Transcribed from the 1820 Sherwood, Neely, and Jones edition by David Price. HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE SKETCHES OF THE TOWN AND SOKE OF HORNCASTLE, IN THE COUNTY OF LINCOLN, AND OF SEVERAL PLACES ADJACENT, EMBELLISHED WITH ENGRAVINGS. * * * * * BY GEORGE WEIR. * * * * * * * * * * LONDON: PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR BY SHERWOOD, NEELY, AND JONES, PATERNOSTER-ROW. SOLD AT HORNCASTLE BY WEIR AND SON. * * * * * 1820. * * * * * * * * * * Printed by Weir and Son, Horncastle. PREFACE. THE Author of this volume has for several years past been induced from a partiality to topographical research, to devote those hours which he could spare from his professional avocations to an enquiry into the early history of the town and neighbourhood of Horncastle. The following pages are the result of his labors, and he would have been glad to have laid them before the public in a more perfect form; but from the difficulties which he has had to encounter with in pursuing an untrodden path, he has been enabled only to give them as “Sketches.” It was the intention of the Author to have published this work five years ago; but in this he was prevented by local circumstances, and has subsequently been so by an unfavorable state of health. He now submits it to the public as the contribution of his mite towards the long neglected topography of the county of Lincoln. The Account of Tattershall having in a separate publication passed through two editions, the original intention of the Author was not to have included it in this volume; many of his Subscribers, however, expressing a wish to the contrary, it is in compliance therewith now subjoined.