FROM the silence of the Domesday Book respecting a church at this place,
it may be concluded that there was not one erected when that survey was
made; there however appears to have been one in the reign of Richard the
first. {26a}
[Picture: North-East View of Horncastle Church]
The present structure, which is dedicated to Saint Mary, stands in the
centre of the town, and possesses but few attractions for the antiquary
or the architect. It consists of a square tower, a nave and chancel,
with north and south aisles. Being for the most part built with the soft
and imperfectly aggregated sand-stone of the neighbourhood, which yields
easily to the moisture of the atmosphere, it has suffered much from the
effects of time; and the decayed parts being repaired with brick, gives
to the building a motley and unprepossessing appearance.
The few portions of the original architecture which have escaped the
silent ravages of years and the hands of the innovator, bespeak the
building of no higher antiquity than the period of Henry the seventh.
The aisle on the north side of the chancel is ornamented with
embattlements, on which quatrefoils and blank shields are sculptured. It
was probably used as a chantry, one of the windows having formerly
contained an inscription justifying such a supposition. {26b} This aisle
does not extend the whole length of the chancel, and in the space so
left, the remains of an oratory and confessional are still visible; this
space formerly appropriated as a depository for coals to distribute among
the poor, is now occupied by a building to contain the fire engines; a
corresponding part of the south aisle being used as a vestry. The aisle
on the south side of the chancel was rebuilt in 1820; but the original
windows were restored and again inserted. Part of the aisle on the south
of the nave was rebuilt in the following year.
The interior of the church is remarkably neat and well pewed. A gallery
at the west end of the nave contains an organ which was purchased by
subscription in 1810. Galleries are also erected in each aisle of the
nave.
In the wall of the north aisle is a stone, containing the figure in brass
of Sir Lionel Dymoke, in armour, kneeling on a cushion, and holding in
his hand a label, on which is written, in black letter,
“Sc’ta trinitas unus deus miserere nob.”
On each side of him are two shields containing arms, at one of the lower
corners are the figures of his two sons, and at the other those of his
three daughters, and under him this inscription in black letter:
“In honore sc’te et individue trinitatis Orate p’ a’ia Leonis Dymoke
milit’ q’ obijt xvij die me’se augusti aº D’ni mº ccccc xix cuj’ a’ie
p’piciet’ de’ Amen.”
The shields contain these arms:—1. DYMOKE, sable, two lions passant
argent in pale, ducally crowned or; empaling WATERTON, Barry of six
ermine and gules, three crescents sable; a crescent for difference. 2.
DYMOKE; empaling MARMYON, Vairè, on a fesse gules frettè or; in chief,
HEBDEN, Ermine, five fusils in fess; a crescent for difference. 3.
Argent, a sword erect azure, hilt and pomel gules. {27a} 4. DYMOKE;
empaling HAYDON, Quarterly gules and argent, a cross engrailed
counterchanged; a crescent for difference.
On the floor beneath this monument is a brass, on which is the following
inscription in black letter, nearly obliterated:
“Leonis fossa nunc haec Dymoke capit ossa
Miles erat Regis cui parce Deus prece matris
Es testis Christe quod non jacet hic lapis iste
Corpus ut ornetur sed spiritus ut memoretur
Hinc tu qui transis senex medius puer an sis
Pro me funde preces quia sic mihi fit venie spes.” {27b}
[Picture: Monument of Sir Lionel Dymoke]
On the floor of the vestry is a stone, with this inscription, in black
letter, around the verge:
“Here lyeth the Boyddes of Thomas Raithbeck & Ame his wyf ye founders
of the Beidhous Departed thys world in ye fayth of Christ ye last day
of October in ye yere or lord mdlxxv.”
On the wall over the door of the vestry is a shield containing three
storks proper, on an azure field; the crest a stork; and under the arms
this inscription:
“Sacred to the Memory of the Rev. Mr. THO: GIBSON, A.M. Forty four
years Vicar of this Parish. He liv’d in such times when Truth to the
Church, and Loyalty to the King, met with Punishment due only to the
Worst of Crimes. He was by the Rebellious Powers carried away
Prisoner, four times, from his congregation, once exchanged into the
Garrison of Newark, for a Dissenting Teacher: afterwards Sequester’d,
and his family driven out by the then Earl of Manchester. He
survived the Restoration, and was brought back at the head of several
hundreds of his Friends, and made a Prebendary in the Cathedral
Church of Lincoln. As his Enemies never forgave his Zeal to the
Church and Crown: so nothing but the height of Christian Charity
could forgive the insults he met with from them. He Died April the
22d, 1678.”
Against the wall on the south side of the chancel is a lozenge shaped
piece of canvas, on which are painted these arms: Argent, two bars sable,
each charged with three mullets of six points or, pierced gules; and
under them the following inscription:
“Here lieth the worthy and memorable Kt. Sir INGRAM HOPTON, who paid
his debt to nature and duty to his King and Country in the attempt of
seizing the Arch-rebel in the bloody skirmish near Winceby, October
the 6th, A.D. 1643. {29}
“—nec tumultum
Nec mori per vim metuit, tenente
Cæsare terras.
