword."  The  Eomans  were  accustomed  to  take  a  part  in  works 
of  drainage  on  a  large  scale,  so  that  we  need  not  be  surprised  at 
the  magnitude  of  those  they  have  left  behind  them  in  this  part  of 


*  The  present  bell,  weighing  9894  Ibs.,  was  cast  in  a  furnace  erected  in 
the  Minster  Yard,  by  Henry  Holdfield,  of  Nottingham,  and  William  New- 
combe,  of  Leicester,  who  were  co-contractors  for  this  particular  work  alone,  in 
the  year  1610.  It  replaced  one  weighing  7807  Ibs.,  which  possibly  may  have 
been  transported  from  Peterborough. 


SLEAFORD.  67 

England.  A  large  fenny  district  near  Placentia  in  the  valley  of . 
the  Po  was  drained  by  Scaurus,  and  supplied  with  navigable 
canals.  The  Emperor  Claudius  undertook  the  drainage  of  the 
Fucine  Lake,  employing  30,000  men  for  eleven  years  upon  the 
work,  but  yet  was  forced  to  leave  its  completion  to  Hadrian. 
"  Sueton  in  vita  Claudii."  Tacitus  alludes  to  the  cutting  of  a 
canal  between  the  Rhine  and  the  Meuse,  23  miles  long,  by  means 
of  which,  he  adds,  the  dangers  of  the  ocean  were  avoided,  and  we 
may  remember  that  the  navigable  canal  of  the  Pontine  Marshes 
along  which  track  boats  plied,  and  made  so  familiar  to  us  by 
Horace,  was  but  the  drain  of  that  fen  district  to  which  we  have 
before  alluded. 

But,  although  the  Romans  were  fully  accustomed  to  execute 
great  works  of  drainage,  no  doubt  they  compelled  the  unfortunate 
natives  of  such  countries  as  they  had  subdued  to  take  a  large 
share  in  the  more  laborious  portions  of  these  operations,  and  we 
actually  find  from  the  "  Life  of  Agricola,"  that  the  Britons  com- 
plained deeply  of  the  Roman  tyranny  in  this  respect,  declaring 
that  their  conquerors  "  wore  out  and  consumed  their  bodies  and 
hands  in  clearing  the  woods  and  embanking  the  fens." 

Stukeley  has  suggested  that  both  the  Ermine- Street  and  the 
Car-Dike  were  works  of  the  reign  of  Nero,  and  from  the  mere 
fact  of  finding  a  series  of  synonymous  names  of  places,  &c.,  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  latter,  such  as  Catesbridge,  Catwater,  Catscove, 
Catley,  &c.,  he  has,  with  his  usual  fervid  imagination,  proposed 
to  hail  Catus  Decianus  a  Procurator  in  the  above  named  Emperor's 
reign  as  its  author  ;  all  however  that  we  know  of  that  personage 
militates  against  such  a  decision,  because  during  the  short  time 
of  his  administration  he  only  exhibited  his  utter  incapacity, 
having  first  allowed  the  Roman  arms  to  be  signally  defeated,  and 
then  fled  disgracefully  into  Gaul :  In  addition  to  which,  as  we 
find  Stukeley  afterwards  proposing  to  make  Carausius  the  con- 
structor of  the  Car-Dike  on  equally  insecure  ground,  and  that 
thus  his  opinion  was  capable  of  oscillating  between  two  dates 
about  200  years  apart,  we  can  not  look  upon  him  as  a  safe 
authority,  or  indeed  any  authority  at  all,  on  this  point. 

With  far  greater  reason  it  may  be  surmised  that  the  intelli- 
gent and  indefatigable  Cnseus  Julius  Agricola  was  the  constructor 
of  the  Car-Dike,  about  the  year  A.D.  79,  when  he  had  succeeded 
in  establishing  the  Roman  rule  almost  universally  in  Britain,  and 


68  SLEAFOED. 

was  beginning  to  instruct  its  inhabitants  in  agriculture  and  com- 
merce, at  the  same  time  that  he  was  securing  and  consolidating 
his  conquests  by  forming  lines  of  communication  through  Britain, 
and  when  such  a  canal  as  the  Car-Dike  would  be  most  useful  for 
the  transmission  of  stores  to  the  north  during  his  Scottish  cam- 
paigns. Agrieola  was  re-called  by  Domitian  A.D.  84  ;  hence,  if 
he  was  the  Car-Dike  constructor,  its  date  can  thus  be  pretty 
accurately  arrived  at ;  and  this  hypothesis  is  strengthened  by  the 
testimony  of  the  Roman  coins  that  have  been  found  in  many 
instances,  and  occasionally  in  large  quantities,  near  the  banks  of 
this  originally  vast  fen- dike  ;  but  if  after  all  it  is  of  a  later  date, 
we  can  not  possibly  suppose  it  could  have  been  carried  out  during 
the  next  35  years  when  there  was  a  temporary  stagnation  of 
Roman  enterprise,  and  must  therefore  attribute  it  to  Hadrian, 
when  he  visited  Britain  A.D.  120. 

Stukeley  has  surmised  that  the  Car-Dike  was  defended  by  a 
series  of  "forts" — that  is  military  entrenchments,  guarding  its 
extremities,  and  commanding  its  navigation  at  intervals ;  these 
he  fixes  at  Eye,  Narborough,  Billinghay  and  Walcot,  simply 
from  an  idea  he  entertained  that  those  names  appeared  to  point 
to  such  works,  and  not  from  a  personal  inspection  of  the  Car- 
Dike  ;  but  there  are  not  the  slightest  traces  of  entrenchments  at 
any  of  those  places.  His  assumed  Roman  origin  also  of  the 
"  Low,"  the  site  of  a  medieval  building  near  Peterborough,  is 
very  doubtful :  here,  he  says  very  positively,  was  a  camp  ditched 
about,  just  where  the  Car-Dike  begins  on  one  side  of  the  river, 
and  another  such  fortification  at  Horsey- bridge  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river." — Her.  I.  p.  8.  Whereas,  although  the  Low 
moat  certainly  did  once  communicate  with  the  Car-Dike,  it  is  far 
more  probable  that  it  was  cut  in  that  situation  simply  for  the 
purpose  of  drawing  the  amount  of  water  necessary  for  its  supply 
from  the  adjacent  and  more  ancient  work. 

During  the  Saxon  period  the  Car-Dike  was  no  doubt  entirely 
neglected  in  common  with  all  the  other  great  and  useful  Roman 
works ;  hence  its  channel  gradually  diminished  in  depth  through 
the  washing  in  of  soil  and  the  yearly  growth  of  weeds,  although, 
from  the  magnitude  of  its  banks,  neither  the  neglect  of  man,  nor 
the  re-action  of  nature  during  many  centuries  has  been  able  to 
efface  its  original  grandeur  entirely  ;  those  evidences  of  its  former 
importance  still  for  the  most  part  rising  up.  boldly  along  the  edge 


SLEAFORD.  69 

of  the  lowlands  between  Peterborough  and  Lincoln,  in  rivalry 
with  the  modern  railway  and  drainage  works  in  their  vicinity, 
although  their  formation  was  the  result  of  simple  manual  labour 
unaided  by  the  various  appliances  of  modern  science,  or  the 
gigantic  power  of  steam.  The  first  written  allusion  to  the  Car- 
Dike  is  to  be  found  in  the  pseudo  Chronicle  of  Ingulphus,  who 
was  elected  Abbot  of  Croyland  Abbey,  A.D.  1076.  In  that 
work  it  is  said  that  "Richard  de  Rulos,  Chamberlain  to  the 
Conqueror,  enclosed  all  his  ands  eastward  to  Car-Dike,  and 
beyond  Car-Dike  to  Cleylake  beyond  Crammor,  excluding  the 
river  Welland  with  a  mighty  bank."  Afterwards  it  is  occa- 
sionally alluded  to  in  the  reports  of  the  various  commissioners 
successively  appointed  to  examine  the  condition  of  the  drains 
and  embankments  of  the  Lincolnshire  fens ;  whence  we  gather 
that  it  was  considered  to  be  an  important  feature  in  the  then 
drainage  of  those  lowlands  for  a  considerable  period,  although 
its  original  use  has  now  been  superseded  by  more  modern  drains 
such  as  the  Forty-foot  and  others. 

As  might  be  expected,  the  original  depth  and  width  of  the 
channel  of  the  Car-Dike  have  now  been  for  the  most  part  greatly 
reduced,  while  its  banks  have  at  some  points  been  expanded  and 
lowered  by  the  action  of  the  plough,  and  at  others,  either  mutila- 
ted or  entirely  removed  ;  there  are,  however,  but  few  spots  where 
its  course  may  not  still  be  traced,  and  from  a  careful  inspection 
of  its  now  very  varying  outline,  and  from  measurements  at  many 
different  points,  I  am  of  opinion  that,  at  first,  its  channel  was 
fifty  feet  wide,  and  eight  feet  deep,  and  that  its  banks  were 
thirty  feet  wide  below,  lessening  to  ten  feet  above,  whence  the 
height  of  the  banks  above  the  natural  ground  level  would  also 
be  ten  feet.  (See  Section  I.) 

As  a  rule,  the  Car-Dike  forms  the  western  boundary  of  the 
fens  between  Peterborough  and  Lincoln,  the  most  trifling  portions 
of  rising  land  being  carefully  left  on  the  west,  except  at  Eye, 
Kyme,  and  a  few  other  spots.  The  banks  are  entirely  formed  of 
the  black  fen  soil,  whenever  this  was  of  a  sufficient  depth  for  the 
purpose,  but  more  usually  of  the  silty  clay  forming  the  subsoil, 
strewn  with  the  large  flints  and  pebbles  found  between  those 
strata  ;  hence  they  may  be  often  readily  discerned  from  the  light 
colour  and  poor  character  of  their  soil,  when  their  elevation  can 
no  longer  be  detected,  as  in  Walcot  and  Timberland  parishes. 


70 


SLEAFOKD. 
CAR-DIKE  SECTIONS. 


T 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 

100  FEET 


THE  PROBABLE  ORIGINAL  FORM. 


OPPOSITE  STANDGROT7ND. 


NEAR  PETERBOROUGH. 


NEAR  NEWARK. 


NEAR  EYE. 

6 


NEAR  NORWOOD. 


SLEAFOED. 

7 
NEAR  THURLBY. 

8 


71 


THE   MIDDLE   OF   THE   MIDFODDER   BAR-DIKE. 


NEAR  HECKINGTON  TUNNEL. 

10 


SOUTH  KYME. 
II 


NORTH   KYME. 

12 


BILLINGHAY. 

13 


WALCOT. 

14- 


METHERINGHAM. 


72  SLEAFORD. 

Rennie,  the  engineer,  gave  high  praise  to  the  originators  of 
this  ancient  work ;  after  he  had  inspected  it  professionally,  pro- 
nouncing it  "to  have  been  well  conceived,"  while  even  an 
ordinary  observer  can  readily  see  how  boldly  it  was  executed. 

The  level  throughout  is  nearly  uniform  ;  hence  it  has  been 
a  matter  of  surprise  to  some  how  it  could  have  retained  a  supply 
of  water  sufficient  to  enable  it  to  act  as  a  navigation  in  summer, 
and  yet  to  afford  a  means  of  exit  to  the  upland  waters  during 
the  winter  months.  It  must,  however,  be  remembered  that 
as  the  Car-Dike  was  intersected  by  various  natural  streams, 
it  would  thus  be  kept  full  of  water  even  in  the  driest  seasons,  and 
yet  that  through  the  same  medium,  as  well  as  through  its  own 
natural  terminals  on  the  banks  of  the  Nene  and  Witham,  it 
would  be  able  to  pass  off  its  redundant  waters ;  in  addition  to 
which,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  if  flood  gates  were  formerly 
required  for  the  occasional  protection  of  the  Car-Dike  from  the 
overflowing  of  the  said  rivers,  the  Romans  were  fully  acquainted 
with  the  use  of  such  artificial  hydraulic  aids,  so  that  no  doubt 
they  adopted  them,  if  needful,  although  no  traces  of  these  can 
now  be  discerned. 

The  southern  end  of  the  Car-Dike  is  close  to  Peterborough, 
but  it  was  by  no  means  out  of  any  consideration  for  it  that  such  a 
point  was  selected  for  the  commencement  of  the  canal  under  notice, 
because  no  such  town  as  Peterborough  was  then  in  existence. 
The  great  town  of  this  district  during  its  Roman  occupation  was 
"  Durobrivee,"  whose  site  is  now  partly  marked  by  the  village  of 
Caistor,  six  miles  distant  from  Peterborough.  This  was  one  of  the 
ten  cities  in  Britain  put  under  the  Latin  law  by  the  Romans — 
"  civitates  Latio  Jure  donatae,"  according  to  the  pseudo  Richard 
of  Cirencester,  whence  its  inhabitants  enjoyed  all  the.  rights  of 
Roman  citizenship  ;  and  perhaps  it  derived  such  a  privilege  from 
its  situation  on  that  great  Roman  via,  the  Ermine-Street,  as  well 
as  on  the  Nene,  then  navigable  up  to  its  site,  whence  it  enjoyed 
a  means  of  water  communication  with  "  Lindum  Colonia," 
through  the  Car-Dike. 

The  grandeur  of  "  Durobrivee  "  was  partly  revealed  by  the 
discoveries  of  the  late  Mr.  E.  T.  Artis,  while  on  the  line  between 
its  site  and  Peterborough  many  Roman  coins,  vases,  portions  of 
pavements,  &c.,  have  occasionally  been  found,  and  especially  in 
Longthorpe  field.  These  coins  belonged  to  the  reigns  of  Augustus, 


SLEAFOKD.  73 

Claudius,  JElius  the  adopted  son  of  Hadrian,  &c.  Descending  the 
Nene  to  a  point  half  a  mile  to  the  south  east  of  Peterborough,* 
and  opposite  Standground  sluice  toll  house,  the  southern  entrance 
of  the  Car-Dike  was  reached,  and  there  faint  traces  of  its  channel 
and  banks  may  still  be  seen.  (Sec.  2.) 

These,  after  crossing  a  modern  drain,  become  more  conspi- 
cuous, the  former  being  indicated  by  a  shallow  bed  30  feet  wide, 
which  afterwards  resembles  an  ordinary  ditch,  and  is  flanked  by 
some  remains  of  its  banks,  until  it  approaches  the  Low,  before 
alluded  to,  where  a  variety  of  Celtic  implements  and  a  boat,  or 
dug-out,  of  the  same  period,  were  discovered,  in  the  bed  of  the 
Nene,  as  recorded  by  Artis. 

Running  by  a  high  modern  bank  in  the  direction  of  Wisbech, 
the  Car-Dike  may  be  clearly  seen  on  its  way  towards  Fen-gate, 
where  its  banks  are  now  surmounted  by  a  windmill  and  a  few 
cottages,  shortly  beyond  which  they  begin  to  assume  a  far  more 
imposing  character.  (Sec.  3.)  Passing  through  the  Boon  field, 
the  channel  then  gradually  increases  in  width,  until  upon 
approaching  the  village  of  Newark  it  is  50  feet  wide,  and  is  used 
as  an  osier  bed.  (Sec.  4.)  Then  contracting  again,  upon  enter- 
ing Newark,  a  turnpike  road  is  carried  along  its  eastern  bank, 
which,  with  its  companion  bank,  fringed  with  willows,  thus  runs 
nearly  to  Eyef  There  -turning  abruptly  to  the  west,  the  Eoman 
engineer  boldly  cut  through  a  promontory  of  rising  ground, 
instead  of  skirting  it,  according  to  the  general  rule  observed, 
whence  this  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  points  of  the  Car-Dike, 
a  lofty  bank  on  one  side,  and  a  plantation  on  the  other,  here 
rising  on  either  side  of  the  canal.  (Sec.  5.) 

Afterwards  the  eastern  bank  is  crowned  for  a  short  space  by 
the  modern  Wirrington  road,  before  it  reaches  Norwood.  There 
both  banks  are  very  striking,  particularly  at  a  turn  they  make 
westward,  (Sec.  6.,)  whence  they  may  be  seen  stretching  over  the 
plain  to  a  considerable  distance.  Afterwards  they  decline  in 


*  A  silver  coin  of  Antoninus  was  found  near  the  Car-Dike  at  the  back  of 
Peterborough  Minster,  and  many  Roman  coins  about  its  precincts.  Iter  Cur., 
I.,  p.  7.,  Note. 

f  Absurdly  thought  to  derive  its  name  from  "agger,"  by  Stukeley. 
Here  sundry  Celtic  remains  were  found  in  the  last  century,  consisting  of  brass 
spear  heads  and  celts. 


74  SLEAFOED. 

height,  but  not  in  width,  making  several  turns  for  the  purpose 
of  leaving  all  the  elevated  ground  on  the  west,  and  nothing  but 
fen  land  on  the  east. 

Opposite  Wirrington  this  ancient  work  was  remodelled  about 
30  years  ago,  so  as  to  form  a  modern  drain,  termed,  from  its 
supposed  unnecessary  size,  "the  folly."  This  runs  into  the 
Welland  a  little  above  Peakirk,  but  the  Car-Dike  has  been 
allowed  to  continue  its  course  from  a  point  about  a  mile  south  of 
that  village,  as  an  ordinary  ditch  accompanied  by  some  traces  of 
its  banks,  until  it  is  entirely  lost  on  the  western  side  of  the  Rail- 
way Station.  Thence  it  passed  by  Peakirk,  towards  the  foot  of 
the  slight  eminence  crowned  by  Glinton ;  after  which  it  again 
resumed  its  northern  course,  as  it  may  next  be  traced,  as  a  simple 
ditch  flanked  by  slight  remains  of  its  banks,  a  little  to  the  south 
east  of  Northborough,  and  as  far  as  the  junction  of  the  Deeping 
and  Maxey  road  with  that  leading  from  Northborough  to  Peakirk, 
where  it  is  again  lost. 

It  appears  however  to  have  pursued  its  course  northwards, 
until  it  reached  the  Welland,  and  entered  Lincolnshire  at  Market 
Deeping ;  after  which  it  ran  a  little  to  the  east  of  Towngate,  on 
a  line  now  designated  by  a  perfectly  straight  road,  as  it  may 
again  be  seen  at  the  end  of  this,  where  it  joins  the  Towngate 
Outgang  road,  at  first  as  a  ditch  only,  but  afterwards  flanked  by 
portions  of  its  old  wide  banks  as  far  as  Langtoft,*  with  one 
exception,  about  a  mile  south  of  that  village,  where  a  deep  hollow 
now  alone  indicates  its  former  existence.  After  crossing  the 
Langtoffc  Outgang  road,  the  Car-Dike  has  been  forced  to  do  ser- 
vice in  connexion  with  a  moat  surrounding  an  old  Mansion  there, 
and  also  as  a  small  fishpond.  Hence  it  runs  as  a  ditch,  accompa- 
nied by  slight  signs  of  the  ancient  banks  to  Baston  ;f  crossing 
the  Baston  road,  it  may  be  subsequently  traced  in  the  form 


*  At  a  spot  about  half  a  mile  from  the  Car-Dike  and  Langtoft,  an  urn 
was  found,  some  fifty  years  ago,  containing  about  a  thousand  small  brass 
Roman  coins ;  since  which  time  others  of  silver  and  brass  hare  been  occasion- 
ally found,  as  well  as  in  Ufnngton  parish  near  here,  including  one  of  Vespasian. 

•(•  Many  Roman  coins  have  been  found  in  this  parish,  one  person  there 
now  possessing  about  eighty  of  these,  including  a  large  brass  Trajan,  and 
several  good  specimens  of  Claudius  Gothicus,  Constantino  the  Great,  Con- 
stantine  the  2nd,  Magnentius,  and  Yalens. 


SLEAFORD.  75 

of  a  wide  hollow  as  far  as  Thetford  Hall,  where  it  becomes 
a  long  fishpond  again,  reaching  nearly  to  the  river  Glen  by 
Kates-bridge.  After  crossing  that  stream,  the  Car-Dike  shrinks 
into  the  limits  of  an  ordinary  ditch,  but,  presently,  its  eastern 
bank  again  becomes  apparent,  at  some  spots  being  90  feet  wide 
and  5  feet  high,  while  both  banks  are  evident  on  approach- 
ing Thurlby,  whose  Church  is  built  upon  one,  and  the  parsonage 
upon  the  other.  Passing  Thurlby  Hall  as  a  wide,  bankless, 
and  not  very  odoriferous  ditch,  it  arrives  opposite  Elsea  wood, 
where  the  eastern  bank  is  90  feet  wide  and  4  feet  high  (Sec, 
7.),  and  is  again  occasionally  visible  until  it  reaches  some 
garden  ground  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Bourn,*  whence  it 
runs  through  the  eastern  suburb  of  that  town  to  a  point  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  further  to  the  north,  accompanied  only  by 
occasional  traces  of  its  original  banks  ;  but  then  they  again  be- 
come conspicuous  and  are  90  feet  wide  in  the  hamlet  of  Dyke. 
After  passing  Morton,  f  the  banks  sink,  but  still  flanking  a  ditch 
between  them,  the  Car-Dike  passes  through  the  parishes  of 
Hacconby,  Dunsby,  and  Dowsby  ;J  in  this  last  a  modern  road 
occasionally  surmounts  the  eastern  bank ;  then  the  channel  con- 
tinues in  a  dwindled  form  until  it  approaches  Billingborough, 
where,  for  a  short  space,  its  ancient  width  is  well  defined,  as  well 
as  the  magnitude  of  its  banks.  After  having  been  crossed  by 
the  Bridge-end  road,  or  Salter's  way,  near  Threekingham,  its 
wide  banks  are  still  conspicuous  in  the  parish  of  Swaton,  and  its 


*  The  ancient  course  of  the  Car-Dike  has  been  altered  for  a  short  space 
here,  but  is  still  well  knowii  from  the  difficulty  it  presents  to  persons  wishing 
to  build  or  rebuild  on  its  site. 

f  In  this  parish  many  Koman  coins  have  formerly  been  found,  as  well 
as  in  Grimsthorpe  Park,  including  a  fine  large  brass  of  Hadrian. — Iter. 
Cur.,  I.,  ps.  7,  12."  And  this  is  not  surprising,  for  at  Stainfield,  near 
Morton  and  Grimsthorpe,  there  was  once  clearly  a  considerable  Roman 
Station  as  indicated  by  the  blackness  of  the  soil  there,  mingled  with  Eoman 
pottery  ;  this  spot,  indeed,  used  to  be  a  perfect  treasury  of  Roman  coins,  whence 
the  market  women  brought  many  specimens  for  sale  to  Bourn  on  market  days. 
There  was  an  entrenched  camp  also  at  Edenham,  a  little  to  the  south  west  of 
Stainfield. 

J  Between  this  village  and  Pointon,  at  a  spot  about  half  a  mile  from  the 
Car-Dike,  is  a  group  of  six  tumuli,  probably  British,  now  termed  "the  Hoe 
Hills." 


76  SLEAFOKD. 

bed  is  used  as  a  modern  drain  for  about  a  mile,  but  this  again 
dwindles  to  a  ditch  between  low  banks  in  Helpringham  parish 
until  it  approaches  the  Great  Hale  road,  where  both  the  banks 
and  the  channel  are  better  defined  ;  then  again  the  latter  lessens 
and  the  former  sink,  although  still  wide,  before  they  are  crossed 
by  the  Boston  and  Sleaford  road  and  railway.  This  ancient 
work  then  reaches  a  group  of  cottages  in  Star  Fen,  beyond  the 
Littleworth  road,  where  its  banks  have  been  sadly  mutilated,  and 
occasionally  entirely  removed.  Hence  passing  by  the  Heckington* 
Eau  Dyke,  and  through  the  parish  of  Ewerby,  it  runs  in  a  straight 
line  to  Heckington  tunnel  a  little  to  the  west  of  South  Kyme.  At 
first  the  banks  of  this  portion  of  the  Oar-Dike,  here  termed  the 
Midfodder,  are  wide,  but  after  awhile  the  western  one  has  been 
more  or  less  removed,  and  then  again  both  now  present  much  the 
same  appearance  as  they  originally  did,  having  been  remodelled 
of  late  years  and  planted  with  a  triple  row  of  willows ;  but  the 
channel  has  here  been  divided  by  a  central  bank  thrown  up  in 
the  midst  of  it.  (Sec.  8.) 

Before  reaching  Heckington  tunnel  the  Oar-Dike  assumes  a 
less  perfect  form,  (Sec.  9,)  and  next  it  constitutes  a  portion  of  the 
Boston  and  Sleaford  Navigationf  for  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 


*  In  Heckington  parish  Boman  coins  are  sometimes  found,  among  which 
one  of  Julia  Mammsea,  and  also  in  the  adjoining  one  of  Kirkby-Laythorpe, 
including  some  of  Septimius,  Severus,  Faustina  the  younger,  and  Constantino 
the  2nd. 

•f  From  this  point  to  its  junction  with  the  "Witham,  it  is  called  the  Kyme 
Eau,  which  was  used  as  a  navigable  canal  in  the  early  part  of  the  14th  century, 
as  we  gather  from  documentary  evidence  ;  in  the  16th  Ed.  3d.,  Gilbert  de 
Humfraville,  Earl  of  Angus,  then  exhibiting  a  petition  to  the  king,  wherein  he 
set  forth,  that  a  certain  water  called  the  Ee  of  Kyme,  between  Doc-Dyke  on 
the  east,  and  Brentfen  on  the  south,  which  ran  through  his  lands  for  the  space 
of  six  miles  in  length,  was  so  obstructed  and  stopped  by  reason  of  mud  and 
other  filth,  that  ships  laden  with  wine,  wool,  and  other  merchandize,  could 
neither  pass  through  the  same  in  summer  nor  in  winter,  as  they  had  been  used 
to  do,  except  it  were  scoured  and  cleaned,  and  the  banks  so  raised,  that  the 
tops  of  them  might  appear  to  mariners  passing  that  way,  whensoever  the 
marshes  there  should  be  overflowed.  And  that  as  the  said  Earl  had  for  the 
common  benefit  of  those  parts  bestowed  no  small  cost  towards  the  repair  of 
the  said  place,  called  the  Ee,  and  heightening  of  those  banks,  so  he  intended 
to  be  at  much  more,  in  case  the  said  king  would  please  to  grant  unto  him  and 
his  heirs  for  ever,  certain  customs  of  the  merchandize  passing  in  ships  through 


SLEAFOKD.  77 

before  reaching  a  house  termed  Halfpenny  Hatch.  In  cleaning 
out  its  bed  here  a  few  years  ago  a  small  Roman  vase  of  grey  ware, 
was  discovered,  figured  subsequently  on  page  79. 

A  hollow,  50  feet  wide,  there  indicates  its  line,  flanked  by 
detached  portions  of  the  banks  resembling  a  range  of  tumuli ;  but 
soon  again,  as  a  broad  ditch  between  low  wide  banks,  it  reaches 
the  Sleaford  and  Tattershall  road.  (Sec.  10.)  Near  this  point, 
in  the  parish  of  North  Kyme,*  is  a  small  entrenched  camp,  for- 
ming a  parallelogram  554  feet  long,  and  354  feet  wide  (figured 
on  the  next  page).  This  is  formed  by  an  outer  agger,  or  bank, 
20  feet  wide,  and  an  inner  one,  13  feet  wide,  and  138  feet  long. 
The  angles  of  this  last  are  rather  higher  than  the  other  portions, 
to  give  additional  security  at  those  points,  but  the  average  height 
of  both  aggers  is  about  4  feet.  It  will  be  seen  from  the  plan  that 
the  lines  of  the  outer  and  inner  aggers  do  not  run  at  equal  dis- 
tances from  each  other,  there  being  only  a  space  12  feet  wide 
between  these  at  the  east  end  to  correspond  with  one  47  feet  wide 
at  the  west  end.  There  are  now  gaps  through  both  aggers,  on  the 
north,  south,  and  west  sides  of  the  camp,  of  which  the  chief  are 
on  the  south  side  and  may  be  original.  In  the  area  so  enclosed 
are  traces  of  three  mounds  or  tumuli,  placed  at  nearly  equal 
distances  from  one  another. 

A  little  to  the  north  of  this  was  formerly  a  tumulus  100  feet 
wide  at  its  base.  In  1820  some  spear  heads  were  found  within 


the  same,  to  have  and  receive  in  form  above  said,  viz  :  for  every  sack  of  wool 
carried  through  the  channel,  fourpence  ;  for  every  pocket  of  wool,  twopence  ; 
for  every  ton  of  wine,  fourpence  ;  for  every  pipe  of  wine,  twopence  ;  for  every 
four  quarters  of  corn,  a  penny  ;  for  every  thousand  of  turfs,  a  penny  ;  for 
every  ship  laden  with  cotton,  fourpence  ;  and  for  every  ship  laden  with  other 
commodities  than  aforesaid,  twopence. 

"Wherefore  the  said  king  directed  his  precept  to  "William  Fraunk,  then 
his  Escheator  in  this  county,  that  he  should  forthwith  make  inquisition,  and 
certify  whether  it  would  be  to  the  damage  of  him  the  said  king  or  his  subjects, 
if  the  said  customs  were  granted  unto  the  before  mentioned  Gilbert  for  the 
purposes  above  expressed.  And  accordingly  the  said  Escheator  did  certify 
that  it  would  not  be  prejudicial  to  the  said  king  or  any  others  to  make  such 
a  grant. — Gougtis  History  of  Imbanking,  p.  196." 

*  In  digging  into  a  bank  near  the  Car-Dike  here,  two  bronze  leaf-shaped 
swords  were  discovered,  in  1820  ;  the  one  was  1ft.  lO^in.  long,  and  the  other 
1ft.  7in. 


78 


SLEAFOKD. 

E. 


W. 

PLAN  OF  KYME  CAMP. 


it,  probably  of  tlie  Britisli  period;  but  when  it  was  entirely 
removed,  a  few  years  ago,  nothing  further  was  discovered. 

After  crossing  the  Sleaford  and  Tattershall  road  the  banks 
of  the  canal  are  more  fully  developed,  especially  when  running 
parallel  with  the  village  of  North  Kyme,  (Sec.  11,)  but  again 


SLEAFOFvD.  79 

sink,  until  they  arrive  at  a  point  where  they  have  been  repaired 
for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  drain  connected  with  the  Billinghay 
Navigation.  (Sec.  12.) 

There  the  Tattershall  road  is  carried  along  the  eastern  bank, 
but  diverges  from  it  again  before  it  reaches  Billinghay.  In  a 
gravel  pit  a  little  to  the  north  of  this  village,  and  about  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  from  the  Car-Dike,  ten  skeletons  were  recently  found, 
lying  north  and  south,  within  two  feet  of  the  surface,  and  with 
them  a  portion  of  a  conglomerate  quern,  and  three  small  vases  of 
dark  grey  Durobrivan  pottery ;  two  of  these  are  represented  in 
the  subjoined  cuts,  the  tallest  of  which  is  5  inches  high,  the  other 
3j  inches  high. 


VASE  FOUND  AT  HALFPENNY  HATCH.  VASES  FOUND  AT  BILLINGHAY. 


After  passing  by  the  parsonage  garden  and  some  cottages 
built  on  its  western  bank,  the  channel,  here  resembling  an  ordi- 
nary ditch,  turns  abruptly  to  the  north  west,  under  a  small  tunnel 
near  the  church  ;  but  soon  traces  of  its  original  wide  banks  again 
appear,  and  at  a  point  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  Billinghay, 
are  conspicuous  from  the  poverty  of  the  yellow  silty  clay  of  which 
they  are  made,  as  contrasted  with  the  natural  surface  soil  by  the 
side  of  them. 

After  passing  Walcot,  the  whole  work  still  remains  very  per- 
fect, (Sec.  13,)  and  forms  a  striking  line  of  demarkation  between 
the  undulating  ground  on  the  left  and  the  perfectly  level  fen  lands 
on  the  right,  extending  almost  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach  towards 

G 


80  SLEAFOBD. 

the  Wolds ;  but  before  reaching  Thorpe  Tilney,  it  has  been  much 
mutilated.  Here  Walcot  Delph,  the  first  of  several  large  modern 
drains,  crosses  the  Car-Dike  at  right  angles.  Opposite  Thorpe 
Tilney  there  are  some  sharp  turns  in  its  banks,  which  have  been 
considerably  altered  before  they  reach  Timberland*  parish,  where 
they  again  become  more  perfect.  At  this  point  rising  ground  is 
seen  extending  towards  the  right,  and  on  advancing  this  will  be 
found  to  form  a  promontory  skirted  by  the  Car-Dike,  where  its 
usually  sluggish  waters  are  enlivened  by  a  running  brook.  After- 
wards the  natural  sloping  ground  on  the  right  served  as  one  bank 
of  the  canal,  while  the  other  has  been  made  to  correspond  with  it 
artificially,  for  a  considerable  distance.  (Sec.  14.) 

At  the  end  of  Martin  wood  Timberland  delph  is  passed,  and 
here  a  modern  road  runs  along  the  top  of  the  eastern  bank  past 
the  village  of  Martin,  f  an  old  Jacobean  house  called  Linwood,]: 
surrounded  by  trees,  a  farm  house,  and  some  cottages,  built 
upon  its  edge.  From  this  point  its  western  bank  is  covered  with 
trees,  forming  the  edge  of  Blankney  wood,  and  the  eastern  one 
is  also  prettily  dotted  with  thorns.  About  a  mile  further  to 
the  north,  Metheringham  delph  is  passed,  and  here  for  a  short 
space  the  Dike  banks  have  been  removed,  but  again  are  seen 
rising  on  either  side  of  a  wide  channel,  (Sec.  15.)  until  they 
reach  the  road  leading  to  the  village  of  Metheringham,  where  the 
former  become  less  apparent,  and  the  latter  shrinks  into  a  ditch  ; 
but  upon  approaching  Nocton  wood,  the  channel  is  12  feet  wide, 
owing  to  the  waters  of  Dunston  beck  which  here  flow  into  it ;  and 
the  flat  treeless  plain  through  which  the  Car-Dike  has  so  far 
passed,  is  exchanged  for  a  woodland  scene  on  either  side.  Here 
its  banks,  although  covered  with  trees  and  bushes,  are  very  visible 
until  they  reach  Nocton  delph,  where  the  eastern  one  emerges  from 
the  wood,  but  the  other  still  continues  just  within  its  limits  as  far 
as  its  northen  boundary  marked  by  some  rising  ground  called 


*  A  hoard  of  Roman  coins  was  found  near  the  Car-Dike,  in  this  parish, 
in  1808. 

t  When  Martin  mere  was  drained,  no  less  than  eight  British  canoes  were 
discovered. — Itin.  Cur.  Iter.,  I.,  Note,  p.  16. 

%  Formerly  a  gold  tore  was  dug  up  here,  but  it  was  immediately  disposed 
of  to  a  Jew,  and  melted  up. 


SLEAFORD.  81 

Abbey  hills,  near  Nocton  Hall.*  Hence  a  road  runs  along  its 
eastern  bank,  here  for  the  most  part  much  worn  down,  so  as  to  be 
detected  at  times  only  by  the  lighter  colour  of  its  soil,  and  a  long 
wood  known  by  the  names  of  Low-barf,  Norman-hay,  and  Han- 
worth-spiney  covers  the  western  bank.  After  passing  the  road 
leading  to  Bardney,  once  so  famed  for  its  Abbey,  the  Oar-Dike 
turns  more  towards  the  east,  and  is  bordered  by  Branston  wood, 
until  reaching  Branston  delph,  where  a  modern  road  runs  along 
the  western  bank,  which  is  still  conspicuous  from  its  size  as  it  passes 
opposite  Washingborough  wood  on  its  way  to  the  turn  to  Heigh- 
ington.  Hence  the  banks  run  towards  the  east  without  so  much 
as  a  ditch  between  them  to  represent  the  ancient  channel,  and 
even  these  are  occasionally  almost  lost,  the  lighter  colour  of  the 
remains  of  the  subsoil  of  which  they  were  originally  made  being 
the  principal  evidence  of  their  former  existence. 

After  diverging  slightly  from  the  Washingborough  road, 
where  the  Car-Dike  for  a  short  way  is  almost  obliterated,  it  may 
again  be  traced  running  parallel  with  that  road  on  the  right, 
until  it  passes  behind  a  row  of  houses  forming  the  northern  por- 
tion of  the  village  of  Washingborough,  and  is  then  finally  lost 
within  a  very  short  distance  of  the  Witham,  near  the  Railway 
Station,  and  opposite  the  village  of  Greetwell. 

Here  terminates  this  great  work,  giving  access  to  Lindum 
Colonia  during  the  Roman  dynasty,  and  thence  by  the  Foss-dike, 
another  similar  Roman  canal,  to  the  Trent,  Humber,  and  Ouse. 
Thinking  it  would  be  interesting  to  give  representations  of  the 
implements  used  by  the  Romans  in  the  formation  of  their  earth 
works,  a  group  of  these  is  given  as  a  heading  to  this  description 
of  the  Car-dike,  taken  from  various  authentic  sources.  (See 
page  64.) 

Such  are  the  greater  Roman  remains  connected  with  the 
Wapentakes  of  Flaxwell  and  Aswardhurn,  forming  a  part  of 
their  province  of  Flavia  Caesariensis,  and  reference  will  be  made 
to  many  smaller  vestiges  of  that  wonderful  people  in  connection 
with  the  various  parishes  about  to  be  described  in  this  volume. 

*  In  cleaning  out  the  Car-Dike  in  this  parish,  some  clay  moulds  for 
casting  Roman  coins  were  discovered,  in  1811,  also  two  boats,  or  canoes,  of  a 
very  early  period.  These  were  presented  by  Sir  Joseph  Banks  to  the  British 
Museum. 


82  SLEAFOED. 

General  history  informs  us  why  the  Eomans  eventually  re- 
tired from  Britain,  whose  coming  was  considered  a  national 
infliction,  but  whose  departure  was  viewed  with  dismay;  and 
then  it  records  how  another  human  wave,  also  considered  as 
another  very  grave  infliction,  was  preparing  to  sweep  over  our 
country  before  the  Eomans  retired  from  it,  and  destined  to  pro- 
duce far  more  permanent  results  as  regards  the  character  of  its 
population,  although  not  calculated  to  astonish  us  with  such 
mighty  works  of  art  and  such  proofs  of  indomitable  perseverance 
as  were  exhibited  by  the  Eomans.  To  these  and  to  the  next 
invaders  of  the  British  soil  we  must  shortly  advert,  because  they 
also  have  left  traces  of  their  former  occupation  of  that  part  of 
Lincolnshire  proposed  to  be  described. 


THE  SAXONS  AND  THE  DANES. 

The  Saxons,  coming  from  the  shores  of  the  Caspian  across 
the  centre  of  Europe  in  a  north  westerly  direction,  at  length 
reached  the  Cymbric  peninsula,  and,  dispossessing  its  former 
inhabitants,  they  gradually  peopled  Jutland,  Schleswick  and 
Holstein,  as  also  the  islands  of  North  Strandt,  Busen,  and  Heli- 
goland or  Heiligiland.*  Not  content,  however,  with  the  territory 
they  had  thus  boldly  wrested  from  its  earlier  occupants,  the 
Saxons  were  in  the  habit  of  making  such  frequent  incursions  on 
the  coast  of  England,  as  well  as  of  Belgium  and  Gaul,  as  to  com- 
pel the  Eoman  government  to  equip  a  fleet  at  Boulogne  for  the 
especial  purpose  of  repelling  their  attacks;  which  fleet  was 
placed  under  the  command  of  the  celebrated  Carausius.f  Aland 


*  The  Saxon  confederation  at  length  reached  from  the  Elbe  to  the  Ehine. 
This  people  is  first  mentioned  by  name  in  Ptolemy's  Geography,  where  the 
Saxons  are  described  as  living  on  the  north  side  of  the  Elbe,  on  the  neck  of 
the  Cimbric  Chersonesus,  and  inhabiting  three  small  islands — Lib.  II,  c.  11. 

t  Carausius,  a  low  born  Menapian,  having  amassed  great  wealth  by  plun- 
dering smaller  naval  plunderers,  excited  the  anger  or  the  jealousy  of  the 
Emperor  Maximian,  who  ordered  the  execution  of  Carausius.  Upon  this,  the 


SLEAFOED.  83 

force  was  also  raised  for  the  same  purpose,  whose  chief  was 
termed  "  Count  of  the  Saxon  Shore." 

For  two  hundred  years  a  series  of  petty  invasions  had  been 
carried  on  by  the  Saxons  before  the  landing  of  Hengist  and 
Horsa  at  Ebbes  Fleet ;  and  sometimes  these  had  assumed  a  seri- 
ous aspect,  as  in  the  year  368,  when  combining  with  the  Picts, 
Scots,  and  Attacottians,  they  slew  Nectaridus,  the  Boman  com- 
mander of  the  Saxon  shore,  and  defied  several  of  his  successors, 
until  Yalentinian  sent  Theodosius  as  a  commander,  who  com- 
pletely subdued  them  for  a  time. 

After  the  departure  of  the  Bomans,  however,  the  Saxons  by 
degrees  took  possession  of  the  greater  part  of  Britain ;  but  it  was 
one  hundred  and  thirty  years  before  the  Heptarchy,  or  perhaps 
we  may  say  the  Octarchy,*  of  that  people  was  established,  Hen- 
gist  founding  the  kingdom  of  Kent  in  457,  Ella  that  of  Sussex 
in  477  ;  Cerdic,  "Wessex,  in  495  ;  certain  chiefs,  Essex,  in  530 ; 
and  others,  East  Anglia,  about  the  same  date ;  Ida,  Bernicia,  in 
547  ;  Ella,  Deira,  in  559  ;  and,  last  of  all,  Mercia  was  founded 
in  586. 

Of  the  three  Teutonic  peoples  combining  in  the  invasion  of 
England,  the  Saxons  established  themselves  in  the  south,  except- 
ing Kent,  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  part  of  the  adjoining  coast  of 
Hampshire,  which  were  seized  by  the  Jutes  from  South  Jutland  ; 
while  the  Angles,  from  the  district  of  Anglen  in  Sleswick,  settled 
themselves  in  the  northern  and  midland  portions  of  our  island. 
Thus  Lincolnshire  was  undoubtedly  a  portion  of  the  Anglian 
province  of  Mercia. f 

Deep  must  have  been  the  sufferings  of  the  Britons  at  this 
time,  although  for  the  most  part  unrecorded.  Their  faith  in 


intended  victim  boldly  assumed  the  imperial  purple,  and  for  seven  years 
defied  the  power  of  Borne,  holding  supreme  power  in  Britain  from  287  to  293. 

*  The  number  of  the  Saxon  kingdoms  varied  at  different  periods,  through 
the  absorption  of  some  by  conquest  for  a  time,  and  again  by  their  after  sepa- 
ration ;  but  they  were  once  clearly  eight  in  mimber. 

f  This  province — comprising  the  central  portion  of  England — was  divided 
into  north  and  south  Mercia  by  the  course  of  the  Trent ;  North  Mercia  com- 
prising the  modern  counties  of  Chester,  Derby,  and  Nottingham  ;  South 
Mercia— •Lincolnshire,  Northamptonshire,  Eutland,  Huntingdon,  parts  of 
Bedfordshire  and  Hertfordshire,  Buckinghamshire,  Oxfordshire,  Gloucester- 
shire, Worcestershire,  Herefordshire,  Staffordshire,  and  Shropshire. 


84  SLEAFOKD. 

Christ,  which  at  least  some  of  them  had  embraced,  derided  by 
the  fierce  heathen  conquerors  of  their  land,  their  dominion  lost, 
their  hunting  grounds  seized,  their  persons  enslaved ;  by  flight 
alone  could  they  save  themselves  from  a  grinding  tyranny,  and 
perhaps  from  a  cruel  death.  Many,  therefore  fled  from  the  scene 
of  their  birth  and  from  their  lawful  inheritance,  to  the  mountains 
of  Wales,  and  to  the  remote  wilds  of  Cumberland  and  Cornwall ; 
but  some  did  not  feel  themselves  secure  until  they  had  placed  the 
sea  between  themselves  and  their  oppressors  by  emigrating  to 
Bretagne,*  a  fact  still  attested  by  its  name.  Attacking  the 
Britons  on  all  sides,  the  Saxons  gradually  drove  them  all  out 
like  beasts  from  the  confines  of  their  several  kingdoms,  except 
such  as  they  converted  into  slaves  and  drudges.  Yet  these 
retired  before  their  invaders  only  by  slow  degrees,  fought  with 
them  often  and  obstinately,  and  were  occasionally  victorious  even 
long  after  that  period  when  this  country  had  assumed  a  national 
Saxon  character ;  thus  Exeter  was  only  lost  to  the  Britons  so  late 
as  the  reign  of  Athelstan ;  and  Gloucester,  Cirencester,  and  Bath 
not  until  A.D.  571 ;  whilst  they  obtained  a  signal  victory  over  the 
people  of  Wessex,  at  Wanborough,  in  581. 

But  a  great  change  was  now  at  hand ;  the  holy  leaven  of 
Christianity  was  about  to  exercise  its  benignant  influence  over 
the  Saxon  kingdoms  of  Britain,  under  the  auspices  of  the  good, 
as  well  as  great  Gregory  of  Rome,  and  through  the  instrumen- 
tality of  Augustine;  Ethelbert  of  Kent  and  his  subjects  having 
embraced  Christianity  in  596 — a  happy  precedent,  which  was  by 
degrees  followed  by  all  the  other  Saxon  princes  of  England  and 
their  people,  of  whom,  Edwin  of  Deira  introduced  Christianity 
into  Yorkshire  in  627,  and  shortly  afterwards  into  Lincolnshire. 
The  continental  Saxons,  however,  still  remained  in  their  heathen 
condition,  until  Charlemagne  took  some  steps  to  forward  their 
conversion ;  and  we  find  from  an  exceedingly  interesting  letter, 
written  by  that  emperor  to  Offa,  our  Saxon  king  of  Mercia,  in 


*  Another  large  body  of  Britons  emigrated  to  Bretagne  in  664,  owing  to 
a  pestilence  which  terribly  afflicted  England  and  "Wales  at  that  time.  Those 
that  remained  suffered  much  from  the  Saxons,  and  were  visited  with  fire  as 
well  as  with  the  sword.  Bangor  monastery,  for  instance,  with  its  library, 
was  destroyed  by  Ethelfrith. — Humph.  Lhuyd  Comm.  Frag.  Brit.  Descrip. 
58. 


SLEAFORD.  85 

777,  that  his  efforts  had  met  with  some  success,  and  that  he 
offered  his  protection  and  every  encouragement  to  all  pilgrims 
engaged  in  Christian  missionary  work.* 

It  was  well  that  the  Saxons  had  secured  some  consolation 
for  themselves,  which  no  man  could  take  from  them,  for  great 
troubles  were  at  hand;  and  as  they  had  harried  the  Britons, 
driven  them  out  with  fire  and  sword  from  their  hereditary  lands, 
or  else  had  enslaved  them — so,  now  they,  in  their  turn,  were 
about  to  experience  a  calamity,  which,  though  apparently  not 
of  great  moment,  yet  eventually  afflicted  the  whole  Saxon  terri- 
tory, and  was  most  severely  felt,  more  or  less,  by  its  entire 
population.  This  plague  was  the  Danish  Invasion. 

Prodigies  foreboding  the  advent  of  the  Danes  are  said  by 
our  old  chroniclers  to  have  preceded  the  arrival  of  that  people ; 
and,  amongst  others,  that  men's  clothing  was  found  mysteriously 
marked  with  the  symbol  of  the  Cross,  in  token  that  they  were, 
by  repentance,  to  prepare  for  the  coming  visitation. f  But 
why  were  the  Danes  to  be  so  deeply  and  so  justly  dreaded  ? 
They  were  Teutons  from  Denmark  and  Norway,  of  the  same 
race  with  the  Saxons  of  Britain ;  and  yet  they  were  about  to 
rob,  to  burn,  to  slay,  without  pity  and  without  remorse,  their 
brother  Teutons,  who  still  used  nearly  the  same  language,  dress, 
and  arms  that  they  did  themselves.  Such  an  act  demands 
a  reason  for  its  perpetration  ;  and  we  shall  find  on  enquiry  that 
there  were  two  principal  causes  leading  to  this  result.  First, 
Necessity  ;  and  secondly,  a  Difference  as  to  the  religious  faith  of  the 
two  peoples.  As  the  Saxons  had  been,  in  some  measure  at  least, 
compelled  to  leave  the  shores  of  Northern  Germany  through  the 
inconvenient  increase  of  their  numbers,  J  so,  towards  the  close  of 


*  Du  Chesne,  Script.  Fr.  II.,  p.  28. 

t  Chronicle  of  Henry  of  Huntingdon,  Lib.  IV. 

i  "Et  sicut  hi,  qui  lascivientes  arborum  ramos  solent  succidere,  ut  radix 
reliquis,  sufficire  poterit,  sic  incolae  illarum  provinciarum  sorte  terram  allevi- 
ant,  ni  tarn  numerosae  prolis  pastu  exhausta  succumbat  ....  Inde  est 
quod  homines  illarura  provinciarum  tantam  invenerunt  ex  necessitate  vir- 
tutem,  ut  a  patria  ejecti  peregrinas  sedes  armis  vindicarent  ;  sicut  Wandali 
olim  Africam,  Gothi  Hispaniain,  Longobardi  Italiam,  Normanni  partem 
Gallise,  quain  Normaniam  ex  suo  nomine  notaverunt,  subsiderunt." — Historic*, 
Monasterii  S.  Augustini  Cantuaricnsis,  p.  139  (by  Thomas  of  Elmham). 


86  SLEA.FOBD. 

the  8tli  century,  Denmark  found  that  she  could  no  longer  sup- 
port her  enlarging  population  with  the  scanty  produce  of  her 
northern  soil.*  Hence  her  boldest  and  most  daring  sons — already 
in  the  habit  of  entrusting  themselves  to  their  vessels  with  as 
much  confidence  as  that  wherewith  they  trod  their  mother  earth 
— sought  the  coasts  of  more  southern  countries,  whence  corn, 
cattle,  and  spoil  of  various  kinds  could  be  readily  carried  off  by 
brave  adventurers  like  themselves.  Nor  had  they  any  scruple 
in  committing  such  wrong  and  such  robbery  upon  the  English 
soil ;  for,  although  there  existed  a  tie  of  blood  between  them- 
selves and  the  Saxons,  an  event  had  occurred  tending  to  fill  their 
hearts  with  mingled  feelings  of  contempt  and  hatred  towards 
their  kinsmen,  instead  of  with  sympathy  and  affection.  The 
Saxons  no  longer  believed  in  Odin,  in  the  glory  reserved  in  Val- 
halla for  the  shedders  of  blood,  in  the  banquets  prepared  for  the 
brave,  in  the  future  delight  of  drinking  beer  and  strong  liquors 
out  of  the  skulls  of  their  enemies.  No,  they  were  a  renegade 
race,  who  showed  mercy  and  pity,  believed  in  some  new  and 
strange  superstition,  whose  warriors  had  become  women,  whose 
children  were  only  fit  to  be  hurled  in  sport  from  one  true  hero's 
spear-head  to  another,  whose  temples  ought  to  be  consigned  to 
the  flames. 

The  Danes  in  the  first  instance  dreamt  of  nothing  but  pirat- 
ical descents  on  the  shores  of  this  island.  Entering  our  great 
bays,  such  as  that  of  the  Wash ;  or  ascending  rivers — such  as 
the  Humber,  Ouse,  and  Trent,  until  they  drew  near  the  fat 
beeves  and  sheep  of  our  rich  alluvial  lands,  they  pursued  their 
pillaging,  burning,  bloodstained  course  on  land,  and  loaded  them- 
selves with  spoil ;  after  which,  a  cloud  of  dust  betokened  their 
return  towards  the  water's  edge,  and  columns  of  smoke  rose  be- 
hind their  fatal  track,  as  witnesses  of  their  savage  depradations  ; 
nor  was  it  until  they  were  emboldened  by  repeated  successes, 
that  the  Danish  Yikingr  thought  of  aiming  at  permanent  terri- 
torial conquests,  in  addition  to  the  migratory  stimulus  they 
experienced  at  home  from  the  redundancy  of  their  increasing 
population ;  but  at  length — just  as  adventurous  spirits  from 
Spain  and  Portugal  were  always  forthcoming  for  a  voyage  to 


*  Olafs  Saga,  p.  97. 


SLEAFOED.  87 

America,  after  its  discovery  by  Columbus  and  others,  and  eventu- 
ally to  settle  there  in  constantly  increasing  numbers — so  the 
Danes,  after  repeated  visits  to  our  shores,  began  to  take  posses- 
sion of  the  Yorkshire  and  Lincolnshire  soil,  and  gradually  to 
advance  the  line  of  their  settlements  by  driving  out  all  such  of 
its  former  owners  as  resisted  this  usurpation. 

The  first  recorded  Danish  descent  upon  the  British  shore 
took  place  in  786  under  Kebright,  who  entered  the  Humber  and 
landed  with  his  marauding  followers  on  its  bank,  when  a  fight 
ensued  between  them  and  Herman,  an  officer  of  Brightric,  a  local 
chief,  who  had  married  king  Offa's  daughter,  which  ended  in 
Herman's  death,  but  in  the  defeat  of  the  Danes,  who  fled  to 
their  ships.  "  Peter  Langtoft's  Chronicle." 

The  next  recorded  Danish  descent  on  the  coast  of  Lincoln- 
shire was  more  successful,  when  those  Northmen,  again  entering 
the  Humber  and  seizing  all  the  horses  they  could  find,  advanced 
into  Lindisse,  defeated  and  slew  the  Earldorman  Herbert,  and 
marched  triumphantly  through  Lincolnshire  to  East  Anglia  and 
Kent.  The  cruel  death  of  Regner  Lodbrog  at  the  hands  of  ^Ella, 
king  of  Northumbria,  in  865,  led  to  the  most  disastrous  conse- 
quences ;  for  as  the  captivity  of  Cceur  de  Lion — so  plaintively 
bewailed  by  the  mediaeval  troubadours — led  to  enormous  sacri- 
fices on  the  part  of  his  people,  and,  as  his  death  in  an  Austrian 
prison  would  have  aroused  the  deepest  spirit  of  vengeance 
throughout  the  kingdom,  so  the  horrid  details  of  Regner's  death 
— no  doubt  exaggerated  by  the  bards  of  Scandinavia* — aroused 
all  the  naturally  fiery  feelings  of  the  Northmen  against  the  in- 
habitants of  that  land  where  it  occurred ;  and  quickly  an  immense 
army  of  commingled  Danes,  Swedes,  Norwegians,  and  even 
Russians,  bent  on  vengeance,  under  the  command  of  Hinguar 
and  Hubbo,  reached  the  shore  of  East  Anglia,  where  they  win- 


*  The  Lodbrokar  Guida,  as  it  is  termed — or  poem  relating  to  the  death 
of  this  noted  hero — is  one  of  the  most  celebrated  ancient  compositions  of  the 
North.  It  is  thought  by  most  to  have  been  Eagner's  own  composition,  or 
that  of  his  wife  Aslanga,  who  is  known  to  have  been  a  Schald,  or  poetess. 
A  Schald  usually  accompanied  any  important  warlike  expedition,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  recording  its  progress,  and  encouraging  the  fighting  men  to  perform 
acts  of  valour  by  reminding  them  of  the  feats  of  their  fathers.  The  great 
Canute,  we  may  remember,  was  a  Schald  as  well  as  a  mighty  king. 


88  SLEAFOKD. 

tered,  and  prepared  for  their  intended  conquest  of  Northumbria, 
by  collecting  from  the  surrounding  population  forced  tributes  of 
horses  and  other  necessaries  for  their  coming  campaign. 

Being  on  their  mission  of  revenge,  the  Danes  rapidly  tra- 
versed Lincolnshire  on  their  way  to  York.  During  this  campaign 
the  Northmen  not  only  took  that  city,  but  permanently  reduced 
Northumbria  to  subjection ;  after  having  completely  defeated  its 
army  with  great  slaughter,  killed  Osbert,  one  of  its  princes,  and 
wreaked  upon  ^Ella,  the  slayer  of  their  Regner,  that  vengeance 
they  had  vowed  to  visit  him  with — whom  they  first  most  cruelly 
tortured,  and  then  finally  executed.*  Having  secured  the  con- 
quest of  Northumbria,  the  Danes  during  the  following  year  again 
crossed  the  Humber,  and  then  either  ascended  the  Trent,  or 
perhaps  marched  through  a  portion  of  this  county  on  their  way 
to  Nottingham,  where  they  wintered,  but  whence  they  were 
forced  to  retire  again  to  York,  by  the  forces  of  Burhead,  king  of 
Mercia,  aided  by  those  of  Ethelred  of  Wessex.f  There  they 
remained  stationary  during  868,  perhaps  in  consequence  of  a 
severe  famine  that  then  occurred ;  but  in  the  spring  of  the  follow- 
ing year,  the  Northmen  commenced  their  celebrated  progress  of 
blood  from  one  extremity  of  Lincolnshire  to  the  other.  Landing 
at  Humberstone,  deliberately  did  the  sword  descend ;  slowly,  but 
surely,  was  fire  applied,  until  there  was  nothing  left  to  burn. 
First,  Lindsey  suffered  throughout  that  fatal  summer,  when  the 
splendid  and  venerated  abbey  of  Bardney  was  utterly  destroyed, 
and  all  its  defenceless  monks  were  cruelly  slain  within  its  church.  J 
At  Michaelmas  the  Witham  was  passed ;  and  the  wail  of  Keste- 
ven  began,  as  its  monasteries,  churches,  and  villages  were  fired 
in  succession,  and  its  unresisting  inhabitants  of  both  sexes  and 
all  ages  were  given  to  the  sword.  Resistance,  however,  was  at 
hand — the  result  of  desperation.  Osgot,  the  sheriff  of  Lincoln, 
took  the  field  with  500  men,  in  concert  with  Earl  Algar  from 
Holland,  who,  assisted  by  Wibert  and  Leofric,  raised  300  men 


*  The  sons  of  Eegner  are  said  to  have  divided  his  back,  spread  his  ribs 
in  the  figure  of  an  eagle,  and  agonized  his  lacerated  flesh  by  the  addition  of  a 
saline  stimulant. — Anglo-Saxons,  by  Sharon  Turner,  II,  p.  20. 

f  In  this  campaign  Earl  Algar  the  younger,  of  Spalding,  greatly  distin- 
guished himself. — Historia  Ingulphi,  anno  866. 

I  Historia  Ingulphi,  anno  869. 


SLEAFOED.  89 

from  Deeping,  Boston,  and  Langtoft,  and  Toll,  once  a  soldier  but 
then  a  monk  of  Croyland,  with  200  of  the  inmates  of  that  abbey, 
and  Morcar,  lord  of  Bourn.  These  on  the  feast  of  St.  Maurice 
dared  to  attack  the  van  of  the  invading  army,  and  gained  a 
complete  victory  over  the  Danes,  killing  three  of  their  chiefs, 
and  chasing  their  forces  from  the  battle-field  to  their  camp  in  the 
rear.  Unhappily,  however,  an  immense  reinforcement  of  North- 
men arrived  during  the  ensuing  night  at  the  quarters  of  their 
defeated  countrymen,  headed  by  ten  chiefs  of  different  grades, 
including  Hinguar  and  Ubbo  ;*  and  this  coming  to  the  ears  of 
the  associated  Lincolnshire  forces,  so  terrified  them  that  many 
individuals  fled  secretly  during  the  night,  and  thus  most  inop- 
portunely diminished  their  already  far  too  small  numbers.  Earl 
Algar,  however,  who  acted  as  commander-in-chief,  boldly  and 
skilfully  marshalled  his  little  band,  after  having  first  joined 
with  it  in  offering  up  public  prayer  to  Gk>d,  and  partaken  of 
the  "viaticum,"  all  that  remained  with  him  being  determined 
to  die  in  defence  of  their  faith  and  their  country,  rather  than 
to  yield  to  their  heathen  foes.  With  Toli  on  his  right,  aided  by 
Morcar ;  and  Osgot  on  his  left,  supported  by  Harding  of  Eyhall 
and  a  band  of  young  fighting  men  from  Stamford,  he  remained 
in  the  centre  with  his  two  Senecshals — as  Ingulphus  terms  them 
— Wibert  and  Leofric,  being  prepared  to  aid  either  wing  as 
occasion  required.  The  Danes,  very  early  on  this  fatal  morn- 
ing, having  first  buried  their  three  fallen  chiefs,  advanced, 
burning  with  fury  to  avenge  their  previous  loss,  against  the  little 
band  of  Saxon  warriors  they  saw  before  them.  This  had  been 
so  skilfully  formed  in  a  wedge  shape,  that  the  Danish  cavalry 


*  A  most  extraordinary  birth  has  been  attributed  to  these  savage  chiefs 
by  one  of  the  old  chroniclers,  in  consequence  of  the  merciless  ferocity  of  their 
deeds,  Thomas  of  Elmham  saying — "Quo  tempore  venerunt  Hynguar  et 
Hubba,  qui  ut  fertur,  filii  fuerunt  cujusdam  ursi,  qui  illos  contra  naturam  de 
filia  regis  Dacise  generabat ;  quam  Sanctus  Edmundus,  ob  eandam  causam 
Daciam  transiens,  cum  illud  horribile  facinus,  favore  cujusdam  cubicularii 
ejusdem  dominae,  perpendisset,  in  camera  noctu  latitans  sub  cortinis  infaustum 
contra  naturam  aspiciens  ursinum  cum  faemina  coitum,  extracto  gladio  ursi 
caput  abscidit,  et  mox  in  Angliam  rediit.  Ob  quam  causam  eadem  mulier, 
filiis  adultis  retulit  Edmundum  prsetactum  patrem  eorundem,  quern  ilii  homi- 
nem  fuisse  putaverant  occidisse.  Et  hsec  fertur  fuisse  causa  adventus  illorum. " 


90  SLEAFOKD. 

charged  time  after  time  against  each  of  its  faces  in  vain.  Through- 
out the  whole  day  did  the  men  of  Lincolnshire  stand,  as  firmly 
in  their  triangle  on  the  Kesteven  soil,  as  did  their  fellow 
countrymen  centuries  afterwards,  in  squares,  on  the  plains  of 
Waterloo !  But  then  the  Danes  had  recourse  to  other  means ; 
they  feigned  a  retreat ;  upon  which,  deaf  to  the  call  of  their 
leaders,  the  Lincolnshire  men,  breaking  up  their  position,  pur- 
sued the  flying  host  with  eager  impetuosity,  and  thus  sealed  their 
own  destruction ;  for  quickly  did  the  Danes  return,  and  entirely 
surrounded  the  little  band  that  could  be  formed  no  more, 
slaughtering  them  all  in  turn ;  their  six  heroic  chiefs,  planting 
themselves  on  a  slight  eminence,  vainly  fought  to  the  last  over 
the  bodies  of  their  fallen  followers,  returning  blow  for  blow  with 
their  raging  foes,  until  they  one  after  another  sank,  and  expired, 
with  the  name  of  patriot  as  justly  attaching  to  their  memory  as 
it  does  to  any  of  the  heroes  of  Greece  or  Borne.  Two  or  three 
Sutton  and  Gedney  lads  alone  escaped,  bearing  the  afflicting  and 
alarming  news  to  the  inmates  of  Croyland  Abbey,  presaging  their 
own  fate,  or  at  least  that  of  their  stately  and  revered  sanctuary. 
Theodore,  the  abbot,  after  the  sad  celebration  of  matins  for  the 
last  time,  dismissed  all  the  able-bodied  monks  to  the  safe  keeping 
of  the  fens,  who  bore  away  with  them  the  relics,  charters,  and 
most  precious  effects  of  the  monastery.  Other  articles  of  value, 
such  as  cups,  and  vessels  of  brass,  were  thrown  into  the  cloister 
well ;  and  also  the  large  super  altar,  covered  with  plates  of  gold, 
presented  by  king  Witlaf  to  the  abbey,  but  as  one  end  of  it  could 
not  be  sunk  below  the  surface  of  the  water,  Theodore,  assisted 
by  two  of  his  aged  monks,  was  obliged  to  take  this  up  again,  and 
hide  it  in  another  spot.  And  now  rapidly  advancing  columns  of 
smoke,  arising  from  the  successive  firing  of  the  villages,  announced 
the  near  approach  of  the  dreaded  Danes.  To  the  altar — then, 
was  the  cry  of  the  aged  abbot ;  and  there,  fully  robed,  he  was  in 
the  act  of  celebrating  high  mass — assisted  by  Elfgy,  his  deacon  ; 
Savin,  his  sub- deacon ;  and  his  candlebearers,  when  the  heathens 
rushed  in,  and  Theodore  quickly  fell  by  the  hand  of  Osketil; 
afterwards  all  the  aged  priests  were  slain,  many  first  suffering 
torture  cruelly  administered,  to  compel  them  to  disclose  the 
spot  where  the  treasures  of  their  establishment  had  been  con- 
cealed. Of  the  other  inmates  one  boy  alone  escaped — Tugar — 
saved  by  the  younger  Sidroc,  who  threw  a  Danish  cloak  over 


SLEAFORD.  91 

him  as  a  token  of  his  protection.  The  Danes  then  broke  open 
all  the  marble  tombs  of  the  abbey,  including  that  of  St.  Guth- 
lac,  in  the  vain  hope  of  finding  treasures  in  them  ;  and  at  length, 
after  three  days'  havoc,  they  set  fire  to  the  whole  fabric,  and 
continued  their  destructive  course  towards  Medeshampstead  (or 
Peterborough),  Huntingdon,  and  Ely ;  and  there,  after  defeat- 
ing Earl  Wilketil  with  his  East  Anglian  forces,  they  took 
Edmund,  its  king,  prisoner,  whom  they  first  bound  to  a  tree 
and  shot  at  wantonly  with  their  arrows  before  his  execution; 
after  which  they  possessed  themselves  of  his  territory. 

Such  were  the  fatal  consequences  of  the  Saxon  JElla's  cruelty 
towards  the  far-famed  Eegner  Lodbrog;  thus  did  the  Danes 
accomplish  the  conquest  of  Yorkshire,  Lincolnshire,  Norfolk,  and 
Suffolk.  About  this  time,  also,  they  appear  to  have  established 
five  strongholds  for  the  future  protection  of  the  territory  they  had 
acquired,  viz.,  Stamford,  Lincoln,  Leicester,  Nottingham,  and 
Derby ;  to  which  were  afterwards  added  those  of  York  and 
Chester. 

In  873,  a  large  body  of  Danes,  after  having  wintered  in 
London,  advanced  northwards  under  Heafdene,  laden  with  much 
booty,  through  East  Anglia  and  Lincolnshire ;  but  on  this  occa- 
sion, as  these  districts  had  been  previously  subjugated  by  the 
Northmen,  no  acts  of  violence  appear  to  have  been  perpetrated. 
This  winter  was  passed  by  them  at  Torksey,  the  next  at  Repton, 
when,  by  the  conjunction  of  their  forces  with  those  of  Ghithrun, 
Oskytel,  and  Anwynd,  they  drove  out  Burhed,  king  of  Mercia, 
who  retired  to  Rome,  where  he  died.* 

Up  to  the  year  880,  the  Danes  had  simply  by  force  of  arms 
possessed  themselves  of  Lincolnshire  and  much  of  the  north- 
eastern part  of  England ;  but  then,  Alfred  ceded  to  them  in  a 
regular  manner  all  the  territory  north  of  the  Thames — following 
the  Lea  to  its  rise,  and  thence  to  Bedford  and  the  Ouse — hence- 
forth termed  the  Danelagh;  and  by  another  treaty,  signed  in  941 
by  Edmund  the  elder,  and  Anlaf — that  prince  of  Northumbria 
who  had  previously  fought  with  Athelstan  the  celebrated  battle 
of  Brunanburgh — all  the  territory  north  of  the  Watling- Street 
was  ceded  to  the  Danes;  but  whichever  prince  might  be  the 


Saxon  Chronicle,  anno  874. 


92  SLEAFOKD. 

survivor  was  to  be  the  sole  sovereign  of  the  whole.*  The  rever- 
sion falling  to  Edmund,  the  dominion  of  the  Danes  was  thus  for 
a  time  ended ;  and  in  consequence  of  internal  commotions  in 
Denmark  during  the  middle  part  of  the  tenth  century,  England 
reposed  awhile  from  any  fresh  Danish  invasions,  excepting  an 
attempt  made  by  Eric,  son  of  Harald  of  Norway,  to  regain  pos- 
session of  Northumbria  during  the  short  reign  of  Edred  in  946 ; 
but  Eric  was  defeated,  and  fell  on  the  battle-field. 

Under  the  weak  unready  Ethelred  the  Danish  Vikingr  again 
began  to  ravage  our  shores,  and  in  991  he  began  that  wretched 
system  of  attempting  to  buy  off  the  Northmen  by  the  payment  of 
Danegelt,  or  imposts  levied  from  his  subjects  wherewithal  to 
bribe  the  Danes  to  withhold  their  ravages.  Then  followed  an 
execrable  act  of  treachery  on  Ethelred's  part,  who,  without  the 
sword  of  a  soldier  or  the  policy  of  a  counsellor,  hoped  to  rid 
himself  of  the  Danes  by  their  secret  and  simultaneous  massacre, 
when,  in  accordance  with  his  orders,  the  Danes  dispersed  over 
England,  together  with  their  wives  and  children — including  even 
Ghinhilda,  the  Christian  sister  of  Svein,  and  her  boy — were  sud- 
denly slaughtered.  Probably  this  massacre  did  not  extend  to 
those  parts  of  England,  such  as  Lincolnshire,  where  the  Danish 
element  was  generally  predominant,  but  this  county  shared  the 
lamentable  results  of  Ethelred's  deed  of  blood,  for  when  the 
Danish  Svein  came  as  an  avenger  of  his  people,  after  having 
sailed  up  the  Humber  and  the  Trent  to  Q-ainsborough  and  re- 
duced the  people  of  Northumbria  and  Lindisse  to  submission, 
leaving  his  celebrated  son  Knut  behind,  he  advanced  through 
Kesteven  slaying,  burning,  pillaging,  torturing  its  wretched 
people — not  sparing  even  monks,  who  were  subjected  to  bar- 
barous atrocities  before  they  were  slain — and  for  a  short  time 
was  master  of  England. 

Still  backwards  and  forwards  swayed  the  contest  between  the 
Saxon  and  the  Dane  in  this  part  of  England,  when  first,  through 
the  return  of  Ethelred  and  his  gallant  son  Edmund  Ironside, 
Knut  fled  from  Lincolnshire  and  took  to  sea  again  from  the 
Humber ;  but  then,  two  years  later,  again  invading  this  county 
from  the  south,  he  marched  through  it  unopposed  towards 


*  Matt.  Westm.,  p.  365. 


SLEAFOBD.  93 

Northumbria,  where  he  established  his  sway,  after  which  many 
contests  took  place  between  these  two  brave  princes,  until  at 
last,  after  a  battle  fought  at  Assingdon,  in  which  Ednoth,  Bishop 
of  Dorchester,  and  Godwin,  Earldorman  of  Lindsey,  fell,  the 
partition  of  England  was  agreed  to  by  Knut  and  Edmund,  and 
thus  Lincolnshire  became  an  acknowledged  part  of  Knut's  do- 
minion before  he  succeeded  to  the  sovereignty  of  all  England 
through  the  death  of  Edmund  the  following  year.  After  Knut's 
death  in  1035,  a  contest  for  dominion  took  place  between  his 
two  sons  Hardiknut  and  Harald,  when  the  partisans  of  the  latter 
were  the  predominant  party  in  the  North ;  but  the  only  result  as 
far  as  Lincolnshire  was  concerned,  amounted  to  this,  that  dread- 
ing the  coming  conflict,  hundreds  of  families  from  the  south  took 
refuge  in  our  fens,  accompanied  by  their  cattle  and  all  their 
portable  goods.  These  were  a  terrible  plague  to  the  inmates  of 
Croyland  Abbey,  in  whose  vicinity  they  located  themselves  in 
swarms,  for  they  so  eagerly  and  constantly  entreated  the  monks 
and  their  servants  for  counsel  and  assistance,  pouring  into  their 
ears  such  long  stories  of  their  fears  and  their  woes,  that  the  poor 
Brothers  dared  no  longer  shew  themselves  in  their  own  cloister, 
nor  scarcely  to  leave  their  dormitory  for  the  purpose  of  joining  in 
Divine  worship,  or  taking  their  meals  in  the  refectory.  But  the 
anchorites  of  the  surrounding  fens  were  still  more  despondent  at 
this  time,  and  from  the  same  cause ;  one — Wulfius  of  Pega-land 
— being  so  worried  by  clamorous  companies  coming  to  his  cell  by 
night,  as  well  as  by  day,  that,  tired  of  his  life,  he  bound  a 
bandage  over  his  eyes  to  shut  out  from  view  as  much  of  the 
troublesome  scene  around  him  as  he  could,  and  finally  sought  a 
more  quiet  retreat  at  Evesham.  Five  years  later,  by  the  death 
of  Harald,  Hardiknut  became  the  undisputed  king  of  England. 
He  reigned  for  two  years  only,  having  first  greatly  injured  his 
constitution  by  his  excesses,  and  then  suddenly  fallen  down  dead 
when  attending  a  marriage  feast — an  event  which  gave  rise  to  a 
great  change  in  the  destiny  of  England,  for  the  Danish  dynasty 
in  England  had  now  come  to  an  end,  never  to  be  renewed.  This 
was  a  subject  of  great  rejoicing  throughout  the  greater  part  of 
our  land,  but  not  so,  probably,  in  Lincolnshire  and  the  north, 
where  the  Danish  element  had  become  so  strong  as  almost  to 
supersede  the  original  Saxon  basis  on  which  it  had  been 
overlaid. 


94  SLEAFOKD. 

The  crown  was  then  offered  to  Edward,  the  son  of  Ethelred, 
by  Godwin — the  Fairfax  of  the  eleventh  century — who,  after  its 
assumption,  re-established  the  Saxon  laws  of  his  father,  abolished 
the  burthensome  tax  of  Danegelt,  and  banished  a  few  of  the  re- 
maining Danish  chiefs ;  but,  for  the  most  part,  he  suffered  the 
Danes  that  were  peaceably  disposed  to  dwell  in  his  newly  acquired 
kingdom  without  molestation,  whilst  they  on  their  part  submitted 
quietly  to  the  mild  rule  of  the  Confessor.  Thus,  before  long,  an 
amalgamation  of  the  two  races  began  to  take  place,  which  even- 
tually so  completely  blended  them  together,  as  to  exhibit  only 
some  lingering  traces  of  their  original  distinctive  characteristics. 

Throughout  the  long  reign  of  Edward  the  Confessor  the 
Northmen  attempted  no  fresh  invasions,  although  Magnus,  king 
of  Norway,  sent  letters  to  him  claiming  the  crown  of  England, 
1046  ;  but  after  Harald's  accession,  the  Humber  once  more  wit- 
nessed the  approach  of  a  Norwegian  fleet  of  vast  magnitude,  in 
accordance  with  the  prayer  of  the  brother  of  the  then  king  of 
England — Tostig,  who  had  been  expelled  from  Northumbria  dur- 
ing the  Confessor's  reign,  and  was  so  indignant  with  his  brother 
Harold  for  declining  to  reinstate  him  in  his  former  government, 
that  he  sailed  off  to  the  north  for  the  purpose  of  persuading  the 
kings  of  Denmark  and  Norway  to  join  with  him  in  an  expedition 
against  England ;  the  former,  although  a  connexion  of  his  own, 
sternly  declined  his  proposition,  but  with  the  latter  he  was  more 
successful.  Harald  Hardrada  had  inherited  a  large  share  of 
the  old  viking  spirit ;  and  perhaps  the  following  flattering  address 
on  Tostig's  part  urged  him  the  more  to  undertake  the  proposed 
adventure.  "  The  world,"  said  Godwin's  son,  "  knows  that  there 
is  no  warrior  living  fit  to  be  compared  with  thee ;  thou  hast  only 
to  will  it,  and  England  is  thine."*  In  reply,  the  fair-haired 
monarch  promised  to  equip  a  fleet  in  the  spring  for  this  purpose, 
as  soon  as  the  icy  ports  of  Norway  were  open.  Tostig  then  ad- 
journed to  the  court  of  William  of  Normandy,  from  whom  he 
received  some  aid;  and  having  collected  together  in  Flanders 
60  ships,  sailed  for  the  English  coast.  First,  he  levied  supplies 
in  the  Isle  of  Wight;  thence,  sailing  northwards,  he  at  length 
entered  the  Humber,  and  committed  great  depredations  in 


Suorre's  Hcimskringla,  III.,  p.  149. 


SLEAFOBD.  95 

Lindsey,  until  he  was  driven  out  by  the  Earls  of  Mercia  and 
Northumbria,  with  the  loss  of  all  but  twelve  ships.  In  the 
meantime  Harald  had  set  sail  with  his  Queen  Ellisif,  his  daugh- 
ters, his  son  Olaf,  and  his  forces,  in  300  ships,  had  touched  at 
Shetland  and  the  Orkneys,  and  was  running  along  the  Scotch  shore, 
when  .Tostig  fell  in  with  him.  Joining  their  fleets,  they  then  in 
concert  attacked  Scarborough,  which  they  burnt  and  pillaged, 
and  afterwards  boldly  sailed  up  the  Humber  and  the  Ouse  to 
York,  where  they  gained  a  signal  victory  over  the  late  conquerors 
of  Tostig — Earls  Edwin  and  Morcar — who  retreated  within  the 
walls  of  York.  This  event  compelled  Harold  of  England  to  leave 
the  southern  coast,  where  he  was  watching  the  movements  of 
William  of  Normandy  and  his  assembling  host,  to  give  battle  to 
his  ambitious  brother  and  his  northern  allies.  Palling  in  with 
them  after  a  rapid  march  through  Lincolnshire,  at  Stamford 
Bridge,  a  little  beyond  York,  he  there  gained  a  most  complete 
victory,  and  slew  both  Tostig  and  Harald  ;*  so  that  the  remnant 
of  their  forces  were  thankful  to  fly  from  the  scene  of  their  dis- 
aster in  twenty-four  ships  only,  swearing  before  their  departure 
never  again  to  make  war  with  England. 


*  Saxon  Chronicle,  anno  1066.  A  very  remarkable  reminiscence  of  this 
prince  has  recently  been  brought  to  light  and  in  a  place  where  it  could 
have  been  least  expected — viz.,  at  Venice,  Professor  Eafn  of  Copenhagen, 
having  ascertained  that  his  name  appears  upon  the  large  Pentelic  marble 
Lion  of  the  Venetian  arsenal.  This  Lion  was  brought  from  the  harbour  of 
Pirseus  at  Athens  in  1687,  by  Francesco  Morosini,  the  distinguished  General- 
issimo, and  afterwars  Doge  of  Venice,  among  other  trophies  of  his  success 
against  the  Turks.  On  a  winding  scroll,  on  the  left  side  of  this  Lion  is  a 
Eunic  inscription,  that  has  long  baffled  the  attempts  of  the  learned  to  de- 
cipher owing  to  the  effects  of  time  upon  the  surface  of  the  marble  ;  but, 
by  the  aid  of  casts  and  photographs,  Eafn  happily  succeeded  in  reading  this 
specimen  of  the  Norse  language,  formerly  in  use  throughout  Scandinavia, 
and  still  retained  in  Iceland.  It  runs  thus, — "  Hakon,  in  conjunction  with 
Ulf,  Asmond,  and  Orn  conquered  this  Port.  These  men,  and  Harald  the 
Great  (i.  e.  of  great  stature),  imposed  large  fines,  or  contributions  on  account 
of  the  insurrection  of  the  Greek  people.  Dalk  remained  captive  in  distant 
countries ;  Egil  had  gone  on  an  expedition  with  Eagnar  into  Eumania 
and  Armenia."  After  a  sanguinary  conflict  in  the  north,  Harald  (then  quite 
a  youth)  fled  to  the  south,  and  arrived  at  Constantinople  in  1033,  when  he 
was  only  18  years  of  age,  and  where  he  became  Chief  of  the  Varangian  Guard 
under  the  Emperor  Eomanus  III.  He  remained  in  the  south  until  1043,  when. 

H 


96  SLEAFOKD. 

But  no  such  vow  was  made  by  the  Danes,  nor  did  they  fear 
to  attack  the  new  and  powerful  conqueror  of  England  three  years 
later.  In  1069  the  three  sons  of  Svein,  with  a  large  force  con- 
veyed in  two  hundred  and  forty  ships,  entered  the  Humber,  and 
reached  York,  where  they  demolished  the  castle,  slew  the  Norman 
governor,  and  carried  off  many  prisoners ;  after  which,  in  defiance 
of  the  Conqueror,  who  marched  against  them,  they  wintered  in 
the  country  between  the  Ouse  and  the  Trent.* 

Again,  during  the  following  year,  king  Svein  himself  sailed 
up  the  Humber,  when  he  was  joined  by  a  large  number  of 
persons,  who,  either  from  the  frequencj7  of  these  invasions,  from 
sympathy  with  them,  or  from  witnessing  the  formidable  cha- 
racter of  Svein's  forces,  allied  themselves  with  him,  in  the  belief 
that  he  would  become  a  second  conquering  Knut  the  Great. 
Advancing  southwards  to  Ely,  the  fen  men  of  that  district  joined 
them  in  great  numbers.  Thence  they  pressed  on,  intent  on 
plunder,  to  Peterborough ;  and  although  accompanied  by  Chris- 
tien,  one  of  their  bishops,  they  scrupled  not  sacrilegiously  to  steal 
all  the  valuables  from  its  abbey,  before  they  committed  it  and 
the  adjacent  town  to  the  flames.  These  consisted  of  a  crown  of 
pure  gold  from  a  figure  of  our  Lord,  a  beautiful  footstool  of  the 
same  material  from  under  its  feet,  a  super-altar  of  mixed  gold  and 
silver  (that  was  vainly  attempted  to  be  hid  in  the  tower),  two  gilt 
shrines,  nine  silver  ones,  fifteen  great  crosses  of  gold  and  silver, 
besides  an  incalculable  amount  of  other  valuables,  such  as  money, 
vestments,  and  books.  With  these  they  retired  to  Ely,  and, 


he  returned  to  his  own  country,  at  first  sharing  the  rule  of  Norway  with 
Magnus  the  Good,  and  then  becoming  its  sole  king  in  1047.  The  above- 
named  Ulf  is  a  very  interesting  character  in  connection  with  the  subject  of 
Harald's  invasion  of  this  country,  as  he  is  recorded  to  have  opposed  that  king's 
daring  proposition  most  warmly,  warning  him  of  the  improbability  of  success 
against  the  great  valour  he  must  expect  to  meet  with  in  England. 

The  other  scroll,  on  the  right  side  of  the  Venice  Lion,  tells  us  that  Harald 
the  fair-haired  was  the  author  of  both  inscriptions.  It  is  as  follows  :  "As- 
mund  engraved  these  Runes,  with  Asgeir,  Thorleif,  Thord,  and  Ivar,  at  the 
request  of  Harald  the  Great,  although  the  Greeks  had  endeavoured  to  prevent 
it-" — Inscription  Runiyue  du  PirZe,,  par  C.  C.  Rafn  ;  and  Archaeological 
Journal,  XVI.,  p.  188. 

*  Saxon  Chronicle,  anno  1069. 


SLEAFORD.  97 

through,  some  arrangement  with  the  Conqueror,  who  perhaps  at 
this  time  was  not  in  a  position  to  cope  with  them,  they  sailed  away 
in  a  portion  of  their  fleet ;  this  was,  however,  dispersed  by  a  great 
storm,  which  threw  some  of  the  ships  on  the  Irish  coast,  and 
wrecked  others  on  the  Danish  and  Norwegian  shores ;  whilst  the 
author  of  the  Saxon  chronicle  exultingly  remarks  that  the  only 
portion  of  the  plunder  that  was  secured — having  been  deposited  in 
a  church  for  security — perished  by  fire,  occasioned  by  the  drunken- 
ness of  the  guard.  The  remainder  of  the  Humber  fleet  then 
sailed  for  the  Thames,  where  it  hung  about  for  two  nights ;  but 
its  commander  probably  hearing  there  of  king  William's  strength, 
returned  to  Denmark. 

The  last  Danish  attack  upon  our  north-eastern  shore  occurred 
1075.  In  that  year,  Ralph,  Earldorman  of  Norfolk,  in  concert 
with  Waltheof,  Earldorman  of  Huntingdon,  Northants,  and 
Northumberland ;  Roger,  Earldorman  of  Hereford,  son  of  Wil- 
liam Fitz  Osbert ;  together  with  several  bishops  and  abbots  of 
East  Anglia,  conspired  against  William ;  and  as  the  mother  of 
Roger  was  a  native  of  Wales,  he  succeeded  in  bringing  some 
Welsh  forces  into  the  field ;  but  not  content  with  these,  he  applied 
to  Denmark  for  an  additional  body  of  men,  and  obtained  his 
request.  Knut,  the  son  of  Svein,  and  Jarl  Hacco,  were  its 
commanders ;  but  upon  their  arrival  they  found  that  their  Eng- 
lish allies  had  been  completely  dispersed,  and  not  daring  alone 
to  face  the  then  formidable  sovereign  of  this  island,  they  deter- 
mined to  make  a  foraging  expedition  more  to  the  north,  when 
for  the  last  time  the  Humber  saw  a  hostile  Danish  fleet,  consisting 
of  two  hundred  vessels,  ascending  its  broad  yellow  waters  on  its 
way  to  York,  and,  after  a  while,  again  descending  with  the 
valuable  spoils  of  its  minster*  stored  away  in  their  holds,  and 
steering  for  the  north.  Another  invasion,  indeed,  was  planned 
in  Denmark  ten  years  later,  viz.,  in  1085,  when  Knut  agreed  to 
combine  his  forces  with  those  of  his  father-in-law,  Robert,  Earl 
of  Flanders,  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  descent  upon  England ; 
and  of  so  threatening  a  character  was  this,  that  King  William, 
who  was  then  in  Normandy,  quickly  returned  with  an  immense 
army  of  Normans,  French,  and  Bretons;  these  he  quartered 


*  Saxon  Chronicle,  anno  1075. 


98  8LEAFOKD. 

upon  this  nation  at  large,  to  its  great  distress,  and  even  caused 
portions  of  the  coast  to  be  laid  waste,  where  the  expected  invad- 
ers would  be  likely  to  land,  so  that  they  might  not  be  able 
to  maintain  themselves  with  facility.*  Happily,  however,  for 
this  country,  a  mutiny  occurred  on  board  the  Danish  fleet,  which 
occasioned  its  return  to  the  north ;  and  Knut  was  eventually 
slain  by  his  own  soldiers  in  a  church  at  Odensee,  dedicated  to 
St.  Alb  an,  our  English  saint,  whose  relics — or  some  portion  at 
least  of  them — Knut  had  previously  taken  over  to  his  own  coun- 
try from  England. 

Space  will  not  allow  comment  at  any  length  on  the  traces  of 
the  Danes  still  discernible  in  Lincolnshire ;  but  perhaps  it  may 
be  well  to  mention  that  there  are  212  places  in  this  county  having 
the  Scandinavian  terminal  of  "%,"  and  that  in  this  respect  it 
exceeds  all  others  ;  Yorkshire,  although  far  larger  in  extent,  and 
also  long  forming  a  portion  of  the  Danish  possessions  in  England, 
possessing  only  167  places  of  the  same  character;  while  in  the 
Wapentakes  of  Flaxwell  and  Aswardhurn  alone  the  names  of  15 
parishes  terminate  in  this  Danish  form. 

It  is  impossible  to  distinguish  Danish  from  Roman  antiqui- 
ties, as  they  are  so  nearly  if  not  exactly  alike,  but  the  subjoined 
cut  represents  one  of  their  bone  comb -cases,  discovered  on  the 
site  of  the  Great  Northern  Eailway  Station  at  Lincoln.  Upon 
this  is  engraved  in  ancient  northern  lettering,  "A  good  comb 
makes  Thorfaster."  Two  Saxon  cemeteries  have  yielded  a  pro- 


>R  «u: 

fusion  of  their  weapons,  vases,  and  ornaments,  as  also  Sleaford 

Saxon  Chronicle,  anno  1085.      The  obnoxious  tax  of  Danegelt  was  now 
i  revived,  to  furnish  means  for  the  maintenance  of  the  defensive  army 
levied  by  William,  at  the  rate  of  twelve  silver  pence  for  every  hundred  acres 
of  land.  —  Concilia  Magnoe  Brit.  I.,  312;    WilUns. 


PLATE  II. 


PLATE   III 


SLEAFORD.  99 

and  its  immediate  vicinity.  The  first  was  discovered  in  1828, 
lying  for  the  most  part  in  a  field  called  Grey  Lees,  in  Quarring- 
ton,  on  the  north  of  the  road  from  Sleaford  to  Ancaster  and 
Grantham,  but  extending  over  some  portion  of  the  field  on  the 
other  side  of  that  road.  This  discovery  was  made  through  dig- 
ging for  gravel,  on  the  top  of  which  some  human  skeletons  were 
found,  but  more  remains  of  bodies  that  had  been  consumed  by 
fire  and  partly  gathered  into  vases.  With  these  were  also  found 
numerous  articles,  such  as  spear  heads,  horse  harness,  fibulae  (or 
brooches),  clasps,  buckles,  bead  necklaces,  and  pins  of  bronze 
and  bone.  The  most  interesting  of  these  are  given  in  the  accom- 
panying Plates  taken  from  drawings  made  by  the  skilled  pencil 
of  the  Rev.  Charles  Terrot. 

Plate  II.  Fig.  1  :  A  rough  grey  vase,  found  full  of  frag- 
ments of  burnt  bones  and  dark  earthy  matter ;  now  in  the  British 
Museum.  Fig.  2 :  A  vase  of  grey  ware,  scored  with  lines  and 
dots  forming  a  simple  pattern.  It  is  7  inches  high,  and  was  got 
up  entire,  excepting  a  small  hole  made  by  a  workman's  pick  in  its 
side.  It  was  filled  with  fragments  of  bones  like  the  other,  and 
is  now  in  the  Duke  of  Northumberland's  Museum  at  Alnwick. 
Fig.  3  :  Another  grey  cinerary  vase  similar  to  Fig.  1 .  Fig.  4  : 
a  bronze  harp-shaped  fibula,  or  brooch,  the  pin  of  which  is  lost. 
Fig.  5  :  a  large  bronze  fibula  of  the  same  form.  This  is  quite 
perfect,  and  still  retains  much  of  the  cobalt  blue  and  red  enamel 
with  which  it  was  originally  enriched.  Fig.  6:  a  still  larger 
bronze  fibula,  bowed  in  the  middle. 

Plate  III.  Fig.  1  :  the  iron  head  of  a  small  dart  or  arrow. 
Fig.  2 :  part  of  a  bead  necklace,  consisting  of  one  large  crystal 
bead  and  others  of  amber  and  different  coloured  vitreous  pastes 
or  glass.  Fig.  3  :  a  flat  oval-shaped  fibula,  the  pin  of  which  is 
lost,  and  also  a  piece  of  its  ring.  Fig.  4 :  an  iron  spear  head, 
now  19  inches  long,  but  originally  3  or  4  inches  longer,  when  its 
socket  was  complete.  This  was  found  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Sleaford  and  Grantham  road.  Fig.  5  :  two  sides  of  a  bronze  tag, 
or  small  strap  end,  originally  enclosing  the  end  of  a  strap  between 
them.  Fig.  6  :  part  of  another  necklace,  similar  to  Fig.  2,  com- 
posed of  variously  shaped  and  coloured  opaque  and  transparent 
vitreous  pastes,  or  glass.  Fig.  7 :  a  pair  of  bronze  clasps  intended 
to  be  attached  to  a  belt.  The  under  sides  of  these  are  represented 
to  shew  the  way  in  which  they  served  as  a  belt  fastener.  Their 


100  SLEAFOED. 

outer  faces  have  hollows  or  beds  minutely  hatched  and  gilt, 
originally  filled  with  transparent  enamel. 

Plate  IV.  Figs.  1,  2  and  3  :  bronze  buckles  of  various  sizes. 
Fig.  4  :  a  group  of  pins  ;  the  two  with  their  heads  on  the  right 
are  of  bronze,  the  other  two  of  bone.  Fig.  5  :  an  iron  cheek- 
piece  of  a  horse's  bit,  one  end  of  which  has  been  accidentally 
bent.  Fig.  6  :  a  bronze  fragment,  perhaps  half  of  the  beam  of 
a  pair  of  balances.  Most  of  these  articles  are  in  the  possession 
of  Mr.  Jacobson,  surgeon,  of  Sleaford,  and  have  been  kindly  lent 
by  him  for  the  purpose  of  being  drawn  and  engraved.  Many 
more  similar  articles  were  found  in  this  cemetery,  including 
duplicates  of  those  represented,  but  on  the  whole  these  are  the 
most  distinctive  and  interesting. 

As  a  stone,  6  feet  long  and  2  feet  wide,  was  said  to  have 
been  uncovered  here  in  1828,  but  that  from  its  great  weight  it 
was  not  raised,  the  author  of  this  volume  employed  one  of 
the  men  who  made  this  statement  to  search  for  it,  thinking  it 
might  possibly  prove  to  be  the  lid  of  a  Roman  stone  coffin  similar 
to  one  found  at  Ancaster,  but  the  search  was  unsuccessful ;  many 
fragments  of  pottery,  however,  and  a  small  brass  of  Valens,  were 
found  in  the  soil  thus  thrown  up. 

The  other  Saxon  cemetery  was  discovered  in  1858,  when  the 
Grantham  and  Sleaford  railway  was  extended  to  Boston.  On 
excavating  the  earth  for  this  purpose  in  an  ancient  pasture  field 
in  Old  Sleaford,  lying  immediately  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town 
and  on  the  eastern  side  of  its  southern  approach,  the  skeletons  of 
a  number  of  Teutons  were  found  about  eighteen  feet  below  the 
surface,  surrounded  by  darker  mould  than  ordinary.  Each  skele- 
ton was  accompanied  by  a  shield,  spear  head,  and  knife,  differing 
in  size  and  form,  and  in  a  fair  state  of  preservation,  the  remains 
of  the  spear  shafts  being  still  distinguishable,  and  even  the  kind 
of  wood  of  which  they  were  made — viz.,  ash. 

Plate  V.  Figs.  1  to  7  :  iron  spear  heads  of  different  shapes, 
varying  from  8  to  19  inches  in  length.  All  have  a  slit  in  their 
sockets,  and  in  some  of  these  the  remains  of  the  ash  shafts  once 
fitted  into  them  are  distinctly  visible,  as  well  as  the  rivets  passing 
through  them  and  the  shafts.  The  length  of  the  sockets  greatly 
varies,  as  will  be  seen  by  comparing  Fig.  4  with  Fig.  7,  both  still 
being  in  a  perfect  state,  but  the  spear  head  Fig.  3  has  lost  part 
of  its  socket.  Figs.  8  and  9 :  bosses  of  shields,  large  enough  to 


PLATE  IV. 


PLATE  V. 


FIG.  1.  FIG.    2.  FIG.    3. 


FIG.   5.  FIG. 


SLEAFOKD.  101 

protect  the  hands  of  the  bearers,  and  attached  to  the  shield  by 
three  large  rivets.  The  first  seems  to  have  been  twice  pierced 
either  by  the  sword  or  spear  of  an  enemy.  When  perfect  they  were 
7  inches  in  diameter,  and  4^  inches  across  the  hollow.  Fig.  10  : 
a  pair  of  bronze  clasps,  nearly  1 J  inches  long,  originally  orna- 
mented with  enamel  filling  the  now  gilt  but  otherwise  empty  beds 
at  its  ends,  and  provided  wth  little  eyes  to  attach  these  clasps  to 
a  belt.  Fig.  11  :  an  iron  knife  blade,  4  inches  long.  Many 
smaller  ones  were  found,  only  3  inches  long,  of  the  same  shape. 
Fig.  12 :  a  portion  of  a  knife  fitted  into  a  bone  handle,  2j 
inches  long,  through  which  the  ferule  of  the  knife  blade  passes 
and  just  protrudes  at  the  other  end.  With  these  weapons  and 
fibulae,  &c.,  were  also  found  a  small  brass  coin  of  Yalentenianus ; 
reverse,  Victory  marching  and  the  legend  "  Securitas  Republicse." 
Fig.  1 3  :  a  flat  circular  bronze  fibula,  the  pin  of  which  is  gone. 
It  is  2  inches  in  diameter,  and  is  simply  ornamented  with  minute 
circlets.  Fig.  14 :  another  fibula,  1£  inches  in  diameter,  which 
has  also  lost  its  pin.  Its  pattern  resembles  the  classical  mould- 
ing now  commonly  called  the  egg  and  tongue.  Fig.  15  :  a  bronze 
aiticle,  5£  inches  long ;  intended  with  a  fellow  to  suspend  a  pouch 
from  the  belt  of  the  wearer. 

It  would  be  impossible  within  the  limits  of  this  volume, 
which  only  professes  to  be  one  on  local  history,  to  attempt  even  a 
sketch  of  those  general  historical  events  which  occurred  subse- 
quent to  the  Conquest ;  but  their  bearing  upon  Sleaford  and  its 
neighbourhood  will  be  in  some  measure  shewn  by  the  account  of 
each  place  about  to  be  described.  Then  a  great  and  disastrous 
change  took  place,  which  we  may  devoutly  trust  will  never  occur 
again, — a  change  that  was  only  ushered  in  by  the  decisive  battle 
of  Hastings,  but  not  completed  until  but  very  few  estates  re- 
mained in  the  hands  of  their  former  Saxon  lords,  and  the 
Norman  interlopers  introduced  by  William  of  Normandy  had 
by  his  stern  will  possessed  themselves  of  the  lands  of  England, 
and  exercised  a  pi-oud  harsh  rule  over  both  Saxon  nobles  as  well 
as  Saxon  serfs;  when  also  Saxon  bishops,  priests,  and  monks 
were  replaced  by  Norman  successors,  who  looked  down  with 
contempt  upon  their  new  flocks,  not  one  word  of  whose  language 
they  knew. 


NEW     SLEAFOKD. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

1800.  3325.* 

Although.  Sleaford  is  not  one  of  the  larger  towns  of  Lincoln- 
shire, it  may  be  at  least  regarded  as  one  of  some  consideration, 
as  it  contains,  with  Old  Sleaford,  the  portion  of  Quarrington 
adjoining  it,  and  the  hamlet  of  Holdingham,  a  population  of  4089 
souls,  according  to  the  census  of  1861.  It  is  situated  as  near  as 
possible  in  the  centre  of  the  Wapentakes  of  Maxwell  and  As- 
wardhurn,  but  just  within  the  border  of  the  former,  and  was 
enclosed  in  1796,  It  is  115  miles  from  London,  18  from  Lincoln, 
Boston,  and  Newark,  and  9  from  Falkingham.  From  its  healthy 
and  well  chosen  position,  in  the  midst  of  a  large  agricultural 
district  without  a  rival,  from  its  well  attended  Fairs  and  Markets, 
and  a  Railway  passing  close  by  it,  so  as  to  supply  an  easy  means 
of  communication  between  it  and  all  parts  of  England ;  it  is  a 
thriving  place,  whose  inhabitants  have  reason  to  be  proud  of  its 
beautiful  Church,  spacious  Market-place,  handsome  Court-house 
and  Corn-exchange,  as  well  as  of  its  general  appearance  ;  whilst 
the  little  river  Slea  supplies  it  with  a  never  failing  source  of  pure 
water,  and  communication  with  Boston,  formerly  of  great  value. 

The  Slea  rises  in  Willoughby,  a  hamlet  of  Ancaster,  but  is 
chiefly  fed  by  a  more  abundant  spring  a  mile  west  of  Sleaford, 
called  Bully  Wells,  from  which  spot  it  is  now  navigable,  and 
runs  through  what  was  formerly  a  little  fen,  before  the  Sleaford 
and  Boston  navigation  was  carried  out,  by  virtue  of  an  Act  of 
Parliament,  passed  in  1792;  this  work  took  two  years  to  com- 
plete, but  has  now  been  almost  entirely  superseded  by  the  Sleaford 
and  Boston  Railway.  The  Slea  divides  before  it  approaches 
Sleaford,  and  thus  necessitates  two  bridges  in  South-gate,  which 
passes  over  both  streams.  One  of  these  bridges  formerly  bore 


*  The  population  in  this  and  all  subsequent  eases  is  taken  from  the  last 
census. 


SLEAFORD.  103 

the  date  1673,  and  a  shield  with  the  Arms  of  Carre  quartering 
Bartram,  and  a  Baronet's  hand  gules  on  an  escutcheon  at  the 
fesse  point.  The  other  was  built  in  1765.  The  Slea  again 
becomes  one  stream  a  little  to  the  west  of  the  Navigation  basin, 
and  it  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  it  very  seldom  freezes.  For  a 
long  time  the  terms  Old  and  New  Sleaford  were  unknown, 
the  whole  being  called  Eslaforde  in  Domesday  Book  and  Lafford 
in  Testa  de  Nevill ;  but  in  the  Yalor  Ecclesiasticus,  compiled  in 
1535,  the  present  distinction  between  them  is  first  found,  wherein 
they  are  termed  Lafford  Vetus  and  Lafford  Novus,  or  Old  and 
New  Sleaford ;  but  they  were  always  distinct  manors. 


ANCIENT  HISTORY. 

Probably  the  advantages  offered  by  the  Slea  induced  some 
British  family  or  families  of  the  great  Coritanian  tribe  to  estab- 
lish themselves  on  its  bank  where  it  first  became  navigable  for 
their  canoes,  and  certainly  traces  of  their  presence  about  the 
site  of  the  present  town  of  Sleaford  have  been  detected  from  time 
to  time  beneath  its  soil,  as  previously  described  in  the  prefaratory 
notice  of  the  Britons. 

The  Romans  assuredly  also  occupied  this  spot,  to  which  one 
of  their  roads  directly  led  from  their  important  station  and  town 
of  Durobrivae  ;  and  as  the  greater  part  of  the  Roman  coins  found 
here  from  time  to  time  have  been  discovered  on  the  southern  bank 
of  the  Slea,  either  on  the  site  of  the  Castle,  or  near  the  Old  Place 
and  Roman  road  and  ford,  we  may  conclude  that  they  at  least 
chiefly  settled  themselves  there.  But  from  the  same  evidence  we 
can  still  trace  them  at  the  very  source  of  the  Slea,  which  no  doubt 
they  naturally  often  visited.  A  coin  of  Nerva  was  found  on  the 
Castle  site  in  1823,  and  Stukeley  in  his  Itinerarium  Curwsum,  Iter.  I, 
p.  9,  says,  that  many  Roman  coins  of  the  Constantino  period  had 
been  found  in  his  time  about  the  Castle  and  Bully  Wells,  or  at 
the  spring  head,  as  he  calls  it,  near  to  which  have  of  late  years 
been  found  a  dark  coloured  urn,  containing  a  small  implement 
like  an  awl,  and  more  coins. 

Some  sept  of  the  Angles  subsequently  settled  on  the  site  of 
Sleaford,  and  gave  the  first  recorded  name  to  the  present  town, 
viz:  Slowaford. 


104  SLEAFOED. 

Before  the  conquest  Bardi  the  Saxon  was  the  chief,  if  not  the 
only  owner  of  the  land  in  Eslaforde,  or  Sleaford,  and  also  the 
lord  of  the  manors  of  Quarrington,  Carlby,  Holywell,  and  Corby. 
All  these  were  given  to  Eemigius,  the  first  Norman  Bishop  of 
Lincoln,  previous  to  the  compilation  of  Domesday  Book,  and 
probably  in  connection  with  his  removal  of  the  seat  of  the  See 
from  Dorchester  to  Lincoln,  and  his  erection  of  the  then  new 
Cathedral  Church  in  that  already  ancient  city.  The  possessions 
the  Bishop  thus  acquired  at  Sleaford  consisted  of  1 1  caracutes  of 
land ;  part  of  this  he  kept  in  demesne,  or  cultivated  himself,  by 
the  aid  of  3  ploughs,  and  29  villans,  6  sockmen,  and  11  bordars, 
using  4  ploughs.  He  had  also  three  mills  here,  worth  £10 ;  120 
acres  of  meadow,  330  acres  of  marsh,  and  1  acre  of  coppice.  The 
whole  was  valued  in  Edward  the  Confessor's  time  at  £20,  but  in 
the  Conqueror's  reign  at  £25.  There  were  also  here  2  sockmen 
ploughing  with  2  oxen,  15  acres  of  meadow,  and  13  acres  of 
coppice.  To  this  manor  there  also  belonged  some  lands  in  Howell 
and  Heckington,  also  a  parcel  of  land  within  the  manor  belong- 
ing to  Eamsey  Abbey  in  Quarrington  ;  while  on  the  other  hand 
some  land  in  Sleaford  was  soke  of  that  manor. 

From  Testa  de  Nevill,  p.  321,  we  find  that  by  an  inquisition 
taken  in  the  reign  of  Henry  III.,  before  Hugh  de  Vedasto, 
Alexander  de  Lafford,  Robert  de  Heckington,  William  son  of 
Jordan,  of  Ashby,  Lawrence  de  Howell,  Eoger  de  Kelby,  Thomas 
de  Kelby,  William  de  Kelby  and  others,  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln 
held  the  whole  of  Sleaford  as  an  alms  gift  of  the  king.  The 
Bishop  appears  to  have  been  then  holding  all  his  lands  here  in 
his  own  hands,  except  an  eighth  part  of  a  knight's  fee,  which  he 
had  let  to  William  de  Morteyn,  by  knight's  service,  and  who  had 
sublet  it  to  Eobert  de  Lafford.  A  subsequent  inquisition  reports 
that  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln  had  appropriated  to  himself  the  whole 
of  the  vill  of  Sleaford  in  burgage  on  the  north  side  of  the  water, 
which  was  accustomed  to  belong  to  the  wapentake  of  Flaxwell. 
"Hundred  Eolls."  In  1275,  Oliver  Sutton,  Bishop  of  Lincoln, 
was  asked  by  the  king's  commissioners  by  what  authority  he 
claimed  to  have  a  market,  fair,  gallows,  waif,  view  of  frank 
pledge,  and  hue  and  cry,  in  his  manor  of  Lafford  ;  in  answer  to 
which  he  said,  that  he  and  his  predecessors  had  always  enjoyed 
these,  interrupted  only  by  the  vacation  of  the  See.  "  Plac  de  quo 
war,  p.  429."  In  1321-2  when  the  Barons  revolted  against 


\ 


SLEAFORD.  105 

Edward  II.,  as  Bibhop  Burghersh  was  probably  with  reason  sus- 
pected of  infidelity  towards  the  Crown,  the  king  seized  the  Castle 
of  Sleaford,  and  placed  it  in  the  custody  of  Robert  Lord  Darcy. 
"  Hundred  Rolls."  But  it  was  soon  restored  to  the  See;  for  in 
1330  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln  was  again  holding  it,  the  manor  and 
its  appurtenances,  together  with  the  right  of  free  warren.  "Inq. 
p.  m.  3.  E.  3  "  ;  and  from  that  time  it  was  held  by  all  the  suc- 
cessive Bishops  until  the  middle  of  the  1 6th  century,  and  let  to 
various  persons,  one  of  whom  Sir  Richard  de  Willoughby  died 
seized  of  the  profits  of  the  suit  of  court  there  1369,  and  another 
Thomas  de  la  Warre,  died  seized  of  the  manor  in  1398.  "  Inq. 
p.  m.  22.  R.  2." 

In  the  reign  of  Henry  VII.,  the  first  of  the  family  of  Carre 
to  which  Sleaford  is  still  so  much  indebted,  came  to  reside  here. 
This  was  George  Carre,  son  of  Richard,  and  grandson  of  Sir  John 
Carre,  of  Hetton,  Northumberland,  a  wool  merchant,  of  the  staple 
of  Calais.  Prospering  in  his  trade,  he  bought  the  manor  of 
Tetney  and  some  lands  in  and  about  Sleaford,  where  he  also 
built  himself  a  handsome  house  opposite  the  south  side  of  the 
Church,  on  the  spot  now  occupied  by  the  Hospital,  and  bounded 
on  one  side  by  a  narrow  street,  both  of  which  still  commemorate 
his  name.  He  died  1520,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Robert, 
to  whom  the  family  was  indebted  for  the  vast  estates  it  subse- 
quently enjoyed. 

Henry  YIII  visited  Sleaford,  August  8th,  1541,  on  which 
day  he  arrived  there  from  Grimsthorpe,  where  he  had  been  the 
guest  of  the  Duke  of  Suffolk,  his  brother-in-law.  Sleaford  is 
referred  to  by  Leland,  in  his  Itinerary,  published  1546,  as  a  town 
built  for  the  most  part  all  of  stone,  and  having  two  houses  that 
were  superior  to  the  rest,  the  one  being  the  parsonage,  the 
other  the  residence  of  the  Carre's,  the  then  possessor  of  which 
(the  first  or  old  Robert  Carre)  he  describes  as  being  a  proper 
gentleman,  whose  father  was  a  rich  merchant  of  the  staple.  He 
also  speaks  of  "  the  house  or  manor-place  lately  almost  new- 
builded  of  stone  and  timber  by  the  Lord  Hussey,  which  standeth 
northward  without  the  town."  This  was  then  probably  in  the 
king's  own  hands  through  its  forfeiture  in  1537,  and  the  execution 
of  its  rebuilder.  As  the  Castle  was  then  habitable,  probably  the 
king  was  the  guest  of  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln ;  but  we  have  no 
record  as  to  this,  except  that  on  the  morning  after  his  arrival 


106  SLEAFORD. 

at  Sleaford,  August  9th,  the  king  held  a  council  there  before  he 
passed  on  to  Lincoln.  On  his  return  from  the  North,  the  king 
again  stopped  at  Sleaford,  October  14th,  coming  from  Nocton, 
where  he  had  been  the  guest  of  Thomas  Wymbysh  and  his 
wife,  the  only  daughter  of  Gilbert,  Lord  Tailboys,  the  half 
sister  of  Henry,  Duke  of  Richmond,  the  king's  illegitimate  son. 
On  this  occasion  the  king  received  at  Sleaford  an  Ambassador  of 
the  king  of  Portugal,  who  came  to  treat  respecting  the  transport 
of  corn  from  England  to  Portugal,  and  then  passed  on  to  Grims- 
thorpe. 

In  1535,  the  Bishop's  manor  here  was  valued  by  the  king's 
commissioners  at  £57  4s.  Od.  a  year,  derivable  from  the  following 
sources : 

£    s.    d. 

Fixed  rents  per  annum 39  16     Oj 

Movable  ditto  ditto    0     0     6 

Firm  of  the  demesne  lands  per  annum   314     8 

Firm  of  Pasturages,  with  exits  of  the  Castle, 

per  annum 7     6     2 

Firm  of  the  Market  Toll  there,  per  annum    ....      113     4 
Sale  of  One  Acre  and  a  Half  of  Underwood,  in 
the  Wood  belonging  to  the  Bishop,  at  Bope- 

sley,  year  by  year 1   10    0 

Amount  of  common  Fines  per  annum 213     4 

Perquisites  of  the  Court  there,  one  year  with 

another    .  0  10     0 


£57     4 


EEPBISES    OB    DEDUCTIONS. 
To  the  Lord  Hussey,  Seneschal  there,  by  letters 

patent,  for  his  Fee  per  annum  ............     2     0     0 

To  John  Mawdley,  Constable  of  the  Castle  there, 

by  letters  patent,  and  by  ancient  usage  and 

custom,  being  his  Fee   ..................     613     4 

To  Thomas  Smith,  Bailiff  there,  by  letters  patent 

from  old  time,  being  his  Fee   ............     3     6     8 


£12     0     0 


SLEAFORD.  107 

In  1550  the  Manor  and  Castle  of  Sleaford  were  alienated  by 
Henry  Holbeaeh,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  to  Edward,  Duke  of  Somer- 
set, who  exchanged  them  with  the  king  for  the  Monastery  and 
Manor  of  Glastonbury.  "  Brown  Willis." 

It  will  now  be  advisable  to  advert  to  the  history  of  the 
Castle,  which  is  to  a  considerable  extent  connected  with  the 
history  of  Sleaford. 

SLEAFORD  CASTLE. 

Little  did  William  the  Conqueror  foresee  that  on  the  Manor 
of  Sleaford  which  he  presented  to  Kemigius,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  a 
stronghold  would  arise  calculated  to  excite  the  jealousy  of  one  of 
his  successors  ;  yet  through  the  disputed  right  to  the  Crown,  after 
the  death  of  Henry  I,  and  the  troublous  time  that  ensued,  when 
most  of  the  Nobles  of  England  built  strongholds  as  a  means  of 
increasing  their  power,  as  well  as  of  conducing  to  their  personal 
safety,  the  Bishops,  as  temporal  lords,  took  part  in  this  movement ; 
of  these,  Henry  de  Blois,  Bishop  of  Winchester,  was  in  advance 
of  his  brethren,  for  we  are  told  that  he  converted  all  his  episco- 
pal residences  into  Castles ;  while  Hoger,  Bishop  of  Salisbury, 
erected  four  such  strongholds,  viz.,  those  at  Sherbourne,  Devizes, 
Malmesbury,  and  Salisbury ;  an  example  that  was  followed  by 
his  nephew,  Alexander,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  who  erected  three 
Castles  in  his  diocese,  viz.,  those  of  Newark,  Banbury,  and 
Sleaford. 

Sleaford  Castle  was  strong  in  itself,  but  made  far  stronger  by 
its  water  defences.  An  elevated  bank  running  north  and  south  and 
connecting  the  higher  ground  on  one  side  of  the  Castle  site  with 
the  other,  always  supplied  a  means  of  access  to  it,  even  when  all 
the  land  around  was  flooded  for  its  defence  ;  and  while  this  raised 
causeway  was  necessary  for  the  use  of  the  Castle  garrison,  it  could 
be  easily  defended  against  assailants.  Newark  Castle  we  are 
told  was  magnificently  as  well  as  massively  built,  and  Henry  of 
Huntingdon  says,  that  Sleaford  Castle  was  in  no  wise  inferior  to 
it.  Protected  by  an  outer  and  an  inner  moat,  fed  by  the  unfail- 
ing waters  of  the  Slea,  and  by  the  little  fen  through  which  it 
flowed  on  the  west,  with  a  gate-house,  or  barbican,  at  the  sole 
entrance  to  the  outer  and  inner  baily,  or  court,  it  must  have  been 


108  SLEAFOED. 

most  difficult  for  any  foe  to  approach  it ;  but  supposing  it  had 
stood  on  undefended  ground,  from  the  thickness  of  its  massive 
walls  it  could  well  defy  all  such  engines  of  war  as  were  then  in 
use,  and  long  protect  itself,  almost  without  the  aid  of  a  garrison. 
In  plan  it  consisted  of  a  quadrangle,  with  square  towers  at  its 
angles,  walls  having  shallow  buttresses  of  the  usual  Norman  type, 
placed  at  irregular  intervals,  and  a  master  tower  or  keep  in  the 
middle.  The  general  ground-plan  of  the  Castle,  as  far  as  it  can 
now  be  ascertained  from  an  examination  of  its  site,  taken  by  Mr. 
Charles  Kirk,  of  Sleaford,  is  subjoined. 

After  Stephen  had  got  possession  of  Newark  Castle,  through 
the  half  starvation  of  its  episcopal  builder  and  owner,  who  was 
compelled  to  order  his  faithful  retainers  holding  out  against  the 
king  to  deliver  it  up,  the  same  process  recurred  at  Sleaford  ;  and 
thus  both  Castles  were  seized  by  Stephen.  These,  however,  were 
soon  restored  to  their  former  owner. 

The  next  important  event  connected  with  Sleaford  Castle,  was 
the  visit  of  another  king,  October  14th,  1216,  not  coming  to  seize  it 
with  a  strong  hand,  but  as  a  half-ruined  fugitive,  just  escaped 
from  the  devouring  waters  of  the  Wash,  when  his  subjects  were 
alienated  from  him ;  a  foreign  Prince  was  at  hand,  waiting  to 
receive  the  Crown  already  more  than  half  stolen  from  him,  and  he 
was  sick  unto  death.  This  was  John,  who,  although  usually  un- 
stable, at  times  displayed  the  fierce  courage  and  determined 
resolution  of  his  Norman  ancestors ;  when,  therefore,  he  heard 
that  his  offended  barons  had  selected  a  foreign  prince  to  be 
their  ruler,  in  preference  to  himself,  and  felt  that  after  a  suc- 
cessful progress  through  England,  Prince  Louis  of  France  had 
almost  thrust  him  off  his  throne,  he  determined  to  struggle 
desperately  in  defence  of  his  crown  and  sceptre.  Hence,  know- 
ing the  powerful  effect  of  his  personal  presence,  in  the  month 
of  September,  1216,  he  •  had  hurried  from  Chippenham  to 
Cirencester,  and  thence  successively  to  Burford,  Oxford,  "Wal- 
lingford,  Beading,  Ailesbury,  Bedford,  Cambridge,  Eockingham, 
and  Lincoln,  which  last  city  he  reached  on  the  22nd.*  There  he 
paused  awhile,  and  thence  he  started  on  two  progresses  through 
Lincolnshire,  from  a  desire,  apparently,  to  make  personal  ap- 
peals on  his  own  behalf  to  the  people  of  this  county.  The  first 

*  Itinerary  of  King  John.     Archceologia,  vol.  22,  pp.  159,  160. 


PLAN  OF  SITE  OF  THE  CASTLE,  SLEAFOED. 


Note. — The  parts  shaded  ivith  diagonal 
lines  indicate  the  position  of  the 
buildings. 


SLEAFOED.  109 

was  a  short  one,  commencing  on  the  24th,  during  which  he 
stopped  successively  at  Burton,  Retford,  Scotter,  and  Stow, 
whence  he  returned  to  Lincoln  on  the  28th,  where  he  remained 
until  October  2nd.  Then  he  commenced  a  longer  progress ;  first 
northwards  to  Grimsby,  and  then  southwards  to  Louth,  Spalding, 
and  Lynn,  where  he  remained  from  the  9th  to  the  llth  of  Octo- 
ber. There  he  heard  that  the  expected  crisis  had  arisen,  and 
that  his  revolted  barons  had  taken  possession  of  the  city  of 
Lincoln,  and  were  pressing  his  garrison  in  the  castle  hard,  who 
most  urgently  requested  immediate  relief  at  his  hands.  Therefore, 
once  again  marching  northwards,  he  arrived  at  Wisbeach  on  the 
llth,  and  on  the  following  morning  resumed  his  march.  Such 
being  the  case,  he  must  have  left  Sutton  Wash  behind  him  on 
the  right,  as  well  as  the  now  so  called  King  John's  House,  before 
he  met  with  his  memorable  catastrophe  in  the  Wash,  as  there 
could  have  been  no  possible  reason  for  his  wandering  in  that 
direction  so  far  from  the  direct  line  between  Wisbeach  and  Lin- 
coln, when  speed  was  of  the  utmost  consequence  to  him.  On, 
therefore,  he  hurried,  over  a  track  of  fen  land,  as  fast  as  his 
baggage  waggons  would  permit,  until  a  wide  expanse  of  sand 
was  reached,  intersected  by  shallow  channels,  beyond  which  a 
distant  low  bank  and  a  church  tower  or  two  indicated  at  least  a 
more  hopeful  travelling  district,  while  on  the  right  a  blue  streak 
marked  the  presence  of  the  sea  in  that  direction.  A  question 
probably  arose  as  to  whether  that  sandy  plain  might  be  safely 
crossed ;  but  the  necessity  was  great ;  therefore  the  cavalry  ad- 
vanced, the  infantry  followed,  and  then  the  baggage  waggons 
were  dragged  along,  deeply  scoring  the  yielding  silty  surface, 
and  sometimes  sinking  still  more  deeply,  where  hollows  and 
channels  had  to  be  crossed,  until  the  panting  horses  began  to  be 
exhausted  through  their  frequent  and  severe  struggles ;  and 
while  the  shouts  and  goadings  of  the  drivers  were  becoming 
gradually  less  and  less  effective,  their  anxiety  increased  in  pro- 
portion. Still  the  sea  looked  distant,  yet  threads  of  white  were 
drifting  inland  with  great  rapidity,  whence  the  native  fen-men, 
who  were  compelled  to  assist  the  royal  progress,  knew  that  the 
tide  had  turned,  and  that  ere  long  all  that  wide  space,  which 
intervened  between  them  and  those  delicate  yet  insidious  streaks, 
would  be  covered  with  water.  Deeper,  therefore,  did  the  goads 
penetrate  the  sides  of  the  labouring  beasts  ;  more  eagerly  did  the 


110  SLEAFOED. 

men-at-arms  aid  in  turning  the  wheels  of  the  waggons,  and 
especially  of  those  containing  the  royal  treasure,  plate,  jewels, 
and  the  precious  vessels  of  the  chapel ;  yet  nearer  and  nearer 
advanced  those  dreaded  streaks,  and  then  the  natives  first  cry, 
"  "We  must  fly  for  our  lives  !  "  Still,  at  the  king's  command,  one 
more  effort  is  made  to  hurry  on  the  now  utterly  exhausted  horses, 
and  especially  those  attached  to  the  waggons  in  which  were  placed 
the  crown  jewels.  Then  it  was  seen,  beyond  a  doubt,  that  they 
must  leave  all,  and  if  possible  save  themselves,  for  the  bank  of 
safety  in  front  was  still  distant,  and  those  slender  threads — but 
lately  so  far  off — are  now  seen  plainly  enough  to  be  foaming 
waves,  advancing  towards  them  with  the  most  alarming  speed. 
Therefore  the  traces  were  cut,  the  king's  treasure  was  left  to 
become  a  prey  of  the  waters,  and  both  man  and  beast,  as  far  as 
possible  unincumbered,  rushed  on  for  dear  life's  sake,  and  were 
half  submerged  before  they  escaped  from  the  fearful  dangers  of 
the  Wash. 

Unwell  at  Lynn,*  greatly  excited  by  the  news  from  Lincoln, 
and  now  again  still  more  deeply  moved  by  the  irreparable  loss  of 
his  regalia  and  treasure — in  addition  to  having  been  exposed  to 
a  wet  journey  through  a  portion  of  the  Lincolnshire  fens — no 
wonder  that  King  John's  illness  increased  before  he  reached  the 
shelter  and  repose  he  sought  at  Swineshead  Abbey,  the  nearest 
place  capable  of  affording  him  a  temporary  harbour  of  refuge. 

There  he  was  received  with  such  honours  and  such  hospital- 
ity as  that  monastery  could  command,  and  the  king,  whose 
feverish  thirst  was  now  great,  hastened  to  quench  it  with  long 
draughts  of  cyder  and  fruit  from  the  monastic  orchards. f  From 
the  evening  of  the  12th  until  the  morning  of  the  14th  of  October, 
the  king  remained  at  Swineshead,  during  which  time  his  illness 
increased,  which  now  plainly  declared  itself  to  be  an  ague  fit, 
attended  by  dysentery.  During  that  time  his  conduct,  bad 
though  it  was  throughout  his  worthless  life,  has  probably  been 
unnecessarily  and  untruly  maligned  by  some  chroniclers  ;  while 


*  Stow's  Annals,  edition  of  1615,  p.  174. 

t  "The  pernicious  greedie  eating  of  peaches,  and  drinking  of  newe  cidar 
increased  his  sicknesse,  and  kindled  the  heate  of  the  ague  the  more  strongly." 
— Ibid. 


SLEAFOBD.  Ill 

that  of  the  inmates  of  Swineshead  Abbey  has  been  painted  in 
still  darker  colours  by  the  same  authors,  and  with  an  equal 
amount  of  untruthfulness. 

John,  in  his  wretched  condition  of  body  and  mind,  we  can 
readily  conceive,  made  use  of  violent  and  threatening  language 
as  to  what  he  would  do  to  reduce  his  rebellious  subjects  to  sub- 
mission, but  he  can  scarcely  have  been  so  insensate  as  to  have 
vowed,  as  is  reported,  that  he  would  greatly  raise  the  price  of 
bread  throughout  England.  Again,  although  John  was  undoubt- 
edly an  immoral,  as  well  as  a  violent  man,  yet,  when  very  ill  and 
anxious  above  all  things  to  hurry  on  to  the  relief  of  Lincoln,  upon 
the  success  of  which  design  his  crown  was  almost  dependent,  it 
is  not  the  least  likely  that  he  could  have  committed  such  an  out- 
rage upon  his  host,  the  Abbot  of  Swineshead,  as  Knyghton*  has 
recorded  ;  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  is  it  credible  that  any  of  the 
brotherhood  of  that  abbey  should  have  been  implicated  in  the 
foul  murder  of  the  king,  during  his  two  days'  sojourn  with  them 
as  their  guest,  even  had  they  been  greatly  tried  by  his  violent 
expressions  or  the  irregularity  of  his  conduct.  John  was  not  on 
the  whole  unfriendly  to  the  monastic  Orders,  although  he  was 
sometimes  rapacious  in  his  dealings  with  them,  as  he  was  with 
the  laity.  The  variety  of  ways,  also,  in  which  John's  death  is 
said  to  have  been  compassed,  appears  to  throw  the  greatest  doubt 
upon  the  presumed  fact  of  his  murder,  and  to  indicate  the  un- 
soundness  of  those  reports  that  arose  after  his  death,  which  were 
probably  only  the  offspring  of  idle  rumours,  although  adopted  by 
some  of  our  chroniclers,  and  accepted  by  our  greatest  dramatic 


*  "Rex  ipse  Johannes  ad  monasterium  de  Swynsheaed  quod  a  Sancto 
Botolpho  distat  per  quinque  leucas,  hospitandi  causa  declinaret.  Audivit  ab- 
batem  ejusdem  loci  pulchram  habere  sororem,  priorissam  cujusdam  loci 
propinqui ;  accensusque  ex  more  libidine,  misit  satellites  suos  ut  earn  addu- 
cerent  ad  se.  Quod  cum  audisset  abbas  frater  ejus,  tristis  admodum  aifectus 
est,  noluitque  a  fratribus  consolationem  accipere.  Cui  dixit  unus  conversus 
suus  qui  curam  gerebat  hospitii,  et  familiaris,  et  notus  domino  regi,  Quidnam 
habes,  Pater,  cur  decidit  vultus  tuus,  et  tristior  solito  est  fades  tua  ?  Cui  abbas  : 
JSowrem  hdbeo,  inquit,  unam  sponsam  Christi,  quam  dilexi  ;  proponit  earn 
delurpare  Rex  ;  et  ille  :  Ignosce  mihi,  Pater,  et  ora  pro  me,  et  auferam  vitam 
iniqui  a  terrd,  et  timorem  ipsius  a  conversatione  hominum ;  cui  ille  :  vellem 
hcec,  inquit,  fili  mi,  non  tamen  licet  in  personam  regis  manum  extender  e." 
— Henry  de  KnygUton,  de  Event.  Angl. 


112  SLEAFORD. 

bard.  He  was  poisoned,  says  Ralph  of  Chester,  by  one  of  the 
white  monks  of  Swineshead,  as  report  says,  when  he  was  intoxi- 
cated, because  he  had  threatened  to  increase  the  price  of  bread 
enormously  throughout  England  ;  and  the  poisoner  perished  with 
him.* — His  death  was  occasioned  by  poison  inserted  in  some 
pears,  says  Henry  de  Knyghton  ;f  and  this  was  administered  by 
a  monk  with  the  complicity  of  the  abbot,  because  the  king  had 
proposed  to  send  for  the  abbot's  sister,  the  prioress  of  a  convent 
in  the  neighbourhood,  whose  reported  beauty  had  tempted  him 
to  do  so.  He  was  destroyed  by  venom  extracted  from  the  body  of 
an  unfortunate  toad,  pricked  to  death  for  the  purpose,  and  mixed 
with  a  cup  of  ale  administered  by  a  patriotic  monk,  who,  first 
making  the  accustomed  assay  thereof,  was  shortly  carried  off  to 
the  infirmary,  where  his  body  became  more  and  more  swollen 
until  it  burst  from  the  effects  of  the  poison,  while  the  king  died 
two  days  afterwards .J 


*  "  Tradit  tamen  vulgata  fama  quod  apud  monasterimn  Swynheade  al- 
borum  monachorum  intoxicatus  est.  Juraverat  enim  ibidem  (ut  asseritur) 
prudens,  quod  panem  tune  obolum  valentem  faceret  infra  annum,  si  viveret, 
12  denarios  valere.  Quod  audiens,  unus  de  conversis  fratribus  loci  illius 
venenum  confecit  porrerit,  sed  et  ipso  sumpto  prius  viatico  catholico  simul 
cum  Kege  interiit." — Ranulphus  Censtrensis  in  Polycron,  1.  7,  c.  33. 

f  "Tulit  pira  nova  quibus  ipsum  Regem  libenter  vesci  sciebat,  apposuit 
que  venenum  singulis  piaster  tria,  quse  cum  cseteris  reposita  optime  denotabat. 
— Venit,  itaque  conversus  ille,  et  applausit  Regi  sicut  et  alias  facere  consue- 
verat,  et  dixit  ei :  Placitur  tibi,  0  Rex,  comedere  defructu  novo  ?  Placet,  inquit, 
vade  et  offer.  Tulitque  prseparata  pira  et  statuit  coram  Rege,  et  ait  Rex  :  Quid 
attulisti.  frater  ?  At  ille  :  Non  venenum,  0  Rex,  sed  fructum  opitimum.  Et 
Rex  :  Comede,  inquit,  defructu tuo. — Moxque  apprehenso uno  ex piris  cognitis 
comedit.  Et  Rex :  Comede,  inquit,  et  alterum ;  et  comedit.  Adde,  inquit, 
et  tertium,  et  fecit  sex.  Nee  se  ulterius  potuit  continuere  ;  Rex  apprehenso 
uno  ex  venenatis  comedit,  eadem  nocte  extinctus  est." — Henry  de  Knyghton 
de  Event.  Angl.,  1.  2,  c.  15. 

I  "  The  Monke  that  stode  before  the  Kynge  was  for  this  worde  full  sory 
in  his  herte,  and  thought  rather  hee  would  himselfe  suffre  deth,  yf  he  might 
ordeyne  some  manere  of  remedye.  And  anone  the  Monke  went  unto  his 
Abbot  and  was  shriven  of  him,  and  tolde  the  Abbot  all  that  the  Kynge  had 
sayd  ;  and  prayed  his  Abbot  for  to  assoyle  him,  for  he  would  give  the  Kynge 
such  a  drynke  that  all  Englonde  should  be  glad  thereof  and  joyfull.  Then 
yede  the  Monke  into  a  gardeyne,  and  founde  a  grete  tode  therein,  and  toke 
her  up  and  put  her  in  a  cuppe,  and  prycked  the  tode  through  with  a  broche 


SLEAFORD.  113 

Believing,  however,  that  these  reports  were  not  founded  on 
fact,  from  their  conflicting  character,  strengthened  by  the  result 
of  a  post  mortem  examination  of  the  body  by  his  friend  and  confes- 
sor, the  Abbot  of  Croxton,  we  may  reasonably  conclude  that  his 
indisposition,  which  commenced  at  Lynn,  was  so  aggravated  by 
his  hurried  and  agitating  journey  to  Swineshead,  and  thence  to 
this  town,  as  to  lead  to  its  eventual  fatal  termination. 

In  vain  was  the  king  bled  at  Sleaford,  for  his  disorder 
continued  to  gain  ground ;  and  the  more  so  after  travel- worn 
messengers  from  Dover  were  ushered  into  his  presence,  who 
announced  to  him  the  certain  fall  of  Dover  Castle,  within  a  few 
days,  unless  he  could  send  a  force  to  the  relief  of  the  garrison. 
This  was,  however,  beyond  his  power ;  yet,  although  so  sick,  on  the 
following  morning  the  miserable  king  resumed  his  suffering  pro- 
gress, and  by  the  aid  of  support  did  so  on  horseback.  Whether 
he  removed  from  want  of  proper  provision  for  himself  and 
followers  at  Sleaford,  or  from  political  reasons,  is  unknown,  but 
certain  it  is  that  on  the  15th  he  travelled  to  another  of  the  Bishop 
of  Lincoln's  castles  at  Newark.  On  his  way  thither  he  probably 
rested  awhile  at  Hough  Priory,*  where  indeed  Robert  de  Brunne 
records  that  he  died,  saying, 

"At  the  abbay  of  Suyneshued  ther  he  drank  poyson, 
At  Hauhe  his  lef  he  leued,  so  say  men  of  that  toun. " 


many  tymes,  tyll  that  the  venym  came  out  of  evry  syde  in  the  cuppe.  And 
he  toke  the  cuppe  and  filled  it  with  good  ale,  and  brought  it  before  the  Kynge 
knelynge,  sayinge  ;  Sir,  sayd  hee,  "Wassayll,  for  never  the  dayes  of  all  your 
lyfe  dronke  ye  of  so  good  a  cuppe.  Begyu,  Monke,  sayd  the  Kynge.  And 
the  Monke  dranke  a  grete  draught,  and  toke  the  Kynge  the  cuppe  ;  and  the 
Kynge  dranke  also  a  grete  draught,  and  so  sat  downe  the  cuppe.  The  Monke 
anone  ryght  went  in  to  the  farmerye,  and  there  dyed  anone,  on  whoas  soule 
God  have  mercy,  Amen.  And  fyve  Monkes  synge  for  his  soule  specially,  and 
shall  whyle  the  Abbaye  standeth.  The  Kynge  rose  up  anone  full  evyll  at 
ease,  and  commaunded  to  remove  the  table,  and  axed  after  the  Monke  ;  and 
men  tolde  him  that  he  was  dede,  for  his  wombe  wes  broken  in  sundre.  Whan 
the  Kynge  herde  this,  he  commaunded  for  to  trusse,  but  it  was  for  nought, 
for  his  belly  began  to  swelle  for  the  dranke  that  he  had  dronke,  and  withen 
two  dayes  hee  deyed,  on  the  morrowe  after  Saynt  Lukis  day." — St.  Allan's 
Chronicle,  printed  by  Caxton,  Anno  1502,  Pars  7. 

*  Hough,  formerly  spelt  Hagh,  Halgh,  and  Howghe  on  the  Mount. 
About  1164,  King  Henry  II.  gave  this  manor  to  the  Abbey  of  St.  Mary  de 
Voto  at  Cherburgh  in  Normandy  (which  was  founded  by  his  mother  the 


114  SLEAFOED. 

But  such,  a  tradition,  although  not  true,  may  very  probably 
have  arisen  from  the  king's  resting  at  Hough,  in  a  dying  condi- 
tion, on  his  last  earthly  journey.  When  he  reached  Newark, 
feeling  that  his  end  was  near,  he  immediately  took  measures  to 
secure  the  succession  of  his  son,  Prince  Henry,  by  causing  such 
nobles  as  were  with  him  to  swear  allegiance  to  him  as  his  suc- 
cessor, and  sent  off  letters  to  the  principal  constables  of  castles, 
and  to  all  sheriffs,  enjoining  them  to  serve  the  future  king 
faithfully.  Then  John  sought  religious  consolation  at  the  hands 
of  the  Abbot  of  Croxton,  and  committed  his  body  to  the  keep- 
ing of  St.  Wolstan ;  but  when  the  dying  king  was  thus  making 
ready  for  his  transit  from  this  world,  an  unexpected  event  occurred, 
that  only  a  few  days  before  would  have  elated  his  spirits  beyond 
measure,  but  which  now  failed  to  move  him.  The  Barons  had 
begun  to  repent  of  their  treason.  Excommunicated  by  the  Pope, 
and  roughly  treated  by  Prince  Louis,  who  failed  not  to  let  them 
see  in  what  light  he  looked  upon  them  whenever  they  hesitated 
to  obey  his  orders,  their  position  was  finally  most  alarmingly  put 
before  them  by  the  Earl  of  Melun*  on  his  death  bed,  who  told 
them  that  as  soon  as  Louis  had  established  himself  upon  the 
throne  of  England  he  would  treat  it  as  a  conquered  country,  and 
portion  out  its  lands  among  his  Erench  subjects,  just  as  the 
Conqueror  had  once  done  before.  This  led  forty  of  the  barons 
to  send  messengers  to  John,  stating  their  readiness  to  return  to 
their  allegiance  to  him,  and  seeking  pardon  for  the  past  at  his 
hands ;  but  when  these  arrived  at  Newark,  they  found  that  a 
similar  supplication,  to  one  far  higher  than  any  earthly  king,  had 
shortly  before  proceeded  from  the  lips  of  him  of  whom  they 
sought  favour ;  that  his  ear  was  dull  to  hear  their  words,  and 
that  his  mind  was  wandering,  so  that  he  fancied  he  saw  nothing 


Empress  Maud  and  himself),  so  that  here  was  an  alien  priory  of  some  Austin 
canons  subordinate  to  that  foreign  monastery.  This  cell,  valued  at  £20  per 
annum,  was  seized  by  the  Crown,  and  granted  by  King  Eichard  II.,  first  to 
the  Priory  of  the  Spittle  on  the  street  in  this  county,  and  then  to  the  Car- 
thusians of  St.  Ann's  near  Coventry.  It  was  restored,  by  Henry  IV.,  to 
Cherburgh,  but  with  other  alien  Priories  was  given  by  Henry  V.  to  the  Priory 
of  Montgrace  in  Yorkshire,  and  subsequently  as  parcel,  thereof,  was  granted  to 
John,  Lord  Russell,  33  Henry  VIII.— Tanner's  Notitia  Monastica,  p.  272. 
*  Speed's  History  of  Great  Britain,  edit.  1632,  p.  570. 


SLEAFORD.  115 

but  cowled  monks*  trooping  around  him ;  shortly  after  which 
his  agitating  final  fears  were  hushed  by  the  hand  of  death,  on 
the  night  of  the  18th  of  October. 

As  might  have  been  expected,  the  unworthy  followers  of  so 
worthless  a  king  instantly  began  to  pillage  their  deceased  master ; 
and  he  who  had  fared  so  luxuriously,  and  was  attired  so  gorge- 
ously in  life,  in  death  was  stripped  of  everything  by  his  servants, 
who,  as  Stow  says — "left  him  not  so  much  as  would  cover  his 
dead  carcase,"  and  fled.  True,  however,  to  his  trust,  the  Abbot 
of  Croxton  performed  the  last  offices  for  the  late  king,  ascertained 
that  no  poison  had  been  administered  to  him*  and,  clothing  the 
royal  corpse  in  a  monastic  habit,  conveyed  it  honourably  to 
Worcester  Cathedral,  where  the  Bishop  received  it ;  and  a  spot 
near  the  grave  of  St.  Wolstan  was  selected  as  a  fitting  one  for 
that  of  King  John,  in  compliance  with  his  dying  request. 

Hugh  de  Welles,  then  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  was  away  with  his 
vassals  among  the  rebel  Barons,  when  his  dying  Sovereign  thus 
made  use  of  two  of  his  Castles,  as  temporary  places  of  harbour, 
coming  as  a  moribund  man  to  Sleaford  Castle,  and  actually  dying 
at  that  of  Newark. 

No  doubt  the  successors  of  Bishop  Hugh  II.,  from  time  to 
time  made  use  of  the  Castle  on  their  journies  to  and  from  Lincoln, 
for  which  purpose  it  was  well  situated  ;  but  scarcely  any  records 
of  such  visits  now  remain.  We  have,  however,  an  account  of 
Bishop  Flemming's  death  here,  January  25th,  1820,  who  was 
such  a  remarkable  prelate  that  a  little  Memoir  of  his  life  will 
perhaps  be  acceptable. 


*  This  delusion  can  scarcely  be  deemed  to  indicate  either  John's  dislike 
of  monks,  or  his  desire  for  their  presence.     He  had  indeed,  during  his  way- 
ward life,  dealt  harshly  with  monks  at  times,  but  he  had  also  proved  himself 
to  be  a  munificent  patron  of  several  Orders.     He  founded  the  Benedictine 
monasteries  at  "Waterford  and  Cork,  before  he  ascended  the  throne,  and  after- 
wards the  grand  Cistercian  abbey  of  Beaulieu  in  Hampshire,  the  monasteries 
of  Faringdon,  Hales  Owen,  and  Otterington  ;  he  built  those  of  Godstow  and 
Worhall,  and  enlarged  a  chapel  at  Knaresborough  ;  while  his  last  moments 
were  comforted,  at  his  own  request,  by  the  Abbot  of  Croxton,  to  whose  house 
he  left  a  very  liberal  bequest. 

*  "The  Physitian  that  dis-bowled  his  body,  found  no  sign  of  poison  in 
it." — Baker's  Chronicle,  p.  109. 


116  SLEAFOED. 

BISHOP     FLEMYNG. 

Richard  Flemyng,  eventually  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  was  born 
at  Crofton,  near  Wakefield,  towards  the  close  of  the  14th  century. 
After  having  received  his  early  education  in  his  native  county, 
he  became  a  student  of  University  College,  Oxford,  where  he 
distinguished  himself  through  his  attainments  in  Logic  and 
Philosophy.  Soon  after  he  had  taken  his  M.A.  degree  he  warmly 
enbraced  the  doctrines  of  Wycliffe,  and  induced  several  persons 
of  eminence  to  follow  his  example  ;  but  when  he  found  that  he 
had  thus  prevented  his  advancement  in  the  church,  and  was 
tempted  by  the  persuasions  of  his  friends,  and  the  offers  of  tem- 
poral advantages,  he  succumbed,  and  soon  became  at  least  as 
warm  an  advocate  of  the  Roman  Catholic  faith,  as  he  had  been  its 
opposer.  As  a  clever  disputant,  he  was  selected  to  advocate  those 
very  doctrines  he  had  previously  condemned  while  still  a  student 
of  the  University,  having  in  1396  been  deputed  to  act  as  one  of 
twelve  doctors  as  examiners  and  judges  of  Wycliffe' s  tenets,  by 
all  of  whom  they  were  condemned  and  execrated  as  most  perni- 
cious heresy.  Promotion  quickly  followed.  In  1403  he  became 
Rector  of  Staithbourne,  Yorkshire.  In  1406,  he  was  presented  to 
the  Prebend  of  North  Newbold,  in  the  Cathedral  of  York,  and  the 
next  year  was  Proctor  at  Oxford.  Early  in  1414,  he  was  presented 
to  the  Rectory  of  St.  Michael's,  Oxford  ;  but  resigned  it  later  in 
that  year,  when  he  became  Incumbent  of  Boston,  and  soon  after 
exchanged  the  Prebend  of  South  Newbold,  for  that  of  Langford, 
in  York  Cathedral. 

Having  attracted  the  favourable  regard  of  Henry  V,  he  was 
promoted  by  him,  April  24th,  1420,  to  the  Bishopric  of  Lincoln, 
with  the  sanction  of  the  Pope.  Four  years  later  he  attended  the 
council  of  Sienna,  convened  for  the  purpose  of  opposing  the 
Reformers,  where  he  so  distinguished  himself  by  the  power 
of  his  rhetoric,  in  defence  of  the  Papal  supremacy,  that 
Pope  Martin  V,  appointed  him  his  Chamberlain,  and  selected 
him  to  fill  the  vacancy  that  then  occurred  in  the  Archiepiscopate 
of  York;  but  the  young  King's  Council,  and  the  Chapter  of 
York,  so  strongly  resisted  the  proposed  appointment,  that  the 
Pope  was  obliged  to  retract  it,  by  a  fresh  Bull,  and  the  Bishop 
only  regained  the  temporalities  of  his  vacated  Bishopric  through 
the  presentation  of  a  humble  petition  to  the  King. 


SLEAFOBD.  117 

In  1426,  Bishop  Flemyng  founded  a  College  at  Oxford, 
built  at  great  cost,  and  endowed  with  the  Churches  of  All  Saints, 
Saint  Michael,  and  Saint  Mildreds,  Oxford,  by  virtue  of  a  licence 
from  the  king,  and  termed  the  College  of  the  blessed  Mary  the 
Virgin,  and  All  Saints,  Lincoln,  now  called  Lincoln  College. 
This  was  intended  for  the  use  of  literary  men,  who  were  to  write, 
preach,  and  dispute  against  Wycliffe ;  but  eventually  it  languished 
through  the  premature  death  of  the  Bishop,  until  it  was  freshly 
endowed  by  Thomas  Scott,  or  Eotherham,  his  successor  at 
Lincoln,  in  1471. 

In  1428,  Bishop  Flemyng  executed  that  decree  of  the  Coun- 
cil of  Constance,  which  ordered  the  exhumation  and  burning  of 
Wycliffe' s  bones,  after  they  had  lain  in  the  grave  at  Lutterworth 
for  more  than  50  years.  This  he  did  as  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  by 
the  authority  of  Archbishop  Arundel,  in  which  diocese  Lutter- 
worth then  was,  as  quaintly  described  by  Fuller  ; — "  He  sent  his 
officers — vultures  with  a  quick  scent  at  a  dead  carcase — to  ungrave 
him  accordingly.  To  Lutterworth  they  came,  Summner  Commis- 
sorie,  Official,  Chancellor,  Proctors,  Doctors,  and  their  servants, 
so  that  the  remnant  of  the  body  would  not  hold  out  a  bone  among 
so  many  hands,  to  take  what  was  left  out  of  the  grave,  and  burn 
them  to  ashes,  and  cast  them  into  Swift,  a  neighbouring  brook 
running  hard  by.  Thus,  this  brook  hath  conveyed  his  ashes 
into  Avon,  Avon  into  Severn,  Severn  into  the  narrow  seas,  they 
into  the  main  ocean :  and  thus  the  ashes  of  Wycliffe  are  the  em- 
blems of  his  doctrine,  which  now  is  dispersed  all  the  world  over. 
Only  two  of  his  literary  works  remain,  viz  :  his  "  Etymologia 
Anglic,"  and  his  tl  Orationes  in  Concilio  Sienensi."  According  to 
the  words  of  a  contemporary  biographer,  "  he  delivered  his  spirit 
into  the  hands  of  mercy,  at  his  Castle  of  Sleaford,  on  the  25th  of 
January,  in  the  feast  of  the  Conversion  of  St.  Paul,  about  two 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  according  to  the  pleasure  of  the  Most 
High."  Harl.  M.S.  6952."  He  is  termed  by  Shelton,  "  one  of 
those  eminent  men  whose  names  have  exalted  University  College, 
Oxford,  the  oldest  establishment  in  that  place."  He  had  pre- 
viously built  a  beautiful  little  mortuary  chapel,  attached  to  his 
cathedral  at  Lincoln,  for  the  reception  of  his  body,  to  which  it 
was  removed  for  sepulture  from  Sleaford.  His  monument  still 
remains  there  beneath  a  vaulted  canopy,  between  this  chapel  and 
the  south  aisle  of  the  presbytery  of  the  Cathedral.  This  consists 

K 


118  SLEAFOBD. 

of  an  altar  tomb  surmounted  by  the  Bishop's  effigy  in  full  ponti- 
fical vestments.  The  pillow  on  which  his  mitred  head  rests,  is 
supported  by  figures  of  angels,  and  at  the  feet  is  a  lion  grasping 
a  serpent,  probably  in  allusion  to  his  conflict  with  the  holders 
of  Wycliffe's  doctrines. 

Within  the  arched  open  sided  tomb  below,  is  one  of  those 
ghastly  contrasts  not  uncommonly  adopted  during  the  15th  cen- 
tury, as  a  memento  mori,  viz  :  the  emaciated  body  of  the  dead 
prelate,  almost  reduced  to  a  skeleton,  and  stripped  even  of  the 
shroud,  which  lies  below.  Formerly  there  were  two  coats  of 
arms  at  the  head  and  foot  of  this  monument.  The  two  first  bore 
Barry  of  6  Arg  and  Az,  in  chief  3  lozenges  Ohi ;  on  the  second 
bar  a  mitre  labelled  Arg. ;  on  the  third  bar,  a  mullet  Sa,  and  the 
other  two  had  a  sword  point  in  base  as  a  difference. 

Subsequently,  Bishop  Alnwick  either  largely  repaired  or 
added  to  Sleaford  Castle,  during  his  episcopate,  lasting  from  1436 
to  1450.  Of  his  residence  here  we  have  a  record  in  the  Issue 
Boll  24,  Henry  YI,  p.  453,  as  follows  :— "  Paid  £5  to  William 
Gedney,  lately  sent  by  the  king's  command  to  the  Bishop  of 
Lincoln,  then  at  Sleaford,  in  the  County  of  Lincoln,  and  else- 
where, to  obtain  a  copy  of  the  last  Will  of  his  Father  Lord 
Henry  V."  And  that  he  very  often  travelled  between  Lincoln 
and  Sleaford  when  he  was  repairing  or  adding  to  Sleaford  Castle, 
we  have  proof,  from  the  fact  of  his  having  made  a  new  track  or 
road  over  Lincoln-heath,  called  the  "brode  way,"  according  to 
testimony  given  at  a  trial  between  the  commander  of  Temple 
Bruer — Sir  Thomas  Newport,  and  de  la  Launde,  of  Ashby  ;  but 
at  length  the  obsequious  Henry  Bands,  or  Holbeach,  was  base 
enough  to  alienate  much  of  the  episcopal  property  to  the  Crown, 
when  the  Castle  and  Manor  of  Sleaford  first  passed  into  the 
hands  of  the  Duke  of  Somerset,  ever  greedy  for  the  plunder  of 
the  Church,  although  regarded  as  a  Saint  by  the  Puritans,  who 
was  eventually  executed  for  high  treason.  These  then  reverted 
to  the  Crown,  and  were  granted  by  Queen  Mary  to  Edward  Fines, 
Lord  Clinton,  afterwards  the  famous  Earl  of  Lincoln  and  Not- 
tingham, for  his  services  in  suppressing  Wyatt's  rebellion ;  but 
he  did  not  keep  them  long,  for  in  1559,  with  the  consent  of  the 
crown,  he  sold  them  to  Bobert  Carre,  together  with  all  the  rights, 
members,  liberties,  and  appurtenances  belonging  thereto,  with 
divers  lands,  tenements,  meadows,  pastures,  mills,  and  other 


SLEAFORD. 


119 


hereditaments,  to  be  held  by  him  and  his  assigns  of  the  queen 
for  ever,  for  the  sum  of  £60  a  year,  from  the  1st  day  of  March 
in  that  year,  at  the  feast  of  Saint  Michael  and  the  Pask,  in  equal 
portions.  "  Pipe  Rot.,  29  Eliz."  At  this  time  the  appurte- 
nances of  the  Castle  and  Manor  of  Sleaford  were  very  great, 
consisting  of  various  other  manors,  lands,  tenements,  and  rights 
of  various  kinds,  a  list  of  which  is  still  preserved  in  the  form 
of  a  record  drawn  up  in  1627,  by  Mr.  William  Burton,  a  faith- 
ful steward  of  the  Carre  family,  for  the  instruction  of  the  young 
Sir  Robert  Carre,  the  second  Baronet,  then  a  minor,  son  of  Sir 
Edward  Carre,  the  first  Baronet. 

In  right  of  the  Castle,  all  the  freeholders  in  Sleaford  and 
Holdingham  held  their  lands  and  tenements  in  burgage  of  its 
lord,  although  some  owners  of  these  claimed  to  be  freeholders. 

The  Manor  of  Old  Sleaford  was  within  the  liberty  of  the 
Castle,  and  held  of  it  by  knight's  service,  and  its  lands  were  pur- 
chased by  Robert  Carre,  after  the  confiscation  of  Lord  Hussey's 
lands.  28,  Henry  VIII.  The  following  also  belonged  to  it, 
viz  :  The  Manor  of  Quarrington,  formerly  held  by  Stanton  :  The 
Manor  of  Evedon  and  Thursby,  or  Blackhills,  in  right  of  which 
Robert  Carre  had  enjoyed  the  wardship  first  of  Bartholomew 
Harby,  and  then  of  his  son  Daniel  Harby ;  respecting  which 
right  a  suit  had  taken  place  in  1589,  which  was  decided  in  Carre's 
favour.  The  Manors  of  Lessingham  and  Ringston  were  held 
successively  by  members  of  the  Marmyon  and  Hesslewood  fami- 
lies, but  in  1627  the  former  was  held  by  Mr.  Brownlow,  the  latter 
by  Mr.  Bernard,  who  then  paid  the  fees  for  both  Manors.  Ther 
Manor  of  Hougham  held  by  two  knights'  fees,  of  the  Castle,  by 
Sir  Thomas  Brudnell,  whose  tenants  did  fealty  to  the  Castle 
court,  paid  yearly  fines,  and  acknowledged  its  lord's  right  to 
wardships.  The  manor  of  Boughton  in  the  parish  of  Asgarby.  A 
capital  messuage  in  Silk  Willoughby,  called  Dounehall,  held  by 
knight's  service,  formerly  Thomas  Hussey's,  but  then  William 
Berrie's;  lands  in  Rippingale,  Dunsby,  and  Stainfield,  held  of 
the  Castle  by  rents  service  ;  besides  these  the  right  of  presentation 
to  the  Church  of  Quarrington  belonged  to  the  lord  of  Sleaford 
Castle,  after  its  alienation  by  Bishop  Holbeach,  as  determined  by 
a  suit  instituted  by  Robert  Carre  against  Bishop  Barlow,  who 
claimed  his  right  as  Bishop  of  Lincoln ;  when  Lord  Cook  decided 
that  the  Bishop's  presentee  should  continue  to  hold  it ;  but,  that 


120 


SLEAFOED. 


its  future  presentation  was  to  be  Carre's.  The  Castle  was  cer- 
tainly in  good  order  when  Leland  visited  it  about  1545,  for  he 
thus  describes  it,  "  Withoute  the  towne  of  Sleaford  standith 
west  south  west  the  propre  Castelle  of  Sleford,  very  welle  man- 
taynid,  and  it  is  compasid  with  a  rennyng  streme,  cumming  by  a 
cut  oute  of  a  litle  fenne,  a  lying  almost  flatte  weste  againe  it.  In 
the  gate-house  of  the  Castelle,  be  2  porte  colices.  There  is  an 
highe  toure  in  the  midle  of  the  Castelle,  but  not  sette  upon  a  hille 
of  raised  yerth."  "  Itinerary,  Vol.  I,  p.  27."  But  during  the 
next  5X)  years  its  demolition  had  in  a  great  measure  taken  place. 
Perhaps  the  Duke  of  Somerset  had  commenced  this,  by  selling 
the  lead  and  timber  of  its  roofs — always  the  first  and  most  profit- 
able act  of  spoliation ;  and  then  the  stonework  was  carried  off 
for  building  purposes  elsewhere  as  required.  The  next  we  hear 
of  its  condition  is  a  reference  to  "  the  late  fair  Castle  at  Sleaford," 
in  a  deed  executed  by  Robert  Carre,  in  1604,  which  he  would 
have  scarcely  used  if  he  himself  had  destroyed  it.  But  we  are 
hence  enabled  distinctly  to  disprove  the  popular  error  that  Crom- 
well battered  down  the  Castle,  as  some  harmless  remains  of  it 
alone  then  existed :  for  much  of  its  materials  had  been  carried 
off  at  that  time,  and  according  to  tradition,  were  used  in  the 
erection  of  the  then  two  principal  inns  of  Sleaford ;  more  no 
doubt  followed  ;  but  even  so  late  as  1720  a  considerable  portion 
of  the  north  wall  and  north  western  tower,  as  well  as  of  a  much 
larger  tower,  and  a  compound  turret — perhaps  the  Keep — were 
still  standing.  (See  Cut  taken  from  a  contemporary  drawing.) 


And  the  Eev.  Edward  Waterson,  vicar  of  Sleaford,  from  1781 
to  1809,  has  left  it  on  record  that  persons  were  still  living  during 
his  incumbency  who  remembered  the  existence  of  the  west  gate 
of  the  Castle ;  but  now  only  an  upturned  portion  of  the  above 


SLEAFOBD.  121 

named  north,  western  tower  remains  of  all  its  former  vast  stores 
of  stone.  Its  walls  are  five  feet  thick,  and  this  fragment  seems 
likely  to  endure  awhile  still,  to  serve  as  a  solitary  relic  of  the 
past  grandeur  of  Sleaford  Castle.  During  some  recent  exca- 
vations on  the  site  of  the  Castle,  one  of  its  keys  was  found,  of 
which  a  cut  is  given  below. 


GUILDS. 

There  were  several  Guilds  at  Sleaford  in  mediaeval  times  as 
in  other  towns,  the  chief  of  which,  were  those  of  the  Holy  Trinity, 
or  Saint  Thomas,  Corpus  Christi,  and  Saint  John.  These  were 
semi-religious,  semi-charitable  Institutions,  or  Corporations, 
intended  to  give  aid  in  life,  in  death,  and  after  death. ;  but  some 
were  more  especially  founded  to  advance  prosperity  in  trade.  If 
rich  enough,  each  had  its  House,  or  Hall,  commonly  called  the 
Gruild  Hall,  and  consisted  of  an  Alderman,  Chamberlains,  and 
often  a  Chaplain,  besides  the  brethren  and  sisters.  They  were 
prosperous  popular  Societies,  possessing  lands  and  tenements 
bequeathed  to  them,  besides  the  proceeds  of  the  subscriptions  of 
their  members.  Their  objects  were  to  relieve  the  distressed,  to 
celebrate  the  funerals  of  their  deceased  members  with  solemnity, 
and  to  have  masses  said  for  the  repose  of  their  souls.  They  often 
met  for  business,  but  once  a  year  kept  a  grand  Festival  when 
they  attended  mass  in  great  state,  offered  up  especial  prayers  for 
all  the  brotherhood  both  living  and  dead,  audited  their  accounts, 
and  dined  together,  sometimes  with  unhappy  results.  The 
chaplains  of  these  GKiilds  were  usually  the  directors  of  those 
religious  plays  got  up  with  great  splendour  by  such  communities, 
attended  by  the  Magistrates  and  chief  personages  of  the  neigh- 
bourhood, and  celebrated  with  bell  ringing,  singing,  and  playing 
of  minstrels,  and  feasting.  The  Alderman  was  elected  by  the 


122  SLEAFOED. 

brethren  annually,  and  usually  the  choice  fell  upon  the  senior 
Chamberlain  of  the  preceding  year. 

The  Holy  Trinity  Guild  existed  at  Sleaford  in  1477,  but  how 
long  before  that  date  we  know  not.  An  account  book  of  this 
Guild,  commencing  that  year,  still  exists,  of  which  the  following 
is  given  as  a  specimen  of  its  character. 

