Report - Lincolnshire Family Services Directory

LINCOLNSHIRE ARCHIVES
COMMITTEE
A’RCHIVISTS’
REPORT
29 March 1953 - 24 March 1954

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RECORDS OF CONSTITUENT AUTHORITIES
County Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sessions Rolls, Kesteven and Holland . . . . . .
Tralnsferred Poor Law Records, Holland . . .
Transferred Poor Law Records, Lindsey . . .
Deposited records, Lindsey ._. . . . . . .
DEPOSITED RECORDS, EXCHEQUER GATE
Whichcote .........
Cragg ... .........
Ancaster Second Deposit ...
Williams and Glanfield ......
Padley ............
Cardinal’s Hat .........
Lowe ............
Other deposits . . . . . . . . .
Other gifts .........
DEAN AND CHAPTER . . . .:.
DIOCESAN RECORDS
Alnwick Tower . . . . . . . . .
PARISH RECORDS . . . . . . . . .
RECORDS IN OTHER CUSTODY
Chatterton . . . . . . . . .
PUBLICATIONS . . . . . . . . .
LECTURES AND EXHIBITIONS
USE OF THE OFFICE . . . . . .
FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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Lincolnshire Archives Committee
Representing Lindsey County Camcil
Alderman Mrs. A. Croft Baker
Alderman G. Canty
Alderman Sir Weston Cracroft-Amcotts, M.C., D.L.
Alderman J . Forrester
Alderman A. W. Harrison
Alderman G. W. Lefley
Councillor W. H. Crowder
Representing Kesteven County Council
Alderman Sir Robert Pattinson, D.L.
Councillor the Earl of Ancaster, L.L., T.D. (Chairnzan)
Councillor A. J. Hossack
Representing Holland County Council
Alderman Lt. Col. 0. B.
Alderman E. H. Gooch
Representing Lincoln City Council
Alderman J. W. F. Hill,
Alderman J. W. Rayment
Councillor J. W. Giles
Giles, D.L.
MA., LL.M., Litt.D. (v&e-Chairman)
TECHNICAL AND ADVISORY SUB-COMMITTEE
The Earl of Ancaster, L.L., T.D. (Custos Rotulorum)
The Reverend Canon A. M. Cook, M.A. (representing the Lord Bishop of Lincoln)
The Reverend Canon T. R. Milford, M.A., (representing the Dean and Chapter
of Lincoln)
Professor G. R. Potter, M.A., Ph.D. (representing the University of Sheffield)
Professor J. S. Roskell, M.A., D.Phil. (representing the University of Nottingham)
Professor J. Simmons, M.A. (representing the University College, Leicester)
F. W. Brooks Esq., M.A. (representing the University College, Hull)
Miss K. Major, M.A., B.Litt. (representing the Lincoln Record Society)
E. W. Scorer Esq., O.B.E. (representing the Lincoln Law Society)
The Reverend P. B. G. Binnall, F.S.A., (representing the Lincolnshire
Archaeological Society)
H. J. J. Griffith Esq. (Lincoln Diocesan Registrar)
Miss J. S. Lumsden, M.A., F.L.A. (Kesteven County Librarian)
A. C. Curtis Esq., A.L.A. (Lindsey and Holland County Librarian)
F. J. Cooper Esq., A.L.A. (Director, Lincoln Public Library)
Councillor the Earl of Ancaster, L.L., T.D. (representing the Lincolnshire
Archives Committee)
Alderman Sir Weston Cracroft-Amcotts,. M.C., D.L.
Councillor W. H. Crowder
Alderman Lt. Col. 0. B. Giles, D.L.
Alderman J. W. F. Hill MA., LL.M., D.Litt.
Councillor A. J. Hossack
OFFICBRS
(ditto)
(ditto)
l$dio]
1
(ditto)
Clerk of the Committee: J. E. Blow, Esq., County Offices, Sleaford, Lines.
Treasurer: W. C. Elliott, Esq., County Offices, Sleaford, Lines.
Archivist: Mrs. J. Varley, M.A., Record Otlice. Exchequer Gate. Lincoln.
Assistant Archivist: Miss D., $1. Williamson, MA., Record Office! Exchequer
Gate, Lincoln.

II
INTRODUCTION
This year it was decided that a beginning might be made on
detailed work on some part of the records of the constituent authorities,
which had previously been reported on in a general iyay (Archivists’
Report 1948-50 pp. 4-20, 33-38; ibid. 1950-l pp. 9-15). The earliest
surviving sessions bundles or files of Kesteven and Holland were chosen
for this purpose and a number of them have been brought to Exchequer
Gate. The assistant archivist has prepared the calendar of some Holland
sessions bundles and the archivist some for Kesteven, the archivist being
responsible for the report on both given below. Welcome experience of
working in Quarter Sessions records was gained by both archivists in
collecting material for the history of the ofice of county treasurer, a
report on which by the archivist is given below.
Both archivists were glad to participate in the coronation exhibition
Lincoln Illustrated under the auspices of the Library Committee of the
city of Lincoln, in which a section was devoted to ancient documents.
This section was sub-divided into the sub-sections Local Government
and Public Life, Family and Estate, Parish, Diocesan, Capitular and
Various relating to the City of Lincoln, and a variety of documents of
different types and ages was shewn bearing on the history of Lincoln
and neighbourhood. The archivists met some dozen.school parties at
the exhibition and told them something about the records displayed.
Two large deposits of documents were received during the year, one
a further instalment of the Ancaster muniments, the other the Cragg
collection, Ancaster being reported on by the assistant archivist and
Cragg by the archivist. The assistant archivist has also reported on
episcopal and archidiaconal records among the muniments of the Dean
and Chapter of Lincoln, on the Whichcote deposit, the Lindsey deposited
records and on some of the smaller deposits and gifts on which she has
worked. The archivist has shared in the work on smaller gifts and
deposits and has further reported on the Williams and Glanfield deposit,
much of the work on which has been clone under her direction by the
archivists’ clerk. Work has been begun on a calendar of the Thorold
muniments reported on briefly last year (Archivists’ Report 1952-53
pp. 28-30) but any further report has been postponed until the work
on the collection is more advanced.
RECORDS OF THE CONSTITUENT
AUTHORITIES
COUNTY TREASURERS
A request was made through the Society of Local Archivists on
behalf of the Society of County Treasurers and by the county treasurer
for Lindsey that some search might be made both for the history of the
office and for its surviving records. This was undertaken both for the
interest of the subject itself and in the hope of further familiarising the
archivists with the records of the three parts of the county, and several
journeys were made to Sleaford apd l&ton and v&its paid to the
Lindsey County Offices,

The work on the treasurerships of Lindsey and Holland was done
by the assistant archivist and that for Kesteven by the archivist. Some
account of their findings and a list of names of treasurers and of
surviving records was sent to the Society of County Treasurers, and to
the clerks and treasurers for each of the parts of the county. What
follows is a brief summary based on the work done.
No evidence survives for a period earlier than the second half of the
seventeenth .century. Treasurers are then found acting in theory for
certain specific funds authorised by statute, namely for the maimed
soldiers and for the marshalsea. In Lindsey the three separate sessions
divisions of Louth and Horncastle, Caistor and Gainsborough or Spital
each had treasurers in charge of both funds. In Kesteven and Holland
separate treasurers operated each fund throughout the whole area
although sessions divisions were in existence. The treasurers were
usually drawn from the active magistrates, from families of good
standing, for the most part holding office for a year at a time. Their
accounts were passed by their fellow magistrates most of whom in their
turn would hold the office. Among the Lindsey treasurers were members
of such well known families as Skipwith, Dymoke, Newcomen, Wray
and Pelham, in Kesteven Nevile, Hussey, Harrington, Brownlow and
Pury Cust, while in Holland where there were fewer outstanding gentry
at that time, an Oldfield and a Welby were noted. In the Gainsborough
and Spital sessions division of Lindsey George Healey was exceptional
in holding office for 7 years. The uses of the funds were more elastic
than their titles would lead one to imagine. Money was provided by
the Gainsborough and Spital treasurers for the repair of sessions buildings
and the building of a house of correction, 1667. Treasurers for the
marshalsea in Kesteven were ordered from time to time to make payment
for removing prisoners by habeas corpus, for expenses in apprehending
a highwayman and other offenders, to various persons for relief, towards
the repair of the shire hall and the cost of books of the clerk of the
peace, to the governor of the house of correction at Folkingham, for
pensions for former service to the king, and to a victim of losses by flood.
During the early years of the eighteenth century Kesteven and
Holland followed Lindsey in having a treasurer for all funds for each
sessions division. This may have been due to the increasing burdens
placed upon the country which would emphasise the need of a common
stock and in Kesteven the new arrangements followed hard on the act
of 1699 relating to the power to levy rates for the removal and
conveyance of vagrants. At the same period two new sessions divisions
each with its own treasurer were formed in Lindsey, Louth being
separated from Horncastle and Spilsby being newly established. In
Holland only one treasurer is named perhaps operating all funds for
both divisions from 1687-1716 and again from 1740-49, after which
separate treasurers for the divisions of Elloe and Kirton were appointed.
Lindsey had a single treasurer for the public stock from 1750 onwards.
Kesteven did not have a single treasurer till 1794 and he continued to
account separately for both divisions at least till 1869. In Holland there
were still separate treasurers for Elloe and Kirton respectively in 1842.
The types of treasurer and the duration of their holding of the
office varied in different parts of the county. In all three parts there was
a period when the treasurers were men with legal training who might
both engage in private practice or land agency and hold other public or
semi-public office. In the southern sessions division of Kesteven Joshua

