[196a] Not many years ago there was preserved in the church of the not distant parish of Scopwick, a richly-embroidered satin pulpit cloth, probably a specimen of such work; but the Vicar, unfortunately, converted it into window curtains, and it has been lost. (Oliver, p. 72, n. 23.)
[196b] The Harleian MS., in the British Museum, shows buxom dames shooting stags and boars with the bow, mounted astride on horseback. Italian and Dutch artists shew the same. Lady Superiors were wont thus to relieve the montony of conventual life. It is related of Queen Elizabeth, that when 60 years old, she shot four deer before breakfast. “Standard,” ‘leader,’ Oct. 12th, 1898.
[197] There may be seen in Horncastle, at the house of Mr. Soulby Hunter, of Horncastle, a very beautifully-carved boss of stone, which was once in the roof of the Priory chapel, or church; it is circular, more than 2ft. in diameter, and 6 portions of arches branch off from it. Its size indicates that the fabric must have been on a large scale and lofty. There is also at the same house a finely-carved figure of a crouching lion, which may have formed part of a frieze, or cornice of the same building.
[198] This stone consists of a square block, the carved device being a cross within a circle, on the four arms of which are letters, which, taking a central E as common to all, form the words “Lex Dei Est Vera,” ‘the law of God is true.’ The stone was taken to Lincoln, and placed in the west gable of a house built by the late Mr. E. J. Willson. (“Linc. N. & Q.” vol. i., p. 124). It was engraved in “Archæological Journal,” vol. ix., p. 97.
[199] This Boulton was, for his crime, hanged at Lincoln; but his body brought to be buried in the old church. When the present church was built, his body was removed, with others, and re-interred in the churchyard. His remains are, locally, said to have differed from all the others, in that there were still large lumps of fat about the skeleton. This may probably be accounted for by the fact that he died in the full vigour of life. Some of the Boultons formerly resided at Hall-garth, Thimbleby; others lived at Sturton-by-Stow, and left moneys for the poor of that parish.
[202] Thomas Welby, in his will, proved 18th August, 1524, desired “to be buried in the church of Stixwould, before the image of our Lady.” The Welbys are now one of the leading county families, yet we find this very name of “Thomas Welby of Moulton,” mentioned in the “Myntling MS.” of Spalding Priory, as among the bondmen of that monastery. 25 Edward III., (1352). Thomas Grantham, living at Newstead farm, Stixwould, 40 years ago, probably of the above Grantham family, was a great hunting man. His brother, Redding Grantham, is buried at Woodhall Spa.
[203] For many of these particulars I am indebted to the account of Halstead Hall, by the Rev. J. A. Penny, given in “Linc. N. & Q.,” vol. iii., pp. 33–37.
[204] The bricks of this structure resemble those of Tattershall Castle (built about 1440), and of the Tower-on-the-Moor; they were formerly supposed to be Dutch bricks, brought by boat up the Witham; but geologists tells us that they are made of the local clay.
[206a] A cast was taken of Tiger Tom’s head, after the execution, and a mould from it now forms an ornament over the door of a house, No. 31, Boston Road, Horncastle, which formerly belonged to Mr. William Boulton. He witnessed the execution, and procured the cast at the time.
[206b] One of the gang was hanged on March 27, 1829; the two above-named on March 19, the next year, 1830; a fourth was captured two years later, but escaped hanging, as it was pleaded on his behalf, that he had prevented Timothy Brammar, a reckless fellow, from shooting Mr. Elsey, or ill-treating the maids. He, however, had formerly been a servant at the house, knew the premises well, and was said to have planned the whole proceedings; he was transported. There were said to be ten men in the gang, all “bankers,” i.e., “navvies.” Mr. T. Mitchell, parish clerk of Woodhall, informs me that two of the men confined in the stables were named Henry Oldfield and George Croft; names frequently appearing in the parish registers and still common in the neighbourhood. George Croft died at Langton, January 18, 1878. Henry Oldfield’s daughter, still living (1904), says that she remembers her mother stating that she saw six of the men hanged, at one time or another, and heard the trial of the last two, when the judge remarked “What, the case from Halstead Hall; shall we ever have done with it?” Most of these particulars are given in “Records of Woodhall Spa” (1899), and for them I am indebted to Mr. and Mrs. Longstaff, now residing at Halstead Hall.