"Compotus  lohis  Swynshed  aldyrman,  "Willi  Pynder,  et 
Kicardi  Franke  camerariorum  Gylde  Sancte  Trinitatis  anno  Dni 
millmo  CCCCLXXVIJ. 

Md.  that  the  next  sonday  aftyr  the  fest  of  the  Trinite  the  yer 
afor  wretyn,  that  Jon  Swynshed  countyd  and  delyveryd  the  day 
aforsayd,  apon  hys  count  to  the  toun  of  Sleford,  and  bredyr  and 
systers  of  the  Q-yld  of  the  Trinite,  of  the  saule — scott  to  hym 
delyveryd  be  the  hands  of  John  Gylbert  and  Eobert  Wryght, 
sum  iij  li.,  xi  s.,  ix  d.,  of  the  quych  sume  ther  remaynys  in  the 
charge  of  John  Gylberd,  iv  li. 

Also  ther  remanys  in  the  hand  of  Jon  Swynshed,  Alderman 

of  the  year  aforsayd iij  li  xi  s.  ix  d.  ob. 

Item,  the  increase  of  the  Stoke    iij  li  xvirj  s.  j  d. 

Item,  of  hold  soulscott vi  li  xi  s.  ix  d. 

Item,  of  New  brodyrod xiij  s. 

Item,  of  legat vi  s.  iij  d. 

Item,  for  malte  sold  to  the  chaumerlayns    . .    xx  xviij  s.  viij  d. 

Summe  total iij  li-  xyiij  s-  iij  d.  ob. 

This  ben  the  parcels  in  expens  don  be  the  sayd  Aldyrman 
an  hys  chaumerlayns. 

Item.  Fyrst  payd  to  the  prest    * v  li.  v  ii.  viij  d. 

Item,  payd  to  the  dirige xx  d. 

It.  payd  to  the  prest  for   messe  penys  for  ye 

bredyr  dyssesyd  that  yer x  d. 

It.  payd  to  the  mynstrells    xiiij  d. 

It.  payd  to  the  mynstrells  of  Corpus  day    . .  iiij  d. 

It.  payd  for  the  synging  of  the  same  day    . .  ij  d. 

Summe v  li.    x  s.      xd. 

Item,  in  expens  don  be  the  hands  of  the  chaumerlayns  in  all 

maner  chargs   iij  li-   xiii  s.   vj  d. 

The  sume  of  the  Stoke,  althyngs  countyd  and  aloud  delyveryd 
to  the  hands  of  "William  Curwyn  chosen  for  Aldyrman,  and  the 

next  yer  following  is   iij  li-  XXJ  s.  iijd. 

Sum  totalis  de  claro     iijix  li.  xvj  s.  iijd. 


SLEAFORD.  123 

This  Guild  lasted  until  the  dissolution  of  all  such  Institu- 
tions, when  its  rents  and  profits  were  made  over  to  the  Crown. 

Corpus  Christi  Guild  was  famous  for  the  magnificence  with 
which  it  presented  its  religious  plays  to  its  brethren  and  visitors. 
and  especially  on  Corpus  Christi  day.  It  had  a  property  belong- 
ing to  it  called  Nelson's  lands.  It  existed  after  the  confiscation 
of  its  property  until  1613,  under  the  management  of  the  church- 
wardens. It  is  not  improbable  that  the  chapel  at  the  west  end 
of  the  south  aisle  of  the  parish  church  belonged  to  one  of  these 
Guilds,  as  its  peculiar  situation  and  distinct  bell-pinnacle  favour 
such  a  suggestion. 

THE    HUSSEYS. 

The  earliest  mention  of  the  name  of  Hussey  in  connection 
with  Sleaford  is  in  the  reign  of  Richard  II.,  when  Robert  Halden, 
Yicar  of  Sleaford,  is  recorded  to  have  married  Elizabeth  daughter 
of  John  Husay,  of  Sleaford.  Next  we  hear  of  a  Sir  William 
Hussey,  knight,  of  Sleaford,  who  married  a  Lumley.  Their  son, 
John  Hussey,  of  Sleaford,  living  circa  1441-58,  married  Elizabeth 
Nesfield,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  a  second  Sir  Wm.  Hussey, 
of  Sleaford,  besides  whom  they  had  a  younger  son,  Sir  Robert,  also 
settled  at  Sleaford,  whose  name  occurs  on  a  roll  of  knights  and 
gentlemen  employed  to  fix  the  boundaries  between  Kesteven  and 
Holland,  in  the  year  1500.  Sir  William  was  a  student  at  Gray's 
Inn  Hall,  and  through  his  great  skill  and  learning  rose  to  the 
top  of  the  legal  profession,  and  thus  exalted  the  position  of  his 
family.  He  certainly  continued  to  live  occasionally  in  Lincoln- 
shire, for  we  find  his  name  as  one  of  the  Commissioners  of  Sewers 
for  Kesteven,  in  1467.  He  was  made  Attorney  General,  June 
16th,  1471,  and  Chief  Justice  of  the  King's  Bench,  May  7th,  1481, 
with  the  allowance  of  100  marks  a  year,  an  office  which  he  con- 
tinued to  hold  by  subsequent  patents  of  Edward  V.,  Richard  III., 
and  Henry  VII.  In  the  reign  of  Richard  he  was  appointed  one  of 
his  Commissioners  for  treating  with  the  King  of  Scotland  respect- 
ing a  proposed  marriage  between  his  eldest  son  James,  with 
Anne,  Richard's  niece,  and  daughter  of  John,  Duke  of  Suffolk. 
In  the  first  year  of  Henry  "VTL,  he  attended  that  king  on  the 
northern  progress  he  made  after  his  coronation,  and  three  years 
later  acted  as  one  of  the  commissioners  for  the  array  of  archers 


124  SLEAFOBD. 

in  the  County  of  Lincoln,  to  be  sent  to  the  relief  of  Brittany. 
In  the  year  1490  he  acted  as  one  of  the  king's  commissioners 
appointed  to  treat  for  peace  between  Charles,  king  of  France,  and 
Anne,  duchess  of  Brittany,  and  did  so  again  the  year  following. 
He  was  a  benefactor  to  Pembroke  Hall,  Cambridge,  "  Leland's 
Collectanea,"  Vol.  Y,  p.  200.  After  having  been  admitted  as 
a  Canon  of  Lincoln,  he  died  September  8th,  1495,  and  was 
buried  at  Sempringham.  A  record  of  him,  and  his  wife  Eliz- 
abeth Berkeley,  still  remains  in  one  of  the  windows  of  Gray's 
Inn  Hall,  viz.,  his  armorial  bearings,  and  below  them  this  legend, 
"  Willus  Husee,  miles,  capitalis,  Justic  ad  placita  cora  Rege,  et 
Elizabetha  uxor  ejus,  filia  Thome  Berkeley,  Armigeri."  His 
above  named  wife,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas  Berkeley, 
of  Wymondham,  died  1505.  They  had  four  sons,  John,  after- 
wards Lord  Hussey  ;  Sir  William,  Sir  Robert,  and  George ;  and 
two  daughters  : — Elizabeth,  married  to  Richard  Grey,  Earl  of 
Kent,  and  Mary,  married  to  William,  Lord  Willoughby  de 
Eresby.  John  Hussey  was  born  1465,  and  became  an  important 
public  character.  In  1494  he  was  appointed  custodian  of  the 
manor  of  Holewell  (Holywell),  in  Lincolnshire,  and  of  Stretton, 
in  Rutland,  through  the  mainprisal  of  William  Hussey,  of  Lon- 
don, and  Thomas  Archer,  of  Swineshead.  The  same  year  also 
he  was  appointed  Sheriff  of  Lincolnshire.  He  fought  at  the 
battle  of  Stoke,  June  16th,  1487,  and  at  that  of  Blackheath 
1497  ;  after  which  he  was  knighted  by  Henry  VII.  In  1509,  on 
the  accession  of  Henry  VIII.,  he  obtained  a  release  of  all  debts 
due  to  the  king,  dated  at  Oxford,  May  22nd.,  and  the  same  year 
was  admitted  as  a  Commissioner  of  oyer  and  terminer  in  the 
County  of  Lincoln.  In  1513  he  went  as  a  captain  of  328 
men  to  the  French  war,  previous  to  which  he  obtained  letters 
of  protection  during  his  absence,  and  a  license  to  alienate  lands 
worth  £20  a  year,  to  the  Master  and  Fellows  of  Pembroke  Hall, 
Cambridge.  Two  years  later  as  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  Gustos 
Rotulorum  for  Holland,  in  Lincolnshire,  he  was  called  upon  to 
attend  the  French  queen.  In  1520  he  followed  the  king  to  the 
celebrated  Field  of  the  Cloth  of  Gold,  accompanied  him  where- 
ever  he  went,  and  jousted  on  the  queen's  side  at  the  tourney. 
The  next  year  he  was  made  Chief  Butler  of  England.  In  1523 
he  attended  the  king,  when  he  went  to  meet  the  Emperor  at 
Canterbury,  May  7th,  and  on  the  3rd  of  November,  1530,  was 


SLEAFORD. 


125 


created  Baron  Hussey  of  Sleaford.  After  such,  services  rendered 
to  the  Crown,  and  such  rewards  as  he  had  received  from  Henry 
VIII.  in  return  for  those  services  (who,  as  a  mark  of  his  per- 
sonal regard,  had  stood  sponsor  for  one  of  Lord  Hussey' s 
children),  we  should  have  thought  he  would  ever  have  remained 
faithful  to  his  sovereign;  but,  although  he  aided  in  putting 
down  the  first  popular  movement  against  the  suppression  of 
the  monasteries,  and  the  old  faith,  under  Dr.  Mackarel,  prior  of 
Bardney,  commonly  called  Captain  Cobler,  he  subsequently 
joined  with  others,  and  especially  with  Sir  Thomas  Darcy, 
under  whose  influence  he  is  supposed  to  have  acted  in  this 
matter,  in  taking  part  in  a  similar  rebellion,  which  cost  him 
his  life.  When  warned  of  the  threatened  danger  of  the  first 
rising  of  the  people  of  Lincolnshire,  by  the  then  Dean  of  Lin- 
coln— the  famous  Wolsey,  he  directly  sent  the  following  proper 
instructions  to  some  authority  in  command  at  Lincoln — perhaps 
the  Governor  of  the  Castle.  "  Cotton  MSS.,  Vespasian  F  113., 
fol.  116." 

"In  my  right  herty  manner  I  recommend  me  unto  you, 
Advertysing  the  same,  that  this  daye  at  ix  of  the  clocke  in  the 
mornyng,  I  had  word  from  the  Dean  of  Lincoln  that  there  is  a 
company  of  fals  rebellious  knaves  rysen  and  gathered  to  gether 
in  Lyndsey ;  wherefore,  I  will  advise  you,  and  in  the  King's  be- 
half I  commaunde  you  that  ye  do  see  the  citie  of  Lyncoln  surely 
kept,  so  that  there  passe  no  suche  evyll  desposed  persons  thorough 
the  same  :  And  further  that  ye  be  in  redynes  with  suche  com- 
pany as  ye  can  make,  to  serve  the  King  in  suppressing  the  same, 
if  nede  reqwyres  :  And  that  ye  immediatly  cause  forthwith  all 
the  bowes  and  arrowes  being  in  the  bowers'  and  fletchers'  hands 
to  be  taken  up  at  a  reasonable  price,  if  ye  so  nede :  And  that  ye 
handle  this  matter  so  discretely  and  secretely  as  ye  can  ;  And  if 
ye  see  cause  that  ye  be  not  able  to  resist,  send  me  word.  And  I 
shalbe  redy  at  all  tymes  to  assist  you  with  suche  power  as  I  can 
make.  And  thus  fare  ye  well.  From  Sleaford,  this  tuesday  the 
iijd  daye  of  October,  with  the  hande  of 

"Yours  to 

"JOHN    HUSSE/' 

Eventually  this  movement  became  a  very  serious  one,  and 
20,000  men  of  Lincolnshire  were,  as  far  as  they  could  be,  in 
arms  against  the  king ;  but,  backed  by  a  large  force,  Henry  is 


126  SLEAFOED. 

said  to  have  persuaded  the  leaders  to  submit,  and  then  addressed 
the  rest  in  terms  neither  conciliatory  nor  nattering  to  this  countyr 
telling  them  that  he  had  never  read  or  heard  that  rude  and 
ignorant  common  people  were  meet  persons  to  discern  and  choose 
sufficient  counsellors  for  a  Prince,  called  them  presumptuous 
rude  commons,  of  a  shire  the  most  brute  and  beastly  of  the 
whole  realm,  who  dared  to  take  upon  them  to  rule  their  king ; 
and  finished  by  ordering  the  poor  Prior  of  Bardney  and  others 
to  be  executed.  A  similar  rebellion  however  soon  broke  out 
again,  further  to  the  north,  first  under  Aske,  and  then  under 
Lord  Darcy,  Sir  Eobert  Constable,  Sir  John  Bulmer,  Sir  Thomas 
Percy,  brother  of  the  Earl  of  Northumberland,  Sir  Stephen 
Hamilton,  Nicholas  Tempest,  and  others ;  and  in  this  Lord 
Hussey  joined.  All  of  these  are  said  to  have  been  offered  par- 
don at  an  early  stage  of  their  proceedings  on  this  occasion ; 
but  although  their  cause  was  hopeless,  they  persevered,  failed, 
and  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  king.  Lord  Darcy  and  Lord  Hussey 
were  then  arraigned  at  Westminster,  before  the  Marquis  of 
Exeter,  High  Steward  of  England,  and  were  pronounced  guilty 
of  high  treason,  for  which  the  former  was  sentenced  to  be  be- 
headed on  Tower-hill,  and  Lord  Hussey  shortly  afterwards 
suffered  the  same  fate  at  Lincoln.  At  his  death  he  possessed 
the  manor  of  Old  Sleaford  and  adjacent  lands,  and  the  manors  of 
Leake,  Leverton,  and  Skirbeck ;  but  although  his  children  were 
restored  in  blood  5  Eliz.,  they  did  not  recover  his  estates.  It  is 
a  question  which  of  his  two  wives  he  married  first,  but  probably 
this  was  Margaret,  daughter  and  co-heir  of  Sir  Simon  Blount,  of 
Mangotsfield,  Gloucestershire,  and  widow  of  John  Bane,  of  Banes 
Court,  in  the  same  County,  by  whom  he  had  Sir  Charles  Hussey, 
of  Caythorpe,  knighted  at  Morlaix,  in  Brittany,  and  Thomas 
Hussey,  of  Holton  Holgate.  His  other  wife  was  Anne,  daughter 
of  G-eorge  Grey,  Earl  of  Kent.  For  further  particulars  of  this 
family  see  the  subjoined  pedigree. 

On  the  attainder  of  Lord  Hussey,  Eobert  Carre  bought  the 
Manor  of  Old  Sleaford,  and  the  residence  of  the  Husseys,  now 
called  "the  Old  Place,"  and  it  remained  in  the  hands  of  his 
descendants  until  it  passed  into  the  Hervey  family,  by  the  mar- 
riage of  Isabella  Carre  with  John  Hervey,  the  ancestor  of  the 
present  Marquis  of  Bristol,  who  is  now  its  proprietor. 


SLEAFOKD.  127 

THE  FAMILY  OF  CARRE  OF  SLEAFORD. 

The  Carres  of  Sleford*  were  a  Northumberland  family, 
of  Anglo-Norman  origin,  who  removed  into  Lincolnshire  in  the 
reign  of  Hen.  VII.  Their  chief  residence  in  the  north  was 
Hetton,  in  Grlendale,  a  few  miles  from  the  borders  of  Scotland. 

The  immediate  ancestor  of  the  Sleaford  family — Sir  John 
Carre,  temp.  Henry  VI.,  married  Margaret  Clifford,  daughter  of 
the  eighth  Lord  de  Clifford,  Lord  of  Hartlepool,  and  great 
granddaughter  of  the  renowned  Hotspur,  of  Chevy  Chase,  so 
celebrated  by  historians.  They  had  several  children,  of  whom 
the  youngest  son — James,  married  a  sister  of  Lord  Ogle,  and 
was  grandfather  of  the  Margaret  Carre,  whose  monumental 
brass  at  Pinchbeck  in  this  county,  has  long  been  an  object  of 
interest  with  antiquaries. 

Sir  John  Carre,  Kt.,  of  Hartlepool,  the  eldest  son,  was  a 
favourite  of  Henry  VIII.  He  was  Squire  of  the  Body,  to  the 
King,  in  1509,  and,  afterwards  a  "Sewer  of  the  Mouth,"  (an 
officer  equivalent  to^that  of  cupbearer).  The  king  lavished  upon 
him  many  honors  and  estates  ;  amongst  others,  a  slice  of  the  pos- 
sessions of  the  attained  Lord  Lovel  of  Blankney,  and  also  the  rent 
which  Lord  Hussey  paid  to  the  Crown  for  the  grant  of  that 
Barony.  In  1514  the  king  gave  him  considerable  estates  in 
Yorkshire,  and,  in  the  following  year,  he  served  the  office  of 
Sheriff  for  that  County, — on  which  occasion  he  obtained  a 
"Grant  of  Standard."  This  Grant,  dated  14  March,  1515, 
under  the  seals  of  Wryothesley  and  Yonge,  Kings  at  Arms, 
was  found  in  the  archives  at  Sleaford,  and  is  a  most  curious 
document.  Sir  John  is  therein  described  as  "  descended  of 
noble  lineage  :  "  the  device  was  a  Stag's  head,  decorated,  as  it 
may  be  seen  on  the  old  monuments  in  Sleaford  church.  Sir 
John  died  at  Cambridge  in  1522.  In  his  will  he  bequeathed 
his  "cheyne  and  crosse"  to  Sir  Wm.  Compton,  mentioning  the 
love  he  had  borne  him  through  life  :  his  debt  to  the  King  of  100 
marks,  he  trusted  of  his  forgiveness,  of  all  or  half,  if  his  executors 


*The  greater  part  of  the  following  account  of  the  Carre  family  is  derived 
from  a  treatise  on  that  subject,  by  the  late  M.  P.  Moore,  Esq.,  of  Sleaford, 
published  in  the  reports  of  the  Associated  Architectural  Societies,  Vol.  6. 


128  SLEAFORD. 

did  sue  for  it — and  lie  also  trusted  that  a  small  sum  would 
content  the  executors  of  George  Carre,  of  Sleford,  for  what  he 
owed  to  them.  His  "reyment,  plate,  and  effects,"  he  bequeathed 
to  his  priest,  and  desired  to  be  buried  "  afore  St.  John  the  Bap- 
tist, in  St.  John's  College;  "  thus  adopting  its  patron  saint,  after 
the  manner  of  Geo.  Carre  of  Newcastle,  who  in  his  will  desired 
that  the  image  of  St.  George,  that  was  kept  iu  the  Hall,  should 
remain  there  during  the  life  of  his  wife,  and  then  be  preserved 
"  in  the  cupborde  as  an  heirelome." 

The  nephew  and  heir,  Greorge  Carre,  of  Sleaford,  (who 
was  the  son  of  Richard  Carre,  by  a  daughter  of  Sir  John  Elmden, 
of  the  Bishoprick),  was  the  first  of  whom  we  have  any  record  as 
being  settled  in  this  place  ;  and  it  is  somewhat  singular  that  so 
many  Northumberland  families  should  have  migrated  into  Lin- 
colnshire about  the  same  period,  such  as  the  Herons  of  Cressy, 
the  "Widdringtons  of  Blankney,  the  Talboys  of  Kyme,  the  Ogles 
of  Pinchbeck,  &c.  George  Carre  established  himself  at  Sleaford 
as  a  merchant  of  the  staple  of  Calais,  trading  in  the  export  of 
wool  from  Boston  to  the  continent — the  wool  at  that  time  passing 
down  by  water — (by  the  Old  river,  and  through  Haverholme 
Park)  to  St.  Botolph's,  as  in  the  time  of  Edward  I.  The  com- 
merce was  regulated  by  a  wealthy  Guild  at  Sleaford,  called  the 
Guild  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  to  early  Irethyren  of  which  ancient 
fraternity  we  are  said  to  be  indebted  for  our  parish  church. 

In  these  pursuits,  George  Carre  acquired  a  large  fortune,  in- 
cluding the  manor  of  Tetney  on  the  coast,  and  other  estates  in 
this  town  and  neighbourhood.  He  dwelt  in  the  "  Carre  House," 
south  of  the  church,  described  by  Leland,  (who  travelled  in  the 
wake  of  Hen.  VIII.,)  as  one  of  the  great  ornaments  of  the  town. 
It  now  forms  the  site  of  the  Carre  Hospital. 

The  eldest  surviving  son,  Robert  Carre,  Esq.,  (familiarly 
known  as  old  Robert  Carre,)  became  the  founder  of  the  great 
landed  wealth  of  the  family.  He  survived  his  father  for  seventy 
years,  and  throughout  that  long  period,  and  with  an  unlimited 
command  of  money,  he  devoted  himself  to  the  continual  extension 
of  his  landed  possessions.  He  lived  in  eventful  times,  favourable 
to  that  object,  especially  for  one  whose  antecedents  gave  him  the 
ear  of  the  King.  Living  all  through  the  reigns  of  Hen.  YIIL, 
Ed.,  VI.,  and  Mary,  he  survived  to  assist  Elizabeth,  in  1588, 
with  a  loan  against  the  Spanish  Armada.  Born  a  catholic,  he 


SLEAFORD.  129 

was  a  close  observer  of  the  Reformation  ;  more  especially  of  tlie 
manner  in  which,  the  monastic  possessions,  the  Chantries,  Guilds, 
&c.,  were  transferred  to  the  Crown ;  and  in  that  century,  too, 
more  private  property  was  forfeited  by  attainder,  than  in  any 
other  period  of  our  history.  He  purchased  the  manor  of  Old 
Sleaford,  forfeited  on  the  attainder  of  his  fellow-townsman,  Lord 
Hussey,  and  which  estate  Cranmer  had  granted  to  the  Goodrich 
family,  He  also  purchased  the  ancient  Castle,  manor,  and 
great  Barony  of  Sleaford,  forfeited  by  the  attainder  of  the  Pro- 
tector Somerset,  and  which  had  been  granted  to  Lord  Clinton, 
for  his  services  in  suppressing  the  rebellion  of  Wyatt.  The 
learned  editor  of  the  Progress  of  King  Henry  with  Q.  Catherine 
Howard,  through  Lincolnshire,  in  1541,  after  the  rebellion  in 
Lincolnshire,  conjectures  that  the  King  rested  at  the  Old  Place, 
and  held  his  councils  there,  under  the  erroneous  impression  that 
the  Old  Place  then  remained  in  the  hands  of  the  King :  but  it 
is  more  probable  that  he  was  received  at  the  Castle,  which  was 
then  in  all  its  splendour  "very  welle  mantaynid." — Moreover 
it  belonged  to  Bishop  Longland,  who  in  the  previous  week  had 
proudly  entertained  the  King  and  all  his  Court,  at  his  other 
Episcopal  palace  of  Liddington,  in  [Rutland.  The  precise  time 
when  this  Castle  was  dismantled  is  not  known.  Leland  classes 
it  amongst  the  Religious  Houses  of  the  County,  and  probably  it 
was  left  to  share  the  fate  of  the  Abbeys.  In  the  grant  to  Lord 
Clinton,  1556,  it  is  treated  more  as  a  ruin,  and  much  mention 
is  made  of  its  stone,  lead,  and  iron. 

It  may  further  be  mentioned,  that  Robert  Carre  bought 
the  manor  and  mansion  of  Aswarby  and  Asgarby,  of  his  niece, 
the  Lady  Ambrose  Dudley,  which  had  devolved  upon  her  as 
the  daughter  and  heir  of  Lord  Talboys ;  he  also  bought  the 
manor  of  Eauceby,  of  Sir  John  Huddylstone,  Kt.,  of  Sawston, 
Yice  Chamberlayne  to  the  Kynge's  Hyghnesse ;  the  manor 
of  Ingleby  Hall,  in  Kirkby,  of  John  Stanlow  and  Myles  Bus- 
sye ;  another  manor  there,  of  Thos.  Sleford,  Esq.,  who  had 
removed  to  Willesthorp ;  Cattley  Abbey,  and  the  manors  of 
Digby  and  Brauncewell,  with  the  manor  and  mansion  of  old 
Dunsby  on  the  Heath,  that  were  appurtenant  to  that  monastery ; 
large  estates  in  South  Elloe,  of  the  Welby  family  ;  great  posses- 
sions of  the  dissolved  Monasteries  of  Haverholm,  Bourn,  Louth, 
&c. ;  and  a  well-known  spot  on  the  heath,  described  in  those  days 


130  SLEAFOBD. 

as  "  the  shepegate,  called  May  den  House,  in  Fulbec,  parcel  of  tlie 
possessions  of  the  late  priory  of  Sempringham." 

But  it  would  be  tedious  to  continue  the  enumeration  of  these 
purchases,  which  he  made  on  most  favourable  terms  for  himself, 
through  their  doubtful  titles,  as  having  been  either  forfeited 
estates  or  monastic  property.  He  was  hence  enabled  to  exhibit 
his  patriotism  in  a  very  substantial  manner  at  the  time  of  the 
threatened  Spanish  Invasion,  by  contributing  £100  towards  the 
defence  of  the  country,  or  more  than  all  the  other  Lincolnshire 
contributors  towards  that  fund,  excepting  Thomas  Conye,  of 
Bassingthorpe,  who  gave  the  same  sum,  most  of  the  leading 
gentry  giving  only  £25. 

In  private  life,  old  Leland  speaks  of  him  as  "a  proper 
gentilman."  He  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  judicial  business 
of  the  county,  and  was  an  active  supporter  of  the  Lord  Treasurer 
Burleigh,  in  the  business  of  the  Musters. 

Robert  Carre  was  thrice  married  :  1st,  to  Elizabeth  Cawdron, 
(daughter  of  the  King's  Bayliff  at  Heckington)  by  whom  he  had 
seven  children  ;  2nd.,  to  the  widow  Irby  ;  and  Srdly,  to  the 
widowed  Lady  Dymoke,  the  sister  of  Lord  Talboys.  He  died  in 
1590,  at  an  advanced  age,  and  was  buried  in  the  church  where 
his  monument  indicates. 

Throughout  his  life,  Bobert  Carre  continued  to  reside  in  the 
old  Carre  House  at  Sleaford ;  his  three  sons,  Bobert,  Sir 
"William,  and  Sir  Edward,  respectively  occupying  the  Old  Place, 
Aswarby  Park,  and  the  old  Hall  at  Dunsby. 

Of  his  six  surviving  children,  the  eldest  daughter,  Elizabeth, 
married  Mr.  Fairfax,  of  Swarby,  nephew  of  Balph  Fairfax,  the 
last  Prior  of  Kyme.  Anne,  the  second  daughter,  married  Bobt. 
Whichcote,  Esq.,  of  Harpswell,  ancestor  of  Sir  Thomas  Which- 
cote,  Bart.  Ann  Bridget  married  Bichard  Bossiter,  of  Somerby, 
and  was  the  grandmother  of  Col.  Sir  Ed.  Bossiter,  M.P.,  Gene- 
ral of  all  the  Lincolnshire  Forces  in  Cromwell's  time,  and  Gov- 
ernor, in  usurpation,  of  Belvoir  Castle  ;  afterwards  "  a  promoter 
of  the  nation's  happiness,"  and  knighted  at  Canterbury  on  the 
Bestoration  of  Charles  IE.  He  married  the  Lady  Arabella  Hollis. 

George  Carre,  the  eldest  son,  predeceased  his  father,  leav- 
ing by  Mary  Sutton,  his  wife,  grandniece  of  Lord  Hussey,  a  son, 
Robert,  who  died  young,  s.p.,  and  a  daughter,  Elizabeth,  who 
married,  imprudently,  Edward  Sisson,  Esq.,  and  was  disinherited. 


SLEAFORD.  131 

Robert  Carre,  the  second  son,  High  Sheriff  1581,  was 
Founder  of  the  Sleaford  Grammar  School,  and  of  other  charities 
at  Rauceby  and  Aswarby.  He  went  as  Treasurer  of  the  Army 
of  the  North,  accompanied  by  many  Lincolnshire  gentlemen,  to 
quell  the  rebellion  against  Queen  Elizabeth,  got  up  by  the  Earls 
of  Northumberland  and  "Westmoreland.  The  list  of  "  the  prin- 
cipal officers  and  captaynes  "  included, 

Ambrose  Dudley,  Earl  of  Warwick.      )      L.  L. 
Ed.  Lord  Clinton,  Adm.  of  England,    )      Lieuts. 

Robert  Carr,  of  Sleford,  Esq Treasurer. 

Leonard  Irby,  Esq. , Muster  Mayster. 

John  Heneage,  Esq Master  Harbinger. 

Captains  of  Horse,  Dymock  Nevile,  St.  Poll,  tyc. 
Purveyor John  Death. 

Robert  Carre  married  the  widow  of  the  great  warrior, 
William,  Lord  Gray  of  Wilton,  Lord  Warden  of  the  English 
Marches ;  and  secondly,  the  widow  of  Adlard  Welby,  Esq.,  of 
Gedney ;  and  died  without  issue  in  1606. 

The  next  brother,  Sir  William  Carre,  was  knighted  with  his 
younger  brother,  Edward,  at  Belvoir  Castle,  on  going  to  greet 
James  I  in  his  progress  to  take  possession  of  the  Crown  of  Eng- 
land. Sir  Wm.  married  Bridget  Chaworth,  of  Wyverton, 
who,  as  her  monument  at  Ufford  relates,  "  served  the  late  Queen 
"Elizabeth  of  most  famous  memory,  being  one  of  the  Gentlewomen  of 
*'  Her  Majesties  Privy 'e  Chamber,  for  the  space  of  five  and  twenty 
"  years  ;  and  afterwards  served  the  most  renowned  Queen  Anne,  Wife 
"to  our  most  gracious  Soveraigne,  Ring  James,  for  the  space  of 14 
"years,  leing  the  residue  of  her  life" 

Sir  William  died  without  issue  in  1611,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  youngest  brother, 

Sir  Edward  Carre,  Knight,  who  was  created  a  Baronet  by 
James  I,  but  did  not  long  survive  to  enjoy  that  honour.  He  was 
twice  married :  by  his  first  wife,  Catherine  Bolle,  he  had  no 
family ;  by  the  second,  Anne  Dyer,  he  left  three  children,  Sir 
Robert,  Rochester,  and  Lucy,  and  died  in  1 6 1 8 .  The  monument, 
and  recumbent  effigies  of  the  knight  and  his  lady,  are  said  to 
have  been  mutilated  in  the  civil  war,  when  General  Cromwell 
and  the  Earl  of  Manchester  were  so  "  much  about  Sleford,"  and 
Col.  Rossiter  desecrated  the  parish  church,  by  converting  it  into  ' 
a  stable  for  his  troop-horses. 


132  SLEAFORD. 

Sir  Edward,  by  his  will,  augmented  the  jointure  of  his  widow 
to  5000  acres — leaving  her  also  her  jewels,  her  coach  and  horses, 
her  own  riding  horses,  the  white  nag  called  "  Gray  Cawdron," 
and  the  white  silver  plate  belonging  to  her  own  chamber;  the 
manor  of  Upton  he  left  to  his  daughter  Lucy-Englishe ;  the 
Aswarby  estates  to  his  second  son  Rochester,  together  with  the 
service  of  white  silver  plate  ;  the  eldest  son,  Sir  Robert,  taking 
the  residue  of  the  family  estates,  and  the  service  of  plate  "  all 
gilt,"  much  of  which  had  been  birth-day  presents  from  Queen 
Elizabeth  to  Sir  Wm.  and  his  lady,  when  in  waiting  at  that 
Court. 

In  Sir  Edward's  time,  the  Carre  estates  were  in  the  zenith 
of  their  integrity.  Besides  the  old  property  in  Northumberland, 
Yorkshire,  and  Hunts.,  and  in  Kesteven,  (far  exceeding  what 
remains  in  the  present  day,)  there  were  manors,  advowsons,  and 
estates  in  19  parishes  in  Lindsey,  and  24  parishes  in  the  Parts  of 
Holland. 

The  widow  of  Sir  Edward  Carre,  within  a  twelvemonth  of 
her  first  husband's  death,  married  her  countryman,  Col.  Hen. 
Cromwell,  M.P.,  the  eldest  son  of  the  veteran  Royalist,  Sir  Oliver 
Cromwell,  of  Hitchinbroke,  elder  uncle  of  the  Protector. 

Sir  Robert  Carre,  the  second  Baronet,  on  coming  of  age, 
founded  the  Sleaford  Hospital,  A.D.  1636,  endowing  it  with 
estates  that  at  the  present  time  yield  an  income  of  £1200  a  year. 
In  very  early  life  he  married  one  of  the  daughters  and  co-heirs 
of  Sir  Richard  Grargrave,  Kt.,  of  Kingsley  Park,  and  Nostell,  in 
Yorkshire.  This  unhappy  person,  "  Dick  Gar  grave"  was  of 
antient  family,  and  the  owner  of  an  immense  estate,  the  whole 
of  which  was  wasted  at  the  gaming-table.  "  He  could  once  ride 
on  his  own  land  from  Wakefield  to  Doncaster,"  and  was  at  last 
found  dead,  in  the  stable  of  a  small  inn,  resting  his  head  on  the 
saddle  of  his  packhorse.  His  daughter,  a  beautiful  woman,  be- 
came known  in  many  after  sorrows,  as  "  the  Lady  Mary  Carr." 

Rochester  Carr,  of  Aswarby,  named  after  his  godfather, 
Sir  Robert  Carr,  Viscount  Rochester  and  Earl  of  Somerset,  in 
1637,  was  found  lunatic,  and  continued  in  that  state  for  40 
years.  His  guardianship  became  the  subject  of  fierce  contention 
^between  Lady  Mary  Carr,  for  her  husband  on  one  side,  and 
Dame  Anne  Cromwell  and  her  family,  on  the  other  side.  The 
struggle  was  maintained  incessantly  for  30  years — through  the 


SLEAFORD.  133 

remaining  years  of  Charles  I — through  the  Commonwealth — and 
down  into  the  reign  of  Charles  II : — but  the  Carres,  having  the 
right,  were  successful  throughout. 

The  affairs  of  the  elder  "brother,  Sir  Robert  Carr,  proved  if 
possible,  a  greater  anxiety  to  his  wife,  Lady  Mary,  than  those  of 
Rochester — for  he  too,  as  Fleetwood  asserted,  became  "of  very 
weake  understanding." 

Early  in  his  married  life,  when  he  had  daughters  only,  he 
made  a  remarkable  settlement  of  his  castle  and  estates  upon  the 
Earl  of  Ancram,  conditional  upon  either  of  Lord  Ancram's  sons, 
(Lord  Charles  Carr  or  Stanley  Carr)  marrying  one  of  these  young 
ladies.  This  settlement,  which  was  attested  by  six  of  the  great 
ministers  of  state,  was  afterwards  as  solemnly  revoked  on  the 
birth  of  a  son.  Then  followed  a  series  of  settlements,  in  the  time 
of  Sir  Robert's  weakness,  confiding  the  estates  to  different  sets 
of  trustees,  for  various  family  purposes — each  succeeding  settle- 
ment being  followed  by  suit  for  breaches  of  trust — Lady  Mary 
alleging  "  sales  of  estates  by  the  trustees  to  themselves  and  their 
friends,  at  nominal  prices,  and  rendering  no  account  of  the 
money :  " — and  notwithstanding  the  friendly  interest  taken  by 
King  Charles  himself,  and  although  the  trustees  were  most  of 
them  Ministers  of  State,  Speakers  of  the  House  of  Commons, 
and  Law  Officers  of  the  Crown,  or  of  the  Commonwealth,  it 
would  seem  that  they  did  take  advantage  of  the  times  in  which 
they  lived,  for  "  they  could  render  no  account,  because  during 
the  war,  Sleford  having  been  an  usual  quarter  for  soldiers,  they 
had  divers  times  imprisoned  the  agents,  and  plundered  and 
embezzled  all  their  papers."  Of  all  the  trustees,  the  first  and 
last  friend  of  the  Carrs,  seems  to  have  been  their  countryman, 
Algernon,  Earl  of  Northumberland. 

Sir  Robert  Carr  died  in  1667,  and  now  "  new  troubles  came 
upon  Lady  Mary  "  in  her  widowhood. 

Sir  Robert  left  four  children,  of  whom,  the  eldest  daughter, 
Elizabeth,  married  Sir  William  Trollope,  Bart.,  and  had  an  only 
daughter,  Elizabeth  Carr  Trollope,  wife  of  Charles  Eox,  Esq., 
paymaster  to  the  Forces  of  Charles  II,  and  elder  half-brother  of 
the  first  Earl  of  Ilchester,  and  the  first  Lord  Holland. 

Mary,  the  second  daughter,  married  Sir  Adrian  Scrope,  Kt., 
of  the  Bath,  and  was  '  the  greate  witt '  of  Evelyn's  time. 

L 


134  SLEAFOBD. 

Lucy,  third  daughter,  was  married  in  Westminster  Abbey, 
to  the  second  Lord  Hollis  ;  who  in  time  claimed  and  recovered 
from  Sir  Robert  Oarr,  for  his  wife's  portion,  the  greater  part  then 
remaining  of  the  Lindsey  and  Holland  estates — which  property 
he  carried  to  the  Newcastle  family. 

The  shares  of  the  elder  sisters,  were  happily  bought  up  by 
the  first  Earl  of  Bristol. 

The  only  brother,  The  Eight  Hon.  Sir  Eobert  Carr,  Knt. 
and  Bart.,  Chancellor  of  the  Duchy  of  Lancaster,  was  the  last  of 
this  Eoyalist  family,  in  the  male  line,  that  attained  to  man's 
estate.  He  was  returned  M.P.  for  the  County  in  several  Parli- 
aments, as  his  cousin  Eossiter  had  been  in  the  Commonwealth. 
He  married  a  sister  of  Bennett,  Earl  of  Arlington,  joined 
"THE  CABAL"  Administration,  and  was  one  of  the  favourites  of 
Charles  II.  Before  his  death  at  Aswarby,  in  1682,  he  appointed 
the  Et.  Hon.  Sir  Stephen  Fox,  Sir  Wm.  Yorke,  of  Leasingham, 
and  Sir  Gervas  Elwes,  of  Suffolk,  to  be  his  executors ;  and  desi- 
red to  be  buried  in  the  family  vault  in  Sleaford  church  by  torch 
light. 

Sir  Edward  Carr,  the  4th  Bart.,  died  in  his  minority,  (when 
the  Baronetcy  became  extinct) — leaving  an  only  sister, — 

Isabella  Carr,  the  sole  heir,  and  the  last  of  her  race,  who  in 
1688,  married  John  Hervey,  Esq.,  of  Ickworth  Park,  Suffolk, 
afterwards  created  Earl  of  Bristol ;  the  ancestor  of  the  present 
Marquis  of  Bristol. 


PEDIGBEE  OF  CAKEE  OF  SLEFOKD, 

Formerly  of  Hetton,  Northumberland. 


SIR    JOHN    CARRE,     Knight,=MARGARET,  daughter  of  Thos.  8th  Lord  Clifford, 
Temp.  Hen.  VI.  Lord  of  Skipton  and  Hartilpole. 


SIR  JOHN    CARRE,    RICHARD 

of    Hartilpole,     Squire    of    Sir   Job 
to    Hen.    VIII.,    mar.    of  the  Bisl 
Wid.     Corners,     d.     of 
Montford.     ob.     1522. 
s.  p. 
3 

,  ma  a  dau.      ANN,    wife    of      JAMES,  of  Thornton, 
n    Elmden,       Roger  Tempest;       married  a  sister  of  Lord 
oprick.             of  Broughton.          Ogle,    ob.    1515. 

2                                            145 

ROBERT,          Prioress  of            GEORGE= 
of    Boston,         Brinkburne.      CARRE,     of 
ob.  1508.                                       Slyford,     ob. 
1520. 

1  2                               3 

=ANNE,  dau  :   JAMES  ob.  s  p.        EMORY 
of—   Flower,        RALPH,         married  Ja: 
of  Notts.            BRYAN,         Medoppe: 
ob.  1521.                   &c.                  ob.1638. 

456 

RICHARD,           ROBTCARRE= 
JOHN,  died          of   Sleford,    the 
minors,                   great    landown- 
er, ob.  1590. 

1                    2 

1  Eliz.  Cawdron              GEORGE,               MARGARET 
2  Wid  Irby                      THOMAS,          LAMBERT,    of 
3  Wid  Dymoke,             JANE,                 Pinchbeck      ob. 
sis.  of  Ld.  Talboys.         &c.                    1608  :  set,  84. 

3 

GEORGE,  ma.  Mary,     ROBERT,  ma.  Wid. 
Sutton.    Wid  ma.  A  r-     of  Ld.  Gray,  of  Wilton, 
myn.      Son  Robt.  ob.     2.    Wid.<  Welby.    ob. 
s.p.  Dau.  Eliz=Sisson.     1606,  s.  p  . 

I                                           1 
SIR    WILLIAM,     ELIZABETH,  ma. 
ma.     Bridget     Cha-     W.  Fairfax,  nep.  of 
worth,  of  the  Bed-     the  Prior  of  Kyme. 
chamber.ob.  1611,  s.p     2  Chr.  Kelk  of  Kelke 

ANNE,  w.  of  Robt.          SIR  ED.   CARRE,= 
Whichcote,     Harps-          created   Bart.   1611. 
well.  2.  Chr.  Legard,          ob.     1618,     Married 
Anlaby.                               1,  Katherine  Bolle. 

2                                           1 

ANNE.  dau.  of  Sir         BRIDGET,  wife  of 
R.    Dyer.      2.    ma.                R.  Rossiter. 
Col.  Hen.  Cromwell.         2.    Greg.    Wolmore, 
by   whom     he    had               of  Bloxholm. 
several  children. 

ROCHESTER          SIR  ROB.   CARR,= 
CARR,  of  Aswarby:          Bart,    of    Old    Sle- 
a  lunatic.                             ford,  ob.  1667. 

MARY,  dau    of  Sir         LUCY,  wife   of  H. 
Rich.   Gargrave,    of         English,  Sussex. 
Kingsley  &  Nostell. 

ELIZABETH,             Rt.  Hon.SIR= 
wife  of  Sir  Wm.         ROBT.  CARR  ; 
Trollope,  Bt.  da.         Chan,  of  Duchy 
and    heir,    mar.         Lancaster.    Ob. 
Chas.  son  of  Rt.        1682,  aet.  45. 
Hon.SirSt.Fox. 

=ELIZABETH,         MARY,    wife         LUCY,   wife   of 
sister  of  the  Earl        of  Sir  Adrian         Francis,   second 
of   Arlington,            Scrope  Knight        Lord  Hollis. 
ob.  1696.                    of  the  Bath. 

SIR  EDWARD  CARR,  of  Sleaford, 
4th  Baronet,  ob.  28th  Dec.  1683,  aet.  18, 
when  the  Baronetcy  became  extinct. 


ISABELLA  CARR,  sole  heir,  ma.  1688, 
John  Hervey,  Esq.,  of  Ickworth  Park,  Suff. 
created  Earl  of  Bristol. 


SLEAFOED. 
TKADESMEN'S  TOKENS. 


137 


Various  little  copper  tokens  of  Sleaford  tradesmen  are  worthy 
of  notice  in  connection  with  the  17th  century,  Four  of  these  are 
represented  in  the  annexed  cuts.  Fig.  1 :  Obverse — James 
Adamson  and  a  queen's  head  on  a  shield  ;  reverse — In  Sleeford, 
1656,  and  the  initials  I.  M.  A.  Fig.  2  :  Obverse — John  Farn- 
field,  and  a  shield  having  a  chevron  between  9  cloves,  or  the 
Grocers'  bearings ;  reverse — I.  E.  F.,  In  Sleeford,  1656.  Fig.  3  : 
Obverse — Richard  Cawdron,  and  a  shield  bearing  the  figure  of  a 
woman,  probably  intended  for  a  Queen  ;  reverse — E.  C.,  In  Slee- 
ford, 1664.  Fig.  4:  Obverse — Christopher  Green,  and  a  shield 
the  same  as  the  last ;  reverse — 0.  M.  G.,  In  Sleaford. 


Until  the  reign  of  James  I.,  there  was  no  Koyal  copper 
money,  which  led  to  the  use  of  private  tokens  by  retail  tradesmen 
for  the  mutual  convenience  of  their  customers  and  themselves. 
To  meet  this  want,  and  to  check  what  was  an  infringement  upon 
the  royal  prerogative,  royal  farthing  tokens  were  issued  in  1613, 
and  continued  to  be  struck  from  that  time  until  the  close  of  his 
successor's  reign ;  but  as  this  practice  was  discontinued  during 
the  Commonwealth,  cities,  corporations,  merchants,  and  trades- 
men then  issued  tokens  in  greater  abundance  than  ever,  until  at 
length  their  use  was  pronounced  illegal  in  1672,  and  such  speci- 
mens as  still  exist  are  now  simply  curiosities  of  the  past. 


138  SLEAFORD. 

In  the  last  year  of  the  18th  century  an  event  occurred  at 
Sleaford  worthy  of  record  from  its  amusing  character,  and  as 
being  characteristic  of  that  period.  Now,  of  all  religious  sects,  the 
Society  of  Friends,  or  Quakers,  are  the  most  quiet  and  inoffensive; 
but  in  the  17th  century  and  for  some  years  subsequently  they 
were  violent  beyond  measure,  and  often  experienced  violence  in 
return,  especially  from  their  chief  opponents  the  Baptists.  In  a 
collision  between  these  that  occurred  at  Panton,  in  this  county 
(as  described  in  a  curious  contemporary  tract),  a  judgment  is 
said  to  have  befallen  one  of  the  polemical  divines  in  the  form  of 
a  leprosy  that  was  subsequently  removed  at  the  prayer  of  his 
opponent ;  and  at  Sleaford  a  remarkable  disputation  took  place 
between  a  Baptist  bearing  the  unenviable  name  of  Bugg  and  a 
Quaker  named  Pickworth.  The  former,  in  a  quixotic  spirit  con- 
ceiving that  he  was  bound  to  contend  with  Quakerism  in  general, 
and  provided  with  a  certificate  from  certain  "worshipful  persons 
vouching  for  the  honest  and  sober  life  of  the  bearer,  and  further 
discreetly  asserting  that  he  was  not  disturbed  in  his  mind,  or 
discomposed,  arrived  at  Sleaford,  August  llth,  1700.  Bugg 
was  originally  a  Quaker  himself,  and  as  an  ardent  pervert  had 
previously  disputed  with  Pickworth,  by  whom  he  had  been 
challenged  to  a  polemical  contest,  and  was  encouraged  to  do  so 
by  James  Gardiner,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  then  holding  a  Visitation 
at  Sleaford,  who  spoke  to  the  clergy  in  his  behalf.  The  use  of 
the  Sessions  House  for  the  forthcoming  disputation  was  obtained 
from  Mr.  Hervey,  Lord  of  the  manor,  then  at  Sleaford,  and  in  it 
the  Quaker  erected  a  lofty  platform  capable  of  accommodating 
20  persons.  After  lodging  with  the  Rev.  Edward  Smith,  then 
vicar  of  Sleaford,  the  next  day  Bugg  triumphantly  mounted  his 
platform  from  which  poor  Pickworth  was  excluded,  who  could 
scarcely  be  heard  from  the  floor  ;  while  the  magistrates — Edward 
Payne  and  Robert  Cawdron,  took  their  seats  as  judges.  Pick- 
worth  spoke  first;  before  a  crowded  assembly,  and  then  the  ardent 
Bugg  poured  forth  his  declamations  against  Quakerism  for  such 
a  length  of  time  that  the  justices  at  last  despairingly  exclaimed 
in  what  would  now  be  considered  too  familiar  terms  on  a  public 
occasion,  "  Come,  Bugg,  'tis  now  three  o'clock,  'tis  time  to  give 
over,  we  want  to  go  to  dinner,"  reminding  us  of  one  of  Pope's 
lines-— 

"And  wretches  hang,  that  jurymen  may  dine." 


SLEAFOKD.  139 

Eventually,  however,  judgment  was  passed  as  follows : — 
"March.  11, 170^.  We  whose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed,  being 
two  of  his  majesties  justices  of  the  peace  for  the  parts  of  Kesteven, 
in  the  county  of  Lincoln,  do  testify,  that  being  at  a  conference  at 
Sleeford,  Aug.  25,  last  past,  between  Mr.  Fran.  Bugg  and  Hen. 
Pickworth,  a  quaker  of  that  town,  Mr.  Bugg  did  produce  several 
books,  wrote  by  the  quakers,  to  prove  those  pernicious  and  anti- 
christian  principles  which  he  had  charged  them  with  in  several 
books  printed  by  him,  which  he  did  to  the  great  satisfaction  of 
the  auditors,  by  fairly  and  openly  reading  the  quotations  out 
of  the  said  quaker  authors ;  nor  did  the  quakers  then  present 
deny,  but  that  the  books  which  Mr.  Bugg  produced  were  wrote 
by  their  own  people,  and  fairly  printed,  except  one  which  was 
written  by  some  one  C.  Atkinson ;  but  it  was  fairly  proved  and 
owned  by  some  of  them,  that  it  was  written  by  him  when  he  was 
a  quaker.  After  some  hours  dispute,  Mr.  Bugg  having  made 
good  his  charge  against  them,  we  did,  in  abhorrence  of  their  base 
principles,  pursuant  to  an  agreement  under  their  hands  in  print, 
order  two  of  the  quaker 's  books,  in  which  were  very  scandalous 
expressions,  and  directly  contrary  to  the  fundamentals  of  Christi- 
anity, to  be  burnt  in  the  market- place,  (which  books  were  pro- 
duced by  Mr.  Bugg,  but  wrote  by  the  quakers),  and  they  were 
accordingly  burnt  in  the  presence  of  many  people ;  and  indeed 
several  others  of  the  quaker  books  deserved  the  same  fate,  but 
we  thought  in  destroying  them  all,  we  should  prevent  Mr.  Bugg 
from  detecting  their  pernicious  doctrines,  and  defending  himself 
against  the  quakers,  which  consideration  preserved  them ;  for 
there  were  very  mischievous  principles  contained  in  most  of 
them :  in  witness  whereof,  we  have  hereunto  set  our  hands  the 
day  and  year  abovewritten. 

"EDW.  PAYNE. 

"KOBEKT  CAWDKON."* 

Thus  'burning  was  the  sentence,  but  happily  not  of  Pick- 
worth  the  Quaker,  two  of  his  pamphlets  only  having  been 
consigned  to  the  flames  at  the  cross  in  the  Market-place.  Of 
course  Bugg  triumphed  beyond  measure,  gloating  over  the  twelve 


*  "A  Narrative  of  the  Conference  at  Sleeford,  in  Lincolnshire,  Aug.  25, 
1701,  by  Francis  Bugg  ;  sold  by  John  Taylor,  at  the  Ship,  and  K.  Withers, 
at  the  King's  Head,  in  St.  Paul's  Churchyard,  1702." 


140  SLEAFORD. 

Quaker  teachers,  a  hundred  of  their  body,  and  many  hundreds  of 
Christians  who  had  listened  to  his  redundant  address,  and  he 
recorded  his  victory  in  the  Evening  Post,  a  journal  of  that  time,  and 
wrote  a  batch  of  fresh  tracts.  One  of  these  he  entitled,  "  News  from 
new  Rome,  i.e.  New  Sleaford  ;"  another,  "  Quakerism  deeply 
wounded,  and  now  lyes  a  bleeding  in  Sleaford  and  Colchester ;" 
and  a  third,  "  Quakerism  drooping  and  its  cause  sinking,  clearly 
manifested  from  divers  conferences  at  Banbury,  Sleaford, 
Colchester,  and  Mildenhall,  by  a  servant  of  the  Church.  F. 
Bugg."  "  Bugg's  Sleaford  Conference  and  other  Tracts,  by  the 
Rev.  B.  Leveling,  vicar  of  Banbury.  London,  1 703.  B.  M.  Cata- 
logue, 13  M.M.  a.  1582." 

Probably  the  last  instance  in  Lincolnshire  of  the  public 
burning  of  books,  deemed  to  be  of  an  obnoxious  character,  was 
the  destruction  of  Tom  Paine's  works  on  the  Cornhill,  Lincoln, 
after  they  had  been  suspended  awhile  from  the  gallows;  and 
when  the  Mayor  and  Corporation  of  Lincoln  in  their  gowns, 
witnessed  that  act. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

There  was  a  church  and  a  priest  here  when  Domesday  Book 
was  compiled.  The  patronage  of  the  former  was  in  the  hands 
of  Remigius,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  and  long  remained  in  those  of 
his  successors. 

The  vicarage  was  founded  and  endowed  in  1274,*  of  which 
the  original  record  still  remains  in  the  Bishop's  Registry  at  Lin- 
coln. From  this  we  gather  that  Henry  de  Sinderby  was  presented 
by  Richard  de  Belleau,  Treasurer  of  Lincoln,  and  Prebendary 
of  the  church  of  Sleaford,  to  the  vicarage  of  the  same  church, 
and  was  instituted  by  the  Bishop  at  Lydington,  on  the  4th  of 
the  nones  of  March.  The  vicarage  consisted  of  all  portions 
and  profits  appertaining  to  the  alterage  by  whatever  name 

*  In  1252  the  famous  Kobert  Copley,  or  Grostete,  obtained  permission 
from  the  Pope  to  institute  Vicarages  in  churches  where  there  had  been  none 
so  far,  and  to  augment  those  that  were  slenderly  endowed,  at  his  pleasure. 
"Hollinshed's  Chronicle,  Vol.  3,  reign  of  Henry  III.";  but  Benedict  de 
Gravesend  was  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  in  1274,  when  the  Vicarage  of  Sleaford 
waa  founded. 


SLEAFOED.  141 

known,  viz :  the  tyth.es  of  wool,  lambs,  calves,  pigs,  pullets, 
geese,  curtilages,  flax  and  hemp  ;  also  four  principal  oblations 
in  the  year,  with  other  oblations  of  what  kind  soever,  and  obla- 
tions placed  under  the  candles  with  all  manner  of  mortuaries, 
and  the  tenths  of  private  merchants ;  to  it  was  also  given  the 
tythes  of  mills  and  fisheries,  a  house  near  the  church,  which 
Roger  the  chaplain  formerly  inhabited ;  and  at  the  cost  of  the 
Prebendary  a  sufficient  road  to  the  said  house  was  to  be  made ; 
the  vicar  for  the  time  being  was  to  pay  to  the  Prebendary 
yearly  fifteen  marks  at  the  feasts  of  the  Nativity  of  our  Lord  and 
St.  John  the  Baptist  by  equal  portions,  and  to  serve  Sleaford 
church  by  himself  and  another  priest  or  deacon,  and  other  proper 
ministers,  and  to  maintain  ten  wax  torches  and  one  lamp  burn- 
ing in  the  church ;  but  the  Prebendary  was  to  retain  all  his 
right  of  jurisdiction  in  the  Prebend,  and  was  to  sustain  all  or- 
dinary and  extraordinary  burdens,  also  to  build  and  repair  the 
chancel  and  find  books  and  other  necessary  ornaments  for  the 
church,  which  might  be  needed,  and  the  vicar  extraordinary  ones 
by  a  rate  on  his  portion,  found  by  a  legal  inquisition  to  amount 
to  the  sum  of  twenty  marks,  the  aforesaid  fifteen  marks  excepted ; 
and  no  more. 

From  the  above  record  it  is  clear  that  the  Prebend  of  Slea- 
ford existed  previous  to  the  year  1274,  and  most  probably  Eemi- 
gius  or  one  of  his  successors  was  its  founder,  as  the  patronage  has 
always  been  in  the  hands  of  the  Bishops  of  Lincoln.  This  was 
endowed  with  the  great  tithes  of  Sleaford,  and  its  proceeds  were 
valued  in  the  King's  books  at  £11  19s.  7d.,  and  in  1616  at  £13 
a  year,  when  the  Prebendary  was  patron,  and  the  number  of 
communicants  440.  "  Willis's  M.S.,  p.  37"  A  pension  of  57s.  Id. 
used  to  be  paid  annually  to  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Lincoln. 

Upon  the  inclosure  of  the  parish  of  New  Sieaford  in  1797, 
500  acres  of  land,  in  that  portion  of  Holdingham  called  the  Anna, 
were  allotted  to  the  Prebendary  and  his  lessee  in  lieu  of  the 
greater  rectorial  tithes.  The  Eectory  at  that  time  was  held  by 
the  Earl'  of  Bristol  as  lessee  under  the  Eeverend  Basil  Bury 
Beridge,  then  Prebendary.  The  lease  of  the  Eectory  shortly 
afterwards  become  vested  in  Eichard  Yerburgh,  Esq.,  to  whose 
son,  the  Eev.  Eichard  Yerburgh,  D.D.,  a  renewed  lease  was 
granted  for  three  lives  in  1829,  by  the  Eight  Eev.  John  Matthias 


142  SLEAFORD. 

Turner,  Bishop  of  Calcutta,  then  Prebendary.  Upon  the  death 
of  Bishop  Turner,  the  Rectory,  subject  to  the  lease,  passed  into 
the  hands  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Commissioners.  In  1847  the 
lessee's  interest  in  the  farm  at  Holdingham  Anna  was  sold  by  the 
late  Dr.  Terburgh,  to  the  late  Anthony  Willson,  Esq.,  of  Rauceby , 
who  in  1853  acquired  the  fee  simple  by  purchase  from  the  Eccle- 
siastical Commissioners  ;  but  the  patronage  of  the  Vicarage,  with 
the  tithe  yard  adjoining  the  churchyard,  was  reserved,  and  will 
remain  in  the  gift  of  Dr.  Yerburgh's  family  until  the  termination 
of  the  lease,  when  it  will  pass  into  the  hands  of  the  Bishop  of 
Lincoln. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Prebendaries  of  Lafford,  or 
Sleaford  : 

Date  of  Institution. 
Circa  1274. — Richard  de  Belleau 

1279.— John  de  Wydrington 
. — Roger  de  Martival 

1293.— William  de  Stockton 

1310.— Thomas  de  Bray 

1316.— Peter  de  Dalderby 

1322. — Luchin,  alias  Anthony  de  Flisko 

1327.— William  de  Exon 

1336. — GeofFery  de  Groppo 

1340.— William  de  Cusance 

1369.—  John  Ufford 

1376. — Thomas  de  la  Warre 

1390.— William  HalsweU 

1418.— Ralph  Lowth 

1432.— Richard  Tone,  L.L.D. 

1434.— Nicholas  Clark 

1459.— Thomas  Salisbury 

1460. — John  Sapton 

1463.— Thomas  Gauge 

1465. — Nicholas  Rawdon 

1479. — Richard  Langton,  S  T.P. 

1482.— Richard  Norton,  L.L.D. 

1492.— Nicholas  Haleswell 

1520.— James  Mallett 

1533.— Thomas  Robertson 


SLEAFOKD.    ,  143 

Date  of  Institution. 
Circa  1536.— Owen  Oglethorpo,  S.T.P. 

1557.— John  Hurd  or  Herd,  M.D.  * 

1588.— George  Huddleston 

1613.— John  Williams,  S.T.P. 

1614.— Nicholas  Greenhill 

1660.— John  Mantel 

1668.— John  Lee 

1670. — Thomas  Meriton 

1683.— George  Thomason,  A.M. 

1686.— Thomas  Meriton 

1712.— William  Wake 

1712.— Thomas  Seller,  A.M. 

1737.— Henry  Gibert 

1770. — Basil  Bury  Beridge 

1808.— Charles  Proby,  A.M. 

1822.— George  Tumor,  L.L.B. 

1824.— John  Matthias  Turner,  A.M. 

1829.— Edward  Smedley,  M.A. 

1843.— John  Coker,  B.C.L. 

1867.— Eobert  Bateman  Paul,  A.M. 

After  the  Commonwealth  was  established,  the  then  vicar 
of  Sleaford  was  expelled  from  his  cure,  and  the  church  was  de- 
secrated, and  robbed  of  its  brass  lectern  and  other  valuables. 
Puritan  Ministers  then  obtained  possession  of  the  church,  of 
whom  Richard  Mil  ward  died  1656,  and  was  succeeded  by  George 
Boheme,  a  Pomeranian  of  Colberg,  born  in  1628.  He  was  ejected 
by  the  Act  of  Uniformity  passed  in  1662,  when  he  retired  to 
Walcot  near  Falkingham,  where  he  kept  a  school,  and  was  al- 
lowed to  preach  in  the  Church  there  by  the  Incumbent,  until 
this  was  stopped  by  Bishop  Gardiner  because  Boheme  had  never 
been  ordained,  and  was  simply  a  dissenting  preacher.  He  died 
at  Falkingham,  September  9th,  1711,  aged  83,  and  was  buried 
there.  Several  suffering  clergymen  living  at  Sleaford,  who  had 

*  The  following  reference  to  Dr.  Hurd  is  made  in  one  of  the  Bishop's 
Registers.  "Lafford  Decanatus.  Sleaford.  Johannes  Herd,  in  medicinis 
doctor,  habet  peculiarem  jurisdictionem  in  et  per  totam  parochiam  ididem,  et 
Dominus  Georgius  Cocket,  vicarius  institutus,  habet  curam  animoram  in 
eadem  parochia,  quse  consistit  de  villa  de  Sleaford,  in  qua  sunt  familise  vn. 
hamlet  de  Holdingham,  ubi  families  xx. 


144  SLEAFORD. 

been  harshly  ejected  from  their  livings  by  the  Puritans,  regained 
possession  of  them,  after  the  Restoration  ;  such  as  Thomas  Gib- 
son, first,  master  of  the  Free  Grammar  School  of  Carlisle,  and 
then  vicar  of  Horncastle,  who,  after  having  been  deprived  of  his 
living,  and  imprisoned  at  Hull,  Lincoln,  and  Tattershall,  was 
elected  master  of  the  Free  School  at  Newark  in  1 644.  In  1 650  he 
was  appointed  master  of  the  Sleaford  Grammar  School  by  Elizabeth 
Lady  Carre,  and  retained  that  post  until  the  Restoration,  when, 
accompanied  by  several  hundred  rejoicing  friends,  he  regained 
possession  of  his  vicarage  at  Horncastle,  and  was  made  Preben- 
dary of  St.  Mary  Crackpool  by  Bishop  Saunderson.  On  the 
other  hand  several  extruded  ministers  came  to  live  at  Sleaford  or 
in  the  neighbourhood,  such  as  Theophilus  Brittaine,  Colonel 
King's  dissenting  chaplain,  who  was  minister  of  Brocklesby  du- 
ring the  Commonwealth,  but  being  ejected  at  the  Restoration, 
turned  farmer  at  Roxholm ;  subsequently  he  took  part  in  Mon- 
mouth's  rebellion,  and,  with  Nathan  Drake,  the  then  disloyal 
rector  of  Leasingham,  and  some  others,  was  imprisoned  at  Gran- 
tham.  He  died  1696,  and  was  buried  at  Sleaford.  The  vicarage 
is  valued  in  the  King's  books  at  £8.,  and  is  discharged. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Vicars  of  Sleaford,  extracted 
from  the  Bishop's  Registers  at  Lincoln  :  * 
A.D.  1274 — Henry  de  Sinderby. 
— Richard  de  Bray 

1313. — John  de  Kirkeby 

1336. — Henry  de  Levesingham,  or  Lessingham 

1340. — Thomas  de  Werdale 

1343.— Richard  de  Hugate 

1349.— John  Whittlelegh 

1391.-— Thomas  le  Warre 

1404.— William  Smyth  of  Rauceby 

1416. — William  Penyman 

1416.— William  Hoghton 

1432.— John  Bower 

*  These  Registers,  extending  from  Bishop  Hugh  de  Welles's  episcopate, 
1209,  to  that  of  Bishop  Barlow,  1608,  are  extremely  valuable,  and  in  an  ex- 
cellent state  of  preservation.  Those  of  Bishops  "Welles,  Grostete,  Lexington, 
Gravesend,  and  Sutton,  constitute  rolls,  the  others  are  written  in  large  parch- 
ment volumes.  The  endowments  of  the  Yicarages  of  the  Diocese  are  contained 
in  Bishop  Welles's  roll  of  Institutions,  written  in  a  small  good  hand. 


SLEAFOBD.  145 

A.D.  1467. — John  Walker 

1468. — Richard  Mareys 

1477.— Eichard  West 

1489.— Adam  Grafton 

1491.— Gilbert  Cowell 

1515.— John  Godfre 

1539.— William  Warre 

1545. — Eobert  Bayt 

1553. — George  Cocket 

1577. — Joseph  Overton 

1587.— Thomas  Westcott 

1606. — Edmund  Newton 

1618.— Eichard  Flear 

1630.— Eobert  Alford,  A.M. 

1640.— Miles  Long 

1644.— Eichard  Milward 

1656. — George  Boheme 

1660. — Henry  Allen 

1682.— William  Wyche  * 

1691.— Edward  Smith,  A.M. 

1703.— Thomas  Seller,  A.M. 

1737.— William  Seller,  A.M. 

1769. — Edward  Smith 

1780. — John  Plampin 

1781.— Edward  Waterson,  A.M.  f 

1809.— Eichard  Yerburgh,  D.D. 

1851. — Eichard  Yerburgh,  B.A.,  the  present  patron  of 

the  Yicarage. 

The  oldest  Eegister  of  Sleaford  parish  commences  with  the 
date  1575,  only  36  years  after  the  first  order  for  keeping  such 
records  was  issued  by  Henry  YIII.  The  following  are  a  few  of 
the  most  interesting  entries  they  contain  : — 

1588 — Edward  Barnard,  gentilman,  was  Xtned.  1601 — Two  strangers, 
young  men,  that  were  found  kyld  in  our  field  were  buried  in  our  church-yard. 
1602— A  child  Xtned  the  day  of  its  father's  burial.  1614^-Two  ran  from 
Sleaford  with  a  license,  and  Mr.  Morice  married  them.  1638 — A  poor  stranger 
boy  found  dead  in  our  field.  1639 — Goodwife  Washingborough  the  elder 


*  Subsequently  Rector  of  Silk  Willoughby. 
t  Subsequently  Hector  of  Quarrington. 


14G  SLEAFOED. 

buried.  1656 — Lancellot  Foster  of  Lincoln,  gent.,  stabbed  by  a  soldier, 
Thomas  Nicholls  was  hanged  for  the  same,  and  Mr.  Foster  was  buried. 
1662 — Old  Goodman  Squire  of  Holdingham,  buried.  1663 — Mr.  Robert  Cook 
(burnt  in  his  fired  stable),  buried.  1665 — John  Waite  buried  of  the  plague. 
1698— A  soldier  kill'd  and  buried.  1728— A  father  and  his  child  baptized 
together.  1751 — The  bell  knolled  for  the  Prince  of  Wales  4  hours.  1760 — 
The  bell  knolled  for  king  George  II.  12  hours.  1775,  was  buried  the  wife  of 
William  Farmery,  who  was  murdered  by  her  son.  The  above  William 
Farmery  died  a  few  days  after  this  melancholy  fate  of  his  wife's,  having  been 
sexton  of  the  parish  49  years.  1817 — On  November  19th,  the  bell  tolled,  in 
minute  time,  from  eight  o'clock  at  night  until  twelve,  being  four  hours,  in 
consequence  of  the  funeral  of  the  Princess  Charlotte  of  Wales.  1818 — The 
bell  tolled  one  hour  on  the  death  of  her  majesty  queen  Charlotte.  1820 — On 
January  30th,  Sleaford  passing  bell,  after  ringing  as  usual  on  the  death  of  a 
male,  tolled  twelve  hours,  viz  :  from  one  o'clock  in  the  day,  as  soon  as  the 
melancholy  news  arrived  by  the  mail,  till  one  o'clock  in  the  night,  for  his  late 
majesty  king  George  III.,  as  was  the  the  case  with  king  George  II.  1821 — 
On  August  8th,  the  passing  bell  tolled  for  queen  Caroline  one  hour,  as  it  did 
for  queen  Charlotte. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  another  parish  book,  com- 
mencing with  the  year  1606,  and  ending  in  that  of  1627,  which 
is  interesting  as  giving  a  list  of  the  church  goods  at  that  time  : — 
1606 — John  Parke,  Senr.,  and  Henry  Carre,  Church- Wardens.  Edward 

Newton,  Yicar. 
1607 — Book  signed  by  Robert  Cammock  &  Richard  Warsope  on  account  of 

goods  delivered  to  the  new  Church- Wardens. 

Imprimis.     In  money 31b.  9s.  ijd. 

Item — A  Comunion  table,  &  a  carpett  &  a  table  clothe. 

Item — A  Comunion  cuppe  with  a  cover. 

Item — 2  quart  pewter  potts,  &  a  new  pewter  pott  of  3  quarts. 

Item — One  Surplice  and  a  Hood. 

Item — One  Darning  Covering  for  a  Beare,  given  by  J.  Parke,  Sr. 

Item — One  pulpit  cloth,  &  a  cushen,  given  by  J.  Parke,  Sr. 

Item — One  brazen  Eagle.* 

item — One  great  Beare,  &  2  lesser  Beares. 

Item — Tree  yron  Hookes. 

Item — One  great  cable  rope  to  hoyst  up  Bells,  &  one  little  rope. 

Item — One  ould  Hutch,  &  one  ould  Chist,  given  by  Mil.  Hailes. 

Item — Nine  pieces  of  yron  for  the  Organs. 

Item — One  long  ladder  given  by  John  Parke,  Senr. 

Item — One  great  locke. 

Item — One  ton  of  lead,  One  Web,  &  one  peece  of  a  Web. 

Item — Erasmus,  his  paraphrase  &  Bullenghers  Decades. 


Mentioned  for  the  last  time  in  1622. 


SLEAFORD. 
THE    CHURCH. 


147 


This  is  dedicated  to  St.  Dionysius,  or  as  he  is  now  commonly 
called,  St.  Denis,  and  is  by  far  the  most  beautiful  and  attractive 
building  in  the  town.  Its  west  front  not  only  at  once  commands 
attention,  but  has  the  merit  of  continuing  to  please  when  all  its 
features  have  become  thoroughly  well  known.  This  arises  from 
the  variety  of  its  component  parts  quite  as  much  as  from  their 
individual  character.  From  the  midst  springs  a  venerable  tower, 
which  had  been  endangered  by  the  insertion  of  arches  in  three 
of  its  walls  and  a  window  in  the  fourth,  but  the  original  solidity 
of  which  has  of  late  years  been  reverentially  confirmed  through 
the  varied  resources  summoned  to  its  aid  by  a  skilful  architect  of 
the  present  century.  As  in  the  case  of  Lincoln  Cathedral,  this, 
constituting  a  part  of  the  original  fabric,  has  been  here  retained 
and  incorporated  into  a  later  one.  It  is  certainly  not  so  old  as 
the  time  of  Bishop  Alexander,  during  whose  episcopate  it  is  said 
to  have  been  built,  and  which  terminated  in  1147;  there  being 
more  reason  to  suppose  that  it  formed  part  of  a  church  erected 
during  the  episcopate  of  Bishop  Grravesend,  perhaps  partly  at  his 
own  cost,  and  partly  at  that  of  Richard  de  Belleau,  treasurer 
of  Lincoln,  prebendary  of  Sleaford,  and  patron  of  the  vicarage. 
Subsequently  Bishop  Alnwick  left  40s.  to  be  expended  on  the 
fabric.  In  the  south-west  angle  of  the  tower  is  a  beautifully 
finished  newel  staircase,  the  whole  being  of  the  early  part  of  the 
13th  century,  when  the  Early  English  style  was  thoroughly  in 
vogue,  but  when  the  round-headed  arch  was  still  often  blended 
with  the  pointed  one.  The  bold  mouldings,  the  banded  shafts, 
and  the  stiffly  foliated  capitals  of  the  belfry  window  lights  are 
well  worthy  of  notice,  as  well  as  the  angle  shaft  of  the  southern 
buttress.  The  spire  is  well  placed  upon  the  tower,  and  evidently 
shows  how  satisfactorily  it  is  fulfilling  its  duty  as  a  covering  to 
the  same.  As  it  is  one  of  the  earliest  examples  of  a  spire  remain- 
ing to  us,  it  is  the  more  valuable,  on  this  account.  The  break 
in  the  upward  run  of  the  octangular  lines  near  its  top,  where 
they  assume  a  quadrangular  form,  is  a  quaint  feature  that  is 
not  often  seen.  The  height  of  the  tower  and  spire  together  is 
144  feet.  Of  the  same  period  with  that  of  the  tower  there  was 
once  certainly  a  nave,  and  at  least  a  south  aisle.  The  roof  pitch 
of  the  former  is  still  indicated  on  the  eastern  face  of  the  tower, 


148  SLEAFORD. 

and  the  extent  of  the  latter  is  marked  by  a  piece  of  walling 
at  the  east  end  of  the  present  south  aisle,  below  the  plinth.  The 
north  doorway  is  also  of  the  same  date.  About  1 370  the  whole 
of  the  present  nave  with  its  aisles  overlapping  the  tower,  except- 
ing the  new  outer  north  aisle,  was  built.  It,  like  its  predecessor, 
had  a  high-pitched  roof,  as  may  still  be  seen.  Externally  the 
tower,  flanked  and  supported  by  the  aisles,  constitutes  a  very 
pleasing  composition;  and  while  inclined  cornices  honestly  indicate 
the  slope  of  the  aisle-roofs  behind,  richly  carved  perforated  para- 
pets above,  in  conjunction  with  central  bell-cots  and  exquisite 
angle  pinnacles,  give  considerably  increased  dignity  to  the  west- 
ern elevation.  The  doorway,  in  the  end  of  the  south  aisle,  ori- 
ginally opened  into  a  chantry,  and  the  numerous  enriched  niches 
beside  and  above  it  were  no  doubt  once  filled  with  figures  of 
saints.  The  beautiful  gabled  doorway,  at  the  end  of  the  north 
aisle  cuts  into  the  window  above  it,  which  last  is  rather  too  large. 
The  figure  of  a  female  saint  still  remains  in  one  of  the  canopied 
niches  of  the  west  end  of  this  aisle,  as  does  another  of  St.  Marga- 
ret  in  the  adjacent  angle  turret.  The  south  elevation,  with  its 
varied  and  delicately-moulded  aisle  windows,  is  a  fine  piece  of 
ecclesiastical  architecture  of  the  Decorated  period,  that  any  town 
might  be  proud  to  possess,  and  one  scarcely  surpassed  in  beauty 
by  any  in  England.  On  this  side  is  a  very  beautiful  porch 
both  as  to  design  and  detail.  Below  is  a  crypt,  access  to  which 
is  supplied  by  means  of  an  entrance  in  the  west  wall.  This  was 
probably  simply  intended  to  be  used  as  a  vault. 

The  transept  was  next  added,  perhaps  some  ten  or  twenty 
years  later ;  and  that  it  was  an  addition  not  at  first  contemplated, 
is  clear  from  a  remaining  jamb  of  the  east  window  of  the  original 
south  aisle.  This  was  long  used  as  a  school-room,  but  is  now 
purged  from  such  desecration. 

During  the  prevalance  of  the  Perpendicular  period  the 
chancel  was  rebuilt,  the  clerestory  was  added  to  the  nave,  with 
its  richly  panelled  and  embattled  parapet,  surmounted  by  numer- 
ous crocketed  pinnacles,  and  its  moulded  panelled  roof  within, 
formerly  adorned  with  shields  bearing,  GKi,  a  lion  rampant 
regardant  Arg.  Gu,  3  bendlets  Or.  and  Glu,  3  goats  heads  erased 
Arg.  "Harl.  M.S.S.,  6829,  p.  288."  Then  also  the  present 
arches  were  inserted  in  the  tower,  together  with  its  stone  vaulting 
and  its  west  window.  Breaks  in  the  chancel  walls,  near  their 


SLEAFORD.  149 

junction  with  the  nave,  show  where  the  newer  work  commenced, 
and  an  external  weather-moulding  marks  the  pitch  of  the  earlier 
roof.  The  chancel  will  not  bear  any  comparison  with  the  nave, 
yet  from  the  additional  length  it  gives  to  the  fabric  its  value  is 
considerable. 

A  few  years  ago  the  whole  of  the  north  wall  of  the  north  aisle 
exactly  corresponded  with  that  of  the  opposite  or  south  aisle  ;  but 
as  more  accommodation  was  required,  this  was  pulled  down 
and  re-erected  more  towards  the  north,  so  as  to  form  a  second 
aisle,  separated  from  the  original  one  by  a  new  arcade.  The 
north  elevation  is  much  less  ornate  than  the  southern  one,  but  yet 
is  by  no  means  plain.  Within,  a  most  striking  improvement  was 
effected  at  the  same  time,  1853,  when  this  church,  after  having 
been  thoroughly  and  most  appropriately  restored,  at  a  cost  of 
£3,500,  was  again  opened  for  divine  service;  and  perhaps  no  other 
is  now  better  adapted  to  the  purposes  of  public  worship.  The  fol- 
lowing are  its  internal  dimensions,  viz  : — length  (including  the 
chancel),  154  feet ;  breadth  of  the  nave,  64  feet ;  breadth  of  the 
chancel,  25  feet ;  length  of  the  transept,  45  feet ;  breadth,  25 
feet.  The  lofty  arcades  of  four  bays  each,  with  their  manifold 
mouldings  and  their  slender  clustered  pillars  are  very  admira- 
ble. Originally  there  were  certainly  chapels  at  each  end  of  the 
south  aisle,  as  indicated  by  their  beautiful  canopied  piscinae 
which  remain,  although  their  enclosing  screens  have  long  since 
disappeared.  In  the  wall  of  what  was  once  the  westernmost 
chapel  is  a  sepulchral  arch,  but  this  with  the  piscina  adjoining 
are  of  later  date  than  the  wall  in  which  they  are  inserted. 

The  chancel  screen,  with  its  overhanging  canopy,  its  central 
projecting  feature,  its  varied  outline,  and  its  richly- worked 
details — pronounced  by  Pugin  to  be  one  of  the  most  perfect  in 
England — not  only  constitutes  an  unusually  beautiful  specimen 
of  mediaeval  oak  carving,  but  also  affords  relief  to  the  great  ex- 
panse of  stonework  by  which  it  is  surmounted.  On  the  north  of 
this  are  two  staircases — one  leading  to  the  rood-loft,  the  other  to 
the  transept  roof,  within  a  turret.  There  is  also  another  similar 
staircase  to  the  rood-loft  on  the  southern  side  of  the  chancel  arch ; 
but  these  are  now  blocked  up  by  the  Carre  monuments  at  their 
bases,  which  will  be  subsequently  described.  The  pulpit,  with 
its  deeply  cut  oak  panels,  rising  from  a  stone  base,  is  a  good 
example  of  modern  design  and  workmanship.  The  Decorated 

M 


150  SLEAFORD. 

font,  at  the  west  end  of  the  north  aisle,  is  the  original  one,  but 
has  been  too  freely  repaired.  In  this  part  of  the  church  a  clever 
expedient  was  adopted  for  the  purpose  of  strengthening  the  tower, 
in  the  form  of  a  buttress,  combined  with  an  arch,  the  structural 
character  of  which  is  worthy  of  notice.  The  sedilia  and  east  win- 
dow in  the  chancel  are  fair  examples  of  Perpendicular  work. 
The  tracery  of  the  former  is  so  designed  as  to  form  a  large  cross, 
which  has  of  late  years  been  made  more  conspicuous  by  the 
distinctive  colouring  of  the  glass  inserted  in  it.  Adjoining  the 
chancel  on  the  north  side  is  a  small  coeval  sacristy,  now  used  as 
a  vestry.  There  are  as  many  as  32  windows  in  this  church,  some 
of  which  have  been  filled  with  painted  glass  as  memorials. 
Several  crosses  within  circles  will  be  observed  painted  upon  the 
walls,  which  were  disclosed  on  the  removal  of  the  plaster.  From 
their  form  they  might  have  been  of  a  much  earlier  period  than 
they  really  are,  such  crosses  being  both  cut  and  painted  on  very 
ancient  Christian  churches  erected  within  some  of  the  heathen 
temples  of  Egypt,  as  reminiscences  of  their  dedication  to  God's 
service ;  but  as  some  of  these  crosses  appear  on  the  walls  of 
the  chancel,  they  cannot  be  earlier  than  the  15th  century,  and 
are  probable  reminiscences  of  the  period  when  the  existing 
chancel  was  consecrated. 

In  the  tower  hangs  a  peal  of  eight  bells,  cast  by  Thomas 
Osborn,  of  Downham,  Norfolk,  in  the  year  1796.  The  weight  of 
the  tenor  bell  is  nineteen  hundred  weight,  three  quarters,  and  six 
pounds,  and  is  in  the  key  E.  They  bear  the  following  in- 
scriptions : — 

1. — The  Lord  to  praise,  my  voice  I'll  raise. 
2. — Give  no  offence  to  the  church. 
3. — Peace  and  good  neighbourhood. 
4. —Edward  Waterson,  vicar. 
5. — Long  live  king  George  the  third. 

6. — William  Kirton  and  George  Robinson,  Churchwardens. 
7. — These  eight  bells  were  cast  in  the  year  1796. 
8. — I  to  the  church  the  living  call, 
And  to  the  grave  do  summon  all. 

Thomas  Osborn,  Founder,  Downham,  Norfolk. 

Previously  there  were  only  six  bells,  one  of  which  bore  no  inscrip- 
tion, but  the  others  were  thus  lettered : — 

1. — A.  E.,  founder.     Thomas  Seller,  Vicar. 
T.  Harriman  &  W.  S.,  Ch.  W.     1707. 


SLEAFOBD. 


151 


2.— Jhesus  be  our  speede.     1600. 

Prayes  ye  the  Lorde.     1600. 
4. — God  save  the  Church,  our  Queen,  and  Realm, 

And  send  us  peace  through  Christ,  Anien.     1600. 
5. — This  town  subscribed  to  have  me  here, 

Thro  him  whose  name  below  I  bear. 

Geo.  Arnett. 

Then  also  there  were  chimes  connected  with  the  works  of  the 
clock,  which  played  at  four,  nine,  and  twelve  o'clock  every  day. 
The  morning  bell  sounds  at  six  o'clock  and  the  evening  one  at 
eight  o'clock,  representing  the  curfew,  or  couvre-few  bell,  ordered 
to  be  rung  by  the  Conqueror. 

The  communion  plate  is  very  handsome,  and  is  thus  in- 
scribed : — 

Ex  dono  Annoe  Ashby,  Gul.  Ashby  de  Leicestriee,  Armig.  nuper  uxoris. 
On  two  pieces. 

Donum  Parochiale, 

Ex  dono  Dorothse  Roper,  Jos.  Roper,  D.  D.  Relictse. 

Ex  dono  Thomae  Seller,  A.  M.  Hujus  ecclesise  per  34  Annos  nuper 
Vicarius,  1737. 

And  on  a  piece  given  by  the  Earl  of  Bristol  in  the  year  1810.  Sleaford 
Church. 

During  the  fanaticism  of  the  Commonwealth  times  this 
church  is  supposed  to  have  been  dealt  with  very  gently,  com- 
paratively speaking ;  nevertheless,  the  following  extract  from 
the  parish  register,  dated  1647,  records  plainly  enough  the 
general  disorder  that  then  prevailed  : — "  Per  totum  hoc  triennium 
lella  civilia  inter  Uegem  fy  Parliament"1  omnia  turlant  <Sf  perturlant, 
omnes  constitutiones  ecclesiasticas  8f  quamplurimas  politicas  vertunt, 
Sf  evertunt.  Quid  mirum  si  per  hos  annos  multa  omnino  in  hoc  Registro 
valde  imperfecte  tractenF."  Then,  the  painted  glass  of  this 
church  was  destroyed,  rich  with  the  armorial  bearings  of  several 
Bishops  of  Lincoln  and  those  of  the  Hussey,  Wymundham,  and 
other  families ;  then  the  seating  was  torn  up  and  cast  on  one 
side,  according  to  tradition,  so  as  to  convert  it  into  a  barrack 
for  the  Parliamentary  soldiery  ;  then  its  plate  was  not  considered 
too  superstitious  to  find  its  way  into  the  pockets  of  the  despoilers  : 
then  its  organ  was  destroyed,  its  fine  brass  eagle  lectern  was 
broken  up  for  the  sake  of  the  metal ;  and  in  fact  all  that  could 
either  be  readily  injured  or  abstracted,  was  maltreated  or  stolen ; 
but  perhaps  we  can  not  fairly  attribute  those  marks  of  fire  on  the 
piers  and  arches  about  the  chancel  screen  to  the  Puritans,  as  this 


152  SLEAFOED. 

last  fortunately  still  remains,  and  was  probably  substituted  for 
an  older  one  accidentally  destroyed  by  fire.  The  organ  was 
replaced  in  1772  by  Mr.  Edward  Evans, *  at  a  cost  of  £300,  and 
has  since  been  added  to,  improved,  and  repaired,  so  as  to  render 
it,  at  least,  in  some  degree,  worthy  of  the  church  in  which  it 
stands.  Happily  we  live  in  more  truly  Christian  days,  when 
none  would  injure  buildings  dedicated  to  God's  service,  however 
widely  we  may  still  differ  as  to  our  religious  principles  or  opinions, 
and  when  we  are  at  least  more  disposed  to  combine  for  the  public 
good  than  to  separate  in  hostility. 

It  was  probably  thought  that  when  the  present  Bishop  of 
Lincoln  ordained  five  persons  in  Sleaford  Church  last  year,  such 
an  interesting  sight  had  never  been  witnessed  there  before  ;  but 
from  certain  records  in  the  Bishop's  registry  we  find  that  he  was 
then  simply  following  the  example  of  some  of  his  predecessors  in 
this  respect,  viz.  : — "  Ordines  celebrati  in  eccl  prebendal  de  Sle- 
ford,  Non.  Apr.  1432,  p  John  Stephon,  auctoritate  episc,  &c." 
"  Ordines  celebrati  apud  Sleeford,  14  Kal  Jan,  1472,  pr  Thos. 
Both,  vice  et  auctoritate  Tho  epus  Lincoln."  "  John  Chambre 
de  Corringham,  ordinatur  pbr  5  Kal  Apr.  1479,  apud  Sleeford, 
p.  Thos.  Kothram,  epum." 

CHANTRIES. 

In  1271  Thomas  Blount  and  John  de  Bucham,  merchants  of 
Sleaford,  founded  a  chantry,  which  they  constructed  in  the  north 
aisle  of  Sleaford  church.  This  was  dedicated  to  the  Virgin  Mary 
for  the  benefit  of  the  founders'  souls,  and  those  of  their  prede- 
cessors. It  was  richly  endowed  with  lands  and  tenements  in 
Old  and  New,  or  Great  Sleaford,  Holdingham,  Quarrington, 
Kirkby-Laythorpe  and  Evedon  ;  all  of  which  were  to  be  held  of 
the  founders  while  living,  for  the  maintenance  of  a  perpetual 
service  at  the  altar  of  the  chantry  chapel.  The  chaplain  enjoying 


*  The  builder  was  Greene,  of  London.  On  the  south  side  of  the  church- 
yard is  the  grave  of  the  donor,  marked  by  a  stone  thus  inscribed  :  To  the 
memory  of  Mr.  Edward  Evans,  who  died  Jany.  20th,  1780,  aged  58  years. 
He  was  surgeon  to  his  Majesty's  ship  the  Egmont,  and  after  a  successful 
voyage  from  America  (being  a  patron  of  the  musical  science)  he  gave  an  organ 
to  this  parish,  in  the  year  1772. 


SLEAFOKD.  153 

this  care  was,  with  his  clerk,  to  celebrate  a  full  service  of  the 
Virgin,  or  Mass,  after  the  great  Mass,  in  which  he  was  to  make 
especial  mention  of  the  founders  of  the  chantry  in  his  prayers, 
and  this  daily,  unless  Sunday  services  and  other  solemnities 
should  prevent  his  doing  so.  He  was  also  to  celebrate  Vespers, 
Matins,  and  other  Hours  of  the  Virgin  before  the  said  altar  daily, 
without  note,  except  on  the  principal  Feasts  of  the  Virgin,  and 
was  to  take  part  in  the  canonical  Hours  with  the  parochial  choir, 
and  to  aid  the  vicar  if  needed,  gratuitously.  The  furniture  of  the 
chapel  and  its  altar,  such  as  the  chalice,  books,  vessels,  vestments, 
lights  and  ornaments  of  the  same,  for  which  the  founders  had 
made  ample  provision,  were  to  be  kept  and  maintained  by  the 
chaplain,  and  none  were  to  be  alienated.  The  presentation  to  the 
chantry  was  to  be  retained  by  the  founders  for  life,  but  after 
their  death,  they  willed  that  three  worthy  men  of  Lafford,  elected 
by  the  community  of  the  same,  should  have  the  power  to  present 
after  having  made  oath  that  they  would  faithfully  fulfil  this  duty, 
and  then  the  chaplain  on  his  part  was  to  make  oath,  before 
the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Lincoln  that  he  would  faithfully  execute 
his  duties,  and  do  nothing  to  injure  the  greater  or  lesser  oblations 
of  the  parish  church  of  Sleaford,  and  to  repeat  that  oath  before 
the  Prebendary  of  Lafford,  then  Richard  de  Belleau,  Treasurer  of 
Lincoln.  If  these  three  should  not  present  within  20  days  after 
a  vacancy,  the  Dean  and  Chapter  were  to  present.  If  the  chaplain 
should  become  unworthy  or  inefficient  he  was  to  be  removed  by 
the  Dean  and  Chapter,  and  another  appointed ;  but  if  through 
age  or  infirmity  he  could  not  fulfil  his  duties  he  was  to  provide  a 
fitting  assistant  at  his  own  charge.  During  vacancies  all  the 
profits  of  the  chantry  were  to  be  reserved  by  the  founders  while 
they  lived,  and  subsequently  by  the  Dean  and  Chapter  for  the 
next  chaplain.  If  the  founders  disagreed  in  their  selection  of  a 
fresh  chaplain,  the  Dean  and  Chapter  were  to  decide  the  choice. 
To  this  deed,  taken  in  duplicate,  the  seals  of  the  Dean  and 
Chapter  of  Lincoln,  the  Treasurer  of  Lincoln,  and  the  founders 
were  attached  in  the  chapter  house  at  Lincoln,  in  the  month  of 
January,  1271.  One  copy  was  to  be  kept  in  the  Treasury  at 
Lincoln,  the  other  by  the  founders.  "  Ex  lib  de  ord  Cant.  fol.  46. " 
At  the  suppression  of  chantries,  the  incumbent,  Robert  Walrood, 
then  40  years  of  age,  had  the  profits  amounting  to  £4  5s.  Od. 
clear,  after  the  payment  of  15s.  due  to  the  Duke  of  Somerset  as 


154  SLEAFOKD. 

Lord  of  the  Manor  of  Sleaford.  Then  also  it  is  noted,  that  a 
toft  in  Old  Sleaford,  worth  9s.  4d.  a  year,  belonging  to  the  chantry 
had  been  unjustly  seized  by  Thomas  Horseman. 

This  chantry  chapel  must  have  been  reconstructed  during  the 
14th  century,  but  probably  in  the  same  relative  position  as- 
before,  viz  :  at  the  east  end  of  the  north  aisle  of  Sleaford  church, 
and  when  it  was  restored,  a  stone  plinth  and  part  of  a  carved 
oak  screen,  which  had  stood  upon  it,  were  disclosed  between  the 
coupled  pillar  at  the  east  end  of  the  north  aisle,  and  the  first 
pillar  westward  of  it,  whence  no  doubt  another  screen  ran  across 
the  aisle,  and  thus  chancelled  off  the  easternmost  bay  of  this 
aisle,  that  constituted  St.  Mary's  chapel. 

Another  chantry  chapel  certainly  existed  in  connection  with 
Sleaford  church,  but  by  whom  founded  and  where  situated,  is  not 
recorded.  This  was  worth  £3  Os.  6d.  at  the  dissolution  of  chan- 
tries, out  of  which  10s.  had  to  be  paid  as  a  reprise  to  the  Duke  of 
Somerset. 

Until  very  lately  the  east  wall  of  the  chancel  was  plain  and 
bare,  having  nothing  to  relieve  it  but  two  equally  plain  aumbry 
recesses,  and  two  crosses  within  circles  painted  upon  it.  For  a 
time  it  and  the  greater  part  of  the  window  above  had  been  cov- 
ered by  a  classical  oak  screen,  designed  by  Sir  Christopher  Wren 
for  Lincoln  Cathedral,  but  subsequently  ejected  from  it,  when  its- 
utter  incongruity  with  all  the  beautiful  Gothic  features  around  it 
became  apparent  to  the  then  Dean  and  Chapter,  and  it  found 
a  temporary  asylum  within  Sleaford  church;  but  eventually 
being  thought  equally  incongruous  there,  it  was  cast  out  thence, 
as  it  had  been  from  the  Cathedral,  and  the  bare  wall  behind  it 
was  preferred  to  such  a  cumbrous  inappropriate  ornament.  Now, 
a  beautiful  Gothic  reredos  of  finely  carved  Ancaster  stone,  clothes 
this  wall  as  far  as  it  requires  such  an  application,  erected  in 
memory  of  the  late  Mr.  M.  P.  Moore,  of  Sleaford,  from  designs 
by  Mr.  Charles  Kirk.  The  lower  part  consists  of  an  arcade  with 
crocketed  canopies  and  panels  of  Minton's  encaustic  tiles ;  over 
the  altar  table  is  a  very  delicately  diapered  central  panel,  in  the 
middle  of  which  is  a  quatrefoil  containing  a  cross,  and  above,  the 
words  "  This  is  my  body.  This  is  my  blood."  carved  upon  a  rich 
foliated  cornice.  On  either  side  of  the  window  the  reredos  rises 
as  high  as  the  springing  of  its  arch,  in  the  form  of  pedimented 
niches  supported  by  green  marble  shafts,  which  niches  will  per- 


SLEAFORD.  155 

haps  hereafter  be  filled  with,  coloured  figures  of  Angels,  Evange- 
lists, or  Apostles,  to  obviate  the  coldness  of  its  present  appearance. 
At  the  same  time  the  space  within  the  altar  rail  was  paved 
with  encaustic  tiling,  the  upper  part  in  memory  of  the  late  Dr. 
Yerburgh,  vicar  of  Sleaford,  and  the  lower  part  in  memory  of  the 
late  Rev.  H.  Manton,  master  of  the  Sleaford  grammar  school. 

MONUMENTS. 

The  oldest  tombstone  in  this  church  is  a  grey  marble  slab 
in  the  south  aisle.  This  is  of  the  13th  century,  and  has  a  bor- 
der legend  in  detached  Lombardic  letters,  now  so  worn  away 
as  to  be  illegible. 

Of  the  14th  century  is  a  small  brass  plate  found  during  the 
recent  restoration  of  the  church,  and  now  attached  to  the  wall  of 
the  tower  staircase  at  the  entrance  to  the  south  aisle.  This 
bears  the  following  legend  : — 

Quisquis  eris  qui  transieris.  sta.  p  lege.  plora. 
Su  qd.  eris.  fuera  qd.  es.  pro  me.  precor.  ora. 
Disce.  qd.  es.  et  quid  eris.  memer  esto  qd,  morieris. 

Also  a  grey  slab  in  the  pavement  of  the  south  aisle,  which  has 
evidently  borne  the  effigy  of  an  ecclesiastic  with  a  legend  plate 
below,  and  a  small  scroll  on  either  side,  all  of  which  however  are 
now  gone. 

Of  the  15th  century  is  this  inscription  neatly  cut  on  a  stone 
beneath  the  external  face  of  the  east  window  sill. 

Orate  pro  aiab  Eicardi  Dokke  (or  Cokke)  &  Johanne  uxoris 
ejus.  Jobis  filii  eorum,  &  oium  benefactorum,  quorum  aibus 
propitietur  Deus  Ano  MCCCCO  xxx. 

Also  another  cut  on  the  plinth  below  the  sill  of  the  westernmost 
window  of  the  south  aisle  running  thus  : — 

Here  lyeth.  "William  Harebeter  and  Elizabeth  his  wife 
Chryest  Ihu  graunte  yem  everlastyng  lyfe. 

Of  the  1 6th  century  Holies  saw  many  monuments  which  are 
now  gone,  viz  :  in  the  chancel  three  thus  inscribed  : — 

Here  lyeth  the  body  of  Richard  Buller,  Priest,  who  deceased 
the  21st  day  of  August,  1540. 

Hie  jacet  Rob'tus  Bayt,  Vicarius,  qui  obiit  30°  die  Maii, 
A'no  D'ni  1553. 

Hie  jacet  Jo'hes  Godfray,  Vicarius,  qui  obiit  25°  die  Julii, 
Anno  D'ni  1639.  Cujus  a'i'se,  &c. 


156  SLEAFOBD. 

There  are,  however,  two  memorials  of  this  century  still  remain- 
ing, which  are  not  mentioned  by  Holies,  viz  :  a  slab  in  the  north 
aisle  bearing  a  brass  plate  thus  inscribed  : — 

Here  lyeth  ye  bodie  of  Kycherd  Pikeworth,  mercer,  ye  which 

depted  this  world  ye  xxm  daie  of  Julie  in  ye  year  of  our  Lord 

God  MCCCCCLVII  of  whose  soull  God  have  mercie,  Amen. 
Below  this  is  his  trade  mark  between  his  initials  B.  P.      Holies 
observed  the  only  monuments  of  the  Carre  family  then  existing. 
The  first  was  a  raised  tomb  in  the  nave  bearing  this  inscription : — 
Hie  Jacet  Georgius  Carre  et  Anna  uxor  ejus,    qui  quidem 

Georgius  obiit — Ano.  Dni.  1521. 

He  was  the  first  of  the  family  who  settled  at  Sleaford.  The  grey 
marble  slab  of  this  tomb  is  now  laid  in  the  floor  of  the  chancel. 
It  is  8  feet  6 j  inches  long,  and  4  feet  2  inches  wide.  At  the 
four  angles  were  inserted  as  many  brass  shields,  each  charged 
with  the  Carre  bearings.  Three  of  these  still  remain,  but  have 
lost  their  enamel  colouring.  Towards  the  upper  part  were  the 
effigies  of  George  and  Anne  Carre — engraved  also  on  brass  plates. 
His  effigy  is  now  preserved  at  the  vicarage,  and  represents  him 
in  his  merchant's  dress.  That  of  his  wife  still  remains.  She  is 
depicted  in  the  pointed  and  lappeted  cap,  the  long  gown  with 
large  furred  cuffs,  and  long  pendent  girdle  of  her  period,  and 
with  her  hands  conjoined  in  prayer.  Immediately  below  these 
was  a  narrow  brass  plate — now  lost,  on  which  the  epitaph  was 
inscribed,  and,  beneath  this  again  a  group  of  four  kneeling  sons 
below  their  father,  and  a  corresponding  group  of  three  daughters 
below  their  mother,  both  of  which  still  remain. 

The  other  monument  Holies  noticed  was  one  of  alabaster, 
near  the  chancel,  which  still  stands  against  the  wall  of  the  stair- 
case leading  to  the  rood  loft  in  the  angle  between  the  north  aisle 
and  chancel  walls,  and  close  to  the  northern  respond  of  the 
chancel  arch.  This  consists  of  a  base  suggestive  of  an  altar 
tomb,  whence  spring  pilasters  panelled  with  grey  marble,  sup- 
porting a  flat  canopy;  above  this  is  a  grey  marble  obelisk 
at  each  corner,  and  in  the  centre  springing  from  some  orna- 
mental work,  a  circlet,  on  which  are  carved  the  Carre  and 
Bartram*  bearings,  viz:  Gu  on  a  chevron  Or,  3  mullets  Sa, 
quartering  Or,  an  orle  Arg,  surmounted  by  a  mantled  helm 

*  Barons  of  Mitford. 


SLEAFORD.  157 

with  the  Carre  crest,  viz  :  a  Stag's  head  couped  Arg,  attired  Or, 
and  about  the  neck  2  bars  gemelles  Gu,  painted,  and  gilt.  At  the 
back  of  the  recess  below  this  canopy  is  a  pedestal,  on  the  front  of 
which  is  a  large  shield  bearing  the  same  device  impaling,  Arg, 
a  chevron  Sa  between  3  martlets,  on  a  chief  Sa,  3  cross  crosslets 
Or. — Cawdron,  for  Elizabeth  first  wife  of  Robert  Carre.  On 
either  side  above  are  small  shields  on  which  were  painted  the 
following  bearings  in  Holles's  time,  but  of  which  a  portion  only 
now  remains,  viz  ;  Arg  a  saltire  Gu,  on  a  chief  Gu  3  escallops  of 
the  first, — Tailboys,  for  Robert  Carre's  second  wife.  Arg,  a 
bend  Sa  within  a  border  engrailed  of  the  same. — Knyvet,  for  Anne 
Knyvet  the  third  wife.  Or,  on  a  chevron  between  3  annulets 
Gu,  3  crescents  of  the  first. — Sutton,  for  Mary  Sutton,  wife  of 
Robert  Carre's  eldest  son  George.  Arg,  on  a  fesse  France 
and  England,  a  border  gobony,  Arg  &  Az. — Somerset,  for  Eliz- 
abeth, daughter  of  Henry,  Earl  of  Worcester,  the  widow  of 
Lord  Grey  de  Wilton,  and  wife  of  Robert,  second  son  of  Robert 
Carre.  Fourteen  closets  Arg  &  Gu,  3  martlets  2  and  1  Sa. 
— Chaworth,  for  Bridget,  daughter  of  John  Chaworth,  and  wife 
of  William  Carre,  Robert's  third  son.  Az,  3  bowls  Or  jessant  de 
boar's  heads  Arg. — Bolle,  for  Catherine,  daughter  of  Charles 
Bolle,  of  Scampton,  wife  of  Edward,  afterwards  Sir  Edward 
Carre,  Robert's  fourth  son.  Sa,  a  bend  between  2  cottises  fleury 
Arg. — Kelke,  for  Christopher  Kelke,  second  husband  of  Robert 
Carre's  eldest  daughter,  Elizabeth.  Erm,  two  sangliers  trippant 
Gu. — Whichcote,  for  Robert  Whichcote,  first  husband  of  Anne, 
Robert  Carre's  second  daughter.  Arg,  on  a  bend,  Sa  3  roses  of 
the  first,  Rosseter,  for  Richard  Rosseter,  husband  of  Bridget, 
third  daughter  of  Robert  Carre.  This  monument  bears  the 
following  inscription  : — 

Here  lieth  bvried  Robert  Carre,  Esqvire,  who  by  his 
first  wife  Elizabeth  ye  davghter  of  William  Cawdron, 
Esqvire,  liad  yssve  4  sonnes  &  3  davgliters.  George 
Carre,  his  eldest  sonne,  by  Marie  ye  davghter  of  Ambrose 
Svtton,  Esqvire,  had  yssve  Robert  Carre,  the  no  we 
heire  livinge.  Robert  Carre,  his  seconde  sonne,  first 

married  Marie  ye  davghter  of Earl  of  Worcestr, 

then  widdow  to Lord  Gray  of  Wilton, 

&  afterwardes  he    married    Cassandra    ye   davghter 

of  Price,    Esqvire.      Willi  Carre  his  thirde 

sonne,  married  Bridgett  the  davghter  of  S*  John 
Chaworth,  Knight,  one  of  the  Gentlewoemen  of  y9 


158  SLEAFOKD. 

Qveene's  Maties  Privie  Chamber.  And  Edward  Carre 
his  fourth  sonne,  married  Katherine  ye  davghter 
of  Charles  Bolle,  Esqvire.  Elizabeth  his  eldest 
davghter,  first  married  Willia  Fairefaxe,  Esqvire, 
&  afterwards  Christopher  Kelke,  Esqvire.  Anne 
his  seconde  davghter,  first  married  Robert  "Whitchcote, 
Esquire,  &  afterwards  Christopher  Legerde,  Esqvire. 
And  Bridgett  his  third  davghtr  married  Richard 
Rosseter,  Esqvire. 

The  first  saide  Robert  Carre,  secondlie  married 
Anne  the  davghter  of  Sr.  George  Tailboyes, 
Knight,  then  widdow  to  Sr.  Edward  Dymocke, 
Knight.  And  thirdlie  Anne  the  davghter  of 
Charles  Knivett,  and  died,  without  yssve 
by  them,  the  xi  daie  of  September,  Anno 
Domini  1590. 

Above  is  this  inscription  :— '- 

"Christus  mihi  vita,  et  mors  mihi  lucrum  ;  or,  To  me 
to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain. " 

In  a  corresponding  position  on  the  southern  side  of  the 
chancel  arch  is  a  similar  but  grander  monument,  commemo- 
rating Kobert  Carre's  fourth  son,  but  eventually  his  heir — Sir 
Edward  Carre,  Bart.,  and  probably  his  second  wife,  Anne  Dyer. 
It  is  composed  of  alabaster,  relieved  by  an  admixture  of  grey 
marble,  paint,  and  gilding.  On  a  base  or  altar  tomb  are  placed 
the  effigies  of  Sir  Edward  and  his  wife.  His  is  placed  in  front 
upon  a  mattress,  the  end  of  which  is  so  folded  up  as  to  form 
a  rest  for  the  head.  He  is  represented  in  the  armour  and 
dress  of  his  time,  with  a  formal  ruff  round  his  neck,  and  his 
sword  by  his  side.  The  ankles,  feet,  and  greater  part  of  the 
right  arm  are  now  gone.  Lady  Carre's  effigy  is  more  perfect, 
but  although  the  hands  are  lost,  we  can  see  that  these,  like 
those  of  her  husband's,  were  raised  in  prayer.  She  wears  the 
pendent  veil,  tight  bodice — buttoned  down  the  front,  the  thickly 
plaited  skirt,  looped  together,  and  mantle  depending  from  the 
shoulders,  of  the  time  of  James  I.  Her  hair  is  crisply  curled, 
and  her  head  rests  upon  an  embroidered  cushion.  Behind  is  a 
highly  ornamented  dossier,  or  back  piece,  which,  with  its  demi 
returns  and  composite  pillars  at  the  front  angles,  serve  to  support 
a  flat  canopy  similarly  enriched  with  carving.  On  the  front  of 
the  cornice  is  a  grey  marble  insertion  within  a  carved  alabaster 
frame  and  various  sepulchral  emblems,  and  its  under  face  is 


1 


SLEAFOED.  159 

panelled  and  decorated  with  gilt  roses.  Above  this  canopy  is 
a  grey  marble  obelisk  at  each  of  the  front  angles,  placed  on 
alabaster  bases,  and  in  the  middle  a  panel  between  two  piers 
supporting  a  cornice,  on  which  is  a  large  shield  bearing  Carre 
quartering  Bartram,  with  the  Baronet's  hand  on  a  canton, 
surmounted  by  the  Carre  helm,  crest,  and  mantling,  filling  up 
the  rest  of  the  panel.  In  the  middle  of  the  dossier  is  the 
epitaph  on  a  black  marble  slab,  which  runs  thus  : — 

Here  lyeth  the  bodye  of  Sr.  Edward  Carre,  Kniglit  and 
Baronett,  who  marled  two  wyves.  The  first  was 
Katherine,  davghter  of  Charles  Boll,  Esqvier,  by 
whom  he  had  noe  issve.  His  second  wief  was  Ann  the 
davghter  of  Sr.  Richard  Dyer,  of  Stovghton  in  ye  covn- 
ty  of  Hvntingdon,  Knight,  by  whom  he  had  issve  two 
sonnes  and  one  davghter,  vidlt.  Sr.  Eobert,  now  Baro- 
nett, Rosseter,  and  Lvcy,  He  departed  this  lief  the 
first  daie  of  October,  Anno  Domini 

1618. 

This  is  surrounded  by  a  carved  frame  having  four  groups  of 
funereal  objects  below,  such  as  bones,  a  skull,  coffin  lid,  book, 
pick- axe,  shovel ;  and  also  such  emblems  of  death  as  an  hour- 
glass, scythe,  darts,  and  reversed  torches.  On  either  side  are 
naked  boys  as  mourners  holding  reversed  torches,  of  which  the 
lower  ends  alone  now  remain,  and  above  are  wings  and  an  hour- 
glass surmounted  by  a  steelyard  evenly  balanced. 

At  the  south  eastern  angle  of  the  transept  is  a  noble  altar 
tomb  composed  of  black  and  white  marble,  and  surmounted  by  a 
grand  slab  of  black  marble.  This  commemorates  the  Eight 
Honorable  Sir  Eobert  Carre,  Kt.,  3rd  Bart.,  and  Chancellor  of 
the  Duchy  of  Lancaster,  and  his  young  son  Sir  Edward  Carre, 
4th,  and  the  last  Bart.,  who  died  under  age.  It  is  thus  inscribed 
on  the  south  side  : — 

Within 

Resteth  ye  body  of  ye  Right  Hon^ie  Sr.  ROBERT  CARR,  of  Sleaford,  in 
ye  Covnty  of  Lincolne,  Kt.  &  Barro*.,  Chancellor  of  ye  Dvtchy  & 
Covnty  Palatine  of  Lancaster,  and  one  of  his  Matie*  Most  Honble  Privie 
Covncell. 

Son  of  Sr.  ROBERT  CARR,  of  Sleeford,  Barrt.  and  Dame  MARYhis  Wife. 
Hee  married  ELIZABETH  BENNET,  one  of  the  davghters  of  Sr.  JOHN 
BENNET,   of  Harlington,  in  ye  Covnty  of  Middlesex,  Kt.  by  whome 
hee  had  issve  sonns  and  davghters. 

Hee  departed  this  life  November  ye  14th,  in  ye  45th  yeare  of  his  age, 
and  in  ye  yeare  of  ovr  Lord,  1682,  leaving  behinde  him  only  two 
children,  EDWARD  and  ISSABELLA. 


160  SLEAFOKD. 

Hee    was    a   gentleman     of    great    parts,     loyall     to     his    prince, 
beloved    of  his    country,    and    a    true    protestant     according     to     the 
Church    of  England. 
And  thus  on  the  north  side  : — 

Within 

Rests  all  that  remaines  of  Sr  EDWARD  CARR,  Bart, 
ye  only  son  &  heir  yt  snrviv'd  ye  Right  Honble  Sr 
ROBERT  CARR,  KA  and  Bart,  whos  early  vertves 
gave  jvst  hopes,  and  most  fair  promises  of  great 
fvtvre  perfections,  for  he  was  indeed  vertvous 
to  an  example. 

He  dyed  ye  28th  of  Decem^,  1683,  &  in  y  18th  year  of  his 
age,  to  ye  great  sorrow  of  his  acqvaintance,  greater  loss  of 
his  family,  but  greatest  grief  of  his  dear  indvlgent  mother, 
who  caused  this  inscription  in  memorial  of  him. 

It  is  surrounded  by  a  pavement  of  black  and  white  marble,  and 
originally  had  an  iron  railing  round  it.  Connected  with  this 
monument  is  a  well-executed  bust  of  the  young  Sir  Edward  in 
white  marble,  representing  him  in  the  long  curling  wig  of  his 
time.  This  stands  on  a  bracket  beneath  the  north  window  of  the 
transept,  and  is  thus  inscribed  :  — 

Sir  Edward  Care,  sonn  of  Sir  Robert  Care,  the  4th 

Baronet  of  the  family. 
Departed  this  life  Deer,  ye  28,  1683. 

On  the  left  is  a  large  shield  carved  and  coloured,  bearing 
Lozengy  Arg  and  Sa,  a  bend  Sa,  3  crescents  of  the  first,  sur- 
mounted by  a  helm  wreathed  and  mantled. — Gargrave.  On  the 
right  is  a  corresponding  shield  bearing  quarterly  Gu  on  a  chev- 
ron Arg,  3  mullets  Sa. — Carre.  Or,  an  orle  Az. — Bartram. 
In  the  middle  chief  an  escutcheon  bearing  a  Baronet's  hand  Gu, 
and  on  an  escutcheon  of  pretence 

1 .  Lozengy  Arg  &  Sa,  a  bend  Sa,  3  crescents  Arg. 

2.  Arg,  on  a  fesse  indented  Gu  3  cross  crosslets  fitche,  Or. 

3.  Az,  a  cock  standing  upon  an  escallop  Gu. 

4.  Gu,  a  chevron  between  3  mullets  Sa. 

5.  Sa,  3  lioncels  Gu  bendwise,  between  2  bendlets  indented,  Or. 

6.  Sa,  a  cross  fleure  between  4  annulets  Arg. 

At  the  west  end  of  the  tomb  is  the  same  shield  beautifully  cut  in 
white  marble  but  not  coloured,  surmounted  by  a  helm  wreathed 
and  mantled,  and  the  Carre  crest, — a  stag's  head  couped  Arg 
attired  Or,  collared  with  2  bars  gemelles  Gu.  This  altar  tomb 
was  erected  by  Elizabeth  Lady  Carre,  the  wife  of  Sir  Bobert,  and 


SLEAFORD.  161 

mother  of  Sir  Edward,  who  seems  also  to  have  desired  to  record 
the  marriages  made  by  her  husband's  three  sisters  upon  their 
family  monument,  for  it  originally  bore  four  other  shields,  two  on 
either  side,  but  of  which  only  two  now  remain,  viz  :  Sa,  3  goats 
salient  Arg  with  a  label  of  3  points  as  a  mark  of  cadency, — 
Thorold,  recording  the  marriage  of  Elizabeth  Carre  with  William, 
eldest  son  of  Sir  William  Thorold,  of  Marston,  Bart.  Vert, 
within  a  bordure  Arg,  3  bucks  trippant  Arg. — Trollope,  referring 
to  the  second  marriage  of  the  same  Elizabeth  with  Sir  William 
Trollope,  Bart.,  of  Casewick,  Az  a  bend  Or,  marking  the  marriage 
of  Mary  Carre,  Sir  Robert's  second  sister,  with  Sir  Adrian  Scroope, 
K.  B.,  of  Cockerington,  and  Ermine,  2  piles  Sa  a  crescent  for 
difference, — for  Holies,  referring  to  the  alliance  between  Lucy 
Carre,  Sir  Robert's  third  sister  with  Sir  Francis  Holies,  Kt.  and 
Bart.,  afterwards  the  second  Lord  Holies.  All  four  of  these 
impaled  the  Carre  bearings  and  were  surmounted  by  helms  and 
crests.  Two  of  these  however  are  now  entirely  gone,  and  the  only 
remaining  crest  a  panache,  or  Ducal  coronet  surmounted  by  a 
plume  of  feathers,  which  is  the  Scroope  crest,  now  appears  on 
the  Thorold  helm. 

Elizabeth  Lady  Trollope  died  1661  ;  Mary  Lady  Scroope 
1685  ;  and  Lucy  Lady  Holies  1667. 

Beneath  is  the  vault  of  this  family  whose  name  ought  ever 
to  be  held  in  grateful  remembrance  at  Sleaford.  It  could 
formerly  be  entered  by  a  doorway  and  steps  descending  into  it, 
but  is  now  closed. 

Of  the  1 7th  century  the  following  monuments  are  the  most 
interesting,  viz  :  a  marble  mural  monument  on  the  south  wall  of 
the  chancel  bearing  this  inscription  : — 

Here  lyeth  the  body  of  John  Walpoole, 
of  Whaplode,  Esq.,  who  departed  this 
life  Ano  1591,  having  no  issve  of  his  body : 
and  his  wife  was  after  married  to  John 
Markham  of  Sedebroke  (Sedgebrook), 
Esq.,  and  after  his  decease,  to  Sr.  William 
Skipwith,  of  Cootes  (Coates),  Knight, 

at  whose  cost  and 

chardges  this  nionvmt  was  erected,  Ano 
1631. 

A  slab  on  the  north  side  of  the  chancel  pavement  near  the  vestry 
door  bearing  this  legend  : — 


162  SLEAFORD. 

Robert  Camock  his  remembrance  of  his  Friend. 

Here  vnder  lyeth  the  body  of  Richard 

"Warsope.  woollen  draper,  who  departed 

this  life  the  21st  of  September,    1609, 

JLtatis  svse  52. 

Another  slab  in  the  chancel  is  thus  inscribed  :  — 

+ 

Resvrgemvs 

depositvm  fidei 

fidelis  uxoris 

Milonis  Long,  gener'. 

10  Marcij,   1664. 
Nostra  autem  conversalio 

in  Cadis  est. 

And  a  brass  plate  on  the  wall  of  the  tower  stairs  with  this  legend :-- 

Theophili  Brittaine, 

cantabridgiensis  allum' 

ffi  delis  evangelii  prseconis 

reliquiae  hie  depositse, 
sunt    decimo    secundo    die 

Septembris,  Anno  Dom. 
1696.       ^Etatis  suse  LXIII. 

Of  the  18th  century  two   mural  monuments   are   perhaps 
worthy  of  notice  as  specimens  of  their  period,  viz  :  one  on  the 
north  side  of  the  chancel  towards  the  west  end,  thus  inscribed  : — 
Near  this  place  lies  the  Body  of  Eleanor  the  Wife  of 
John  Peart  Gen*.,  who  was  one  of  the  Daughters  of 
Robt.  Cawdron  Esq.,  and  departed  this  life  the  29th 
Day  of  June  Anno  Dom  1725.     JStatis  suse  34. 

Above  is  a  shield,  bearing  Arg,  a  bend  lozengy,  impaling  Arg, 
a  chevron  between  3  martlets  Sa,  a  chief  Sa  charged  with  3  cross 
crosslets  Or.  Crest  a  pelican  and  its  young. 

Another  mural  monument  near  to  this,  but  on  the  west  wall 
of  the  chancel  bears  this  inscription  as  if  written  upon  a  pendent 

cloth : — 

M.  S.  Annas  nuper  Uxoris  Gul  Seller  hujus  ecclesise 
Preb,  Jam  nunc  Vicarii,  et  Sororis  unicae  Ant  Taylor 
de  Heckinigton  in  hoc  Comitatu  Armigeri  quse  obiit 
14°  die  Januarii  1765.  Mi  suse  54°. 

On  a  shield  above  are  these  bearings,  viz :  Arg  a  bar  Erm,  a 
chief  charged  with  three  red  roses,  impaling  Sa,  a  lion  ram- 
pant Or.  Monuments  of  the  present  century  in  this  or  in  any 
other  church  will  not  be  described  for  obvious  reasons. 


SLEAFORD.  163 

PAINTED  GLASS. 

From  Holies' s  church  notes,  taken  in  1640,  we  gather  that 
when  he  visited  this  church  the  following  armorial  bearings  were 
painted  on  some  of  the  nave  windows,  viz  : — Or,  a  plain  cross 
Yert. — Hussey,  impaling  Gu,  a  chevron  between  10  cinquefoils 
Arg. — Barkley.  For  Sir  William  Hussey,  obiit  1495,  and  his 
wife  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Thomas  Barkley,  of  Wymondham, 
Leicestershire.  Az,  on  a  chief  Or  a  demi  lion  rampant  Gu  within 
a  border  Arg. — Markham.  Quarterly  Az,  3  crowns  in  pale 
Or.  Arg,  a  cross  patonce  Sa.  Sa,  3  shuttles  Or. — Probably 
Shuttleworth.  Gu,  a  cross  patonce  Arg.  Gu,  a  cross  patonce 
Erm.  Az,  2  chevrons  Or  between  3  roses  Arg. — Russel,  Bishop 
of  Lincoln.  These  have  all  now  disappeared ;  but  in  their  place 
several  of  the  windows  have  of  late  years  been  filled  with  modern 
painted  glass  as  memorials.  Unfortunately  however  no  general 
scheme  for  the  adornment  of  the  church  in  this  manner  has  been 
devised,  so  that  in  several  instances  the  same  subjects  are  re- 
peated, and  some  from  the  Old  Testament  are,  without  sufficient 
reason,  commingled  with  others  from  the  New. 

In  the  east  window  of  the  chancel  are  the  following  subjects, 
by  Ward,  viz  :  Jacob  blessing  his  sons.  Christ  stilling  the 
storm.  The  brazen  serpent.  The  raising  of  Jairus's  daughter. 
The  raising  of  Lazarus.  The  good  Samaritan ;  and  the  Presen- 
tation in  the  Temple,  severally  commemorating  the  late  Dr. 
Yerburgh,  Charles  Kirk,  Francis  and  Benjamin  Handley, 
Caroline  E.  Moore,  Robert  George  Bankes,  John  Bissill,  and 
John  Caparn.  Above  are  small  figures  of  the  Evangelists, 
and  below  emblems  of  our  Lord's  passion,  &c.  The  construc- 
tional figure  of  the  cross  in  the  tracery  of  this  window  has  been 
brought  out  by  the  distinct  colouring  of  its  glass.  One  light  of 
the  adjacent  window  in  the  south  wall  was  the  gift  of  Mrs. 
Rochfort,  and  is  in  memory  of  Lucy,  wife  of  the  Rev.  H.  Ashing- 
ton,  and  daughter  of  the  Rev.  R.  Yerburgh,  D.D.  The  subject 
is :  The  death  of  Rachel.  The  next  window,  by  Holland,  of 
Warwick,  was  presented  by  the  late  Miss  Bankes,  of  Heckington, 
in  memory  of  her  brother  Captain  Robert  George  Bankes.  The 
subjects  are  :  The  raising  of  Jairus's  daughter.  The  miracle  at 
Cana.  The  raising  of  Lazarus,  with  David  above  and  Solomon 
below.  Christ  healing  the  sick.  Christ  stilling  the  storm.  The 


164  SLEAFOKD. 

other  south,  window,  by  the  same  artist,  and  erected  by  the  same 
donor  in  memory  of  her  sister  Henrietta  Bankes,  contains  these 
subjects  :  The  good  Samaritan.  The  labourers  in  the  vineyard. 
The  wedding  feast.  The  good  shepherd.  Christ  dividing  the 
sheep  from  the  goats.  The  rich  man  and  Lazarus ;  and  the 
Sower.  In  the  opposite  window,  on  the  north  side  of  the  chancel, 
by  the  same  artist,  erected  in  memory  of  John,  son  of  William 
and  Mary  Pearson,  are  represented  :  Christ  raising  the  widow's 
son.  Christ  casting  out  devils.  Christ  feeding  the  multitude. 
The  faith  of  the  Centurion.  The  miraculous  draught  of  fishes, 
with  the  figures  of  Abraham  and  Isaac  at  the  top  and  bottom  of 
light ;  the  figures  of  Joseph  and  Mary  are  also  introduced  in  the 
tracery.  In  the  quatrefoil  light  at  the  east  end  of  tho  nave  is  a 
figure  of  our  Lord  in  the  attitude  of  blessing,  by  O'Connor,  the 
gift  of  Mr.  Thomas  Parry.  The  glass  of  the  small  two-light 
window  over  the  south  aisle  door,  representing  Christ  blessing 
little  children,  and  Christ  raising  the  widow's  son  was  presented 
by  Mr.  C.  Drake  Newton  and  Mrs.  Warwick ;  and  the  west 
window  in  the  tower  is  made  up  of  fragments  of  old  painted  glass 
supplemented  by  modern  additions  ;  but  by  far  the  finest  glass  in 
this  church  is  in  the  east  window  of  the  south  aisle,  placed  there 
in  memory  of  the  late  Mr.  William  Foster,  by  his  friends.  This 
is  by  Hardman,  and  represents  the  following  scenes  in  the  life 
of  St.  Paul :  1,  His  education  by  Gamaliel;  2,  His  commission 
from  the  Sanhedrim ;  3,  His  preaching  at  Antioch ;  4,  His 
address  to  Felix,  and  censing  angels  in  the  smaller  lights  of  the 
head  above. 


THE  LECTERN. 


There  was  a  brass  eagle  lectern  in  Sleaford  church,  referred 
to  for  the  last  time  in  1 622,  previous  to  the  unhappy  Republican 
days  of  Cromwell ;  but  this  was  far  too  tempting  a  bit  of  metal 
to  escape  the  despoiling  hands  of  his  troopers,  by  whom  it  was 
converted  to  their  own  use,  and  it  long  remained  unreplaced ;  but 
a  few  years  ago  an  anonymous  benefactor  presented  another 
lectern,  which  is  admirable  as  a  work  of  art,  and  most  useful 
to  those  ministering  and  ministered  to  in  this  church. 


SLEAFOED.  165 

OLD  CHESTS. 

There  are  two  chests  worthy  of  notice  in  this  church.     One 
of  these  now  stands  under  the  north  window  of  the  transept. 
This  is  of  solid  oak,  covered  with  stout  iron  banding  applied 
cross  ways.     A  small  portion  of  this  chest  can  be  opened  with  one 
key,  but  the  remainder,  having  three  locks,  requires  as  many  keys 
to  open  it,  which  were  no  doubt  formerly  in  the  possession  of  the 
vicar  and  churchwardens.     The  other  chest  is  a  larger  and  later 
°ne — also  of  oak,  now  kept  in  the  vestry.      On  a  small  panel  in 
front  is  carved  the  helmeted  bust  of  a  man,  and  above  the  initials 
E.  T.     This  is  either  of  the  time  of  James  I.  or  Charles  I.     It 
contains  a  beautifully  worked  pulpit  cushion  of  the  same  date, 
bearing  the  same  initials  as  the  chest  in  which  it  is  deposited. 
In  the  centre  is  a  figure  of  Judith  with  the  head  of  Holophernes 
in  her  hand,  and  the  camp  of  his  host  in  the  back  ground.     The 
rest  of  the  cushion  is  covered  with  flowers  of  the  finest  needle- 
work, and  is  finished  with  a  border  of  the  same,  representing 
hunting  scenes,  birds,  fruit,  &c.,  after  the  style  of  the  tapestry 
then  in  vogue,  in  miniature.     In  this  chest  also  is  a  once  superb 
altar  cloth,  evidently  the  work   of  some  devoted  lady  or  ladies 
who  thought  no  amount  of  labour  too  great  to  dedicate  to  the 
service    of    Gtod    and   his    church.       The    foundation    is   puce 
coloured  velvet,  relieved  by  a  broad  border  and  stripes  of  white 
corded   silk,    fringed ;   the   whole   of  these  were  overlaid  with 
the    finest  needlework    of    a  foliated  character,  and  chiefly  of 
a  tint  matching  the  velvet  which  these  stripes   so   beautifully 
relieve  ;  but  much  of  this  work  is  now  dropping  from  its  silken 
foundation  through  age.      It  is  10  feet  6  inches  long,  and  4  feet 
6  inches  wide. 

OLD  BOOKS. 

In  the  passage  leading  from  the  chancel  to  the  vestry  is  a 
curious  old  oak  reading  desk,  containing  a  collection  of  books  of 
Divinity,  each  of  which  is  fastened  to  a  rod  by  a  chain  sliding 
upon  it,  long  enough  to  allow  of  its  being  placed  on  any  part  of 
the  desk  above,  but  intended  to  prevent  its  abstraction.  The 
oldest  volume  is  a  black  letter  copy  of  the  Paraphrase  of  the 
Gospels,  by  Erasmus,  wanting  the  title  and  other  pages.  This 

n 


166  SLEAFOKD. 

is  no  doubt  the  volume  referred  to  in  the  list  of  church  goods 
given  before,  p.  146 ;  but  the  other  old  book  mentioned  in  it 
also,  viz :  "  Bullinger's  Decades,"  is  not  now  forthcoming.  The 
other  volumes  are  : — 

A  brief  discourse  concerning  Faith.     1639. 

Antidote  against  Atheism,  by  Henry  Moore,  D.D.     1662. 

A  modest  enquiry  into  the  mystery  of  iniquity,  by  the  same  author. 

1664. 
Thirty-five  Sermons,  by  Robert  Saunderson,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  with 

a  Life  of  the  same,  by  Isaac  Walton.     1681. 
The  works  of  Isaac  Barrow,  D.D.     1683. 
Homilies  appointed  to  be  read  in  churches  in  the  time  of  Queen 

Elizabeth.     1683. 
Forty  Sermons,    the  greatest  part  preached  before  the  King,  by 

Richard  Allstree,  D.D.,  King's  Professor  at  Oxford,  Provost  of 

Eton,  and  Chaplain  to  the  King.     1684. 
The  Great  Exemplar  of  Sanctity  and  Holy  Life,  by  Jeremy  Taylor. 

Sixth  edition. 

Practical  Discourses,  by  John  Scott,  D.D.     1697. 
Ditto,  by  the  same  author.     Two  vols.     1698. 
The  Christian  Life,  by  the  same  author.     Five  vols.     1669. 
An  Exposition  of  the  39  Articles,  by  Gilbert,  Bishop  of  Sarum.    1700. 
A  Companion  to  the  Temple,  by  Thomas  Comber,  D.D.,  Dean  of 

Durham.     1 702. 
Pearson  on  the  Creed,  an  old  undated  edition. 

THE  CHURCH  YARD. 

This  is  no  longer  used  as  a  burial  ground,  but  forms  an  ap- 
propriate enclosure  around  the  church,  protecting  it  from  injury. 
It  has  several  times  been  added  to,  as  the  increasing  population 
of  the  town  required  more  room  for  the  reverent  burial  of  its  dead. 

In  1391,  John  Bokingham,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  paid  the  king 
half  a  mark  for  a  license  to  give  a  strip  of  land,  150  feet  long 
and  8  feet  wide,  held  of  the  king  in  burgage  to  Thomas  le  Warre, 
then  parson  of  Sleaford,  for  the  enlargement  of  its  cemetery. 
Pat  15  Eic  2,  dated  at  Westminster,  July  28th,  in  that  year. 

In  1796  the  church  yard  was  considerably  enlarged,  by 
taking  in  a  piece  of  ground  on  the  north. 

A  simple  dwarf  wall  formerly  surrounded  the  church  yard, 
and  on  each  side  of  the  principal  entrance  to  it  and  the  church 
itself  on  the  west  side,  were  lofty  stone  piers  surmounted  by 
representations  of  skulls  wreathed  with  chaplets.  This  wall  and 


SLEAFOBD. 


167 


these  piers  were  removed  in  1837,  and  replaced  by  the  present 
handsome  stone  and  iron  fence  supplied  by  public  contributions. 
Since  the  church  yard  has  ceased  to  be  used  for  burial  purposes, 
its  surface  has  been  levelled  and  almost  all  the  tombstones  are 
now  laid  flat  so  as  to  facilitate  the  mowing  of  the  grass,  which  is 
always  kept  in  good  order,  and  in  conjunction  with  the  trees 
planted  where  there  is  room  for  them,  presents  a  pleasant 
appearance. 

THE  CEMETEEY. 

In  consequence  of  an  Act  of  Parliament  affecting  church 
yards  and  burial  grounds  passed  in  the  16  and  17  of  Victoria, 
the  future  disuse  of  the  ancient  burial  place  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Sleaford  became  imperative,  and  it  was  necessary  to  provide  a 
cemetery.  Accordingly  an  appropriate  piece  of  ground  for  this 
purpose  was  bought  in  1856,  situated  on  a  slight  eminence  east- 
ward of  the  town,  and  near  to  the  Sleaford  and  Tattershall  road. 

At  the  entrance  is  a  very  pretty  lodge,  whence  a  road,  having 
a  row  of  pinus  on  either  side,  leads  to  the  cemetery.  This  is  a 
rectangular  piece  of  ground  surrounded  by  a  yew  hedge  and  sub- 
divided by  the  same  means.  Originally  it  was  laid  out  on  correct 
principles,  and  thoughtfully  planted  with  appropriate  evergreen 
trees  and  shrubs,  like  that  of  Grrantham,  which  is  always  so  much 
admired  ;  but  as  this  was  at  first  ill  cared  for,  almost  all  the  trees 
and  shrubs  died,  the  turf  became  coarse,  and  the  walks,  with 
ragged  edges  and  rough  surfaces,  made  the  whole  ground  look 
miserable  ;  and  then  instead  of  renewing  the  evergreen  shrubs — 
so  placed  as  not  to  interfere  with  interments,  deciduous  trees 
were  planted  as  if  in  child's  play  irregularly  over  the  ground, 
while  the  old  formal  walks  remain  to  protest  against  such  very 
inappropriate  treatment. 

THE  WESLEYAN  CHAPEL. 

This  was  built  in  1848  on  the  site  of  the  Old  Falcon  Inn,  in 
North- street,  and  is  a  neat  building  of  yellow  brickwork  and 
Ancaster  stone  dressings.  The  architect,  Mr.  James  Simpson,  of 
Leeds,  had  some  Tudor  example  before  him  when  he  designed 
this  structure,  but  has  interpolated  a  Perpendicular  window  over 
the  doorway,  and  classical  projecting  quoins  at  its  angles.  Its 


168  SLEAFOKD. 

internal  dimensions  are  75  feet  by  43  feet,  and,  with  the  accom- 
modation afforded  by  its  galleries  is  calculated  to  seat  800  persons. 
Behind  are  vestries  and  class-rooms.  The  cost  of  its  erection 
was  about  £2000.  The  builders  were  Messrs.  Baker,  of  Sleaford. 

THE  CONGREGATIONAL  CHAPEL. 

The  original  Congregational  Chapel,  built  in  1776,  was  in 
Jermyn-street,  and  chiefly  supplied  by  ministers  of  the  Countess 
of  Huntingdon's  College,  at  Cheshunt ;  but  through  the  liberal 
donation  of  £500  by  Mr.  Simpson,  of  Sleaford,  on  condition  that 
£1000  more  should  be  raised  towards  the  erection  of  a  new  and 
larger  chapel,  this  was  effected  in  1868,  and  by  subsequent  con- 
cession on  his  part  the  present  chapel  in  South-street  was  erected 
from  plans  by  Messrs.  Habershon  and  Pite,  of  London,  carried 
out  by  Messrs.  Pattinson,  of  Ruskington.  It  is  built  of  roughed 
stone  from  the  Bulley- wells  quarry,  relieved  by  Ancaster  stone 
dressings  after  the  example  of  some  church  of  the  early  Decora- 
ted style  ;  but  its  features  are  of  too  light  a  character  if  intended 
to  represent  any  real  grave  old  church  of  which  it  is  an  imitation, 
and  its  clerestory  of  timber  especially  adds  to  its  fragile  appear- 
ance. Within,  its  fittings  are  neat  and  in  good  taste,  and  it 
possesses  a  good  organ  by  Mr.  Holdich.  It  is  calculated  to 
accommodate  450  persons. 

THE  BAPTIST  CHAPEL. 

This  was  erected  in  1811.  It  is  a  plain  square  brick  edifice, 
situated  in  Old  Sleaford,  behind  the  houses  facing  the  street  on 
the  north  side  of  the  Boston  road,  whence  it  is  approached  by  a 
passage.  It  was  opened  in  1812  by  Mr.  William  Huntingdon, 
and  is  capable  of  seating  250  persons. 

THE  PRIMITIVE  METHODIST  CHAPEL. 

This  is  a  red  brick  edifice  situated  on  the  south  side  of  West- 
gate.  It  was  built  in  1814  at  a  cost  of  £725,  together  with  a 
house  for  the  minister  behind  it ;  but  as  this  was  inconvenient 
and  an  enlargement  of  the  chapel  was  needed,  these  alterations 
have  just  been  made,  much  to  the  improvement  of  the  chapel, 
which  can  now  accommodate  240  persons. 


THE  MONUMENT,  SLEAFORD. 


SLEAFOED. 
THE  WESLEYAN  EEFORM  CHAPEL. 


169 


This  is  a  small  unpretending  brick  building,  on  the  West 
Bank,  27  feet  long  by  22  feet  wide,  with  a  gallery  at  one  end. 
It  was  opened  in  1864,  and  is  calculated  to  hold  200  persons. 

THE  HANDLE Y  MONUMENT. 

This  stands  at  the  southern  end  of  South-street,  and  is  a 
great  ornament  to  the  town.  Designed  after  the  manner  of  Queen 
Eleanor's  crosses,  its  spire-like  form,  Gothic  details,  and  appro- 
priate iron  fence  below,  render  it  an  attractive  feature.  It  was 
erected  by  subscription  in  1851,  after  the  designs  of  Mr.  William 
Boyle,  of  Birmingham,  and  executed  by  Mr.  W.  M.  Cooper,  of 
Derby,  at  a  cost  of  £1000.  It  commemorates  Henry  Handley, 
Esq.,  one  of  the  Representatives  of  South  Lincolnshire  in  Parlia- 
ment from  1832  to  1841,  who  died  in  1846,  and  whose  statue  in 
Caen  stone,  by  Mr.  Thomas,  stands  within  its  lower  stage. 
Above  this  are  two  other  diminishing  stages,  highly  enriched 
with  emblematical  statuettes  in  canopied  and  crocketed  niches, 
&c.,  and  terminates  with  a  crocketed  spirelet.  Its  height  is  65 
feet.  In  front  of  this  a  supply  of  good  water  may  always  be 
obtained  by  the  public,  through  a  considerate  gift  of  a  pump 
and  stone  basin  below  it,  bearing  the  inscription  "  Every  good 
gift  is  from  above."  The  accompanying  plate  gives  a  good  idea 
of  the  character  of  this  monument. 

THE  MARKET  PLACE. 

This  consists  of  a  large  open  space  in  the  heart  of  the  town, 
adjoining  two  of  its  principal  streets,  and  enables  the  public  to 
have  an  excellent  view  of  the  picturesque  west  front  of  the  fine 
old  Parish  Church,  the  Sessions  House,  the  Corn  Exchange,  and 
some  of  the  principal  shops  of  the  town.  Formerly  a  Market 
Cross  stood  here  nearly  opposite  to  the  north  west  door  of  the 
church.  It  consisted,  as  usual,  of  several  steps,  a  base,  on  the 
sides  of  which  were  carved  shields,  each  bearing  a  saltire 
between  4  roundels  with  the  date  1575,  and  a  shaft  springing 
from  it.  This  cross  was  removed  about  70  years  ago,  when  for 
a  time  the  base  was  preserved  in  the  church,  but  has  now  dis- 
appeared. Near  to  it  strangely  stood  the  Stocks  and  Whipping 


170 


SLEAFOBD. 


Post.  In  a  corresponding  position  on  the  other  side  of  the 
gravelled  way  now  crossing  the  Market  Place  long  remained  a 
less  religious  object,  viz :  a  stout  post  buried  in  the  ground, 
having  its  head  covered  with  an  iron  plate  and  a  ring  inserted  in 
it.  This  was  a  Bull  Ring,  to  which  unhappy  bulls  were  attached 
and  baited  by  dogs  for  the  amusement  of  the  people.  A  few 
persons  are  still  living  at  Sleaford  who  remember  a  bull  being 
thus  baited  in  the  Market  Place  for  the  last  time,  about  the  year 
1807,  when  at  least  one  wretched  dog  was  gored  to  death.  This 
post  was  at  length  taken  up  when  Royalty  had  long  ceased  to 
countenance  such  a  barbarous  sport,  and  the  riotous  conduct  that 
usually  attended  it,  as  well  as  a  growing  feeling  against  all  such 
brutal  scenes  tending  to  degrade  the  tastes  and  habits  of  the 
populace,  led  to  its  total  disuse  throughout  England.  A  curious 
illustration  of  this  once  popular  sport  is  supplied  by  the  still 
existing  sign  of  the  Black  Bull,  in  Southgate,  of  which  an  accurate 
M  nun  tf  WIT  .  cut  is  given.  This  is  carved  in 

stone,  and  represents  a  bull  in 
lilKMLL  the  act  of  being  baited.     Tied 
IE  by  a  cord  round  its  neck  to  a  low 

Jpost  or  stake,  one  dog,  after  the 
manner  of  its  kind,  hangs  upon 
pr  the  poor  brute's  lip,  while  two 
lil  others  are  attacking  it,  and  a 
man  in  the  dress  of  the  17th 
century  is  urging  them  on.  The 
whole  is  painted  with  appropri- 
ate colours.  Above  are  the  initials  R.  M.  B.,  doubtless  those  of 
the  then  landlord  of  the  Black  Bull  when  the  accompanying  date 
of  1689  was  cut,  and  below  is  a  subsequent  date  with  the 
initials  I.  W.  A  Market  is  held  at  Sleaford  every  Monday,  and 
five  Fairs  take  place  annually,  viz  :  on  Plough  Monday,  Easter 
Monday,  Whit  Monday,  the  1st  of  October,  and  the  20th  of 
October  ;  the  last  of  which  is  the  most  important,  and  represents 
the  day  on  which  the  old  feast  of  the  Patron  Saint  of  Sleaford, 
St.  Dennis,  was  kept,  or  the  9th  of  October,  according  to  the  old 
style. 

From  the  Market  Place  diverge  the  four  principal  streets  of 
the  town,  severally  called  Northgate,  Southgate,  Eastgate  and 
Westgate,  not  because  there  were  ever  gates  and  walls  pro- 


SLEAFOED. 


171 


tecting  the  town,  but  simply  because  these  streets  led  towards  the 
four  cardinal  points,  the  common  Lincolnshire  expression,  "  I 
am  going  this  a  gate  "  illustrating  the  use  of  such  terms,  i.e.,  "  I 
am  going  this  way" 

THE  SESSIONS  HOUSE. 

This  is  a  large  and  conspicuous  stone  building  of  the  Tudor 
style,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Market  Place.  It  was  built  in 
1829-30  at  a  cost  of  £7000,  after  the  designs  of  Mr.  Edward 
Kendall,  by  the  late  Mr.  Charles  Kirk.  It  contains  a  spacious 
Court,  in  which  the  Quarter  and  Petty  Sessions  are  held,  retiring 
rooms  for  the  Magistrates  and  Grand  Jury,  and  other  apartments. 
In  front  of  it  is  an  arcade  for  the  convenience  of  persons  in 
attendance.  Formerly  the  only  receptacle  for  prisoners  or 
drunkards  in  Sleaford  was  a  little  building  still  standing  on  the 
eastern  edge  of  the  church  yard,  and  only  fit  for  a  toolhouse. 
This  has  now  long  since  been  disused  as  a  place  of  detention,  and 
in  1845  a  Police  Station  with  cells  adjoining  was  built  in  a  little 
street  branching  from  Eastgate,  at  a  cost  of  £1000,  which,  with 
some  subsequent  alterations  and  additions,  serves  its  purpose 
well. 

THE  CORN  EXCHANGE. 


In  1857,  the  great  desideratum  of  a  Corn  Exchange  was 
supplied,  after  some  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  best  site  for 
the  purpose  had  been  brought  to  a  happy  conclusion.  This  stands 
next  to  the  Bristol  Arms,  in  the  Market  Place,  and  its  Gothic 
elevation  is  not  only  handsome  in  itself,  but  one  that  harmonizes 
well  with  the  buildings  near  it.  It  was  built  by  shareholders  on 
a  site  sold  to  them  for  the  purpose  by  the  late  Miss  Bankes ;  its 
interior  is  spacious,  handsome,  and  well  adapted  to  its  purpose. 
The  roof  is  on  the  ridge  and  furrow  system,  glazed  on  one  side, 
and  boarded  on  the  other,  so  as  to  supply  ample  but  not  too 
great  an  amount  of  light  to  the  corn  buyers  and  sellers,  for 
whose  use  it  was  intended.  Underneath  is  a  butter  market,  and 
attached  to  it  are  other  rooms  and  offices.  The  architects  were 
Messrs.  Kirk  and  Parry,  of  Sleaford. 


172  SLEAFOED. 

THE  GRAMMAR  SCHOOL. 

This  was  founded  in  1604,  by  Robert  Carre,  of  Aswarby, 
second  son  of  Eobert  Carre,  the  purchaser  of  so  many  estates 
near  Sleaford,  who  also  exhibited  a  charitable  disposition  by  acts 
of  benevolence  towards  the  parishes  of  Eauceby  and  Sleaford. 
He  was  High  Sheriff  of  the  county  in  1581,  and  took  part  in 
quelling  the  rebellion  against  Elizabeth,  fostered  by  the  Earls  of 
Northumberland  and  Westmoreland.  He  married,  1,  the  widow 
of  Lord  Gray,  of  Wilton,  Lord  Warden  of  the  English  Marshes  ; 
and  2,  Cassandra,  daughter  of  William  Apreece,  of  Washingley, 
in  the  parish  of  Lutton,  Hunts,  and  widow  of  Adlard  Welby,  of 
Gredney,  but  had  no  issue  by  either,  and  died  two  years  later — 
1606.  The  school  was  to  be  called  The  Free  Grammar  School  of 
Sleaford,  and  was  intended  for  the  better  education  of  the  youth 
and  children  born  or  living  with  their  parents  within  the 
parishes  of  New  Sleaford,  Old  Sleaford,  Aswarby,  Holdingham, 
Quarrington,  North  Eauceby,  South  Eauceby,  Anwiek,  Kirkby 
Laythorpe,  and  Evedon.  The  Master  was  to  receive  £20  a  year 
out  of  a  freehold  estate  consisting  of  100  acres  of  land  in  Gedney, 
probably  acquired  through  Eobert  Carre's  marriage  with  the 
widow  of  Adlard  Welby,  and  the  rest  of  its  profits  was  to  be 
disposed  of  in  alms  to  the  poor  of  Old  and  New  Sleaford  and 
Holdingham  at  the  discretion  of  the  Trustees,  in  whom  this 
estate  was  vested.  All  went  well  with  the  school  until  Cromwell's 
time,  when,  according  to  a  memorandum  in  its  records  "  From 
1644  until  May  1646  the  times  were  so  confused  in  respect  of 
warrs,  that  neither  rents  could  be  received,  nor  accounts  taken 
up,  yet  the  money  that  could  be  got  was  disposed  of  as  appears 
by  bills,  &c.,"  i.e.  was  alienated  from  its  proper  application. 
After  this  the  Masters  again  received  their  stipend,  but  at  last 
this  became  so  utterly  insufficient  that  difficulty  was  found  in 
securing  the  services  of  an  efficient  Master  in  Orders,  and  at  one 
time  the  office  was  vacant  for  two  years 

To  improve  its  condition,  a  small  house  and  garden  at  the 
extremity  of  Northgate  was  bought  for  the  use  of  the  Master  in 
1825,  and  in  1834  the  present  Master's  house  and  school-room 
adjoining  were  built.  The  school  was  then  started  again  under 
an  order  of  Chancery,  made  April  7th,  1830,  and  certain  regula- 
tions were  agreed  to  by  the  Patron  and  Trustees  for  its  future 
management  in  1835. 


SLEAFOBD.  173 

It  is  under  the  control  of  the  Marquis  of  Bristol  as  the  present 
representative  of  the  Founder,  and  ten  Trustees  resident  in 
Sleaford. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Masters  : — 
A.D.  1640. — Anthony  Baston 

1608. — Mr.  Browne 

1609.— Mr.  Newell 

1615.— Mr.  Etherington 

1619.— Bev.  John  Kitchen 

1622.— Mr.  Northern 

1629.— Mr.  Trevillian 

1635. — Bev.  M.  Fancourt 

1638.— Bev.  Edmund  Trevillian 

1650. — Bev.  Thomas  Gibson 

1663.— Bev.  Peter  Stevens 

1683.— Bev.  William  North 

1691.— Bev.  Matthew  Smith 

1723. — Bev.  Benjamin  Wray 

1736.— Bev.  William  Ghmnil 

1781.— Bev.  Edward  Waterson 

1811.— Bev.  Elias  Huelin 

1835. — Bev.  Henry  Manton 

1867.— Bev.  C.  Child 


ALVEY'S  SCHOOL. 

William  Alvey,  by  his  will,  dated  26th  August,  1726,  be- 
queathed an  estate  in  Fishtoft  to  Trustees  for  the  purpose  of 
paying  £20  annually  for  the  education  of  poor  children  of  New 
Sleaford,  who  were  to  be  taught  to  read,  write,  sew,  and  knit. 
He  also  left  £8  annually  to  educate  poor  children  at  Balderton, 
and  40s.  a  year  to  the  Incumbents  of  Sleaford  and  Balderton  to 
preach  anniversary  sermons".  The  residue  of  the  income  from  the 
estate  was  to  be  divided  for  the  benefit  of  Sleaford  and  Balderton, 
in  the  proportion  of  two  thirds  to  the  former  and  one  third  to  the 
latter.  The  gross  annual  income  is  now  £160  a  year.  New 
school-rooms  and  a  house  for  the  Master  were  erected  in  the 
Elizabethan  style  in  connexion  with  this  charity  in  1851,  at  a 
cost  of  £1000  raised  by  subscription.  These  stand  on  a  site  in 


174  SLEAFORD. 

East- gate,  given  by  the  late  Marquis  of  Bristol,  and  each  school- 
room can  accommodate  100  children. 

Several  other  persons  left  small  sums  in  trust  for  the  benefit 
of  the  scholars  of  this  school ;  viz :  Mrs.  Ann  Ashby,  who  be- 
queathed the  interest  of  £20  for  providing  them  with  bibles  and 
spelling  books,  in  1770,  and  Sir  John  Thorold,  Bart.,  who  the 
same  year  left  the  interest  of  £5  for  the  same  purpose.  In  1785 
James  Harryman  became  their  benefactor  in  a  different  way,  by 
leaving  the  interest  of  £100  a  year  to  provide  shoes  and  stockings 
for  them. 

THE  INFANT  SCHOOL. 

In  1855  a  building  in  "Westgate,  formerly  used  as  a  theatre, 
was  purchased  by  subscription  and  converted  into  a  school-room 
for  young  children.  This  is  supported  by  subscription  and  a 
Government  Grant,  much  to  the  benefit  of  the  poorer  classes  of 
Sleaford. 

WESLEYAN  SCHOOLS. 

These  schools,  adjoining  the  Wesleyan  chapel,  were  erected 
by  Mr.  M.  Bennison,  after  designs  furnished  by  Messrs.  Pattinson, 
of  Euskington,  at  a  cost  of  £1100,  and  are  intended  to  accom- 
modate 200  children.  They  are  built  of  white  brick,  and  consist 
of  one  large  school-room,  48  feet  long  by  30  feet  wide  and  17 
feet  high,  and  class-rooms,  well  adapted  for  educational  purposes. 

CARBE  HOSPITAL. 

This  was  founded  by  Sir  Robert  Carre,  3rd  Baronet,  son  of 
Sir  Edward  Carre,  Bart.,  and  nephew  of  Robert  Carre  the  founder 
of  the  Grammar  School,  on  his  coming  of  age  in  1636.  It  was 
intended  for  the  use  and  support  of  twelve  poor  men,  three  to  be 
chosen  from  New  Sleaford  and  Holdingham,  two  from  Kirkby 
Laythorpe,  one  from  Quarrington  and  Old  Sleaford,  two  from 
Great  or  North  Rauceby,  with  power  to  select  from  Little  or 
South  Rauceby  if  the  former  should  not  supply  fitting  persons, 
and  one  from  Anwick,  Asgarby,  Little  Hale  and  Aswarby.  He 
endowed  it  with  the  great  tithes  of  Metheringham  and  Kirkby 
Laythorpe,  a  rent  charge  of  £20  out  of  the  manor  of  Kirkby,  and 
the  site  of  the  Hospital  in  Sleaford.  This  last  is  situated  south 


8LEAFOED.  175 

of  the  church,  on  which,  the  ancient  residence  of  the  Carre 
family  stood — called  Carre  House,  and  described  by  Leland  as 
being  one  of  the  great  ornaments  of  the  town.  A  portion  of  this 
seems  to  have  constituted  the  Hospital  until  1823,  judging  from 
a  slight  sketch  of  its  appearance,  when  it  was  pulled  down  and 
the  materials  were  used  in  building  a  chapel  in  the  autumn  of 
that  year.  Then  also  the  road  to  the  Navigation  was  altered, 
which  previously  ran  through  the  Hospital  ground.  In  1844 
this  chapel  was  taken  down  and  replaced  by  the  present  one,  when 
the  Hospital  itself  also  was  almost  entirely  rebuilt  as  it  exists'at 
present,  forming  two  sides  of  a  quadrangle  with  the  chapel  in  the 
middle  of  the  facade  facing  the  fine  old  Parish  Church.  The 
following  year,  through  the  enlargement  of  the  building,  six 
additional  poor  men  were  provided  for  in  accordance  with  a  new 
scheme  then  sanctioned  by  the  Court  of  Chancery.  At  the  in- 
closure  of  Metheringham  parish  in  1777,  an  allotment  was  made 
to  the  Hospital  in  lieu  of  the  glebe  and  tithes  of  777  acres  of  land, 
and  in  1852  the  great  tithes  of  Kirkby  Laythorpe  were  commuted 
for  an  annual  payment  to  the  Hospital  of  £130  charged  upon  the 
estates  of  the  Marquis  of  Bristol.  In  1857,  when  the  funds  of 
the  Hospital  had  accumulated  to  a  considerable  extent,  an 
addition  to  the  number  of  inmates  was  determined  on  by  the 
Governors,  and  as  there  was  not  room  for  this  on  the  old  site  a 
new  one  in  Northgate  adjoining  the  Grammar  School  was  pur- 
chased, and  a  handsome  building  in  the  Tudor  style  erected, 
sufficient  for  the  accommodation  of  eight  extra  pensioners,  who 
now  enjoy  in  common  with  their  brethren  of  the  older  building 
the  great  boon  bequeathed  to  them  by  Sir  Robert  Carre.  Each 
of  these  is  allowed  10s.  a  week  in  addition  to  their  comfortable 
apartments,  a  blue  cloth  cloak  and  some  coals ;  besides^  the 
services  of  a  chaplain,  a  medical  attendant,  and  a  nurse. 

The  Hospital  is  managed  by  five  Lay  and  four  Clerical 
Governors.  The  former  at  this  time  are  Sir  T.  Whichcote,  Bart , 
H.  Chaplin,  Esq.,  M.P.,  Charles  Pearson,  Esq.,  H.  Peake,  Esq., 
"W.  H.  Holdich,  Esq. ;  the  latter,  the  Vicar  of  Sleaford,  the 
Hector  of  Aswarby,  the  Rector  of  Kirkby  Laythorpe  cum  Asgarby, 
the  Rector  of  Quarrington,  and  the  Yicar  of  Anwick  cum 
Brauncewell.  Their  annual  meeting  is  on  Whit  Tuesday,  when 
they  and  the  Bedesmen  have  a  dinner,  vacancies  are  filled  up, 
and  the  business  of  the  trust  is  transacted. 


I 


176  SLEAFOKD. 

THE  UNION  HOUSE. 

This  stands  on  the  north  side  of  the  Sleaford  and  Tattershall 
Road,  and  is  a  much  more  pleasing  building  than  the  prison-like 
type  usually  adopted.  It  is  of  the  Tudor  style,  and  built  of 
Ancaster  stone  after  the  designs  of  the  late  Mr.  "W.  J.  Donthorn, 
of  London,  in  1838,  at  a  cost  of  £4000  ;  but  since  then  much  has 
been  done  to  render  it  more  commodious.  It  is  intended  for  the 
use  of  the  "Wapentakes  of  Aswardhurn,  Flaxwell,  Langoe,  Love- 
den,  Av eland  and  Boothby  Graffoe,  which  comprise  56  parishes 
or  townships,  and  is  a  very  well  managed  Institution. 

THE  VICARAGE. 

This  is  on  the  north  side  of  the  church,  and  abuts  immedi- 
ately upon  the  churchyard.  The  original  parsonage  stood  at  the 
east  end  of  the  church,  as  we  learn  from  Leland,  and  was  one  of 
the  only  two  very  good  houses  he  remarked  on  his  visit  to 
Sleaford,  his  words  being  "  For  houses  in  the  towne  I  marked  but 
2  very  faire,  the  one  longith  to  the  personage  as  a  prebend  of 
£16  yn  Lincoln,  and  standith  at  the  est  ende  of  the  chirch." 
This  stood  eastward  of  the  present  Waggon  and  Horses,  and  its 
representative,  together  with  the  old  tithe  yard,  were  sold  in 
1797  to  redeem  the  land  tax.  It  was  taken  down  in  1816  and 
replaced  by  a  small  new  house.  The  present  vicarage  house  was 
most  probably  the  residence  of  one  of  the  chantry  priests  attached 
to  the  church  of  Sleaford,  and  part  of  it  is  of  the  latter  end  of 
the  16th  century,  bearing  the  date  1568  on  its  gable  facing  the 
church.  It  has  of  late  been  added  to  and  improved. 

OLD  HOUSES. 

There  are  several  houses  still  remaining  in  Sleaford  of  that 
style  of  domestic  architecture  prevalent  in  England  from  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth  to  that  of  Charles  II.  A  portion  of  one  of 
these  now  forms  an  adjunct  of  Miss  Peacock's  house  in  North- 
gate.  All  its  details  are  not  honestly  its  own,  but  it  is  a  pictur- 
esque fragment  that  generally  attracts  attention ;  and  on  a 
building  in  the  stable  yard  adjoining  is  a  very  beautiful  mediae val 
chimney  shaft,  brought  from  the  old  Deanery,  at  Lincoln. 


SLEAFOED.  177 

Opposite  to  this  is  an  exceedingly  well-designed  modern 
public  house,  called  the  Marquis  of  Granby,  in  which  a  little 
old  bay  window  is  inserted,  brought  from  an  ancient  house  that 
formerly  stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  Corn  Exchange ;  and  a 
little  southward  of  it  is  another  small  ancient  house,  having  a 
gable  filled  with  characteristic  mullioned  windows. 

On  the  east  side  of  Eastgate,  just  beyond  the  chancel  of  the 
parish  church,  is  a  larger  house  of  the  same  date.  This  adjoins 
the  site  of  the  old  residence  of  the  Carres,  and  perhaps  was  built 
by  one  of  that  family,  although  nothing  is  now  known  of  its 
history  previous  to  1707,  when  it  was  bought  by  Mr.  Austen 
Cawdron,  whose  family  was  connected  with  that  of  the  Carres  by 
marriage.  Four  years  later  it  was  sold  to  Mr.  John  Peart,  of 
Sleaford,  and  in  1773  to  Mr.  John  Brown,  Mayor  of  Lincoln,  at 
which  time  it  was  occupied  by  Sir  William  Moor,  Bart.  The 
next  year  it  was  sold  to  the  Bev.  John  Andrews,  and  at  his  death 
in  1800,  was  sold  to  the  grandfather  of  the  present  owner,  Mr. 
Henry  Snow.  It  is  a  picturesque  gabled  house,  and  still  retains 
its  original  chimnies,  one  or  two  of  its  mullioned  windows,  and 
the  head  of  a  handsome  doorway  opening  into  the  garden  attached 
to  it,  but  not  now  standing  in  its  original  position.  Of  a  later 
period  is  the  handsome  old  house  adjoining  the  Sessions  House, 
now  constituting  the  bank  of  Messrs.  Peacock  and  Handley. 

