for people to come so far to one church, though now most of them
are demolished, at what time I cannot imagine. No part of England
boasts of so many beautiful churches, having generally lofty spires
of fine squared stone, fetched from Barneck pits, which are a coarse
rag full of petrified shells of all kinds of small fish, and not, as
some think, from Norway. And in no very distant times, not a parish
without great numbers of gentry, lords, knights, and great families,
who made a figure in the world: now scarce any remains of them, but
the site of their houses moted round, their tombs in the churches,
their arms in the painted windows, where they have by chance escaped
the fury of fanatic zeal. Many religious houses formerly there; and
nearly the whole country was got into their hands, as appears by the
old terriers, or town-books. The only houses of note are at present
Dunton hall, in Tyd St. Mary’s parish, lately rebuilt magnificently
by Sigismund Trafford, esq. who has likewise inclosed a considerable
park with a brick wall; and Cressy hall in Surflet parish, the seat
of Henry Heron, esq. in which the lady Margaret, mother to Hen. VII.
was once entertained. The house was handsomely rebuilt by the present
possessor’s father, Sir Henry Heron, knight of the Bath; but the chapel
is old, built, or licensed at least, anno 1309, as an inscription over
the door tells us. In it is an old brass eagle with an inscription
round it.[20]
Formerly, there is reason to suppose, the gentry had many parks
near their seats. Records in your possession show that the prior of
Spalding, about 1265, compelled Thomas lord Moulton to compound with
him for the venison in his park at Moulton; and in Holbech, about a
mile south of the church, are lands in my tenure, called the Park. That
fish and fowl is here plentiful, no one will wonder; but particularly
the pigeons are noted for large and fine.
[Sidenote: _Decoys._]
[Sidenote: TAB. II.]
In the out-skirts of it are great numbers of decoys, places so called
where they take an incredible quantity of wild ducks,[21] mostly sent
up to London: they are large pits dug in the fens, with five canals
shooting from them, each ending in a point after one angle made, well
planted with willows, fallows, osiers, and such underwood. I have given
a drawing of one. The method of catching fowl in short is this: the
decoy-man coming down to the angle of the pipe, or canal, which is
covered with nets and over-shadowed with trees, peeps through the holes
in the reedy sheds, disposed like the scenes at the play-house, and
joined by the others with holes at the bottom, about as high as a man’s
breast: when he sees a sufficient quantity of wild ducks in the mouth
of the great pond, by whistling softly, the tame ducks wing-stocked,
and brought up for that purpose, swim into the pipe covered with the
nets, to feed upon the corn he throws over the sheds into the water:
this tempts the wild ducks in to partake of the bait: in the mean time
a dog they teach runs round the half-sheds, in and out at the holes in
the bottom, which amuses the fowl so that they apprehend no danger:
when he has brought them far enough into the pipe, stooping he goes
along the scenes, till he is got beyond the ducks, and rising up shows
himself at the half-scenes, which frightens the wild ducks only, the
opposite way into the narrow end of the pipe, which terminates in a
fatal net: and all this is done without any noise or knowledge of the
rest of the wild ducks in the great pond; so that the decoy-man having
dispatched one pipe, goes round to execute the same game at all the
rest, whereby infinite quantities are catched in a year’s time at one
of these places only.
[Illustration: 2 _The Form of the Decoys in Lincolnshire._
_Richardo M. Masfey M.D.
tabulam d.d. Wˢ. Stukeley_]
[Sidenote: _The_ +Washes+.]
In running over what few remarkables I have observed in this country, I
shall exclude Marsh-land, because in Norfolk, observing only that their
churches are very beautiful, numerous, large, and stately; that here
are, too, many such of the _tumuli_. You will indulge me the liberty
of giving the etymology of places all along: Cicero likes that method;
_Acad. Quæst._ 1. 8. _verborum explicatio probatur_, i. e. _qua de
causa quæque essent ita nominata quam etymologiam appellabant_: and
though there be often more of pleasant subtlety than reality in such
matters, yet it serves to find out and preserve some old words in a
language that otherwise are in danger of oblivion. I shall begin with
the Washes so much talked of, and so terrible to strangers, though
without much reason; if they take a guide, which is highly adviseable.
The meaning is this: they are the mouths of the river Welland, called
Fossdike Wash, and the river Ouse, called Cross-Keys Wash, running into
the sea, and inclosing this country almost round. _Wase Sax. lutum,
oose._ Twice in a day, six hours each time during the recess of the
tide, they are fordable and easy to be passed over: the intermediate
six hours they are covered with the flux of the ocean. Mr. Merret, of
Boston, son to Dr. Merret, has given a table in the Philos. Trans.
which I improved for the benefit of travellers, and is graven on a
handsome copperplate by my friend, Mr. John Redman: but I would have
passengers not to trust too far to the minutes in the table, because
at some times of the year the tides will anticipate a few minutes,
at others will be retarded, and at all times (not to say any thing
of the difference of clocks and watches) south-east winds make the
tides flow earlier than ordinary, north-west protract them; so that a
wise traveller, in this and all other cases, will take time and tide
by the forelock. Formerly people travelled what they call the Long
Wash, between Lynn and Boston, intirely upon the sands or skirts of
the ocean, but now quite disused and impracticable: there it was, that
king John lost all his carriages among the creeks and quicksands. The
memory of it is retained to this day, by the corner of a bank between
Cross-Keys Wash and Lynn, called now King’s Corner.
[Sidenote: +Lutton.+]
[Sidenote: +Sutton.+]
[Sidenote: TAB. XI.]
In Lutton was born the famous Dr. Busby, master of Westminster school,
who has beautified the church, and founded a school there: he owes his
education to the Welbys, an ancient family in this country. I suppose
the town has its name from the general drainage of the country, which
was here in one channel united: they call such Lades, or Lodes, to this
day: this probably is as ancient as any town in Holland. South from
it (and therefore) Sutton church is of an ancient make, especially
the stone work of the steeple: the upper part of the church has been
built of brick in the memory of man. John of Gaunt owned Sutton, and
other vast manors and townships in this country. At Tyd St. Giles,
Nicholas Breakspear was curate, who afterwards became pope Adrian IV.
St. James’s chapel is built of a large sort of brick, such as I have
seen no where else; not Roman. Near it is Ivy-Cross, of stone, in a
_quadrivium_; a curious piece, upon Ravensbank.
[Sidenote: +Gedney.+]
Gedney church is very beautiful, built, I believe, chiefly by the
abbots of Croyland, who had a house, no doubt, very stately, on the
north side of the church, and large possessions in the parish: the
upper part of the tower is of the same date with the church, built
upon older work; probably both the work of the abbots, together with
contributions of the rich families that formerly lived here. In the
chancel window a religious in his habit. There is an old monument of
the Welbys, and upon the south door is this inscription:
*PAX XPISIT HUIC DOMUI
ET OMNIBUS HABITANTIBUS
IN EA HIC REQUIES NOSTRA.*
The town seems to be derived from _Gaden-ea, aqua ad viam_: _Ea_ is a
watering place properly for cattle, and roads we still call gates in
this country.
[Sidenote: +Fleet.+]
The next parish, Fleet, from the Anglo-Saxonic _Fleot_, _æstuarium_,
_fluxus_, still called Fleet-Haven, is remarkable for the steeple
standing at a distance from the church: from this place the family of
the Fletes come, who have made a considerable figure in the country
ever since we have any written memorials.
[Sidenote: +Holbech.+]
[Sidenote: TAB. XXI.]
[Sidenote: TAB. I. 2d Vol.]
Holbech (the Salt-Beech) church is very large, and well built, a
strong tower and lofty steeple, dedicate to all saints: formerly there
were organs and fine painted glass, with many coats of arms, but none
left except the Holbeches: Vert, six escallops argent, three, two,
one. There is a fine monument of the Littleburys, an ancient and
flourishing family in these parts: upon his shield is his coat, Argent,
two lions passant gardant gules: there is a brass inscription of a
lady of the Welby family, wife to Sir Richard Leake, knight. *Orate
pro anima Johanne Welby quondam filiae Richardi Leake militis nuper
uxoris Littlebury que obiit xviii die mensis decembris anno domini
mccclxxxviii. cujus anime propitietur deus Amen.* Here was born
Henry Rands, alias de Holbech, bishop of Lincoln, who was one of the
compilers of the Liturgy: here formerly flourished the ancient families
of Fleet, Dacres, Harrington, Barrington, Welby, Multon.
In the year 1696, in digging at Mr. Adlard Stukeley’s gardens, they
found an old brass seal, which I gave to Sir Hans Sloan; a man in
long robes, with two escutcheons, on one three cocks, on the other
a portcullis; the legend, + +SOVRABLA DEUS OLER+. In the year 1698,
an iron spur with a very long shank was found: in my possession. A
remarkable rarity in nature I met withal, an admirable ossification in
the _omentum_ of a sheep, white and solid as ivory. Mr. Cheselden has
printed a cut of it in the second edition of his Anatomy. I gave it to
Dr. Mead.
From the ancient churchwardens’ accounts, before the time of the
Reformation, from anno 1453, many curious remarks may be made, in
relation to prices of things, wages, superstitious customs, old
families, and the like: a specimen whereof I have here annexed.
_ss._ _A Boake of the Stuffe in the Cheyrche of_ Holbeche _sowld by
Chyrchewardyns of the same according to the injunctyons of the
Kynges Magyste._
_s._ _d._
An. dni. M. ccccc. xlviiᵒ. First to Antony
Heydon the trynite with the tabernacle ii. iiii.
It. to Wm. Calow thelder the tabernacle of
Nicholas and Jamys vi. viii.
[Illustration: 21 Ecclesiam de HOLBECH _in Agro_ Linc. Lucio _Henrico_
_Hibbins Arm. d.d. W. Stukeley_ 1722
_Stukeley delin._ _I. Harris sculp_]
[Illustration: _1·2ᵈ._
Littlebury in Holbech Church]
_s._ _d._
It. to Wm. Davy on tabernacle of our lady of pytye iiii.
It. to Wm. Calow the younger on other tabernacle of our
lady iii. vi.
It. to Antony Heydon the ymage of the Antony xx.
It. to Humphry Hornesey on sygne vi.
It. to Antony Heydon on other synge and a lytyl tabernacle xx.
It. to Wm. Calow the younger the tabernacle of Thomas
Bekete iiii. viii.
It. to Wm. Davy the sygne whereon the plowghe did stond xvi.
It. to John Thorpe a chyst in St. Jamys chapell ii.
It. to Lincone howld woode iiii.
It. to Nicholas Foster the banke that the George stoode on iiii.
It. to Antony Heydon ij alters ii. viii.
It. to Wm. Stowe ij lytyll tabernacles viii.
It. to Henry Elman on lytyll tabernacle ii.
It. to John Thorpe for Harod’s coate xviii.
It. to Wm. Calow the younger all thapostyls coats and other
raggs viii. iiii.
It. to Henry Elman for vii baner clothes ix. iiii.
It. to Antony Heydon on blewe clothe ix.
It. to Smithes on pece of howlde saye iii.
It. to Richerd Richerson the crosse and other gydys ii. iii.
It. to Mr. Byllysby ij tablys iiii. iiii.
It. to Antony Heydon for the coats of the iij kyngs of
Coloyne v. iiii.
It. to Humphry Hornesey the canypye that was born over the
sacrament xx.
It. to Wm. Calow thelder and John Thorpe iiij owlde pantyd
clothes vi. viii.
It. to Antony Heydon on wood candlestyke iiii.
It. to Wm. Calow the younger on lytyll bell vi.
It. to Antony Heydon on other lytyll bell vi.
It. to Wm. Davy for the tabernacles that stode at the end
of the hy alter viii.
_l._ _s._ _d._
_Sm._ iiii. ii. iiii.
_A. D._ m. ccccc xlvii.
It. to Wm. Calow the younger on rod of iyron iiii.
It. to Robt. Gyffon for ij barrs of iyron v.
It. to Antony Heydon xx score and x hund. of latyn at ii_s._
and xi _d._ the score lxix. xi. ob.
It. to Richerd Richerson ij lytyll tabernacles viii.
It. of John Suger for the chyrche lond ii. viii.
It. of the burial of Mr. Byllysby iii. iiii.
It. of John Mays wyffe for the Dracon iii.
It. of Alys Boyds debt to xps corpys gilde ii.
It. for on bell _l._ xviii. ii.
It. for seyten vestments and trashe in the chest in trinete
quere sold to Davy xxxiii. iiii.
It. of Wm. Burnit for pilows xvi.
It. of Wm. Calow the younger for eyrne xx.
_l._ _s._ _d._
_Sm. totalis_ xxviii. iiii. iiii. ob.
More superstitious ornaments of the church were sold in queen
Elizabeth’s time, 1560.
From this book I extracted the following catalogue of the Ministers
of the parish.
John Clerk chaplain. Anno 1450.
John Risceby vicar. 1460.
Thomas George chaplain then.
Robert Jelow. 1469.
William Greyborn vicarius perpetuus. 1474.
Sir John Welby priest.
Sir John Lyard perpetual vicar. obiit 1496.
Baxter. 1508.
Ds. Neel capellanus.
Richard Wytte. 1520.
Sir John Scapull. ob. 1524.
Sir Robert Manning. 1550.
Sir Thomas West. 1561.
Thomas Gybson precher.
Othoneel Bradbury. 1600.
Matthew Clarke vicar of Holbech. 1610.
Henry Williamson. 1630.
John Grante. 1633.
John Bellenden. 1640.
John Pymlowe. 1647.
John Pymlowe. 1687.
George Arnett. 1720.[22]
[Sidenote: TAB II. 2d Vol.]
In 1529, a new organ cost 3l. 6s. 8d. The organ in the church was
taken down 1568. Anno 1453, Wm. Enot, of Lynn, epi. and Henry Nele of
Holbech, gave the saints bell. Another guild of St. Thomas; another
of our Lady. The vestry on the south side of the choir was taken
down 1567. There was formerly a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary
at Holbech hurn, near the ancient seat of the Littleburys; standing
1515: another chapel thereabouts, dedicated to St. Nicholas: another
in Wignal’s gate, near Holbech hall, by the river side, dedicated to
St. Peter. About 1719, I saw many corpses dug up in the yard at making
a ditch there. Another in the fen ends. An ancient guild of Corpus
Christi stood near Barney pit, where is now a house once belonging to
Moses Stukeley, who owned the estate thereof. An hospital founded by
John de Kirkton, in his own messuage, by licence of king Ed. III dat.
Nov. 16, for a warden, chaplain, and fifteen poor people: he endowed it
with several lands in Holbech, which he held of the abbot of Croyland,
who by licence permitted the same to be annexed to this hospital of All
Saints in Holbech, for which he paid 20l. This stood, as I imagine,
where now is the Chequer inn, over against the church. I remember the
old stone-work arched doors and windows with mullions, pulled down when
rebuilt by my father, and many of the carved stones were laid in the
foundation of the houses he built by the river side at the bridge. See
Dugdale’s _Monasticon_. A free-school was founded here, about 1669, by
George Farmer, esq. who endowed it with lands, which with others since
given are now worth about 50l. per annum; which I am bound in gratitude
not to forget. A. D. 1699, there were belonging to the fifty-four
bounds of this parish, paying rates, acres 6234; in the marsh, acres
6532; and since added for the last intake, acres 170. The old cross in
the market-place was pulled down 1683. 1253, Thomas de Multon, lord
Egremont, obtained a market and fair to Holbech, 31 Oct. 37 Hen. III.
at Windsor, and probably built that cross.
[Illustration: _2·2ᵈ._
_Holbech Cross Lincolnshire_
_Ob amorem erga Solum Natale, Temporum Ignorantia direptam restituit
Wˢ. Stukeley 1722_]
[Sidenote: +Whaplode.+]
Quaplode, called anciently Capellade, i. e. _Capella ad Ladam s.
fluvium_, has a very ancient church, founded by the abbots of Croyland:
the tower stands on the south side. In the upper and south windows
are these coats of arms. Barry of six azure and argent; Azure, a bend
gules, charged with three roses argent; Argent, two lions passant
gardant gules, _Littlebury_. In the east window of the north chapel,
_Littlebury_, and Or, a fesse between two chevronels gules; and Sable,
a fret argent, _Harrington_: Azure, on a bend gules, three roses
argent, as before. I have a copy of the foundation of this church. Here
is a large monument of the Irbys.
GENEALOGY of MOULTON.
Thomas de Multon, lord Egremont, and lord of Holbech, obtained a market
for Fleet, 9 Jo. |
+--------------------------------------------------+
Robert Romley, = daughter of Wm. Meschines, lord of Coupland. |
| |
+---+ |
| |
Wm. Duncanson = Alice, heiress. Hugh de Morvile, lord of Burgh upon Sands, |
| chief forester of Cumberland. |
+--+ | |
| +-----------------+ |
| | +-------------------------------+
| | |
1 2
Richard de Lucy} = Ada, coheiress = Thomas de Multon obtained a market and
lord Egremont} | | fair for Holbech, 37 Hen. III.
+-----------+ +--------------+--------------------+
| | |
Amabilis, heiress = Lambert de Multon, 1270. Thomas de Multon, lord of
| | Burgh, in Cumberland.
+-------------+ +------+
| |
Thomas de Multon, 31 Ed. I. 1303. Thomas de Multon} { Maud de Vaulx,
| lord of Burgh, } = { heiress of Gillesland,
| 20 Ed. I. } | { daughter of Hubert
| | de Vaulx.
Thomas de Multon, lord Egremont. |
| |
Thomas de Multon, lord } { daughter of Rich. de |
Egremont, ob. 15 Ed. II.} = { Burgh, earl of Ulton. |
| |
+----------------+ +-----------------+
| |
John de Multon, lord Egremont, Thomas de Multon, lord of }
ob. s. p. 9 Ed. III. Burgh, Gillesland and Holbech, } = Isabel.
21 Ed. I. and 2 Ed. II. } |
_Inquisit. post mortem._ |
+--------------------------------+
Ranulf de Dacre, lord of } |
Drumbough castle } = Margaret, heiress. Maud, says Camden.
|
+----------------------+
|
Thomas Dacre, esq. lord }
of Holbech, 1450. } = Philippa, ob. 1453.
|
Humphry Dacre, esq.
|
Sir Ralf de Dacre, lord of Holbech, 1470.
[Sidenote: +Moulton.+]
Moulton, or Multon, probably has its name from a mill, which anciently,
perhaps, were not so common as now. There is a good church, and very
fine spire; as also a good free-school of near 100l. per ann. value in
lands. Moulton hall, whose last ruins I have seen, was the seat of
Thomas de Multon, lord Egremont, a great man in these parts. His hand
is among the barons at _Magna Charta_. Between these two parishes,
in a green lane northwards, stands a little stone called Elho stone,
whence the name of this hundred is derived: it is about the middle
thereof, and was formerly the main road across the country, now called
Old Spalding Gate. Old men tell us, here was kept in ancient times an
annual court; I suppose a convention, _sub dio_, of the adjacent parts,
to treat of their general affairs. A wood hard by is called Elhostone
wood.
[Sidenote: +Weston.+]
Weston, because west from the last town. Here is the stately chapel of
Wykeham, the villa of the rich priors of Spalding, built by Clement de
Hatfield, prior, who died anno 1318. In 1051, Spalding priory made by
Thorold, sheriff of Lincoln, out of his own manor-house. Many places
near the old sea-bank are called _hurns_, signifying an angle. Here
is a little leam called the Wik: Mr. Camden, in _Bucks_, says it
signifies the winding of a river, as Cowhurn hard by.
