THE PROVINCIAL HISTORY OF ENGLAND.
XCVIL—LINCOLNSHIRE.
SINCE THE NORMAN CONQUEST :—THE LAND AND THE CHURCH'.
IN the distribution of lands after the Norman Conquest, as displayed in Domesday Book, the Church had a not inconsiderable share. Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, had 76 manors, and among other ecclesiastical holders were the Archbishop of York and the Bishops of Constance, Durham, Sarum, and Lincoln, and the Abbots of Peterborough, Ramsey, Croyland, and Westminster. The greatest lay landowner was Gilbert de Gand, son of Baldwin, Earl of Flanders, and nephew of the Conqueror's wife, who had 113 lordships. Next to him came Alan Rufus, Earl of Brittany and Richmond, who married Constance, daughter of the Conqueror, and held 101 lordships. Sixty-one were held by Wido (Guido or Guy) de Credon or Creon, the chief seat of whose barony was at Frieston, in this county. His estate in Lincolnshire afterwards came by a female to the Barons of Ross. Alured de Lincoln held 51 lordships. William de Percy and Robert de Todeni each held 32 manors. The latter baron was the founder of Belvoir Castle, and in the register of the Abbey of St. Alban's, where he founded a cell of monks, he is called Robert de Belvedeir. He died in 1033. Erneis do Baran held 28 lordships, and Robert4e Stadford 20. The Countess Judith and Walter de Aincurt (D'Eincourt) each held 17. The elder branch of this last family became extinct early in the reign of Edward III. Geoffrey Alselin and Ralph Paganel held 15 manors. Among other landowners we find Hugh d'Avrauches Earl of Chester, ho Taillbosc, William de Warem, Henry de Ferrers, Hugh Fitz-Baldric, Gozelin or Jocelin Fitz-Lanbert, Robert de Veaci, Ralph de Mortemer, Colsvaiu, Anagot, Colegrirn, Sortebrand, Chetelbern, &c. It may be observed that Lincolnshire is divided in the Domesday Survey into 30 wapentakes or hundreds, yet, as Sir Henry Ellis observes, there are only about 19 which bear anything like the same names which they do at present. Of the old feudal and mediaeval castles there are remains at Horncastle, Tatterahail (considerable), Bourne (only earthworks), Castor, Somerton, Moor Tower, Stamford, Scrivelby, Torksey (considerable), Sleaford (only earthworks), Bolingbroke, Lincoln, Folkingham (with large fosses), Lyme Tower and Hussey Tower, near Boston, Pinchbeck (a moated mansion), and Bittan. The ecclesiastical edifices in the division of Lindsey (excepting Lincoln Cathedral) are in general inferior to those in
Kesteven and Holland, the best churches being in the north-eastern part of Lindsey, between the German Ocean and the Wolds. Kesteven abounds in churches splendid both in their plans and decorations. Those which have been considered the best specimens of old English architecture are those at Sleaford, Leasingham, Heckington, Threckingham, Horbling, Grantham, and St. Mary's, St. John's, and All Saints in Stamford. Holland also, notwithstanding its fenny and swampy character, can boast of many fine churches, as at Boston, Gosberton, Pinchbeck, Spalding, Holbeach, Gedney, Long-Sutton, Croyland, &c., that at LongSutton being, perhaps, the earliest in that division, which has, however, few churches of a later date than the reign of Edward III.
Among the leading landed families of Lincolnshire in the early Plantagenet period we may mention De Amundavel, De Poilton, Basset, Fitz-Alexander, De Kyme, De Camvill, De Trihanton, fitz-Hichard, De Muleton, De Burgh, De Burozo, Aquilum, Bonet, Fitz-Regin, De Ascell, Fitz-Curzin, De Cheile, De Grey, Penton, de Rye, De St. Laud, De Aveball, De Stuchesle, De Cudworth, Le Venur, 'Taney, De Nevill, De Burnham, De Staun, tan, De Bella, De Newmareh, Da Donnington, De ltochford, Handley, De Fulvetby, PayneU, Bussy (of thither), Ponger, Belesby (of Belesby), Tayllboys, and Welby. In the Lancaster and York period we find among others the families of Willoughby (of Eresby), Hanley, Waterton (of Waterton), Chaworth, Cumberworth, Meres, Shipwith, Littelbery, Copuldik, Braunche Pynchebek, Benyngton, De Boston, Haltoft, Donting, De Tofte, De Frampton, De Spalding, De Sutton, Hilton, Marineon, Markham, Pigott, Roos, Constable (of Halsham), Haringtou, Bowet, Stapleton, Wichcote, Tempest, Brown, Tyrwhit, and Knight. In the Tudor period we find the families of Dymock, Ascugh, Bushy, St. John, Cheyne, Hansard, Disney, Goodrick, Newenham, Saudon, Dalkon, Thimolby, Monsin, Thorold, Bertie, St. Pole, Gedney, Metham, Savile, Heneage (of Hainton), Manby, Armyne, Sanderson, Wray, Grantham, Carr, and Pelham (of Brocklesby). The Stuart period supplies the names of Marbury, Amcotts, Helwish (of Wortetly), Ogle, Hatcher, Langton (of Langton), Hickson, Southcot, Medlecot, Lister, Brampton, Scroop, Brownlow, Trollope, and Irby. Among the present families of position in the county may be mentioned, Bertie (Earl of Lindsey), of Grimsthorpe ; Manners, of Belvoir Castle ; Hobart-Hampden (Earl of Buckinghamshire), of Nocton ; Lumley (Earl of Scarborough), of Glentworth ; Pelham (Earl of Yarborough), of Brocklesby ; Beauclerk (Duke of St. Alban's), of ltedburne ; Monson (Lord), of Burton ; Trollope, of Caswick ; Welby, of Denton ; Cholmeley, of Easton ; Thorold, of Syston ; Chaplin, of Blankney, Riseholme, and Tathwell ; Heneage, of Balaton ; Cracroft, of Backthorne ; Reynardson, of Hollywell ; Tumor, of Penton and Stoke Roehfort ; Massingberd, of Gunby and South Ormsby, &c. From this it will be seen that the Norman and early Plantagenet families have been nearly all swept away, and that the higher gentry date generally from the Tudor or Stuart periods. The confiscation of the property of the Monasteries exercised a very considerable influence here—several of the Commissioners employed in the suppression (such as Heneage of Hainton) establishing themselves in the county at this time. The ragged names of the earliest landowners speak decidedly of a Scandinavian origin, and there can be little doubt that the proprietary of the county still belongs largely and rather purely to that stock.