CHARITABLE  BEQUESTS. 

At  a  date  unknown,  but  probably  at  the  beginning  of  the 
17th  century,  John  Cammocke  left  a  house  and  garden  in  South- 
gate  with  some  land  in  the  open  field  beyond,  the  rents  of  which 
were  to  be  applied  to  the  embellishment  of  the  parish  church. 
This  bequest  is  now  represented  by  three  tenements,  a  yard  and 
garden  in  Southgate,  and  3  acres  2  roods  and  1 3  perches,  let  at 
£20  a  year,  situated  on  the  north  side  of  the  Tattershall  road. 
In  1631,  Robert  Cammocke  the  younger  charged  a  farm  at 
Harmston,  now  in  the  possession  of  B.  H.  Thorold,  Esq.,  with 
an  annual  payment  of  £14  ;  of  which  £5  were  to  be  given  to  the 
Vicar  of  Sleaford,  £4  to  the  Master  of  the  Carre  Grammar  School, 
and  £4  were  to  be  devoted  to  the  purchase  of  a  freize  gown,  a 
pair  of  shoes,  and  a  pair  of  stockings  for  five  poor  persons,  if  the 
fund  allowed  of  this. 


178  8LEAFOKD. 

In  1657,  Henry  Callow  left  two  fields  in  Ruskington,  out 
of  the  rents  of  wliicli  £2  were  to  be  paid  annually  to  the  Yicar 
of  Sleaford,  and  £5  for  the  purchase  of  five  gowns,  five  pairs  of 
shoes,  and  five  pairs  of  stockings  to  be  given  to  five  poor  persona 
of  New  Sleaford ;  after  which  the  surplus  was  to  be  expended  in 
the  reparation  of  the  church  at  the  discretion  of  the  church- 
wardens. 

In  1681,  Samuel  Eaulinson  left  a  yearly  rent  of  £5  derived 
from  his  house,  called  the  Old  Hall,  in  Sleaford,  now  a  black- 
smith's shop,  to  the  poor  of  the  parish. 

In  1688,  Miles  Long  gave  20s.  a  year  to  the  Yicar  of  Slea- 
ford, secured  on  two  houses  in  Southgate,  now  belonging  to  Mr. 
Hipkin  and  Mrs.  Green. 

In  1715,  James  Harryman  left  the  interest  of  £150,  to  be 
expended  in  bread  for  the  poor. 

In  1730,  Margaret  Kinsey  and  others  left  a  small  sum  to 
be  expended  annually  in  bread  for  the  poor,  to  be  distributed  on 
St.  Thomas's  day.  This  is  secured  on  the  Old  Hall,  now  belong- 
ing to  Mr.  Hackett. 

In  1784,  Susannah  Darwin,  of  Sleaford,  left  £100  in  trust, 
the  interest  of  which  was  to  be  given  to  the  organist  of  the 
parish  church. 

In  1788,  Ann  Fenwick,  of  Sleaford,  left  £50,  the  interest  of 
which  was  also  to  be  given  to  the  organist  of  Sleaford. 

In  1835,  Mrs.  Anne  Bankes  left  £400,  the  interest  of  which 
was  to  be  spent  in  the  purchase  of  coals  and  flour  to  be  given  to 
twelve  poor  women  of  Sleaford,  and  the  same  number  of 
Gosberton. 

In  1841,  Benjamin  Holmes  left  £100,  the  interest  of  which 
was  to  be  distributed  in  money  among  the  poor  widows  of  New 
Sleaford,  on  the  15th  of  August  every  year,  and  was  to  be  called 
Holmes's  gift. 

THE  EAILWAY  FBOM  SLEAFORD  TO  GEANTHAM  AND 
BOSTON. 

For  this  great  boon  Sleaford  is  indebted  to  the  late  Mr. 
Herbert  Ingram,  M.P.,  for  Boston,  by  which  it  is  placed  in  easy 
reach  not  only  of  Boston  and  Grantham,  but  of  Nottingham, 
Lincoln  and  London. 


SLEAFOKD. 


179 


That  portion  of  it  "between  Grantham  and  Sleaford  was 
finished  and  opened  formally,  June  13th,  1857.  It  is  14  miles 
in  extent,  and  was  made  at  the  cost  of  about  £8000  a  mile,  by 
Messrs.  Smith  and  Knight.  Its  completion  was  celebrated  by  a 
grand  dinner  given  by  the  Directors,  in  the  Goods  Shed  of  the 
Sleaford  Station,  and  a  general  holiday  in  the  town,  when  all 
sorts  of  good  wishes  were  uttered  in  behalf  of  the  new  line,  which 
have  been  amply  fulfilled. 

Subsequently  the  line  was  extended  from  Sleaford  to  Boston, 
when  great  rejoicings  took  place  at  Boston,  and  a  first  excursion 
trip  was  made  by  the  Directors  and  their  friends  from  Boston  to 
Grantham  ;  after  which,  as  at  Sleaford,  the  day  concluded  with 
a  public  dinner  in  the  Exchange  Hall,  under  the  presidency, 
as  before,  of  the  late  Mr,  Herbert  Ingram,  whose  life  has  since 
been  so  lamentably  lost  through  a  calamitous  accident  in 
America. 


HOLDINGHAM. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

1360.  142. 

THIS  is  a  hamlet  of  New  Sleaford,  lying  northward  of  it.  Its 
name  was  originally  spelt  Haldingham.  It  is  not  men- 
tioned in  Domesday  book,  nor  in  Testa  de  Nevill,  perhaps  because 
it  always  constituted  an  adjunct  of  Lafford  or  Sleaford  ;  and  the 
first  we  hear  of  it,  is  as  a  portion  of  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln's 
manor  of  Sleaford. 

It  gave  birth,  we  may  presume,  to  Eichard  de  Haldingham 
circa  1250-60,  the  author  of  a  very  early  and  curious  map  of  the 
world,  drawn  on  vellum,  now  preserved  in  Hereford  Cathedral. 
He  was  an  ecclesiastic  of  Lincoln  Cathedral,  who  subsequently 
held  the  Prebend  of  Norton,  in  Hereford  Cathedral  from  1299  to 
1310,  during  which  time  he  no  doubt  produced  his  map.  Next 
he  was  connected  with  the  Chapter  of  Salisbury,  and  finally 
became  Archdeacon  of  Berks.  This  map  represents  the  various 
countries  of  the  world  as  an  island  surrounded  by  an  illimitable 
ocean,  with  Jerusalem  in  the  centre,  and  is  interspersed  with 
various  religious  and  other  devices.  Among  these  is  a  portrait  of 
a  horseman  followed  by  a  page  holding  two  greyhounds  in  a 
leash,  towards  whom  he  is  represented  as  turning,  and  saying, 
Passe  avant.  This  is  intended  for  Augustus  Caesar  ;  beneath  is 
the  following  reference  to  the  artist  of  the  map  : — 

Tuz  ki  cest  estoire  ont. 

Ou  oyront  ou  lirront  on  ueront. 

Prient  a  ihesu  en  deyte. 

De  Richard  de  Haldingham  e  de  Lafford  eyt  pite. 

Ki  la  fet  e  compasse. 

Ki  ioie  en  eel  li  seit  done. 
Which  may  thus  be  rendered  in  English  : — 

May  all  who  this  fair  history 

Shall  either  hear,  or  read,  or  see, 

Pray  to  Jesus  Christ  in  Deity 

Eichard  of  Haldingham  and  Lafford  to  pity 

That  to  him  for  aye  be  given 

Who  made  this  map,  the  joy  of  Heaven. 


HOLDINGHAM.  181 

The  next  we  hear  of  any  person  connected  with  this  hamlet 
is  in  a  deed  of  Bishop  Oliver  Sutton,  by  which,  with  the  consent 
of  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Lincoln,  he  manumitted  William 
Rauceby,  of  Haldingham,  his  bondsman,  and  confirmed  to  him 
5  tofts  and  2  oxgangs  of  land  in  Lafford  and  Haldingham,  which 
he  had  previously  held  in  villanage  of  the  Bishops  of  Lincoln  for 
a  rent  of  20s.  to  be  paid  at  the  court  of  the  manor  of  Lafford,  and 
all  secular  services,  customs,  and  demands  for  ever.  This  was 
dated  and  signed  at  Lincoln  on  the  Thursday  next  after  the  feast 
of  the  Assumption,  1287,  and  was  confirmed  by  the  King,  at 
Waltham,  February  4th,  1332. 

Before  the  enclosure  of  this  hamlet,  part  of  it  at  the  angle 
between  the  Lincoln  and  Newark  roads  was  called  the  Anna,  a 
term  possibly  derived  from  Annachorage  or  Anchorage,  marking 
the  site  of  an  ancient  hermitage.  On  this  was  an  enclosure  sur- 
rounded by  a  fosse  and  the  remains  of  an  ancient  building  within 
it,  now  incorporated  in  the  farm  premises  on  its  site. 

In  the  1 6th  century  there  was  a  chapel  here  dedicated  to  the 
Virgin  Mary,  but  how  long  it  had  then  existed  is  unknown.  This 
stood  in  the  small  pasture  close  bounded  on  the  east  and  north  by 
the  Lincoln  and  Newark  roads,  and  from  a  former  examination 
of  its  site  appears  to  have  been  70  feet  long  and  30  feet  wide. 
It  had  fallen  into  a  ruinous  state  in  Queen  Mary's  reign,  when 
inquisition  was  made  into  its  condition,  and  its  reparation  ensued. 
It  still  existed  in  Holles's  time — 1640,  for  he  noted  four  armorial 
bearings  painted  on  its  windows,  viz  :  those  of  Eussell,  Bishop  of 
Lincoln,  Hussey,  Berkley,  and  Markham.  In  front  of  this  by 
the  road  side  formerly  stood  the  octagonal  base  of  a  cross ;  but 
this  has  now  disappeared. 

The  whole  of  the  land  in  Holdingham  now  belongs  to  the 
Marquis  of  Bristol  through  the  marriage  of  his  ancestor  Mr. 
Hervey,  with  the  heiress  of  the  Carre  family. 


OLD  SLEAFORD. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

1150.  372. 

THIS  is  a  small  distinct  parish,  separated  from  New  Sleaford 
on  the  north  by  the  little  river  Slea,  bounded  on  the  west 
and  south  by  Quarrington,  and  by  Kirkby  Laythorpe  on  the  east. 
It  was  formerly  the  property  of  the  Husseys,  whose  residence 
here  in  Leland's  time  was  jotted  down  in  his  Itinerary  as  being 
one  of  the  chief  ornaments  of  Sleaford,  and  whose  history  has  been 
previously  given  in  connection  with  the  general  history  of  Sleaford. 
Besides  the  principal  manor  of  Sleaford  and  its  adjuncts,  there 
was  certainly  another  distinct  manor  here,  eventually  called  Old 
Sleaford,  although  for  a  time  both  were  comprised  under  the 
general  name  of  Lafford,  because  both  were  long  held  by  the 
Bishops  of  Lincoln,  and  considered  as  one.  No  doubt  Old  Slea- 
ford was  part  of  the  original  gift  of  the  Conqueror  to  Bishop 
Remigius  on  the  removal  of  his  See  from  Dorchester  to  Lincoln, 
and  it  was  let  in  common  with  his  other  lands  to  various  tenants 
by  him  and  his  successors,  or  rather  such  portions  of  them  as 
they  did  not  require  for  their  own  use.  When  the  distinctive 
terms  of  Old  and  New  Sleaford  begun  to  be  used  is  uncertain, 
but  such  was  certainly  the  case  towards  the  close  of  the  14th 
century,  from  the  evidence  of  the  following  will,  proved  Januaiy 
19th,  1397  :— 

' '  1  Sidonia  Story  de  Veteri  Lafford,  on  Saturday  in  the  feast  of 
St.  Thomas  the  Martyr  in  the  week  of  the  Nativity  of  our 
Lord  1397  make  my  will." 

"  I  leave  my  body  to  be  buried  in  the  church  of  All  Saints  in 
the  afore  said  vill.  To  the  fabric  of  the  church  of  Lincoln 
I  leave  4s.  3d.  To  the  house  of  St.  Katharine  3s.  4d.  To 
the  fabric  of  the  church  of  Old  Sleaford  20s.  To  the  church 
of  North  Eauceby  3s.  4d.  To  the  chapel  of  South  Eauceby 
in  the  same  parish  3s.  4d.  The  residue  of  my  goods  I  leave 
to  my  executors,  and  I  appoint  them,  viz  :  John  Storey, 
my  son,  John  Gillham  of  Falkingham,  and  William  Scote 
of  North  Kyrkby.  The  following  being  witnesses  :  John 
Helveston,  Dominus  Thomas,  Chaplain  of  the  parish  and 
Dominua  Thomas  Welton. "  ' '  Buckingham's  Eegisters  451. " 


OLD  SLEAFORD. 
THE  OLD  PLACE. 


183 


This  lies  half  a  mile  eastward  of  Sleaford,  on  the  north  of 
the  Sleaford  and  Boston  road,  and  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  the 
remains  of  the  old  Roman  road  from  Peterborough  to  Lincoln, 
before  it  crossed  the  Slea  near  to  Cogglesford  mill  by  means  of  a 
ford,  which  existed  until  1792.  It  appears  to  have  been  erected 
on  the  site  of  a  small  Roman  Station,  the  fosse  of  which  was 
probably  incorporated  in,  or  adopted  as  the  one  formerly  defending 
the  residence  that  subsequently  was  built  within  the  area  it 
surrounded,  where  many  Roman  coins  and  some  pottery  have 
occasionally  been  found,  bespeaking  its  Roman  occupation. 
About  the  year  1400,  if  not  before,  a  house  arose  on  this  spot, 
apparently  the  work  of  the  first  of  the  Husseys  settled  at  Sleaford, 
whose  descendants  certainly  lived  here  until  their  estates  were 
forfeited  by  the  attainder  of  John,  Lord  Hussey.  This  was 
formerly  represented  by  an  interesting  old  mullioned  window 
house,  having  a  stepped  gable  of  which  the  subjoined  cut  is  a 
representation  ;  but  in  1822  it  was  unfortunately  taken  down  and 


the  present  farm  house  was  erected  in  its  stead.  There  are  how- 
ever still  some  portions  of  the  old  fosse  remaining,  and  the  garden 
wall  and  doorway  attest  the  handsome  character  of  its  adjuncts. 


184  OLD  SLEAFOED. 

The  manor  of  Old  Sleaford  was  held  of  the  castle  of  Sleaford 
by  Lord  Hussey,  but  was  purchased  by  Eobert  Carre  after  the 
attainder  of  that  unfortunate  nobleman,  and  thus  transmitted  to 
its  present  owner,  the  Marquis  of  Bristol. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

When  first  we  hear  of  the  church  of  Old  Sleaford,  it  had 
fallen  into  the  possession  of  the  Monastery  of  the  "  Blessed  Mary 
of  Haverholme,"  and  was  served  by  a  vicar  of  its  appointment. 
The  following  were  some  of  the  later  vicars  and  the  dates  of  their 
presentation  by  the  Prior  and  Canons  of  Haverholme  Priory  : — 
A.D.  1503. — Eobertus  Grayme. 

1505. — Eichardus  Symson. 

1507. — Johannes  Thomason. 

1535.— Galfridus  Wodnot. 

1538. — Eobertus  Walker  (presented  by  the  King.) 
In  Ecton's  Liber  Eegis,  the  church  of  Old  Sleaford  is  called  a 
vicarage.  It  is  said  to  have  been  dedicated  to  St.  Giles,  but  from 
the  evidence  of  Sidonia  Storey's  will,  previously  given,  it  appears 
really  to  have  been  called  that  of  All  Saints.  This  stood  east- 
ward of  the  Old  Place,  and  within  the  farm  yard  of  the  present 
house  representing  it.  Some  carved  stones  belonging  to  it  were 
found  built  into  the  chimneys  of  its  predecessor  and  some  of 
the  painted  glass  of  its  windows  was  found  in  digging  into  the 
ground  near  to  its  site.  It  appears  that  Haverholme  Priory  ap- 
propriated to  itself  all  the  proceeds  of  this  church,  and  although 
vicars  were  appointed,  these  served  it  from  Haverholme  without 
endowment.  Thus  when  the  tithes  of  Old  Sleaford  as  part  of  the 
proceeds  of  Haverholme  Priory  fell  into  the  King's  hands  at  the 
dissolution,  he  first  granted  a  least  of  them  to  Thomas  Horseman, 
and  subsequently  sold  them  to  Eobert  Carre.  The  parishioners, 
then  consisting  of  ten  families,  attended  New  Sleaford  church. 
Some  time  after,  the  Eector  of  Quarrington,  thinking  to  benefit 
himself,  got  a  presentation  to  the  church  of  Old  Sleaford  under  the 
great  seal ;  but  when  he  found  "  noe  manner  of  tythes  belonging 
unto  it  he  exceedingly  repented  him  of  his  folly,  &  soe  left  it,"  as 
old  Burton  informs  us  in  his  instructions  to  the  then  young  repre- 
sentative of  the  Carres,  Subsequently  an  arrangement  was  made 
between  Eobert  Carre  and  the  Eector,  that  the  latter  should 


OLD  SLEAFOBD. 


185 


admit  to  his  church,  the  inhabitants  of  Old  Sleaford  on  condition 
of  receiving  a  yearly  payment  for  the  accommodation.  As  the 
Eector  of  Quarrington  failed  to  get  any  tithes  from  Old  Sleaford, 
so  in  the  time  of  Bishops  Chatterton  and  Barlow  the  Crown 
failed  to  get  any  tenths  from  it,  after  having  twice  tried  to  do  so. 


ANWICK. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

1965.  277. 

THE  name  of  this  village,  lying  5  miles  north  east  of  Sleaford, 
was  spelt  differently  even  in  Domesday  book,  viz  :  Amuinc 
and  Haniuuic,  and  subsequently  Hanewic,  Anewyke,  Amwyk, 
and  Anwyk.  According  to  the  above  named  ancient  record 
An  wick  was  a  berewick  of  Euskington,  and  contained  6  carucates 
of  taxable  land  when  the  Conqueror's  survey  was  made.  Ealph, 
the  grandson  of  Geoffrey  Alselin,  had  here  21  sokemen  and  4 
villans,  cultivating  the  greater  part  of  this  land,  also  a  vassal 
called  Drogo  holding  5£  oxgangs  of  land  of  him,  worth  25s. 
Subsequently  the  land  here  was  divided  between  the  families  of 
Alselin,  or  Hanselin,  and  de  Calz.  Then  that  of  the  former 
passed  to  the  Bardolf  family,  of  whom  William  Bardolf  died 
possessed  of  the  manor  here  1252-4,  another  William  in  1290, 
and  John  in  1372.  The  de  Calz  heiress — Matilda,  after  having 
given  certain  lands  in  Anwick  in  pure  and  perpetual  alms  to  the 
Prior  of  Haverholme,  left  the  rest  to  the  de  Everinghams,  of 
whom  Eobert  obtained  a  right  of  free  warren  over  his  lands  in 
Anwick,  let  to  John  de  Everingham,  who  sub-let  them  again  to 
Walter  de  Anwick  by  knight's  service.  This  Eobert  de  Evering- 
ham died  1287.  "Testa  de  Nevill,  p.  318."  In  1356  died 
David  de  Fletewicke,  knight,  seized  of  a  messuage  in  this  vill. 
In  1431  died  John  Tyrwhit,  of  Harpswell,  seized  of  a  manor  here, 
held  as  of  the  manor  of  Euskington,  and  ten  years  later  died 
William  Phelip,  knight  (husband  of  one  of  the  Bardolf  co- 
heiresses), seized  of  this  vill.  "Inq.  p.  m.  9  &  19,  H.  6."  In 
1544  the  king  granted  a  license  to  Edward  Lord  Clinton  to 
alienate  the  manor  of  Anwick  to  Eobert  Carre  and  his  heirs, 
"  Harl.  M.S.  6829  ;  "  and  the  next  year  he  answered  at  the  Ex- 
chequer for  the  sum  of  £1  10s.  lid.  due  from  him  out  of  the 
exists  of  the  manors  of  Haverholme,  Euskington,  and  Anwick, 
held  of  the  King  in  capite.  "  Pip.  Eot.  283."  Then  we  hear  of 


ANWICK. 


187 


a  John  Thompson,  of  Boothby,  who  died  April  7th,  1559,  seized 
of  two  thirds  of  the  manor  of  Anwick,  which  he  left  partly  to  his 
widow  and  partly  to  his  son  Francis,  who,  when  he  died,  had 
increased  this  third  to  one  half.  "  Haii  M.S.  6829."  On  the- 
13th  of  December,  1561,  died  Hamond  Whichcote-,  seized  of 
the  manor  of  Anwick,  held  of  the  manor  of  Ruskington  by  fealty, 
and  on  the  14th  of  September,  1578,  Robert  Whichcote  died 
possessed  of  it.  On  the  24th  February,  1593,  died  Robert  Carre, 
of  Sleaford,  seized  of  the  manor  of  Anwick,  leaving  his  uncle 
Robert  Carre,  of  Aswarby,  his  heir,  from  whom  it  descended  to 
the  heiress  of  that  family,  and  thus  eventually  passed  into  the 
hands  of  the  present  possessor,  the  Marquis  of  Bristol.  In 
Elizabeth's  reign  there  were  only  30  houses  in  this  parish.  This 
was  enclosed  in  1791.  Previous  to  the  formation  of  the  turnpike 
road  passing  through  it  to  Tattershall  and  Horncastle,  Anwick 
was  difficult  of  access  during  the  winter  months,  and  all  commu- 
nication with  places  eastward  of  it  was  entirely  stopped. 

THE  DRAKE  STONE. 

Many  absurd  stories  have  been  told  respecting  this  stone, 
the  present  popular  name  of  which  is  said  to  be  derived  from  the 
form  its  guardian  spirit  assumed  when  disturbed  by  a  vain 
attempt  to  move  it,  he  took  flight  in  the  form  of  a  drake.  With 
the  assistance  of  the  late  Rev.  S.  Hazelwood,  Dr.  Oliver  had  this 
stone  exposed  to  view  in  1832,  and  put  forth  various  bold  state- 
ments respecting  it,  in  which  he  connected  it  with  the  Druids  and 
Druidical  uses  ;  but  in  reality  it  bears  no  trace  of  any  such  ap- 
plication, nor  even  of  havicg  served  as  a  cromlech,  or  sepulchral 
memorial.  Originally  it  stood  on  the  surface  of  the  ground  about 
half-a-mile  north  of  the  village  of  Anwick,  or  in  the  fifth  field 
from  the  church,  but  some  years  ago  was  sunk  to  allow  of  the 
free  action  of  the  plough  over  it.  Lately,  through  the  kindness 
of  the  present  vicar,  the  Rev.  Henry  Ashington,  it  was  once  more 
laid  bare,  and  a  drawing  made  of  it,  from  which  the  accompany- 
ing cut  was  engraved.  It  consists  of  a  large  mass  of  dark  reddish 
grey  sandstone  full  of  sea  shells,  and  its  partially  water  worn 
appearance  clearly  indicates  that  it  has  been  brought  here  by  the 
action  of  water  during  some  long  past  great  convulsion  of  nature. 
By  its  side  lies  a  fragment  that  has  evidently  been  broken  off 


188 


AN  WICK. 


from^it.  It  is  still  however  nearly  6  feet  long,  3  feet  wide,  and 
the  same  deep.  Other  boulders  and  their  fragments  abound 
around  it,  proving  that  it  is  only  one  of  a  number  of  such  stones 
that  have  been  brought  from  a  distance  by  water  power.  This 
stone  is  said  to  have  stood  upon  another  stone  at  one  time,  which 
renders  it  possible  that  it  may  have  been  used  as  a  cromlech ; 
but  perhaps  this  second  stone  may  only  have  been  a  fragment 
of  itself,  like  the  one  now  beside  it,  although  there  is  no  evidence 
whatever  to  suggest  that  it  did  serve  this  purpose,  neither  has 
man  left  any  mark  upon  its  surface,  so  that  it  cannot  be  classed 
with  any  degree  of  certainty  among  British  relics.  The  greater 
part  of  this  parish  belongs  to  the  Marquis  of  Bristol. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

In  1150-60,  Ralph  Anselin  confirmed  to  God,  the  Blessed 
Mary,  and  the  Priory  of  Haverholme,   3J  acres  of  land  in  the 


ANWICK. 


189 


plains  of  this  vill,  which  Robert,  the  son  of  Geoffrey  had  given 
them.  Matilda  de  Calz  gave  to  the  same  Priory  5  oxgangs  of 
land  in  this  parish,  the  privilege  of  cutting  as  many  reeds  for 
thatching  as  two  men  could  cut  annually,  and  liberty  to  fish  in 
the  Anwick  waters.  "Lansdown  M.S.  207."  Ralph,  the  son  of 
Fulco  de  Anwick  gave  five  parts  of  the  church  of  Anwick  to  the 
same,  for  the  benefit  of  his  own  and  his  wife's  soul ;  which  gift 
his  nephew,  Walter,  son  of  William  de  Anwick  confirmed. 
Another  member  of  this  family,  Geoffrey,  son  of  Roger  de  Anwick, 
gave  a  fifth  part  of  the  church  of  Anwick  for  the  health  of  his 
own  and  his  wife's  soul.  "Ibid."  William,  the  son  of  Philip  de 
Kyme,  gave  in  pure  alms  to  the  nuns  of  Haverholme  pasturage 
for  their  flocks  in  Anwick  fen.  "Ibid."  Richard,  the  son  of 
Robert,  the  priest  of  Anwick,  gave  one  acre  of  arable  land  in 
Anwick  to  Haverholme  Priory.  "  Holies."  Alan  de  Cranwell 
gave  it  one  toft  and  one  bovate  in  Anwick  which  had  been  given 
to  him  by  William  de  Anwick,  and  Ralph,  the  son  of  Robert  gave 
it  6  selions  of  his  own  fee  in  this  parish.  "  Ibid."  The  follow- 
ing also  gave  lands  in  Anwick  to  the  adjacent  Priory  of  Haver- 
holme, viz  :  William,  son  of  Falco  de  Anwick,  who  presented  it 
with  22  acres  of  arable  land  of  his  fee  in  Coleland,  on  the  east  of 
its  Bercary,  for  the  benefit  of  the  souls  of  his  parents,  his  brother 
— Ralph,  his  wife — Emma,  and  his  own.  "  Lansdown  M.S. 
207."  Geoffrey,  the  son  of  Agnes  de  Anwick,  who  gave  it  all  his 
fen  land  in  Anwick.  Walter,  parson  of  Anwick,  who  gave  a  toft 
and  2  oxgangs  that  had  been  held  by  his  mother  Lina,  and  given 
him  by  his  brother  Ralph.  "  Holies."  The  firm  of  one  tenement 
and  4  acres  of  land  and  pasture  in  the  plains  of  Anwick  were 
given  by  Robert  Falkner,  for  the  annual  observance  of  his  obit 
in  the  church  of  Anwick  for  ever;  out  of  which  12  pence  was  to 
be  paid  to  Robert  Carr  and  William  Thompson,  and  4  pence  in 
alms  to  the  poor  at  Michaelmas — worth  7  shillings  a  year  at  the 
dissolution.  So  also  22  pence  a  year  arising  from  the  firm  of 
2  acres  of  meadow  were  given  for  the  same  purpose  by  an  un- 
known person. 

The  following  is  a  characteristic  Will  of  the  first  half  of  the 
16th  century,  connected  with  Anwick  : — 

"By  "Will,  dated  21  Jan.  1534,  I  John  Thompson  of  ye  parishe 
of  Anwick  leave  my  body  to  be  buried  in  the  churchyards 
of  the  Holly  Aposteyl  in  the  pishe  of  Anwick.  I  will  to 


190  AN  WICK. 

Wm.  my  son  a  cowe,  and  he  to  be  in  the  governaunce  of 
John  Chamlayn.  To  Richd.  my  son  a  cowe,  and  he  to  be  in 
the  governance  of  John  Freeman.  To  John  my  son  a  cowe, 
and  he  to  be  in  ye  govnce-  of  John  Potte.  To  Emma  my 
daughter  a  cowe  with  calfe,  and  she  to  be  under  the 
g0vnce.  of  John  Skayth  and  Isabell  my  wyfe.  To  Isabell 
my  daughter  10  shepe,  to  Jenet  my  daughter  a  brandyd 
eo we  of  4  yer  age.  Exors  John  Potte  and  Robt.  my  son." 
Proved  21  Ap.  1535. 

The   vicarage   was   formerly   impropriate    of    Haverholmo 
Priory.     In  1616,  this  was  valued  at  £20  a  year,  and  there  were 
140  communicants.     "  Willis's  M.S.  f.  39."     It  is  now  in  the 
patronage  of  the  Marquis  of  Bristol.      The  following  is  a  list 
of  the  later  vicars  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 
A.D.  1535. — Eichard  Symson. 
1590. — John  Lillington. 
1593.— Robert  Wilson. 
1610.— Geoffrey  Wood. 
1648. — John  Simpson. 
1650. — John  Walker. 
1668.— -Gilbert  Nelson. 
1684. — Eichard  Disney. 

1691 . — William  Everingham  (also  Rector  of  Brauncewell. ) 
1717.— Henry  Croske. 
1730.— Robert  Gardener. 
1760.— William  Tongue. 
1769. — John  Andrews. 
1799. — George  Matthew. 
1812. — Robert  Denny  Rix  Spooner. 
1826.— Samuel  Hazelwood. 
1852.— Charles  Cotteriil. 
1854. — Henry  Ashington. 

THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  dedicated  to  St.  Edith,  and  consists  of  a  tower  and 
spire,  a  nave,  north  and  south  aisles,  a  porch,  and  a  fragmentary 
part  of  a  chancel.  Externally  it  is  wholly  of  a  good  Decorated 
character,  except  an  Early  English  doorway  inserted  in  the  north 
wall  of  the  nave.  The  tower  and  spire  are  the  most  conspicuous 
features  of  the  fabric.  Their  mouldings,  in  common  with  those 


ANWICK. 


191 


of  the  whole  church,  are  bold  and  good  ;  and  their  hood  mould 
terminals,  finials,  and  other  ornaments,  spring  forth  most 
effectively,  but  are  perhaps  slightly  too  large.  The  sills  of  the 
belfry  lights  are  cleverly  carried  right  through  the  thickness  of  the 
tower  walls  at  a  very  acute  angle,  so  as  to  exhibit  their  full  depth. 
A  newel  staircase  is  contrived  in  its  south  western  angle,  and 
curiously  enough  large  putlog  holes  have  long  remained  un- 
stopped in  its  faces.  It  was  built  before  the  aisles,  as  may  be 
seen  by  the  manner  in  which  their  west  walls  are  built  on  to  the 
eastern  buttresses  of  the  tower.  The  spire  scarcely  tapers  enough, 
and  is  rather  oppressed  by  its  three  tiers  of  lights,  and  ornaments, 
but  is  a  handsome  feature.  The  pitch  of  the  first  roof  of  the  nave 
is  clearly  marked  out  by  its  weathering  remaining  upon  the  east 
face  of  the  tower,  and  a  still  higher  one  appears  to  have  been 
afterwards  added,  reaching  more  than  half  way  up  the  eastern 
belfry  light.  Unfortunately  the  present  wretched  roof  is  nearly 
flat.  The  aisles  are  low,  and  only  a  little  later  than  the  tower. 
Their  windows  are  all  alike,  and  of  two  lights  with  segmental 
arched  heads,  except  those  at  the  east  ends  of  the  aisles,  which 
have  three  lights.  It  will  be  at  once  seen  that  the  east  end  of 
the  chancel,  and  its  original  roof  are  gone  ;  a  wretched  modern 
wall  and  window  now  robbing  it  of  its  proper  length,  and  an 
equally  wretched  low  roof  curtailing  its  due  height.  It  once  had 
two  lights  in  its  north  wall,  but  one  of  these  is  stopped  up.  On 
the  south  side  is  one  light  that  has  lost  its  head,  and  a  door. 
The  porch,  on  the  south  side  of  the  nave,  has  a  well  moulded 
arch  without,  and  a  richer  doorway  within.  In  the  external  face 
of  the  north  aisle  is  the  charming  little  Early  English  doorway 
before  spoken  of.  On  each  side  is  a  small  pillar  having  a  keel- 
shaped  shaft  and  a  small  nail-head  band  passing  round  its  cap  ; 
its  arch  is  enriched  with  two  rows  of  a  boldly  cut  tooth  ornament. 
Within,  the  north  aisle  arcade  is  of  the  same  beautiful 
character  as  the  above-named  doorway,  which  no  doubt  at  first 
served  in  a  contemporary  aisle,  before  the  present  Decorated  one 
was  built.  It  consists  of  four  bays,  supported  by  clustered 
filleted  pillars,  with  a  little  band  of  the  nail-head  ornament  on 
their  caps,  and  the  water  mould  adorning  their  bases  ;  the  whole 
springing  from  plain  square  plinths.  The  responds  have  keel- 
shaped  shafts  and  a  bold  band  of  the  tooth  mould  on  either  side 
of  them.  The  hood  mould  of  the  whole  arcade  is  enriched  with 
a  similar  band  of  the  nail-head  ornament. 


192  ANWICK. 

The  south,  aisle  arcade — also  of  four  bays,  together  with  all 
the  rest  of  this  church,  is  Decorated.  Its  pillars  spring  from 
diagonal  plinths,  and  have  clustered  shafts  supporting  plainly 
moulded  arches.  The  tower  and  chancel  arches  are  similar  to 
these.  A  piscina  in  the  south  wall  of  the  chancel  near  the  east 
end  indicates  that  there  was  once  a  chapel  there. 

The  staircase,  formerly  leading  to  the  rood  loft  at  the  south 
eastern  angle  of  the  nave,  still  remains  perfect.  On  opening  its 
long  closed  doorway  in  1859,  when  this  church  was  iu  part 
restored,  a  small  mutilated  sedent  figure  of  the  Yirgin  and  child 
was  found  within.  This  is  of  Ancaster  stone,  painted.  There 
also  three  little  octagonal  shafted  pillars  were  found,  which  had 
perhaps  served  as  supports  to  an  altar  slab.  One  is  Norman  and 
has  a  scalloped  cushion  cap,  the  others  are  Early  English,  but 
dissimilar  in  detail.  The  font  is  a  plain  octagonal  Decorated 
one,  and  retains  the  staples  on  the  edge  of  its  bowl  formerly  used 
to  fasten  down  the  cover.  Here  also  is  an  iron  hour-glass  stand, 
formerly  of  service,  we  may  hope,  both  to  the  preachers  and  con- 
gregations. On  the  three  bells  of  this  church  are  the  following 
inscriptions : — 

1. — God  save  this  church.     1654. 

"W.  Thompson.     T.  Squire.     Wardens. 
2. — Grata  sit  arguta  resonans  campanula  voce. 
3. _\\rm  Gladwin.     Warden.     1656. 

In  the  chancel  floor  is  a  large  sepulchral  Blab  bearing  the 
following  border  legend  : — "  Hie  Jacet  corpus  Thomae  Whichcote 
de  Haverholme  fili  Hamond  Whichcote  de  Dunston  armigeris — 
vitam  expiravit — die  Julii  Ano.  Dni.  1615,"  and  a  boar's  head, 
or  the  Whichcote  crest,  upon  a  shield  in  the  centre. 

Close  to  the  porch  in  the  churchyard  is  the  clustered  base  of 
a  shaft,  once  no  doubt  surmounted  by  a  cross. 


ASHBY  DE  LA  LAUNDE. 


ACREAGE, 
1298. 


POPULATION, 
176. 


THE  name  of  this  village,  lying  6  miles  north  of  Lincoln,  has 
been  variously  spelt  Aschebi,  Asheby,  Askeby,  Eshebie  and 
Esseby.  The  principal  Saxon  landowners  here  were  Aschil,  from 
whom  Ashby  perhaps  derived  its  name,  and  Outi.  After  the 
Conquest  Colsuein  became  the  possessor  of  their  lands.  These 
consisted  of  3  J  carucates  subsequently  reckoned  as  4  carucates,  of 
which  Colsuein  retained  J  in  demesne.  He  had  12  villans,  2 
sokemen,  having  1  oxgang  of  this  land,  1  bordar  with  2  carucates, 
and  15  acres  of  meadow,  worth  in  King  Edward's  time  40s.,  but 
subsequently  70s.  From  the  time  of  Stephen  to  that  of  Henry 
VIII.  two  distinct  manors  continued  to  exist  in  Ashby.  One, 
constituting  Colsuein' s  lands,  and  consisting  of  2  knight's  fees, 
first  held  of  the  King  by  the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  was  let  by  him  to 
Jordan  de  Essheby.  Subsequently  the  de  la  Hayes  held  this 
manor  as  the  representatives  of  that  Earl,  and  it  continued  to 
be  held  of  them  by  the  Esshebys.  The  other  was  at  first 
possessed  by  Simon  Tuchet,  who  gave  his  manor  and  half  his 
lands  in  Ashby  to  the  knights  of  Temple  Bruer,  and  the  remainder 
to  the  Prior  and  fraternity  of  Haverholme.  "  Testa  de  Nevill  p. 
313,  and  Peck's  MSS."  William  de  Essheby,  temp.  Henry  I., 
for  the  better  security  of  his  lands  and  person  joined  the  fraternity 
of  the  Templars,  and  presented  them  with  certain  lands  on  the 
heath  near  their  residence,  and  four  oxgangs  of  land  in  Ashby  on 
certain  conditions,  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  annexed  transla- 
tion of  his  gift-deed  as  recorded  in  "  Peck's  MSS.  4934,"  now  in 
the  British  Museum. 

William  de  Eshebie  greets  all  the  Barons  and  Vavassors  of 
Lincolnshire  (Lyndecolnshyre),  as  well  as  his  friends  and 
the  Sheriffs,  both  French  and  English. 

Know  all  of  you,  as  well  present  as  future,  that  I,  William,  did 
when  the  knights  of  the  Temple  received  me  into  their 


]94  ASHBY  DE  LA  LAUNDE. 

Brotherhood,  and  took  me  under  their  care  and  protection, 
grant  by  the  full  assent  of  my  brothers  Inhillus,  Gerhard, 
and  Jordan,  and  did  give  to  God,  the  blessed  Mary,  and  to 
the  said  knights  of  the  Temple,  whatever  had  been  left  me 
of  the  waste  land  and  breure,  besides  that  which  I  had  con- 
firmed to  them  by  my  former  charters.  And  I  will  and 
grant  that  they  may  have  and  hold  in  perpetual  alms  all 
that  portion  of  the  waste  land  and  breure,  which  had 
formerly  belonged  to  me,  situated  between  the  way  which 
leads  from  Sleaford  to  Lincoln,  and  that  other  road  which 
leads  from  Lincoln  to  Stamford.  I  have  also  given  and 
confirmed  to  them  4  oxgangs  in  Ashebie,  on  condition  that 
Henry  my  son  hold  three  oxgangs  of  these  s,aid  knights'of 
the  Temple  for  an  annual  rent  of  2s.  This  donation  1  have 
made  into  the  hands  of  brother  Robert  Leigner,  there  being 
present  witnessing  the  same  my  brothers  Inhillus,  Gerhard 
and  Jordan,  also  Robert,  Westburne,  Richard  the  deacon, 
and  Galfrid  the  priest  of  Gilbert  de  Cressy,  and  others. 

William  de  Essheby  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Henry,  his 
grandson  Colsuein,  and  his  great-grandson  Robert,  whose  son — a 
second  William,  in  the  reign  of  Richard  I.,  gave  the  church  of 
Ashby  to  the  Templars  of  Temple  Bruer,  as  will  be  seen  more 
fully  subsequently.  This  son,  Jordan  de  Essheby,  was  Constable 
of  Lincoln  Castle,  temp  Henry  III.,  when  disputes  began  to  arise 
about  the  respective  rights  of  the  Templars  and  the  lords  of 
Ashby  to  the  amount  of  common  pasture  on  the  heath,  but  were 
temporarily  settled.  He  died  circa  1247,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  son  Jordan.  Then  the  old  disputes  about  the  heath  pasturage 
commenced  again,  together  with  a  fresh  one  respecting  the  right 
to  Ashby  church.  He  married  Alice,  daughter  and  coheir  of 
Sabina  de  Mustell,  and  had  two  sons  William  and  John,  but  as 
they  both  died  before  him,  his  sister  Cecilia  became  his  heir, 
married  to  William  de  la  Launde,  of  Laceby,  living  circa  1 345, 
who  thus  transferred  to  him  her  family  estates,  and  gave  to  the 
parish  of  Ashby  that  useful  distinguishing  name  which  it  still 
bears.  He,  in  his  wife's  right,  held  the  manor  of  Ashby  of  the 
Lady  Wake,  Countess  of  Kent,  wife  of  Edmund  of  Woodstock, 
and  of  the  fee  of  de  la  Haye.  He  paid  also  an  annual  rent  of 
10s.,  as  Warden  of  Lincoln  Castle,  and  was  obliged  to  give  suit 
of  court  at  Bardolf  Hall  in  the  bail  of  Lincoln  every  six  weeks. 
In  his  time  the  Templars  were  suppressed.  He  was  succeeded  by 


ASHBY  DE  LA  LAUNDE. 


195 


his  son  William,  who  on  attaining  his  majority  did  homage  and 
fealty  to  the  Lady  Wake's  steward  for  his  lands  in  Ashby.  He 
was  one  of  the  Commissioners  of  array  for  the  parts 'of  Kesteven 
for  the  defence  of  the  kingdom  in  the  King's  absence,  1359.  He 
married  Isabel,  daughter  and  heir  of  William  de  Londerthorpe, 
both  of  whom  were  buried  at  Ashby.  Their  eldest  son,  Edmund, 
diedjwithout  issue  1387,  when  Thomas  became  their  heir.  His 
son  Simon,  lord  of  Ashby  and  Londerthorpe,  and  his  wife  Isabella 
were  buried  beneath  tombs  formerly  existing  in  Ashby  church. 
They  had  two  sons,  Henry,  the  eldest,  a  priest,  who  assigned  the 
manor  of  Ashby  to  his  younger  brother  Robert.  He  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Eobert  Blyth,  of  Leadenham,  by  whom  he 
had  Thomas,  born  1466.  He  was  attached  to  the  household  of 
the  Earl  of  Oxford,  and  was  famous  for  his  litigious  propensities. 
His  first  dispute  with  .the  Master  of  the  Hospitalers  of  Temple 
Bruer  was  respecting  the  right  of  the  church  of  Ashby,  which 
will  be  described  subsequently.  His  next  was  as  to  an  advantage 
he  had  been  deprived  of  during  his  minority  by  Sir  John 
Boswell,  the  then  Master,  and  for  which  he  presented  him  after 
he  came  of  age  in  1492.  It  appears  that  one  John  An  wick,  of 
Anwick  Place,  in  Ashby,  married  a  daughter  of  John  Grubton,  of 
Lincoln,  and  by  her  had  a  son  called  John  the  younger,  an  idiot. 
The  mother  died,  when  the  father  married  secondly  Janette 
Cappe,  of  Harmston,  and  died  soon  after.  Janette  then  took 
possession  of  Anwyke  Place  belonging  to  the  family  of  that  name, 
and  their  deeds,  &c.,  and  married  John  Glayston,  when  the  idiot 
Anwick  heir  was  taken  from  her  and  placed  under  the  warden- 
ship  of  Eobert  de  la  Launde,  his  lord  superior,  as  a  minor  8  years 
of  age.  This  Eobert  then  let  Anwick  Place  to  a  relation — 
William  de  la  Launde,  Henry  Wymbish,  and  others,  for  his 
own  benefit,  and  instead  of  taking  proper  care  of  the  little 
wretched  idiot  owner,  made  him  over  to  Sir  John  Boswell  of  the 
Temple,  as  a  fool  for  the  amusement  of  the  community  at  Temple 
Bruer.  Happily  for  himself  this  poor  child  soon  died,  and  then 
Boswell's  conduct  assumed  even  a  darker  hue  than  that  of  Eobert 
de  la  Launde,  for  he  persuaded  Janette  Glayston  to  give  him  the 
deeds  connected  with  Anwick  Place,  and  pretended  to  purchase 
that  property ;  but  although  this  was  proved  to  be  untrue  at  a 
court  held  at  Colly  Weston,  before  the  Lady  Margaret — the 
King's  grandmother,  he  was  still  able  to  retain  it  through  the 


196  ASHBY  DE  LA  LAUNDE. 

poverty  of  de  la  Launde,  and  to  enfeoff  William  Smith,  vicar  of 
Ashby,  and  William  Audelyn,  of  Welbourn,  with  it,  for  the 
benefit  of  his  bastard  son  William  Bosswell  by  Janette  (perhaps 
the  relict  of  John  Anwick,  and  John  Grlayston),  before  he  took 
his  departure  for  Ehodes,  where  he  died.  Sir  Thomas  de  la 
Launde  on  his  accession  to  his  father's  property  ought  by  feudal 
law  to  have  inherited  Anwick  Place  as  escheator ;  but  he  was 
absent  for  some  time  with  the  Earl  of  Oxford,  so  that  he  could 
not  attend  to  this  matter,  and  when  he  did  do  so  he  found  that 
Audelyn  had  died,  and  that  Smith,  after  cutting  down  all  the 
timber  on  the  estate,  had  allowed  it  and  the  house  to  go  to  ruin. 
He  then  demanded  possession  of  the  property,  but  was  refused  as 
he  had  no  title  deeds  or  other  proofs  to  exhibit.  Next  he  sued 
Smith  for  trespass,  who  then  produced  the  documents  given  by 
Janette  Boswell,  and  with  these  a  forged  Will  pretended  to  have 
been  made  by  John  Anwick,  in  which  authority  was  given  to 
Janette  to  sell  his  property  if  driven  to  any  great  necessity  ;  but 
when  ordered  by  Sir  John  Ormston,  Chamberlain  to  the  Lady 
Margaret  sitting  in  council  to  exhibit  any  Will  proved  under  the 
Bishop's  seal,  he  was  unable  to  do  so,  and  de  la  Launde' s  right 
was  admitted.  Finally  he  sued  Smith  at  common  law,  got 
damages  in  his  favour,  and  so  reduced  that  recreant  that  he 
humbly  urged  his  late  opponent  not  to  allow  the  Sheriff  to  return 
him  an  outlaw,  which  entreaty  was  granted,  and  he  removed  his 
goods  from  Anwick  Place,  gave  it  up  to  Sir  Thomas  de  la  Launde, 
and  paid  damages  to  the  amount  of  £60.  "  Add.  MSS,  4936. 
B.M."  In  the  following  reign  Thomas  de  la  Launde  proceeded 
against  another  Master  of  Temple  Bruer, — John  Babyington,  for 
wrongs  he  accused  him  of  having  committed,  and  as  the  complaint 
and  the  answer  to  it  are  very  curious  and  characteristic  of  the 
period  when  the  case  was  heard,  the  whole  will  perhaps  be  read 
with  interest.  The  former  is  as  follows  : — 

The  complaynte  of  Thomas  de  la  Launde  of  Assheby  against 
Frere  John  Babyngton  of  the  Order  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem, 
Fermer  of  ye  Comaundery  of  Temple  (Bruer)  for  certeyn  greet 
injuries  done  to  hym  by  the  sd  Babyngton  put  yn  afore  my  Lord 
Cardynall  12.  H.  viij.  1520-1. 

1.  Piteously  complayneth  and  shaweth  unto  yor  grace  yor 
daily  orator  and  bedeman  Thomas  de  la  Launde  of  Assheby,  next 
Bloxham,  in  the  countie  of  Lincoln,  gent,  that, 


ASHBY  DE  LA  LAUNDE.  197 

2.  Whereas  yr  said  orator  being  seized  in  his  demesnes  as 
of  fe  of  a  parcel  and  a  pece  of  ground  and  pasture  callyd  Assheby 
Hethe,  in  ye  parish  of  Assheby,  in  the  countie  of  Lincoln  afore- 
said. 

3.  Which  pasture  and  heith  yor  orator  and  all  other  his 
tenants  and  all  they  whos  estate  he  hath  in  the  sd  manor  and 
their  tenants  at  all  tyme,  without  tyme  of  mind  of  men  hath 
occupied  and  taken  the  profites  of  the  seyd  heyth  with  ther  shepe 
and  other  catell,  necessary  for  the  compastryng,  gayngny,  and 
tyllyng  of  the  seyd  lande  and  lyfyng  within  ye  seyd  manor  with- 
out impediment  or  let  of  any  person. 

4.  Unto  now  of  late  that  one  Frere  Babyngton  of  the  order 
of  religion  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  and  fermer  of  the  Comaun- 
dery  of  Temple  Breur  in  the  countee  aforesaid,  caused  his  chaplyn 
and  1 6  of  his  servants  (whose  names  yr  sd  orator  knoweth  not) 
in  the  Rogation  days  in  the  XI  of  the  king  that  now  is,  to  go  in 
a  riotous  manner,  (that  is  to  say  with  billys,   bowys,    arrows, 
swords,  and  bucklers  and  order  wepyns)  under  color  of  a  pro- 
cession about  the  said  Hethe  of  Assheby. 

5.  And  also  avised  and  commaunded  them  to  marke  and 
cleyme  the   sd  hethe  to  be  parcell  of  the  sd  commandry  of 
Tempull,  and  to  put  out  the  catell  of  yor  sd  orator  and  other  hys 
tenaunts  without  any  ryghte  or  title, '(the  whiche  commaundment 
they  did  observe  and  kepe),  but  only  intending  by  his  myght  of 
power  to  vex  and  treble  yr  sd  orator  and  his  tenaunts  for  occupy- 
ing and  taking  the  pfittes  of  the  sd  Hethe,  and  to  cause  them  to 
avoyde  from  their  fermes  of  Assheby  aforesaid. 

6.  And  farther  the  sd  Sir  John  Babyngton  threwith  not 
being  content  immedyately  after  avised  his  sheperd  to  kepe 
VCCC  shepe  and  LX  kyne  and  other  cattell  on  ye  sd  hethe  fro 
the  feste  of  the  nativity  of  St.  John  Baptiste  in  the  foresd  XI 
yere  of  ye  Kyng  that  now  is,  unto  the  feste  of  Allhallows  next 
ensuying,  by  meane  whereof  not  only  the  pasture  of  ye  sd  hethe 
was  wasted  and  destroyed,   but  also  the  corn  of  ye  sd  orator 
growing  in  ye  fields  of  Assheby  to  the  value  of  X  I.  was  destroyed 
and  eten  with  the  sd  shepe  and  catell. 

7.  And  also  the  sd  Frere  John  Babyngton  in  the  wynter 
season  in  ye  sd  XI  yeer  caused  his  servts  to  bayt  with  dogs  ye 
shepe  and  catell  of  yr  sd  orator  and  other  his  tenaunts  when 
they  wer  dryven  by  tempest  of  wether  in  ye  nyght  tyme  unto  the 
fields  of  Temple  Breuer. 

P 


198  ASHBY  DE  LA  LAUNDE. 

8.  And  after  they  had  so  bay  ted  them  caused  his  said 
tenaunts  to  impound  ye  sd  shepe  at  ye  Temple  aforesaid  in  a 
place  full  of  dung  and  myre  to  ye  belyes  of  ye  said  shepe. 

9.  And  wold  not  suffer  delyvre  of  them  to  be  made  unto 
such  tyme  as  yr  sd  orator  had  made  a  fyne  with  ye  said  Sir 
John  Babyngton  and  his  servaunts  as  they  pleased. 

10.  By  furze  (force)  of  the  which  unlawfull  pinning  and 
bayling  of  the  sd  shepe  and  destroying  of  the  sd  pasture,  whence 
they  shold  have  had  relief,  the  shepe  and  catell  of  yr  sd  orator 
to  the  number  of  iiij  0  wer  destroyed  and  lost  to  the  hurt  and 
damage  of  ye  sd  orator  of  LX  L 

1 1 .  And  also  whereas  yr  sd  orator  and  his  ancestors  and 
all  they  whose  estate  he  hath  in  the  sd  manor  of  Assheby  have 
usyd  the  tyme  without  mynde  of  man  to  have  lete  wayf  and  stray 
within  the  said  manor  of  Assheby  unto  now  of  late  that  the  sd 
Syr  John  Babyngton  by  his  myght  and  power  wrongfully  hath 
taken  dyvers  strayes  wythyn  ye  sd  manor,  and  causyd  them  to 
be  dryven  to  a  ferme  of  his  called  Hanford  (which  is  about  vij 
myle  by  the  sade  Temple)  whereof  ye  oon  half  is  in  Nottingham 
shyre,  to  the  intente  that  yr  sd  orator  should  have  no  knowledge 
where  they  wer  becom. 

12.  And  also   caused    the   steward   of  Courte  of  the  sd 
Comaunderie  of  Temple  for  to  usurpe  and  kepe  a  Leyte  Courte 
within  the  sd  manor  to  the  use  and  pfitt  of  the  seyd  Syr  John 
Babyngton,  whereupon  ye  sd  Babyngton  hath  usurped  wrong- 
fully of  ye  ryght  and  rialte  that  belongeth  to  our  Sovn.  Lord  the 
Kyng  in  the  said  Lordshippe  and  manor  of  Assheby  as  chief 
Lord  ther,  the  which  maner  all  the  auncesters  and  fore  elders  of 
the  sd  Thomas  de  la  Launde  holdith  in  chief  of  our  sd  soverign 
Lord  the  Kyng  by  reason  of  his  Duchie,  and  Fee  de  Hay,  and 
was  always  chief  lords  ther  under  the  Kyng's  grace,  and  hath 
pecebly  had,  enjoyed,  and  kept  ther  letes  and  iij  weekes  courts 
yerely  fro  tyme  to  tyme,  and  hath  had  all  the  penalties  as  felle 
wyth  wayfs  and  strayes  and  other  penalties  ther  paying  yerely 

Xs  of  Duche  rente  with  comon  sute  to  the holdyn 

at  the  Castle  of  Lincoln  for  the  Duche  to  the  utter  undoyng  of  yr 
sd  orator  without  yr  gracious  Sovryn  to  hym  be  shewed  in  this 
behalf,  forasmuch  as  yr  sd  orator  is  not  of  power  to  maynteyn 
sute  accordyng  to  course  of  comon  Lawe  nor  none  action  lyeth 
ayt  the  sd  Frere  John  Babyngton,    for   as   much   as   he   is   a 
religious  person,  and  under  obedience  to  his  prior. 


r 


ASHBY  DE  LA  LAUNDE.  199 

13.  Wherfor  tlie  premises  tenderly  considered  it  may  plase 
yor  grace  to  graunte  a  special  comission  to  be  directed  to  certyn 
persomies  comaunding  them  by  the  same  to  call  afore  them  the 
sd  Syr  John  to  answer  to  the  premised  and  all  other  varyances 
between  the  sd  partgyes  to  here  and  to  determyne  the  thyngs 
concernyng  the  same,  or  els  to  certyfy  before  the  kyng's  most 
hon  councell  at  a  certain  day  what  they  have  dune  conceryng 
the  same. 

In  answer  to  this  petition  a  commission  of  enquiry  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  King,  consisting  of  Sir  John  Hussey,  Knt., 
Robert  Hussey,  his  brother,  John  Wymbish,  of  Nocton,  William 
Disney,  of  Norton,  and  Richard  Clerk,  of  Lincoln,  recorder,  who 
met  at  Sleaford,  and  received  the  following  defence  from  Sir 
John  Babyngton : — 

1.  The  sayd  Syr  John  saith  the  sd  Bille  is  untrue,  and  the 
more  part  of  the  matter  of  the  same  fayned  by  the  said  Thomas 
for  the  vexation  of  the  said  Syr  John,  without  gode  grounde  or 
cause,  but  for  answer  or  declaration  of  the  truth  in  the  premises 
ye  sd  Syr  John  say  the, 

2.  As  to  any  ryot,  rout,  or  unlawful  assemblie  or  other 
mysdemeanor  in  the  sd  bylle  agt  the  Kyng's  pease  supposed  to 
be  done,  he  is  nothyng  gylty :   and  as  to  the  residue  of  the  sd 
matter  conteyned  in  the  sd  byll,  the  said  Syr  John  as  fermor  of 
the  Comaundre  sayth, 

3.  That  the  sd  Hethe,  which  the  sd  Thomas  surmyseth 
and  claymeth  to  be  Assheby  Hethe,  is,  and  out  of  tyme  of  minde 
hath  bene,  parcell  of  Temple  Hethe. 

4.  And  at  such  tyme  as  the  sd  Syr  John  entred  as  fermor 
of  the  sd  Temple  the  same  parcell  of  heth  amongst  others  was 
shewn  to  be  parcell  of  Temple  Hethe  by  certain  old  boundes  and 
markes  not  known  in  the  said  countrie,  by  reason  whereof  the 
sd  Syr  John  at  dyvers  tymes  hath  had  both  shepe  and  oder 
bests  kept  upon  the  seyd  heith  in  lyke  manner  and  forme,  as 
master  Newport  late  comaunder  of  the  same  and  other  prede- 
cessors have  kept  on  the  same. 

5.  And  as  to  dryfte,  the  same  hethe  yt  lay  most  convenient 
for  the  kepyng  of  the  catell  of  the  sd  Syr  John,  but  not  so  many 
kye  (kine)  or  oder  bests  as  he  supposith  in  the  seyd  bill  have 
bene  kept  there. 

6.  And  sayth  that  such  as  wer  tho  tenaunts  to  Sr.  John's 
in  Assheby  by  lycence  of  the  sd  Syr  John  have  dyvers  weite 


200  ASHBY  DE  LA  LAUNDE. 

(wet)  years  been  suffred  to  come  wyth  ther  sliepe  upon  the  same 
hethe  and  oder  places  adjoining  amongst  whom  the  sd  Thomas 
as  a  tenaunt  to  St.  John's  hath  beene  lykewyse'  sufferid. 

7.  And  sayth  that  the  sd  XI  yere  the  begynnyng  thereof 
was  verrey  day. 

8.  And  the  sd  Syr  John  being  at  London  his  preste  and 
V  oder  men — persons,  and  3  women — persons  went  in  procession 
in  peaseable  and  devout  manner  about  all  the  Temple  Hethe  to 
pray  for  seasonable  wedder. 

9.  And  as  he  understode  at  his  comyng  fro  London  they 
went  upon  ye  sd.  heyth  claymd  by  ye  sd  de  la  Laundes,  and  by 
the  old  marks  and  bounds  of  the  same. 

10.  And  if  any  of  the  sd  marks  were  removed,  it  was  the 
same  compas  that  the  olde  marks  was,  as  may  appere. 

11.  And  further  that  the  seyd  Thomas  takyth  upon  hym  as 
chief  Lord  in  Assheby,  when  ye  sd  Syr  John  supposith  he  is 
but  a  tenaunt,    and  that  the  lordship  belongyth  to  the  said 
Comaundrie. 

12. .  But  by  craking  and  pratyng  among  the  pore  tenauntes 
ther  the  sd  XI  yere  he  toke  upon  hym  as  lorde  to  brake  the 
pasture  and  eddyshe  of  the  sd  towne  of  Ashby,  a  day  or  two,  or 
more  before  other  tenaunts  ther,  by  reason  wherof  the  sd  Syr 
John  supposyth  the  shepe  of  the  sd  delalande  dyed. 

13.  And  also  the  latter  end  of  the  sd  yere  was  so  dry  or 
droughty  that  it  was  in  manner  universal  dethe  of  shepe  in  all 
places  for  ye  same  yer. 

14.  The  same  Syr  John  lost  above  VC  of  his  shepe  at 
Temple,  which  cum  not  into  the  low  grounds  as  the  sd  dela- 
launde's  did,  wher  few  or  none  escapid. 

15.  And  sayth  that  the  sd  Thomas  and  oder  have  dyvers 
tymes  trespassed  in  the  corne  and  grasse  of  the  sd  Syr  John  at 
Temple  and  oder  besyde  on  ye  sd  heythe,  which  he  claymeth, 
for  the  which  sometimes  his  servaunts,  if  they  wer  nyghe  ye 
utter  borders,  did  peaceably  dryve  them  oute,  and  if  they  war  far 
wythin  ye  uttergates  of  ye  Temple  as  a  distress  for  trespasse,  and 
sometyme  kept  them  in  his  gresse  withaul  til  some  person  cum 
to  borow  them,  and  to  know  that  they  had  trespassed :  at  all 
which  tymes  ye  sd  Syr  John  never  toke  anything  for  amends  of 
ye  sd  delalaunde,  or  any  other,  but  in  curtos  maner  prayed  them 
to  forbeare  of  eftsoons  trespassyng  :  and,  if  anything  wer  gyften 
by  any  persone  it  was  but  some  small  rewarde  as  Id.  or  ij  d.  or 


ASHBY  DE  LA  LAUNDE.  201 

iij  if  they  wer  a  hole  flock  of  shepe,  to  the  person  who  pynned 

the  catell  as  the  herdsman  and  shepherds  pay  to  the 

The  remainder  of  these  instructions  is  now  wanting,  which  served 
as  Thomas  de  la  Launde's  brief  to  Hugh  Clarke,  of  Welbourn. 
The  issue  is  thus  described  by  de  la  Launde  : — I  gaf  him  (Hugh 
Clarke)  to  make  my  byll  of  complaynt  after  I  was  departed  from 
London  for  dyvers  matters  of  the  Lord  Willoughby's,  and  to  get 
me  a  comyssion,  and  to  be  dyrect  to  dyverse  men  of  worship  in 
the  cuntre,  and  I  gaf  hym  vj  s.  viij  d.  to  pay  for  the  commysion 
and  other  money  to  pay  for  other  charges,  and  also  left  him  part 
of  my  evidences  in  his  kepyng  for  to  take  more  councill,  who 
promised  to  bryng  all  to  Lincoln  at  the  assize  time  in  Lent  in 
the  viij  of  or  Lord  Henry  viij.  And  he  brought  down  the  com- 
yssion, but  left  out  Sir  Christ  "Wyllughby  tho  ordered  to  put 
hym  in  by  my  bill  of  instructions,  because  he  knew  well  he  was 
my  gode  master,  and  wolde  take  for  my  ryght,  wherfor  he  left 
hym  out,  and  put  yn  Sir  John  Husey,  his  brother  Robert,  "Wm. 
Dysney,  of  Norton,  Richd.  Clarke,  of  Lincoln,  and  John  "Wym- 
bush,  of  Norton,  which  dyd  me  no  good,  but  was  brought  agt 
me,  and  so  was  the  said  Clarke  yt  I  put  my  special  trust  to,  who 
falsly  deceyved  and  bewrayed  all  my  matter  to  Babyngton,  and 
made  him  privy  to  all  my  evidences  and  wrytyngs  that  I  left 
wyth  hym  to  my  great  hyndrance,  and  losse  of  CC  markes. 

Through  the  subsequent  poverty  of  Thomas  de  la  Launde, 
occasioned  partly  by  his  father's  extravagance,  partly  by  his  own 
losses  in  law  suits,  his  lands  at  Ashby  passed  into  other  hands, 
while  about  the  same  time  his  opponents  at  the  Temple  were 
dispossessed  of  theirs  through  the  dissolution  of  all  Hospitaler 
establishments. 

In  1543  the  King  granted  these  to  John  Bellow  and  Robert 
Brockleby,  and  circa  1550-60  John  Bussey  was  in  possession  of 
a  manor  here — probably  that  of  the  Temple.  About  the  same 
time  Robert  Huddleston  held  of  the  Crown  a  toft  and  grange 
here — called  Sheepgate,  situated  partly  in  Ashby,  partly  in  Ling- 
holm.*  He  died  1559,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Geoffrey, 


*  Probably  the  same  as  Lingo  Grange,  which  no  doubt  derived  its  name 
from  the  ling  formerly  growing  upon  its  soil.  It  consisted  of  an  inclosure  of 
5  acres  on  the  east  of  the  Lincoln  road.  Upon  it  once  stood  a  Grange,  but 
now  there  are  no  traces  of  this,  or  of  the  inclosure  around  it. 


202  ASHBY  DE  LA  LAUNDE. 

who  died  the  following  year,  and  another  son  Robert,  who  died 
1564.  About  this  time  the  de  la  Launde  manor  and  its  appur- 
tenances in  Ashby,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  Temple  lands 
were  bought  by  Thomas  York,  of  a  merchant  family,  probably 
deriving  its  name  from  the  City  of  York.  These  last  are  des- 
cribed as  consisting  of  the  manor,  10  messuages,  1  cottage,  40 
acres  of  plough,  100  of  pasture,  60  of  warren  and  heath,  a  rent  of 
£3  in  Ashby,  held  of  the  Preceptory  of  Temple  Bruer,  and  of 
the  King  in  chief.  "Had.  MSS.  757."  Thomas  York  died 
September  7th,  1574,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Greorge,  who 
is  stated  to  have  held  the  de  la  Launde  manor  of  the  Honour  of 
Bolingbroke  by  a  knight's  service.  "Hot.  Cur.  Ducat.  Lane." 
In  1580,  Ashby  again  changed  owners,  for  then  George  York 
sold  it  to  Edward  King,  who  in  1595  built  a  goodly  mansion 
there,  part  of  which  is  still  standing  and  bears  that  date. 
He  was  son  of  John  King,  of  Long  Milford,  Suffolk,  and  held 
the  manors  and  advowson  of  Martin  and  Salmonby,  half  the 
manor  of  Humberstone  in  right  of  his  wife,  besides  the  manor 
and  advowson  of  Ashby ;  also  lands  in  Leasingham,  Walcot, 
Digby,  Timberland  and  Eowston.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son 
Richard  King,  who,  by  Elizabeth  his  wife,  daughter  of  Anthony 
Colly,  left  a  numerous  family.  His  eldest  son  Anthony  died 
before  him,  whence  his  second  son  Edward  succeeded  to  his 
estates.  He  afterwards  gained  considerable,  notoriety  as  a 
Parliamentary  Commander,  and  appears  to  have  been  an  inde- 
pendent turbulent  man  living  in  turbulent  times.  He  fought 
against  the  King,  but  would  never  pay  taxes  to  the  Common- 
wealth Government,  and  was  desirous  of  defending  his  Sovereign's 
person.  He  was  a  Parliamentary  Officer,  but  was  accused  of 
High-treason  and  other  misdemeanors  by  Colonel  John  Lilburne 
when  a  prisoner  in  the  Tower  through  his  agency,  viz  :  that  he 
misspent  the  large  sums  of  money  he  exacted  from  the  county  of 
Lincoln,  that  when  before  Newark  he  ordered  Captain  Cony 
most  improperly  to  leave  his  command  at  Crowland,  then  en- 
dangered by  the  enemy,  and  dismissed  100  musqueteers  therefrom, 
providently  thrown  in  by  Ireton  as  a  stop-gap,  which  led  to  the 
taking  of  Crowland,  that  he  protected  the  enemies  of  the  Parlia- 
ment and  discountenanced  and  imprisoned  its  friends,  that  when 
the  enemy  attacked  Grantham,  and  Major  Savile — then  Major 
of  the  town,  commanded  Colonel  King  to  march  in  defence  of 


ASHBY  DE  LA  LAUNDE.  203 

that  place,  lie  answered  that  lie  scorned  to  be  commanded  by 
him  and  would  sooner  let  the  enemy  into  the  town,  owing  to 
which  act  of  insubordination  the  enemy  entered  and  took  the 
town,  that  he  opposed  himself  to  Lieutenant  General  Cromwell, 
that  he  quarrelled  and  fought  with  the  committee  who  were  men 
of  the  best  estates,  quality  and  integrity,  that  he  was  a  persecutor 
of  godly  men  at  whom  he  scoffed,  that  he  was  of  a  turbulent  and 
factious  spirit,  that  he  kept  about  20  men  around  him  as  a  life 
guard,  to  whom  he  gave  extraordinary  pay  though  they  were 
exempted  from  all  duty  except  waiting  upon  him  and  aiding 
him  to  alarm  the  country,  and  that  he  falsely  styled  himself 
Lieutenant  General  of  the  county  of  Lincoln.  Poor  Lilburne's 
piteous  complaint  seems  to  have  been  disregarded ;  but  as  King- 
continued  to  be  the  same  turbulent  man,  he  soon  after  found 
himself  in  a  very  difficult  position,  for  he  was  arrested  by  order  of 
Parliament,  October  21st,  1648,  "on  a  charge  against  him  of 
dangerous  consequence  to  the  Army  under  Lord  Fairfax." 
Perhaps  this  catastrophe  calmed  his  spirit  and  cooled  his  Repub- 
lican sympathies,  for  we  hear  no  more  of  him  until  1660,  when 
he  was  elected  as  a  representative  of  Grimsby  in  the  Convention 
Parliament,  and  subsequently  of  the  Long  Parliament.  He 
was  the  first  to  move  for  the  restoration  of  Charles  II. ,  and  took 
part  in  the  wholesome  act  of  disbanding  the  army.  But  his 
troubles  were  not  as  yet  ended,  for  his  loyalty  being  suspected  by 
Sir  Anthony  Oldfield  and  Sir  Robert  Carre,  Deputy  Lieutenants 
of  Lincolnshire,  they  called  upon  him  to  sign  a  bond  of  £2000, 
and,  on  his  refusal,  would  not  admit  him  to  bail,  but  sent  him  a 
prisoner  to  Lincoln  Castle,  September  16th,  1665.  He  then 
appealed  to  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  demanding  the  right  of  habeas 
corpus ;  but  there  he  was  kept  for  12  weeks  during  a  time  of 
pestilence,  when  through  a  petition  to  the  King,  in  which  he 
stated  that  he  had  ever  been  loyal,  had  promoted  the  Restoration, 
had  taken  the  oath,  and  had  helped  to  disband  the  army;  he 
obtained  his  release,  but  through  Sir  Robert  Carre's  accusations 
was  incarcerated  in  the  Tower,  early  in  the  following  year. 
Then  he  again  petitioned  the  King  for  the  benefit  of  the  Act  of 
oblivion,  for  reparation  of  the  wrong  done  him,  and  for  his 
maintenance  while  in  prison.  "Domestic  State  Papers  V.  135." 
He  at  last  obtained  his  release,  and  died  at  Ashby,  1680.  His 
lineal  descendant,  the  Rev.  John  William  King,  is  now  in 
possession  of  the  manor  and  rectory  of  Ashby. 


204  ASHBY  DE  LA  LAUNDE. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

In  the  reign  of  Henry  I.  William  de  Essheby  gave  the 
church  of  Ashby  to  the  Prior  and  Brotherhood  of  Haverholme 
Priory ;  but  before  long  it  was  recovered  by  his  family,  for  in 
the  reign  of  Richard  I.  his  descendant  of  the  fourth  generation, 
another  William  de  Essheby,  made  a  fresh  presentation  of  it  to 
the  Brotherhood  of  Temple  Bruer  on  condition  that  they  provided 
a  chaplain  to  perform  mass  twice  a  week  in  the  chapel  of  St. 
Margaret,  at  his  hall  at  Ashby  for  ever,  which  grant  was  con- 
firmed by  his  brothers  Inhellus,  Gerhard,  and  Jordan. 

The  gift  of  the  church  of  Ashby  to  the  Templars  was  con- 
firmed by  Simon  Tuchet,  who  succeeded  as  lord  of  Ashby  after 
the  death  of  William  de  Asheby's  son  Henry,  in  the  reign  of 
Stephen  ;  but  at  length  its  ownership  was  disputed  by  Robert  de 
la  Launde,  a  descendant  of  the  Ashby's,  in  the  reign  of  Henry 
VI.  through  a  curious  arrangement  made  by  the  second  Jordan  de 
Ashby  with  his  son  William.  It  appears  that  Jordan  was  in 
monetary  difficulties,  and  that  his  son,  who  had  acquired  con- 
siderable means,  fearing  lest  his  father  should  alienate  all  his 
estates  and  rights  agreed  to  advance  him  15  marks  on  condition 
that  he  secured  the  succession  of  his  lands  to  himself,  also  that 
this  clause  should  be  inserted  in  the  deed  drawn  up  to  effect  the 
negotiation:  "  Confirmavi  Willo  filio  meo  et  heredi  meo,  et 
heredibus  suis  totum  jus  quod  habui  in  ecclia  de  Asheby  sine 
aliquo  relevemento."  But  this  speaks  of  a  past  right,  and  was 
really  worth  nothing,  for  the  church  had  clearly  been  given  to 
the  Templars  by  his  ancestor  William.  Then  William  de  Ashby 
died  before  his  father  Jordan,  who  thus  regained  that  which  he 
had  granted  to  his  son  for  a  consideration,  after  which  he  signed 
a  fresh  grant  or  confirmation  of  the  church  at  Ashby  to  the 
Templars.  Yet  Kobert  de  la  Launde  on  the  strength  of  this 
temporary  arrangement  between  Jordan  and  William  de  Ashby, 
in  the  reign  of  Henry  VI.,  as  the  then  representative  of  the 
Ashby's,  tried  to  recover  it  from  Robert  Skayfe,  or  Skayth,  the 
then  Master  of  the  Commandery  of  Temple  Bruer,  to  whom  the 
Templar  possessions  there  had  been  granted  by  the  King  ;  but 
he  justly  failed,  although  Thomas  de  la  Launde,  son  of  Robert 
the  claimant  was  naturally  not  satisfied,  and  has  left  this  memor- 
andum behind  him  of  his  view  of  the  matter. — "I  suppose 


ASHBY  DE  LA  LAUNDE.  205 

rekoverie  thereof  myghte  be  hadde  by  ye  means  of  ye  lawe ;  and 
Robert  Delalaunde  my  father  sued  Master  Skayfe  late  Knight 
of  ye  Temple  in  his  dayes,  and  had  hym  at  for  processe,  and 
should  have  had  recoverie  thereof  of  hym,  if  he  had  lyved.  But 
then  he  decessed,  and  so  the  sute  was  lost.  Horbeit  the  said 
Master  Skayfe  preferred  Robert  my  fader  a  grete  rewarde  till 
have  been  agreed  with  him,  and  he  died :  and  this  I  heard  ye  said 
Robert  Delalaunde  my  fader  say,  of  my  conscience  in  his  life, 
and  oon  John  Saynton  of  Lincoln  was  attorney  for  my  said  fader 
in  ye  said  matter." 

The  de  la  Laundes  no  doubt  were  for  the  most  part  buried 
in  Ashby  church,  and  of  these  William,  the  first  who  possessed 
the  manor  in  right  of  his  wife  the  Essheby  heiress,  desired  that 
his  body  might  repose  there,  according  to  his  will,  which  runs 
thus : — 

"  On  Thursday  in  the  vigil  of  the  Epiphany  1345  I.  William  de 
la  Launde  make  my  will.  I  desire  that  my  body  be  buried 
in  the  church  of  the  Holy  Trinity  at  Essheby,  to  which  I 
give  my  best  animal  for  a  mortuary.  The  residue  of  my 
goods  I  bequeath  to  Master  John  de  Rouceby  parson  of  the 
Church  of  Holdhm  (Holdingham)  to  William  my  son  and 
to  Thomas  his  brother  to  dispose  of  them  as  they  think 
best.  Witness.  William  vicar  of  Essheby."  "Bishop 
Beck's  Reg.  102." 

In  1616  the  living  was  valued  at  £16  a  year,  when  Edward 
King,  the  first  of  that  family  after  its  establishment  here  was 
patron,  and  there  were  1 02  communicants.    ' '  Willis's  MSS.  f.  30." 
The  list  of  the  vicars  of  Ashby  is  lamentably  deficient.     We 
only  just  gather  the  name  of  one  from  the  above  document  in  the 
14th  century.     In  1492  Thomas  Smith  resigned  the  living,  when 
it  was  given  to  Thomas  Dalby.     "  Lansdown  MSS.  968."     For  a 
time  it  is  almost  impossible  to  discriminate  between  the  vicars  of 
this  Ashby  and  the  several  others  in  the  Diocese  of  Lincoln,  but 
after  they  were  termed  vicars  of  Ashby  de  la  Launde  in  the 
books  of  Institutions  at  Lincoln,  the  following  occur  : — 
A.D.  1671. — Kobert  Whitehead. 
1681. — John  Lascells. 
1731.— William  Jessop. 
1742. — Joseph  Mason. 
1745.— Francis  Willis  (died  1782). 
1791. — George  King. 
1822.— John  William  King. 


206  ASHBY  DE  LA  LAUNDE. 

THE  CHUKCH. 

This  is  dedicated  to  St.  Hybald.  The  earliest  portions  of 
the  fabric  are  the  tower  and  beautiful  doorway  in  the  north  wall 
of  the  nave.  These  are  contemporaneous  Early  English  features. 
The  former  is  a  plain  structure  springing  from  a  severe  but  well 
moulded  base,  and  finished  with  a  string  thickly  beset  with  the 
tooth  ornament  before  it  is  surmounted  by  the  belfry  stage.  In 
each  face  of  this  are  coupled  lancets,  and  between  the  northern 
pair  is  a  grotesque  figure,  besides  some  heads  inserted  about 
them.  Above,  is  a  coeval  string  ornamented  with  half  circlets 
projecting  from  its  chamfered  face,  whence  rises  a  Decorated 
embattled  parapet  having  boldly  projecting  monsters  springing 
from  the  angles  and  gurgoyles  between  them.  Erom  the  midst 
of  this  rises  a  spire  relieved  only  by  minute  lights,  and  terminat- 
ing in  an  acute  point,  perhaps  rebuilt  in  1605,  when  Edward 
King  restored  this  church.  In  the  lower  part  of  its  western  face 
a  small  Decorated  window  was  subsequently  inserted — circa  1320. 
Within,  it  opens  into  the  nave  by  means  of  a  low  but  effective 
plainly  chamfered  arch  partly  springing  from  circular  corbels. 
It  contains  only  two  bells.  The  above-named  doorway,  now 
sheltered  by  a  plain  modern  porch,  is  the  most  attractive  feature 
of  this  church.  Its  jambs  and  arch  are  beautifully  moulded ; 
the  former  is  adorned  with  keel-shaped  shaftlets,  the  caps  of 
which  are  encircled  with  a  delicate  little  nail-head  band,  and 
the  latter  with  two  bands  of  the  tooth  ornament. 

The  nave  and  chancel,  except  the  north  arcade  and  chancel 
arch,  were  rebuilt  in  1854,  after  the  designs  of  Mr.  Huddleston, 
of  Lincoln,  at  the  cost  of  the  present  incumbent,  the  Rev.  John 
William  King.  Previously,  this  arcade,  once  opening  into  a 
north  aisle,  was  buried  in  the  north  wall ;  but  the  new  wall 
now  rises  just  beyond  it,  so  as  to  exhibit  all  its  details.  It  con- 
sists of  three  arches  springing  from  low  clustered  and  filleted 
shafted  pillars  and  responds — of  the  Decorated  period.  The 
chancel  arch  is  a  low  and  poor  Perpendicular  feature,  having  a 
four-leaved  flower  carved  on  each  face  of  its  pier  pillar  caps.  On 
the  south  of  the  chancel  is  a  modern  vestry,  and  on  the  north  a 
heating  chamber. 

The  font  is  a  well-designed  Decorated  example,  having  a 
band  of  effective  four-leaved  flowers  encircling  its  octagonal  bowl. 


ASHBY-DE-LA-LAUNDE  CHURCH. 


ASHBY  DE  LA  LAUNDE.  207 

When  Holies  visited  this  church,  in  1640,  he  found  two 
monuments  here  commemorating  Simon  and  Isabel  de  la  Launde, 
the  last  of  which  remained  in  the  northern  part  of  the  nave 
pavement  until  the  late  restoration,  but  is  now  gone.  It  was  a 
slab  bearing  the  effigy  of  the  above-named  lady  with  the  de  la 
Launde  armorial  bearings  on  her  robe,  and  in  the  usual  attitude 
of  prayer.  But  portions  of  a  Jacobean  monument  commemorat- 
ing Edward  King  and  his  wives  Mary  Clopton  and  Elizabeth 
Colly  still  remain  in  the  chancel.  Their  effigies  in  a  kneeling 
position  are  now  placed  on  a  ledge  in  the  north  wall ;  opposite 
are  those  of  their  three  daughters,  Mary,  Anne  and  Elizabeth, 
and  of  a  baby  in  a  cradle  representing  either  Amy  a  fourth 
daughter,  or  Edward,  only  son  of  Edward  King,  by  his  second 
wife,  who  died  an  infant,  all  carved  in  the  dress  of  their  time 
with  much  care.  On  the  eastern  face  of  the  north  pier  of  the 
chancel  arch  is  a  small  brass  plate  thus  inscribed  : — 

Here  lyeth  Edwarde  Kinge,  Esqyier,  who  died  the 
XXIII  of  July,  1617.  He  married  two  wives,  the  first 
beinge  Mary  Clopton,  one  of  the  daughters  of  Richard 
Clopton,  of  Ford  Hall,  in  the  County  of  Suffolke,  Esq. 
by  whom  he  had  issue  two  sonnes  and  foore  daughters  ; 
the  second  wife  was  Elizabeth  Colly,  late  wife  of 
Anthony  Colly,  of  Glaston,  in  the  County  of  Rutland, 
Esq.,  and  one  of  the  daughters  and  coheires  to  Henry 

Keeble,  son  to  S Keeble,  by  whom  he  had  issue 

one  

Below  are  the  remains  of  four  latin  lines,  begining  "  Quis  situs 
hac  sub  mole."  When  Holies  visited  this  church  it  had  then 
been  lately  restored  by  Edward  King,  viz:  in  1605,  who  had 
taken  the  opportunity  of  displaying  his  armorial  bearings  there- 
in :  Sa,  on  a  chevron  engrailed  arg  3  scallops  of  the  first,  for 
King  ;  impaling,  Sa,  a  bend  arg  between  2  cotises  dancette  or,  a 
mullet  as  a  difference  for  Clopton ;  and  King  impaling  Arg,  2 
bars  nebuly  sa,  on  a  canton  gu  a  bend  or,  for  Keeble.  Holies 
also  noted  the  following  armorial  bearings  in  the  east  window 
of  the  chancel,  viz  :  Gu,  3  darts  or  feathered  and  bearded  arg, 
for  Hales.  Sa,  a  bend  arg  charged  with  heads  of  rye,  for  Bye. 
Arg,  a  fesse  dancette  between  10  billets  gu,  for  de  la  Launde. 
The  communion  plate  consists  of  a  silver  flagon  and  a  chalice 
dated  1719. 


BLOXHOLM. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

1298.  115. 

THIS  village,  situated  a  little  more  than  5  miles  north  of 
Sleaford,  was  originally  called  Blochesham,  and  then 
Bloxham,  now  unwisely  changed  into  Bloxholm  because  this 
entirely  alters  the  meaning  of  its  original  terminal,  which  simply 
means  village  or  settlement,  whereas  the  present  one  means 
island,  to  which  Bloxholm  has  no  true  claim.  After  the  Conquest 
the  unfortunate  Saxon  possessor  of  Bloxham,  Turver  by  name, 
was  ejected,  and  his  lands  were  given  to  Eoger  of  Poitou.  These 
consisted  of  9  carucates  and  5  oxgangs,  of  which  he  held  1£ 
carucate  in  demesne  ;  he  had  18  sokemen  and  2  villans  cultivat- 
ing 5  carucates  and  13  acres  of  meadow.  The  whole  was  valued 
at  £4  in  King  Edward's  time,  subsequently  at  £3.  Part  of  the 
land  here  lay  within  the  soke  of  Alured's  manor  of  Brauncewell. 
This  consisted  of  2  carucates  and  3  oxgangs,  connected  with 
which  were  2  sokemen  cultivating  half  a  carucate.  Out  of  this 
Wigolus  de  Brauncewell,  in  the  reign  of  Henry  H.,  gave  to 
Haverholme  Priory  a  toft  in  Bloxham  with  the  consent  of  Alice 
his  wife,  Mary,  Matilda,  Margaret,  and  Beatrix  wife  of  William 
de  Sares,  his  daughters.  This  gift  was  formally  made  in  the 
King's  Court,  at  Lincoln,  in  the  presence  of  his  Justices, 
Geoffrey,  Bishop  of  Ely,  Geoffrey,  Eitzpiers,  Jocelyne  the  Arch- 
deacon, and  Eobert  de  Hordres.  It  was  also  confirmed  by  Hugo 
Baiocis  the  representative  of  Alured  of  Lincoln.  He  also  gave 
the  Templars  of  Temple  Bruer  another  toft.  The  de  Grelles, 
Gresles,  or  Gresleys  next  held  the  manor  of  Bloxham,  of  the  honour 
of  Lancaster,  of  whom  Eobert  de  Gresley,  circa  1150,  for  the 
redemption  of  the  souls  of  his  father,  mother,  and  all  his  deceased 
ancestors,  as  well  as  for  the  good  of  his  own  soul,  his  wife 
Matilda's,  his  sons,  and  for  the  love  of  God,  gave  in  perpetual 
alms  to  God  and  the  brethren  of  St.  Mary  at  Haverholme,  3 
acres,  near  to  10  perches  he  had  before  given  them,  whereon  to 


BLOXHOLM.  209 

build  certain  edifices  and  also  common  pasturage  throughout  the 
vill  of  Bloxham.  This  gift  was  made  in  the  presence  of  Albert 
his  son.  In  1185,  Isabella,  his  widow,  and  as  such  regarded  as 
the  lady  of  the  manor  during  the  minority  of  her  son,  became 
the  ward  of  the  King  himself  for  a  year,  after  which  her  ward- 
ship was  given  to  Thomas  Bassett,  when  Blchard  son  of  Siward, 
and  William  de  Cornur  were  her  tenants,  who  paid  her  £9  3s.  8d., 
besides  100s.  and  12d.  for  corn  they  had  sold.  Her  son,  then 
1 1  years  of  age,  was  placed  in  the  King's  custody,  and  the  Barony 
of  Gresley,  put  in  charge  of  Nigel,  son  of  Alexander  de  Gresley 
— Sheriff  of  the  county  of  Lincoln.  The  widow  was  then  married 
to  Wido  de  Credon,  by  the  King's  order.  They  con  firmed  the 
grant  of  Eobert  de  Gresley  her  first  husband's  father.  In  the 
next  century  another  Thomas  de  Gresley — probably  her  son,  was 
holding  half  a  knight's  fee  and  a  quarter  of  another  here  of  the 
honour  of  Lancaster.  In  1253,  William  Bardolfe  was  holding 
this  manor,  and  obtained  a  right  of  free  warren  in  Bloxham  from 
the  crown,  but  in  1297  Robert  Gresley  was  in  possession  of  it. 
Previous  to  this  both  the  Templars  of  Temple  Bruer  and  the 
Priory  of  Haverholme  had  received  gifts  of  lands  in  Bloxham 
from  the  Gresley 's,  or  by  their  consent,  for  in  1275  the  Prior  of 
Haverholme  was  holding  8  oxgangs  of  land  in  Bloxham,  given 
by  Alexander  of  Bloxham  32  years  before,  and  held  of  the  King 
by  him,  and  also  2  oxgangs  given  about  80  years  before  by 
Margaret,  daughter  of  Wygratus,  who  had  held  them  of  John 
Haxhouse,  and  he  of  the  King.  Under  the  date  1304  reference  is 
made  to  the  Templar  lands  here,  when  Eobert  de  Swaynesthorpe 
on  the  part  of  the  Temple  was  taxed  for  a  messuage  and  12 
bovates  of  land  in  Bloxham.  In  1325  Eobert  de  Gresley  was 
in  possession  of  the  manor,  whose  heiress'  daughter,  Johanna, 
by  her  marriage  with  John  le  Warre,  carried  the  manor  of  Blox- 
ham into  that  family.  He  died  in  1347.  In  1360  died  John 
Chaumberlayn,  of  Drax,  Yorkshire,  seized  of  the  manor,  and  in 
1371  Eoger  le  Warre,  Kt,  seized  of  it  conjointly  with  Alianora 
his  wife.  Then  a  Bardolfe  again  possessed  it,  viz :  John,  who 
died  1372,  but  in  1402  another  Thomas  de  la  Warre  had  suc- 
ceeded to  it.  Sir  Thomas  West  and  his  descendants  next  became 
its  owners.  He  died  in  1413,  his  son,  Eeginald  in  1426,  and 
his  son — another  Eeginald,  in  1451,  all  of  whom  possessed  the 
advowson  of  the  church  as  well  as  the  manor.  .In  1529  died 


210  BLOXHOLM. 

Christopher  Wymbysh,  and  in  1559  Richard  Woolmer,  both 
seized  of  the  manor  of  Bloxholm.  Gregory  Woolmer  then 
held  it  of  the  honour  of  Bolingbroke  by  the  service  of  one 
knight's  fee  and  the  tenth  part  of  another.  "  Eot.  Cur.  Ducat 
Lane."  In  1632  the  manor  passed  into  the  hands  of  one  who  is 
termed  the  Eight  "Worshipful  Nathaniel  Hubberd.  Its  next 
owner  was  Septimus,  or  Septimius  Cyprian  Thornton,*  who  also 
acquired  by  purchase  the  adjoining  manor  of  Digby,  and  built 
the  present  Hall  at  Bloxham.  He  planted  the  trees  skirting  the 
road  between  Bloxholm  and  Digby,  and  otherwise  improved  his 
estate ;  but  subsequently  lost  all  his  property  through  specu- 
lating in  the  South  Sea  Scheme,  and  died  at  Linwood  Grange, 
at  that  time  belonging  to  his  uncle,  Mr.  Gilbert  Bury.  The 
Earl  of  Harrowby  then  bought  the  manor  of  Digby,  and  Lucy 
daughter  and  heiress  of  Lord  Sherard  by  Elizabeth  the  heiress 
daughter  of  Sir  Robert  Christopher,  bought  that  of  Bloxholm  on 
the  death  of  her  husband,  John,  2nd  Duke  of  Rutland,  in  1771. 
She  left  it  to  her  eldest  surviving  son  Lord  Robert  Manners,! 
who  bequeathed  it  to  his  eldest  son,  General  Robert  Manners. 
He  died  in  1823,  and  left  Bloxholm  to  his  brother  George,  who 
died  in  1828,  and  bequeathed  it  first  to  his  spinster  sister  Lucy, 
and  then  to  Lady  Mary  Bruce,  granddaughter  of  his  eldest  sister 
Mary,  the  wife  of  William  Hamilton  Nisbett,  Esq.,  of  Dirleton, 
county  Haddington,  married  to  R.  A.  Dundas,  Esq.,  now  the  Rt. 
Honble.  R.  A.  N.  Hamilton,  formerly  Chancellor  of  the  Duchy  of 
Lancaster,  the  present  owners  of  the  estate. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 


John  de  Bloxham,  a  Carmelite  friar  at  Chester,  and  Pro- 
vincial of  the  Order  in  England,  circa  1333,  was  distinguished 
for  his  learning  and  ability.  He  may  possibly  have  derived  his 


*  In  the  parish  register  are  the  following  entries  connected  with  this 
family:  "Aug.  30.  1708.  Sep.  Cuprianus  Thornton.  Arm.  Feby.  14.  Sep. 
Cuprianus.  films  Annas  relictse  Gulielmi  Thornton  Armigeri."  "When  the 
above-named  were  apparently  buried. 

f  Lady  Robert  Manners  survived  her  husband  and  both  her  sons,  as  she 
died  in  1829,  aged  92. 


BLOXHOLM    HALL. 


CULVERTHCRPE    HALL---SEE    PAGE    356. 


ONTARIO 


BLOXHOLM.  211 

name  from  this  place  or  been  a  native  of  it ;  but  there  is  no  proof 
whatever  of  this,  and  it  is  more  probable  that  he  was  connected 
with  Bloxam  in  Oxfordshire. 

The  lords  of  the  manor  of  Bloxholm  appear  to  have  been 
always  the  patrons  of  the  living.  The  names  of  only  a  few  of  its 
Hectors  have  been  preserved  and  the  dates  of  their  institutions, 
viz  : — 

A.D.  1229. — Henry  Blundus,  presented  by  Robert  Gresley. 

1280. — Eobert  de  Easton. 

1535.— Milo  Garnett. 

1616.— William  Colsell. 

1667. — Thomas  Siston. 

1670.— Thomas  Sicker. 

1676.— Timothy  Quarle. 

1680. — Henry  Dixon. 

1689. — Simeon  Ashe. 

1691 . — Richard  Disney. 

1732.— Gilbert  Smith. 

1782.— Henry  Pickwell. 

1787. — Daniel  Mackinnon. 

1825. — John  Mackinnon. 

In  1616  the  living,  then  in  the  gift  of  Gregory  Woolmer, 
was  valued  at  £20  a  year,  and  there  were  50  communicants. 
"  Willis's  MSS.  f,  39." 


THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  dedicated  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  was  originally  an 
entirely  Early  English  structure  having  two  aisles  and  a  bell- 
gable  of  that  style  ;  but  its  exterior  has  been  subsequently  so 
altered  as  to  conceal  most  of  its  earlier  remaining  portions. 

The  greater  part  of  the  aisle  walls,  as  evidenced  by  their 
base- moulds,  and  lancet  windows  at  their  ends,  and  also  by  the 
lower  portion  of  the  western  wall  of  the  present  tower,  are  of  this 
early  style.  Subsequently  two  segmental  arched  Perpendicular 
windows  were  inserted  in  the  side  wall  of  the  north  aisle,  and  a 
similar  window  together  with  a  flat  headed  coeval  light  were 
placed  in  the  opposite  aisle  wall.  Above  these  is  a  clerestory  of 
the  Tudor  period,  having  three  similar  lights  on  either  side. 


212  BLOXHOLM. 

The  chancel  and  porch  are  poor  substitutes  for  their  predecessors. 
These,  together  with  the  roofs  of  the  nave  and  aisles  were  erected 
by  General  Manners  in  1812. 

The  tower  also  is  Perpendicular,  except  that  part  of  its  west 
wall  before  spoken  of,  and  was  erected  within  the  area  of  the 
older  nave,  but  it  received  a  new  battlemented  parapet  under 
General  Manners's  auspices,  whose  armorial  bearings  are  con- 
spicuously carved  upon  the  gable  of  the  porch. 

In  the  interior  each  aisle  arcade  originally  consisted  of  three 
bays,  but  half  of  the  western  one  on  each  side  is  now  incorporated 
in  the  base  of  the  present  tower,  the  staircase  of  which  is  on  the 
southern  side.  The  pillars  of  both  arcades  are  octangular  and 
well  moulded,  but  the  caps  of  the  southern  one  are  rather  richer 
in  detail,  having  a  little  band  of  the  nail-head  ornament  intro- 
duced into  their  composition.  The  eastern  pier  of  the  north  aisle 
has  a  keel-shaped  shaft.  The  chancel  arch  is  a  plain  Early 
English  feature. 

In  a  vault  beneath  the  chancel  are  buried  the  remains  of 
Lord  John  James  Manners,  ob.  1762,  Lord  Hobert  Manners,  ob. 
1782,  General  Robert  Manners  ob.  1822,  the  colours  of  whose 
Regiment — the  30th  Foot — after  having  been  gallantly  borne  on 
the  field  of  Waterloo  and  exposed  to  the  thickest  of  the  fire,  now 
hang  within  this  church  as  a  trophy  of  that  signal  victory 
accorded  by  Divine  providence  to  the  English  Arms  on  the 
famous  18th  of  June,  1815.  George  Manners  was  also  buried 
here  in  1828,  and  Lady  Eobert  Manners  in  1829. 


BKATJNCEWELL. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

2480.  112. 

THE  name  of  this  village,  situated  5  miles  north,  of  Sleaford, 
was  originally  spelt  Branzeuuelle  and  Branzewelle.  In  it 
there  were  9  carucates  and  2  oxgangs ;  of  which  Aldene  had  2 
carucates  and  6  oxgangs,  and  Geoffrey  Alselin  held  another 
carucate  in  demesne.  Here  were  13  sokemen  and  3  bordars  hold- 
ing 4  carucates,  besides  2  vassals  holding  1  carucate  and  13 
oxgangs,  4J  acres  of  meadow  and  14  acres  of  coppice ;  and  Alured 
of  Lincoln  had  3  villans  and  2  bordars  who  ploughed  with  3 
oxen  ;  yet  the  whole  was  only  valued  at  20s.  in  King  Edward's 
time  and  subsequently  at  10s. 

In  the  1 3th  century  John  de  Baiocis,  a  descendant  of  Alured, 
held  a  manor  here  comprising  1  knight's  fee  of  the  old  feoffment, 
let  to  William  de  Brauncewel.  At  the  same  time  Alselin' s  land 
comprised  1  knight's  fee  and  13  oxgangs,  of  which  half  a  knight's 
fee  was  held  by  William  Bardolf  a  descendant  of  his,  who  had 
let  it  to  William  de  An  wick  by  knight's  service  ;  the  other  half, 
partly  in  Brauncewell,  partly  in  Dunsby,  was  let  to  Alexander 
de  Cressy,  and  the  13  oxgangs  were  held  by  the  Templars 
of  Temple  Bruer  as  follows,  viz  :  1  oxgang  and  the  3rd  part  of 
another  let  to  Clemens  the  Dean  for  a  rent  of  Is.  8d.,  which  land 
had  been  given  by  Wigotus  ;  9  oxgangs  let  to  Walter  Winter- 
head  and  Walter  de  Bovill  for  4s.,  of  the  gift  of  Eobert  de  Calz  ; 
2  parts  of  an  oxgang  let  to  Ainfrid  for  16d.,  of  the  gift  of 
Wigotus  ;  1  toft  let  to  Roger  for  2s.,  le  present,  and  4  days  work, 
of  the  gift  of  Alexander  de  Cressy,  and  another  toft  of  the  gift  of 
Eobert  de  Ansewic  (An wick)  let  for  12d.  and  le  present,  to 
Vulbernus  (perhaps  Welbourn). 

William,  the  son  of  Fulco  de  Anwick,  gave  to  Haverholme 
Priory  a  toft  and  an  oxgang  in  Brauncewell  which  Walter 
Winterhead  held  of  his  brother ;  and  then  we  hear  of  the  last 
gifts  made  to  the  Templars  in  1302,  when  William  Eivel 

Q 


214  BRAUNCEWELL. 

petitioned  the  King  to  allow  him  to  give  3  acres  and-a-half  of 
meadow  in  Brauncewell  to  the  brethren  of  the  Temple,  and  Eobert 
de  Swaynesthorpe  gave  1  messuage  12  oxgangs  and  Id.  of  annual 
rent  in  this  vill  and  Bloxham  to  them.  "  Inq.  p.  m.  31.  E.  1." 
The  custody  of  the  Templars  property  here  at  the  suppression  of 
their  Order  was  given  to  William  de  Spanby.  "  Ab.  Rot.  Orig. 
5.  E.  2."  In  1303  died  John  de  Brauncewell,  who  held  lands 
here  under  the  son  of  Elias  de  Rabajrn — then  a  minor.  "  Rot. 
Fin.  31.  E.  1."  In  1353  Norman  de  Swynford,  Lord  of  Lea, 
gave  to  John  his  son,  born  1346,  and  Elizabeth  his  wife,  daughter 
of  Edmund  Pierpont,  Kt.,  the  manors  of  Brauncewell  and 
Dorrington  to  be  held  of  them  and  their  heirs,  but  still  retained 
a  carucate  of  land  here,  of  which  he  died  seized  1386.  In  1397 
died  John  Lord  Beaumont  seized  of  a  knight's  fee  in  Brauncewell, 
which  was  held  of  him  and  his  wife  Katherine  by  John  de  Swyn- 
ford, the  Priors  of  Haverholme  and  the  knights  of  St.  John  of 
Temple  Bruer.  "Inq.  p.  m.  20.  R.  2."  In  1422  died  Hawise 
Lutteril,  wife  of  Godfrid  Hilton,  first  married  to  Thomas  Belesby, 
grandson  of  William  Swynford,  seized  of  a  toft  here ;  and  six 
years  later  Thomas  Bleseby,  her  son  and  heir,  by  her  first 
husband.  In  1473  died  Elizabeth,  wife  of  John  Stanley,  and 
daughter  and  heir  of  Sir  Thomas  Beelsby,  Kt.,  seized  of  property 
here.  Robert  Carre,  of  Sleaford,  who  died  1590,  bought  among 
other  manors  that  of  Brauncewell.  In  1619  John  Fisher  was 
the  tenant  of  the  manor  lands,  which  were  then  possessed  by 
Ann,  widow  of  Sir  Edward  Carre,  when  it  appears  she  either 
thought  of  residing  there,  or  expected  Fisher  to  act  as  her  bailiff, 
which  he  had  objected  to,  for  this  odd  entry  still  remains  in  an 
account  book  of  the  then  young  Sir  Robert  Carre :  "  John  Fisher 
to  pay  an  additional  rent  of  £5,  ifhe  refused  to  wear  my  Ladie" 
i  e.  to  buy  and  sell  for  her.  The  site  of  the  manor  house  is 
described  as  being  on  the  west  side  of  the  street.  From  that 
time  all  the  lands  in  Brauncewell  belonged  to  the  Carres  until 
1688,  when,  through  the  marriage  of  Isabella,  daughter  of  the  Rt. 
Honble.  Sir  Robert  Carre  with  John  Hervey,  afterwards  Earl  of 
Bristol,  they  passed  into  his  hands,  and  so  into  those  of  his 
descendant  the  present  possessor,  the  Marquis  of  Bristol. 

Although  this  place  is  now  so  small  as  scarcely  to  be  called 
a  village,  there  are  distinct  traces  of  its  once  having  been  much 
larger  ;  for  on  each  side  of  what  is  termed  the  Old  Lane  on  the 


BEAUNCEWELL.  215 

east  of  the  church  are  foundations  of  many  buildings,  apparently 
,  of  cottages,  and  when  these  are  laid  bare,  the  marks  of  burning 
are  found  upon  them  very  distinctly.  No  record  of  any  great 
fire  here  now  remains ;  but  from  the  above-named  reliable  evi- 
dence it  is  quite  clear  that  at  some  time  or  another  such  a 
calamity  must  have  occurred,  which  has  reduced  Brauncewell  to 
its  present  modest  dimensions. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

When  Ealph  Deyncourt  founded  Thurgarton  Priory  he  gave 
the  church  of  Brauncewell  to  its  Prior  and  Canons. 

In  1446-8,  John,  Lord  Beaumont  obtained  a  licence  to  assign 
certain  lands  here,  in  Kirkby  and  Dunsby,  to  a  chaplain  for  the 
purpose  of  performing  divine  service  in  Brauncewell  church  for 
the  good  of  the  King's  soul  and  his  own.  "  Inq.  ad.  q.  d.  24  H. 
YI."  An  acre-and-a-half  of  arable  land  was  given  here  by  Adam 
Pinchbeck  for  the  annual  observance  of  his  obit  in  Brauncewell 
church  for  ever.  This  was  worth  20d.  a  year  at  the  suppression 
of  chantries,  and  was  let  to  Eobert  Burton.  In  1616  the  living 
was  valued  at  £13  6s.  8d.,  when  Sir  Edward  Carre  was  patron, 
Henry  Holds  worth,  Eector,  and  the  communicants  were  60  in 
number.  "  Willis's  MSS.  f.  39."  It  is  now  with  the  hamlet  of 
Dunsby  annexed  to  the  vicarage  of  Anwick,  and  valued  in  the 
King's  books  at  £35  7s.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  later 
Eectors  of  Brauncewell : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1667.-— Stephen  Masters. 

1680.— James  Troughton. 

1680.— William  Wyche. 

1683.— Peter  Stephens. 

. — William  Everingham. 

1730.— Eobert' Gardiner. 

1760.— William  Tonge. 

1769. — John  Andrews. 

1799.— George  Matthew. 

1812. — Eobert  Denny  Eix  Spooner. 

1826.— Samuel  Hazlewood. 

1852.— Charles  Cotterill. 

1854. — Henry  Ashington. 


216  BRAUNCEWELL. 

THE  CHUECH. 

We  know  from  Domesday  book  that  a  church,  served  by  a 
priest,  existed  at  Brauncewell  before  the  Conquest.  This  had 
probably  been  rebuilt  more  than  once,  when  its  representative 
having  fallen  into  a  ruinous  state  at  the  beginning  of  the  present 
century,  it  was  taken  down  and  the  present  small  structure  was 
erected.  From  the  time  when  this  took  place  it  would  be  hope- 
less to  expect  to  see  such  a  church  as  we  should  now  build,  but 
it  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that  the  nave  was  built  entirely  at  the  cost 
of  a  tenant  of  Lord  Bristol's,  who  then  farmed  the  land  around 
it.  It  is  dedicated  to  All  Saints,  and  consists  of  a  nave  and 
miniature  tower  surmounted  by  an  embattled  parapet  and  angle 
pinnacles,  and  a  small  chancel  added  in  1855,  sufficient  to  accom- 
modate the  few  parishioners  of  this  little  place.  When  Holies 
visited  Brauncewell  church  he  observed  the  name  Henricus  de 
Eouceby  inscribed  upon  one  of  the  windows. 


CEANWELL. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

2506.  233. 

THE  name  of  this  village,  situated  4%  miles  north  west  of 
Sleaford,  was  originally  spelt  Cranewelle,  and  consisted  of 
12  carucates  of  land,  belonging  to  Ulf.  After  the  Conquest  these 
lands  were  given  to  Gilbert  de  Q-ant.  Here  one  of  his  vassals, 
Geoffrey  by  name,  held  1  carucate  in  demesne,  21  sokemen  had 
9  carucates  and  2  villans,  and  5  bordars  had  8  carucates  and  29 
acres  of  meadow.  The  arable  land  was  reckoned  at  22  furlongs 
in  length  and  7|  in  breadth.  This  was  worth  100s.  in  King 
Edward's  time,  but  subsequently  £7,  Besides  this  there  was  1 
carucate  and-a-half  of  land  that  had  belonged  to  Azor,  worth  in 
King  Edward's  time  20s.,  and  subsequently  10s.  This  was  a 
berewick  of  Gilbert  de  Gant's  manor  of  Falkingham,  and  was  a 
separate  holding  let  also  to  the  above-named  Geoffrey,  who  had 
6  villans  and  1  bordar  cultivating  1  carucate,  and  17  J  acres  of 
meadow. 

St.  Benedict  of  Eamsey,  or  Eamsey  Abbey,  possessed  half  a 
carucate  of  meadow  land  here,  the  gift  of  the  Conqueror.  This 
was  subsequently  held  by  Geoffrey  Selvein,  or  Selvayn,  when  it 
was  valued  at  the  eighth  part  of  a  knight's  fee. 

In  1185  David  de  Armentiers,  or  Ermentiers,  who  then  held 
the  de  Gant  fee  here  had  given  to  the  Templars  of  Temple  Bruer 
6  carucates  of  land  in  Cranwell,  of  which  Thomas  de  Fulbec  was 
then  holding  5£  carucates  at  a  rent  of  12s.  4d.,  and  William  de 
Armentiers  the  other  half  carucate  at  a  rent  of  7s.,  some  work, 
and  "  le  present,"  or  pocket  money.  Besides  this  gift,  the 
Templars  then  possessed  1  carucate  of  land,  the  gift  of  Eobert 
Selvein,  let  at  -a  rent  of  5s.  to  William  de  Cranewell,  and  half  a 
carucate,  the  gift  of  Henry  Selvein  let  at  a  rent  of  3s.  4d.  to  Falco, 
son  of  Maurice.  Subsequently  Galfrid  de  Ermentiers  held  the  de 
Gant  fee  here,  part  of  which  he  let  to  Adam  de  Cranewell,  and 
the  remainder  to  Humphrey  de  Welle,  who  sublet  it  to  the  Prior 


218  CEANWELL. 

of  Sempringham.  The  Templars  land  here  was  then  reckoned  as 
half  a  knight's  fee,  and  held  by  Adam  de  Cranewell  of  Galfrid 
de  Ermentiers,  he  of  the  de  Grants,  and  they  of  the  King  in  capite. 
Adam  de  Cranewell  died  1262. 

In  1286  Peter  de  Goushull  died  seized  of  lands  here,  held  of 
John  de  Baiocis  in  right  of  his  barony.  He  was  followed  by 
Ealph  de  Goushull,  who  died  1295,  and  Philip  le  Despenser  the 
husband  of  Margaret  de  Goushull,  who  died  1314.  Previous  to 
this,  viz  :  in  1299,  Eobert  de  Kirton  obtained  the  King's  licence 
to  give  to  the  Prior  of  Sempringham  certain  lands  and  tenements 
in  Cranwell,  "  Inq.  p.  m.  27.  E.  1  "  ;  and  Eobert  de  Carlton  took 
the  same  means  to  be  allowed  to  give  2  oxgangs  of  land  and  a 
messuage  here  to  the  Templars.  "  Inq.  p.  m.  30.  E.  1."  In 
1330  died  Margaret  de  Goushull,  first  the  wife  of  Philip  le 
Despenser,  and  then  of  John  de  Eoos,  and  at  the  same  time  her 
young  son  and  heir  Philip  le  Despenser. 

In  1376  died  Henry  de  Beaumont  in  possession  of  the  old  fee 
of  John  de  Baiocis. 

Early  in  the  16th  century  the  manor  of  Cranwell  had  passed 
into  the  hands  of  the  ancient  family  of  Thorold.  It  appears  to 
have  been  purchased  by  William  Thorold  of  Hough  and  Marston, 
who  in  the  year  1541  had  to  exhibit  his  title  to  it  and  his  other 
possessions  here.  He  died  November  24th,  1569,  seized  of  the 
manor  of  Cranwell,  34  messuages,  30  tofts,  1000  acres  of  land, 
120  of  meadow,  200  of  pasture,  500  of  warren,  200  of  moor,  and 
an  annual  rent  of  20s.  in  Syston  and  Cranwell,  held  of  the  Queen 
in  capite. 

He  left  his  estates  in  Hough,  Marston,  Syston  and  Cranwell 
to  his  son,  Sir  Anthony  Thorold,  who  died  seized  of  these  June 
26th,  1594,  from  whom  they  have  descended  together  with  other 
lands,  subsequently  acquired,  to  the  present  head  of  the  family. 
Formerly  the  Thorolds  had  a  good  old  Hall  at  Cranwell,  at  which 
they  occasionally  resided,  and  Sir  John  Thorold,  the  8th  Bart., 
born  in  1703,  certainly  made  this  his  principal  residence.  He  died 
in  1775.  His  son,  the  9th  Bart.,  established  himself  at  Syston, 
but  members  of  the  family  continued  to  reside  at  Cranwell  until 
1816.  The  present  Sir  John  Thorold,  Bart.,  of  Syston  Park,  is 
lord  of  the  manor,  impropriator,  and  the  owner  of  all  the  land, 
except  a  farm  belonging  to  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge.  In 
the  middle  of  the  village  is  the  base  of  an  old  stone  cross. 


OR  AN  WELL.  219 

Cranwell  Hall  was  a  handsome  spacious  stone  mansion, 
having  a  lofty  roof  covered  with  tiles.  On  the  west  was  a  court, 
bounded  by  the  stables  on  the  south,  and  a  row  of  horse  chest- 
nuts on  the  north,  having  a  wide  gravelled  ring  in  the  centre 
leading  to  the  usual  entrance  of  the  house  ;  and  in  the  middle  of 
this  ring  was  a  large  lime  tree,  whence  it  was  called  Eing  Tree 
Court ;  but  the  principal  front  was  the  southern  one,  where  the  hall 
and  grand  staircase  were  situated.  The  walls  of  these  and  all  the 
principal  rooms  were  panelled,  and  enriched  with  carving,  frag- 
ments of  which  now  most  incongruously  appear  in  the  church ; 
and  their  ceilings  were  ornamented  with  rich  plaster  decorative 
work.  From  the  eastern  front  ran  a  gravelled  path,  bordered  by 
box  hedges,  leading  to  a  raised  terrace,  shaded  by  a  row  of  yews. 

The  poor  of  this  parish  receive  the  benefit  of  £8  2s.  yearly 
through  a  benefaction  of  Sir  William  and  Ann,  Lady  Thorold, 
bequeathed  by  them  in  1682,  and  Margaret,  Lady  Thorold  out  of 
a  farm  in  South  Eauceby,  land  in  Silk  Willoughby,  &c.,  left  for 
various  charitable  purposes,  supplied  the  means  of  apprenticing 
a  boy  of  this  parish  and  aiding  the  education  of  its  poor  children. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTOKY. 

According  to  Leland,  Joel  de  Lincoln,  a  monk  of  Eamsey, 
gave  to  that  Abbey  the  church  of  this  vill  on  XI.  Kal.  Feb, 
(Jany.  22d.)  but  no  year  is  given.  Dugdale  also  reports  that 
Eobert  de  Armentiers  gave  a  mediety  of  this  church  to  the 
Templars,  for  which  John,  the  clerk,  paid  during  his  life  in  the 
nave  of  the  church  half  a  mark.  The  extreme  antiquity  even  of 
a  part  of  the  present  fabric  proves  that  there  was  a  church  here 
before  the  Conquest,  although  it  is  not  made  mention  of  in 
Domesday  book.  The  Priors  of  Sempringham  were  for  some 
time  patrons  of  the  living  ;  bub  it  is  now  in  the  gift  of  the  Bishops 
of  Lincoln.  Its  value  having  been  formerly  very  small  was  first 
augmented  by  a  gift  of  £200  from  the  Governors  of  Queen  Anne's 
Bounty,  and  by  a  similar  gift  from  Margaret,  the  then  Dowager 
Lady  Thorold,  with  which  and  £60  further  added  by  Lady 
Thorold,  80  acres  of  land  in  Eauceby,  together  with  right  of 
commonage  for  30  sheep,  4  cows,  and  4  beasts  were  happily 
bought  to  augment  the  living,  together  with  a  moiety  of  the 
impropriate  tithes  of  Eauceby ;  and  again  in  1787  the  same 


220  CEANWELL. 

process  was  repeated  by  a  further  grant  from  the  Governors  of 
Queen  Anne's  Bounty  of  £200,  and  £20  given  by  the  then  vicar, 
the  Rev.  John  Pugh,  with  which  another  piece  of  land  adjoining 
the  first  was  purchased,  consisting  of  18  acres  in  Westfield,  in 
the  parish  of  Leasingham.  It  is  valued  in  the  King's  books 
at  £8,  and  is  in  the  patronage  of  the  Bishop.  The  list  of  the 
incumbents  is  very  imperfect,  but  it  is  clear  from  the  first  extract 
that  the  living  was  once  divided  into  two  medieties,  an  eastern 
and  a  western  one  : — 

A.D.  1218. — Robert  de  Gravel  was  presented  to  the  eastern 
mediety. 

1571. — Thomas  Johnson. 

1604.— Richard  Flear. 

1729. — Abraham  Wilcox. 

1744.— William  Gunnell. 

1771.— John  Pugh. 

1799.— Matthew  Barnett. 

1833. — George  John  Skeels, 

1834. — Owen  Davys — now  Archdeacon  of  Northampton. 

1846.— Robert  Allan  Scott. 

1870.— John  Thorold. 

THE  CHURCH. 

So  humble  is  the  appearance  of  this  little  church  that  most 
would  hardly  think  it  worthy  of  inspection  ;  but  it  will  well  repay 
a  visit  on  the  part  of  any  ecclesiologist.  It  is  dedicated  to  St. 
Andrew,  and  consists  simply  of  a  nave,  small  porch,  and  chancel ; 
this  last  having  a  tile  covered  roof  raised  far  above  the  flat  lead 
covered  one  of  the  nave. 

The  earliest  fragment  is  at  the  north  east  angle  of  the  nave, 
where  about  ten  feet  of  long  and  short  work  still  remains.  This 
may  readily  be  of  Saxon  origin.  Then  comes  the  Norman  aisle 
arcade  within,  perhaps  added  to  a  Saxon  nave  now  totally  gone. 
This  consists  in  all  of  four  bays,  but  a  pier  separates  the  western- 
most one  from  the  others,  and  has  its  own  distinct  half-round 
shafted  responds  with  plainly  moulded  caps  and  square  abaci  and 
bases.  It  may  have  served  as  a  belfry,  screened  off  by  a  partition 
wall,  or  wooden  screen,  from  the  rest  of  the  nave.  The  responds 
and  pillars  beyond  this  pier  are  of  the  same  date  and  character, 


CEANWELL.  221 

but  their  caps  differ  as  to  detail,  that  of  the  western  respond 
having  volutes  at  its  angles  and  stiff  foliage  between,  its  corres- 
ponding one  has  similar  volutes,  with  the  scalloped  cushion  device 
between,  and  the  intermediate  pillar  caps  are  wholly  of  that 
character.  The  arches  above  have  three  members,  the  inner  one 
being  a  half-round,  the  next  a  plain  chamfered  rectangular  one, 
the  third  the  same  unchamfered.  The  hood-mould  is  enriched 
with  the  billet  ornament. 

It  is  clear  that  with  the  exception  of  this  arcade  and  the 
little  fragment  of  long  and  short  work,  the  whole  church  was  re- 
built during  the  Early  English  period,  of  which  the  following 
features  still  remain,  viz :  the  west  end  of  the  nave  with  its 
deeply  splayed  lancet  light,  that  of  the  aisle  with  its  smaller 
lancet,  and  their  external  bold  base-moulding,  the  large  lancet  in 
the  south  wall  of  the  nave,  the  porch,  the  now  crushed  and 
mutilated  chancel  arch,  and  part  of  its  south  wall  containing  a 
doorway. 

During  the  Decorated  period  the  east  end  of  the  aisle  seems 
to  have  been  rebuilt  wholly  or  in  part  from  a  small  piece  of  base 
moulding  seen  there,  and  a  good  two  light  window  of  that  style 
surmounted  by  a  quatrefoil  was  inserted  in  the  south  wall, 
between  the  porch  and  the  above-named  lancet. 

When  the  Perpendicular  style  was  in  vogue,  the  chancel 
was  considerably  lengthened  and  supplied  with  a  three  light  east 
window  of  that  style  and  a  two  light  one  in  its  south  wall ;  then 
also  one  was  inserted  in  the  south  wall  of  the  nave,  west  of  the 
porch,  and  the  large  angle  buttress  at  the  east  end  of  the  nave 
was  erected. 

In  the  17th  century  the  top  of  the  Early  English  gable  at 
the  west  end  of  the  nave  was  taken  down  and  replaced  by  a  very 
incongruous  successor  containing  a  small  bell,  and  surmounted 
by  an  obelisk  finished  with  a  weathercock.  The  north  wall  of 
the  aisle  was  rebuilt  about  60  years  ago.  The  nave  roof  is 
nearly  flat,  and  the  chancel  ceiled.  The  font  is  a  plain  Early 
English  one,  having  an  octangular  bowl,  stem,  and  base. 
When  Holies  visited  this  church  there  were  the  following  shields 
of  arms  in  the  east  window  of  the  chancel,  viz  :  Barry  of  8  Arg 
&  G  a  bend  bearing  a  cross  potent  Az.,  St.  Gilbert.  Gu.  3  bars 
Arg  a  label  of  4  points  Az,  impaling  Gu,  3  cranes  Arg.,  Gran- 
well,  and  this  legend  :  "  Orate  spialiter  pro  aibus  Willi  Cranwell 


222  CEANWELL. 

Armig.  et  Margarete  consortis  sue."  Also  in  a  south  window  of 
the  nave — probably  the  Perpendicular  one,  in  which  are  still 
figures  of  angels  harping,  delicately  drawn,  these  bearings,  viz : 
Arg,  a  cross  patonce  Sa,  and  Arg  within  a  border  Sa,  a  chief  Gu, 
over  all  a  bend  Az.,  Cranwell,  and  an  address  to  the  Virgin  in 
latin.  The  condition  of  this  church  now  is  most  miserable,  and 
totally  unworthy  of  the  sacred  purposes  to  which  it  is  dedicated. 


DIGBY. 

•  ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

2351.  330. 

THE  name  of  this  village,  lying  6  miles  north,  of  Sleaford,  was 
originally  spelt  Dicbi,  and  then  Diggeby.  After  the  Con- 
quest Geoffrey  Anselin  obtained  its  lands  as  a  gift  from  the  new 
Norman  King.  These  consisted  of  12  carucates,  100  acres  of 
meadow,  and  10  acres  of  coppice  wood ;  here  also  he  had  35 
sokemen.  About  1 150  Ralph  Anselin,  grandson  of  Geoffrey,  con- 
firmed to  God,  St.  Mary  and  the  Nuns  of  Haverholme,  6  acres 
of  arable  land  in  the  plains  of  Digby  that  his  vassal  Roger  had 
given  them.  The  same  Ralph  gave  2  tofts  of  land  here  to  the 
Templars,  who  also  possessed  a  mill  at  Digby,  given  them  by 
Saer  or  Sayer  de  Arceles,  afterwards  let  to  Ralph,  the  clerk  of 
Hagworthingham,  at  a  rent  of  8s.  In  the  first  half  of  the  13th 
century  the  Anselin  lands  here  comprised  2  knight's  fees,  both  of 
which  were  then  held  by  William  Bardolf ;  one  he  kept  in  his 
own  hands,  half  the  other  he  let  to  Robert  de  Tilton,  and  half  to 
William,  son  of  Goisfrid,  by  knight's  service.  William  Bardolf 
died  in  1245;  another  William  Bardolf,  1290;  Hugo,  1304; 
Thomas,  1328-9  ;  John,  who  appears  to  have  let  certain  lands 
and  tenements  here  to  Robert  de  Digby,  and  then  to  Lena, 
wife  of  John  Aylmer,  of  Digby,  for  which  she  paid  a  fine  of  20s., 
1333.  "  Inq.  p.  m.  7.  E.  3."  In  1335-6  William,  son  and  heir 
of  Robert  Bate,  paid  the  King  2  marks  on  his  acquiring  certain 
lands  and  tenements  here.  "  Pip.  Rot.  9.  E.  3."  In  1358  Agnes, 
wife  of  William  Bardolf  died,  and  in  1372  John  Bardolf,  possessed 
of  the  manor  of  Ruskington  and  its  appurtenances  in  Digby.  In 
1397  died  Thomas  Mortymer,  Kt.,  seized  of  a  manor  then  for- 
feited, in  1441  William  Philip,  husband  of  one  of  the  Bardolf 
heiresses,  seized  of  this  rill,  and  in  1454  Anna,  relict  of  Reginald 
Cobham,  Kt.  In  1462-3,  through  the  attainder  of  William 
Viscount  Beaumont  as  a  Lancastrian,  the  manor  of  Digby  became 
an  escheat  of  the  crown,  when  Thomas,  Archbishop  of  Canter- 


224  DIGBY. 

bury,  and  George,  Bishop  of  Exeter,  were  enfeoffed  with  it.  In 
1514  the  manor  of  Digby  was  granted  to  Thomas  Lord  Howard, 
Admiral  of  England,  when  he  was  created  Earl  of  Surrey  for 
services  he  had  rendered  to  the  State.  In  the  reign  of  Elizabeth 
a  Chancery  suit  took  place  between  Richard  Huddlestone  and 
William  Gannock,  respecting  a  claim  of  the  former  to  a  manor 
called  Bowers  Hall  and  10  oxgangs  of  land  in  Digby  and  lands 
in  Dorrington  and  Rowston  that  had  belonged  to  Godfrey  Hud- 
dlestone, the  grandfather  of  the  said  Richard,  and  of  the  said 
William  Gannock's  wife.  In  1592  died  Edward  Digby  seized  of 
the  manor  of  Digby,  and  in  1606,  after  its  forfeiture  by  his  son, 
Sir  Edward  Digby,  a  lease  of  it  was  granted  to  Thomas  Merry. 
"Domestic  State  Papers,  James  I.,  Y.  23.  N.  11."  Two  years 
previous  to  this  the  plague,  or  some  other  similar  fatal  pestilence, 
prevailed  in  this  parish,  134  funerals  having  occurred  here  in 
July,  August,  and  September  of  the  year  1 604,  as  appears  by  a 
memorandum  to  that  effect  in  one  of  the  old  parish  registers. 
Before  1680  Colonel  Edward  King  had  acquired  the  disputed 
estate  of  Bower  Hall,  as  he  died  seized  of  it  in  that  year,  and  left 
it  to  his  daughter  Anne  who  was  living  at  Lincoln  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  next  century.  In  1720  this  parish  was  enclosed, 
when  it  and  the  adjoining  parish  of  Bloxholm  were  possessed  by 
Mr.  Thornton,  who  was  subsequently  ruined  by  speculating  in 
the  South  Sea  Scheme.  Soon  after  it  was  purchased  by  Sir 
Dudley  Rider,  from  whom  it  has  descended  to  its  present  Noble 
owner  the  Earl  of  Harrowby,  K.G. 

A  little  to  the  south  east  of  the  church  is  a  village  cross  in  a 
more  perfect  state  than  usual,  eight  feet  of  the  shaft  still  remain- 
ing. 

Henry  Young,  gardener  to  the  Duke  of  Rutland,  who  died 
in  1761,  gave  9  acres  of  land  in  Frieston  for  the  benefit  of  four 
poor  widows  of  this  parish  and  a  house,  each  of  whom  was  to 
have  5s.  on  St.  Thomas's  day,  and  the  remainder  of  the  proceeds 
of  this  land  was  to  be  applied  to  the  education  of  eight  poor 
children.  A  tablet  in  the  church  commemorates  this  humble 
benefactor. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

The  vicarage  of  Digby  was  formerly  in  the  gift  of  the  Prior 
of  Catley,  and  subsequently  of  the  Carres.  It  was  united  to  the 


DIGBY  CHUROI. 


DIGBY.  225 

Rectory  of  Bloxholm  in  1717,  through  the  purchase  of  Catley 
Priory  by  Robert  Carre,  31  Henry  VIII.  Reference  is  made  to 
a  chantry  once  existing  here,  at  the  time  of  the  suppression  of 
chantries,  to  which  John  Bell  of  this  vill  had  given  certain  tene- 
ments in  this  parish,  worth  2s.  4d.  a  year,  for  the  annual  observ- 
ance of  his  obit  in  Digby  church.  In  1616  the  living  was  valued 
at  £10  a  year,  Edward  Carre  was  patron,  and  there  were  140 
communicants.  "  Willis's  MSS.  f.  39."  The  earliest  register 
commences  1679.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  vicars  as  far  as 
can  now  be  ascertained  : — 

A.D.  1535. — John  Bardock. 

1616. — Henry  Hackley. 

1672. — Roger  Brecknock. 

1701.— Thomas  Seller. 

1705. — James  Middleditch. 

1711.— William  Harvey. 

1720. — Richard  Disney. 

1731.— Gilbert  Smith. 

1782.— Henry  Pickwell. 

1787. — Daniel  Mackinnon. 

1825. — John  Mackinnon. 

THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  dedicated  to  St.  Thomas  a  Becket,  and  consists  of  a 
nave,  aisles,  chancel,  tower  and  spire.  The  oldest  feature  is  a 
late  Norman  doorway  in  the  south  aisle,  constituting  the  principal 
entrance.  This  is  ornamented  with  reticulated  work  and  the 
nail-head,  and  was  thought  good  enough  to  be  incorporated  into 
the  Early  English  church  forming  the  basis  of  the  present 
structure.  In  front  of  this  a  monstrous  modern  porch  has  been 
built,  when  one  of  the  aisle  buttresses  was  destroyed  for  its  sake. 
This  aisle  is  for  the  most  part  Early  English  as  declared  by  its  base 
moulds  and  a  large  lancet  light  remaining  in  its  west  end,  but 
the  others  have  been  superseded  by  two  flat-headed  Decorated 
windows  in  its  side  wall,  and  a  three  light  one  of  the  same  date, 
circa  1320-40,  in  its  eastern  end.  The  north  aisle  is  also  Early 
English.  In  this  is  one  lancet  light  towards  the  west  end,  and 
another  in  its  western  wall,  also  the  usual  north  doorway,  but 
two  Decorated  windows  similar  to  those  in  the  opposite  aisle  have 


226  DIGBY. 

also  been  inserted  in  the  wall  of  this  aisle.  The  nave  is  sur- 
mounted by  a  Perpendicular  clerestory  having  six  lights  arranged 
in  couples  on  either  side,  and  an  embattled  parapet.  The  chancel 
walls  are  Early  English.  In  the  southern  one  are  two  little 
lancets,  a  square  low-side  window  towards  its  western  end,  and  a 
poor  modern  doorway,  probably  the  successor  of  a  better  old  one. 
In  the  north  wall  is  a  solitary  little  light  or  slit  with  a  semicircu- 
lar head  after  the  Norman  fashion,  which,  from  its  position  might 
also  have  served  as  a  low- side  window.  The  east  window  is  an 
after  insertion,  and  the  terminals  of  its  hood  mould  are  well 
carved  ;  the  one  representing  a  lady's  head  having  broad  bands 
of  plaited  hair  projecting  from  the  temples,  the  other  a  man's 
head  in  a  hood,  the  upper  edge  of  which  is  turned  back  from  the 
forehead,  and  its  under  edge  worked  in  a  nebulated  form. 

The  lower  stage  of  the  tower  is  Early  English  having  a  lancet 
in  its  western  wall.  Above  this  is  a  Decorated  stage  constituting 
the  belfry.  This  4s  surmounted  by  a  coarse  but  effective  Perpen- 
dicular parapet  and  a  well  proportioned  spire. 

Within,  both  arcades,  each  of  three  bays,  are  excellent,  but 
of  different  periods.  The  northern  one  is  Early  English.  Its 
pillars  stand  upon  square  sub-bases,  from  which  clustered  and 
filleted  shafts  of  the  most  delicate  character  spring.  These  have 
good  water-moulded  bases,  and  from  their  very  slender  character 
scarcely  appear  up  to  the  work  imposed  upon  them.  The  eastern 
arch  above  springs  from  a  large  bracket  ornamented  with  con- 
ventional foliage,  and  a  tuft  of  the  same  is  carved  above  the 
pillar  caps,  at  the  points  whence  the  arches  spring.  The  western- 
most bay  of  this  aisle  is  separated  from  it  by  an  arched  division 
of  the  Decorated  period,  and  now  serves  as  a  vestry. 

The  southern  arcade  is  of  the  same  style  as  this  partition, 
and  is  supported  by  three  clustered  and  filleted  pillars. 

There  was  once  a  chapel  at  the  east  of  both  aisles,  as 
evidenced  by  an  aumbry  towards  the  eastern  end  of  the  north 
aisle  wall,  and  a  piscina  in  a  corresponding  position  in  the  south 
aisle. 

A  plain  massive  Early  English  arch  springing  from  brackets 
ought  to  throw  the  tower  and  its  western  lancet  light  open  to  the 
nave  ;  but  this  is  now  stopped  up.  In  its  south  wall  is  a  door- 
way. 

Most  of  the  old  oak  benches  still  remain.  The  font  is  a 
large  coarsely  carved  one  of  the  Perpendicular  period. 


DIGBY.  227 

The  chancel  arch  is  Early  English,  but  the  caps  of  its  piers 
are  most  dissimilar,  that  of  the  northern  one  being  enriched  with 
foliage,  while  the  other  is  merely  moulded  and  has  an  octangular 
abacus. 

In  this  arch  is  a  Perpendicular  oak  screen  in  fair  condition. 

In  the  south  wall  of  the  chancel  are  two  piscense  and  a  smal  L 
recessed  Early  English  sedile.  Opposite  is  an  aumbry,  and  in 
the  east  wall  are  two  statue  brackets.  When  Holies  visited  this 
church  he  saw  in  what  he  terms  the  east  window  of  the  nave,  i.e. 
of  one  of  the  nave  aisles,  this  inscription :  "  Priez  pur  Johan 
Elmere  (Aimer)  &  Loue  sa  femme.  Johannes  Aylmer  &  uxor  sua 
mefecerunt";  and  in  the  southern  clerestory  windows  legends 
recording  the  names  of  Cooke  and  Beecke  as  benefactors. 

In  the  tower  are  three  bells,  one  of  which  is  modern,  the 
others  bear  these  dates  and  legends  : — Will.  Medcalf.  Warden. 
1656.  Be  God  with  us.  1672. 

The  chalice  is  a  small  silver  one  with  a  paten  cover  inscribed 
Dygbe  Coup.  1569. 


DOREINaTON. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

1881.  467. 

THE  name  of  this  place,  situated  5  miles  north,  of  Sleaford, 
has  been  variously  spelt  Diringtone,  Dirington,  Derington, 
Dyrington.  The  Conqueror  gave  it  to  Greoffrey  Alselin  as  part 
of  his  manor  of  Euskington.  It  consisted  of  12  carucates. 
Geoffrey  had  1  carucate  in  demesne,  28  sokemen,  and  8  bordars 
.cultivating  7  carucates.  One  of  his  vassals  here  had  also  9  ox- 
gangs  of  land  and  1  plough.  Besides  these  had  160  acres  of 
meadow  and  50  acres  of  underwood.  The  whole  was  worth  20s. 
in  King  Edward's  time. 

In  1185  the  Templars  had  been  given  some  lands  here,  of 
which  Ealf  the  Dean  held  2  oxgangs,  of  the  gift  of  Walter  de 
Dirington  at  a  rent  of  4s.,  Robert  Winterhard  1  oxgang  at  16d., 
Robert,  the  Chaplain  1  toft,  the  gift  of  Eobert  de  Calz  at  12d. 
some  work,  and  "  le  present."  Lund  1  toft  at  12d.,  4  hens,  and 
4  days  work.  William  de  Bovill  1  toft  and  a  particule  of  land, 
the  gift  of  _  Ealf  de  Ledenham  at  12d.,  some  work  and  "  le 
present."  In  the  13th  century  Anselin's  land  here  comprised  2 
knight's  fees.  One  of  these  was  held  by  William  Bardolf  who 
let  it  to  Eobert  de  Dirington  by  knight's  service.  Half  a  knight's 
fee  was  held  by  the  Prior  of  Haverholme  to  whom  it  had  been 
given  by  Ealph  Hamslap,  and  the  remaining  half  was  held  by 
Eobert  de  Everingham,  who  let  it  to  Ealph  Hamslap,  he  to 
William  de  Boville,  and  he  to  the  Prior  of  Haverholme.  It  was 
of  the  new  feoffment,  and  the  Prior  paid  scutage  to  Eobert  de 
Everingham,  who  died  1237,  and  he  to  the  King.  In  1275  the 
Prior  of  Haverholme  held  a  knight's  fee  in  Dorrington  the  gift 
of  Ealf  de  Totenhall  and  William  Sparwe  56  years  before.  They 
had  held  this  land  of  Matilda  de  Calz,  and  she  of  the  King.  In 
1304  died  Alicia  de  Scopwyk  seized  of  this  vill  and  the  profits  of 
its  court.  "  Inq.  p.  m.  33.  E.  1."  In  1327  the  Prior  of  Haver- 
holme acquired  the  right  of  free  warren  in  Dorrington,  and  two 


DORRINGTON.  229 

years  later  John  de  Dirington  was  his  tenant  here.  In  the  time 
of  the  Civil  War  it  is  reported  that  several  fugitive  loyalists  were 
hid  beneath  some  barley  straw  in  a  barn  that  formerly  belonged 
to  the  Todkills,  and  escaped  the  search  of  some  of  the  Roundhead 
troops  in  pursuit  of  them,  although  these  got  upon  the  straw 
beneath  which  they  were  hid,  and  pierced  it  with  their  swords. 
"William  Burton,  the  faithful  steward  of  the  Carre  family,  relates 
that  three  woods  in  Dorrington,  first  the  property  of  the  Duke  of 
Norfolk,  then  of  the  Earl  of  Suffolk,  and  then  of  James  Standish, 
were  bought  by  ^ir  Edward  Carre,  father  of  Sir  Robert  the  2nd 
Baronet.  In  the  17th  century  Robert  Oldfield,  son  of  Anthony 
of  Metheringham  had  acquired  lands  here,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Anthony,  his  son,  of  Dorrington,  who  died  1666.  He  seems  only 
to  have  had  four  daughters,  Mary,  wife  of  a  Mr.  Low,  of  Denby, 
Derbyshire,  obiit  February  1st,  1667,  Elizabeth,  Lucy,  and 
Margaret.  Of  these  Mrs.  Lucy  Oldfield  left  a  house  and  garden 
to  the  clerk  of  the  parish,  situated  south  of  Chapel  Hill.  The 
Oldfield  house  was  that  occupied  until  lately  by  the  Thackers. 
The  Enderby  family  lived  in  the  old  manor  house,  now  pulled 
down,  the  Standishes  in  a  house  near  Chapel  Hill,  and  the 
Todkills  in  another  house  of  some  size ;  of  whom  Mrs.  Lucy 
Oldfield  and  Edward  and  Thomas  Standish  left  small  sums  for 
the  benefit  of  the  poor  of  this  parish. 

The  Earl  of  Harrowby  is  now  the  lord  of  the  manor  and 
the  possessor  of  the  greater  part  of  the  land,  who  bought  these 
of  the  late  Sir  Gilbert  Heathcote,  Bart.,  but  Joseph  Dent,  Esq., 
is  also  a  large  landowner  here,  including  the  Rectorial  lands. 
In  the  village  is  a  cross  consisting  of  a  square  base  and  part  of 
an  octagonal  shaft  7  feet  high,  and  a  little  to  the  north  of  this  is 
a  piece  of  ground  called  Play  garth,  left  to  the  parish  by  some 
charitable  person  for  the  recreation  of  its  boys  and  girls  who 
used  especially  to  assemble  there  on  St.  Bartholomew's  day,  after 
having  strewed  the  church  with  rushes  and  decorated  it  with 
flowers.  On  this  spot  stood  a  remarkable  old  oak  having  fine  large 
limbs,  ascent  to  which  was  supplied  by  nicks  or  steps  cut  in  its 
bole ;  but  through  long  continued  ill-usage  by  the  thoughtless 
youngsters  of  the  parish  it  at  last  died.  The  lower  portion  of 
this  parish  was  once  forest  land,  the  trunks  and  stumps  of  many 
large  trees  having  been  from  time  to  time  dug  up,  lying  from 
one  to  six  feet  below  the  surface.  Some  of  these  appear  to  have 

R 


230  DOEEINGTON. 

been  felled  and  others  partially  burnt.     Near  to  one  of  these 
was  found  an  axe  head  or  celt. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

After  William  Bardolf  had  acquired  lands  and  rights  in 
Dorrington  through  the  Anselins,  he  gave  a  mediety  of  the 
church  here  to  the  Prior  and  Convent  of  Haverholme,  and  Walter 
de  Dirington  gave  it  the  other  mediety  by  the  consent  of  his  son 
John,  at  the  same  time  that  he  gave  it  2  oxgangs  of  land  here 
that  had  belonged  to  Nicholas  the  clerk.  In  1228  the  Templars 
had  acquired  the  right  of  its  presentation,  who  in  that  year  pre- 
sented Eichard  de  Stapelford  to  it.  In  1574  Thomas  York,  of 
Ashby,  died  possessed  of  the  Eectory  of  Dorrington.  Next  we 
hear  of  it  as  being  in  the  hands  of  Greorge  Wolmer,  viz  :  in  1580, 
and  in  1617  Eobert  Oldfield  had  to  shew  cause  why  it  should  not 
be  seized  by  the  King  as  of  the  Monastery  of  Shelford.  "  Harl. 
MSS.  f.  757."  In  1616  a  Mr.  Brown,  of  London,  was  patron  of 
the  vicarage,  then  worth  £10  a  year,  and  when  there  were  102 
communicants.  "  Willis's  MS.  f.  39."  Lord  Aveland  is  now 
the  patron  of  the  living.  Certain  tenements  and  lands  were 
given  by  John  Thien,  Thomas  Stenygs,  and  others,  for  the 
purpose  of  supplying  perpetual  lights  in  this  church.  The 
registers  commence  with  the  date  1653. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  vicars  as  far  as  can  now  be 
ascertained : — 

A.D.  1228.— Eichard  de  Stapleford. 

1535.— William  More. 

1660.— John  Young. 
. — John  Harrison. 

1686.— Matthew  Smith. 

1698.— Eichard  Parke. 

1 726. — James  Thompson. 

1737. — Francis  Hetherington. 

1764. — Lawrence  Wright. 

1772. — Joseph  Arnall  Eyre. 

1792.— Eobert  Blyth. 

1799.— John  Maydwell. 

1823.— Zachariah  Shrapnel  Warren. 

1862.— William  Sykes. 


DOKKINGTON.  231 

THE  CHURCH. 

The  isolated  position  of  this  church,  on  a  little  eminence 
quite  apart  from  the  village  is  remarkable  ;  but  there  is  reason 
to  believe  that  formerly  some  houses  stood  nearer  to  it,  as  con- 
necting links  between  the  village  of  Dorrington  and  its  church. 
This  is  dedicated  to  St.  James,  and  consists  of  a  tower,  nave, 
north  and  south  aisles,  chancel,  and  a  modern  porch  and  vestry. 
The  whole  was  no  doubt  originally  Early  English,  as  evidenced 
by  its  tower  and  chancel  aisle,  the  north  arch  arcade  and  side 
walls  of  the  chancel  which  still  remain,  while  the  pitch  of  its 
former  roof  is  indicated  on  the  eastern  face  of  the  tower.  The 
south  aisle  is  low  and  buttressed  at  its  angles.  It  is  now  wholly 
Decorated ;  on  the  north  side  of  the  porch  is  a  two  light  seg- 
mental  arched  window,  a  similar  one  at  its  east  end,  and  a  slit 
at  its  western  end.  Above  this  is  a  Tudor  clerestory,  having 
three  windows,  each  of  three  lights,  on  either  side,  and  a  plain 
parapet.  In  the  north  aisle  wall  is  an  Early  English  segmental 
arched  doorway  towards  the  west  end,  and  a  two  light  Decorated 
window,  the  head  of  which  has  been  restored ;  besides  a  pretty 
small  one  of  the  same  date  in  its  east  wall.  In  the  south  wall  of 
the  chancel  is  a  single  lancet,  a  plain  low-side  window,  and  a 
segmental  arched  doorway.  The  east  wall  appears  to  have  been 
wholly  rebuilt — circa  1 330,  and  certainly  in  a  very  careful  manner. 
It  is  flanked  by  angle  buttresses,  whence  sprang  pinnacles.  The 
east  window  has  reticulated  tracery,  and  is  well  moulded  through- 
out. Its  arch  is  of  the  ogee  form,  and  terminates  with  a  foliated 
pinnacle.  Above  is  a  piece  of  sculpture  on  two  stones,  represent- 
ing the  Judgment,  and  in  the  right  hand  corner  of  which  is 
pourtrayed  the  entrance  of  Hell,  or  its  dread  jaws.  Above  this 
is  a  small  niche  for  some  other  sculpture,  just  below  a  beautiful 
gable  cross.  On  the  north  side  a  small  modern  vestry  has  lately 
been  attached  to  the  chancel  transeptally,  and  a  lancet  light. 

The  tower  is  a  good  specimen  of  Decorated  work,  once 
supporting  a  spire,  but  now  simply  finished  with  a  plain  parapet 
without  angle  pinnacles  which  it  once  had.  Its  belfry  lights  are 
effective  from  their  being  deeply  set,  and  in  the  south  west  angle 
is  a  staircase  contrived  between  its  buttresses.  There  are  two 
small  lights  in  its  western  face,  the  upper  one  being  now  partly 
filled  in  by  a  tombstone  on  which  a  cross  may  be  discerned. 


232  DOEEINGTON. 

Within,  the  Early  English  north  aisle  arcade  consists  of  two 
wide  arches  springing  from  low  pillars,  and  responds  having 
keel-shape^  piers.  Its  central  pillar  has  a  line  of  the  tooth 
ornament  between  its  four  members,  and  the  effective  water 
mould  is  employed  in  the  composition  of  its  base.  The  south 
aisle  arcade  is  Early  English,  but  greatly  inferior  to  that  of  the 
north  aisle.  Its  central  pillar  is  octangular  in  plan,  and  its 
arches  are  ill  formed.  Formerly  a  chantry  chapel  clearly  existed 
at  the  east  end  of  either  aisle  as  indicated  by  a  small  corbel-like 
piscina  still  remaining  in  the  wall  towards  the  east  end  of  the 
north  aisle,  and  the  remains  of  another  within  a  little  pointed 
headed  niche  in  a  corresponding  position  in  the  opposite  aisle, 
as  well  as  a  canopied  and  pinnacled  statue  niche  at  its  eastern 
end. 

The  tower  arch  piers  have  keel-shaped  shafts  flanked  by 
outer  subsidiary  ones.  The  caps  of  those  on  the  south  side  are 
plain,  but  their  compeers  are  carved. 

The  seating,  pulpit,  and  font  are  new.  On  either  side  of 
the  east  window  of  the  chancel  is  an  ogee  arched  statue  niche 
having  shafts  with  carved  caps,  and  finials  corresponding  with 
the  window  between  them,  which  is  filled  with  good  painted 
glass  by  Hughes,  representing  our  Lord's  birth,  resurrection,, 
and  ascension.  In  the  south  wall  is  the  low  side  window  before 
adverted  to,  and  in  the  opposite  one  a  square  aumbry.  Here 
also  are  a  few  old  bench  ends,  being  remnants  of  the  old  nave 
seating. 

Besides  the  parish  church  there  was  formerly  a  chapel  here 
called  Shefford  chapel,  perhaps  erected  by  some  Prior  of  Shelford. 
Its  site  is  still  called  Chapel  Hill,  and  consists  of  a  little  eminence 
in  the  village,  about  half-a-mile  south  east  of  the  church.  In 
1535  reference  is  made  to  this  chapel,  as  William  More  was  then 
'  presented  to  it  as  well  as  to  the  church  of  Dorrington.  Its  bell — 
dated  1643,  now  in  the  church,  shews  that  it  was  then  still  used, 
but  in  1698,  it  was  pulled  down,  and  its  materials  were  used  to 
repair  the  church  with,  as  both  had  then  become  much  dilapida- 
ted. The  bell  long  continued  to  remain  in  the  village  suspended 
on  an  oak  frame,  and  was  rung  there  previous  to  divine  service 
in  the  church,  in  consequence  of  its  distance  from  the  village  ; 
but  through  its  misuse  was  at  length  wisely  removed  to  the 
church. 


DOERINGTON.  233 

There  is  a  tradition  that  divine  service  was  performed  here 
three  times  a  month,  and  only  once  a  month  at  the  parish  church, 
also  that  on  St.  Bartholomew's  day,  its  floor  was  strewn  with 
rushes. 

The  grave  stones  of  Anthony  Oldfield  and  Elizabeth  his  wife 
still  remain  in  this  church.  He  died  September  30th,  1668,  and 
she  January  16th,  1686.  Here  also  is  a  handsome  monument 
erected  in  memory  of  them  and  their  daughters.  It  bears  this 
inscription  : — 

Near  this  place  lieth  interred  the  bodies  of  Anthony 
Oldfield,  late  of  this  parish,  Gentleman,  and  of  Eliza- 
beth his  wife,  and  also  of  their  four  daughters,  Mary, 
married  to  John  Lowe,  of  Denby,  in  the  county  of 
Derby,  Esquire,  Elizabeth,  married  to  James  Ground- 
man,  of  the  Middle  Temple,  London,  Gent.,  Lucy,  who 
died  unmarried,  and  Margaret,  married  to  Samuel 
Anderson,  of  Lincolnshire,  Gent. 
The  said  Lucy  Oldfield  by  her  last  Will  in  October, 
1715,  desired  this  monument  to  be  erected  in  memory 
of  her  said  father,  mother,  and  sisters. 

In  the  chancel  pavement  are  the  grave  stones  of  Margaret 
Anderson,  who  died  October  26th,  1697,  and  of  her  sisters 
Elizabeth  Groundman  and  Lucy  Oldfield,  the  last  of  whom  died 
October  31st,  1715,  On  the  first  is  a  shield  bearing  Anderson 
impaling  Oldfield.  On  the  north  wall  of  the  chancel  is  a  slab 
commemorating  William  Thacker,  who  died  January  16th,  1783, 
Maria  and  Lucy  his  wives,  and  Elizabeth  a  daughter  of  William 
Thacker,  and  his  first  wife.  Here  also  is  a  white  marble  tablet 
recording  the  death  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Earmer,  one  of  the  most 
benevolent  of  women,  who  lived  for  many  years  in  Leasingham, 
but  was  buried  next  to  her  mother's  grave  in  the  chancel  of  this 
church,  according  to  her  desire. 

Dorrington  parish  was  enclosed  1787. 


h0  '  c 

ONTARIO 


DUNSBY. 

THIS  is  a  hamlet  of  Brauncewell,  situated  4j  miles  north  of 
Sleaford.  From  Domesday  book  we  find  that  its  name 
was  originally  spelt  Dunesbi,  and  that  when  that  record  was 
compiled  it  consisted  of  6  carucates.  The  Conqueror  gave  part 
of  it  to  Geoffrey  Alselin  as  an  adjunct  of  his  manor  of  Eusking- 
ton.  He  held  2  carucates  in  demesne,  and  here  he  had  13  soke- 
men  and  1  bordar  holding  1  carucate  and  6  acres  of  meadow. 
The  rest,  consisting  of  3  carucates  and  6  acres  of  meadow,  was 
held  by  the  Abbot  of  Eamsey  as  soke  of  his  manor  of  Quarrington. 
This  was  cultivated  by  11  sokemen  and  3  bordars.  In  the  13th 
century  Alselin's  lands  were  divided  between  the  Bardolfs  and 
Everinghams,  and  comprised  1  knight's  fee,  of  which  one  third 
was  held  by  Eobert  de  Everingham,  who  died  1287,  and  the 
remainder  by  William  Bardolf .  The  first  was  then  let  by  knight' s 
service  to  Eobert  Dayville,  and^by  him  to  Alexander  de  Cressy, 
who  was  also  Dayville's  tenant.  "  Testa  de  Nevill." 

About  1370,  the  manor  of  Dunsby  constituted  part  of  the 
property  made  over  in  mortmain  by  John  Ginwell,  Bishop  of 
Lincoln,  for  the  support  of  his  chantry  in  Lincoln  Cathedral ;  but 
at  the  Bishop's  death  it  was  sold  by  his  executors,  John  de 
Warrsop  and  John  de  Thorpe,  of  Eippingale,  to  Eobert,  Abbot 
of  Newbo,  and  his  convent,  "Lib  de  ord  Cant,  f.  385  6  "  ;  but 
the  Abbot  was  charged  with  the  payment  of  the  amount  entailed 
on  the  manor  by  the  maintenance  of  Bishop  Ginwell' s  chantry. 

In  1 185  Alexander  de  Cressy  held  the  third  part  of  a  knight's 
fee  here,  out  of  which  he  gave  1  toft  to  the  Templars  of  Temple 
Bruer,  then  let  to  one — "William  for  2s.,  some  work,  and  "  le 
present,"  or  an  offering. 

In"  1544  the^King  granted  to  John  Bello  and  John  Bales  the 
Grange  of  Dunsby.  "  Harl.  MSS.  6829." 

Towards  the  close  of  thaf  century  the  manor  was  bought  by 
Eobert  Carre,  of  Sleaford,  and  it  appears  to  have  usually  formed 
part  of  the  jointure  of  the  widows  of  that  family.  In  1595  the 


DUNSBY.  235 

house  upon  it  was  occupied  by  Mrs.  Carre,  probably  the  third 
wife  and  widow  of  Robert  Carre,  and  in  1619  it  formed  part  of 
the  jointure  of  Anne  Lady  Carre,  widow  of  Sir  Edward  the  first 
Baronet,  who  was  about  to  reside  there,  when  her  intention  was 
altered  through  her  second  marriage  with  Colonel  Henry  Crom- 
well. It  then  became  the  residence  of  the  Death  family, 
connected  with  the  Carres  through  the  Irbys.  Of  these,  Henry 
Death,  J.P.,  was  buried  at  Dunsby  in  1639,  and  several  children 
of  Edward  Death,  probably  his  son's,  were  baptised  here,  one  of 
whom  was  christened  Cromwell  Death,  and  another,  with  very 
doubtful  taste  and  feeling,  Welcome  Death  !  During  the  Civil 
Wars  some  Parliamentary  troops,  probably  the  regiment  raised 
by  Colonel  King,  of  Ashby, ,  took  possession  of  the  place,  felled 
the  timber  round  it,  and  left  it  in  a  half  ruined  condition,  after 
which  time  it  was  never  again  inhabited,  and  the  materials  of 
the  old  manor  house  were  gradually  removed,  so  that  now  only 
portions  of  the  garden  wall  and  some  mounds  mark  the  site  where 
it  once  stood,  close  to  the  eastern  verge  of  the  road  between 
Sleaford  and  Lincoln ;  while  the  houses  around  it  and  the  chapel 
have  also  quite  disappeared.  The  site  of  this  old  hall  afforded 
covert  for  marauders  on  the  Heath  during  the  last  century, 
and  perhaps  from  the  unpleasant  name  of  the  last  family  who 
occupied  it  a  tradition  survives  in  connexion  with  it :  that  through 
the  rash  and  impious  vow  of  the  last  lady  of  the  Death  family, 
who  was  long  childless,  she  at  last  did  give  birth  to  a  queer  little 
son,  who  after  awhile  was  suddenly  whisked  away  from  his 
nurse's  lap  and  disappeared  up  the  chimney  in  the  midst  of 
more  than  ordinary  smoke  ! 

The  living  was  united  to  that  of  Brauncewell  in  the  17th 
century. 


EVEDON. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

1588.  .       62. 

THIS  little  village  lies  3  miles  north,  east  of  Sleaford.  Its 
name  was  originally  spelt  Evedune,  and  subsequently 
Evedun.  After  the  Conquest  it  was  divided  among  several  great 
Normans.  To  the  Bishop  of  Durham  was  given  2J  carucates 
that  had  been  Turvert's,  together  with  members  in  North  and 
South  Bauceby,  Willoughby,  and  Kirkby  Laythorpe.  His 
vassal  Colsuein  had  1  carucate,  4  villans,  2  bordars  having  1 
carucate  and  2  oxgangs,  and  20  acres  of  meadow.  Part  of  Earl 
Mortar's  land  here,  constituting  a  berewick  of  his  manor  of 
Kirkby  Laythorpe,  was  retained  by  the  King.  It  consisted  of  2 
carucates,  apparently  in  the  hands  of  2  sokemen,  another  caru- 
cate worked  by  2  villans,  a  mill  worth  5s.  4d.,  the  site  of  a  mill, 
6  acres  of  meadow,  8  of  underwood,  and,  40  of  marsh. 

The  Bishop  of  Lincoln  had  5  carucates,  20  acres  of  meadow, 
100  acres  of  marsh,  and  16  acres  of  underwood  cultivated  by  13 
sokemen,  soke  of  his  manor  of  Quarrington.  Of  this  Colsuein 
held  1  carucate,  and  had  4  villans  and  2  bordars  holding  another 
carucate  and  20  acres  of  meadow,  and  Osmund  who  held  land 
under  him  at  Quarrington,  also  held  1%  carucate  here  in  demesne 
for  which  he  paid  30s.  annually.  Two  carucates  here  which  had 
belonged  to  Outi,  a  mill  and  40  acres  of  marsh,  were  given  by 
the  Conqueror  to  Geoffrey  Alselin.  Another  part  was  a  berewick 
of  Colsuein's  manor  of  North  Kyme,  and  consisted -of  2  carucates 
of  land  sufficient  for  2  ploughs  ;  and  another  portion  was  in  the 
soke  of  Colgrim's  manor  of  Ewerby,  on  which  the  church  was 
situated.  This  land  consisted  of  2  oxgangs,  2  acres  of  meadow, 
1  of  coppice,  and  5  of  marsh. 

In  1185  the  Templars  had  acquired  lands  here,  viz  :  1  ox- 
gang,  the  gift  of  William  the  son  of  Eanulf,  let  to  William  de 
Beaubrach  for  a  rent  of  2s.,  and  1  toft  let  to  Pcidras  for  2s., 
some  work,  and  "le  present." 


EVEDON.  237 

Alexand  de  St.  Vedasto  gave  6  andenas  of  his  meadow  in 
Evedon  lying  under  his  brother  Hugh's  wood,  and  near  the 
meadow  of  Thorold  Talmuord,  also  2  andenas  westward  of  that 
meadow  to  the  Prior  and  Convent  of  Haverholme.  Robert  de 
Evedon  also  gave  to  the  same  5  andenas  of  his  meadow  near  to 
the  last  named  piece  of  ground. 

Circa  1200  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln's  land  here  and  at  Quar- 
rington  was  let  to  Hugh  St.  Vedasto.  "  Testa  de  Nevill  p.  340." 
Circa  1270  we  have  from  the  same  authority  that  Hugh  de 
Nevill,  Beatrice  de  Engleby,  Alan  son  of  Wittenden,  Henry  de 
Horningherd,  and  others  were  then  in  possession  of  lands  here, 
of  whom  more  will  be  found  in  the  history  of  Kirkby.  In  the 
14th  century  the  family  of  Hardby,  Hardeby,  Herdeby,  Herby, 
or  Harlby  had  become  the  tenants  of  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln  here, 
of  whom  are  mentioned  a  Thomas  Herby,  Brian  de  Hurdeby,  to 
whom  the  King  granted  a  license  of  free  warren  in  1331,  Richard 
Herdeby  1419,  William  Hardby,  who  died  November  4th,  1540, 
Brian  Hardby  his  son  and  heir,  Bartholomew  Herdebye,  who 
held  the  old  episcopal  manor  of  Robert  Carre,  its  then  possessor, 
as  of  his  Castle  of  Sleaford,  who  died  April  19th,  1576,  and 
Daniel  Hardby,  who  died  in  1616. 

