Page:A History of Horncastle from the Earliest Period to the Present Time.djvu/208

Rh roads meet in the middle of the village, one from Horncastle, one to Woodhall Spa and Kirkstead, one to Kirkby-on-Bain, Coningsby and Tattershall.

Sir Henry Hawley, Bart., of Tumby Lawn, in the adjoining parish of Kirkby, is Lord of the Manor, but Lady Hartwell (daughter of the late Sir Henry Dymoke, the King's Champion), and the executors of the Clinton family (now Clinton Baker) and the Rector own most of the soil; there being a few small proprietors. Roughton Hall, the property of Lady Hartwell, is occupied by F. G. Hayward, Esq.

The register dates from 1564. Peculiar entries are those of 43 burials for the years 1631-2, including those of the Rector and his two daughters, who died within a few days of each other; this was from the visitation called "The Plague," or the "Black Death." For some years before 1657 only civil marriages were valid in law, and Judge Filkin is named in the register as marrying the Rector of Roughton, John Barcroft, to Ann Coulen. In 1707 Mary Would is named as overseer of the parish, it being very unusual at that period for women to hold office. Another entry, in the overseer's book, needs an explanation. "Simon Grant, for 1 day's work of bages, 2s. 6d.;" and again, "Simon flint, for 1 day's work of bages, 2s. 6d." "Bage" was the turf, cut for burning; in this case being cut from the "church moor," for the church fire. It was severe labour, often producing rupture of the labourer's body, hence the high pay.

There is a charity named the "Chamerlayne Dole," of 10s., given yearly to the poor, left by Martha Chamerlayn in 1702. It is a charge upon a cottage and garden owned by Mr. T. Jackson, of Horncastle.

The National School was established about 1860, in a building erected in 1834 as a Wesleyan Chapel. It was enlarged in 1872 and 1879. It is supported by a voluntary rate.

The Church, St. Margaret's, is of no architectural beauty, being built of brick and sandstone,. [sic] It consists of nave and chancel, with castellated tower, having one bell, also castellated parapets at the north and south corners of the east chancel wall. The font is Norman, circular, with circular pediment, having an old oak octagonal cover, cupola shaped, plain except slight carving round the rim. The fabric was newly roofed in 1870, when it was fitted with good open benches, the chancel paved with encaustic tiles, and the windows partly filled with stained glass; there are fragments of a former carved rood screen, the pulpit being of plain old oak.

In the chancel is a lengthy inscription, commemorative of Norreys Fynes, Esq., of Whitehall, in the adjoining parish of Martin. He was grandson of Sir Henry Clinton, eldest son of Henry, Earl of Lincoln, by his second wife, daughter of Sir Richard Morrison, and mother of Francis, Lord Norreys, afterwards Earl of Berkshire. He was a non-juror. He died January 10th, 1735-6 aged 74. There is a murial tablet to the memory of the Rev. Arthur Rockliffe, who died in 1798; another to Charles Pilkington, Esq., who died in 1798, and Abigail, his wife, who died in 1817.

The benefice is a discharged rectory, united to that of Haltham in 1741, and now held by the Rev. H. Spurrier, the patron being his son the Rev. H. C. M. Spurrier. The two benefices together are valued at £450 a year. There is a good rectory house. The church plate is modern. The village feast was discontinued about 50 years ago.

Peculiar field names are the Low Ings, Bottom Slabs, Carr Bottom,