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.
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. The Washes. 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.
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. 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.TAB. XI. Near it is Ivy-Cross, of stone, in a quadrivium; a curious piece, upon Ravensbank.
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:
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.
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.
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.TAB. XXI. There is a fine monument of the Littleburys, an ancient and flourishing family in these parts:TAB. I. 2d Vol. 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. |
| 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. |
| 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 belll. 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.
| 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] |
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 toTAB II. 2d Vol. Holbech, 31 Oct. 37 Hen. III. at Windsor, and probably built that cross.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Many towns, on both sides Deeping Fen, end in ington, ingham, as lying upon the Mead. Donington.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.
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.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.
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.
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]
The site of Roushall, where the barons Ros lived, is in the parish of Fishtoft.
In Wainfleet church, the bishop of Winchester, whose name was Patten, founder of Magdalen college, Oxford, erected a marble monument for his father, where are his coats of arms in the windows. In the town he built a handsome chapel of brick, and endowed it with a pretty good revenue, to pray for his and his ancestors souls. Now it is made a free-school house. This place still retains its ancient name; for I am certain it is the Vainona mentioned by the famous author of Ravenna, who has happily preserved so many of our old British cities. The learned Mr. Baxter, in his Glossary of British Antiquities, with a sagacity peculiar to himself, has corrected this from Navione. The sea has added much ground to this place since the Roman times, and then their city stood higher up by the churches, which is a mile off the present town. The haven was near St. Thomas church, now called North-holm: it is still very deep thereabouts, and appears to have been broad, being a pretty good river, whilst the waters of the east fen ran through it, and kept it open: it was thirty foot wide a mile above the churches, as appears by the old cloughs there; for they had wisely contrived by that means to keep out the salt water and heighten the fresh, which no doubt would have preserved the haven to this day, had they not foolishly suffered the east-fen water to be carried to Boston. It is apparent the natural course of water here (as we before observed of other parts of the level) is eastward: the east fen is lower than the west fen. At Nordike bridge anciently were four arches: the edge of the piers which cut the water was westward; which shows that the water originally run eastward, and the whole level was drained that way, though now most currents run to Boston. The inhabitants have a constant tradition, that this was a great town; but when the haven was filled up, Boston became the sea-port: likewise they say there is a road across the east fen, called Salter’s road, which probably was the Roman road; and there are people now alive who knew such as had remembered it. Doubtless this was a place where the Romans made their salt of the sea water, to supply all this province; and it is not improbable that this road led to Banovallum, Lindum, &c. Many salt hills are visible from Wainfleet to Friskney. The king is still lord of the soil of this old Roman city.
Three miles north, and as much from Skegness and the sea, is Burgh, a market-town, whose name drew my attention. I found it to be a Roman castrum to guard the sea-coasts, probably against the Saxon rovers: it is a piece of very high ground, partly natural, partly raised by Roman labour, overlooking the wide extended marshes, perhaps in those times covered with salt water, at least in spring tides. There are two artificial tumuli, one very high, called Cock-hill. In St. Mary’s church-yard, now demolished, Roman coins have been found. I saw a very fair and large Antoninus Pius in brass, cos. iiii. in possession of Tho. Linny. In the yards and gardens about the town they frequently dig up bodies. St. Peter’s church is large and good. There appear no Roman ways, vallum, or ditch, to inclose the town, which is a sort of knoll, or rising ground.
I was told of a Roman aqueduct of earth, found at Spilsby. In Halton church hard by is this inscription on a flat stone. + SIRE WATER BER GIST ICY DE SA ALME DEUS EIT MERCI. Another, a cross-legged knight: on his shield a lion rampant. At Hagnaby, a religious house founded by Agnes de Orreby. Well, by Ralf de Hauvile. Near Well, on a chalky heath, are three curious Celtic barrows contiguous and joined one into another, composed of chalk: the chalk in Lincolnshire by Alford answers to that in Norfolk. Tateshall collegiate church founded by Ralf Cromwell. Many tumuli hereabouts, as at Hagnaby and other places, but none so remarkable a curiosity as those by the broad road upon the descent of the high country, overlooking the vast level towards Boston. At Revesby, by the seat of Joseph Banks, esq; there is an oval inclosed with a broad ditch: the longest diameter, which is somewhat above 300 foot, is precisely east and west; the other a little above 100: the entrance to it is on the middle of the south side: within, at each end of the length, is a large tumulus 100 foot in diameter: they are equal in shape and similar positure, a large vacuum of 100 foot lying between: it is very regularly formed: the length of the oval ditch that incloses the two tumuli is equal to thrice the breadth: the tumuli are large and high: that rising on the north side, without the ditch, is of an odd figure, but similar. It seems to have been a place of sepulture; perhaps two British kings were there buried; and the height on the north side was the place whereon they sacrificed horses, or the like, to the manes of the deceased. Or is it a place of religious worship among the old Britons? and the two hills may possibly be the temples of the Sun and Moon. I am inclined to think it ancient, because of the measure: the breadth is equal to 100 Celtic feet, as I call them; the length to 300.