The  faithful  old  steward  of  the  Carres,  William  Burton,  in 
his  instructions  to  the  then  young  representative  of  that  family, 
1627,  speaking  of  Evedon  says  :  "You  have  wood  in  Evedon, 
contents  about  tenne  acres,  yt  belong  to  ye  Manner  of  Whilhull 
in  Kirkebye.  Eor  the  Timber  thereof  being  olde,  very  tall,  & 
well  harted,  I  know  that  Sir  William  Carre,  yr  Uncle,  was 
offered  a  Thousand  Pounds."  The  manor  of  Evedon  and 
Thursby  had  been  bought  by  Robert  Carre,  and  were  held  of 
him  as  the  possession  of  Sleaford  Castle  by  rent  service.  Through 
this  right  Robert  Carre  had  acquired  the  wardship  both  of 
Bartholomew  and  Daniel  Harby  when  minors ;  but  this  had  been 
disputed,  Burton  thus  quaintly  recording  the  particulars  of  a 
suit  respecting  it :  "  About  ye  wardshipp  of  ye  said  Daniel,  yr 
Grandfather  had  a  long  and  chargeable  suite  in  ye  Cort  of  wards, 
wth  one  Tucke,  an  auditor  of  that  Cort,  who  protended  yt  there 
was  fower  oxgand  of  land  in  Thursbye,  some  times  Blackvills, 
yt  was  held  in  Capite ;  but  upon  a  writt  of  Melius  inquirendo 
granted  by  ye  Cort  &  returned,  as  I  take  it,  in  Michms  terme 
anno  1589,  all  yr  lands  were  again  found  to  be  held  of  yr  Castle 


238  EVEDON. 

of  Sleaford ;  and  soe  there  was  an  end  of  yt  suite,  which  writt  & 
returne  being  upon  record,  will  be  a  speciall  evidence  for  you  if 
ye  like  happen  to  come  in  question  hereafter."  Daniel  Harby 
had  5  sons  and  8  daughters.  Of  the  latter  Anne  married  the 
Honorable  Sir  Peregrine  Bertie,  3rd  son  of  Eobert  Earl  of 
Lindsey  in  1631,  and  through  the  death  of  her  brothers  and  elder 
sisters  having  become  the  heiress  of  her  family,  she  and  her 
husband  resided  at  Evedon.  Here  their  eldest  son  Eobert  was 
born  in  1634,  but  died  in  1637,  and  also  a  second  son,  Peregrine, 
born  in  1638,  besides  a  daughter,  Ann,  born  in  1636.  But  at 
Sir  Peregrine  Bertie's  death  in  1652,  he  left  an  only  surviving 
child,  Elizabeth,  who  married  William,  2nd  Lord  Widdrington, 
of  Blankney. 

This  parish  was  enclosed  in  1639.  The  whole  of  it  now, 
together  with  the  advowson  of  the  Rectory,  is  at  this  time  held 
in  trust  for  the  Honorable  Murray  Finch  Hatton,  second  son  of 
th6  late  Earl  of  Winchilsea. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

We  have  seen  that  there  was  a  church  here  on  Colgrim's 
land  at  the  time  when  Domesday  book  was  compiled.  The 
Bishops  of  Lincoln  were  probably  the  first  patrons,  as  in  the  14th 
century  Brian  de  Hardeby,  in  1346,  the  then  holder  of  the 
Bishop's  lands,  presented  John  de  Eoos  to  it,  and  Eichard 
Hardeby — termed  lord  of  Evedon,  in  1419  presented  another 
incumbent.  "Lansd.  MSS.  963.  f.  213."  In  1616  the  living 
was  valued  at  £20  a  year  when  the  last  of  the  Hardeby's  was 
the  patron,  and  there  were  86  communicants.  "  Willis's  MSS. 
f.  39."  The  following  characteristic  Will  connected  with  a 
former  parishioner  of  Evedon  will  perhaps  prove  interesting  to 
some : — 

"  By  Will  dated  19th  of  June  1532  I  John  Stele  of  Evedon  leve 
my  body  to  be  buryed  in  the  church  yd  of  our  Lady  of 
Evedon.  To  Mr.  "William  Harbe  the  best  land  of  wheet. 
To  Mr.  John  Harbe  an  amblyng  fole.  To  my  wyfe  4  best 
oxen,  and  to  Janet  Peikell  3  Kyen.  To  Eobert  my  son  2 
bullock  &  a  grey  bald  stagge.  To  Margaret  my  dorter  a 
strong  gwye  (probably  a  kye  or  cow),  and  to  Alice  my 
daughter  a  gwye  calf  (cow  calf).  To  my  brother  William 
my  soul  (only)  horse.  To  William  his  son,  and  Emota  his 


EVEDON.  239 

daughter  a  lamb.     Residue  to  Wm.  my  brother  and  Alice 

my  wife.      Exor.     Sir  Bartholomew  Ingolesby,  parson  of 

Evedon,  supervisor.  Witness.  John  Harby.  gent." 
The  registers  of  this  parish  really  commence  with  the  date 
1562,  although  the  oldest  is  headed  "The  Eegister  booke  of 
Evedon  penned  in  the  year  of  our  Lorde  1599."  For  the  first 
30  years  the  entries  are  made  in  Latin.  The  following  is  an 
extract  from  the  same : — 

The  Register  Books  of  Evedon,  penned  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1562. — 
The  inventorie  of  all  the  names  of  such  as  have  been  baptized,  &c. — A  festo 
Mich'is,  1562,  usq.  ad  Mich'am  festum,  1563.  Exd.  apd.  Lincoln,  25  Oct. 
1563. — A  festo  Paschse,  Anno  1599,  usq  ad  dictum  festum,  Anno  1600. 
Isabell  Alarm  buried  Nov.  25,  and  Thomas  Alarm,  her  husband,  buried  Nov. 
28,  1638  ;  an  old  couple.  1662 — To  2  gentlewomen  travelling  northward,  6d. 
An  hue  &  cry  to  Ruskington  &  Ewerby,  4d.  Spent  at  the  bonefire  on  the 
King's  birthday,  7s.  Item  at  Sleeford  among  the  soldiers  and  townsmen, 
8s.  6d.  Colours  for  the  New  Town  soliders,  3s.  Bandilerres  (leathern  belts), 
2s.  8d.  Powder  and  match,  lOd.  Musket  mending,  — .  For  training  the 
last  day  at  Rossby,  2s.  4d.  The  soldiers  at  Willowby  training,  5s.  One 
gentleman  and  4  children  with  letter  of  request,  6d.  1663 — An  hue  &  cry 
to  Kirkby  for  a  horse,  3d.  Item,  muster  master,  3s.  2d.  1664 — Perambula- 
tion, spent  7s.  Bread  &  drinke,  watchers  all  night,  6d.  An  hue  &  cry  for 
a  grey  maire,  2d.  The  first  three  months  tax  for  the  royal  aid,  5d.  in  the 
pound.  Repaire  of  Lincoln  cathedral,  8s.  2d.  1665 — To  14  gipsyes,  Is. 
3  maimed  soldiers,  3d.  A  sword  fourbishing,  — .  Edward  Clarke,  sen.,  for 
whipping  the  dogs,  Is.  2d.  1676 — Spent  with  the  neighbours  on  Holy 
Thursday,  6s.  For  two  foulmords  heads,  4d.  William  Widdrington,  gent, 
buried  1683, — a  Roman  catholic  priest. 
List  of  the  Rectors : — 
A.D.  1341. — John  de  Eoos. 

— Richard  Flemyng,  Bishop  of  Lincoln. 

141 9.— Thomas  Marshall. 

1535. — Bartholomew  Ingoldesby. 

1560.— William  Cantrell. 

1584.— William  Glen. 

1604.— Nathaniel  Tuke. 

1619.— John  Nixon. 

1664.— Edmund  Thorold. 

1670. — Josiah  Miers. 

1687. — Anthony  Beveridge. 

1702.— Rowland  Fox. 

1722. — Benjamin  Rudge. 

1741.  — Francis  Hetherington. 


240  EVEDON. 

A.D.  1769. — Bracklay  Kennett. 
1772.— Thomas  Griffith. 
1773.— Thomas  Treacher. 
1777.— Edward  Turner. 
1804.— Edward  Turner. 
1837.— Edward  Pollard. 

THE  CHURCH. 

The  foundations  of  this  little  edifice,  dedicated  to  St.  Mary, 
must  have  been  bad  throughout,  as  no  one  of  its  walls  is  now 
upright,  and  the  whole  structure  looks  as  if  it  might  fall  at  any 
time,  yet  it  has  remained  in  this  condition  for  many  years. 
Originally  it  was  an  Early  English  fabric,  consisting  of  a  tower, 
nave,  north  aisle,  and  chancel  of  that  style.  Then  a  Decorated 
chantry  chapel  was  added  to  the  nave,  on  the  south  side  of  which 
the  arch  still  remains,  partly  filled  in  with  masonry,  and  partly 
with  glass  to  light  the  interior  in  a  strange  fashion,  and  a  square- 
headed  window  of  the  reticulated  type  was  inserted  in  the 
north  wall  beneath  a  new  head  and  label.  Next  a  Perpen- 
dicular embattled  parapet,  angle  pinnacles,  and  perhaps  a  shield 
on  the  south  side,  bearing  a  plain  cross,  were  added  to  the  tower; 
then  the  present  wretched  little  chancel  was  built,  and  finally  in 
1809  the  aisle  was  pulled  down  and  its  arcade  filled  in  with 
masonry  and  glazing  in  the  strangest  manner  to  serve  as  an  outer 
wall.  Happily  however  its  character  may  still  be  seen  from 
such  portions  of  its  features  as  remain  exposed  to  view,  whence 
we  gather  that  it  consisted  of  two  bays,  and  that  it  had  clustered 
filleted  pillar  shafts  and  responds,  the  caps  of  which  were  orna- 
mented with  the  nail-head  ornament.  The  tower  is  low,  and  was 
lighted  by  plain  coupled  lancets  serving  as  belfry  windows  in 
each  of  its  walls,  three  of  which  still  remain.  At  the  west  end 
was  a  large  window,  now  filled  in  with  masonry,  pierced  only  by 
three  small  rude  lights. 

"Within,  the  chancel  and  tower  arches  are  Early  English, 
the  pier  caps  of  the  former  are  ornamented  with  the  nail-head 
ornament,  and  shew  that  a  screen  once  stood  within  it.  The 
latter  has  plainly  chamfered  square  piers  surmounted  by  a 
roll  mould  and  massive  plain  brackets,  whence  the  arch  springs. 
The  Font  is  a  carefully  carved  octangular  specimen  of  the 


EVEDON.  241 

Perpendicular  period.  On  two  of  its  panels  are  cut  the  sacred 
monograms  I.  H,  C.  and  M.  R.,  and  on  others,  shields  now  almost 
smooth,  but  two  of  which  bore  a  fesse  dancette  between  10  billets 
4.  3.  2.  &  1.,  for  Hardeby  or  Harby ;  another  a  fesse  dancette 
between  3  lions  heads  erased,  and  a  fourth  a  chevron  between 
3  escallops.  There  are  three  bells.  The  largest  bears  this  in- 
scription, "  God  save  his  church."  The  second,  ''Acknowledge 
me  to  be  the  Lord."  The  third,  "  We  praise  thee,  0  God ; "  all 
are  dated  1745.  When  Holies  visited  this  church  the  tomb  of 
Thomas  Hardeby  still  remained  within  it,  and  as  he  saw  upon  it 
the  same  shields  as  upon  the  Font  with  the  addition  of  Erm,  a 
fesse  dancette,  impaling  a  fesse  between  3  griphons  passant  re- 
gardant, probably  Thomas  Hardeby  was  the  donor  of  the  Font. 
In  the  south  window  of  the  chancel  he  also  saw  two  shields,  one 
bearing  Or,  3  griphons  passant  Az.  2  &  1,  the  other  Sa,  a  fesse 
between  3  griphons  passant  regardant  Arg.  On  brass  plates 
now  attached  to  the  front  of  a  modern  gallery  are  the  portrai- 
tures of  Daniel  Harby  and  Anne  his  wife,  kneeling  in  prayer  on 
either  side  of  a  double  desk  supporting  devotional  books.  Above 
is  a  curtain,  and  below  a  chequered  pavement.  Behind  him 
kneel  five  sons,  and  behind  her  eight  daughters.  On  a  second 
plate  is  this  legend  : — 

"Danieli  Hardeby  de  Evedon  in  Com  Lincoln  Armigero.     Uni 
Justiciar  Dni  Kegis  ad  pacem  in  Com  prsed." 

Just  did  this  Justice  lieue,  and  dyinge  Just 
As  all  good  Mortalls  ought,  sleeps  here  in  dust ; 
Blest  sleepe  !  where  dyinge  ashes  do  receiue, 
An  Heauenly  body  from  an  Earthly  graue. 

(     John.  Bryan.  f    Elizabeth.  Mary.  Katharine. 

Filii   j        William.  Filise  j  Mary.  Susan. 

(  Charles.  Edward.  (  Ann.  Susan.  Judith. 

On  a  third  plate  is  a  shield  bearing  Harby,  impaling  a  fesse 
charged  with  3  fleurs  de  lis.  Here  also  is  a  mural  monument 
commemorating  Sir  Peregrine  Bertie,  the  husband  of  Ann 
Hardby,  bearing  this  inscription : — 

"Here  lyes  the  bodys  of  Sir  Peregrime  Bertie,  son  of 
the  Hon.  Eobt.  Earl  of  Lindsey,  and  Lord  Great 
Chamberlain  of  England,  and  Governor  of  the  City  of 
Lincoln  in  the  Civil  Wars  under  King  Charles  the 
First,  and  Anne  his  wife." 

In  the  churchyard  is  a  mediseval  stone  coffin  with  a  small  drain 
hole  in  the  bottom^  found  together  with  its  lid  in  digging  a 
grave  some  years  ago,  and  still  exposed  to  view. 


HAVEEHOLME. 

rpHIS  lies  4  miles  north,  east  of  Sleaford,  and  is  simply  termed 
Holm,  or  Island,  in  Domesday  book,  whence  also  we  gather 
that  Ulf  had  12  carucates  of  land  in  demesne  here,  and  the  same 
quantity  in  soke;  that  Gilbert  de  Grant  had  4  carucates  in 
demesne,  28  sokemen,  28  villans,  and  3  bordars  having  14  caru- 
cates ;  and  that  there  were  2  churches,  2  priests,  and  a  mill  worth. 
13s.  4d.  a  year.  The  annual  value  in  King  Edward's  time  was 
the  same  as  it  was  in  King  William's,  viz:  £10,  and  it  was 
tallaged  at  £3. 

Subsequently  Holm  was  called  Hufreholme,  and  Hafreholm, 
from  the  situation  of  part  of  its  land  between  two  branches  of  the 
river  Slea,  consisting  of  300  acres.  Next  we  hear  of  it  as  being 
chiefly  in  the  possession  of  Alexander,  Bishop  of  Lincoln  from 
1123  to  1147,  and  of  his  presenting  it  and  its  appurtenances  to 
the  Abbot  and  Monks  of  Fountain's  Abbey,  Yorkshire,  in  1137 
for  the  good  of  the  souls  of  King  Henry,  Roger,  Bishop  of  Salis- 
bury (Alexander's  uncle),  and  others,  from  a  desire  he  had  to 
establish  another  Cistercian  House  emanating  from  Fountain's ; 
but  after  a  little  band  of  Cistercians  had  come  to  Haverholme 
and  settled  there,  suffering  most  probably  in  mind  and  body  from 
the  dreary  swamps  then  around  it,  and  had  tried  it  for  two  years, 
they  despairingly  vacated  it,  and  were  compassionately  settled  by 
their  considerate  patron  on  his  manor  of  Louth  Park.  Haver- 
holme  having  thus  reverted  to  the  Bishop,  he  then  gave  it  to 
the  Gilbertine  Order  in  1139.*  Tanner  informs  us  that  the 


*  "  The  Sempringham  or  Gilbertine  Canone  were  instituted  by  St. 
Gilbert  at  Sempringham  in  Lincolnshire,  A.  D.  1148,  and  confirmed  by  Pope 
Eugenius  III.  This  devout  man  composed  his  rule  out  of  those  of  St.  Austin 
and  St.  Benedict,  (the  women  following  the  Cistercian  regulation  of  St. 
Benedict's  rule,  and  the  men  the  rule  of  St.  Austin),  with  some  special  statutes 
of  his  own.  The  habit  of  these  Canons,  as  described  in  the  Monasticon,  is  a 
black  cassoc  with  a  white  cloak  over  it,  and  a  hood  lined  with  lamb  skins. 
This  order  consisted  of  both  men  and  women,  who  lived  in  the  same  houses, 


HAVEKHOLME.  243 

Cistercians  had  made  some  progress  in  providing  monastic  build- 
ings for  themselves  at  Haverholme ;  but  the  Gilbertines,  more 
easily  contented  than  their  predecessors,  soon  built  a  church  here 
which  they  dedicated  as  usual  to  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary,  and 
erected  all  the  necessary  conventual  buildings.  The  following  is 
a  translation  of  the  Charter  of  Bishop  Alexander,  which  throws 
much  light  upon  the  foundation  of  this  House  :  — 

"Our  blessed  God  and  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  has  opened 
the  eyes  of  mercy  upon  us,  and  illuminated  the  eyes  of  our  mind, 
and  inclined  our  heart  to  the  necessities  of  his  handmaidens,  the 
faithful  holy  nuns,  viz :  of  that  wonderful  religion,  who  under 
the  guidance  and  learning  of  Gilbert  the  priest,  are  devoutly 
meditating  in  behalf  of  Christ  and  God.  These  nuns  taking  upon 
them  a  self  denying  life,  a  life  holy,  viz :  of  the  monks  of  the 
Cistercian  religion,  are  endeavouring  to  maintain,  and  indeed  do 
maintain  it ;  we,  because  they  have  not  a  place  befitting  their 
religion,  have  prepared  by  the  inspection  of  divine  grace,  and 
given  one  to  them,  which  may  be  sufficiently  adapted  to  their 
mode  of  life.  For  we  have  given  them  the  Island  before  called 
Hafreholm,  which  is  now  called  and  believed  to  be  the  Island  of 
St.  Mary,  with  all  which  belongs  to  it,  in  meadow  and  land,  which 
is  convenient  for  culture,  and  in  march  and  in  waters,  and  in  all 
things  even  to  the  end  of  the  said  Island,  with  the  2  mills,  the 
whole  Island  to  be  exempt  and  quit  from  all  human  and  secular 
service,  and  to  be  kept  in  perpetual  possession." 

"  Now  to  those  persons,  who  with  us  had  share  in  the  same 
Island,  we  have  made  for  that  share  full  satisfaction,  viz  :  to 
Half  Halselin  and  Robert  de  Calz  for  we  have  given  to  them  to 
their  satisfaction  in  exchange  for  their  part  of  the  land  one  mill. 
And  this  donation,  which  we  have  made  to  the  said  holy  nuns, 
we  have  confirmed  and  do  confirm  by  the  assent  and  testimony  of 
our  chapter  that  of  the  holy  Mother  church  of  Lincoln,  and  by 
the  testimony  of  Half  Earl  of  Chester,  and  William  Earl  of  Cam- 


but  in  such  different  apartments  that  they  had  no  communication  with  each 
other,  and  increased  so  fast  that  St.  Gilbert  himself  founded  thirteen  monas- 
teries of  it,  viz  :  four  for  men  alone,  and  nine  for  men  and  women  together, 
which  had  in  them  seven  hundred  brethren  and  fifteen  hundred  sisters.  At 
the  dissolution  there  were  about  twenty -five  houses  of  this  order  in  England." 
"Preface  to  Tanner's  Not.-Mon.  p.  19." 


244  HAVERHOLME 

bridge  his  brother,  and  by  the  testimony  of  my  own  seal.  And 
whatever  faithful  persons  for  the  love  of  God,  and  by  our  prayer, 
shall  stretch  a  hand  of  mercy  to  them,  or  shall  render  any  benefit, 
or  extend  to  them  a  defence  against  the  enemies  of  God,  and  the 
adversaries  of  these  nuns,  we  will  be  mindful  of  these  persons  in 
our  prayers  as  much  as  pertains  to  the  dignity  of  our  order  and 
our  power,  and  will  commemorate  them  in  all  the  benefits  of  our 
Mother  church  of  Lincoln,  as  also  in  our  own,  and  in  those  of  all 
the  churches  of  our  diocese.  At  the  same  time  we  will  grant 
them  to  be  partakers  also  in  all  those  of  the  faithful  abbots, 
monks,  canons,  priests,  hermits,  anchorites,  and  all  faithful 
people." 

"But  all  persons  who  shall  wish  to  annihilate  this  our 
gracious  favour,  or  to  change  it  for  worse,  or  to  intercept  its 
effects,  or  diminish  them,  or  shall  trouble  these  sisters  or  these 
brothers  with  a  malevolent  intention,  or  shall  take  from  them  by 
violence,  or  shall  circumvent  them  by  fraud,  or  molest  them  by 
any  injury,  we  will,  unless  such  evil  doers  truly  repent  and  correct 
their  errors  by  ecclesiastical  discepline  and  council,  condemn  and 
curse,  and  anathematize  them  in  that  damnation,  in  which  that 
Judas,  the  betrayer  of  God  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  perished, 
and  that  to  which  the  apostle  Peter  consigned  Simon  magus,  and 
that  which  Dathan  and  Abiram  deserved  and  suffered.  Amen. 
Now  this  favour  we  have  confirmed  on  the  aforesaid  handmaids 
of  Christ  for  the  comfort  and  advancement  of  our  Mother  Church, 
and  for  our  own  selves  and  our  friends,  and  for  the  soul  of  King 
Henry  and  my  Uncle  Eoger,  who  was  Bishop  of  Salisbury,  and 
for  the  souls  of  my  father,  my  mother,  and  my  deceased  friends. 
Be  mindful  of  him  who  is  most  dear  to  you  in  your  prayers,  that 
God  may  have  mercy  on  you.  Amen.  In  the  year  1139  from 
the  incarnation  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  I,  A.,  Bishop  of  Lincoln, 
confirmed  by  this  my  charter  the  aforesaid  donation,  by  the 
testimony  of  the  aforesaid  and  many  others."  "  Ex  autog  in  bibl 
Cotton." 

Adam  Fitz-Piers,  or  Peter,  was  a  subsequent  benefactor  to 
this  Priory,  who  made  the  following  grant  in  its  favour  : — 

"To  all  the  Sons  of  our  Holy  Mother  the  Church,  Adam 
Pitz-Peter,  Greeting.  Be  it  known  to  you  that  I  have  given, 
and  by  this  present  deed  confirm  to  the  Nuns,  Canons,  and 
Brothers,  at  Haverholme,  there  serving  God  and  St.  Mary,  ail  I 


HAVERIIOLME. 


245 


had  in  the  town  of  Norford,  viz :  one  carucate  of  land,  with  all 
its  appurtenances  in  wood  and  plain,  waters,  meadows,  and 
pastures.  Besides  this,  I  will  give  to  the  aforesaid  Nuns,  Canons, 
and  Brothers,  for  ever,  one  stone  of  wax  yearly,  at  the  feast  of 
St.  Michael,  and  my  heirs  shall  do  so  for  me  for  ever  :  All  this  I 
have  given  them  with  the  good  will  of  my  wife  Maud,  and  of  my 
heirs,  in  free  and  perpetual  alms,  as  is  most  freely  given  to  any 
free  religious  persons,  quit  of  all  secular  service,  exaction  and 
occasion,  as  any  alms  is  most  freely  given  to  any  religious  person  ; 
and  we  will  warrant  and  maintain  all  these  things  aforesaid, 
against  all  men,  as  our  proper  and  special  alms,  saving  ourselves 
and  the  reasonable  service  of  our  Lord  the  King.  But  it  is  to  be 
observed,  that  this  carucate  at  Norford  defends  itself  for  a  four- 
teenth part  of  a  Knight,  and  the  two  carucates  at  Kikely  for  the 
eighth  part  of  a  Knight's  service.  All  this  I  have  given  to  the 
aforesaid  Convent  of  Haverholme,  witii  my  daughter  Juliana  and 
my  niece  Maud,  for  the  health  of  all  our  kindred,  as  well  living 
as  deceased.  But  at  my  death  they  shall  perform  the  service  for 
me  and  my  wife  Maud,  which  they  do  for  any  Canon  or  Nun  of 
their  order.  These  being  witnesses :  Robert  Pyron,  Alexander 
Cressy,  Robert  Divell,  Robert,  my  heir,  Helias  Fitz-Richard^ 
Robert  Divell,  Peter  Filad,  Richard  Such,  Roger  Fitz-Richard, 
Helias  Man,  Robert  Pyron,  Geoffry  York."  * 

This  House  had  also  the  patronage  of  the  following 
churches,  viz :  Anwick,  Old  Sleaford,  Ruskington,  Quarrington, 
and  Dorrington  alternately,  A.D.  1209.  The  following  notices 
refer  to  the  presentation  to  some  of  the  above  livings:  "John 
de  Kirkeby,  chaplain,  was  presented  by  the  Prior  and  Convent 
of  Haverholme  to  the  vicarage  church  of  Amewyk,  1286."  "Con- 
rad de  Kokenato  was  presented  by  the  Prior,  &c.,  to  the  church 
of  Old  Sleaford,  1245."  "  Alexander  de  Brancewelle,  clerk,  was 
presented,  to  the  church  de  Querington,  1218." 

It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  when  Thomas  a  Becket,  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  fled  in  1 1 64  from  his  angry  sovereign  in 
fear  of  his  life,  he  took  refuge  in  the  hermitage  belonging  to 
Haverholme  Priory,  on  the  edge  of  the  fen,  under  the  guidance 
of  a  monk  who  knew  the  country,,  after  which  he  returned  to  his 
own  manor  of  Eastry  in  Kent.  "  Wilson's  Notes." 


*  Dugdale's  Monasticon,  vol.  2,  p.  264. 

S 


246 


HAVERHOLME. 


The  sum  of  1  OOs.  per  annum — formerly  payable  by  the  Prior 
and  Convent  of  Haverholme  to  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Lincoln, 
was  dedicated  by  them  to  the  use  of  the  poor  chorister  boys  of 
the  Cathedral.  Through  the  manorial  tenure  of  Eeligious 
Orders  some  of  their  houses  were  liable  for  the  maintenance  of 
the  drainage  of  the  fens  in  Lincolnshire  and  the  ferries  over  the 
rivers  and  drains  of  the  same,  and  were  often  complained  of  for 
not  fulfilling  such  duties.  Thus,  in  1316,  the  Prior  of  Haver- 
holme  was  reported  as  having  neglected  to  provide  a  ferry  boat  at 
the  "Bothe  jnear  to  the  Wathe  mouth,  which  he  was  bound  to 
supply  for  foot  folks  by  night  and  by,  day  as  being  a  public 
passage  for  the  King's  liege  subjects  passing  from  Kesteven  to 
the  river  Witham ;  also  that  the  said  Prior  in  right  of  his  lands 
in  Ewerby  and  Ousthorpe  had  neglected  to  maintain  the  south 
side  of  the  water  or  drain  from  Appletreeness  to  Kyme,  and  had 
refused  to  do  so,  although  the  whole  marsh  of  Kesteven  and 
Holland  was  drowned  thereby."  ''Dugdale's  Imbanking,  p. 
290."  In  1327,  the  King  granted  to  the  Abbot  of  Haverholme 
the  right  of  free  warren  in  all  his  demesne  lands  in  Haverholme, 
Ruskington,  Anwick,  Quarrington  and  Dorrington. 

In  1360  a  disagreeable  contretemps  occurred  in  connexion 
with  this  Priory,  for  then  Alice,  daughter  of  John  de  Everingham 
fled  from  it,  but  was  captured  and  brought  back ;  upon  which  she 
was  taken  before  the  Bishop,  and  the  case  was  tried  by  him  and 
12  jurors,  when  ner  declaration  was  believed  that  she  had  never 
"professed  herself,"  or  taken  the  full  vows,  and  was  released. 
This  Priory  was  always  a  popular  one  and  well  conducted 
throughout  its  existence ;  but  it  was  nevertheless  abolished  in 
comTuon  with  all  others  at  the  dissolution  of  Monastic  establish- 
ments, when  its  possessions  were  as  follows,  taken  from  an 
Abstract  Boll,  30.  H.  8.,  in  the  Augmentation  Office : — 

£     s.     d. 
Ryskington,   Anwyke,    and  elsewhere,   rent  fixed 

from  free  tenants 4     13     4 

Rents  from  tenants  at  mill 21       3     5 

Dyrington,  movable  rents  in    0       2     4 

Ryskington  and  elswhere,  farm  of  lands  in   20       7     1 

Holme,  windmills  in 5       6     8 

Lesyngham,  fullers  mill  in 1       6     8 

Slyford,  a  mill  called  Tylby  mill  in    0     16     0 


HAVERHOLME. 


247 


£     s.     d. 
Marston,  a  mill  in 1       0     0 

Ryskington,  portion  from  the  rectory 6       6     8 

Dirryngton,  do.  do 2     13     4 

Anwyk,  tithes  of  the  grain  in 3       0     0 

Laford  vetus,  pension  in  2       0     0 

Haverholme,  farm  of  demesne  lands  in  Notts   ....     10     15     0 

Stanton  le  vale  and  elsewhere,  fixed  rents 3     14     2£ 

Thorp,  rents  of  tenants  in     5     18     8 

Thorowton  and  elsewhere,  farm  of  lands   , 0     14     2 

Stanton,  farm  of  manor  in 4     14     8 

Shelton,  farm  of  house  and  tenements   2     13     4 

Shelton,  messuage  and  lands  in 1     10     0 

Warbrough,  farm  of  grange  of   , 1       1     8 

Slaturne,  farm  of  grange  in 2     13     4 

Thorpe,  pension  from    „ 1       0     0 

The  seal  appended  to  the  deed  of  surrender  represents  our 
Lord  and  the  Virgin  Mary  enthroned  beneath  a  canopy,  and  under 
a  sub-arch,  a  monk  kneeling  and  a  priest  celebrating  mass. 
Around  is  the  legend,  Sigill  Prioris  de  Haverholm.  This  deed  is 
dated  September  5th,  1539,  and  by  it  William  Hall,  then  Prior, 
and  six  canons  gave  up  the  Priory  and  all  the  estates  belonging 
to  it,  and  in  return,  together  with  some  nuns,  received  pensions 
for  life  varying  from  £4  to  £2  per  annum.  Happily  the  inmates 
of  this  Priory  had  dwindled  down  to  a  small  number  before  its 
dissolution;  for  once  it  held  50  brothers  and  100  nuns,  for  whom 
accommodation  was  provided  in  its  more  palmy  days. 

The  site  of  the  Priory  was  granted  to  Edward  Lord  Clinton, 
who,  by  the  King's  licence,  alienated  half  the  manor  to  Robert 
Carre  in  1544,  and  the  other  half  to  William  Thorold.  "  Harl. 
MSS.  6829."  The  heirs  of  Robert  Carre  and  William  Thorold 
continued  to  enjoy  their  portions  of  the  Priory  spoils  for  some 
years,  of  whom  Sir  Edward  Thorold,  of  Hough,  died  seized  of 
his  part — called  Haverholme  Grange,  in  1604,  held  of  the 
manor  of  East  Grenwich,  leaving  a  son  Alexander  as  his  heir. 
The  Abdys  succeeded  the  Clintons,  and  next  Sir  John  Shaw, 
Bart.,  seems  to  have  possessed  all  the  land  in  Haverholme,  of 
whom  Sir  Samuel  Gordon,  Bart.,  bought  it  in  1763.  He  was 
succeeded  by  his  son,  Sir  Jenison  William  Gordon,  the  second 
Bart.,  by  whom  Haverholme  was  bequeathed  to  the  late  Earl  of 


248  HAVEKEOLME 

"Winchilsea,  Bart.,  on  certain  conditions,  and  is  now  held  in  trust 
for  his  second  son,  the  Honble.  Murray  Finch  Hatton. 

All  remains  of  the  old  Priory  buildings  above  ground  have 
long  since  passed  away,  but  the  house  built  upon  its  site  previous 
to  the, present  one  was  intended  to  be  of  the  Gothic  style  and 
of  a  monastic  appearance,  although  ill  carried  out,  and  of  poor 
materials.  The  present  edifice  is  a  handsome  and  far  better 
specimen  of  modern  work,  produced  by  casing  the  old  house  with 
Ancaster  stone,  and  adding  an  elevated  terraced  garden,  &c.,  to 
it.  Attached  to  it  on  the  south  side  is  a  large  deer  park  in  the 
parish  of  Ewerby.  The  cemetery  of  the  Priory  was  on  the  east 
side  of  the  present  mansion,  as  several  stone  coffins  containing 
the  remains  of  some  of  the  former  inmates  of  the  Priory  have 
occasionally  been  uncovered  here,  and  with  fragments  of  painted 
glass  and  other  small  relics  was  found  a  little  square  leaden 
ventilator  like  the  model  of  a  14th  century  traceried  window, 
when  certain  alterations  were  being  made  at  the  Priory  in  1854, 
and  during  the  present  year  the  foundations  of  a  portion  of  the 
Priory  buildings  on  the  west  of  the  house  were  disclosed,  lying 
from  3  to  4  feet  below  the  present  ground  level.  These  con- 
sisted of  several  courses  of  large  dressed  stones,  and  over  an 
angle  of  these  a  large  elm  tree  had  grown  and  fallen,  in  some 
measure,  indicating  the  time  that  has  elapsed  since  the  super- 
structure of  these  buildings  was  removed.  On  the  east  was  a 
room  34  feet  by  18  feet,  next  to  it  a  small  one  31  feet  by  8  feet, 
then  a  larger  one  32  feet  by  21  feet,  then  a  passage  4  feet  wide, 
and  finally  another  large  room,  at  least  32  feet  by  21  feet,  but  its 
west  wall  was  gone.  Behind  this  range  of  rooms  the  foundations 
of  4  small  ones  were  also  discovered,  and  of  other  walls  south 
and  east  of  them. 


SOUTH  KYME. 


ACREAGE, 

8458. 


POPULATION, 
1004. 


THIS  lies  9  miles  north,  east  of  Sleaford.  Previous  to  the 
Conquest  Earl  Morkar  possessed  4  carucates  and  2  oxgangs 
of  land  at  this  place,  then  called  Chime,  also  2  acres  of  meadow, 
210  acres  of  wood,  700  acres  of  fen,  and  6  fish  garths  worth  4s.  a 
year,  altogether  valued  at  £3  13s  8d.  Then  also  there  were  two 
churches  and  one  priest  here.  After  the  Conquest  King  William 
for  a  time  retained  Kyme  in  his  own  hands,  but  subsequently 
gave  it  and  its  appurtenances  in  Morton,  Edenham,  and  elsewhere, 
including  14  oxgangs  of  land  that  had  belonged  to  the  Saxon 
Tunne,  to  Gilbert  de  Gant,  when  its  value  had  increased  to  £7. 
All  that  time  Egbright,  a  vassal  of  Gilbert's  had  half  a  carucate, 
6  villans  with  another  half  carucate,  1  acre  of  meadow,  82  acres 
of  coppice  wood,  and  3  fisheries,  worth  20s.  in  King  Edward's 
time,  subsequently  increased  to  40s.  The  family  of  Kyme,  no 
doubt  deriving  their  name  from  this  place,  next  possessed  this 
manor.  The  first  of  these,  William,  a  tenant  of  Gilbert  de  Gant's 
circa  1100,  was  the  son  or  grandson  of  a  Ralph  Kyme,  of  Bulling- 
ton.  His  son,  Simon,  sometimes  called  Fitz- William,  or  son  of 
William,  founded  a  Priory  for  nuns  on  his  ancestral  lands  at 
Bullington  1136,  and  died  before  1160.  He  had  three  wives, 
Agnes,  who  had  died  before  1136,  Sybilla,  and  Beatrice,  but  their 
respective  progeny  is  unknown.  Simon's  son  and  heir  was 
Philip,  a  munificent  benefactor  to  his  father's  religious  founda- 
tion at  Bullington,  and  also  the  founder  of  St.  Mary's  Priory  at 
Kyme,  the  inmates  of  which,  were  to  pay  for  the  present  and 
future  welfare  of  his  soul,  his  wife's,  and  also  for  their  an- 
cestors and  descendant's  souls.  He  gave  the  church,  of  North 
Carlton,  or  Carlton  Kyme,  to  found  a  prebend  at  Lincoln,  the 
presentation  of  which  he  reserved  for  himself  and  his  descendants, 
which  was  confirmed  by  his  son  Simon,  1208.  He  was  Sheriff  of 
Lincolnshire  from  1168  to  1170,  and  held  two  knight's  fees  under 


250 


SOUTH  KYME. 


Eobert,  Bishop  of  Lincoln.  He  married  either  Hawise,  daughter 
and  heir  of  Eobert  Fitzooth,  or  of  Eobert  Deyncourt,  and  died  at 
the  close  of  the  12th  century.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son 
Simon  de  Kyme,  who  held  the  office  of  Sheriff  of  Lincolnshire 
from  1195  to  1198.  He  joined  the  Barons  against  King  John, 
and  was  taken  prisoner  at  Lincoln,  1217.  He  married  Eohaisia 
or  Eohisia,  called  the  Eose  of  Bullington,  daughter  and  heir  of 
Eobert  the  dapifer,  or  steward  to  Earl  Percy  and  his  wife  the 
relict  of  Gilbert  de  Gant,  and  daughter  of  William  de  Eomara, 
Earl  of  Lincoln.  She  had  lands  at  Thornton  le  Moor,  given  her 
by  Adam  de  Percy,  a  knight's  fee  in  Elkington,  and  dowry  lands 
elsewhere.  After  the  death  of  her  husband  in  1219,  she  gave 
the  King  a  palfrey  for  a  summons  against  her  husband's  brother, 
William  de  Kyme,  calling  upon  him  to  surrender  her  lands  to 
her.  Both  she  and  her  mother  the  Countess  Eohaisia  were  buried 
in  Bullington  Priory  church.  Their  son  Philip  had  been  on  the 
Barons  side  until  their  discomfiture  at  Lincoln  in  1217,  when  he 
returned  to  his  allegiance  and  paid  £100  for  the  King's  pardon. 
He  held  the  office  of  dapifer  to  the  Percies  as  his  grandfather 
had  done,  and  married  Agnes  de  Wallys,  or  Welles,  or,  according 
to  Dugdale,  Agnes,  daughter  of  William  Fitzallan.  By  her  he 
had  two  sons,  Simon  and  William,  and  a  daughter  Johanna,  a 
nun  of  Bullington,  for  whose  sake  her  father  gave  all  his  lands 
in  Huttoffc  to  that  Priory.  It  is  uncertain  which  of  the  sons  was 
the  eldest ;  but  as  Simon  gave  the  nuns  of  Bullington  a  wood 
near  his  park  there,  and  he  is  said  to  have  been  succeeded  by  his 
brother  in  a  cartulary  of  Yalle  Dei  Monastery,  probably  he  was  the 
eldest.  He  died  without  issue,  1247.  'William  de  Kyme  then 
certainly  succeeded  to  his  family  possessions  and  the  office  of 
Dapifer  to  William  de  Percy,  paying  as  a  relief  for  his  inherit- 
ance £100  in  1256-7.  He  married  first  Matilda,  or  Maude, 
daughter  of  Sir  Giles  Thornworth,  and  secondly  Lucy  de  Eoos, 
who  had  in  dowry  the  toll  of  all  loaded  vehicles  coming  out  of 
Immingham,  also  free  warren  over  the  Thorntons  and  Newstead, 
as  dowry  lands  of  the  heirs  of  Philip  de  Kyme.  William  de 
Kyme  confirmed  all  his  ancestor's  gifts  to  Bullington  Priory,  and 
added  to  these  all  his  meadows  by  the  Trent.  He  died  in  1259, 
and  his  heart  was  interred  in  the  church  of  that  House.  His  son 
and  heir  Philip,  being  then  a  minor,  was  assigned  to  the  custody 
of  Hugh  Bigod  by  the  King,  and  whose  daughter  he  subsequently 


SOUTH  KYME.  251 

married.  He  was  one  of  the  Barons  who  signed  the  remonstrance 
sent  to  the  Pope  from  Lincoln  1300,  and  in  the  same  year  pro- 
cured a  licence  from  the  crown  to  hold  a  weekly  market  at  his 
manor  of  Borwell,  and  also  a  grant  of  free  warren  in  Authorpe, 
Billinghay,  Walcot,  and  Metheringham.  Eight  years  later  he 
obtained  a  grant  of  the  house  of  Black  Eriars  near  his  family 
house  in  Thorngate,  Lincoln.  In  1311  he  was  selected  with 
Edmund  Lord  Deyn  court,  David  Eletwyck  and  Lawrence  Hoi- 
beach  to  lead  the  Lincolnshire  levies  to  Roxburgh,  which  they 
were  ordered  to  reach  before  July  15th  in  that  year,  a  service 
he  was  the  better  able  to  perform  because  in  his  youth  he  had 
served  in  a  previous  war  with  Scotland,  and  in  1276  had  supplied 
three  knights  and  their  attendants  properly  mounted  for  the 
King's  service.  In  the  Oarlaverock  roll  he  is  mentioned  in  high 
terms,  and  as  bearing  a  red  banner  charged  with  a  golden  chevron 
surrounded  by  crosslets.  In  1317  he  was  excused  from  farther 
attendance  on  the  Scotch  war  on  account  of  his  advanced  years, 
and  died  1322,  when  he  was  possessed  of  a  messuage  in  Thorn- 
gate,  Lincoln,  worth  £4  a  year,  the  manors  of  Kyme,  Sotby, 
Croft,  Goltho,  Calceby,  Muckton,  Immingham,  &c.  His  son  and 
heir  William  de  Kyme,  born  circa  1282,  paid  his  relief  for  lands 
in  Thorganby,  &c.,  in  1324.  He  married  Johanna,  daughter  of 
Adam  Lord  Welle  of  Hellowe,  bringing  as  her  dowry  the  manors 
of  Burwell,  Croft,  Thorpe,  and  Eriskney,  who  after  the  death  of 
her  husband,  circa  1339,  married  Nicholas  Lord  Cantilupe,  and 
was  the  foundress  of  the  Cantilupe  chantry  in  Lincoln  Cathedral, 
1358,  which  she  endowed  with  the  church  of  Leake,  lands  there 
and  in  Panton,  Hardwick,  and  Stretton.  Lord  Cantilupe  died 
13§5,  and  she  in  1361.  Both  were  buried  in  the  Cantilupe 
chantry  chapel  in  the  Cathedral.  On  the  death  of  William  de 
Kyme,  the  last  Baron,  without  issue,  his  sister  Lucy,  or  her  son 
became  his  heir.  She  married  Kobert  de  Humfraville,  Earl  of 
Angus,  second  son  of  Gilbert  de  Humfraville,  Baron  Prudho  of 
Northumberland,  created  Earl  of  Angus,  who  died  1308,  his 
eldest  son,  Gilbert,  having  predeceased  him  in  1303  without  issue. 
Thus,  Eobert,  2nd  Earl  of  Angus,  inherited  his  father's  estates 
as  well  as  his  wife's,  or  those  of  the  de  Kynie's,  then  consisting 
of  lands  in  Kyme,  Sotby,  Stallingboro',  Aswardby,  Methering- 
ham, Baumber,  Calceby,  Elkington,  Immingham,  Ealdingworth, 
Bullington,  &c.  He  died  1325,  leaving  a  son  and  heir  Sir 


252  SOUTH  KYME. 

Gilbert  de  Humfraville,  3rd  Earl  of  Angus,  and  a  daughter 
Elizabeth.  Sir  Gilbert  paid  the  King  a  fine  of  £10  for  the  profit 
of  the  customs  taken  on  Kyme  Ea,  "  Ab.  Eot.  Orig.  16.  E.  3.," 
and  obtained  a  charter  for  holding  a  fair  at  South  Kyme  in  1 344, 
when  he  was  also  appointed  one  of  the  Guardians  of  the  northern 
marshes.  In  1359  the  King  selected  him  to  keep  the  peace  in 
Lindsey  during  his  absence.  He  appears  to  have  let  the  manor 
to  Sir  John  de  Kirketon,  who  died  1367.  In  1379  he  gave  his 
manor  of  Immingham  to  a  religious  Fraternity,  and  died  in  1381. 
His  first  wife  was  Johanna,  daughter  of  Eobert  Lord  Willoughby, 
and  his  second  Matilda,  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas  Lacy,  and  his  heir 
after  the  death  of  her  brother  Sir  Anthony,  and  who  had  the  manor 
of  Croft  as  her  dower  on  the  death  of  her  husband.  Subsequently 
she  married  Henry  Earl  of  Northumberland,  and  died  1399.  By 
Sir  Gilbert  she  had  an  only  son,  Sir  Eobert,  who  died  before  his 
father,  when  Elizabeth,  or  Eleanor,  daughter  of  Elizabeth  Hum- 
fraville and  sister  of  Sir  Gilbert  married  to  Sir  Gilbert  Burdon, 
Boroughdon,  or  Barrowden,  became  his  coheir  with  her  uncle 
Thoma.s  de  Umfraville.  She  was  born  about  1347,  and  married 
Sir  Henry  Tailboys,  son  and  heir  of  Sir  William  Tailboys,  Baron 
of  Hephall,  Northumberland,  but  died  before  his  uncle  Sir 
Gilbert,  whence  her  son,  Sir  Walter  Tailboys,  succeeded  to  the 
patrimony  of  the  Barons  of  Kyme,  and  eventually  to  that  of 
the  Barons  of  Hephall.  He  was  High  Sheriff  of  the  county  in 
1389-90,  and  the  following  year  sold  the  old  family  residence  by 
Thornbridge  Gate,  Lincoln,  commonly  called  Kyme  Hall.  He  let 
the  manor  of  Kyme  to  Sir  Henry  Grey  de  Wilton,  and  died  1417. 
By  Margaret  his  wife  he  had  a  son  Walter,  born  1414,  who  paid 
his  relief  for  his  ancestor's  estates  in  1419,  and  on  the  death  of  Sir 
Eobert  Umfraville  succeeded  to  his  lands  at  Eiddesdale  and  Har- 
bottle,  and  died,  seized  of  the  combined  lands  of  the  Kyme's, 
Umfraville's,  and  Tailboy's,  1443.  By  his  wife  Alice,  daughter 
of  Humfrey  Stafford,  he  had  a  son  and  heir,  William  Tailboys, 
sometimes  called  Earl  of  Kyme,  a  distinguished  Lancastrian  in 
the  reign  of  Henry  VI.  He  was  taken  prisoner  at  Eedesdale, 
conveyed  to  Newcastle,  and  there  beheaded,  after  which  his 
estates  were  forfeited,  and  the  manor  of  Kyme  was  given  to 
George  Duke  of  Clarence,  1461-2.  By  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Lord  Bonville,  William  Tailboys  had  a  son  and  heir,  Sir  Eobert, 
who  obtained  the  restoration  of  his  ancestor's  estates,  1478,  when 


SOUTH  KYME.  253 

he  became  lord  of  Kyme  and  Eedesdale,  &c.  He  was  High. 
Sheriff  for  Lincolnshire  1481,  and  died  June  18th,  1495.  In  ac- 
cordance with  his  Will,  dated  November  16th,  1494,  and  proved 
June  19th,  1495,  he  was  buried  in  the  Priory  church  of  Kyme. 
It  runs  thus  : — 

"  I  leave  my  body  to  be  buried  in  the  north  side  of  the  choir  in 
the  Priory  church  of  Kyme,  and  there  I  will  have  a  tomb 
with  a  picture  of  me,  and  another  of  my  wife,  my  son 
George,  my  son  William,  and  my  2  sons  Eobert  and  John, 
&c.,  &c.  "Whereas  a  marriage  is  intended  between  George 
my  son  and  Elizabeth,  sister  to  Sir  William  Gascoigne,  Kt., 
I  will  that  my  manor  of  Faldingworth  and  the  advowson  of 
the  church  and  the  manor  of  Eottingham,  in  Lancashire,  be 
settled  on  my  son  William  Tallboys  for  life.  I  will  that 
my  manors  of  Kyme,  Newton,  Hornington,  and  Oxton,  in 
the  county  of  York,  be  settled  on  Kobert  Tailboys  my  son 
for  life.  My  sons  John,  William,  Eobert,  and  Eichard, 

and  my  daughters  I  will  that  an  obit 

be  kept  yearly  for  me  in  the  Priory  of  Kyme,  and  the  like 
obit  in  the  Priory  of  Bullington,  in  Lincolnshire.  And  I 
appoint  William  Hussee,  Thomas  Welby,  and  Thomas 
Wymbish  my  executors. "  "  Nicholas's  Testamenta  vetusta, 
p.  420." 

According  to  his  Will  his  obit  was  kept  at  Kyme  and  Bullington 
until  the  dissolution  of  monastic  houses.  By  Elizabeth  his  wife, 
daughter  of  Sir  John  Heron,  Kt.,  he  had  a  son,  Sir  George 
Tailboys,  born  1467.  He  was  High  Sheriff  for  Lincolnshire 
1495-6,  and  was  buried  in  the  Priory  church  of  Bullington.  Sir' 
George,  by  his  wife  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Sir  Eobert  Gascoigne, 
who  died  in  1554,  had  a  son  Sir  Gilbert,  created  Lord  Tailboys  of 
Kyme,  by  Henry  VIII.  He  chiefly  lived  at  Kyme,  and  was 
buried  in  the  Priory  church  there  on  his  death,  April  15th,  1530. 
He  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Sir  John  Blount,  of  Shrop- 
shire. She  was  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  accomplished 
ladies  of  the  Court,  but  untrue  to  her  husband,  as  she  became  the 
mother  of  a  son  by  the  King ;  he  was  born  at  Blackmore  manor, 
Essex,  1519,  and  went  by  the  name  of  Henry  Eitzroy  until  1524, 
when  he  was  created  Earl  of  Nottingham,  and  in  1533  Duke  of 
Bichmond  and  Somerset.  He  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Howard,  Duke  of  Norfolk,  and  died  1536.  Lord  Tailboys  had 
two  sons,  George  and  Eobert,  who  died  in  their  infancy,  and  were 
buried  in  Kyme  Priory  church,  and  two  daughters,  Elizabeth  and 


254  SOUTH  KYME. 

Margaret.  The  first  thus  became  his  heir.  She  had  married 
Thomas  Wymbysh,  of  Nocton,  but  was  childless,  and  when  he 
petitioned  the  King  to  be  allowed  to  claim  the  Barony  of  Kyme, 
this  was  refused,  and  led  to  an  important  decision  "  that 
thenceforth  none  should  use  the  style  of  his  wife's  dignity,  but 
such  as  by  courtesy  of  England  had  also  a  right  to  her  possessions 
for  the  term  of  his  life."  She  married  secondly  Ambrose  Dudley, 
Earl  of  Warwick,  second  son  of  John  Dudley,  Duke  of  North- 
umberland. Her  sister  Margaret  married  Sir  George  Vernon, 
of  Bakewell,  Derbyshire,  by  whom  she  had  Dorothy,  married 
to  Sir  George  Manners,  and  Margaret,  married  to  Thomas 
Stanley,  Earl  of  Derby.  On  the  death  of  Elizabeth,  Countess  of 
"Warwick,  her  family  estates  were  divided  among  the  descendants 
of  her  aunts,  who  had  intermarried  with  the  Willoughby,  Ingleby, 
and  Dyrnoke  families,  when  the  Castle  and  manor  of  Kyme  thus 
passed  to  the  Dymokes  through  the  marriage  of  Sir  Edward 
Dymoke  with  Anne,  fifth  daughter  of  Sir  George  Tailboys  and 
Elizabeth  his  wife.  In  1607  this  Sir  Edward  Dymoke,  Kt.,  and 
Lionel  Massenberde,  both  of  Kyme,  each  paid  500  marks  for 
counsel  in  the  Star  Chamber,  i.e.  were  fined  to  that  amount. 
"  Pip.  Eot.  6.  J.  I."  The  Dymokes  continued  to  reside  at  Kyme 
until  the  close  of  the  18th  century.  In  1730  the  manor  was  sold 
to  the  then  Duke  of  Newcastle,  and  in  1748  to  Abraham  Hume, 
Esq.,  the  father  of  Sir  Abraham  Hume,  Bart.,  from  whom  it 
descended  to  Earl  Brownlow,  and  its  present  owner  the  Honble. 
Charles  Cust. 


THE  CASTLE. 

Erom  the  natural  value  of  the  land  constituting  the  manor 
of  Kyme,  a  Saxon  anla  or  hall  most  probably  existed  upon  it  at  a 
very  early  period ,  and  when  the  family  of  de  Kyme  began  to  live 
here  they  no  doubt  provided  a  suitable  residence  for  their  ac- 
commodation, which  most  probably  was  gradually  enlarged  and 
strengthened  by  themselves  and  their  successors  until  it  at  last 
assumed  the  form  of  a  grand  moated  Baronial  Castle.  This 
still  remained  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.,  when  Leland,  after 
having  visited  it,  speaks  of  it  in  his  Itinerary  as  "the  goodly 
house  and  park  at  Kyme,  belonging  to  Sir  George  Tailboys." 


KYME   TOWER. 


SOUTH  KYME.  255 

Its  moat  still  pioclaims  the  size  of  its  area,  and  happily  one  of  its 
towers  still  remains  as  a  monument  of  its  past  grandeur.  This  was 
spared  at  the  beginning  of  the  last  century  when  all  its  other 
features  were  pulled  down.  It  is  an  admirable  piece  of  masonry 
of  the  middle  of  the  14th  century,  almost  as  perfect  as  when  it 
was  erected.  In  plan  it  is  nearly  square,  with  a  square  staircase 
turret  attached  to  its  south  eastern  angle,  and  is  77  feet  high. 
It  consists  of  a  basement  story,  vaulted  with  eight  plainly 
chamfered  ribs  converging  to  an  octangular  cusped  panel  in  the 
centre  serving  as  a  boss,  on  which  is  a  carved  shield  bearing 
Gules,  a  cinquefoil  within  an  orle  of  cross  crosslets  Or,  for  Huin- 
fraville.  The  doorway  giving  access  to  this  is  in  the  inner  or 
court  yard  side  of  the  Castle,  and  by  its  side  is  a  flat  arched 
recess  as  if  for  a  fireplace,  but  it  has  no  chimney.  This  room 
is  only  lit  by  narrow  slits  for  the  sake  of  security,  and  probably 
only  served  as  a  cellar  or  office.  Above  this  were  three  other 
rooms  one  over  the  other,  reached  by  a  newel  staircase  in  the 
turret.  The  first  of  these  was  called  the  chequered  chamber, 
perhaps  from  the  character  of  its  now  lost  pavement,  and  this 
communicated  with  another  portion  of  the  Castle  by  means  of 
a  doorway  over  the  one  below.  From  traces  on  the  south  side 
of  this  it  is  clear  that  a  flat  roofed  building  only  as  high  as  the 
lower  string  of  its  remaining  tower  adjoined  it.  This  perhaps 
gave  access  to  the  hall,  which  is  said  to  have  stood  on  the  south 
of  this  tower,  and  to  have  been  adorned  with  carved  figures  of 
mounted  knights,  perhaps  representing  jousts.  Above  were  two 
similar  rooms,  each  supplied  with  a  fireplace  and  lighted  by  well 
moulded  two  light  windows  surmounted  by  a  quatrefoil.  The 
roof  was  very  low  pitched,  having  gurgoyles  on  either  side  to 
carry  off  the  water  from  it  through  the  parapet  walls,  which  are 
plainly  embattled.  104  steps  give  access  to  this.  The  turret 
staircase  is  covered  by  richly  carved  stone  vaulting,  supported  by 
a  little  central  shaft.  From  its  summit  a  fine  view  of  the  old 
Castle  precincts  and  the  vast  flat  tract  around  it  is  obtained, 
whence  also  Lincoln  Cathedral,  Tattershall  Castle,  and  other 
distant  objects  of  interest  may  be  seen.  Now,  all  traces  of  the 
drawbridge  over  the  moat  are  lost,  but  these  were  still  visible 
long  after  the  destruction  of  the  Castle.  The  ruined  base  of  an- 
other tower  has  also  been  removed,  which  remained  until  the 
last  century,  and  is  spoken  of  as  affording  a  convenient  and  safe 


256  SOUTH  KYME. 

platform  on  which  women  and  children  stood  to  witness  bull 
baitings,  then  not  unfrequently  exhibited  on  the  site  of  this  once- 
grand  residence  of  the  Umfravilles. 


THE  PKIORY. 

This  was  a  House  of  the  Black  or  Regular  Canons  of  the 
Order  of  Sfc  Augustine,  Bishop  of  Hippo,  A.D.  395.  Their  habit 
was  a  long  black  cassock  with  a  white  rochet  over  it ;  and  over 
this  a  black  cloak  and  hood.  It  was  founded  by  Sir  Philip  de 
Kyme,  1170,  who  dedicated  it  to  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary, 
and  was  further  endowed  by  his  son  Simon  de  Kyme,  and  others, 
until  its  possessions  became  very  considerable,  as  will  be  seen 
from  the  subjoined  list  of  these  taken  from  a  Roll  in  the  Augmen- 
tation Office,  written  at  the  time  of  its  dissolution  in  1539  : — 

£      s.     d. 

Kyme,  Fixed  rents  in 0       6       8 

Conesbye    do.       do 0       4       7 

Swarbie      do.       do 0     10       8 

Calverthorpe        do 0       8       8 

Asgarby     do.       do 0       1       4 

Evedon       do.       do „ 0       4       0 

Esthorpe  and  Ywardbye     do.     do 0       2       4 

Anwyke      do.       do , .       0       1       0 

Dodyngton  and  Westborough     do.     do 0       0       1 

Boston        do.       do 0       1       8 

Wyberton  do.       do 0       1       6 

Kyme,  Farm  of  a  cottage  and  garden    2       5       8 

Osburnbye,  Farm  of  lands  and  tenements 2       0       0 

Oroston,  Farm  of  a  tenement 0       8       8 

Hasbye,  Farm  of  tenements  and  lands 0     11       6 

Aswarbye,  Farm  of  tenements    0       0       4 

Evendon,  Farm  of  lands 1       3       8 

Eathorpe  and  Ywardbye,  Farm  of  tenements  and 

lands   0     10       0 

Anwyke,  Farm  of  lands    0       4       0 

Thorp  and  Tilney,  Farm  of  cottages  and  lands     . .        714 

Merton  (Morton),  Farm  of  lands     0       1       8 

Billinghay,  Farm  of  marsh , 0       6       8 


SOUTH  KYME.  257 

£    s.   a. 

North.  Kyme,  Farm  of  cottages 068 

Lincoln  City,  Farm  of  a  toft  0  17  0 

Boston,  Farm  of  a  house 2  14  4 

Byker,  Farm  of  tenements  and  lands  1  0  0 

Quadrynge,  Farm  of  tenements  and  lands  0  13  4 

Horblyn  do.  do.  0100 

Dodyngton  and  Welbourne,  Farm  of  tenements  and 

lands 0  19  0 

Langton,  near  Wragbye,  Farm  of  lands  ........  0  13  4 

Ewerbye,  Farm  of  Eectory 12  7  0 

Swarbye,  Farm  of  Eectory 3  0  0 

Kyme,  Farm  of  Eectory 6  0  0 

Osbournbye,  Farm  of  the  manse  of  Eectory 6  13  4 

Medringham,  Farm  of  the  Eectory 7  0  0 

Ewdon,  Pension  from  the  church  1  0  0 

Ormesby,  Pension  from  the  rector 0  16  8 

Asgarbye,  Pension  from  the  church 0  2  0 

Aswarby,  Pension  of  lib.  of  incense 0  0  6 

Northome  and  elsewhere,  Fixed  rents 5  0  0 

Northome,  Farm  of  a  cottage,  garden,  and  pasture  016  9 

Waynenete,  All  Saints,  Farm  of  pasture 0  3  4 

"Waynenete,  Blessed  Mary,  Farm  of  cottage  and 

lands  0  13  10 

Thorpe,  Farm  of  lands - 0  3  5 

Fryskney,  Farm  of  lands  and  marsh 0  10  0 

Cokeryngton,  Farm  of  lands  0  3  4 

Crofte,  Farm  of  lands 0  0  4 

Crofte  and  Thorpe,  Farm  of  Eectory 18  0  0 

Northome,  Tithes  of  the  chapel 2  0  0 

Calceby,  Pension  from  the  rectory 0  13  4 

Wainnete,  .All  Saints,  Pension  from  church 3  6  8 

Immingham,  Fixed  rents 8  2  9 

Immingham,  Farm  of  lands,  &c 22  17  4 

Kyme,  Farm  of  demesne  lands  2  16  10 

But  few  names  of  the  many  Priors  who  ruled  this  House 
for  nearly  400  years  have  been  placed  on  record  ;  the  following, 
however,  are  some  of  these  :  Jordan,  circa  1195;  Lambert,  1200; 
Henry,  (called  Abbat  of  Kyme) ;  Hugh  de  Waynnete,  obiit  2. 
H.  4. ;  Thomas  de  Bykeyre  (Bicker),  3.  H.  4. ;  Eobert  de  Lang- 


258  SOUTH  KYME. 

ton,  who  resigned  9.  H.  4.  ;  and  Thomas  Day,  the  immediate 
predecessor  of  Ealph  Fayrfax,  who  succeeded  as  Prior,  March 
27th,  1511,  and  in  whose  time  this  House  was  suppressed. 
"  Harl.  MSS.  5943.  p.  29." 

In  1450  the  Priors  and  Convents  of  Kyme  and  Thornholm 
were  appointed  collectors  of  a  tenth  of  every  ecclesiastical  benefice 
not  taxed  nor  accustomed  to  pay  a  tenth  granted  to  the  King  by 
the  clergy,  in  the  Archdeaconry  of  Stow.  "  Pip.  Eot.  34.  H.  6." 
The  seal  of  the  Priory  bore  this  legend :  "Sigillum  Prioris  et 
Conventus  de  Kima." 

At  the  dissolution  there  were  10  inmates  of  the  House,  who 
were  pensioned  off  through  the  representation  and  recommenda- 
tion of  John  London,  one  of  Cromwell's  commissioners  for  the 
suppression  of  Monastic  establishments,  who  especially  spoke  of 
the  blameless  life  of  the  Prior,  and  of  his  being  "  an  honest 
preste  well  estemed  in  his  contreye."  He  therefore  received  a 
pension  of  £30  a  year,  and  the  others  between  £5  and  £6  each  a 
year.  From  another  letter  of  London's  it  appears  that  John 
Heneage  and  two  others,  Wiseman  and  Cotton  by  name  who 
acted  with  him,  committed  the  custody  of  the  Priory  to  Lord 
Tailboys's  bailiff,  and  in  1541  the  site  of  the  house,  &c.,  was 
given  to  Thomas  Earl  of  Eutland,  and  Eobert  Tyrwhit ;  but 
the  whole  of  the  site  and  capitular  house,  together  with  all  the 
demesne  lands,  edifices,  orchards,  applegarths  and  gardens  within 
its  demesnes  and  circuit,  the  advowson  of  Kyme,  its  tithes  and 
glebes,  and  certain  lands  in  North  and  South  Hykeham,  were 
to  be  held  of  the  King  in  capite."  "  Harl.  MSS.  f.  829." 

In  1580  died  Eobert,  son  and  heir  of  Sir  Edward  Dymoke, 
seized  of  the  manor  of  South  Kyme,  20  messuages,  1  windmill, 
3000  acres  of  land  in  South  and  North  Kyme,  Dogdike,  Billing- 
hay,  Skirbeck,  Walcot,  Swinshead,  Bicker,  Austhorpe,  Asgarby, 
Anwick,  and  Coningsby,  also  the  advowson  of  South  Kyme  of 
Lord  Clinton,  as  of  his  manor  of  Falkingham.  "  Harl.  MSS,  f. 
829."  In  1616,  Francis  Colly  was  curate,  and  there  were  300 
Communicants.  "  "Willis's  MS.  f.  39." 

In  1646,  Sir  Edward  Dymoke,  of  Kyme,  was  obliged  to 
compound  for  his  estates  and  settle  the  Eectories  of  North  and 
South  Kyme  and  Billinghay  (worth  £200  a  year),  upon  the 
two  churches  or  chapels  whence  the  tithes  were  taken. 


SOUTH  KYME.  259 

PERPETUAL  CURATES. 

A.D.  — Charles  Dewsnop. 

1806. — John  Bellaman. 
1837. — Henry  Sidney  Neucatre. 
1870. — Edward  Garvey. 

THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  simply  a  fragment  of  the  great  cruciform  church  of 
the  Augustine  Priory  at  Kyme,  dedicated  to  the  Virgin  Mary  by 
its  founder  Philip  de  Kyme,  circa  1170.  The  greater  part  of  its 
nave  existed  until  1805,  when  it  was  reduced  to  its  present  di- 
mensions, and  its  area  now  comprises  the  south  porch  of  the 
Priory  church,  the  greater  part  of  its  southern  nave  aisle,  and  a 
small  longitudinal  slip  of  its  nave  having  a  wide  modern  gable 
at  each  end,  and  a  uniform  span  roof  of  a  common  description 
surmounted  at  the  west  end  by  a  little  nondescript  bell  gable. 

Its  earliest  feature  is  an  elaborately  carved  semicircular 
headed  Norman  doorway,  circa  1140.  Two  circular  shafted 
pillars  adorn  its  jambs,  the  inner  pair  having  foliated  caps,  the 
outer  pair  scalloped  cushion  ones ;  from  these  spring  the  two 
members  of  its  arched  head,  the  one  enriched  with  a  lozenge 
shaped  ornament  worked  partly  on  its  face  and  partly  on  its 
soffit,  the  other  with  the  dove-tailed  device  not  uncommon  in 
Norman  work.  Above  these  is  a  cable  hood  mould  springing 
from  dragons  heads  and  surmounted  by  a  lion's  or  a  leopard's 
head  boldly  projecting  from  its  apex.  This  doorway  was  no 
doubt  spared  from  its  rich  character  when  all  the  contemporary 
work  around  it  was  destroyed  and  replaced  by  excellent  Decora- 
ted work  about  1360,  with  which  it  still  remains  incorporated. 
The  aisle,  out  of  which  the  present  church  was  formed,  evidently 
consisted  of  five  bays,  the  porch  occupying  one,  and  four  three 
light  windows  the  others.  Two  of  these  still  remain  quite  perfect, 
and  are  fine  well  moulded  specimens  of  their  period,  having 
tracery  of  a  flamboyant  character.  Part  of  a  third  also  re- 
mains ;  but  this  has  been  barbarously  curtailed  and  filled  in 
with  mullions  and  a  transom  brought  from  elsewhere  and  incon- 
gruously put  together.  At  the  west  end  is  an  equally  good  but 
smaller  window  of  the  same  date,  and  two  excellent  pedimeiited 


260  SOUTH  KYME. 

buttresses.  Similar  buttresses  appear  on  the  south  side  ;  and  in 
the  one  east  of  the  porch  is  a  carefully  executed  statue  niche 
flanked  by  little  pillars  and  having  a  trefoiled  head.  The  base 
mouldings  are  bold,  and  add  much  to  the  appearance  of  the  fabric. 
The  side  walls  of  the  porch  have  been  meanly  rebuilt  with  brick- 
work and  the  commonest  masonry,  but  the  front  is  in  a  good 
state  of  preservation.  Its  well  moulded  archway  is  flanked  by 
buttresses,  and  above  it  is  a  large  niche,  having  a  trefoiled  head, 
in  which  still  remain  two  well  sculptured  figures,  representing 
the  Coronation  of  the  Virgin.  On  the  right  is  the  representation 
of  our  Lord  seated  with  his  left  hand  placed  upon  a  globe,  but 
the  head  and  the  other  arm — probably  raised  towards  the  Virgin's 
head — is  now  gone,  as  well  as  the  upper  portion  of  her  figure. 
On  the  lower  part  of  the  west  buttress  of  the  porch  is  cut  this 
legend,  now  much  worn  :  "  Orate  pro  anima  Thos.  Weston, 
hujus  prioratus  pincerna,"  and  without  it  is  a  much  mutilated 
stoup. 

Within,  at  the  west  end,  is  the  respond  of  the  now  destroyed 
south  arcade  of  the  Priory  church,  serving  to  indicate  precisely 
its  former  position,  and  also  that  it  was  supported  by  clustered 
pillars. 

The  Pont  is  a  small  octangular  one  of  the  Perpendicular 
period,  having  a  blank  shield  cut  in  each  face  of  its  bowl,  and  is 
only  in  part  original.  In  the  south  eastern  angle  of  the  church 
is  inserted  a  Decorated  piscina  having  a  trefoiled  head. 

Towards  the  east  end  of  the  north  wall  is  a  fragment  of  the 
monument  of  Gilbert  Lord  Taylboys.  This  consists  of  part  of  a 
Purbeck  marble  slab,  still  retaining  the  epitaph  on  a  brass  plate 
and  the  beds  formerly  filled  in  with  the  kneeling  effigies  of  himself 
and  his  wife,  their  armorial  bearings,  and  two  short  legends. 
The  epitaph  runs  thus  : — 

Here  lyetli  Gylbert  Taylboys  lorde  Taylboys,  lorde  of 
Kyme,   whych  marled  Elizabet   Blount,   one  of  the 
dowghters  of  ser  John  Blount  of  Kynlet  in  the  counte 
of  Shropshier,   kniht,    wych  lord  Taylboys   departed 
fourth  of  this  world  the  XV.  day  of  A  prill,  a°.  Dni. 
MoCCCCOXXXo.,  whose  solle  god  pardon,     amen. 
Gervase  Holies  telles  us  that  the  now  wanting  armorial  bearings 
were,  Arg,  a  saltire  Gu,  on  a  chief  Gu  3  escallops  of  the  first,  for 
Taylboys,  impaling  Nebuly  of  6  pieces  Or  &  Sa,  for  Blount,  sur- 
mounted by  the  Taylboys  crest — a  bull's  head  couped.     The 


SOUTH  KYME.  261 

effigy  of  Lord  Taylboys  represented  him  in  a  tabard  over  his 
armour,  on  the  body  and  sleeves  of  which  appeared  his  armorial 
bearings,  as  did  those  of  his  lady  on  her  mantle.  When  the 
present  north  wall  was  built,  the  vault  containing  the  remains  of 
Lord  Taylboys  and  three  children  in  leaden  coffins  was  accident- 
ally disclosed,  and  one  of  the  latter  was  found  to  have  been 
filled  with  a  liquid  serving  to  preserve  the  body  in  a  wonderful 
way  ;  the  coffin  of  Lord  Taylboys  was  not  opened. 

At  the  west  end  is  a  stone  mural  monument  consisting  of 

two  panels  flanked  by  the  figure  of  Death  with  a  dart  on  one 

side,  and  that  of  Time  with  an  hour  glass  and  a  scythe  on  the 

other.     It  commemorates  one,  who,  as  a  poor  boy  of  Kyme,  was 

apprenticed  to  a  tailor  at  the  cost  of  the  parish,  but  lived  to  acquire 

a  considerable  fortune  in  London  through  honest  industry,  and  by 

his  Will  benefited  his  birthplace,  as  thus  recorded  by  his  epitaph : 

To  the  memory  of  Mr.  Marmaduke  Dickenson,  Citizen 

of  London,  who  dyed  January  ye  9th,  1711,  and  by  his 

last  will  gave  to  ye  poore  of  South  Kyme  two  hund 

pounds,  to  be  paid  unto  ye  Minister  and  Churchwardens 

within  twelve  months  after  his  decease,  and  to  be  by 

them  laid  out  in  a  purchase  of  free  land,  and  ye  yearly 

income  of  ye  same  to  be  by  them  distributed  unto  ye 

poorst  sorte  of  people  of  South  Kyme,  and  accounted 

for  unto  their  Jury  upon  December  ye  21st  day  for  ever. 

In  the  lower  panel  are  the  following  lines,  in  which  the  arbitrary 

use  of  capital  letters  is  remarkable  : — 

Kind  Eeader  Stay,  Goe  Not  Away, 

Your  Silent  Lectures  Take  ; 
Kedeem  your  time,  Now  in  your  prime, 

That  May  You  Happie  Make  : 
Cease  not  to  Pray,  Both  nighte  and  day, 

God  Would  Repentance  Give, 
That  when  you  dye,  Eternally 
You  May  A  Crown  Receive. 

Holies,  under  the  head  of  "  Tumuli  lapidei  cum  sere,"  in 
this  church,  describes  the  tombstone  of  Mary  wife  of  Thomas 
Whichcote,  gentleman,  who  died  16th  January,  1591,  which  bore 
the  following  armorial  bearings  quarterly,  viz  :  Erm,  2  sangliers 
trippant  Gtu,  Whichcote.  Gru,  3  lapwings  Or,  Tirwhit.  Gu,  a 
chief  indented  Or,  Gronall,  impaling  quarterly  Arg,  on  a  bend 
Sa,  3  owls  of  the  first,  Savile  of  Newton.  Or,  an  escutcheon 
within  an  orle  of  martlets  Sa.  Sa,  a  bend,  in  chief  an  eagle 

T 


262 


SOUTH  KYME. 


displayed.  On  a  bend  3  escallops.  Holies  also  speaks  of  an- 
other stone  commemorating  "  John,  son  of  Thomas  and  Mary 
Whichcote,  deceased  15<>.  Sept.  A™.  1588.  JEtat.  8°.,"  and  of 
the  representations  of  a  man  and  a  woman  holding  in  their 
hands  the  armorial  bearings  of  the  Kyme  family,  and  displaying 
them  upon  their  tunics,  viz :  Gu,  a  chevron  between  9  crosses 
botony  Or. 

During  the  unhappy  contest  between  Charles  I.  and  the 
Parliament,  the  troops  of  the  latter  were  quartered  in  the  old 
Priory  church  here,  and  did  much  injury  to  it. 

In  1719,  when  Commissioners  were  appointed  to  inquire 
into  the  value  of  livings,  for  the  purpose  of  taxing  them,  the 
curacy  of  Kyme  was  returned  as  being  only  worth  £10  per  annum. 


NOBTH  KYME. 

A  SAXON  of  the  name  of  Mere  possessed  lands  in  North- 
Chime — as  it  was  then  called,  before  the  Conquest.  These 
were  subsequently  given  to  Robert  de  Todeni,  and  consisted  of  6 
carucates  of  land,  valued  in  King  Edward's  time  at  £3  13s.  8d., 
but  after  the  Conquest  at  £7.  Ivo,  a  vassal  of  Eobert  de  Todeni, 
had  then  3  carucates,  12  villans,  and  2  bordars  with  4  carucates, 
50  acres  of  meadow,  and  30  acres  of  wood.  Outi,  another  Saxon, 
also  possessed  2  manors  here,  consisting  of  5  carucates  and  2 
oxgangs  of  land  sufficient  for  2  ploughs,  including  their  appur- 
tenances in  Westby,  Haydor,  Evedon  and  Kirkby,  20  acres  of 
meadow,  5  acres  of  coppice,  and  a  fishery  worth  40s.  in  King 
Edward's  time.  This  was  given  to  the  Norman  Colsuein,  when 
it  was  valued  at  £4,  and  afterwards  constituted  the  fee  of  de  la 
Haye.  Subsequently  Simon  de  Kyme  held  it  of  the  Earl  of 
Salisbury,  and  he  of  the  King  by  the  tenure  of  a  hawk.  In  1315 
died  Gilbert  de  Clare,  Earl  of  Gloucester,  lord  paramount  of 
North  Kyme,  then  computed  at  one  knight's  fee.  "  Inq.  p.  m. 
8.  E.  2."  In  1325  William  de  Kyme  was  holding  this  vill  of  the 
de  la  Haye  fee  by  the  service  of  a  hawk,  or  a  payment  of  2s.  a 
year. 

In  1392  died  Thomas,  Earl  of  Stafford,  eldest  son  of  Joan 
the  heiress  of  the  Wake  family,  seized  of  the  above-named  land. 
"Inq.  p.  m.  16.  E.  2." 

Eight  years  later  died  Matilda,  wife  of  Henry,  Earl  of 
Northumberland,  and  sister  and  heir  of  Anthony  Lord  Lucy, 
seized  of  the  manor  and  its  members  here.  In  the  same  year 
William,  brother  and  heir  of  Thomas  Earl  of  Stafford  became 
lord  paramount  of  the  manor,  then  held  by  Philip  de  Kyme. 
"Inq.  p.  m.  22.  E.  2."  In  1576  this  was  held  by  Sir  Edward 
Dymoke  of  the  honor  of  Bolingbroke,  and  afterwards  of  Lord 
Taylboys  by  the  old  tenure  of  a  hawk,  or  2s.  a  year  for  all 
services.  "  Eot.  Cur.  Ducat.  Lane."  In  1402-3  William  Lord 
Willoughby  was  responsible  to  the  Treasury  for  the  sum  of  £20, 


264 


NOKTH  KYME. 


being  the  value  of  divers  goods  and  chattels,  late  belonging  to 
Henry  Percy,  found  in  the  manor  of  Kyme,  forfeited  by  him 
for  being  in  arms  against  the  King.  "  Pip.  Eot.  6.  H.  4." 
The  last  great  personage  connected  with  North  Kyme  was  the 
late  Earl  Fitzwilliam  who  possessed  the  manor,  but  who  sold  it 
in  various  lots.  S.  S.  Muggliston,  Esq.,  is  now  lord  of  the  manor, 
and  Mr.  N.  Jackson,  of  Tattershall,  is  the  owner  of  Kyme  Vacherie, 
once  the  old  manor  house,  but  now  simply  a  modern  farm  house. 
In  the  village  still  stands  part  of  a  mediaeval  cross. 


LEASINGHAM. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

2800.  381. 

THIS  is  situated  2  miles  due  north  of  Sleaford.  Its  name  was 
at  first  spelt  Levesingham  or  Levesyngham,  then  Lesyng- 
ham,  Lessingham,  and  now  Leasingham.  Before  the  Conquest 
its  land  was  divided  between  the  two  Saxons,  Barne  and  Outi. 
After  that  great  event  Barne' s  land,  consisting  of  6  carucates, 
was  given  to  Bishop  Remigius,  who  let  part  of  it  and  of  his 
manor  of  Ringsdon  to  one  Adam.  He  had  originally  here  2 
carucates,  1 6  villans,  1  sokeman  and  4  bordars,  to  whose  use  was 
assigned  30  acres  of  meadow.  The  whole  was  valued  in  King 
Edward's  time  at  £6,  but  subsequently  only  at  £5.  Afterwards 
this  manor  passed  from  Adam's  grandson  Elias  to  his  four  sons  : 
Elias,  Adam,  Hugo  and  Ralph  in  succession,  then  to  one  of 
his  daughters,  Nichola,  and  then,  as  all  these  died  without 
issue,  to  his  sole  remaining  daughter,  Hillaria,  married  to  David 
de  Fletwyke  in  1240.  Of  these,  Elias  de  Eingsdon  granted  the 
right  of  free  access  for  vehicles  through  all  parts  of  his  lands  in 
Leasingham  to  the  fraternity  of  Haverholme  Priory.  Outi's 
lands  here,  consisting  of  6  carucates,  and  30  acres  of  meadow, 
were  given  by  the  Conqueror  to  Geoffrey  Alselin  as  part  of  his 
manor  of  Ruskington.  "  Domesday  Book."  Out  of  these  Ralph 
Anselin  gave  to  God,  the  blessed  Mary,  and  the  Nuns  of  Haver- 
holme,  a  toft  called  Goosebert,  in  Leasingham,  together  with  the 
increase  that  Lefwin  son  of  Sywar  had  given  them,  with  pasture 
for  40  sheep,  4  animals  (beasts),  and  1  horse.  At  the  same  time 
he  made  a  like  donation  to  them  from  his  lands  in  Ruskington, 
circa  1150-60.  This  Ralph  Anselin  also  appears  to  have  given 
the  fraternity  of  Temple  Bruer  1  oxgang  of  land  in  Leasingham, 
which  they  had  let  to  Outi  and  Osmond  in  1185,  for  a  rent  of 
8s.,  some  work  and  "le  present." 

In  1253-4  William  Bardolf,  the  then  possessor  of  the  Alselin 
manor,  obtained  a  right  of  free  warren  in  Leasingham.     He  was 


266  LEASINGHAM. 

succeeded  by  Hugli  Bardolf  in  1304,  and  then  by  John  Bardolf 
—termed  of  Wermsegeye,  who  possessed  it  circa  1372.     Mean- 
while the  Bishop's  manor  was  held  by  Sir  David  Fletwyke, 
son  of  David  and  Hillaria,  who  was  obliged  to  sue  an  impudent 
intruder,  John  Eippingale,  clerk,  in  1300,  before  he  could  oust 
him.     "  Lansdown  MS.  204."     In  1311  he  was  appointed  to  take 
charge  of  the  Lincolnshire  levies,  and  led  them  to  Roxburgh, 
"Rot.  ParL,"  and  died  seized  of  the  regained  manor  here  and 
another  at  Ringsdon  in  1356.     "  Inq.  p.  m.  26.  E.  3."     He  left 
a  son  David — born  1349,  by  his  wife  Laura,  daughter  of  Sir  Guy 
Gumbard,  of  Rippingale,  and  Elizabeth  his  wife,  daughter  of  Sir 
Roger  de  Colville,  through  which  marriage  the  Grumbard  lands, 
held  of  the  Wakes,  accrued  to  the  Fletwykes.     In  1420  died  one 
of  the  descendants  of   this    David    Fletwyke,     who    married 
Katharine,  daughter  of  Sir  Walter  Pedwardine,  of  Burton.     In 
the   15th  century  the  Bardolfs  had  ceased  to  be  lords   of  the 
Alselin  manor  through  the  marriage  of  their  heiress  daughter 
with  Sir  William  Phelip,  who,   in   her  right,   died  seized  of 
it,  1441.     "  Inq.  p.  m.  19.  H.  6."     In  1454  died  Anna,  relict  of 
Sir  Reginald  Cobham,   Kt.,    seized   of  this   vill — perhaps   the 
Phelip  heiress.     "Inq.  p.  m.  32.  H.  6."     In  the  15th  century 
Mancerus  Marmyon  had  probably  through  marriage  succeeded 
to  the  Metwyke  manor  here  and  at  Ringsdon.     He  died  1449, 
and  was  buried  at  Ringsdon  ;  his  son  William  Marmyon  also 
died  possessed  of  it  June  8th,  1520-3,  leaving  an  heiress  daughter 
Katharine.     "  Harl.  MSS.  6827."     After  the  dissolution  of  the 
Hospitaler  or  knights  of  St.   John's  establishments,  Sir  John 
Williams,  first  acquired  the  lands  of  that  fraternity  at  Temple 
Bruer,    and   subsequently    sold  them  to   John  Bloxholme   and 
John  Bellowe.     Some  members  of  the  Hesslewood  family  next 
held  the  manors  of  Leasingham  and  Ringsdon  of  the  Castle  of 
Sleaford  by  knight's  service,  after  it  had  been  alienated  by  Henry 
Holbeche,  Bishop  of  Lincoln ;  then  Ringsdon,  or  Ringston,  was 
sold  to  the  Brownlow  family,  and  the  Leasingham  manor  was  sold 
to  a  Mr.  Bernard,  who,  in  turn,  sold  different  portions  of  its 
land  to  William  King,  Joyce  King,  John  Morice,  George  Swan, 
Richard  Glen,  and  others ;  but  the  Carres  as  possessors  of  the 
Castle   of  Sleaford,   the   ancient  possession  of  the  Bishops  of 
Lincoln,  stall  claimed  fealty  of  all  the  tenants  of  the  Bishop's 
manor  of  Leasingham  in  1527.     After  Edward  York,  of  Ashby, 


LEASINGHAM. 


267 


had  sold  his  property  there  to  Edward  King  in  1580,  he  bought 
the  manor  of  Leasingham,  and  left  it  to  his  son  William  York, 
of  Burton  Pedwardine  and  Leasingham,  at  his  death  in  1681, 
aged  82.  His  son  William  was  knighted,  and  represented  Boston 
in  Parliament  from  1681  to  1702.  He  was  the  first  of  his  family 
who  lived  at  Leasingham,  and  his  descendants  continued  to  do 
so  until  the  death  of  the  last  male  heir — Thomas  York,  of 
Leasingham,  in  1782,  when  his  property  here  was  inherited  by 
his  daughter  Frances,  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  John  N.  Birch, 
Eector  of  Leasingham,  his  residence  was  pulled  down,  and  his 
estate  was  divided  between  his  four  daughters. 

There  were  formerly  two  village  crosses  here.  The  base  or 
stump  of  one  of  these,  termed  the  Butter  Cross,  stood  in  a  small 
paddock  called  the  Nut  Yard,  just  opposite  to  the  road  leading  to 
Roxholm.  The  other — popularly  termed  the  Baker's  Cross — 
stood  on  the  rising  ground  north  of  the  village,  near  the 
present  turn  in  the  turnpike  road  leading  to  Lincoln.  The  site 
of  the  old  house  occupied  by  the  Yorks  is  marked  by  a  clump  of 
old  trees  and  some  remains  of  its  offices,  now  converted  into 
cottages.  For  a  time  this  house  was  supposed  to  be  haunted  by 
an  evil  spirit,  the  very  littleness  and  folly  of  whose  reputed  deeds 
ought  to  have  assured  its  inmates  that  a  mischievous  wag  alone 
was  the  author  of  them ;  yet  the  then  vicar  of  Sleaford — Mr. 
William  Wyche,  carried  on  a  grave  correspondence  with  a 
college  friend  of  his — a  Mr.  J.  Richardson,  of  Emmanuel  College, 
Cambridge,  respecting  this  subject,  and  an  account  of  the  same 
was  thought  worthy  of  a  place  in  a  work  called  "  Remarkable  and 
True  Stories  of  Apparitions  and  Witchcraft,  by  Henry  More, 
D.D.,  with  the  evidence  of  Joseph  Glanvil  concerning  the  same," 
under  the  heading  of  "  A  true  and  faithful  narrative  of  the  dis- 
turbance which  was  in  the  house  of  Sir  William  York,  in  the 
parish  of  Lessingham,  in  Lincolnshire,"  from  which  the  following 
is  an  extract:  "In  May,  1679,  Sir  William  York  being  from 
home,  there  was  a  great  noise  made  by  the  lifting  up  of  the 
latch  of  the  outmost  door,  which  continued  with  great  quick- 
ness and  noise  for  the  space  of  two  or  three  hours,  till  betwixt 
ten  and  eleven  o'clock  in  the  night.  His  lady  then  being  at 
home  with  few  servants,  apprehended  it  to  be  thieves,  and  there- 
upon they  went  to  the  door  and  spake  to  them,  and  afterwards 
winded  a  horn  and  raised  the  town,  and  upon  the  coming  in  of 


268  LEASINGKHAM. 

the  town  the  noise  ceased  and  they  heard  no  more  of  it  till  May 
following;  and  then,  Sir  William  being  at  London,  the  same 
noise  was  made  at  the  door  as  before,  for  two  or  three  nights 
together,  and  then  they  began  to  believe  it  to  be  occasioned  by 
some  extraordinary  means.  This  was  heard  alike  by  twenty 
several  persons  then  in  the  family,  who  looked  out  of  the  windows 
over  the  door,  heard  the  noise,  but  saw  nothing." 

The  account  then  goes  on  to  state  that  about  a  month  after, 
when  Sir  "William  was  at  home,  this  noise  was  heard  very 
distinctly  several  times  in  the  night.  From  that  time  to  the 
month  of  October  following,  this  nuisance  appears  to  have  con- 
tinued in  various  ways,  for  we  find  that  besides  beating  at  the 
doors,  windows,  ceilings,  &c.,  the  chairs  were  taken  from  their 
places  and  put  in  the  middle  of  the  hall,  which,  on  being  set 
right  again,  were  removed  into  a  passage  between  the  hall  and 
kitchen,  and  a  lighted  candle,  which  Sir  William  had  at  another 
time  placed  in  the  hall,  was  extinguished,  and  the  candlestick 
carried  into  the  same  passage.  The  noise  is  said  to  have  some- 
times resembled  the  carpenters  and  plumbers,  who  were  there 
doing  some  repairs,  at  work,  "insomuch  that  the  head  carpenter 
said  that  if  he  had  not  known  his  servants  to  be  in  the  house,  he 
should  have  thought  they  had  been  chopping." 

A  shoemaker  of  the  name  of  Follet  who  desired  to  be  thought 
a  wise  man  and  one  that  could  read  the  language  of  the  stars, 
was  subsequently  suspected  of  having  made  all  these  noises,  &c., 
either  for  his  own  amusement,  or  in  the  hopes  of  being  called  in 
to  purge  the  house  of  himself,  and  he  grew  bolder  as  Sir 
William's  terror  increased. 

The  same  wretched  cobbler  is  supposed  to  have  terrified  the 
daughter  of  William  Medcalf,  a  farmer  in  Leasingham  about  the 
same  time,  who  fancied  she  was  bewitched  by  a  demon  or  spirit 
in  the  form  of  a  fair-haired  man  often  seen  by  herself,  but  never 
apparent  to  any  one  else,  who  continually  annoyed  her  by  rat- 
tling her  milk  pancheons,  turning  her  frumenty  into  hard  curd, 
matting  her  hair,  &c.,  which  case  of  presumed  witchcraft  has  also 
been  gravely  recorded. 

Besides  the  Eectory,  built  by  the  late  Eector,  and  added  to 
by  the  present  one,  there  are  two  pleasant  residences  in  this 
village,  of  which  the  larger  one,  having  a  handsome  classical 
elevation,  said  to  have  been  brought  from  Dunsby  when  the 


LEASINGHAM.  269 

Hall  there  was  pulled  down,  now  belongs  to  the  Eev.  Oswald 
Fielden;  the  other  is  the  pretty  little  house  of  Captain  Myddleton 
nearly  opposite  to  it.  The  Windmill  House,  now  occupied  by 
Henry  Hammond,  and  situated  about  half  way  between  the 
villages  of  Leasingham  and  North  Rauceby,  stands  on  the  site 
of  a  little  public  house  formerly  existing  there,  where  the  high- 
waymen who  formerly  infested  Lincoln  Heath  and  the  solitary 
parts  of  the  London  road  used  to  assemble  and  agree  upon  their 
nefarious  plans.  One  of  these  rascals  was  shot  dead  by  General 
Manners,  of  Bloxholm,  when  attempting  to  rob  him  on  his  way 
to  London.  There  is  a  very  picturesque  old  farm  house  in  the 
middle  of  the  village.  It  bears  the  date  of  its  erection  cut  on  a 
shield  inserted  in  the  centre  gable,  viz:  1655,  and  the  initals 
B.  E.  K.  Originally  the  door  was  in  the  centre,  but  it  now  con- 
stitutes two  cottages,  and  from  its  grey  walls,  mullioned  windows, 
and  general  design,  is  worthy  of  the  attention  it  usually  receives 
from  visitors.  On  the  gable  of  another  house  northward  of  this 
on  the  higher  ground,  are  the  initials  I.  E.  P.,  and  the  exhor- 
tation "  Aspice  viator  et  memento  te  mortalem  esse.  Anno 
Domini  1687."  This  was  perhaps  provided  for  the  builder — one 
of  the  -Poyntells — by  the  then  Eector  of  the  parish — Geoffrey 
Eves.  There  is  a  neat  little  schoolhouse  here,  built  partly 
with  the  proceeds  of  a  legacy  left  for  the  purpose  by  the  late 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Farmer,  and  partly  at  the  cost  of  the  present 
Rector, 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

There  is  no  mention  of  the  existence  of  any  church  at 
Leasingham  in  Domesday  book,  but  before  the  close  of  the  12th 
century  there  was  certainly  one  church  here  on  the  site  of  the 
present  one,  and  probably  a  second,  that  of  St.  John  the  Evange- 
list, which  we  are  sure  subsequently  stood  on  the  rising  ground 
north  of  the  remaining  church.  There  were  also  two  separate 
Rectories  here  having  different  patrons,  but  these  were  united  in 
1726,  and  the  living  was  bought  by  Sir  John  Thorold,  Bart ,  in 
1782,  in  whose  family  the  patronage  still  remains.  In  1330 
David  de  Fletwyke  obtained  the  Bang's  licence  to  make  over  in 
mortmain  3  messuages  and  3  oxgangs  of  land  in  Leasingham  to  a 
chaplain,  for  the  purpose  of  celebrating  divine  service  in  the 


270  LEASINGHAM. 

chapel  of  the  Virgin,  at  Leasingham.      "Inq.  ad.  q.  d.  3.  E.  3. 
Rot.  Hun.  277." 

In  1307  William,  parson  of  Leasingham  with  Adam  de 
Dunslode,  chaplain,  and  Roger  Barbdoc,  gave  the  King  £12  for 
a  licence  to  assign  a  certain  tenement  with  its  appurtenances  in 
the  suburb  of  Lincoln,  to  the  Prior  and  Convent  of  Nocton  Park, 
to  be  had  in  mortmain. 

In  1390  Stephen  de  Houghton,  Eector  of  a  moiety  of  the 
church  of  Lesyngham,  left  13s.  4d.  for  the  repairs  of  its  chancel, 
"  Bishop  Buckingham's  Memorandums,  f.  371,  Capit,  Beg.  Line." 
and  at  the  same  time,  with  others,  obtained  the  King's  licence  to 
amortize  to  the  Abbey  and  Convent  of  Barling,  2  messuages,  3 
acres  of  plough  land,  and  5  acres  of  meadow  land  lying  in  the 
suburb  of  Lincoln  ;  also  a  salt  pan  in  Quadring,  and  a  messuage 
and  lands  in  Middle  and  North  Carlton.  "  Inq.  p.m."  In  1 61 6 
both  medieties  of  Leasingham  were  in  the  patronage  of  the  King, 
and  worth  £16  a  year.  There  were  then  80  communicants  in 
each  mediety.  "  Willis's  MSS.  f.  39." 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Incumbents  as  far  as  can  now 
be  discovered : — 
Date  of  Institution. 
Circa  1220.— William  de  Brauncewell. 

1228. — John  de  Bridgeford,  chaplain  of  Shelford  Priory. 

1280. — Roger  de  Trekingham. 

1307.— William 

1390.— Stephen  de  Houghton. 

1394.— William  de  Ketell. 

1535. — Christopher   Huchynson,   Eector  of  the  south 
mediety. 

1535. — John  Green,  north  mediety. 

1597. — Thomas  Crook,  south  mediety. 

1597. Morice,  south  mediety. 

1614. — William  Green,  south  mediety. 

1616. — John  Marris,  south  mediety. 

1643. — William  Eves,  south  mediety. 

1662. Hales,  ejected  by  the  Act  of  Uniformity. 

1680. — Gasper  Justice. 

1682. — Lawrence  Benson,  north  mediety. 

1682.— Wilfred  Eves,  south  mediety. 

1687. — Nathan  Drake,  north  mediety. 


LEASINGHAM.  271 

Date  of  Institution. 

1694. — Matthew  Smith,  north,  mediety. 
1696.— Matthew  Smith,  south  Mediety. 
1709. — Stephen  Nickols,  south  mediety. 
1720. — Nathan  Drake,  south  mediety. 
1754. — John  Nevill  Birch,  both  medieties. 
1779. — Thomas  Taylor,  both  medieties. 
1784. — Friskney  Ghmniss,  both  medieties. 
1838. — Ainslie  Henry  Whitmore. 
1843. — Edward  Trollope,  Archdeacon  of  Stow. 

THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  dedicated  to  St.  Andrew,  and  from  the  evidence  of  a 
few  carved  stones  found  during  its  recent  restoration,  now  in- 
serted for  their  preservation  in  the  vestry  wall,  it  is  clear  that  a 
Norman  church  constituted  the  predecessor  of  the  present  fabric. 
This  last  consists  of  a  tower  and  spire,  nave,  south  aisle  and 
porch,  chancel  and  vestry.  Of  these  features  the  tower  is  the 
oldest,  and  by  far  the  most  striking.  Built  in  part  of  small 
rubble  work  circa  1175,  1200,  through  the  excellence  of  its 
ashlar  framework  and  buttresses,  it  still  stands  firm  after  the 
lapse  of  some  670  years. 

In  its  western  face  is  a  most  beautifully  moulded  semicircular 
headed  doorway,  and  just  above  it  a  circular  cusped  light, 
formerly  walled  up,  but  now  opened,  and  faithfully  restored  by  the 
aid  of  evidence  derived  from  a  fragment  of  the  original  cusping 
found  among  the  stones  used  to  block  up  its  light.  In  addition 
to  this  a  small  lancet  in  the  southern  wall  of  the  tower  serves  to 
light  its  lower  stage.  A  single  minute  window  lights  the  middle 
stage — constituting  the  ringing  chamber,  and  in  the  upper  one 
are  coupled  belfry  lights,  each  consisting  of  two  plain  lancets 
having  a  small  pointed  oval  above,  subdivided  by  a  pillar- 
mullion  springing  from  an  angular  transom,  instead  of  from  the 
sill  below.  The  lower  parts  of  these  are  filled  in  with  stonework 
of  a  very  peculiar  kind.  A  little  interlaced  arcaded  ornament 
gives  a  pleasing  appearance  to  the  cornice  of  the  tower.  Above 
this  rises  a  beautiful  Decorated  broach  spire  having  three  tiers 
of  lights,  the  ornaments  of  which  spring  forth  from  them  with 
effective  boldness. 


272 


LEASINGHAM. 


"Within  the  porch  is  a  doorway  of  the  same  date  and  style 
as  the  tower,  being  a  relic  of  an  earlier  nave.  Subsequently, 
but  when  the  Early  English  style  was  still  in  vogue,  the  nave 
was  rebuilt,  of  which  a  now  closed  north  doorway,  and  a  beautiful 
double  lancet  surmounted  by  a  cusped  circlet  in  the  north  wall 
are  remaining  features.  At  the  east  end  of  the  aisle  is  a  large 
Decorated  window,  near  to  it  in  the  south  wall  a  small  coeval 
two  light  one,  and  at  the  west  end  a  single  light,  all  having  cusped 
heads ;  in  addition  to  which  a  wretched  debased  window  has  been 
inserted  in  the  south  wall,  perhaps  instead  of  a  better  predecessor. 
In  the  north  wall  of  the  nave,  besides  the  beautiful  window 
above  mentioned,  there  are  two  large  Perpendicular  lights,  one 
of  fair  character,  the  other  ill  proportioned  and  weak.  The  porch 
is  an  ill  worked  Decorated  one,  its  most  remarkable  features 
being  beautifully  carved  figures  of  kneeling  angels,  one  having 
a  sickle  in  his  hand,  serving  as  the  hood  mould  terminals.  There 
had  been  no  chancel  for  about  200  years,  and  a  poor  Perpen- 
dicular window — probably  that  of  the  destroyed  chancel,  was 
placed  in  the  east  wall  of  the  nave.  The  present  chancel  was 
erected  in  1863,  the  style  of  which  was  adopted  from  that  of 
the  older  beautiful  window  still  remaining  in  the  north  wall  of 
the  nave.  In  the  eastern  wall  is  a  good  three  light  window  sur- 
mounted by  three  cusped  circlets,  and  in  the  south  wall  two 
smaller  windows  of  the  same  style,  the  sills  of  which  are  laid  at 
different  levels,  and  a  small  door  with  a  good  moulded  head. 
Above  is  a  well  designed  corbel  table  supported  by  crocket 
shaped  corbels.  On  the  north  side  is  a  lean-to  vestry ;  this  was 
built  of  materials  taken  from  the  east  wall  and  window  of  the 
nave — necessarily  pulled  down  when  the  chancel  was  erected. 

Within,  a  Decorated  arcade  of  three  bays  separates  the 
nave  from  the  aisle,  and  a  wide  Early  English  arch,  crushed  out 
of  shape  through  the  weight  placed  upon  it,  gives  access  to  the 
tower. 

Until  recently  the  nave  with  its  aisle,  forming  nearly  a 
square,  was  all  the  space  available  for  public  worship,  for  the 
tower  arch  was  stopped  up  with  masonry  faced  by  a  gallery,  and 
no  chancel  at  all  existed ;  but  now  through  the  opening  of  the 
former,  and  the  addition  of  the  latter,  the  plan  of  the  fabric  is 
long,  rather  than  square ;  so  also  the  nave  was  low,  its  walls 
being  covered  with  a  very  roughly  constructed  and  nearly  flat 


LEASINGHAM.  273 

roof,  access  to  which,  was  supplied  by  steps  descending  from  a 
doorway  in  the  tower  above  it,  but  this  now  stands  far  below 
the  present  noble  high  pitched  roof,  and  enables  the  ringers  in 
the  belfry  chamber  to  see  into  the  church.  Standing  at  the  west 
end,  the  eye  passes  over  the  newly  floored  central  alley  and  a 
series  of  neat  open  seats  towards  the  really  grand  chancel  arch, 
the  solid  carved  oak  stalls  beyond,  the  richly  coloured  tile  reredos, 
and  the  east  window,  with  satisfaction.  The  pulpit  in  the  north 
east  angle  of  the  nave  is  composed  of  Ancaster  stone,  delicately 
carved,  and  is  a  pleasing  specimen  of  modern  art.  The  Font  has 
often  puzzled  visitors,  whose  attention  it  naturally  attracts.  It 
has  an  Early  English  base  and  stem,  on  which  is  placed  an 
octangular  Tudor  bowl,  rudely  carved  with  subjects  apparently 
copied  from  others  of  an  anterior  date,  giving  it  the  appearance 
of  a  degree  of  antiquity  to  which  it  has  no  just  claim ;  for,  from 
the  character  of  the  square  head  dresses  of  the  females  pourtrayed 
thereon,  and  the  short  plaited  tunics  of  the  males,  we  may  assign 
it  to  the  reign  of  Henry  YIII.  Besides  a  single  male  figure 
cut  on  one  panel,  now  too  much  mutilated  to  be  intelligible,  the 
following  subjects  are  perhaps  intended  to  be  represented,  viz  : 
The  marriage  of  the  Virgin,  indicated  by  a  couple  joining  hands 
before  a  priest  and  an  attendant.  The  temptation,  or  Satan 
fleeing  from  our  Lord.  Herodias  and  her  daughter  with  the 
head  of  the  Baptist.  Christ  crowned  and  bearing  the  wood  of 
the  cross  lashed  together.  The  entry  into  Jerusalem,  or  our 
Lord  mounted  on  the  ass  and  bearing  a  rod  or  staff  in  his  right 
hand.  The  resurrection  of  the  dead,  or  Michael  with  a  conical 
cap,  blowing  the  summoning  trumpet,  with  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness above,  and  two  kneeling  praying  figures  on  one  side  below, 
and  a  single  one  on  the  other.  Christ  crowned  and  seated  on 
the  rainbow  in  Judgment,  with  the  wound  of  the  spear  in  his 
right  breast,  and  the  sun  and  moon  above  him.  On  the  spring 
of  the  bowl  beneath  are  the  following  figures  at  the  angles,  viz : 
a  female  with  her  arms  extended,  a  second  with  her  hands  resting 
on  her  hips,  a  third  holding  a  bag  or  purse,  a  fourth  holding  a 
distaff,  an  eagle  displayed,  perhaps  the  symbol  of  St.  John,  an 
angel  holding  out  two  scourges,  and  an  angel  holding  three 
heads  before  him,  perhaps  intended  to  represent  souls. 

In  front  of  the  south  pier  of  the  chancel  arch  is  a  white 
marble  tombstone  bearing  this  inscription  : — 


274 


LEASINGHAM. 


"Carolus  Medlycot,  obijt  20  Jan.,  1737." 

Above  this  in  a  circular  panel  is  a  shield  bearing  quarterly  per 
fesse  indented,  3  lions  rampant  two  and  one  ;  over  all,  an  escut- 
cheon of  pretence  bearing  a  chevron  between  3  stag's  heads 
caboshed,  the  whole  surmounted  by  a  helm  mantled  and  a  demi 
eagle  with  wings  elevated  springing  from  a  mural  crown.  Tra- 
dition reports  that  the  Charles  Medlycot  thus  commemorated  was 
murdered  by  his  servant,  who  subsequently  confessed  the  deed 
when  about  to  be  hung  for  sheep  stealing.  An  iron  hour-glass 
stand,  formerly  in  front  of  the  old  pulpit,  still  remains  affixed  to 
the  eastern  pillar  of  the  aisle  arcade,  and  a  panel  from  the 
back  of  the  same — dated  1672,  is  now  preserved  as  a  relic  in  an 
adjacent  seat.  When  Holies  visited  this  church  these  armorial 
bearings  were  displayed  in  the  east  window,  viz  :  Cheeky  or  & 
az,  Warren.  Arg,  2  lions  passant  sa.  Fletwycke,  and  Or,  3 
chevrons  gules,  Clare.  In  a  north  window  also,  i.e.  in  the  one 
nearest  to  the  east  end  of  the  nave,  he  speaks  of  one  having  the 
Fletwycke  armorial  bearings  and  part  of  a  legend — "  David  de 

me  fecit  in  honore  bese  Marise."     This  last  is 

now  gone ;  but  the  former  still  appears  in  the  cusped  circlet  of 
the  head  of  this  window.  The  lectern  is  of  solid  brass,  and  the 
standards  of  the  altar  rail  are  beautiful  specimens  of  modern 
metal  work.  The  terminals  of  the  chancel  arch  hood  mould  are 
half  angels  bearing  scrolls,  one  inscribed  with  the  prayer — "Lord 
save  thy  people,"  and  the  other  with  "  Bless  thine  inheritance." 
On  the  hammer  beams  of  the  chancel  roof  is  this  prayer  :  "  By 
thy  cross  and  passion  good  Lord  deliver  us  "  ;  and  on  the  labels 
held  by  the  four  Evangelical  symbols  below,  the  words  "  Holy, 
holy,  holy,  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to 
come."  At  the  east  end  of  the  aisle  is  a  piscina  now  partly  con- 
cealed, and  the  remains  of  the  usual  entrance  to  the  rood  loft. 
Here  most  probably  was  St.  Mary's  chapel.  In  the  tower  are 
four  heavy  bells.  Three  of  them  bear  these  legends,  viz  :  "  God 
save  the  King  "  ;  "  God  save  his  church  "  ;  "  Jesu  be  our 
speed"  ;  and  are  dated  1617,  when  they  were  recast.  A  very 
pretty  little  14th  century  coped  child's  tombstone  was  found  some 
years  ago  in  the  churchyard.  This  was  as  usual  simply  ornamen- 
ted with  a  cross  carved  upon  it,  to  indicate  that  a  little  Christian 
child's  body  was  once  deposited  below  it. 


NORTH  RAUCEBY. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

6573.  744. 

THIS  village  is  situated  on  one  of  the  highest  spots  in  Lincoln- 
shire, 3  miles  north  west  of  Sleaford,  and  the  spire  of  its 
church  forms  a  land  mark  that  may  be  seen  for  many  miles  around 
it.  Its  name  has  been  variously  spelt  Rosbi,  Roscebi,  Rousby, 
Rouceby,  and  finally  Rauceby.  It,  together  with  South  Rauceby, 
is  made  mention  of  in  five  different  places  in  Domesday  book, 
and  in  some  cases  it  is  difficult  to  determine  which  Rauceby  is 
referred  to.  Before  the  Conquest  the  land  here  belonged  to 
Archil,  a  royal  Thane.  After  that  great  event  it  was  for  the 
most  part  given  to  Robert  de  Stadford,  the  ancestor  of  the 
Staffords,  Dukes  of  Buckingham ;  but  a  small  portion  was  in  the 
soke  of  the  Bishop  of  Durham's  manor  of  Evedon,  another  in 
that  of  Robert  de  Vesci's  manor  of  Caythorpe,  and  a  third  in 
that  of  Geoffrey  Alselin's  manor  of  Ruskington  that  had  belonged 
to  the  Saxon  Outi.  This  last  consisted  of  6  carucates  2  oxgangs 
and  a  half,  sufficient  for  as  many  oxen,  on  which  land  Geoffrey's 
grandson  had  25  sokemen,  8  villans,  and  5  bordars  with  8 
ploughs ;  also  1  carucate  sufficient  for  12  oxen,  on  which  were  7 
sokemen  and  2  bordars  with  1  plough  and  5  oxen.  Of  Robert 
de  Stadford' s  land  Ulsi  held  3  carucates  and  half  an  oxgang, 
and  Osmond  nearly  the  same  quantity,  of  whom  Siward  held 
11^  oxgangs.  Edelo,  one  of  Robert  Stadford's  vassals,  had  7 
sokemen  and  1  villan  here.  Bishop  Remigius  had  also  some 
land  in  Rauceby,  and  claimed  more  that  had  been  Archil's ;  but 
the  jurors  rejected  his  claim  because  Archil  had  only  possessed 
10  oxgangs  of  the  demesne  lands  here,  which  he  had  obtained 
through  exchange.  Before  and  after  the  Conquest  the  land  in 
Rauceby  was  valued  at  40s. 

Circa  1200-20  the  Bishop  of  Durham's  land  here  was  held 
by  Geoffrey  de  Evermue,  and  consisted  of  a  third  of  a  knight's  fee. 


276 


NOBTH  RAUCEBY. 


The  Bishop  of  Lincoln's  land,  reckoned  as  the  twelfth  part 
of  a  knight's  fee,  was  held  by  William  Morteyn,  who  had  sublet 
it  to  Roger  Backet.  About  this  time  gifts  of  land  began  to  be 
made  to  the  Templars  of  Temple  Bruer,  of  which  the  following 
is  a  list  taken  in  1 185  : — 

Galfrid  Perrun  then  held  a  tenement,  the  gift  of  Robert  de 
Staford,  at  a  rent  of  33s.  4d. 

Ulbern,  2  oxgangs  and  a  toft,  the  gift  of  Galfrid  Perrun,  at 
a  rent  of  10s.,  4  hens,  and  4  days'  work. 

Jordan,  1  oxgang  and  a  toft,  the  gift  of  Reginald  de  Nor- 
manville,  at  a  rent  of  4s.,  4  hens,  and  4  days'  work. 

Hermbern,  %  an  oxgang  and  1  toft,  the  gift  of  the  same,  at 
a  rent  of  2s.,  4  hens,  and  4  days'  work. 

Peter,  $  an  oxgang  and  a  toft,  the  gift  of  the  same,  at  a 
rent  of  2s.,  4  hens,  and  4  days'  work. 

Colswain  Ophilio,  \  an  oxgang  and  a  toft,  the  gift  of  the 
same,  at  a  rent  of  2s.,  4  hens,  and  4  days'  work. 

Thomas  Kafot,  4  oxgang  and  i,  and  a  toft,  the  gift  of  Robert 
de  Oalz,  at  a  rent  of  3s. 

Anneis,  mother  of  the  last,  held  J  an  oxgang  of  the  gift  of 
Robert  de  Calz,  at  a  rent  of  12d. 

John,  the  skinner,  1  oxgang  and  a  toft,  of  the  same  gift,  at 
a  rent  of  5s.,  4  hens,  and  4  days'  work. 

Walter  Holdicum,  3  oxgangs  and  a  toft,  of  the  same  gift,  at 
a  rent  of  5s. 

Thomas,  the  provost,  1  oxgang  and  a  toft,  of  the  same  gift, 
at  a  rent  of  5s.,  4  hens,  and  4  days'  work. 

Randolf,  the  thresher,  1  oxgang  and  a  toft,  the  gift  of 
Walter,  son  of  Holdewin,  and  a  rent  of  3s.  5d.,  4  hens,  and  4 
days'  work. 

Picot,  a  toft  of  the  gift  of  Henry,  of  the  fee  of  Galfrid  de 
Perrun,  at  a  rent  of  I2d.,  4  hens,  and  2  days'  work. 

Walter  de  Nuecum,  a  toft  of  the  gift  of  Walter,  son  of 
Haldiwen,  at  a  rent  of  12d.,  4  hens  and  2  days'  work. 

Ralf,  the  son  of  John,  a  toft,  of  the  gift  of  William,  son  of 
Herveius,  at  a  rent  of  12d. 

Roger,  son  of  Holdanus,  1  oxgang  and  a  toft,  of  the  gift  of 
Gilbert  de  Evermew,  at  a  rent  of  2s.  and  2  days'  work. 

Walter  Peri,  a  toft,  of  the  gift  of  Galfrid,  at  a  rent  of  12d. 
"  Dugdale's  Monasticon." 


NOKTH  EAUCEBY.  277 

In  the  13th  century  Hervius  Bagot,  through  marriage  with 
one  of  the  Stafford  family,  was  holding  half  a  knight's  fee  here 
of  the  King  in  chief,  which  he  let  to  the  Hospitalers  of  St.  John. 
Robert  de  Everingham  about  the  same  time  possessed  half  a 
knight's  fee  in  this  vill  as  the  representative  of  Geoffrey  Alselin, 
who  had  let  it  by  knight's  service  to  Geoffrey,  the  son  of  "William, 
and  subsequently  to  Eandolf  de  Normanville. 

In  1287  died  Eobert  de  Everingham,  lord  paramount  of 
part  of  Eauceby,  and  in  1302  the  family  of  St.  Laudo  held  lands 
here.  In  1373,  Ealph  Earl  of  Stafford,  and  Margaret  his  wife, 
daughter  and  heir  of  Hugo  de  Audeley  Earl  of  Gloucester,  were 
in  possession  of  their  ancestor's  lands  in  Eauceby.  In  1393, 
Thomas  Earl  of  Stafford,  eldest  son  of  Joan  the  great  Wake 
heiress,  died  seized  of  a  knight's  fee  in  Eauceby,  "Inq.  p.  m. 
16.  E.  2,"  and  in  1399,  William,  his  brother  and  heir,  was  lord 
paramount  of  half  a  knight's  fee  here,  then  held  by  the  knights 
of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem.  "  Inq.  p.  m.  22.  E.  2."  In  1446  died 
Sir  Hugh  Basinges,  seized  of  a  messuage  and  2  vjrgates  of 
land  here.  In  1470  died  John  Tiptoft  Earl  of  Worcester,  seized 
of  the  manor  of  Kent  or  Wake  fee  in  Eauceby ;  and  from  the 
Inquisition  stating  this  we  gather  the  names  given  to  some  of 
the  old  woods  in  this  parish,  it  telling  us  that  that  Earl  died 
possessed  of  the  third  part  of  Kelbyehawe,  Brunwood,  Asshehold, 
or  Ashholt,  Hawberry-hill,  and  Trygoldthweyte  woods.  "  Inq. 
p.  m.  10.  E.  4." 

In  1540  died  John  Puller  seized  of  land;  and  in  1544  the 
King  granted  a  licence  to  Edward  Lord  Clinton  to  alienate  a 
grange  in  North  Eauceby  to  William  Monson,  of  Oarlton,  and 
his  heirs.  " Harl.  MS.  6829."  In  1559-60  died  Thomas 
Hussey,  seized  of  6  acres  of  arable  land,  10  of  pasture,  and  40 
of  marsh  in  this  vill,  held  of  Eobert  Carre  as  of  his  manor  of 
Sleaford  by  military  service.  "  Ditto."  The  said  Eobert  Carre, 
of  Sleaford,  died  February  24th,  1593,  seized  of  the  manor, 
leaving  his  uncle  Eobert  Carre,  of  Aswarby,  his  heir.  "Harl. 
MS.  758."  This,  and  all  the  other  numerous  lands  possessed  by 
the  Carres,  passed  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  John  Hervey  through 
his  marriage  with  Isabella  the  eventual  heiress  of  that  family, 
and  so  into  those  of  his  descendant,  the  Marquis  of  Bristol,  who 
still  possesses  the  greater  part  of  the  land  in  North  Eauceby. 


278 


NORTH  EAUOEBY. 
ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 


From  the  time  of  the  Conquest  the  advowson  of  the  church 
was  divided  into  two  medieties,  of  which,  as  we  have  seen,  Alnod, 
the  Bishop  of  Durham's  vassal,  possessed  one.  At  the  rebuilding 
of  Croyland  Abbey  after  its  destruction  by  the  Danes,  84  men 
of  Rauceby  with  Godscal  its  priest,  and  John  its  deacon,  built 
one  of  the  pillars  of  the  new  choir  of  that  Abbey,  by  the  aid  of 
workmen  and  quarrymen  to  whom  they  gave  6  marks  for  the 
purpose,  and  paid  for  the  carriage  of  the  stone  from  their  own 
quarry  to  the  boat,  and  hired  two  "baidours,"  or  carriers,  to 
unload  the  stone  and  carry  it  to  the  Abbey  site.  "  Peter  de 
Blois's  History  of  Croyland." 

At  the  beginning  of  the  1 3th  century,  the  Prior  and  Convent 
of  Shelford  Priory,  Notts.,  was  in  possession  of  one  mediety,  and 
in  the  Roll  of  of  Institutions  of  the  time  of  Hugh  de  Welles,  still 
preserved  in  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln's  Registry,  we  find  that 
William  de  Lexington,  the  chaplain,  was  presented  in  1229  to 
the  vicarage  of  this  mediety  by  the  Prior  of  Shelford;  also  that 
it  consisted  of  the  whole  altarage  of  that  mediety,  a  sufficient 
house,  and  some  land.  Out  of  this  the  vicar  was  to  pay  20s. 
annually  to  the  Prior  and  Convent,  and  the  synodals,  but  they 
undertook  to  pay 'the  procuration  fees  to  the  Archdeacon,  and  to 
bear  all  other  burdens.  The  vicarage  was  then  valued  at  £5  a 
year.  In  1535  we  have  a  notice  of  the  other  mediety  of  the 
vicarage  in  the  Ecclesiastical  Survey  in  the  First  Fruits  Office, 
taken  in  the  26th  year  of  Henry  VIII.,  when  William  Styrlay 
was  vicar,  and  the  proceeds  of  the  vicarage  were  as  follows : — 


For  the  tithes  of  lamb  and  wool  per  annum 

For  oblations  at  Easter,  with  other  lesser  oblations 

For  pigs,  geese,  hemp,  and  flax 

For  hay 

For  house  with  glebe 

For  the  church  yard 

Total,  as  by  the  book  then  shown 5 

Deductions  in  money  paid  to  the  Archdeacon  of 

Lincoln  in  Synodals  and  Procurations    0 

Leaving  clear 5 

The  tenth  thereof  ,  .  0 


0 
16 
2 
0 
5 
0 
6 

5 

0 

10 


d. 
0 
8 
6 

12 
4 
6 
0 

1 

11 
1* 


NOETH  EAUCEBY.  279 

In  the  minister's  or  bailiff's  accounts  of  the  possessions  of  the 
Priory  of  Shelford,  28.  H.  VIII.,  is  the  following  notice  of  the 
liability  of  the  then  Eector  : — He  answers  for  100  shillings  for 
the  rent  of  a  mediety  of  the  Eectory  with  all  the  houses  built  upon 
the  same,  also  for  a  mediety  of  the  tithe  corn  and  hay  belonging 
to  the  said  Eectory,  demised  to  William  Styrlay,  clerk,  and 
Eichard  Carre,  by  indenture  dated  16th  February,  in  the  21st 
year  of  the  reign  of  King  Henry  VIII.,  for  the  term  of  18  years, 
to  be  paid  at  the  terms  of  St.  Martin  and  St.  John  equally,  all 
reparations  during  the  term  aforesaid  to  be  paid  at  the  expense 
of  the  former,  and  the  same  sufficiently  repaired  at  the  end  of 
his  term,  to  be  left  and  delivered  up  as  in  the  indenture  aforesaid 
is  fully  contained.  The  following  is  the  Will  of  William  Styrlay, 
dated  29th  of  November,  1536  :— 

"I,  Wm.  Styrlay,  Vicar  of  Rowceby,  leave  my  body  to  be 
buried  in  ye  church  of  Rowceby.  To  James  Styrlay,  mv 
brother,  I  leave  my  horse  and  saddyll,  and  fower  quarters 
of  barley,  and  22s.  of  the  parsone  of  Gedlying,  and  8s.  of 
the  Vicar  of  Gedlyng  :  and  to  every  one  of  Richard  Carre's 
servaunts  a  shepe,  and  to  W.  Smyth  a  shepe  :  To  Myles 
Styrlay,  my  brother,  the  residue  of  my  shepe  with  a 
fatherbedd  :  and  to  Margaret  Powtrell  a  kirchiff :  to  Sir 
William  Tractall  a  gowne  :  to  Sir  Henry  Edwarde  my  best 
gowne,  my  best  typete,  and  a  sylver  spone  :  Item  to  Richard 
Carre  all  my  hyves,  and  he  to  finde  a  lighte  afore  the  whyte 
Mary,  and  2  kyne,  to  fynde  an  objt  in  ye  parishe  of 
Rauceby,  during  his  lyfe  with  my  woode  and  my  cole  :  to 
Isabell  Carre,  all  my  pewter  and  sylver  spones,  &c.  :  to 
Elizabeth  Carre  a  quarter  of  malte  :  to  Alice  Styrlay  a 
quarter  of  barley  :  to  Robt.  Rede  my  best  bonat  :  to  dame 
Eliz.  Stanhope  half  a  quarter  of  malte  :  Residue  to  Sir 
Hen.  Edwardes,  and  Richd.  Carre,  Exors.,  and  Mr.  Geo. 
Cateler,  supervisor,  to  have  11s.  3d.  Proved  15th  Deer., 
1536,  by  Exors." 

In  the  31st  year  of  the  same  reign  the  Eectory  was  granted 
to  Michael  Stanhope  and  Anne  his  wife,  together  with  that  of 
Westborough.  In  Bishop  Neal's  time,  1616,  the  vicarage  was 
valued  at  £5  a  year,  and  there  were  110  communicants. 
"Willis's  MS.  f.  39." 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  vicars  of  Eauceby  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A  D.  1229.— William  de  Lexington. 


280 


NOETH  EAUCEBY. 


Pate  of  Institution. 

A  D.  1294. — Eoger  de  Cestrefield. 
1314. — Henry  de  Eouceby. 
1341. — Dionysius  de  Elsham. 
1352. — Hugh  de  Cranewell. 
1378. — Simon  de  Wotton. 
1399. — John  de  Westrasen. 
1401. — Eobert  de  Hirneby. 
1432.— William  Smyth. 
1494.— William  Talbot. 
. — Henry  Edward. 
1552. — Christopher  Massyngberd. 

.—William  Styrlay. 
1574.— Philip  Tilney. 
1576. — John  Talbot. 

..  Greaves. 

1675. — Eichard  Kelham. 
1680.— Wilfrid  Eves. 
1682.— Edmund  Thorold. 
1710. — Thomas  Spencer. 
1729.— Abraham  Wilcox. 
1744.— William  Gunnell. 
1771.— John' Pugh. 
1800.— George  Thorold. 
1823.— WiUiam  Verelst. 
1830.— Henry  Baugh  Thorold. 
1836. — Ainslie  Henry  Whitmore. 
1838. — Owen    Davys,     subsequently    Archdeacon    of 

Peterborough. 
1841. — Edward  Trollope,  subsequently  Archdeacon  of 

Stow. 

1843.— Granville  Wheler  Stuart  Menteath. 
1854.— Charles  Thoroton. 

Eobert  Carre,  of  Aswarby,  left  £5  a  year,  and  Margaret 
Lady  Thorold  £3  a  year  to  be  given  to  the  poor  of  North  and 
South  Eauceby.  North  Eauceby  also  enjoys  the  privilege  of 
sending  two  persons  to  the  Carre  Hospital  at  Sleaford,  but 
should  it  fail  to  have  fitting  persons,  South  Eauceby  enjoys 
this  boon. 


NOETH  EAUCEBY.  281 

THE  CHURCH. 

The  fine  old  tower  and  spire  of  this  church,  dedicated  to  St. 
Peter,  resemble  generally  those  of  Sleaford  church,  but  are  a 
little  later,  or  of  the  commencement  of  the  1 3th  century.  Here, 
as  at  Sleaford,  the  round  arch  is  intermingled  with  the  lancet. 
The  very  bold  tooth  moulding  of  the  belfry  window  in  the 
southern  face  of  the  spire,  and  the  circular  perforated  finial  on 
the  gable  above  it  are  worthy  of  attention.  The  spire  is  not 
quite  so  heavy  as  that  at  Sleaford,  and  the  gentle  graduation  of 
the  squinches  produces  a  pleasing  effect.  In  the  tower  are  four 
bells,  thus  severally  inscribed: — "Hn.  Badge  gave  this  bell. 
Ten  L.  1619."  "  Jesus  be  our  speed.  1621."  "Do.  1684." 
"  Do.  1723."  The  southern  aisle  of  the  nave  is  of  the  Decorated 
period,  except  the  porch,  which  is  Early  English.  The  reticula- 
ted tracery  of  the  carefully  moulded  windows,  and  other  details, 
gives  the  date  of  1320-50  to  this  portion  of  the  church.  The 
variation  in  the  size  of  the  windows  adds  to  its  picturesqueness, 
and  the  smaller  window  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  porch  is  a  little 
gem  of  its  kind.  The  staircase  turret  at  the  western  end  of  this 
aisle  is  provided  with  a  stone  cover  or  hood.  Until  a  few  years 
ago  the  chancel  was  a  very  poor  structure,  built  by  William 
Styrlay  in  the  time  of  Henry  VIII.  This,  through  the  liberality 
of  the  late.  Anthony  Willson,  Esq.,  has  now  been  replaced  by  a 
more  ornate  successor  from  designs  supplied  by  Mr.  Teulon.  Its 
general  outline,  well-pitched  roof,  and  some  of  its  details  are 
good,  but  the  window  tracery,  although  of  a  more  ambitious 
character  than  that  of  the  nave,  from  the  omission  of  all  mould- 
ings, has  a  comparatively  crude  look.  The  north  elevation  of  the 
nave  is  of  a  far  plainer  character  than  the  southern  one,  but  is  of 
the  same  date,  and  retains  its  old  doorway  externally,  although 
now  walled  up  within. 

Inside  the  porch  is  a  Decorated  niche  above  the  door,  and 
on  entering,  it  will  be  seen  that  there  was  once  an  Early  English 
nave  as  well  as  a  tower  of  that  period  here ;  the  chancel  arch, 
that  of  the  tower  now  rebuilt  on  heightened  piers,  the  western 
respond  of  the  north  aisle,  and  the  porch,  on  the  capitals  of  the 
pillars  of  which  the  nail-head  moulding  is  cut,  all  demonstrating 
this. 


282 


NOETH  EAUCEBY. 


The  south  arcade,  of  three  bays,  was  the  next  addition  to  the 
fabric,  and  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  more  elegant  clustered 
shafts  than  those  which  support  its  arches. 

The  corresponding  north  arcade  and  both  aisle  walls,  circa 
1 320-50,  follow.  There  have  been  chapels  at  the  east  end  of  both 
aisles,  as  indicated  by  the  remains  of  a  canopied  niche  in  the  east 
wall  of  the  north  aisle,  and  the  following  evidences  at  the  east 
end  of  the  south  aisle,  viz :  a  piscina,  a  canopied  bracket  for  a 
statue,  and  an  arched  recess  with  splayed  jambs,  which  originally 
enabled  the  priest  officiating  in  this  chapel  to  look  into  another 
formerly  attached  to  the  chancel. 

Through  the  removal  of  the  old  pews  in  this  aisle  a  low 
arched  sepulchral  recess  was  disclosed  beneath  the  easternmost 
window  of  its  side  wall,  with  a  piscina  below  a  little  cusped 
head  recess.  This  arch  is  well  moulded  and  of  the  same  date  as 
the  aisle,  circa  1330-50.  Below  was  found  a  sepulchral  slab 
which  still  remains  there,  but  is  of  later  date,  and  has  probably 
been  brought  there  from  some  other  place  in  this  church.  It  is 
ornamented  with  an  incised  stemmed  cross,  and  this  border 
legend : — 

Hie  Jacet  Willus  ffraunk  de  Rauceby,  qui  obiit 

die  mensis  septembris  Anno,  domini  MCCC  octogesimo  : 
.quinto  :  cujus  anime  propicietur  deus.     Amen. 

Close  to  it  now  lies  another  sepulchral  slab  of  the  same  date,  also 
adorned  with  an  incised  cross,  but  in  this  instance  the  cross 
springs  from  a  base  of  carefully  squared  ashlar  work.  A  round- 
headed  doorway  now  supplied  with  a  new  door  in  the  tower  above 
the  arch  was  probably  intended  for  the  use  of  the  sacristan  of 
old,  who  could  hence  see  when  he  was  to  commence  or  cease 
ringing.  The  original  pitch  of  the  nave  roof  may  still  be 
discerned,  through  its  weathering  attached  to  the  tower.  About 
1500  the  clerestory  and  a  flat  roof  were  added,  perhaps  by  William 
Styrlay,  which  certainly  give  loftiness  to  the  fabric,  but  scarcely 
any  increase  of  beauty.  The  former  is  surmounted  by  an  em- 
battled parapet  enriched  with  quatrefoil  panels  and  blank  shields. 
Between  the  windows  of  the  north  aisle  a  large  painting  on  the 
old  plaster  was  revealed  during  the  late  restoration  of  this 
church.  It  was  twenty  feet  long  and  five  and  a  half  wide. 
Within  a  red  border  a  large  figure  remained,  dressed  partly  in 
monastic  and  partly  in  priestly  vestments  ;  the  whole  of  the  back 


NOETH  KAUCEBY.  283 

ground  was  powdered  with  stars,  and  in  front  of  the  figure  was 
the  head  of  some  indescribable  animal  or  monster.  The  whole 
was  executed  in  distemper  and  with  only  three  tints,  viz  : 
Venetian  red,  neutral  tint,  and  a  reddish  brown.  In  the  hands 
of  the  figure  were  a  book,  and  perhaps  a  bell.  If  so,  it  was  in- 
tended for  St.  Anthony.  The  rood-loft  staircase  still  remains 
quite  perfect,  together  with  its  doorway  that  formerly  communi- 
cated with  the  rood  itself.  The  font  is  a  good  specimen  of  the 
Perpendicular  period,  having  cusped  panels.  Most  of  the  old 
oak  bench  ends  are  still  doing  service  in  the  nave,  and  on  one 
of  them  is  carved  a  male  figure  in  the  dress  of  the  reign  of 
Henry  VIII. 

The  chancel  was  built  in  the  time  of  William  Styrlay,  vicar, 
and  Henry  Edward,  curate  of  Eauceby,  at  a  cost  of  £44  8s.  8d. 
"Holies  Harl.  MS.  6829."  Holies  observed  the  following 
armorial  bearings  in  a  window  of  the  north  aisle,  viz  :  Gru,  3 
mullets  arg,  a  label  of  3  or,  Hansard.  Gu,  2  bars  arg,  in  chief 
3  roundels  erm.  Arg,  on  a  bend  sa  double  cotised  gu  a  chevron 
sa  charged  with  3  crosses  botony  of  the  first  sa,  a  chevron  between 
10  crosses  botony  arg,  Kyme.  Arg,  2  bars  gu,  in  chief  3 
torteaux  a  bend  sa,  Threckingham.  Arg,  a  chevron  gu  between 

3 .     Arg,  a  fesse  between  3  cinquefoils,  Powtrel.     He  also 

noted  down  the  following  sepulchral  inscriptions  on  stones  within 
this  church  near  the  chancel : — 

Hie  Jacet  Willus  Powtrel  de  Eowsby,  qui  obiit 

Hie  Jacet  Elizabetha  quondam  uxor  Blci  Pinchbeck,  que  obiit 
18o  die  Septembris  1505,  cujus  &c. 

There  are  fragments  of  old  painted  glass  in  several  of  the 
nave  windows,  and  the  westernmost  window  of  the  north  aisle  is 
filled  with  modern  glass  by  Lavers  and  Barraud.  The  east 
window  of  the  chancel  is  filled  with  glass  by  Hughes,  represent- 
ing the  leading  subjects  of  our  Lord's  life,  and  is  a  very  good 
specimen  of  modern  art.  One  of  its  south  windows  is  also  filled 
with  painted  glass. 

In  the  middle  of  the  chancel  pavement  formerly  stood  the 
gravestone  of  William  Styrlay,  canon  of  Shelford,  and  vicar  of 
Eauceby.  This  consisted  of  a  massive  grey  marble  slab  in  which 
were  set  brass  plates  engraved  with  the  effigy  and  epitaph  of  that 
canon  vicar ;  but  most  unfortunately  this  was  broken  in  pieces 
during  the  process  of  rebuilding  the  chancel,  and  the  brass  plates 


284 


NOETH  EAUCEBY. 


now  alone  remain  attached  to  the  vestry  wall.      Most  faithful 
representations  of  these  are  given  in  the  accompanying  wood 
cut,  and  the  inscription  runs  thus  in  modern  lettering  : — 
Hie  Jacet  Dus  Willms  Styrlay,  quondam  vicaris  istius 
ecclesie  et  canonic8  de  Slielford,  qui  obiit  iiii°  die  mensis 
Decebris,    Ano.    Dni.     MoCCCCOXXXlV,    cujs  aie 
ppicietur  Deus.     Amen. 

He  was  also  commemorated  by  a  painted  glass  window  in  the 
clerestory  on  the  north  side,  bearing  his  arms,  viz :  Paly  of  6 
Arg  &  az,  in  chief  a  cinquefoil  gu,  and  the  inscription  : — "  Orate 
pro  aia  Willi  Styrlay,  vicarii,  qui  hane  fenestram  fieri  fecit." 
Here  also  was  the  grave  of  his  curate,  marked  by  a  slab  thus 
simply  inscribed : — 

Hie  Jacet  Henri  Edward,  Curatus  de  Rawsby,  qui  obiit  xi°  die 
Julii,  Ano.  Dni.  1552,  &c. 

Near  to  this  was  the  grave  of  a  noted  later  vicar  of  Eauceby 
marked  by  a  slab  bearing  this  epitaph  : — 

To  the  memory  of  the  Rev.  JohnPugh,  M.A.,  29  years 
Vicar  of  the  Parishes  of  Rauceby  and  Cranwell,  who 
died  April  26th,  1799,  aged  56  years. 
Also  of  Ann  his  wife,  who  died  May  10th,  1780,  aged 
40  years.  And  of  Sophia  his  relict,  who  died  Sept. 
5th,  1803. 

Mr.  Pugh  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Church  Missionary 
Society,  and  a  most  earnest  evangelical  clergyman  of  high 
ministerial  reputation,  set  as  a  spiritual  light  on  Eauceby  hill,  in 
a  time  of  ecclesiastical  supineness,  and  resorted  to  by  many  for 
miles  round  desirous  of  profiting  by  his  counsel,  and  receiving 
the  holy  communion  from  his  hands,  so  that  certain  of  the 
parishioners  murmured  at  the  cost  of  supplying  the  necessary 
amount  of  bread  and  wine.  He  was  a  stern  disciplinarian,  and 
insisted  on  public  penance  on  the  part  of  persons  who  had 
offended  against  the  laws  of  morality ;  and  perhaps  one  of  the 
latest  instances  of  the  enforcement  of  penance  occurred  at  Eauceby 
through  the  instrumentality  of  this  evangelical  clergyman,  viz : 
in  the  last  quarter  of  the  last  centmy,  John  Dough,  a  very  old 
man,  still  living  in  1842,  having  told  the  author  of  this  work 
that  he  remembered  a  frail  woman  standing  in  a  sheet  during 
divine  service  in  Eauceby  church,  a&  a  penitential  infliction, 
ordered  by  its  then  vicar,  before  he  absolved  her. 


NOETH  EAUCEBY.  285 

The  gravestone  of  such  a  man  should  surely  have  been 
venerated  and  carefully  preserved  over  his  grave ,  but  it,  like 
those  of  William  Styrlay  and  his  curate,  has  now  disappeared, 
together  with  various  mural  monuments.  One  of  these  com- 
memorated the  Eev.  Thomas  Spencer,  vicar,  who  died  1729,  aged 
55.  Another,  the  Eev.  William  Gunnell,  vicar,  who  died  1771, 
aged  59,  his  wife  Mary,  1768,  and  their  sons  William  and 
Peregrine,  in  holy  orders.  On  a  slab  in  the  north  aisle  was  the 
following  touching  inscription  : — 

In  memory  of  the  Eev.  John  Flavell,  B.A.,  of  Clare 
Hall,  Cambridge,  and  of  Cleobury  Mortimer,  Salop, 
aged  23  years. 

This  very  amiable  pious  person  was  ordained  Deacon 
at  Buckden,  June  11,  1797,  at  that  time  very  weak  in 
body.  On  the  day  following  he  came  hither,  and  on 
Sunday  the  18th,  took  his  happy  flight  hence  rejoicing 
in  his  God  and  Saviour. 

One  old  monument  however  still  remains,  now  erected  over 
the  entrance  to  the  tower  staircase.  It  bears  the  following  very 
quaint  epitaph : — 

Near  this  place  are  interred  the  "Wives  of  Eichard  Jessap  ;  viz  : 

Alice  on  Sep.  27,  1716,  aged  25. 
And  Joanna,   on  Aug.   31,    1720,    aged  29. 
How  soon  ye  objects  of  my  love 

By  death  were  snatcht  from  me  ; 
Two  loving  matrons  they  did  pro^e, 

No  better  cou'd  there  be. 
One  child  the  first  left  to  my  care, 

The  other  left  me  three  ; 
Joanna  was  beyond  compare, 

A  Phoenix  rare  was  she  ; 
Heaven  thought  her  sure  too  good  to  stay 

A  longer  time  on  earth, 
In  childbed  therefore  as  she  lay, 
To  God  resign'd  her  breath. 
In  Morte  Quies. 

In  pulling  down  the  chancel  of  the  16th  century  it  was  found 
that  many  old  tombstones  of  the  13th  and  14th  centuries  had 
been  used  in  its  construction,  as  well  as  worked  stones  of  the 
Early  English  period.  These  are  described  in  the  Archaeological 
Journal,  vol.  10,  pp.  63  and  162. 


286 


NORTH  EAUOEBY. 


In  the  churchyard  is  the  tombstone  of  an  ecclesiastic,  on 
the  top  of  which  is  carved  his  effigy,  clothed  in  eucharistic  vest- 
ments, and  holding  a  chalice  in  his  hands.  This  is  of  the  14th 
century. 

At'  the  corner  of  the  vicarage  garden  where  the  road  to 
Ancaster  branches  from  the  one  leading  to  South  Rauceby  has 
long  stood  the  base  of  a  village  cross.  This  has  of  late  years 
been  supplied  with  a  graceful  shaft  and  finial,  and  constitutes  a 
pleasing  ornament  to  this  village. 


SOUTH  KAUCEBY. 

THIS  adjoins  North  Eauceby,  and  is  a  distinct  parish  except 
for  ecclesiastical  purposes. 

The  greater  part  of  its  land  had  belonged  to  Turvert  before 
the  Conquest.  Subsequently  his  land  was  given  to  the  Bishop  of 
Durham  and  held  of  him  by  Aland  his  vassal,  who  had  15  soke- 
men,  and  6  bordars ;  he  had  also  half  the  advowson  of  the  church. 
South  Bauceby  was  valued  at  70s.  in  King  Edward's  time,  after- 
wards at  60s.  Subsequently  Galfrid  de  Evermue  held  the  third 
part  of  a  knight's  fee  here  by  knight's  service  of  the  Bishop  of 
Durham,  he  of  the  heir  of  Brune,  and  he  of  the  King,  Roger 
Kachet  held  the  twelfth  part  of  a  knight's  fee  of  William  de 
Mortayn,  and  he  of  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  and  William  Perun 
was  a  tenant  of  the  Templars. 

There  was  a  chapel  in  South  Eauceby  dedicated  to  St.  James, 
and  in  the  gift  of  the  Priory  of  Shelford.  It  stood  a  little  to  the 
north  of  this  village,  and  on  the  east  of  the  road  leading  to 
North  Eauceby.  Holies,  about  the  year  1640,  speaking  of  South 
Eauceby  says  :  "In  this  place  the  church  is  down." 

Formerly  a  beacon  stood  near  to  Parham  Dam,  and  a  farm 
house  called  by  that  name.  A  younger  branch  of  the  Welby 
family  was  the  principal  land  owner  in  this  parish  during  the 
earlier  part  of  the  present  century ;  but  before  his  death  he  sold 
his  estate  here  to  the  late  Anthony  Willson,  Esq.,  who  built  the 
present  excellent  house  now  possessed  by  his  widow,  which,  by 
the  aid  of  further  purchases  of  land  and  judicious  planting 
around  it  has  become  one  of  the  most  pleasing  residences  near 
Sleaford. 

In  the  time  of  Elizabeth  the  population  of  North  and  South 
Eauceby  was  nearly  alike,  in  the  former  there  having  then  been 
22  families,  and  in  the  latter  21  ;  but  now,  although  North 
Eauceby  is  sometimes  called  Great  Eauceby,  the  population  of 
South  Eauceby  is  by  far  the  most  considerable. 


ROWSTON. 


ACREAGE, 
1833. 


POPULATION, 

224. 


THIS  village  lies  7J  miles  north,  east  of  Sleaford.  After  the 
Conquest,  when  its  name  was  spelt  Rouestune,  King 
Willliam  gave  its  lands  to  Geoffrey  Alselin,  who  granted  a 
portion  of  them  to  two  of  his  knights  according  to  Domesday 
Book.  In  all  he  had  12  carucates  and  150  acres  of  meadow,  also 
32  sokemen  cultivating  10  carucates ;  but  the  whole  was  only 
valued  at  20s, 

In  the  1 3th  century  Geoffrey  Alselin's  lands  here  had  passed 
into  the  hands  of  the  de  Calz  family,  when  they  consisted  of 
half  a  knight's  fee,  and  an  eighth  part  of  another.  These  were 
held  by  the  Templars  through  the  gift  of  Matilda  de  Calz ;  then 
let  by  them  to  Philip  de  Eouston  and  Eichard  West  by  knight's 
service.  Five  oxgangs  here  were  then  held  by  the  Chapter  of 
Lincoln  to  whom  they  had  been  given  by  Matilda  de  Calz,  and  2 
oxgangs  were  held  by  the  Prior  of  Catley,  through  the  gift  of 
Geoffrey  de  Calz.  "Testa  de  Nevill."  In  1275  the  Prior  of 
Haverholme  held  5  oxgangs  of  land  in  this  vill,  4  of  which  he 
let  to  Robert  de  la  Grene  for  20s.  per  annum,  and  the  other  to 
Robert  Clerk  at  a  rent  of  3s.  per  annum.  The  first  lot  had  been 
given  to  the  Prior  by  Philip  son  of  William  de  Scaupewyke,  who 
had  received  it  of  Matilda  de  Calz,  and  she  of  the  King ;  and 
the  last  was  the  gift  of  Matilda  herself,  some  60  years  previously. 

In  1287  died  Robert  de  Everingham,  lord  paramount  of  part 
of  this  vill.  "Inq.  p.  m.  15.  E.  I."  In  1291  died  William 
Eitzpiers  seized  of  lands  here.  "  Inq.  p.  m.  20.  E.  I."  In  1321 
Hugo  de  Tighler  or  Tigheler,  of  Lincoln,  paid  the  King  a  fine  of 
5  marks  for  having  acquired  the  manor  of  Rowston  for  life. 
"  Ab.  Rot.  Orig.  15.  E.  2."  But  this  act  led  to  litigation  between 
him  and  Sir  Adam  de  Everingham,  of  Laxton,  and  others ;  and 
although  he  recovered  possession  of  the  manor  in  1327,  by  re- 
cognizance, was  disseized  of  it  the  following  year  by  judgment  of 


EOWSTON.  289 

the  King's  court  at  Lincoln.  "  Ab.  Eot.  Orig.  1  &  2  E.  3."  In 
1550  Richard  Huddleston  was  holding  the  manor  of  Rowston. 
Nine  years  later  Robert,  son  of  Geoffrey  Huddleston,  died  seized 
of  the  manor  and  a  capital  messuage  here,  held  of  the  King  by 
military  service.  In  1560  died  Geoffrey  Huddleston  seized  of  the 
manor,  leaving  a  son  Robert,  who  lived  at  Pinchbeck,  and  died 
1564.  "  Harl.  MS.  6829."  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Richard, 
who  alienated  the  manor  to  William  Ryvitt,  citizen  and  mercer  of 
London,  by  licence  from  the  crown  in  1569,  except  a  small  portion 
in  the  hands  of  Geoffrey  Huddleston,  consisting  of  a  messuage,  a 
cottage  close  containing  7  acres,  called  Crathe  close,  another 
called  Lages  or  Sand  close,  and  16  acres  of  moor  and  marsh  held 
of  the  King  in  chief  by  the  service  of  an  eleventh  part  of  a 
knight's  fee.  "  Pip.  Rot.  16  J.  1."  His  son,  John  Huddleston, 
succeeded  to  these  in  1618.  Benjamin  Thorold,  Esq.,  is  the 
owner  of  the  greater  part  of  this  parish  now. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

Matilda,  daughter  of  Robert  and  Sibilla  de  Oalz,  during  her 
widowhood,  and  previous  to  1176,  gave  the  advowson  of  Rowston 
church  to  the  Templars  of  Temple  Bruer,  whose  House  she  in 
part  founded.  This  gift  was  confirmed  by  her  successor,  Ralph 
Eitzpiers  son  of  Stephen,  the  King's  chamberlain,  in  1177,  and 
several  members  of  the  Everingham  family.  In  1185,  Peter  de 
Tilney  paid  to  the  Templars  during  his  life  from  the  church  of 
this  vill,  the  sum  of  3  marks  annually. 

In  Bishop  Neal's  time,  1616,  James  Eivett  was  patron  of 
the  living,  and  the  number  of  communicants  was  70.  "  Willis's 
MS,  f.  39." 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  vicars  :— 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1562.— Thomas  Parker. 
1566.— Edmund  Hickson. 
1601. — Christopher  Hawes. 
1604.—  William  Northan. 
1630. — John  Harrison. 
1686. — John  Lascells. 
1731. — Andrew  Graham,  D.D. 
1759.— John  Gage. 
1770.— Thomas  Nocton. 


290  EOWSTON. 

Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1809. — John  Rawlins  Deacon. 
1821  .—Henry  Clarke. 
1862. — Thomas  Cooper  Lewty. 

THE  CHURCH. 

The  original  design  of  this  church,  dedicated  to  St.  Clement, 
may  still  be  clearly  detected.  Built  at  an  early  period  after  the 
introduction  of  the  Early  English  style,  it  consisted  then,  as  it  still 
does,  of  a  nave,  a  very  narrow  and  low  north  aisle,  a  remarkably 
small  tower,  a  chancel,  and  a  chantry  chapel  opening  into  it  and 
the  aisle. 

The  principal  doorway,  nearly  in  the  centre  of  the  south  wall 
of  the  nave,  is  well  designed.  The  jambs  are  adorned  with 
pillars  having  plain  elongated  caps  and  square  abaci,  whence 
springs  a  well-moulded  arch ;  the  inner  member  is  enriched  by  a 
band  of  the  tooth  ornament  on  a  large  scale  cut  on  its  chamfer. 
This  doorway  was  not  originally  protected  by  a  porch,  but  simply 
stood  in  the  middle  of  a  slight  structural  projection  common  in 
Norman  churches. 

On  the  east  of  this  is  a  pretty  little  window  consisting  of  two 
minute  lancets  with  a  tiny  circlet  above — originally  cusped — and 
surmounted  by  a  delicately  moulded  hood-mould.  On  the  west 
are  the  remains  of  a  similar  window,  but  through  the  removal  of 
its  mullion,  &c.— probably  for  the  purpose  of  gaining  more  light 
— it  is  now  simply  a  wide  lancet. 

In  the  south  wall  of  the  chancel  are  two  plain  lancets,  the 
westernmost  one  being  set  at  a  lower  level  than  the  other, 
probably  to  serve  as  a  low-side  window. 

The  east  end  has  been  rebuilt,  and  a  very  small  poor  little 
Tudor  window  has  taken  the  place  of  the  original  Early  English 
lights  there.  The  roof  is  a  poor  modern  one  covered  with  tiles. 

On  the  north  side  of  the  chancel  is  a  square  parapeted  ad- 
junct on  the  site  of  a  chantry  chapel,  formerly  used  as  a  school- 
room, and  now  as  a  vestry. 

About  the  middle  of  the  nave  aisle  wall  is  an  Early  English 
doorway,  having  necessarily  a  very  depressed  head  from  the 
extreme  lowness  of  the  wall  in  which  it  is  placed.  A  string  runs 
along  the  aisle  wall,  which  is  only  interrupted  by  the  later  intro- 
duction of  a  flat  headed  Decorated  window,  circa  1320-40, 


ROWSTON  CHURCH. 


4«@ 

QNTARIQ 


BOWSTON.  291 

towards  its  western  end.  In  its  western  wall  beneath  a  semi- 
circular hood-mould  is  a  pretty  little  quatrefoil  light.  In  the 
west  wall  of  the  tower  is  a  little  light,  and  above  this  a  single 
lancet  with  shafted  jambs  in  each  wall  of  the  belfry  chamber. 
This  contains  two  small  bells  bearing  the  name  of  Humphery 
Wilkinson,  of  Lincoln,  and  the  date  1622.  The  tower  is  finished 
with  a  corbelled  cornice,  whence  now  springs  a  coarsely  executed 
crocketed  spire,  perhaps  of  the  same  late  date  as  the  east  window 
of  the  chancel.  The  appearance  of  this  miniature  tower  and 
spire  is  remarkable.  The  base  mouldings  of  the  former  are  bold 
and  effective ;  and  probably  it  was  at  first  covered  only  by  a 
pyramidal  or  slightly  conical  roof.  A  striking  addition  was  made 
to  the  nave  of  this  church  during  the  Perpendicular  period,  when 
its  former  roof  was  removed  and  a  clerestory  added.  This  is 
lighted  with  four  three-li^ht  windows  on  either  side,  and  sur- 
mounted by  an  embattled  and  pinnacled  parapet. 

On  entering  this  church  the  beautiful  Early  English  aisle 
arcade  will  first  attract  attention.  This  consists  of  four  bays. 
At  its  west  end  is  a  circular  bracket  springing  from  a  small 
foliated  pillar  cap,  but  swelling  out  into  a  feature  sufficiently 
large  to  support  the  spring  of  the  westernmost  arch,  and  is  en- 
riched with  manifold  mouldings.  The  corresponding  bracket  is 
of  a  similar  but  not  identical  character ;  it  springs  from  a  little 
corbel  surmounted  by  a  man's  head  and  has  a  little  band  of  the 
nail-head  ornament  encircling  it.  The  pillars  of  this  arcade  are  set 
upon  square  sub-bases,  and  differ  greatly  in  treatment.  The 
westernmost  one  is  circular,  and  has  simply  a  well-moulded 
circular  cap  and  base.  The  second  consists  of  a  cluster  of  four 
filleted  members,  with  a  bold  band  of  the  nail-head  encircling 
the  middle  of  its  cap ;  and  the  third  has  four  filleted  principal 
members  of  the  keel-shape  with  subsidiary  shafts  between  them. 
This  is  a  very  beautiful  feature,  and  round  the  middle  of  its 
delicately  worked  cap  a  little  band  of  the  nail-head  ornament  is 
introduced.  The  two  westernmost  springing  points  of  the  hood- 
mould  above  this  arcade  are  finished  with  circular  bosses 
overlaid  by  a  peculiar  leaf  resembling  that  of  the  horse-chestnut, 
and  on  the  others  are  carved  two  male  heads.  The  construction 
of  the  eastern  face  of  the  tower  and  its  newel  staircase  partly 
projecting  into  the  south-western  angle  of  the  nave  is  peculiar. 
On  the  north  side  at  its  point  of  junction  with  the  aisle  wall  is  a 


292 


ROWSTON. 


characteristic  banded  shaftlet,  and  in  its  angle  nearly  opposite  is 
a  shorter  similar  shaftlet.  The  Perpendicular  font  is,  as  usual, 
octangular  in  plan,  and  on  its  bowl  Tudor  flower  devices  are 
coarsely  carved.  Some  slight  remains  of  the  chancel  screen  still 
stand  within  the  Perpendicular  chancel  arch ;  but  both  of  these 
features  are  almost  smothered  by  a  vast  painted  timber  super- 
structure filling  up  the  whole  of  the  arch  above.  Through  the 
art  of  a  local  painter  this  displays  the  facade  of  some  Classical 
Building,  the  Eoyal  Arms,  the  Tables  of  Commandments,  &c., 
and  finally  the  arms  of  Mrs.  Millicent  Neate,  together  with  an 
inscription  stating  that  she  was  the  donor  of  this  huge  specimen 
of  art,  and  also  of  the  fittings  of  the  church  generally,  in  the 
year  1741. 

The  chancel,  with  its  low  ceiling  and  poor  east  window,  is  a 
most  wretched  feature.  In  its  north  wall  is  an  Early  English 
arch  opening  into  the  chantry  chapel  before  alluded  to,  and  also 
another  opening  into  the  aisle.  The  last  is  filled  in  with  some 
old  oak  screen- work,  perhaps  taken  from  the  one  formerly  in  the 
chancel  arch.  In  the  north  wall  of  this  chapel  is  an  acutely 
pointed  recess.  This  appears  to  have  been  a  single  sedile  in  the 
1 3th  century,  but  now  constitutes  a  cupboard.  The  silver  flagon 
and  paten  of  this  church  were  presented  to  it  by  Anne  Lady 
Hodgson,  in  1761.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Anthony  Thorold, 
eldest  son  of  Sir  William  Thorold,  Bart.,  of  Cranwell,  and  left 
lands  for  several  charitable  purposes,  the  benefit  of  which  is  still 
experienced  by  this  and  other  parishes. 

When  Holies  visited  this  church  the  following  armorial 
bearings  remained  in  its  windows,  all  of  which  have  since 
disappeared,  viz :  in  a  south  window  of  the  chancel,  Or,  on  a 
cross  sable  3  bull's  heads  couped  arg.  Sa,  on  a  chevron  arg  3 
mullets  pierced  gu  between  3  pheons  arg,  a  chief  gu  charged 
with  a  cross  arg ;  and  in  the  aisle  windows,  Arg  on  a  bend  sa 
3  owls  of  the  first  for  Savile,  with  the  fragment  of  a  legend  : — 
"  Savyle  &  Agnetis  uxoris."  "  Orate  pro  bono  statu  Eobti 
Hodleston  &  Emmotso  consortis  suao."  "  Orate  pro  bono  statu 
Johis  Inman,  &  Johae  consortis  suse."  "  Orate  pro  bono  statu 
Johis  Inman,  &  Johse  consortis  suae."  "  Orate  pro  aie  Willmi 
Grege  &  Alicieo  consortis  suse."  Also  the  effigy  of  St.  Egidius, 
-ZEgidius,  or  Giles,  and  beneath  the  figure  of  a  man  and  this 
legend  :  "  Tu  tutus  a  cervii  repellas  cuncta  proterva." 


ROXHOLM. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

880.  61. 

rr^HIS  village  lies  3  miles  north  east  of  Sleaford.  In  Domesday 
JL  Book  its  name  is  spelt  Rochesham  ;  it  has  also  been  called 
Roheston,  Roxton,  Roxtkom,  Roxanne,  and  Roxham,  now  most 
improperly  converted  into  Roxholm,  instead  of  Roxham,  as 
though  it  was  an  island  instead  of  a  hamlet.  Prior  to  the  Con- 
quest the  Saxon  Aldene  had  2  carucates  and  6  oxgangs  of  land, 
and  40  acres  of  meadow  here.  This  was  given  by  the  Conqueror 
to  Alured  of  Lincoln,  who  let  the  greater  part  of  it  to  his  vassal 
Ralph,  under  whom  were  8  villans.  The  remainder  of  the  land 
belonged  to  Outi's  manor  in  Ruskington,  which  was  given  by  the 
Conqueror  to  Geoffrey  Alselin.  This  consisted  of  3  carucates  and 
6  oxgangs  of  land,  sufficient  for  the  same  number  of  ploughs 
and  oxen.  Its  value  was  40s.  in  King  Edward's  time,  and 
subsequently  50s. 

In  the  13th  century  John  de  Baiocis  had  become  possessed 
of  the  manor  of  Roxham,  as  part  of  the  Barony  of  that  name,  of 
whom,  and  probably  of  his  heirs,  several  generations  of  the  de 
Gowshull  family  held  it,  viz  :  Egidius  de  Gowshull  who  obtained 
a  right  of  free  warren  here  1258  ;  Ralph  de  Gowshull  circa  1270, 
whose  land  was  reckoned  at  two  parts  of  a  knight's  fee ;  Peter, 
who  died  1286  ;  and  Ralph  1295  ;  but  at  length  it  passed  into 
the  hands  of  Philip  le  Despenser,  through  his  marriage  with 
Margaret  de  Gowshull.  He  died  1314.  By  him  she  had  a  son 
and  heir  Philip,  and  then  married  John  de  Roos,  who  died  1338. 
She  finally  died  in  1350,  and  her  son  Philip  le  Despenser  also 
died  the  same  year.  Previous  to  this,  viz:  in  1290,  William 
Bardolf  died  seized  of  lands  here  in  right  of  his  manor  of  Rus- 
kington, as  did  Hugo  de  Bardolf  in  1304.  Then  Henry  de  Bello 
Monte,  or  Beaumont,  possessed  them,  who  died  1376.  In  1441 
died  William  Philip,  Kt.,  seized  of  the  vill  of  Roxholm  in  right 
of  his  wife,  one  of  the  Bardolf  co-heirs.  "  Inq.  p.  m.  19  H.  6." 

W 


294 


BOXHOLM. 


Next  Hugh  Basynges,  Kt.,  was  seized  of  the  manor  here,  who 
died  1446.  "Ibid.  24  H.  6."  In  1454  Anna,  relict  of  Sir 
Reginald  Cobham,  Kt.,  died  seized  of  half  this  vill.  In  1478  died 
Margaret,  wife  of  Boger  Wentworth,  and  relict  of  John  Lord 
Boos,  seized  of  the  Despenser  manor  here.  In  1560  Simon 
Freeman  was  holding  some  lands  in  Boxholm,  and  in  1569  William 
Thorold  died  possessed  of  a  fifth  part  of  4  messuages,  130  acres 
of  land,  70  of  meadow,  50  of  pasture,  and  a  small  rent  in  Eoxholm, 
leaving  a  son  Anthony.  In  1573  John  Bushy  and  others,  then  in 
possession  of  the  manor  of  Eoxholm,  had  to  prove  their  title  to 
the  same.  Soon  after,  this  passed  into  the  hands  of  William 
Thompson,  who,  as  well  as  five  generations  after  him,  were  small 
squires  or  gentlemen  here.  The  last  of  these,  William,  died  in 
1710,  soon  after  which  it  was  bought  by  Mr.  Barry  Neale,  and 
subsequently  by  the  late  Wyrley  Birch,  Esq.  It  has  now  just 
again  once  more  changed  owners,  having  been  purchased  by  Mr. 
J.  M.  Qole,  late  of  Eothwell,  Northamptonshire.  In  1627  the 
Blackthorn  farm  in  Eoxholm,  consisting  of  126  acres  of  land,  was 
in  the  possession  of  the  Carre  family,  and  had  probably  been 
bought  by  Eobert  Carre  in  the  previous  century.  It  is  now  the 
property  of  the  Marquis  of  Bristol.  The  house  in  which  the 
Thompsons  lived  still  has  an  air  of  respectability  about  it  from  its 
mullioned  windows,  &c.,  and  until  very  lately  two  very  fine  yew 
trees  stood  in  front  of  it,  but  it  is  now  only  a  farm  house ;  and  a 
larger  house  has  been  built  upon  the  property. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

There  was  once  a  chapel  here,  annexed  to  the  church  of 
Leasingham.  This  still  existed  in  1 560,  but  has  long  since  passed 
away.  It  probably  stood  close  to  the  old  manor  house,  but  its 
exact  site  can  not  now  be  ascertained.  The  circular  head  of  a 
tombstone,  on  which  is  cut  an  elaborate  cross  in  relief,  and  part 
of  an  octangular  shaft,  each  face  being  hollowed,  were  found 
within  the  last  few  years  at  Eoxholm,  and  probably  belonged  to 
this  chapel. 


