THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
At the south-east corner of the church yard is the Grammar School, a spacious and well constructed edifice of brick. It was founded and endowed by Edward Lord Clinton and Saye, the Lord High Admiral of England, under the authority of letters patent, dated the 25th of June, 1652. [35] By these letters it was ordained, that this institution should be denominated “The Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth, in the Town or Soke of Horncastle, of the foundation of Edward Lord Clinton and Saye,” for the education, training, and instruction of boys and youths in grammar, and to be appropriated to this object for ever.
The school was to be conducted by a master, and a sub-master, or usher: ten governors were also appointed and incorporated, with perpetual succession, and a common seal. These governors were empowered on the death of any of their body, to elect others in their places; also to nominate the master and usher on any vacancy; and to make such statutes concerning the preservation and disposal of the revenues, as circumstances at any time might dictate. Besides holding the endowments, they were authorized to purchase and receive lands and other possessions, not exceeding £40. per annum.
The estates by which the establishment is maintained, consist of houses and land situated at Horncastle, Hemingby, Sutton, Huttoft and Winthorpe. The lands in the last three named parishes being subject to inundations from the sea, the annual revenue is rendered precarious; but in the more favorable years it amounts to about £200.
The salaries for a long time were £40. per annum to the master, and £30. to the sub-master or usher: but on the appointment of the present master, in 1818, the salary was advanced to £80. per annum, to which was also added a house for his residence; the salary of the sub-master remaining as heretofore, at £30. The sum of £2. 2s. per annum is charged for those scholars who are instructed in writing and arithmetic. There are at this period about twenty boys on the foundation.
The governors of this institution have also the management of another school in the town, for the instruction of poor children in reading, sewing, and knitting. A house, with a salary to the teacher of £30. per annum, charged upon certain estates in Horncastle, having been bequeathed to them in trust, for that purpose, by Mr. Richard Watson, a native of this place, who died in 1784.
THE RIVER BANE AND NAVIGABLE CANAL.
The river Bane, rising at the village of Ludford, takes its course in a direction nearly south to join its waters with those of the Witham. After meandering through an extent of country about fourteen miles, it receives at Horncastle, the tributary stream of the Waring, and abundantly supplies the town, conveniently situated at the confluence of the two rivers. From hence continuing a gently winding course, it washes Tattershall and its moorlands, before it falls into the larger river, to increase its waters to the sea.
In the year 1792, an act of parliament was obtained for making the Bane navigable from the river Witham, through Tattershall to Horncastle. [37] The act, after reciting the names of the original subscribers, incorporates them by the name of “The Company of Proprietors of the Horncastle Navigation in the County of Lincoln,” giving them perpetual succession and a common seal, and empowering them to raise £1500. in three hundred shares of £50. each. The interest of these was not to exceed £8. per cent. No person was to be the possessor of less than one share, nor to hold more than twenty. As circumstances might require, they were authorized to raise £1,000. more, by shares or mortgages of the tolls.
The tollage allowed by this act was, for goods passing the whole length of the navigation, 2s. per ton; from the Witham to the seventh lock, 1s. 9d. per ton; and from the Witham to the fourth lock, 1s. 3d. per ton; excepting lime, lime-stone, manure, or materials for roads, for which, only half the already mentioned tolls were to be taken.
The works were commenced in the year 1793: but, when about two thirds were completed, the whole of the funds to be appropriated to their execution were already expended. After suffering the canal to remain several years in this unfinished state, the company applied again to Parliament, and in the year 1800 another act was obtained, enabling them to raise £20,000. more by subscription amongst themselves, by admission of new subscribers in shares of £50. each, by mortgage, or by granting annuities. The limitation of shares and interest were repealed by this act; and the tonnage rates advanced to 3s. 3d. per ton for the whole length of the navigation, 2s. 7d. to the seventh lock, and 1s. 8d. to the fourth; lime, lime-stone, manure, and materials for roads excepted as before from the payment of full rates.
Shortly after the works were recommenced, the plan of completing them by an entirely new canal was adopted in preference to that which they had before pursued of rendering the Bane navigable. It was therefore at the village of Dalderby diverted from the course of the natural stream, and carried on in a less varied track to the point of junction between the waters of the Bane and Waring: from hence it was continued in the divergent courses of these two rivers, to the more extreme parts of the town of Horncastle. It was completed in September, 1802, and on Friday the seventeenth of that month the vessels entered the town. The canal is sufficiently deep to navigate vessels of fifty tons burthen.
