There is a free school at this place, founded and endowed in 1588, by a Mr. Chamberlain.
In 1821, this parish contained 158 houses, and 753 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. [74]
To add to the solemnity of the ceremony of foundation, the Earl on this occasion manumitted several slaves, who had petitioned for their liberty. One of them, called Wilhelmus Medicus, was doubtless a physician; another, Rogerus Barkarius, probably a shepherd: the surnames of persons at that time being derived from their professions. A person named Roger Barker resided until lately at a place called Stickney Wydale. This place belongs to the parish of Revesby, though about four miles distant, and is supposed to have been given to the monks, on condition of their keeping Nordyke Causeway, formerly a dangerous pass, in repair.
Beside the endowment of William de Romara, the monastery was enriched by numerous other benefactions. At the dissolution of religious houses, its possessions with all its rights were granted to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk; and on the death of his two infant sons, who survived him only a short time, their extensive possessions were divided among the heirs general. On this division, Revesby fell to the lot of the Carsey family, who resided here several years, and afterwards sold it to the Lord Treasurer Burleigh, from whom it descended to the first and second Earls of Exeter; the latter of whom settled it on his grandson, Henry Howard, the third son of the Earl of Berkshire. About a century ago it was sold by the descendants of Henry Howard, to Joseph Banks, Esquire, the great grandfather of the late Right Honorable Sir Joseph Banks, Baronet, whose widow is the present possessor.
The seat of the proprietor was built by Craven Howard, nephew and heir of Henry Howard; but has been much enlarged by the family of Banks. Part of an ancient mansion, formerly the residence of the abbots, now forms the offices. The monastery, which stood at a considerable distance, has long been entirely demolished.