George Weir - Historical and descriptive sketches of the town and soke of Horncastle

Transcribed from the 1822 Sherwood, Neely, And Jones edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org

AND SEVERAL

PLACES ADJACENT,

EMBELLISHED WITH ENGRAVINGS.

BY GEORGE WEIR.

SECOND EDITION.

LONDON:
PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR BY SHERWOOD, NEELY, AND JONES,
PATERNOSTER-ROW.

SOLD AT HORNCASTLE BY WEIR AND SON.

1822.

Printed by Weir and Son,
Horncastle.

The first impression of this work being sold off, and copies still enquired for, a second edition has been prepared for publication. In this edition the Author has taken care to insert such additional information respecting the places described in the former impression, as he has been able to procure. A view of the Monastic Remains at Tupholme, together with a short description of the place, is also added; and for the drawing from which this view is engraved, the Author has to acknowledge his obligation to Mr. Espin, of Louth, who kindly furnished several of the former views.

In order to reduce the price of the book as much as possible, the ancient and modern plans of Horncastle, together with the Appendix, consisting chiefly of charters, which were included in the first edition, in this are omitted.

August 15, 1822.

Horncastle is pleasantly situated at the foot of that bold and even range of Hills, which, from their openness, have been termed the wolds. It is nearly in the centre of the Lindsey division of the county of Lincoln, and is the chief of a soke of fifteen parishes to which it gives name.

The principal part of the town is built within an angle formed by the confluence of two rivers, the Bane and the Waring, where an ancient fortification formerly stood, the scite of which is still visible, denoting it in early times to have been a station of importance.

The character of the place however is now completely changed. From a military station it has become a situation of trade; and owing to its being surrounded by a considerable number of villages, possesses one of the largest markets in the county.

Its distance from the city of Lincoln is twenty-one miles, and eighteen from the town of Boston.

Before the invasion of Britain by the Romans, whilst yet the island was divided into independent states, the present scite of Horncastle with its immediate neighbourhood was doubtless appropriated, like the rest of the country of the Coritani, to the pasturing of herds and flocks. In the formation of settlements no other circumstances influenced the Britons than the conveniences which might be afforded them in their accustomed occupations. Vallies fertilized by streams, and the contiguous hills would supply food for their cattle and sheep, whilst the neighbourhood of forests invited to the pursuits of the chase. The rich tracts of open grass land stretching along the banks of the river Bane, and its tributary stream, would be populously occupied by the pastoral inhabitants of this district. Hence it may be presumed, that when the weak efforts of the Coritani for independence had left them vanquished by the victorious arms of the Romans, under Ostorius Scapula, and finally a tributary state by the more efficient achievements of Suetonius Paulinus, this portion of the country was soon secured by fixing on the present scite of Horncastle a military station. From the almost imperishable masses of the ancient wall which still remain, and by the numerous coins, urns, and other vestiges of the Roman people which have been found in this place, and are still met with in turning up the soil, it evidently became in process of time a station of considerable importance. It is difficult however to make any definite suggestions as to the period at which the fortifications were erected, no inscription having been found to throw light upon the subject.

To secure by effectual barriers against insurrections, the conquests which had already been made, whilst yet the bordering people to the north, the fierce and powerful Brigantes, remained unsubdued, might be deemed by the Romans a sufficient inducement for raising frequent and effectual military works among the inhabitants of this state: for it was not until Petillius Cerealis was appointed by the emperor Vespasian to the command in the province of Britain, that this hitherto unbridled nation were either conquered or involved in all the calamities of warfare. Though there be no precise data by which the decision may be guided, as to the time of the earlier military erections which were formed at this place; yet it cannot be ascribed to a much later period than the above occurrences so intimately connected. At all events, it may not be considered posterior to the effects which resulted from the wise policy of Agricola. Immediately on his arrival to assume the command, he placed along the frontiers of the several subjugated districts, a chain of fortresses: these were constructed with so much care and judgment, that the inhabitants of those parts where the Roman arms had not then penetrated, could never consider themselves secure from the vigor of the conqueror. The people, soon after this, completed their submission to the yoke by yielding to the allurements of Roman manners. Their ferocity was tamed: from a savage people running wild in woods, they became cultivated, acquiring knowledge, and dwelling in towns; and finally sweetened their slavery, by indulging in the pleasures of polished life.