Historical and Descriptive Sketches of the Town and Soke of Horncastle [1820] / in the county of Lincoln, and of several places adjacent

by George Weir

At so early a period as the time of forming the Domesday survey, this town appears to have arisen into some consideration as a place of trade, being possessed of a market, which however is in that record denominated a new one. [74]

For a many years it was considered one of the principal market towns of the county of Lincoln; but its trade, for some time previous to the destruction of the castle, had been gradually withdrawing to other places more conveniently situated; and afterwards the town fell rapidly into decay, and its market became wholly unfrequented.

Although it may be at present identified as a mere village; yet its widely detached houses, partially paved streets, and grass grown market place, connected with the mounds of the castle which once adorned the spot, evince sufficiently that there has been a time when destitution was not the characteristic of the town of Bolingbroke.

An unsuccessful attempt has lately been made to revive the market, on a portion of land allotted to this parish on the enclosure of the fens, in lieu of right of common thereon. An annual fair on the tenth of July, is held both at this town and on the fen allotment.

There is a free school at this place, founded and endowed in 1588, by a Mr. Chamberlain.

In 1811 this parish contained 75 houses, and 361 inhabitants.

Bolingbroke gives the title of viscount to the family of St. John, of Lydiard Tregoze, in Wiltshire.

REVESBY.

Revesby is situated at the distance of six miles south from Horncastle, on the road from that place to Boston, and is included in the soke of Bolingbroke.

What now constitutes the parish of Revesby, appears formerly to have been three distinct manors, Revesby, Thoresby, and Seithesby; the greater part of which was the property of William de Romara, Earl of Lincoln. In the year 1142 he founded a Cistertian monastery at this place, and previous to endowing it with the whole of his possessions here, he negotiated exchanges with the other proprietors, by which he was enabled to give the entirety of the three manors to his new monastery. [76]