Bfackweii and john Toller attorneys of Horbling, held o&e, followed
in succession by members of the Denshire family who were barristers,
lenders of money and auditors for large estates. The treasurer for this
sessions division from 1756-1784 was Samuel Reynardson, an active
magistrate, one of the Six Clerks in Chancery and of superior social
standing to his immediate predecessors. On the other hand the annually
elected treasurers, drawn from the county families and active magistrates,
continued in the northern division of Kesteven until 1794, with such
names as Payne, Cust, Whichcote, Fane, Thorold and Sibthorpe among
them. Thomas Brackenbury of Spilsby, the first treasurer for the whole
of the parts of Lindsey, who held office from 1750-1771, was an attorney
and land agent, clerk of sewers and for a long period also clerk of the
peace, and his successors were men of the same type. Benjamin Cheales
first treasurer for both divisions of Kesteven and his successor William
Forbes were also clerks of the peace for the parts of Kesteven, the former
being also clerk to the lieutenancy and the latter clerk for the gaol
sessions for the county. In Holland the Francis Thirkills senior and
junior, treasurers for Kirton 1771-1783 and from 1811 onwards, were
also lawyers and clerks to the Boston commissioners of sewers.
During the eighteenth century, whatever the form of the treasurer’s
office and method of appointment, there was a consolidation of the
assessment and raising of rates and county charges for the gaol, prisoners,
transport of felons, houses of correction, removal of vagrants and
expenses of various officers were met from a common stock. By the
middle of the nineteenth century the lawyer, often also clerk of the
peace, had ceased to hold the office of treasurer, and instead some
connection with banking seems to have been the best recommendation.
In Lindsey the defection of Mr. Pye in 1868 owing %9,519 was followed
by a connection of the office of treasurer with the banking firm Smith
Ellison and Company, in the person of A. S. L. Melville, and this banking
connection continued with the National Provincial bank in succession to
Smith Ellison and Company until about twenty years ago. John Warwick
treasurer of Kesteven from 1843 had his address at The Bank, Sleaford,
and this connection also continued until about twenty years ago first
with Peacock’s bank then with Lloyds bank. Boston’s treasurer was also
associated with Lloyds bank in 1930.
The principal sources for this historical summary are the Minute
books of the Quarter Sessions for the respective parts of the county, the
Lincoln Record Society’s volumes of Kesteven Quarter Sessions Minutes
1674-1695 edited S. A. Peyton (Lincoln Record Society volumes 2.5 and
26, 1931) with some use of local directories for the later period.
Information concerning treasurers’ accounts and other records in official
custody has been given in former Archivists’ Reports as follows: Lindsey
in Archivists’ Report 1948-50 p. 8, Holland ibid. p. 12, Kesteven ibid.
pp. 15 and 34. A note of a treasurer’s account book in private hands,
that of John Toller treasurer for the southern division of Kesteven
1714-1732, is in the possession of Mr. F. G. Smith of Horbling the
successor to the Tollers’ legal practice (Archivists’ Report 1952-53 p.
71). There may well be many other such records still in the hands of
the ancestors of former treasurers or of their successors in business.
QUARTER SESSIONS BUNDLES, KESTEVEN AND HOLLAND
Eight bundles have been calendared for Holland and two for
Kesteven. Most of these show signs of disturbance but the arrangement

of some of the Holland bundles as found suggests that originally each
sessions meeting had its own bundle or file. The present make-up is as
follows:
Holland
H.S.B. (Holland Sessions Bundle) 1683 / 1 contains Kirton and Spalding
Easter Sessions 1683, Spalding and Kirton Summer Session 1683,
Spalding and Kirton Michaelmas sessions 1683 and some strays.
H.S.B. 1683/Z, mainly Kirton Christmas 1683/4.
H.S.B. 186313, Spalding Christmas 168314.
H.S.B. 1684/l, Spalding Easter 1684.
H.S.B. 1684/Z. mainlv ~~~ ~J ____.__i Kirtor Mich. 1684.
H.S.B. 1684j3; Spalding Mich. 1684.
H.S.B. 1684/4, Kirton Easter 1684.
H.S.B. 1684/5, Kirton and Spalding Summer 1684.
Kesteven
K.S.B. (Kesteven Sessions Bundle) 1682 contains Sleaford Christmas
1682/3, Sleaford Christmas 1683/4.
K.S.B. 1683 contains Folkingham Christmas 1682/3, Bourne and
Sleaford Easter 1683, Bourne and Sleaford summer 1683, Folkingham
and Sleaford Mich. 1683, Folkingham Christmas 1683/4.
It must be understood that the above gives the arrangement in
broad outline. The Kesteven bundles and Holland 1683/l are in
considerable disarrangement and even the other Holland bundles have
strays among the prevailing sessions papers.
Both Holland and Kesteven were divided into two districts. In
Holland sessions were held quarterly at Kirton for the wapentakes of
Kirton and Skirbeck, and at Spalding for the Elloe wapentake. Likewise
in Kesteven they were held at Sleaford for the wapentakes of
Aswardhurn, Boothby Graffoe, Flaxwell, Langoe and Loveden, and at
Folkingham or Bourne for the wapentakes of Aveland, Beltisloe, Ness,
Winnibriggs and Threo, the soke of Grantham being dealt with separately
by the Grantham justices. The main types of documents preserved in
these bundles are the verdicts or presentments of the juries made on the
day of the sessions, the list of juries, that is grand juries, wapentake or
constables’ juries and juries of traverse, indictments dated by the date
of the offence but endorsed “Vera billa” or “Ignoramus” and sometimes
annotated as to the sentence passed, being set out as if the
presentment of an inquisition, with the names of prosecutors added at
the foot, memoranda of recognizances to appear at the next sessions,
dated by the day on which the parties were bound over by the justice,
examinations and depositions taken before a single justice, orders made
at the sessions and petitions made to the justices assembled. There were
also other documents filed for record such as sacrament certificates
obtained by office holders and others in accordance .with the Test Act.
There is a commission for justices with the Kesteven bundle 1683
which seems to have been used as a wrapper, and which is dated 11
June 1680 (K.S.B. 1683/l) Mr. Peyton mentions in his introduction to
the Kesteven Sessions Minutes (op. cit. p. xxx footnote) the commission
for 1682-3, which had 72 names of which 31 were entirely nominal,. being
national figures unlikely to function locally, and of the remammg 41