From this town to the river Witham the distance is about eleven miles, in which the stream has a fall of eighty-four feet.
THE PRESENT STATE OF THE TOWN.
Although this place was favored at an early period with a charter for a market, which in the time of Henry the eighth appears to have been well frequented, yet it remained for many years little more than a considerable village. [39] From the earliest accounts it seems to have been gradually encreasing; but it was not until later years, when a new impulse was given to the agricultural interests of the country, that it began to exhibit material evidences of extension and improvement.
From a plan of the town drawn by Dr. Stukeley, in the year 1722, it appears at that period of time, now nearly the lapse of a century, to have been little more than half its present extent. This plan, not having been made from actual survey, cannot be considered as an accurate representation: nevertheless it is calculated to give a tolerable idea of the state of the town at the time it was executed. It is traditionally asserted that at that period scarcely a brick house was to be found in the parish; the early erected dwellings being all constructed with clay walls, and covered with thatch; thus evidencing that common character which Leland the antiquary assigns to the towns of this part. The clay buildings have for the most part disappeared, and brick structures are now erected in their stead; and from the spirit of improvement which has lately been evinced, they will doubtless in a few years be entirely removed. The rebuilding of many houses in the principal streets in a handsome manner, within the last twenty years, has given to the town an air of respectability; but the effect which would be produced by these buildings in its general appearance, is materially diminished, by the narrowness and irregularity of the streets. At this time the number of houses may be computed at about seven hundred, and of inhabitants, about three thousand five hundred.
The entrances to the town, as well as its general aspect, have also been improved by the inclosure of the fields by which it is surrounded. To accomplish this an act of parliament was obtained in 1803, and carried into effect the following year.
In no respect has the town changed more than in its trade; a large proportion of its inhabitants having formerly been employed in the tanning of leather, in which manufacture the yards on the south side of the Far-street were almost exclusively occupied. About fifty years ago the number of these establishments began rapidly to decline, and are at this time reduced to two. Since the completion of the canal in 1801, a considerable trade in corn and wool has been carried on here; about thirty thousand quarters of the former, and three thousand sheets of the latter being annually sent from this place. The town also from its situation in a well inhabited district enjoys a large retail trade.
There are now three fairs for horses, cattle and sheep, held here annually. The first, which concludes on the twenty-second of June, has of late years declined very much, and though chartered for eight days seldom continues more than three. The second, which terminates on the twenty-first of August, has long been celebrated as the largest fair for horses in the kingdom, perhaps it may be said in the world; it continues about ten days, being three days more than the time expressed in the charter. To this fair are brought for sale horses of all descriptions from every part of the kingdom, to the number of many thousands; and beside the most extensive dealers of this country, there are to be found in the fair purchasers and dealers from different parts of the continent of Europe, and even from America. The third fair, which is held on the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth days of October, was removed to this place in 1768, from Market-Stainton, a decayed market town, about eight miles distant, two hundred pounds being given to the lord of the manor of that place, to permit the removal, one half of this sum was raised by subscription amongst the inhabitants of this town, the other by the lessee of the manor. [41] The market is now held every Saturday, to which it was changed from Wednesday, the day mentioned in the charter, probably in consequence of the markets at Boston and Louth being also on that day; but the time at which the alteration took place cannot now be ascertained.
A building, situated on the south side of the church yard, is appropriated for the purposes of a Dispensary, which is supported by public subscription. Those to whom medical aid is administered, are such of the sick poor as are recommended by subscribers; and the many to whom assistance has been afforded, evince its utility in a striking degree. The number of patients admitted from the commencement of the institution in September 1789, to September 1818, was 9253. It is attended two days in the week by two physicians, whose services are gratuitous, and by an apothecary, who receives a salary. A female accoucheur has also been lately added to the establishment.
A Literary Society, which was established here in the year 1790, has formed a permanent library, which is kept at the Dispensary. It contains about one thousand volumes, and is open to the members two days in the week. For several years the subscription was only ten shillings and sixpence per annum; it was afterwards advanced to fourteen shillings, and subsequently to one pound. Subscribers are now also required to pay ten shillings and sixpence on their admission. The society at present consists of about forty members.
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.