RUSKINGTON. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

4700.  1089. 

THIS  large  village  lies  4  miles  north  north  east  of  Sleaford, 
and  has  the  advantage  of  a  little  stream  of  pure  water 
flowing  through  it,  which  divides  it  into  two  nearly  equal  parts. 
This  is  supplied  from  two  sources,  one  rising  close  to  the  site  of 
Dunsby  Hall,  near  to  the  Sleaford  and  Lincoln  road,  the  other 
at  Brauncewell,  which,  after  uniting  westward  of  Ruskington, 
and  running  through  Ruskington,  discharges  into  the  Sleaford 
canal  near  Haverholme. 

Last  year  some  Saxon  remains  were  found  here  in  digging 
gravel  about  20  yards  north  east  of  the  windmill,  where  many 
human  bones  had  previously  been  found  without  exciting  any 
attention,  but  which,  from  the  evidence  now  afforded,  may 
certainly  be  termed  a  Saxon  cemetery.  Here  two  skeletons  were 
found  that  had  been  laid  in  the  same  grave  one  over  the  other, 
the  skull  of  the  lower  one  lying  to  the  east,  and  that  of  the  upper 
one  to  the  west.  With  one  of  these  was  interred  an  iron  spear 
head,  8  inches  long,  in  the  socket  of  which  still  remained  a 
portion  of  its  ash  shaft,  and  undoubtedly  of  Saxon  make. 

In  Domesday  Book  Ruskington  is  called  Rechintone  and 
Risehintone.  We  also  gather  from  that  record  that  Tochi  had 
12  carucates  here,  afterwards  given  to  Geoffrey  Alselin.  He  kept 
2  of  these  in  demesne,  and  had  22  sokemen  cultivating  3  carucates 
and  2  oxgangs,  8  villans  and  8  bordars  cultivating  8  carucates, 
60  acres  of  meadow,  and  240  acres  of  woodland  with  some  pasture 
intermixed.  Its  annual  value  in  King  Edward's  time  was  £25, 
and  subsequently  double  that  sum ;  but  was  only  taxed  at  £10. 
Drogo  held  6  oxgangs  of  this  land,  worth  20s.  a  year,  and  Adestan 
appears  to  have  been  his  tenant.  Here  also  were  3  mills  worth 
£4  12s.  8d.  a  year.  It  had  sokes  in  Leasingham,  Roxholm, 
Dorrington,  Digby,  Rowston,  Brauncewell,  Dunsby,  North  and 
South  Rauceby  ;  and  berewicks  in  Anwick  and  Evedon. 


296  RUSKINGTON 

Ralph,  the  grandson  of  Geoffrey  Alselin  succeeded  to  this 
and  all  his  other  numerous  possessions,  and  in  1150-60  he  gave  to 
the  Nuns,  and  Clerical  and  Lay  Brethren  of  Haverholme  Priory, 
Ruskington  wood,  and  all  the  plow  lands  belonging  to  him 
eastward  of  that  wood,*  22  acres  of  land  in  Colelaunde,  a  manse 
on  Ruskiugton  moor,  pasturage  on  the  common  for  500  sheep 
and  40  beasts,  pasturage  for  all  their  stock  throughout  his  fee  in 
this  vill,  as  much  flag  thatch  for  their  houses  from  the  marshes 
as  they  could  take  thence,  two  tofts  in  Ruskington,  a  forrery 
(headland)  near  the  same,  and  pasturage  for  60  sheep,  4  beasts, 
and  ^  draft  horses,  also  another  forrery.  This  gift  deed  was 
witnessed  by  Humfrey  the  Sub-dean,  and  Hamo  the  Chancellor 
of  Lincoln.  It  was  subsequently  confirmed  by  Robert  de  Calz 
in  a  deed  quoted  by  Holies,  and  running  thus  : — 

"  Robt.  de  Calz  and  his  wife  to  the  Archdeacon,  the  Dean, 
and  the  Chapter  of  St.  Mary  at  Lincoln,  and  to  all  the  faithful 
of  the  Holy  Church,  health,  &c. 

"Whereas  by  advice  and  authority,  things  which  have  been 
collected  in  alms  for  the  Holy  Church  it  is  very  useful  to  confirm, 
we  therefore  implore  your  clemency  that  ye  will  benignly  hear 
this  Chapter,  and  cause  it  to  be  confirmed  by  your  consent. 
Know  that  we  have  granted  and  given  in  alms  to  the  holy  Nuns 
of  Haverholme  the  Grove  of  Ruskington  and  5  acres  of  arable 
land  called  Ruckhill,  for  the  souls  of  our  father  and  mother,  and 
all  our  relations,  in  free  and  perpetual  alms,  in  the  presence  of 
Isabella  de  Ferrars,  and  Geoffrey  the  Chaplain,  and  John  de 
"Westboro,  and  others."  These  gifts  to  Haverholme  Priory  were 
subsequently  ^confirmed,  and  added  to  by  Robert  and  Matilda  de 
Calz's  successors  at  Ruskington — the  Everinghams.  Ralph 
Anselin  the  elder  or  younger  also  gave  to  the  Nuns  of  Haver- 
holme a  foot  road  on  his  lands  in  Ruskington,  liberty  to  dig  for 
sand  on  his  part  of  Ruskington  moor,  to  repair  roads  with,  and 
for  building  purposes,  together  with  the  right  of  fishery  in  all  his 
waters  at  Ruskington  and  Anwick.  He  also  gave  them  Robert, 
son  of  Hals,  of  Levesingham,  his  bondman,  and  all  his  chatties 
and  homage. 

Ralph  Anselin  also  bestowed  lands  in  Ruskington  upon  the 
Templars  of  Temple  Bruer,  which,  in  1185,  were  let  as  follows : 
Reginald  held  1  oxgang  and  a  toft  at  a  rent  of  3s.,  4  hens,  and 
4  days'  work ;  John,  a  parson,  held  a  toft  at  a  rent  of  12d.,  4 


RUSKINGTON.  297 

hens,  and  4  days'  work ;  Adam  Belle  held  half  a  toft  at  a  rent  of 
20d.,  4  hens,  and  4  days'  work  ;  Robert,  son  of  Een,  held  half  a 
toft  at  a  rent  of  16d.,  4  hens,  and  4  days'  work ;  and  Rocelinus, 
the  smith,  held  a  toft  at  a  rent  of  12d.,  4  hens,  and  4  days'  work. 

In  the  12th  century  the  fee  of  Anselin  was  reckoned  at  2 
knight's  fees,  when  one  was  held  by  William  Bardolf  and  the 
other  by  Robert  de  Everingham,  both  being  descendants  of  the 
Anselins.  Robert  had  then  let  his  lands  to  John  de  Everingham, 
anddiedin  1287.  "Inq.  p.  m.  15  E.  1."  William  Bardolf  obtained 
the  right  of  holding  a  market  and  two  fairs  here  in  1272,  and 
died  possessed  of  the  whole  manor  in  1290  ;  Hugh  Bardolf 
died  in  1304,  and  Thomas  Bardolf  in  1328.  Agnes,  the  wife  of 
Thomas  Bardolf,  next  held  the  manor,  perhaps  during  the 
minority  of  her  son  John,  and  died  in  1353.  John  Bardolf,  of 
Wrymagye,  died  seized  of  the  manor  of  Ruskington  with  its 
members  in  Digby,  Anwick,  Leasingham,  Bloxholm  and  Braunce- 
well,  in  1371.  In  1383  William  Bardolf,  Kt.,  gave  this  manor 
and  a  mediety  of  the  advowson  of  the  church  to  his  son  Thomas 
and  Amicia  his  wife,  daughter  and  co-heir  of  Ralph  Cromwell, 
"Inq.  p.  m.  6  R.  2,"  and  died  five  years  later.  In  1397  died 
Thomas  Mortymer,  Kt.,  seized  of  the  manor  here — then  forfeited, 
"Inq.  p,  m.  21  R.  2,"  and  in  1403-4  Agnes,  wife  of  William 
Bardolf,  Kt.,  seized  of  a  third  part  of  it.  In  1441  died  William 
Phelip,  Kt.,  husband  of  Johanna,  one  of  the  Bardolf  co-heirs,  who 
died  in  1447  seized  of  half  of  this  manor  and  its  members  in 
Dorrington,  Digby,  Leasingham,  Dunsby,  Anwick,  Brauncewell 
and  Sleaford.  "Inq.  p.  m.  25  H.  6."  In  1454  died  Anna,  relict 
of  Reginald  Cobham,  Kt.,  seized  of  the  manor.  On  the  attainder 
of  William  Beaumont  Yiscount  Bardolf  in  1462,  all  his  lands 
here  were  forfeited  to  the  Crown,  and  consigned  to  the  keeping 
of  Thomas,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  George,  Bishop  of 
Exeter.  These  were  eventually  restored  to  Lord  Beaumont ;  but 
on  the  rebellion  of  Francis  Lovel  Viscount  Beaumont  in  1487, 
and  his  attainder  after  the  battle  of  Stoke-upon-Trent,  were 
again  forfeited  to  the  Crown. 

As  the  families  •  of  Bardolf,  Calz  and  Everingham  are 
immediately  connected  with  the  parish  of  Ruskington,  and 
reference  is  made  to  various  members  of  the  same  in  other  parts 
of  this  volume,  it  will  perhaps  be  acceptable  to  give  a  brief 
account  of  them  here. 


2o8  (       EUSKINGTON. 

Thomas,  son  of  Dodo  Bardolf,  and  younger  brother  of  a 
second  Dodo,  married  Eohesia,  eldest  daughter  and  co-heir  of 
Ealf  Alselin  the  younger,  grandson  of  Geoffrey  Alselin,  to  whom 
the  Conqueror  gave  the  manor  of  Euskington.  Their  son  Dodo, 
born  1167,  married  Beatrice,  daughter  and  heir  of  William  de 
Warren,  and  possessor  of  the  manor  of  Wormigay,  who,  after 
her  first  husband's  death  1290-1,  married  Hubert  de  Burgh. 
William,  Dodo's  son,  born  1195,  was  subsequently  knighted,  and 
held  Nottingham  Castle  from  1255  to  1263.  He  was  a  large 
landed  proprietor,  as  declared  by  a  grant  of  free  warren  given  to 
him  in  Euskington,  Eoxholm,  Anvvick,  Brauncewell,  Thorpe, 
Digby  and  Leasingham,  in  1252.  He  married  Juliana,  daughter 
of  Almiric  de  Spencer,  and  Anabella  daughter  of  Walter  de 
Chesney,  and  died  1275.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son  William 
Bardolf,  who  married  Juliana,  daughter  and  heir  of  Hugh  de 
Gournay,  and  died  seized  of  the  manors  of  Euskington,  Filling- 
ham,  Westborough  and  Blyborough,  1296.  He  was  succeeded 
by  his  second  son  Hugh  Bardolf,  born  circa  1260,  his  eldest  son, 
Eoger,  having  predeceased  him.  Hugh  was  summoned  to  Parlia- 
ment as  Baron  Bardolf  from  1299  to  1302.  He  married  Isabel, 
daughter  and  heir  of  Eobert  Aguillon,  and  died  1304.  He  was 
succeeded  by  his  son  Thomas,  second  Baron  Bardolf,  born  1283, 
and  summoned  to  Parliament  from  1307  to  1331.  His  wife's 
name  was  Agnes,  and  he  died  seized  of  the  manor  of  Euskington 
and  its  members*,  and  of  the  manors  of  Westborough  and 
Pillingham  1331,  when  his  widow  held  them  until  her  death  in 
1353.  John,  third  Baron  Bardolf,  son  of  William,  younger 
brother  of  Thomas,  succeeded  to  the  family  estates.  He  was  born 
1313,  and  summoned  to  Parliament  from  1336  to  1372.  He 
married  Elizabeth,  daughter  and  heir  of  Sir  Eoger  Damony, 
by  Elizabeth  de  Burgh,  and  died  1372-3  seized  of  the  manors  of 
Euskington,  Westborough  and  Caythorpe,  the  last  in  right  of 
his  wife.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son  William,  fourth  Baron 
Bardolf,  a  minor  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death,  when  his 
Wardship  was  purchased  by  Sir  Michael  Poynings,  whose 
daughter  Agnes  he  eventually  married.  He  was  summoned  to 
Parliament  from  1376  to  1386.  He  lived  at  Bardolf  Hall,  Cay- 
thorpe, and  in  1383  enfeoffed  his  son  Thomas  and  Amicia  his 
wife  with  the  manor  of  Euskington  and  half  its  advowson,  also 
with  the  manors  of  Caythorpe,  Wesborough  and  Fillingham,  and 


KUSKINGTON.  299 

left  to  him  an  additional  precious  legacy  in  the  form  of  a  frag- 
ment of  the  true  cross  set  in  gold.  He  died  September  12th, 
1384,  and  was  buried  in  the  choir  of  the  church  of  the  Carmelites, 
at  Lynn.  His  son  Thomas,  fifth  Baron  Bardolf,  born  1369, 
espoused  the  cause  of  Henry  Earl  of  Northumberland,  and  conse- 
quently was  forced  to  flee  from  England,  but  returning  after 
three  years,  was  slain  at  Bramham  Moor  in  1408,  when  his  body 
was  quartered  and  exposed  in  various  towns,  and  his  head  was 
set  up  over  one  of  the  gates  of  Lincoln.  He  married  Hawise  or 
Amise,  daughter  and  co  heir  of  Ralph  de  Cromwell,  who  died 
March  10th,  1408-9.  He  left  two  co-heir  daughters,  Anne  and 
Johanna.  The  first  married  Sir  William  Clifford,  Kt.,  who  died 
1418,  and  subsequently  Sir  Eeginald  Cobham.  She  died  child- 
less 1454,  seized  of  the  manors  of  Caythorpe  and  "Westborough, 
and  the  vills  of  Frieston,  Normanton,  Sudbrook,  Willoughby, 
half  of  Ancaster,  Leasingham,  Roxholm,  Digby  and  Anwick. 
Johanna  married  Sir  William  Phelip,  created  Lord  Bardolf,  who 
died  June  6th,  1441.  She  died  1447,  seized  of  the  above-named 
manors  and  those  of  Doddington  and  Stubton.  Her  only  heiress 
daughter,  Elizabeth,  married  Sir  John  Beaumont  in  1436,  created 
Yiscount  Beaumont  1440,  and  slain  at  the  battle  of  Northampton 

1460.  They  had  three  children,  Henry,  who  died  in  infancy, 
William,  seventh  Baron  Bardolf  and  second  Yiscount  Beaumont, 
and  Johanna.    William  was  born  at  Edenham  1439.    He  fought 
at  Towton  fight  on  the  Lancastrian  side,  and  was  taken  prisoner 

1461,  after  which  his  estates  were  confiscated,  but  were  restored 
to  him  by  Henry  VII.,  November  7th,  1485.     He  married  Joan, 
daughter  of  Humphrey   Stafford  Duke    of  Buckingham,    and 
secondly  Elizabeth  Scroop  relict  of  John  de  Yere  Earl  of  Oxford, 
but  had  no  issue  by  either.     He  died  October  22nd,  1506,  when 
the    Barony   went   into   abeyance,  and  the  Yiscounty  expired. 
Johanna  married  John  Lord   Lovel,    of  Titmarsh,    Northamp- 
tonshire, and  died  before  her  brother  Lord   Beaumont.      She 
had  three    children,    Francis   Yiscount    Lovel,    who    perished 
miserably  at   Minster   Lovel   after  the  battle  of  Stoke-upon- 
Trent,    1487 ;    Johanna   married   to    Sir    Brian   Stapleton,    of 
Carlton ;    and    Frideswide    married   to    Sir   Edward  Norreys. 
The   Bardolf  armorial    bearings    were    Az,    3    cinquefoils    or. 
Those  of  Phelip  quarterly  Gu  &  Arg   an   eagle   displayed   or 
in  the  first  quarter. 


300  RUSKINGTON. 

"Walter  de  Calz,  Forester  of  the  counties  of  Notts,  and 
Derby,  a  tenant  of  Ralph  Alselin,  and  most  probably  his  son-in- 
law,  eventually  shared  his  lands  with  his  grandson  Ralph.  His 
son  Robert  thus  became  the  owner  of  half  the  Alselin  lands  in 
Ruskington,  and  of  half  the  church  which  he  gave  to  Haverholme 
Priory.  He  married  Isabella,  daughter  of  Richard  Earl  Ferrers, 
and  second  Sibilla  daughter  of  Richard  Bassett,  and  died  circa 
1185.  He  left  an  only  heiress  daughter  Matilda,  the  famous 
benefactress  of  several  Religious  Orders,  and  foundress  of  the 
Templar  House  at  Temple  Bruer.  It  is  thought  that  she 
had  three  husbands ;  but  the  first  recorded  is  Adam  Fitzpiers, 
lord  of  Birken,  Yorkshire,  and  the  second  Ralph  Fitz- Stephens,, 
the  King's  Chamberlain.  In  1222-3  her  lands  in  the  counties  of 
Lincoln,  Leicester,  Notts,  and  York,  were  seized  by  the  King  on 
account  of  her  non  attendance  during  his  Welsh  campaign.  She 
was  buried  in  Brompton  church,  near  Chesterfield,  where  her 
monument  still  remains.  Adam  and  Matilda  Fitzpiers  had  six 
children,  viz :  John,  Peter,  Roger,  William,  Robert,  and  Juliana. 
John  Fitzpiers  or  John  de  Birkin,  warden  of  the  forests  of  Notts. 
and  Derby,  by  Johanna  his  wife  had  two  children,  Thomas  and 
Isabel.  Thomas  died  without  issue  in  1231,  when  Isabel  became 
his  heir,  the  wife  of  Sir  Robert  de  Everingham,  Kt.,  who  gave 
the  manor  of  Temple  Bruer  to  the  Knights  Templars,  and  died 
circa  1,251.  Thus  the  Alselin  lands  in  Ruskington  were  trans- 
mitted by  marriage,  first  to  the  de  Calz's,  then  to  the  Fitzpiers' s, 
and  next  to  the  de  Everinghams.  Sir  Robert  de  Everingham 
had  three  sons,  Sir  Adam,  John,  to  whom  his  mother  gave 
the  manor  of  Birken  and  advowson  of  its  church,  and  Robert  in 
holy  orders  presented  to  the  rectory  of  Birken  by  his  brother 
John.  Sir  Adam  paid  his  relief  for  his  lands  1252,  and  attended 
Edward  I.  into  Scotland.  He  held  a  knight's  fee  in  Claypole, 
which  he  granted  to  Adam  de  St.  Lando  and  Roger  de  Cressy, 
and  died  seized  of  the  manor  of  Westborough  1280-1.  He  left 
two  sons,  Sir  Robert  and  Sir  Adam.  The  first,  born  circa  1257, 
confirmed  the  gifts  of  his  ancestress  Matilda  de  Calz  or  Fitzpiers 
to  the  Templars,  and  married  Lucy,  daughter  and  heir  of  Robert 
de  Thwenge,  a  lady  of  light  conduct  who  was  divorced  from 
William  de  Latimer,  junior,  and  had  a  natural  son  by  Nicholas 
de  Meinil,  also  called  Nicholas,  who  acquired  a  Barony  by  sitting 
in  Parliament  from  1336  to  1343,  which  descended  to  his  daughter 


EUSKINGTON.  301 

Elizabeth,  married  first  to  John  Lord  Darcy,  and  subsequently  to 
Peter  de  Mauley.  Sir  Eobert  de  Everingham  died  1287,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  brother  Sir  Adam,  and  sat  in  Parliament 
from  1309  to  1316.  He  alienated  the  manor  of  Westborough 
to  a  member  of  the  Barony  of  Shelford  in  1310.  He  resided  at 
Fillingham,  dispossessed  Hugh  de  Tigler  of  the  manor  of 
Houston,  and  died  1342.  By  Margaret  his  wife  he  left  six 
children,  viz  :  his  successor  Sir  Adam,  Eobert,  Alexander, 
Edward,  Nicholas,  and  Margaret  a  nun  of  Brodholme.  Sir 
Adam,  born  1312,  was  one  of  the  commissioners  for  cleansing 
the  river  Axholme,  1357,  and  married  Johanna,  daughter  of 
John  de  Eyville.  He  died  seized  of  the  manor  of  Westborough 
in  1372  according  to  Dugdale,  but  most  probably  not  until  1388. 
He  had  two  sons  William  alias  Adam,  and  Eeginald.  William 
married  Alice,  daughter  of  John  Lord  Grey,  of  Codnor,  and  died 
in  his  father's  life-time,  1370.  He  had  one  son,  Robert,  who 
died  without  issue  137!,  and  two  daughters,  Johanna,  born 
1363,  married  to  Sir  William  Elys,  and  had  a  son  Eobert. 
The  other  daughter,  Katharine,  born  1366,  married  Sir  John 
Etton,  and  had  a  son  Milo  Etton  or  Elton,  whose  daughter 
and  heir  married  John  Eoos.  The  armorial  bearings  of  Calz  are 
Sa,  a  chevron  arg  between  3  fleurs  de  lys  of  the  same.  Of  Fitz- 
piers,  Arg,  a  fesse  az,  a  label  of  6  gu.  Of  Everingham,  Gu,  a 
lion  rampant  vairee  az  &  arg  crowned  or. 

Eeturning  to  the  history  of  Euskington,  we  find  that  after 
its  earlier  noble  possessors  had  passed  away,  one  of  the  numerous 
merchant  families  that  became  prominent  after  the  desolating 
Wars  of  the  Eoses,  became  connected  with  this  parish,  viz :  Sir 
John  Hussey,  Kt.,  who  in  1509  was  appointed  steward  of  the 
manor  by  a  patent  dated  at  Greenwich,  July  27th,  in  that  year, 
and  had  previously  held  that  office  under  Lord  Beaumont  and 
John,  Earl  of  Oxford.  In  1514  the  manor  was  granted  to 
Thomas  Lord  Howard,  Admiral  of  England,  for  the  services  he 
had  rendered  to  his  father,  Thomas,  Duke  of  Norfolk,  at  the 
battle  of  Branston.  In  1528  died  John  Everingham,  Kt.,  leaving 
a  son  and  heir  Henry,  born  1507,  seized  of  a  manor  here  with 
appurtenances  in  Thorpe  and  Timberland.  Sir  Thomas  Johnson 
next  possessed  it,  and  in  1544  died  Thomas  Johnson,  of  Lyndeby, 
Yorkshire,  seized  of  this  manor,  who  bequeathed  it  to  his  wife 
Isabel  and  William  Skrjmsher  for  the  term  of  26  years,  with 


302 


EUSKINGTON. 


remainder  to  his  son  Arthur  Johnson  for  life,  Henry  Johnson 
being  his  heir.  "  Dods worth  MS.  99.  f.  234."  Subsequently 
this  Arthur  Johnson  was  made  to  shew  cause  why  he  held  the 
manor  of  Euskington.  "  Originalia  Exchequer."  In  1544 
Edward  Lord  Clinton  obtained  a  licence  to  alienate  the  manor  of 
Euskington  to  Eobert  Carre  and  his  heirs,  "  Harl.  MS.  6829."  ; 
but  in  1556  Thomas,  Duke  of  Norfolk,  is  said  in  the  same  docu- 
ment to  have  been  holding  the  manor  of  the  Queen  in  capite  by 
free  service 

In  1569  William  Thorold  held  half  the  manor  with  its 
appurtenances  of  the  Queen,  as  did  Anthony  Thorold  after  him. 

In  1659  William  Watson  left  £2  per  annum,  partly  to  the 
poor,  partly  towards  the  repair  of  the  church  of  Euskington,  but 
as  this  was  secured  on  Lord  Widdrington's  estate,  it  was  lost  on 
his  attainder  in  1715.  Mrs.  Martha  Chamberlain  who  died  in 
1709,  and  was  buried  in  the  chancel  of  the  church  during  that 
year,  left  40s.  yearly  for  instructing  10  poor  children  of  Eusking- 
ton ;  and  Ann  Thorold,  Lady  Hodgson  widow  of  Sir  Thomas 
Hodgson,  of  Eowston,  who  died  in  1719,  left  certain  lands  in 
Euskington  in  trust,  partly  to  be  applied  to  the  building  and 
maintenance  of  3  alms  houses  and  their  inmates,  to  consist  of 
3  poor  women  of  Eowston  or  Euskington,  partly  to  put  out 
apprentices,  and  partly  to  aid  in  educating  the  boys  of  those 
parishes. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 


When  Domesday  Book  was  compiled  there  was  a  church 
served  by  a  priest  here. 

At  a  very  early  period,  as  now,  there  were  two  medieties  of 
the  church,  Eobert  de  Calz  the  elder,  husband  of  Matilda — so 
noted  for  her  numerous  benefactions — having  given  one  mediety 
of  the  church  here  to  the  Nuns  and  Brethren  of  Haverholme,  and 
towards  the  relief  of  the  poor. 

An  acre-and-a-half  of  arable  land  in  the  plains  of  Eusking- 
ton were  left  by  an  unknown  person  for  the  support  of  a  lamp  to 
be  kept  ever  burning  in  the  church.  This  was  appropriately 
called  Lamp  Land,  and  valued  at  7d.  per  annum  at  the  sup- 
pression, when  it  was  held  by  John  Brian,  the  vicar. 


RUSKINGTON.  303 

In  1616  the  rectory  was  valued  at  £30  a  year  and  the 
vicarage  at  £8  a  year,  when  the  communicants  were  231. 
"  Willis's  MS.  f.  39." 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  rectors  as  far  as  can  now  be 
ascertained : — 

Circa  1229.- — Walter  de  Kantebury,  presented   by  William 

Bardolf. 
1535.— William  Pell. 

. — John  Owen. 
1616. — William  Willemont,  presented  by  the  Earl  of 

Suffolk. 

1662. — Frederick  Jack. 
1668.— Edward  Stokes. 
1707.— William  Wyche. 
1718 — Francis  Lascelles. 
1738.— Joseph  Eyre. 
1780. — Joseph  Arnall  Eyre. 
1781. — Irton  Murthwaite. 
1794.— John  Myers. 
1832. — Charles  John  Myers. 
1871  .—Arthur  Myers. 
Vicars : — 

1535. — John  Bray. 
1547. — John  Brian. 
1616.—  William  Willdeton. 
1738.— Joseph  Eyre. 
1781. — Joseph  Arnall  Eyre. 
1793. — John  Eymer. 
1804. — John  Nelson. 
1845. — James  Heckford. 
1867. — Grover  Scarr. 

The  earliest  Register  is  thus  entitled :  "A  Register  book 
containinge  all  the  mariages  whiche  haue  happened  within  the 
pishe  of  Ruskington  since  the  beginninge  of  the  Raigne  of  our 
most  gracious  Souigne  Lady  queene  Elizabethe." 

THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  dedicated  to  All  Saints,  and  consists  of  a  tower,  nave, 
north  and  south  aisles,  south  porch  and  chancel.  The  earliest 


304 


EUSKINGTON. 


feature  is  the  tower  arch,  circa  1150,  which  so  often  survives  the 
loss  of  a  coeval  nave  and  chancel.  Its  piers  rise  from  square 
stilted  bases  in  the  form  of  a  main  circular  shaft  and  subsidiary 
ones  having  scalloped  cushion  caps,  whence  springs  a  semicircular 
headed  arch  of  two  plainly  chamfered  members.  About  1220 
the  church  appears  to  have  been  rebuilt,  the  south  arcade,  south 
doorway  and  chancel  arch  being  of  that  period.  This  arcade 
consists  of  three  bays,  in  which  great  variety  of  treatment  is 
displayed.  Its  pillars  and  responds  spring  from  wide  circular 
sub-bases,  and  the  plain  elongated  bells  of  their  caps  bespeak 
their  early  date  in  the  First  Pointed  period.  The  western  respond 
has  a  massive  keel-shaped  shaft.  The  pillar  next  to  this  is  of  a 
curved  lozenge  form,  having  circular  shafts  at  the  angles,  and 
square  features  between  them.  The  next  pillar  is  a  most 
beautiful  one  composed  of  four  circular  and  four  keel-shaped 
shafts,  the  latter  having  a  row  of  the  tooth  ornament  set  widely 
apart  on  each  of  its  faces.  The  eastern  respond  consists  of  a 
keel-shaped  shaft  flanked  by  circular  filleted  shafclets,  between 
which  are  rows  of  the  tooth  ornament  set  close  together.  Its 
cap  has  been  beautifully  foliated,  but  much  of  its  ornamental 
work  is  now  destroyed.  The  chancel  arch,  of  the  same  character 
and  date  as  the  south  arcade,  is  deficient  in  elevation,  and  far 
inferior  in  beauty  and  richness  to  the  contemporary  south  door- 
way. Its  jambs  are  N  worked  into  filleted  keel-shaped  pillars, 
whence  springs  a  most  richly  and  delicately-moulded  arch,  having 
three  rows  6f  the  tooth  ornament  introduced  at  intervals  between 
its  mouldings.  The  next  feature  in  order  of  date  is  the  north 
aisle,  which  corresponds  generally  with  its  companion  aisle,  and 
is  also  Early  English,  but  of  later  date  and  purer  style,  although 
perhaps  less  attractive.  Its  design,  however,  and  its  mouldings 
generally,  but  especially  those  of  its  clustered  keel-shaped  pillar 
bases  are  excellent.  Its  arches  are  plainly  chamfered.  In  the 
west  wall  of  this  aisle  is  a  little  cusped  quatrefoil  and  the  head 
of  one  of  the  windows  it  originally  surmounted,  but  the  rest 
of  this  is  now  either  destroyed  or  concealed  by  masonry 
filling  it  up.  At  the  east  end  of  the  south  aisle  is  a  large 
Decorated  window,  and  during  the  prevalence  of  the  Perpen- 
dicular style  two  good  windows  were  inserted  in  the  side  wall 
of  each  of  the  aisles,  and  one  of  three  lights  in  the  east  wall  of  the 
northern  aisle,  still  retaining  some  few  fragments  of  broken  glass. 


EUSKINGTON. 


At  the  north  east  angle  of  the  nave  is  a  rude  recess  in  the  wall, 
apparently  occupied  once  by  a  statue  niche  belonging  to  a 
chapel  there,  and  as  many  as  six  small  statue  brackets  in  the 
east  wall  of  the  opposite  aisle  give  evidence  of  the  former 
existence  of  a  chapel  there  also.  A  late  doorway  of  the  Tudor 
or  Stuart  period  remains  in  the  west  wall  of  the  south  side,  but 
is  now  filled  in  with  masonry,  and  the  little  subsidiary  building 
to  which  it  gave  access  is  destroyed,  but  the  weathering  of  its 
lean-to  room  still  remains  on  the  face  of  the  aisle  wall.  The 
font  is  an  octangular  specimen  of  the  Perpendicular  period.  On 
one  of  its  panels  the  instruments  of  our  Lord's  crucifixion  are 
carved,  and  on  another  appears  the  pillar  of  flagellation  flanked 
by  a  sword  and  some  other  emblem,  perhaps  the  pelican.  About 
six  feet  has  been  cruelly  abstracted  from  the  east  end  of  the 
chancel,  and  a  plain  square-headed  transomed  light  was  inserted 
in  its  new  east  wall  of  a  late  Tudor  or  Stuart  character  ;  this  is 
more  to  be  regretted  as  the  character  of  the  chancel  is  otherwise 
excellent.  It  is  of  a  pure  simple  Early  English  type,  having  two 
long  lancet  lights  on  the  north  side,  one  similar  one  towards  the 
west  end  of  the  south  elevation,  and  another  shorter  one  nearly 
over  a  coeval  door  still  retaining  a  portion  of  its  original  iron 
work.  Besides  these  there  is  a  well-moulded  lancet-headed  low- 
side  window  towards  the  west  end  of  the  north  and  south  walls. 
One  sedile  remains  in  the  south  wall,  and  a  fragment  of  another 
has  been  forced  to  aid  in  the  construction  of  an  aumbry-like 
recess  opposite  to  it.  A  large  oak  chest  effectively  carved,  of 
the  commencement  of  the  1 6th  century,  now  stands  in  the  tower. 
Holies  observed  the  following  armorial  bearings  in  the  windows 
of  this  church  when  he  visited  it,  viz  :  Arg  a  fess  Az,  a  label  of 
5  points  G-.  Everingham,  impaling  Az  a  cross  patonce  voided  Arg, 
Melton,  the  same  reversed,  probably  only  through  the  accidental 
reversal  of  the  shield,  Everingham  alone,  Grules,  a  chevron 
between  10  crosses  crosslet  Or,  Kyme,  and  Az  3  cinquefoils  Or, 
Bardolf ;  but  these  are  now  all  gone.  The  tower,  which  was 
originally  Norman,  had  probably  been  at  least  partially  rebuilt, 
and  certainly  was  surmounted  by  a  spire ;  but  unable  to  bear 
such  a  burden  it  fell  in  1618,  and  was  rebuilt  in  its  present 
form,  in  1620,  which  date  is  cut  upon  its  southern  face. 
Assistance  to  repair  this  calamity  was  sought  for  beyond  the 
parish,  of  which  the  following  record  still  remains  in  the  church- 
wardens accounts  of  St.  Martin's,  Lincoln  : — 


306 


EUSKINGTON. 


"In  1618  the  inhabitants  of  R-usldngton  obtained  a  brief 
for  collecting  money  towarde  the  building  of  there  steeple.  It 
was  presented  to  the  churchwardens  of  St.  Martin's,  in  the  city 
of  Lincoln,  December  ye  xxvii  that  year,  John  Wallor  &  Robert 
Storr  being  then  churchwardens." 

The  tower  contains  three  bells,  bearing  the  following 
legends :  "  God  save  our  church,  our  Queen  and  .Realm  "  ;  "  Jhs 
be  our  spede  "  ;  "  Campana  sacina  fiat."  In  1862  this  church 
was  judiciously  restored,  when  its  former  flat  roof  was  exchanged 
for  the  present  high-pitched  one,  and  it  was  reseated. 

A  1 4th  century  stone  coffin  lid  surmounted  by  the  effigy  of 
a  priest  vested,  now  lies  near  the  tower  in  the  churchyard. 


TEMPLE  BEUEE. 

HE  name  and  remains  of  a  Templar  establishment  on  Lincoln 
JL  Heath,  which  was  afterwards  possessed  by  the  Hospitallers, 
or  knights  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  will  probably  lead  to  a  desire 
for  a  slight  sketch  of  those  once  famous  Orders ;  so  that  before 
describing  the  past  history  and  present  remains  of  Temple  'Bruer 
the  following  little  account  of  those  Fraternities  will  perhaps  be 
acceptable  : — 

The  famous  semi-religious,  semi-military  order  of  the 
Templars  was  founded  A.D.  1118,  during  the  period  of  the  first 
crusade,  and  consisted  originally  of  nine  French  knights,  whose 
object  was  to  protect  all  pilgrims  on  their  way  to  the  Holy 
Sepulchre  at  Jerusalem.  At  first  its  members  voluntarily  lived 
in  a  condition  of  the  strictist  poverty,  depending  for  their  sub- 
sistence solely  upon  the  alms  of  the  faithful,  and  were  termed 
"Poor  Knights  " — a  condition  referred  to  by  one  of  their  seals, 
on  which  two  knights  are  pourtrayed  riding  upon  one  horse. 
Baldwin  II.  assigned  to  them  a  portion  of  his  palace  at  Jerusalem ; 
and  the  abbot  of  the  adjoining  convent  of  the  Temple  afforded 
further  accommodation  for  their  use,  whence  they  derived  their 
appellation  of  "Templars."  In  1128  they  assumed  a  white 
mantle  as  their  distinctive  habit,  with  the  sanction  of  Pope 
Honorius  II.  ;  to  which  a  red  cross  on  the  left  breast  was  added 
by  the  direction  of  Eugenius  III.  in  1 1 66,  when  they  also  began  to 
bear  the  same  emblem  on  their  banners.  This  occurred  shortly 
after  a  more  strictly  religious  element  had  been  infused  into  the 
Order  by  a  bull  of  Pope  Alexander  III.,  in  1162,  who  then  pre- 
mitted  the  admission  of  spiritual  members  into  this  society, 
termed  "  chaplains  "  ;  after  which,  if  not  before,  it  began  to 
observe  the  rule  of  the  canons  regular  of  St.  Austin.  The  fame 
of  the  Templars,  and  their  feats  of  arms  in  the  Holy  Land,  now 
soon  became  so  great,  that  not  only  many  scions  of  the  noblest 
houses  of  France  and  England  flocked  to  their  standard,  but 
multitudes  of  a  lower  grade  so  earnestly  begged  to  be  enrolled 


308  TEMPLE  BETTER. 

as  humble  members  of  the  society  that  a  third  class  was  added 
to  it,  acting  as  servitors  to  the  knights  ;  whilst  offerings  were 
poured  into  its  treasury,  and  many  broad  lands  were  made  over 
to  its  use  in  various  parts  of  Europe,  so  extensively,  that  it  soon 
became  as  celebrated  for  its  wealth  as  it  had  been  at  first 
remarkable  for  its  poverty.  The  society  was  governed  by  a 
Grand  Master,  aided  by  other  officers  resident  in  Palestine,  until 
A.D.  1192,  and  afterwards  in  Cyprus,  and  by  Grand  Preceptors 
in  other  countries,  each  of  which  was  termed  a  Province  of  the 
Order.  The  Templars  first  obtained  a  footing  in  England  in  the 
early  part  of  Stephen's  reign,  at  a  spot  termed  "The  Old  Temple," 
very  near  the  present  Southampton  Buildings  in  London  ;  but 
removed  to  another  site  A.D.  1185,  celebrated  for  that  beautiful 
circular  church  once  connected  with  this  Order,  still  called  "  The 
Temple  Church." 

The  wealth  of  the  society,  however,  at  length  having  led  to 
much  corruption  of  character  on  the  part  of  many  of  its  members, 
it  began  to  be  viewed  with  a  jealous,  and  finally  with  a  hostile 
eye,  as  well  by  the  nobles  as  by  the  monarchs  of  France  and 
England;  so  that,  all  sorts  of  exaggerated  accusations  having 
been  brought  against  it,  whereby  it  was  attempted  to  be  shown 
that  its  further  existence  was  dangerous  to  those  nations,  Philip 
IY.  of  France,  Sept.  12th,  1307,  arrested  every  Templar  in  his 
dominions,  and  threw  them  into  prison,  whence  he  brought  them 
to  trial  at  intervals  during  the  four  following  years  with  the 
sanction  of  the  Pope,  when  fifty-four  knights  were  sentenced  to 
be  burnt,  and  their  whole  property  was  confiscated.  At  the  same 
time  Edward  II.  exercised  nearly  the  same  degree  of  severity 
towards  the  Templars  established  in  England,  who  both  im- 
prisoned their  persons,  and  seized  their  estates,  although  he  does 
not  appear  to  have  put  any  of  them  to  death  ;  and  on  March  the 
22nd,  1312,  Clement  Y.  abolished  this  society  altogether,  when 
it  was  found  to  be  possessed  of  9000  manors  and  16,000  lordships, 
besides  other  lands,  situated  in  various  parts  of  Christendom. 
After  an  interval  of  some  years,  Edward  II.  A.D.  1324,  made  a 
grant  of  the  whole  property  possessed  by  the  Templars  to  another 
similar  society,  termed  the  "  Knights  Hospitallers,"  whose  origin 
it  will  now  be  necessary  to  refer  to. 

Certain  traders  of  Amalfi  having  obtained  leave  of  the  Caliph 
of  Egypt  to  build  a  church,  and  monastery  for  the  Latins,  near 


TEMPLE  BETTER.  309 

the  Holy  Sepulchre  at  Jerusalem,  dedicated  the  establishment  to 
St.  Mary  of  the  Latins,  and  committed  to  its  inmates  the  care  of 
the  sick,  and  the  poor  pilgrims  then  resorting  in  great  numbers 
to  that  sacred  city ;  to  which  was  shortly  added  an  hospital,  or 
reception-house,  together  with  a  chapel,  dedicated  to  St.  John 
the  Baptist,  erected  through  the  proceeds  of  the  offerings  and 
gifts  of  more  wealthy  pilgrims  made  to  the  community.  But 
it  was  not  until  the  Christians  became  masters  of  Jerusalem 
that  the  Hospitallers  formed  themselves  into  a  distinct  society ; 
at  which  time,  A.D.  1099,  Grerard  and  others,  who  then  were 
the  curators  of  the  sick  of  this  hospital,  took  a  vow  that 
they  would  perpetually  defend  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  wage  war 
against  the  infidel,  and  observe  the  rule  of  St.  Austin ;  they  then 
also  began  to  assume  a  white  cross,  which  they  wore  on  their 
breasts  as  the  badge  of  their  new  Order.  From  this  time  they 
were  termed1  Knights  of  the  Hospital,  or  of  St.  John,  from  their 
patron  saint ;  and  in  1154  they  procured  a  bull  in  their  favour 
from  Anastasius  IV.,  the  predecessor  of  that  distinguished  and 
sole  British  pontiff,  Adrian  IV.,  whereby  they  were  exempted 
from  the  payment  of  tithes  on  all  their  lands,  wherever  situated, 
on  the  ground  of  their  having  been  bequeathed  to  them  for  the 
support  of  the  pilgrims  and  the  poor ;  and  by  the  same  bull 
Anastasius  forbade  the  publication  of  all  episcopal  interdicts, 
suspensions,  or  excommunications  in  any  of  the  churches 
belonging  to  their  Order ;  allowed  them  to  have  divine  service 
performed  in  their  churches  with  the  doors  shut,  even  in  places 
that  were  under  a  general  interdict ;  to  receive  priests  and 
clerks  to  officiate  in  their  churches  from  what  diocese  soever  they 
came,  and  to  keep  them  even  without  the  consent  of  their 
respective  Bishops,  as  being  subject  to  none  so  long  as  they 
continued  with  them,  except  their  Chapter  and  the  Apostolic 
See  ;  to  have  their  churches  and  altars  consecrated,  their  clerks 
ordained,  and  the  sacraments  administered  by  the  Bishop  of  the 
diocese,  if  he  should  be  willing  to  perform  those  functions  with- 
out fee  or  reward,  but  if  he  required  the  least  acknowledgment, 
to  avail  themselves  of  the  services  of  any  other  Bishops  they 
should  think  fit ;  and,  lastly,  he  confirmed  to  them  all  the  lord- 
ships, lands,  and  territories  they  possessed,  or  ever  should 
acquire,  on  either  side  of  the  sea,  in  Asia  or  in  Europe,  but  for- 
bade the  knights,  after  they  had  taken  the  cross  and  made  their 

X 


310 


TEMPLE  BKUER. 


profession,  to  return  to  the  world,  or  to  enter  any  other  religious 
Order.  Raymond  de  Podio  was  at  this  time  Grand  Prior  of  the 
Order ;  but  he  and  his  knights  appear  to  have  so  presumed  upon 
these  extraordinary  marks  of  the  Papal  favour,  that  only  two 
years  afterwards,  viz  :  in  1156,  when  Adrian  had  succeeded  to  the 
Papal  chair,  Pulcher,  Patriarch  of  Jerusalem,  attended  by  six 
Bishops,  went  to  Home  in  person,  although  nearly  100  years  of 
age,  for  the  purpose  of  pouring  out  a  series  of  bitter  complaints 
against  the  Hospitallers,  wherein  he  accused  them  of  having 
abused  the  Papal  privileges,  insulted  him  and  his  Bishops,  and 
engrossed  all  the  benefactions  of  the  faithful ;  so  that  they 
besought  him  to  rescind,  or  at  least  to  modify,  the  bull  of  his 
predecessor.  Pulcher,  however,  does  not  appear  to  have  obtained 
his  request,  /  although  the  subject  was  discussed  in  council  for 
several  days  ;  and  it  is  curious  to  find  that  Temple  Bruer, 
amongst  other  old  possessions  of  the  Hospitallers,  after  the  lapee 
of  so  many  centuries  and  the  occurrence  of  great  religious  and 
political  changes,  still  remains  exempt  from  the  payment  of  tithe, 
and  until  very  lately  from  episcopal  jurisdiction,  as  being  extra 
parochial. 

After  the  expulsion  of  the  Christians  from  Palestine,  the 
Knights  retreated  to  Cyprus,  but  succeeding  in  conquering  the 
island  of  Rhodes  from  the  Turks,  they  then  established  them- 
selves there  so  firmly  that  no  Sultan  for  a  long  period  was  able 
to  dispossess  them  of  their  spoil;  until,  at  length,  A.D.  1522, 
Solyman  II.  advanced  in  person  against  the  island  with  an 
immense  force,  and  after  a  siege  of  six  months  obliged  its  brave 
defenders  to  capitulate.  And  now  they  were  in  great  danger  of 
extermination,  as  most  of  the  princes  of  Europe,  when  they  heard 
of  the  fall  of  Ehodes,  were  on  the  point  of  seizing  the  Hospital- 
lers' lands  in  their  respective  dominions  ;  but  this  blow  was 
averted  by  a  hurried  visit  of  the  then  Grand  Master,  L'Isle 
Adam,  to  the  principal  courts  of  Europe,  who,  by  his  urgent 
appeals,  not  only  saved  the  property  of  the  Order,  but  obtained 
an  asylum  from  the  Emperor,  Charles  V.  for  the  Knights,  who 
then  conceded  Malta  to  them,  which  was  to  be  held  by  the  tenure 
of  an  animal  presentation  of  a  falcon.  L'Isle  Adam  and  the 
Hospitallers  took  possession  of  their  new  rocky  home  in  1530, 
after  which  they  were  commonly  called  the  Knights  of  Malta, 
and  immediately  began  to  fortify  that  island,  to  import  earth  from 


TEMPLE  BKUEB.  311 

Sicily  to  lay  upon  its  stony  surface,  and  adopt  other  means  to 
render  it  productive  ;  so  that  under  their  nurturing  care,  the 
vine,  the  orange,  and  other  fruit  trees,  together  with  some 
vegetable  produce,  quickly  sprang  up.  But  war  against  their 
old  infidel  enemy  was  still  their  chief  occupation  ;  and  from  this 
strong  and  beautiful  retreat,  their  galleys  continually  swept  the 
sea  in  quest  of  Turkish  spoil  ;  nor  did  they  often  return  into  port 
without  a  captured  Turkish  vessel  in  tow,  or  Turkish  property  in 
their  possession. 

Boused  by  such  repeated  injuries,  and  especially  by  the 
capture  of  a  ship  of  20  guns,  richly  laden,  belonging  to  one  of 
his  chief  officers,  Solyman,  who  still  reigned,  raised  a  force  of 
30,000  men,  which  he  dispatched  to  Malta,  in  180  galleys 
under  the  command  of  Mustapha,  one  of  his  best  generals,  with 
the  intention  of  driving  out  the  Knights  from  that  island,  as  he 
had  done  from  Bhodes.  The  fleet  arrived  off  Malta,  May  18th, 
A.D.  1565  ;  and  then  followed  that  celebrated  siege,  so  well  known 
in  the  annals  of  history,  an<J  so  amply  described  by  many 
authors,  especially  by  Prescott  in  his  History  of  Philip  II. 
Then  it  was  that  Jean  Parisot  de  la  Valette,'  the  most  famous 
Grand  Master,  after  the  loss  of  the  fortress  of  St.  Elmo  —  in  the 
capture  of  which  8000  Moslem  troops  fell  —  caused  Mustapha 
their  commander  to  exclaim,  "  what  will  not  the  parent  cost, 
when  the  child  has  cost  me  so  dear?"  This  hero,  after  the 
exhibition  of  feats  of  prowess,  rarely  if  ever  surpassed,  at  length 
received  the  succour  of  11,000  men  sent  by  the  Emperor  to  his 
relief,  under  Don  Garcia  de  Toledo  ;  when  after  one  more  struggle 
in  the  open  field,  wherein  Mustapha  was  twice  unhorsed  and 
nearly  taken  prisoner,  the  Turks  retreated  from  their  intended 
prey  utterly  baffled  and  defeated.  After  Valette'  s  death,  the 
Knights  of  St.  John  still  continued  for  some  time  to  harass  the 
Turks,  by  the  aggressive  expeditions  of  their  galleys  ;  but  they 
gradually  assumed  more  peaceful  habits,  until  at  length  the 
Order  was  dissolved  at  the  close  of  the  last  century  by  the  fiat  of 
Napoleon,  when  he  visited  Malta  on  his  way  to  Egypt  ;  the 
last  Grand  Master  then  retiring  to  Germany  with  a  pension,  and 
most  of  the  Knights  accepting  commissions  in  the  French  army. 

Such  was  the  end  of  this  once  illustrious  Order,  at  first 
fostered  by  Godfrey  de  Bouillon  and  Godfrey,  the  crusader  kings 
of  Jerusalem,  the  provincial  establishments  of  which  were  termed 

«*$  v> 

"^ 


**^\  \    k  IA  I  f\ 


312  TEMPLE  BETTER. 

Commanderies,  to  distinguish,  them  from  the  Preceptories  of  the 
Templars,  and  whose  chief,  or  Prior,  took  precedence  of  all 
Barons  in  Parliament. 

There  were  three  Preceptories  in  Lincolnshire ;  one  at 
Willoughton,  near  Kirton  in  Lindsey  ;  another  at  Aslackby,  near 
FaLkingham  ;  and  the  one  termed  Temple  Bruer,  near  Sleaford, 
now  under  our  notice.  This  is  situated  ten  miles  south,  of 
Lincoln,  and  one  mile  east  of  the  High  Dyke,  or  nearly  in  the 
centre  of  Lincoln  Heath,  whence  it  derived  its  appellation  of 
Templum  de  la  Bruere,  or  Temple  on  the  Heath,  now  shortened 
into  Temple  Bruer.  It  was  first  founded  by  the  Lady  Elizabeth 
de  Calz,  according  to  a  record  in  the  "  Additional  MSS.  B.  M. 
4936,"  on  land  given  for  the  purpose  by  William  de  Ashby,  'as 
Tanner  says  previous  to  the  year  1185,  "Notitia  Monastica,  p. 
274,"  and  probably  about  1134,  but  certainly  in  the  reign  of 
Henry  II.,  as  the  occupants  of  the  new  Preceptory  on  Lincoln 
HeatK  obtained  from  that  King  a  charter  for  holding  a  market 
every  Thursday  on  their  manor.  Their  first  possessions  were 
various  parcels  of  land  given  them  by  landowners  of  Bowston. 
Elizabeth  de  Calz  gave  them  the  advowson  of  the  church  and  25 
oxgangs  there,  Bobert  de  Everingham  the  manor  of  that  vill  and 
some  appurtenances,  Philip  de  Branston  25  oxgangs,  and  Gilbert 
de  Oressy  2  quarantines  of  heath,  and  pasturage  for  500  sheep  in 
the  same  parish.  Their  next  benefactor  appears  to  have  been 
Walter  Lord  D'Eyncourt,  who  gave  them  6  bovates  of  land,  a 
toft,  3  shillings,  4  hens,  and  4  days'  work  in  Scopwick,  which 
grant  was  amplified  by  his  descendant,  John  D'Eyncourt,  in 
1175,  by  the  gift  of  1  barcary  and  2  carucates  of  land  in  that 
parish.  Several  landowners  of  Bauceby  were  also  early  bene- 
factors of  the  Templars  on  the  Heath,  viz  :  Galfrid  de  Perun,  a 
tenant  of  Bobert  de  Stafford,  who  gave  them  a  whole  knight's 
fee  there  valued  at  £15  a  year,  and  a  carucate  of  land  valued  at 
48s.  a  year  ;  Geoffrey  de  Evermue,  an  oxgang  of  land  he  held  of 
Baldwin  de  Wake,  he  of  the  Bishop  of  Durham,  and  he  of  the 
King ;  Balf  de  Normanville,  an-oxgang-and-a-half ;  and  Galfrid 
de  Bouceby,  3  oxgangs.  "  Bot.  Hund.,  p.  278."  Simon  Tuchet 
was  another  important  early  benefactor  of  the  Templars,  who 
gave  them  a  knight's  fee  in  Ashby  which  he  held  of  Balf  Pagnell, 
and  he  of  the  King.  In  1258  the  Templars  obtained  a  licence 
from  Henry  III.  for  holding  a  market  at  their  manor  of  Breuere 


TEMPLE  BEUEE.  313 

every  Wednesday  instead  of  on  Thursday  as  before,  "Lit.  Pat. 
Julii  20,  43  H.  3.,"  and  also  of  holding  an  annual  fair  for  three 
days  at  the  feast  of  St.  James.  The  same  year  they  attached 
their  seal  to  a  deed  connected  with  an  exchange  of  lands  with 
Henry  de  Colville,  when  Eobert  Button  was  their  Preceptor. 
This  seal,  according  to  Holies,  was  of  a  circular  form,  having  an 
Agnus  Dei  and  flag  as  a  device,  surrounded  by  the  legend 
"  Sigillum  Militis  Templi."  For  the  better  security  of  their  house, 
they  obtained  a  license  "  34.  E.  1,"  to  build  a  strong  gate-house, 
no  doubt  consisting  of  two  circular  towers  with  a  stout  door  and 
portcullis  between  them.  By  degrees  the  Templars  of  Temple 
Bruer  acquired  many  other  possessions  and  rights,  viz  :  from  the 
Crown,  5  carucates  of  land  and  a  rent  of  l4s.  in  Navenby,  a 
knight's  fee  and  an  oxgang  of  land  in  Leasingham,  3  carucates 
of  land  in  Carlton,  given  by  Elias  de  Ainundeville,  and  other 
smaller  lots  ;  a  toft  and  20  acres  of  land  in  Ormsby,  given  by 
Hugh  de  Oaythorpe,  and  other  lands  situated  in  Normanton, 
Navenby,  Grantham,  South  Witham,  Ingoldsby,  Hacconby, 
Metheringham,  Dorrington,  Dunsby,  Quarrington,  and  Heeking- 
ton,  besides  2000  acres  of  heath  lying  around  the  Preceptory 
with  two  granges  upon  it,  amounting  in  all  to  upwards  of  10,000 
acres,  besides  tenements  at  Grantham  (including  the  Angel  Inn 
there),  Blankney,  Metheringham,  Kirkby  Green,  Evedon,  Scop- 
wick,  Timberland  and  Billinghay.  They  also  possessed  the 
advowsons  of  Caythorpe  and  Normanton,  given  by  William  de 
Vesci,  a  mediety  of  that  of  Cranwell,  given  by  Robert  de  Armen- 
tiers,  that  of  Ashby,  given  by  Jordan  de  Ashby,  that  of  Gedney, 
given  by  Matilda  de  Engaine,  a  mediety  of  Wyn,  given  by  Galfrid 
de  Cleypole,  the  advowson  of  Bottelbrigge,  given  by  Eobert  de 
Gimiges,  that  of  Sibthorpe,  given  by  Ealf  and  Eobert  Malebisse, 
that  of  Drystoke,  given  by  Gilbert  de  Dristoke,  that  of  Friseby, 
given  by  Jordan  Foliot,  and  a  mediety  of  that  of  Willoughton, 
given  by  Simon  de  Cansy,  besides  the  advowson  of  Eowston,  the 
gift  of  the  foundress — Matilda  de  Calz.  They  also  claimed  the 
rights  of  amerciam^nt,  waifs,  and  fines  in  the  vills  of  Sleaford, 
Evedon,  Ewerby,  Blankney,  Metheringham,  Scopwick,  Kirkby 
Green,  Billinghay  and  Timberland,  and  exemption  from  all  the 
services  to  which  their  lands  had  been  subject  before  they  had 
passed  into  their  hands;  and  from  the  payment  of  all  taxes  and 
tithes. 


314 


TEMPLE  BRUER. 


No  doubt  the  Templars  were  sometimes  covetous  and  ex- 
tortionate, notwithstanding  their  original  vow  of  poverty,  a 
curious  instance  of  which  is  recorded  in  one  of  the  Hundred 
Rolls,  p.  280,  under  the  date  1270,  viz:  a  complaint  of  one 
Adrian  Lewin,  of  Rowston,  that  Robert  de  Stratton,  then  Pre- 
ceptor of  Temple  Bruer,  had  compelled  him  to  supply  him  with 
half  a  mark  of  silver  to  enable  him  to  purchase  a  Roman  gold 
coin,  termed  a  denarius,  that  had  been  found  by  one  Catherine 
de  Foston,  and  which  he  ardently  longed  for.  One  of  the  rules 
of  local  Preceptories,  however,  was  that  after  paying  for  the  cost 
of  their  maintenance  out  of  their  common  fund,  they  were  bound 
to  transmit  the  surplus  annually  to  the  Grand  Master  of  the 
Temple  in  London ;  and  they  professed  to  desire  that  if  any 
Member  of  their  Order  died  possessed  of  wealth  his  money  should 
be  buried  with  him  in  unconsecrated  ground  with  the  imprecation 
"Thy  money  perish  with  thee."  In  the  early  part  of  the  13th 
century  the  first  recorded  dispute  between  the  Templars  and  the 
Ashby's  arose  about  the  pasturage  of  300  sheep  on  the  Heath, 
which  was  settled  in  1221  ;  but  a  similar  one  about  the  pasturage 
of  408  sheep,  8  oxen,  and  100  hogs,  about  26  years  later,  which 
was  settled  in  1247,  and  from  that  time  these  continued  to  arise 
during  their  occupation  of  Temple  Bruer  and  that  of  the  Hos- 
pitallers, as  described  in  the  history  of  the  paris]i  of  Ashby, 
whose  contentions  with  the  De  la  Laundes,  the  successors  of  the 
Ashbys,  were  fully  as  frequent  and  violent  as  those  of  their 
respective  predecessors. 

Both  the  Templars  and  the  Hospitallers  were  accustomed  to 
hold  Tournaments  at  Temple  Bruer,  until  this  practice  was  for- 
bidden by  a  writ  of  Edward  II.  in  consequence  of  the  disturbances 
that  had  been  occasioned  by  them ;  but  one  of  the  latter  Order 
was  certainly  worse  employed  in  the  15th  century,  although  under 
the  highest  ecclesiastical  authority,  viz  :  John  Seyvill,  who  acted 
as  a  Papal  Procurator  of  indulgences  under  Alexander  V.,  and 
his  successor,  from  the  evidence  of  a  still-existing  form  of 
indulgence  or  absolution  he  granted  to  Henry  Marshall  and  his 
sisters,  dated  at  Temple  Bruer,  1412,  two  years  after  the  death 
of  Alexander. 

In  1260  Amadeus  was  installed  as  Preceptor,  "Bp.  Welles' 
notes";  circa  1270  Robert  de  Stratton  was  Preceptor;  in  1282 
Robert  de  Turville ;  in  1290  Guido  de  Foresta;  and  in  1300 


TEMPLE  BEUER.  315 

William  de  la  More— the  last  Preceptor  of  Temple  Bruer,  and 
Grand  Prior  of  all  England.  In  1307,  Edward  II.  who  had  jusfc 
ascended  the  throne,  summoned  the  Grand  Master  to  his  first 
parliament ;  and  two  months  afterwards,  sent  a  writ  to  John  de 
Cormel,  sheriff  of  Lincolnshire,  commanding  him  with  a  sufficient 
force,  to  seize  both  the  persons  and  property  of  the  Templars. 
This  was  accomplished  January  10th,  1308,  and  William  de  la 
More  and  his  knights  were  carried  off  to  Lincoln,  and  imprisoned 
in  Claxlede  Gate  and  other  city  prisons.  There  they  were  kept 
until  November  25th,  1309,  when  they  were  tried  in  the  Cathedral 
Chapter-house,  and  accused  of  blasphemy,  infanticide,  cruelty, 
the  most  atrocious  debauchery,  &c.,  divided  into  many  counts  ; 
but  it  was  their  wealth  that  was  wanted  ;  Fuller  saying,  "  Their 
lives  would  not  have  been  taken,  if  their  lands  could  have  been 
got  without ;  but  the  mischief  was,  the  honey  could  not  be  got 
without  burning  the  bees."  Eventually,  however,  they  did  escape 
with  their  live's,  but  were  stripped  of  all  their  estates,  which  were 
seized  by  the  King.  An  account  of  these  was  taken  by  Thomas 
Burnham,  and  they  were  committed  to  the  charge  of  William  de 
Spanby.  In  1324  the  King  granted  them  to  another  Order,  that 
of  the  Hospitallers,  or  knights  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  a  slight 
sketch  of  whose  origin  has  been  already  given,  when  Temple 
Bruer  thus  became  a  Commandery  of  that  Order,  and  remained 
such  until  the  suppression  of  all  their  Houses  in  1535.  Ifjs 
estates  were  then  granted  to  Hamond  Sutton  in  fee  for  an  annual 
rent  of  £22  10s.  Od.,  and  the  whole,  including  the  salaries  of  the 
Members  of  the  Order,  according  to  an  account  of  John  Sutton, 
its  treasurer,  was  valued  at  £183  10s.  Od.,  or  according  to 
Dugdale  at  £184  6s.  8d. 

The  names  of  the  following  Commanders  have  alone  been 
preserved,  viz : — 

A.D.  1364.— John  Percley. 

1430.— William  Hulles. 

1432.— Eobert  Mallore. 

1441.—  Robert  Botyll. 

1460. Skafe. 

1469. — John  Langstrother. 

1471.— William  Turnor. 

1477.— John  Weston. 

1484.— John  Roswell. 


316  TEMPLE  BETTER. 

A.D.  1503. — Thomas  Newport. 
1509. — Thomas  Docwra. 
. — John  Babyngton. 

In  1541  Henry  VIII.  granted  the  site  and  capital  messuage 
of  the  Hospitallers  of  Temple  Bruer  with  its  appurtenances, 
messuages,  and  2000  acres  of  land  around  it  to  Charles  Brandon, 
Duke  of  Suffolk,  to  be  held  of  the  crown  in  chief.  "  Harl.  MS. 
B.M.  6829." 

In  the  course  of  the  same  year  the  King  paid  Temple  Bruer 
a  visit  in  person,  on  his  Way  towards  the  north,  for  the  purpose 
of  holding  a  conference  with  his  nephew,  the  young  King  of 
Scotland,  and  pacifying  the  people  of  Yorkshire  and  Lincolnshire 
after  the  suppression  of  their  Monasteries.  The  King  had  held 
an  early  council  at  Sleaford,  Tuesday,  Aug.  9th,  and  the  same 
day  dined  at  Temple  Bruer  on  his  way  to  Lincoln,  accompanied 
by  his  unfortunate  Queen — Catherine  Howard,  the  Dukes  of 
Norfolk  and  Suffolk,  the  Earls  of  Oxford  and  Southampton,  the 
Bishop  of  Durham,  and  others.  Leland  visited  Temple  Bruer 
the  following  year,  viz:  in  1542,  who  says,  "Itin.  vol.  1,  f.  32": 
"  There  be  great  and  vast  buildings,  but  rude,  at  this  place,  and 
the  este  end  of  the  temple  is  made  opere  circular 4  de  more."  The 
church  must  have  been  preserved  for  another  century,  for  Holies 
in  his  "  Church  Notes  "  gives  a  long  list  of  the  coats  of  arms  then 
emblazoned  on  its  windows — including  those  of  Cromwell, 
Tateshall,  D'Eyncourt,  Ufford,  Beke,  Mowbray,  Beaumont, 
Bardolfe,  Cantelupe,  ia  Warre,  Welles,  Zouch,  Grey,  Savile, 
Middleton  of  Fulbeck,  Eoleston,  Babington,  &c. ;  besides  the 
following  :  Erm,  a  chevron  Sa.  Or,  on  a  cross  Sa,  5  bull's  heads 
couped  Arg,  impaling  Sa,  on  a  chevron  Arg  3  mullets  G  between 
3  pheons  of  the  2nd,  over  both  a  chief  extended  G  charged  with 
a  cross  Arg.  Arg,  a  chevron  between  3  eaglets  Sa.  G,  a  chevron 
Erm,  a  bordure  engrailed  Az.  Az,  2  reynards  passant  Or.  He 
also  speaks  of  a  tomb  here,  commemorating  Dorothy,  wife  of 
Eoger  Eolston,  who  died  January  18th,  1529,  and  having  these 
bearings  displayed  upon  it,  viz :  Party  per  fesse  G  &  Arg,  a  lion 
passant  in  chief  Arg,  in  base  a  cinquefoil  pierced  Az— Eolston, 
quartering — a  chevron  between  10  martlets  Sa,  impaling  Arg, 
10  torteaux,  in  chief  a  label  of  3  Az — Babington.  Buck  published 
an  engraving  of  this  church  in  1726  ;  but  it  perished  within  the 
next  period  of  fifty  years,  for,  when  Gough  visited  it,  nothing 


TEMPLE  BRUER. 


TEMPLE  BEUEE.  317 

but  a  tower  and  a  few  vaults  then  remained — the  former  of  which 
still  happily  exists,  although  in  a  sadly  mutilated  condition,  and 
but  for  a  strong  bracing  of  iron  work  would  probably  have  fallen. 

This  is  of  the  Early  English  period,  and  was  probably, 
erected  about  the  middle  of  the  1 3th  century.  Its  total  height 
is  5 1  feet,  and  it  contains  three  stories  ;  the  entrance  was  on  the 
north  side,  and  is  now  walled  up,  whilst  a  modern  substitute  has 
been  broken  through  on  the  opposite  side,  under  an  interpolated 
window  of  the  Perpendicular  period.  The  interior  of  the  vaulted 
basement  story  is  richly  decorated  on  the  south  and  west  sides 
with  a  series  of  well  moulded  arches,  once  supported  by  circular 
shafts,  of  which  but  one  now  remains.  Under  the  south-eastern- 
most arch  is  a  piscina  ;  the  level  of  the  two  next  arches  is  slightly 
higher  than  that  of  the  others,  from  which  arrangement  there  is 
but  little  doubt  that  this  apartment  was  used  as  a  chapel,  and 
that  the  altar  stood  in  the  centre  of  the  arched  recess  at  its  east 
end.  It  still  retains  its  original  vaulted  roof,  and  was  lighted  by 
a  window  on  its  east,  west,  and  south  sides.  A  newel  staircase 
in  the  north-west  angle  leads  to  a  chamber  above,  which  is  lighted 
by  three  lancet  windows,  and  was  once  vaulted  like  the  one  below ; 
then  to  a  low  room  above,  and,  finally,  to  the  roof,  which  was 
surrounded  by  a  parapet,  a  small  portion  of  which  still  remains 
at  the  south-west  angle  of  the  tower.  The  corbel  table  of  the 
south  elevation,  and  of  the  flat  buttresses  on  the  north  and  west 
fronts,  are  of  a  very  effective  design.  See  accompanying  plate, 
giving  a  section  of  this  tower  from  a  drawing  by  Mr.  J.  Padley. 

The  elevation  of  the  circular  church,  built  so  appropriately 
after  the  model  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre  at  Jerusalem,  in  common 
with  that  of  the  Temple  in  London,  of  Little  Maplestead,  Essex, 
St.  Sepulchre's,  Cambridge,  and  St.  Peter's  at  Northampton, 
is  now  quite  gone ;  but  the  bases  of  its  pillars  still  lie  below 
the  soil,  a  little  to  the  west  of  the,  tower,  and  were  laid  bare  for 
the  last  time  in  the  year  1833,  under  the  superintendence  of  Dr. 
Oliver,  from  whose  account  of  Temple  Bruer,  published  by  the 
Lincolnshire  Topographical  Society,  the  following  particulars  are 
gathered  :  "  The  circular  church  was  52  feet  in  diameter  within, 
and  was  supported  on  a  peristyle  of  eight  cylindrical  columns, 
with  massive  bases  and  capitals,  and  a  series  of  circular  arches 
profusely  ornamented  with  zigzags  and  other  Norman  enrich- 
ments, forming  a  circular  area,  which  occupied  exactly  one  half 


318 


TEMPLE  BKUER. 


of  the  diameter  ;  and  the  aisle,  or  space  betwixt  this  colonnade 
and  the  exterior  walls  occupied  the  other  half.  The  aisle,  it 
appears,  had  a  groined  roof;  and  a  portion  of  it  on  the  north 
eide  contained  the  tomb  of  the  founder.  On  the  west  was  the 
principal  door  of  entrance,  with  an  ascent  of  stone  steps,  and  a 
magnificent  porch,  the  foundations  of  which  remain  perfect.  In 
the  floor  are  two  coffin-shaped  stones,  one  plain,  the  other  charged 
with  'a  cross  botony  in  relief."  This  circular  church  was  certainly 
united,  either  by  an  extension  of  the  fabric  or  by  a  cloister,  to 
the  still-remaining  tower,  as  may  be  seen  in  Buck's  view  of 
Temple  Bruer,  published  in  1736,  and  in  the  plan  given  in  Dr. 
Oliver's  Paper  on  this  place,  referred  to  above  ;  whilst  the 
clustered  column  and  bracket  on  the  north  side  of  this  last,  si  ill 
present  visible  evidences  of  its  former  existence  at  that  point. 
Here  also  two  stoups  will  be  observed  on  the  left  of  the  tower 
entrance.  Beneath  the  tower,  and  other  portions  of  the  remains, 
various  vaults  were  discovered  (probably  cellars)  connected  by 
passages,  seven  feet  six  inches  high,  arched  over  above,  running 
under  the  cloister,  &c.,  giving  rise  to  the  popular  belief  that  a 
subterranean  communication  existed  between  this  establishment 
and  Wellingore.  Dr.  Oliver  also  discovered  many  human  remains 
in  his  researches,  which  is  not  surprising,  as  there  was  certainly 
a  burial  garth  here,  from  which  has  lately  been  extracted  a  much 
worn  monumental  slab,  or  coffin  lid  (still  remaining  on  the 
premises)  having  the  effigy  of  a  recumbent  Ecclesiastic  cut  upon 
it.  A  portion  of  one  of  the  old  vaults  is  yet  visible,  now  used  as 
a  saw-pit,  and  another  spot  sounds  hollow,  so  that  further  sub- 
structures may  hereafter  be  discovered.  The  whole  of  the  ground 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  tower  abounds  with  evidences  of  the  extent 
of  the  buildings  once  existing  here ;  portions  of  columns,  ribs, 
and  other  worked  stones  having  frequently  been  turned  up,  of 
which  a  few  still  remain ;  whilst  a  pretty  little  Decorated  window, 
doubtless  derived  from  the  ruins,  is  inserted  in  the  gable  of  the 
adjoining  farmstead.  There  is  also  a  remarkably  fine  well  here, 
nine  feet  in  diameter,  never  known  to  be  dry — perhaps  a  legacy 
from  the  knights  of  St.  John;  and  in  another  well,  discovered 
during  the  last  century  to  the  west  of  the  Temple  site,  three 
bells  of  large  dimensions  were  found.  Two  mounds  existed, 
until  lately,  in  an  adjoining  close  ;  but  these  were  probably  only 
archery  butts,  and  upon  their  removal  no  signs  of  any  deposit 


TEMPLE  BEUEE.  319 

were  disclosed.  One  of  the  Temple  boundary  stones  stood,  until 
1776,  by  the  side  of  the  High  Dyke,  as  recorded  by  Stukely,  who 
says,  "Iter.  5,  p.  87  "  "Over  against  Temple  Bruer,  is  a  cross 
upon  a  stone,  cut  through  in  the  shape  of  that  borne  by  the  - 
Knights  Templars;"  but  this  has  since  been  removed,  or 
destroyed.  He  also  adds,  "  Some  part  of  their  old  Church  is  left 
of  a  circular  form  as  usual."  In  1628  the  Earl  of  Dorset,  then 
the  possessor  of  Temple  Bruer,  disposed  of  it  to  .Richard 
Brownlow,  Esq.,  of  Belton,  and  through  the  marriage  of  Alice, 
daughter  of  Sir  John  Brownlow,  with  Francis  North  Earl  of 
Guildford,  passed  into  his  hands.  He  sold  it  to  the  ancestor  of 
the  present  owner  of  Temple  Bruer,  Henry  Chaplin,  Esq.,  M.P., 
of  Blankney. 


WILSFOKD. 


ACREAGE, 

2900. 


POPULATION, 
641. 


village  lies  5  miles  west  of  Sleaford,  and  is  bounded  on 
_1_  the  west  by  the  Ermine  street,  where  some  of  its  houses 
immediately  face  those  on  the  other  side  of  that  ancient  road  in 
the  parish  of  Ancaster. 

Its  name  was  originally  spelt  Wivelesforde.  Here  Siward 
had  12  carucates  of  land,  rated  at  9  carucates.  Azor  and  his 
brother  held  6  bovates  of  this  and  a  mill,  subject  only  to  military 
service.  Gunfrid,  or  Geoffrey  of  Cambrai,  had  3  carucates  in 
demesne,  12  sokemen  with  3  carucates,  6  villaus  and  2  bordars 
having  6  carucates ;  and  the  church  had  2  bovates,  45  acres  of 
meadow,  and  20  of  underwood.  This  was  valued  before  and 
after  the  Conquest  at  £4,  and  taxed  at  20s.  Subsequently  Bishop 
Remigius  bought  the  manor  for  the  church  of  St.  Mary  at  Lincoln. 
Four  carucates  here,  rated  at  3,  together  with  9  sokemen  and  2 
bordars.  were  soke  of  the  manor  of  Sedgebrook.  This  had 
belonged  to  Godwin,  but  was  granted  to  Robert  Mallet,  and  com- 
prised in  the  Honour  of  Eye,  in  Suffolk,  and  subsequently  possessed 
by  the  Uffords  and  Poles,  Earls  of  Suffolk.  In  the  reign  of 
Stephen,  Hugh  de  Evermue  or  Wake,  held  the  manor  of  Wils- 
ford, and  founded  an  alien  Priory  here.  Haverholme  Priory 
possessed  three  oxgangs-and-a-half  of  land  in  Wilsford,  the  gift 
of  John,  the  son  of  William  de  Odenby  and  Elizabeth  his  wife, 
besides  certain  tofts,  and  the  villans  on  this  land,  together  with 
their  families  and  chattels.  About  the  middle  of  the  1 3th  century 
the  Honour  of  De  la  Haye  in  Wilsford  and  Ancaster,  constituting 
a  quarter  of  a  knight's  fee,  was  held  of  Earl  Richard  by  the  Prior 
of  Haverholme  Priory,  half  a  knight's  fee  of  the  Honour  of  Eye 
was  held  by  Peter  de  Mallet,  and  a  similar  portion  of  land  was 
held  by  William  de  Yesci  of  the  King. 

Erom  the  " Inquisitiones  post  mortem"  of  the  14th,  15th, 
and  16th  centuries,  we  find  that  Ralph,  son  of  Walran  de  Mor- 


WILSFOED.  321 

timer  died  in  1325,  seized  of  a  messuage  in  Wilsford,  60  acres  of 
land,  5  of  meadow,  and  10  of  wood,  valued  at  112s.  Eobert  de 
Ufford,  Earl  of  Suffolk,  in  1348,  seized  of  the  fee  of  the  Honour 
of  Eye,  and  his  successor  of  the  same  name  in  1369.  Sir  Henry 
de  Scroop,  seized  of  part  of  the  same  Honour  in  1393.  Michael 
de  la  Pole,  slain  at  Harfleur,  Sept.  14th,  1415,  and  his  son,  also 
called  Michael,  slain  at  Agincourt  on  the  25th  of  October 
following,  both  being  lords  paramount  of  the  same  portion  of 
Wilsford  ;  also  William  de  la  Pole,  Earl  of  Suffolk,  in  1449. 

The  picturesque  old  house  close  to  the  parish  church,  was 
formerly  occupied  as  a  hunting-box  by  the  then  Duke  of  Rutland, 
but  is  now  simply  a  farm-house.  Probably  it  was  built  by  Sir 
Charles  dotterel,  an  accomplished  gentleman  attached  to  the 
court  of  Charles  II.,  and  who  was  born  at  Wilsford. 

The  land  in  this  parish  now  principally  belongs  to  Messrs. 
Myers,  Parkinson,  and  Calcraft,  and  Captain  Willson. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 


There  was  a  church  at  Wilsford  when  Domesday  Book  was 
compiled.  In  the  reign  of  Stephen,  Hugh  de  Evermue,  or 
Wake,  founded  a  Priory  here,  which  he  attached  to  the  famous 
Benedictine  Abbey  of  Bee  in  Normandy,  and  endowed  it  with  9 
carucates  of  land  in  this  place,  when  a  number  of  its  monks  came 
over  to  secure  the  profits  of  this  gift.  "  Testa  de  Neviil."  During 
the  war  with  France  in  1369  this,  with  all  other  alien  Priories, 
was  seized  by  the  King  of  England,  but  its  own  Prior  was 
appointed  its  custodian  as  long  as  the  war  lasted,  at  the  annual 
rent  of  6  marks.  "  Pipe  Kolls  45.  E.  3."  At  this  time  he  had 
a  right  to  hold  a  market  and  fair  at  Wilsford.  In  1397  Thomas 
Holland,  Earl  of  Kent,  the  King's  half  brother,  obtained  a  grant 
of  the  Priory  and  all  its  possessions  and  bestowed  it  upon  the 
Abbey  of  Bourn.  ulnq.  p.  m.  20  E.  2."  When,  at  the  petition 
of  the  Commons  the  King  took  possession  of  all  alien  Priories, 
John  Oudeby  was  the  clerk  of  Wilsford  Priory.  At  the  dissolu- 
tion as  parcel  of  Bourn  Abbey,  its  lands  were  granted  to  Charles 
Brandon,  Duke  of  Suffolk,  "  30  H.  8,"  who  died  seized  of  them 
1545. 


322 


WILSFOKD. 


The  following  is  a  list  of  the  rectors  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1661. — William  Letts,  presented  by  Lord  Rockingham. 

1676.— William  Barriffe,  ditto. 

1691. — Lewis  Smith,  ditto. 

. — Stephen  Atton. 

1721.— Chamberlain  Atton. 

1731. —Watson  Tookey. 

173 4. —John  Lowth. 

1753. — Thomas  Mirehouse. 

1758. — John  Image. 

1 762. — John  Eichard  Middlemore. 

1770. — John  Richard  Middleniore. 

1771. — Thomas  Marsham. 

1791.  — John  Middleton. 

1831. — Charles  Brackenbury. 

1849. — George  Bugg. 

1852. — John  Parkinson  Bayly  Younge. 

THE  CHURCH. 

The  tower  and  spire  of  this  church,  dedicated  in  honour  of 
St.  Mary,  produce  a  pleasing  effect.  The  proportion  between  the 
two  is  far  better  than  that  of  Ancaster,  and  the  boldly  projecting 
gurgoyles  beneath  the  parapet  of  the  tower  add  much  to  its 
appearance ;  but  on  a  nearer  examination  vthe  weakness  of  the 
spire-lights  and  other  details  become  fully  apparent. 

The  south  aisle  was  once  wholly  Early  English.  The  pitch 
of  its  first  roof  will  be  seen  at  the  east  end,  above  a  lancet  window 
there.  Close  to  a  similar  window,  in  the  nave  wall  beyond  the 
aisle,  is  some  ancient  long  and  short  masonry,  forming  the  south- 
eastern angle  of  the  nave.  During  the  prevalence  of  the  Perpen- 
dicular style  this  aisle  was  renewed,  and  a  clerestory  was  added 
to  the  nave,  both  of  which  were  then  surmounted  by  embattled 
parapets  and '  pinnacles,  the  bases  of  which  alone  now  remain. 
Over  the  porch  arch  is  a  shallow  niche  that  once  probably  con- 
tained a  sculptured  representation  of  the  Virgin  and  Child. 
Near  the  porch  is  a  plain  low- side  window.  The  chancel  is 
essentially  Early  English,  to  which  subsequent  additions  have 
been  made.  In  its  south  wall  are  two  lancet  windows  and  a 


WILSFORD.  323 

Decorated  one  nearest  to  the  nave.  The  whole  design  of  the 
east  end  with  its  well  developed  angle  buttresses  and  its  very 
beautifully  traceried  window  is  excellent.  In  the  north  wall  there 
is  only  room  for  one  lancet  window  before  the  commencement 
of  a  chantry  chapel,  which  now  forms  a  prolongation  of  the  north 
aisle.  In  the  east  end  of  this  there  is  a  large  Decorated  reticu- 
lated window,  and  a  smaller  window  in  the  lateral  wall.  In  the 
north  aisle  proper  is  another  Decorated  window  and  a  doorway. 
Between  the  windows  of  the  clerestory  are  four  canopied  niches 
which  produce  a  good  effect,  but  prove  to  be  of  a  weak  design 
when  examined  closely.  Pinnacles  appear  to  have  riseu  above 
the  parapet  here  as  on  the  other  side  of  the  clerestory. 

In  the  interior,  the  north- east  angle  of  the  original  nave 
will  be  inspected  with  much  interest.  It  is  composed  oi  long  and 
short  work,  and  corresponds  exactly  with  the  south-east  angle  of 
the  nave  before  alluded  to,  and  which  still  remains  an  external 
feature.  These  must  be  either  of  Saxon  origin,  or  of  Saxon  work- 
manship, during  the  early  Norman  rule. 

Adjoining  this  very  interesting  feature  are  a  pair  of  Norman 
pillars,  carrying  a  pointed  arch  of  a  later  period,  and  adorned 
with  the  nail-head  ornament.  This  opens  into  what  was  a  chapel, 
where  a  piscina,  credence,  and  the  supporters  of  the  altar  slab 
still  remain.  The  Early  English  north  aisle  arcade  has  lofty 
cylindrical  pillars  and  wide  semicircular  arches.  The  pillar 
capitals,  with  their  brackets  to  support  the  outer  members  of  the 
arches  above  are  of  a  peculiar  t}Tpe. 

The  arrangement  of  the  south  aisle  arcade  is  curious.  This 
is  of  the  Decorated  period,  and  consists  of  one  very  large  arch 
and  a  smaller  one  ;  nearly  above  which,  is  the  outline  of  another 
archway  that  appears  to  have  opened  into  the  nave,  as  it  is 
certainly  not  a  constructional  one,  although  now  filled  in  with 
masonry.  What  this  can  have  been  for  is  perplexing,  unless  it 
was  for  the  accommodation  of  a  recluse,  whose  chamber  might 
possibly  have  been  constructed  over  the  eastern  portion  of  the 
south  aisle.  Below  was  certainly  a  chapel,  the  piscina  and 
aumbry  of  which  still  remain.  In  the  last  was  found  much  char- 
coal, when  it  was  opened  during  the  late  restoration  of  this  church. 
The  chancel  is  said  to  have  been  re-built  by  a  former  rector  of 
the  name  of  Warde,  in  1479,  according  to  the  inscription'  upon 
his  gravestone ;  but  the  word  restored,  or  repaired,  would 


324 


WILSFOBD. 


have  been  more  correct,  as  the  east  window  and  one  of  the  side 
ones  are  the  only  remaining  features  of  the  above-named  period, 
the  rest  being  very  considerably  older.  The  chancel  arch  is 
supported  by  pillars  on  elevated  bases.  In  the  sill  of  the  south- 
eastern window,  which  has  been  lowered  for  the  purpose,  is  a 
double  piscina.  One  bowl  is  plain,  and  its  drain  passes  horizon- 
tally through  the  wall  behind  it ;  the  other  is  fluted,  and  has  the 
usual  perpendicular  drain.  Here  also  is  a  credence. 


HANDBECK. 

THE  name  of  this  hamlet,  attached  to  Wilsford,  was  originally 
spelt  Handebec,  or  Handebeck,  and  sometimes  Hanebeck. 
The  Vescis  and  Clintons  are  the  first  recorded  proprietors  of  land 
in  Wilsford,  but  in  the  1 2th  century  the  Templars  had  acquired  a 
footing  here,  Osmund  Ferling  in  1185  having  given  an  oxgang 
to  that  Order  in  Handbeck,  let  for  a  rent  of  2s.  a  year,  4  hens, 
and  2  day's  work,  and  another  benefactor  having  given  another 
oxgang  and  a  toft,  let  at  2s.  a  year. 

The  Yesci  fee  here  in  the  13th  century  was  reckoned  at  half 
a  knight's  fee,  then  held  of  the  King  by  William  de  Vesci,  and 
let  by  him  to  John  Oolman.  Early  in  the  same  century  the 
Clinton  lands  in  Handbeck  were  reckoned  only  at  the  tenth  part 
of  a  knight's  fee,  when  they  were  held  by  Henry  de  Clinton,  and 
let  to  Osbert,  son  of  Nigel.  In  1240  their  value  was  reduced  to 
the  twelfth  part  of  a  knight's  fee,  when  they  were  held  by  Roger 
de  Kingerby  of  the  King  in  chief,  and  let  to  Robert  Croc.  "  Testa 
de  Nevill." 

In  1584  John  Bucke  bought  Handbeck  Grange  of  Sir  Henry 
Sidney.  He  was  Provost  Marshal  in  the  expedition  to  Cadiz  in 
1596  under  the  Earl  of  Essex,  when  he  was  made  a  knight.  He 
married  Eleanor,  daughter  of  John  Wymarhe,  of  Gretford,  and 
died  November  20th,  1596.  His  son  Sir  John  Bucke  was  Sheriff 
of  the  county  in  1619,  who,  after  his  marriage  with  Elizabeth, 
daughter  and  heir  of  William  Green,  of  Eiley,  resided  at  Filey, 
and  died  1648.  Their  eldest  son,  John,  was  created  a  Baronet 
December  22nd,  1660,  and  died  1668.  He  married  first,  Anne, 
daughter  of  John  Style,  of  Winteringbury ;  and  subsequently, 
Mary,  daughter  and  sole  heir  of  William  Ashton,  of  Tengrey, 
Beds.,  by  whom  he  had  a  son,  Sir  William,  who  married  Frances, 
daughter  of  Daniel  Skinner,  of  London,  and  died  August  15th, 
1717.  Their  son,  Sir  Charles  Bucke,  born  1692,  married  Anne, 
daughter  of  Sir  Edward  Sebright,  of  Besford,  Worcestershire,  and 
died  June  20th,  1729  ;  and  lastly  their  son,  the  second  Sir  Charles, 

Y 


326 


HANDBEOK. 


born  January  31st,  1721,  died  without  issue  by  his  wife  Mary, 
daughter  of  George  Cartwright,  of  Ossington,  Notts.,  June  7th, 
1782,  and  was  the  last  male  heir  of  his  family.  He  was  buried 
in  Osbournby  church,  where  his  sisters  erected  a  monument  to 
his  memory.  The  Bucke  armorial  bearings  were  Lozengy  Or  & 
Az,  a  canton  Ermine.  Crest,  a  portcullis.  There  are  now  no 
remains  of  the  residence  of  this  family  in  Handbeck,  which  now 
belongs  to  John  Archer  Houblon,  Esq. 


THE 

WAPENTAKE    OF    ASWAEDHUEN. 


npHE  boundaries  of  this  Wapentake  liave  been  mentioned  at 
JL  the  commencement  of  the  History  of  Sleaford,  &c.  It 
contains  the  following  parishes  and  hamlets,  which  will  be  des- 
cribed in  their  alphabetical  order,  viz :  Asgarby,  Aswarby, 
Aunsby,  Burton,  Culverthorpe,  Bembleby,  Ewerby,  Hale, 
Haydor,  Heckington,  Helpringham,  Howell,  Kelby,  Kirkby, 
Osbournby,  Quarrington,  Scredington,  Spanby,  Swarby,  Swaton, 
Welby,  Willoughby  (Scot),  and  Willoughby  (Silk). 

Since  the  description  of  the  Wapentake  of  Flaxwell  has 
been  printed,  a  new  census  has  appeared,  which  of  course  varies 
from  that  of  1861 — so  far  quoted.  It  will  be  well  therefore  to 
give  the  population  of  the  parishes  already  described  according 
to  this  later  record,  or  the  census  of  1871  here,  which  is  as 
follows : — 

POPULATION  OF  THE  FLAXWELL  WAPENTAKE 
ACCORDING  TO  THE  CENSUS  OF  1871. 

New  Sleaford 3592 

Old  Sleaford  397 

Holdingham 143 

Anwick    324 

Ashby 161 

Bloxholm    84 

Brauncewell   139 

CranweU. .  219 


328          THE  WAPENTAKE  OF  ASWAEDHUBN. 

Digby 307 

Dorrington 495 

Evedon  71 

Haverholme  11 

Kyme  North  and  South  1221 

Leasingham 390 

Eauceby 691 

Eowston , 233 

Eoxholm 115 

Euskington 1156 

Temple  Bruer  149 

Wilsford ; 647 

The  population  of  the  parishes  in  the  Wapentake  of 

Aswardhurn  will  be  given   according  to   the   census  of  1861 

and  of  1871. 


ASGAEBY. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

838.  1861—80.     1871—92. 

THE  name  of  this  place,  situated  3  miles  east  of  Sleaford,  was 
at  first  spelt  Asgerebi,  then  Asgerbi  and  Asgardby,  now 
shortened  into  Asgarby.  After  the  Conquest  it  was  given  to 
Gilbert  de  Grant,  and  consisted  of  3  carucates  of  plough  land  and 
80  acres  of  meadow,  upon  which  were  20  sokemen  and  2  villans. 
About  1200  its  land  was  reckoned  at  the  fourth  part  of  a 
knight's  fee,  held  by  Simon  de  Kyme,  when  Mauger  de  Asgurdby 
and  others  were  tenants  here.  "  Testa  de  Nevill."  In  the  16th 
century  Lord'Tailboys,  of  Kyme,  was  holding  land  in  Asgarby; 
and  in  1553  died  Blasius  Holland  the  younger,  seized  of  a 
messuage,  60  acres  of  plough  land,  and  20, of  pasture  in  this  vill, 
which  he  held  of  the  heirs  of  Lord  Tailboys.  "  Harl.  MS.  757." 
Soon  after  Robert  Carre  of  Sleaford  purchased  the  manor  of 
Asgarby  and  the  smaller  one  of  Boughton  connected  with  it, 
which  last  he  sold  to  Sir  Edward  Dymoke  ;  but  he  subsequently 
became  re-possessed  of  it,  and  left  the  whole,  together  with  ap- 
purtenances in  Monkthorpe  and  Brothertoft  to  his  cousin,  Robert 
Carre,  from  whom  they  have  descended  to  the  present  owner  of 
the  same,  the  Marquis  of  Bristol.  This  parish  was  enclosed  in 
1688. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

The  church  here  was  given  to  the  Prior  of  Bridlington  in 
the  reign  of  Pope  Eugenius  III.,  by  whom  that  gift  was 
confirmed.  In  1416  Agnes,  the  wife  of  John  Wright,  of 
Asgarby,  bequeathed  her  body  to  be  buried  in  the  cemetery  of 
the  church  of  St.  Andrew  here,  to  the  fabric  of  which  she  left  4s. 
Robert  Toterowe  of  Bughton  (i.e.  Boughton  in  this  parish),  by 
his  will  dated  on  the  feast  of  St.  Praxidis  the  Yirgin  1450, 
bequeathed  his  body  to  be  buried  in  the  church  of  Asgarby,  to 


330 


ASGAEBY. 


the  high  altar  of  which  he  left  12d.,  and  for  ornaments  of  the 
said  altar  1 3s.  4d.     To  the  high  altar  of  the  Cathedral  church  of 
Lincoln  20d.,  and  to  its  fabric  40d.     Besides  which  certain  lands 
and  tenements  here  were  given  by  an  unknown  person  for  the 
support  of  two  lamps  in  this  church  for  ever.     "  Cot.  MS.  Tib." 
In  1616  the  value  of  the  living  was  £31,  Edward  Carre  was 
the  patron,  and  there  were  60  communicants.     "  Willis's  MS. 
f.  -89."     The  following  is  a  list  of  the  rectors : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1292. — John  de  Maiden. 

1315. — Hugo  de  Harewood,  presented  by  the  Prior  of 
Kyme. 

1616. — William  Williams,  presented  by  Edward  Carre. 

1662.— Eichard  Bull. 

1662. — John  Kennington. 

1663.— Samuel  Sutton. 

1681.— Thomas  Meriton. 

1687.— William  Pearson. 

1732.— Charles  Hervey. 

1735. — Grascoigne  Wright. 

1777.— Edward  Mills. 

1821. — William  Andrew  Hammond. 

1823.— John  Smith. 

1829.— John  Morgan. 

1844. — Henry  Ashington. 

1854. — Henry  Anders. 

THE  CHURCH. 


This  is  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Andrew.  The  height  and 
size  of  its  tower  as  compared  with  the  rest  of  the  fabric,  and  the 
smallness  of  the  spire  in  proportion  to  it,  are  the  features  that 
most  attract  attention  at  a  distance. 

Here  was  an  Early  English  chancel,  of  which  the  south  door- 
way and  the  piscina  inside,  are  all  that  remain.  The  lower  part 
of  the  tower,  the  arcades  of  the  nave,  and  the  whole  south  aisle 
are  of  the  Decorated  period,  and  the  masonry  is  remarkably 
substantial  and  perfect.  The  remainder  of  the  church  is  of  the 
latest  period  of  the  Perpendicular  style. 


ASGARBY  CHURCH. 


BLOXHOLM  CHURCH— SEE  PAGE  211. 


ASGAEBY.  331 

In  the  interior,  the  solidity  of  the  tower-arch,  the  old  stair- 
case to  the  roodloffc,  the  brackets  and  aumbries  at  the  east  end 
of  the  aisles,  and  the  bracket  on  the  north  side  of  the  chancel- 
arch,  are  worthy  of  notice. 

The  easternmost  bay  of  both  aisles  has  been  chancelled  off 
to  form  chapels,  as  evidenced  by  incisions  in  the  caps  of  the 
piDars  at  those  points.  In  the  northern  one  is  a  piscina  and  two 
rude  statue  brackets.  Onxthe  north  wall  close  to  one  of  these  a 
painting  has  recently  been  discovered.  This  consists  of  the 
figure  of  a  kneeling  angel  in  an  alb  and  red  stole,  upon  a  green 
mound  surrounded  by  a  rope-like  border.  The  ground  is  dark 
red,  powdered  partly  with  Tudor  roses,  partly  with  a  foliated 
device  in  a  lighter  red.  Above  is  this  legend  upon  a  scroll : — 
"  Intercede  p.  nobis  ad  dnm  reginam  ;  "  and  below  upon  another 
scroll :  "  Orate  p.  aia  henrici  Tirrwyt,"  as  far  as  this  last  word 
can  be  deciphered ;  but  the  middle  letters  are  entirely  gone,  and 
the  others  are  injured.  Most  probably  this  painting  was  intended 
to  appear  in  connexion  with  an  image  of  the  Yirgin  Mary  that 
formerly  stood  on  the  adjacent  bracket. 

In  Holies' s  time  in  the  east  window  of  the  chancel  were  the 
arms  of  Umfraville  and  Tailboys.  In  the  south  window,  Gules, 
3  livery  pots  Arg,  for  Bland,  and  the  legend  "  Orate  pro  anima 
Stephani  Muston  et  Agnetis  uxoris  ejus."  In  the  north  window, 
the  portrait  of  a  man  holding  a  shield,  bearing  S.  a  chevron 
between  3  escallops  Arg,  and  the  legend  "  Orate  pro  aia  Willi 
Kingsman  et  Elizabethse  consortis  suse."  In  the  tower  window 
this  legend :  "  lohes  More  &  Margareta  uxor  ejus."  On  a 
stone  tomb  in  the  choir  was  this  epitaph  : — 

Es  testis,  Christe  quod  non  jacet  hie  lapis  iste 
Corpus  ut  ornetur,  sed  spiritus  ut  memoretur. 
Istuc  qui  graderis,  senex,  medius,  puer,  an  sis, 
Pro  me  funde  prcees  quia  sic  mihi  fit  venie  spes. 

MCCCCLX. 
And  on  another  : — 

Orate  pro « aia  "Willi  Fish  &  Johanne  uxoris  ejus. 

On  the  wall  of  the  eastern  chapel  is  a  monument  bearing  this 
legend : — 

Carolus  primogenitus    Johannis    Butler  de  Baketon 
(Boughton)  obiit  xviio  die  Mail   MDCIII.     ^Etatis 


332 


ASGARBY. 


And  above,  a  shield  tearing  a  chevron  charged  with  3  covered 
cups  between  3  demi  lions  crowned  with  a  martlet  as  a  mark  of 
cadency,  surmounted  by  a  horse's  head  erased,  as  a  crest. 
On  the  north  wall  is  this  curious  epitaph  : — 

Here  lyeth  the  body  of  Mrs.  Cecily  Sutton,  late  wife 
of  Mr.  Samvel  Sutton,  Sector  of  this  church,  who  upon 
ye  2nd  daye  of  December,  anno  1680,  setatis  suae  62, 
was  gathered  to  the  Spirits  of  the  Just  that  are  made 
perfect. 

I  liv'd,  I  lov'd,  I  gave  to  the  poore, 

I'm  dead,  I'm  blest,  I'm  mist  therefore. 
Hie  requiscit  in  spe  beatae  Eesurrectionis. 

Over  the  tower  arch  is  a  characteristic  memento  mori  of  the  last 
century,  viz :  a  figure  of  Death  as  a  skeleton  with  a  scythe  erect 
over  his   head,    and   an   hour   glass.      Above   is  the  precept, 
"Redeem  the  time,"  below,  the  counsel,  "  Prepare  to  die." 
This  church  has  lately  been  well  and  carefully  restored. 


ASWABBY. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

1548.  1861—128.     1871—142. 

THE  land  in  this  parish,  situated  4|-  miles  south  of  Sleaford, 
at  first  called  Aswardebi,  was  reckoned  at  9  carucates, 
according  to  Domesday  Book,  but  only  at  4^-  carucates  and  1 
bovate  for  taxation.  Here  also  were  180  acres  of  meadow.  Of 
this  Gilbert  de  Gant  was  then  holding  4J  carucates  and  1  bovate, 
and  also  the  above-named  meadow  land  ;  Wido  de  Credon  was 
holding  a  smaller  portion,  and  Ealph,  the  priest  of  Aswarby, 
another.  At  the  beginning  of  the  13th  century  Simon  de  Kyme 
was  holding  the  de  Gant  lands  here,  reckoned  at  one  knight's 
fee,  "  Testa  de  Nevill,"  and  in  1336  William  de  Kyme  was  their 
possessor.  In  1334  Eichard  Whitwell  and  others  obtained  the 
King's  licence  to  give  certain  lands  in  Aswarby,  Swarby  and 
Willoughby  to  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Lincoln,  "Inq.  ad,  q. 
d.  27  E.  III.  ;"  and  in  1381  Gilbert  de  UmfraviUe,  Earl  of 
Anjou,  died  seized  of  the  manor  of  Aswarby  conjointly  with 
Matilda  his  wife.  "Inq.  ad.  q.  d.  8  E.  II."  In  1421  died  Sir 
Gilbert  de  UmfraviUe  seized  of  this  manor,  which  he  held  of  the 
Honour  of  Bolingbroke,  "  Inq.  p.  m.  9  H.  5."  In  1462  Edward 
IV.  granted  the  manor  of  Aswarby  to  Sir  John  Fogge,  after  the 
attainder  of  Sir  William  Tailboys  ;  but  it  was  subsequently 
restored  to  that  family,  and  eventually  inherited  by  Lady  Ambrose 
Dudley,  the  daughter  and  heir  of  Gilbert  Lord  Tailboys,  who 
sold  it  to  her  uncle,  Eobert  Carre,  of  Sleaford,  from  whom  it 
descended  to  his  sons  in  succession,  and  then  to  his  grandson 
Eochester,  son  of  Sir  Edward  and  brother  of  Sir  Eobert  Carre, 
who  held  it  of  the  Earl  of  Lincoln,  as  of  the  Castle  of  Falking- 
ham  at  an  annual  rent  of  6s.  8d.  "  Harl.  MSS.  758."  On  his 
death  as  a  lunatic,  the  manor  reverted  to  his  brother  Sir  Eobert, 
and  then  passed  to  his  son  the  Eight  Honourable  Sir  Eobert 
Carre,  and  his  young  grandson  Sir  Edward  Carre,  who  died 
under  age  in  1683.  The  manor  was  sold  by  Lord  Carre  Hervey 


334  ASWAKBY. 

to  Sir  Francis  Whichcote,  Bart.,  in  1723,  whose  descendant,  the 
present  Sir^Thomas  Whichcote,  still  possesses  it. 

Sir  Jeremy  "Whichcote,  the  1st  Baronet,  created  1660,  was 
Solicitor  General  to  the  Prince  Palatine,  and  Warden  of  the 
fleet  during  the  Commonwealth.  He  married  Anne,  daughter 
and  heir  of  Joseph  Grave,  Esq.,  by  whom  he  had  a  large  family 
and^was'succeeded  by  his  eldest  son,  Sir  Paul,  2nd  Bart.,  who 
married  Jane,  daughter  and  coheir  of  Sir  Nicholas  Gould,  Bart. 
He  died  in  1721,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Sir  Francis,  3rd 
Bart.,  M.P.  for  Cambridgeshire.  He  married,  first,  Mary,  only 
daughter  of  Joseph  Banks,  Esq.,  of  Revesby,  and  secondly, 
Frances,  daughter  of  Edward  Hall,  Esq.,  and  relict  of  Sir  Nevill 
Hickman,  Bart.,  of  Gainsborough.  He  died  in  1775,  and  by  his 
second  wife  left  as  his  heir  Sir  Christopher,  4th  Bart.,  who 
married  Jane,  daughter  and  coheir  of  Thomas  Whichcote,  Esq., 
Harpswell.  He  died  in  1785,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Sir 
Thomas,  5th  Bart,  High  Sheriff  for  Lincolnshire  in  1790.  He 
married  Diana,  daughter  of  Edward  Tumor,  Esq.,  of  Panton  and 
Stoke  Rochford,  and  died  in  1828,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son 
Sir  Thomas,  6th  Bart.,  who  married  Lady  Sophia  Sherard,  third 
daughter  of  Philip,  5th  Earl  of  Harborough.  He  died  in  1829, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Sir  Thomas,  the  7th  and  present  Bart., 
who  married,  first,  Marianne,  daughter  of  Henry  Becket,  Esq., 
and  secondly,  Isabella  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Sir  Henry  C. 
Montgomery,  Bart.,  by  whom  he  has  one  daughter. 

Aswarby  Hall  is  a  large  mansion,  a  small  part  of  which  is 
of  some  antiquity ;  the  park  and  grounds  around  it  are  flat,  but 
well  timbered.  The  cottages  in  the  village  and  the  buildings  on 
all  the  farms  are  of  an  excellent  description,  clearly  indicating  that 
they  belong  to  a  wealthy  landowner  who  desires  that  his  estate 
should  be  well  maintained.  Formerly  a  medicinal  spring, 
mentioned  by  Camden,  was  of  some  note,  but  its  fame  has  now 
entirely  passed  away. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTOKY. 

There  was  a  church  here  at  the  time  of  the  Conquest,  served 
by  a  priest  called  Ralph,  who  held  3£  carucates  of  land  in 
Aswarby,  the  profits  of  which  were  divided  into  two  parts. 


ASWARBY  CHURCH, 


ASWAEBY.  335 

Gilbert  de  Gant  became  the  possessor  of  these  by  the  gift  of  the 
Conqueror,  and  they  subsequently  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
Priors  of  Kyme. 

In  1225  Adam  de  Aswardby  was  elected  Abbot  of  Bardney 
Abbey,  over  which  he  presided  for  12  years.  In  1616  the  value 
of  the  rectory  was  £40  a  year,  and  Sir  Edward  Carre  was  the 
patron.  "  Willis's  MS.  p.  39."  The  following  is  a  list  of  the 
rectors  : — 

Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.          . — Gilbert  de  Byham,  presented  by  the  Prior  of 

Kyme. 
1263.— Hugo  de  Heckington. 

. — Robert  Daunce,  died  1460. 
. — Stephen  Scarbruth  (Scarborough),  died  1537. 
. — William  Jones,  died  1580. 
.—William  Williams,  died  1616. 
1660.— William  Wood. 
1680.— Francis  Hopes. 
1714. — John  Mason. 
!748.--William  Bassett. 
1754, — Eichard  Brown. 
1777.— Nathaniel  North. 
1814. — John  Hanmer. 
1818.— Francis  Whichcote. 
1850.— Christopher  Whichcote. 

The  old  rectory  house  stood  on  the  south  side  of  the  churchyard, 
but  was  taken  down  when  the  present  one  was  substituted  for  it. 


THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  dedicated  in  honour  of  St  Dionysius  or  Dennis,  and 
consists  of  a  tower  and  spire,  a  lofty  nave,  a  north  aisle,  porch 
and  chance},  On  examining  its  various  features  it  will  be  readily 
seen  that  the  whole  fabric  has  been  more  or  less  completely 
rebuilt  at  two  distinct  periods,  and  also  that  this  operation  was 
repeated  some  30  years  ago.  From  the  evidence  of  the  fine  old 
doorway  within  the  porch  on  the  north  side  of  the  nave,  and  the 
font,  we  are  assured  that  a  church  stood  here  when  the  Norman 
style  of  architecture  was  in  the  act  of  being  exchanged  for  that 


336 


ASWAEBY. 


of  the  Early  English.  The  first  feature  is  a  very  beautiful 
specimen  of  its  kind.  The  head  is  semicircular,  and  the  whole 
consists  of  three  members  supported  by  as  many  pillars  on  the 
jambs  below.  The  inner  pair  and  the  corresponding  moulding 
above  are  thickly  banded,  and  the  foliated  caps  of  the  others 
vary  in  their  treatment  in  common  with  them.  Besides  being 
beautifully  and  effectively  moulded,  the  head  of  the  doorway  is 
enriched  with  two  series  of  four-leaved  flowers.  The  font  is  a 
large  and  curious  one  of  the  same  period.  It  resembles  a  circular 
stone  well-head,  to  which  are  attached  four  pillars  at  equal 
distances,  the  foliation  of  each  cap  being  prolonged  so  as  to  trail 
over  the  adjoining  surface  of  the  bowl.  This  and  the  before- 
mentioned  doorway  are  of  the  last  quarter  of  the  12th  century. 
Next  we  have  some  Decorated  work  in  the  aisle  and  its  arcade. 
This  last  consists  of  three  clustered  and  filleted  pillars  and  their 
responds,  supporting  four  well-moulded  arches.  The  aisle  is 
lighted  by  a  two-light  window  at  each  end,  and  two  others  towards 
the  east  end  of-  its  north  wall.  How  far  the  older  church  here  • 
succumbed  to  this  newer  style  can  not  now  be  ascertained ;  but  it 
also  in  turn  was  afterwards  considered  inferior  to  the  subsequent 
Perpendicular  style,  when  the  greater  part  of  the  present  fabric 
was  erected,  viz  :  the  south  elevation  of  the  nave,  a  chancel  pre- 
ceding the  present  one  as  evidenced  by  the  present  chancel  arch, 
the  clerestory  with  its  range  of  six  windows  on  either  side,  and 
the  tower  and  spire.  These  last  are  imposing  at  a  distance, 
although  it  will  at  once  be  seen  that  the  latter  is  not  well  set 
upon  the  former,  and  that  its  apex  has  been  restored  in  a  clumsy 
manner,  while  on  a  nearer  view  the  usual  weak  details  of  the 
Perpendicular  style  will  detract  from  the  merit  of  both  tower 
and  spire. 

About  30  years  ago  the  chancel  and  porch  were  rebuilt; 
two  Decorated  windows,  copied  from  others  in  this  church,  were 
inserted  in  the  south  wall  of  the  nave,  and  it  was  re-roofed  and 
re-seated.  In  the  present  year  the  chancel,  separated  from  the 
nave  until  the  restoration  of  the  fabric  by  a  carved  oak  screen, 
has  been  supplied  with  handsome  seats  for  the  choir.  The 
staircase  formerly  leading  to  the  rood  loft  still  remains  at  the 
east  end  of  the  aisle  with  a  handsome  piscina  near  it,  and  a  plain 
one  opposite,  indicates  the  former  existence  of  a  chapel  there. 
There  are  three  bells  in  the'  tower. 


ASWAEBY.  337 

The  following  memorials  were  observed  in  this  church,  by 
Holies,  viz :  in  a  window  of  the  chancel,  Gu,  a  cinquefoil  pierced 
within  an  orle  of  cross  crosslets  Or — Umfraville,  repeated  twice. 
Above  the  sedilia  in  the  chancel,  Arg,  3  escutcheons  Az — Lowd- 
ham,  and  Gu,  3  lucies  hauriant  Arg — Lucy.  On  the  chancel 
screen — once  richly  gilt — he  saw,  Gu,  a  chevron  between  10  cross 
crosslets  Or — Kyme,  Arg,  a  saltire  Sa  on  a  chief  Gu  3  escallops 
of  the  first — Tailboys  ;  also  Umfraville  and  another.  Of  these, 
the  shields  bearing  Umfraville  and  Tailboys  still  remained  upon 
the  panels  of  the  western  face  of  the  screen  until  its  removal ; 
and  in  a  south  window,  probably  of  the  chancel,  this  legend  : — 

Orate  p.  aiabus  Dni  Robert!  Daunce  et  Johanne  uxoris  ems. 
Also  a  stone  slab  bearing  this  inscription  : — 

Hie  Jacet  Dns  Robertas  Dawnce  quondam  Rector  istius 
ccclie,  qui  obiit  xxviii  die  Januarii,  An  Dni  MCCCCIX 
cuius  anime  ppicietur  Deus.  Amen. 

In  the  north  aisle  was  a  stone  slab  bearing  this  epitaph  :  — 

Hie  Jacet  corpus  Willi  Jones  qui  obiit  ixo  die  Octobris 
A«  Dni  MDLXXX.  Vana.  Deum.  requiem,  sprevit. 
amavit.  habet. 

Also  near  the  door — probably  the  southern  one — another  slab 
thus  inscribed : — 

Hie  Jacet  Willus  Dymson,  et  Johanna  uxor  ejus,  qui 
obiit  Vto.  die  Augusti  Ano  Dni  MDLVIII,  cuius  aie 
ppicietur  Dius.  Amen. 

All  of  these  are  now  gone.  The  only  monument  of  any  interest 
still  preserved  here,  excepting  quite  modern  ones,  is  a  marble 
tablet  in  the  chancel  commemorating  Francis  Hopes,  a  former 
rector,  who  died  1704,  and  his  wife  Christiana,  whose  daughter, 
of  the  same  name,  was  the  second  wife  of  Sir  Stephen  Fox,  by 
whom  he  had  a  son,  Stephen,  created  Earl  of  Ilchester. 


AUNSBY. 


AdiEAGE, 

1200. 


POPULATION, 
1861—140.     1871—139. 


THIS  parish  lies  5  miles  south,  west  of  Sleaford.  Its  name 
was  formerly  spelt  Ounesbi  or  Ounesby.  According  to 
Domesday  Book  its  land  consisted  of  7  carucates,  2  bovates  of 
inland,  70  acres  of  meadow,  and  6  acres  of  underwood,  upon 
which  were  25  sokemen,  when  that  computation  was  taken. 
Part  of  it  lay  within  the  soke  of  Wido  de  Rernbrudcurts'  manor 
of  Scot  Willoughby.  In  the  12th  century  Cristina  Belet  or  Ledet 
held  one  knight's  fee  here  of  the  King,  when  she  had  let  it  to 
Nicholas  do  Ounesby  by  knight's  service.  "  Testa  de  Nevill." 
Subsequently  through  the  marriage  of  Lucy,  daughter  of  Michael 
Belet,  with  John  Pigot,  it  passed  to  the  the  Pigpt  family,  of 
whom  John,  son  of  Baldwin  de  Pigot,  knight,  of  Dodington,  sold 
the  manor  and  all  its  appurtenances  in  1318,  to  William  de 
Baiocis,  clerk,  who  derived  the  means  of  making  this  purchase 
through  the  will  of  Eobert  de  Lasey  or  Lucy,  Treasurer  of 
Lincoln  Cathedral.  Five  years  later  he  left  it  in  trust  to  Eichard 
de  Hiltoft,  John  de  Bratingham,  and  Eobert  de  Luda,  chaplains 
and  vicars  of  the  choir  of  Lincoln  Cathedral,  for  the  purpose  of 
making  it  over  to  the  Dean  and  Chapter,  on  condition  of  their 
finding  three  chaplains  to  say  masses  for  their  souls  and  thosQ  of 
all  the  faithful,  with  the  consent  of  William,  de  Waure,  who 
held  the  manor  of  Sir  William  Latymer,  by  each  of  whom,  and 
by  William  Latymer,  son  of  Sir  William,  consent  was  given  to 
this  deed.  "Lib.  de  ordinationibus  cantariarum,  f.  146,"  and 
"  Pip.  Eot.  17  E.  2."  The  validity  of  this  transaction  however 
was  questioned  by  John  Pigot  in  1326,  and  the  manor  was 
transferred  according  to  his  will,  but  charged  with  a  small  annual 
payment  of  13d.  for  the  purpose  of  saying  masses  for  the  souls 
of  his  above-named  executors  on  their  anniversary  day.  Subse- 
quently the  Prioress  of  Stixwold  became  possessed  of  lands  here, 
held  by  Anna,  widow  of  John  Slidolph,  who  died  June  1st,  1525. 


AUNSBY.  339 

These  consisted  of  300  acres  of  arable  land,  60  of  meadow,  and 
60  of  pasture;  besides  a  rent  of  6s.,  4  messuages,  and  4  cot- 
tages.. "  Harl.  MS.  758." 


ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

The  Prior  of  Croxton  at  one  time  held  the  patronage  of 
Aunsby  church,  but  his  right  was  disputed  in  1305  by  Baldwin 
Pigot,  who  claimed  it  through  the  marriage  of  his  grandfather, 
John  Pigot,  with  the  daughter  of  Michael  Belet,  who  thus 
acquired  not  only  all  the  vill  of  Aunsby,  but  also  its  advowson, 
according  to  his  statement.  How  the  dispute  was  settled  is  not 
recorded.  In  1371  some  property  in  Aunsby  was  given  by  Canon 
Richard  Whitlock  towards  founding  two  chantries  in  Lincoln 
Cathedral  for  the  benefit  of  the  soul  of  the  donor,  and  that  of  the 
King — Edward  III.  In  1376  a  payment  from  the  manor  of  this 
vill  was  given  to  a  mass  priest  towards  saying  masses  for  the 
soul  of  John  Ginwell,  Bishop  of  Lincoln. 

In  the  14th  century  William  Pilet,  of  Scredington,  founded 
a  chantry  at  Aunsby  according  to  the  following  record : — An 
agreement  by  indenture  was  entered  into  between  the  Dean  and 
Chapter  of  Lincoln  on  the  one  part,  and  William  Pylet,  of 
Scredington  on  the  other,  in  1384,  by  which  the  former  and 
their  succesors  were  to  find  a  chaplain  to  celebrate  divine  service 
in  the  parochial  church  of  Aunsby,  in  Kesteven,  in  the  chapel 
of  St.  Nicholas,  for  the  souls  of  Walter  de  Ounesby,  his  father 
and  mother,  brothers,  sisters,  kinsfolks,  friends,  all  his  benefac- 
tors, and  all  the  faithful,  for  ever.  The  chaplain  was  also  to  pray 
for  the  good  estate  of  William  Pilet  and  Margery  his  wife  while 
they  lived,  and  for  their  souls  and  those  of  all  their  kin,  friends, 
and  benefactors  when  they  died;  he  and  his  successors  were 
also  bound  to  celebrate  every  week  in  the  chapel  of  the  blessed 
Mary  at  Croketon  (Croxton),  viz  :  on  Wednesday  and  Saturday, 
for^  the  souls  of  the  same.  For  this  service  he  was  to  receive  a 
competent  salary  from  the  lands  and  tenements  which  had 
formerly  belonged  to  the  said  Walter  at  Aunsby  and  Croxton  as 
was  agreed  upon  between  the  said  Dean  and  Chapter  and  the 
chaplain,  and  in  such  a  way  that  the  said  chantry  was  never  to 
cease,  so  long  as  the  said  lands  and  tenements  were  found  to  be 


340 


AUNSBY. 


adequate  for  the  support  of  the  burdens  of  the  same  ;  but  when- 
ever that  was  not  the  case,  the  chaplain  was  to  celebrate  for  the 
said  souls  according  to  the  quantity  and  the  portion  of  the  value 
of  the  possessions  ;  or  he  was  according  to  his  discretion  to  pray, 
or  perform  other  good  works,  as  often  as  those  possessions 
sufficed  for  the  finding  of  a  chaplain,  when  he  was  bound  to 
perform  the  aforesaid  services.  The  seals  of  the  Dean  and 
Chapter,  and  of  William  Pilet  were  affixed  to  this  indenture  in 
the  Chapter  house  at  Lincoln,  on  the  Saturday  after  the  feast  of 
St.  Bartholomew,  1384.  "  Lib.  de  ordinat.  cant.  f.  355. " 

At  the  suppression  of  chantries  the  incumbent  was  72  years 
old,  and  had  no  other  preferment.  The  profits  were  then  as 
follows  :  An  annual  rent  of  £2  13s.  4d.  issuing  from  all  the  lands, 
tenements,  and  hereditaments  soever  belonging  to  the  Dean  and 
Chapter,  payable  at  the  feast  of  St.  Mary  the  Yirgin  and  St. 
Michael,  and  a  cottage  in  the  tenure  of  John  Austyn,  rented  at 
3s. ;  also  the  firm  of  a  tenement  and  12  acres  of  land  lying  in 
the  vill  and  plains  of  Aunsby,  let  to  John  Bydell,  and  payable 
as  above,  12s.  Out  of  these  emoluments  3d.  was  paid  to  the 
Duke  of  Suffolk  as  to  the  monastery  of  Nocton  Park.  The  goods 
were  valued  at  12d.,  and  the  jewels  weighed  5  ounces.  The 
chaplain  received  a  pension  of  £3  5s.  2d. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  rectors  of  Aunsby  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.          . Armstrong. 

1670.— Eichard  Calcroft. 

1671.— William  Colthurst. 

1692.— Eobert  Fish. 

1694. — Henry  Williamson. 

1709.— William  Bass. 

1711. — Benjamin  Stokes. 
. — Robert;  Sampson. 

1721.  —John  Adcock. 

1753.— Emanuel  Langford. 

1778.— John  Baker. 

1786. — George  Hickes. 

1800.— Michael  Thorold. 

1836. — Arthur  Leapingwell. 

1856. — Octavius  Luard. 


AUNSBY  CHURCH. 


AUNSBY.  341 

THE  CHUKCH. 

This  is  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Thomas  a  Becket,  and 
from  the  age  of  some  of  its  features,  and  the  beauty  of  others, 
well  repays  investigation  on  the  part  of  ecclesiologists.  It  would 
scarcely  be  suspected  that  the  whole  of  the  beautiful  early 
Decorated  tower  and  spire  had  been  entirely  re-built  very  lately, 
from  the  excellent  and  careful  manner  in  which  this  operation  was 
carried  out.  The  details  of  the  spire-lights  are  delicately  finished, 
and  a  crown-like  finial  of  a  later  period  surmounts  the  legend 
of  "  Ave  Maria,"  cut  in  separated  letters  just  below  it.  The  slits 
for  lighting  the  tower  stairs  are  curiously  contrived.  The  aisles 
partly  overlap  the  chancel,  and  the  southern  one,  of  an  early 
Perpendicular  character,  is  very  pleasing  ;  above  the  sills  proper 
of  its  windows  is  a  structural  filling-in,  or  stone  panelling. 

Within,  the  Norman  north  arcade  with  the  varied  and 
pendent  details  of  its  pillar  capitals  is  striking.  This  was  in  a 
most  dangerous  condition,  partly  from  a  rash  incision  made 
through  its  eastern  end,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  access  to  the 
rood  loft,  and  partly  from  the  failure  of  its  foundations ;  but  it 
has  now  been  set  in  order  very  satisfactorily.  When  the  modest 
Perpendicular  aisle  beyond  was  built,  it  was  not  carried  on  so  far 
eastward  as  its  predecessor,  from  the  evidence  of  a  piscina  now 
seen  externally  in  the  chancel  wall,  whilst  its  present  east  end 
cuts  off  a  portion  of  the  wall  opening  into  the  chancel.  The 
piers  of  the  chancel  arch  are  Norman,  but  these  have  been 
subsequently  surmounted  by  a  later  arch.  At  the  east  end  of 
the  south  aisle  was  formerly  a  chapel,  enclosed  by  a  coped  wall 
four  feet  high,  and  having  a  stone  bench  within,  evidences  of 
which  still  remain ;  here  is  also  a  rude  bracket  piscina.  The 
east  window  of  the  chancel  is  new.  The  fine  old  Norman  font, 
at  the  other  extremity  of  the  church,  has  a  remarkably  good 
effect  there. 

Gervase  Holies  observed  the  following  memorials  in  Aunsby 
church  when  he  visited  it,  viz.,  this  fragment  of  an  epitaph : — 

Priez  pour  lalme  Walter  de  Ownsby  q.  dona 

On  a  brass  inserted  in  the  wall : — 

Orate  pro  anima  Christopher!  Hogekinson  quondam 

manerii  de  Ownesby,  qui  obiit  xx°  die 

Decembris,  Anno  Domini  MDXCIIII. 
Z 


342 


AUNSBY. 


On  the  base  of  a  stone  tomb  on  the  left  hand  side  of  the  chancel : 
Johannis  Colthirst,  patris  Johis,  gui  vixit  1600. 

A  flat  stone  still  remains  in  the  pavement  of  the  chancel,  having 

this  inscription  : — 

Here  lyeth  the  body  of Calthurst,  Gentleman 

of  Ownsby,  who  was  buried  2  day  of  December,  Anno 
Dni,  1627. 


BURTON  PEDWARDINE. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

1800.  1861—135.     1871—161. 

BEFOEE  the  Conquest  Adestan  and  Azor  were  the  principal 
Saxon  landowners  here.  Subsequently  their  lands  were 
bestowed  upon  Wido  de  Credon  and  Ivo  Tailbois.  The  first  of 
these  new  Norman  lords  allowed  the  unfortunate  Adestan  to 
retain  10  carucates  of  what  had  been  his  own  land  as  tenant  of 
the  same,  who  had  30  sokemen  and  9  villans.  Of  the  rest, 
reckoned  at  17  carucates,  he  retained  in  demesne  5  carucates. 
Besides  these  plough  lands  there  were  120  acres  of  meadow,  12 
bordars  having  11£  carucates  of  land,  and  a  mill  worth  2s.  a 
year.  The  whole  annual  value  in  King  Edward's  time  was  £6 
and  subsequently  £8,  tallaged  at  40s.  Ivo  Tailbois's  land  here 
was  mixed  up  with  other  land  in  Ewerby  Thorpe.  It  consisted 
of  14  carucates  of  land.  Part  of  this  was  occupied  by  Azor,  who 
had  3  villans  under  him,  and  2  bordars  having  2  carucates  of 
plough  land,  300  acres  of  underwood,  and  13  acres  of  meadow. 
The  annual  value  in  King  Edward's  time  was  30s.,  subsequently 
20s.  Gilbert  de  Grant  also  possessed  2  carucates  in  this  parish 
belonging  to  his  manor  of  Falkingham.  Wido  de  Credon,  of 
Bretagne,  whose  family  name  subsequently  assumed  the  form  of 
Croun,  received  from  the  Conqueror  in  return  for  the  services  he 
had  rendered  him,  lands  in  60  parishes  of  Lincolnshire  and 
others  in  Leicestershire.  The  chief  seat  of  his  barony  was  at 
Freiston,  where  he  built  a  residence  for  himself.  His  manor  of 
Burton  consisted  of  10  carucates  of  plough  land,  120  acres  of 
meadow,  and  a  mill  worth  2s.  a  year.  It  had  also  appurten- 
ances in  Heckington,  Aswarby,  and  Mareham.  Wido  himself 
had  3  carucates,  30  sokemen,  9  villans,  and  12  bordars  cultivating 
1 1  A-  carucates.  The  whole  was  worth  £6  in  King  Edward's  time, 
subsequently  £8,  and  was  tallaged  at  40s.  It  is  doubtful  whether 
Wido's  eldest  son  Godfrey,  the  first  Prior  of  Freiston,  succeeded 
him,  but  certainly  his  second  son  Alan  eventually  became  his 


344  BUETON  PEDWAEDINE. 

heir.  He  was  called  "  Open  door  "  from  his  great  hospitality, 
and  was  Grand  Steward  of  the  Household  to  Henry  I.,  by  whom 
he  was  summoned  to  Parliament  as  Baron  Oredon.  He  founded 
Freiston  Priory  1142,  and  when  Orowland  Abbey  was  rebuilt  he 
laid  one  of  its  foundation  stones,  and  placed  upon  it  the  gift  of 
the  church  of  Freiston.  He  died  1150,  and  was  buried  on  the 
north  side  of  the  high  altar  of  that  famous  Abbey.  By  his  wife 
Muriel  de  Bellechamp  he  had  a  son  Maurice,  made  Governor  of 
Anjou  and  Maine  by  Henry  II.  He  married  Clarissa,  or  Isabella, 
sister  to  William  de  Yalence,  who  after  his  death  married  the 
Duke  of  Burgundy. 

Their  son  Wido  succeeded,  who  accompanied  Richard  I.  to 
Palestine,  and  was  present  when  the  treaty  took  place  between 
Richard  and  Tancred,  1190.  He  was  a  benefactor  to  Haver- 
holme  Priory  and  to  the  Templars.  He  married  Isabella, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Bassett  and  widow  of  Albert  de  Qresley. 
Their  heiress  daughter  Petronilla  de  Credon  married  William  de 
Longchamp,  son  of  William  Abbot,  of  Crowland,  and  nephew  to 
the  Bishop  of  Ely.  At  this  time  both  manors  in  Burton  were 
held  by  the  de  Credon  heiress,  who  then  possessed  here  5  caru- 
cates  of  the  old  enfeoffment,  4  oxgangs  of  which  were  let  to 
Lambert  de  Quaplode,  and  a  similar  quantity  to  Peter  Angevin. 
"Testa  de  Nevill,  pp.  322,  340."  She  subsequently  married 
Henry  de  Mara  or  de  Meris,  and  lastly  Oliver  de  Vallibus,  by 
whom  she  had  a  son,  John  de  Vallibus,  who  inherited  his 
mother's  manor  of  Freiston,  and  died  circa  1280.  Henry  de 
Longchamp  succeeded  to  the  Burton  manor.  He  married  Sibilla, 
daughter  of  Thomas  de  Herrigrande,  Earl  of  Suffolk.  He  gave 
lands  in  Burton  to  the  Abbot  of  Crowland  in  perpetual  alms,  and 
two  days  before  his  death  2  oxgangs  of  land  in  Hale,  together 
with  his  body  for  burial  in  Crowland  Abbey. 

He  had  a  son  William,  living  3  E.  2  ;  but  who  died  before 
him,  so  that  his  only  daughter  Alice  became  his  heiress,  married 
to  Eoger  Pedwardyn  or  Pedwardine*  son  and  heir  of  Walter 


*  He  derived  his  name  from  Pedwardine,  a  small  lordship  containing 
about  700  acres  in  the  parish  of  Brampton  Brian,  Herefordshire.  Most 
probably  he  possessed  that  lordship,  and  certainly  his  family  was  connected 
with  it,  as  one  of  its  members  was  called  Brian  in  the  14th  century,  and 
Christopher^  son  of  Roger  Pedwardine,  High  Sheriff  of  Lincolnshire,  1430-1, 


ONTARIO 


BUETON  PEDWARDINE.  345 

Pedwardine  and  Maude  his  second  wife,  daughter  of  John 
Lyngayne.  Thus  the  manor  of  Burton  passed  from  the  Creon 
family  through  that  of  Longchamp  to  Roger  Pedwardine,  whose 
name  is  still  associated  with  this  parish.  In  1312  Eoger  Ped- 
wardine alienated  the  manor  to  Bartholomew  de  Baddlesmere  for 
a  payment  of  £20  a  year,  "Ah.  Rot.  orig.  5  E.  2,"  and  five  years 
later  paid  the  King  a  fine  of  £10  for  a  licence  to  do  so  again 
"  Pip.  Rot.  11  E.  2  "  ;  but  this  was  only  a  temporary  alienation, 
as  he  certainly  lived  at  Burton  the  greater  part  of  his  life  after 
his  marriage,  and  died  1 340  seized  both  of  it  and  of  the  manor 
of  Clipstone,  Northamptonshire,  in  right  of  his  wife,  who  had 
inherited  it  from  John  de  Lacy,  Earl  of  Lincoln.  He  was 
succeeded  by  his  son  Roger,  who  married  Agnes,  daughter  and 
co-heir  of  Philip  Darcy,  of  Nocton,  and  died  1368.  This  son  and 
heir,  Walter,  knighted  1358,  enjoyed  the  manor  of  Burton  with 
its  members  by  the  service  of  one  barony,  half  the  manor  of 
Nocton  and  the  advowson  of  Flixborough,  as  parcel  of  the  barony 
of  Darcy,  the  manor  of  Thorntoft,  in  the  parish  of  Leake,  of  the 
Honour  of  Richmond,  and  the  manors  of  Friskney,  Croft,  and 
Dalby.  He  married  Isabella,  daughter  and  heir  of  Sir  Robert 
Hilton,  and  Mary,  his  wife,  daughter  of  Sir  Marmaduke  Tweng, 
and  died  June  llth,  1405. 

Thomas  de  Roos,  of  Hamlake,  next  possessed  the  manor  of 
Burton  as  a  descendant  of  Oliver  de  Yallibus  or  Vaux,  third 
husband  of  Petronilla  de  Croun.  His  son  John  de  Vallibus 
having  left  two  co-heir  daughters,  the  second  of  whom — Maude — 
married  William  de  Roos,  lord  of  Hamlake  and  Freiston. 
Thomas  de  Roos  died  1415,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  and 
heir,  John  de  Roos,  who  died  1421.  The  manor  of  Burton  then 
reverted  to  Sir  Robert  Pedwardine,  who  married  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Robert  or  Edward  Pierpont.  John  Auteyn,  of 
Burton,  granted  all  his  lands  and  tenements  here  to  Sir  Robert  by 
a  deed  dated  December  7th,  19  R.  2.  He  died  April  26th,  1432. 
His  eldest  son,  Walter,  lived  at  Thorntoft,  but  died  before  his 
father,  possessed  of  that  manor,  and  lands  in  Friskney  and 


is  termed  of  Brompton,  i.e.  Brampton,  in  a  contemporary  deed,  as  if  he 
retained  some  rights  or  interest  in  that  lordship.  Pedwardine  is  still 
connected  with  the  title  of  a  noble  family,  the  Earl  of  Kirkwall  being  also 
Baron  Hay,  of  Pedwardine,  and  sitting  in  the  House  of  Lords  as  such. 


346  BUETOX  PEDWARDINE. 

Wrangle,  and  was  buried  in  Friskney  church.  He  married,  first, 
Katharine,  daughter  of  John  Ingleby,  of  Ripley,  Yorkshire,  and 
secondly,  Katharine,  daughter  of  Sir  John  Markham,  of  Notts., 
the  widow  of  Matthew  Leake. 

Their  son,  Roger,  accompanied  the  King  to  France,  and  was 
Sheriff  of  Lincolnshire,  1441-2.  He  paid  his  relief  for  half  the 
manor  of  Stanley,  in  Westmoreland,  1439,  and  the  same  year 
was  fined  for  not  taking  up  the  order  of  knighthood.  He  was 
also  fined  40s.  for  an  improper  return  of  a  brief  connected  with 
Hamond  Sutton,  of  Burton.  He  married  Beatrice,  daughter  of 
Matthew  Leake,  and  his  own  step-mother.  Their  son,  Christopher 
Pedwardine,  of  Brompton,  Salop,  succeeded,  who  alienated  all 
his  lands  in  this  parish.  Thomas  Daniel,  a  Lancastrian,  next 
possessed  it  together  with  the  advowson  of  the  church,  but 
forfeited  it  on  his  attainder  in  1464  ;  when  it  was  granted  to  Sir 
William  Hussey.  Then  for  the  last  time  we  hear  of  the  name 
of  Pedwardine  in  connexion  with  Burton,  when  Sir  Walter 
Pedwardine  paid  his  relief  for  the  whole  barony  of  Darcy,  and 
for  the  lands  of  Elizabeth,  late  wife  of  Sir  William  Hussey, 
including  the  manor  of  Burton. 

In  1552  Sir  Thomas  Horsman,  of  Mareham,  obtained  from 
the  King  a  grant  of  the  manor — commonly  called  Hussey's  lands, 
forfeited  for  high  treason,  and  some  land  that  had  belonged  to 
Swineshead  Abbey.  "Harl.  MS.  6829."  He  died  November 
26th,  1610,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  nephew  Thomas,  who 
married  Mary,  daughter  of  John  Tredwaye,  of  Easton,  North- 
amptonshire, and  died  possessed  of  the  manor  of  Burton  and 
Mareham  grange,  April  2nd,  1631. 

Grants  of  Mareham  to  the  Horsmans  were  repeatedly 
made,  viz:  in  1531,  1542,  1551-2,  and  1564,  who  held  it  of  the 
Crown  by  military  service.  "Harl.  MS.  6829."  Sir  Thomas 
Horsman  let  Mareham  in  1565  to  Thomas  Fulbeck,  who  lived 
there  until  his  death,  and  subsequently  to  Simon  Hall.  At 
Thomas  Horsman' s  death  his  lands  at  Burton  and  Mareham 
passed  to  his  daughter,  the  wife  of  Sir  Cha'rles  Orby,  Bart.,  then 
to  his  brother  Sir  Thomas,  and  lastly  to  his  daughter  and  heir 
the  wife  of  Eobert  Hunter,  Esq.  The  estate  then  descended  to 
his  son  Thomas  Orby  Hunter,  Esq.,  who  sold  it  to  Mr.  Benjamin 
Handley,  about  1808.  Subsequently  it  was  inherited  by  Henry 
Handley,  Esq.,  M.P.  for  the  Southern  Division  of  Lincolnshire, 


BUKTON  PEDWAEDINE.  347 

and  then  by  his  son  Captain  Handley,  who  sold  the  estate  to  the 
present  owners  of  the  same  in  1864. 

Three  acres  of  land  in  Spanby  were  left  by  an  unknown 
person  to  the  parish  of  Burton.  This  is  now  let  for  £6  a  year, 
and  after  augmentation  by  the  parishioners,  is  distributed  to  the 
poor  on  St.  Thomas's  day. 

Some  members  of  the  Yorke  family,  descended  from  a 
merchant,  probably  deriving  his  name  from  that  of  the  city  of 
York,  lived  here  towards  the  close  of  the  17th  century  and  during 
the  following  one.  The  present  principal  landowners  are,  Sir 
Thomas  Whichcote,  Bart.,  Eetford  Hospital,  the  Rev.  B.  Snow, 
Mr.  Erasmus  Tomlinson,  Mr.  Millns,  Mr.  Gr.  Hercock,  Mr. 
E  arrant,  and  Mr.  Ward. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTOEY. 


There  was  a  church  here  when  Domesday  Book  was  com- 
piled, and  a  priest  serving  it.  Wido  de  Credon  gave  certain 
lands  in  Burton  to  God  and  St.  Nicholas  for  the  good  of  the 
souls  of  King  William  and  Queen  Maude,  that  the  Lord  might 
grant  him  success  in  life,  and  bring  him  to  a  good  end. 

In  1114,  Matilda,  daughter  of  Alan  and  Muriel  de  Oroun, 
after  laying  the  fifth  stone  of  the  east  wall  of  the  choir  of  Crow- 
land  Abbey,  placed  upon  it  the  title  to  the  patronage  of  Burton 
church. 

In  1191,  Henry  de  Longchamp,  son  and  heir  of  Petronilla 
de  Croun,  gave  to  the  altar  of  the  blessed  Mary  at  Burton,  in  the 
presence  of  his  brother  William,  and  to  the  vicar  ministering 
there,  3  acres  of  arable  land  in  Burton,  to  provide  'a  wax  candle 
of  half-a-pound  weight  to  be  burnt  every  festival  upon  the  altar 
at  mass  time,  and  to  insure  the  saying  of  a  weekly  mass  at  the 
altar  for  his  soul  and  the  souls  of  his  heirs  and  all  the  faithful, 
when  the  said  candle  was  to  be  lighted.  Any  vicat1  neglecting 
these  conditions  was  by  power  of  the  grant  subject  to  distraint 
on  the  part  of  the  donor  and  his  heirs.  He  died  1274,  when  his 
heart  was  buried  before  the  above-named  altar.  "  Inq.  p.  m.  3 
E.  1."  Alice,  daughter  and  heir  of  Henry  de  Longchamp,  and 
wife  of  Sir  Roger  Pedwardine,  after  her  death  1330,  was  buried 
on  the  north  side  of  the  above-named  chapel  near  her  father's 


348  BUETON  PEDWARDINE. 

heart.  In  grateful  memory  of  his  last  wife,  Sir  Roger  rebuilt 
this  chapel  and  the  greater  part  of  the  church  to  which  it  was 
attached;  but  the  parishioners  rebuilt  the  south  aisle  and  the 
chapel  of  St.  Nicholas  attached  to  it.  He  was  aided  in  this  work 
by  a  Papal  Bull  granting  an  indulgence  of  520  days  to  all  who 
would  contribute  towards  it.  Sir  Walter  Pedwardine,  grandson 
of  Sir  Roger,  by  his  will,  dated  1404,  bequeathed  his  body  to  be 
buried  in  the  chapel  of  the  Assumption  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  at 
Burton,  near  to  his  parents,  and  left  to  it  a  ruby  coloured  vest- 
ment (i.e.  a  chasuble)  with  its  orphrey,  two  silver  phials,  six 
pounds  of  wax  to  make  two  torches  to  be  placed  at  the  head  and 
foot  of  his  corpse  on  his  burial  day,  and  nine  ells  of  russet  cloth 
to  cover  the  same,  which  was  afterwards  to  be  given  to  three 
poor  persons.  "Repingdon's  Register,  6  b." 

In  1616  the  vicarage  was  valued  at  £26  13s.  4d.  a  year. 
"  Willis's  MSS.  f.  39." 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  vicars  of  Burton  as  far  as  can 
be  ascertained : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1280. — John   de   Puson,    presented  by  the  Abbot   of 

Crowland. 
1616.— William  Westhall,  presented  by  Thomas  Hors- 

man. 

1643. — Samuel  Lee,  indicted  for  high  treason  at  Grran- 
tham  for  taking  part  with  the  Parliament,  and 
afterwards  ejected  from  his  living  by  the  Act  of 
Uniformity  in  1662. 
1663. — Jeremiah  Goodknapp. 
1681.— Peter  Bold. 
1702.— John  Sedgwick. 
1717 . — Edward  Jones. 
1732.— Philip  Sedgwick. 
1737. — James  Dove. 
17«8.— William  NickoUs. 
1744.— William  Gery. 
1787. — William  Braithwaite. 
1800.— Lewis  Jones. 
1833. — Henry  Cheales. 
1837. — Henry  Handley  Brown. 
1859. — Benjamin  Snow. 


BUETON  PEDWAEDINE.  349 

THE  CHUKCH. 

The  church,  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Andrew,  known  to 
have  been  rebuilt  by  Sir  Eoger  Pedwardine  and  the  parishioners 
1330-40,  consisted  of  a  central  tower,  a  nave,  transeptal  chapels, 
aisles,  and  a  chancel.  This  remained  until  1802,  when  a  sad 
catastrophe  occurred  through  the  previous  long  neglect  of  the 
ancient  fabric.  Then,  as  the  tower  shewed  evident  signs  of 
weakness,  the  materials  of  the  chapel  of  St.  Nicholas  were  taken 
to  build  up  a  large  pier  against  its  south-eastern  angle,  and  a 
girdle  of  iron  was  thought  sufficient  to  ensure  its  stability  in 
conjunction  with  this  pier;  but  when  the  workmen  were  em- 
ployed in  putting  up,  scaffolding  for  this  purpose  the  upper 
portion  of  the  south-western  angle  of  the  tower  suddenly  fell, 
partly  upon  the  roof  of  the  church,  but  principally  upon  that  of 
the  south  aisle,  so  as  almost  entirely  to  destroy  it.  The  rest  of 
the  tower  and  its  bells  still  stood,  but  for  safety's  sake  were  pulled 
down,  and  the  next  year  the  whole  of  the  church,  except  St. 
Mary's  chapel,  was  taken  down,  and  a  very  poor  successor  erected 
in  its  place.  This  consisted  simply  of  a  small  nave  having 
semicircular  headed  windows  and  a  little  tower  scarcely  higher 
than  the  roof  of  the  nave,  whilst  the  remainder  of  the  materials 
of  the  old  church  served  the  purpose  of  aiding  the  construction 
of  a  farm  house  in  the  parish. 

Holies  observed  the  following  armorial  bearings  in  the 
windows  of  the  old  church,  viz :  in  the  east  window  of  the 
chancel,  Or,  2  lions  passant  or — Pedwardine,  and  Lozengy  or  & 
gu — Croun.  In  an  upper  north  window  Pedwardine  thrice  again, 
one  shield  having  the  difference  of  a  label  of  5  arg.  In  a 
south  window  Pedwardine,  and  Or,  3  crescents  gu  each  charged 
with  a  plate— Longchamp.  Also  the  Pedwardine  crest  twice — 
out  of  a  crown  gu,  a  lion's  paw  or.  In  a  window  of  St.  Mary's 
chapel  he  saw  depicted  the  two  heiresses  of  Burton  in  a  kneeling 
posture,  viz :  Petronilla  Croun  with  her  bearings  on  her  robe 
holding  up  a  shield  charged  with  those  of  William  Longchamp, 
her  husband;  and  Alice  Longchamp,  similarly  pourtrayed, 
holding  a  shield  charged  with  the  bearings  of  her  husband — 
Eoger  Pedwardine. 

Very  lately  this  church  has  been  again  entirely  rebuilt,  when 
the  interesting  little  14th  century  chapel  was  once  more  spared. 


350  BUETON  PEDWAEDINE. 

It  now  consists  of  a  smaU  nave  and  chancel,  substantially  built 
in  the  Decorated  style,  with  a  little  be,ll-cot  surmounted  by  a 
crocketed  spirelet  above  its  western  gable  and  a  pretty  cross  on 
the  eastern  one.  The  nave  is  lighted  by  two  single-light 
windows  in  the  southern  wall,  three  similar  ones  in  the  north 
wall,  and  a  good  three-light  window  at  the  west  end.  At  the 
east  end  of  the  chaneel  is  a  three-light  window.  The  roofs  are 
substantial  and  well-pitched. 

In  pulling  down  the  former  church  several  portions  of 
Norman  tombstones,  having  the  intertwining  ornamentation  of 
that  period  carved  upon  them  were  discovered,  as  well  as  part  of 
a  hood-mould ;  also  some  pieces  of  Early  English  work,  all 
of  which  have  been  inserted  in  the  west  wall  of  the  new  church 
for  their  preservation.  The  base  of  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  old 
fabric,  found  at  the  same  time,  is  now  used  as  a  credence  on  the 
north  side  of  the  chancel.  There  were  also  found  at  the  same 
time  fragments  of  a  beautifully  carved  font  and  part  of  a  church- 
yard cross. 

St  Mary's  chapel,  now  serving  as  a  vestry,  is  an  interesting 
relic  of  Eoger  Pedwardine's  church.  It  has  good  base  mouldings 
and  angle  buttresses  enriched  with  pedimented  crocketed  niches, 
and  a  well-moulded  three-light  window  in  its  north  and.  east 
walls.  In  its  west  wall  is  an  arch  formerly  opening  into  the 
north  aisle  of  the  old  church,  and  another  on  the  south  com- 
municating with  the  present  church.  This  had  been  filled  up 
when  Sir  Thomas  Horsman  or  his  family  took  possession  of  this 
chapel  for  a  burying  place,  and  a  little  new  door  made  by  its 
side  to  provide  access  to  it,  but  has  now  been  very  properly 
restored. 

In  the  north  wall  of  this  chapel  still  remains  a  well-moulded 
sepulchral  arch,  beneath  which  is  the  grey  marble  tombstone  of 
Alice  Pedwardine,  once  adorned  with  her  bust  engraved  upon  a 
brass  plate  inserted  in  it,  flanked  by  two  shields,  no  doubt 
originally  charged  with  the  Longchamp  and  Pedwardine 
bearings.  It  still  retains  the  greater  part  of  the  following 
border  legend : — 

Dame  Alls  de  Pettewardine  gist  icy. 
File  de  Longchampe  S.  Henri. 
Den  de  sa  alme  eyt  merci. 

Here  also  was  the  effigy  of  a  lady,  with  angels  supporting  a 


BUETON  PEDWAEDINE.  351 

cushion  beneath,  the  head,  and  a  dog  at  the  feet,  but  this  had 
disappeared  previous  to  1815.  There  still  however  remains  an 
ancient  slab  in  the  floor  of  this  chapel  that  once  had  a  brass 
border  legend  with  the  evangelical  symbols  at  its  angles,  as  well 
as  the  more  ambitious  monument  of  Sir  Thomas  Horsman,  now 
erected  against  the  west  wall  of  the  chapel.  This  consists  of  a 
base,  or  altar  tomb,  on  which  is  placed  the  effigy  of  Sir  Thomas 
in  armour,  with  the  head  reposing  on  a  cushion  and  the  hands 
upraised  in  prayer.  In  front  are  black  marble  pillars  with  gilt 
capitals,  supporting  a  canopy,  and  behind  is  a  reredos,  the  whole 
being  for  the  most  part  of  alabaster.  On  two  black  marble 
tablets  is  the  following  epitaph  : — 

Memorise  sacrum. 

Thomas  Horsmannus,  eques  auratus,  Thomse  Hors- 
maiini  armigeri  quondam  domini  huius  manerii  et 
Elizabetse  unius  filiamm  et  coheredum  Robert!  Hussei 
militis,  films  et  hseres  ab  ineunte  adolescentia  liberaliter 
institutus  a  latere  fuit  ornatissimo  viro  Gulielmo  Baroni 
de  Burghley  summo  Anglise  thesaurario,  postea  in 
famulitium  Reginae  Elizabethse  adscriptus,  per  40 
annos  serenissimse  Reginse  ministravit,  et  pregustatoris 
munere  perfunctus  fuit. 

Yir  summa  fide,  eximia  constantia  morumque  probitate 
insignis  xxvjo  die  Novembris,  anno  Domini  1610  ab 
hac  luce  migravit  plenus  dierum  atq.  cum  in  corpore  per 
74  annos  tanquam  migraturus  habitascet. 
Hujus  memorise  Thomas  Horsmanus,  Armiger  eius  e 
fratre  Nepos  et  hseres  hoc  monumentum  charissimse 
pietatis  ergo  dicavit. 

Above  are  the  Horsman  armorial  bearings.  In  the  pavement 
near  this  is  a  slab  commemorating  his  nephew,  Thomas  Hors- 
man, Esq.,  and  his  wife,  whose  arms,  effigies  and  epitaph  were 
engraved  on  brass  plates  inserted  in  it ;  but  of  these  the  effigy  of 
the  lady  and  the  epitaph  above  now  alone  remain.  The  former 
is  well  cut  and  represents  Mary  Horsman  as  usual  in  a  devotional 
attitude  and  grave  costume,  with  a  veil  over  her  head  and  falling 
behind,  and  in  a  cloak  having  a  thickly  pleated  short  cape  round 
her  shoulders.  The  epitaph  runs  thus  : — 

Here  lieth  interred  the  bodie  of  Thomas  Horsman, 
Esqvire,  who  was  Lord  of  this  towne.  He  tooke  to 
wife  Mary,  the  davghter  of  John  Tredwaye,  of  Easton, 
in  Northamptonshire.  He  departed  this  life  the  2  of 
Aprill,  in  the  Yeare  of  our  Lord  1631.  Whose  wife  in 
her  pious  memorie  erected  this  memoriall. 


352  BURTON  PEDWAKDINE. 

Formerly  there  were  three  bells  belonging  to  this  church, 
one  inscribed  "W.  Eden,  0.  W.  I.  N.  cast  me  1591,"  and 
another  "  M.  Collingwood  cast  me  1671,"  which  are  now  gone, 
but  the  third  remains,  and  is  thus  inscribed:  "  Cum  voco  ad 
ecclesiam  venite  1 604."  A  beautiful  little  piece  of  ironwork,  used 
as  a  grating  or  ventilator  in  the  door  formerly  opening  into  St. 
Mary's  chapel,  still  remains  here. 

A  tablet  erected  in  memory  of  a  Mr.  William  Yorke  is  now 
placed  in  the  vestry  of  the  new  church,  or  St.  Mary's  chapel,  and 
bears  this  inscription  : — 

Within  this  chancell  lyeth  ye  body  of  Mr.  William 
Yorke,  late  of  Lessingham  and  formerlie  an  inhabitant 
of  the  parish,  who  departed  this  life  March  16,  1681, 
in  ye  eighty  second  yeare  of  his  age.  He  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  and  one  of  the  co-heirs  of  Mr. 
Simon  Walgrave,  who  lyes  here  interred  with  him,  by 
whom  he  had  issue  3  sonnes  and  6  daughters,  Mary, 
John,  Anne,  Elizabeth,  Thomas,  Elizabeth,  Sarah 
deceased  and  here  likewise  buried  ;  Philip,  now  wife  of 
Mr.  Edward  Browne,  *  of  Horbling ;  and  Sir  William 
Yorke  (now  living  at  Lessingham),  who  married 
Penelope,  daughter  of  Mr.  Richard  Sam  veil,  of  Gayton, 
in  ye  County  of  Northampton,  by  whom  he  had  issue  6 
sonnes  and  2  daughters,  Penelope,  William,  Samvell, 
Thos.,  Francis,  Wenman,  Philip,  Richard,  whereof 
Samvell,  Francis  and  Richard  lye  here  buried. 

A  black  marble  slab  commemorating  another  William  Yorke 
lies  in  the  chancel  pavement,  just  below  the  step  of  the  sacrarium, 
and  is  thus  inscribed  : — 

Wilhelinus  Yorke,  Arm  :  films  Wilhelmi  Yorke  de 
Lessingham,  Equitis  :  obiit  2d<>-  die  Janvarii  Ano  1725. 

Above  is  a  circlet  containing  a  shield  bearing  the  Yorke  Arms, 
impaling  those  of  Elizabeth  Gates,  of  Pontefract,  his  wife,  sur- 
mounted by  a  mantled  helm,  and  a  Griffin's  head  erased  for  a 
crest. 

On  another  mural  slab  in  this  church  is  this  inscription  : — 

To  the  memory  of  Ann  ye  wife  of  Thomas  Smith,  and 
the  daughter  of  Mr.  Joseph  Thorold,  of  Boston,  who 
died  October  12,  1727. 


*  The  founder  of  the  free  school  of  Horbling  in  1691,  from  whom  was 
descended  the  late  wealthy  Edward  Brown,  of  Stamford. 


MAKEHAM. 

E  name  of  the  land  so  called  in  Burton  parish  was  spelt 
I  Marham  and  Marnham,  as  well  as  Mareham,  in  former 
days.  This  was  probably  derived  from  the  name  of  some  former 
occupant,  as  it  never  constituted  a  separate  hamlet  of  Burton, 
but  was  simply  a  grange  belonging  to  Haverholme  Priory.  Its 
buildings  were  protected  by  a  square  enclosure  surrounded  by  a 
bank  and  ditch,  of  which  there  are  remains  on  the  eastern  side 
of  the  Roman  road  passing  by  it,  now  called  Mareham  lane  after 
this  old  Monastic  grange. 

After  the  dissolution  of  Monasteries,  Mareham  was  granted 
by  Henry  VIII.  to  Thomas  Horsman,  the  husband  of  Elizabeth, 
daughter  and  co-heir  of  Robert  Hussey.  He  was  succeeded  by 
his  son,  Sir  Thomas  Horsman,  brought  up  in  the  famous  Lord 
Burghley's  family,  and  subsequently  a  courtier  at  Queen 
Elizabeth's  court.  He  died  November  26th,  1610,  aged  74. 

The  after  possessors  of  Mareham  are  recorded  in  the  pre- 
ceding history  of  Burton. 


CULYERTHOEPE. 

T^HIS  is  a  hamlet  of  Haydor,  lying  5j  miles  south  west  of 
Sleaford,  called  Ledvlvetorp  in  Domesday  Book,  and 
subsequently  Cudtorp,  Cudetorp,  Culverthop,  Thorpe,  and  now 
Culverthorpe.  When  that  record  was  taken  Tor  and  Aschil  had 
5 i  carucates  of  land  here,  and  Oonded  and  Anschitel,  two  of 
Colsuein's  vassals,  had  4  carucates,  7  villans,  10  bordars,  and 
1  sokeman.  Here  also  was  a  church  and  a  priest.  It  was,  valued 
in  King  Edward's  time  at  £4,  and  the  same  subsequently. 

Circa  1200,  Eicherus  de  Billingburgh  and  Adam  de  Buck- 
minster  held  in  this  vill,  of  the  fee  of  La  Haya,  6  oxgangs  of 
land  then  in  possession  of  Gerard  de  Kamville,  by  the  service  of 
one  knight's  fee.  The  canons  of  Kyme  at  the  same  time  held 
the  like  quantity  of  land,  partly  in  this  vill  and  partly  in 
Dodington,  of  the  fee  of  the  Earl  of  Chester,  through  the 
donation  of  Philip  de  Kyme.  Eobert  de  Hasceby  was  then 
holding  one  knight's  fee  of  Gilbert  de  Giant,  situated  partly  in 
Culverthorpe  and  partly  in  Swarby  ;  and  Wido  de  Croun  had  in 
this  vill,  in  Kelby,  and  Swarby,  the  third  part  of  a  knight's  fee, 
then  held  by  Alan  de  Thorpe.  "  Testa  de  Nevill." 

In  1338  Sir  Bartholomew  de  Burghersh,  the  brother  of 
Henry  Burghersh,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  had  acquired  either  the 
whole  manor  or  the  greater  part  of  it,  and  obtained  a  grant  of 
free  warren  over  his  lands  here.  "  Dugdale." 

In  1610  Sir  Edmund  Bussy,^  Kt.,  of  Haydor,  conveyed  to 
William  Lister,  of  Eippingale,  a  messuage,  its  yards,  gardens, 
and  344  acres  of  land,  with  the  consent  of  Frances  his  wife  and 
Miles  his  son  and  heir  for  the  sum  of  £1850  ;  and  in  1619  Miles 
Bussy,  of  Oseby,  his  son,  gave  a  bond  to  William  Lister 
connected  with  the  release  of  certain  lands  abutting  upon  his 
estate  in  Culverthorpe,  and  occupied  by  William  Barbolt  and 
Bobert  Goggles.  This  William  Lister  was  desirous  of  securing 
more  than  he  was  justly  entitled  to  through  his  purchase,  viz  : 
a  piece  of  land  at  Culverthorpe  belonging  to  the  prebend  of 


CULVEETHOEPE.  355 

Haydor,  as  evidenced  by  this  crafty  letter  addressed  to  a  Mr. 
Towne,  of  Sudbroke,  probably  a  land  surveyor  or  agent : — 

"Mr.  Towne.  I  wd-  'mend  me  hertilie  unto  you.  I  pray 
you  sett  down  under  yr  hand  with  this  my  letter,  and  send  it  me 
againe  by  this  bearer.  The  lands  which  doe  belong  to  the 
prebend  of  Haydor  yt-  le  within  the  grounds  in  Oulverthorp 
which  I  bought  of  Sir  Ed.  Bussy,  and  as  neare  as  you  can  con- 
jecture the  contents  of  the  lands,  yt  I  may  know  how  much  there 
is  of  it.  And  I  praye  you  kepe  your  knowledge  thereof  to 
yourselfe,  &  do  not  disclose  it  to  any  person,  for  I  wd-  not  have 
it  known  to  any  person  yt  you  can  sett  forth  the  land.  And  so 
resting  myself  assured  of  yr  kindness  herein,  I  rest 

"  Your  Loveing  frende, 

"WILLM.  LISTEE. 
"  Downe  Hall,  this  24  March,  1619. 

"  To  his  loveing  frende  Mr.  John  Towne  at  his  house  at 
Sudbroke  these." 

The  reply  was  short  and  explicit,  viz  : — 

"  Sir, — As  I  take  it  there  is  within  ye  groundes  xiiij  Landes, 
and  as  I  gese  them  to  conteane  in  quantitei  betwene  thre  or 
foure  acres.  From  Sudbroke  this  26  March,  1619. 

"  Yrs  to  my  power, 

"JOHN  TOWNE." 

In  1658  William  Lister  and  Mary  his  wife  and  William 
their  son  granted  a  lease  of  the  house  and  lands  at  Culverthorpe 
to  John  Colthurst  and  Mary  his  wife  for  a  term  of  2 1  years,  at 
an  annual  rent  of  £21. 

In  the  reign  of  Charles  II.  the  manors  of  Culverthorpe  and 
Haydor  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Newton  family,  of  whom 
John  Newton  was  created  a  Baronet  in  1661,  whose  estate  was 
valued  at  £3000  a  year,  and  was  thrice  the  representative  in 
Parliament  for  the  borough  of  Grrantham.  He  was  succeeded  by 
his  son,  the  second' Sir  John,  in  1699,  and  he  by  his  son,  Sir 
Michael,  who  was  made  a  Knight  of  the  Bath  in  1725,  and  was 
twice  M.P.  for  Grrantham.  Through  the  early  death  of  his  only 
son,  on  his  decease  in  1743,  his  estates,  amplified  by  a  large  one 
left  him  by  his  uncle  Sir  Michael  Wharton,  were  inherited  by 
his  sister  Susanna,  the  wife  of  William  Eyre  Archer,  Esq.,  M.P. 
for  Berks.,  whose  son  Michael  took  the  name  of  Newton  ;  but  he 
dying  without  issue  in  1803,  his  estates  were  inherited  by  his 


356  CULVERTHOKPE. 

sisters,  and  subsequently  by  the  present  owner,  John  Archer 
Houblon,  Esq. 

THE  HALL. 