only 28 were recorded as having sat at any time at Quarter Sessions
locally. The 1680 c6mmission had 78 names, including such national
figures as Prince Rupert, the lord Chancellor, the lord President, the
keeper of the Privy Seal, the dukes of Monmouth and Lauderdale and
the earls of Arlington and Halifax. One among the names, however,
Robert earl of Lindsey, Great Chamberlain, was on the bench at Bourne
summer sessions in 1683. There was also included in this 1680
commission what looks like every possible justice who might act for
each of the parts of the county. Of these not more than from two to
seven were present at any given quarter sessions meeting, and a few
others at the same period might be active in taking recognizances or
depositions acting singly. Some justices tended to limit themselves to
one sessions division.
In Holland Daniel Rhodes and John Empson
were active in the Kirton sessions division, Sir John Oldfield bar-t. and
Walter Johnson at Spalding, but Henry Burrell acted in both divisions
as did Henry Heron knight, and Thomas Shuttleworth. These last
named were also active in the Kesteven divisions of Sleaford and
Folkingham-Bourne respectively. There were more active justices in
Kesteven.
In addition to those already named there were Sir Robert
Markham bart., Thomas Harrington, William Hyde, William Goodhall
and Daniel Wigmore mainly at Folkingham and Bourne, Christopher
Berisford, William Lister, Christopher Nevile and Edward King for
Sleaford and Lister Tigh for both divisions. Christopher Clapham knight
took recognizances for the Folkingham sessions.
On the sessions day the justices received the presentments of the
grand jury and the juries of the wapentake. Mr. Peyton (op. cit. p.
lxxi) quotes an opinion that the grand jury was composed of high
constables. This would have been impossible in Holland where the
wapentake of Elloe had its own grand jury and only two high constables
at the Spalding sessions, and the two wapentakes of Kirton and Skirbeck
had only four high constables. It does not seem to have been the
practice in Kesteven either as chief constables do not appear usually in
the grand jury list. On the other hand the practice of using the petty
constables as the wapentake jury (referred to in the same work pp. lxxilxxii)
seems to have been followed. All the jurors’ lists have a note of
their attachment by the sheriff.
Persons other than jurors and justices figuring in the documents are
those who were the subjects of presentments, those who had made
recognizances, those who had been indicted, those who had made
depositions before justices, those who had petitioned or were the subject
of orders and those who had obtained or given sacrament certificates.
An attempt will be made to indicate at least some of the business dealt
with in quarter sessions and to indicate the kind of information recorded.
As the Toleration Act of 1689 had not yet been passed giving liberty of
worship it was an offence not to attend church and, similarly, to attend
conventicles. The presentments of juries of wapentakes and sometimes
or grand juries give long lists of persons who had not attended church
for the past three months or for the past three Sundays according to which
of two Acts of Parliament was being invoked. There is no indication
as to what alternative form of worship was being attended, but the
historian of recusancy or of nonconformity might soon recognise certain
names as his own, and these lists might also be used profitably in
conjunction with the episcopal and archidiaconal records. These
presentments appear to be almost in the nature of enrolments. Signs of
action taken against recusants and others in the years covered by these
’

undie are very few, In the Kesteven files there is a certificate of
William Hyde a justice based on evidence on oath of two witnesses
relating to a conventicle at Thurlby by Bourne 26 January 1683 (K.S.B.
1683/ 154) and a warrant of the same justice to distrain the goods of
John Millai of Post W’th 1 am for $6 7s. 6d., his share of a fine of %20
imposed on Thomas Heads in whose house the conventicle was held
and who was unable to pay, dated 4 Sept. 1683 (K.S.B. 1683/115). An
endorsement shows that the constables “strained John Millar” and had
sold his goods for ;E4 16s. 6d. There was one other indictment for
non-attendance at church but no endorsement as to penalty. In Holland
Henry Burrell, a justice, attempted to be active in this matter but with
little result. He laid information that Richard Wales of Pinchbeck had
preached at a conventicle at Thurlby by Bourne, on the information of
William Hyde justice, and that a distraint for the penalty of 240 due
for a second offence of this nature was thwarted by various persons
seizing back the goods from the officers on pretext that they were due
for rent to one of them and that other items were not the goods of the
offender (July 1682, H.S.B./1683/1/47). The same justice obtained
information about the meeting of a conventicle at Monks House
Spalding where Thomas Lawson preached to about 23 other persons,
and that a boy, the informer, said that when “the constables was
acoming . . . the company came out and fell to pulling apple trees and
pair trees” (H.S.B. 1684/3/44-45). Henry Burrell further certified
that he had ordered fines in connection with this meeting to be levied
but that only 5 shillings had been recovered in respect of one person
(H.S.B. 1684/5/30). Philip Tallence vicar of Moulton who was indicted
6 March 168314 by his churchwardens, had an order for appearance
issued against him to appear at the michaelmas sessions. He had refused
to allow the serving of Henry Burrell’s warrant for collection of the fine
of 12 d. a Sunday for non-attendance at church saying “It was against
his judgment that any should against. there will be compelled to come to
church and that compulsion in such nature was not used to any in our
saviour Christ’s and his apostles tymes” (K.S.B. 168415143).
Regarding individual misdemeanours of a personal nature, the
offences that figure most frequently in indictments, depositions and
recognizances (when the latter specified the offence) are thefts, including
stealing by finding, and misappropriation. There are also indictments of
employers for withholding wages from their servants. Next in frequency
are assaults, and there were also cases of sabbath breaking, drunkenness,
abuse and slander. This latter was sometimes directed against justices,
as when John Reynolds plumber of Sutton St. Mary, said that Sir John
Oldfield “was a foole a jackanapes and a puppy” (H.S.B. 1683/3/5).
John Longfoot of Bourne baker said “that the Earle of Lindsey when
others appeared in pubhck durst not show his head but pretended himself
sicke” (K.S.B./1683/144). He was fined %40, committed till it was
paid, but afterwards remitted. What Richard Parker of Sleaford said
of Mr. Edward King justice is very far removed from polite usage. He
was fined 6s. 8d. but that covered also his offence in selling meat on
Sunday as well as his rude words (K.S.B. 1683/86).
Some presentments and indictments dealt with the failure in varying
measure of persons to fulfil1 their obligations to the community. There
were cases of refusal to serve for a year as constable (an onerous and
unpaid office which all capable of executing it might be called upon to
fill) of abuse of office in various ways, of failure to perform statutory
work on the highways, of neglect of fences, or of common lands, of

despoiling commons, of breaking the pound and one for erecting new
cottages and thereby of encroaching on existing common rights (at Tydd
St. Mary. H.S.B. 1684/3/l). There were cases of persons following
trades without having served an apprenticeship, for example John
Johnson acting as a woollen draper at Butter-wick (H.S;B. 1684/5 / 12)
of giving false measure as of Thomas Shores of Sutton in Beckingham
fraudulently winding a certain parcel of wool at Long Leadenham to
deceive the buyer (K.S.B. 1683/171) and of persons following certain
trades without licence or, in the case of Thomas Lampson of Fosdike,
for refusing to sell beer to an inhabitant in necessity, for which however
the endorsement “ Ignoramus ” was recorded (H.S.B. 168412124).
There were also a number of indictments for failure to pay rates which
might have a religious significance in so far as they were church rates
but which was sometimes extended to the rates for maimed soldiers.
The justices at Folkingham made an order to the chief and petty
constables of the townships of the borough and soke of Grantham to
pay 3 shillings a week for each, township at each quarter sessions to the
treasurer for maimed soldiers and pensioners. The order stated that
the borough and soke of Grantham had agreed to relieve and maintain
its own pensioners on being released from payment to Quarter sessions
for the purpose, but had failed to do this, pensioners still being chargeable
to the parts of Kesteven without any assistance from the borough
and soke of Grantham (K.S.B. 1683/111).
Many documents relate in some measure to the administration of
the poor law, such as petitions by parish authorities against rates or
against some particular order, removal orders, documents relating to
bastardy and to apprenticeship. A petition from Skillington was
concerned with a payment of 4 shillings a month ordered to be made to
John Walpole of that parish “a poor ancient man with a wife and small
children who was past his work and could get none of the little he could
do”. The parish petitioned against this, alleging that John Walpole
had refused work when offered and said he could get more by begging,
that he had lost money in legislation against a cousin, that he had
already been relieved when in real need, and that he was intending to
use the money to pay his debts. “In short he hath all allong the course
of his life beene a turbulent crossgrained (a blank left here) he went a
king katching to Woster, a searcher for armes under old Noll, an
assistant to one Thorp a sequestrator, a trooper in the time of the
Rebellion, a contentious person and wee hope this honourable court
duely waieing the abovesaid cannot but conceive that the person having
acted so many parts in the tyme of rebellion would lay up some hurd
(? hoard) to weather of a storm and that not he nor any such may
tiranyse over us with his pretensive inabilities.” The order was made
null and he was to have 30 shillings only and then the matter was
adjourned (K.S.B. 1683/ 109-110). The overseers and inhabitants of
Gedney Fen petitioned for help with the support of their poor because
of the unproductivity of the parish owing to the wetness of the season
and Gedney Town was ordered to help with 13 shillings a month (H.S.B.
1684 15 122). A landowner and his tenant at Cowbit petitioned for the
relief of rates on 6 acres of low land surrounded by water and scorched
,by the late drought (H.S.B. 1684/5/20). Anthony Pooles of Holbeach
had apparently suffered from the drive against new cottages which
seems to have been a feature of this period. He petitioned successfully
for relief as his house had been pulled down although he had built it
over thirty years ago on the lord’s waste and paid 33 shillings at the
time (H.S.B. 1684/ l/ 16).