Horncastle was undoubtedly the Banovallum in Ravennas: the latter part of the word is Latin, so that it signifies the fortification upon the river Bane. TAB. LXXXIX.It is of a low situation, placed in the angle of the two brooks meeting here, the Bane and Waring; whence the modern name Horncastle, which signifies an angle, all this country over, as you know in your neighbouring Cow-hurn, Holbech-hurn, Guy-hurn, &c. I will not venture to conceit it came from the ancient way of painting rivers horned, from their windings and turnings; of which we may find a hint in Burton’s Comment. on Antoninus’s Itinerary, pag. 56. and they that please may consult Bochart’s Phaleg, II. 22. where are many proofs of the ancients expressing an angle by the term horn. Skinner in his Etymologicon rightly affirms it comes from the Saxon word hyrn; and Ælfricus expounds it by the word cornu. It is probable the Romans were induced to make a station here at first from its convenient situation, easily rendered defensible by a vallum drawn across the aperture from one river to the other; and thence came the Roman name. Afterwards they built the indissoluble stone wall, whole vestigia are manifest the whole compass round, and in some places pretty high, as three or four yards, and four yards thick. It serves for sides of gardens, cellars, out-houses, &c. as chance offers, inclosing the market-place, church, and good part of the town. It is a perfect parallelogram, composed of two squares: at the angles have been square towers, as they report: the gates were in the middle of three sides, and I suppose a postern into the meadows called the Holmes at the union of the two rivulets. I suspect originally the river Bane ran nearer to the wall in that part, and behind the manor-house: the garden there has been heightened, and the river pushed farther off, and turned with a larger bow to favour the people who live in Far-street, and especially the tanners, who are very numerous there: both rivers probably were wider and deeper than now, as the Celtic name of Bane altus intimates, which at present is conformable to reality lower down. Some do not scruple to affirm it was a sea-port, that is, navigable. The Waring arises but a mile or two off. The field across it south of the town is called the Thowng and Cagthorp, and probably was its pomæria, from the Saxon word pang, campus, ager. Here they find a great number of Roman coins. I saw a brass coin of Vespasian; reverse, an eagle, CONSECRATIO; dug up from under the walls of Banovallum: Mr. Hograve of the place has it now: but Horncastle was not built in the time of Vespasian. I saw, in possession of Mr. Terry of Lincoln, a silver Vespasian found here; reverse, a sitting Genius with a sympulum in her hand, and DN. MA. In 1734, a girl digging sand by the road side going from Les Yates to Horncastle, and near Horncastle, dug up an earthen urn full of Roman coins, rings, &c. Mr. Terry collector gave me some of them. Near the walls upon digging cellars they sometimes find bodies buried. A rivulet called Temsford runs into the Bane. The school lands were given by private persons, and it was incorporated by queen Elizabeth: their seal is a castle and hunting-horn: and a horn is the brand for the town cattle upon the common. It is dubious whether Bowbridge has its name from the arch of the bridge, or from its being the entrance into the town from Lindum through the gate called formerly a Bow. This way is the maypole-hill, where probably stood an Hermes in Roman times. The boys annually keep up the festival of the Floralia on May day, making a procession to this hill with May gads (as they call them) in their hands: this is a white willow wand, the bark peeled off, tied round with cowslips, a thyrsus of the Bacchanals: at night they have a bonfire and other merriment; which is really a sacrifice, or religious festival. The king formerly had this whole town in his possession, until it was bestowed on the bishop of Carlisle. Near the conflux of the two brooks was lately a pleasant garden, and a place called Julian’s Bower, much talked of.
