Page:A History of Horncastle from the Earliest Period to the Present Time.djvu/223

204 The owners of over 50 acres are Lord Willoughby de Eresby, M.P., Lord of the Manor; Sir H. M. Hawley, Bart., J.P.; F. Sherwin; J. Rodgers; J. Burcham Rogers, J.P.; Mrs. Evison; the rector, Rev. Canon A. Wright, M.A., J. P., Rural Dean and Canon of Lincoln. Smaller owners, about 50. The only gentleman's seat now existing is the hall, the residence of J. B. Rogers, Esq., J.P.

The old custom of ringing the pancake bell on Shrove Tuesday is still kept up. The annual feast is held in the week after St. Michael's Day, the patron saint. The "Ignitegium," or curfew, was rung within the last 35 years, but has been discontinued, the parish being now lighted by gas.

There are a few field names, indicating the former "woodland and waste" character of the locality. The Ings, or meadows, so common throughout the district; Oatlands; Scrub Hill, scrub being an old Lincolnshire word for a small wood; Reedham, referring to the morass; Toothill, probably a "look-out" over the waste; Langworth, probably a corruption of lang-wath, the long ford; Troy Wood, may be British, corresponding to the Welsh caertroi, a labyrinth or fort of mounds. The hamlets are Dogdyke, a corruption of Dock-dyke (the sea having once extended to these parts); Hawthorn Hill, Scrub Hill. There is an enclosure award in the possession of the clerk of the Parish Council.

The parish register dates from 1561. The church plate is modern, chalice and paten dated 1870; the flagon is older and more massive, but has no date. The Earl of Ancaster is patron of the benefice, a rectory, with good house, enlarged about 30 years ago, and 500 acres of glebe.

The National School was built by subscription and government grant in 1836, at a cost of about £230, exclusive of the site, which was given by the late Sir Gilbert Heathcote. It was enlarged in 1875 at a cost of £300. The master has £3 per annum, left by the Rev. R. Kelham in 1719, also the dividend of £100 3½ per cent. reduced consols, bought by the bequest of the Rev Mr. Boawre, Rector, in 1784.

The charities are Banks, viz. £2 a year from land in Haltham, for bread for the poor; Metham's, for poor widows, from houses and land in Wisbech, left by Geo. Metham in 1685; Lawrence's, for coats for poor men, from land in Leake, left by Robt. Lawrence in 1721.

The Horncastle canal traverses the parish, but is now a derelict.

There was formerly a castle in this parish, the residence of a family of the name of Coningsby, but no traces of it remain, unless it be in an ancient dovecote, placed among some fine trees to the east of the village.

The church, dedicated to St. Michael, is a large, and originally a fine, church, consisting of nave, with north and south aisles, an apsidal modern chancel, and a massive western tower. This latter is of Perpendicular date, very plain, but of excellent ashlar work; it has a clock and six bells. The ground stage has open arches to the north and south, with a groined roof above, and a thoroughfare through it. In the eastern wall of the south porch is a stoup, which was formerly open, both within the porch and outside it. Over the porch is a parvis or priest's chamber. Outside the church, near the top of the wall of a cupola-shaped finial of the rood loft turret is an old sun dial. The interior of the nave has a massive heavy roof of beams somewhat rudely cut, with traces of former colouring.

The four western bays of the arcade are Early English, with low arches,