The whole trend of the judicial and administrative work of the
quarter sessions seems to have been towards simplicity. Its efficiency
might be much increased by the activity of the individual justice and
his use of recognizances to bind over to appear to answer or to prosecute.
The presentments of the juries seem to have been little heeded unless
they could be transformed into indictments and a prosecutor found.
On being indicted, judging by the endorsements, the accused often
pleaded guilty there and then, or he might sometimes choose to put
himself on a jury. For the most serious offences dealt with the worst
punishment recorded was whipping till the blood ran, and for others
plain whipping, or a fine. There is very little reference to imprisonment.
No complete calendar of prisoners was found but it seems as if the
emphasis was rather on other more summary forms of punishment.
Similarly with petitions and the subsequent orders, the justices grappled
with their responsibilities and administered rough justice.
HOLLAND TRANSFERRED POOR LAW AND PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE RECORDS
Through information kindly sent by Mr. H. A. H. Walter then
deputy clerk Holland County Council and Mr. C. M. Hensman Welfare
Officer, it was learnt that a considerable number of these records were
housed in the County Offices, Boston, in a locked room near the muniment
room. These records were visited by the archivists and their
clerk and the following were noted :
Boston Union
Minute Books, meetings of Guardians: 1836-38, 1841-44, 1845-48, 1849-
53, 1853-58, 1858-62, 1862-66, 1866-70, 1870-75, 1875-79, 1879-84,
1884-88, 1888-91, 1891-95.
The same, numbered series: 1. 1895-98, 2. 1898-1901, 3. 1901-1904,
4. 1904-07, 5. 1907-10, 6. 1910-13, 7. 1913-16, 8. 1916-20, 9.
1920-24, 10. 1924-28, 11. 1928-30.
Other minute books: Finance Committee 1919-30, House Committee
1919-28, Children’s Committee 1926-30, Maintenance and Recovery
Committee 1927-30.
Correspondence: Letters and orders from Poor Law Commissioners,
bound, 1836-37; Letter book 1898-1900.
Holbeach Union
Minute Books meetings of Guardians:’ 1835 Dec.-1837, 1837-39, 1839-
41, 1841-42, 1842-44, 1844-46, 1846-47, 1847-49, 1849-51, 1851-53,
1853-54, 1854-57, 1857-59, 1859-61, 1861-64, 1864-66, 1866-68,
1868-71, 1871-73, 1873-76, 1876-80, 1880-82, 1882-84, 1884-85,
1885-87, 1887-89, 1889-91, 1891-93, 1893-95, 1895-97, 1897-99,
1899-1901, 1901-03, 1903-05, 1905-08, 1908-10, 1910-13, 1913-17,
1917-22, 1922-27, 1927-30.
Other minute books: Parochial Assessment Committee 1862-90, Rural
Sanitary Authority 187287! 1887-96,

e
Account Book, Guardians with parishes etc. 1847-48.
Register of Orders for payments 1924-33.
Correspondence: With Poor Law Board 1848-51; with Local Government
Board 1888-90; Letter Books 186566, 1870-73, 1898-1914,
1925-6.
Case papers, appeal in the House of Lords, Holbeach Union versus
West Ham 1904. Printed.
Fleet Workhouse, Holbeach Union: Admission and Discharge books
1904-05, 1913-16, 1929-33.
Holbeach Institution and Union Workhouse: Admission and Discharge
Books 1930-34, 1934-37; Register of Deaths 1914-36; Lunatic
Examination Book 1870-93.
Spalding Unich
Minute Books, meetings of Guardians: 183538, 1838-40, 1840-44, 1844-
48, 1848-53, 1853-57, 1857-62, 1862-65, 1865-68, 1868-70, 1870-72,
1872-75, 1875-78, 1878-81, 1884-87, 1888-91, 1891-94, 1894-97, 1897-
1900, 1904-07, 1911-14, 1914-16, 1920-23, 1923-26, 1926-28, 1928-
30.
Letter book: 1926-28.
Workhouse Punishment Book: 1862-1928.
Admission and Discharge Book: 1913-16.
Public Assistance Committee
Records of Pensioners, Boston and Spalding Institutions, 1933-42,
separate index of names.
Register of Pensioners in Institutions, Spalding, Boston ‘and Holbeach
193043.
Weekly Returns of persons in receipt of poor relief, indoors and outdoors,
1942-47.
Summary of weekly returns of domiciliary relief 1938-42.
District Medical Officer’s Relief Book Wrangle, Leake and Leverton
district 1939-44.
Requisition Books: Boston Casual Wards 1938-42; Holbeach Casual
Wards and Children’s Homes 1939-42.
Inventory Books: 1 and 2 Jubilee Villas 1936.
Postage Books: 1938-40, 1946-42, 1942-45,

‘Y
ty~jjs~q TRANSFER RED POOR LAW AND PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE RECORDS
The following records had accumulated at the former Public
Assistance Institution and Workhouse at Oakdene, Lea Road, Gainsborough.
The archivist is grateful to Mr. D. A. Schofield, Welfare
Officer for Lindsey County Council, for informing her of their nature
and existence, and to Mr. B. C. Duddles for his kind help in arranging
transport to Lincoln for them. They are now housed in the committee’s
room in the Castle.
Report Books
Masters’ 1909-34; Masters’ Day Books 1930-46, Matrons’ 1926-34,
Visiting Committees’ 1930-37; Medical Officers’ 1934-43, the same,
Examination and Report, 1913-29, Chaplains’ 1913-47.
Regulations
Printed notices: Orders regarding casuals, disorderly inmates, notice
of discharge, dietary sheets.
Records relating to Inmates
Admission and discharge books 1889-1935, the same, casual poor, 1933-
37, indoor relief lists 1932-47, register of deaths 1866-1914, religious
creed registers 1879-1930, duplicate notices to coroner of death of
lunatics 1901-33, register of mental defectives seen by the visiting
committee 1907-42.
Staff
Time book of staff 1946-51, wages books 1906-35.
Accounts
Masters’ receipt and payment .1902-42, masters’ invoices 193350, invoice
dissection books 1932-48, misc. receipts 1931-48, delivery notes
1942-51, vouchers 1940-49, bank books 1939-47, receipt books pay’
ment for accommodation 1948, the same, private money and pensions
194950.
Provisions summary and balance 1931-9, daily provisions and consumption
accounts 1934-40, weekly provisions receipt and consumption
account 1934-40, daily summary of diet and extras 1940-44, necessaries
and misc. summary and balance book 1932-48, requisition
book 1932-38, tobacco allowance books 1913-48, farm accounts
receipt and expenditure 1910-45, crockery and hardware, bedding
and house linen 1933-45, clothing and material receipt and conversion
accounts 1934-45, firewood receipt and delivery books 1934-46,
postage book 1931-46, milk delivery 1942-51.