Leak signifies a watery marshy place. Wrangle an ab A. S. Wear lacus, and hangel arundo, lacus arundinibus obsita? Return we toBoston. Boston, Fanum Sti. Botulphi, the saint of sea-faring men. St. Botulf (the bishop) his body lay in St. Edmund’s monastery at Bury. Wm. Malmsb. p. 137. This seems to have been the last bounds northward of the Iceni in most antient times; therefore its old name was Icanhoe, or Icenorum munimentum, as Mr. Baxter interprets it in his Glossary. I guess the first monastery founded here was on the south of the present church; for I saw vast stone walls dug up there, and a plain leaden cross taken up; in my possession. Many were the religious houses here in superstitious times, whose lands were given to the corporation by Hen. VIII. as likewise the estate of the lord Hussey, beheaded then at Lincoln for rebellion: he lived in one of the houses where is a great square tower of brick, called now Hussey tower. There are many such in this country, as that now called Rochford and sometimes Richmond tower, which is very high. Queen Mary was a great benefactress to this corporation, and gave them lands called Erection-lands, to pay a vicar, a lecturer, and two school-masters: they have now a revenue of a thousand pounds per annum. In the parsonage-house is a scutcheon with a pastoral staff behind it thus: a fess charged with a fish and two annulets between three plates, each charged with a cross fitché. TAB. XIX.The church, I think, is the largest parish church (without cross ailes) in the world: it is a hundred foot wide and three hundred foot long within the walls: the roof is handsomely cieled with Irish oak supported by four and twenty tall and slender pillars: many remains of fine brasses in the church, none so perfect as this in the south aile. Under the figures of the man and woman this inscription,
The tower is the highest (100 yards) and noblest in Europe, flattering a weary traveller with its astonishing aspect even at ten miles distance. It is easily seen forty mile round this level country, and farther by sea: the lantern at top is very beautiful, and the thinness of the stone-work is admirable. There was a prodigious clock-bell, which could be heard six or seven miles round, with many old verses round it: about the year 1710 they knocked it in pieces, without taking the inscription. Twenty yards from the foundation of this tower runs the rapid Witham, through a bridge of wood. On the south side of the church-yard was, some few years ago, a curious monument[25] (as they say) of one of the builders of the church, in stone, of arched work, but now intirely demolished; and in the market place in my memory was an old and large cross, with a vault underneath, TAB. III. 2d vol.steps all around it, and at top a stone pyramid of thirty foot high, but at this time quite destroyed. I found here an old brass seal of William Chetwynd, with his coat of arms, A fesse lozengé between three mullets, which I gave to the honourable gentleman of that name. Several frieries here, black, white and grey; of which little remains. Oliver Cromwell, then a colonel, lay in Boston the night before he fought the battle of Winceby near Horncastle, Oct. 5. 1643. In North Holland they have a custom of pulling geese twice a year; which has not escaped Pliny’s notice, X. 22. There is nothing left of the adjacent Swineshed abbey, founded by Rob. Greisly, but a yew-tree and a knightly tomb fixed in the wall of the new house. Here king John sickened in his journey to Sleeford castle and Newark castle, where he died.
East of Boston was a chapel called Hiptoft, and in the town a church dedicated to St. John, but demolished. Here was a staple for wool and several other commodities, and a vast foreign trade: the hall was pulled down in my time. The great hall of St. Mary’s Guild is now the place of meeting for the corporation and sessions, &c. Here was born the learned John Fox the martyrologist. Queen Elizabeth gave the corporation a court of admiralty all over the sea-coast hereabouts.
Abundance of rare sea-plants grow near this coast: many species of sea-wormwoods, scurvy-grass, crithmum marinum, atriplex marinum, &c. of which we may expect a good account from Dr. Blair of Boston; as also of many rare fishes caught hereabouts, Raja, needle-fish, star-fish, &c. and of the stickle-back oil is made in very large quantities, the invention of the Ichtyophagi, Pliny XV. 7. Carum vulgare, Caraway, grows plentifully in the pastures all about Boston. Sambucus foliis variegatis baccis albis, Elder-tree with gilded leaves and white berries, in Boston Fen-ends: a gilded ivy in Mr. Pacey’s garden. Apium palustre Italicum, Selery vulgo dictum, in all the ditches of Holland. Paronychia folio rutaceo, Rue-leaved whitlow-grass, on the north side of walls and houses. A barberry-tree without stones, in Alderchurch parish. Asparagus sylvestris, wild asparagus, in Gorham wood, Whaplode. Many rare plants in the east fen, such as stratiotes azoides, fresh water fengreen. In the boggy grounds about Tattersall, Trifolium palustre, ros solis, virga aurea, myrtus brabantica, pinguicula, asphodelus, adianthum aureum. In the park, androsæmum, tutsan: in the ditches hard by, valeriana sylvestris: in the heaths, many sorts of erica: solanum lethale about Cowhurn.