I have a middle-sized brass coin of Nero, found at Brigcasterton, S P Q R stamped on the neck. I saw a large Severus Pertinax, brass, found there, Mr. Foden’s. Dec. 7, 1731. Lord Ganesborough showed me a fair large brass Divo Antonino, reverse, the Antonine column, dug up in Exton church-yard.
Pickworth church, to the right, was burnt down, together with the then populous town, by the rebels in Henry the Seventh’s time; and all now lies in ruins. At the same time Hornfield and Hardwick demolished. Pickworth steeple, a very fine spire, and seen all round the country, was taken down about A. D. 1728, to build a sorry bridge at Wakerley. I saw the lower part of the steeple anno 1731, when it was pulled down to build a bridge by Casterton. There was a pretty church and an ancient one at Ingthorp, now turned into a dwelling-house.
[70] Sir Isaac was born at Wolsthorp, a hamlet of Colsterworth. Some part of the high dike remains perfect enough in the fields over-against Colsterworth.
[71] A silver Trajan, found by the high dike in ditching near the Woodnolk in Little Paunton parish, was sent by Madam Eyre, of Eastwell, to Lady Oxford.
Many Roman coins found at Strawston, in possession of my neighbour Andrew Hacket, esq. and vaults dug up there: it is near Paunton.
William de Vesci gave the church of Ancaster to the nuns at Walton; to the knights Templars he gave the churches of Cathorp and Normanton; to the canons of Sempringham, and nuns of Ormsby, the hermitage at Spaldingholme.
[72] The name of Kesteven undoubtedly came from Causennis; but Brigcasterton is really out of that division: Paunton is in the midway of it. Many arched vaults under ground about Paunton Magna: in one of them some coiners lodged for some weeks.
[73] Mrs. Woodward gave me a silver Antoninus upon his consecration, found at Ancaster: she says, one morning she was there, a labourer brought home a dozen Roman coins just then found.
[74] Roman coins are found at Thistleton, near Post Witham, and at Market Overton: two large tumuli in a valley, near a division-dike, on that beautiful plain called Saltby heath.
I saw a fine brass Alexander, Roman; reverse, PROVIDENTIA, a Genius with a cornucopia and ear of corn.