It is much to be regretted for the advancement of researches into local antiquities that the chief part of the urns, coins, fibulæ, and other Roman vestiges discovered at Horncastle, have been sold to strangers who have visited the town, or to dealers elsewhere. The coins which have been found here are numerous, and though chiefly of small brass and denarii ærei of the lower empire, yet they include many extremely fine and varied specimens of the earlier imperial coins, both of a larger size and of other metals, several of which are in the possession of different individuals in the town. Amongst these may be particularized the silver coins of Vespasian, L. Septimius Severus, Alexander Severus, and Volusianus; the large brass of Trajan; and the middle brass of Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Trajan, Hadrian, Domitian, Antoninus Pius, Faustina the elder, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, and Faustina the younger. The small brass and denarii ærei form nearly a complete series of the emperors from Gallienus to Valentinanus the second, and include also within that period, coins of some of the tyrants of Britain and Gaul. Beside these are some others in the collection of the late Reverend Charles L’Oste, now possessed by his son, but unfortunately no memoranda exist by which they are to be distinguished from those obtained at other places. This gentleman also had in his collection several fibulæ and stiles which had been discovered here. A British coin found at this place has on its concave side the horse and symbolic circles; on the convex is the representation of an animal apparently intended for a stag, with similar ornaments around it, as the other side possesses. Many of the early English silver currency have been found here, and also a specimen of the Scottish coinage of David the second. In deepening the bed of the river Bane, to complete the navigation, in 1802, an ornamental brass spur, part of a brass crucifix, and a dagger, were found together at a short distance from the north bason of the navigation. The spur is now lost; the part of the crucifix and the dagger are in the possession of the author. [Picture: Ancient British Coin] THE CHURCH. FROM the silence of the Domesday Book respecting a church at this place, it may be concluded that there was not one erected when that survey was made; there however appears to have been one in the reign of Richard the first. {29a} [Picture: North-East View of Horncastle Church]