LINDSEY DEPOSITS. I.
During the fortnight in September when the office was closed the
Archivists and their clerk began and completed the listing of part of the
contents of the second muniment room at the Lindsey County Offices,
which houses the bulk of the deposits made with the county council in
the years 1934-1945. A shelf list of the entire room was made in 1949
and detailed catalogues had already been completed for three of the
large deposits housed there: Holywell (Report 194850, pp. 20-26),
Tennyson d’Eyncourt (Report 195051, pp. 5-8 and Harlaxton Manor
(Ibid., pp. 8-9). The manorial records deposited with the county
council, which are also housed in this room, were reported on last year
(Report 1952-3, pp. 34-5). There remain for detailed attention a
collection of documents from Skellingthorpe, for which Mr. F. W.
Brooks had prepared an inventory and the Massingberd-Mundy deposit
from Ormsby Hall, a box-list of which has been made.
The documents dealt with in this report are the deposits of fifteen
private owners and of the British Records Association, Records Preservation
Section. The private deposits are as follows: Sir Hickman Bacon,
56 items, local government circulars, 18821929; K. G. Brackenbury
esq., 141 items, title deeds, Brackenborough, Louth, Stewton and North
Willingham; Burton and Company, solicitors, of Lincoln, 388 items,
title deeds, Lincoln and the neighbourhood, 1583-1853; Sir Geoffrey
Cornewall, bart., 4 items, title deeds, manor of Bloxholme,, 1359-1601;
literary executors of Canon C. W. Foster, 34 items, a court book of
Moulton cum membris, 1596-1603 and title deeds to land at Billinghay,
formerly of Kyme Priory, 1556-1664; Sir Arthur Heneage 3 items,
portions of the first ordnance survey maps, Lincolnshire and Rutland;
J. W. F. Hill esq., 164 items, title deeds, chiefly for Goxhill, 1549-1848;
G. H. Nowell esq., solicitor, of Barton-upon-Humber,. 16 items, poll
books and other printed material relating to elections in the north of the
county, 1818-35; G. L. Nussey esq., 190 items, title deeds and settlements,
Temperon family, 1600-1804; cf. Report 1952-3, pp. 21-22; Mrs.
Robinson of Ravendale Hall, 66 loose items and 21 bundles of vouchers,
accounts and letters, families of Shuttleworth of Market Rasen and
Parkinson of Ravendale, 1790-1840; Mrs. E. H. Rudkin of Willoughton,
49 items, title deeds to land at Frampton and miscellaneous personal
documents, 1483-1858; A. A. F. Stubbs esq., solicitor, of Brigg, 90
items, vagrancy orders, receipts, precepts, and other papers connected
with the constabulary and the commissions of sewers in the wapentakes
of Manley and Corringham, 1803-61; H. C. Tong esq., of Waddington,
8 items, printed Schemes of the Charity Commissioners for the Haxey
charities, 1867-1919; Canon W. E. Varah, of Barton upon Humber, 11 .
items,. chiefly copies and notes made by Thomas Tombleson (cf.
Nelthorpe deposit in Report 1951-2, pp. 47-51) but including an original
grant of Thornton Abbey land in Goxhill to Bellow and Streitbury,
1550; Miss Joan Wake, 26 items, wills, settlements and title deeds,
estate of Pownall family at Grainthorpe, 1762-1811.
The deposits and gifts, made by the British Records Association
over a period of many years number in all 2,987 separate documents.
Many of these are single title deeds, the provenance of which it has not
been possible to discover but there emerge certain large groups of documents
which merit individual mention. One or two smaller collections
are also of some interest. A portion of a B.R.A. deposit numbered 369

included estate accounts, surveys, and lists of building expenses, for the
estates of the Tomline family at Riby, Immingham and Stallingborough.
10 items, 1803-44. B.R.A. deposit 149 which contained a number of
title deeds of the 17th and 18th century and a sheriff’s return of M.P.‘s
for Grantham in 1713, included also a rental and account book of
estates at Culverthorpe, Rippingale and Theddlethorpe for the years
1683-1711. This rental began life as a student’s notebook and seems to
have been used by one or more members of the family of Lister of
Coleby, cf. A. Gibbons, Visitation of Lincolnshire 1634 (Lincoln, 1898)
pp. 22-37, to whom the estates belonged.
B.R.A. Deposits 157, 247 and 369 all have related items, including
title deeds, plans, rentals and guardianship accounts for estates in
Manby, Saltfleetby, Skidbrook, Strubby, Trusthorpe and Withern,
which were accumulated by the families of Hardy and Fitzwilliam
(Maddison Pedigrees, I, 357-60) and which passed partly by inheritance,
partly by purchase to George, Stovin of Withern and his descendant,
Richard Stovin Maw. (For this information the archivists are grateful
to G. S. Dixon esq., who was able to supply a pedigree of the Stovin-
Maw family.)
The deposit is particularly valuable for the light it throws
on the steady rise of the Hardy family during the 17th century, which
they began as mercers and ended as landed gentry and for the agricultural
memoranda of Richard Stovin Maw, who in the years 1822-53 was
“improving” his estates at Withern and Strubby. 206 items, 1556-1853.
Two very large collections numbered B.R.A. 328 and 437,
apparently deposited in a number of instalments, contain portions of
the records of the Curtis and Neale families of Stamford and their
descendant Sir John Wildbore Smith. Members of the Curtis family
were well established as attorneys in Stamford All Saints at the
beginning of the 18th century when Francis Peck the antiquary married
a Miss Curtis; their practice was taken over about the mid-century by
their relatives the Neales and they themselves moved out to Wilsthorpe.
Before or during their residence at Wilsthorpe the Curtis family became
connected by marriage with the Wildbores, from whom they inherited
considerable estates in Miningsby and its neighbourhood, and with Sir
J.ohn Smith of Sydling co. Dorset (died 1807) to whose son, Sir John
Wildbore Smith their accumulated properties were eventually to pass.
(Burke, Peerage, 1828 edition, p. 566.)
The collection thus deposited falls into two parts, title deeds to the
family properties, and documents associated with the legal practice of
the Curtis-Neale family. The family title deeds themselves fall into
three groups. There are the “original” properties in Stamford (chiefly
All Saints parish) and Stamford Baron. To these were added land at
Barholme, Stow, Greatford, Langtoft and East Deeping, some of which
were purchased from the earl of Exeter. Finally there are title deeds
for the large purchases made in the first half of the 18th century by the
Wildbore family at Miningsby, Hareby, Toynton and Bolingbroke.
There are two items of outstanding interest in this section of the deposit,
a late 15th century map of Greatford and Shillingthorpe which is
accompanied by a narrative purporting to explain the intercommoning
arrangements of the neighbourhood, and a memorandum of 1714 giving
the detailed views of bishop Wake on the proposed plan for rebuilding
Wilsthorpe church,

17
Noah Curtis, who was active in the mid 18th century, seems to have
been an attorney of some importance in the town. It was he who was
called in to disentagle the affairs of the bankrupt John Maddison in
1737 (A. R. Maddison, The Making and Unmaking of a Lincolnshire
Estate, A.A.S.R., 27 (1903-4), 337-73). He acted as steward to
Deeping Wakes manor, agent to the earl of Gainsborough, clerk to
Browne’s Hospital trustees and apparently to those of the Truesdale
Hospital. Traces of all these activities as well as assignments in bankruptcy,
copies of probates, draft conveyances and case papers of various
types have survived in the collection. There is for example the petition
of an applicant for the post of confrater of Browne’s Hospital, which
bears the signature of William Stukeley and a portion of a grant made
to the Hospital c. 1500, besides a court book for Deeping manor, 1681-
1700 with a number of draft admissions. 765 items, late 15th century
to 1812.
A single B.R.A. deposit, number 275, represents the title deeds of
the family of Mainwaring of Coleby to lands in Lincoln, Goltho, Hackthorn,
and Welton. The chief interest of this deposit lies in the title
deeds and related documents of Monks’ Liberty in Lincoln, which is
identical with the land and privileges of the cell of St. Mary’s York
usually known as Monk’s Abbey, cf. J. W. F. Hill, Medimal Lincoln,
Cambridge, 1948, pp. 340 seq., for an account of this. The title
includes the counterpart of an agreement about commons made in 1455
between the abbot and convent of York and the Mayor and citizens of
Lincoln; this document bears the common seal of the city and the press
mark of St. Mary’s, York and its counterpart is among the muniments
of the corporation of the city of Lincoln (H.M.C.R., Lincoln p. 15).
There is also a counterpart of the agreement of 1585 (ibid., p. 16) by
which the city secured the Monks Leys common. 275 items, 1455-1868.
Portions of three deposits, 301, 305 and 306 contain rentals, estate
accounts and estate papers of Ancaster estates in Lincolnshire, late
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; with a few earlier documents. Many
of them fill gaps in series of accounts brought from Grimsthorpe in
September of 1953 (see Ancaster below) while the sale particulars, draft
conveyances and miscellaneous accounts for the Lindsey coast estates,
1850-87, resemble very closely a deposit made with this committee by
the B.R.A. in 1951 (Report 1952-3, pp. 5-6). There is a single year’s
account of the Duke of Ancaster as Master of the Horse, 1777. 398
items, 1544-1907.
Frequent references have been made in the past to Newton-Archer-
Houblon estate papers which in a highly “fragmented” form appear in
many collections of which those of the sixth Lord Monson and Captain
W. A. Cragg are the most notable (Report 1951-2, pp. 20-24). B.R.A.
Deposit 203, which was packed in a box labelled “Newton estate”, is
another section of these papers and deeds. It contains title deeds for
Aunsby, Great Ponton, Kelby, Aisby, Oasby and Haydour, Swarby and
Skillington, besides eighteenth century estate papers similar to those
bound up by lord Monson and agreements for partial enclosures at
Heydour (1619) and Gt. Ponton (1723). 513 items, early 13th century
to 1882.

