Page:A History of Horncastle from the Earliest Period to the Present Time.djvu/210

Rh manor is now the property of Sir H. M. Hawley, Bart., of Tumby Lawn, in the adjoining parish of Kirkby; W. H. Trafford, Esq., owning the remainder, except 150 acres of glebe.

The benefice was united to that of Roughton in 1741, the two being now of the yearly value of £450, and held by the Rev. H. Spurrier. The patron is the rector's eldest son, the Rev. H. C. M. Spurrier. There is an award and map of Haltham and Roughton, of date 17751775. [sic] A village feast is held on St. Benedict's Day (March 21), he being the patron saint of the church.

There are some peculiar field names; as the Far, Middle, and Near Redlands, arable; the Top and Lower Brock-holes (brock meaning a badger), arable; the Black Sands, pasture; the Top and Low Malingars, arable; the East, West, and South High Rimes, arable; the Pingle, meadow; the Croft, pasture; the Oaks, pasture; Wood Close Meadow, the Old Cow Pasture.

The register dates from 1561, and contains an entry for the year 1684: "This yeare plague in Haltham." There is a charity, the interest of £5, left by John Dymoke, Esq., of Haltham, who in 1634 is named among the Heralds' List of Gentry, for yearly distribution by the overseers among the poor. The children attend the school at Roughton.

The church is one of the most interesting in the neighbourhood. The chancel was restored and an open roof put up in 1881, at a cost of £250. The nave was restored in 1891, at a cost of £300. The sanctuary was paved with Minton tiles by the late Lady Dymoke. The most remarkable feature is a semi-circular tympanum over the door in the south porch, which is of early Norman, or possibly Saxon date. It has sculptured on it in somewhat rude fashion a Maltese cross within a circle, a second circle running through the limbs of the cross, a square with three-quarter, circles at its corners, and semi-circles midway of each side, which form the extremities of another cross, and between the limbs are roundels. Below is a figure resembling a fish, also four rows of triangles, and other complicated devices. The east window is a very fine flamboyant one, of date about 1350. Some of the sittings have very old rudely-carved poppy heads of oak,oak. [sic] There are very fine carved oak canopies over two long pews in the north aisle, for the Champion Dymokes and their servants. There is a piscina with two fronts in the south wall of the chancel, and a series of three stone sedilia, in the north wall is an aumbrey. There is an incised slab to one of the Dymokes. The tower has three bells, and the bell chamber is closed by ancient boarding, on which are the ten commandments in old characters, and very curious Royal Arms of Charles I. The church plate consists of pewter paten, silver flagon and chalice, with date 1764, given by Mr. John Dickinson.

In the village there is an old hostel, partly of the Tudor style, with pointed gable ends, projecting upper storey, and constructed externally of brick and woodwork.

As to the early history of this parish little is definitely known. According to Domesday Book it was among the possessions of the Conqueror, and his steward, Robert Dispenser, held it under him. Probably like other parishes in the soke of Horncastle, the manor was held by Gerbald d' Escald, his grandson Gerard de Rhodes, his son Ralph de Rhodes, sold by him to the Bishop of Carlisle, &c. Of the ownership of Ralph de Rhodes we have evidence in a Feet of Fines, Lincoln, 9 Henry III., No. 52, containing an agreement between