In the year 1807 the inhabitants of this town in conjunction with several other towns and villages, in the county of Lincoln, made application to parliament, and obtained an act for the recovery of debts not exceeding the sum of five pounds. The commissioners hold their courts at this place, as well as at the other towns specified in the act, every fourth Thursday. The education of the poor which has lately excited so much attention in various parts of the kingdom, has not been neglected here. A school on the Lancasterian or British system was established at a public meeting held in October, 1813; and but a few days subsequently a meeting was held at the church, when it was resolved to establish also a school on the plan of Dr. Bell. Early in the ensuing year buildings were erected, and each system began to be acted upon. Both schools are supported by voluntary contributions, and each contains about two hundred children. Beside the established church, there are in this town a society of Wesleyan Methodists, a small congregation of Calvinistic Baptists, and a newly formed society of primitive Methodists. THE SOKE OF HORNCASTLE. AT the time of compiling the Domesday record, there appears to have been included other parishes, in addition to those now comprised in this soke; but it cannot now be ascertained at what time the alteration took place. Beside the parish of Horncastle it at present contains the following townships:—Thimbleby, West Ashby, Low Tointon, High Tointon, Mareham on the Hill, Roughton, Haltham, Wood Enderby, Moorby, Wilksby, Mareham le Fen, and Coningsby. To these have lately been added Langriville and Thornton le Fen, portions of the fen district, which had been sold by the commissioners appointed under an act of enclosure, and rendered parochial by act of parliament in 1812. On the enclosure of these fens, under the act which was obtained in 1801, the whole of the parishes in this soke, excepting the two newly formed ones, had portions of land allotted to them, in lieu of their right of common. West Ashby, High Tointon, Mareham on the Hill, and Wood Enderby, were formerly hamlets of the parish of Horncastle; but have for several years been considered as distinct parishes, and have appointed their own churchwardens and overseers of the poor. THIMBLEBY,