~BPoSITED RECORDS AT EXCHEQIJEB GAT-B
WHICHCOTE DEPOSIT
i’he Archivist&’ Report, 1951-2, pp: 48-9, &ntained a -bri& accoun’t
@f four boxes of documents deposited hy Mr. -H: H: Morris of Sleaford
bn behalf of the Whichcote trustees: Iii the autumn of 1952 Mr. Morris
amad@ a further deposit of 11 boxes and a large parcel which together
with.,the first deposit form a collection of very great richness and com-
Qlexlty. A preliminary survey showed that three boxes contained papers
ifi considerable confusion from the breaking of bundles. The largest
8f these, which was brought up the stairs at Exchequer Gate only with
very great difficulty, proved also to contain 190 loose mediaeval documents,
a number of late title deeds and 53 court rolls, besides 91 groups
of letters and estate papers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
This, with another, smaller box of papers appears to represent the
muniments of the elder branch of the Whichcote family which lived at
Harpswell [A. R. Maddison, Lincolnshtire Pedigrees, III, 1701-31. They
passed to Aswarby when after the death of Thomas Whichcot in 1775
his estates were inherited by his only surviving daughter Jane, who had
married her distant cousin Christopher Whichcote of Aswarby.
Colonel George Whichcot [sic] of Aswarby who had been one of
the county members from 1705 to 1710 had married as his third wife,
Francis Katherine, one of the three daughters of sir Thomas Meres of
Kirby Bellars. Their eldest son Thomas was a co-heir of his mother’s
unmarried brother sir John Meres, from whom he inherited business
interests in the City, leases of fee-farm rents and the Meres estate at
Scotton. As a result large numbers of agents’ letters, miscellaneous title
deeds, manorial records and case papers were brought to Harpswell.
During the years 1676-1685 sir Thomas Meres had fought a long dispute
with Lord Irwin about the latter’s claim to manorial rights in Scotton
and had collected large quantities of evidences to defend his own title.
Many early title deeds and court rolls are endorsed in his hand “material
to the title” and doubtless owe their preservation to the happy accident
of their inclusion among his papers.
The estate to which these title deeds and court rolls relate is one of
considerable interest. At Domesday it was held by the abbot of Peterborough
[Lincolnshire Domesday, ed. C. W. Foster and T. Longley,
Lincoln Record Society vol. 19 (19!24), S/15] and by the 13th century *
it was held in lay fee by the family of Nevile [W. T. Mellows, The
Estates of the Monastery of Peterborough in the County of Lincoln,
Lincolnshire Historian No. 4 (1949) p. 1321. A number of the mediava1
documents in this collection, which were endorsed by sir Thomas Meres
as forming the title to the manor, relate to the Nevile family, which is
revealed in several interesting relationships. As vassals of the abbot of
Peterborough the Neviles owed suit at his wapentake court of Manley,
an obligation which Robert de Nevile attempted to pass on to the prior
and convent of Thornholme who were his under-tenants at Ravensthorpe
and who resisted his efforts. The final settlement in King’s
Bench is recorded in an indenture of Hilary term, 1277 by which the
prior and convent were acquitted of all service except suit at Robert’s
Michaelmas court at Scotton, ward at Rockingham Castle and scutage
(2/ I/S). Another aspect of the relationship between the abbey and its
tenants is demonstrated by a licence granted by the abbot and convent
in 1363 for the burial of sir Philip Nevile in Scotton church-yard on

condition that his executors pay over one hundred shillings in lieu of
the fully armed horse which could be claimed as mortuary (2 / 1/ 10).
The role of the Neviles as improvers and drainers of land in the Scotton
neighbourhood is revealed by a quitclaim of 1284 (2/ 1 /S) in which
Robert Legat of Kinmel Ferry quitclaims to Robert Nevile any right he
may have had in a “land improvement” between the causeway of
Swirswar and the boundary between Scotton and Halton marshes
receiving in return pasture right between Ferry and Swirswar causeway.
There survives with these documents a small memoranda book relating
to the Peterborough liberty of Scatter within which lay the manor of
Scotton (2/ 27) . This is a small parchment book of six folios written in
a hand of the early 14th century. It contains copies of various returns
made to royal inquests about feudal service in the wapentakes of Manley
and Corringham, the earliest of which is part of the “Lindsey Survey”
(L/S 4 in Lincoln Record Society vol. 19)) “together with some information
about methods of assessing taxation, from which it appears that
Kesteven and Holland paid one quarter each and Lindsey the remaining
half, of any sum levied in the county. The work ends with lists of
Peterborough tenants and their service in all the vills which form the
Scatter liberty and a brief survey of Northorpe with notes of variations
in the size of loaves occasioned by the changing price of corn, all of
which suggests that it was compiled for the use of the abbey or its North
Lincolnshire agent. Comparison with the surviving records of the abbey
at Peterborough, which has not yet been possible, would doubtless yield
more light about this work.
After the death of sir Philip Nevile the Scotton estate passed to the
family of Bussy of Hougham by the marriage of his daughter Matilda
to sir John Bussy, who was to be attainted and beheaded by the
Lancastrians at Bristol in 1399 (D.N.B., VIII, 40). Scotton seems soon
to have returned to the family possession for the earliest court roll, for
1401-Z (2/23 / 1) names a Bussy as lord. There is an unusually good
series of court rolls, rentals and surveys of the manor during the
succeeding century and a half when it remained in Bussy hands and the
family is also represented by a receipt for money paid by sir John Bussy
in 1344 to the wardrober of Henry earl of Lancaster, for the marriage of
an heir (21 l/9) . This is an important document for at least two reasons:
it demonstrates the increasing use of non-indented letters patent by
Henry earl of Lancaster which is remarked on by Mr. Somerville, Tke
Dztchy of Lancaster 1265-1603, (London, 1953)) p. 116 and it shows
that the policy pursued by John of Gaunt of selling or farming the feudal
incidents of wardship and marriage (ibid., 93) had already begun.
With the death of. John Bussy of Hougham in 1542 the estate
passed for a brief and stormy period, recently chronicled by Miss Joan
Wake (The Bmdenells of Deene, London, 1953), to sir Edmund
Brudenell whose wife Agnes was Bussy’s daughter and heir. No trace
remains in these documents of the violent and even murderous disputes
which raged among the many claimants to the Lincolnshire property of
the childless Dame Agnes Brudenell but in 1531 Scotton passed to the
least remarkable of these claimants, Anthony Meres, grandson of a
Bussy daughter. He was a younger member of a family prominent in
South Holland for two centuries before this time, who through his
mother Dorothy Cony also inherited considerable property in Boston,
Kirton and Skirbeck.

The title deeds of these Holland properties are chiefly interesting
for the light they throw on the rise into wealth and importance of a
single yeoman family, that of Cony, which is comparable in type to
some of those recently described by Mrs. Thirsk (Fenland Farming in
the Sixteenth Century, University College Leicester, department of Local
History, 1953). There is an unusually large number of wills included
in the titles, from a period for which few have survived in the probate
registries and marriage settlements also occur for families describing
themselves as yeomen. The Cony family appears first in the person of
Robert Cony who between 1510 and 1520 was buying a number of small
pieces of land for one of which he paid more than half the purchase
price in stock and crops (Z/4/12). His will, dated 1521, (2/3/B) shows
that he inherited only 5 acres of land from his father. Robert’s son
Thomas, who was to make three marriages, two with widows who seem
to have been well endowed (Z/3/12, 214121, 2/4/26), was buying
chantry and gild property (21415 and 28 and 211415) and his probate
inventory at his death in 1554, (2/111/2) shows him to have been
possessed of considerable property in stock and household stuff. His
eldest son Anthony, who was to die childless in 1589, was wealthy
enough to found an almshouse for four aged men (Charity Commissioners’
Reports, Lincoln volume, p. 41); his daughter married into the
old and wealthy family of Meres. Richard, merchant of the Staple, of
Bassingthorpe and his son Thomas whose estate book was published in
the first volume of Lincolnshire Notes and Queries (1880-90, p. 113 and
seq.) and whose house still stands (M. W. Barley, Lincolnshire and the
Fens, London, 1952, 86 and picture 29) were family connections.
Anthony Cony’s will (214137) is interesting for the instructions he left
for the carving on his gravestone of the coat of armour which he claimed
to inherit from Muschamp of East Keal. The grave was seen by Lord
Monson (Lincoln Record Society vol. 31, p. 316) but no arms are
recorded on it. From the Meres family there comes a small group of
court rolls of the manor of Hiptoft Hall in Algarkirk which included an
account of the year 1411-12 in which payments were made for the repair
of Fosdyke sea-bank (91 l/7) and a small, much-rubbed notebook
recording the non-payment of ship-money in Algarkirk in 1637 (91 l/20).
After 1660 all these estates passed to sir Thomas Meres who was to
be M.P. for the city of Lincoln for most of the rest of the century and
who was at one time Speaker of the House [D.N.B. 37, 2741. His
energetic prosecution of a cause against Lord Irwin has already been
noted; it preserved a useful collection of case papers and estate
memoranda. This includes two rudimentary maps of 1616 and 1682,
the latter taken “from the top of the steeple” and a set of instructions
to William Barret, usher of Brigg School who in 1683-4 was employed
to make a further survey and who demanded compensation for schooltime
lost by himself and his apprentice (2/62/ 11-15). There are also a
small number of assessments made at Scotton during the Commonwealth
(2 159117) and a ley for repairs to East Ferry chapel in 1685
(2 15916-7). Finally useful light is thrown on the state of trade on the
Trent by two petitions of 1682 from the merchants and ship-owners of
Gainsborough and Stockwith against the refusal of Hull customs officials
to clear without unloading the unwieldy cargoes of lead which they
were transporting from the Midlands. (216616 and 7).
It was however the business papers of sir Thomas and his second
son and heir, sir John, which took up most of the space in the two
boxes of papers referred to above., Sir Thomas was clearly a man of

