Historical and Descriptive Sketches of the Town and Soke of Horncastle [1820]: in the county of Lincoln, and of several places adjacentWeir, George
History
Historical and Descriptive Sketches of the Town and Soke of Horncastle [1820]: in the county of Lincoln, and of several places adjacent
Weir, George
Horncastle (England)
The church stands about eighty yards east of the castle, near the outer
fosse, and is a beautiful and spacious stone structure in the form of a
cross, consisting of a square tower, a nave with five arches on a side,
and eight clerestory windows placed in pairs, a transept, and a choir.
On the north side is a porch, on which are sculptured the arms of William
of Wainflete, Bishop of Winchester: formerly there were two porches on
the south side also bearing the arms of the same bishop; but these have
been some time since removed. Over the great eastern window is a richly
ornamented niche, in which a statue once stood: the wall above the
western door is likewise ornamented with thirteen blank shields. The
cloisters, which were on the south side of the chancel, are entirely
demolished.
In the south wall of the chancel are three stone stalls and a piscina,
with a cornice charged with various animals; on each side of the transept
is also a piscina. There is a handsome rood-loft between the nave and
choir, now used as a singing gallery.
The windows of the choir were once enriched with beautiful stained glass,
which was removed in the year 1754, by the Earl of Exeter, on condition
that it should be replaced with plain glass: but this being neglected to
be done, the choir remained about fifty years with unglazed windows; and
being thus exposed to the weather, the elegantly carved oak stalls, the
rich screens, and other ornamental work, fell entirely to decay. {90}
The choir has, within these few years, been repaired by the present Earl
Fortescue, and fitted up in a plain but neat manner.
The windows of the nave and transept were also enriched with stained
glass containing the legendary histories of St. Guthlake, St. Catherine,
and other saints, a few fine fragments of which are preserved in two of
the transept windows.
On the floor before the communion table is a stone which once contained a
rich brass figure of the Lord Treasurer Cromwell, habited in full plated
armour and a flowing mantle and cordon, the gauntlets reaching to the
middle joint of the fingers, a long sword across him from the middle of
the belt, and at his feet two wild men with clubs his supporters; by his
side the figure of Margaret his wife; and over them a canopy charged with
saints, and under them the following inscription:
“Hic jacet nobilis Baro Radulphus Cromwell Miles D’ns de Cromwell
quo’dm Thesaurarius Anglie et fundator hujus Collegii cum inclita
consorte sua Margareta una herede d’ni Dayncourt qui quid’m Radulphus
obiit quarto die mens. Januarij Anno d’ni Mill’o cccclv. Et p’dicta
Margareta obiit xv die Septe’br Anno d’ni mill’io ccccliij Quor’
Aiab’ pp’ietur Deus Amen.”
The whole of these figures, the canopy, and the arms are gone and only
half the inscription is now remaining.
On the north side of the Lord Treasurer, is the figure in brass of Joan
Lady Cromwell, {91a} under a canopy adorned with saints, and under her
this inscription:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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