A History of Horncastle, from the earliest period to the present timeWalter, J. Conway (James Conway)
History
A History of Horncastle, from the earliest period to the present time
Walter, J. Conway (James Conway)
Horncastle (England) -- History
The interesting old hall and the manor were then bought by Reuben
Roberts, Esq., of Linden House, Horncastle, who resides there in the
summer. He also owns other land in the parish. Other owners are E.
Hassard, Esq., of Edlington Park; H. N. Coates, Esq., of Langton Manor;
the trustees of the late Mr. Samuel Goe, and several smaller proprietors.
Mrs. Tebbutt, of Horncastle, a relict of an old Thimbleby family, whose
name appears frequently in the parish books, is now Lady of the Manor.
Some 200 yards east of the church and on the south side of the main road
is a large field, the property of Mr. Henry N. Coates of Langton, which
is known as “The Butts.” It has some fine trees, apparently the remains
of an extensive avenue, which have been more numerous even within living
memory. It has been sometimes called “The Park Close,” but the title
“The Butts” is interesting, as probably indicating that it was formerly
the site on which (in the words of a rhymer, it may be said):
England’s archers of old,
Village wights true and bold,
Unerring in hand and in eye,
Learned skill in their craft
With yew-bow and shaft,
Wand to splinter, or pierce the bull’s-eye.
And while the youth gay,
Rough rivals, essay
To rive and riddle each butt,
Sage sires stand by,
And coy maidens cry,
To welcome the winning shot.
Full many such scene
Has been witnessed, I ween,
In that whilome time-honoured spot,
’Neath the wide-spreading shade
Of the green wood glade
Which is still named the “Thimbleby Butt.”
In this “Butts” field rises a spring, which is the source of a small
runnel, called “Daubeny’s Beck.” This bearing westward, for some
distance forms the boundary between the parishes of Thimbleby and
Langton, then flowing through Woodhall falls into the “Monk’s Beck,” at
Poolham. The name “Daubeny” is doubtless a corruption of D’ Albini. The
D’ Albinis held the Barony, and built the castle of Belvoir, and had
other large possessions in this county and elsewhere; the name is not
uncommon as a field name, &c. There is a field in Langton called
“Daubeny’s (_i.e._ D’ Albini’s) Walk.”
In the grounds of Mr. W. A. Crowder, further to the east, near the
Lincoln “Ramper,” as the highway is locally called, there was found, a
few years ago, a so-called “Roman” tomb, somewhat rudely constructed of
blocks of Spilsby sandstone. Within it was a human skeleton, with bones
of a dog, a sword, and the head of a spear. In connection with this, we
may also mention, that in the Rectory grounds there is an ancient well,
of great depth, lined also with Spilsby sandstone, and said to be Roman;
which in the immediate proximity of the Cornucastrum, or Roman fort of
Banovallum, would not seem to be at all improbable.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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