keen business sense who not only threw himself with zest into the case
he was conducting against Lord Irwin, as his endorsements, scrutinies
of the jury lists and instructions to counsel suggest, but also was continually
ready to invest money in likely speculations. One small bundle
of his papers (2111127) contaming details of promising mortgages is
endorsed “ About putting out money ” and another (2/ 77) “Letters
relating to my private interest”, and it is clear from the letters of his
man of business that Meres was in a small way operating like sir Robert
Clayton. There are also details of new buildings in Leicester Gardens
which he purchased in 1677 from Nicholas Barbon (2/56 / l-3) ‘and of
a life insurance which seems to have been a form of speculation
(2/56/49-60). Sir Thomas’ son John, was even more devoted to
commercial affairs than his father though there is no sign that he took
much interest in politics. In a letter written to his Whichcote relatives
towards the end of his life he said “When all trades fail and I want
health I may incline to lead a trifling county life but until then I shall
not indzGlge myself in, that idle way” (2 / 114 15) and certainly he can
have had little time for ease. He was for example concerned in a case
against the directors of the York Building Company in 1729 in which
he played a leading part as a financial expert (2128). Much of his time
seems also to have been taken up with the exploitation of some of
fee-farm rents of the Duchy of Lancaster and of the Crown which he
took over from the Duke of Portland about 1722. There are a large
number of letters and memoranda exchanged between local agents and
the principal collector James Swaine and Meres himself seems to have
thought no means too difficult to use for increasing his profit. It is
characteristic of him that in an attempt to revive a claim upon the earl
of Derby for a rent payable from certain Manx chantry lands he should
have enlisted the help of the bishop of Sodor and Man (2 / 50). The full
exploitation of his revenues in the Knaresborough area seems to have
led naturally to an interest in the Duchy’s mineral rights and we find
him about 1725 involved with a company called the Honourable Company
of Royal Mine Adventurers (Z/41-43). A number of letters from
his agents contain a variety of technical details about the finding and
sinking of mines and the extent of the industry. The whole group of
his papers seems to be of some importance for administrative and
economic history.
The Whichcot family which eventually inherited the Scotton and
Kirton estates itself left behind a number of letters of the liveliest
interest for the first thirty years of the eighteenth century. Some are
written by a son at Cambridge, and his tutor Daniel Waterland, with
much university gossip, others by daughters and nieces at school in
London, and by the mistress of the school, Dorothy Draper, who repeat
current Whig gossip, describe Queen Anne’s funeral and the coronation
of, George I and send specimens of material for court mourning
(lo/20 /3). There are many letters from Mrs. Whichcot’s sister and
brother in law, sir Horace Pettus and his lady, of Rackheath in Norfolk
with local political and social news and much comment upon the
activities of sir John Meres, whose importance is well reflected in the
sarcastic references made to him. The letters include a number from
and about the two Misses Stanhope, co-heiresses of Melwood Park in
Axholme whose father had left them to the guardianship of Colonel
Whichcot, their grandmother’s second husband [Colonel Whichcot
married first, Frances Boynton, second, Isabella widow of Darcy
Stanhope and third Frances Katherine Meres, Maddison Lincolnshire
Pedigrees, III? 9211. The administration of the Stanhope estates in

Axhohne seems to have occupied much time and thought until the
marriages of the two heiresses and there is a series of rentals, vouchers
and estate accounts which is of considerable interest for the economic
history of Axholme and the Trent ports. [2/86-96 and 10/36-401.
The Stanhope family, itself of Yorkshire origin, had by an alliance
with the family of Hawley in 1593, (W. B. Stonehouse, History and
Topography of the Isle of Axholme (London, 1839) 258-60 and Maddison,
op. cit., III, 921) acquired considerable estates in the Hooton
Pagnell neighbourhood. The title deeds and family documents of the
Hawleys and their predecessors the Stodfolds form an interesting section
in this deposit with many 13th and 14th century charters. There is a
small group of conveyances for Pontefract in the period immediately
after lhomas of Lancaster’s execution which name “the place where
Thomas of Lancaster lost his life” as a bound (2/ 16/5). Two grants
by John Tiptoft lord of Bentley, made in 1345 have fine examples of
‘I iptoft’s seal (211712 and 2a) and the well-known families of Ann,
Fitzwilliam and Wentworth are all represented in the deeds.
After the death of Thomas Whichcot of Harpswell in 1776 his
estates passed to his son in law sir Christopher Whichcote, bart., of
Aswarby, of the junior branch of the family which since 1723 had been
settled m the county and the remainder of the deposit is concerned with
this part of the family. There are account books and letter books for
Henry Whichcote, one of the sons of sir Jeremy Whichcote, a Levant
merchant of the later 17th century (1 / 17, 1B / 48-52)) and letters, letter
books and wills of his son Paul who acted at one time as secretary to
sir Horatio Walpole (brother of the Prime Minister) and preserved one
of his letter books (lB/43).
From a later period are title deeds and settlements relating to the
family’s 18th and 19th century purchases of land in Aswarby and its
neighbourhood and in Rutland, with a number of estate memoranda and
letters of the 18th century which illustrate every side of land-owning
activity in the period. There are a number of interesting letters relating
to such local projects as the Deeping Fen Drainage 1730-l (l/27,
10 / 56) and the Peterborough-Lincoln turnpike, 1755-9 (10 / 57) . The
pitfalls and difficulties of enclosure are well-illustrated by a group of
letters about Timberland 1770-5 (10/58) and the part played by the
local gentry in elections in various letters and accounts for elections at
Boston in 1780-2 (10/65).
As executor of Francis and Nathaniel Tregagle whose sister had
been his wife’s mother, sir Christopher Whichcote preserved two groups
of papers of considerable interest, the first relating to Nathaniel’s business
as a merchant in S. Carolina, 1742-64 (l/23), the other, much
bigger group, scattered throughout the deposit, concerned with the
administration of the estates of Francis Tregagle at Melchett (Wiltshire)
and in London.
The Records
Meres and Whichcote families
Title deeds: Algarkirk, 16051705, 8 items; Aswarby, 1558-1741, 82
items; Aunsby, 1645-1853, 69 items; Boston, 1571-1639, 29 items;
Burringham, X98-1622, 3 items; Deeping St. James, 1540-1829,