“Paulum sepultæ distat inertiæ
Celata virtus.”
On a stone in the floor of the chancel is this inscription, in capital
letters:
“M. S.
THOMÆ LODINGTON, LL. D.
Qui Vicarii jure usus
Sacra apud Paganos de Horncastle
De More Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ
Annos perpetuos XLV peregit
Annorumque LXXIII Curriculo
Confecto Morti cessit
Mar. XXI A.D. MDCCXXIII.
Posuit Pientissima Conjux
Prudentia Lodington.”
Beside the sepulchral memorials already detailed, are a number of others
on the floor, and a few of recent date, on marble tablets, against the
walls.
At the end of the north aisle of the chancel, is the following table:
The BENEFACTORS to the CHURCH and POOR of this Town, the Clauses of
whose Wills may be seen at large in a Book in the Town Chest. Note
these Tables were erected 1724.
WILLIAM EVERITT and JOSEPH BROWN Churchwardens.
Anno 1611, October. Mr. Robert Clark of Woodhall gave to the Poor of
this town . . . Shillings a year, to be paid to vicar on St
Thomas’s, and by him to be distributed every Christmas-day for ever,
out of his lands in Thimbleby, now belonging to John Hutchinson,
Gent.
Mrs Ann Smith gave to the poor of Horncastle twenty shillings a year
out of her lands there, now in the possession of Mr. Thomas Coats: it
is given in brown bread every Good Friday.
George Acham of Asterby, Gent. gave also one hundred and forty
pounds, to purchase lands, the rents thereof to be disposed off
yearly to the poor of Horncastle, at the discretion of the governors
of the free-school (for the time being,) which lands are in the
parish of Burgh in the Marsh.
Anno 1629 May the 2d. Mr. William Hurtscroft gave one house the
yearly rent of fifty-two shillings; to be given weekly (viz.) twelve
pence in bread every Lord’s day to poor fatherless and motherless
children in Horncastle, by the Overseers for the poor; the said house
now in the possession of widow Scamon.
The same year. Andrew Kent, gent. gave six pounds thirteen shillings
and fourpence, to be a stock for the poor of Horncastle, which is
applied accordingly in coals for their use.
Anno 1661, June the 6th. Thomas Bromley of Conesby gent, left to the
poor of this town forty shillings per annum (viz.) twenty shillings
every good Friday, and twenty every St. Thomas’s day, to be paid out
of his lands in Haltham super Bane; now the said lands belong to
Thomas Hammerton gent.
Rutland Snowden, gent. gave to the poor of Horncastle one house of
the yearly rent of twenty-six shillings; but being decayed is now
reduced to thirteen, paid in bread sixpence every other Sunday: the
said house belongs now to Mr. William Dawson.
Anno 1673, December the 5th. Thomas James, gent. gave to the poor of
Horncastle twenty shillings yearly in white bread on every Christmas
day for ever payable out of his lands there, which lands are now the
estate of Thomas Howgrave, Esquire.
Anno 1702, December the 20th. Captain John Francis gave two chaldern
of coals yearly to be given to the poor, appointed by the governors
of the school, out of lands in this town now the Rev. Mr. John
Francis’s of Sibsey.
Anno 1703, December the 14th. Mrs Douglass Tyrwhitt of Gaiton on the
would gave ten shillings yearly to the poor of Horncastle on St.
Thomas’s day, out of her lands in Belshford, now the lands of Joseph
Sutton of the same.
Anno 1696, May the 26th. Nicholas Shipley, gent. gave to this church
one brass candlestick of twenty-four sockets, and Fox’s three books
of martyrs. He gave also to the poor five pounds, which was
immediately given amongst them, and thirty shillings yearly for ever,
(viz.) twenty on St. Thomas’s day, and ten every good Friday, in
brown bread, to be paid out of his lands adjoining to this church
yard, now purchased by Mr. Thomas Hammerton. He gave also to the
governors of the school one hundred pounds the interest thereof to
put out poor boys apprentices to trades; but their then treasurer
dying insolvent, that money was lost. We mention this here because
this misfortune doth not lessen the charity of that well disposed
gentleman.
Anno 1719. Mrs. Mary Hussey, widdow, gave one silver plate to the
communion table for ever.
Anno 1721. Mrs. Dorothy Parker of Boston, gave to this church one
brass candlestick of sixteen sockits, and to the poor widdows and
widdowers of this town she gave sixty pounds, the interest or rents
thereof to be given amongst them on St. John’s day, in Christmas, and
St. James’s in July, yearly for ever.
Anno 1724. Mrs Mary Waters, widdow, gave to the overseers of the
poor, five pounds, to be by them put out at interest, and the said
interest to be given to the poor yearly on Christmas day for ever.
Against the wall over the north entrance are several scythes and hay
knives, some of which are yet remaining in the shafts to which they have
been affixed, in order to render them instruments of warfare. The
occasion for which they were so prepared is unknown, the traditionary
accounts of them being both vague and contradictory.
In the steeple are six bells, bearing the following inscriptions in
capital letters: