A History of Horncastle Part 28

CONINGSBY.

This is a large village, about 8 miles from Horncastle, in a southerly direction. It is bounded on the north by Tattershall Thorpe, on the west by Tattershall, on the south by Wildmore, and on the east by Tumby and Mareham-le-Fen. Its area is 3,442 acres, including the hamlet of Hawthorn Hill; rateable value 5,160; population 1,192. Apart from a limited number of shops and three inns, the people are engaged mainly in agriculture. The soil is mostly a light sand, with a subsoil of gravel deposits and clay. The nearest railway station is at Tattershall, distant about 1 miles.

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"

{204} 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 mora.s.s; 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 Dogd.y.k.e, a corruption of Dock-d.y.k.e (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 ma.s.sive, 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 cost of 300.

The master has 3 per annum, left by the Rev. R. Kelham in 1719, also the dividend of 100 3 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 ca.n.a.l 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 ma.s.sive 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 ma.s.sive 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, the easternmost bay seems to have been added at a later date, the arch higher and wider. The moulding between two of the north arches terminates in a head, on each side of which an evil spirit is whispering.

Another terminal is the head of a woman wearing the "branks," or "scold's bridle." On the south side of the chancel arch is a rood loft staircase turret, of which both the lower and upper door remain.

At the restoration in 1872 the clerestory windows were spoilt by being reduced in height; externally their original design remains. In the centre of the nave are two large sepulchral slabs, once bearing bra.s.ses, which are now gone, representing two civilians and their wives. The apsidal chancel is quite out of keeping with the rest of the fabric.

There are some remains of the old carved oak screen, and south of the communion table is an Early English capital, with piscina behind it.

[Picture: St. Michaels Church, Coningsby]

The Notes on Churches, by Gervase Holles, shew that in his time (circa 1630) the windows of this church abounded in coloured gla.s.s, of which not a vestige remains. He gives, among the devices, the arms of Marmyon, Dymoke, Hillary, Welles, Hattecliffe, Umfraville, Willoughby, Ros, Tateshale, Bernake, Crumwell, Huntingfield, Rochfort, Beke, Boucher, Waterton, Hebden, Deyncourt, France and England, &c. {205}

Among the rectors of this parish have been two poets, one the laureate of his day (1718), the Rev. Laurence Eusden, who died 1730. The other, John Dyer, was born 1700, appointed to the benefice in 1752, by Sir John Heathcote, was the author of _Grongar Hill_, _The Fleece_, and _The Ruins of Rome_; he was honoured with a sonnet by Wordsworth.

A congregation of Baptists was formed here under the Commonwealth, with an endowment for a minister. The society still exists, their present chapel being erected in 1862; they have also a day school, built by Mr.

John Overy in 1845. The Wesleyans have a chapel, built in 1825, and others at Hawthorn Hill, Haven Bank, Moorside, and Meer Booth. The Primitive Methodists have a chapel, built in 1854, and others at Reedham Corner and Scrub Hill.

Of the early history of this parish we have scattered notices in various doc.u.ments. In _Domesday Book_ we find that Sortibrand, son of Ulf the Saxon, who was one of the lagmen of Lincoln, held a Berewick in Coningsby. Land here is mentioned among the Conqueror's possessions.

The powerful favourite of the Conqueror, Robert Despenser, laid claim to a fishery and lands in Coningsby; and the juryman of the wapentake of Horncastle decided that his claim was good, because Achi, his Saxon predecessor, had held the same in the time of Edward the Confessor. From the same source we find that two other powerful Normans held land here, _viz._ Hugo d' Abrincis, surnamed "Lupus," or "The Wolf," from his fierce character; and Drogo de Bruere, who had the Conqueror's niece to wife.

As with other parishes in this soke, we find from a Feet of Fines, 9 Henry III., No. 52, that Ralph de Rhodes then held lands here.

Subsequently the Marmyons, Dymokes, and Taillebois, all connected in the blazonry of the former memorial windows (as before mentioned), held property in the parish. {206a} By a Chancery Inquisition post mortem, taken 31st May, 10 Henry VII., No. 72 (A.D. 1495), it was found that Robert Taillebois, Knt., with John Gygour, Warden of the college of Tateshale, was seized of the manor; while, further, in a Feet of Fines, 19 Henry VII. (1503), John Mordaunt is acknowledged by Sir Edward Poynings, Sir Thomas Fynes, and others, to be the owner of lands in Coningsby, and elsewhere in the soke. He held at least four other manors, and lands in many other parishes. Also a Feet of Fines, 21 Henry VII. (1505), it was agreed before Humphrey Coningsby, Sergeant at Law, Sir Giles Daubeney, and others, that the Bishop of Winchester held certain property here.

The Dymokes were patrons of the benefice; Sir Charles Dymoke presenting in 1682, after which the patronage pa.s.sed to the Heathcote family (Liber Regis and Ecton's Thesaurus). But an earlier connection with the Dymokes is shewn by a tombstone commemorative of "Anna, daughter of Thomas Dymoke, and his wife Margaret, que obijt . . . Ao Dni 1462."

In connection with the Humphrey Coningsby, named above, we have already mentioned that a castellated residence in this parish belonged to a family of that name. This Humphrey was Judge of the King's Bench, and bought Hampton Court, co. Hereford, of Sir Thomas Cornwall, about 1510; where was preserved a painting of the old mansion at Coningsby. {206b} Thomas Coningsby was knighted by Elizabeth in 1591. Sir Fitz-William Coningsby was Sheriff of the county, 1627; and for his loyalty to Charles I. his estates were confiscated by the Puritans. His son was rewarded with a peerage by Charles II.; and saved the life of King William at the battle of the Boyne; but his two sons dying early, and he having no further issue, the t.i.tle became extinct.

In the List of Gentry of Lincolnshire, made at the Herald's Visitation in 1634, we find the name of Clinton Whichcote, of Coningsby, a member of an old county family, still occupying a good position. {207a}

WILKSBY.

Wilksby lies about halfway between the parishes of Wood Enderby and Moorby, at a distance of about five miles from Horncastle, in a south-easterly direction. Letters from Boston _via_ Revesby, arrive about 10.30 a.m.

The ancient history of this parish is much the same as that of the adjoining parish of Moorby on the east, and Wood Enderby on the west. It is called in _Domesday Book_ Wilchesbi, and Wilgesbi. At the date of that survey (1086) there were four soc-men and five bordars, who had one carucate (or 120 acres) of land, and 20 acres of woodland; while the lord of the manor had one carucate in demesne, and five villeins, with two oxen in another carucate; with 20 acres of meadow and 40 acres of underwood; so that, like the neighbouring Moor-by and Wood Ender-by, this parish also was largely of a forest character.

In this parish there was also "a Berewick of 1 carucates" (or 180 acres); a Berewick meaning an outlying farm (from "bere" barley, and "wick" a village) belonging to another manor.

The parish was one of the estates taken by the Conqueror for himself, probably then forming part of the great Tumby Chase. He afterwards granted the manor to his steward, Robert Despenser, a powerful Norman n.o.ble, the ancestor of the Earls of Gloucester, brother of the Earl Montgomery, and of Urso de Abetot, hereditary sheriff of Worcestershire.

He held 15 manors in Lincolnshire, and 17 in Leicestershire, beside others elsewhere.

Being in the Soke of Horncastle, it would be connected with that manor, as were so many other neighbouring parishes; and doubtless by a similar process, to the cases of Moorby and Wood Enderby, it belonged successively to the Brandons, Dukes of Suffolk; the Cecils, Earls of Exeter; the Howards, Earls of Berkshire; and finally, by purchase, pa.s.sed to the Banks family, and through them to the Stanhopes.

Among the a.s.size Rolls (No. 319, m. 9 d) is a plea, made at Hertford, 10th May, 1247, in which "Joan de Leweline (with another) offered herself against Silvester, Bishop of Karlisle," in a suit concerning "20 of rent in Enderby, Moreby, Wilkesby and Cuningby, and the advowson of the church Moreby," in which the bishop failed to appear. But in a Feet of Fines, Lincoln, 32 Henry III., No. 131, an agreement was made (21st July, A.D.

1248) by which the said Joan de Lewelyn (and others) did homage to the bishop, for these lands in Enderby, "Welkeby," &c., and the advowson of "Moresby," the bishop in turn granting to them "the homage and whole service of Ivo, son of Odo de Tymelby"; and they holding the land, &c., "in chief of the aforesaid bishop; and doing therefor the fourth part of the service of one knight." {207b}

In another doc.u.ment, a Final Concord, dated 27th May, 1240, between Alan de Dauderby and Alice de Lysurs, it was agreed that Alice should "acquit him of the service which Robert de Theleby exacts . . . of half a knight's fee, for which she is mesne." She further agrees that Alan and his heirs shall hold certain tenements of Alice and her heirs; to wit, 12 oxgangs and 80 acres of land, two messuages, with a rent of 12s. 8d., and two parts of a mill in Theleby, Wilkeby, Burton; and a meadow called Utemyng, for the service a fourth part of a knight's fee; and for this Alan gave her 10 marks.