This  is  built  in  the  Italian  style,  and  consists  of  a  central 
feature  with  a  high-pitched  roof,  and  wings,  intended  to  have 
been  connected  with  other  subsidiary  buildings,  or  pavilions,  and 
is  a  pleasing  specimen  of  that  style.  Within,  is  a  remarkably 
fine  drawing  room,  adorned  with  a  curious  painting  of  Sir  John 
Newton  and  his  family  equipped  for  hunting,  by  Wootton,  and 
several  portraits  of  the  Newtons.  Here  also  is  a  fine  staircase, 
the  roof  of  which  was  probably  painted  by  Laguerre,  a  pupil  of 
Verrio's. 

Formerly  there  was  a  chapel  here  dedicated  in  honour  of  St. 
Bartholomew,  to  which  Holies  apparently  refers  when  he  speaks 
of  "  Or,  a  cross  patonce  "  that  he  observed  at  Culverthorpe. 
Now  there  is  a  little  classical  building  east  of  the  hall  which  was 
used  for  divine  service  until  the  death  of  Mr.  Michael  Newton. 


DEMBLEBY. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

1071.  1861—51.     1871—78. 

fT^HIS  little  village  is  situated  6  miles  south,  west  of  Sleaford. 
JL  Its  name  was  spelt  Delbebi  in  Domesday  Book,  whence  we 
gather  also  that  Gouchil's  manor  here  was  given  to  Colsuein,  but 
that  he  was  allowed  to  retain  10  bovates  of  land  reckoned  as  1 
carucate,  and  that  Rainald,  a  vassal  of  Colsuein,  had  1  carucate 
here,  4  sokemen,  a  bordar  having  another  carucate  and  1 t>  acres 
of  meadow  and  20  of  underwood,  the  whole  being  valued  before 
and  after  the  Conquest  at  20s. 

A  portion  of  this  parish  was  within  the  soke  of  Gilbert  de 
Grant's  manor  of  Falkingham.  This  consisted  of  12  bovates, 
reckoned  at  1  carucate  ;  he  also  had  here  20  sokemen  and  3 
bordars  having  3  carucates,  18  acres  of  meadow,  and  16  of 
underwood.  Wido  de  Credon  also  had  2  carucates,  reckoned  at 
6  bovates,  and  of  1  sokeman  and  2  villans  having  1  carucate,  14 
acres  of  meadow  and  20  of  underwood  as  soke  of  his  manor  of 
Osbournby.  About  1200  Gilbert  de  Gant's  land  was  reckoned 
as  the  fourth  part  of  a  knight's  fee — then  in  the  tenure  of  Gilbert 
de  Lekeburne — but  subsequently  as  one  third  only,  when  it  was 
held  by  Henry  de  Lekeburne  of  William  de  Dyve,  At  the  same 
time  the  said  Henry  de  Lekeburne  also  held  the  de  Credon  or 
Croun  land  here,  of  Henry  Camerarius,  and  he  of  Petronilla  de 
Croun,  when  it  was  valued  at  one  fourteenth  part  of  a  knight's 
fee.  The  said  Henry  obtained  a  grant  of  free  warren  over  all  his 
lands  here  1312-13.  One  fifth  part  of  a  knight's  fee  in  Dembleby, 
of  the  fee  of  de  la  Haye,  was  held  by  William  de  Dembleby  of 
William  Lungspee,  the  de  la  Haye  heir.  Adam  Pescam  also 
held  some  land  here  of  Gerard  de  Kainville,  valued  at  one 
fourth  part  of  a  knight's  fee.  "  Testa  deNevill."  At  the  beginning 
of  the  14th  century  the  de  Gant  fee  in  this  vill  passed  by  marriage 
into  the  hands  of  John  de  Bussey,  who  died  lord  paramount  of 
this  soon  after,  viz  :  in  1305.  "  Inq.  p.  m.  34  E.  1."  His  son, 

AA 


358  DEMBLEBY. 

John  de  Bussey,  next  inherited  them.  In  1321  William  de 
Twynge  and  Matilda  his  wife  held  one  messuage  and  a  carucate 
of  land  of  John  Hundset,  her  first  husband,  which  land  was 
afterwards  held  by  Eichard  Brown,  of  Osbournby.  In  1338 
Henry  de  Legburne  and  Robert  his  son  did  homage  to  John 
Bussey  for  half  a  knight's  fee  they  held  of  him.  "Sari.  MS. 
1758."  In  1372  John  de  Eouceby  did  homage  to  William  de 
Bussey  in 'the  hall  at  Hougham  for  one  fourth  part  of  a  knight's 
fee  in  Dembleby,  and  the  next  year  John  Goldsmith  did  the  same 
as  his  successor.  In  1397  John  Lord  Beaumont  died  seized  of 
the  same  quantity  of  land  held  of  him  and  Katharine  his  wife  by 
Sir  John  Bussey,  also  of  one  twentieth  part  of  a  knight's  fee  held 
by  William  Spaine.  "Inq.  p.  m.  20  E.  2."  In  1428  died 
Johanna,  widow  of  Sir  Eobert  Byron,  seized  of  messuages  and 
lands  here,  "  Inq.  p.  m.  5  H.  6,"  and  in  1520  died  John  Stanley 
possessed  of  the  manor  of  Dembleby,  who  left  it  to  his  son 
William,  then  a  minor.  "  Harl.  MS.  756."  In  1576  Sir 
Eichard  Pell,  descended  from  the  Pells  of  Water  Willoughby, 
and  knighted  July  23rd,  1603,  held  lands  here  of  the  fee  of  the 
Honour  of  Bolingbroke,  formerly  held  by  William  de  Twenge, 
and  afterwards  by  Eobert  Manall.  He  died  April  19th,  1607. 
By  his  second  wife.  Katharine,  daughter  of  Sir  Anthony  Meeres, 
he  left  a  son  and  heir,  Anthony,  who  lived  at  Dembleby,  and  was 
knighted  May  24th,  1608.  He  bought  the  office  of  the  King's 
Master  Falconer,  and  in  1624  obtained  an  increase  of  the  salary 
attached  to  it  of  £300  a  year.  He  married  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  Sir  William  Willoughby,  of  Carlton,  Notts.,  and  had  four 
sons,  Eichard,  William,  Anthony,  John,  and  two  daughters, 
Katharine  and  Anne.  The  present  owner  of  the  manor  is  T.  E. 
Buckworth,  Esq. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

A  rood  of  meadow  land  in  the  plains  of  Dembleby  was  left 
by  an  unknown  donor  for  the  support  of  a  lamp  in  Dembleby 
church  for  ever.  This,  at  the  suppression  of  such  endowments, 
was  valued  at  6d.  a  year.  The  rents  also  of  two  tenements  in 
Aslackby,  amounting  to  2s.  a  year,  were  given  for  a  similar 
purpose.  On  the  other  hand  two  messuages  in  Dembleby  were 
given  by  Thomas  Wymbish  in  1478  to  the  Priory  of  Nocton  Park. 
"Inq.  p.m.  18  E.  4." 


DEMBLEBY.  359 

In  Bishop  Neale's  time  the  living  was  valued  at  £16,  when 
Richard  Tomlinson  was  rector,  and  Sir  Anthony  Pell  patron. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  rectors  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  . — Thomas  Watson. 
1662. — George  Campion. 
1670.— Eichard  Moore. 

. — Benjamin  Stokes. 
1721. — John  Jones. 
1731.— Wyat  Francis. 
1780.— Joseph  Mills. 
1804.— Thomas  Mills. 
1856. — James  Tillard  Bonner. 

THE  CHUECH. 

Until  lately  a  small  ancient  church,  dedicated  in  honour  of 
St.  Lucy,  existed  here.  This  was  chiefly  of  the  Early  English 
style,  but  possessing  some  Norman  features,  and  some  of  later 
date.  As  the  whole  was  in  a  very  dilapidated  condition,  its  almost 
entire  re-building  was  requisite,  when  it  became  a  question 
whether  the  distinct  features  of  the  old  fabric  should  be  retained 
and  restored,  or  whether  one  or  other  style  should  predominate 
in  a  new  church.  The  latter  plan  was  finally  adopted,  and  with 
the  exception  of  the  old  Norman  chancel  arch,  the  present  church 
is  entirely  new,  and  built  in  a  corresponding  Norman  style.  It  is 
a  solid  well-built  structure  having  a  bell-gable  at  the  west  end,  a 
spacious  porch,  and  a  chancel  terminating  in  an  apse ;  the 
roofs  of  both  nave  and  chancel  are  covered  with  Staffordshire 
brindled  tiles. 

Within,  it  is  neatly  seated,  and  the  whole  now  constitutes  a 
creditable  place  of  worship  for  the  parishioners.  The  font  is  a 
very  elegant  late  Norman  one,  consisting  of  a  square  base,  a 
sexagonal  stem  ornamented  with  the  chevron  mould  from  top  to 
bottom,  having  an  enriched  scalloped  cap  supporting  a  small 
square  bowl,  the  faces  of  which  are  enriched  throughout  with  a 
delicate  diapered  pattern  cut  upon  them. 


EWEKBY. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

2789.  1861—473.     1871—461. 

THIS  village  lies  4  miles  north  east  of  Sleaford,  and  was 
conjoined  with  Ewerby  Thorpe,  or  Austhorpe,  when 
Domesday  Book  was  compiled,  in  which  the  former  is  called 
Bergesbi,  Grenesbi  and  Leresbi,  the  latter  Oustorp.  Subsequently 
the  name  of  Ewerby  was  spelt  Ywarby  and  Iwardeby  or  Iwardby, 
and  that  of  Oustorp — Ousthorpe. 

In  Ewerby  were,  according  to  the  same  authority,  2  carucates 
of  land  rated  at  3  carucates,  24  acres  of  meadow,  and  20  of 
underwood ;  also  9  sokemen,  and  9  bordars  having  4  carucates. 

Previous  to  the  Conquest  the  lands  here  belonged  to  Leofric, 
Earl  of  Mercia,  and  were  at  that  time  in  the  hands  of  his  widow 
the  famous  Godiva,  sister  of  Thorold  of  Bucknall  and  Sheriff  of 
Lincolnshire.  Subsequently  they  were  distributed  between 
Gilbert  de  Gant,  Eemigius,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  and  Colsuein. 
Previous  to  1185  the  Templars  had  obtained  a  considerable  estate 
in  Ewerby,  which  was  then  let  to  various  tenants.  Circa 
1200-10,  Gilbert  de  Gant's  fee,  constituting  the  fifth  part  of  a 
knight's  fee,  was  held  by  Alured  de  Ywarby  ;  and  the  Bishop's, 
consisting  of  half  a  knight's  fee,  was  held  by  Nicholas  Fitzwilliam. 
At  the  same  time  Osbert,  son  of  Nigel,  held  2  carucates  of  land 
of  the  fee  of  Henry  de  Quenton,  then  underlet  by  him  to  Nicholas 
and  Walter  de  Hoyland.  In  1 337  died  Eoger  de  Kerdeston,  seized 
of  a  manor  in  Ewerby,  and  twenty-four  years  later,  Eanulph  de 
Eye  was  lord  of  this  vill  and  its  hamlet — Ousthorpe.  He  gave  to 
Sir  Alexander  Aunsel  a  windmill  here,  together  with  suit  of  all 
the  holders  of  rents  and  tenements  in  Ewerby  and  Ousthorpe. 
"  Lansd.  MSS.  863."  In  1383  Peter  de  Malo-Lacu  died,  seized 
of  certain  lands  and  tenements  here.  In  1397,  John,  Lord  Beau- 
mont, seized  of  the  fifth  part  of  a  knight's  fee  let  to  the  Lady  de 
Welles,  and  a  similar  quantity  let  to  John  Aunsel.  In  1451, 
Constance,  widow  of  Sir  John  Bigod,  seized  of  half  the  manor, 


EWEEBY.  361 

and  ten  years  later  her  son  and  heir  Sir  Ralph  Bigod.  In  1453, 
Elizabeth,  one  of  the  heiresses  of  the  Hebden  family,  and  relict 
of  Sir  Thomas  Dymoke,  died  seized  of  half  of  the  manor,  then 
held  of  the  Duchy  of  Lancaster.  This  was  forfeited  on  the 
attainder  and  decapitation  of  her  son  Sir  Thomas  in  1470,  but 
recovered  by  his  widow,  Margaret,  who  died  eleven  years 
afterwards.  In  1515  died  Sir  Ralph  Bigod,  possessed  of  a  manor 
here;  and  in  1521,  Edward  Skip  with,  seized  of  another,  leaving 
a  daughter,  Margaret  Tempest.  Four  years  later  Maurice 
Berkeley  died,  also  seized  of  a  manor  in  Ewerby ;  upon  the  death 
of  whose  son  and  heir,  his  sister  succeeded  to  it,  who  died  in  1583. 
Haverholme  Priory  was  enriched  with  lands  in  Ewerby,  viz  :  two 
acres  of  meadow,  the  gift  of  Simon  the  son  of  Stephen  de 
Horbling;  ten-and-a-half  of 'meadow,  situated  between  Ewerby 
wood  and  the  lake  made  by  Bishop  Alexander,  also  a  certain 
marsh  called  Otrisholm,  i.e..  Otter's  Isle,  containing  ten  acres,  the 
gift  of  William  the  son  of  Ulf,  for  the  benefit  of  his  parents' 
souls,  which  gift  was  confirmed  in  the  Chapter-house  at  Lincoln 
in  the  presence  of  many  witnesses.  "  Gervase  Holies." 

In  the  17th  century  Sir  Henry  Packenham  was  possessed 
of  lands  here,  of  whom  Burton,  the  Carre  steward,  records, 
that  Robert  Carre  had  bought  4  acres  of  wood  besides  a  great 
store  of  ashes  and  elms  in  hedge  rows.  In  1661  Richard  Roth- 
well,  created  a  Baronet  that  year,  possessed  lands  at  Ewerby,  but 
dying  without  issue  in  1674,  the  Baronetcy  became  extinct.  His 
armorial  bearings  were  Arg,  3  chevrons  engrailed  Az,  each 
charged  with  3  plates  Or,  a  crescent  Sa  in  dexter  chief  for  a 
difference.  In  1667  Henry  Pell  bequeathed  a  sum  of  £10  a  year, 
a  house  and  garden  towards  the  maintenance  of  a  schoolmaster 
here  who  was  to  teach  the  poor  children  of  the  parishes  of 
Ewerby,  Evedon,  Asgarby,  and  Howell.  The  present  principal 
landowners  here  are  the  Honourable  Murray  Finch  Hatton,  and 
T.  P.  Tindale,  Esq. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 


There  was  a  church  and  a  priest  here  when  Domesday  Book 
was  compiled.  Subsequently  the  patronage  of  the  former  be- 
longed to  Kyme  Priory. 


362  EWEEBY. 

The  following  are  some  of  the  gifts  made  at  various  times  to 
the  church  of  Ewerby  : — In  1327  Master  William  de  Baiocis,  par- 
eon  of  Iwardeby,  for  a  fine  of  one  mark,  obtained  the  King's  license 
that  John  Scarle,  of  Lincoln,  might  give  one  messuage  and  the 
moiety  of  another,  with  its  appurtenances  in  this  vill,  situated 
close  to  the  rectory  manse  and  the  church,  and  assign  it  to  the 
said  William,  to  be  held  by  him  and  his  successors,  parsons  of 
that  church,  for  ever,  for  the  enlargement  of  the  manse  or  rectory. 
"  Ab.  Kot.  Qrig.,  10  Edw.  3." 

In  1352  Sir  Alexander  Aunsel  and  others  petitioned  the 
King  for  a  license  to  give  John  de  Haburgh  one  rood  of  land  for 
the  enlargement  of  the  cemetery  of  Iwardby,  at  a  cost  of  6s.  8d. 
"Inq.  p.  m.,  26  Edw.  3." 

Three  acres  of  land  and  some  tenements  in  Ewerby  were 
left  by  a  person,  whose  Christian  name  was  Hugh,  for  the 
annual  observance  of  his  obit  for  ever!  These  lands  were  let 
for  12d.  a  year  by  the  churchwardens,  of  which  half  went  to 
the  vicar,  and  the  other  half  was  expended  in  bread  and  pottage 
given  to  the  poor  on  the  obit  day.  "  Cotton.  MS."  Two  acres 
of  land,  let  for  lOd.  a  year,  were  left  by  a  person  of  the  name 
of  Gibson,  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  his  obit,  of  which  Id. 
went  to  the  vicar,  and  the  remainder  was  distributed  in  the  form 
of  bread  and  pottage  for  the  poor.  Two  other  acres,  let  at  8s.  3d. 
a  year,  were  left  by  an  unknown  person  for  a  similar  purpose. 
"  Ibid." 

In  1616  the  King  was  patron  of  the  church,  and  Edward 
Bowman,  vicar,  when  the  vicarage  was  worth  £8  a  year,  and 
there  were  280  communicants.  The  registers  commence  with 
the  year  15§2. 

The  following  is  a  list- of  the  incumbents  : — 
Date  of  Institution.  , 

A.D.          .• — William  de  Baiocis,  circa  1327. 

. — Eichard  de  Ouingham,  rector,  died  1396. 
. — Eichard  Tupler  or  Typler,  rector. 
. — Edward  Bowman,  circa  1616. 
1639. — Henry  Bryerly,  vicar. 

. — Ciprian  Day. 
1669.— Eoger  Smyth. 
1677. — Silvester  Leech. 
1732.— Matthew  Alexander. 


EWERBY  CHURCH. 


EWERBY.  363 

/ 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1735. — Joshua  Dewsnop. 
1 769. — Charles  Dewsnop. 
1806. — John  Bellaman. 
1837.— Edward  Pollard. 

THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Andrew,  and  is  a  most 
beautiful  example  of  a  Gothic  church  entirely  built  in  one  style, 
and  with  very  little  variation.  The  promise  of  excellence  held 
out  by  the  distant  view  of  the  beautiful  broach  spire  is  abundantly 
fulfilled  on  a  near  approach.  The  perfect  masonry  of  the  whole 
fabric,  the  depth  of  the  mouldings,  and  the  vigour  of  its  carved 
ornaments  (among  which  may  be  noticed  the  figure  of  a  boat),  are 
very  striking.  The  original  entasis  of  the  spire,  172  feet  high, 
is  best  seen  on  the  western  face,  where  it  least  suffered  when 
struck  by  lightning  in  1810,  whence  its  outline  is  now  some- 
what distorted.  Besides  this,  the  fabric  consists  of  a  nave,  north 
and  south  aisles,  south  porch,  and  chancel.  The  chapel  at  the 
east  end  of  the  north  aisle,  and  the  east  gable  of  the  chancel  with 
the  sedilia  and  piscina,  are  the  earliest  portions  as  to  style,  and 
there  is  a  simpler  character  aboiit  them  than  in  the  later  work. 
The  acute  point  of  the  west  window  of  the  north  aisle,  the 
moulding  of  the  north  door,  and  the  carving  of  the  outer  arch 
of  the  porch  all  deserve  attention.  Unfortunately  the  nave  has 
lost  its  original  high  pitched  roof. 

Internally  there  is  no  chancel  arch,  nor  any  other  separation 
between  the  nave  and  chancel  than  a  noble  screen,  of  the  same 
date  and  character  as  that  in  Sleaford  church.  Another  screen, 
enclosing  the  chantry  chapel  on  the  north  side,  is  exceedingly 
valuable  as  being  one  of  the  earliest  remaining  examples  of  such 
features.  Within  this  chapel,  the  corbels  for  the  altar  slab  and  a 
piscina  are  still  visible ;  but  its  chief  feature  is  the,  tomb  and 
effigy  of  its  founder,  Sir  Alexander  Aunsell.  This  monument  is 
remarkable  as  having  been  formerly  overlaid  with  rich  orna- 
mental work,  of  which  portions  yet  remain.  On  the  effigy  the 
chain  mail  of  the  gorget  is  thus  represented,  and  the  breast- 
plate was  similarly  covered  with  a  fretted  wavy  pattern,  very 
like  the  tracery  of  the  windows.  The  arch  above  was  overlaid 


364  EWERBY. 

with  stars,  flowers,  and  interlaced  figures,  and  the  wall  behind 
was  covered  with  bands  of  lozenges  having  a  flower  in  the  centre, 
as  on  glass  quarries.  On  the  pediment  above  is  carved  a  shield 
and  tilting  helmet. 

There  are  two  shields  represented  in  stained  glass  in  the  east 
window  of  this  chapel,  one  bears  Threckingham,  the  other,  Or, 
2  chevrons  Gu  within  a  bordure  of  the  same,  a  label  of  5  Az. 
The  bowl  of  an  old  Norman  font  is  now  serving  as  a  base  to  its 
successor  of  the  Decorated  period.  The  panels  of  this  are  en- 
riched with  carvings  resembling  traceried  windows  surrounded 
by  borders  of  diapered  work. 

Passing  through  the  fine  old  carved  oak  chancel  screen  the 
desolate  condition  of  the  chancel  becomes  the  more  painful  to  the 
eye.  In  the  south  wall  are  three  canopied  sedilia  and  a  piscina, 
and  behind  the  altar  table  is  an  aumbry  or  locker.  The  table 
itself  is  made  of  fen  oak  and  was  presented  by  the  late  Sir  J.  W. 
Gordon,  Bart.  In  the  north  wall  is  another  locker. 

Gervase  Holies  observed  the  following  armorial  bearings  in 
this  church,  viz :  in  the  south  window  of  the  chancel,  Arg,  2  bars 
Gu,  in  chief  3  torteaux  over  all  a  bend  Sa.  repeated  twice — Threc- 
kingham. In  a  north  window  of  the  nave  (or  north  aisle),  the 
effigy  of  a  man  kneeling,  having  on  his  surcoat  and  a  shield  in 
his  hands,  Barry  of  6  Or  &  Az,  a  bend  Gu — Gant.  In  the  west 
window  of  the  north  aisle,  Arg,  2  chevrons  Gu,  a  label  of  5  points 
Az.  and  Threckingham.  In  the  tower  window,  Or,  2  chevrons 
Gu  a  label  of  5  Az,  and  Gu,  2  chevrons  Or  a  label  of  5  Az.  In 
the  east  window  of  the  north,  or  Aunsell  chapel,  where  they  still 
remain,  Threckingham,  and  Or,  a  chevron  Gu  within  a  bordure 
of  the  same,  a  label  of  5  az.  Formerly  there  was  this  legend 
below:  "  Stephanus  Capellanus  de  Iwardby  me  fecit";  and  in 
another  window  of  this  chapel,  the  effigy  of  a  man  kneeling, 
having  on  his  surcoat  and  shield  the  Threckingham  bearings. 

In  this  chapel  he  further  observed  the  tomb  and  effigy  of 
Alexander  Aunsell,  before  described,  but  when  the  now  blank 
shield  above  it  bore,  Erm,  on  a  fesse  Gu  3  crosses  botony  Or.  He 
also  saw  the  following  epitaphs  on  tombstones  or  slabs,  viz.,  on 
one  in  the  chancel : — 

Hie  Jacet  Ricus  de  Ouingham,  quondam  Eector  istius 
ecclesie,  qui  obiit  x<>  die  Aprilis  Ano  Dni  MCCCXCVI 
cuius  aie  ppicietur  Deus.  Amen. 


EWEKBY.  365 

On  another : — 

RicusTupler,  Hector. 
And  the  following  in  the  nave  : — 

Hie  Jacet  Willus  Broun,  qui  obiit  xvi°  die  Augusti 
Ano  Dni  MCCCCLXIV  cujus  aie  ppicietur  Deus. 
Amen. 

Hie  Jacet Glouer,   qui  obiit  xx<>  die  Februairi 

Ano  Dni  MDV  cujus  aie  ppicietur  Deus.     Amen. 
Hie  Jacet  Johannes  Boulle,  qui  obiit  iid°  die  Octobris 
Anno  Dni  MDV  cujus  aie  ppicietur  Deus.     Amen. 

Also  over  the  chancel  arch  :  — 

Pray  for  ye  welfare  of  Mrs.  Joane  Gibson. 
On  a  mural  tablet  in  the  chantry  chapel  is  this  inscription  : — 

To  the  memory  of  Henry  Pell,  &c.,  ob.  Novr.  1667. 
By  his  last  will  he  gave  out  of  his  lands  at  Ewerby  and 
Kirkby  ten  pounds  towards  the  maintenance  of  a 
schoolmaster  to  teach  the  poor  children  of  Ewerby, 
Asgardby  &  Howell,  and  a  cottage  at  Ewerby  for  a 
school  house  for  ever,  &  2  grey  gouns  yearly  for  two 
poor  widows  of  Ewerby. 

Cloaths  for  the  body,  learning  for  the  mind, 

So  here  a  friendly  helper  in  each  kind. 

And  which  doth  crown  his  charitable  deed, 

He  doth  this  when  &  where  there  is  most  need. 

On  a  fragment  of  a  slab  in  the  chancel  is  cut  a  chalice  reversed 
and  a  label  bearing  a  now  illegible  inscription. 

Here  also  are  the  tombstones  of  two  former  incumbents  of 
Ewerby,  the  one  bearing  this  memorial : — 

Depositum  Roger  (Smith)  nuper  Vicarus  1677 ; 
the  other :  — 

Revd.  Matthew  Alexander,  Rector,  obiit  1735. 

In  the  church  yard  is  the  base  of  a  cross,  erected  by  a  former 
rector,  which  once  bore  this  legend  :  "  Sumptu  Eectoris  fuit  hsec 
crux  facta  Johannis  Hauburgh,  inceroris  expers  sit  in  omnibus 
annis  "  ;  and  four  shields  bearing  severally  Three  lions  passant — 
England.  A  lion  rampant.  Three  lucies  hauriant.  A  cinque- 
foil  between  8  cross  crosslets — Umfraville.  At  the  back  of  the 
head  of  the  cross  were  figures  of  the  Virgin,  St.  Peter,  and  St. 
Paul. 


366  EWERBY. 

There  are  four  bells  in  the  tower,  thus  inscribed : — 


1. — -All  laude  and  praise 
Be  unto  God  alwaise. 


1616. 


2. — John  Bulliman,  William  Tindale,  Ch.  Wardens. 

T.  Osborn.     Downhain.     Norfolk  fecit  1783. 
3. — Ihesus  be  our  spede. 
4.— Henry  Penn.     Fusore  1710. 


E WEBBY  THOBPE. 

THE  name  of  this  hamlet  has  been  variously  spelt  Ousthorpe, 
Oustorp,  Housthorpe,  and  Owesthorpe ;  but  was  often 
simply  called  Thorp,  or  Torp.  Part  of  it  was  originally  Earl 
Morkar's  land,  afterwards  an  appurtenance  of  the  King's  manor 
of  Kirkby  Laythorpe.  Another  portion,  that  had  belonged  to  the 
Saxon  Tunne,  was  subsequently  given  to  Gilbert  de  Gant  as  an 
appurtenance  of  his  manor  of  Kirkby  Laythorpe.  This  consisted 
of  3  carucates  of  land,  upon  which  stood  the  church,  and  attached 
to  which  were  9  sokemen  and  9  bordars  cultivating  4  carucates, 
and  of  24  acres  of  meadow,  and  20  acres  of  coppice  wood.  Eddiva 
possessed  a  small  manor  here,  consisting  of  3  carucates  and  a 
half,  and  1  oxgang.  This  was  given  by  the  Conqueror  to  Colsuein, 
besides  44  acres  of  meadow  and  23  of  coppice.  The  whole  was 
worth  36s.  in  King  Edward's  time  and  subsequently  30s. 

Circa  1200  Gerard  de  Camville  held  lands  here  in  right  of 
his  wife,  the  De  la  Haye  heiress,  by  the  service  of  one  knight's 
fee ;  which  lands  were  let  to  William  de  la  Launde.  "  Testa  de 
Nevill." 

In  1262  Eobert  de  Tibbethot,  Kt.,  granted  to  Sir  John  de 
Bye  all  his  manor  of  Houstorp,  in  the  vill  of  Ewerby,  to  be  held 
by  him  and  his  heirs  as  Reginald  de  la  Launde  once  held  it  of 
Sir  Richard  de  Haye,  by  paying  to  him  and  his  heirs  one  pair  of 
gilt  spurs  or  6  denarii  at  the  feast  of  St  Botolph.  Dated  the 
46th  year  of  Henry  III,  1262.  "  Dods worth's  MS." 

In  1325  John  de  Rye  held  the  manor  of  Ousthorpe  of  the  fee 
of  de  la  Haye,  and  died  seized  of  it  1335-6.  "  Inq.  p.  m.  9  E.  3." 

In  1453,  Elizabeth,  a  co-heiress  of  the  Hebden  family  and 
widow  of  Sir  Thomas  Dymoke,  Kt.,  died  seized  of  half  this 
manor,  held  of  the  Duchy  of  Lancaster.  "  Inq.  p.  m.  31  H.  6." 

In  1470  by  the  attainder  and  execution  of  Sir  Thomas 
Dymoke,  half  the  manor  in  his  possession  was  forfeited.  "  Inq. 
p.  m.  10  E.  4."  But  it  appears  to  have  been  given  back  to  his 
widow,  Margaret  Dymoke,  who  died  seized  of  this  in  1481,  "  Inq. 


368  EWEEBY  THOEPE. 

p.  m.  20  E.  4,"  and  her  descendant,  Eobert  Dymoke,  held  this 

still  by  the  service  of  one  knight's  fee. 

The  following  will  of  a  yeoman  of  Ewerby  Thorpe,  who  died 

in  the  16th  century,  is  so  characteristic  of  that  period  as  to  be 

worthy  of  record  : — 

1  'By  my  Will  dated  14th.  June,  40  Eliz.  I  Michael  Stennett, 
of  Austrop,  Yeoman,  leave  my  body  to  be  buried  in  the 
parish  church  of  Ewrebee.  To  my  son  Augustine  Stennet 
£60,  and  as  he, has  grown  to  be  of  small  government  and 
little  discretion.  I  will  the  said  money  to  be  kept  in  custody 
of  Thomas  Stennet  and  George  Stennet  my  sons,  and  not  to 
be  paid  him  unless  he  marry  some  honest  discreet  woman, 
and  live  according  to  his  friends  advice,  otherwise  the  legacy 
to  be  void.  To  my  daughter  Elizabeth  Stennet  80  shepe  at 
Euskington  and  £80,  and,  if  she  die  under  age  and  unmarried 
then  to  be  divided  among  the  rest  of  my  children.  To 
Thomas  Swyer  a  cowe  and  40s.  when  of  age.  To  widow 
Hooton  of  Antwicke  10s.  To  my  three  daughters  Agnes 
Garwell,  Grace  Swier,  and  Johanna  Pierson  each  2  angells 
in  gould  or  20s.  To  Michael  Stennet  a  cubborde  in  my  hall, 
with  table  forms,  &c.,  all  the  glass  in  my  house,  and  the 
pales  and  gates  on  my  grounde,  ce  to  dire,  *  my  steepefate, 
hare  cloth,  howels,  herse  herk,  cribes,  planchers,  and  beast 
howses,  after  the  death  of  Johanna  my  wife.  To  Elizabeth 
Swan  a  ewe  hogge.  To  my  sd  wife  Johanna,  the  lease  I 
have  of  Master  Pagnam  for  her  life,  the  remainder  to  my 
said  sonnes  Thomas  Stennet  and  George  Stennet.  To  my 
son  George  £7.  Residue  to  my  wife  Joan,  whom  I  make 
my  Exix,  and  Thomas  Stennet  and  George  Stennet  my 
sonnes,  my  supervisors.  To  my  brother  William  Stennet's 
children  8s.  To  the  poor  of  Ewerby  and  Austrop  2  seams 
of  barley  and  2  seams  of  pease.  To  William  Thorles  and 
William  Hides  12d,  each. 

"Mem.  That  1  now  will  that  Thomas  my  son  have  all  the  lease 
of  Master  Pagnam  after  my  wife's  death,  for  that  I  stand 
doubtful  my  said  sonnes  will  not  agree  for  the  division 
thereof.  My  son  George  to  have  6  acres  of  arable  land  out 
of  the  same  for  himself.  Witnesses  :  John  Crudock,  Henry 
.Bennet,  Edmond  Kendall,  Thomas  James  Tyson,  &c. 
Debts  owing  the  testator  :  Thomas  Swier,  of  Ruskington, 
£4  ;  Master  Thomas  Whichcote,  40s.  ;  Holledge  Lief,  15s. ; 
Ralf  Newton,  12s.  Proved  12th  of  June,  1600,  by  Johan 
Stennet  exix." 

*  A  failure  in  an  unnecessary  attempt  to  introduce  the  French  expression 
"c'est  a  dire." 


GEE AT  HALE. 

ACHEAGE,  POPULATION, 

5633.  1861—1059.     1871—1086. 

GEE  AT  Hale  lies  6  miles  east  south  east  of  Sleaford,  and  1 
mile  south  of  Heckington.  According  to  Domesday  Book, 
when  that  record  was  taken  there  were  10  carucates  of  land  here, 
rated  at  8|  carucates,  upon  which  were  38  sokemen.  These  were 
given  to  Gilbert  de  Grant  as  soke  of  his  manor  of  Kirkby  Lay- 
thorpe,  of  which  Ealph,  one  of  his  vassals,  was  then  holding  3 
carucates  in  demesne. 

Circa  1200  the  de  Gant  lands  here  were  reckoned  at  a  twelfth 
part  of  a  knight's  fee,  and  were  held  by  John  de  Hal  or  Hall. 
He  had  also  another  part  of  a  fee  here  held  by  Hugo  de  Neville, 
surnamed  crassus,  or  the  fat.  His  son  Henry  de  Nevill  gave  5 
tofts  and  3  oxgangs  of  land  in  Great  Hale  for  the  purpose  of 
finding  a  lamp  to  be  lit  every  day  before  the  body  of  our  Lord  in 
the  church  of  the  blessed  Mary  at  Haverholme.  He  died  in  the 
beginning  of  the  reign  of  Henry  III. 

In  1220  Oliver  de  Vas  or  Vaux  had  in  Hale,  Heckington, 
and  Scredington,  the  third  part  of  a  knight's  fee,  held  of  him 
by  Simon  Camerarius  ;  a  little  later  Gilbert  de  Gant  is  reported 
to  have  held  in  Great  Hale  3  carucates  of  land  of  the  King,  then 
let  to  William  de  Dive,  whose  sub-tenant  was  Hugo  de  Nevill, 
and  Simon  de  Hall.  "  Testa  de  Nevill." 

In  1247  Hugo  de  Nevill,  son  of  Henry,  of  Great  Hale,  made 
an  agreement  with  Henry  de  Longchamp,  of  Burton,  and  his 
heirs,  that  he  would  never  hunt  in  his  warren  without  his  leave ; 
which  leave,  however,  would  be  granted  at  his  request  to  himself 
personally  from  the  nativity  of  the  blessed  Virgin  to  pentecost 
provided  he  should  send  either  his  esquire  or  some  other 
messenger  to  the  house  of  Henry  de  Longchamp  to  obtain  leave 
of  his  officers,  and  if  these  should  not  be  in  the  way,  having 
provided  himself  with  the  testimony  of  two  or  three  men  of 
Burton,  that  he  had  done  so,  he  might  go  to  the  said  warren  and 
hunt  in  the  plains  without  leave. 


370  GREAT  HALE. 

The  said  Henry  de  Longcharnp,  lord  of  Frieston,  four  days 
before  his  death  gave  2  oxgangs  of  land  in  Great  Hale  along 
with  his  body  for  burial  to  the  Abbey  of  Swineshead,  presenting 
a  charter  of  seizen  by  one  of  his  vassals,  and  ordering  him  to 
expel  thence  two  female  tenants  of  the  same  that  the  land  might 
be  ploughed  directly  for  the  benefit  of  the  Abbot.  In  1327  by 
virtue  of  this  act,  John,  the  son  of  Elye,  the  cooper,  held  this 
land  under  the  Abbot  of  Swineshead.  "  Inq,  ad,  q.  d.  1  E.  3." 

In  the  21  E.  3,  Thomas  Howard  gave  divers  lands  in  Great 
Hale  to  William  Auncell,  who  with  Alice  his  wife  transmitted 
them  to  their  son  William,  34  E.  3  ;  but  previous  to  this  Hugo 
de  Bussey  as  the  heir  of  one  of  the  descendants  of  Sir  John  de 
Dive,  had  become  lord  paramount  of  a  portion  of  this  vill  as  a 
part  of  the  Barony  of  Gant,  which  he  held  of  the  King.  He  was 
succeeded  by  his  son  John  de  Bussey,  who  held  lands  here,  in 
Dembleby,  Skellingthorpe,  and  Fenton,  amounting  to  two 
knight's  fees.  "  Lansdown  MS.  863,  f.  189." 

In  1397  died  John,  Lord  Beaumont,  seized  of  the  third  of  a 
knight's  fee  in  Great  Hale,  held  of  him  and  Katharine  his  wife, 
by  John  Bussey  :  but  in  1463  these  lands,  constituting  the  manor 
of  Hale,  and  held  in  succession  by  the  Beaumonts  and  Bardolfs, 
were  forfeited  by  the  attainder  of  William,  Lord  Bardolf.  "  Inq. 
p.  m.  3  E.  4." 

The  Husseys  next  acquired  them,  of  whom  Robert,  the  first 
possessor,  died  May  28th,  1545.  His  son  and  heir,  Thomas,  held 
the  manors  of  Great  and  Little  Hale  of  the  Duke  of  Norfolk,  as 
of  his  manor  of  Heckington,  and  various  messuages,  one  of  which 
he  held  of  the  Queen  as  of  her  manor  of  Swineshead.  Dying 
without  issue  1559-60,  he  divided  his  estates  between  his  sisters 
and  their  issue.  On  the  29th  of  January,  1609,  died  Charles 
Hussey,  of  Honington,  seized  of  these  manors  which  he  held  of 
the  manor  of  Heckington,  leaving  them  to  his  son  and  heir, 
Edward. 

In  1629,  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Sir  Thomas  Horsman  died  seized 
of  a  manor  here,  which  she  left  to  her  son,  Thomas. 

The  present  principal  landed  proprietors  here  are  the  Marquis 
of  Bristol  and  Colonel  Packe. 


GREAT  HALE.  371 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

The  church  of  Hale  was  given  to  that  of  St.  Lazarus  without 
the  walls  of  Jerusalem  by  Simon  de  Grant  and  Alice  his  wife  in 
the  presence  of  King  John,  who  confirmed  the  gift  in  1208.  In 
1314  the  King  (Edward  II.,)  granted  a  license  to  Robert  de 
Asheby  enabling  him  to  mortmain  2  messuages,  1  croft,  and  36 
acres  of  meadow  in  Great  Hale,  Little  Hale,  and  Heckington,  to 
a  chaplain  to  celebrate  divine  service  in  the  church  of  St.  John 
of  the  Baptist  at  Hale,  for  the  soul  of  the  said  Eobert,  the  souls  of 
Richard,  his  father,  Auline  his  mother,  Robert  de  Kyrington,. 
and  John  Elys,  chaplains,  William  de  Tye,  and  all  faithful 
people.  "  Pat.  Rot.  7  E.  2." 

In  1345  the  Abbot  of  Bardney  obtained  the  King's  licence 
to  appropriate  the  church  of  Great  Hale  to  the  use  of  that  Abbey. 
"Inq.  ad.  q.  d.  18  E.  3." 

In  1634,  when  Sir  Nathaniel  Brent,  vicar  general,  visited 
this  church,  he  found  it  without  a  chancel  although  the  irnpro- 
priator,  Robert  Cawdron,  was  worth  £200  a  year.  "  Dom.  State 
Papers,  V.  274." 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  vicars  of  Hale  since  1561  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.          . — Samuel  Saunders. 
. — Thomas  Schockey. 
. — J.  Pearson. 
. — J.  Manby. 
. — Benjamin  Deacon. 
1700.— Richard  Parke. 
1727.— Richard  Can. 
1758. — William  Harding,  senr. 
1775. — William  Harding,  junr. 
1794.— William  Benwell. 
1796.— Richard  Bingham. 
1858.— Frank  Sugden. 

THE  CHURCH. 

•  This  is  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  and  is  a 
fine  spacious  edifice,  although  now  deprived  of  its  chancel.  The 
tower  is  by  far  the  oldest  feature.  This  is  perfectly  plain,  with- 


;]7l>  GEEAT  HALE. 

out  any  plinth  or  string  courses,  and  appears  to  have  been  always 
plastered  within  its  quoins.  In  the  western  and  southern  faces 
of  its  lower  stage  is  a  small  semicircular-headed  light,  the  arch  of 
the  latter  being  moulded  ;  and  in  the  stage  above  is  a  little  key- 
hole slit,  the  head  of  which  has  been  mutilated.  In  the  upper 
stage  is  a  coupled  semicircular-headed  belfry  light  in  each  face 
with  a  circular  shaft  between  them,  having  a  scalloped  cushion 
capital,  supporting  a  long  saddle  impost.  In  the  north  east  angle 
of  the  tower  is  a  narrow  newel  staircase  lighted  by  four  slits, 
and  it  is  surmounted  by  a  poor  Perpendicular  embattled  parapet, 
and  eight  coarsely  cut  crocketed  pinnacles. 

The  nave  has  been  deprived  of  its  original  roof,  the  pitch  of 
which  is  indicated  by  its  weathering  on  the  eastern  face  of  the 
tower. 

The  south  aisle  is  late  Early  English,  and  has  a  good  boldly 
moulded  plinth,  and  buttresses  finished  with  pedimented  caps. 
At  the  west  end  is  a  three-light  intersecting  lancet  window  now 
foreshortened  through  the  introduction  of  a  modern  doorway 
below  it.  In  its  south  wall  are  five  similar  windows  of  larger 
size,  and  a  spacious  porch  having  a  wide  well-moulded  arch  and 
pillared  jambs.  Within,  is  a  doorway  of  a  plainer  character,  and 
above  it  a  little  niche.  At  the  east  end  is  rather  a  weak  four- 
light  Decorated  window.  From  the  absence  of  parapets  on  the 
aisles  and  the  nave,  as  well  as  from  the  loss  of  its  roof,  this  church 
suffers  much  in  its  external  appearance. 

At  the  east  end  of  the  nave  the  outline  of  the  chancel  arch 
may  be  seen,  against  which  are  built  buttresses ;  within  this  is 
a  poor  window  feebly  copied  from  the  design  of  one  of  the  south 
aisle  windows,  and  below  it  a  stopped- up  Tudor  doorway.  The 
north  aisle  has  a  well-moulded  plinth  and  good  buttresses,  but 
of  a  later  character  than  the  southern  one.  At  the  east  end  is  a 
good  deeply-moulded  four-light  window,  and  in  the  side  wall 
four  three-light  windows  and  a  doorway  with  pillared  jambs 
similar  in  design  to  the  arch  of  the  porch  attached  to  the  south 
aisle. 

Within,  a  plain  semicircular-headed  arch,  relieved  only  by  a 
simple  cornice  on  either  side,  gives  access  to  the  tower  from  the 
nave.  Originally  the  nave  was  lofty  as  well  as  spacious  through 
the  breadth  of  its  aisles.  Its  arcades,  of  five  bays,  are  supported 
by  circular-shafted  pillars  rising  from  square  bases,  and  their 


GKEAT  HALE.  373 

arches  consist  of  two  plainly  chamfered  members,  and  a  hood 
mould.  The  last  pair  of  arches  towards  the  west  are  narrower 
than  the  others.  There  was  a  chapel  at  the  east  end  of  both,  as 
evidenced  by  an  aumbry  and  a  piscina  still  remaining  in  the 
usual  position  there.  On  the  south  side  of  the  chancel  arch  was 
the  rood  loft  staircase,  part  of  which  still  remains,  and  the  old 
oak  chancel  screen  now  cuts  off  the  westernmost  bay  of  the  north 
aisle,  to  serve  as  a  lobby.  A  similar  arrangement  exists  in  the 
south  aisle,  to  provide  a  vestry,  on  the  plaster  wall  of  which 
has  been  ingeniously  painted  a  copy  of  the  real  screen  opposite, 
by  some  local  artist.  The  font  is  an  octangular  one.  In  each 
face  of  its  bowl  is  a  cusped-headed  niche  having  a  border  of 
quatrefoils  above  and  on  each  side  of  it.  Holies  mentions  the 
following  armorial  bearings  which  he  saw  in  a  north  window  of 
the  church  when  he  visited  it,  viz :  those  of  Clare,  Warren,  de 
Gant,  Beaumont,  Yere,  and  Deyncourt.  Here  also  he  saw 
England  and  France  ancient,  Latimer,  and  Goldesburgh  or 
Goldsboro' — Az,  a  cross  fleuree  arg.  Towards  the  east  end  of  the 
north  aisle  are  several  monuments  of  the  Cawdron  family.  The 
oldest  of  these  is  a  small  mural  one  of  white  marble  between  the 
two  easternmost  windows  of  this  aisle  ;  on  this  are  represented 
Robert  Cawdron  and  his  first  wife  in  a  kneeling  position  above, 
and  his  two  subsequent  wives  below.  It  bears  the  following 
epitaph : — 

To  the  sacred  and  perpetuel  memory  of  Robert  Cawdron, 
of  Little  Hale,  in  the  Coun.  of  Line.,  Gent  :  who 
departed  this  life  ye  30  day  of  December,  1665.  Ann 
uEtat  sue  LVI,  being  3  times  married  :  first  unto 
Katherine  daughter  of  Edward  Netham,_  of  listen  in  " 
ye  count  of  Leicest.  Gent.  2dly.  unto  Susanna  Fauk- 
enbridge,  relict  of  Richard  Gamble,  Gent.  Lastly  unto 
Elizabeth  Sansome,  ye  relict  of  John  Woods,  Gent., 
now  living,  which  said  sorrowful  widow  out  of  tender 
affection  she  beareth  to  her  deceased  husband  caused 
this  monument  to  be  erected  at  her  own  proper  charge 
and  cost,  this  20th  day  of  May,  1668. 

The  memory  of  ye  just  is  blessed,  but  ye  name  of  the  wicked  shall  rot. 

The  body  of  this  Eobert  Cawdron  was  buried  beneath  the 
sepulchral  slab  of  an  ecclesiastic  of  the  14th  century.  This  is  of 
grey  marble  and  was  once  adorned  with  a  stemmed  cross  spring- 

BB 


374  GEEAT  HALE. 

ing  from  a  lion  at  the  base,  a  bust  of  the  priest  it  commemorated 
and  a  border  legend,  engraved  on  brass  plates,  all  of  which  are 
now  lost,  but  the  initials  E.  C.  and  the  date  1665  were  interpo- 
lated upon  it,  when  it  was  used  to  cover  the  remains  of  Eobert 
Cawdron  by  his  third  wife. 

On  a  small  white  marble  mural  tablet,  next  to  this  on  the 
right,  are  the  incised  effigies  of  Eobert  Cawdron,  Ann,  his  first 
wife,  daughter  of  Edward  King,  of  Ashby,  Eleanor,  his  second 
wife,  9  sons,  6  daughters,  and  5  children  who  died  in  infancy. 
These  are  ranged  in  a  kneeling  posture  behind  their  parents 
praying  on  either  side  of  a  central  desk,  while  the  dead  infants  in 
their  grave  clothes  lie  beneath  these,  each  accompanied  by  a 
skull  as  an  indication  of  their  death.  Below  is  this  inscription : — 

Memoriae  sacrum. 

Roberti  Cawdron  Armig  vitse  integeri  in  egenos 
largissrai  in  patriam  fidissim1,  uxores  duas  habuit, 
Jam.  Anna  nota  Edwardi  King,  Armigeri,  que  peperit 
et  10  filios  et  6  filias.  2  Maria,  viduam  loliannis 
Austen  generose,  e  qua  3  filios  et  unam  filiam. 
Mortuns  est  die  II  Martii  A°-  1652.  ./Etatis  sue  73. 
Eleanora  filia  obsequentessmo.  parenti  amantissimo 
lugens  posuit.  Antonius  films  fecit. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  first-named  Eobert  Cawdron's  monu- 
ment is  a  stone  tablet  in  which  a  brass  plate  is  inserted 
commemorating  Anne  Cawdron,  first  wife  of  the  first  Eobert 
Cawdron,  and  below  is  a  second  plate  set  in  a  stone,  recording 
the  death  of  Francis  Cawdron.  Eastward  of  these  is  another 
mural  monument  commemorating  a  third  Eobert  Cawdron,  which 
is  thus/  inscribed  : — 

Here  lyeth  the  body  of  Eobert  Cawdron,  Esq.,  who  by 
Sarah  his  wife,  youngest  daughter  of  Sir  Edward 
Hussey,  of  Welbourn,  Baronet,  had  issue  one  daughter 
Elizabeth.  He  departed  this  life  October  ye' 18th, 
1728,  in  the  41  year  of  his  age. 

Another  daughter  of  Sir  Edward  Hussey  is  also  thus  commemora- 
ted in  this  church  : — 

Here  lieth  the  body  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Smith,  wife  of 
Weston  John  Smith,  Esq.,  of  this  parish.  She  was 
the  youngest  daughter  of  Sir  Edward  Hussey,  Bart., 
of  Welbourn,  in  this  County,  who  departed  this  life 
the  17  of  May,  1767,  in  the  80  year  of  her  age. 


LITTLE  HALE. 

T  ITTLE  Hale  always  appears  to  have  been  associated  with. 
JLj  Great  Hale,  as  it  is  at  present. 

Circa  1200-10  Gilbert  de  Gant  was  holding  a  sixth  part  of  a 
knight's  fee  here,  then  in  the  tenure  of  Simon  Camerarius. 
"  Testa  deNevill." 

In  1418  died  Thomas  Geene,  Kt.,  of  Norton,  Northants., 
seized  of  a  capital  messuage  here.  "  Inq.  p.  m.  5  H.  5." 

In  1590  died  Robert  Carre,  of  Aswarby,  seized  of  the  manor 
of  Little  Hale,  which  he  had  bought  with  many  others. 

In  1603  died  William  Callis,  yeoman  of  this  place,  seized  of 
lands  and  tenements  here,  having  a  young  son  and  heir,  William. 
"Harl.  MSS.  758." 

In  1629  died  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Thomas  Horsman,  who  held 
this  manor,  leaving  a  son  and  heir  living — Thomas,  born  1615. 

William  Burton,  the  faithful  steward  of  the  Carres,  thus 
instructs  his  young  master,  Sir  Robert  Carre,  2nd  Bart.,  in  1627, 
respecting  Little  Hale.  "  This  is  a  manor  whereof  divers  free 
tenants  hould  their  lands  by  rents  service  :  You  have  there  not 
above  14  acres  of  inclosed  land ;  all  ye  rest  of  yor  lands,  being 
arable  &  meadow,  lie  in  ye  open  fields,  intermixt  with  ye  free- 
holders ;  and  part  of  them  have  bin  so  long  held  by  freeholders, 
together  with  their  owne  landes,  that  they  cannot  be  distinguished 
there  from  ye  other ;  soe  you  may  by  incrochments  &  conceal- 
ments be  much  wronged  in  this  place,  and  likewise  in  Great 
Hale,  if  yor  officers  look  not  ye  better  about  them.  I  hold  it 
therefore  very  requisite  that  a  survey  be  taken  of  all  yor  lands  & 
meadows  in  those  2  Townes." 

Subsequently  the  Cawdron  family  was  established  at  Little 
Hale  for  some  time.  Now  the  principal  landed  proprietors  here 
— as  in  Great  Hale — are  the  Marquis  of  Bristol  and  Colonel  Packe. 


HAYDOR. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

3700>  1861—466.     1871—447. 

THIS  village,  the  name  of  which  was  originally  spelt  Heidure, 
lies  6  miles  south  west  of  Sleaford. 

After  the  Conquest  4  carucates  of  land  in  this  parish  lay 
within  the  soke  of  Wido  de  Oredon's  manor  in  Swaton,  and  a 
smaller  portion  belonged  to  Colsuein's  manor  of  North  Kyme. 
This  last  was  afterwards  held  by  Petronilla  de  Croun,  who  let  it 
to  Henry  Camerarius,  and  he  to  Eichard  de  Thuschit,  with  the 
exception  of  4  oxgangs  held  by  Walter  de  Eudestager  of  the 
mother  church  of  Lincoln,  3  oxgangs  belonging  to  Haydor 
church,  and  half  an  oxgang  held  by  the  "  Hospital  at  Lincoln," 
all  of  which  Were  free  from  scutage. 

Circa  1200-20  Eobert  de  Pickworth  held  3  carucates  here 
of  the  Constable  of  Lincoln,  by  the  service  of  half  a  knight's 
fee,  and  Henry  de  Longchamps  5  carucates  of  the  fee  of  Grant. 
Subsequently  this  last  fee  was  held  by  the  Bishop  of  Worcester, 
for  a  daughter  of  Henry  de  Longchamps,  who  was  probably  his 
ward,  and  afterwards  by  the  family  of  Dyve,  After  the  death  of 
the  last  Gilbert  de  Grant  without  male  heirs,  his  lands  here  were 
granted  by  the  Crown  to  John,  son  and  heir  of  Hugo  de  Bussey, 
of  Hougham,  in  1307.  About  the  same  time  a  family  of  the 
name  of  Gloucester  was  resident  at  Haydor  ;  of  whom  Hawise, 
the  wife  of  Sir  Walter  de  Gloucester,  quitclaimed  for  herself  and 
heirs  to  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Lincoln,  all  right  she  had  to 
some  tenements  in  Lincoln,  through  their  enfeeoffment  by  her 
son,  Walter  de  Gloucester.  This  grant  was  signed  at  Haydor 
in  1324,  in  the  presence  of  several  knights.  "  Lib.  de  Ordinat. 
Cant."  Previous  to,  or  during  the  year  1338,  Sir  Bartholomew 
Burghurst,  or  Burghersh,  (the  brother  of  Henry  Burghersh, 
Bishop  of  Lincoln),  had  obtained  the  manor  of  Haydor,  and  a 
grant  of  free-warren  over  its  lands.  He  died  seized  of  the  said 
manor  in  1356,  leaving  a  son  and  heir,  Bartholomew,  born  in 


HAYDOE.  377 

1336.  "Dugdale,  and  Inq.  p.  m.  26  E.  3."  A  branch  of  the 
great  house  of  Scrope  next  became  lords  of  this  manor.  In  1391 
died  Sir  Roger  de  Swillington,  seized,  conjointly  with  Margaret 
his  wife,  of  a  messuage  and  2  carucates  of  land  in  Haydor,  as  of 
the  castle  of  Falkingham.  He  assigned  to  the  Dean  and  Chapter 
of  Lincoln  an  annual  rent  of  20  marks,  arising  from  his  manor 
of  Haydor  and  lands  in  Haceby  and  Braceby.  That  body  also 
received  an  annual  payment  of  £4  5s.  8d.  from  the  profits  of 
the  churches  of  Haydor,  and  Waltham,  Bucks.,  towards  the 
support  of  a  prebendary  of  Lincoln..  Sir  Roger  left  a  daughter 
and  heir,  Margaret,  wife  of  Sir  John  Gray,  who  died  1429,  in 
possession  of  Southwood  and  certain  rents  at  Haydor.  In  1397 
died  John,  Lord  Beaumont,  seized,  conjointly  with  his  wife 
Katherine,  of  half  a  knight's  fee,  then  held  by  him  of  William 
Disney.  When  Ralph,  Lord  Cromwell,  founded  his  college  at 
Tattershall,  he  gave  16  acres  of  wood  at  Haydor,  for  its  support, 
together  with  an  annual  rent  of  £4  13s.  4d.,  derived  from  tene- 
ments here  and  at  Burton.  A  descendant  of  the  Busseys-was 
still  resident  at  Haydor  in  1587,  in  the  person  of  Edward  Bus- 
sey,  who  was  fined  £50  to  the -Star  Chamber  for  some  offence 
he  had  committed.  "  Pip.  Rot.,  29  Eliz."  Perhaps  Leland 
referred  to  this  gentleman  when  he  says,  "  Itin.,  i,  29,"  "  One 
Bussey,  coming  of  a  younger  brother  of  the  house  of  Busseys 
of  Hougheham,  dwelleth  in  an  old  place  at  Haider,  that  he 
and  his  parents  hath  of  a  fee  farm,  of  the  church  of  Lincoln." 

The  site  of  that  old  place  is  still  clearly  indicated  by  the 
remains  of  its  moat ;  and  a  few  other  relics  have  survived  its 
destruction.  Among  these  is  a  large  figure  of  a  female  playing 
upon  a  musical  instrument,  carved  in  stone,  now  built  into  a 
garden  wall  on  the  north  side  of  the  church,  where  the  old 
manor  house  of  Haydor  formerly  stood. 

The  antiquary  Leland,  in  his  Collectanea,  speaking  of 
Haydor,  says :  "  Bussey  that  was  so  great  in  Richard  the 
Second's  days,  and  was  beheaded  at  Bristol,  although  he  had  his 
principal  house  or  manor  place  at  Hougheham,  about  three  miles 
from  Grrantharn,  yet  resided  sometimes  at  this  place  also."  'But 
full  two  centuries  before  the  time  of  Richard  II.,  viz :  the  29th 
and  30th  of  Henry  I.,  we  find  that  a  Hugo  de  Bussey  was  Sheriff 
of  Lincolnshire  ;  and  that  in  the  35th  of  the  same  reign,  a  John 
de  Bussey  held  of  the  King  two  knight's  fees  in  capite,  as  of  the 


378  HAYDOE. 

barony  of  Gant.  Again,  a  William  Bussey  was  Sheriff  of  Lin- 
colnshire the  47th  of  Edward  III.,  and  a  John  Bussey  de  Hather 
held  that  high  office  in  the  7th,  9th,  and  14th  of  Eichard  II. 
This  John  Bussey  was  one  of  the  six  Commoners,  who,  with, 
twelve  Lords,  were,  on  the  dissolution  of  Parliament,  A.D.  1398, 
elected  as  a  committee,  and  invested  with  the  whole  power  of 
the  Lords  and  Commons :  but  in  the  general  insurrection  in  the 
month  of  August,  in 'the  following  year,  occasioned  by  the  return 
of  the  Duke  of  Lancaster,  he,  with  others  of  Eichard 's  ministers, 
threw  themselves  into  Bristol  for  security,  and,  on  the  surrender 
of  that  place  to  the  Duke,  was,  together  with  others,  led  to  im- 
mediate execution  without  any  previous  trial. 

The  following  notes  ralative  to  the  ancient  family  of  Bussey, 
transcribed  from  a  vellum,  book  of  devotions,  formerly  belonging 
to  some  of  that  family,  formerly  in  the  possession  of  the  late  Mr. 
Edward  James  "Willson,  of  Lincoln,  may  not  improperly  find  a 
place  here:* 

30.  Julii.     Obitus  Joh'is  Bussy,  militis,  qui  obiit  apud  Bristowe 

A'no  D'ni  m,ccc,lxxxix. 
21.  Octob.      Hie  natus   est  Johannes   films   et   heres   domini 

Johannis  Bushi,  anno  domini  m,cccc,22f 
Hie  natus   est  Hugo    filius   et  heres   Joh'is   Bussy  A'o  D'ni 

m,cccc,liii. 
21.  Jan.     Obitus  Domine  Katerine  Bussy,  que  fuit  uxor  Johannis 

Bussey,  qui  quidem  Joh'es  fuit  heres  D'ni  Joh'is  Bussy,  qui 

obiit  apud  Byrstowe  in  anno  regni  Eichardi  secundi  xii.,  &c. 

Katerine  obiit  in  A'no  D'ni  m,cccc,lvi,  et  in  regni 

Edwardi  iiii. 
4.  Mar.     Obitus   Joh'is  Bussy,  militis,  qui  obiit  Hogham  A'o 

D'ni  m,cccc,lviii.     Iste  Johannes  fuit  filius  et  heres  Joh'is 

Bussy,  qui  obiit  apud  Bristowe  pro  Eicardo  Secundo,   in 

anno  regni  sui  xii. 


*  These  Notes  are  written  in  the  margins  of  those  leaves  which  contain 
the  annual  calendar,  at  the  beginning  of  the  volume  ;  making  up  a  family 
register. 

t  This  entry  is  written  in  a  most  exact  manner,  apparently  by  the  person 
o  wrote  the  book  itself.     The  last  two  figures  in  the  date  are  the  earliest 
Arabic  numerals  in  this  register. 


HAYDOE.  379 

28.  Jan.     Obitus  Edmundi  Perpont*  qui  obiit   in   die   sancte 

Agnetis   supradicto,    A'o   D'ni   m;cccc,lxxxv.       A'o    regni 

Henrici  septimi  primo. 
26.  Jan.     Obitus  Joharinis  Bussy  filii  iij.  Tho.  Bussey,  militis, 

de  Hogham,  et  dictus  Johannes  obiit  apud  Scotter,  A'o  D'ni 

m,cccc,lxxxvii,    et  regni    Henrici    septimi,  tercio.      Cujus 

anime  propicietur  deus,  amon. 
16.  Feb.     Obitus  Magistri  Willi.  Bussy,  filii  Joh'is  Bussy,  militis, 

ac  rectoris  de  Hogham,  and  Winfield  in  com.     Derbii,  A'o 

D'ni  m,cccc,  nonagessimo  iij. 
5.  Aug.     Obitus  D'ne  Eliz.  Bussy  uxoris  Johannis  Bussey,  milits, 

&  filie  Laurencii  Barkeley.     Anno  D'ni  m,cccc,  nonagessimo 

quarto.     Cujus  auime  propicietur  deus,  amen. 
Jun.  6.     Isto   die   natus   est  Edwardus   Bussy  filius  Edmundi 

Bussi,  A'o  m,d,xi,  &  A'o  H.  viij.  tercio. 
24.  Decemb.     Edwardus  Bussy  filius  Edwardi  Bussy,  natus  fuit 

apud  Haidor  vicessimo  quarto  die  Decembris,  Anuo  D'ni 

1552. 
Octob.     Isto  die  nata  erat  Elizabetha  Bussy  filia  Johannis  Bussy 

apud  Wythecoke  in  A'o  D'ni  1558. 
Primo  die  Januarii  natus  fuit  Johannes  Bussy  filius  Johannis 

Bussy  apud  Haidor,  anno  domini  1559. 
2.  Feb.     Isto  die  obiit  Henricus  St.  Poolle  apud  Wythcoke,  in 

A'o  D'ni  1559. 
15.  Mar.     Isto  die  natus  fuit  Edmundus  Bussy  filius  Johannis 

Bussy  apud  Haydor,  in  A'o  D'ni  1562. 

Anna  Bussy  filia  Johannis  Bussy,  nata  fui^t  apud  Haidor  vices- 
simo die  Septembris,  anno  domini  1563. 
Bridget   Bussey  filia   Johannis   Bussy,  nata  fuit  apud  Haidor 

octavo    die    Januarii,    anno   domini   1565,    eodemque   die 

baptisata  fuit  Jana  Bussy  filia  ipsius  Johannis,  A' no  D'ni 

1576—1577. 
Francis  Bussy  filius  Johannis  Bussy,   natus  fuit  apud  Haidor 

vicessimo  die  Aprilis,  anno  domini  1567. 
Christopher  Bussy  filius  Johannis  Bussy,  natus  fuit  apud  Haidor 

undscimo  die  Aprilis,  anno  domini  1568. 
Mary  Bussy  filia  Johannis  Bussy,  nata  fuit  apud  Haidor  secundo 

die  Aprilis,  anno  domini  1570. 

*  This  probably  was  some  relative  of  the  Bussey  family. 


380  HAYDOE. 

Isto  die  (27.  Novemb.)  obiit  Edmundus  Bussy,  apud  Willow, 

films  Edwardi  Bussy,  anno  domini  1570. 
Charles  Bussy  filius  Johannis  Bussy,  natus  fuit  apud  Haidor 

undecimo  die  Mali,  anno  domini  1572. 
Brudnell  Bussy  filius  Johannis  Bussy,  obiit  apud  Haidor  decimo 

die  Maii,  anno  domini  1578. 
Isto,  quarto  viz.,  die  Octobris  an'o  dom.  1580,  baptizatus  fuit 

Andrew  Bussy  filius  Johannis. 
15.  die  Aprilis,  A'o  regni  Elizabethe  28,  1586,  natus  fuit  Eawley 

Bussy  filius  Johannis  Bussey,  qui  fuit  filius  Joh'is  Bussey 

de  Hather,  armigeri. 
Nupta  fuit  [Elizabeth  Bussy,  born  1558]  Johanni  Babington  de 

Eampton  in  com.  Nottingha',  arm.  per  quern  habuit  nullum 

exitum,  nisi  vnicum  filium  vocatum  Johannem,  natum  Hador 

mense   Januarii,    1587,   A'o  regni  Elizabethe  regine,  &c., 

vicessimo  nono. 
Johannes  Babington  obiit  apud  Eampton  anno  domini  1588, 

mense  Aprilis. 
Edwardus  Bussy  filius  Edmundi  Bussy,  natus  fuit  apud  Eampton, 

in  com.  Nott'.  quarto  die  Novembris,  A'o  D'ni  1590. 
Milo  Bussy  filius  E'di  natus  fuit  apud  Haydor  xix  die  Augusti, 

anno  domini  1592. 
Elizabetha  Bussey  filia  Edmundi  Bussy,  nata  fuit  apud  Haydor 

xi  Augusti,  1593. 
Elizabeth  Bussy  filia  Edmundi  Bussy,  nata  fuit  apud  Haidor  14. 

die  Julii,  A'o  D'ni  1594. 
Francisca  Bussey  filia  Edmundi  Bussy,  nata  fuit  apud  Haidor 

29.  die  Aprilis,  A'o  Eegni  Eegine  Elizabethe  30.  A'o  D'ni 

1596. 
Jane  Bussy  filia  Edmundi  Bussy,   nata  fuit  apud  Haidor  12. 

Julii,  1597. 
Edmundus  Bussy  filius  Francisci,  natus  fuit  apud  Eampton  tercio 

die  Augusti,  anno  d'ni  1597. 
Elizab.   Bussye   fiilia   Milonis    Bussye,  nata  fuit  apud  Haidor 

vicessimo  die  martii,  anno  domini  1609. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTOBY. 

There  was  a  priest  and  a  church  at  Haydor  when  Domesday 
Book  was  composed.      In  the  reign  of  Henry  HI.  4  oxgangs 


HAYDOR.  381 

here  were  held  by  the  Chapter  of  Lincoln  Cathedral,  then  let  to 
Walter  de  Rudestayn ;  the  church  of  Haydor  was  endowed  with 
3  oxgangs,  and  a  hospital  at  Lincoln  held  half  an  oxgang,  prob- 
ably that  of  St.  Catharine.  Formerly  the  vicarage  of  Haydor 
with  Kelby  was  a  peculiar,  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  pre- 
bendary of  Haydor  with  Walton  instead  of  that  of  the  Arch- 
deacon of  Lincoln.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  incumbents  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1361. — Thomas   de  Appelby,  presented  by  Galfrid  le 
Scroop,  Canon  of  Lincoln. 

1585. — Leonard  Towne. 

1599.— Eobert  Rambody. 

1604.— Francis  Quiningbcrow. 

1628. — Richard  Northam.    • 
. — Henry  Peight.         .    - 

1675. — Isaac  Carter. 

1688.— Joseph  Wild. 

1726. — Robert  Lamb. 

1747. — Emanuel  Langford. 

1778.— John  Baker. 

1786. — George  Hicks. 

1800.— Michael  Thorold. 

1836. — Arthur  Leaping  well. 

1856. — Gordon  Frederick  Deedes. 

THE  CHUKCH. 

The  general  appearance  of  this  church,  dedicated  in  honour 
of  St.  Michael,  is  imposing,  partly  arising  from  its  advantageous 
situation  on  a  little  eminence,  and  partly  from  the  character  of 
its  features.  The  spire  sits  well  upon  the  tower,  but  the  angle 
pinnacles  of  the  latter  are  over  heavy.  There  was  clearly  at  one 
time  a  Norman  church  here,  as  indicated  by  a  small  arch  of  that 
period,  now  inserted  over  the  staircase  doorway  of  the  tower. 
Then  succeeded  an  Early  English  fabric,  the  chancel  of  which  still 
remains,  together  with  its  lateral  lancet  windows.  The  tower 
arch,  together  with  the  lower  portion  of  its  northern  wall,  are 
also  Early  English.  During  the  Decorated  period  the  whole 
of  the  nave  was  re-built,  and  the  pitch  of  its  roof  is  still  manifest. 
The  aisle  windows  are  for  the  most  part  of  the  reticulated  type 


382  HAYDOE. 

so  common  in  this  district,  but  the  tracery  of  two  of  these  in  the 
south  aisle  varies  from  the  usual  principles  observed  in  de- 
signing such  features  for  the  purpose  of  forming  crosses.  The 
east  end  of  this  portion  of  the  cnurch  has. been  made  to  serve 
as  a  chapel,  the  remaining  piscina  of  which  has  a  drain  of  a  sin- 
gular character.  Here  was  an  entrance  to  the  rood  loft,  but 
there  appears  to  have  been  another  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
nave,  from  the  evidence  of  a  doorway  on  the  north  side  of  the 
chancel  arch.  The  font,  of  the  same  period  as  the  nave,  is 
pleasingly  adorned  with  shallow  carving,  resembling  traceried 
windows.  In  the  north  aisle  windows  is  some  old  glass  of  the 
reign  of  Richard  II.,  which  has  lately  been  carefully  repaired. 
The  westernmost  one  contains  figures  of  the  then  three  favourite 
patron  saints  of  England,  viz  :  St.  Edward,  St.  George,  and  St. 
Edmund.  Below  are  three  shields  ;  of  these  the  central  one  is 
modern;  both  the  others  bear  Gules,  a  bar  argent.,  for  Scrope, 
with  a  label  of  three  points  over  all,  as  a  difference.  The  second 
window  contains  figures  of  St.  Vincent,  St.  Lawrence,  and  St. 
Stephen ;  the  third,  modern  representations  of  Melchisedec, 
Moses,  and  Ellas.  In  the  border  of  one  of  these  windows  the 
letter  M  is  frequently  interspersed  with  the  other  ornaments  of 
the  same,  and  probably  refers  to  St.  Michael,  the  patron  saint  of 
this  church.  Some  fragments  of  the  old  painted  glass  are  now 
misplaced,  such  as  a  figure  of  our  Lord  in  glory,  and  a  head  of 
Christ,  which  are  inserted  below  figures  of  angels.  The  nave 
was  subsequently  surmounted  by  the  present  Perpendicular 
clerestory,  which  no  doubt  adds  dignity  to  the  fabric  by  increas- 
ing its  elevation,  but  is  in  itself  a  plain  and  unattractive  feature. 
Within  the  porch  is  a  Decorated  niche  over  the  doorway  ;  it  has 
a  stone  roof  supported  on  plain  ribs,  and  a  staircase,  which 
formerly  gave  access  to  a  room  above. 

In  a  small  chapel  on  the  north  side  of  the  chancel  are  two 
small  "hagioscopes,"  looking  towards  the  chancel  altar,  also  a 
curious  old  carved  chest ;  but  the  most  conspicuous  objects  here 
are  a  number  of  marble  monuments  recording  the  deaths  of 
members  of  the  Newton  fomily,  formerly  the  wealthy  proprietors 
of  Culverthorpe  Hall,  whose  last  male  heir  was  cut  off  in  a  very 
extraordinary  manner.  The  marble  slab  that  covers  his  infantine 
remains  is  thus  inscribed : — 


HAYDOE.  383 

Here  lyeth  the  body  of  John  Lord  Viscount  Coningesby, 
son  of  Sir  Michael  Newton,  Bart.,  Knight  of  the  Most 
Honble.  Order  of  the  Bath,  and  Margaret,  Countess  of 
Coningesby,  his  wife  :  who  was  born  the  16th  day  of 
October,  1732,  and  dyed  the  14th  day  of  January, 
1732-3. 

Hence  we  might  naturally  suppose  that  this  little  heir  of  the 
united  wealth  and  titles  of  his  parents  simply  died  of  one  of  the 
ordinary  complaints  to  which  infants  are  subject ;  but  it  was  one 
of  the  strangest  misadventures  that  in  reality  cut  off  this  hope  of 
the  house  of  Newton.  During  the  eighteenth  century  a  fashion 
prevailed  of  keeping  large  monkeys  as  pets,  and  the  Countess  of 
Coningesby  unhappily  followed  that  foolish  fashion  ;  afterwards 
a  far  nobler  and  more  precious  pet  became  hers  in  the  form  of  a 
lovely  baby ;  but  in  about  two  months'  time  she  was  again  child- 
less, for  her  monkey,  during  the  temporary  absence  of  its  nurse, 
stole  the  infant  from  his  cradle,  and  absconded  with  him.  Upon 
her  return,  the  nurse  wildly  pursued  the  flying  monkey  with 
its  precious  burthen.  Upstairs  scrambled  the  beast,  and  then, 
frightened  by  her  screams,  he  dropped  the  stolen  infant,  and 
nothing  remained  for  the  wretched  parents  to  do  but  to  weep 
and  to  wail  over  the  child,  and  to  commit  the  remains  of  this 
last  little  Viscount  Coningesby  to  the  grave.  The  truth  of  this 
story  has  been  doubted  from  the  existence  of  a  note  in  the  parish 
register  stating  that  the  body  of  this  unfortunate  infant  was 
brought  from  London  for  burial  at  Haydor;  but  the  incident 
related  may  have  occurred  in  London  just  as  well  as  at  Culver- 
thorpe,  and  it  depends  not  upon  mere  untraceable  tradition,  but 
upon  reliable  oral  authority. 

A  white  marble  monument  of  the  Countess,  by  Bysbrach, 
is  also  in  this  chapel. 


HECKINGTON. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

5049.  1881—1725.  -  1871—1865. 

THIS  large  village  lies  5  miles  east  of  Sleaford  and  on  the 
turnpike  road  between  it  and  Boston.  The  parish  is  6 
miles  long  and  1^  broad. 

Its  name  was  at  first  spelt  Eschintune,  then  Hechintune,  and 
next  Heckintone,  before  it  assumed  the  present  form  of  Hecking- 
ton.  Morkar,  Turchil,  and  Algar  the  deacon,  were  the  chief 
Saxon  landed  proprietors  here  before  the  Conquest,  but  subse- 
quently Colsuein  obtained  a  grant  of  lands  here,  together 
with  appurtenance:^  in  Helpringham,  Howell,  and  Kirkby  Lay- 
thorpe.  Of  this,  Ealph  Paganel  claimed  6  oxgangs  which  had 
been  Algar's,  but  the  jury  of  the  Wapentake  disallowed  it. 
Gilbert  de  Grant  received  3  carucates  of  arable  land,  100  of 
meadow,  and  3  fisheries  worth  5s.  4d.  a  year.  The  King 
retained  Morkar' s  land  as  an  adjunct  of  his  manor  of  Kirkby 
Laythorpe.  Wido  de  Credon  obtained  4  oxgangs  of  plough  land 
and  3  of  meadow  as  an  adjunct  of  his  manor  of  Burton.  The 
Bishop  of  Lincoln  2  oxgangs  of  plough  land  and  3  of  meadow  as 
of  his  manor  of  Sleaford,  and  Robert  de  Vesci  a  small  portion 
of  land  as  parcel  of  his  manor  of  Steveninge,  in  the  parish  of 
Swineshead. 

In  the  reign  of  Henry  III.  the  fifth  Gilbert  de  Gant  was 
holding  5j  carucates  of  the  King ;  of  which  he  had  given  the 
twelfth  part  of  a  knight's  fee  to  Lawrence  de  Howel,  the  same 
quantity  to  Robert  de  Heckington,  and  the  twentieth  part  of  a 
knight's  fee  to  Thomas  Anglicus.  At  the  same  time  Simon  de 
Hall  held,  of  Petronilla  de  Vallibus,  4  oxgangs  of  land  by  the 
service  of  40d.  and  a  scutage  of  40s. ;  when  also  William  de 
Latimer  held  the  third  part  of  a  knight's  fee  of  William  de 
Vesci.  "Testa  de  Nevill,  p.  321-2."  On  the  death  of  the 
above-named  Gilbert,  in  1298,  his  fee  in  Heckington  accrued  to 
the  Crown  together  with  other  lands ;  for,  having  no  issue  by 


HECKINGTON.  385 

his  wife,  Laura,  sister  of  Alexander  de  Baliol,  lie  bequeathed 
these  to  the  then  King,  Edward  I.  "Inq.  p.  m.  26  E.  1,"  and 
"Pip.  Eot.  30  E.  1."  Whether  the  tenants  gained  by  this 
transfer  we  know  not,  but  certainly  the  last  of  the  de  Gants  was 
in  the  habit  of  illegally  impounding  his  neighbours  cattle  through 
his  over  anxiety  to  preserve  the  game  on  his  manor  of  Hecking- 
ton,  and  he  also  in  a  most  arbitrary  manner  ordered  a  high  road 
between  Hale  park  and  Garrick  to  be  closed  and  certain  fences 
to  be  levelled,  because  this  interfered  with  his  hunting. 

The  great  family  of  Beaumont  next  obtained  the  manor  of 
Heckington  through  a  grant  from  the  King  to  Henry  de  Beau- 
mont 1310-11.  Twenty  years  later,  viz:  August  19th,  1330,  he 
probably  had  the  honour  of  receiving  the  then  young  King — 
Edward  III. — at  Falkingham  and  at  Heckington,  on  his  way  to 
Clipston ;  who,  while  at  the  last  place,  signed  several  important 
deeds,  among  which  was  a  grant  of  the  customs  of  wool,  hides 
and  skins,  at  Boston,  to  Robert  Stamford,  clerk.  "Pat.  Eot.  4 
E.  III."  In  1463  the  manor  of  Heckington  was  forfeited  to  the 
Crown  through  the  attainder  of  "William,  Yiscount  Beaumont, 
and  given  to  Sir  William  Hastings,  who  died  in  1484 ;  but  on 
the  accession  of  Henry  VII.,  that  attainder  was  reversed,  and 
his  estates  were  restored  to  him.  He  died  childless,  23rd  Henry 
VII.  The  manor  then  accrued  to  Lord  Willoughby  de  Broke, 
from  whom  it  descended  through  marriage  to  the  Duke  of  Suffolk 
in  1540.  Henry,  Lord  Cobham,  was  the  next  possessor  of  the 
manor,  who  with  his  brother  George  Broke  conspired  against 
James  I.,  for  which  they  were  tried  and  found  guilty  of  high 
treason  in  1603.  George  Broke  was  beheaded  for  this ;  but 
'Lord  Cobham  was  respited  ;  and  after  having  suffered  much  from 
poverty,  died  January  24th,  1618-19.  His  life  was  spared 
through  his  abject  excuses,  in  which  he  most  meanly  laid  the 
blame  of  his  conduct  upon  others,  and  especially  upon  his  own 
brother ;  but  he  pleaded  for  mercy  in  a  more  legitimate  manner, 
viz  :  by  reminding  the  King  that  his  royal  father  had  been  his 
baptismal  sponsor,  and  that  his  own  father  had  suffered  imprison- 
ment on  account  of  the  King's  mother,  the  unfortunate  Mary  of 
Scotland.  Lord  Cobham  was  betrayed  by  his  steward,  named 
Mellows,  in  whom  he  thoroughly  confided.  Sir  William  Cobham, 
K.B.,  nephew  of  Lord  Cobham,  was  his  heir,  who  although 
restored  as  to  blood,  never  obtained  the  title  of  Lord  Cobham. 


386  HECKINGTON. 

On  His  death  without  issue,  circa  1643,  Sir  John  Broke,  or 
Brooke,  often  called  Sir  John  Cobham,  son  of  Sir  Henry, 
Ambassador  to  Spain,  France,  and  Germany,  succeeded  to  part 
of  his  grandfather's  estates  in  accordance  with  his  will.  From 
his  loyalty  to  the  Crown  the  title  of  Lord  Cobham  was  bestowed 
upon  him  and  his  heirs  male,  through  letters  patent  to  that 
effect,  dated  at  Oxford,  January  3rd,  1644.  Tradition  relates 
that  this  Lord  Cobham,  through  his  manorial  rights  in  Hecking- 
ton  over  its  then  uninclosed  lands,  so  overstocked  them  as  nearly 
to  deprive  all  others  of  their  privileges,  whence  they  were  induced 
to  give  up  600  acres  of  land  at  the  east  end  of  Heckington  fen  to 
him  in  lieu  of  his  rights.  By  his  first  wife  Anne  he  had  no  issue. 
After  her  death  1625-6,  he  married  Frances,  daughter  of  Sir 
William  Bamfield,  knight,  by  whom  he  had  an  only  son,  born 
1636,  who  died  young,  so  that  he  died  without  leaving  issue, 
when  he  was  upwards  of  90  years  of  age.  His  widow,  Frances, 
Lady  Cobham,  survived  him  17  years,  and  was  buried  in  Surfleet 
church  1676  where  her  monument  still  remains.  The  residence 
of  the  Cobhams  stood  on  the  south  side  of  Heckington,  and  its 
stables  and  other  buildings  remained  standing  near  an  old  fish- 
pond until  towards  the  close  of  the  last  century  c  On  the  death 
of  Lady  Cobham,  Sir  Peter  Frazier,  in  right  of  his  wife,  succeeded 
to  the  Cobham  estate  in  Heckington,  who  is  stated  to  have 
removed  the  furniture  and  pictures  of  the  Cobham  family  to 
Cressy  hall,  in  the  parish  of  Gosberton. 

In  a  field  near  the  old  hall  stood  a  tumulus  called  the  Butts 
hill,  from  its  having  long  been  used  as  an  archery  butt ;  but 
from  the  discovery  of  a  part  of  an  urn,  sevei-al  socketed  spear 
heads  and  many  fragments  of  human  bones  within  it,  when  it 
was  levelled  in  1815,  there  is  no  doubt  but  what  it  was  originally 
either  a  British  or  Saxon  barrow ;  subsequently  several  skeletons 
deposited  in  a  regular  manner  accompanied  by  some  fragments 
of  iron  were  found  in  digging  for  gravel  in  a  small  field  near  to 
the  spot  where  this  tumulus  stood. 

Besides  what  may  be  called  Cobham  hall,  there  were  two 
other  old  houses  of  some  consideration  in  this  parish,  viz  :  that 
belonging  to  Winkhill  manor,  and  Holmes  house.  The  family 
of  .WinkhiU,  long  resident  in  Heckington,  gave  their  name 
to  the  south  aisle  of  the  church,  either  because  they  were 
benefactors  to  the  same,  or  worshipped  there.  Their  residence 


HECKINGTON.  387 

stood  half  a  mile  north,  east  of  the  village,  within  a  moated  area 
consisting  of  about  an  acre  of  land,  the  only  approach  to  which 
was  over  a  bridge  on  the  western  side.  It  was  pulled  down  in 
1780.  It  had  a  spacious  porch  in  front  with  a  room  above  it. 
Over  the  door  was  a  shield  bearing  Erm  and  Fretty  quarterly,  on 
a  chief  a  mullet,  surrounded  by  an  oak  wreath,  which  shield  was 
inserted  in  a  new  house  built  on  the  site  of  the  old  one  by  Mr. 
Christopher. 

Holmes  house  stood  on  the  east  branch  of  the  Carre  dike  in 
this  parish. 

Heckington  fen  was  enclosed  in  1764. 

The  present  principal  landed  proprietors  here,  are  Messrs. 
Godson,  and  Mr.  William  Little. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

There  was  a  church  and  priest  at  Heckington  when  Domes- 
day Book  was  compiled.  The  profits  of  the  former  were  given 
by  Simon  de  Gant  and  Alice  his  wife  in  1208  towards  the  support 
of  the  church  of  St.  Lazarus  outside  the  walls  of  Jerusalem, 
which  gift  was  confirmed  by  King  John.  The  patronage  thus 
exercised  was  inherited  by  Simon  de  Gant  from  his  ancestor,  the 
first  Gilbert  de  Gant,  who  obtained  it  as  an  appanage  of  a 
berewick  in  Heckington,  belonging  to  his  manor  of  Kirkby 
Laythorpe.  Although  the  claim  of  Ralph  Paganel  with  respect 
to  some  land  that  had  belonged  to  Algar  the  Deacon  was  'dis- 
allowed, he  appears  to  have  possessed  some  other  lands  here,  for 
in  the  15th  century  his  descendant,  John  Pouger,  of  West  Rasen, 
was  patron  of  a  chantry  chapel  at  Heckington  dedicated  to  the 
Virgin  Mary  and  St.  Nicholas.  Its  founder  was  then  unknown, 
but  the  rents  of  certain  lands  and  houses  in  Heckington  had  been 
given  for  the  support  of  a  chaplain,  who  was  to  pray  for  the 
founder  and  others,  and  to  celebrate  divine  service  in  this  chapel. 
Prom  an  indenture  dated  February  21st,  1545,  we  find  that  the 
endowment  of  the  chantry  then  consisted  of  a  messuage,  "  a 
common  en  le  farre  fenne,"  i.e.  a  right  of  commonage,  40  acres 
of  arable  land  and  8  of  meadow,  then  let  to  Thomas  Morell  for 
20  years,  at  a  rent  of  £2  to  be  paid  at  the  feasts  of  St.  Michael 
and  the  blessed  Virgin.  "  Cott.  MS.  Tib."  Several  cottages 
and  small  parcels  of  land  in  Heckington  were  given  by  various 


388  HECKINGTON. 

persons  for  the  purpose  of  having  their  obits  observed  in  the 
parish  church — as  they  vainly  hoped — for  ever.  For  instance, 
one  of  them  gave  12d.,  the  rent  of  a  cottage,  for  this  purpose,  4d. 
of  which  was  to  be  given  to  the  priest  celebrant,  and  8d.  to  the 
poor  in  alms  on  the  obit  day  ;  and  another  left  2  acres  of  land  in 
the  plains  of  Heckington,  worth  8d.  a  year,  half  of  which  was  to 
be  given  to  the  priest  and  half  to  the  poor  on  the  obit  day. 
Others  left  lands,  &c.,  for  the  support  of  lights  to  be  kept  burn- 
ing, as  they  also  vainly  hoped,  for  ever,  in  Heckington  church  ; 
but, in  every  instance  it  is  somewhat  remarkable  the  name  of  the 
donor  has  now  been  forgotten. 

Since  the  time  when  the  patronage  of  Heckington  church 
was  given  to  the  Abbot  and  Convent  of  Bardney  Abbey  it  has 
been  served  by  vicars.     The  following  is  A  list  of  the  incumbents  : 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1218. — Henry  de  Colevile,  chaplain  of  the  chantry  of 
St.  Nicholas  in  Heckington  church,  presented 
by  Henry  de  Colevile,  with  the  consent  of  the 
Abbot  and  Convent  of  Bardney. 
. — Simon  the  chaplain. 
1241.— Eobert  de  Caden. 
1292. — Simon  de  Baston. 

1307. — Eichard  de  Pottesgrave,  presented  by  Edward 
I.  during  a  vacancy  in  the  Abbey  of  Bardney. 
1400.— Eobert  de  Somerby. 
1401.— Henry  Yorkfleet. 
1423.— Christopher  Estwode. 
1509. — John  Doghson. 
1 5 1 0. — Henry  Cartorge. 
1520. — John  Green,  presented  also  to  the  chaplaincy  of 

St.  Nicholas. 
1535. — Henry  Gaskyon. 
1540. — George  Metcalffe. 

1 562.— William  Cawtrell,  presented  by  Queen  Elizabeth. 
1577. — Thomas  Morley,  ditto. 

1606.— Eobert  Tatther,  presented  by  James  I. 
1610.— Thomas  Noke. 
1611 . — Eobert  Lussher. 
1618.— Eobert  Sanderson. 
1619. — Eichard  Harrison. 


HECKINGTON   CHURCH. 


HECKINGTON.  389 

Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1636. — Bobert  Sharpe. 

1646. — John  Duckling. 

1660. — Bobert  Sharpe. 

1666.— Edward  Whiston. 

1670.— Anthony  Beridge. 

1686.— Edward  Gheast. 

1694.— William  TunstaU. 

1712.— Thomas  Townsend. 

1717. — Joseph  Greenhill. 

1741 . — Wyatt  Francis. 

1754. — William  Nottingham. 

1783. — Bobert  Benson. 

1822. — Henry  Bristowe. 

1833.— Charles  De  la  Cour. 

1861. — George  Thomas  Cameron. 

The  parish  registers  commence  Michaelmas,  1559.  The 
entries  for  about  150  years  are  made  in  Latin,  and  beautifully 
written. 

THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Andrew,  and  has  been 
justly  entitled  the  Queen  of  village  churches.  The  great  starting 
point  of  its  history  is  the  year  1345,  when  the  Abbot  and 
Convent  of  Bardney  obtained  the  royal  licence  to  appropriate  the 
church  of  Heckington  to  their  own  use.  "  Inq.  ad.  q.  d.,  18  E.  3." 
Soon  after  that  date  the  present  grand  structure  was  probably 
commenced,  the  size  of  which,  as  compared  with  the  former 
population  of  Heckington,  clearly  indicates  the  different 
principles  on  which  our  forefathers  built  churches  to  those  now 
usually  prevalent.  When  the  eye  is  at  liberty  to  examine  the 
features  of  this  church,  after  having  been  awhile  absorbed  by  its 
spaciousness  and  beauty,  it  will  readily  be  seen  that  its  plan 
consists  of  a  tower  and  spire,  a  south  porch,  nave  and  aisles, 
transepts,  chancel,  and  adjoining  vestry,  with  an  undercroft 
beneath  it.  The  whole  fabric  is  very  nearly  of  the  same  period, 
and  was  constructed  between  the  years  1345  and  1380.  The 
north  transept  and  aisle  are  of  an  earlier  style  than  the  rest,  as 
will  be  seen  externally  from  the  character  of  their  base-mouldings 

CC 


ggo  HECIONGTON. 

and  other  evidences.  Why  this  should  be  so  we  cannot  teU,  unless 
one  of  the  Pougers  of  W.  Easen,  the  then  patrons  of  the  chantry 
previously  alluded  to,  supplied  the  means  for  the  reconstruction 
of  that  chantry  when  the  remainder  of  the  fabric  had  become 
dilapidated,  and  thus  led  the  way  to  the  rebuilding  of  the  whole. 
In  1310  Henry  de  Bellomonte,  or  Beaumont,  obtained  a  royal 
grant  of  the  manor  of  HecMngton,  and  was  probably,  in  conse- 
quence, one  of  the  principal  promoters  of  the  above-named  good 
work.  After  the  building  of  the  north  transept  and  aisle  had 
been  completed  a  short  pause  appears  to  have  ensued ;  but  then 
a  grander  work  was  planned  and  commenced,  viz :  the  re-building 
of  the  whole  remaining  portions  of  the  church  in  a  still  more 
ornate  and  beautiful  manner.  From  the  time  of  this  re-com- 
mencement of  the  work  it  was  apparently  carried  on  gradually 
until  its  completion  in  the  early  part  of  the  reign  of  Eichard 
H.,  when  the  porch,  forming  an  integral  portion  of  the  south 
elevation,  was  certainly  erected,  from  the  evidence  of  the  bearings 
displayed  upon  one  of  the  shields  there.  Presuming  that  the 
nave  of  this  church  was  erected  through  the  instrumentality  of 
its  clerical  patrons,  there  is  actual  evidence  to  prove  that  a 
former  vicar,  Eichard  de  Potesgrave,  erected  the  chancel,  but 
probably  by  the  aid  of  Sir  Henry  de  Beaumont ;  and  that  he 
dedicated  it  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  St.  Andrew,  and  All  Saints,  the 
following  legend  in  Holies' s  time  remaining  in  one  of  the 
windows  apparently  shewing  this  : — 

Ricus  de  Potesgrave — istms  ecclie  hoc  cancellum  fecit 
in  honore  beae  Marise,  Sti  Andrese  &  oim  Stor.,  Ao 
Dni  mccc°. . 

Holies  also  intimates  that  the  recumbent  effigy  placed  beneath 
an  arch  in  the  north  wall  of  the  chancel  is  that  of  the  same 
personage.  We  should  have  been  glad  to  have  seen  the  features 
of  one  through  whose  instrumentality  so  fine  a  structure  as  the 
chancel  of  this  church  was  built,  but  unfortunately  the  face  of 
Eichard  de  Potesgrave's  effigy  has  been  almost  entirely  destroyed ; 
hence  we  can  now  only  mark  the  richness  of  the  priestly  euchar- 
istic  vestments  in  which  it  is  appropriately  habited.  Some  years 
since  this  monument  was  removed  and  the  grave  below  was 
searched.  In  addition  to  the  remains  of  a  body  that  were  then 
disclosed,  an  article  was  found  with  them  which  was  pronounced 


HECKINGTON.  391 

to  be  a   "  candlestick,"  but  in  reality  this  was  the  stem  of  a 
chalice,  the  bowl  of  which  had  partly  perished. 

At  a  distance  the  effect  of  the  tower  and  spire  is  not  so 
perfect  as  that  of  the  same  features  at  Ewerby,  the  spire 
here  being  a  little  too  slight  and  the  tower  pinnacles  too  heavy, 
while  the  flying  buttresses  connecting  these  pinnacles  with  the 
spire  appear  to  serve  as  ties  to  the  pinnacles  rather  than  as 
supports  to  the  spire.  But  when  approached  the  massive  features 
and  grand  repose  of  this  tower,  its  perfect  condition  and  the 
beautiful  tone  of  its  colouring  are  especially  striking.  In  a  niche 
of  one  of  the  southern  buttresses  a  statuette  still  remains,  indicat- 
ing the  character  of  the  remainder  with  which  this  church  was 
formerly  richly  adorned.  From  the  eagle  cut  on  the  pedestal 
of  this  figure  we  may  presume  that  it  was  intended  to  represent 
St.  John.  A  female  head  at  this  angle,  turned  towards  that 
of  a  Queen  on  a  larger  scale,  has  a  most  charming  expression, 
that  has  retained  all  its  original  freshness  since  the  days 
of  Edward  III.  The  whole  southern  elevation  of  this  church  is 
one  of  the  finest  examples  of  Decorated  work  after  it  had  attained 
its  full  perfection,  and  previous  to  the  period  of  decadence,  which 
soon  followed.  The  noble  base  mouldings,  the  freely  flowing 
tracery  of  its  aisle  windows,  the  range  of  the  large  clerestory 
lights  above,  the  numerous  canopied  niches,  the  beauty  of  some 
of  the  boldly  projecting  sculptured  ornaments,  and  the  strange 
grotesqueness  of  others,  the  crocketed  pinnacles,  the  enriched 
parapets,  and  the  beautiful  porch,  together  combining  to  present 
one  of  the  most  triumphant  examples  of  the  power  of  Gothic 
architecture,  as  applied  to  the  production  of  a  parish  church,  that 
we  possess.  One  bay  of  the  nave,  eastward  of  the  transept,  being 
without  an  aisle,  has  a  peculiar  effect,  and  gives  variety  to  the 
composition.  A  beautiful  turret  staircase  surmounted  by  an 
equally  beautiful  pinnacle,  constitutes  the  south-eastern  angle  of 
the  nave.  The  south  transept,  usually  termed  the  "Winkhill 
aisle,"  corresponds  with  the  remainder  of  this  elevation  as  to  its 
windows,  &c.,  but  is  surmounted  by  a  closed  panelled  parapet  of 
inferior  beauty  to  that  of  the  chancel,  and  of  a  later  date.  The 
original  oak  trussed  rafter  roof  still  covers  the  porch.  This  is 
exceedingly  rich  in  canopied  and  crocketed  niches,  as  well  as  in 
other  sculptured  ornaments  ;  its  whole  contour  also  is  most 
pleasing.  Just  below  the  gable  apex  is  a  niche,  once  filled  with 


39:2  HECKINGTON. 

a  sculptured  figure ;  immediately  below  is  a  small  shield  bearing 
the  arms  of  England  supported  by  little  angels,  and  on  either 
side,  at  a  lower  level,  are  carved  kneeling  angels,  apparently 
bearing  the  emblems  of  the  crucifixion,  and  also  the  presumed 
arms  of  Edward  the  Confessor  adopted  by  Eichard  II.,  and  of 
St.  Edmund.  The  southern  elevation  of  the  chancel  is  exceedingly 
fine,  with  its  three  large  flamboyant  windows,  its  rich  open 
parapet,  and  its  grand  angle  pinnacles.  The  doorway,  partly 
taken  out  of  one  of  the  windows,  is  surmounted  by  a  finial  of 
unusual  beauty,  and  the  sculptured  ornaments  grotesquely 
jutting  out  from  the  walls  give  additional  power  to  the  composi- 
tion ;  among  these  is  a  boat,  on  the  gunwale  of  which  sits  a 
knight  bearing  a  shield  charged  with  two  bars  and  three  mullets 
in  chief,  also  a  dragon  with  a  curiously  knotted  tail,  a  demon 
seizing  a  woman,  a  pig  and  other  animals.  The  chancel  gable 
contains  a  grand  window  filled  with  freely  flowing  tracery,  and 
is  most  efficiently  supported  by  its  massive  buttresses.  At  the 
east  end  are  fine  angle  pinnacles.  The  vestry  attached  to  the 
north  side  of  the  chancel,  is  surmounted  by  two  perfect  pinnacles, 
whence  the  other  mutilated  ones  could  be  readily  restored  in 
accordance  with  their  original  design.  The  arched  aperture  in 
the  east  end  below  is  simply  the  window  of  the  undercroft,  the 
tracery  of  which  has  been  destroyed.  The  northern  elevation  of 
this  church  is  not  so  rich  as  the  southern  one,  but  is  beautifully 
designed.  Although  the  north  aisle,  formerly  called  the  "  Eiby 
quire,"  and  the  north  transept  are  of  rather  an  earlier  character 
than  the  rest  of  the  fabric,  it  is  remarkable  that  the  northern 
clerestory  windows  are  of  a  later  type  than  the  southern  ones. 

After  having  wondered  awhile  at  the  size  and  general 
grandeur  of  the  interior,  it  will  be  perceived  that  the  arcades  are 
of  a  date  ranging  between  1360-80.  Here,  as  at  Sleaford,  are 
double  columns,  or  responds  flanking  a  short  piece  of  walling 
between  the  nave  and  transept  arches,  an  expedient  that  gives  no 
additional  strength  at  those  points,  and  is  inferior  to  simple 
columns.  The  font  stands  in  a  conspicuous  position,  as  at  Boston, 
and  one  that  is  appropriate  in  the  case  of  a  large  church  like  this. 
The  upper  parts  of  the  niches  of  this  font  are  shaUow,  and  could 
not  be  deepened  lest  they  should  cut  into  the  bowl.  Probably 
sculptured  subjects  originally  concealed  this  defect.  In  the 
eastern  wall  of  the  north  transept  are  evidences,  both  externally 


II 


•  gsi 


ffiia5OEiij<&'Hi©H  two 


HECKINGTON.  393 

and  internally,  of  the  former  existence  of  two  chapels  there, 
together  with  their  altars.  Two  piscinae  and  a  locker  still  remain 
which  belonged  to  one  of  these  chapels,  and  part  of  a  piscina  and 
of  a  Perpendicular  screen  connected  with  the  other.  The  south 
transept  was  once  screened  off  from  the  nave  and  its  aisles,  so  as 
to  form  two  more  chapels.  Three  enriched  sedilia,  having 
detached  pillars  with  foliated  capitals,  together  with  a  piscina 
belonging  to  one  of  these  chapels,  remain  in  the  south  wall  of 
this  transept  On  the  south  side  of  the  sacrarium  are  three 
sedilia  enriched  with  beautiful  sculptured  work  to  a  most  unusual 
extent.  In  the  centre  above  are  figures  of  our  Lord  and  the 
Virgin,  and  on  either  side  of  these,  others,  both  of  which 
apparently  represent  St.  Barbara  with  the  heavenly  suggested 
tower.  On  the  right  is  a  figure  of  St.  Catherine  with  the  wheel, 
on  the  left,  one  of  St.  Margaret  with  the  Dragon.  On  the  cornice 
above  is  a  range  of  angels,  some  of  whom  guard  the  crowns  of 
the  holy  persons  below,  and  others  are  ready  to  administer 
spiritual  food  to  them. 

The  delicate  vaulting  within  the  canopies  of  the  sedilia 
recesses  is  admirable,  as  well  as  the  sculptured  ornaments 
generally,  but  the  admixture  of  grotesques  with  the  other 
legitimate  figures  and  enrichments  does  not  accord  with  our 
present  taste,  although  very  prevalent  during  the  14th  century. 
Under  the  window,  beyond  the  sedilia,  is  a  beautiful  double 
piscina  surmounted  by  a  crocketed  gablet,  the  label  of  which 
terminates  in  little  figures,  one  of  whom  holds  a  vessel,  perhaps 
suggestive  of  purification.  The  finial  of  this  piscina  consists  of 
a  richly  foliated  feature,  that  has  been  restored  by  a  sincere 
lover  of  such  fair  specimens  of  Gothic  art  as  the  one  now  under 
examination.  Nearly  opposite  is  one  of  the  finest  Easter 
Sepulchres  remaining  in  England.  Below  are  sculptured  the 
sleeping  Roman  guard,  clothed  in  the  armour  and  bearing 
the  shields  of  soldiers  of  the  14th  century.  In  the  centre  above 
is  the  recess,  in  which  the  Host  was  solemnly  deposited  on  Good 
Friday,  where  it  remained  until  an  early  hour  on  Easter  Day ; 
but  in  some  cases  our  Lord's  entombment  and  resurrection  were 
enacted  by  means  of  a  temporary  sepulchre,  and  through  the 
medium  of  the  priests  and  their  subordinates,  as  is  still  the  case 
at  Ober  Ammergau,  in  Bavaria,  which  has  of  late  attracted  so 
much  attention.  On  either  side  of  the  aperture  are  carved  the 


394 


HECKINGTON. 


guardian  angel,  and  the  three  Marys ;  above  is  the  figure  of  our 
Lord  freshly  risen,  together  with  censing  angels.  Such  are  the 
principal  features  of  this  beautiful  work  of  art,  every  portion  of 
which  is  further  enriched  with  subsidiary  ornamentation  ;  but 
here,  as  in  the  case  of  the  sedilia  opposite,  some  grotesque 
figures  have  been  unmeaningly  introduced,  together  with  some 
heads  on  a  larger  scale  than  the  other  ornaments,  with  very 
questionable  taste. 

As  the  exact  character  of  the  mediaeval  Office  of  the  Sepul- 
chre is  but  little  known,  it  is  here  subjoined,  together  with  a 
translation.  The  original  constitutes  a  MS,  Ordinary  of  the 
Church  of  Eouen,  whence  it  was  extracted  by  Du  Fresne,  and  is 
contained  in  "  Yetusta  Monumenta,  vol.  iii."  : — 


Finite  tertio  responsorio  officium  sepulchri 
celebratur.  Ties  diaconi  canonici  induii 
dalmaticis  et  amictis,  habentes  super  capita 
sua  ad  similitudinem  muHerum,  vasculum 
tenentes  in  manibus,  veniant  per  medium 
chori,  et  versus  sepulchrum  properantes  vul- 
tibus  submissis  dicant  pariter  huncwersum, 
Quis  revolvet  nobis  lapidem?  Hoc  finito, 
quidam  puer  quasi  angelus  indutus  albis  et 
tenens  spicam  in  manu  ante  sepulchrum, 
dicat,  Quern  quceriiis  in  sepulchro?  M  arise 
respondeant,  Jesum  Nazarenum  crucifixum. 
Tune  angelus  dicat,  Non  esthic,  surrexit  enim, 
et  locum  digito  ostendens.  Hoc  facto,  angelus 
citissime  discedat,  et  duo  presby teri  de  majori 
sede  in  tunicis  intus  sepulchrum  residentes, 
dicant,  Mulier,  quid  ploras,  quern  quceris  ? 
Medius  trium  mulieium  respondeat  ita, 
Domine,  si  sustulisti  eum,  dicite.  Sacerdos 
crucem  illi  ostendens  dicat,  dicens,  Quia 
tulerunt  Dominum  meum.  Duo  residentes 
dicant,  Quern  queeritis,  mulieres?  Mariae 
oscu'entur  locum,  postea  exeant  de  sepulchro. 
Interim  quidam  sacerdos  canonicus  in 
persona  Domini,  albatus  cum  stola,  tenei,s 
cructm,  obvians  eis  in  sii  istro  cornu  altaris 
dicat,  Maria :  quod  cum  audierit  pedibus 
ejus  citissime  se  offerat,  et  alta  voce  dicat, 
Cabboin.  (Kabboin).  Sacerdos  innuens  dicat, 
JVo/i  me  tangere.  Hoc  finito  sacerdos  in 
dextro  cornu  altaris  iterum  appareat,  et  illis 
transeuntibus  ante  altare  dicat,  Arete:  nolite 
timere.  Hoc  finito  se  abscondat,  et  mulieres 
hoc  audito  Jsetae  inclinent  ad  altare  conversae 
ad  chorum,  et  hunc  versum  cantent,  Alleluia, 
Resurrexit  Dominus,  Alleluia.  Hoc  finito, 
archiepiscopus  vel  sacerdos  ante  altare  cum 
turibulo  incipiat  alte,  Te  Deum  laudamue :  et 
sic  neupma  (pneurna)  finiatur. 


At  the  end  of  the  third  response  the  office 
of  the  sepulchre  is  thus  performed.  Let 
three  Canon  Deacors,  robed  in  dalmatics  and 
amices,  having  on  their  heads  women's  attire, 
carrying  a  little  vessel,  come  through  the 
middle  of  the  choir,  and  hurrying  with 
downcast  looks  towards  the  sepulchre,  let 
them  together  say,  Who  shall  roll  away  ihis 
stone  for  us  1  This  over,  let  a  boy,  dressed  in 
white,  like  an  angel,  and  holding  a  wand  in 
his  hand!  sav  before  the  altar,  Whom  seek  ye 
in  the  sepulchre  ?  Let  the  M  arys  answer,  The 
crucified  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  Then  let  the 
angel  say,  He  is  not  here  for  He  has  risen, 
shewing  the  place  with  his  finger.  This  done 
let  the  angel  very  quickly  depart,  and  let 
two  priests,  in  tunics,  from  the  higher  seat 
sitting  within  the  sepulchre  say,  Woman,  why 
weepest  t/iou,  whom  seek  ye?  Let  the  third 
•woman  answer  thus,  Sir  ifthou  hast  taken  him 
hence  tell  us.  Let  the  priest  shewing  the 
cross,  say,  Because  they  have  taken  away  my 
Lord.  Let  the  two  seated  priests  say,  Whom 
seek  ye,  women  ?  Let  the  Marys  kiss  the  spot ; 
afterwards  let  them  go  forth  from  the 
sepulchre.  In  the  mean  time  let  a  priest 
cadon,  representing  the  Lord,  in  albe  and 
stole,  holding  a  cross,  meeting  them  at  the 
left  corner  of  the  altar  say,  Mary  :  Which  as 
soon  as  she  has  heard,  let  her  fall  quickly  at 
his  feet,  and  with  a  loud  voice  say,  Rabboni. 
Let  the  priest,  restraining  her,  say,  Touch  me 
not.  This  over,  let  the  priest  appear  again 
at  the  right  hand  corner  of  the  altar,  and 
let  him  say  to  those  passing  across  before  the 
altar,  Hail,  fear  not.  -  This  done,  let  him  hide 
himself,  and  let  the  woman  hearing  this, 
gladly  bow  before  the  altar  turned  towards 
the  choir,  and  let  them  sing  this  verse, 
Hallelujah,  the  Lord  hath  risen,  Hallelujah. 
This  done,  let  the  archbishop  or  the  priest 
with  the  thurible  say  aloud,  We  praise  thee, 
0  Lord ;  and  thus  let  the  office  be  finished. 


The  little  building  on  the  north  side  of  the  chancel,  now 
used  as  a  vestry,  contains  a  piscina,  which  has  led  some  to 


HECKINGKTON.  395 

suppose  that  it  necessarily  was  used  as  a  chapel  in  days  of  old  ; 
nevertheless  it  probably  only  served  as  the  sacristy  to  the  church, 
where  the  sacramental  vessels  were  washed  in  part,  as  well  as 
near  the  altar.  Below  is  a  vaulted  undercroft,  thought  by  some 
to  have  been  the  chamber  of  a  guardian  priest,  whose  private 
chapel  was  above  it ;  but  it  was  more  probably  used  as  a  store 
room. 

Besides  the  tomb  of  Eichard  Potesgrave,  already  mentioned, 
Holies  observed  two  others  in  the  chancel ;  one  of  marble  com- 
memorating Henry  Asty,  knight,  who  died  in  1383,  the  other  of 
stone  commemorating  his  wife  Alice,  and  thus  inscribed  : — 

Hie  Asty  fossa  nunc  Alicie  tenet  ossa, 
Propter  earn  stantes  hie  vos  estote  precantes. 

Holies  also  recorded  the  following  then  existing  epitaphs,  viz.,  on 
a  brass  plate : — 

Here  lyeth  John  Cadroii,  ye  which  deceased  20  Nov.,. 
1488.  For  Goddes  love  pray  for  me.  Thou  wotest  not 
what  nede  I  have  to  thee.  For  charitie  say  a  Pater 
noster  and  an  Ave. 

Another  commemorating  Henry  Cadron,  who  died  1503,  and  his 
wife  Elizabeth.  A  third  of  one  of  the  same  family,  who  died 
1554,  having  a  brass  plate  thus  inscribed  : — 

Here  lyeth  W™.  Cawdron,  sometime  Baylyf  of  Heck"- 

Also  two  more  placed  over  the  graves  of  this  William  Cawdron' s 
two  wives,  Margery  Meres,  who  died  1509,  and  Elizabeth,  who 
died  1556.  In  the  south  transept  he  saw  epitaphs  recording  the 
names  of  Robert  Marshall,  Stephen  Boston,  and  "William 
Lyndsey,  and  others  near  the  chancel  commemorating  John 
Dogson,  who  died  1510,  andEobert  Thornburgh,  who  died  1487. 

Besides  these  there  still  remains  in  the  south-eastern  angle 
of  the  south  transept  a  slab  having  a  deeply  sunk  quatrefoil, 
within  which  is  the  carved  bust  of  a  civilian  of  the  time  of 
Edward  III.,  represented  in  a  hood,  and  a  tunic  with  tight 
sleeves  ornamented  with  rows  of  minute  buttons ;  and  in  the  same 
transept  another  that  once  evidently  commemorated  a  knight  and 
his  lady  in  the  butterfly  head-dress  of  the  time  of  Edward  IV. 

This  church  was  also  rich  in  painted  glass,  of  which  much 
remained  in  Holies' s  time.  In  the  chancel  he  observed  the 
following  armorial  bearings,  viz : — Az,  seme  of  fleurs  de  lys  a 


396 


HECKINGTON. 


lion  rampant  Or,  a  bend  gobony  Arg  &  Gu — Beaumont,  and  the 
legend:  "Sire  Henry  de  Beaumont  Dnus  de  Heckington  Ano 
50.  Ed.  III."  The  same  without  the  bend.  Or,  a  cross  Sa — 
Vesci.  Erm,  on  a  cross  Gu  a  crown  Or,  repeatedly.  Gu,  3  crowns 
Or,  and  the  effigies  of  a  knight  and  his  lady  bearing  the  Beau- 
mont shield  of  arms.  In  a  south  window  of  the  chancel  the 
Beaumont  and  Vesci  bearings  were  again  displayed.  The  aisle 
windows  of  this  church  were  also  enriched  with  painted  glass,  in 
the  east  window  of  one  of  these,  given  by  Simon  Baston,  vicar  of 
Heckington,  about  the  year  1300,  the  Beaumont  bearings  again 
appeared ;  also  Az,  3  crowns  Or ;  and  in  the  one  over  the  porch 
was  displayed  the  effigy  of  a  benefactor  said  to  be  a  de  Gant. 
Only  a  few  fragments  of  all  this  glass  now  remain,  and  these 
have  unfortunately  been  gathered  up  into  one  window  in  an 
unintelligible  melange. 

In  the  church-yard  is  the  base  and  shaft  of  a  stone  cross. 


HELPEINGHAM. 

ACEEAGE,  POPULATION, 

1861—912.     1871—911. 


THIS  village  lies  7  miles  south,  east  of  Sleaford,  and  is  remark- 
able for  the  height  and  beauty  of  its  church  tower  and 
spire,  which  may  be  seen  for  miles  round  in  every  direction. 
Originally  it  was  called  Helpricham,  and  its  land  before  the 
Conquest  belonged  wholly  or  in  part  to  the  Saxon  Eilric,  who 
had  7  carucates,  3  bovates,  9  bordars,  13  villans,  and  15  acres  of 
meadow  here,  worth  £13  in  King  Edward's  time  and  £12  in  the 
Conqueror's  reign.  Subsequently  this  was  divided  into  several 
parcels,  of  which  Robert  de  Yesci  received  3  carucates,  which  he 
held  in  demesne,  also  13  villans,  and  9  bordars  having  15  acres 
of  meadow,  valued  at  £3  in  King  Edward's  time ;  Gilbert  de  Gant 

3  carucates  and  2  bovates,  as  soke  of  his  manor  of  Falkingham ; 
Ivo  Tailbois  6  bovates,   3  sokemen,    1   bordar,   and   1   acre  of 
meadow ;   and  Colsuein   2  bovates,   2  acres   of  meadow  and  1 
villan,  berewick  of  Heckington,  stated  to  be  in  a  manner  waste, 
perhaps  through  frequent  inundation. 

In  the  13th  century  the  de  Gant  fee  comprised  half  a  knight's 
fee,  and  was  held  by  Simon  de  Kyme.  In  the  reign  of  Henry 
III.  Margery  de  Greley  and  John  de  Hayled  stopped  up  a  drain 
called  Cheges  dyke,  between  Helpringham  and  Swineshead  to 
their  own  advantage,  but  to  the  great  detriment  of  the  public, 
who  could  obtain  no  redress  from  Peter  le  Brus,  the  Sheriff's 
Bailiff.  About  the  same  time  a  poaching  case  was  tried  and  lost 
by  William  le  Latymer  before  the  Royal  Commissioners,  who 
accused  William  Ward  of  hunting  with  harriers  over  his  domain 
here,  where  he  had  the  exclusive  right  of  free  warren,  and  killing 

4  hares  regardless  of  prohibition,  whereby  he  had  forfeited  £10  ; 
but  the  verdict  of  the  jury  was  in  favour  of  the  defendant. 

In  1322  the  fee  of  Philip  de  Kyme  here  was  held  by  Thomas 
de  Wyke,  who,  in  right  of  his  wife,  descended  from  the  Dribys, 
became  tenant  of  that  fee.  In  1322  died  Gerard  de  Chancy 


398  HELPEINGHAM. 

seized  of  rents  and  tenements  here  ;  in  1387  William  de  Bardolf, 
knight,  lord  paramount  of  two  parts  of  a  knight's  fee  here.  In 
1436  John  Kevermond,  husband  of  Matilda  heiress  of  the  Mon- 
bouchers,  seized  of  half  a  manor ;  and  in  1451  Isabella  Burgh, 
another  Monboucher  heiress,  seized  of  the  whole  manor.  In 
1522  died  Maurice  Berkeley,  one  of  the  heirs  of  Sir  Thomas  de  la 
Launde,  possessed  of  a  manor  here.  "  Harl.  MSS.  756."  Subse- 
quently Elizabeth,  sister  and  heir  of  John  Berkeley,  died  seized 
of  the  manor,  leaving  a  son  and  heir,  Eobert.  In  1568  Eobert 
Levesley  and  his  wife  were  made  to  shew  by  what  title  they  held 
a  manor  in  Helpringham— perhaps  that  of  Knott  Hall— and  in 
1595  died  Eobert  Packenham  also  seized  of  a  manor  here. 

The  family  of  Cawdron  next  appear  to  have  been  land-owners 
here,  of  whom  Edward  Cawdron  died  in  1621.  This  parish  was 
enclosed  in  1773.  Its  principal  land-owners  now  are  Lord 
Willoughby  de  Broke,  and  Messrs.  Pearson,  Cragg,  Tomlinson, 
Thorold  and  Barnes. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 


There  was  a  church  here  before  the  Conquest  endowed  with 
4  bovates  of  arable  land  and  4  acres  of  meadow,  apparently  in 
Deeping,  which  belonged  to  Azor.  Subsequently  it  was  possessed 
by  the  Abbot  of  Bourn.  In  1328  Lambert  de  Threckingham 
obtained  the  King's  licence  to  give  37  acres  of  plough  land  and 
3  acres  of  meadow,  partly  in  Helpringham  and  partly  in  Little 
Hale,  for  the  support  of  a  mass  priest  in  Helpringham.  "  Inq. 
p.  m.  2  E.  3."  The  Abbots  of  Bourn  were  accustomed  to  pay 
10s.  a  year  as  a  pension  to  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Lincoln  for 
the  church  of  Helpringham.  In  1616  Anthony  Newlove  was  the 
patron  of  the  vicarage  when  it  was  valued  at  £10  a  year,  and 
there  were  320  communicants.  "  Willis's  MSS.  f.  39."  In  1621 
Edward  Cawdron  left  to  the  churchwardens  £20,  the  interest 
of  which  was  to  be  given  to  the  poor  of  the  parish  of  Helpringham 
on  St.  Thomas's  day.  "Parish  Eegister."  In  1663  Eobert 
Cawdron  left  by  will  40s.  a  year  out  of  the  tithes  of  Little  Hale 
to  the  vicar  of  Helpringham  for  ever,  for  a  sermon  to  be  preached 
on  the  anniversary  of  his  funeral. 


HELPEINGHAM.  399 

The  parish  registers  commence  with  the  year   1559,   from 
which  the  following  entries  are  selected  : — 

The  church  corne  was  sould  by  the  chuchwarden  in  1576,  for  £7  13s.  4d. 
In  1580  the  Bull  Dale  (by  estimation  2  acres),  was  let  to  John  Smyth  for  10s. 
and  he  to  keep  the  Bull.  1605. — Money  given  towards  the  buiinge  of  Mr. 
Fox  his  Booke  of  Acts  &  Monuments,  for  the  Towne. — Henry  Twell,  10s. — 
"William  Morrice,  6s.  8d.  1606. — The  south  aisle  repaired  by  the  parish. 
Before  that  Mr.  Robert  Crebell  claimed  the  quire  at  the  east  end  thereof,  as 
belonging  to  Thorpe  Latimore.  1610. — 24.  June,  being  midsummer  day,  the 
greate  bell  fell  down  as  the  people  were  ringing,  &  brake  through  the  high 
bell-chamber,  &  strucke  thorow  the  stone  floor  into  the  ground  3  quarters  of 
a  yard  ;  which  was  throwe  one  of  her  yndyrons  breaking,  and  had  no  hurt  at 
all  to  her.  1621. — Mr.  John  Cawdron  payd  to  the  Churchwardens  £20,  given 
by  his  father,  Edward  Cawdron,  Esquire,  the  use  whereof  is  to  be  distributed 
to  the  poor  on  St.  Thos.  day.  1662.— Mem.  It  is  agreed  that  every  £20 
assessed  shall  find  a  horse  for  a  dragoon  man,  and  if  he  shall  be  out  two  days 
together,  then  the  party  whose  horse  they  shall  have,  shall  be  excused  when 
it  shall  come  to  their  turn  agayne.  1673. — No  Churchwarden  shall  relife  no 
manner  of  persons  except  they  have  Sir  Edward  Lake  hands.  No  Church- 
warden shall  pay  above  twopence  for  a  fulmard's  head.  1675. — The  church 
corn  sold  for  £13. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  vicars  of  Helpringham  as  far 
can  be  ascertained  :— 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1227. — Henry  de  Sandwick,  presented  by  the  Abbot  of 
Bourn. 

1263.— Eichard  de  Munaton,  presented  by  Hugh  Bigot. 

1272. — William  de  Northbury,  presented  by  the  Ex- 
ecutors of  Hugh  Bigot. 

1535. — Edmund  Preston. 

1559.— William  Burneby. 

1570. — Anthony  Newlove. 

1608.— William  Barnes. 

1631.— John  Foster. 

1660.— John  Duckeing. 

1671. — Benjamin  Deaken. 

1707. — Eobert  Smith. 

1716.— Samuel  Galley. 

1769. — Isaac  Cookson. 

1784. — John  Moore  Brooke. 

1799. — Thomas  Mitchinson. 

1836.— Thomas  Mitchinson. 

1855.— Frederick  Latham. 


-••  • 


ONTARIO 


400  HELPRINGHAM. 

THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Andrew,  and  from  the 
loftiness  of  its  tower  and  spire,  which  may  be  compared  with 
those  of  Hecldngton,  Ewerby,  and  Asgarby,  is  a  conspicuous 
object  for  miles  in  every  direction  around  it ;  nor  will  it  be  found 
less  attractive  when  approached,  from  the  beauty  of  its  archi- 
tecture and  the  perfection  of  its  masonry,  to  which  time  has  only 
given  a  charming  tint  instead  of  effecting  any  injury. 

The  oldest  portion  is  the  chancel.  This  is  a  good  sober 
Early  English  structure,  now  rather  overpowered  by  the  larger 
and  later  work  of  the  nave  and  tower,  besides  having  been 
robbed  of  its  original  high-pitched  roof  as  evidenced  by  the  waU 
between  it  and  the  nave,  and  the  sad  way  in  which  the  head  of 
its  east  window  has  been  mutilated  through  the  substitution  of 
the  present  roof  for  its  original  one.  On  either  side  nearest  to 
the  nave  is  a  single  lancet  serving  as  a  low-side  window,  and  two 
coupled  lancets,  the  easternmost  on  the  south  side  being  placed 
at  a  higher  level  than  the  other  on  account  of  the  sedilia  partly 
placed  below  it  within ;  between  these  is  a  priest's  door.  The 
lowering  of  the  gable  at  the  east  end,  and  the  necessary  mutila- 
tion of  the  window  below  was  a  barbarous  act,  and  especially  as 
it  may  be  seen  from  its  pillared  jambs  and  other  remaining  details 
that  it  was  originally  an  excellent  one. 

About  1340  the  whole  of  the  re"st  of  this  church  was  rebuilt. 
On  the  west  is  a  fine  tower  of  three  stages,  having  angle  but- 
tresses rising  in  lofty  lines,  and  with  scarcely  even  a  minute 
flaw  in  any  of  its  stones.  In  the  lower  stage  is  a  most  beautiful 
doorway,  the  jambs  of  which  are  enriched  by  four  pillars,  on 
either  side  supporting  as  many  well-moulded  members  constitut- 
ing the  arch  above.  In  the  next  stage  is  a  three-light  window 
having  flowing  tracery  in  its  head,' and  in  the  upper  one  a  plainer 
two-light  window  of  a  stiffer  character,  the  whole  being  sur- 
mounted by  a  plain  parapet  and  square  crocketed  Perpendicular 
pinnacles.  At  the  south-west  angle  is  a  projection  containing  a 
circular  newel  staircase  giving  access  to  the  top,  from  which  rises 
a  good  lofty  Perpendicular  spire  closely  crocketed,  having  little 
flying  buttresses  at  its  base  connecting  it  with  the  angle  pinnacles. 
In  the  western  faces  of  the  aisles  are  windows  similar  to  the 
lower  one  in  the  tower  between  them. 


HELPRINGHAM  CHURCH. 


HELPKINGHAM.  401 

Both  elevations  of  the  nave  are  nearly  alike,  in  each  aisle 
are  four  three-light  windows  and  a  doorway,  but  the  windows 
of  the  south  aisle  have  reticulated  tracery,  and  those  of  the 
northern  one  cusped  heads,  but  are  of  the  same  date.  The 
doorways  seem  to  have  been  originally  precisely  alike,  both 
having  some  effective  cusped  carved  work  in  the  upper  part  of 
their  pediments,  two  pillars  on  each  of  their  jambs  and  well- 
moulded  arches  of  the  same  date  and  character  as  that  in  the 
tower,  but  in  front  of  the  southern  one  a  poor  debased  Perpen- 
dicular porch  was  subsequently  added.  In  both  the  clerestory 
walls  are  four  Decorated  lights  coeval  with  those  of  the  aisles, 
and  three  projecting  gurgoyles,  the  whole  being  surmounted  by 
an  embattled  parapet,  and  on  its  gable  is  a  very  beautiful  cross. 
At  the  south-east  angle  is  a  staircase  turret  giving  access  to  the 
south  aisle  roof,  and  also  formerly  to  the  rood  loft,  the  doorway 
to  which  still  remains  within.  This  turret  assumes  an  octangular 
form  above,  and  in  it  is  a  pretty  little  slit  filled  in  with  stone 
lattice  work.  It  is  finished  with  an  embattled  parapet  and  a 
crocketed  pinnacle.  Within,  the  tower  arches  are  perhaps  the 
most  beautiful  features  of  the  fabric.  The  noblest  of  these  opens 
into  the  nave,  the  other  two  communicate  with  lateral  features 
opening  by  means  of  other  arches  into  the  aisles.  These  arches 
are  now  boarded  up,  but  it  can  be  readily  seen  how  beautiful  this 
portion  of  the  church  would  be  if  they  were  set  free  from  their 
present  incumbrances.  The  nave  is  spacious  and  lofty.  On 
either  side  is  a  fine  aisle  arcade  of  four  bays  supported  by  three 
clustered  pillars  and  their  responds,  but  the  clerestory  above  is 
covered  by  a  poor  roof  in  bad  condition. 

At  the  east  end  of  each  aisle  was,  as  usual,  a  chantry  chapel, 
the  piscina  and  aumbries  of  which  still  remain.  The  former  are 
alike,  each  having  a  pedimented  and  crocketed  head,  and  the 
usual  circular  drain  within  a  niche  below ;  that  of  the  south 
chapel  is  in  the  usual  place,  viz.,  at  the  east  end  of  the  south  wall, 
close  to  an  aumbry  in  the  east  wall ;  that  of  the  north  chapel  is 
against  the  responcj.  of  the  north  arcade  ;  in  the  adjoining  north 
east  angle  of  this  aisle  is  a  statue  bracket,  and  near  to  it  an 
aumbry. 

The  font  is  a  very  interesting  one  of  the  Early  English 
period.  It  has  a  square  base,  from  which  rises  a  circular  bowl 
supported  by  four  octagonal  shafted  pillars.  An  arcade  of  narrow 


402  HELPRINGHAM. 

and  acutely  arched  arches  enriched  with  the  nail-head  ornament 
runs  round  three  quarters  of  the  bowl ;  but  the  fourth  part  is 
differently  treated,  half  of  it  being  ornamented  with  foliated  work, 
the  other  half  with  a  representation  of  the  Holy  Lamb  and 
banner,  in  front  of  which  is  a  pendent  object,  perhaps  a  divine 
ray,  or  the  censer  of  an  angel  above ;  but  as  the  whole  surface 
of  this  font  is  covered  with  many 'coats  of  washes  and  paint,  the 
last  intended  to  represent  marble,  it  is  impossible  at  present  to 
determine  positively  what  this  object  is. 

The  chancel  arch  is  low  and  poor ;  but  in  front  of  it  stands 
a  good  Perpendicular  carved  oak  screen.  Within,  as  well  as 
without,  the  substitution  of  the  present  low  pitched  roof  for  the 
original  one  is  greatly  to  be  regretted.  On  the  south  side  is  a  fine 
range  of  Early  English  sedilia.  These  have  circular  shafted 
pillars  dividing  them  and  bold  trefoiled  arched  heads  with  a 
semicircular  hood  mould  above  each,  and  also  a  piscina  adjoining 
these  sedilia  on  the  east,  and  incorporated  with  them.  In  the 
chancel  is  a  large  oak  parish  chest  bound  with  many  iron  bands 
having  fleur  de  lys  terminals. 

Holies  observed  the  following  armorial  bearings  in  a  north 
window  of  this  church,  viz :  Gu,  3  chrevronels  Or,  a  label  of  5 
Az. — Clare.  Gu,  3  waterbougets  Arg. — Eoos.  Arg,  2  bars  Gu, 
in  chief  3  torteaux,  over  all  a  bend  Sa. — Threckingham,  with 
this  legend,  "Dominus  Lambertus  de  Threckingham  me  fecit"  ; 
also  Arg,  a  chief  Gu.  Sa,  a  cross  engrailed  Or,  a  label  of  3 
points  Arg. — Ufford,  and  Gu,  a  cross  patonce  Or. — Latimer.  He 
also  saw  in  a  south  window  here  Latimer  again  and  Gu,  a  chevron 
between  10  crosses  botony  Or. — Kyme.  These  are  now  all  gone, 
but  on  a  small  brass  plate  attached  to  the  north  wall  of  the 
chancel  is  this  memorial  legend : — 

Here  lieth  the  boddie  of  Anthonie  Newlove,  the  elder, 
patron  of  the  Vicaridge  of  this  churche  of  Helpringham, 
whoe  departed  this  world  ye  fift  daye  of  October.  1597. 

It  appears  that  he  was  a  mercer  of  Helpringham  from  the 
evidence  of  his  tokens,  a  cut  of  one  of  which  is  given  on  the 
adjoining  page,  but  he  was  lay  rector  of  Helpringham,  12th 
Elizabeth,  when  he  was  called  upon  to  show  how  he  had  become 
possessed  of  this,  from  the  following  unclassical  entry  in  the 


HELPEINGHAM.  403 

Exchequer  Originalia: — "De  Antonio  Newlove  occasianato  ad 
ostendum  quo  titulo  tenet  Kectoriam  de  Helpryngham  in  com. 
Line." 


In  the  pavement  of  the  chancel  are  slabs  commemorating 
William  Cawdron,  who  departed  1615,  a  second  William,  who 
died  1719,  and  a  third  who  died  1720  ;  and  in  the  registers  are 
other  records  of  this  family. 

The  bells  are  thus  inscribed : — 

1. — Daniel  Hederby,  Foundr,  1758.     J.  Springthorpe,  C.W. 
2.— All  glory  be  to  God  on  high.     1707. 
3. — Praise  the  Lord.     1600. 

4. — Anthony  Kewlove,  Rector.     William  Barnes,  Vicar. 
Omnia  fiant  ad  gloriam  eccl.     1608. 
All  men  that  heare  my  mournfull  sound, 
Eepent  before  you  lye  in  the  ground.     1627. 


THOEPE  LATIMEE. 

THIS  hamlet  of  Helpringham  lies  three  quarters  of  a  mile 
south  east  of  it,  and  was  originally  part  of  the  Saxon  Eilric's 
possessions,  subsequently  given  to  Eobert  de  Yesci.  Tn  the  time 
of  his  descendant,  Eustace  de  Yesci,  circa  1200,  his  land  here 
was  reckoned  at  the  seventh  part  of  a  knight's  fee,  let  to  Thomas 
de  Latimer,  a  descendant  of  William  de  Latimer,  surnamed  the 
interpreter,  who  came  from  the  Welsh  border  and  became  a 
tenant  under  John  de  Yesci,  in  Helpringham  and  its  hamlet 
Thorpe,  at  a  yearly  rent  of  48  marks,  from  which  family  Thorpe 
had  derived  its  additional  name  of  Latimer  as  early  as  the  reign 
of  Edward  I.  William  de  Latimer  obtained  a  charter  enabling 
him  to  hold  a  market  and  fair  on  his  manor  of  Helpringham  and 
Thorpe.  He  also  enjoyed  the  right  of  free  warren  there,  and 
other  privileges.  "  44  H.  3."  He  married  a  daughter  and  co- 
heir of  Eoger  de  Lumley,  and  by  her  had  a  son  William, 
summoned  to  Parliament  as  Lord  of  Corby,  28  E.  1.,  and  died 
seized  of  the  manors  of  Helpringham  and  Thorpe  in  1303.  He 
was  succeeded  by  William,  2nd  Baron,  his  second  surviving  son 
by  his  second  wife,  Alice,  daughter  and  co-heir  of  Walter  Leydet, 
who  died  1  E.  3.,  leaving  by  Sibilla  his  wife,  widow  of  William 
de  Huntingfield,  a  son,  William,  the  3rd  Baron.  He  died  1336, 
and  left  by  Elizabeth  his  wife,  daughter  of  Lord  Botetourte,  who 
died  1384,  a  son,  William,  the  4th  Baron  Latimer.  He  enjoyed 
the  right  of  acting  as  High  Almoner  at  the  Coronation  of  Eichard 
II.,  as  the  inheritor  of  certain  lands  that  had  belonged  to  William 
Lord  Beauchamp.  He  died  May  28th,  1384,  and  by  Elizabeth 
his  wife  left  an  only  surviving  child,  Elizabeth,  the  second  wife 
of  John  Lord  Neville,  of  Eaby.  By  his  will  he  bequeathed  all 
his  lands  in  trusifor  the  young  Lord  Neville  and  his  heirs,  on 
condition  that  they  should  bear  the  arms  of  Latimer — Gules 
a  cross  fleury  Or. — his  executor  being  Eichard  de  Eavenser, 
Archdeacon  of  Lincoln.  At  this  time  the  Latimer  lands,  thus 
transferred  to  Lord  Neville,  consisted  not  only  of  the  manors  of 


THOEPE  LATIMEE.  405 

Helpringham  and  Thorpe  Latimer,  but  of  lands  in  Bicker,  Heck- 
ington,  Donington,  Swineshead,  Sway  ton,  Beckingham,  Syston, 
and  Gipple,  being  parcel  of  the  old  Vesci  fee.  Their  son,  John, 
was  summoned  to  Parliament  as  Lord  Latimer  from  1405  to 
1431.  He  married  Maude,  daughter  of  Thomas  Lord  Clifford, 
Countess  of  Cambridge,  who  died  in  1446,  without  issue.  This 
led  to  another  change  in  the  destiny  of  the  manor  of  Thorpe 
Latimer,  for  it  then  passed  into  the  possession  of  Elizabeth 
Melville,  sister  and  co-heir  of  the  second  John  Lord  Melville,  or 
Latimer,  and  wife  of  Sir  Robert  Willoughby,  by  whose  descend- 
ants it  was  in  succession  inherited,  viz :  Sir  John,  his  son  a 
second  Sir  John,  and  then  Sir  Robert,  who  was  a  claimant  of  the 
Barony  of  Latimer  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VII. ;  but  although  he 
did  not  obtain  that  title,  he  was  created  Lord  Willoughby  de 
Broke  in  1492,  and  his  descendant  is  still  lord  of  the  manors  of 
Helpringham  and  Thorpe  Latimer. 

The  site  of  the  ancient  residence  of  the  Latimers  and  their 
descendants  is  still  clearly  indicated  by  a  moated  inclosure  con 
taining  about  half  an  acre. 


DD 


HOWELL. 

ACIIEAGR,  POPULATION, 

1453.  .  1861—80.     1871—86. 

village  lies  5  miles  east  ,of  Sleaford.  Its  name  was 
_  formerly  spelt  Huulle,  and  Huwell,  sometimes  shortened 
into  "Well.  Before  the  Conquest  Colsuein's  here  wick  here,  which 
had  soke  in  Kirkby,  consisted  of  two-and-a-half  oxgangs  of  land ; 
and  another  part  of  this  vill  was  a  berewick  of  his  manor  in 
Helpringham.  Other  lands,  that  had  been  Morkar's,  were 
afterwards  appropriated  by  the  Conqueror  to  himself  as  an 
adjunct  of  his  manor  in  Kirkby.  Five  carucates  and  3  oxgangs 
were  within  the  soke  of  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln's  manor  of  Slea- 
ford, and  were  cultivated  by  10  sokemen  and  7  bordars,  for 
whose  service  the  Bishop  provided  a  priest,  and  a  church  endowed 
with  3 1  acres  of  land.  One  carucate  and  half  an  oxgang  belonged 
to  Gilbert  de  Gant's  manor  of  Ealkingham,  and  other  lands  to  his 
manor  of  Kirkby  Laythorpe.  A  family  of  the  name  of  Howell 
were  at  an  early  period  tenants  of  the  Bishop's  and  of  Gilbert  de 
Gant,  of  whom  were  "Walter  de  Howell,  who  was  fined  40s.  by  the 
King  for  some  transgression  "  Pipe  Bolls,  H.  2.",  Gilbert,  circa 
1200-10,  and  Sir  Eichard  de  Howell,  who  was  the  Bishop's 
tenant  in  the  13th  century.  In  1282  John  de  Neville  died  seized 
of  lands  here,  "  Inq.  p.  m.,  Edw.  I."  ;  and  in  1397,  John,  Lord 
Beaumont,  seized  conjointly  with  Katharine  his  wife  of  a  twelfth 
part  of  a  knight's  fee  in  Howell.  "  Inq.  p.  m.,  p.  2,  20  Eic.  2." 
During  the  14th  century  the  Hebdens  became  lords  of  this  vill 
through  the  marriage  of  Sir  Eichard  de  Hebden  with  the  Howell 
heiress ;  and  in  a  similar  way  it  was  acquired  by  the  Dymokes 
of  Scrivelsby,  in  the  year  1448,  through  the  marriage  of  Sir 
Thomas  Dymoke  with  Elizabeth  Hebden.  By  the  attainder  and 
decapitation  of  Sir  Thomas  Dymoke  in  1470  the  manor  was  for- 
feited; subsequently  however  it  was  restored  to  that  ancient 
Lincolnshire  family,  who  possessed  it  for  a  considerable  period  ; 
but  from  the  evidence  of  the  parish  terrier  it  had  passed  into  the 


HOWELL.  407 

hands  of  Joseph  Edmonds,  Esq.,  before  1707,  as  he  was  then 
lord  of  the  manor  and  owner  of  nearly  all  the  land  in  the  parish. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Sir  Joseph,  who  assumed  the  name 
of  More  through  his  marriage  with  Henrietta  Maria  More.  One 
of  their  sons  was  baptized  at  Howell,  1737,  and  another  the 
following  year.  Next  the  manor  passed  into  the  hands  of  Sir 
William  Smith,  Bart.,  one  of  whose  family — perhaps  a  brother — 
the  Eev.  Edward  Smith,  rector  of  Howell,  married  the  widow  of 
Sir  Joseph  Edmonds  More,  by  whom  he  had  a  son  and  a 
daughter.  The  Eev.  William  Holland  next  possessed  the  manor. 
Then  Mr.  J.  C.  L.  Calcraft  bought  it.  who  sold  it  in  1803  to  a 
Mr.  Ingall  and  a  Mr.  Vessey,  from  whom  it  passed  to  the  present 
proprietors. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 


The  Howells  and  Dymokes  were  the  first  recorded  patrons 
of  the  living  ;  but  it,  together  with  the  manor,  was  forfeited  on 
the  attainder  of  Sir  Thomas  Dymoke,  and  subsequently  seems  to 
have  followed  the  fortunes  of  the  succeeding  lords  of  the  manor. 
In  1616  the  living  was  valued  at  £30  a  year,  and  there  were  84 
communicants.  "  Willis's  MSS.  f.  39."  In  1707  the  curate  in 
charge,  Thomas  Tonstall,  was  paid  at  the  rate  of  5s.  6d.  a  Sunday. 
"Howell  Terrier."  On  the  12th  of  June,  1416,  Nicholas  de 

Hebden,  of  Gosberton,  made  his  will  to  this  effect : — 

\ 

"In  nomine  Dei.  Amen.  I,  Nicholas  Hebden,  of  Gosberkirke, 
Knt.,  leave  my  body  to  be  buried  in  the  chancel  of  the 
parochial  church  of  Howell.  I  give  to  the  fabric  of  the 
church  20s.  To  the  fabric  of  Claypole  20s.  To  the  high 
altar  of  Gosberkirke,  for  tythes  forgotten,  20s.  To  each  of 
the  orders  of  friars  in  Boston  20s.,  to  be  distributed  on  the 
day  of  my  burial.  That  there  shall  be  5  wax  candles  weigh- 
ing lOlbs.  shall  be  burning  around  my  body  at  my  exiques 
*  with  6  torches.  The  residue  of  my  goods,  my  Exors.,  viz., 
the  lady  Katharine  my  wife,  Master  John  Boterill,  And  de 
Gedney,  John  Flete  de  Frampton,  Thomas  Spenser  of 
Somercotes,  and  Richard  Melton  of  Howell,  shall  dispense 
for  the  good  of  my  soul.  Proved  by  Katharine,  his  relict." 
"Repingdon's  Reg.  139." 


408  HOWELL. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  rectors  :— 
Date  of  Institution. 

A  D   1218.— William  de  Benning worth,   presented  by  the 
Bishop  because  the  then  patron,   William  de 
Howell,  was  excommunicate. 
. — Hugh  de  Cleypole. 
1322. — John  de  Strettonhill. 
1349. — Eobert  de  Howell. 
1355.— Theophilus  Guido  Leterill. 
1361. —Thomas  de  Luda  (Louth). 
1371. — Thomas  de  Languon. 
1384. — John  Humfrey. 
1412. — Thomas  Newton. 
1417.— Edward  Langford. 
1418.— Kalf  Langford. 
1420. — Nicholas  Gibthorpe. 
. — William  Stephenson. 
1424. — John  Spencer. 
1448.— John  Croxby. 
1460. — John  Gygar. 
1490. — William  Gygar. 
1493.— Eobert  Baldwin. 
1521. — Thomas  Stukeley,  or  Southley. 
1524.— William  Merike. 
1525.— Henry  Mallett. 

. — Samuel  Saunders. 
1574.— Eobert  Wells. 
1616.— Charles  Weldale. 

1650. — Thomas  Eoe,  ejected  during  the  Commonwealth 
(see  "Walker's  Sufferings  of  the  Clergy,  p.  345"). 
1667.— Edward  Carter. 
1681  .—Henry  Gr eenhill. 
1709. — William  Jones. 
1713. — Joseph  Greenhill. 
1740. — John  Eichardson. 
1749.— Edward  Smith. 
1780.— William  Holland. 
1812.— George  Holt. 
1828.— George  Savile. 
1840.— Henry  Handley  Brown. 


HOWELL.  '  409 

Date  of  Institution. 

1859. — David  Hunter. 
1864.— John  S.  Dolby. 

THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Oswald,  and  consists  of 
nave,  north  aisle  and  chantry,  porch  and  chancel.  At  the  west 
end  is  a  very  beautiful  double  bell-gable.  The  inner  door  of  the 
porch  is  Norman.  The  arcade  between  the  north  aisle  and  nave, 
although  it  has  semicircular  arches,  is  decidedly  Early  English. 
There  is  also  a  diminutive  lancet  window  of  the  same  period,  at 
the  west  end  of  the  north  aisle.  The  chancel  and  bell- gable  are 
Decorated.  The  window  in  the  north  aisle  chapel  and  south  side 
of  the  nave  are  Perpendicular.  On  the  remaining  bell  is  this 
legend: — "  Tobie  Norris  cast  me,  1666." 

At  the  east  end  of  the  chancel  lies  the  altar  slab,  which 
bears  the  usual  five  crosses.  On  the  upper  step  of  the  ascent  to 
the  altar  was  cut  this  injunction : — "  Hie  Deum  adora."  There 
is  also  a  double  locker  projecting  curiously  from  the  wall. 

In  the  chapel  adjoining  are  the  corbels  of  an  altar  slab,  a 
locker,  and  brackets  for  images,  and  in  the  western  gable  of  this 
chapel  there  is  a  quatrefoiled  opening  which  formerly  gave  light 
above  the  roof  of  the  Early  English  aisle,  traces  of  which  may  be 
seen  both  here  and  at  the  west  end. 

Above  the  porch  entrance  the  following  bearings  are  cut 
upon  a  shield,  viz.,  Ermine,  5  fusils  in  fesse — for  Hebden, 
impaling  a  bend,  charged  with  rye  ears — for  Bye. 

On  the  panels  of  the  font  are  other  shields  charged  with  the 
bearings  of  Hebden,  Hebden  impaling  Bye,  Lutterell,  A  chevron 
between  3  chaplets  and  a  bend  between  6  martlets.  This  font 
was  the  gift  of  Bichard  de  Hebden,  who  died  in  1373.  In  the 
east  window  of  the  north  aisle  are  two  shields,  one  bears  Argent, 
2  bars  Ghi,  in  chief,  3  torteaux,  over  all,  a  bend  sable — Threck- 
inghani.  The  other,  Or,  2  chevrons  Ghi,  with  a  label  of  5,  within 
a  border,  Glu.  Beneath  the  subjects  of  this  window  was  formerly 
this  legend,  "  Stephanus  Capellanus  de  Iwarby  me  fecit." 

A  monument  of  the  time  of  James  I.  bears  the  following  in- 
scription : — 

Sir  Ch.  Dimok,  of  Howell,  seed  son  to  Sir  Ed.  Dimok 
of  Screelsby,  knig.,  champion  to  ye  crowneof  England, 
and  his  wife  Margaret,  widow  to  Mr.  Anthony  Butler 
of  Coates. 


410       .  HO  WELL. 

Holies  observed  a  stone  tomb  near  the  altar,  bearing  this 
border  legend,  viz : — 

Hie  Jacet  Magister  Johnes  Croxby,   quondam  Rector- 

istius  eclie,  qui  obiit  —  die mensis  A°  dni  MCCCC, 

cuj  aie  per  Deus. 

This  still  remains;  it  was  prepared  in  the  rector's  life  time, 
blank  spaces  being  left  in  the  inscription  to  record  the  date  of 
his  death,  which  however  was  never  supplied.  In  the  centre, 
beneath  a  canopy,  is  an  incised  effigy  of  John  Croxby  in 
eucharistic  vestments,  with  his  hands  upraised  in  prayer. 

In  the  chapel  adjoining  is  a  low  well  moulded  and  cusped 
sepulchral  arch,  beneath  which  is  the  tombstone  of  a  lady  of  the 
14th  century,  in  a  veil  and  wimple,  and  a  young  child,  whose 
busts  are  sculptured  in  arched  recesses.  The  hands  of  both  are, 
as  usual,  upraised  in  prayer.  In  the  nave  is  an  incised  slab, 
with  this  inscription : — 

Hie  Jaeet  Ricardus  Boteler  de  Howell,  qui  obiit  primo 
die  Januarii,  Anno  Domini  M°CCCCL VII,  et  Matildis 
uxor  ejus  que  obiit  vi°  die  Augusti,  Anno  MCCCLVI, 
quorum  aniinabus  ppicietur  Deus.  Amen. 

On  a  stone  tomb  Holies  saw  this  epitaph  : — 

Hie  Jacent  Ricardus  de  Hebden  miles,  qui  obiit  xxv° 
die  Aprilis  Anno  Domini  M°CCCLXXIII,  cujus  anime 
ppicietur  Deus,  et  -  —  quondam  uxor  Ricardi  de 

Hebden   militis,    que   obiit  xv   die •   Anno   Dni 

MCCCLIII.     Cujus  anime  propicietor  Deus. 

At  the  head  of  the  tomb  were  two  shields,  the  one  on  the  right 
bearing,  Arg.  a  bend  Sa  between  6  mullets  of  the  same — 
Lutterell ;  that  on  the  left,  Erm,  5  fusils  in  fesse,  Gu — Hebden, 
impaling  Gu,  a  bend  Erm — Eye.  On  the  side  was  a  shield  bear- 
ing Hebden  alone,  and  at  the  foot  one  bearing  Arg.  a  chevron 
between  3  chaplets  Gu  ;  the  other,  Erm,  2  bars  Gu,  a  bend  Sa. 
Holies  has  also  recorded  these  epitaphs  : — 

Hie  Jacet  Willielmus  films  Nicholai  de  Hebden  militis 
et  Catharine  uxoris  sue,  qui  obiit  Anno  Domini 
MoCCCLXXXVI. 


HO  WELL.  411 

In  the  north  choir  : — 

Hie  Jacet  Ricardus  Spenser       )      Conjuges  qui  obierunt 
Hie  Jacet  Emota  Spenser  i      8°  Hen.  fr°* 

Hie  Jacet  Ricardus  Whitead,  qui  obiit  xxvii  die  mensis 
Septembris,  Anno  Domini  MoDYIII.  Cujus  anime 
ppicietor  Deus.  Amen. 

Also   figures  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Andrew.     In  the  chancel  a 
large  incised  slab  still  remains  bearing  this  inscription  : — 

Hie  Jacent  Nicholaus  de  Hebden,  miles  qui  obiit  xix 
die  mensis  Aprilis  A.D.  MCCCCXVI,  cujus  aie  propi- 
tictur  Deus,  et  Katerina  ejus  uxor,  quoe  obiit  xxvii  die 
mensis  Novembris  An.  Dom.  MCCCCXXVII. 

On  the  cross  in  the  church  yard  is  this  inscription  : — 

Orate  pro  anima  Johannis  Spenser  Rectoris  ecclesie- 
istius.  I.H.C." 


They  endowed  the  chantry  chapel  in  which  their  remains  were  buried. 


: 


KELBY. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

990.  1861—99.     1871—87. 

THE  naine  of  this  place,  situated  5£  miles  south,  west  of 
Sleaford,  was  originally  spelt  Chileby  or  Chillebi.  Previous 
to  the  Conquest  the  land  here  chiefly  belonged  to  the  Saxons 
Aslac,  Britric,  and  Achil,  all  of  which  was  given  to  the  Norman 
Bishop  of  Durham  by  the  Conqueror,  and  held  of  him  by 
Remigius,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  and  Colgrim.  Some  land  of  the 
priest  Aschil's  at  the  same  time  passed  away  to  Wido  de  Credon, 
as  a  member  of  his  manor  of  Swarby,  which,  together  with  its 
appurtenances  in  Thorpe,  was  reckoned  as  the  third  part  of  a 
knight's  fee,  circa  1200-10,  when  it  was  held  by  Alan  de  Thorpe. 
At  the  same  time  the  Bishop  of  Durham's  land  here  and  in 
Eauceby  constituted  two  parts  of  a  knight's  fee,  and  was  held 
by  Geoffrey  de  Evermue,  who  also  held  1  carucate  in  Kelby  of 
the  fee  of  Gant,  for  the  service  of  the  third  part  of  a  knight's 
fee.  In  the  13th  century  the  fees  of  Durham  and  Gant  were 
held  by  Hugh  de  Wake,  and  of  him  by  Geoffrey  de  Evermue 
when  the  fee  of  Croun  had  diminished  to  1  oxgang,  which  was 
let  by  Petronilla  de  Croun  to  Henry  Camerarius,  by  him  to 
Robert  de  Thorpe,  and  by  him,  again,  to  Roger  de  Kelby. 
"  Testa  de  Nevill." 

Towards  the  latter  part  of  the  13th  century  the  great  family 
of  Wake  had  become  lords  paramount  of  Kelby,  of  whom  Baldwin 
died  1282;  Thomas  Wake  de  Lyddel,  1350;  Blanch,  his  wife, 
1381 ;  and  Johanna,  Princess  of  Wales,  the  mother  of  Richard 
II.,  1384,  all  successively  seized  of  the  manor  of  Kelby.  Thomas 
Holland,  Earl  of  Kent,  next  held  it,  but  forfeited  it  by  his 
attainder  in  1400.  In  1449  died  Sir  Henry  Grey,  possessed  of 
land  here ;  in  1473,  Elizabeth,  wife  of  John  Stanley,  and  daughter 
and  heir  of  Sir  Thomas  Belesley,  in  possession  of  other  lands ; 
and  in  1532,  William  Armyn,  who  held  some  land  that  had 
formerly  belonged  to  the  Priory  of  St  John  of  Jerusalem. 


KELBY.  413 

THE  CHUECH. 

It  is  not  known  in  honour  of  what  Saint  this  church  was 
dedicated.  It  is  a  small  and  modest  looking  fabric,  but  possesses 
some  features  that  are  well  worthy  of  examination.  The  tower 
and  spire  at  the  west  end  were  re-built  a  few  years  ago ;  yet 
evidences  of  the  original  Early  English  character  of  the  former 
are  still  apparent  in  the  form  of  the  buttresses  at  its  base  and  the 
angle  shafts  of  its  upper  stage.  The  nave  arcades  were  also  built 
during  the  prevalence  of  the  same  style.  The  windows  of  the 
south  aisle  are  very  beautiful,  and  among  the  remains  of  the 
painted  glass  in  that  at  the  east  end,  is  a  small  figure  of  an  angel 
censing.  The  aisle  is  vaulted  with  stone,  and  on  the  corbels  are 
very  quaintly  carved  sculptures.  At  the  east  end  is  a  niche  and 
a  bracket.  The  construction  of  the  north  aisle  is  curious,  and 
almost  suggests  the  notion  that  there  may  have  been  another 
aisle  beyond.  The  chancel  has  been  re-built,  and  has  now  only 
a  piscina,  conjoined  with  a  credence,  worthy  of  attention.  The 
clerestory  is  Perpendicular  on  the  north  side,  but  has  been  re-built 
on  the  south  side.  The  font  is  a  plain  Early  English  one.  The 
old  Perpendicular  oak  benches,  from  the  evidence  of  the  dress  of 
the  figures  cut  upon  some  of  them,  are  of  the  time  of  Henry  VIII. 


KIEKBY  LAYTHOEPE. 


ACREAGE, 
2357. 


POPULATION, 
1861—218.     1871—230. 


rpHIS  village  lies  2  miles  east  of  Sleaford.  Originally  its  name 
JL  was  spelt  Kireheby  or  Chirchebi,  and  to  distinguish  it  from 
other  villages  of  the  same  name,  that  of  Ledulvetorp  was  super- 
added,  probably  derived  from  Ledulve  or  Ledulph,  one  of  its 
Saxon  lords.  This  adjunct  was  subsequently  altered  into 
Leilthorp,  Laylthorp,  and  finally  Laythorp,  sometimes  shortened 
into  Torp  or  Thorpe.  Thus  the  fresh  mode  of  spelling  the  name 
of  this  place — Kirkby  la  Thorpe— is  clearly  wrong. 

Here  Earl  Morkar  had  4  carucates  of  land,  afterwards  rated 
at  5  carucates  and  called  the  King's  manor,  as  the  Conqueror 
retained  this  for  himself.  It  was  valued  at  £4  before  the  Con- 
quest, but  at  £8  in  King  William's  time,  who  kept  1  carucate  in 
demesne,  and  had  14  sokemen  cultivating  1  carucate,  and  half 
the  profits  of  the  church. 

Besides  this  there  was  another  manor  that  had  belonged  to 
Tunne,  consisting  of  4  carucates,  rated  at  3  carucates  3  bovates. 
This,  with  very  many  other  lands,  was  given  to  Gilbert  de  Gant 
as  soke  of  his  manor  of  Folkingham,  who  had  5  carucates  in 
demesne  here,  8  villans  cultivating  2  carucates,  and  120  acres  of 
meadow.  Its  value  in  King  Kdward's  time  was  £18,  and 
subsequently  £25. 

Circa  1250,  three  parts  of  a -knight's  fee,  termed  that  of  De 
la  Haye,  was  held  by  the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  who  had  let  it  to 
Beatrice  de  Engleby.  He  also  possessed  one  knight's  fee  and  the 
tenth  part  of  another  fee  here,  which  he  let  to  Simon  de  Kyme, 
and  he  to  Alan  Eitzwilliam.  At  the  same  time  Eosea  de  Yerdon 
held  two  parts  of  a  knight's  fee  of  the  honour  of  Lancaster,  who 
fulfilled  her  service  to  the  King  through  the  medium  of  William 
de  Lancaster.  The  fee  of  Gant,  comprising  one-fourth  of  a  knight' s 
fee  of  the  old  enfeoffment,  was  held  by  Hugo  de  Neville  of  Gilbert 
de  Gant.  The  fief  of  Durham  was  held  of  the  Bishop  by  Henry 


KIRKBY  LAYTHOEPE.  415 

de  Horningend.  Adam  de  Cranwell  also  possessed  lands  in 
Kirkby  Laythorpe  at  that  time,  who  died  1257.  "  Inq.  p.  m., 
40  H.  3."  Previous  to  1185,  the  Templars  had  acquired  lands 
here,  at  which  date  Gerard  held  1  oxgang,  the  gift  of  Alan  the 
son  of  Nigel,  for  a  rent  of  5s.,  le  present,  and  four  days'  work. 
Azer  held  another  oxgang  of  the  same  donation,  on  the  same 
terms ;  William  Parisiensis  half  an  oxgang,  the  gift  of  William 
Grim,  of  Asgarby,  at  a  rent  of  18d.  ;  and  Herwardus,  1  toft,  at  a 
rent  of  6d. 

Circa  1325  the  Prioress  of  Grace  Dieu  was  holding  four 
parts  of  a  knight's  fee  here,  Thomas  de  Multon,  the  royal  manor 
with  its  members  in  Kirkby,  Evedon,  Heckington,  and  Howell, 
together  with  the  advowson  of  a  mediety  of  the  church  of  St. 
Dionysius  at  Kirkby,  and  William  the  son  of  Thomas  (i.e. 
Thomson)  2  carucates  and  1  messuage  by  the  service  of  three 
parts  of  a  knight's  fee,  of  William  de  Kyme.  In  1402  half  a 
knight's  fee  was  held  by  Ealph  Copledyke  of  the  fee  of  Lancaster. 
In  1497  Mary,  daughter  and  heiress  of  Neville  of  Scotton,  one  of 
the  representatives  of  the  Deyncourts,  of  Knapthorpe,  and  relict 
of  John  Bussy  who  was  decapitated  at  Bristol,  died  seized  of 
Ingleby  manor  in  this  parish,  and  of  others  at  Morton  and 
Willingham.  "  Inq.  p,  m.,  6  H.  4."  In  1444  Beatrice  de 
Ingleby  was  holding  one  knight's  fee  in  this  vill  and  Evedon. 
"  Claus.  Hot.,  22  H.  4." 

After  the  Dissolution,  the  property  possessed  by  Catley 
Priory  and  Grace  Dieu  monastery,  in  Kirkby,  was  sold  to  John 
Bellow  and  John  Broxholm,  22nd  May,  1545  ;  a  capital  messuage 
here  had  been  sold  to  John  Bellow  and  John  Bales  the  previous 
year.  "Harl.  MSS.,  6825." 

Robert  Carre,  of  Aswarby,  bought  an  estate  here,  apparently 
called  Spalding  hall,  in  1566,  of  Thomas  Sleford,  of  Willesthorpe, 
that  had  belonged  to  Thomas  Skynner ;  and  in  1559  he  bought 
another  estate  at  Kirkby  called  Ingleby  hall,  of  John  Stanlowe, 
of  Stickford,  and  Edmund  Bussey,  of  Silk  Willoughby.  At  his 
death,  September  3rd,  1590,  he  left  these  and  all  his  other  estates 
to  his  cousin  Robert  Carre,  from  whom  they  have  descended  to 
the  present  proprietor,  the  Marquis  of  Bristol. 


416 


KIEKBY  LAYTHOEPE. 


