CHAPTER XXIV
LINCOLNSHIRE BYWAYS
Willoughby and Captain John Smith—Grimoldby—South Cockerington—Sir Adrian Scrope’s Tomb—Alvingham—Two Churches in one Churchyard—Yarborough—The Covenhams—Hog-back View—Milescross Hill to Gunby—Skendleby—South Ormsby and Walmsgate—Belchford—Thorpe Hall—The Elkingtons.
The Romans had a road from the sea probably by Burgh and Gunby and then on the ridge by Ulceby cross-roads to Louth, and so on the east edge of the Wold north to the Humber.
It is not a particularly interesting route, but if at Gunby we turn to the right we shall pass Willoughby with its old sandstone church in a well-kept churchyard, a somewhat rare thing on this route. The church (St. Helen’s) has some Saxon stones in the south wall of the tower, and a double arch on the north side of the chancel, a Norman arch in front of a fourteenth century one. Here, in 1579, was born the redoubtable Captain John Smith, president of Virginia and the hero of the famous Pocahontas[13] story, a man whose life was more full of adventure than perhaps any in history. The interest which Pocahontas created when she came to England is evinced by the number of inn signs of “The belle Sauvage.” The church has a singular slab with the head and shoulders of a man, name unknown, in relief cut on it at one end—his feet showing at the other, something after the fashion of a “sandwich-man.” The huge belfry ladder is also noteworthy, being made of two trees, whole, with stout, rough timber spiked to them for steps.
GRIMOLDBY
From Willoughby to Alford and on by Saleby, Withern, Gayton-le-Marsh, Great and Little Carlton, and Manby, the road is not remarkable; but, after crossing the main road from Horncastle to Saltfleet, which has come over the Wold viâ Scamblesby, Cawkwell and Tathwell, it arrives at Grimoldby. Here the church is noteworthy for the size and excellence of its gargoyles. Outside it has heavy battlemented parapets, a good gable-cross with pent-house over it, as on the Somersby cross, and the entire shaft of a churchyard cross. Inside, the nave is whitewashed, but the fine old roof remains, and on one of the beams is the pulley block for the rood light, as at Addlethorpe and Winthorpe. The door is old and has been enriched with carving and there is the lower part of a good rood screen with three returns, possibly for lights, projecting twelve inches westwards. This arrangement is also found in the rood screen at Thornton Curtis. In the north porch is a fine holy water stoup.
Manby.
For the next six miles churches are to be found at every mile.