From Alford a road goes north to Louth, branching to the right three miles out, to run to Mablethorpe, the favourite seaside resort of the Tennysons when living at Somersby. But we will follow the road to _Bilsby_, where Professor Barnard keeps his unapproachable collection of Early English water-colours. From here we can reach _Markby_, a curious thatched chapel standing inside a moat, and now disused. Then we can look in at _Huttoft_ to see the extremely fine font which resembles that at Covenham St. Mary, and Low Toynton, near Horncastle; after which, passing by _Mumby_, we will make for the first of the typical Marsh churches at _Hogsthorpe_. Markby vicarage goes with _Hannah-cum-Hagnaby_ rectory. Once there was an Austin or Black Friars priory at Markby, and at Hagnaby—a hamlet in Hannah or Hannay—an abbey of Premonstratensian or White Canons, which was founded in 1175 by Herbert de Orreby and dedicated to St. Thomas the Martyr. [Illustration: _Markby Church._] The registers at _Markby_ are among the earliest in the kingdom, beginning in 1558, those in Hannay dating from 1559. The first year of their institution was 1838. [Sidenote: THE HUTTOFT FONT] The _Huttoft_ font is of the fourteenth century, and is four feet eight inches high, so it needs a step like those at Wrangle, Benington, and Frieston, and that at Skendleby. On the bowl are represented the Holy Trinity, the Virgin and Child, the Virgin holding a bunch of lilies, and the Child an apple. On six of the panels are the Apostles in pairs, as at Covenham St. Mary. The under part has angel figures all round supporting the bowl. The shaft has eight panels with figures of popes, bishops, and holy women, and at the base are symbols of the four evangelists. The string-courses show three different roofs to the nave. [Sidenote: HOGSTHORPE] _Hogsthorpe_, like most of the churches in the neighbourhood, is built of the soft local green-sand, which is found near the edge of the marsh where the Wolds die away into the level. The tower shows patches of brickwork which give a warm and picturesque appearance. The south porch is here, as is the rule, built of a harder stone, and is handsome and interesting. A pair of oblong stones of no great size are built in on either side above the arch with an inscription in old English letters, beginning, oddly enough, both in this church and in one at Winthorpe a few miles off, with the right hand stone and finishing on the left. The words are, “Orate pro animabus Fratrum et Sororum Guilde Sᶜᵗᵃᵉ Mariæ hujus Ecclesiæ quorum expensis et sumptibus fabricata est haec porticus.” The church has had its roof renewed in pine wood. It also has the worst coloured window glass I have ever seen, an error of local piety.[17] The registers begin in 1558. [Sidenote: ADDLETHORPE]