Some  Saxon  remains  have  at 
different  times  been  discovered  in 
this  parish,  among  which  is  the 
little  vessel  of  which  a  cut  is  given. 
This  is  of  grey  ware,  3^  inches  high 
and  4  inches  in  diameter,  the  lines 
upon  its  outer  surface  consisting  of 
a  series  of  minute  markings  made 
by  some  little  pointed  implement. 

It  was  filled  with  fragments  of  human  bones  when  found. 

Another  relic  found  at  Kirkby  consists  of  a  little  pair  of 

iron  shears  or  scissors  of  the  usual  Saxon  form.     A  cut  also  is 

given  of  these  of  the  size  of  the  original. 


Another  ancient  article,  o'f 
the  mediaeval  period,  was  also 
found  half  a  mile  east  of  the  Old 
Place,  but  in  the  parish  of  Kirk- 
by. This  is  the  iron  head  of  a 
large  arrow,  3j  inches  long,  a 
portion  of  one  of  its  barbs  having 
been  broken  off.  See  accompanying  cut. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

There  was  a  church  here  before  the  Conquest.  The  Con- 
queror retained  half  its  advowson  with  one  of  its  manors  for 
himself;  and  probably  from  that  early  period  there  were  two 
medieties  of  the  living,  but  certainly  there  were  subsequently  two 
benefices  and  two  churches  here,  the  one  being  dedicated  to  St. 
Dionysius  or  Denis,  which  still  exists  ;  the  other  to  St.  Peter,  in 
the  patronage  of  Sempringham  Abbey,  so  early  as  Bishop  Welles' s 
episcopate.  These  were  united  in  1593,  but  the  rectorial  rights 
of  the  latter  having  passed  into  monastic  hands  were  alienated  at 


KIRKBY  LAYTHOEPE.  417 

the  dissolution,  and  in  1636  were  purchased  by  Sir  Eobert  Carre, 
who  bestowed  them  upon  his  hospital  at  Sleaford.  Soon  after 
this  the  northern  church  of  St.  Peter  was  pulled  down,  and  its 
sole  relic  now  is  the  bowl  of  its  font.  This  is  an  octangular 
specimen  of  the  Perpendicular  period,  having  panelled  faces  with 
a  blank  shield  in  the  centre  of  each.  It  was  long  used  as  a 
sink  in  a  small  farm  house,  but  has  now  been  rescued  from  such 
degradation  and  stands  in  front  of  the  parish  school-house  as  a 
reminiscence  of  the  lost  church.  The  rectory  of  Kirkby  Laythorpe 
was  consolidated  with  that  of  Asgarby,  April  1st,  1737,  when  the 
Rev.  Gascoigne  Wright  was  incumbent. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  incumbents  as  far  as  can  now 
be  ascertained : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1535. — Henry  Norton. 
1535.— William  Downes. 
.—Valentine  Tangelly. 
. — John  Maheris. 
. — Thomas  Willesdon. 
. — William  Follarby. 
1630.— Eobert  Garland. 
1661.— Edward  Dix. 
1670. — Thomas  Meriton. 
1690.— William  Pearson. 
1732.— Charles  Hervey. 
1735. — Gascoigne  Wright. 
1777.— Edward  Mills. 
1821. — William  Andrew  Hammond. 
1823.— John  Smith. 
1829.— John  Morgan. 
1844. — Henry  Ashington. 
1854. — Henry  Anders. 

THE  CHURCH. 

Formerly  there  were  two  churches  in  this  parish,  one  of 
which  was  dedicated  to  St.  Peter,  and  is  now  destroyed.  The 
vicarage  of  the  remaining  one,  dedicated  to  St.  Dionysius  or 
Denis,  was  endowed  in  the  time  of  Hugh  de  Welles,  A.D.  1209, 
and  was  subsequently  possessed  by  the  Prior  of  Kyme.  The  two 


4 1 8  IQRKBY  LAYTHOEPE. 

livings  were  consolidated  in  1593,  when  William  Carre  was  the 
patron,*  after  which  St.  Peter's  church  was  pulled  down. 

The  plan  of  the  small  remaining  church  is  very  simple,  con- 
sisting of  a  low  tower,  nave,  north  aisle,  south  porch  and  chancel ; 
yet  small  as  the  fabric  is,  we  have  here  features  belonging  to 
each  of  the  four  periods  of  Gothic  Architecture.  The  doorway 
'represents  the  first  or  Norman  period,  and  has  a  plain  solid 
tympanum  with  the  billet-mould  both  on  the  outer  and  inner 
chamfer  of  the  hood-mould  above  it.  On  the  voussoirs  of  the 
arch  the  letter  M,  or  perhaps  the  monogram  of  V.  M.,  and  crosses 
have  been  cut,  or  scratched,  at  some  subsequent  time  in  a 
systematic  manner.  The  humble  arcade  of  four  bays,  and  the 
wall  of  the  nave  are  of  the  Early  English  period  ;  the  latter  still 
retains  one  of  its  original  lancet  windows  on  the  west  side  of  the 
porch,  and  the  remains  of  a  similar  one  the  other  side  of  it.  The 
chancel  is  also  of  the  same  period ;  but  this  has  been  lately  re- 
built, when  the  old  lateral  windows  were  inserted  in  the  fresh 
walls,  and  a  new  one  was  erected  at  the  east  end.  All  of  these 
windows  are  filled  with  modern  painted  glass  by  Lavers  and 
Barraud.  The  aisle  wall,  a  flat-headed  window  opposite,  the 
greater  part  of  the  tower,  and  portions  of  the  nave  roof  are 
Decorated.  • 

The  original  form  of  the  last-named  feature  will  be  under- 
stood from  a  remaining  intermediate  principal,  on  which  the 
nail-head  ornament  is  cut.  Fragments  of  some  delicately  painted 
coeval  glass  will  be  observed  in  the  aisle  windows,  including  a 
shield  bearing  Arg,  a  chevron  gu,  between  3  trefoils  vert — for 
Sleaford.  The  entrance  to  the  rood  loft  has  been  preserved  ;  but 
it  will  be  seen  that  there  is  no  chancel  arch,  and  that  the  height 
of  the  chancel  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  nave.  Of  the  Perpen- 
dicular period,  are  the  porch  with  its  good  old  oaken  roof,  the 
chancel  screen,  some  of  the  bench  ends,  and,  externally,  the  tower 
lights  and  parapet.  For  many  years  the  lead,  covering  a  portion 
of  the  roof,  has  been  allowed  to  slip  downwards  by  slow  degrees, 
and  to  curve  over  the  walls  below  in  a  somewhat  unprecedented 
manner. 


*  At  this  time  Hugh  Davyas  was  the  incumbent,  but  as  the  dates  of  the 
institution  of  several  of  the  incumbents  about  this  time  are  not  known,  his 
name  is  not  inserted  in  the  list  before  given. 


OSBOUBNBY. 

ACEEAGE,  POPULATION, 

1400.  1861—613.     1871—606. 

THIS  village  lies  '6  miles  south  of  Sleaford.  Its  name  has 
.  been  variously  spelt  Esbernesbi,  Osbernedebi,  Osbernebi, 
and  Osburnby.  After  the  Conquest  a  manor  here  was  given  to 
Wido  de  Credon  by  the  Conqueror,  together  with  its  appurten- 
ances in  Dembleby  and  Willoughby.  This  had  belonged  to  the 
Saxons  Aluric  and  Adestan,  the  former  of  whom  was  allowed  to 
remain  as  the  tenant  of  3  carucates  of  land,  rated  at  2  carucates. 
Then  also  Vitalis,  a  vassal  of  Wido's,  held  1  carucate,  and  had  1 
sokeman  holding  another  carucate,  5  villans  and  3  bordars  holding 
H  carucates  and  24  acres  of  meadow,  valued  in  King  Edward's 
time  at  40s.,  afterwards  at  £6.  Wido  had  also  more  land  here 
constituting  an  appurtenance  of  his  manor  of  Swaton.  Ralph 
Pagnell  claimed  the  right  of  sac  and  soke  over  the  lands  that  had 
belonged  to  Aluric,  but  when  examination  of  this  claim  was 
made  by  the  Wapentake,  although  not  conceded,  they  pronounced 
that  Ealph  had  a  right  to  be  supplied  with  one  horse  from  Aluric's 
land  whenever  he  went  on  military  service.  Here  Gilbert  de  Grant 
had  5j  carucates,  rated  at  4  carucates,  lying  within  the  soke  of 
his  manor  of  Folkingham,  upon  which  were  16  sokemen  and  6 
bordars.  Circa  1200  this  was  reckoned  at  half  a  knight's  fee, 
then  held  by  Simon  de  Kym.e,  and  let  by  knight's  service  to 
Hugh  Bussey,  Philip  d'Arcy,  John  de  Somercotes,  and  Richard 
de  Saltfleetby.  "  Testa  de  Nevill."  In  the  reign  of  John  or  of 
Henry  III.  Sir  Philip  de  Kyme  confirmed  to  the  nuns  of  Bolyng- 
ton  his  serf  Reginald  of  Osbournby,  together  with  some  land  he 
had  held  of  him,  which  William,  son  of  Richard,  steward  of  Sir 
Philip's  father,  had  given  them,  when  he  assumed  a  religious 
habit.  This  land  was  then  let  by  the  nuns  of  the  above-named 
House  together  with  other  parcels  they  possessed  here,  to  Walter, 
son  of  Reginald  de  Osbournby. 


420  OSBOURNBY. 

In  1301  Hugh,  son  of  Lambert- de  Bussey,  sued  the  Prior  of 
Kyme  for  lands  in  Osbournby  of  which  he  had  been  unjustly 
deprived,  and  died  seized  of  certain  rents  here  in  1305.  "Inq. 
p  m.,  34  E.  1."  In  1325  John  Surdival  was  holding  two  thirds 
of  the  manor  of  the  de  la  Haye  fee  here,  together  with  its  appur- 
tenances in  Newton  and  Threckingham,  by  the  service  of  an 
eighth  part  of  a  knight's  fee,  and  John  Drewe,  of  Wyvill,  the 
other  third  with  its  appurtenances  in  Newton,  Swarby  and  Man- 
thorpe,  by  the  service  of  the  fifth  part  of  a  knight's  fee.  Then 
also  Adam  de  Braceby  and  Philip  de  Duneby  were  holding  other 
smaller  portions  of  land  in  Osbournby.  In  1371  certain  lands 
here  were  given  to  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Lincoln  for  the 
purpose  of  endowing  two  chantries  in  the  Cathedral,  by  Canon 
Richard  de  Whitwell,  for  the  good  of  his  own  soul,  and  that  of 
King  Edward  III.  "  Pat.  E.  3."  In  1388  died  Thomas  Tryvett, 
knight,  lord  of  Scott  Willoughby,  seized  of  certain  messuages  and 
lands  in  Osbournby  ;  and  in  1417  the  relict  of  Thomas,  Earl  of 
Kent,  also  possessed  of  lands  here,  which  were  then  divided 
among  the  co-heirs  of  her  husband.  "  Inq.  p.  m.,  2  H.  6." 

Circa  1458-61  Nicholas  Wymbish  died,  seized  of  the  manor 
of  Osbournby  conjointly  with  others.  He  had  bought  it  of 
Eobert  Stevenot,  clerk,  in  1451,  when  it  was  valued  at  five  marks. 
In  1478  Thomas  Wymbish  petitioned  the  King  for  a  licence  to 
give  the  manor  to  the  Prior  of  Nocton  Park.  "Inq.  p.  m.,  18 
E.  4."  In  1576  one  Wasteneyes  held  some  land  in  Osbournby  by 
the  service  of  half  a  knight's  fee  of  the  Honour  of  Bolingbroke. 
At  the  same  time  Eobert  Carre  held  other  lands  here,  which, 
with  appurtenances  in  Newton,  Swarby  and  Manthorpe,  com- 
prised the  fourth  part  of  a  knight's  fee. 

This  parish  was  enclosed  in  1705,  by  virtue  of  a  private  Act 
of  Parliament  for  enclosing  the  open  fields  and  wastes  here,  at 
Newton  and  Scott  Willoughby. 

With  the  exception  of  some  small  lots  of  land  belonging  to 
Lord  Aveland,  Mr.  Cragg,  of  Threckingham,  and  others,  the 
whole  lordship  now  belongs  to  Sir  Thomas  Whichcote,  Bart., 
who,  in  1846,  built  a  handsome  school-house  here  for  the  benefit 
of  the  parish. 


OSBOUKNBY.  421 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

We  gather  from  Domesday  Book  that  there  was  a  church  at 
Osbournby  and  a  priest  serving  it  when  that  work  was  compiled. 
Half  of  its  profits  were  given  by  the  Conqueror  to  Wido  de  Credon. 
Subsequently  15  selions  of  land  in  Handbeck,  worth  8d.  a  year, 
were  given  by  an  unknown  person  for  the  support  of  a  light  for 
ever  in  this  church ;  and  other  lands  and  tenements  by  another 
person  for  a  similar  purpose.  Three  acres  of  Jand  were  also 
given  by  a  third  unknown  person  for  the  observance  of  his  obit 
here.  This  land  was  worth  2s.  8d.  a  year,  of  which  Id.  was  to 
be  given  to  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Lincoln,  13d.  to  the  priest, 
and  ISd.l  to  the  poor.  Maria  Hall  gave  two  acres  here  for  her 
obit,  and  William  Johnson  and  another  gave  a  cottage  and  lands 
in  Osbournby  for  the  same  pupose. 

In  1616  the  vicarage  was  valued  at  £8,  and  a  lady  of  the 
Eigden  family  was  patron.  There  were  then  60  communicants 
according  to  Bishop  Neales'  record.  Now,  the  glebe  consists  of 
111  acres,  and  the  patronage  of  the  vicarage  is  in  the  hands  of 
Hulmes's  Trustees.  It  has  been  augmented  by  the  Governors  of 
Queen  Anne's  Bounty  assisted  by  a  private  benefaction,  through 
which  the  vicar  possesses  32  acres  of  land  in  Dorrington.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  the  vicars  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  . — Miles  Whole,  vicar  in  1616. 

1 682.— George  Dickens. 

1720. — John  Burman. 

1730. — John  Denison. 

1763. — Isaac  Cookson. 

1784.— Eobert  Drury  Eye. 

1797. — John  Corrie. 

1836.— John  Pearson. 

1863. — Thomas  Molineux  Jackson. 

Of  these  the  Eev.  George  Dickens  inserted  the  following 
practical  advice  to  his  successor  in  1717,  at  the  end  of  one  of  the 
parish  register  books  :  — 

Keep  in  sheep  a  good  stock,  yr  lambs  do  not  sell, 
And  then  at  Osbournby  you  may  live  well. 
Rear  most  of  your  pigs,  keep  4  or  5  cowes, 
And  you  may  maintains  a  pretty  frugal  good  house. 
EE 


422  OSBOUBNBY. 

THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  dedicated  in  honour  of  S.  S.  Peter  and  Paul,  and 
possesses  some  points  of  considerable  interest.  Its  oldest  feature 
is  the  font.  This  is  octangular  in  plan  and  of  a  late  Norinan 
period.  It  stands  on  a  plain  solid  base,  and  is  enriched  with 
intersecting  arcading,  in  which  the  nail-head  ornament  is  intro- 
duced. Next  in  date  comes  the  tower,  which,  from  the  flatness 
of  its  buttresses,  the  character  of  its  simple  bold  base  mouldings, 
and  other  details,  appears  to  be  of  the  first  quarter  of  the  13th 
century.  In  the  south  west  angle  is  a  staircase,  access  to  which 
is  supplied  by  an  ogee  arched  doorway  within.  In  the  west  face 
of  the  lower  stage  is  a  small  lancet  window,  to  which  much  effect 
is  given  by  the  great  thickness  of  the  tower  wall.  Little  slits 
alone  light  the  next  stage,  and  the  upper  one  was  partly  re-built 
during  the  Decorated  period.  In  this  are  four  two-light  belfry 
windows  of  that  time,  now  sadly  mutilated  by  the  excision  of 
their  mullions  and  tracery,  apparently  simply  for  the  purpose  of 
filling  up  the  whole  of  their  apertures  with  louvre  boards. 
Within,  the  arch  opening  into  the  nave  is  now  filled  in  with 
masonry,  but  the  cap  of  its  southern  pier  is  partly  exposed  to 
view.  The  extent  to  which  the  foundations  of  this  tower  failed 
at  an  early  period  is  especially  evidenced  by  the  outward  thrust 
of  its  contemporary  northern  aisle  respond.  From  the  base  of 
this  feature  we  gather  that  it  was  at  fir  t  semicircular  in  plan, 
then  mutilated,  and  that  finally  its  upper  portion  was  made  to 
agree  with  a  subsequently  added  Decorated  aisle.  The  corres- 
ponding pier  on  the  south  side  of  the  arch  is  of  a  similar 
character,  but  not  so  massive,  and  has  an  octangular  cap. 

About  1320  the  present  nave,  south  aisle,  porch,  both 
arcades,  and  the  chancel  were  re-built  in  an  excellent  manner, 
but  all  the  roofs  of  that  period  are  now  unfortunately  gone. 
Each  arcade  consists  of  five  bays  supported  by  clustered  filleted 
pillars.  The  hood-mould  terminal  at  the  east  end  of  the  northern 
arcade  represents  the  head  of  a  female  with  a  wimple.  The 
porch,  towards  the  west  end  of  the  south  aisle,  is  large  and  hand- 
some. It  has  double  buttresses  at  its  angles,  and  a  well-moulded 
arch  giving  access  to  a  similar  doorway  forming  the  principal 
entrance  to  the  church.  The  internal  faces  of  its  side  walls  above 
the  seats  are  adorned  with  good  arcading,  having  ogee  arched 


ONTARIO 


OSBOURNBY.  423 

heads  and  crocketed  hood-moulds  ending  in  foliated  finials.     In 
the  side  wall  of  the  south  aisle  are  three  three-light  windows,  one 
of  these  and  another  at  the  east  end  have  reticulated  tracery. 
Here  was  clearly  a  chapel,  from  the  evidence  of  a  piscina  in  a 
square  recess  towards  the  east  end  of  the  south  wall,  and  two 
statue  brackets  opposite,  close  to  the  doorway  formerly  giving 
access  to  the  rood  loft,  the  staircase  of  which  still  remains.     The 
north  aisle  is  of  a  poor  Perpendicular  character,  and  its  side  wall 
now  leans  considerably  outward.     In  this  is  a  doorway  towards 
the  west  end,  and  three  three-light  windows ;  its  east  window  is 
of  the  same  kind.     Here  also  was  a  chapel,  the  piscina  of  which 
still  remains  in  a  square  recess  close  to  the  eastern  pier  of  the 
north  arcade  ;   a  large  debased  statue  bracket,  on  which  are  cut 
two  shields  bearing  crosses,  now  inserted  between  the  first  and 
second  windows  from  the  west  of  this  aisle,  probably  belonged  to 
this  chapel.    A  good  many  very  richly  carved  old  oak  bench  ends 
still  happily  remain  in  this  church.     All  of  these  are  elaborately 
ornamented,  and  on  some  are  figure  subjects.     One  represents 
the  always  popular  contest  of  St.  George  and  the  dragon.    In  this 
instance  the  Saint  is  represented  in  a  suit  of  plate  armour  and  a 
salade.     Part  of  his  broken  lance  is  below,  and  with  his  sword 
upraised  he  is  about  to  despatch  the  prostrate  dragon  beneath  his 
horse's  feet ;  from  the  mouth  of  the  monster  protrudes  a  barbed 
tongue,  and  its  tail  also  is  furnished  with  a  smaller  head  and  a 
venemous-looking  tongue,  or  sting.    Another  subject  is  a  sarcastic 
grotesque,  representing  a  fox  in  a  pulpit  preaching  to  a  goose  and 
goslings.     A  third  represents  Adam  and  Eve  with  the  fatal  tree 
between  them  and  bushes  on  either  side.      A  fourth,  a  King 
placing  his  hand  upon  a  conventional  tree  or  bush.     A  fifth,  a 
lady  in  a  helmet-like  head-dress  and  mantle,  holding  an  open 
book  in  her  left  hand,  between  two  boys,  one  of  whom  holds  a 
closed  book  in  his  left  hand  and  upraises  the  other,  and  the 
second,  standing  in  front  of  a  chair,  also  holds  an  open  book  in 
one  hand.     Smaller  figure  subjects  are  also  carved  upon  some  of 
the  heads  of  these  bench  ends,  one  of  which  may  be  intended  for 
that  of  Boaz  and  Ruth. 

The  chancel  arch  is  Perpendicular,  and  a  little  in  front  of 
this  is  the  lower  part  of  a  carved  oak  screen  of  the  same  period. 
Owing  to  the  lowering  of  the  roof  of  the  chancel  a  fine  four-light 
Decorated  window  at  its  east  end  has  been  decussated,  much  to 


424 


OSBOUBNBY. 


its  injury.  In  each  of  its  side  walls  are  three  coeval  two-light 
windows,  and  a  priest's  doorway  in  the  southern  one.  Here  are 
three  sedilia  of  great  beauty,  separated  from  one  another  by 
pillars,  and  surmounted  by  ogee  arches  crocketed  and  terminating 
in  foliated  finials,  grotesque  heads  being  placed  at  the  terminals 
of  the  hood-moulds.  Eastward  of  these  is  a  piscina  with  a 
cusped  drain,  in  the  south  wall,  and  opposite  is  an  ogee  arched 
aumbry  formerly  provided  with  two  shelves. 

Holies  records  that  when  he  visited  this  church  the  following 
armorial  bearings  appeared  in  one  of  its  south  windows,  viz : — 
1,  Percy;  2,  Manley — Or,  a  bend  sa ;  and  these  in  the  east 
window:  1,  Bussey ;  2,  Kyme  ;  3,  Limbury — Arg,  3  cinquefoils 
pierced  gu.  4,  Marmyon ;  but  only  a  very  small  fragment  or 
two  of  these  now  remain. 

In  the  chancel  are  several  monuments  of  the  family  of  Buck. 
One  of  these  commemorates  Frances,  daughter  of  Sir  William 
Buck,  Bart.     Above  are  his  armorial  bearings  on  a  lozenge,  viz  : 
Paly  bendy  a  canton  arg,  and  below,  this  inscription  :— 
Francisca  Buck,  spinster  Gulielmi  Buck  de  Haceby 
Grange,  in  Cora.  Lincoln,  Equitis  Aurati  filia.  JStat  27. 

A  slab  in  the  chancel  pavement  bears  a  shield,  on  which  are  cut 
Buck,  impaling  a  chevron  engrailed  between  3  lions  rampant,  in 
chief  3  buck's  heads  couped,  surmounted  by  a  Baronet's  helm 
with  a  portcullis  as  a  crest.  Below  is  this  inscription : — 

H.  S.  E. 

Dna  Diana  Buck,  Gulielmi  Buck  de  Haceby  Grange, 
in  Com.  Lincoln,  Equitis  Aurati  conjux.  Defuit  e 
vita  setat  51.  1711. 

On  the  south  wall  is  a  white  marble  tablet  with  a  large  urn  of 
the  same  material  above  it.  On  this  is  the  following  record  : — 
Sir  Charles  Buck,  Bart.,  of  Haceby  Grange,  in  the 
County  of  Lincoln,  was  born  31  Janry.,  1724,  died  in 
London,  June,  1782.  He  married,  April  20th,  1758, 
Mary,  eldest  daughter  and  co-heiress  of  George  Cart- 
wright,  of  Ossington,  in  the  County  of  Northampton, 
Esqre.,  by  whom  he  had  no  issue  ;  his  widow  and 
sisters,  Anne,  wMow  of  Ambrose  Isted,  Esqre.,  of 
Ecton,  in  the  County  of  Northampton,  and  Katharine, 
widow  of  Sir  Henry  Inglefield,  Bart.,  of  White  Knights, 
in  the  County  of  Berks.,  his  co-heiresses,  consecrated 
this  marble  to  the  memory  of  their  excellent  and 
lamented  friend,  the  last  of  his  name. 


OSBOUENBY.  425 

In  the  church-yard  is  a  stone  recording  the  murder  of  Thomas 
Pinder,  a  poor  apprentice  of  this  parish,  by  a  chimney  sweep, 
1784-5  ;  but  he  was  buried  at  Colsterworth  where  that  foul  deed 
was  committed. 


QUARKINGTON. 


ACREAGE, 
1268. 


POPULATION, 
1861—299.     1871—340. 


T^HE  name  of  this  parish  has  been  spelt  Corninctune,  Curr- 
mington,  Kermington,  Querrington,  Quarringdon  and 
Quarrington.  Before  the  Conquest  Bardi,  Joel  of  Lincoln  (a 
monk  of  Eamsey  Abbey),  Earl  Morkar,  and  Archil  were  the 
principal  landowners  here. 

After  that  great  event  Remigius,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  received 
Bardi's  lands  at  the  hands  of  the  Conqueror.  These  consisted  of 
9  carucates,  2£  oxgangs  of  land,  connected  with  which  were  32 
sokemen  and  15  bordars  cultivating  7|  carucates,  besides  60  acres 
of  meadow  and  two  mills  worth  1 6s.  Of  this  Osmund  held  2 
carucates  in  demesne  worth  60s.  a  year,  and  Hugh  Rufus  1 
carucate  in  demesne  and  another  carucate  worth  25s.  a  year. 
Remigius  also  claimed  some  land  in  the  hands  of  Archil  in 
Quarrington  through  a  mortgage  he  had  upon  it,  but  this  was 
disallowed  by  the  men  of  the  Wapentake.  One  oxgang  here  lay 
within  the  soke  of  Earl  Morkar's  manor  of  Kirkby  Laythorpe. 

Joel  of  Lincoln,  a  monk  of  Ramsey  Abbey,  in  the  reign  of 
the  Confessor,  gave  a  manor  consisting  of  1  carucate  and  6  ox- 
gangs  of  land  in  Quarrington  to  the  Benedictine  Abbey  of  Ramsey, 
together  with  its  appurtenances  in  Sleaford  and  Dunsby.  The 
first  consisting  of  1  carucate,  1  sokeman  and  2  vilJans,  cultivating 
1  carucate,  and  also  27  acres  of  meadow ;  the  second  of  6  caru- 
cates, 1 1  sokemen  and  3  bordars  cultivating  3  carucates  besides 
6  acres  of  meadow.  The  whole  was  valued  in  the  Confessor's 
time  at  40s..  subsequently  at  £4.  "  Ex.  lib.  Anniv.  Rams." 

Ogerius,  or  Osgar  Brito,  had  5  acres  of  meadow,  8  of  coppice, 
half  a  carucate  and  4  villans  in  Quarrington  as  an  appurtenance 
of  his  manor  of  Morton  ;  Waldin  Brito  claimed  14  acres  here  as 
of  his  manor  of  Willoughby,  but  this  claim  was  not  allowed. 

Circa  1200-10  Hugh  de  St.  Yedasto,  or  Vedeto,  held  of  the 
Bishop  of  Lincoln  a  knight's  fee  in  Quarrington  and  Evedon,  and 


QUARRINGTON.  427 

Galfrid  Salvein  held  the  Abbot  of  Ramsey's  lands,  viz  :  8  oxgangs 
reckoned  at  the  eighteenth  part  of  a  knight's  fee  and  2  other 
oxgangs.  "  Testa  de  Nevill,  p.  321." 

Of  the  Yedeto  family,  Araicia,  wife  of  Hugh  de  St.  Yedasto, 
died  possessed  of  lands  and  tenements  here  in  1253,  and  Beatrix 
de  Gundy  gave  to  Haverholme  Priory  1  oxgang  of  land  and  a 
toft  in  Quarrington  ;  when  she  became  a  nun,  her  son,  Alexander 
de  Vedeto,  gave  the  sisterhood  she  joined  1  oxgang  and  20  acres 
of  land,  1  toft,  and  1  croft  of  three  acres  in  this  parish,  and  a 
William  de  St.  Vedeto  gave  them  an  annual  rent  of  1 3d.  Both 
the  Bishop  of  Lincoln's  and  the  Abbot  of  Ramsey's  lands  in 
Quarrington  long  remained  in  the  hands  of  their  successors ;  but 
at  length  Henry  Holbeach,  33rd  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  alienated  his 
lands  and  the  living  in  1547  to  the  Crown,  whence  they  passed 
into  the  hands  of  the  Duke  of  Somerset.  Subsequently  these 
were  given  by  Queen  Mary  to  Lord  Clinton,  who  sold  them  to 
Robert  Carre  in  1559,  and  they  are  now  possessed  by  the  Marquis 
of  Bristol. 

In  1691  Widow  Timberland  lived  in  the  manor  house  of 
Quarrington. 

The  appearance  of  this  quiet  little  village,  lying  around  its 
well  cared  for  church,  is  very  pleasing.  The  old  parsonage  house 
was  burnt  down  in  1760,  during  the  incumbency  of  the  Rev. 
George  Ray,  through  the  discharge  of  a  gun  up  the  chimney  for 
the  purpose  of  clearing  it,  when  a  spark  falling  upon  the  thatched 
roof  below  ignited  it,  and  only  a  fragment  of  the  house  was 
preserved.  The  new  parsonage  is  a  comely  and  suitable  clerical 
house,  built  by  the  late  rector,  the  Rev.  H.  T.  «  :  Hine,  in  1845. 

About  the  time  of  the  enclosure  of  this  parish,  in  1796,  it 
having  been  thought  that  coal  might  exist  below  the  surface, 
search  was  made  for  this  in  a  valley  about  half  a  mile  south  of 
the  church,  near  the  western  side  of  the  turnpike  road  from 
Sleaford  to  Folkingham ;  but  although  no  coal  was  found,  the 
boring  for  it  produced  an  abundant  flow  of  water  which  has  never 
since  ceased  to  be  of  service,  not  only  at  its  source,  but  in  the 
parishes  of  Burton,  Helpringham  and  Swaton. 

Two  stone  crosses  formerly  existed  in  this  parish.  The  shaft 
of  one  of  these,  about  five  feet  high,  stood  near  the  toll  gate  011 
the  fc.  leaford  and  Folkingham  road.  Half  a  mile  nearer  the  village 
was  the  other,  on  a  spot  called  after  it — Stump  Cross  Hill — 


428  QUARRINOTON. 

marked  by  a  small  plantation.     Latterly  its  circular  head  alone 
remained  which  had  a  cross  carved  on  both  its  sides. 

p 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 


There  were  two  churches  in  this  place  when  Domesday  Book 
was  composed,  the  one  standing,  we  presume,  on  the  site  of  the 
only  remaining  church,  the  other  not  far  distant,  and  probably 
in  a  farm  yard  now  occupied  by  Mrs.  Gubley,  all  remains  of 
which  have  long  since  passed  away. 

Joel  of  Lincoln  gave  a  church  here  to  Ramsey  Abbey,  of 
which  he  was  a  monk  ;  and  Henry  Salvein,  or  Henry  de  Cran- 
well,  probably  a  descendant  of  Galfrid  Salvein,  and  the  tenant,  of 
the  Ramsey  Abbey  lands  here,  gave  the  other  church  to  Haver- 
holme  Priory,  for  the  good  of  his  soul  and  that  of  Julian,  his  wife. 
In  1412  Olivia,  wife  of  John  Rossen,  of  Quarrington,  bequeathed 
her  body  to  be  buried  in  the  cemetery  of  St.  Botolph's  church, 
at  Quarrington,  and  left  12d.  to  its  rector  and  12d.  to  the  church. 
"  Rep.  Reg.  68."  The  same  year,  Joan,  wife  of  William  Ward, 
of  Quarrington,  left  her  body  to  be  buried  in  the  same  place, 
leaving  to  the  church  two  stones  of  wool,  &c. ;  Robert  Timber- 
land,  chaplain,  being  one  of  her  executors.  "  Rep.  Register,  78." 
In  1464,  Margaret,  widow  of  Roger  Catelye,  of  Quarrington, 
left  a  tenement  in  Quarrington  to  Thomas,  her  son,  chaplain  of 
Sleaford  church,  and  his  heirs,  besides  one  lectur  (lectern)  entire, 
six  vases  of  amber,  her  best  brazen  pot,  a  patella  (dish),  and 
six  silver  spoons,  on  condition  that  he  should  say  a  mass  for  her 
soul.  She  also  left  to  the  church  of  Lessingham  20d. ;  the  same 
to  the  chapel  of  Roxham ;  to  Trinity  guild  in  Sleaford  church 
12d. ;  to  St.  Anne's  guild  in  the  same  church  6d. ;  and  the  same 
to  St.  Christopher's  guild  there.  "Rep.  Reg."  The  price  of 
two  acres  of  land  in  the  plains  of  this  parish,  worth  8d.  a  year, 
was  given  by  an  unknown  person  to  the  churchwardens  for  the 
maintenance  of  a  light  for  ever. 

In  Elizabeth's  reign  there  were  17  families  in  Quarrington, 
and  120  communicants. 

There  are  no  marriage  entries  from  1642  to  1648  in  the 
parish  register,  during  which  time  marriages  were  performed  by 
magistrates  and  regarded  simply  as  civil  contracts. 


QUARRINGTON.  429 

The  flagon  and  paten  were  the  gift  of  Sir  Robert  Carre, 
Bart.,  whose  arms  they  bear,  viz  :  Carre  impaling  Bouchier  with 
an  annulet  for  a  difference. 

About  1800,  a  stone  coffin  found  in  the  church-yard,  for 
some  time  served  as  a  trough  in  a  neighbouring  farm-yard. 

In  1616  the  living  was  valued  at  £30  a  year,  when  John 
Nixon  was  rector,  and  the  patronage  was  contested  for  by  the 
Bishop  of  Lincoln  and  Edward  Carre.     The  following  is  a  list  of 
the  incumbents  of  Quarrington  as  far  as  they  are  known  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1218. — Alexander  de  Brauncewell,  presented  by  the 

Prior  and  Convent  of  Haverholme. 
1248. — "William  de  Foxton,  presented  by  the  Master  of 
the  Order  of  Sempringham  and  the  Prior  and 
Convent  of  Haverholme. 
1269. — Richard  de  Herton,  Canon  of  Lincoln,  presented 

by  Richard  de  Gravesend,  Bishop  of  Lincoln. 
1280. — Augustin  de  Stane,  presented  by  the  same. 

. — Thomas  Hill. 
1405.— Richard  Birket. 

. — John  Percy. 
1431.— John  Spaldyng. 
1535. — Robert  Yonge. 
1558.— Robert  Barton. 
1575.— Robert  Hichcock. 
1611. — John  Nixon. 

. — Thomas  Bouchier. 
1636. — Edward  Trevillian. 
1646. — Thomas  Appleby. 
1684.— John  KelsaU. 
1689.— Edward  Thomas. 
1691. — Thomas  Graves. 
1725. — George  Ray. 
1772. — William  Thomas  Hervey. 
1792. — Edward  Waterson. 
1801. — Henry  St.  John  Bullen. 
1805. — Robert  Willoughby  Carter. 
1810. — C.  J.  Blomfield — afterwards  Bishop  of  London. 
1820.— William  Stocking. 
1821. — Isham  Case. 


430  QUAKBINGTON. 

Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1825.— Eobert  Willoughby  Carter. 
1826.— Samuel  Forster,  D.D. 
1843. — Henry  Asliington. 
1844. — Henry  Thomas  Cooper  Hine. 
1861.— Frederick  William  Shannon. 

THE  CHURCH. 

The  tower  of  this  church,  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Botolph, 
is  a  medium  specimen  of  the  Decorated  period,  the  southern  face 
of  which  is  varied  by  a  slight  projection  and  a  line  of  little  lights 
indicating  the  position  of  the  belfry  staircase.  The  spire  is  sadly 
out  of  proportion  with  the  tower,  and  looks  as  if  it  had  slipped 
down  within  it.  This  un pleasing  effect  was  slightly  mitigated 
when  pinnacles  sprang  from  each  corner  of  the  tower  parapet, 
yet  the  want  of  union  between  it  and  the  spire  must  always  have 
been  very  apparent.  The  masonry  of  the  nave  generally  is  very 
indifferent,  yet  its  southern  elevation  is  attractive  from  its  three 
large  windows  filled  with  varied  and  beautiful  tracery,  of  which 
the  central  one  is  the  largest.  At  a  little  distance  the  doorway 
appears  to  be  of  a  more  ancient  date  than  it  really  is.  This 
arises  from  the  extreme  obtuseness  of  its  arch,  as  its  mouldings 
and  details  belong,  like  the  rest  of  this  fabric,  to  the  Decorated 
period.  Until  1812  a  very  miserable  chancel  was  to  be  seen 
here,  erected  by  Bishop  Blomfield,  who  was  the  rector  of 
Quarrington  from  1810  to  1820,  before  he  succeeded  to  the  See 
of  Chester.  The  present  chancel  is  a  good  example  of  modern 
taste  and  skill ;  its  east  end  terminates  in  a  quinquangular  apse, 
in  each  face  of  which  is  set  a  window  with  slightly  varied  tracery. 
The  base  mouldings  are  divested  of  all  crudeness  of  outline,  and 
are  of  a  solid  character,  while  the  masonry  throughout  is  pleasing 
to  the  eye  and  structurally  excellent.  The  carving  of  the  hood- 
mould  terminals,  the  designs  of  which  are  borrowed  from  nature, 
is  excellent.  The  north  aisle  of  the  nave  was  re-built  upon  the 
old  foundations  some  years  ago ;  this  is  now  agreeably  relieved 
by  the  gable  of  a  new  vestry  which  communicates  with  the 
chancel  as  well  as  with  the  aisle. 

In  the  interior,  the  aisle  arcade  is  the  earliest  portion  of  the 
nave.  It  consists  of  three  .bays,  the  westernmost  one  of  which  is 


QUARRINGTON    CHURCH. 


QUAEEINGTON.  431 

wider  than  the  others,  and  its  arch  something  lower,  which  gives 
a  very  awkward  appearance  to  the  whole.  One  capital  only  has 
been  moulded,  the  others  having  been  left  in  an  unfinished  state. 
The  arches  are  very  obtusely  pointed,  which,  in  conjunction  with 
the  plain  capitals  below  them,  might  mislead  a  casual  observer 
as  to  their  date.  At  the  east  end  of  this  aisle  has  been  a  chapel, 
as  indicated  by  a  bracket,  and  a  singularly  small  piscina.  A  few 
of  the  old  carved  Perpendicular  bench  ends  are  still  existing. 
The  font,  of  the  same  period,  is  a  poor  one,  without  a  base,  and 
the  stem  of  which  is  a  strangely  coarse  feature. 

In  the  churchyard  is  a  beautiful  monument  cross  forming 
an  appropriate  ornament  in  this  quiet  resting  place  of  the  bodies 
of  the  faithful  dead,  as  well  as  a  memorial. 

On  a  slab  formerly  inserted  in  the  chancel  wall  was  this 
inscription  : — 

Hie  infra  situs  est  Thomas  Appleby,  A .  M. ,  qui  post- 
quam  hanc  ecclesiam  per  annos  septem  et  triginta 
surnma  cum  vigilantia  rexerat.  mortalitatem  exuit  vi  : 
id  :  Martii.  anno  Dom  :  MDCLXXXIIR  ^Etatis  sure. 

Below  was  a  low  tomb  observed  by  Holies,  the  slab  of  which 
still  remains  in  the  pavement.  On  this  were  carved  several 
shields  bearing  a  chevron  between  three  turrets. 

The  following  quaint  epitaph  on  a  mural  slab  formerly 
appeared  on  the  south  wall  of  the  former  chancel : — 

Consecreted  to  the  memory  of  his  deare  Father  Thomas 
Bouchier,  borne  at  Hanborow,  in  the  County  of  Oxon  : 
a  worthy  Divine  and  sometime  faithful  Preacher  in 
this  Church.  A  man  of  singular  integrity  and  piety, 
who  (changing  this  fraile  life  for  eternity)  expired 
Sept.  18.  A'o  ^Etatis  67.  et  Sal :  Jesu,  1635. 

The  patterne  of  conjugall  love,  the  rare 

Mirror  of  father's  care  ; 

Candid  to  all,  his  ev'ry  action  pen'd 

The  copy  of  a  friend  ; 

His  last  words  best ;  a  glorious  eve  (they  say) 
Foretells  a  glorious  day. 

Erected  and  composed  with 

teares  by  his  pensive  Sonne,  James  Bouchier. 


432 


QUARBINGTON. 


On  a  slab,  formerly  over  the  arch  of  the  porch,  was  this 
epitaph : — 

To  the  memory  of  his  dear  father,  mother,  wife  and 
children.  Here  under  lyes  ye  Bodyes  of  these,  who 
are  here  named.  Will  :  Chester,  Gardiner,  Bury'd 
April  1st,  1662,  and  the  wife  of  Will :  Chester,  Bury'd 
Feb.  2.  1662.  Alice  ye  wife  of  Henry  Chester,  Bury'd 
Jany.  30.  1667. 

Will  :  Chester.       Alice,  Bury'd  April  10.  1671. 

Bury'd  Jany.  24.  Elizabeth,  Bury'd  July  12.  1681. 
1668.  Elizabeth,  Bury'd  Sept.  2.  1682. 


SCKEDINGTON. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

2530.  1861—397.     1871—394. 

THIS  village  lies  4  miles  south  of  Sleaford.  Its  name  was 
spelt  Scredintune,  Scredincton,  Skrediton,  and  Scredding- 
ton,  before  it  became  fixed  as  Scredington.  It  used  also  to  be 
termed  Scredington  cum  Northbec.  Before  the  Conquest  the 
Saxon  Leuric  was  the  chief  if  not  the  only  landowner  here ;  but 
after  that  great  event  part  of  its  lands  was  given  to  Robert  de 
Stafford,  and  part  to  Gilbert  de  Grant  in  connexion  with  his 
manor  of  Folkinghani.  Circa  1200-10  Henricus  de  Stafford  held 
12  oxgangs  of  land  here  of  the  King  in  capite,  and  a  few  other 
small  portions,  but  the  greater  part  of  Robert  de  Stafford's  land 
had  then  passed  into  the  tenure  of  the  de  Crouns.  Originally 
this  consisted  of  only  half  a  knight's  fee  of  the  old  feoffment. 
Subsequently,  Petronilla,  the  heiress  daughter  of  Wido  de  Croun, 
let  part  of  it  to  Eobert  Auteyne  and  part  to  William  de  Latimer. 
She  married  first  William  de  Longchamp,  then  Henry  de  Mara 
or  Meris,  and  lastly  Oliver  de  Vallibus,  Yas,  or  Yaux,  who  in 
right  of  his  wife  let  a  third  part  of  a  knight's  fee  in  Scredington 
to  Simon  Camerarius,  and  a  whole  knight's  fee  to  Simon  de 
Markham. 

In  1328  Sir  William  Latimer,  whose  ancestors  had  held 
land  under  the  do  Crouns  by  knights  service,  obtained  possession 
of  their  manor  here,  and  died  seized  of  it  in  1336.  "  Inq.  p.  m., 
9  E.  3."  In  like  manner,  Elizabeth,  his  widow,  subsequently 
married  to  Sir  Robert  Ufford,  knight,  died  seized  of  it  in  1384. 
"Inq.  p.  m.,  7  R.  2."  Their  heiress  daughter,  Elizabeth, 
married  Robert  Lord  Willoughby,  so  that  when  he  died  1396, 
he  was  seized  conjointly  with  his  wife  of  this  manor.  The 
following  year  John  Lord  Beaumont  died  seized  conjointly  with 
his  wife  Katharine  of  the  manor,  which  they  had  let  to  the  Prior 
of  Sempringham  and  William  Disney.  The  next  possessor  was 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  John  Lord  Nevill,  the  heiress  gran- 


434 


SCEEDINGTON. 


daughter  of  William,  4th  Baron  Latimer,  and  wife  of  Sir  Eobert 
Willoughby.  In  1404  died  John  Nevill  Lord  Latimer,  and  in 
1447  Matilda,  his  widow,  who  subsequently  married  the  Earl  of 
Cambridge.  So  also  in  1469  died  George  Nevill  Lord  Latimer 
seized  of  this  manor.  The  next  possessor  of  it  we  hear  of  was 
Eobert  Lord  Willoughby  de  Broke,  who  died  1502,  and  left  the 
profits  of  the  same  and  of  his  manor  of  Helpringham  partly  to  a 
mass  priest  of  the  church  of  Hoke,  Dorsetshire,  to  pray  for  his 
soul  and  the  souls  of  his  wife  and  parents,  who  was  to  have  ten 
marks  a  year  for  his  services  for  twenty  years,  and  partly  in 
alms  to  fourteen  poor  persons  for  the  same  time. 

We  must  now  return  to  the  de  Grant  fee.  In  the  beginning 
of  the  13th  century  Gilbert  de  Gant  held  one  knight's  fee  of  the 
old  feoffment  in  Scredington,  formerly  let  to  Thorold,  but  then 
to  William  de  Dive,  who  had  sublet  it  to  Eobert  Auteyne.  He 
also  possessed  the  sixth  part  of  a  knight's  fee,  let  to  Walter  de 
Threckingham,  and  by  him  to  the  same  above-named  Eobert 
Auteyne.  The  Amundevilles  previously  held  the  land  subse- 
quently in  the  tenure  of  the'  Anteynes ;  but  on  the  marriage  of 
Margaret,  daughter  of  Jolland  Ainundeville  with  John  de 
Auteyne,  this  land  was  made  over  to  them  ;  and  in  the  year  1215 
their  son  Eobert  was  cited  to  answer  for  his  not  having  paid  the 
fine  due  from  him  as  heir  of  Agnes  de  Amundeville,  which  he 
denied  he  was,  and  refused  to  pay ;  but  one  of  his  descendants, 
Hamo,  and  his  son  were  still  more  unfortunate,  for  when  the 
former  was  Sheriff  of  the  county,  1260,  it  appears  he  became 
indebted  to  the  King  for  £1000  ;  and  in  1287,  when  he  died,  his 
lands  in  Scredington  were  seized  on  account  of  this  claim,  and 
thus  lost  to  his  son  William  ;  but  on  his  engagement  to  pay  the 
debt  they  were  restored  to  him  by  the  King's  command  in  1289. 

The  de  Gants  continued  to  be  lords  of  this  manor  until  1307, 
when,  on  the  death  of  the  last  Gilbert  de  Gant  without  male 
heirs,  his  fee  in  Scredington  was  granted  to  John,  son  and  heir 
of  Hugo  Bussey,  of  Hougham.  After  this  time  it  is  impossible 
to  trace  the  ownership  of  the  lands  in  Scredington ;  but  in  1523 
died  Eichard  Hobson  seized  of  the  manor  of  Scredington,  held  of 
that  of  Folkingham,  and  therefore  no  doubt  the  old  de  Gant  fee. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  young  son,  then  only  three  years  old. 
In  1615  the  manor  was  in  the  possession  of  Eochester  Carre,  and 
held  by  him  of  the  Crown.  "  Harl.  MS.  758." 


SCREDINGTON.  435 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

In  1 349  the  firm  of  this  vill  was  granted  by  the  Dean  and 
Chapter  of  Lincoln  to  Richard  Whitwell,  Canon  of  Lincoln,  as  a 
reward  for  having  continued  to  reside  and  fulfilled  all  the  duties 
of  the  Dean  and  Chapter  during  the  preceding  year  with  another 
Canon,  Half  de  Ergom,  when  all  the  others  had  fled  to  their 
respective  livings  to  avoid  contagion  during  the  prevalence  of  a 
pestilence.  He  was  also  rewarded  with  the  grant  of  other  lands 
in  Haynton,  by  the  Dean  and  Chapter  for  his  life,  on  condition 
of  the  payment  of  a  mark  as  a  nominal  rent  for  the  same.  He 
died  1371,  and  gave  certain  prpperty  in  Scredington  to  the  Dean 
and  Chapter,  perhaps  that  which  he  had  received  from  them  for 
the  purpose  of  endowing  two  chantries  in  the  Cathedral  for  the 
benefit  of  his  own  soul,  and  that  of  Edward  III.  "  Pat.  Rot., 
45  E.  3." 

In  1535  the  church  of  Scredington  was  valued  at  £7  6s.  8d. ; 
out  of  which  a  pension  of  £1  6s.  8d.  was  to  be  paid  in  augmenta- 
tion of  the  vicar's  stipend ;  Thomas  Smith  then  being  vicar  ;  and 
also  6d.  a  year  to  the  churchwardens  for  the  support  of  a  lamp. 
"  Val.  Eccl." 

In  1581  died  Sir  Robert  Tirwhitt,  knight,  seized  of  the 
rectory  of  Scredington, 

In  1616  the  value  of  the  living  was  £13  6s.  8d.,  when  it  was 
a  peculiar  of  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Lincoln,  Richard  Rochford 
was  patron,  and  there  were  140  communicants.     "  Willis's  MS., 
f.  39."     The  following  is  a  list  of  the  vicars  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1743. — John  Stephen  Masson. 
1776. — Samuel  Masson. 
1786.— John  Wilson. 
1849.— William  Grice. 
1851. — Joshua  Walthain. 

1861. — Edward  Stirling  Murphy,  who  has  since  assumed 
the  name  of  Berry. 

THE  CHURCH. 

This  church,  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Andrew,  has  just 
been  partly  re-built  and  so  much  restored  that  at  first  sight  it 


436 


SCBEDINGTON. 


looks  like  an  entirely  new  one.  Previously  it  consisted  of  a 
little  modern  tower  most  improperly  built  within  the  nave,  which 
last  had  so  flat  a  roof  as  to  be  invisible,  a  small  chancel  with  a 
high-pitched  roof  covered  with  red  tiles,  a  north  aisle,  and  a 
south  porch  ;  but  the  whole  was  in  such  a  dilapidated  condition 
as  to  require  extensive  reparation.  Now,  the  aisle,  an  Early 
English  doorway  within  the  porch,  its  Decorated  arch,  one  of  the 
nave  windows,  and  a  few  other  relics  are  still  doing  service  ;  but 
the  west  end,  the  whole  of  the  south  elevation — including  the 
porch,  and  the  chancel  have  been  rebuilt  of  roughened  stones ; 
and  at  the  west  end  of  the  south  wall  of  the  nave  adjoining  the 
porch  stands  an  octagonal  bell  turret  surmounted  by  a  spirelet. 
Both  nave  and  chancel  are  now  covered  by  high-pitched  roofs, 
and  brindled  tiles.  At  the  west  end  of  the  aisle  is  a  little 
coupled  lancet,  and  in  its  north  wall  a  doorway  and  three  later 
windows,  each  having  three  cusped  lights  and  low  arched  heads. 
At  the  west  end  of  the  nave  is  a  three-light  Perpendicular 
window,  and  at  the  east  end  of  the  chancel  a  similar  one  of  four 
lights.  Within,  the  old  Decorated  aisle  arcade  of  three  bays  still 
remains,  the  easternmost  bay  of  which  serves  as  a  vestry,  and 
opens  into  the  chancel  by  means  of  an  old  debased  arch,  and  into 
the  aisle  by  another  arch.  The  font  is  an  Early  English  one  of 
the  plain  tub  form.  Here  are  two  stone  altar  tombs.  One  of 
these  formerly  stood  under  an  arch  of  the  aisle  arcade,  but  has 
now  been  placed  at  the  west  end  of  the  nave.  It  is  of  a  plain 
solid  character,  but  its  sides  are  relieved  by  square  panels  con- 
taining quatrefoils  and  blank  shields.  It  bears  the  following 
inscription  upon  a  small  brass  plate  : — 

Hie  Jacet  Willus  Pylet  de  Scredyugton  qui  obiit  xxviiio 
die  Junii  Anno  dni  Millo  CCCC  tcio.  cui  aia  ppiciet. 
ds.  Amen. 

Against  the  aisle  wall  is  the  other  altar  tomb  placed  within  a 
mural  reces's,  and  below  a  cusped  arch  ornamented  with  foliated 
crockets  above.  On  the  front  are  three  plain  quatrefoils  con- 
taining blank  shields,  and  on  the  slab  above  is  the  effigy  of  the 
person  commemorated,  viz.,  Thomas  Wyke,  rector  of  Scredington, 
who,  according  to  Holies,  was  connected  with  Manchester,  and 
was  living  17  E.  2.  He  is  represented  in  eucharistic  vestments 
with  his  head  on  a  tasselled  pillow  placed  diagonally  upon 


SCREDINGTON.  437 

another,  and  his  feet  against  a  dog.  The  hands  are  upraised, 
and  perhaps  originally  held  a  chalice ;  but  these  are  now  so 
broken  that  this  cannot  be  determined.  Out  of  the  mouth  of 
the  dog  at  the  foot  of  the  effigy  proceeds  a  wide  label  bearing  a 
legend  which  Holies  could  not  wholly  decipher,  nor  can  this  be 
satisfactorily  accomplished  now,  viz:  — 

Meminere  thome  Wyke,  rector,  p 

Gaudia  de tumulus  que  car  (or  cor)    

Holies  seems  also  to  have  met  with  the  name  of  "Rici 
Scarlet "  on  some  tombstone  here. 


FF 


SPANBY. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION-, 

1019.  1861—75.     1871—115. 

THIS  village,  the  name  of  which  was  variously  spelt  Spanebi, 
Spanesbi,  Spanneby  and  Spannby,  lies  6  miles  south  of  Slea- 
ford.  From  Domesday  Book  we  find  that  3  carucates  of  land  in 
Spanby  were  in  the  soke  of  Colsuein's  manor  of  Ulvesbi,  or  Welby, 
and  that  these  were  rated  at  2  carucates ;  besides  which,  there 
were  20  acres  of  meadow  and  12  sokemen.  Here  also  was  a  bere- 
wick  of  Bourn  consisting  of  6  bovates,  rated  at  4  bovates,  and  1 8 
acres  of  meadow,  valued  before  and  after  the  Conquest  at  10s.  Of 
this,  Oger  then  held  1  carucate  and  the  meadow  land  in  demesne. 

In  the  13th  century  Colsuein's  land  had  become  part  of  the 
de  la  Haye  fee,  then  held  of  the  King  by  William  Longspee,  the 
representative  of  that  family,  and  consisted  of  half  a  knight's  fee. 
Christiana  Ledet  held  this  of  him,  and  let  it  to  John,  son  of 
William  Foliot,  a  kinsman  of  the  de  la  Hayes.  "  Testa  de 
Nevill."  William  Foliot  gave  to  Bolyngton  Priory  his  vassal 
Ailrick,  surnamed  the  chaplain  of  Spanby,  his  wife,  chattels, 
house,  buildings,  a  toft,  a  croft,  an  oxgang  and  32  acres  of  land, 
a  meadow,  and  pasture  for  60  sheep  formerly  held  at  the  rent  of 
a  mark  by  the  said  Ailrick.  In  like  manner  Richard  Foliot  gave 
.Ralph,  son  of  Heine,  one  of  his  vassals  together  with  4  oxgangs 
of  land  in  Spanby  to  the  nuns  of  Bolyngton.  Another  member 
of  this  family,  Paganus  Foliot,  gave  to  the  Templars  an  oxgang 
of  land,  circa  1185,  let  at  2s.  a  year,  some  work  and  "  le  present." 

In  1325  Hugo  de  Spanneby  was  holding  20  oxgangs  in 
Spanby  by  the  service  of  half  a  knight's  fee  of  the  de  la  Haye 
fee,  and  in  1331  John  de  Spanneby  obtained  the  right  of  free 
warren  in  Spanby. 

In  1 4 1 0  died  Elizabeth,  widow  of  John  Holland,  Earl  of  Kent, 
seized  of  half  a  knight's  fee  here,  and  in  1417,  Alice,  Countess  of 
Kent,  possessed  of  the  same.  In  1428  died  Elizabeth,  widow  of 
John  de  Nevill,  knight,  seized  of  half  a  knight's  fee  here. 


SPANBY.  439 

In  1509  died  Arthur  Spanby  possessed  of  the  manor  of 
Spanby  with  its  members  in  Billinghay  and  Walcot,  "  Barl. 
MS.,  756,"  and  in  1540  the  King  granted  to  Eobert  Dighton,  of 
Sturton,  certain  messuages  and  tenements  here  that  had  belonged 
to  Bourn  Abbey  to  be  held  of  him  by  knight's  service.  "  Harl. 
MS.,  6829." 

The  manor  and  about  half  the  land  in  this  parish  now 
belong  to  the  Trustees  of  the  late  Mr.  W.  Cragg.  The  rest 
belongs  to  Sir  Thomas  Whichcote,  Bart.,  Robert  Kelham,  Esq., 
Captain  Smith,  of  Horbling,  Captain  Cragg,  the  vicar  of  Walcot, 
J.  Conant,  Esq.,  Mr.  D.  Bellamy,  and  the  Trustees  for  the  poor 
of  Burton  Pedwardine. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

The  vicarage  of  Spanby  was  consolidated  with  that  of 
Swaton  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.,  as  recorded  in  the  "Liber 
Regis.,"  and  perhaps  before  that  time. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  vicars  of  Spanby  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  . — Thomas  Wallis. 

1662.— Peter  Saunders. 

1663. Waring. 

. — John  Spademan. 
1681. — Joseph  Holton. 
1697. — Jonathan  Whaley. 
1702.— John  Spriggs. 
1729.— William  Ducros. 
1 744. — John  Stephen  Mason. 
1777. — Samuel  Mason. 
1786. — James  Pigott. 
1813. — John  Shinglar. 
1828.— Thomas  Darby. 
1840. — Henry  Knapp. 

THE  CHURCH. 

This  was  originally  a  small  church,  dedicated  in  honour  of 
St.  Nicholas,  and  apparently  built  during  the  second  half  of  the 
13th  century;  but  it  has  since  been  considerably  curtailed  by  the 


440  SPANBY. 

shortening  of  its  nave  at  the  west  end,  the  destruction  of  both 
its  aisles  and  a  chantry  chapel  on  the  north  side  of  the  chancel, 
besides  the  lowering  of  its  roof ;  yet,  although  most  unpromising 
at  first  sight,  is  not  without  considerable  architectural  value,  and 
certainly  might  be  made  a  very  comely  edifice. 

The  only  subsidiary  features  of  the  south  elevation  are  a 
doorway  and  one  window  in  the  nave.  The  first  is  inserted  in 
the  western  arch  of  the  lost  aisle  arcade,  and  is  coeval  with  it,  so 
that  it  was  most  probably  simply  taken  from  the  aisle  wall  on  its 
removal  and  inserted  in  its  present  position.  The  second  is  a 
small  debased  square  headed  window  out  of  which  the  mullions 
have  been  cut.  Both  within  and  without  the  outlines  of  the 
aisle  arcades  may  be  plainly  seen  in  the  present  external  walls. 
These  are  of  two  bays  supported  by  a  central  octangular 
pillar  and  corresponding  responds.  In  the  chancel  is  a  com- 
paratively large  east  window,  consisting  of  two  lancet  lights 
with  a  solid  heading  between  them.  In  the  south  wall  is  an 
arch  that  once  opened  into  a  chapel ;  and  in  the  northern  one  a 
large  semicircular-headed  arch  that  gave  access  to  another  chantry 
chapel,  now  filled  in  with  masonry,  in  which  a  small  Decorated 
window  is  inserted,  perhaps  derived  from  one  of  the  lost  aisles  ; 
a  similar  one  was  also  placed  in  the  easternmost  arch  of  the  nave 
arcade.  The  original  west  end  of  the  church,  whether  consisting 
of  a  tower  or  simply  a  wall  surmounted  by  a  bell-cot,  has  been 
pulled  down  and  replaced  by  a  poor  comparatively  modern  wall 
cutting  off  a  portion  of  the  nave.  This  is  surmounted  by  a 
wooden  cage-like  structure,  supported  in  part  by  timber  props, 
and  containing  a  bell.  Within,  besides  the  arcades  before 
spoken  of,  and  the  arch  in  the  north  wall  of  the  chancel, 
there  are  two  slender  octangular  shafts  between  the  nave 
and  chancel  which  are  too  light  to  carry  a  chancel  arch ;  but 
may  have  supported  a  rood  beam,  or  been  connected  with  a 
wooden  screen.  The  roofs  of  both  nave  and  chancel  have  been 
so  lowered  that  they  are  not  seen  externally,  and  spoil  the 
appearance  of  the  interior.  The  font  is  a  remarkable  specimen 
of  the  Early  English  period.  Its  stem  consists  of  a  central 
feature  flanked  by  four  pyramidal  octangular  shaftlets,  and  its 
bowl  of  a  solid  octangular  block  with  its  edges  slightly  chamfered. 
In  the  south  wall  of  the  chancel  is  a  little  trefoil-headed  niche 
containing  a  piscina. 


SPANBY.  441 

Holies  noted  only  one  fragmentary  epitaph  here,  viz  : — 

Hie  Jacet  Johannes  de  Spanby,  qui  obiit  

Ano  Dni  MCCCCXVII.  cujus  anime  ppicietur  Deus. 
Amen. 

Since  then  another  slab  has  been  revealed  of  nearly  the  same 
date,  having  a  pleasing  stemmed  cross  rising  from  a  -stepped 
base  or  calvary,  and  a  fragment  of  a  border  legend,  having  the 
date  of  MCCCCXIIIL,  and  the  same  termination  as  the  other. 


SWAKBY. 


ACKEAGE, 

954. 


POPULATION, 
1861—162.     1871—175. 


village  lies  4  miles  south  of  Sleaford.  Its  name  is  spelt 
X  Swarrebi  in  Domesday  Book.  After  the  Conquest  Wido 
de  Credon  obtained  land  here  with  appurtenances  in  Kelby, 
Marston  and  Harrowby,  of  which  Yitalis,  his  vassal,  held  a  caru- 
cate.  He  had  also  16  sokemen  and  3  villans  cultivating  2J 
earucates,  and  holding  80  acres  of  meadow  and  80  of  under- 
wood. Here  Aluric  held  4  bovates  of  land  rated  at  2  bovates, 
Godman  6  bovates,  rated  at  3j,  and  Odo  the  arbalist,  or  cross- 
bow man,  1  carucate,  20  acres  of  meadow,  12  of  underwood, 
and  the  third  part  of  the  church,  worth  10s.  a  year. 

Subsequently  the  de  Credon  manor  was  inherited  by 
Petronilla  de  Credon,  or  Croun,  when  Hugo  de  Boothby  was  one 
of  her  tenants,  who  sublet  his  land  to  Half  de  Normanton,  and 
Henry  Camerarius  held  another  smaller  portion,  which  he  sublet 
by  knight's  service  to  Robert  de  Thorpe,  i.e.  Culverthorpe.  Circa 
1200-10  Gilbert  de  Gant's  fee  was  held  by  Eobert  de  Haceby, 
and  that  of  Croun  by  Alan  de  Thorpe.  "Testa  de  Nevill," 
Eobert  de  Newton  held  2  oxgangs  here  of  the  Earl  of  Salisbury, 
who  sublet  it  to  Ealf  de  Normanton,  and  subsequently  to 
William  de  Lunda.  In  1397  died  John  Lord  Beaumont,  seized 
conjointly  with  his  wife,  Katharine,  of  one  knight's  fee  in  Swarby, 
held  by  William  Disney.  In  1417  died  Alice,  relict  of  Thomas, 
Earl  of  Kent,  and  daughter  of  Eichard,  Earl  of  Arundel,  seized 
of  lands  and  tenements  here.  "  Inq.  p.  m.,  2  H.  6." 

In  1544  the  King  granted  to  John  Broxholme  the  lands,  the 
rectory,  a  chapel  and  a  messuage  here,  that  had  belonged  to 
Kyme  Priory.  In  1545  died  Charles  Brandon,  Duke  of  Suffolk, 
seized  of  the  manor  of  Swarby.  In  1550  Christopher  Kelke  held 
of  the  King  the  rectory  of  Swarby,  a  capital  messuage,  a  mill 
and  certain  lands  in  Swarby  and  Culverthorpe.  "  Harl.  MSS. 
William  Fairfax  next  obtained  the  rectory  and  advowson 


G829.! 


SWAEBT.  443 

of  Swarby,  a  columbary  (dovecot),  a  garden,  100  acres  of  plough 
land,  and  40  of  pasture,  held  of  the  Queen,  leaving  a  daughter, 
Elizabeth,  as  his  heir.  "Harl.  MSS.  6829."  In  1560  fciniori 
Freman  was  holding  lands  in  this  place;  and  in  1574  George 
Fairfax  obtained  a  licence  to  alienate  all  his  lands,  together  with 
the  advowson  of  the  rectory  and  vicarage  of  Swarby,  to  Eichard 
Fairfax,  but  he  did  not  carry  out  this  design,  as  he  died  seized 
of  the  rectory  and  vicarage  of  Swarby  in  1635,  leaving  a  son, 
Christopher,  as  his  heir.  In  the  beginning  of  the  following 
century  Robert  Carre  had  obtained  the  fee  of  the  Castle  and 
Honour  of  Bolingbroke  here,  latterly  held  by  the  family  of 
Hermyn  by  the  service  of  the  fourth  part  of  a  knight's  fee. 
"  Rot.  Cur.  Ducat.  Lane." 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

In  1533  Walter  Gyldyn,  vicar  of  Swarby,  bequeathed  his 
body  to  be  buried  in  the  chancel  of  AUhallows,  or  All  Saints,  in 
Swarby. 

From  the  foregoing  account  it  will  be  seen  that  in  the  16th 
century  the  rectory  of  Swarby,  which  had  belonged  to  Kyme 
Priory,  passed  successively  into  the  hands  of  John  Broxholme, 
Christopher  Kelke,  and  William  Fairfax ;  also  that  it  was 
subsequently  inherited  successively  by  George  and  Christopher 
Fairfax. 

In  1616,  when  George  "^airfax  was  the  patron,  there  were 
94  communicants.  "  Willis's  Church  Notes,  f.  39." 

In  the  tower  Holies  observed  this  legend :  "  John  Thurseby 
of  thy  soul  God  have  mercy,"  and  adds  that  this  John  Thurseby 
was  thought  to  have  been  a  vicar  of  Swarby.     The  following 
is  a  list  of  the  vicars  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

AD.          . — Walter  Gyldyn,  vicar  1533. 
1731. — Eichard  Brown. 
1795.— Thomas  Dawson. 
1804.— William  Turner  Broadbent. 
1 8 1 8. — Francis  Whichcote. 
1823.— John  Hannar. 
1830. — Christopher  Whichcote. 
1851. — Christopher  Whichcote. 


444  SWAEBY. 

THE  CHURCH. 

The  modest  little  church,  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Mary 
and  All  Saints  at  Swarby,  possesses  some  peculiar  features.  It 
consists  of  a  tower,  nave,  north  and  south  aisles,  porch  and 
chancel.  The  tower,  of  a  late  Perpendicular  period,  with 
pinnacles  at  its  angles,  is  covered  with  a  stone  pyramidal  roof, 
and  surmounted  by  a  pinnacle.  The  form  of  the  parapet  is 
unusual,  partaking  somewhat  of  the  character  of  the  cloven 
battlemented  parapets  common  in  northern  Italy.  Each  pair  of 
belfry  windows  is  covered  by  a  clumsily  contrived  hood-mould. 
The  nave  and  aisles  are  now  under  one  roof ;  to  effect  which,  it 
was  deemed  necessary  to  lessen  the  width  of  the  aisles  and  to 
decapitate  their  windows ;  an  expedient  that  must  be  termed  a 
most  barbarous  one.  The  southern  aisle  is  Perpendicular,  the 
northern  one,  Decorated.  The  windows  here  have  double  sills, 
or  a  filling-in  of  panelling,  as  at  Aunsby.  The  door  of  the 
south  aisle,  and  a  portion  of  a  crocketed  label  over  its  east 
window  are  worthy  of  notice.  The  chancel  has  been  partly  re- 
built, but  it  still  retains  one  low-side  Early  English  window  in 
its  south  wall.  The  porch  arch  is  also  of  this  period.  Within, 
there  is  but  little  worthy  of  notice.  At  the  east  end  of  the 
north  aisle  is  a  bracket  supporting  a  portion  of  a  seated  figure 
cut  in  stone,  and  probably  intended  to  represent  Our  Lord ;  the 
old  rood  staircase  remains  on  the  north  side  of  the  Perpendicular 
arch,  and  a  portion  of  the  Early  English  font. 

In  the  chancel  are  the  remains  of  a  richly  canopied  niche. 
In  the  churchyard,  at  the  east  end  of  the  south  aisle  of  the 
church,  is  a  mutilated  recumbent  effigy,  and  here  formerly  was  a 
tombstone,  erected  in  memory  of  two  children,  and  bearing  the 
following  quaint  inscription  : — 

Beneath  this  earthly  tomb  there  lies 

Two  of  the  world's  best  roses  ; 
Pray  God  to  take  t^ieir  souls 

To  Abraham  and  to  Moses  ! 


SWATON. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

3150.  1861—299.     1871—336. 

i 

THE  name  of  this  village,  lying  9  miles  south  east  of  Sleaford, 
has   been   thus   variously  spelt,   Suavintone,   Suavitone, 
Swaunetone,  Swaueton,  Swauton  and  Swayton. 

Before  the  Conquest  Adestan,  Auti,  and  Aluric  were  the 
Saxon  landed  proprietors  here.  After  that  great  event  the 
Conqueror  gave  Adestan' s  lands  to  Wido  de  Credon,  with  its 
members  in  Horbling,  Hay  dor  and  Osbournby.  Auti's  lands, 
having  soke  in  Haceby,  and  those  belonging  conjointly  to  Alsi, 
Adestan  and  Aluric — three  Saxon  brothers — to  Colsuein ;  and 
two  oxgangs  of  land,  constituting  a  berewick  of  Caythorpe,  to 
Robert  de  Vesci,  afterwards  held  of  the  King  by  William  de 
Vesci,  and  let  to  William  de  Latimer. 

In  1185  Matilda,  daughter  of  William  de  Verdun  and  relict 
of  Richard  de  la  Hay,  then  57  years  of  age,  was  a  ward  of  the 
King,  and  had  this  vill  in  dowry.  Upon  it  were  3  ploughs,  60 
sheep,  10  swine  and  a  boar,  worth  £30  a  year  and  capable  of 
being,  considerably  augmented.  She  had  five  daughters,  one  of 
whom  was  married  to  Gerald  de  Camville,  another  to  Richard  de 
Humer,  and  a  third  to  William  de  Rollos.  Of  these  sons  in  law 
Gerald  de  Camville  succeeded  to  the  manor  of  Swaton,  and  was 
in  possession  of  it  circa  1200  as  parcel  of  his  barony.  "  Testa  de 
Nevill."  In  the  13th  century  William  de  Longspee  held  in 
capite  9  carucates  and  2  oxgangs  of  land  in  this  vill,  in  demesne, 
by  knight's  service  of  the  old  feoffment.  By  a  grant  dated  at 
Perth,  January  4th,  1282,  Henry  de  Lacy,  Earl  of  Lincoln,  and 
Margaret  Longspee  his  wife,  obtained  a  charter  of  free  warren 
over  their  lands  in  Swaton,  a  grant  to  hold  a  market  at  Swaton 
every  Friday,  a  fair  of  four  days  continuance,  viz  :  on  the  vigil, 
day,  morrow,  and  day  after  the  morrow  of  the  feast  of  St. 
Michael,  or  the  three  last  days  of  September  and  first  of 
October ;  and  another  fair  also  of  four  days  continuance  on  the 
vigil,  day,  morrow,  and  day  after  the  feast  of  St.  Thomas. 


446  SWATON. 

In  1311  this  Henry  de  Lacy  died  seized  conjointly  with,  his 
heiress  wife  of  this  manor  of  the  honour  of  Lancaster.  "  Inq. 
p.  m.,  4  E.  2."  Alice  de  Lacy,  Countess  of  Lincoln,  gave  and^ 
confirmed  to  God  and  the  church  and  Canons  of  Barlings  her 
manor  of  Swaton  of  the  fee  of  de  la  Hay,  by  a  charter  dated  at 
York  on  the  10th  of  July,  1322,  "  Ex  cartular.  Abb.  Bail.  Lib. 
Cott.,  f.  178,"  and  by  a  licence  dated  at  Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 
October  30th;  Io34,  the  King  allowed  the  Abbot  and  Convent  of 
Barlings  to  give  and  assign  GOs.  a  year  out  of  their  manor  cf 
Swatoii  and  the  advowsons  of  the  churches  of  Sudbrook  in 
Lincolnshire,  and  Middleton  in  Oxfordshire,  to  Henry  de  Burg- 
hurst,  or  Burghersh,  Bishop  of  Lincoln.  "  E.  Pat  E.  3  m.  10." 

In  1345,  when  an  enquiry  was  made  respecting  the  extent 
of  the  liberties  of  Barlings  Abbey,  it  was  found  that  its  Abbot 
and  monks  were  in  poseession  of  a  manor  in  this  vill ;  and  they 
then  obtained  the  privilege  of  holding  a  view  of  frank  pledge 
in  that  manor,  the  profits  of  which  were  worth  2s.  "Inq.  p. 
m.,  19  E.  3." 

On  the  14th  February,  1557,  died  William  Middleton  seized 
of  a  capital  messuage,  1 4  oxgangs  of  land,  and  one  toft  called 
"  le  cottes,"  held  of  the  King  in  capite.  By  Grace  his  wife  he 
left  a  son  John  as  his  heir,  whose  wife's  name  was  Elina. 
"  Hail.  MS.  757."  The  following  is  the  will  of  this  William 
Middleton,  give,n  as  a  characteristic  example  of  a  Yeoman's  will 
of  the  close  of  the  16th  century,  dated  November  17th.,  1699  : — 

"  I  William  Middleton,  of  Swaiton,  gent.,  leave  my  body  to  be 
buried  in  the  church  yard  of  Swaiton.  I  will  that  Mr. 
Francis  Lumley  be  paid  £20,  and  that  Richard  Needham 
be  paid  20s.,  and  Britton,  of  Grantham,  the  clothier,  be 
paid  40s.,  and  my  uncle,  Thomas  Middleton,  of  London, 
as  appeareth  by  his  books,  18s.,  and  to  my  brother,  John 
Middleton,  20s.,  and  to  my  brother  in  law,  Nicholas  Boole, 
£10,  and  to  my  father  in  law  13s.  4d.  I  give  to  Jane,  my 
wife,  £20,  4  kine,  4  mares,  6  quarters  of  peas  and  4  of 
barley,  and  half  of  my  household  stuff,  and  the  other  half 
I  will  my  wife  have  to  discharge  my  sd  Exix.  of  the  portion 
of  Elizabeth  Boole,  her  sister.  To  my  son,  William 
Middleton,  £130,  and  all  my  right  in  2  farms  in  Swaiton  . 
called  Luncheion  House  and  Townsend  House.  And 
whereas  I  have  sold  the  said  lands  to  the  Earl  of  Lincoln, 
and  bound  myself  for  the  matter  of  the  assurance,  wherefore 
there  is  a  sute  commenced  against  me  in  the  King's  Bench, 


SWATON.  447 

and  order  given  by  the  said  Court  that  the  Earl  should 
accept  the  assurance,  I  will  my  supervisors  set  aside  £100 
of 'my  said  portion  to  pay  into  the  Court  the  same  amount. 
I  give  to  my  said  son  William  the  land  mortgaged  to  me  in 
Spalding,  late  belonging  to  John  Middleton,  my  uncle,  and 
if  my  said  uncle  redeem  them,  I  will  my  son  William  have 
the  £50,  for  which  they  are  mortgaged.  I  give  to  Elizabeth, 
my  daughter,  £50,  when  18.  To  my- daughter  Mary,  £50, 
when  18.  To  my  sister,  Anne  Middleton  the  elder,  40s. 
To  Humphrey  Middleton,  my  brother,  10s.,  to  buy  him  a 
bible,  and  one  baie  yearling  fillie.  To  my  brother,  Daniel 
Middleton,  a  black  trotting  colte.  To  my  sister,  Elizabeth 
Middleton,  2  french  crowns  at  her  marriage.  To  Robert 
Middleton  and  Joan  his  sister,  each  20s.  To  Anne 
Middleton,  my  aunte,  40s.  at  her  marriage.  To  Henrie 
Middleton,  of  Helpringham,  10s.,  which  he  oweth  to  me. 
To  my  father  in  lawe  my  birding  piece,  and  my  half  of  his 
caliver  with  the  office.  To  my  mother  my  bible  and  two 
of  my  best  books  that  I  have  not  bequeathed.  To  my 
cousin,  John  Coste,  a  black  ambling  mare,  and  to  his  wife 
two  bookes  of  the  said  sorte  of  my  bookes.  To  every  of  my 
god-children  12d.  To  everie  of  my  servants  12d.  To  John 
Shepard  12 1  To  the  poor  of  Swaiton  6s.  8d.  Of  Osbournby 
5s.  To  the  town  of  Horbling  5s.  To  good  wife  Berne  one 
booke  called  Mr.  Gren chain  his  works.  My  supervisors  to 
have  iny  sons  portion,  &c.,  &c.,  till  he  be  21.  Eesidue  to 
Suzanna  my  daughter,  whom  I  make  executrix,  and  my 
friends,  Thomas  Middleton,  of  London,  my  unkell,  Walter 
Audley,  my  unkell,  Mr.  Hugh  Middleton,  of  London,  gold- 
smith. Francis  Braiham,  of  Swaiton,  gent.,  and  Richard 
Whittingham,  of  Horbling,  gent.,  supervisors.  Witnesses  : 
Rlchd.  Needham,  William  Hatfield  and  Win.  Cham. 

The  present  principal  landed  proprietors  here  are  J.  Lee 
Warner,  Esq.,  of  Walsingham  Abbey,  who  is  lord  of  the  maror 
and  the  owner  of  the  greater  part  of  the  land.  The  vicar,  who 
has  in  all  247  acres,  and  Mrs.  Easen,  the  impropriator  and  patron 
of  the  living,  who  possesses  175  acres;  but  Lord  Willoughby  de 
Broke,  and  the  Trustees  of  the  late  Mr.  W.  Cragg,  of  Threcking- 
ham,  have  also  a  few  acres  in  this  parish. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTOKY. 

In  the  reign  of  Henry  I.  certain  profits  of  the  lordship  and 
church  of  Swaton  were  given  to  the  monks  of  Essay,  in  Nor- 
mandby,  by  Robert  de  la  Hay.  "  Dugdale's  Monasticon." 


448  SWATON. 

For  a  long  time  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Lincoln  received 
40s.  a  year  from  the  Abbot  and  Convent  of  Bardney  as  a  pension, 
derived  from  this  place. 

The  annual  rent  of  an  oxgang  of  land  lying  in  the  plains  of 
this  parish,  containing  about  10  acres,  originally  let  at  5s.  per 
acre,  was  left  by  an  unknown  person  for  the  observance  of  his 
obit  in  the  church  of  Swaton  for  ever,  when  a  part  of  the  money 
so  left  was  to  be  given  to  the  poor. 

In  Bishop  Neale's  time,  1616,  the  living  of  Swaton  was 
valued  at  £30  a  year,  when  the  Earl  of  Lincoln  was  patron,  and 
there  were  208  communicants.  "  Willis's  MSS.,  f.  39." 

1662,  when  the  Act  of  Uniformity  was  passed,  John  Spade- 
man, an  M.A.  of  Magdalene  College,  Cambridge,  then  minister 
of  the  parish,  as  he  is  called,  took  the  oath  required  of  all  the 
clergy  of  the  church  of  England ;  but  soon  after  relapsed,  and 
resigned  his  benefice.  He  then  settled  at  Rotterdam  and  became 
the  pastor  of  an  English  congregation  there,  where  he  ministered 
to  certain  students  and  assisted  their  studies,  but  subsequently 
returned  to  England  and  became  a  co-pastor  with  another  non- 
conformist minister,  and  died  in  1708.  The  following  is  a  list  of 
the  vicars  as  far  as  can  now  be  ascertained  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.          . — William  Gregge,  died  1488. 
. — Edward  Hassell,  living  1616. 
.—Thomas  WaUis. 
. — John  Spademan,  ejected  1662. 
1662.— Peter  Saunders. 

1663. Waring. 

1681.— Joseph  Holton. 
1697.— Jonathan  Whaley. 
1702.— John  Spriggs. 
1729.— William  Ducros. 
1744.— John  Stephen  Mason.* 
1777. — Samuel  Mason. 
1786.— James  Pigott.f 

*  This  vicar  and  his  successor,  Samuel  Mason,  lived  at  Spanby  in  a 
house  now  belonging  to  Sir  Thomas  Whiehcote,  Bart. 

+  Although  vicar  for   many  years,    his    nrv^e   r< 

parish  register,  whence  he  was  doubtless  one  oi  tao»e  non-residfent  incumbents. 
with  which  this  parish  was  so  sorely  afflicted  formerly. 


SWATON   CHURCH. 


SWATON.  449 

Date  of  Institution.  , 

A.D.  1813. — John  Shinglar. 
1828.— Thomas  Darby. 
1841. — Henry  Knapp. 

THE  CHUKCH. 

This  is  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Michael,  and  is  a  remark- 
ably beautiful  cruciform  fabric,  all  the  features  of  which  are 
most  carefully  executed.  Here  no  doubt  once  stood  a  Norman 
church,  of  which  an  arch  springer  still  remains  incorporated  in 
the  easternmost  arch  of  the  present  north  aisle.  During  the 
Early  English  period  the  tower  was  re-built,  which  has  a  good 
vaulted  roof  within  it,  and  subsequently,  but  within  the  same 
architectural  period,  the  chancel.  When  the  Decorated  period 
was  prevalent,  the  fine  nave,  aisles,  north  porch,  and  transepts 
were  erected,  or  in  the  first  half  of  the  14th  century ;  and  finally 
some  additions  were  made  to  the  fabric  during  the  Perpendicular 
period.  The  tower  is  surmouuted  by  a  Perpendicular  upper  stage, 
having  a  l^attlemented  parapet  and  crocketed  angle  pinnacles ;  and 
at  the  south-eastern  angle  is  an  octangular  turret  staircase  finished 
with  a  pyramidal  cap.  The  character  of  the  chancel,  built  of 
two  kinds  of  stone,  is  pure  and  grave.  It  has  three  good  lancet 
lights  in  each  of  its  side  walls,  and  the  middle  one  on  the  north 
side  is  shortened  to  admit  of  the  introduction  of  a  semicircular- 
headed  doorway  below  it.  In  the  east  wall  is  a  beautifully 
moulded  two- light  window  with  a  cusped  circlet  above.  The 
Decorated  work  of  the  nave  and  transepts  of  this  church  is  so 
exquisitely  designed  and  elaborately  moulded  as  to  be  compar- 
able with  the  very  best  specimens  of  the  same  period,  but  most 
unfortunately  much  of  this  has  been  most  barbarously  treated. 
The  west  window  of  four  lights,  with  its  pile  of  reticulated  work 
above,  is  especially  beautiful.  This  is  flanked  by  a  smaller  two- 
light  window  of  the  same  character  on  either  side,  constituting 
the  west  windows  of  the  aisles.  From  the' elevation  of  this  end 
of  the  church  it  will  be  seen  that  both  nave  and  aisles  are  covered 
by  one  roof,  after  the  manner  of  Lombardic  churches ;  but  this 
arrangement  is  in  part  concealed  by  the  application  of  grand 
buttresses  shoreing  up  the  ends  of  the  aisle  arcades,  besides 
others  at  the  angles  ;  and  also  by  the  returns  of  the  battlemented 


450  SWATON. 

aisle  parapets.  Attached  to  the  south  aisle  is  a  fine  porch 
having  an  excellent  outline,  and  a  well-moulded  arch  and  door- 
way within  it.  West  of  this  is  a  large  beautiful  window  of  three 
lights  vigorously  but  delicately  moulded,  with  reticulated  tracery 
in  its  head,  but  unfortunately  the  corresponding  window  on  the 
other  side  has  lost  all  its  tracery.  In  the  side  wall  of  the  north 
aisle  are  two  similar  windows  with  a  small  door  between  them. 
Both  aisles  are  surmounted  by  battlemented  parapets.  Each  of 
the  transepts  had  also  a  similar  three-light  window;  but  the 
southern  one  has  now  been  most  injurously  deprived  of  its 
original  tracery  and  filled  in  with  mullions  and  transoms  of  a 
most  debased  character ;  besides  which  its  gable  has  been  lowered 
in  a  most  miserable  way. 

The  interior  is  lofty  and  spacious.  The  aisle  arcades  are 
uniform,  and  consist  of.  three  bays  each,  supported  by  fine 
clustered  pillars.  The  nave  was  re-seated,  and  the  interior  well 
restored,  partly  in  1851,  partly  five  years  later,  through  the 
efforts  pf  the  present  incumbent,  the  Rev.  H.  Knapp.  At  the 
west  end  of  the  north  aisle  stands  the  font  upon  two  steps.  This 
is  an  unusually  beautiful  specimen  of  the  Decorated  period.  Its 
shaft  is  encircled  by  eight  little  pillars,  and  at  the  angles  of  the 
base  of  the  bowl  are  ball  flowers ;  each  of  its  panels  also  is 
enriched  by  nine  four-leaved  flowers  in  high  relief.  Both 
transepts  constituted  chantry  chapels.  The  southern  one, 
dedicated  to  St.  John,  and  formerly  called  the  south  choir,  still 
retains  its  piscina  and  aumbry  ;  and  here  is  the  entrance  to  the 
tower  staircase,  also  a  handsome  old  carved  oak  parish  chest. 
It  has  a  four-light  window,  and  is  the  only  one  in  this  church 
having  so  many,  except  the  western  one.  As  a  choir  of  the 
Virgin  Mary  in  this  church  is  alluded  to  by  Holies,  perhaps 
the  north  transept  chapel  was  dedicated  in  her  honour.  Here 
is  another  and  more  ornamental  piscina  than  the  one  in  the 
opposite  transept.  It  was  found  elsewhere,  and  inserted  in 
its  present  position  ;  but  most  probably  belonged  to  this  chapel 
originally. 

On  the  wall  space  over  and  on  each  side  of  the  chancel  arch 
was  a  series  of  paintings  representing  scenes  from  the  life  of  our 
Lord.  These  were  divided  from  one  another  by  borders  orna- 
mented with  a  trailing  foliated  pattern.  Above  were  four 
subjects  representing  the  closing  events  of  Christ's  sojourn  on 


SWATON.  451 

earth,  viz :  "  His  mockery  by  the  soldiers,"  "  His  blind  folding," 
''His  flagellation,"  and  perhaps  "His  bearing  the  cross  on  the 
way  to  Calvary,"  but  this  last  was  much  mutilated.  Below  was 
a  large  compartment  coloured  red  and  powdered  with  stars,  and 
on  either  side  two  more  subjects,  one  above  the  other ;  those  on 
the  left  representing  the  crucifixion  and  burial  of  Christ,  those 
on  the  right  his  resurrection,  and  probably  his  ascension ;  but  only 
a  small  part  of  this  last  was  left.  The  remains  of  the  chancel 
screen,  originally  a  very  handsome  canopied  one,  now  serve  as  a 
screen  in  the  south  transept.  Passing  through  the  tower  into 
the  chancel,  in  its  south  wall  is  a  large  arched  recess,  within 
which  are  two  piscinae  having  shallow  lobated  bowls. 

Holies  observed  in  this  church  the  armorial  bearings  of 
Meschines,  Earl  of  Lincoln,  Warren,  Lucy,  Bohun,  Beauchamp, 
Ros,  Yere,  Lacy,  Holland,  and  Richard,  Earl  of  Cornwall ;  but 
of  these  only  three  now  remain  on  shields  placed  upside  down  in 
the  westernmost  window  of  the  north  aisle,  viz  :  those  of  Warren, 
Vere,  and  Bohun.  He  also  saw  a  tombstone  in  the  chancel  thus 
inscribed : — 

Hie  Jacet  Dus  "Wills  Gryge,  quondam  Vicarius  istius  ' 
ecclesie,     qui     obiit     xiv°     die     Februar    Ano    Dni 
MCCCCLXXXVIII,  cujus  aie  ppicietur  Dens.    Amen. 

Also  in  the  south  transept  the  effigy  of  a  man  with  his  legs 
crossed,  said  to  have  been  intended  for  Arthur  de  Spanby.  Both 
these  are  now  gone ;  but  the  recumbent  effigy  of  a  lady  of  the 
14th  century,  executed  in  stone,  has  since  been  found  and  is 
placed  near  the  font  at  the  west  end  of  the  north  aisle.  She  is 
represented  in  the  gown,  veil,  and  wimple  of  her  period,  with 
the  hands,  as  usual,  upraised  in  prayer. 


WELBY. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

2421.  1861—499.     1871—490. 

THIS  village  lies  8  miles  south  west  of  Sleaford.  Its  name 
has  been  variously  spelt  Ulvesbi,  Wellebi,  Welleby,  and 
Welbye,  before  it  assumed  its  present  shortened  form  of  Welby. 

Adestan,  the  Saxon,  possessed  the  greater  part  of  the  lands 
here,  and  Queen  Editha  the  rest.  Subsequently  Adestan' s  lands 
were  given  by  the  Conqueror  to  Wido  de  Credon,  and  he  retained 
Editha's  in  his  own  hands  as  parcel  of  his  manor  of  Great  Ponton. 
Circa  1200-10  Eobert  de  Eok  was  holding  a  knight's  fee  and-a- 
half  here  of  the  de  Credon  or  Croun  fee.  Later  in  that  century 
Petronilla  de  Yaux  was  the  possessor  of  the  fee,  when  the  Abbot 
of  de  Valle  Dei  was  holding  8  oxgangs  and-a-half  of  her,  the 
inmates  of  the  Hospital  at  Lincoln,  5  oxgangs  and-a-half,  for 
which  they  paid  scutage,  also  Hugo  Selveyne  and  Thomas 
Eok. 

Here  was  also  another  fee,  viz  :  that  of  Clinton,  of  which 
Osbert  de  Ingandelby  (Ingoldsby)  and  the  Abbot  of  de  Yalle 
Dei  each  held  the  twenty-fifth  part  of  a  knight's  fee  in  the  13th 
century.  The  remainder  of  Welby  was  then  held  in  pure  and 
perpetual  alms  of  the  socage  of  Grantham.  "  Testa  de  Nevill." 

Circa  1323  Eoger  de  Lunderthorpe  (Londonthorpe)  and 
Isabel  his  wife  paid  the  King  a  fine  for  seizen  of  certain  lands 
in  Welby.  "  Pip.  Eot,  17  E.  2." 

In  1330  Lambert  de  Threckingham  and  Walter  his  brother 
did  the  same  upon  their  acquisition  of  a  rent  of  22s.  2d., 
charged  on  lands  in  this  vill,  belonging  to  William  de  Welleby. 
In  the  same  way  Eoger  de  Londonthorpe  with  Margaret  his  wife 
paid  a  fine  to  the  King  on  their  acquisition  of  a  rent  of  10s., 
charged  on  lands  here  and  at  Ancaster.  "  Pip.  Eot.,  4  E.  3." 

In  1479,  Thomas  Scott,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  and  others, 
petitioned  the  King  for  a  licence  to  give  certain  property  here  to 
the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Lincoln.  "  Inq.  p.  m.,  19  E.  4." 


WELBY.  453 

In  1538  the  Priory  of  St.  Katharine  had  a  house  and  3  tofts 
here,  then  held  by  Alice  Novill  and  Eobert  Brown  on  a  lease  of 
31  years,  at  a  rent  of  20s.  a  year;  and  also  other  land  let  to 
Thomas  Watson. 

In  1545  Charles  Brandon,  Duke  of  Suffolk,  died,  seized  of 
the  manor  of  Welby,  and  in  1613-14  John  Longland,  seized  of  a 
capital  messuage  and  lands  here,  which  he  left  to  his  son,  Francis. 
"  Harl  MS.,  4135."  Francis  Longland  appears  to  have  died  soon 
after,  for  in  1618  Richard  Longland,  also  termed  son  and  heir  of 
John  Longland,  paid  5s.  for  his  relief  for  a  capital  messuage, 
some  cottages,  100  acres  of  land,  4J  of  meadow,  and  12  of  ings  in 
this  vill,  held  of  the  King  in  chief.  "  Pip.  Rot.,  18  J.  1 ." 

The  manor  and  the  whole  of  the  land  in  this  parish,  except- 
ing the  glebe,  now  belongs  to  Sir  Glynne  Earle  Welby  Gregory, 
Bart.,  whose  ancestors  probably  derived  their  name  from  that 
of  this  place. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

A  small  sum  was  left  by  Robert  White  for  the  observance 
of  his  obit  in  Welby  church  for  ever,  arising  from  the  rent  of 
two  tenements  in  the  village,  besides  22d.  to  be  given  yearly  to 
the  poor  on  the  same  day.  The  sum  of  3s.  4d.  was  left  by 
Edward  Bust,  or  the  annual  rent  of  two  cottages  in  Welby  for 
the  observance  of  his  obit ;  and  also  a  similar  small  sum  by 
another  person  for  the  same  purpose,  derived  from  two  other 
cottages,  then  let  to  John  Drewyre  at  3s.  4d.  a  year. 

In  1616  the  living  was  valued-at  £25,  when  the  Prebendary 
of  South  Grantham  was  the  patron,  and  the  number  of  communi- 
cants was  57.  "  Willis's  MS.,  f.  39." 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  rectors  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  . — John  Robinson,  rector  in  1616. 

1661. — Lawrence  Jones. 
1663.— Thomas  Lodington. 
1691  .—Samuel  Forster. 
1730. — Christopher  Robinson. 
1750. — Robert  Cane. 
1771. — Basil  Cane. 
1775.— William  Dodwell. 
GG 


454  WELBY. 

Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1833.— Charles  Bethel  Otley. 
1867.— William  A.  Frith. 

THE  CHURCH. 

Originally  this  church,  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Bar- 
tholomew, was  wholly  of  the  Early  English  period,  when  it  was 
of  the  same  length  as  at  present,  but  its  nave  was  narrower. 
The  greater  portion  of  the  present  tower  and  chancel  walls  are 
still  of  that  style  ;  and  within,  the  western  aisle  respond  demon- 
strates that  it  also  had  a  north  aisle  like  the  present  one. 
Perhaps  the  low  upper  stage  of  the  tower,  and  certainly  its  lights 
and  the  spire  above — now  wanting  a  finial — are  additions  of  the 
Decorated  period.  The  aisle  was  re-built,  and  widened  at  a  later  „ 
time  ;  but  the  pitch  of  the  preceding  one  may  still  be  seen  in  the 
west  wall  of  its  successor,  built  apparently  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  14th  century.  Whether  there  was  ever  a  south  aisle  we  can- 
not now  tell ;  but  about  the  year  1500  the  whole  of  the  present 
south  elevation  of  the  nave  was  re-built  as  handsomely  as  the 
taste  and  skill  of  that  time  allowed  of,  yet  in  a  coarse,  showy 
manner,  and  has  a  peculiar  look  from  having  two  ranges  of 
lights  and  an  unusually  large  porch  in  the  centre,  surmounted 
by  large  crocketed  pinnacles,  and  an  octangular  turret  at  its  west 
end,  containing  a  newel  staircase  formerly  leading  to  the  rood-loft. 
The  whole  is  finished  with  a  richly  worked  parapet,  having  blank 
shields  in  its  cusped  panels,  and  crocketed  pinnacles  above  little 
piers  placed  between  each  of  the  upper  tier  of  windows.  These 
are  three-light  windows,  six  in  number  on  either  side,  and  below 
on  each  side  of  the  porch  is  a  wide  four-light  window.  In  the 
south  wall  of  the  chancel  are  three  little  lancets  having  hood- 
moulds  enriched  with  the  dog-tooth  ornament.  These  have  of 
late  been  restored  when  a  new  corbel  table  was  added  above.  The 
roof  is  tiled.  At  the  east  end  is  a  small  Decorated  window  in- 
serted at  too  low  a  level  in  the  old  Early  English  wall.  The 
present  aisle  overlaps  the  chancel  so  as  to  cover  an  originally 
external  lancet  window  in  the  chancel  wall,  now  constituting 
an  internal  one  between  the  chancel  and  the  eastern  part  of  the 
aisle,  serving  as  a  vestry.  Adjoining  this  window  is  a  chantry 
chapel  arch.  The  original  aisle  arcade,  with  the  exception  of  its 


WELBY.  455 

western  respond  before  alluded  to,  is  of  a  date  circa  1500,  and 
consists  of  four  bays.  In  the  eastern  respond  is  a  minute  niche, 
intended  to  hold  the  preacher's  hour-glass  in  days  of  old.  The 
chancel  arch  is  of  the  same  date  as  the  aisle  arcade.  In  the 
north  wall  of  this  last  are  traces  of  what  appears  to  have  been  a 
sepulchral  arch.  In  the  upper  part  of  the  nave  walls  are  coarsely 
carved  brackets,  from  which  the  timbers  of  a  former  roof  formerly 
sprung  ;  the  present  one  is  quite  flat,  and  very  plain.  The  arch 
of  the  small  doorway  in  the  tower  is  remarkably  ill-shaped.  The 
rude  old  oak  bench  ends  are  still  doing  service.  The  chancel 
screen  is  of  a  good  character,  and  clearly  had  a  canopy,  of  which, 
however,  no  fragments  now  remain.  The  entrance  to  the  rood 
loft  once  existing  above  this  is  at  a  remarkably  high  level.  The 
font  is  a  small  octangular  Perpendicular  one.  Some  few  frag- 
ments of  old  painted  glass  still  remain  intermixed  with  modern 
glass  in  the  little  east  window,  including  a  pretty  little  roundel 
with  a  lion's  head  in  the  middle. 

In  the  churchyard  is  a  curious  stone  tombstone  of  the  14th 
century,  representing  the  upper  part  of  a  lady  in  a  veil,  cut  in  a 
deeply-recessed  quatrefoil,  with  the  hands  upraised  in  prayer. 
Below,  her  feet  are  shown,  and  on  one  side  an  infant  in  a  shroud 
is  represented,  perhaps  indicating  that  its  mother  died  in 
child-bed. 

Holies  observed  in  a  window  of  the  north  aisle  the  device  of 
a  purse  and  the  words  "Nay  je  droit "  within  a  circlet  often 
repeated.  Also  a  stone  tombstone  in  the  chancel  bearing  this 
epitaph : — 

De  Billesfield  natus  Jacet  hie  Robert  tumulatus,  hujus 
et  ecclesie  quondam  Rector  fuit  ille,  qui  obiit  Vto-  Kal 
mensis  Martii  Ano  MCCCCLXVII. 

"  Church  Notes,  Harl.  MS.,  6829." 


SCOT,  OR  WATEE  WILLOUGHBY. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

530.  1861—19.     1871—23. 

rFTHIS  is  a  very  small  village,  lying  6  miles  south  of  Sleaford. 
_L  After  the  Conquest  Leuric's  manor  here  was  given  to  Wido 
de  Eeeinbudcourt.  This  consisted  of  3  carucates  and  2  oxgangs 
of  land,  30  acres  of  meadow,  and  28  of  coppice  wood.  It  also 
had  soke  in  Aunsby.  Wido  had  2  ploughs  in  demesne,  10  soke- 
men  holding  10  oxgangs  of  land,  and  3  bordars  having  2£ 
carucates.  Besides  which  the  priest  here  had  37^  acres  of  land. 
The  whole  was  worth  £7  in  King  Edward's  time,  but  subse- 
quently only  £4,  and  was  taxed  at  20s. 

In  the  13th  century  Christina  Ledet  held  two  parts  of  a 
knight's  fee  in  Willoughby,  of  the  King.  She  let  this  land  to 
Michael  Belet  by  the  usual  tenure  of  knight's  service,  and  he 
sub-let  it  to  Simon  de  Nevill  and  Peter  de  Cormory.  "  Testa  de 
Nevill." 

In  1309  Eoger  de  Morteyne  appeared  at  the  manor  house 
of  Silk  Willoughby,  and  owned  that  he  held  of  John  of  Hougham 
the  fourth  part  of  a  knight's  fee  in  Scot  Willoughby  by  homage. 
"Harl.  MSS.,  1756." 

In  1388  died  Thomas  Tryvett,  seized  conjointly  with  his  wife 
Elizabeth  of  a  manor  here.  "  Inq.  p.  m.,  12  E.  2." 

In  1458  died  Nicholas  Wymbish,  seized  conjointly  with 
Thomas  Wymbish,  of  Lincoln,  Thomas  Kirkgate,  chaplain,  John 
Eylston,  of  Lincoln,  and  William  Beaufo,  of  Willoughby.  They 
had  purchased  it  of  Eobert  Stevenot,  clerk,  in  1451,  and  it  was 
valued  at  four  marks.  "  Inq.  p.  m.,  1  E.  4."  Three  years  later 
died  another  Nicholas  Wymbish,  clerk,  seized  of  this  manor; 
and  in  1478  Thomas  Wymbish  and  others  petitioned  the  King 
for  a  licence  to  give  it  in  mortmain  to  the  Prior  of  Nocton  Park. 
'Inq.  p.  m.,  18  E.  4."  At  a  later  period  the  family  of  PeUe 
possessed  the  manor  and  a  residence  here,  of  whom  Sir  Anthony 
PeUe,  knight,  of  Dembleby,  sold  these  to  Sir  John  Brownlow  in 


SCOT,  OR  WATER  WILLOUGHBY.  457 

the  reign  of  James  I.,  for  £5506.  The  manor  is  still  possessed 
by  the  present  representative  of  that  family,  the  Earl  Brownlow, 
but  a  few  mounds  alone  mark  the  site  of  the  old  hall. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTOKY. 

The  priest's  lands  here,  after  the  Conquest,  were  subject  to 
a  customary  rent  of  1 6d.  per  annum  due  to  Wido  de  Reeinbud- 
court  as  lord  of  the  manor.  Various  bequests  were  made  to  the 
church  of  this  place  by  unknown  persons,  viz  :  8d.  per  annum, 
derived  from  the  rent  of  two  selions  of  land  in  the  plains  of  this 
vill,  for  the  support  of  a  lamp  always  to  be  kept  burning  in  the 
church,  and  the  rent  of  half- an- acre  of  land  in  the  plains  of 
Dembleby  for  the  same  purpose.  The  following  also  were 
-benefactors  to  this  church,  viz  :  William  Wynliff,  who  died  1415, 
and  bequeathed  his  body  to  be  buried  in  the  church  of  St. 
Andrew  in  this  place,  to  the  fabric  of  which  he  left  a  bequest, 
viz  :  to  its  campanile,  or  steeple,  half-a-quarter  of  barley,  to  its 
font  half-a-quarter,  to  its  crucifix  and  the  lights  of  its  sepulchre 
half-a-quarter,  the  same  to  the  fabric  of  the  church  of  the  blessed 
Mary  of  Lincoln,  to  the  altar  12d.  and  for  tythes  forgotten,  two 
quarters  of  barley  to  the  parochial,  chaplain.  To  Robt.  Vozon, 
senr.,  three  over  mattresses,  and  to  the  son  of  the  same  one 
common  mattress.  To  the  senr.  Robt.  three  over  mattresses  and 
half-a-quarter  of  barley.  To  Agnes,  daughter  of  John  Vozon, 
two  over  mattresses.  To  Alice,  daughter  of  Thomas  Vozon,  one 
over  mattress  and  half-a-bushel  of  barley.  To  Thomas  Vozon 
one  bushel  of  barley.  To  Wm.  Vozon  half-a-quarter  of  barley. 
To  Wm.,  son  of  Eobt.  Norris,  one  sheep.  To  Matilda,  wife  of 
Wm.  Mergery,  one  buculam.  To  Thomas  her  son,  one  buculam 
and  half-a-quarter  of  barley.  The  residium  to  Joan,  my  wife, 
to  Wm.  Mergery,  John  Mergery,  John  Vozon,  and  Richard 
Duxworth,  exors.  Proved,  May,  1416.  "Repingdon's  Registers." 

John  Bardney,  who  died  1416,  and  bequeathed  his  body  to 
be  buried  in  the  cemetery  of  the  church  of  St.  Andrew,  left  to 
the  high  altar  of  this  church  six  quarters  of  barley,  and  to  the 
steeple  of  the  same  church  one  bushel  of  barley;  to  Adam 
Bardney,  his  father,  ten  quarters  of  barley ;  to  Wm.,  his  brother, 
one  quarter  and  one  gown  with  the  cape ;  to  Thomas,  his 
brother,  one  quarter  of  barley,  some  peas,  his  gown,  best  cape 


458  SCOT,  on  WATEE  WILLOUGHBY. 

and  duplicate ;  to  Margaret,  his  sister,  six  quarters  of  wheat  and 
some  peas  ;  to  Joan,  the  sister  of  Agnes,  the  same  ;  to  Margaret, 
the  mistress  of  his  household,  one  quarter  of  barley ;  to  the 
chaplain  of  the  parish  of  Quarrington,  6d.  The  residue  to 
Thomas,  his  brother,  and  to  his  executors.  "  Eepingdon's 
Eegister,  156." 

In  Bishop  Neale's  time,  1616,  the  living  was  valued  at 
£13  6s.  8d.,  when  Miles  Whale  was  rector,  John  Townley, 
patron,  and  there  were  22  communicants.  "  Willis's  MSS.,  f.  39." 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  rectors  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.          . — John  Armstrong. 
1668.— Eichard  Moore. 

. -  Cuthbert. 

1682.— James  Seaton. 
1691  .—Anthony  Barnes. 

. — Eichard  Moore. 
1716.— Genge  Dickins. 

. — John  Dickins. 
1720.— William  Cawthorne. 
1740.— Eichard  Palmer. 
1805. — Honourable  Henry  Gust. 
1861.— Octavius  Pyke  Halsted. 

THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Andrew,  and  although 
small,  is  quite  large  enough  for  the  few  inhabitants  of  the  parish. 
It  was  re-built  in  1826  with  the  materials  of  its  predecessor,  and 
is  covered  by  an  ordinary  slated  roof.  It  consists  of  a  small  nave, 
lit  by  a  single  Tudor  window  on  each  side,  and  of  a  consonant  little 
chancel,  having  a  two-light  window  of  an  ordinary  Early  English 

9sign  at  the  east  end.  The  whole  is  of  a  most  unpretending 
character,  and  in  good  repair.  It  stiU  retains  two  relics  of  an 

trher  period,  viz  :  a  beU,  hanging  in  a  bell-gable  at  the  west 
•d  a  plain  tub-shaped  font,  apparently  of  the  13th  century. 


SILK  WILLOUGHBY. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

2450.  1861—237.     1871—258. 

THIS  village  lies  2  miles  south  of  Sleaford.  Its  name  was 
originally  spelt  Wilgebe,  then  Wilebi,  Wylebi  and  Wilaby ; 
subsequently  it  was  called  North  Willoughby  to  distinguish  it 
from  Scot,  or  Water  Willoughby ;  and  lastly  Silk  Willoughby, 
in  reference  to  its  hamlet  of  Silkby.  This  last  was  also  called 
North  Willoughby,  and  formed  a  separate  hamlet  until  1337, 
when  it  was  still  termed  Silkby  in  a  deed  of  that  date ;  but  before 
1494  Willoughby  and  Silkby ,  were  conjoined  ;  for  in  a  deed  of 
presentation  to  the  rectory  of  that  year,  this  parish  is  termed 
North  Willoughby,  alias  Silk  Willoughby ;  which  is  simply  a 
shortening  of  its  more  correct  title,  viz  :  Silkby  cum  Willoughby. 
Silkby  was  that  part  of  the  parish  lying  eastward  of  the  turnpike 
road,  but  its  boundaries  are  now  unknown.  Here,  according  to 
Domesday  Book,  were  10  carucates  of  land,  reckoned  as  5  caru- 
cates  for  taxation,  29  sokemen  and  1  bordar  having  6  carucates, 
140  acres  of  meadow,  besides  24  other  acres.  After  the  Conquest 
Archil  was  allowed  to  retain  2  carucates,  rated  at  1  carucate  ;  but 
the  greater  part  of  the  land  was  given  by  the  Conqueror  to  the 
Bishop  of  Lincoln,  whose  vassal,  Ralph,  held  2  carucates  under 
him.  He  had  also  here  5  villans  and  2  sokemen  having  2  caru- 
cates and  30  acres  of  meadow.  In  King  Edward's  time  it  was 
valued  at  30s.,  and  subsequently  at  50s.  Part  of  this  vill  was 
within  the  soke  of  the  Bishop  of  Durham's  manor  of  Evedon, 
and  had  belonged  to  Turvert,  the  Saxon.  During  the  reign  of 
Henry  III.,  Peter  de  Brus,  the  King's  bailiff  of  the  Wapentakes 
of  Aswardhurn  and  Maxwell  lived  at  Silk  Willoughby,  who  was 
a  great  oppressor.  He  purposely  held  his  courts  at  Sleaford  at 
the  most  inconvenient  times  in  order  that  he  might  fine  persons 
for  non-attendance,  and  among  his  various  acts  of  tyranny  the 
following  are  recorded  : — He  seized  a  horse  from  Walter,  son  of 
Ralph,  of  Heckington,  worth  half-a-mark,  and  pined  it  to  death 


460  SILK  WTLLOUGHBY. 

because  the  owner  refused  to  redeem  it  by  a  fine  of  2s.  He 
forcibly  seized  three  quarters  of  malt  worth  18s.  from  the 
premises  of  Eichard  Asky,  of  Howell,  and  demanded  a  fine  of 
;>s.  10|d.  for  its  restitution,  which,  not  being  paid,  the  barley 
was  kept.  He  also  seized  a  horse  from  the  same  person  who 
was  forced  to  pay  9d.  for  its  restitution,  and  kept  a  cow  he  had 
seized  of  Ealph,  of  Howell.  His  servant,  Eobert,  of  Hay  dor, 
took  two  young  beasts  from  William  Mackurness,  of  Ewerby, 
and  he  only  gave  them  up  for  a  payment  of  a  mark  of  silver. 
He  also  interfered  very  much  to  his  own  profit  when  others  were 
dishonest ;  for  hearing  that  a  servant  of  Walter  de  Holgate,  of 
Asgarby,  had  sold  one  of  his  master's  oxen  to  Eobert,  a  servant 
of  John  de  Evedon,  but  had  not  delivered  it,  he  seized  the  said 
ox  himself  and  kept  it  with  its  other  spoils  at  Willoughby.  At 
length,  however,  when  an  inquisition  was  about  to  be  held 
respecting  his  nefarious  doings,  in  1275,  he  absconded,  and  was 
heard  of  no  more.  "  Dr.  Oliver's  MSS." 

In  the  13th  century  the  Bishop's  land  here,  constituting  two 
parts  of  a  knight's  fee,  was  held  by  Osbert  Selvein,  and  subse- 
quently by  his  son,  Eobert  Selvein.  Being  a  minor,  11  years 
of  age  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death,  he  became  a  Eoyal  ward, 
when  his  property  in  this  vill,  arising  from  the  profits  of  2 
carucates  in  demesne,  a  rent  of  the  farm,  and  200  sheep,  was 
valued  at  £11  and  half-a-mark.  Jouleyn  de  Evermewe  received 
the  rents  of  the  same  for  the  King,  together  with  1  pound  of 
cumin,  1  pound  of  pepper,  and  2  Bennies ;  and  Eichard  Brito  and 
Eobert  de  Hardress  took  111  skeps  of  corn,  worth  £9  17s.  Od., 
probably  the  rent  in  kind,  from  Willoughby  to  the  Castle  of 
Lafford.  Part  of  this  vill  lay  within  the  soke  of  Gilbert  de 
Gant's  manor  of  Fol^ingham,  reckoned  as  the  sixth  part  of  a 
koight's  fee,  and  held  circa  1200-10,  by  Thomas  de  Silkby. 
Subsequently  this  was  reckoned  at  half  a  knight's  fee  and  the 
eighth  part  of  another,  held  by  Eobert  de  Wilgheby,  when  also 
a  quarter  of  a  knight's  fee  held  of  Gilbert  de  Gant  by  William 
de  Dyve,  and  let  by  him  to  Theobande  de  Stikeswaulde.  "  Testa 
de  NeviD." 

In  1185  the  Templars  possessed  a  small  property  here,  con- 
sisting of  1  oxgang  and  a  toft,  the  gift  of  one  Alfred,  let  to 
Eichard,  the  mason,  at  a  rent  of  6s.  and  4  hens  ;  also  a  toft,  the 
gift  of  Eobert  de  Wilhebi,  let  at  a  rent  of  2s.  and  a  present.  In 


SILK  WILLOUGHBY.  461 

1307  the  fee  of  Gant  here  fell  into  the  hands  of  Hugo  de  Bussey, 
upon  the  death  of  the  last  Gilbert  de  Gant,  who  died  lord 
paramount  thereof,  1 305,  and  left  it  to  his  son,  John. 

We  next  hear  of  the  family  of  Armyn,  Aremyn  or  Ermyn,  in 
connection  with  Silk  Willoughby.  They  were  descended  from  a 
younger  branch  of  the  family  of  St,  Laudo,  and  resided  at  Osgodby 
long  after  they  had  obtained  lands  at  Silk  Willoughby  ;  but  upon 
the  marriage  of  William  Armyn  with  one  of  the  Everinghams, 
they  lived  at  Willoughby. 

In  the  14th  century  William  Armyn,  Bishop  of  Norwich  and 
Chancellor  of  England,  was  the  possessor  of  lands  in  North 
Willoughby  and  Silkb}T,  over  which  the  King  gave  him  and  his 
heirs  the  right  of  free  warren  in  1331.  He  was  born  at  Aswarby, 
and  first  became  Chaplain  to  the  King,  then  Prebendary  of  York 
and  Wells,  Keeper  of  the  Rolls,  and  Deputy  to  John,  Bishop  of 
Norwich.  He  took  part  with  Queen  Isabella  against  the  un- 
fortunate Edward  II.,  and  when  the  See  of  Norwich  was  vacant, 
through  her  influence  he  was  promoted  to  it,  by  the  Pope,  in  1 325. 
At  this  time  he  was  with  the  Pope  in  Italy ;  and  on  his  return 
the  King  was  so  angry  at  what  had  occurred  that  he  ordered  him 
to  be  seized  ;  but  after  having  remained  concealed  for  a  time,  he 
received  the  Royal  pardon  and  was  admitted  to  his  See,  Novem- 
ber 9th,  1326.  The  next  year,  when  the  Government  had  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  the  Queen  and  Prince  Edward,  Bishop  Armyn 
was  made  Chancellor  of  England  and  Treasurer.  When  near 
his  end  he  gave  £200  for  the  purchase  of  lands  to  support  two 
chaplains,  who  were  to  say  masses  for  his  soul  for  ever.  He  died 
at  Sheering,  near  London,  March  27th,  1336,  after  an  episcopate 
of  1 1  years,  and  was  buried  in  the  cathedral  church  of  Norwich. 
William  Armyn,  his  nephew,  did  homage  to  John  de  Bussey  as 
lord  paramount  the  following  year  for  the  fourth  part  of  a  knight's 
fee  he  held  in  WiUoughby.  "  Harl.  MS.,  1753."  He  was 
succeeded  by  another  William  Armyn,  living  in  1402,  and  his 
descendants,  of  whom,  William,  son  of  Thomas,  died  1498.  and 
Margaret,  his  wife,  in  1506.  Another  William  in  1532,  a  third 
in  1557,  seized  of  the  manor  and  its  appurtenances,  held  of  the 
Crown,  and  lastly,  Bartholomew  Armyn,  who,  according  to  the 
parish  register,  was  baptized  in  1596,  and  died  seized  of  the 
manor  here  and  lands  in  Haceby,  held  by  the  service  of  half  a 
knight's  fee.  "  Eot.  Cur.  Ducat.  Lane." 


462  SILK  WILLOUGHBY. 

The  armorial  bearings  of  the  Armyns  were  :  Erm  :  a  saltire 
engrailed  G.  on  a  chief  G.  a  lion  passant,  Or. 

3  We  must  now  return  to  the  record  of  other  possessors  of 
lands  in  Silk  Willoughby.  In  1395  died  John,  Lord  Beaumont, 
seized  of  half  a  knight's  fee  held  by  William  Armyn,  and  an 
eighth  part  of  a  knight's  fee  held  by  John  de  Bussey.  "  Inq.  p. 
m.,  20  E.  2." 

In  1409-10  the  King  granted  to  William  Loven  in  fee  the 
manors  of  Silk  Willoughby  and  Dembleby  by  military  service. 
"Pat.  Bot.,  11  H.  4." 

In  1441  died  Sir  William  Phelip,  knight,  husband  of  the 
Bardolf  heiress,  seized  of  the  manor  of  Silk  Willoughby ;  and  in 
1454,  Anna,  widow  of  Sir  Eeginald  Cobham,  knight. 

In  1478,  Henry,  son  of  Henry  Eochfort,  of  Boston,  quit- 
claimed his  manor  here  to  John  Stanlow,  of  the  City  of  Lincoln, 
and  Mayor  in  1484.  His  son,  William  Stanlow,  died  seized  of 
the  manor  of  Silk  Willoughby,  held  of  Lord  Beaumont,  of 
Folkingham,  1496.  By  Dorothy  Thimbleby,  his  wife,  he  had  a 
son,  John,  who  died  seized  of  the  manor  of  Stickford,  held  of  the 
Duke  of  Suffolk,  in  1554 ;  and  by  Margaret,  daughter  of  Augustine 
Porter,  of  Belton,  left  an  only  daughter  and  heir,  Ellen,  married 
to  Thomas  Darnell,  of  Thornholme. 

The  Stanlow  armorial  bearings  were :  Arg.  a  bend  G. 
charged  with  3  mullets  of  the  same  ;  a  canton  G.  2  mullets  Arg. 
palewise. 

In  1604  died  Edward  Thorold,  seized  of  this  manor,  leaving 
a  son  and  heir,  Alexander. 

In  a  small  thatched  house  formerly  standing  here  was 
inserted  a  late  Perpendicular  doorway,  having  an  ogee  crocketed 
arch  ending  in  a  foliated  finial,  and  a  pinnacle  on  either  side. 
This  probably  came  from  Silkby  chapel;  above  were  inserted 
carved  representations  of  the  principal  productions  of  a  smith's 
forge,  of  a  subsequent  date.  Here  also  was  a  small  Tudor 
window  head,  made  to  serve  in  part  as  the  frame  of  a  panel ;  in 
which  was  placed  a  carved  Tudor  rose  and  subsequent  rude 
additions,  consisting  of  lion  supporters,  a  dog  and  a  snake. 

The  chapel  of  Silkby  was  situated  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
westward  of  the  parish  church,  close  to  the  northern  side  of  the 
lane  diverging  from  the  turnpike  road,  nearly  opposite  to  the 
rectory,  and  its  site  is  marked  on  Speed's  map,  published  in  1610. 


SILK  WILLOUGHBY.  463 

It  stood  close  to  the  old  residence  of  the  Stanlows,  and  long  after 
its  desecration  retained  its  arched  windows  and  usual  ecclesiastical 
buttresses,  &c.,  even  when  used  as  a  stable  and  cowhouse,  having 
a  thatched  roof.  It  has  now  totally  disappeared,  but  some  large 
stones  used  as  a  bridge  at  Broadwater  were  always  called  Silkby 
stones,  and  perhaps  were  relics  of  Silkby  chapel. 

In  this  village  stands  the  base  of  a  mediaeval  stone  cross, 
together  with  a  small  portion  of  its  shaft.  On  the  sides  of  tfre 
former  are  carved  the  evangelical  symbols.  See  accompanying  cut. 


The  Earl  of  Dysart  is  now  lord  of  this  manor  and  owner  of 
almost  all  the  land. 


464  SILK  WILLOUGHBY. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

Here  was  a  church  served  by  a  priest  when  Domesday  Book 
was  compiled.  Subsequently  Gilbert  de  Gant  possessed  a  fourth 
part  of  the  church.  On  the  29th  January,  1494,  John  Stanlow 
presented  William  Oldham,  priest,  to  the  church  of  this  vill ; 
which  presentation  was  confirmed  by  John  Willes,  residentiary 
official,  the  See  of  Lincoln  being  then  vacant.  "  Lansdown  MS., 
f.  968." 

In  Bishop  Neale's  time,  1616,  the  living  was  valued  at  £40 
a  year,  and  there  were  40  communicants.  "  Willis's  MS.,  f.  39." 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  rectors  : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1271.— Philip  de  Wylerby. 

1290.— Hugo  de  Wylerby. 

1300.— Philip  de  Wylerby. 

1308.— William  de  Spanby. 

1323.— William  de  Colleby. 

1333.— Eobert  de  Tymparon. 

1368.— Thomas  Malbys. 

1473.— Symon  Stalworth. 

1483.— Augustine,  Abbot  of  Thame. 

1494.— William  Oldham. 

1635. — Eobert  Cottinghame. 

1562.— Ealph  Syar. 

1577.— Hugo  Tuke. 

1627. — Matthew  Lawrence. 

1647. — Lawrence  Sarson. 

1661. — John  Leigh. 

1682.— John  Leigh. 

Itf93.—  Wrilliam  Wych. 

1718. — Samuel  Hutchinson. 

1753.— Eobert  Carter. 

1760. — Thomas  Manners. 

1813.— Joseph  Jowett. 

1856. — Jacob  Montagu  Mason. 

THE  CHURCH. 

The  distant  effect   of  the  tower  and  spire  of  this  church, 
floated  in  honour  of  St.  Dionysius,  or  Denis,  is  perfect,  and 


SILK  WILLOUGHBY  CHURCH. 


SILK  WILLOUGHBY.  465 

continues  to  be  nearly  so  when  viewed  more  closely,  and  even 
critically  examined.  Their  respective  proportions  are  good,  and 
they  are  admirably  blended  together.  He  who  erected  this 
tower,  apparently  about  the  middle  of  the  14th  century,  must 
assuredly  have  been  a  master  of  his  art,  and  we  can  still  perceive 
how  boldly  he  could  design,  and  how  freely  he  could  execute 
what  he  had  conceived.  Its  belfry  lights,  shaded  by  a  deep 
framing  of  moulded  members  placed  in  orderly  succession,  shine 
out  from  that  setting  in  especial  beauty,  while  the  steep  slope  of 
their  sills  fully  indicates  the  great  solidity  of  the  walls  in  which 
they  are  placed.  From  the  high  stilting  of  the  little  pillars 
worked  in  the  jambs  of  these  lights,  their  real  bases  at  first  sight 
appear  to  constitute  bands,  and  the  lengthy  supports  below  a 
continuation  of  the  pillar  shafts.  All  the  mouldings  and  numerous 
carved  decorations  that  start  with  so  much  freedom  from  the 
tower  masonry  confirm  us  in  our  high  opinion  of  that  nameless 
architect's  power.  But  perhaps  he  did  not  live  to  complete  the 
work,  for  a  great  change  is  apparent  in  the  character  of  its  upper- 
most features,  which  must  surely  have  been  added  by  a  far  more 
feeble  hand.  The  open  parapet,  for  instance,  is  comparatively 
weak  and  poor,  while  the  angle  pinnacles,  and  the  wretched  little 
flying  buttresses  springing  from  them,  seem  to  have  been  set  up 
in  child's  play  when  compared  with  the  masculine  spirit  of  the 
work  below.  The  spire,  however,  runs  up  in  tapering  graceful 
lines  higher  and  higher,  until  they  meet  beneath  an  appropriate 
foliated  finial  that  has  been  lately  added  as  a  crowning  ornament 
to  the  whole.  The  level  of  the  nave  walls  and  that  of  the  chancel 
roof,  being  identical,  gives  an  unpleasing  outline  to  the  body  of 
this  church,  and  the  extraordinary  height  of  the  present  aisle 
walls  is  a  serious  defect.  This  arises  from  an  ill-advised  but  not 
original  arrangement  of  the  roof  which  covers  the  aisles  as  well 
as  the  nave  without  a  break,  as  at  Swaton  and  Swarby.  The 
windows  in  the  south  aisle  are  of  the  reticulated  type,  common  in 
this  district,  but  always  pleasing.  Within  the  porch  is  a  remark- 
ably good  doorway,  two  of  the  mouldings  of  which  are  filled  with 
the  ball-flower  ornament.  The  hood-moulding  is  terminated  with 
heads  of  a  Bishop  and  a  King,  the  latter  probably  being  intended 
to  represent  Edward  III.  Above  this  doorway  is  a  little  richly 
worked  canopied  niche  for  a  statue,  and  on  the  right  side  of  the 
porch  a  stoup.  The  chancel  is  wholly  Perpendicular,  of  rather  a 


466  SILK  WILLOUGHBY. 

poor  character.  The  windows  of  the  north  aisle  are  also  poor, 
and  very  inferior  to  those  of  the  south  aisle.  Beneath  the  large 
weak  central  one  was  formerly  a  small  late  doorway,  the  arch  of 
which  was  partly  worked  out  of  the  window-sill  above  it.  On 
each  side  of  this  are  the  displaced  capitals  of  a  Norman  doorway 
built  into  the  aisle  wall,  and  constituting  evidences  of  the  former 

cfice  of  a  church  here  at  a  much  earlier  date  than  the 
present  one. 

On  entering  the  nave,  probably  built  about  1320-50,  it  will 
be  observed  that  the  foreign  ambition  of  securing  great  height 
for  the  fabric  was  the  leading  object  the  architect  had  in  view. 
Seldom  are  such  lofty  arcades  found  in  churches  of  this  size  even 
in  Lincolnshire,  and  should  they  be  cleansed  from  their  present 
coatings  of  paint  and  wash,  and  the  warmth  of  colour  that  their 
natural  material  possesses  be  exhibited,  they  would  indeed  be 
most  beautiful.  At  the  east  end  of  the  north  aisle  has  been  a 
chapel,  from  the  evidence  of  an  aumbry  there,  and  perhaps  the 
little  doorway,  before  spoken  of  as  having  existed  beneath  the 
central  window  of  this  aisle,  opened  into  that  chapel.  Here  is  a 
sepulchral  slab  inserted  in  the  pavement,  having  four  roundels 
incised  upon  it ;  two  of  these  still  contain  the  simple  but  appro- 
priate words,  "  Jesu  mercy."  The  bowl  of  the  fine  old  Norman 
font  is  remarkably  striking.  The  greater  part  of  it  is  adorned 
with  boldly-cut  interlacing  arcades  formed  of  a  cable  pattern,  as 
are  the  shafts  of  its  coupled  pillars  with  their  cushion  capitals  ; 
within  the  small  spaces  between  the  intersections  of  the  arches 
are  carved  varied  and  characteristic  ornaments.  About  a  third 
portion  of  the  bowl  is  left  plain,  excepting  three  ornamental 
circlets,  which  were  perhaps  intended  to  suggest  the  idea  of  the 
three  co-equal  and  co-eternal  Persons  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  in 
whose  name  Christian  baptism  is  administered.  Almost  all  the 
old  poppy-headed  bench-ends  of  this  church  are  still  doing  service 
in  their  original  places,  and  are  pleasing  both  as  to  design  and 
the  rich  colour  with  which  age  has  invested  them.  The  pulpit  is 
enriched  with  much  of  the  shallow  surface  carving  prevalent  in 
the  reign  of  James  I.  A  light  carved  oak  Decorated  screen 
stands  beneath  the  chancel  arch.  Above,  the  doorway  of  the 
rood-loft  staircase  shows  at  what  a  High  level  it  was  placed.  The 
chancel,  always  very  inferior  indeed  to  the  nave,  now  has  an 
additionally  weak  appearance,  owing  to  the  inclination  of  its 


SILK  WILLOUGHBY.  467 

walls,  and  still  more  so  from  its  wretched  roof.  The  windows  are 
not  unfavourable  specimens  of  the  period,  although  not  so  ex- 
pansive as  was  then  usual.  There  are  three  sedilia  with  divisional 
shafts  and  pillars,  the  capitals  and  finials  of  which  have  been  cut 
away,  and  on  the  south  side  of  the  sacrarium  is  a  piscina.  In 
the  east  wall  is  a  long,  shallow,  weak  niche  for  a  statue,  which 
now  looks  doubly  weak  owing  to  its  declension  from  the  per- 
pendicular. 

In  the  east  window  of  the  chancel  Holies  observed  the 
following  bearings  : — Paynell, — G.,  2  chevrons  Arg.,  impaling 
Everingham, — Arg.,  a  fesse  Az.  a  label  of  5  GK  Meres, — Gr.,  a 
fesse  Az.,  between  3  waterbougets  Erm.  impaling  Everingham. 
Arinyn, — Erm.,  a  saltire  engrailed  G.,  on  a  chief  G.  a  lion 
passant  Or.  impaling  Everingham.  Stanlow, — Arg.,  2  chevrons 
G.  charged  with  10  mullets  Or,  on  a  chief  of  the  2nd,  3  falcons 
volant  of  the  3rd  impaling  Bussey, — Arg.,  3  bars  Sa. 

He  also  noticed  the  following  sepulchral  inscriptions  on 
grave  stones  here  : — 

Hie  Jacet  Willus  Armyn,  Junior,  miles  qui  obiit  xvio 
die  Octobris  Ano  Dni  MCCCCLXVIII,  cujus  animse 
ppicietur  Deus.  Amen. 

Hie  Jacet  Thome  Ermyn,  films  et  heres  Willi  Ermyn 

de    Osgodby,    qui  obiit  die  Ano  Dni 

MCCCCXCVIII,  cujus  animse  ppicietur  Deus.    Amen. 

Hie  Jacet  Margaretta  uxor  "Willi  Ermyn  de  Osgodby 
Dni  de  North  Willoughby,  que  obiit  xxo  Septembris 
Ano  Dni  MDVI,  cujus  aise  ppicietur  Deus.     Amen. 
And  Sa,  3  conie's  heads  erased  Arg. 

Hie  Jacet  Willus  Armyn  Dnus  de  Osgodby,  qui  obiit 
xxiiio  die  Septembris,  Ano  Dni  MDXXXII,  cujus 
animse  ppicietur  Deus.  Amen. 

Hie  Jacet  Johes  Stanlow  de  Silkeby  Arm,  ac  Dominus 
Ville,  qui  obiit  xxviio  Die  Junii  Ano  Dni  MCCCCIX. 

Hie  Jacet  Johanna,  uxor  "Willi  Stanlow,  et  quondam 
filia  Johis  Bussy  Militis  que  obiit . 

There  are  three  bells  ;  the  first  is  thus  inscribed  :  "  Jhs.  be 
my  speede  "  ;  the  second :  "Behold  and  see  the  parson  and  wifes 
act  of  Willoughbe  "  ;  the  third :  "  Spedlie  to  God,  John  Norris 
made  me,  1685." 


PARISHES 
BEYOND    THE    BOUNDARIES 


OF   THE 


WAPENTAKES  OF  FLAXWELL  AND  ASWARDHURN. 


A  LTHOUGH  Oeasey's  History  of  Sleaford  and  its  neighbour- 
JL\-  hood  did  not  include  notices  of  all  the  parishes  within  the 
Wapentakes  of  Flaxwell  and  Aswardhurn,  it  described  some 
lying  beyond  these,  viz.  : — Ancaster,  in  Loveden  Wapentake  ; 
Billinghay,  with  its  hamlets  of  Dogdike  and  Walcot,  in  Langoe 
Wapentake ;  and  Folkingham  and  Threckingham,  in  Aveland 
Wapentake.  Hence  it  was  desired  that  descriptions  of  these 
should  also  appear  in  this  volume,  although  such  an  arrange- 
ment is  irregular ;  but  as  the  remaining  portion  of  the  present 
volume  can  be  readily  detached  from  it,  and  used  in  the  future 
description  of  those  parts  of  the  county  ta  which  they  of  better 
right  belong,  they  are  allowed  to  appear  as  a  supplement  in  the 
present  volume. 


ANCASTER. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

2800.  1861—682.     1871—646. 

FT ^HIS  very  interesting  village  lies  6  miles  west  of  Sleaford,  in 
JL  the  Wapentake  of  Loveden,  and  on  the  western  edge  of 
the  Ermine  Street,  the  opposite  one  being  in  the  parish  of 
Wilsford.  That  great  Roman  road  has  been  already  described 
in  the  earlier  part  of  this  volume ;  .we  have  now  therefore  only  to 
describe  Roman  Ancaster,  or  such  remains  of  the  Roman  period 
as  it  still  possesses,  and  that  have  from  time  to  time  been  dis- 
covered on  its  site. 

The  terminal  of  the  name  of  this  place,  being  the  Saxon  form 
of  the  Latin  castrum,  at  once  proclaims  it  to  have  been  a  stronghold 
at  a  very  early  period,  while  from  the  character  of  the  earthwork 
partly  incorporated  in  the  present  village,  and  other  vestiges  of 
its  ancient  occupants,  we  are  sure  that  these  remains  may  be 
attributed  to  Roman  labour,  and  that  they  were  nearly  connected 
with  that  great  Roman  road  called  the  Ermine  Street,  or,  more 
commonly,  the  High  Dyke.  Ancaster  is,  almost  beyond  doubt, 
the  Causenna  of  the  Antonine  Itinerary,  situated  at  a  convenient 
distance  between  Durolrivce  (Castor),  and  Lindum,  or  Lincoln, 
stated  to  be  30  miles  distant  from  Durolrivce,  which  is  nearly 
correct,  and  26  miles  from  Lindum,  an  error  which  may  easily  have 
arisen  through  the  interpolation,  of  an  extra  Roman  numeral  by 
one  of  the  transcribers  of  the  Itinerary,  whereby  XVI.  has  been 
converted  into  XXVI.,  the  real  distance  being  14  miles.  Some, 
however,  have  thought  that  this  was  the  Roman  station  of 
Crococolana,  now  usually  assigned  to  Brough  ;  but  Horsley  and 
most  modern  archaeologists  have  confidently  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  Ancaster  stands  on  the  site  of  Causenna,  originally  a 
military  station  on  the  Ermine  Street,  and  around  which  a  small 
Roman  town  subsequently  sprang  up. 

It  may  deserve  mention  that  Ancaster  has  been  supposed  by 
Mr.  Hatcher,  and  some  who  have  accepted  the  pseudo  Itinerary 

HH 


470  ANCASTEE. 

ascribed  to  Eichard  of  Cirencester,  to  be  the  Cawenn®,  Corisenna, 
or  Isinnffi  of  that  compilation,  (compare  Iter  III.  and  Iter  XVII.) 
between  Castor  and  Lincoln.  Mr.  Dyer,  in  his  elaborate  Com- 
mentary on  the  Itineraries,  seems  disposed  to  agree  with  those 
authors  in  regard  to  Ancaster,  whilst  he  points  out  the  discrepancy 
in  the  distances  stated  in  the  fictitious  itinera.  The  spurious 
character  of  the  above-named  Itinerary  has  been  so  fully  set  forth 
by  Mr.  Mayor  in  his  edition  of  the  writings  attributed  to  Eichard 
of  Cirencester,  and  recently  issued  in  the  Series  of  Chronicles, 
under  direction  of  the  Master  of  the  Eolls,  that  it  is  needless  to 
examine  in  detail  the  supposed  occurrence  of  Ancaster  in  the 
deceptive  Diaphragmata. 

Besides  its  contiguity  to  the  Ermine  Street,  this  station 
possessed  several  advantages — such  as  a  sheltered  position 
removed  from  full  exposure  to  the  bleak  wilds  of  the  open  heath 
around  it,  and  its  proximity  to  a  spring,  now  called  the  Lady 
Well,  on  the  south,  and  a  streamlet  of  excellent  water  that  never 
dries  up,  running  along  its  northern  boundary ;  besides  which, 
access  to  it  was  supplied  by  a  remarkable  natural  fosse  or  narrow 
valley,  cloven  as  it  were  through  the  adjoining  eminence  on  the 
south,  by  means  of  which  troops  could  leave  or  enter  the  station 
privately.  The  station  consisted  of  about  nine  acres  of  land, 
constituting  a  slightly  irregular  parallelogram,  the  eastern  side 
of  which  is  520  ft.  long,  the  western  side  545,  the  northern  and 
southern  sides  445  ft. ;  the  whole  being  surrounded  by  a  fosse 
50  ft.  wide  and  10  ft.  deep.  Parts  of  this  fosse  are  still  perfect, 
and  the  whole  is  easily  traceable.  Its  character  may  be  best  seen 
towards  the  eastern  end  of  its  southern  face,  where  it  remains 
nearly  as  it  was  left  by  the  Eomans.  Within  was  a  wall 
defended  probably  at  the  angles  by  circular  towers,  the  one  at 
the  north-western  point  still  being  represented  by  a  well  defined 
circular  mound,  whence  we  may  presume  that  the  other  angles 
were  similarly  strengthened,  as  at  Lincoln  and  Eichborough. 
See  the  accompanying  ground-plan. 

No  remnants,  however,  of  the  walls  of  this  station  now  exist 
above  ground,  and  at  first  we  might  conclude,  from  Leland,  that 
he  thought  it  never  had  been  walled ;  but  he  subsequently  says  : 
"The  area  wher  the  Castelle  stood  is  large,  and  the  dikes  of  it 
appere,  and  in  some  places  the  foundation  of  the  waulle;"  whilst 


GROUND-PLAN  OF  ANCASTER,  LINCOLNSHIRE,  THE  ROMAN  CAUSENN/E. 

A.  Foss  of  the  Roman  Station,  width  60  ft.,  depth  10  ft.  B.  The  site  of  the  Roman  Wall.  C.  Ancaster 
Church.  D.  The  Parsonage.  E.  The  Hall.  F  F.  The  Ermine  Street,  leading  northwards  towards  Lincoln. 
G  G.  The  Road  from  Grantham  to  Sleaford. 


ANCASTEE.  471 

Stukeley  says,^ — "  I  suppose  Ancaster  to  have  been  a  very  strong 
city  intrenched  and  walled  about,  as  may  be  seen  very  plainly 
for  the  most  part  by  those  that  are  the  least  versed  in  these 
searches."  Since  then  considerable  remains  of  the  walls  have 
been  found  from  time  to  time  below  the  surface,  both  on  the 
north  side  in  the  bowling-ground  attached  to  the  Eed  Lion 
public-house,  and  on  the  west  side,  where  the  large  stones  of  a 
very  wide  wall,  running  along  the  top  of  the  fosse  within  the 
churchyard,  and  doubtless  constituting  the  foundation  of  the 
Boman  wall,  were  discovered  in  1831. 

The  area  thus-  enclosed  is  irregularly  intersected  by  the 
Ermine  Street,  about  three-fourths  of  the  space  sloping  upward 
from  it  towards  the  east,  now  divided  into  one  large  and  several 
small  grass  closes,  the  above-mentioned  Eed  Lion  Inn,  and  a  few 
cottages  standing  next  to  its  eastern  boundary ;  the  remainder 
consists  of  level  ground,  on  which  stand,  as  shown  in  the 
accompanying  ground-plan,  the  vicarage,  the  churchyard,  and  a 
house  belonging  to  the  Calcraft  family.  Of  the  Eoman  town 
which  subsequently  grew  up  around  the  station,  considerable 
remains  have  been  from  time  to  time  disclosed.  Its  houses 
probably  chiefly  stood  on  either  side  of  the  Ermine  Street,  just  as 
those  of  the  modern  village  do  now;  beyond  these  there  may 
have  been  detached  villas  of  other  colonists.  The  cemetery  and 
its  ustrina,  or  burning-place,  stood  about  a  hundred  yards  from 
the  southern  wall  of  the  station,  and  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
Ermine  Street.  On  approaching  Ancaster,  therefore,  during  the 
Eoman  dynasty,  many  sepulchral  memorials  were  no  doubt  seen 
on  either  side  of  it ;  after  the  manner  of  that  series  of  similar 
monuments  which  fringed  the  great  Via  Appia  before  it  passed 
under  one  of  the  gates  of  Imperial  Eome,  or  that  between  which 
visitors  to  Pompeii  approached  that  once  lovely  town. 


*  Stukeley,  Itin.  Cur.  V.,  p.  86.  Horsley,  Brit.  Kom.,  p.  432,  cites  the 
notices  of  Ancaster  given  by  Stukeley,  and  considers  it  to  be  the  CausewiKR 
of  the  Itinerary.  He  mentions  that  "some  speak  of  mosaic  pavements  dis- 
covered there."  Salmon,  in  his  New  Survey  of  England,  vol.  i.  p.  247, 
alludes  to  the  Koman  defences  of  Ancaster,  but  places  Causennce  at  Brough 
Hill.  Reynolds  is  of  opinion  that  its  position  was  at  Boston.  Iter.  Brit., 
p.  261. 


472 


ANCASTEE. 


Here  some  skeletons  have  been  found,  and  many  cinerary 
vases  of  grey  or  dull  red  ware,  the  character  of  which  indicates 
that  the  Saxons  as  well  as  the  Eomans  made  use  of  this  cemetery. 
About  forty  of  these  vases,  slightly  ornamented  with  scored 
patterns,  were  disclosed  a  few  years  ago  ;  all  of  them  were  filled 
with  burnt  human  bones,  and  had  mostly  been  deposited  in  pairs, 
but  without  any  lid  or  other  covering.  Unfortunately  they  had  not 
been  buried  deep  enough  to  ensure  their  preservation,  so  that 
most  of  them  fell  to  pieces  on  exposure  to  the  air  ;  but  two  frag- 
ments of  triangular-shaped  bone  combs  and  a  few  Eoman  coins 
were  found  here,  which  had  no  doubt  been  deposited  in  some  of 
these  cinerary  urns,  and  subsequently  half  of  such  a  comb  was 
found  in  a  similar  vase  of  grey  ware,  containing  burnt  bones,  of 
which  a  cut  is  subjoined  representing  it  in.  a  restored  condition. 


BONE    COMB   FOUND    IN   A    SAXON    CINERARY    URN    FROM    THE    CEMETERY    NEAR    ANCASTER. 


In  a  field  a  little  to  the  south-west  of  Ancaster,  and  called 
the  Twelve-acre-close,  a  Eoman  stone  coffin  was  found  a  few 
years  ago,  through  the  grating  of  a  plough  against  its  lid.  It 
contained  the  skeleton  of  a  male,  but  nothing  else.  It  was 
deposited  in  a  north  and  south  direction.  Although  rudely  formed, 
it  still  retains  the  marks  of  the  oblique  Eoman  tooling  upon  its 
surface.  Its  head  is  rounded,  thus  resembling  some  Epman 
coffins  found  at  Bath,  and  it  was  covered  by  a  slab  4  in.  thick. 
In  length  it  is  6  ft.  10  in. ;  in  width  2  ft.  2  in.  at  the  head, 
diminishing  to  1  ft.  10  in. ;  in  height  1  ft.  3  in. ;  depth  of  the 
cavity  1  ft.  |  in. ;  thickness  of  the  cover  5  in.  This  coffin  is  now 
in  the  churchyard  at  Ancaster.  See  cut  on  next  page. 


ANCASTER. 


473 


ROMAN  COFFIN  OF  STONE  FOUND  NEAR  ANCASTER. 

Leland,  in  his  Itinerary,  commenced  about  30  Henry  VIII., 
1538,  gives  the  following  particulars  regarding  the  old  town: — 
"  Ancaster  stondith  on  Wateling  as  in  the  High  Way  to  Lincoln ; 
it  is  now  but  a  very  pore  strete  having  a  smaule  Chirch.  But  in 
tymes  past  it  hath  bene  a  celebrate  Toune,  but  not  waullid  as 
far  as  I  could  perceive.  The  building  of  it  lay  in  lenghth  by 
South  and  North.  In  Southe  ende  of  it  be  often  founde  in 
ploughing  great  square  stones  of  old  buildinges  and  Romane 
coynes  of  brasse  and  sylver.  In  the  West  end  of  it,,  were  now 
meadowes  be,  are  founde  yn  diching  great  vaultes.  The  area 
wher  the  Castelle  stoode  is  large,  and  the  Dikes  of  it  appere,  and 
in  sum  places  the  foundation  of  the  Waulle.  In  the  highest 
ground  of  the  area  is  now  an  old  Chapel  dedicate  to  S.  Marie, 
and  there  is  an  heremite."*  And  he  relates  local  traditions  of 
treasure  trove  near  the  station  : — "  An  old  man  of  Ancaster  told 
me  that  by  Ureby,  or  Roseby,f  a  plough  man  toke  up  a  stone, 
and  found  another  stone  under  it,  wherein  was  a  square  hole 
having  Romaine  quoin  in  it.  He  told  me  also  that  a  plough  man 
toke  up  in  the,  feldes  of  Harleston^J  a  2  miles  from  Granteham, 
a  stone  under  the  wich  was  a  potte  of  brasse,  and  an  helmet  of 
gold,  sette  with  stones  in  it,  the  which  was  presentid  to  Catarine 
Princes  Dowager.  There  were  bedes  of  silver  in  the  potte,  and 
writings  corruptid."§ 


*  Leland  Itin.,  vol.  i.  f.  30. 

t  Ewerby  is  about  four  miles  east  of  Sleaford  ;  Kauceby  is  on  the  north- 
east of  that  town,  and  about  a  mile  from  the  Roman  Way. 
+  Harlaxton,  south  of  Grantham. 
§  Leland  Itin.,  ut  supra,  f.  31. 


474  ANOASTEE. 

William  Harrison,  in  his  Description  of  England,  written 
about  1579,  and  prefixed  by  Holinshed  to  his  Chronicles,  bears 
witness  also  respecting  the  remains  of  the  Eoman  town  at 
Ancaster,  which  then  existed,  and  the  coins  there  found.*  "It 
seemeth  that  Ancaster  hath  beene  a  great  thing,  for  manie  square 
and  colored  pavements,  vaults,  and  arches  are  yet  found,  and 
often  laid  open  by  such  as  dig  and  plow  in  the  fields  about  the 
same.  And  amongst  these,  one  Uresbie,  or  Rosebie,  a  plowman, f 
did  ere  up,  not  long  since,  a  stone  like  a  trough,  covered  with 
another  stone,  wherein  was  great  foison  of  the  aforesaid  coins." 
Stukeley  mentions  that  the  Castle  Close  was  full  of  foundations 
in  his  day,  appearing  everywhere  above  ground,  the  existence  of 
which  is  still  very  plainly  indicated  during  dry  seasons  by  the 
parched  appearance  of  the  grass  above  them.  Here  prodigious 
quantities  of  Eoman  coins  have  been  found,  both  formerly  and  in 
modern  days.  Stukeley  observes  that,  for  thirty  years  before  his 
time,  many  people  in  the  town  had  traded  in  the  sale  of  these, 
procuring  them  chiefly  from  the  Castle  Close,  and  from  a  spot 
south  of  it  towards  Castle  Pits;  "but  they  are  found,  too,  in 
great  plenty,"  he  adds,  "  upon  all  the  hills  round  the  town,  so 
that  one  may  well  persuade  one's  self  that  glorious  people  sowed 
them  in  the  earth  like  corn,  as  a  certain  harvest  of  their  fame, 
and  indubitable  evidence  of  their  presence  at  this  place.  After  a 
shower  of  rain  the  schoolboys  and  shepherds  look  for  them  on  the 
declivities,  and  never  return  empty. "J  These  vestiges  are  still 
found,  not  quite  so  plentifully  as  of  old,  but  occasionally  in  large 
hoards  ;  in  the  year  1841,  a  mass  weighing  twenty-eight  pounds 
was  brought  to  light  in  digging  a  hole  for  a  post,  in  front  of  Mr. 
Eaton's  house,  close  to  the  edge  of  the  Ermine  Street.  They 
chiefly  consisted  of  small  brass  coins  of  the  Emperors  Gallienus, 
Postumus,  Yictorinus,  Claudius  Gothicus,  Quintillus,  the  Tetrici, 
and  Aurelianus.  Two-thousand-and-fifty  of  these  were  sent  to  the 
Numismatic  Society  for  inspection,  and  are  noticed  in  its  pro- 


*  Historical  Description  of  England,  Holinshed's  Chronicles,  edit.  1586, 
vol.  i.  p.  217  ;  ch.  24.  Of  Antiquities  found. 

f  Namely,  a  Rauceby  labourer.  This  tale  seems  to  have  been  copied, 
somewhat  incorrectly,  from  Leland. 

$  Stukeley,  Itin.,  Cur.,  Iter.  V.,  p.  81.  A  view  of  Ancaster  is  given 
from  a  drawing  by  Stukeley,  taken  July  20th,  1724. 


ANCASTER.  475 

ceeclings.*  Very  great  must  be  the  number  of  unrecorded  coins 
discovered  here,  now  dispersed,  and  never  to  be  again  recognized 
as  having  issued  from  the  soil  of  Ancaster ;  a  list,  however,  of 
such  as  have  without  doubt  been  found  here  is  subjoined.  This 
extends  over  more  than  three  hundred  years,  viz. :  from  the  time 
of  the  Emperor  Claudius,  who  assumed  the  purple  A.D.  41,  to 
that  of  Valens,  who  died  A.D.  378,  and  includes  specimens  of  the 
Emperors  and  Empresses  :  Claudius,  Otho,  Vespasian,  Domitian, 
Trajan,  Antoninus,  Faustina,  Lucius  Yerus,  Commodus,  Severus, 
Julia  Ma?sa,  Valerianus,  Gallienus,  Salonina,  Postumus,  Victori- 
nus,  Marius,  Tetricus,  sen.,  Tetricus,  jun.,  Claudius  Gothicus, 
Quintillus,  Aurelianus,  Probus,  Maximainus,  Constantius  Primus, 
Helena,  Theodora,  Maxentius,  Constantinus  Magnus,  Constans, 
Magnentius,  and  Yalens. 

The  most  interesting  object  found  at  Ancaster  is  one  con- 
nected with  the  religious  worship  of  its  Roman  occupants. 
Wherever  the  light  of  Christianity  has  been  wanting,  it  is  not 
surprising  to  find  men  in  all  ages  believing  in  the  existence 
of  various  gods,  who  could  control  events  and  the  fortunes  of 
men.  Such  was  the  belief  of  the  Romans ;  and  many  altars, 
dedicated  by  them  to  the  Fates,  and  to  Fortune,  have  been  dis- 
covered in  this  country  ;  while  others  are  inscribed  in  honour  of 
Nymphs,  as  having  especial  influence  over  groves  and  springs ; 
and  still  more  to  the  Genii  or  Spirits  supposed  to  preside  over 
particular  spots,  as  well  as  over  particular  classes,  and  persons — 
such  as  legions,  cohorts,  or  the  reigning  emperor.  Even  these, 
however,  were  not  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  religious  feelings  of  a 
portion  of  the  Roman  legionaries,  who,  building  upon  the 
pleasing  foundation  of  a  mother's  love  and  sympathy  for  the 
weak  or  wanting,  conjured  up  the  shadowy  existence  of  certain 
protecting  female  deities,  termed  "  Dese  Matres,"  whose  office  it 
was  to  watch  over  the  interests  of  particular  provinces  of  the 
empire  in  the  first  place,  but  also  over  particular  spots,  such  as 
stations,  houses,  or  fields.  In  vain  shall  we  search  for  any 
allusion  to  these  protecting  Mothers  in  the  works  of  classical 
authors,  or  for  their  representation  in  marble  or  stone,  amongst 
the  antiquities  of  Southern  Italy,  although  they  were  certainly 


Numismatic  Chronicle,  vol.  v.  p.  157. 


476  ANCASTER. 

introduced  into  Britain  by  the  Eoman  'legionaries.*  In  France 
and  Germany,  however,  under  the  term  of  "  Matrons,"  such 
representations  are  not  rare.  We  may  therefore  conclude  that 
the  reverence  paid  .to  these  deities  arose  from  a  Teutonic  creed,  to 
which  the  soldiers  levied  from  these  countries  still  fondly  clung, 
after  they  had  been  removed  by  the  will  of  Caesar  from  their 
native  lands,  and  that  their  worship  may  have  been  subsequently 
adopted  by  other  troops  These  Protecting  Mothers  are  repre- 
sented, on  an  altar  found  at  Cologne,  as  three  draped  sedent 
figures,  with  flowing  hair,  and  having  baskets  of  fruit  on  their 
knees.  Also,  on  a  bas-relief  found  at  Metz,  dedicated  to  their 
honour  by  the  "  Street  of  Peace."  They,  in  this  instance, 
appear  in  a  standing  position,  but  holding  fruit  in  their  hands,  f 
whilst  in  this  country  specimens  of  either  sculptures  or  altars  cut 
in  their  honour  have  been  found  in  London,  Lincoln,  York, 
Durham,  and  at  several  points  along  the  line  of  the  great  Roman 
Wall  in  the  north,  including  one  group  seated  on  a  triple  solium 
at  Minsteracres.j  They  were  supposed  to  be  benevolent  dis- 
pensers of  plenty ;  and  it  is  interesting  to  mark  how  some 
worshippers  invoked  the  unknown  Mothers  of  the  new  localities 
in  which  they  were  stationed,  to  be  their  peculiar  guardians  and 
benefactors,  whilst  others  still  trusted  to  their  own  original  or 
"  transmarine  "  Mothers,  for  protection,  or  good  fortune,  on  a 
foreign  soil. 

*  At  Avigliano,  between  Susa  and  Turin,  a  remarkable  sculpture  has 
been  recently  found,  representing  five  female  figures,  with  a  dedication  to  the 
Matronas.  No  other  example  of  such  a  deviation  from  the  normal  number  of 
three  Dece  Matres  appears  to  have  been  noticed.  See  'a  communication  from 
the  Padre  Garrucci  to  the  Society  of  Antiquaries,  and  the  note  by  Mr.  Wylie 
on  the  worship  of  the  Matronce,  Proceedings  of  the  Soc.  Ant.,  second  series, 
vol.  iv.  pp.  287-293. 

t  L'Antiquite  Expliquee,  Supp.  vol.  i.'  p.  85.  A  singular  sarcophagus 
with  a  sculpture  of  the  Dece  Matres,  exists  in  the  Museum  at  Lyons,  and  has 
been  figured  by  Mr.  C.  R.  Smith,  in  his  Coll.  Ant.,  vol.  v.,  p.  8.  See  also 
his  detailed  Remarks  on  these  Mythic  personages,  Joun.  Brit.  Arch.  Assoc., 
vol.  ii.  p.  239  ;  Roman  London,  p.  33.  A  detailed  essay  on  "Les  Deesses- 
meres,"  by  M.  Granges,  is  given  in  the  Bulletin  Monumental,  vol.  xxl,  1856. 
The  Roman  Wall,  by  the  Rev.  J.  Collingwood  Bruce,  LL.D.,  p.  403. 

*  also  his  observations  on  this  class  of  deities  in  the  Lapidarium  Septentri- 
onale,  p.  16,  where  a  well  preserved  example,  found  at  Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 

id  now  in  the  coUection  in  the  Castle  there,  is  figured.-  The  dedication  in 
that  instance  is  Deabus  Matribus  tramarinis. 


ANCASTER.  477 

In  digging-  a  grave  at  the  south-eastern  corner  of  Ancaster 
churchyard,  in  the  year  1831,  a  very  interesting  specimen  of  the 
personification  of  the  "  Deso  Matres  "  was  discovered,  apparently 
occupying  its  original  position.  A  large  stone,  about  6  ft.  in 
length  by  4  ft.  in  breadth,  formed  a  base,  upon  which  was  a 
rough  intermediate  stone,  and  then  the  above-named  figures, 
looking  towards  the  south.  The  deities  are  seated  on  a  "  Bella 
longa"  united  below,  but  having  three  separate  circular  backs 
above.  Their  hair  reaches  to  their  shoulders,  and  their  dresses 
are  carefully  gathered  up  round  their  necks  as  well  as  their 
waists.  The  workmanship,  though  rude,  is  effective,  and  some 
pains  have  been  bestowed  in  endeavouring  to  represent  the 
various  folds  of  the  dresses,  &c.  One  figure  holds  a  flat  basket 
or  measure  on  her  knee  with  her  right  hand ;  the  central  one 
supports  with  both  her  hands  a  similar  basket,  filled  with  fruit, 
on  her  lap ;  the  third  holds  a  smaller  basket  containing  some 
doubtful  object  in  her  left  hand,  and  a  small  patera  in  her  right 
hand.  The  head  of  the  central  figure  is  wanting,  and  the  others 
are  rather  mutilated.  The  group  is  1  ft.  7  in.  in  length  and  1  ft. 
4  in.  in  height.  See  subjoined  cut.  Towards  the  southern  end 


GROUP  OF  DE/E  MATI 


of  the  base  in  front  of  these  deities,  and  upon  a  wrought  stone, 
15  in.  square   and    5  in.   in  depth,   was  placed   a  small  pillar 


478 


ANCASTEE. 


1ft.  Sin.  in  height,  surmounted  by  a  circular  slab  9in.  in  diameter, 
forming  a  support  for  a  diminutive  incense  altar,  1  ft.  in  height 
and  5  in.  in  width.  In  front  is  a  plain  panel ;  on  one  side  are 
carved  some  of  the  sacrificial  requisites,  viz.,  a  capis  or  jug,  and 
a  patera ;  and,  on  the  other,  a  hand  grasping  a  ring — the  emblem 
of  eternity.  On  the  top  is  a  shallow  cavity,  or  foculus.  The 
mouldings  have  been  considerably  injured  by  the  lapse  of  time, 
but  their  classical  character  may  still  be  distinctly  recognised. 
See  subjoined  cuts. 


ALTAR. 


Ancaster  was  so  attractive  in  Stukeley's  opinion  that  he, 
with  the  aid  of  Maurice  Johnson,  the  first  Secretary,  and  after- 
wards President  of  the  Gentlemen's  Society  at  Spalding,  succeeded 
in  forming  a  Society  of  Literati,  which  he  proposed  should  meet 
there  twice  a  year  in  the  assize  weeks.  Johnson  had  suggested 
Sleaford  as  the  place  of  assembly,  but  Stukeley,  after  a  conference 


ANCASTEE.  479 

with,  the  members  of  his  own  locality,  wrote  the  following  letter 
to  Johnson,  addressed  to  him  at  "the  Widow's  Coffee  House," 
Devereux  Court,  Strand,  and  dated  February  15th,  1728  : — "I 
told  them  of  the  scheme  projected  between  you  and  me ;  they 
approve  of  it  much,  but  desire  the  place  may  be  Ancaster,  where 
we  shall  not  be  so  much  exposed  to  vulgar  observation,  and  have 
as  good  accommodation.  "Tis  not  above  five  miles  out  of  yr  way, 
and  all  heath  road,  which  is  but  an  hour's  ride,  beside  'tis  a 
Roman  castle  seated  in  the  very  bosom  of  the  most  delightful 
heath  imaginable.  I  admire  the  place  every  time  I  see  it.  I  shall 
meet  you  there  on  the  Thursday  of  the  assize  week,  by  noon." 
Accordingly  the  first  of  these  meetings  was  held  at  Ancaster,  on 
the  14th  of  March,  1728,  and  from  the  MS.  Minutes  of  the 
Spalding  Society,  vol.  ii,  p.  4,  we  learn  that  a  paper  by  Stukeley 
was  then  read,  "  which  was  highly  approved  by  the  Society,  being 
very  ingenious,  pertinent  to  the  occasion,  and  much  to  the  honor 
of  this  Society  and  that  design."  In  it  he  endeavoured  to  prove 
that  Lundenthorpe  and  not  Trekingham  (as  the  vulgar  tradition 
will  have  it)  was  the  scene  of  the  famous  battle  between  Algar, 
Earl  of  Holland,  with  his  fen  forces,  and  the  Danes,  which  took 
place  September  22nd,  870.  Stukeley  thus  congratulated  the 
society  upon  their  assembling  at  so  interesting  a  spot,  saying, — 
"  If  we  consider  the  place  of  our  meeting,  we  are  within  the  walls 
of  an  old  Roman  city,  upon  the  most  considerable  of  their  roads 
in  the  Island  of  Britan,  viz.,  the  Hermen  Street.  Many  are  the 
Roman  Emperors  and  innumerable  the  legions  that  have  marched 
past  the  door  in  their  journies  northward  to  guard  the  Scottish 
frontiers,  and  we  may  truly  be  said  to  be  on  classic  ground." 

