This parish lies 4 miles north by west from Horncastle, on the river
Bain. Letters, _via_ Horncastle, which is the nearest money order
office, arrive at 9.30. The Incumbent is the Rev. E. S. Bengough, who
has a commodious Rectory. The register dates from 1579.
The Church is dedicated to St. Margaret. A previous structure, erected
in nondescript, “Grecian,” style, in 1771 (a period when so many of the
churches in the neighbourhood were re-modelled in the worst taste),
consisting of nave, chancel, and low tower, with three bells, was
re-seated in 1856, when additional accommodation was provided. A west
door, made of bog oak, from a large tree dug up, when the railway line
was made between Boston and Lincoln, was presented by the Rev. E. Walter,
Rector of Langton. The entire fabric was restored in 1896, at a cost of
£1450, and re-opened in January of that year, through the liberality and
exertions of the Rector, Rev. E. S. Bengough, aided by handsome donations
from Earl Manvers, the family of the late Rector, Rev. G. Thackeray, and
others. The tower was entirely re-built and the chancel enlarged. A
relic of a former medieval church was found in the pavement of the nave,
consisting of a slab, carved with two quatrefoils, with shields in the
centre of each. This was placed in the wall of the chancel, above the
east window. The pulpit, of carved oak, was the gift of the family of
the Rev. G. Thackeray, the late Rector. The architect was Mr. W. Scorer,
of Lincoln. The bells, of the 18th century, bear the names of the
founders, Mears and Stainbanks, of London.
At the date of Domesday Book, the great Norman Baron, Ivo Taylebois,
owned land in this parish, as Earl Harold had done before him. Baldric,
one of the Earl’s vassals, had there one carucate, and two villeins, and
two bordars, and seven sokemen, who had two carucates, and half a mill,
worth 7s. yearly, and 30 acres of meadow. There were three carucates,
rateable to gelt. The manor, held by Edric, had six oxgangs, also
rateable to gelt. Its value, temp. Edwd. the Confessor, was 60s., in
Domesday 100s.
Among the gentry of Lincolnshire, enrolled in the List made by the King’s
Heralds, at their visitation in 1634, was Ambrose Shepard of this parish
(Everard Green, F.S.A., “Lincs. N. & Q.,” p. 105).
In Liber Regis, the living was valued at £17 8_s._ 6½_d._, now at £500;
423 acres being allotted at the enclosure in lieu of tithes and the old
glebe. In 1722 the benefice was in the gift of the Rev. Mr. Carr of
Newcastle-on-Tyne; after that the patronage was vested in King’s College,
Cambridge.
There is an endowed School, for master and mistress, founded by Jane
Dymoke, widow of the champion, in 1727, and endowed by her in 1736, for
teaching the children of the poor of the parish, “to read, write, spin,
and card wool.” Commodious schoolrooms for boys and girls have been
erected in late years. Lands in Woodhall yield an income of about £110 a
year. There is a rent charge of £5 on a farm in Asterby, and £568 in
consols. The whole yearly income is about £130, besides residence and 20
acres of land for the master. Four almswomen receive 2_s._ 3_d._ weekly,
with an allowance of fuel. Four apprentices are provided for with a
premium of £10, and £3 a year for clothing, during the 7 years of their
service. The late Mrs. Baker, in 1848, also left the interest of £500 to
be distributed in coals among the poor of the parish. The living is now
in the gift of King’s College, Cambridge; but by an Inquisition held at
Boston, 12 Henry VII. (A.D. 1497) it was found that Sir John Ratclyff,
knight, besides considerable other property in the county, was seised of
the advowson of Hemingby, and alternate advowson of Skyrbeck, but he
being attainted, in the 11th year of that King, his property passed to
Andrew Dymmock, as the Kings “Solidat” (soldier). (“Linc. N. & Q.,” iv.,
p. 11.) In 1711 Leonard Smelt, Esq., presented to this benefice; in 1722
the Rev. Mr. Carr, of Newcastle, gent.; and King’s College for the first
time in 1768.