[Sidenote: +Spalding.+]
Spalding has been famous for its ancient and rich priory founded before
the Conquest, and for the residence of Ivo Tailbois, the lord of this
country, by gift of William the Conqueror, the site of whose castle is
on the north-east part of the town. The town-hall was built by William
Hobson. But of this place we expect from you, sir, a more particular
account.
[Sidenote: +Pynchbek.+]
In Pynchbek church-windows are the arms of Ogle, of Fleet; Argent,
on two bars sable, six escallops of the first, empaled with _De la
Launde_. Pyncebeck seems to come from the Cimbrian _pinken_, _lucere_,
from the clearness of its water.
[Sidenote: +Donington.+]
Many towns, on both sides Deeping Fen, end in _ington_, _ingham_, as
lying upon the Mead. Donington is very hilly, full of elevations or
dunes. Thomas Cowley, esq. of Donington, who died about 1718, left
all his estate, which was considerable, to the poor of every parish
where it lay, whereof 400l. per ann. to Donington, where he built a
school-house, and endowed it.
[Sidenote: +Algarkirk.+]
Algarkirk has a fine church, in which are some water-bougets carved
on the oak seats in escutcheons. They say here lived the famous count
Algar,[23] commander of the Holland men in many battles against the
Danes, of whom they show an image in stone in the church-yard. I found
there this inscription,
_Sis testis Xpe, quod non jacet hic lapis iste
Quisquis es si transeas sta perlege plora
Corpus ut ornetur sit lapis ut memoretur.
Sum quod eris fueramque quod es pro me precor ora._
[Sidenote: +Wiberton.+]
Wiberton, they say, has its name from Guibertus, a great man here
formerly. There is a place called Multon hall, which belonged to the
aforementioned Thomas de Multon. Here is likewise Titton hall: the
chapel is now converted into a stable.
[Sidenote: +Frampton.+]
Hard by is Frampton, probably from the Anglo-Saxonic _Faran_,
_trajicere_: for here they passed over the river in a ferry, before
Boston bridge was built; as at Framton, in Gloucestershire, upon the
Severn, and Framilode passage. Farnton by Newark, where now is the
ferry over the Trent. Gosberton, from _Gosbèrt_, or _Gosbright_, I
suppose lord of the town before the Conquest. Fossdike seems to be
_Fordsdike_, where we pass over the Washes.
[Sidenote: +Skirbeck.+]
Skirebec doubtless has its name from the Saxon, _scire_, division,
because here the river parts the hundreds. Here was an hospital of
knights of St. John of Jerusalem, now intirely demolished, though the
church was standing within memory of man. There was another religious
house near the church: the remains of it is now the parsonage-house.
Such names of towns as Fishtoft, Butterwick, Swineshead, Cowbyte, and
the like, seem easy enough.
[Sidenote: +Sibsey.+]
[Sidenote: +Leverton.+]
Sibsey church has very handsome pillars and circular arches, somewhat
after the Roman mode. The top of the steeple is added upon the old
work; perhaps from its watery situation; _sipan_, to steep. Leverton,
_Leofrici oppidum_: he was a potent man thereabouts at the time of the
Normans coming, and gave to the town much common: his deed of gift
is now in possession of the reverend and worthy vicar, Mr. William
Falkner, which I have seen.
[Sidenote: +Frieston.+]
Frieston, a _frith_, _æstuarium_; so Ald Friston in Sussex, near
Cuckmere haven. Here was an opulent monastery founded by Guy de Croun,
whose genealogy I shall not think much to recite, because it relates
to the antiquities of this country, and in some measure shows the
reason of what my friend Mr. Becket, surgeon, much wondered at when
he searched the old repository of wills at the Prerogative Office
in London, where he observed more of this country than any other in
England.
The GENEALOGY
Of the +Craons+, _Credon_, _Crodon_, _Croun_, the most illustrious
family of Anjou, and one of the most illustrious in France, which
came into England with William the Conqueror. The barony of Craon
is the first and most considerable in Anjou: it is a small city in
that province upon the river Oudon near Bretagne, encompassed with
walls.[24]
A. D. 940.