On  a  commanding  eminence  in  the  adjoining  parish  of 
Honington  is  a  strongly  entrenched  earthwork,  pronounced  by 
Stukeley  to  be  a  "  castrum  exploratorum  "  of  the  Romans,  but  this 
must  certainly  be  of  British  origin,  as  it  in  no  respect  resembles 
a  Roman  camp.*  It  consists  of  an  area  containing  about  an 
acre  and  a  quarter  of  ground,  of  irregularly  quadrangular  form, 


*  A  ground  plan  is  given,  in  Camden's  Britannia,  edit.  Gough,  vol.  ii. 
pi.  Iviii.  See  also  Stukeley,  Itin.  Cur.,  Iter  V.  p.  81.  In  a  letter  from 
Stukeley  to  Roger  Gale,  Jan.,  1727-8,  he  states  that  coins  were  found  very 
frequently  at  Honington,  and  that  he  had  recently  received  several.  Bibl. 
Top.  Brit.,  vol.  iii.,  Reliqu.  Galeanse,  p.  51. 


480  ANCASTER. 

surrounded  by  a  triple  vallum  and  a  double  fosse,  occupying  two 
more  acres.  The  area,  as  shown  in  the  section  with  the 
accompanying  plan,  is  about  3  ft.  6  in.  above  the  level  of  the 
surrounding  field.  The  average  height  of  the  outer  vallum  is 
3  ft.,  that  of  the  other  two  7  ft,  but  the  level  of  the  enclosed 
space  is  3£  ft.  above  that  of  the  bottom  of  each  fosse.  The  width 
of  the  inner  vallum  is  19  ft.  4  in.,  of  the  middle  one  27  ft.  4  in., 
of  the  outer  one  15  ft.  4  in.  As  the  slope  of  each  vallum  can  be 
easily  surmounted,  perhaps  there  were  no  regular  entrances  to 
the  central  area,  but  there  are  slight  depressions  at  four  different 
points  through  the  valla,  which  may  or  may  not  be  of  subsequent 
formation.  The  whole  remains  in  a  very  perfect  state,  a  portion 
only  of  the  outer  vallum  having  been  partially  cut  away  at  two 
points. 

This  earthwork  was  undoubtedly  occupied  by  the  Romans, 
for  in  1691  an  urn  containing  a  peck  of  Roman  coins  was  dis- 
covered within  its  area,  and  subsequently  two  other  urns  were 
found  full  of  coins,  a  score  of  which  were  presented  to  Stukeley 
in  1728.  Amongst  these  he  names  a  large  brass  of  Agrippa, 
another  of  Julia  the  daughter  of  Augustus,  and  one  of  Magnentius. 
Fragments  also  of  spears,  bridles,  and  swords,  had  been  ploughed 
up  not  long  before  his  visit  to  the  place  in  1724.* 

In  June,  1865,  a  Roman  kiln  was  brought  to  light  at 
Ancaster,  close  to  the  eastern  side  of  the  Ermine  Street,  and  a 
little  to  the  north  of  the  village,  through  the  construction  of  a 
mill  by  Mr.  Bruce  Tomlinson. 

In  form  the  kiln  was  oval,  5  ft.  long  and  4  ft.  6  in.  wide  at 
the  bottom,  gradually  increasing  to  6  ft.  by  5  ft.  6  in,  at  the  top. 
The  floor  was  composed  of  rude  stone  slabs,  the  sides  were  built 
of  neatly  cut  stones  3  in.  in  thickness,  each  course  being  slightly 
set  back  as  the  work  was  carried  up,  so  as  to  produce  the  desired 
increase  of  the  size  of  the  kiln  above.  The  lower  courses  were 
in  good  preservation,  and  the  stones  resembled  bricks,  from  their 
uniform  bright  red  colour  and  general  appearance,  but  on 
examination  proved  to  be  marl-stone  profusely  abounding  with 
fossil  shells,  chiefly  consisting  of  the  Rhynchonella  tetraedra,  and  a 
species  of  Terebratula.  Such  marl-stone  containing  a  profusion 
of  the  same  liassic  firachiopoda  is  found  in  the  adjacent  parish  of 

*  Camden,  Britannia,  edit.  Gough,  vol.  ii.  p.  359. 


PLAN  OF  THE  ENTRENCHMENT  ON  HONINGTON  HEATH,  LINCOLNSHIRE. 

(From  a  Survey  by  Mr.  Thomas  Ogden,  taken  in  1854.) 

A.  B.  Section  of  the  Works  on  the  west  side.  C.  D.  E.  F.  Four  Entrances,  shown  by  depressions  in  the 
triple  vallum.  G.  The  Outer  fosse,  width  about  12  ft.  H.  Inner  fosse,  average  width  12  ft.  The  area 
within  the  inner  vallum  is  about  1|  acre. 


ANCASTEE. 


481 


Barkstone,  so  that  the  Romans  had  not  far  to  go  for  a  supply  of 
material  suitable  for  this  purpose.  From  their  wonderful  practical 
intelligence  they  appear  to  have  used  this  compact  crystalline  rock 
for  the  construction  of  a  kiln  or  oven,  as  being  so  well  adapted  for 
exposure  to  a  continual  high  temperature.  Portions  of  the  same 
rock,  in  a  half  calcined  state,  have  been  found  from  time  to  time 
by  the  borders  of  the  Eoman  road  on  the  outskirts  of  Stamford, 
and  its  use  seems  to  have  been  continued,  as  pieces  of  the  same 
marl-stone  or  "  red  rock,"  as  it  is  locally  called,  from  the  colour 
it  has  acquired  through  exposure  to  heat,  are  often  found  among 
the  foundations  and  debris  of  the  older  buildings  of  Stamford. 

The  entrance  to  this  very  ancient  kiln  had  been  previously 
disturbed ;  but  its  site  was  filled  with  oolitic  stones  of  the  kind 
for  which  Ancaster  is  so  noted.  Some  pieces  were  blackened 
and  others  partly  reddened,  through  exposure  to  fire.  Close  to 
the  kiln  were  found  numerous  specimens  of  Eoman  pottery  of  the 
usual  pale  red,  grey,  and  cream-coloured  wares.  Among  these 
were  portions  of  gracefully  shaped  vases  and  pitchers,  one  of 
which  has  the  three-lobed  mouth  and  small  handle  often  seen 
in  the  choicest  examples  of  the  Eoman  capis.  Eepresentations  of 
three  of  these,  presented  to  the  author  of  this  work  by  Captain 
Tomlinson,  are  given  below.  A  few  small  coins  were  also  found 


ROMAN  POTTERY  FOUND  NEAR  ANCASTER. 
II 


— .  i  I-T-  A  ri  \  r\ 


482  ANOASTER. 

intermingled  with  these  relics,  including  one  of  Arcadius,  several 
of  Constantino  the  second,  and  others,  but  none  of  particular 
interest.  A  group  of  six  or  seven  skeletons  was  also  discovered 
deposited  in  a  regular  manner,  but  unaccompanied  by  any  vases 
or  other  ancient  relics.* 

Passing  northwards  out  of  Ancaster,  the  Ermine  Street  is 
very  conspicuous,  both  from  its  width  and  embankment,  particu- 
larly at  those  spots  where  it  surmounts  the  successive  undulations 
of  the  heath  before  alluded  to — now,  however,  universally  invaded 
by  the  plough,  and  dwarf  stone  walls  inclosing  a  succession  of 
vast  fields. 

About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  north  of  Ancaster,  and  close  to  the 
western  edge  of  the  Ermine  Street,  was  found  a  small  milliary;f 
referred  to  at  page  48.  The  base  has  evidently  been  broken 
off,  otherwise  the  now  uncertain  appellation  of  the  adjoining 
station  might  very  possibly  have  been  ascertained  from  this  stone 
beyond  all  doubt ;  for  thus  the  milliarium  discovered  jnear 
Leicester,  and  now  preserved  in  the  museum  of  that  town,  not 
only  denotes  that  it  was  set  up  in  the  reign  of  Hadrian,  but  that 
it  marked  the  second  mile  from  Hates,  or  Leicester.  A  milliarium 
found  at  Castor  also  bears  a  similar  dedication  to  the  same 
emperor,  which  I  here  allude  to  for  the  purpose  of  dispelling 
any  idea  that  might  be  formed  of  fixing  the  date  of  the  forma- 
tion of  the  Via  itself  from  such  slender  evidence  on  its  borders, 
although  so  intimately  connected  with  it ;  as  we  might  hence  be 
led  to  suppose  that  the  line  at  Castor  was  formed  between  the 
years  117  and  138,  and  that  at  Ancaster  between  306  and  337. 
Doubtless  these  milestones  were  renewed  from  time  to  time  by 
the  official  Curatores  Viarum,  either  when  the  older  ones  had  been 
injured  by  the  lapse  of  time  or  by  accident,  and  also  when  it 
was  wished  to  pay  a  compliment  either  to  a  reigning  or  a  passing 
emperor,  in  whose  honour  the  new  ones  would  of  course  be  in- 
scribed, although  such  would  have  no  connection  with  the 
formation  of  the  line. 

*  Twenty-second  Keport  of  the  Architectural  Society  of  the  Diocese  of 
Lincoln;    Associated  Architectural  Societies'  Reports,   1865,  vol.  viii.  part 

t  This  milliary  was  found  near  the  spot  where  the  Roman  kiln  and  other 
s  have  recently  been  brought  to   light,  but  on  the  other  side  of  the 
ancient  Via. 


ANCASTEE.  ,  483 

Among  other  small  Eoman  articles  found  here,  in  1861,  was 
a  beautiful  little  bronze  fibula,  shaped  like  a  horse's  foot,  and 
illustrating,  as  it  is  believed,  the  manner  in  which  the  Eomans 
shod  their  horses.  See  cuts  below,  representing  both  sides  of 
this  curious  little  relic,  of  the  same  size  as  the  original. 


MEDIAEVAL  HISTORY. 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  ancient  as  Ancaster  is,  no 
mention  is  made  of  it  in  Domesday  Book,  unless  it  is  included  in 
the  record  of  Willoughby,  now  constituting  a  hamlet  of  Ancaster. 
Perhaps  after  its  evacuation  by  the  Eomans  their  buildings  were 
burnt  down,  according  to  the  usual  fate  that  befel  them,  and  the 
place  for  a  time  was  deserted.  This  seems  to  be  confirmed  by  the 
omission  of  its  name  under  any  form  in  Domesday  Book,  and 
although  Ancaster  is  now  so  very  much  larger  than  Willoughby 
or  its  other  hamlet — Sudbroke — even  in  Queen  Elizabeth's  reign 
it  contained  only  9  families  resident  there,  whilst  Willoughby 
contained  8,  and  Sudbroke  7. 

After  the  Conquest  Eobert  de  Yesci  appears  to  have  obtained 
a  grant  of  the  land  in  Ancaster,  together  with  most  of  that  in 
Willoughby.  When  Testa  de  Nevill  was  composed  William  de 
Vesci  held  half  the  fee  of  Ancaster.  In  1185  the  Templars 
possessed  a  small  quantity  of  land  here,  which  had  been  partly 
given  them  and  partly  acquired  by  exchange,  and  the  Prior  and 
Convent  of  Haverholme  held  the  fourth  part  of  a  knight's  fee  of 
the  honour  of  Eye.  In  the  14th  century  the  Uffords,  Earls  of 
Suffolk,  held  the  fee  of  the  honour  of  Eye,  of  whom  Eobert  the 
elder  died  in  1348,  and  Eobert  the  younger  in  1369.  The  De  la 
Poles  next  succeeded  to  that  earldom  and  to  the  possession  of  the 
above-mentioned  honour ;  of  whom  Michael,  the  elder,  was  slain 


484  ANCASTEE. 

at  Harfleur,  and  Michael,  the  younger,  at  Agincourt,  in  1415. 
A  William  de  la  Pole  also  died  in  1 449.  During  the  1 4th  century 
the  Bardolfs  possessed  half  of  Ancaster,  which  eventually 
devolved  upon  two  co-heiresses  of  that  family,  one  of  whom 
married  Sir  William  Clifford,  who  died  in  1418,  and  the  other, 
Sir  William  Philip,  who  died  in  1441. 

The  following  notices  are  gathered  from  the  Inquisitiones 
post  mortem.  In  1406  died  Stephen  le  Scrope,  of  Masham, 
seized  of  1  croft  and  1  oxgang  of  land,  described  as  being  "  in 
the  plains  of  Wildeforde  and  Ancaster;  "  also  of  the  suit  of  court 
of  the  honour  of  Eye.  In  1454  died  Ann,  relict  of  Sir  Eeginald 
Cobham,  seized  of  half  of  the  vill  of  Ancaster.  In  1458  Hamon 
Sutton,  of  Burton,  was  a  landowner  here,  as  we  find  that  he  con- 
veyed certain  property  of  his  at  Ancaster  at  that  time,  to  Hugo 
Tapton,  clerk,  Thomas  Dymoko,  and  others.  He  died  in  1467. 
In  1593  died  Henry,  Earl  of  Derby,  husband  of  Margaret,  grand- 
daughter and  co-heiress  of  Charles  Brandon,  Duke  of  Suffolk, 
seized  of  the  manor  of  Ancaster.  Subsequently  Robert,  Lord 
Willoughby  de  Eresby,  a  lineal  descendant  of  Katharine 
Baroness  Willoughby  de  Eresby,  and  her  husband,  Eichard 
Bertie,  was  created  Duke  of  Ancaster  and  Kesteven.  His  title 
was  inherited  by  four  of  his  descendants,  but  on  the  death  of 
Brownlow,  the  fifth  Duke  of  Ancaster,  without  male  heirs,  that 
title  became  extinct. 

The  parish  was  enclosed  in  1773.  The  present  principal 
landed  proprietors  here  are  J.  N.  Calcraft,  Esq.,  and  Frederick 
Allix,  Esq. 

Ancaster  gives  its  name  to  the  beautiful  freestone,  formerly 
derived  from  this  parish  ;  but  the  present  Quarries  are  actually 
situated  for  the  most  part  in  the  adjacent  parish  of  Wilsford. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

Of  the  two  churches  spoken  of  as  being  in  Willoughby  in 
Domesday  Book,  one  probably  stood  in  Ancaster,  and  was  served 
by  one  of  the  two  priests,  also  mentioned  in  that  record.  At  all 
events  a  church  existed  in  Ancaster  when  Testa  de  Nevill  was 
compiled,  for  it  is  recorded  that  this  was  given  by  William  de 
Vesci  to  Malton  Priory,  Yorkshire,  before  1262 ;  and  the  charter 
conferring  it,  as  contained  in  Dugdale's  Monasticon,  sets  forth 


ANQASTER  CHURCH. 


ANCASTEE.  485 

that  the  said  William  de  Vesci  so  gave  it,  and  all  its  belongings 
in  pure  and  perpetual  alms  for  the  benefit  of  the  souls  of  his 
father,  mother,  and  ancestors,  as  well  as  for  that  of  his  own  soul, 
by  the  counsel  and  advice  of  Eobert,  Bishop  of  Lincoln.  On  the 
higher  part  of  the  field  opposite  the  east  end  of  this  church,  in 
Wilsford  parish,  once  stood  a  hermitage  and  the  chapel  of  St. 
Mary.  Formerly  the  vicarage  house  of  Ancaster  consisted  of  a 
small  thatched  tenement  adjoining  the  churchyard  on  the  south, 
in  lieu  of  which  a  good  modern  house  was  erected  by  the  late 
incumbent,  the  Rev.  Z.  Warren,  in  1842. 

The  older  registers  of  this  parish  are  lost,  and  the  list  of  its 
vicars  is  exceedingly  poor,  the  following  being  all  that  are 
•recorded : — 

Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.          . — Eichard  Carter,  vicar  in  1535.* 
. — Eichard  Grate,  vicar  in  1605. 
. — William  Frazier,  vicar  in  1738. 
•—  Wyat  Traits,  vicar  in  1743. 
1769.— Joseph  Hall. 
1814. — John  Jowett. 
1841. — Zachariah  Shrapnell  Warren. 
1861.— John  Primatt  Maud. 

THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Martin,  and  is  a  very 
interesting  structure.  It  consists  of  a  tower  and  spire,  nave, 
aisles,  south  porch  and  chancel.  As  in  so  many  instances,  when 
broach  spires  fell  into  disuse,  there  is  an  unpleasing  disproportion 
between  the  tower  and  spire  of  this  church.  The  former  is  a  fair 
specimen  of  the  Decorated  period.  The  staircase  is  at  the  south- 
western angle  of  the  tower,  where  the  slight  projections  it 
occasions  in  the  external  stonework  are  supported  by  corbels 
worked  into  singular  little  figures. 

The  south  aisle  is  Decorated,  having  one  pointed  and  one 
segmentally  arched  window.  The  porch  arch  is  Early  English, 
as  will  be  seen  from  its  mouldings  and  the  remains  of  the  capitals 


*  In  1690  the  living  was  sequestered,   and  the  Rev.   William  Foster 
appointed  curate. 


486  ANCASTER. 

below,  although  these  are  in  a  sadly  mutilated  condition.  Prob- 
ably this  mischief  was  wrought  when  certain  restorations  took 
place  in  1717,  referred  to  with  some  pride  by  a  churchwarden's 
inscription  above.  The  head  of  the  doorway  within  is  formed  by 
a  plain  bold  trefoil.  During  the  Perpendicular  period,  the 
clerestory  with  its  coupled  windows  was  superadded  to  the  nave, 
and  both  it  and  the  aisle-wall  below  were  surmounted  by  em- 
battled parapets  enriched  with  cusped  panels,  blank  shields,  and 
pinnacles,  which  produce  a  rich  general  effect. 

The  nave  gable  carries  an  ingenious  and  not  unpleasing 
combination  of  a  cross  and  pinnacle. 

The  north  aisle  is  plain.  It  was  first  Norman  and  then  Early 
English,  from  the  evidence  of  the  little  lancet  window  at  the 
west  end,  and  the  remains  of  the  north  doorway,  the  tooth  mould- 
ing of  which  may  just  be  discerned  on  either  side  of  the  modern 
masonry  within  it ;  but  subsequently  its  outer  wall  was  height- 
ened, a  flat-headed  Decorated  window  inserted  in  its  north  wall, 
and  another  very  pretty  one  in  its  eastern  end,  within  an  archway 
that  once  opened  into  a  chantry  chapel  attached  to  the  chancel, 
of  which  the  evidences  still  remain.  At  the  junction  point  of 
this  aisle  and  the  chancel,  the  old  entrance  to  the  rood-loft  may 
still  be  seen. 

The  carcase  of  the  original  Norman  chancel  and  some  of  its 
features  have  survived  many  periods  of  reparation,  such  as  its 
bold  corbel  table,  the  flat  buttresses  at  the  east  end,  and  the  out- 
lines of  the  two  semicircular-headed  windows,  originally  inserted 
in  its  eastern  wall.  These  last  were  destroyed  when  the  present 
reticulated  east  window  was  inserted,  apparently  during  the 
second  quarter  of  the  fourteenth  century.  On  the  south  side  of 
the  chancel  are  two  Decorated  windows,  and  the  usual  doorway. 

Within,  by  far  the  most  attractive  feature  is  the  massive 
Norman  north  aisle  arcade.  This  may  have  extended  another 
bay  westward  before  the  present  tower  was  built.  The  increasing 
richness  of  this  arcade  ornamentation,  as  it  advances  eastward, 
is  remarkable.  The  first  arch  is  quite  plain,  the  second  is  boldly 
moulded,  the  third  is  covered  with  a  ehecquered  pattern,  and  the 
fourth  is  enriched  with  the  characteristic  zigzag. 

Over  the  tower  arch  is  a  doorway,  with  a  bracket  below,  ori- 
ginally intended  for  the  use  of  the  Sacristan,  who  could  thence 
see  when  it  was  time  to  cease  ringing  the  bell  or  bells. 


ANCASTER.  487 

The  south,  aisle  arcade  of  three  bays,  with  its  lofty  arches 
supported  on  octangular  pillars  in  combination  with  surrounding 
banded  shaftlets,  is  Early  English,  as  indicated  by  the  character 
of  its  unmoulded  and  elongated  pillar  caps. 

The  chancel  arch  corresponds  with  the  character  and  date  of 
the  southern  arcade.  Below  it  are  portions  of  the  chancel  screen 
now  forming  parts  of  pews.  On  the  south  side  of  the  altar  is  a 
plain  recessed  credence,  and  on  the  north  two  aumbries,  one  of 
which  is  of  unusually  large  dimensions,  and  had'two  shelves 
within  it. 

The  font  is  a  beautiful  circular  one  of  the  Transitional  period ; 
it  is  surrounded  by  an  intersecting  arcade  of  a  Norman  character, 
but  the  foliated  capitals  of  the  shafts  supporting  that  arcade,  and 
the  nail-head  moulding  upon  it  indicate  that  a  newer  style  was 
beginning  to  be  introduced  when  this  font  was  made. 

The  tower  contains  four  bells,  thus  severally  inscribed : — 
1.— The  date.  1607. 
2. — My  roaringe  sounde  doth  warning  give, 

That  men  can  not  heare  always  lyve. 
3. — All  men  that  heare  my  mournfull  sound, 

.     Repent  before  you  lye  in  the  ground.      1602. 
4. — I  will  sounde  and  resounde  unto  thy  people,   0  Lord, 
with  my  sweet  voice,  to  call  them  to  thy  word.     1602. 

In  this  church  Holies  observed  a  raised  tombstone  with  this 
legend,  "  Hie  Jacet  Johes  de  Willugby."  Also  in  a  north  win- 
dow, the  effigy  of  a  knight  holding  a  shield  charged  with  Arg,  a 
bend  Gru  a  border  cheeky  Or  and  Az. 

There  are  several  modern  painted  glass  memorial  windows 
in  this  church,  presented  by  different  members  of  the  Allix 
family  of  "Willoughby  Hall,  viz.,  the  eastern  one,  by  Wailes, 
representing  the  Crucifixion,  Resurrection,  and  Ascension  of  our 
Lord,  erected  in  memory  of  the  late  Charles  Allix,  Esq.,  and 
Mary  his  wife ;  a  small  one  in  the  north  wall  of  the  chancel, 
having  the  four  Evangelical  symbols  within  circlets  in  its  two 
lights,  and  the  Holy  Lamb  above,  by  Dobbelaer,  of  Bruges ;  and 
a  small  lancet  at  the  west  end  of  the  north  aisle,  having  a  figure 
of  Religion  below,  and  tha  subject  of  the  Ascension  above,  within 
pointed  ovals,  by  Wailes,  commemorating  Mary  Catherine,  wife 
of  the  late  Colonel  Allix. 

In  the  churchyard  there  are  two  memorials  of  ecclesiastics 
On  both  are  cut  the  effigies  of  priests,  one  of  whom  is  represented 


488  ANOASTEE. 

with  his  hands  raised  and  joined  in  prayer,  the  other  holding  the 
sacramental  chalice.  A  mediaeval  stone  coffin  for  an  adult,  and  a 
diminutive  one  for  a  baby,  are  also  preserved  in  this  churchyard. 

Attached  to  Ancaster  are  the  hamlets  of  Willoughby  and 
Sudbrook.  The  first  of  these  lies  westward  of  Ancaster,  and  is 
sometimes  called  West  Willoughby,  to  distinguish  it  from  other 
places  of  the  same  name.  In  Domesday  book  mention  is  made 
of  it  in  conjunction  with  Frieston  and  Normanton  and  the  manor 
of  Caythorpe,  then  held  by  Eobert  de  Yesci.  It  is  now  the  pro- 
perty of  Frederick  Allix,  Esq. 

Sudbrook  was  included  in  the  fee  of  William  de  Vesci,  of 
whom  William  de  Burle  held  half  a  knight's  fee  in  the  reign  of 
Henry  III.  "  Testa  de  Nevill,  p.  323."  The  greater  part  of 
the  land  in  this  hamlet  now  belongs  to  Frederick  Allix,  Esq. 


BILLINGHAY. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

3530.  1861—1403.     1871—1499. 

THIS  parish,  is  situated  9  miles  east  of  Sleaford.  Its  name 
is  spelt  Belingei  in  Domesday  book,  Billingeie  and  Bil- 
ingeia  in  Testa  de  Nevill,  and  subsequently  Belingey,  Bellinggeye, 
Bylinghay  and  other  ways,  but  now  Billinghay.  Formerly  it  was 
famous  for  its  fisheries,  from  the  great  extent  of  fen  and  pools 
within  its  boundaries,  and  the  village  in  winter  was  not  unfre- 
quently  surrounded  by  a  dreary  waste  of  waters.  In  this  parish 
the  remains  of  a  forest  once  covering  the  whole  of  its  fen  land 
are  frequently  disinterred,  consisting  of  innumerable  roots  and 
sometimes  the  trunks  of  trees  now  blackened  by  age,  but  often 
still  quite  sound.  Here  also  several  British  dug-outs  or  canoes 
formed  of  single  logs  have  been  discovered,  a  fine  flint  axe  head, 
the  two  bronze  leaf-shaped  swords  described  at  p.  29  of  this  volume, 
the  vase  Fig.  4,  Plate  I.,  and  various  other  relics  of  the  British, 
Eoman  and  Saxon  period. 

Before  the  Conquest,  Sweyne,  or  Svein,  had  been  the  lord  of 
the  land  at  Belingei  and  its  fisheries ;  subsequently  it  was  given 
to  the  Archbishop  of  York,  together  with  land  in  Walcot  that  had 
also  belonged  to  Sweyne,  the  whole  being  valued  at  £4  before  the 
Conquest,  and  £4  5s.  afterwards.  It  consisted  of  12  carucates  of 
land  when  Walchelin  was  the  Archbishop's  tenant  or  vassal,  two 
of  Sweyne' s  sons  had  2  carucates  as  his  tenants,  and  3  villans  and 
4  sokemen  had  4  more  carucates.  There  were  also  16  acres  of 
meadow  and  the  before-mentioned  3  fisheries.  Circa  1185,  the 
Archbishop's  lands  in  Billinghay  and  Walcot  consisted  of  one 
knight's  fee,  held  by  Peter  de  Bilingeia,  who  died  that  year, 
having  a  son  and  heir — Peter,  then  15  years  of  age.  He  gave 
one  toft  here  to  the  Templars,  let  to  Clement  the  dean  for  12d.  a 
year,  and  had  paid  £6  10s.  8d.  as  rent,  for  lands  without  the 
demesne,  which  last,  when  supplied  with  2  ploughs,  and  stocked 
with  beasts,  sheep  and  pigs  was  valued  at  £11  Os.  8d.  Hence 


490  BILLINGHAY. 

the  Archbishop  raised  the  rent  of  his  lands  to  £  1 6  after  the  death 
of  the  first  Peter  de  Bilingeia. 

Next  we  hear  of  this  vill  being  in  the  hands  of  the  king  for 
3  years  and  a  half  (probably  during  a  vacancy  of  the  See  of  York), 
when  Ealph  de  Huntingdon  was  appointed  receiver  of  the  rents, 
&c.,  by  Laurence,  Archdeacon  of  Bedford,  Eoger  Arundel,  and 
William  le  Yavassur,  the  guardians  of  the  Episcopal  temporali- 
ties. The  first  year  he  received  £15  16s.,  from  a  certain  freeman,  a 
pair  of  golden  spurs,  andapound  of  pepper  from  another,  and  6s.  8d. 
as  arrears.  The  second  year  he  received.  £18,  besides  the  accus- 
tomed spurs  and  pepper,  and  the  third  nearly  the  same.  During 
this  period,  1179  to  1184,  William  Bassett,  as  Sheriff,  received  a 
fee  of  70  shillings  from  the  estate  "de  auxilio  vicecomitis." 

The  widow  of  Peter  de  Bilingeia,  through  the  death  of  her 
husband,  became  the  king's  ward,  and  was  either  the  wife  or 
mistress  of  William  Talun,  on  which  point  certain  jurors  could 
not  ascertain  the  truth.  '  Next  we  hear  of  William,  son  of  Peter 
de  Bilingeia,  as  holder  of  his  patrimonial  fee  in  this  vill  and 
Walcot,  of  the  feoffrnent  of  the  Archbishop  of  York.  "Testa 
de  Nevill." 

In  the  13th  century  the  Goushull  family  for  a  time  succeeded 
that  of  Bilingeia  or  Billinghay  here,  of  whom  Egidius  de  Goushull 
obtained  the  right  of  warren  in  this  parish  1258,  and  Ealf  de 
Goushull  in  1265  ;  but  in  1306  Walter  de  Billingeye  died  seized 
of  the  manor,  leaving  a  eon  John,  then  only  4  years  old,  when 
enquiry  was  made  whether  the  king  cpuld  assign  his  wardship 
to  any  one  he  pleased  without  prejudice,  and  the  report  was  in 
the  afiirmative.  '•  Inq.  ad.  q.  d.  34  E.  I."  The  next  year  Philip 
de  Chauncy — perhaps  the  custodian  selected  by  the  king,  died 
seized  of  the  manor.  "  Inq.  p.  m.  35  E.  I."  It  was  next  held 
by  Sir  John  de  Meaux,  who  did  homage  for  it  to  Archbishop 
Greenfield  in  1307,  and  to  Archbishop  Melton  in  1318.  He  was 
still  in  possession  of  it  in  1331,  when  he  obtained  the  right  of  free 
manor  in  Billinghay  and  Walcot  from  the  king. 

In  1307  we  also  first  hear  of  the  fee  of  de  la  Hay,  or  Haya, 
in  this  vill,  when  it  belonged  to  William  Earl  of  Salisbury,  the 
inheritor  of  the  de  la  Hays,  who  let  it  to  Simon  d  e  Kyme.  ' '  Testa 
de  Nevill."  Philip  de  Kyme  died  seized  of  the  manor  here  1 322. 
He,  with  Peter  son  of  Henry  de  Billinghay,  gave  certain  marsh 
lands  in  this  parish  to  Kirkstead  Priory,  and  Philip  de  Kyme  40 


BILLINGHAY.  491 

acres  of^  marsh,  for  the  good  of  his  own  soul  and  that  of  Hawise 
his  wife. 

In  1385  died  Nicholas  Monbouchier,  Kt.,  seized  of  the  manor 
of  Billinghay  and  Waleot— "  Inq.  p.  m.  8.  E.  2."  ;  and  in  1417 
Ralph,  brother  and  heir  of  George  Monbouchier,  paid  the  king  10s. 
for  his  relief  for  the  manor  and  its  appurtenances  in  Waleot,  &c. 
"Inq.  p.  m.  4.  H.  5."  One  of  his  coheir  daughters — Matilda,  mar- 
ried John  Kevermonde,  and  the  other — Isabella,  John  Burgh, 
each  of  whom  thus  obtained  half  the  manor  of  Billinghay,  which 
they  held  of  the  king  John  Kevermonde  died  in  1435,  and 
Isabella  Burgh  in  1451.  "Inq  p.  m.  29,  H.  6." 

In  1544  George  Welles  purchased  certain  messuages,  lands 
and  tenements  in  Billinghay  of  Robert  Dighton  by  the  king's 
licence.  He  died  1588,  and  left  a  son  and  heir,  Eobert  Welles, 
then  22  years  old.  In  1564  Henry  Standish  became  lord  of  the 
manor,  but  soon  after  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Dymokes  of 
South  Kyme. 

The  parish  was  enclosed  in  1777. 

The  following  list  of  charities  connected  with  Billinghay  was 
formerly  displayed  within  the  church : — Alexander  Bellamy  gave 
£4.  John  Eobinson,  in  1621,  £2.  Henry  Smith,  senior,  in  1660, 
£10.  Nicholas  Dickinson,  in  1675,  £2.  Richard  Marshall,  in 
1697,  £5.  Francis  Robotham  gave,  in  1681,  £5;  the  use  of 
which  to  be  distributed  by  the  overseers,  among  the  poor  of  Bil- 
linghay, at  Christmas  and  Easter  for  ever. 

The  present  principal  landowners  are,  Samuel  Wheat,  Esq., 
Captain  Will  son,  the  Trustees  of  the  Granthain  School,  and  Miss 
Ladds ;  but  there  are  also  numerous  small  freeholders. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

The  church  here  was  given  to  Catley  Priory  by  Peter  de 
Bilingey  in  the  reign  of  Stephen,  and  when  the  king's  Commis- 
sioners visited  Billinghay  in  1535  it  was  valued  at  £13  14s.  per 
annum.  Subsequently  it  was  held  by  Walter  Aiscough,  of  Bly- 
borough,  of  the  queen  in  chief,  who  died  seized  of  it  July  4th, 
1560.  "  Harl.  MSS.  6829  and  756." 

In  1616  the  living  was  valued  at  £  1 6  per  annum.  The  patron 
was  Sir  Edward  Dymoke,  and  there  were  360  communicants. 
Earl  "Fitzwilliam  is  now  the  patron. 


492  BILLINGHAY. 

The  parish  registers  commence  with  the  date  1627,  and  the 
entries  for  some  time  are  made  in  Latin.  The  following  extract 
from  an  old  parish  book  describes  a  perambulation  of  the  parish 
boundaries,  which  was  formerly  a  useful  ceremony  before  the 
exact  limits  of  each  parish  were  distinctly  denned  by  means  of 
awards : — 

*'  Sep.  30th,  1742.  Rid  the  bounds  of  the  parish,  and  did 
the  same  last  year,  about  a  month  before  this  time,  with  most  of 
the  principal  inhabitants  who  had  rid  it  several  times  before. 

"The  dam  is  the  bound  of  the  manors  of  Billinghay  and 
Walcott  to  the  south-west.  From  the  northward  it  abutts  on  the 
north-west  side  of  the  hedge  and  dike  between  Thorpe  inclosure 
and  Walcott  common  field,  as  far  as  the  Slade  bottom,  where 
there  is  a  boundary  on  the  east  side  of  the  hedge.  From  thence 
to  the  fen  gate  there  are  several  boundaries,  some  twenty  yards 
east  of  the  hedge  between  Thorpe  and  Walcott  field,  which  we 
opened  afresh,  for  they  are  holes  dug  in  the  ground  and  filled 
with  coggles,  and  so  in  time  would  be  grown  up  if  they  were  not 
to  be  opened  now  and  then.  From  the  far  end  of  Walcott  field 
we  crossed  over  Thorpe  Tinleys  to  Tinley  Wheel,  which  is  the 
most  remarkable  boundary ;  from  thence  we  went,  in  a  straight 
road,  past  three  posts  to  the  bottom  of  the  fen,  the  lowest  of 
which  posts  stands  on  the  west  side  of  Whip  Dike,  and  about 
two  hundred  yards  east  of  the  north-west  corner  of  the  Odds,  and 
very  near  the  Odds  dike.  The  other  two  posts  stand  in  a  road 
from  this  to  Tinley  Wheel,  in  a  low  place  in  the  fen  called  Whip 
Dike,  to  which  place  the  Fenreeves  and  Dikereeves  of  Billinghay 
and  Walcott  have,  time  immemorial,  and  at  this  time,  when  the 
fen  is  not  drowned,  driven  all  trespassing  stock  to  the  common 
field  of  Billinghay,  which  if  not  owned  are  stray-marked  and 
turned  over  to  the  lord  of  the  manor  of  Billinghay.  And  the 
parishioners  of  Billinghay  have,  time  immemorial,  and  do  at  this 
time,  and  every  year  when  the  fen  is  not  drowned,  go  a  proces- 
sioning to  the  aforesaid  bounds,  without  any  let,  hindrance,  or 
molestation  whatever,  to  my  own  knowledge  for  these  five  years 
last  past,  and  according  to  the  account  of  all  the  ancient  inhabit- 
ants, the  Dikereeves  have  not  been  disturbed  for  driving  the 
stock,  or  the  parishioners  in  their  processioning  to  the  aforesaid 
bounds  time  immemorial. 

"BOBEKT  HEWITT,  Vicar." 


BILLINGHAY.  493 

The  following  also  are  interesting  entries  in  the  parish 
books.  "  1746.  One  hundred  and  thirty-two  persons  had  the 
small  pox  between  May-day  and  Martinmas,  of  whom  two  only 
died."  "1758.  Wheat  sold  this  Xinas  at  24s.  per  quarter." 
In  the  beginning  of  1747  an  infectious  and  fatal  distemper  began 
to  appear  among  the  horned  cattle  of  this  parish  in  common  with 
many  other  places.  Of  this  cattle  plague  700  beasts  died  imme- 
diately about  the  village  of  Billinghay,  and  1500  altogether  in 
the  parish ;  a  few  escaped  the  infection,  and  about  one  in  seven 
recovered  from  it.  "  This  year  (1748)  the  infectious  distemper 
among  the  horned  cattle  quite  ceased  in  this  nation,  for  which 
God's  holy  name  be  praised." 

A  new  vicarage  was  built  here  in  1827. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  the  vicars,  as  far  as  can  now  be 
ascertained : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.  1294. — Germanus  de  Brampton. 

1324.—  William  de  Wranby. 

1329.— William  de  Hexham. 

1342. — William  de  Bilingeye. 

1349. — Eichard  de  Gardiner  of  Burton  Pedwardyne. 

1349. — John  Halden  de  Navenby. 

1368. — William  de  Navenby. 

1376. — Thomas  de  Wilington. 

1383.— John  de  Botisford. 

1401. — John  de  Cumberton. 

1 4 1 8 .—Thomas  Darley. 

1422. — Thomas  Brodding. 

1448.— Thomas  Welby. 

1464.— John  Kosby. 
. — John  Foster. 

1497.— Thomas  Wilkynson. 

1507.— Thomas  Lyster. 

1 5  35  .—William  Taylboys. 

1545. — Thomas  Smithmantle. 

1577.— Ealph  Talframan. 
.—William  Wood. 

1666. — Francis  Eowbotham. 

1680.— Eichard  Kelham. 

1683.— Crispus  Glosse. 


BILLINGHAY. 

A.D.  1687.— Henry  Blaxley. 
1721. — Thomas  Squire. 
1760. — John  Lancaster. 
1785. — William  Strong. 
1832.— Edward  C.  F.  Jenkins. 


THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Michael,  and  consists  of  a 
tower  and  spire,  a  nave,  north  and  south  aisles,  south  porch,  and 
chancel.  It  is  inferior  in  character  to  several  of  the  neighbouring 
churches,  but,  in  common  with  almost  all  others,  possesses  some 
features  of  interest.  The  earliest  portion  of  the  fabric  is  the  lower 
part  of  the  tower.  Internally  this  is  small,  but  the  walls  are  un- 
usually thick,  giving  a  better  effect  to  a  little  lancet  window  in  its 
western  face,  through  the  increased  depth  of  its  splays.  The  arch 
betweenit  and  the  nave  consists  of  two  members  plainly  chamfered, 
supported  by  keel-shaped  piers  springing  from  square  bases.  To 
this  tower  the  present  nave  and  its  aisle  arcades  were  subsequently 
added.  Both  of  these  are  of  four  bays.  The  north  aisle  arcade  is 
supported  by  three  octangular  shafted  pillars  and  their  responds. 
Its  arches  are  ill  formed  and  its  mouldings  rudely  worked.  The 
wall  of  this  aisle,  having  become  extremely  dilapidated,  was  rebuilt 
in  1858,  when  a  Perpendicular  window  at  the  west  end  was  again 
made  use  of,  and  in  a  buttress  near  to  this  is  a  stone  bearing  the 
date  1668,  marking  the  time  of  some  other  reparation  of  the 
fabric.  The  south  arcade  and  aisle,  of  a  good  Decorated  charac- 
ter, are  in  every  respect  very  superior.  The  former  has  well 
moulded  clustered  and  filleted  shafts,  rising  from  plain  octangular 
bases,  and  its  arches  are  far  better  formed  and  moulded  than 
those  of  the  opposite  aisle.  All  its  windows  have  segmental 
arched  heads,  and  are  well  moulded.  At  one  end  is  a  three-light 
window,  and  at  the  other  a  four-light  one.  Attached  to  this  aisle  is 
a  coeval  porch,  now  in  bad  condition  through  the  failure  of  its  foun- 
dations, whence  its  walls  incline  outwards  to  the  great  detriment 
of  its  appearance.  Its  arch  piers  have  filleted  shafts,  and  some 
of  its  remaining  features  show  what  was  its  original  character. 
"Within  is  a  plainly  moulded  doorway.  West  of  this  is  a  two-light 
window;  east  of  it,  first  a  narrow  light,  and  then  a  window  of 
three  lights.  The  chancel  is  Decorated.  In  the  south  wall  is  a 


BILLINGHAY.  495 

priests'  doorway,  west  of  this  a  two  light  window,  and  east  of 
it  first  a  narrow  two  light  and  then  a  three  light  window.  The 
hood  mould  terminals  of  all  these  windows  are  of  the  conventional 
mask  type  inherited  from  the  Early  English  period.  In  the  east 
wall  is  a  four  light  window  the  tracery  of  which  has  been  restored. 
The  base  moulds  and  buttresses  of  the  nave  and  chancel  are 
good,  but  some  of  the  latter  require  restoration.  The  sudden 
stopping  of  the  plinth  on  the  north  side  of  the  chancel,  and  the 
character  of  the  wall  westward  of  this,  indicate  that  there  has 
been  some  building  attached  to  it,  such  as  a  chantry  chapel  or 
sacristy.  During  the  Perpendicular  period  the  clerestory  was 
added.  In  each  of  its  walls  are  four  two-light  windows,  and 
three  large  grotesque  gurgoyles,  one  on  the  south  side  represent- 
ing a  horse's  head,  bridled.  Between  these  windows  the  ends 
of  the  tie  beams  protrude,  which  for  their  protection  from  the 
weather  are  now  covered  with  lead.  A  plainly  coped  parapet 
surmounts  the"  clerestory  walls.  Two  large  buttresses  were 
applied  diagonally  to  the  western  angles  of  the  tower  during 
the  1 4th  century, ,  and  the  upper  part  of  the  tower  and  the  spire, 
superadded  in  1787,  are  reported  to  have  been  built  of  stone 
brought  from  Metheringham  Hall.  This  superstructure,  from  its 
date,  is  almost  necessarily  of  a  very  poor  character.  Within,  the 
old  Perpendicular  roof  still  remains.  This  is  relieved  by  coarse 
but  effective  colouring  and  carved  bosses,  &c.  On  the  south  side 
of  the  chancel  arch  was  the  staircase  to  the  rood  loft,  with  a 
doorway  above  and  below.  •  Until  lately  a  beautiful  carved  oak 
Perpendicular  screen  stood  in  front  of  the  chancel  arch,  but  only 
portions  of  this  now  remain  in  the  tower.  The  font  stands  at  the 
west  end  of  the  north  aisle  without  a  base.  It  is  an  octangular 
specimen  of  a  late  Decorated  period,  coarsely  carved.  There 
was  clearly  a  chantry  chapel  at  the  east  end  of  the  south  aisle 
from  the  evidence  of  a  remaining  piscina  there.  This  con- 
sists of  a  lobed  shallow  basin  having  a  boss  in  the  middle,  with 
little  drain  holes  round  it,  within  a  little  ogee  arched  niche.  In 
the  chancel,  the  sill  of  the  window  on  the  south  side  is  lowered 
to  serve  as  a  sedile,  and  close  to  it  was  a  piscina,  now  filled  up. 
Nearly  opposite  is  a  small  aumbry.  On  either  side  of  the  east 
window  are  small  statue  brackets. 

Holies  only  observed  one  armorial  bearing  in  this  church 
when  he  visited  it,  viz.,  Or,  2  bars  Gu,  in  chief  3  torteaux — for 


496  BILLINGHAY. 

"Wake.  This  was  no  doubt  in  one  of  the  windows.  He  also  saw 
three  slabs  in  the  chancel,  the  first  of  which  bore  this  inscription  : 

Hie  Jacet  Johannes  Foster,  quondam  Vicarius  istius 
ecclesie,  qui  obiit  xiv<>  die  Mail  Anno  Domini 
MCCCCXCYII,  cujus  anima  ppie  Deus. 

The  second : — 

Hie  Jacet  Thomas  "Wilkinson,  Rector qui  obiit 

obiit MDVII. 

The  third : — 

Of  your  charity  pray  for  the  soul  of  Sir  William  Tup- 
holme,  parson  of 

Another  slab,  formerly  in  the  south  aisle,  and  now  in  the  chancel, 
commemorated  another  incumbent,  on  which  the  words  "  Yicarius 
de  Bylengay"  still  remain. 

On  a  brass  plate  in  a  slab  formerly  in  the  nave  was  this 
inscription : — 

Here  lyeth  ye  body  of  Mr.  Francis  Forster,  who  died 
Aug.  13,  1654,  Ae  30. 

This  slab  is  probably  the  grey  one  now  in  the  porch,  but  the  bed 
oily  of  the  brass  plate  originally  inserted  in  it  now  remains.  On 
the  north  wall  of  the  chancel  are  two  small  monuments  com- 
memorating a  former  vicar  of  Billinghay  and  his  wife.  The  first 
bears  this  inscription : — 

To  the  memory  of  Eobert  Hewitt,  Vicar  of  Billingay, 
who  died  May  13,  1760,  in  the  59th  year  of  his  age. 

The  second  is  thus  inscribed : — 

To  the  memory  of  Mary  ye  wife  of  Eobert  Hewitt, 
Vicar,  (and  daughter  of  John  "Wilkinson,  of  South 
Kyme,)  who  died  on  the  14th  day  of  October,  1746, 
in  the  31  year  of  her  age,  and  lyes  below  in  the  same 
grave  with  her  four  children  (viz.)  James,  Mary,  John 
and  Eobert,  who  died  in  their  infancy. 

Above  is  a  shield,  bearing  Az  a  chevron  engrailed  Gfu  between 
3  owls  impaling  Gu,  a  fess  Vairy  3  unicorns  Or. 

The  chalice  of  this  church  is  of  Elizabeth's  reign,  and  rather 
larger  than  was  then  usual. 


BILLINGHAY.  497 

CATLEY  PRIORY. 

This  House  was  founded  by  Peter  de  Bilingey,  or  Billinghay, 
in  the  reign  of  Stephen,  for  nuns  and  monks  of  the  Order  of  St. 
Gilbert  of  Sempringham.  It  stood  in  the  parish  of  Billinghay, 
and  was  dedicated  to  the  Virgin  Mary.  The  following  is  a  trans- 
lation of  the  charter  of  its  foundation,  long  preserved  in  the  Court 
of  Exchequer,  and  inspected  by  Henry  IV.,  in  the  8th  year  of 
his  reign. 

"  To  aU  the  faithful  in  Christ,  Peter  son  of  Henry  de  Bilin- 
geya,  health.  Know  that  I  have  given,  granted,  and  by  this  my 
present  charter  confirmed,  to  God  and  the  blessed  Mary,  and  the 
holy  men  of  the  order  of  Sempringham,  and  their  brethren  clerks 
and  laics,  in  free  pure  and  perpetual  alms  whatever  I  had,  have, 
or  shall  henceforth  by  any  right  be  able  to  leave,  with  the  island 
called  Cathely  and  in  the  marsh  of  Walecote  as  far  as  the  old 
water  course  near  the  marsh  of  Diggeby,  for  them  to  dwell  in 
that  island,  and  there  to  serve  God  for  ever,  with  all  belonging 
to  it,  and  all  commodities,  viz.,  with  the  wood  and  land,  the 
plain,  the  meadows,  the  pastures,  marshes,  with  the  waters,  fish- 
eries, ditches,  and  all  the  like  that  had  been  made  on  the  said 
island  of  Catheley ;  also  the  windmill  on  the  said  island,  and  the 
whole  of  the  dam  that  has  been  made  near  the  mill,  all  the  drain 
or  river  banks  on  either  side,  with  the  whole  course  of  the  water 
upon  the  soil  of  my  fee,  viz.,  from  the  Mykelmore  of  Thorp  on 
either  side  as  far  as  Ulfbarne-Eouke  towards  Bilinghey,  and 
with  the  whole  of  the  fishery  of  the  same  mill  dam  within  the 
said  metes  in  pure  alms ;  also  with  the  conduit  of  water  for  all 
their  necessary  uses,  in  whatever  part  they  please,  as  well  out- 
side of  my  fee  as  within  it,  according  as  they  may  think  good 
at  all  times  for  their  convenience  and  for  the  time  of  the  year, 
without  any  impediment  and  claim  either  by  myself  or  heirs  for 
ever.  I  have  also  given  them  the  site  of  the  grange  between 
Walcote  and  the  marsh,  with  its  enclosure  and  ditches,  and  with 
cultures  of  arable  land,  lying  near  the  grange,  one  of  which  is 
called  Southcroft,  and  the  other  Westcroft,  with  free  inlet  and 
outlet  through  my  fee  everywhere ;  also  2  carucates  of  land  in  the 
territory  of  Walecote,  with  3  tofts  in  the  same  vill,  and  all  their 
appurtenances,  also  the  pasture  in  my  marsh  of  Gubian  for  their 
animals  of  whatever  kind  they  may  be,  to  be  there  fed,  and  also 
the  site  of  its  vaccary  (cow  pasture)  in  the  same  pasture. 

KK 


498  BILLINGHAY. 

"  Besides  also  I  have  given  to  these  nuns  and  their  brethren 
one  culture  of  arable  land,  called  Oalkecliffe  in  the  territory  of 
Coldecote,  along  with  3  other  cultures  of  land  and  2  cultures  of 
meadow  in  the  same  territory,  one  of  which  lies  at  Hallegarth- 
dyke,  and  one  near  Billingey  Dyke  :  2  cultures  of  this  meadow 
lie  in  a  certain  spot  below  Walecote  on  the  north  part,  which  is 
called  le  Meire  and  a  third  is  called  Crocked  and  Turlany,  abut- 
ting upon  Bilingedyke,  which  Osbert,  priest  of  Corby,  formerly 
held  to  farm  of  my  father. 

"  I  have  given  also  to  them  and  to  their  brethren,  the  church 
of  St.  Andrew  at  Billingey  to  be  taken  and  possessed  for  their 
own  proper  use,  also  6  oxgangs  of  arable  land  in  the  territory  of 
Billingey  with  all  appurtenances,  2  tofts  in  the  said  vill,  and  the 
chapel  of  Walecote,  without  burden,  because  it  is  annexed  to  the 
same  church ;  also  half  a  carucate  of  land  in  the  plains  of  Billin- 
gey, and  2  oxgangs  which  Gerard  held,  with  their  tofts  and  other 
appurtenances.  In  like  manner  I  have  given  and  granted  to  the 
same  fuel  and  covering  sufficient  for  all  their  necessary  uses, 
without  let,  in  all  the  marshes  and  commons  belonging  to  the  vill 
of  Billingey  and  Walecot,  also  a  pasturage  for  2410  sheep  in  the 
territory  of  Walecot,  and  for  200  sheep  in  the  territory  of  Bil- 
lingey. All  the  aforesaid,  with  all  their  appurtenances  and 
commodities  within  the  vill  and  without  everywhere  in  my  fee, 
and  free  inlets  and  outlets,  I  have  given  and  confirmed  to  them 
without  retainrnent  in  free,  pure  and  perpetual  alms  for  the  souls 
of  my  ancestors  and  heirs.  And  I  and  my  heirs  guarantee  all 
the  aforesaid  to  the  said  nuns  and  to  their  brethren  clerks  and 
laics,  and  will  defend  them  against  my  lord  the  king  and  all  my 
lords,  and  all  men  for  ever.  In  the  presence  of  these  witnesses, 
Roger  the  dean  of  Scalby,  Eobert  the  clerk  of  Scorton,  Henry  de 
Marton,  William  Yaullger,  Roger  the  clerk,  and  the  whole  parish 
of  Bilynghay." 

Peter  de  Bilinghay,  son  of  the  founder,  confirmed  the  afore- 
said donations  to  the  sisters  and  brethren  of  Oatley  Priory,  and 
superadded  an  acre  of  land  in  BiUinghay  situated  on  the  eastern 
part  of  his  barcary  called  Wych  just  outside  the  fosse.  He  did 
this  for  the  health  of  his  own  soul  and  the  souls  of  his  wife, 
father  and  heirs,  in  the  presence  of  William  son  of  Ralf  de 
Ledenham,  Adam  Blundus,  of  Lincoln,  and  John  his  brother, 
John  son  of  Hugh  Flamang,  Wygot  the  vintner,  John  Rufus, 


BILLINGHAY.  499 

Thomas  the  chaplain,  Grodfrid  the  priest,  William  son  of  Thomas 
of  Digby,  Henry  the  provost,  Half  de  Fantenei,  Eoger  de  Sem- 
pringham,  Eoger  the  clerk,  Eoger  the  priors'  boy,  Galfrid  of 
the  hospice,  Thomas  son  of  "WiUiam  de  Paris,  Fulk  the  son'  of 
Maurice,  Eobert  provost  of  Bilyngey,  and  other  men  of  the  vill. 
Cheshunt  Nunnery,  Herts,  was  originally  dependent  on  Catley 
Priory,  but  this  was  disassociated  from  it  and  given  to  Bene- 
dictine nuns  by  Henry  III.  Catley  Priory  ranked  high  among 
the  Grilbertine  houses  in  Lincolnshire,  being  inferior  only  to 
those  of  Senipringham  and  Haverholin.  The  number  of  its 
inmates  was  limited  to  85  monks  and  60  nuns.  It  possessed  the 
remains  of  St.  Bega,  and  was  gradually  enriched  with  gifts  of 
other  lands  and  property,  which  are  thus  enumerated  in  an 
abstract  Eoll  of  the  Priory,  30  Henry  VIII.,  taken  after  its  dis- 
solution, and  now  preserved  in  the  Augmentation  Office. 

£     s.    d. 
Billinghay,  Timberland,  &c.,  Eents  fixed  and  at 

wiUin 17  18     9 

"Walcote,  farm  of  cottage  in   0     4     0 

Timberland  and  Dygbye,  farm  of  lands  in 0     110 

Kyrkby,  farm  of  a  meadow  in 0     3     4 

Saltby,  farm  of  toft  and  lands  at 0     3     4 

Byllinghay,  farm  de  les  Dales 0     8     0 

Waltersdyke,  &c.,  farm  of  tenements 1     2     8 

Walcott,  farm  of  toft  lands,  &c 0     5     0 

Engilby,  farm  of  toft  lands,  &c 0     8     0 

Saxilby,  farm  of  toft  and  lands  at     010     0 

Lincoln,  farm  of  a  garden  in 0     1     8 

Scoppyc,  farm  of  a  grange  in     1     2     0 

Scawpwyk,  farm  of  a  messuage  and  lands  at  ....      113     4 

Eowston,  farm  of  lands  at 0     7     0 

Dygby,  farm  of  a  mill     110     0 

Catley,  farm  of  demesne  lands  at      4     0     0 

Byllinghay,  farm  of  rectory  of 5     0     0 

Dygby,  farm  of  rectory  of 4     0     0 

At  the  suppression  its  gross  income  was  £38  13s.  8d.,  or 
£33  18s.  6d.  clear,  and  an  impression  of  its  seal  is  attached  to  the 
deed  of  surrender,  dated  25  Sep.  30  H.  8.,  or  1538,  which  is  now 
in  the  Augmentation  Office.  Its  device  is  a  figure  of  the  Virgin 
and'Child  with  a  kneeling  monk  below ;  the  legend  is  s.  PRIORAT  vs 


500      ,  BILLINGHAY. 

DE  CATTELE.  William  Swyfte,  the  last  Prior,  and  several  of  the 
brothers  received  pensions,  also  at  least  one  nun,  of  whom  in  1553, 
one  Swyth  received  £6  a  year,  Thomas  Weste  £2  13s.  4d.,  Chris- 
topher Huddesonne  £2,  and  Margaret  Boswell  £2  13s.  4d. 
"Brown  Willis's  Abbeys,  vol.  2.  p.  117."  In  1539  the  king 
granted  to  Eobert  Carre,  of  Sleaford,  the  demesnes  of  the  Priory, 
the  church,  certain  messuages  and  72  acres  of  land  in  Walcot 
field,  lands  lying  in  Billinghay,  Walcot,  Thorpe,  North  Kyme, 
Dorrington,  Rowston,  and  Digby,  Catley  wood  and  Catley  mill, 
together  with  the  watercourse  supplying  and  belonging  to  the 
same,  the  pastures  and  the  premises  belonging  to  the  Priory,  to 
be  held  of  the  king  in  capite.  "  Harl.  MS.  6829." 

The  Priory  buildings  covered  a  large  space  of  ground,  and 
stood  in  a  pasture  containing  about  40  acres  surrounded  by  fen, 
conveniently  supplied  with  water  by  a  little  brook.  Not  a  stone 
of  its  walls  now  remains  above  ground,  but  in  1775,  when  the 
foundations  of  some  of  these  were  taken  up  to  build  a  cottage 
within  its  area,  the  pavement  of  the  church  was  discovered  about 
6  feet  below  the  present  surface  together  with  remains  of  its  aisle 
arcades  and  several  monumental  slabs.  One  of  these  had  a  richly 
foliated  cross  incised  upon  it,  and  a  border  legend.  It  was  for 
some  time  left  exposed  on  the  spot  where  it  was  found,  but  even- 
tually served  as  a  hearthstone  in  the  kitchen  of  a  neighbouring 
house.  Fragments  of  painted  glass  were  also  found  on  its  site 
.at  the  same  time. 


DOGDIKE. 

f  |\HE  name  of  this  hamlet  attached  to  Billinghay,  formerly 
_L  spelt  Dokedyke  and  Dockdike,  lies  by  the  Witham,  and  ad- 
joins Chapel  Hill.  It  seems  always  to  have  followed  the  fortunes 
of  Billinghay,  and  thus  in  olden  days  belonged  to  the  Kymes, 
Umfravilles,  and  Tailbois.  Either  in  the  reign  of  Henry  II. 
or  Eichard  I.  Philip  son  of  Simon  de  Kyme  gave  the  nuns  of 
Bolyngton  licence  to  fish  in  his  waters  at  Dogdike  between  Win- 
stanton  and  Bradware.  They  were  allowed  by  this  grant  to 
employ  4  fishermen  with  2  "battells"  (small  boats)  and  2 
"hamalls"  (nets)  for  two  days  in  the  year;  one  when  they 
were  going  to  attend  the  great  Chapter  at  Sempringham,  and 
the  other  when  they  passed  the  said  waters  on  their  return. 

There  was  formerly  a  chapel  here  dedicated  to  St.  Nicholas, 
of  which  mention  is  made  in  1310,  when  Gilbert  de  Umfraville, 
Earl  of  Angus,  made  over  his  manor  of  Great  Stretton  to  Eichard 
de  Eavenser,  Archdeacon  of  Lincoln,  first  for  the  purpose  of 
celebrating  his  obit  in  Lincoln  Cathedral,  and  then,  among  other 
things,  of  providing  a  priest  to  perform  divine  service  in  the 
chapel  of  St.  Nicholas  at  Dogdike  for  the  health  of  king  Eichard 
II.,  his  own,  and  that  of  Matilda  his  wife  while  living ;  and  for 
their  souls,  those  of  Edward  III.,  queen  Philippa,  queen  Isa- 
bella, and  all  deceased  believers.  This  priest  was  to  be  paid  10 
marks  a  year  for  his  services,  and  nominated  by  the  lords  of 
Kyme ;  but  should  any  of  these  neglect  to  do  so  within  15  days 
of  a  vacancy  the  then  Archdeacon  of  Lincoln  was  to  nominate 
another  priest  to  this  chaplaincy.  At  the  suppression,  William 
Saunderson  was  chaplain,  then  60  years  of  age,  and  had  no  other 
cure. 


502  DOGDIKE. 

The  following  were  the  sources  of  the  endowment  of  the 
chapel  at  Dogdike : —  £  s.  d. 

The  firm  of  the  mansional  house  there  with  ap- 
purtenances, one  barn,  2  enclosures  contain- 
ing 20  acres  of  fenne  grounde,  2  little 
enclosures  called  the  Osier  Garthes,  in  the 
tenure  of  the  said  William  Saunderson,  at 

wiU   5     0     0 

Ten  acres  of  land  in  Immingham  in  the  tenure  of 
Thomas  Myssonden,  Esqre.,  at  will  for  an 

annual  rent  of     1     6     8 

One  toft  in  Soteby  with  10  acres  of  meadow  and 
pasture  in  Sotebye  aforesaid,  in  the  separate 
tenure  of  Eichard  Eigleton  and  John  Fawt, 

at  will 1     5     4 

A  certain  annual  rent  of  £6  13s.  4d.  from  the  de- 
mesnes of  Sturton,  Co.  Lincoln,  parcel  of  the 

possessions  of  Lord  Tailbois 613     4 

To  this  is  annexed  the  following  memorandum : — "  The  inhabit- 
ants situated  nighe  and  about  the  said  chauntrie  have  used  tyme 
out  of  mynd  as  a  parish  church,  and  been  wont  to  here  the  service 
within  the  chapell  of  the  same  chauntrie,  and  to  have  their 
children  christened  there.  And  that  the  same  waye  from  the 
said  towne  of  Dokdyk  unto  the  church  which  is  their  parish 
church,  is  so  overflowed  and  drowned  with  water  in  the  winter 
season  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  saide  town  of  Dockdike,  being 
60  houseling  people,  cannot  passe  to  their  said  parish  church 
without  great  danger.  And  that  there  is  no  other  possession 
within  the  said  Towne  of  Dockdyke  that  belonge  to  the  said 
chauntrie,  saving  only  the  said  chapel,  being  one  covered  with 
thack  and  tyle,  which  were  convenient  to  be  reserved  for  the 
causes  aforesaid." 

This  chantry  chapel  was  still  standing  when  Holies  made 
his  Church  Notes,  for  he  noticed  the  following  inscription  upon 
a  stone  within  it,  viz. : — 

Of  yr  charity  pray  for  the  sawle  of  Sr  "William  Tup- 
holme,  Parson  of  "Waydingham,  and  Chantry  Priest  of 
Dockdike,  wch  departed  this  life  ye  7th  day  of  January, 
1530. 

In  1565  there  were  53  families  residing  at  Dogdike. 


WALCOT. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION-, 

3247.  1861—605.     1871—608. 

THIS  second  hamlet  of  Billinghay  is  situated  two  miles  north 
of  that  village.  Part  of  it  is  fen,  from  which  large  trees  that 
have  long  been  submerged  are  occasionally  dug  up  lying  from 
one  to  four  feet  below  the  surface.  One  of  these,  raised  in  1811, 
contained  nearly  three  hundred  feet  of  timber,  and  under  another 
a  little  to  the  south  of  this  was  found  an  axe.  On  the  edge  of 
the  higher  ground  of  this  hamlet  were  formerly  several  tumuli, 
probably  marking  the  graves  of  British  chiefs,  but  these  have 
now  all  been  levelled.  Originally  Walcot  belonged  to  Sweyne 
the  Saxon,  and  was  termed  his  Inland  or  demesne  land.  After 
the  Conquest  it  was  given  to  the  Archbishop  of  York,  and  con- 
sisted of  8  carucates  of  land  sufficient  for  6  ploughs,  15  sokemen 
and  one  villan  and  50  acres  of  meadow.  Here  also  Walter  de 
Aincourt  had  4  carucates  of  land,  sufficient  for  the  same  number 
of  ploughs,  and  7  sokemen,  belonging  to  his  manor  of  Branston. 
Circa  1270  the  fee  of  the  Archbishop  of  York  in  Billinghay 
and  Walcot  consisted  of  20  carucates.  In  1295  died  Ealf  de 
Goushull  seized  of  lands  in  Walcot.  "Inq.  p.  m.  23.  E.  1."  In 
1314  died  Philip  le  Despenser,  seized  conjointly  with  Margaret 
de  Gloushull  his  wife  of  certain  lands  and  tenements  in  this  vill. 
"  Inq.  p.  m.  7.  E.  2."  His  widow  then  married  a  de  Roos,  and 
died  1350.  "  Inq.  p.  m.  23.  E.  3."  The  same  year  also  died  her 
son — Philip  le  Despenser  by  her  first  husband.  In  1451  died 
Isabella  Burgh,  one  of  the  co-heiresses  of  Monboucher,  seized  of 
the  manor  ("  Inq.  p.  m.  29.  H.  6.") ;  and  in  1556  died  Thomas 
Thornbeck  seized  of  lands  and  tenements  in  Billinghay  and 
Walcot  ("  Harl.  MS.  758."),  leaving  two  co-heir  daughters, 
Margaret  and  Elizabeth.  In  the  time  of  Elizabeth  there  were 
40  families  here,  and  1 7  at  Waterside.  About  the  middle  of  the 
last  century  Richard  Smith,  Esq.,  was  the  owner  of  Walcot,  who 
sold  it  to  the  then  Earl  Eitzwilliam,  and  he  to  Anthony  Peacock, 


504  WALCOT. 

of  South  Kyme,  in  1787.  The  present  principal  proprietor  is  J. 
Wheat,  Esq.  The  hamlet  was  enclosed  in  1779.  Part  of  this 
hamlet,  from  its  situation  on  the  bank  of  the  Witham,  has  long 
been  called  Waterside,  to  which  reference  has  already  been  made. 
There  are  several  farm  houses  and  cottages  distant  nearly  three 
miles  from  the  village  of  Walcot.  Previous  to  the  enclosure  of 
this  hamlet  its  lowland  portion  was  often  covered  with  water 
during  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  and  abounded  with  ducks, 
coots  and  other  water  fowl,  as  well  as  with  fish,  affording  main- 
tenance to  many  families,  who  also  derived  profit  from  its  reeds ; 
but  the  value  of  the  land  now  reclaimed  from  its  natural  wild 
condition  has  been  greatly  increased  by  that  process. 

At  an  early  period  there  was  a  chapel  at  Walcot  dedicated  to 
St.  Oswald,  which  was  given  by  king  John  to  Sp aiding  Abbey.  It 
was  situated  in  the  middle  of  the  village,  and  consisted  of  a  nave 
and  chancel  with  a  bell-cot  for  two  bells  at  the  west  end,  and  had 
a  carved  oak  chancel  screen  and  oak  seats.  It  was  annexed  to 
the  church  at  Walcot ;  but  having  been  disused  after  the  death 
of  the  Eev.  John  Lancaster  in  1784,  was  pulled  down,  and  its 
bells  sold  about  the  year  1790.  This  was  a  most  improper  pro- 
ceeding, and  the  more  so  as  in  the  present  century  the  need  of  a 
church  or  chapel  here  gradually  became  more  pressing  through 
the  increase  of  the  inhabitants  of  Walcot,  and  the  more  conscien- 
tious feelings  of  both  minister  and  people,  until,  through  the 
zealous  exertions  of  the  present  vicar  of  Billinghay,  the  Eev. 
Edward  Jenkins,  a  new  church  was  erected  at  Walcot  in  1852. 
This  is  a  neat  unpretending  structure,  built  of  white  brick,  and 
capable  of  accommodating  250  persons. 


FOLKINGHAM. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

1861.  1861—650.     1871—696. 

"TjlOLKING-HAM  is  a  small  market  town  in  the  Hundred  of 
JL  Aveland,  lying  9  miles  south  of  Sleaford,  and  the  same 
distance  north  of  Bourn. 

Its  name  is  spelt  Folchingeham  in  Domesday  book,  and 
Fokingham  by  Leland,  whence  Folkingham  seems  to  be  the 
more  correct  way  of  spelling  it  than  Falkingham,  which  is  now 
ordinarily  adopted. 

Ulf  was  its  Saxon  lord  before  the  Conquest,  who  had  12 
carucates  of  land  here,  valued  at  the  unusually  large  sum  of  £50. 
It  was  given  by  the  Conqueror  to  Gilbert  de  Gant,  together  with 
its  appurtenances  in  Laughton,  Lenton,  Pickworth,  Haceby, 
Dembleby,  Threckingham,  Stow,  Walcot,  Billingborough,  Bir- 
thorpe,  Aslackby,  Ingoldsby,  Scredington,  Burton  Pedwardine, 
Helpringham,  Osbournby,  Aswarby,  Silk  Willoughby,  Aisby, 
Kirkby  Laythorpe,  Little  Ponton,  Honington,  Hough,  and  Cran- 
well.  When  Domesday  book  was  compiled  Gilbert  held  in  de- 
mesne 5  carucates  here,  and  had  24  villans,  5  sokemen  aud  9 
bordars  having  7  carucates.  He  also  possessed  the  church  of 
Folkingham,  a  mill,  worth  10s.  8d.  a  year,  100  acres  of  meadow, 
and  80  of  underwood.  The  whole  was  valued  at  £40  a  year,  and 
assessed  at  £50  a  year. 

Gilbert  de  Gant,  the  son  of  Baldwin,  Earl  of  Flanders,  and 
nephew  to  Queen  Matilda,  accompanied  the  Conqueror  in  his 
expedition  against  England  in  1066,  and  was  amply  rewarded 
for  his  services,  by  the  grant  of  one  lordship  in  Berkshire,  two  in 
Oxfordshire,  three  in  Yorkshire,  six  in  Cambridgeshire,  two  in 
Bucks,  one  in  Hunts,  five  in  Northamptonshire,  one  in  Rutland, 
one  in  Leicestershire,  one  in  Warwickshire,  eighteen  in  Notting- 
hamshire, and  a  hundred  and  thirty  in  Lincolnshire,  constituting 
a  barony  of  which  Folkingham  was  the  chief. 


506  FOLKINGHAM. 

TMs  Gilbert  was  at  York  in  the  year  1069,  when  it  was- 
destroyed  by  the  Danes,  being  one  of  the  few  Normans  who  es- 
caped their  fury.  He  died  in  the  time  of  William  Eufus,  and 
was  buried  at  Bardney  Abbey,  which  he  had  restored  after  its 
destruction  by  Inguar  and  Hubba.  He  was  succeeded  by  Walter, 
his  son  and  heir,  who,  when  very  aged,  had  a  command  in  that 
famous  battle  against  the  Scots  at  Northallerton  (commonly  called 
the  battle  of  the  Standard),  when,  by  his  eloquent  speech  and 
prudent  conduct,  the  English  army  was  so  encouraged,  that  the 
Scots  were  utterly  defeated.  This  Walter  founded  the  Priory  of 
Bridlington,  in  Yorkshire,  and  added  to  the  buildings  and  reve- 
nues of  the  Abbey  of  Bardney.  He  died  in  the  fourth  year  of 
Stephen's  reign,  leaving  issue  Gilbert,  Robert,  and  Geofrey. 
Gilbert,  his  heir,  was  with  King  Stephen  at  the  famous  battle 
of  Lincoln,  in  1142,  and  there  taken  prisoner  when  quite  a  youth 
by  Eanulf,  Earl  of  Chester,  who  compelled  him  to  marry  Eoheis, 
his  niece,  daughter  and  heir  of  William  de  Eoumara,  Earl  of 
Lincoln,  whereby  in  her  right  he  afterwards  acquired  the  title  of 
Earl  of  Lincoln.  He  founded  the  Abbey  of  Eufford  in  Notting- 
hamshire, A.D.  1148,  to  which,  as  well  as  to  several  other 
religious  houses,  he  was  a  great  benefactor,  and  dying  in  the 
year  1156,  was  buried  in  the  Priory  of '  Bridlington,  where  he 
had  been  baptized  and  brought  up,  leaving  two  daughters,  Alice 
the  wife  of  Simon  de  St.  Lis,  Earl  of  Huntingdon  and  Northamp- 
ton, and  Gunnora.  But  neither  of  them  having  any  issue,  their 
inheritance  reverted  to  their  uncle  Eobert  de  Gant.  He  in  the 
fourteenth  of  Henry  II.,  paid  £11  6s.  8d.  towards  the  cost  en- 
tailed by  the  marriage  of  the  King's  daughter ;  and  died  in  the 
third  or  fourth  year  of  Bichard  I.,  leaving  by  his  first  wife,  Alice 
daughter  and  heir  of  William  Pagenel,  an  heiress  daughter,  who 
married  Eobert,  son  of  Eobert  Fitz  Harding,  by  whom  she  had 
a  son,  Maurice  de  Gant,  who  died  childless  14  Edward  III.,  when 
his  lands  were  inherited  by  Gilbert  de  Gant,  son  of  the  last 
named  Eobert  by  his  second  wife,  Gunnora,  the  niece  of  Hugh 
de  Guornay. 

This  Gilbert,  surnamed  the  Good,  possessed  sixty-eight 
knight's  fees,  when  the  levying  of  the  scutage  of  Scotland  took 
place  in  his  time.  He  died  1242. 

His  son,  Gilbert,  succeeded,  who  payed  £100  for  his  relief, 
had  livery  of  the  lands  which  he  held  of  the  King  in  capite ;  and 


FOLKINGHAM.  507 

38  Henry  III.,  paid  £137  Is.  4d.  for  sixty-eight  knight's  fees, 
towards  the  aid  for  making  the  King's  eldest  son  a  knight.  By 
an  inquisition  taken  in  the  latter  part  of  the  above  reign,  it  ap- 
pears that  this  "  Gilbert  de  Gant  then  held  in  Folkingham  twelve 
caracates  of  land,  except  four  bovates,  belonging  to  the  Prior  of 
Sempringham  and  the  Abbot  of  Bardney,  and  that  it  was  then 
a  capital  barony  manor  in  the  county  of  Lincoln."  "Testa  de 
Nevill,  p.  321."  He  died  at  Folkingham  in  the  year  1274,  and 
was  buried  in  the  Priory  of  Bridlington,  leaving  issue  Gilbert 
(another  son,  Robert,  having  died  before  himself),  and  three 
daughters,  viz.,  Margaret,  wife  of  William  de  Kerdeston  ; 
Nichola,  wife  of  Peter  de  Mauley;  and  Julian,  who  died  un- 
married. He  was  commonly  called  Gilbert  the  Fifth,  and 
married  Lora,  sister  of  Alexander  de  Baliol ;  but  having  no 
issue,  constituted  King  Edward  I.  his  heir.  He  died  1298, 
when  Roger,  son  of  William  de  Kerdeston,  then  twenty-four 
years  of  age,  and  Juliana  de  Gant,  sister  to  the  said  Gilbert, 
then  forty  years  of  age,  were  found  to  be  his  heirs. 

The  manor  of  Folkingham  appears  to  have  remained  in  the 
King's  hands  until  the  first  of  Edward  II.,  when  Henry  de  Beau- 
mont, in  consideration  of  the  great  services  he  had  rendered  to 
his  father,  Edward  I.,  obtained  a  grant  in  fee,  of  the  manors 
of  Folkingham,  Edenham,  Barton-upon-Humber,  and  all  the 
knight's  fees  belonging  to  Gilbert  de  Gant,  which  Lora  his  widow 
held  in  dower.  During  the  reign  of  Edward  III.  he  had  many 
honours  conferred  upon  him ;  and  was  summoned  to  Parliament 
as  a  baron  from  the  second  of  Edward  II.  to  the  sixth  of  Edward 
III.,  and  from  that  time  to  the  fourteenth  of  the  same  reign  as 
Earl  of  Boghan,  when  he  died. 

John,  his  son  and  heir,  succeeded  him,  who,  on  his  father's 
death,  had  livery  of  his  lands,  but  never  used  the  title  of  Earl  of 
Boghan,  and  died  soon  after,  viz.,  16  Edward  III. 

Henry,  his  only  son,  succeeded,  who  was  born  in  Brabant 
14  Edward  III.,  and  whose  legitimacy  was  ratified  in  Parliament 
the  15  of  the  same  reign.  He  did  homage  for  his  lands  nine 
years  later,  and  was  summoned  to  Parliament  from  the  36  to 
the  42  Edward  III.,  the  year  before  his  death. 

His  son  John,  when  only  eight  years  old,  next  became  lord 
of  the  manor  of  Folkingham ;  who,  after  making  proof  of  his  age, 
and  doing  homage,  had  livery  of  his  inheritance  6  Richard  II. 


508  FOLKINGHAM. 

He  was  summoned  to  Parliament  from  6  to  17  Richard  II.,  and! 
died  full  of  honour  three  years  later. 

His  son  Henry,  then  only  1 6  years  old,  was  made  a  knight 
at  the  coronation  of  Henry  IV.,  and  had  an  allowance  of  robes 
for  that  ceremony.  He  died  1  Henry  Y.,  having  had  summons 
to  Parliament  from  5  to  14  Henry  IV. 

John,  his  son  and  heir,  who  was  only  four  years  old  at  his 
father's  death,  succeeded,  and  on  making  proof  of  his  age,  9  Henry 
VI.,  had  livery  of  his  father's  lands.  He  was  in  high  favour 
with  that  King,  and,  in  consideration  of  his  great  merits  and 
special  services)  was  advanced  to  the  honour  of  a  Viscount,  being 
the  first  person  ever  dignified  with  that  title  in  England;  He 
procured  a  charter  in  connection  with  his  manor  of  Folking- 
ham 27  Henry  VI. ,  such  as  return  of  writs  and  all  precepts, 
assize  of  bread  and  ale,  right  of  sac,  soc,  waif,  estrays,  felon's 
goods,  treasure-trove,  felo's  de  se,  escapes,  gallows,  pillory, 
wrecks  of  sea,  &c.  Having  acquired  higher  honours  than  any  of 
his  ancestors  had  done,  in  gratitude  to  his  Eoyal  benefactor,  he 
bravely  adventured  his  life  in  his  service  against  the  Yorkists, 
and  was  slain  at  the  battle  of  Northampton,  38  Henry  VT. 

He  was  succeeded  by  William,  his  son  and  heir,  who,  adher- 
ing to  the  Lancastrian  interest,  shared  the  hard  fate  that  befel 
that  family ;  for  being  taken  prisoner  at  Towton  Field,  1  Edward 
IV.,  he  was  attainted,  when  several  of  his  manors  were  given  to 
Lord  Hastings ;  but  after  Henry  VII.  obtained  the  crown,  he 
recovered  these,  and  his  attainder  was  reversed,  1  Henry  VII., 
in  which  year  he  had  summons  to  Parliament,  by  the  title  of 
"William  Viscount  Beaumont,  and  lived  to  the  23  Henry  VII., 
but  died  without  issue. 

The  manor  of  Folkingham  then  reverted  to  the  Crown,  when 
Edward  VI.  exchanged  it,  certain  rents  and  farms  in  the  parish  of 
Birthorpe,  the  manors  of  Aslackby  and  Lee,  the  parsonage  of 
Stow,  and  chapel  of  Burford,  for  the  manors  of  Powick,  Hanley, 
and  Pixhand  in  Worcestershire. 

Subsequently  the  manor  belonged  to  E.  Winne,  Esq.,  then, 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  freeholds,  to  the  late  Sir  Gilbert 
Heathcote,  Bart.,  and  is  now  the  property  of  the  Rev.  T.  Heath- 
cote. 

Formerly  Folkingham  consisted  of  little  else  than  a  mass  of 
irregularly  built  thatched  cottages,  and  in  the  middle  of  the 


FOLKINGHAM.  509 

market-place  was  a  large  pond,  the  edges  of  which  were  encum- 
bered with  piles  of  timber.  Nearly  opposite  to  the  Green  Man 
public-house  stood  the  Market-cross,  Butchery,  and  Town  Hall. 

Through  the  removal  of  all  encumbrances  from  the  market- 
place, and  the  rebuilding  of  the  shabbiest  houses  around  it,  the 
present  appearance  of  Folkingham  is  pleasing,  and  it  possesses 
the  advantage  of  several  springs  of  excellent  water  on  its  out- 
skirts, viz,  one  on  the  south-west  called  Pearson's  spring, 
another  on  the  south  called  Dunn's  well,  and  a  third  on  the 
south-east  called  Swallow  pit,  always  thought  to  rise  and  fall  with 
the  level  of  the  Trent,  as  so  many  other,  wells  and  springs  of  the 
central  part  of  Lincolnshire  are  said  to  do.  In  a  meadow  west  of 
the  town  are  two  mounds  which  may  have  been  barrows,  although 
a  mill  subsequently  stood  upon  one  of  these. 

There  is  a  school,  which  was  founded  A.D.  1714,  by  the  Eev. 
Eichard  Brocklesby,  who  gave  a  moiety  of  the  rents,  issues,  and 
profits  of  certain  lands  in  the  parish  of  Pidley,  in  the  county  of 
Huntingdon,  to  be  yearly  and  for  ever  paid  to  a  fit  and  proper 
person,  by  his  trustees,  to  teach  the  poor  boys  of  Folkingham 
their  Catechism,  and  the  Holy  Bible.  This  charitable  donor  left 
also,  a  house  and  premises  in  Stamford ;  one  half  of  the  rents, 
issues,  and  profits  arising  therefrom  he  directed  should  yearly  and 
for  ever  be  applied  towards  clothing  the  poor  boys  of  this  school. 

In  the  year  1716,  Peter  Eichier,  M.D.,  of  the  bail  of  Lincoln, 
and  Mary  his  wife,  gave,  by  deed,  a  rent  charge  of  £10,  to  certain 
trustees  therein  named,  to  be  yearly  and  for  ever  paid  out  of  a 
messuage  or  tenement  and  certain  lands,  lying  in  Pointon,  to  the 
master  of  the  Free  School  of  Folkingham,  for  the  time  being,  as 
an  augmentation  of  his  salary. 

The  school  was  formerly  kept  in  the  Church,  but  Mr.  C.  E. 
Welbourne,  who  was  elected  master  in  1810,  built  at  his  own 
expense,  a  spacious  school-room,  .and  house  for  the  reception  of 
boarders. 

Besides  these  charitable  gifts  to  the  Free  School,  Thomas 
Arpe,  A.D.  1657,  gave,  by  deed,  £50,  and  Lot  Male  £20,  to  the 
poor  of  Folkingham,  which  sums  were  subsequently  laid  out  in 
the  purchase  of  fourteen  acres  of  land  for  their  benefit. 

Folkingham  has  seven  annual  fairs,  viz.,  on  Ash  Wednesday, 
Palm  Monday,  May  the  12th,  June  the  19th,  July  the  3rd,  the 
Thursday  after  old  Michaelmas,  and  November  the  22nd.  The 
market  is  held  on  Thursday. 


510  FOLKINGHAM. 

A  curious  custom  long  prevailed  at  Folkingham  in  connec- 
tion with  Stow  Green  Fair,  and  which  has  only  died  out  in  the 
time  of  some  still  living.  This  was  the  placing  of  three  halberts 
at  the  doors  of  as  many  houses  in  Folkingham  on  the  evening 
before  the  commencement  of  the  Fair,  as  a  summons  to  their 
owners  to  keep  the  peace  during  the  whole  time  of  its  continu- 
ance ;  but  as  the  more  respectable  inhabitants  gradually  declined 
to  perform  this  service,  and  there  was  no  power  beyond  that  of 
ancient  custom  to  compel  them  to  do  so,  the  halberts  thus  fell 
into  the  hands  of  persons  more  likely  to  break,  than  preserve 
the  peace,  and  hence  ceased  to  be  given  out  from  the  blacksmith's 
house  where  they  were  kept  when  not  required  for  service.  No 
doubt  this  custom  was  a  relic  of  a  manorial  service,  perhaps  in 
the  first  place  required  of  the  De  Gants  as  lords  of  the  manor, 
and  then  carried  out  by  deputy. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  later  incumbent 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.D.          — Loth  Male. 

1662. — Abraham  Page. 

, — Bichard  Brocklesby.* 

1702. — Thomas  Ixen.  * 

1720.— Bichard  Tollar. 

1779. — John  Fountaine. 

1787. — John  Moore  Brooke. 

1799. — William  Tait. 

1814. — Thomas  Hardwicke  Bawnsley. 

1861. — George  Carter. 

THE  CASTLE. 

The  site  only  of  this  ancient  stronghold  of  the  de  Gants  and 
Beaumonts  now  remains.  This  was  protected  first  by  an  outer 
moat  enclosing  a  space  consisting  of  ten  acres  of  ground,  and  then 


*  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  the  whole  diocese,  but  was  deprived  of 
his  living  as.  an  adherent  of  the  so-called  Pretender,  through  an  Act  of  the 
13  and  14  William  III.,  entitled  "  An  Act  for  the  further  security  of  his 
Majesty's  person,  and  the  succession  of  the  Crown  in  the  Protestant  line,  and 
for  extinguishing  the  hopes  of  the  pretended  Prince  of  Wales  and  all  other 
Pretenders,  and  their  open  and  secret  abettors. " 


FOLKINGHAM.  511 

V  an  inner  one,  within  which  now  stands  the  House  of  Correction 
on  the  east  side  of  the  town,  erected  in  1808,  but  since  greatly 
improved  and  enlarged  at  different  times.  Numerous  foundations 
have  occasionally  been  found  on  the  site  of  the  Castle,  and  espe- 
cially in  1813,  when  part  of  its  sewer  was  discovered  12  feet 
below  the  surface.  It  was  composed  of  fine  stone  about  3  feet 
square,  and  seems  to  have  carried  the  sewage  into  the  moat  on 
the  north  side  of  the  Castle.  Coins  also  have  occasionally  been 
found  upon  its  site,  Leland  visited  this  Castle,  and  thus  alludes 
to  it  in  his  Itinerary,  vol.  I,  p.  27.:  "From  Grimesthorpe  to 
Sempringham  a  Y  miles,  and  a  mile  thens  sumwhat  inwarde  on 
the  lifte  hond  is  the  Castell  of  Fokingham,  sumtime  the  Lord 
Bardolphe's,  since  the  Lord  Bellemonte's,  now  belonging  to  the 
Duke  of  Norfolk :  it  hath  bene  a  goodly  house,  but  now  it  fallith 
onto  ruine,  and  it  standith  even  about  the  egge  of  the  fenne." 
There  is  a  tradition  that  the  picturesque  old  house  with  a  flight 
of  the  steps  before  the  door  on  the  east  side  of  the  market-place 
and  near  the  bottom  of  it,  was  built  for  one  of  the  Clinton  family 
with  materials  derived  from  the  Castle;  but  it  can  hardly  be 
older  than  the  time  of  Charles  I.  It  was  formerly  occupied  by 
the  Eastland  family. 

THE  CHURCH. 

This  is  dedicated  to  St.  Andrew,  and  from  its  position  on  an 
eminence  north  of  the  town,  and  its  lofty  tower  is  a  beautiful  as 
well  as  a  conspicuous  object.  Besides  this  tower  it  consists  of  a 
nave,  north  and  south  aisles,  a  south  porch,  chancel,  modern 
vestry  and  organ  chamber.  The  oldest  feature  is  the  Norman 
pier  of  an  arch  in  the  north  wall  of  the  chancel,  originally  open- 
ing into  a  chantry  chapel  of  that  period.  This  has  a  keel  shaped 
shaft  and  a  round  supplemental  one  with  scalloped  cushion  caps. 
During  the  Decorated  period  the  arch  it  supported  was  replaced 
by  a  much  wider  one,  and  a  corresponding  pier  of  that  style  was 
erected.  This  arch  has  of  late  years  been  opened,  and  gives 
access  to  the  present  organ  chamber.  The  south  wall  of  the 
chancel  comes  next.  This  has  no  base  mouldings,  and  is  quite 
plain,  but  its  date  is  still  marked  by  the  character  of  its  remain- 
ing coupled  lancet  window,  having  a  cusped  circlet  above  it, 
associated  with  another  eastward  of  it  with  Decorated  tracery. 


512  FOLKINGHAM. 

After  this  come  the  early  Decorated  nave  arcades,  consisting  of 
three  bays  supported  by  two  octagonal  pillars  and  their  responds, 
and  a  well  moulded  doorway  within  the  porch.  The  aisles  are  of 
a  later  Decorated  style,  excepting  the  extreme  ends,  and  have 
good  base  mouldings.  The  southern  one  is  lit  by  a  three-light 
square  headed  window  at  the  east  end,  two  similar  windows  in  the 
south  wall  east  of  the  porch,  and  a  smaller  two-light  one  westward 
of  it.  In  the  north  aisle  are  two  more  of  these  windows  and  a  seg- 
mental  arched  one  between  them  with  flamboyant  tracery.  The 
clerestory,  of  the  same  period,  is  lighted  by  three  two-light 
windows  having  segmental  arched  beads  on  either  side.  But  the 
great  feature  of  this  church  is  the  Perpendicular  tower,  remark ' 
able  as  an  excellent  specimen  of  its  time,  and  for  the  wonderful 
perfection  of  its  stonework,  in  which  no  flaw  or  failing  can  be 
detected.  This  opens  into  the  aisles  as  well  as  into  the  nave  by 
means  of  arches,  and  is  handsomely  vaulted  with  stone  below  the 
ringing  chamber.  It  consists  of  four  stages  supported  by  buttresses 
lessening  through  breaks  as  they  rise.  The  strings  are  unusually 
severe,  being  simply  projecting  square  features  plainly  chamfered. 
The  lower  stage  of  the  west  elevation  has  good  base  mouldings, 
and  a  handsome  doorway,  the  head  of  which  is  enriched  with 
eusped  panelling  and  blank  shields.  In  the  next  stage  is  a  large 
carefully  executed  window  of  four  lights  divided  by  a  transom, 
and  in  the  buttresses  on  either  side  are  finely  carved  canopied 
statue  niches.  Above  is  a  little  quatrefoil  light.  In  the  third 
stage  is  a  small  two-light  transomed  window,  and  in  the  fourth 
a  large  belfry  window  composed  of  two  coupled  lights  below  a 
ogee  arched  hood  mould.  The  tower  is  finished  with  a  band  of 
quatrefoils,  a  panelled  embattled  parapet,  eight  pinnacles  and 
intermediate  ornamental  features  giving  it  a  very  rich  effect. 
The  upper  stages  of  the  three  other  elevations  are  similar  to  the 
western  one,  but  a  gigantic  clock-face  painted  on  the  south  wall 
injures  its  appearance.  It  contains  five  bells,  and  in  the  south 
west  angle  is  a  staircase  lit  by  little  slits  close  to  the  adjacent 
buttresses.  The  latest  ancient  feature  of  this  church  is  a  debased 
Perpendicular  porch,  circa  1500.  It  has  a  rudely  vaulted  roof 
of  a  very  low  pitch,  and  above  is  a  chamber  intended  for  the  use 
of  the  priest,  supplied  with  a  fire-place,  and  lighted  by  a  small 
window  in  the  front  and  another  in  each  side  wall.  It  is  finished 
above  with  an  embattled  parapet  and  angle  pinnacles.  The  head 


FOLKINGHAM.  513 

of  the  gable  is  surmounted  by  a  cross,  and  just  below  this  is 
a  statue  niche.     A  little  staircase  turret  in  the  angle  between 
the  west  side  of  this  porch  and  the  south  aisle  gives  access  to  the 
chamber  above  and  to  the  aisle  roof.     Within,  the  area  of  the 
tower  and  the  westernmost  bay  of  each  aisle,  probably  added 
when  the  tower  was  built,  were  formerly  boarded  off  to  constitute 
a  schoolroom,  and  in  front  of  the  tower  arch  was  a  gallery,  when 
to  enable  the  master  to  obtain  a  better  view  of  his  pupils,  the 
piers  of  the  southern  tower  arch  were  cruelly  cut  away,  but  have 
now  been  restored.     At  the  east  end  of  the  south  aisle  was  a 
chantry  chapel  from  the  existing  evidence  of  a  crocketed  ogee 
arched  piscina  at  the  east  end  of  the  south  wall,  and  the  remains 
of  a  statue  bracket  in  the  east  wall.     On  the  north  side  of  the 
western  end  of  the  chancel  wall  is  a  doorway  leading  to  the  roodloft, 
and  the  corresponding  upper  one  remained  until  the  restoration  of 
this  church  in  1863.     Close  to  this  is  a  remarkably  fine  carved  oak 
Perpendicular  screen,  rich  in  design  and  delicate  in  execution. 
Some  of  the  old  oak  benches  of  the  nave  are  now  doing  service  as 
chancel  seats. 

In  the  south  wall  of  the  chancel  are  two  handsome  Decorated 
sedilia  adorned  by  round  shafted  pillars  having  carved  foliated 
caps ;  and  here  an  old  copy  of  Fox's  Book  of  Martyrs  was  chained 
to  the  wall  until  the  restoration  of  the  fabric,  while  opposite  was 
an  old  oak  arm  chair  of  a  stiff  form  and  square  back,  in  the 
middle  of  which  was  carved  the  bust  of  a  man  in  a  flat  cap,  of 
the  time  of  Henry  VII. ;  but  this  also  is  now  gone.  Close  to  the 
east  side  of  the  sedilia  is  a  small  square  aumbry,  and  then  a  pis- 
cina having  an  ogee  arched  head.  Towards  the  north  side  of  the 
east  wall  is  a  larger  square  aumbry,  and  nearer  to  it  in  the  north 
wall  a  still  larger  one.  The  east  window  is  filled  with  good 
stained  glass  by  Mr.  H.  Hughes,  representing  the  Birth,  Cruci- 
fixion, Resurrection  and  Ascension  of  our  Lord  in  its  four  lights, 
and  our  Lord  in  glory  in  a  cusped  circlet  above. 

From  Holies  we  gather  that  there  were  formerly  various 
memorials  of  the  dead  in  this  church,  almost  the  whole  of  which 
have  now  perished.  Near  the  font  was  the  effigy  of  a  religious 
person  (probably  a  brass),  and  elsewhere  inscriptions  over  the 
graves  of  Emot  Gilson  and  Thomas  Beverley.  He  also  mentions 
two  armorial  shields  cut  in  stone  and  surmounted  by  two  tilting 
helms  and  their  mantling,  which  still  remain  on  either  side  of 

LL 


514 

the  nave  door  within  the  porch.  The  one  on  the  left,  if  tinted) 
would  have  borne  Az,  3  garbes  Or,  for  Eanulph  le  meschin  Earl 
of  Chester ;  the  one  on  the  right,  Az,  semi  of  fleurs  de  lis,  a  lion 
rampant,  over  all  a  bend  gobony  Arg  and  Gru,  for  Beaumont.* 
In  the  tower  window  he  noted  the  bearings  of  Beaumont 
and  Bardolph — Az,  2  cinquefoils  pierced  Or ;  also  Beaumont 
quartering  Chester,  and  Clinton  quartering  Say,  within  a  gar- 
ter, for  Edward  Earl  of  Lincoln.  In  a  north  window  of  the 
nave  and  in  the  chancel,  Beaumont  again,  and  in  an  east  window 
of  the  same — perhaps  of  the  south  aisle,  Jerusalem,  Beaumont 
repeated  and  the  effigy  of  John  de  Newcastle,  or  as  he  terms  it, 
"  effig  Johis  de  la  Novel  Kastel."  Now,  there  are  no  memorials 
of  any  general  interest. 

Attached  to  Folkingham  is  the  hamlet  of  Laughton,  consist- 
ing of  1136  acres  of  land,  the  vicarage  of  which  is  consolidated 
with  the  rectory  of  Folkingham.  When  "  Testa  de  Nevill "  was 
written  this  place  was  held  of  the  king  by  Baldwin  Wake,  who 
granted  it  to  Hugh  de  Ringsdon,  one  of  whose  tenants  was  Adam 
de  Lotton,  who  held  half  a  knight's  fee  of  him  in  Laughton  and 
Aslackby.  It  once  possessed  a  church,  which  stood  in  a  hollow 
west  of  the  turnpike  road,  but  of  this  there  are  now  no  remains. 
Although  Laughton  was  so  small',  it  appears  to  have  been  for- 
merly divided  into  two  minute  manors  called  East  and  West 
Laughton,  upon  which  seventeen  families  were  residing  in  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth. 


*The  arms  of  the  Earl  of  Chester  are  thus  connected  with  the  De  Gants, 
the  former  lords  of  Folkingham.  Lucy  daughter  of  Ivo  Taillebois  and  Lucy 
daughter  of  Algar  Earl  of  Mercia  and  sister  of  Morcar,  had  three  daughters, 
Lucy,  Beatrice  and  Matilda.  Of  these,  Lucy  married  first  Koger  de  Eoumara 
Earl  of  Lincoln,  and  subsequently  Kanulph  Earl  of  Chester,  by  the  first  of 
whom  she  had  William  de  Eoumara  Earl  of  Lincoln,  and  by  the  second 
Ranulph  meschinus.  Beatrice  married  to  Eibald  of  Middleham,  and  Matilda 
to  Hugh  Fitz  Eanulph,  by  whom  she  had  Eoheis,  who  was  thus  daughter  of 
the  heiress  Lucy  Countess  of  Lincoln  and  Chester  and  first  cousin  to  Eanulph 
le  meschin  Earl  of  Chester,  by  whom  she  was  forcibly  given  in  marriage  to 
Gilbert  de  Gant,  who  thus  in  her  right  succeeded  to  the  Earldom  of  Lincoln 
and  Chester.  The  arms  of  de  Beaumont  commemorate  the  after  lords  of  this 
manor,  the  first  of  whom,  Henry  de  Beaumont,  received  a  grant  of  it  from 
Edward  II.  in  the  first  year  of  his  reign. 


THEECKINGHAM. 

ACREAGE,  POPULATION, 

!466.  1861—189.     1871—183. 

THE  name  of  this  village  was  originally  spelt  Trickingeham 
and  Trekingham.  It  lies  6J  miles  south  of  Sleaford,  and 
is  situated  within  the  Wapentake  and  the  Deanery  of  Aveland. 
The  branch  of  the  Ermine-Street  from  Caistor,  or  Durobriva?, 
to  Lincoln,  under  the  modern  name  of  Mareham-lane,  passes  close 
by  its  eastern  side,  and  another  very  ancient  road  from  the  coast 
to  the  west,  formerly  called  Salters'-way,  and  now  the  Bridge-end 
road,  or  Holland  road,  skirts  its  northern  limit.  Here  many 
Roman  coins  have  at  different  times  been  found  ;  but  it  is 
chiefly  interesting  from  its  connection  with  that  great  historic 
event— the  decisive  and  bloody  battle  between  the  Danes  and 
the  Saxons  A.D.  869,  which  took  place  at  Threckingham,  al- 
though this  in  no  wise  led  to  the  adoption  of  its  present  name,  as 
has  been  suggested  and  commonly  believed,  because  it  seemed  so 
natural,  viz.,  that  it  was  first  called  Laundon,  but  after  the  above- 
named  battle — Trekingham,  through  the  fall  of  three  Danish 
kings  or  chiefs  and  their  burial  here  on  that  occasion. 

A  portion  of  the  land  in  this  parish  is  called  Danes  field,  or 
Danes  hill,  in  commemoration  of  this  Danish  victory,  and  a  large 
mound  or  tumulus  still  remaining  a  little  to  the  west  of  the  church 
probably  marks  the  spot  where  some  of  the  slain  were  buried, 
while  other  mounds  that  formerly  existed  here  have  now  been 
levelled. 

When  Domesday  book  was  compiled  the  manor  of  Threcking- 
ham belonged  to  the  Benedictine  Abbey  of  Ramsey,  but  it  only 
appears  to  have  possessed  4  oxgangs  of  land  here,  rated  at  half 
a  carucate,  and  1  villan  cultivating  it.  The  whole  was  valued 
before  and  after  the  Conquest  at  5s.  This  was  because  the 
greater  part  of  the  land  here  constituted  a  berewick  of  the  manor 
of  Newton  near  Horncastle.  Of  this  Colsuein  possessed  2  J  caru- 
cates  taxed  at  14f  oxgangs,  1  sokeman,  5  villans  and  3  bordars 


5 1 6  THEECKINGHAM. 

cultivating  1 J  carucates.  Odo  Arbalistar,  or  the  crossbow 
possessed  10  oxgangs,  and  the  third  part  of  2  other  oxgangs, 
2  sokemen  cultivating  2  oxgangs  of  this  land,  and  5  villans  and 
1  bordar  cultivating  1  carucate.  He  also  had  the  6th  part  of  the 
advowson  of  St.  Peter's  church  at  Threckingham,  the  3rd  part 
of  that  of  St.  Mary  and  the  3rd  part  of  half  a  carucate  belong- 
ing to  it.  Ulviet,  who  held  under  the  king  5  oxgangs  and  the  6th 
part  of  two  more,  cultivated  by  1  sokeman  and  3  villans,  the  12th 
part  of  the  advowson  of  St.  Peter's  church,  the  6th  part  of  that 
of  St.  Mary,  and  the  6th  part  of  4  oxgangs  of  land  belonging  to 
that  church.  The  Bishop  of  Durham  possessed  5  oxgangs  and 
the  6th  part  of  2  others,  also  1  sokeman,  and  3  villans  cultivating 
half  a  carucate,  the  12th  part  of  the  advowson  of  St.  Peter's 
•church,  and  the  6th  part  of  4  oxgangs  belonging  to  St.  Mary's 
church  at  Threckingham.  Two  oxgangs  of  land  here  also  lay 
within  the  soke  of  Gilbert  de  Gant's  manor  of  Folkingham. 
Subsequently  Gilbert  de  Gant  appears  to  have  acquired  the 
greater  part  of  the  land  in  Threckingham,  from  the  evidence  of 
Testa  de  Nevill.  A  family  deriving  their  name  from  that  of  this 
place  afterwards  became  the  principal  tenants  here;  of  whom 
Walter  de  Trikingham  held  the  5th  part  of  a  knight's  fee  of 
Eobert  Marmyun  and  he  of  Gilbert  de  Gant,  also  the  20th  part 
of  a  knight's  fee  directly  of  the  great  Gilbert  himself,  who  in  his 
turn  held  his  lands  here  and  elsewhere  of  the  king.  He  also 
possessed  the  5th  part  and  the  4th  part  of  a  knight's  fee,  held 
of  him  by  Hugh  de  Trikingham  and  Matilda  his  mother ;  besides 
5  oxgangs  held  by  John  Gumbard.  Subsequently  the  de  Crouns 
inherited  these  lands,  of  which  William  Pedethen  held  the  6th 
part  of  a  knight's  fee  in  Newton  and  Threckingham  of  Petronilla 
de  Croun,  the  heiress  of  that  family,  and  Eobert  de  Newton 
three  parts  of  a  knight's  fee.  After  this  Gerard  de  Kamvill 
possessed  a  knight's  fee  in  Newton  and  Threckingham,  which  he 
granted  to  William  de  Osbournbi. 

In  the  14th  century  the  Trekingham  family  were  the  resi- 
dent if  not  the  actual  lords  of  this  parish,  of  whom  besides  the 
above-named  Walter  and  Hugh,  was  Lambert,  a  justice  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas  in  the  reign  of  Edward  I.  and  Edward 
II.,  John  de  Trekingham,  Sheriff  of  the  County  in  1334,  another 
Walter,  and  a  Eobert,  who  the  same  year  represented  the  County 
of  Lincoln  in  Parliament,  also  another  Lambert,  a  Baron  of  the 
Exchequer  in  1341. 


THKECKINGHAM. 

Elias  de  Trekingham,  a  monk  of  Peterborough  and  a  Doctor 
of  Divinity  at  Oxford,  who  wrote  a  chronicle,  dating  from  A.D. 
626  to  1270,  was  probably  a  member  of  this  family,  and  cer- 
tainly derived  his  name  from  this  place. 

In  the  reign  of  Elizabeth  there  were  31  families  resident 
here ;  and  in  that  of  Charles  I.  the  plague,  or  some  other  griev- 
ous pestilence,  appears  to  have  visited  ThrecMngham  from  the- 
evidence  of  a  still  existing  inscription  upon  a  stone  inserted  in 
the  wall  of  a  farm  house,  viz.,  "  Yorax  pestis  Threc^  scevira 
mese  maio  1646.  Eobert  Gaton." 

In  the  17th  century  a  family  of  the  name  of  Fisher  resided 
here,  but  they  eventually  removed  to  Qrantham  Grange,  and  in 
1722  Francis  Fisher  represented  the  borough  of  Grantham  in 
Parliament.  Now,  the  Eev.  Thomas  Heathcote  is  lord  of  the 
manor  of  Threckingham  and  the  owner  of  most  of  its  land,  the 
other  principal  proprietors  being  S.  N.  Budge,  Esq.,  and  William 
Cragg,  Esq.  In  the  "  Gentleman's  Magazine,"  vol.  61,  p.  193, 
mention  is  made  of  one  Eichard  South,  the  son  of  a  tailor  of 
Threckingham,  who  at  6  years  of  age  could  with  ease  carry  a 
weight  of  20  stones,  and  was  subsequently  seven  times  married, 
but  survived  all  his  wives. 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

It  has  been  already  stated  that  there  were  two  churches  here, 
severally  dedicated  in  honour  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Mary,  when 
Domesday  book  was  compiled,  and  that  parts  of  their  endow- 
ment were  in  the  hands  of  various  laymen.  The  Bishop  of 
Durham  and  Ulviet  had  equal  shares  of  these,  belonging  to  New- 
ton, for  each  had  a  6th  part  of  the  land  belonging  to  St.  Mary's 
church,  and  the  6th  part  of  an  extra  piece  consisting  of  4 
oxgangs  belonging  to  it;  also  a  12th  part  of  that  belonging 
to  St.  Peter's  church.  Another  holder  of  these  lands  was  Odo 
Arbalistar,  or  Balistarius  (the  crossbow  man),  who  was  then  the 
possessor  of  a  6th  part  of  St.  Peter's  lands,  and  the  3rd  part  of 
St.  Mary's,  together  with  a  3rd  part  of  half  a  carucate  also  belong- 
ing to  it. 

Subsequently  the  rectorial  tithes  were  given  to  the  Monastery 
ef  Burton  Lazars,  Leicestershire,  and  the  vicarage,  founded  and 
endowed  before  1209,  was  in  the  patronage  of  that  Monastery. 


518  THEECKINGHAM. 

[Reference  to  this  is  made  in  Bishop  Welles's  Register,  who  was 
consecrated  1209.  "  Trildngham  vicaria  in  ecclesia  de  Triking- 
ham  quae  est  Fratrum  Sancti  Lazari  de  Burthon  consistit  in  toto 
attagis  absque  aliqua  diminutione,  cum  tofto  in  quo  nunc  vicar- 
ius  residen  ;  et  ipsi  Fratres  Sancti  Lazari  procurabunt  hospitium 
Archidiaconi,  et  sustinebunt  in  perpetuum  omnia  alia  onera  praeter 
sidonalia  quse  tantum  vicarius  solvebit  annuatim ;  et  valet  vicarius 
V  mafc,'et  eo  amplius."  On  the  10th  of  February,  1555,  Queen 
Mary,  for  a  fine  of  100s.,  demised  to  Anthony  Pickeringe,  Gent., 
the  tithes  of  Threckingham  and  their  appurtenances  for  20  years 
at  the  annual  rent  of  100s.  "  Harl.  MS." 

The  vicarage  is  now  in  the  patronage  of  the  Eev.  Thomas 
Heathcote.  .  The  registers  commence  with  the  date  of  1572. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  vicars : — 
Date  of  Institution. 

A.P.  1240.— Eeginald  de  Wistow.* 

1261. — Eichard  de  Mackworth. 

1262. — Thomas  de  Trikingham. 

1286.— Geoffrey  de  Swayfield. 

1320.— Hugo  de  ToUer. 

1349. — Eobert  Templer. 

1352. — Thomas  de  Brampton. 

1367.— Eichard  Gamul. 

1400.— Nicholas  Frost. 

1406.— William  Smith. 

1420.— John  Tyas. 

1423. — Thomas  Loper. 

1440.— Eichard  Sleaford. 

1452.— William  Tundies. 

1452.— Eobert  Lord.f 

1453.— Eobert  Baxter. 

1491.— William  Dorain. 

1506. — John  Lancaster. 

1557.— Eobert  Nelson.}: 


*  Presented  by  the  Master  and  Brethren  of  Burton  Lazars,  as  were  all 
the  subsequent  incumbents  down  to  John  Lancaster,  in  1506. 
t  Deprived  the  following  year. 
£  Presented  by  Queen  Mary. 


THRECKINGHAM   CHURCH. 


THEECKINGHAM. 

Date  of  Institution. 

A.D,  1561. — John  Gray.* 
1597.— William  Brown. 
1610.— Henry  Wallewell, 
1612. — Samuel  Askeron. 
1630.— Thomas  Lambe. 
1642.— William  Douglas. 

— Thomas  White. 
1662.— John  Marshall. 
1677. — Henry  BrerewoocL 
1703.— Kobert  Kelham. 
1752.— Charles  Potter. 
1759. — John  Towers. 
1803.— David  Henry  Urquhart, 
1829.— Charles  Spencer  Ellicott, 

THE  CHURCH.. 

This  is  dedicated  in  honor  of  St.  Peter,  and  no  doubt  stands 
upon  the  site  of  the  one  called  after  that  Apostle  in  Domesday 
book.  It  is  a  fine  structure,  which  from  its  elevated  position  may 
be  seen  for  many  miles  round,  and  consists  of  tower  and  spire, 
nave,  north  and  south  aisles,  south  porch,  and  chancel. 

A  Transitional  church  clearly  once  represented  the  earlier 
one  referred  to  above,  from  the  character  of  the  greater  part  of 
the  present  chancel,  and  the  western  respond  of  the  north  aisle. 
In  the  eastern  wall  of  the  chancel  are  three  circular  headed  win- 
dows separate  without,  but  connected  by  an  arcade  within,  the 
pillars  of  which,  with  their  square  abaci  and  simple  vigorous  roll 
mouldings,  are  good  specimens  of  their  kind.  Towards  the  east 
end  of  the  north  wall  is  a  single  semicircular  headed  light,  and 
opposite  to  it  a  corresponding  one  in  the  south  wall  as  far  as  its 
jambs  and  head  are  concerned,  but  externally  looks  like  an  en- 
tirely late  window  of  two  lights  having  a  square  head,  which  is 
only  in  part  seen  within.  Another  arched  headed  window  and  a 
small  door  were  also  inserted  in  the  south  wall,  but  the  first  of 
these  is  now  filled  in  with  masonry.  All  three  walls  of  the 
chancel  are  relieved  by  three  coeval  strings.  On  the  north  side, 

*  Presented  by  Queen  Elizabeth. 


520  THEECKINGHAM. 

westward  of  the  window  above  spoken  of,  was  an  arcade  of  nearly 
the  same  date  that  once  opened  into  an  adjoining  chapel.  This 
consisted  of  two  very  wide  and  beautifully  moulded  semicircular 
arches  supported  by  a  central  circular  shafted  pillar  having  a 
boldly  foliated  cap  and  two  responds.  The  greater  part  of  this  is 
now  imbedded  in  the  masonry  of  the  wall  it  once  simply  sup- 
ported, but  part  of  it  is  still  exposed  within,  and  serves  to 
sustain  the  first  portion  of  the  north  aisle  arcade  of  the  nave. 
The  chancel  and  nave  are  covered  by  a  continuous  modern  low 
pitched  roof  as  there  is  no  chancel  arch,  nor  difference  in  elevation 
between  them.  The  next  feature  as  to  date  is  the  lower  part  of 
the  tower.  This  is  now  of  three  stages  supported  by  good  but- 
tresses, and  constitutes  a  grand  feature ;  but  at  first  only  the  two 
lower  ones  were  built,  reaching  just  above  the  ridge  of  the  nave 
roof.  In  the  western  face  of  the  tower  stage  is  a  large  lancet,  and 
smaller  ones  are  irregularly  inserted  above.  After  a  considerable 
pause  the  upper  stage  and  broach  spire  were  added,  which  add  so 
much  to  the  character  of  the  whole  fabric.  This  is  wholly  of 
excellent  ashlar  work,  and  the  details  of  its  shafted  belfry  lights 
are  most  carefully  carried  out.  In  the  spire  are  three  ranges  of 
lights,  and  towards  its  summit  the  run  of  its  lines  is  broken  by  a 
projecting  feature,  as  at  Sleaford  church  and  elsewhere,  before  it 
attains  its  greatest  elevation,  viz.,  144  feet.  Unfortunately  it  lost 
its  finial  many  years  ago,  which  very  much  spoils  its  appearance, 
and  in  1871  the  whole  fabric  was  much  shaken  and  injured  by 
lightning. 

In  the  south  aisle  ar,e  four  good  three-light  windows  having 
foliated  intersecting  tracery ;  the  easternmost  one  has  a  flat  head, 
and  above  is  a  good  plain  parapet.  Attached  to  this  is  a  beau- 
tiful porch,  the  interior  of  which  is  relieved  by  plain  arcading 
on  either  side,  in  the  middle  arches  of  which  are  small  two-light 
windows.  The  doorway  within  has  a  well  moulded  arch,  and  the 
door  itself  is  enriched  with  very  beautiful  ironwork.  At  the 
western  angle  of  this  aisle  is  a  square  staircase  turret,  on  which 
is  a  dial  bearing  this  inscription : — "  Sic  vita,"  and  "  The  gifte 
of  Edmund  Hutchinson,  Gentleman." 

The  north  aisle  is  of  later  date,  circa  1325-30,  and  inferior  in 
every  respect.  It  is  low,  and  has  no  base  mouldings  or  parapet. 
In  it  are  five  small  three-light  windows  all  alike,  and  a  good 
doorway. 


THEECKINGHAM.  521 

The  aisle  arcades  are  supported  by  circular  shafted  pillars, 
excepting  the  last  pair  eastward ;  these  consist  of  clustered 
ones,  and  the  westernmost  pillar  of  the  south  aisle  has  an 
octagonal  shaft,  and  corresponds  with  the  responds  of  this  aisle, 
which  appear  to  be  of  earlier  date  than  their  circular  compeers. 
These  last  have  beautifully  moulded  caps  deeply  undercut, 
and  one  of  them  together  with  those  of  the  clustered  pillars  are 
enriched  with  a  minute  band  of  the  tooth  mould.  The  arches 
are  of  two  orders,  one  plain,  the  other  moulded  with  a  hood- 
mould  above.  The  aisle  roofs,  as  well  as  those  covering  the 
nave  and  chancel  are  wretched.  At  the  west  end  of  the  north  aisle 
close  to  the  Transitional  respond  above  mentioned  and  partly 
concealed  by  a  modern  vestry  wall,  is  a  little  lancet  with  a 
moulding  above,  now  filled  in  with  masonry.  The  tower  arch, 
with  its  manifold  mouldings  and  massive  character,  is  a  beautiful 
feature.  Near  this  stands  an  Early  English  font,  circular  in 
plan,  and  having  its  bowl  enriched  with  shallow  arcading ;  on 
the  chamfer  of  the  base  is  the  half  destroyed  legend  of  "Ave 
Maria  gratise  plena."  Some  of  the  old  carved  oak  bench  ends 
are  still  doing  service. 

In  the  north  wall  of  the  north  aisle  is  a  plain  square  aumbry, 
and  in  the  southern  one  of  the  chancel  are  two  adjoining  recesses ; 
one  covered  by  a  very  flat  arch  and  flanked  by  a  Transitional 
pillar  contains  a  plain  piscina  placed  on  one  side  of  the  base  of 
the  recess ;  the  other  apparently  served  as  a  large  aumbry. 

The  silver  communion  flagon  and  chalice  were  given  in 
memory  of  William  Fysher  by  some  relation  in  1676,  according 
to  the  tenor  of  a  Latin  inscription  upon  them. 

In  the  tower  are  three  bells,  two  of  which  bear  the  name  of 
the  founder,  T.  Norris,  and  the  date,  1660, 

At  the  west  end  of  the  south  aisle  now  stand  three  large 
stone  coffins  and  their  lids  in  a  very  perfect  condition.  Originally 
they  were  probably  sunk  below  the  pavement  of  some  part  of 
this  church  or  its  lost  chantry  chapel  so  as  only  to  expose  their 
lids  slightly  raised  above  the  pavement.  These  were  long 
regarded  as  the  coffins  of  the  three  Danish  kings  or  chiefs  who 
fell  at  the  first  battle  of  Threckingham ;  but  as  they  are  of  a 
later  date  by  some  500  years,  and  of  a  distinctly  Christian  cha- 
racter, they  can  scarcely  now  be  thought  to  have  any  connection 
with  those  heathen  chieftains  who  perished  A.D.  870,  and  whose 


522  THKECKINGHAM. 

followers  would  certainly  not  have  buried  them  in  a  Christian 
church  or  cemetery  and  in  coffins  bearing  conspicuously  upon  them 
the  chief  symbol  of  the  Christian  faith.  Two  of  these  coffins  have 
flat  lids,  but  that  of  the  third  one  is  slightly  coped.  All  have 
stemmed  decorative  crosses  cut  in  relief  upon  them,  and  on  each 
side  of  the  stem  of  one  of  these  crosses  the  remains  of  an  inscrip- 
tion may  be  seen,  said  by  Holies,  who  saw  it  when  it  was  more 
legible,  to  run  thus  : — "Hie  intumulatur  Johannes  quondam  ds 
de  Treckingham."  Perhaps,  therefore,  this  once  held  the  re- 
mains of  John  de  Treekingham  who  filled  the  office  of  Sheriff  in 
this  county  1334;  but  certainly  all  three  of  these  coffins  are  of 
the  earlier  part  of  the  14th  century. 

Besides  these,  there  are  two  slabs  surmounted  by  the  effigies 
of  a  knight  and  his  lady,  well  cut  in  stone,  now  placed  upon 
a  modern  low  base  at  the  west  end  of  the  nave  in  front  of  the 
tower  arch.  He  is  represented  with  his  head  resting  upon  two 
cushions,  his  hands  upraised  in  prayer  and  his  legs  crossed,  indi- 
cating his  Christian  faith  and  vow,  with  two  small  lions  at  his 
feet.  He  is  clothed  _in  a  coif  de  mailles  covering  the  head,  a 
hauberk  of  mail  covering  his  body,  arms,  and  hands,  the  former 
being  strapped  round  his  brows,  and  the  latter  round  the  wrists. 
The  thighs,  legs,  and  feet  are  covered  with  chausses  of  mail,  the 
knees  by  poleynes  or  genouillieres,  probably  made  of  boiled  or 
hardened  leather.  Over  this  armour  is  a  long  flowing  surcoat 
confined  round  the  waist  by  a  narrow  strap,  and  below  this,  a 
broad  studded  sword-belt,  to  which  the  sword,  in  a  similar 
studded  sheath,  is  attached  on  the  left  side.  A  small  heater- 
shaped  shield  hangs  on  the  left  arm  by  means  of  two  straps ; 
and  upon  it  are  cut  his  armorial  bearings,  viz.,  Arg,  2  bars  Gru, 
in  chief  3  torteaux,  over  all  a  bend  S.  On  the  heels  are  spurs 
strapped  round  the  ankles.  The  effigy  of  the  lady  is  very  ele- 
gant. She  is  represented,  like  her  lord,  in  the  attitude  of  prayer 
and  with  her  head  resting  on  two  cushions,  but  at  her  feet  are  two 
little  dogs.  She  is  clothed  in  a  kirtle  having  tight  sleeves  with  the 
usual  row  of  miniature  buttons  upon  them,  and  over  this  a  long 
flowing  gown;  over  the  gown  is  a  mantle  fastened  across  the 
breast  by  a  strap.  But  little  of  her  hair  is  seen,  as  a  veil  covers 
her  head  and  falls  on  either  side  upon  her  shoulders ;  her  chin 
and  neck  are  covered  by  a  wimple  or  gorget.  Holies  considered 
that  these  commemorated  Lambert  de  Trekingham,  a  Justice  of 


THEECKINGHAM.  523 

the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  in  the  reigns  of  Edward  I.  and  II. , 
and  his  wife,  and  he  is  probably  right  in  his  opinion,  as  the 
armour  and  dress  of  these  effigies  are  of  that  period. 

At  the  east  end  of  the  north  aisle  is  a  white  marble  mural 
monument  commemorating  some  members  of  the  Eisher  family, 
surmounted  by  a  shield  charged  with  their  armorial  bearings. 
Holies  observed  the  following  shields  in  the  -windows  of  this 
church  when  he  visited  it,  viz.,  in  a  north  window,  Arg,  2  bars 
G.  in  chief  3  torteaux,  over  all  a  bend  S. — Treckingham ;  Or,  2 
chevrons  G  within  a  bordure  of  the  same — Clare ;  G.  3  water 
bougets  Arg. — Kos ;  Barry  of  6,  Arg.  and  Az. — Grey.  In  a  west 
window,  Arg.  a  fesse  between  3  cootes  S. — Coote.  In  the  chan- 
cel the  same  impaling  Arg.  a  fesse  dancette  between  3  talbots' 
heads  erased  S.  Also,  G.  a  chevron  between  3  flours  de  lis 
Arg.  — Pickering,  then  lately  set  up,  as  he  states. 


ONTARIO 


STOW. 

little  hamlet  of  Threckingham  is  bounded  on  tho  west 
by  Mareham  lane,  and  lies  about  half  a  mile  south-west 
of  that  village.  It  once  possessed  a  chapel,  the 
foundations  of  which  now  alone  remain.  Its 
name  is  very  widely  known  in  connection  with 
one  of  the  most  ancient  chartered  fairs  in  the 
kingdom  that  has  been  held  on  Stow  Green 
from  time  immemorial,  and  is  thought  to  have 
commenced  in  commemoration  of  the  famous 
battle  fought  here  between  the  Saxons  of  Lin- 
colnshire and  the  Danish  invaders  of  their  soil. 
This  fair  was  certainly  held  here  before  the 
Conquest,  and  is  mentioned  in  Domesday  book 
as  producing  40s.,  then  received  apparently  by 
Gilbert  de  Gant.  In  the  52nd  year  of  the 
reign  of  Henry  III.  that  king  granted  a  li- 
cence to  the  Prior  and  brethren  of  Sempring- 
ham  Priory  to  hold  this  fair.  "  Tanner's 
Notitia  Monastica."  Formerly  a  horse  fair 
was  held  here  in  the  middle  of  June  and  a 
pleasure  fair  on  the  3rd  and  4th  of  July,  which 
practically  constituted  one  fair  lasting  all 
that  time,  when  toll  was  demanded  of  all  car- 
riages and  carts  coming  to  the  Green ;  but  now 
it  lasts  only  for  two  days,  beginning  on  the 
first  Thursday  in  July.  So  important  was  this 
fair  formerly,  and  attended  by  such  multitudes 
of  persons,  that  certain  officers  were  employed 
at  Folkingham,  Billingborough,  Horbling, 
Threckingham,  and  perhaps  other  places  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Stow,  to  keep  the  peace, 
armed  with  halberts,  a  practice  only  discon- 
tinued between  50  and  60  years  ago,  and  even 
remembered  by  a  few  persons  still  living. 
These  halberts  had  ash  shafts  about  5  feet 
long,  surmounted  by  spear  heads  with  an  axe 


STOW.  525 

head  and  spike  at  the  back  of  this  below,  as  represented  in  the 
accompanying  cut.  Further  reference  to  these  halberts  will  be 
found  in  the  account  of  Folkingham,  p.  510. 

The  greater  part  of  the  land  in  Stow  now  belongs  to  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Heathcote,  but  one  farm  and  a  cottage  are  in  the  hands 
of  the  Crown. 


GENEKAL    INDEX. 

ANCASTER— Roman  stone  coffin  and  camp,  47  ;  military  stone  on  the  Ermine 
Street,  48  and  482  ;  Roman  Ancaster,  469 ;  the  Roman  station,  470  : 
Roman  and  Saxon  remains  found  in  the  Roman  usM.no,  or  burning  place, 
472  ;  Roman  stone  coffin  found  here,  ib.  ;  Leland's  reference  to  Ancaster, 
473>;  treasure  trore,  474  ;  group  of  "Dea?  Matres,"  475":  meeting  of  a 
Society  of  literati  in  1728  under  Stukeley's  superintendence,  479  •  dis- 
covery of  a  Roman  kiln,  480;  bronze  fibula,  483;  Ancaster  not  mentioned 
in  Domesday  book,  ib.  ;  grant  of  the  land  to  Robert  de  Yesci  at  the 
Conquest,  ib.  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  484 ;  the  church,  485 

ANWICK— General  history,  186  ;  the  Drake  Stone,  187  ;  ecclesiastical  history, 
188  ;  list  of  vicars,  190  ;  the  Church,  190. 

APPLEBY — Roman  earthen  vase  and  silver  coins  found,  59. 

ARCHIL— A  royal  Thane,  owner  of  Rauceby  before  the  Conquest,  275 

ARMYN,  William,  Bishop  of  Norwich  and  Chancellor  of  England,  461. 

ASGARBY— General  history,  329  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  ib.  ;  list  of  rectors 
330  ;  the  church,  ib. 

ASHBY-DB-LA-LAUNDE— General  history,  193  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  204  • 
list  of  vicars,  205  ;  the  church,  206. 

ASWARBY— General  history,  333  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  334  ;  list  of  rectors 
335  ;  the  church,  ib. 

ASWARDHURN,  Wapentake  of,  327. 

AUNSBY — General  history,  338  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  339  ;  list  of  rectors  340- 
the  church,  341. 

BARD i,  the  Saxon,  owner  of  Sleaford  before  the  Conquest,  104. 

BARNACK — Discovery  of  Roman  fibula,  urns,  and  coins,  41. 

BASTON — Discovery  of  Roman  coins,  74. 

BECKET,  THOMAS  A,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  a  refugee  in  1164,  at  Haver- 
holme  Priory,  245. 

BELLS — Sleaford,  150  ;  Anwick,  192  ;  Digby,  227 ;  Leasingham,  274  ;  Rus- 
kington,  306  ;  Burton  Pedwardine,  352  ;  Ewerby,  366  ;  Helpringham, 
403  ;  Scot  Willoughby,  458  :  Silk  Willoughby,  467 ;  Ancaster,  487  ; 
Folkingham,  512. 

BERTIE,  SIR  PEREGRINE,  mural  monument  to,  in  Evedon  church,  241. 

BILLINGHAY — Discovery  of  Roman  vases,  79  ;  general  history,  489  ;  British 
canoes  found  here,  ib.  ;  Archbishop  of  York,  owner  of  the  land  after  the 
Conquest,  ib.  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  491  ;  extracts  from  the  parish  books, 
492  ;  list  of  the  vicars,  493  ;  the  church,  494  ;  epitaphs  and  mural  in- 
scriptions, 496. 

BLOXHOLM— General  history,  208  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  210  ;  list  of  rectors, 
211  ;  the  church,  ib. 

BORING  for  coal  at  Quarrington,  427. 

BOUCHIER,  THOMAS — Quaint  epitaph  to  his  memory,  431. 

BOURN — Discovery  of 'a  Roman  entrenchment,  tesselated  pavement,  and 
coins,  36. 

BRAUNCEWELL — General  history,  213  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  215  ;  list  of  the 
rectors,  ib.  ;  the  church,  216. 


GENERAL    INDEX. 

BRITAIN — Early  history,    19  ;    landing  of  Csesar,   20  ;    Celtic  Gauls,    ib.  ; 

Herodiaii's  description,  22  ;  Early  products,  24  ;  climate,  &c.,  26. 
BRITISH  REMAINS — Aswarby  Park,  29  ;    Billinghay  Dales,   29  ;    Honington, 
46  ;   Horsey,  25  ;   Martin,  80  ;   Peterborough,  73  ;    Sleaford,  30  and  40  ; 
South  Kyme,  30. 

BRITONS— Caesar's  description,  21  ;   Herodian's  description,  22  ;    Druids,  23  ; 
Polygamy,  24  ;  habitations,  ib.  ;  canoes  and  boats,  25  ;  funeral  rites,  26. 
BROUGHTON — Discovery  of  Eoman  pottery,  bricks,  and  tiles,  58. 
BRUS,  PETER  DE,  the  King's  bailiff  of  Aswardhurn  and  Flaxwell,  a  great 

oppressor,  459, 

BULLY  WELLS — Discovery  of  a  Eoman  urn,  103. 

BURTON  PEDWARDINE — Remains  of  a  mediaeval  cross,  39 ;  general  history, 
343  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  347  ;  list  of  vicars,  348  ;  the  church,  349. 

BUSSEY — Notes  relative  to  the  family,  378. 

CAR  DYKE — 64 ;  derivation  of  its  name,  65  ;  Bell  Dyke,  why  so  called,  ib.  ; 
probably  formed  by  Roman  soldiers,  about  A.D.  79,  under  Cnseus  Julius 
Agricola,  66  and  67  ;  neglected  under  the  Saxon  rule,  68  ;  first  written 
allusion  to,  69  ;  original  depth  and  width,  ib.  ;  the  western  boundary  of 
the  fens,  ib.  ;  Rennie's  opinion  of  it,  72  ;  Celtic  implements,  &c.,  dis- 
covered at  Peterborough,  73  ;  Roman  coins  at  Peterborough,  ib. ;  ditto  at 
Langtoft,  74 ;  ditto  at  Baston,  ib.  ;  ditto  at  Morton,  75  ;  ditto  at 
Heckington,  76  ;  vase  found  at  Halfpenny  Hatch,  77  ;  Roman  camp,  ib.  ; 
vases  found  at  Billinghay,  79  ;  coins  found  at  Timberland,  80 ;  clay 
moulds  for  coins  found  at  JSTocton,  81. 

CARRES  OF  SLEAFORD,  127  ;  Sir  John  Carre,  temp.  Henry  VI.,  the  immedi- 
diate  ancestor  of  the  Sleaford  family,  ib.  Sir  John  Carre,  of  Hartlepool, 
a  favorite  of  Henry  VIII.,  and  Sheriff  of  Yorkshire,  ib.  George  Carre, 
the  first  of  the  family  who  settled  at  Sleaford,  128.  Robert  Carre,  founder 
of  the  landed  wealth  of  the  family,  ib.  ;  purchased  the  manor  of  Old  Slea- 
ford, the  ancient  castle,  manor  and  great  barony  of  Sleaford,  the  manor 
and  mansion  of  Aswarby  and  Asgarby,  the  manors  of  Rauceby,  Kirkby, 
Digby  and  Brauncewell,  the  manor  and  mansion  of  Dunsby  on  the  Heath, 
large  estates  in  South  Elloe,  and  the  great  possessions  of  the  dissolved 
monasteries  of  Haverholm,  Bourn  and  Louth,  129  ;  contributed  £100 
towards  the  defence  of  the  country  at  the  Spanish  Armada,  130 ;  his 
wives  and  children,  130.  Robert  Carre,  High  Sheriff,  131,  found'er  of 
Sleaford  Grammar  School,  ib. ;  went  as  treasurer  of  the  Army  of  the 
North  to  quell  the  rebellion  against  Queen  Elizabeth,  ib.  Sir  William 
Carre,  131.  Sir  Ed.  Carre,  created  a  baronet  by  James  I,,  131  ;  monu- 
ment in  Sleaford  church,  ib.  ;  his  will,  132.  Sir  Robert  Carre,  second 
baronet,  132  ;  founded  the  Sleaford  hospital,  ib.  :  troubles  of  the  family 
133.  Right  Hon.  Sir  Robert  Carre,  M.P.,  134.  Isabella  Carre,  the  last 
of  her  race,  married  to  John  Hervey,  Esq.,  the  ancestor  of  the  present 
Marquis  of  Bristol,  ib.  Pedigree  of  the  family,  135. 

CASTERTON — Roman  camp,  foundations  of  Roman  buildings,  and  other  dis- 
coveries, 42. 

CATLEY  PRIORY,  497  ;  charter  of  its  foundation,  ib.  ;  the  possessions  of  the 
Priory  at  its  dissolution,  499  ;  its  seal,  ib. 

CAWDRON  Family,  monuments  to  in  Great  Hale  church,  373. 

CAYTHORPE — Discovery  of  Roman  coins  with  other  relics,  47. 

CELTIC  REMAINS  at  Peterborough,  73. 

CONINGSBY — Strange  death  of  the  last  Viscount  at  Culverthorpe,  383. 

CRANWELL — General  history,  217  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  219  ;  list  of  vicars. 
220  ;  the  church,  ib.  * 

CROMWELL — Popular  error  that  Sleaford  castle  was  battered  down  by  him 
disproved,  120. 

CROYLAND  ABBEY  burnt  by  the  Danes,  90. 


GENERAL    INDEX. 

CULVER-THORPE— General  history,' 354;  the  hall,  356. 

DANES — Invasion  by  the,  85  ;  reason  for  this  invasion,  ib.  ;  first  recorded 
Danish  descent,  87  ;  second  descent,  ib.  ;  the  Danish  campaign  in  Lin- 
colnshire, 88  ;  Croyland  Abbey  burnt  by  the  Danes,  90  ;  massacre  of  the 
Danes,  92  ;  invasion  of  Lincolnshire  by  Knut,  ib*  ;  end  of,  the  Danish 
dynasty  in  England,  93  ;_rule  of  Edward  the  Confessor,  94  ;  invasion  of 
the  Danes  under  Tostig  and  Harald,  ib.  ;  invasion  under  Swein,  96  ; 
pillage  of  Peterborough  Abbey,  ib,  ;  last  attack  of  the  Danes,  97  ;  Danish 
remains  at  Lincoln,  98. 

DEMBLEBY — General  history,  357  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  358  ;  list  of  rectors, 
359  ;  the  church,  359. 

DENMARK — An  example  of  the  elevation  of  land,  17. 

DENTON — Discovery  of  a  Roman  villa,  45. 

DIGBH- — General  history,  223  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  224  ;  list  of  vicars,,  225  ; 
the  church,  ib. 

DOGDIKE — General  history,  &01  ;  chapel  formerly  here,  ib.  j  sources  of  its 
endowment,  502. 

DOMESDAY  BOOK — Account  of  the  manor  of  Sleaford,  104  ;  Anwick,  186  ; 
Dunsby,  234  ;  Haverholme,  242  ;  Leasingham,  265  ;  Rowston,  288  ; 
Ruskington,  295  ;  Wsford,  321  ;  Aswarby,  333  ;  Aunsby,  338  ;  Burton 
Pedwardine,  347  ;  Culverthorpe,  354  ;  Dembleby,  357  ;  Ewerby,  360  ; 
Great  Hale,  369  ;  Heckington,  387  ;  Osbournby,  421  ;  Quarrington,  428  ; 
Spanby,  438  ;  Swarby,  442  ;  Silk  Willoughby,  459  ;  Billinghay,  489  ,- 
Folkingham,  504  ;  Threckingham,  515. 

DONINGTON — 32  acres  of  land  here  belonging  to  Osbournby  vicarage,  421. 

DORRINGTON— General  history,  228  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  230  ;  list  of  vicars,, 
ib.  ;  the  church,  231. 

DRAKE  STONE,  Anwick,  187. 

DRUIDS,  the,  23  ;  their  skill,  29. 

DUNSBY — General  history,  234. 

DUNSTON  PILLAR — Its  origin,  3, 

DYMOKE,  SIR  CHAS. — His  monument  in  Howell  church,  409: 

DYSART,  EARL  OF,  lord  of  the  manor  of  Silk  Willoughby,  463. 

EARTHQUAKES  in  Lincolnshire,  16. 

EASTER  SEPULCHRE  at  Heckington,  with  the  mediaeval  office  of  the  sepulchre, 
393. 

EASTON — Discovery  of  a  Roman  camp,  horse's  bit,  and  coins,  44. 

EDWARD  THE  CONFESSOR — His  rule  in  England,  94. 

EPITAPH  on  two  children  formerly  in  Swarby  churchyard,  444, 

ERMINE  STREET,  31 ;  commenced  by  Ostorius  Scapula,  33  ;  Roman  remains 
found  near  it  at  Woodcroft,  35  ;  the  Welland,  36  ;  Wilsthorpe,  ib.  ; 
Bourn,  ib.  ;  Stainfield,  37  ;  Threckingham,  38  ;  Burton,  39  ;  Sleaford, 
40  ;  Ashby,  41  ;  Potterhanworth,  ib.  ;  Barnack,  ib.  ;  Stamford,  42  ; 
Casterton,  ib.  ;  Easton,  44 ;  Great  Ponton,  45  ;  Little  Humby,  ib.  ; 
Denton,  ib.  ;  Grantham,  ib.  ;  Honington,  46  ;  Ancaster,  47  ;  Caythorpe,. 
ib.  ;  milliary  stone,  48  ;  Scampton,  52  ;  Littleborough,  54  ;  Hibaldstow, 
57 ;  Scawby,  ib.  ;  Broughton,  58 ;  Santon,  59;  Appleby,  ib.  ;  Roxbyrib.  ; 
Winterton,  ib.  ;  Horkstow,  61. 

EVEDON— General  history,  236  ;   ecclesiastical  history,  238  ;  will  of  a  pari- 
shioner in  the  10th  century,  ib.  ;  extracts  from  the  old  register  of  the ' 
church,  239  ;  list  of  rectors,  ib.  ;  the  church,  240  ;  monuments,  241. 

EWERBY — General  history,  360  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  361 ;  list  of  incumbents,, 
362  ;  the  church,  363. 

EWERBY  THORPE — General  history,  367. 
FEN  land  described,  4  ;  formation  of  the  soil,  5. 
FITZ-PETEE,  ADAM,  a  benefactor  of  Haverholme,  244, 

MM 


GENERAL  INDEX. 

FLEMYNG,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  116  ;  birth  at  Crofton  in  the  14th  century,  116  ; 
a  student  at  University  College,  Oxford,  ib.  ;  embraced  Wycliffe's  doc- 
trines, ib.  ;  promotion  in  the  church,  ib.  ;  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  ib.  ;  Papal 
Chamberlain,  ib.  ;  founded  Lincoln  College,  Oxford,  117  ;  executed  the 
decree  of  the  Council  of  Constance,  which  ordered  the  exhumation  of 
"Wycliffe's  bones,  ib.  ;  died  at  Sleaford  Castle,  and  buried  in  Lincoln 
Cathedral,  ib.  ;  monument  in  Lincoln  Cathedral,  118. 

FOLKINGHAM — General  history,  505  ;  Folkingham  the  more  correct  way  of 
spelling  this  name  than  Falkingham,  ib.  ;  Ulf,  the  Saxon  lord  before  the 
Conquest,  ib. ;  Gilbert  de  Gant,  possessor  after  the  Conquest,  ib. ;  Folking- 
ham in  old  times,  508  ;  the  water  supply,  509  ;  the  school,  ib. ;  the  fairs, 
ib. ;  a  curious  custom  in  connection  with  Stow  Green  fair,  510  ;  list  of 
incumbents,  ib.  ;  the  castle,  ib.  ;  Leland's  reference  to  the  castle,  511  ; 
the  church,  ib. ;  Holies'  account  of  the  monuments,  513. 

FOLLET,  a  shoemaker  at  Leasingham,  supposed  to  have  been  the  cause  of  the 
disturbance  in  the  house  of  Sir  "William  Yorke,  268. 

GEORGE  III.,  an  anecdote  of,  4. 

GRANTHAM — Discovery  of  Roman  coins  and  other  relics,  45. 

GRAY'S  INN  HALL — A  record  of  Sir  "William  Hussey,  Chief  Justice,  124. 

HALE  MAGNA — General  history,  369  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  371  ;  list  of 
vicars,  ib,  ;  the  church,  ib. 

HALE  PARVA — General  history,  375. 

HALFPENNY  HATCH — Discovery  of  two  Roman  vases,  77. 

HANDBECK — General  history,  325. 

HARBY — Monumental  brass  of  Daniel,  in  Evedon  church,  241. 

HAVERHOLME  PRIORY — Proceeds  of  the  church  of  Old  Sleaford,  possessed  by, 
184  ;  general  history,  242  ;  given  to  the  Cistercians  of  Fountains  Abbey, 
242  ;  reverted  to  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  ib.  ;  given  to  the  Gilbertines, 
ib.  ;  translation,  of  the  charter  of  Bishop  Alexander,  243  ;  Adam  Fitz- 
Peter's  grant  in  favour  of  the  house  at  Haverholme,  244  ;  churches  in  its 
patronage,  245  ;  possessions  of  the  Priory  at  its  dissolution,  246  ;  its 
seal,  247  ;  later  owners  of  Haverholme,  ib.  ;  description  of  the  present 
mansion,  248. 

HAYDOR — General  history,  376  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  380  ;  list  of  incum- 
bents, 381  ;  the  church,  ib. 

HEATH — Description  of,  2  ;  its  dangers,  ib. 

HEBDEN,- Nicholas  de,  of  Gosberton — A  copy  of  his  will,  407. 

HECKINGTON — Discovery  of  Roman  coins,  76  ;  general  history,  384  ;  ecclesi- 
astical history,  387  :  list  of  vicars,  388  ;  the  church,  389. 

HELPRINGHAM — General  history,  397 ;  ecclesiastical  history,  398  ;  list  of 
vicars,  399  ;  the  church,  400  ;  mercer's  tokens,  402. 

HENRY  VIII.,  visit  of  to  Sleaford,  105. 

HIBALDSTOW — Roman  entrenched  camp,  coins,  and  pavements,  57. 

HOLDINGHAM,  180  ;  Richard  de  Haldingham,  ib.  ;  chapel  there,  181. 

HONINGTON — Discovery  of  Roman  coins  and  fragments  of  weapons,  46  ;  the 
British  camp,  479. 

HORKSTOW — Roman  tesselated  pavements,  61. 

HORSMAN,  Sir  Thomas — Monument  in  Burton  church,  351. 

HOWELL — General  history,  406  ;  ecclesiastical  history,  407  ;  list  of  rectors, 
408  ;  the  church,  409. 

HTJMBY,  LITTLE — Discovery  of  Roman  pottery  and  coins,  45. 

HUSSEY — Earliest  mention"  of  the  name  in  connection  with  Sleaford,  123  ; 
Sir  "William  Hussey,  Chief  Justice  of  the  King's  Bench,  123  ;  a  record  of 
him  and  his  wife  in  Gray's  Inn  Hall,  124  ;  John  Hussey,  Sheriff  of  Lin- 
colnshire, ib.  ;  attended  Henry  VIII.  at  the  Field  of  the  Cloth  of  Gold, 
ib.  ;  created  Baron  Hussey  of  Sleaford,  ib.  ;  rebellion  in  Lincolnshire 


GENEEAL    INDEX. 

through  the  suppression  of  monasteries,  125  ;  letter  of  Lord  Hussey,  ib.  ; 

joins  the  rebellion  in  the  North,   126  ;    beheaded  at  Lincoln  for  high 

treason,  126. 
JOHN,  King  of  England — Visits  Sleaford  Castle,   108  ;   his  catastrophe  in  the 

Wash,  109  ;  illness  at  Lynn,  110  ;  removal  to  Swineshead,  110  ;  incredi- 
bility of  the  story  that"  he  was  poisoned  at  Swineshead,   111  ;  bled  at 

Sleaford,   113;    journey  to  Newark,  ib.  ;    death  there,   114;    burial  at 

Worcester,  115. 

KELBY — General  history,  412  ;  the  church,  413. 
KIRKBY  LAYTHORPE — Discovery  of  Koman  coins,  76  ;  general  history,  414  ; 

list  of  incumbents,  417  ;  the  church,  ib. 
KYME,  NORTH — Roman  camp,  77  ;  general  history,  263.    . 
,,       SOUTH — General  history,  249  ;  the  Umfravilles,  how  the  manor  became 

theirs,  251 ;  the  castle,  254  ;  the  Priory,  256  ;  rent  roll  of  the  Augus- 

tines,  ib.  ;  perpetual  curates,  259  ;  the  church,  ib. 
LANGTOFT — Discovery  of  Roman  coins,  74. 
LAUGHTON — General  history,  514. 
LAWSUIT  between  Thomas  de  la  Launde,  of  Ashby,  and  the  Knights  Templars 

of  Temple  Bruer,  196. 

LEASINGHAM — General  history,  265  ;   ecclesiastical  history,  269  ;   list  of  in- 
cumbents, 270  ;  the  church,  271. 
LELAND— Reference  to  Sleaford,  105  ;    Sleaford  Castle,  120  ;    Temple  Bruer, 

316  ;  Haydor,  377  ;  Ancaster,  473 ;  Folkingham,  511. 
LINCOLN — Discovery  of  a  Danish  comb  case,  98. 
LINCOLNSHIRE — On  the  arrival  of  the  Romans,  27 ;   invaded  by  Knut,  the 

Dane,  92  ;    number  of  places  having  the  Scandinavian  terminal  "by," 

98  ;  number  in  the  Wapentakes  of  Flaxwell  and  Aswardhurn,  ib. 
LITTLEBOROUGH — Roman  ford  over  the  Trent,  discoveries  of  urns,  coins,  altars, 

and  many  curious  relics,  54. 

MAREHAM — General  history,  353  ;  Mareham  lane,  why  so  called,  39  and  353. 
MONUMENTS  in  Sleaford  church,  155-62  ;  Anwick,  192  ;  Ashby-de-la-Launde, 

207  ;   Dorrington,  233  ;   Evedon,  241  ;   Kyme,  260  ;    Leasingham,  273  ; 

North  Rauceby,  282-5  ;    Asgarby,  331  ;  Aswarby,  337  ;  Aunsby,  341  ; 

Burton  Pedwardine,  350  ;  Ewerby,  364  ;  Great  Hale,  374  ;  Haydor,  383  ; 

Heckington,  395  ;   Helpringham,  402  ;    Howell,  409  :    Osbournby,  424  ; 

Quarrington,    431 ;    Scredington,    436 ;    Spanby,    441  ;    Swarby,    444 ; 

Swaton,  451  ;  Welby,  455 ;  Silk  Willoughby,  4J37 ;  Billinghay,  496. 
MORTON — Discovery  of  Roman  coins,  75. 
NEWARK — Death  of  King  John,  114. 
NEWLOVE,  Anthony,  a  mercer  of  Helpringham,  his  monument  in  the  church, 

402. 

NOCTON — Discovery  of  clay  moulds  for  Roman  coins,  81. 
OSBOURNBY — General  history,  419  ;    ecclesiastical  history,  421 ;    the  church, 

422. 
PETERBOROUGH — Discoveries  of  Celtic  implements  and  Roman  coins,  73  ; 

pillage  of  the  abbey  by  the  Danes,  96. 

PONTON,  GREAT — Roman  vaults,  pavements,  etc.,  found  here,  45. 
POTTERHANWORTH — Roman  pottery  found  here,  41. 
PUGH,   Rev.  John,  vicar  of  Rauceby,   one  of  the  founders  of  the  Church 

Missionary  Society,  284. 
QUAKER  Controversy  at  Sleaford,  138. 
QUARRTNGTON — Description  and  cuts  of  Saxon  remains  found  in  a  Saxon 

cemetery  there,   99  ;    general  history,   426  ;    ecclesiastical  history,   428  ; 

the  church,  430. 
RAUCEBY,  NORTH — General  history,  275  ;   ecclesiastical  history,  278  :   list  of 

vicars,  279  ;  the  church,  281. 


GENERAL    INDEX. 

RAUCEBY,  SOUTH — General  history,  287. 

ROMAN  REMAINS,  30  ;  Ermine  Street,  31  ;  Car  Dyke,  64  ;  Ancaster,  47  ; 
Appleby,  59  ;  Asliby,  41  ;  Barnack,  41  ;  Baston,  74  ;  Billinghay,  79  ; 
Bourn,  36  ;  Broughton,  58  ;  Bully  Wells,  103 ;  Burton,  39  ;  Casterton, 
42;  Caythorpe,  47;  Denton,  45  ;  Easton,  44;  Grantham,  46  ;  Halfpenny 
Hatch,  77  ;  Heckington,  76  ;  Hibaldstow,  57  ;  Honington,  46  ;  Hork- 
stow,  61 ;  Little  Humby,  45  ;  Kirkby  Laythorpe,  76  ;  Langtoft,  74 ; 
Llttleborough,  54  ;  Morton,  75  ;  Nocton,  81  ;  Peterborough,  73  ;  -Pot- 
terhanworth,  41  ;  Great  Ponton,  45  ;  Eoxby,  59  ,  Santon,  ib.  ;  Scamp- 
ton,  52  ;  Scawby,  57  ;  Sleaford,  40  and  103 ;  Southorpe,  41  :  Stainfield, 
37  :  Stamford,  42  :  Threckingham,  38  :  Timberland,  80  :  the  Welland, 
36  :  Wilsthorpe,  ib. :  Winterton,  59  :  Woodcroft,  35. 

ROWSTON-.  General  history,  288  :  ecclesiastical  history,  289  :  list  of  vicars, 
ib.  :  the  church,  290. 

EOXBY— Discovery  of  Roman  tesselated  pavements,  roof  tiles,  and  coins,  59. 

ROXHOLM — General  history,  293  :  ecclesiastical  history,  294. 

R-USKINGTON — General  history,  295  :  ecclesiastical  history,  302  :  list  of  rectors, 
303  :  list  of  vicars,  ib.  :  the  church,  ib. 

SAXONS — Invasion  by  the,  82  :  Christianity  embraced  by  them,  84. 

SAXON  REMAINS — At  Ancaster,  472  :   Kirkby  Laythorpe,  416  :   Quarrington, 

99  :  Ruskington,  295  :  Sleaford,  100. 

SCREDINGTON — General  history,  433  :  ecclesiastical  history,  435  :  the  church, 
ib. 

SEMPRINGHAM — Birthplace  of  Gilbert  de  Sempringham,  founder  of  the  Monas- 
tic Order  of  Gilbertines,  38. 

SLEAFORD  CASTLE — Discovery  of  Roman  coins,  103  :  seized  by  the  Crown  on 
account  of  the  treason  of  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  in  the  reign  of  Edward 
II.,  105  :  restored  to  the  See,  ib.  :  held  by  its  Bishops  until  the  middle 
of  the  16th  century,  ib.  :  council  of  Henry  VIII.,  106  :  manor  and 
castle  alienated  to  the  Duke  of  Somerset,  107  :  exchange  of  the  castle 
with  Edward  VI.,  ib.  :  erected  by  Alexander,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  ib.  : 
strength  of  its  water  defences,  ib.  :  not  at  all  inferior  to  Newark 
castle,  ib.  :  plan  of  the  castle,  108  :  its  seizure  by  Stephen,  ib.  :  visit  of 
John,  ib,  :  death  of  Bishop  Flemyng  here,  117  :  its  reparation  by  Bishop 
Alnwick,  118  :  how  it  and  the  manor  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Duke 
of  Somerse^,  in  the  reign  of  Edward  VI.,  ib.  :  granted  by  Queen 
Mary  to  the  Earl  of  Lincoln  and  Nottingham,  ib.  :  sold  by  him  to 
Robert  Carre  in  1559,  ib.  :  Leland's  reference  to  it,  120  :  the  Duke  of 
Somerset,  the  demolisher  of  the  castle,  ib.  :  the  popular  error  that  Crom- 
well battered  down  the  castle  disproved,  ib.  :  its  remains  in  1720,  ib.  : 
the  sole  present  relic  of  its  past  grandeur,  121  :  one  of  its  keys,  ib. 

SLEAFORD,  NEW — Roman  coins  and  pottery  discovered,  40  :  British  celt,  30 
and  40  :  description  and  cuts  of  Saxon  relics  found  in  a  Saxon  cemetery, 

100  :  general  history,  102  :  first  mention  of  Old  and  New  Sleaford,  103  : 
Roman  occupation  of,  ib.  :    settlement  of  Angles  at,  ib.  :    first  recorded 
name,  ib.  :  Bardi,  the  Saxon,  owner  of  the  land  before  the  Conquest,  104: 
Remigius,   Bishop  of  Lincoln,  the  lord  of  the  manor  after  the  Conquest, 
ib.  :    Domesday  book  account  of  the  land,  ib.  :  Bishop  of  Lincoln  lord  of 
the  manor  in  the  reign  of  Henry  III,  ib.  :  Oliver  Sutton,  Bishop  of  Lin- 
coln, the  holder  of  the  manor  in  the  reign  of  Edward  I.,  ib.  :  first  member 
of  the  Carre  family  residing  at  Sleaford,  105  :  visit  of  Henry  VIII.,  ib.  : 
Leland's  reference  to,  ib. :  valuation  of  the  Bishop's  manor  of  Sleaford,  106 : 
the  castle,  107  :    guilds  at  Sleaford,  121  :    explanation  of  these,  ib.  :    an 
existing  account  book  of  the  Holy  Trinity  guild,  122  :  tradesmen's  tokens, 
137:    Quaker  controversy,  138  :    ecclesiastical  history,  140  :    list  of  pre- 
bendaries, 142  :    list  of  vicars,  144  :    register  of  the  parish  church,  145  : 


GENEBAL    INDEX. 

list  of  articles  belonging  to  the  church,  146  :  description  of  the  church, 
147  :  the  bells,  150  :  chantries,  152  :  reredos,  154  :  monuments,  155  : 
ditto  of  the  Carre  family,  156  :  painted  glass,  163  :  lectern,  164  :  old 
chests,  165  :  old  books,  ib.  :  the  churchyard,  166  :  the  cemetery,  167  : 
the  Wesleyan  chapel,  ib.  :  Congregational  chapel,  168  :  Baptist  chapel, 
ib.  :  Primitive  Methodist  chapel,  ib.  :  Wesleyan  Reform  chapel,  169  : 
Handley  monument,  ib.  :  Market-place,  ib. ,  Sessions-house,  171  :  Corn- 
exchange,  ib.  :  Grammar  School,  172  :  list  of  masters  of  ditto.  173  : 
Alvey's  School,  ib.  :  Infant  School,  174 :  Wesleyan  Schools,  ib.  :  Carre's 
hospital,  174  :  the  Vicarage,  176  :  old  houses,  ib.  :  charitable  bequests, 
177  :  railway  from  Sleaford  to  Grantham,  178. 

SLEAFORD,  OLD— Purchase  of  by  Robert  Carre  after  Lord  Hussey's  attainder, 
126  :  general  history,  182  :  the  Old  Place,  183  :  ecclesiastical  history,  184. 

SLEA,  the  river,  102  :  settlement  of  the  Britons  on  its  bank,  103  :  Roman  urn 
found  at  Bully  Wells,  ib. 

SOUTHORPE — Roman  coins  and  pottery,  41. 

SPANBY — General  history,  438  :  ecclesiastical  history,  439  ;  the  church,  ib. 

STAINFIELD — Roman  pottery  and  coins  found  here,  37. 

STAMFORD — Roman  stone  coffin  and  pavement  found  here,  42, 

STOW — General  history,  524  :  the  antiquity  of  the  fair,  ib. 

STYRLAY,  WM.,  vicar  of  Rauceby,  279  :  his  brass,  283. 

SUBMARINE  FOREST  on  the  Lincolnshire  coast,  10  :  causes  of  submersion  con- 
sidered, 11  :  examples  of  submarine  forests  elsewhere,  13  :  the  subsidence 
of  the  earth's  crust  the  only  satisfactory  reason  for  submersion,  14-17  : 
examples  of  subsidence,  14. 

SUDBROOK — General  history,  488. 

SWARBY — General  history,  442  :  ecclesiastical  history,  443  :  the  church,  444. 

SWATON — General  history,  445  :  ecclesiastical  history,  447  :   the  church,  449. 

SWINESHEAD — King  John's  stay  at  the  Abbey,  110  :  incredibility  of  the  story 
that  he  was  poisoned  there,  111. 

TEMPLARS — A  sketch  of  their  rise,  progress  and  decay,  307. 

TEMPLE  BRTJER — General  history,  307:  list  of  commanders  of  the  Temple,  315. 

THORPE  LATIMER — General  history,  404. 

THOROLD  family,  lords  of  the  manor  at  Cranwell,  218. 

THRECKINOHAM — Discovery  of  Roman  coins,  38  :  general  history,  515  :  origin 

•    of  its  name,  ib.  :  Domesday  book  account  of  its  owners,  ib.  :  the  Treking- 

ham  family  lords  of  the  manor  in  the  14th  century,  516  :    ecclesiastical 

history,  517  :    list  of  vicars,  518  :    the  church,  519  :    monuments  in  the 

church,  522. 

TIMBERLAND — Roman  coins  found  there,  80. 

TRADESMEN'S  TOKENS — Sleaford,  137  :  Helpringham,  402. 

TRENT  VALLEY — Its  formation,  8. 

WALCOT — General  history,  503  :  British  remains  found  there,  ib.  :  the  old 
chapel,  504. 

WATERLOO — The  colours  of  the  30th  Foot,  used  in  that  battle,  now  in  Blox- 
holm  church,  212. 

WELBY — General  history,  452  :  ecclesiastical  history,  453  :  the  church,  454. 

WELLAND,  the — Roman  swords,  coins,  &c. ,  found,  36, 

WHICHCOTE,  the  family  of,  334. 

WILL  of  the  first  half  of  the  16th  century,  connected  with  Anwick,  189. 

WILLOUGHBY,  SCOT — General  history,  456  :  ecclesiastical  history,  457  :  the 
church,  458. 

WILLOUGHBY.  SILK — General  history.  459  :  mediaeval  cross,  463  :  ecclesias- 
tical history,  464  :  the  church,  ib. 

WILLOUGHBY.  WEST,  488. 

WILSFORD — General  history,  320  :  ecclesiastical  history,  321  :  list  of  rectors, 
322  :  the  church,  ib. 


GENEEAL    INDEX. 

WILSTHORPE — Roman  coins  found  here,  36. 

WINTERTON — Discovery  of  Roman  tesselated  pavements,  brass  eagle,  spear 

head,  pottery,  coins,  and  a  potter's  kiln,  60. 
WITCHCRAFT,  supposed  to  have  been  exhibited  in  the  house  of  Sir  Win.  York, 

at  Leasingham,  in  1679,  267. 
WOODCROFT — Discovery  of  a  Roman  rooftile,  35. 
WORCESTER — Burial  of  King  John  in  the  cathedral,  115. 
YOUNG,  Henry,  a  humble  benefactor  of  the  Digby  poor,  224. 


WILLIAM    FAWCETT,  PRINTER,   SLEAFORD. 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  TORONTO  LIBRARY 


DA  Trollope,  Edward 

690  Sleaford  and  the  wapen- 

S62T?6       takes  of  Flaxwell  and 

Aswardhurn  in  the  county  of 

Lincoln: