THE Author of this volume has for several years past been induced from a
partiality to topographical research, to devote those hours which he
could spare from his professional avocations to an enquiry into the early
history of the town and neighbourhood of Horncastle. The following pages
are the result of his labors, and he would have been glad to have laid
them before the public in a more perfect form; but from the difficulties
which he has had to encounter with in pursuing an untrodden path, he has
been enabled only to give them as “Sketches.”
It was the intention of the Author to have published this work five years
ago; but in this he was prevented by local circumstances, and has
subsequently been so by an unfavorable state of health. He now submits
it to the public as the contribution of his mite towards the long
neglected topography of the county of Lincoln.
The Account of Tattershall having in a separate publication passed
through two editions, the original intention of the Author was not to
have included it in this volume; many of his Subscribers, however,
expressing a wish to the contrary, it is in compliance therewith now
subjoined.
The Author has to return his acknowledgements to those gentlemen who have
so kindly favored him with communications. From Edmund Turnor, Esquire,
of Stoke Rochford, he received several useful notices; and to his friend
Mr. Richard Hill, lately of Islington, he is not only indebted for many
important communications, but for great assistance in the arrangement of
the work. The principal part of the chapter on Geology is extracted from
“A Sketch of the Geology of the Lincolnshire Wolds, by Mr. Edward Bogg,”
published in the third volume of the “Transactions of the Geological
Society,” and the Author has to acknowledge the readiness with which Mr.
Bogg permitted him to make use of this valuable paper. The list of
plants was furnished by Mr. John Ward, of Horncastle, and the modern plan
of the town by Mr. C. C. Cremer, of the same place; and to the accurate
pencil of Mr. Thomas Espin of Louth, the Author is indebted for several
of the views with which this volume is illustrated. Without this
assistance he would not have been able to have combined in his work the
information which it at present contains.
April, 1820.