It may be convenient here to bring to a conclusion our sketch of the general history of Lincolnshire since the Norman Conquest. The county, and especially Lincoln, played an important part in the contest between the Empress Maud and Stephen. Henry III. was seated as a boy on the throne by a battle at Lincoln. The Isle of Axholme became the head-quarters and retreat of the Insurgent Barons during the convulsions of the latter part of his reign. Lincolnshire suffered much in the Wars of the Roses. A rising against Edward IV. was organized by Sir Robert Wells, whose father the Yorkists had executed, and the number of Lincolnshire men who joined him is stated in round numbers at 80,000. He was, however, defeated with great slaughter near Stamford, and executed. On the suppression of the Monasteries in 1536 the Lincolnshire men rose in rebellion, and their achievements and fortunes have of late years met with an able and eloquent historian in Mr. Froude. They. were finally rather overreached by the crafty Tudor King and his unscrupulous agents, than discomfited by actual force, and for a time their rebellion shook Henry's throne. Their original demands are embodied in six articles:-1. The religious houses should be restored. 2. The subsidy (recently imposed) should be remitted. 3. The clergy should pay no more tenths and first-fruits to the
Crown. 4. The statute of Uses should be repealed. 5. The villein blood should be removed from the Privy Council. 6. The heretic Bishops Cranmer and Latimer, Hilsey, Bishop of Rochester, Brown, Archbishop of Dublin, and their own Bishop, Longlands, should be deprived and punished. Louth was the scene of the outbreak of the insurrection. The iusurggents were much aided by the inactivity and double-dealing of Lord Hussey, who had the charge of the county. Constable and other local names occur among their leaders, but the real leader became Robert Aske, a Yorkshireman. Asks, Sir Robert Constable, and Lord Hussey were all ultimately executed, and eleven others of the insurgents suffered a similar fate after a trial at Lincoln, in which one of them, by name Moigne, " spoke in his defence for three hours, so skilfully, according to Sir William Parr's report, that ' but for the diligence of the King's Serjeant,' he and all the rest would have been acquitted."
Of the monastic edifices for the preservation of which in their possessions and power these brave and able men contended there are still several remains. " Darling's Abbey shows part of a wall, and some fragments of columns. Thornton Abbey, not far from Barton-upon-Humber, presents some important and interesting fragments. It was founded by William le Gros, Earl of Albemarle, in 1139, as a priory for Black Canons, and was afterwards made an abbey. The buildings were originally extensive, forming a quadrangle, surrounded with a moat, and having lofty ramparts for occasional defence. The gatehouse, which foamed the western entrance, is still tolerably entire. A spacious room, probably the refectory, and an adjoining room, with recesses in both ends, the abbey church, and a portion of the octagonal chapter-house, are also standing. The abbot's lodge, which stood to the south, is occupied as a farmhouse. Of Barduoy Abbey there are some remains, also of Kirkstead Abbey ; both these are on the left bank of the Witham, between Lincoln and Boston. Of Temple Bruer, a preceptory first of Knights Templars, afterwards of Hospitallers, a few vaults and the tower of the church are left. The latter is a mossy quadrangular stone building, accessible to the top by a winding staircase. The remains of Haverholine Priory, near Stamford, have been incorporated in a modern mansion."
Lincolnshire again played an important part in the Civil Wars of the reign of Charles I. In March, 1613, Colonel Cavendish, a Cavalier, took possession of Grantham, and captured 360 prisoners, demolishing also the works. Oliver Cromwell soon afterwards gained a victory near the town over 24 troops of Royalist cavalry. In the same year, Colonel Cavendish defeated the Parliamentarians at Ancaster ; while Gainsborough was taken by the Parliamentary leader, Lord Willoughby of Parham. Then came the invasion of Lincolnshire by the army of the Marquis of Newcastle, after he had defeated the Fairfaxes in Yorkshire, and shut them up in Hull. Cromwell checked this for a moment by a defeat of the vanguard close to Gainsborough, Cavendish losing his life in the engagement ; but Lord Willoughby surrendered Gainsborough and abandoned Lincoln and other places, and the Parliamentarians were reduced to almost a solitary town, Boston. The fortunes of the Parliament, however, revived under the auspices of Cromwell, and a severe defeat of the Cavaliers at Horncastle was followed by the gradual clearing of the county from Newcastle's field forces, and in 1644 the newly organized army, under the Earl of Manchester, completed the reduction of the county, Lincoln Castle and Minster being taken by storm just before the summons of Manchester's forces to join in the siege of York.
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