Records of Woodhall Spa and Neighbourhood: Historical, Anecdotal, Physiographical, and Archaeological, with Other MatterWalter, J. Conway (James Conway)
History
Records of Woodhall Spa and Neighbourhood: Historical, Anecdotal, Physiographical, and Archaeological, with Other Matter
Walter, J. Conway (James Conway)
Woodhall Spa (England)
A trace of the Saxon still survives in the name of a field, to the south
of the town, and lately given to the town by the Lord of the Manor, which
is called “The Wong.” This is an old Saxon word for “meadow.” In the
“Ancient English Romance of Havelok the Dane” (Early English Text
Society, London, 1868), we find in line 397, “Casteles and tunes, wodes
and wonges,” _i.e._ castles and villages, woods and fields. In Stamford
a back street, formerly in the suburbs, retains the name Wong street. In
North Yorkshire is a hamlet named Wet-wang, and in our own neighbourhood,
at Halton Holegate, near Spilsby, there is land called “The Wongs.”
Horncastle was the Roman station Banovallum, or fortress on the Bane,
mentioned by the historian Ravennas. Fragments of the massive walls of
the old castrum, or fort, can be distinctly traced by those who know
where to look for them; but they need looking for, since, for the most
part, they are hidden in the back premises of shops or residences, which
face the street. Briefly stated, the western wall runs along the western
boundary of the churchyard of the Parish Church, and may there be seen,
as well as a fragment of it in a yard at the end of the road which passes
north of the churchyard. It continued northward to within a few yards of
the bridge over the northern branch of the canal. The southern wall runs
almost parallel with the south branch of the canal, portions being
visible at the back of the Grammar School, and at a corner of St. Mary’s
square close to the churchyard. This runs eastward through various back
premises, and may best be seen in a coalyard near the canal. At that
point the eastern wall begins, and runs northward, passing under some
houses, and yards, and under the High street, the most north-easterly
point being found in a small yard at the back of the shop of Messrs.
Carlton and Sons, Chemists, adjoining Dog Kennel yard; so called because
Lord Fitz-Williams’ hounds were kennelled there when he hunted the South
Wold country nearly a century ago. The northern wall runs through back
premises an the north of the Market place, and at the back of Mr.
Overton’s and Mr. Lunn’s premises. In the fields on the south-west of
the town, and beyond the south branch of the canal was formerly a maze,
such as have been found at other Roman stations. {188a} This was named
“Julian’s Bower,” and thought by Stukeley to be Roman, but the late
Bishop Suffragan, E. Trollope, in a Paper read at Horncastle, June 3rd,
1858, {188b} pronounced it to be mediæval. In the Roman maze the youths
played at “Tory Town;” and as this game was first taught by Ascanius,
called also Iulus, the son of Æneas, from him it acquired the name
“Julian.” {188c} At the west end of the town, in the angle between the
roads leading to the railway station and Edlington, is a site called
Maypole Hill. Here the boys and girls used to march in procession on May
day, bearing flowers, “with wands called May-gads in their hands,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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