The former of these records shews that, like the other parishes connected with the Manor of Horncastle, the Bishops of Carlisle were at one period patrons of the benefice (and probably owners of the manor) of Wilkesby; but, while in the case of several other parishes, this patronage continues (only transferred to the Bishops of Manchester) to the present day, the patronage of Wilksby pa.s.sed to others. According to Liber Regis in 1711 and 1720 Lewis Dymoke presented to the benefice. In 1764, by some arrangement, George Willows, Gent., presented; but again, in 1833, it was in the patronage of the Hon. the Champion, H. Dymoke, who appointed to the rectory a relative, the Rev. J. Bradshaw Tyrwhitt, one of a very old, knightly, Lincolnshire family, the Tyrwhitts of Stainfield, Kettleby, &c. A tablet to his memory is erected in the church at Scrivelsby. {208a} The patronage was subsequently acquired by J. Banks Stanhope, Esq., and is annexed to the chaplaincy of Revesby, which has no permanent endowment.

Among the List of Gentry of Lincolnshire, made at the Herald's Visitation in 1634, and preserved at the Heralds' College, along with the Dymocks of Scrivelsby, Haltham, Kyme and Lincoln, is Paganell Hartgrave of Wilksby.

{208b}

The church, dedicated to All Saints, is a mean structure, erected in the 18th century, of brick and Spilsby sandstone, standing on the site of an earlier church, of which nothing seems to remain except the font. It consists of nave and chancel, both on a very small scale, and a wooden bell-turret, with one small bell. The north and west walls are of sandstone, the former covered with a thick coating of tar to keep out the moisture; the east wall has alternate layers of brick and sandstone.

Some improvements have been made in recent years, much needed to make it even a decent place of worship. The two two-light trefoiled windows in the south wall of the nave have been framed in stone instead of wood, and filled with green gla.s.s. The east window of the chancel has wooden mullions interlaced, and it has been adorned with paper representations of, in the centre the Ascension, to the left the Saviour holding an infant in his arms, to the right the child Jesus sitting among the doctors in the temple.

The roof of the chancel is apsidal, externally, as well as the nave, covered with modern house tiles. Internally the nave has a flat ceiling of deal boards. The pulpit and seats are painted wainscot; there is a small modern oak reading desk, and a lectern to match it. The chancel arch is a plain semicircle, but on its eastern side has a pointed Early English arch. The chancel rails are of modern oak, slightly carved; and there is a deal credence table. The 14th century font has a ma.s.sive octagonal bowl, with large trefoils in each face, and grotesquely carved heads at the angles; the shaft being plain octagonal. The improvements were made in 1896, at the cost of the late Mrs. Stanhope.

The register dates from 1562. In recent years the inc.u.mbency of Claxby Pluckacre, where the church had gone to ruins, has been annexed to the rectory of Wilksby, the joint value of the two being about 300 a year.

They are held by the Rev. P. O. Ashby, Chaplain of Revesby.

LANGRIVILLE & THORNTON-LE-FEN.

These are modern accretions to the Soke of Horncastle, made in the early years of the 19th century. They are distant southward from Horncastle about 13 miles; situated in a tract of land called Wildmore Fen, lying about midway between Coningsby to the north, and Boston to the south. At various periods inundated by the sea, this continued, to the end of the 18th century, more or less a region of mora.s.s; available in the summer for grazing, but generally during the winter under water; when all cattle had to be removed for safety to the lands under cultivation at the homesteads of the farmers; and if by chance the farmer was behindhand in removing them, and the floods became frozen, it was a common thing for his cattle, while slipping about on the ice, to be split up, or, as it was locally termed, "screeved," and so become helpless, and fit only for slaughter. {209}

An Act of Parliament was pa.s.sed in 1787 or 1788, and commissioners were appointed, for the drainage of this and adjoining similar tracts; but little was done until 1800, when the able engineer, Mr. John Rennie, submitted his plans for the drainage to the commissioners. His first report, dated April 7th, 1800, estimated the cost of draining Wildmore Fen alone at 29,702; the total outlay, for that and adjoining fens, being put at nearly 215,000. By 1812 these operations were completed; and in that year an Act was pa.s.sed making these lands parochial, and a.s.signing the two portions above named to the Soke of Horncastle.