194 items; Fishtoft, 1714-24, 3 items; Gainsborough, 1724, 2 items;
Harpswell, 16051772, 59 items; Hemswell, 1366-1868, 317 items;
Kirton Holland, 1436-1675, 123 items; Laughton, 1340, 1 item;
Lincoln, 1658-95, 3 items; Moulton, 1613, 1 item; Osbournby, 1559-
1877, 461 items; Saltfleetby, 1504, 1 item; Scotton, early 13c.-
1644, 49 items; Scredington, 1701-1880, 48 items; Sibsey, 1577-96,
5 items; Spanby, 1808-61, 9 items; Swarby, 1672-1731, 8 items;
Timberland Thorpe, 1557-1789, 116 items; Wigtoft, 1513, 1 item.
Bucks., Chesham Leicester, 1722-30, 40 items; He&., Totteridge,
1719, .I item; Rutland, Glaston and Bisbrooke, 1604-1885, 334 items,
Leighfield, 1842, 1 item; Narborough, 1720, 1 item.
Manorial records: Algarkirk, Hiptoft Hall, court rolls, 1437-1652, 17
items, compotus, 1411-12, 1 item, rentals, late 15c.--1655, 8 items,
steward’s memoranda book, c. 1637-9, 1 item.
Scotton, court rolls, 1434-1582, 47 items, compoti, 1443-53, 4 items,
rentals 1417-1587, 12 items.
Aswarby, court papers, 1676-1735, 15 items.
Letters and papers subsidiary to title : Aswarby, 1722-30, 19 items;
Aunsby, 1711-53, 23 items: Deeping 1759-72, 45 items; Hemswell,
1713-17, 20 items; Osbournby, 1739-45, 26 items; Scotton, early
14c.-1701, 369 items; Timberland Thorpe, 1687-1875, 302 items;
Glaston and Bisbrooke, 1654-1854, 81 items.
Rentals and surveys: Deeping St. James, 1774-8, 9 items; Hemswell,
1805, 1 item; Kirton Holland, c. 1660, 1 item; Scotton, late 16c.,
1 item; Timberland Thorpe, 1722-85, 89 items.
Leases: Scotton, 1315-1682, 78 items; Tunbridge, 1682-1720, 21 items.
Estate accounts: 1649-1718 (Meres), 17 items; 1799-1830, 2 items.
Vouchers: estate and personal, 1701-1778, 802 items.
Public undertakings: Deeping Fen drainage, 1730-1, 35 items; Lincoln-
Peterborough turnpike, 1755-9, 23 items; Timberland Thorpe,
enclosure and drainage, 1719-75, 67 items.
Probates and family settlements: 1582-1875, 148 items.
Executorships, letters, accounts and vouchers : George Whichcot of
Harpswell, 1720, 1 item; Thomas Whichcot of Harpswell, 1776, 21
items; Sir Thomas Whichcote of Aswarby, 1828, 138 items; Paul
Whichcote of Finchley, 1759, 68 items; Sir John Meres, 1736, 172
items; Francis Tregagle, 1759, 223 items; Nathaniel Tregagle, 1769,
1,103 items; sir Neville Hickman, 1780, 57 items; Thomas Ashby
of Chelsea, 1740, 385 items.
Papers relating to business and public affairs: Cony family, 1535-75, 3
items; Henry Whichcote of Aleppo and Finchley, 1666-1714, 20
items; Paul Whichcote of Peterhouse, Cambridge and Finchley,
1706-43, 156 items: Whichcot of Harpswell, 1701-32, 339 items;
Whichcote of Aswarby, 1730-1822, 445 items; sir Thomas Meres,
1655-93, 100 items; sir John Meres, 1708-35, 824 items; Tregagle of
Melchett and Georgetown, Carolina, 1672-1769, 173 items.

’ Stanhope family
Title deeds: Burnham, 1566-1691, 45 items; Epworth, 1650-95, 5 items;
Melwood, 1563-1701, 8 items; Owston, 162187, 9 items; Stockwith
and Walkerith, 16881714, 6 items; co. York, Armyn, 1612, 1 item;
Billam, c. 1200-1626, 17 items; Cumberton, 1563, 1 item; Eskrick,
1613, 1 item; Hambleton, 1634, 2 items; Pontefract, 1327-42, 4
items; Snaith, 1414, 1 item; Stodfold, 1300-1634, 83 items.
Probates and settlements: 1592-1704, 42 items.
Papers about business and public affairs: 1490-1640, 5 items.
Letters regarding the trusteeship: 1707-20, 193 items.
Vouchers, estate and personal: 170819, 584 items.
Miscellaneous estate papers: Axholme estates, 1700-1720, 52 items.
Rentals: Axholme estates, 1704-20, 36 items.
Printed Book: No clue as to ownership, Desiderii Era& Roter’ Flares,
Amsterdam, John Jansson, 1640.
CRAGG COLLECTION
This most interesting collection was deposited at Exchequer Gate in
November last by Major W. J. R. Cragg of Threckingham with the
good offices of Alderman J. W. F. Hill. Some part of it was known to
the archivist who visited Threekingham House in the lifetime of the late
Capt. W. A. Cragg and reported on the collection in the Archivists’
Report 1948-50 pp. 63-4. It seems appropriate to give a fresh survey of
the collection in the light of the present deposit.
Except for some valuable topographical notes and records as an
Enclosure Commissioner of John Cragg of Threckingham, late 18 c. and
early 19 c., the collection now deposited is an artificial one, accumulated
over a long period by the late Captain W. A. Cragg. Classification of
such a collection of items, acquired separately from time to time, cannot
be made on any normal archive principles, and the grouping given
below is based largely on its present physical arrangement. It is sometimes
possible to recognise strays from archive groups and of much
interest to see how, these documents supplement or relate to other
deposited documents here. A detailed calendar of the deeds is in ,
progress, and on the work done so far it is possible to indicate some of
the sources from which this collection has been built up. In many
cases the immediate sources for many of the documents are the collec-
tions of other collectors and the stores of dealers. It is hoped to
incorporate in the calendar detailed information wherever possible ‘on
the provenance of the various items.
Ctagg 1
This group consists of the notebooks of John Cragg of Threckingham,
great-grandfather of the late Capt. Cragg among which are two
ms. topographical directories for Lincolnshire, the work of John Crapg,
one being apparently a first draft. These are especially valuable for the
state of the county in his time. He appears to have considered publication
and advertised the work, with a request for further information
\

2.5
towards fulfilling his plans, in the Stamford Mercury 3 March 1300 (I
am indebted to Mr. C. L. Exley for this information). It can only be a
matter of conjecture as to why publication was not proceeded with, but
it may be noted that White’s Directory of Lincolnshire first appeared
in 1826. Other note books contain valuable material for the enclosures
of Ropsley, Skillington and Scredington 179597, for which he was one
of the commissioners, and miscellaneous antiquarian notes, some
apparently contributions to the Gentleman’s Magazine. There are 9 note
books in all, c. 1795-1830. Capt. Cragg inserted in one of the directories
mentioned above some 36 original documents, which are a miscellaneous
collection relating to different places in the county. There are tax
duplicates Aveland hundred 1777-9, a number of strays from parish
chests or justices’ papers, such as precepts to constables, warrants and
removal orders, and there are two documents relating to the mustering
of 200 men to be sent to Chester in 1602.
Cragg 2
This very valuable group consists of books collected by Capt. Cragg
and a brief list follows herewith:
Commentary on the apocalypse 13 c. or 14 c.; a Carthusian compilation
of treatises and rules thought to be German, 15 c.; a terrier of
Dean and Chapter’s land in Lincoln ? late 15 c. or 16 c., a survey of
Thornton abbey land, early 17 c. (extracts printed Lines. Notes and
Queries vol. x p. 136); the Order for Swans, with drawings of swan
marks and an index, 16 c.; Sir Joseph Banks’ paper on the ordinance
respecting swans on the Witham, printed, 1810; Visitation of Lincolnshire,
1562, Phillips ms. 21450, book plate of sir John Warburton,
Somerset Herald, 17 c.; Visitation .of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire
1562, Liber Phillipi Laycock, 17 c.; rental of the estate of sir Robert
Carre, 1627; list of sheriffs, all counties, Henry II-James I, 17 c.;
Visitation articles of Bishop Sanderson 1662, printed, with ms. notes on
reading signed by Robert Sanderson, apparently the son of the Bishop;
a ms. book with notes on a plague at Threckingham 17 c.; the Seven
Epistles to the churches of Asia by Henry More D.D. 17 c.; Kelham
family notes 18 c.; a ms. text book of arithmetic 17 c. bound up with
notes on offerings at Westborough and Doddington 1672-96, Phillips
ms. 15137; Commonplace book and family notes John Adamson rector
of Burton Coggles 1669-1718; a ms. book of sermons 17 c.; Spanby
sermons 1703-04 with notes of their re-use at various neighbouring
places, Robert Smith curate of Swaton; memoranda of parliament 9
Edward II-19 Edward II, 17 c.; Orders for the House of Lords, 1712,
1773; conference at Sleaford between Hem-y Pickworth Quaker and
Francis Bugg 1701, printed 1702; copies of Stamford Mercury 172329;
account books of John later Sir John Newton bart. 1693-97 household,
1701-03 personal, Phillips mss. 21730 and 15909; accounts of William
Grant chief constable of Boothby Graffoe 1700-12; copies of settlements,
various families, labelled Boydell Cartze, 18 c.; Stukeley mss., 22 books,
of which 7 are mainly sermons or essays on allied topics, such as ethics,
the Trinity, the Resurrection, the Kalendar, the Mysteries, the Pectoral
of Aaron, the nature of the deity, the re-marriage of widows, the life of
Christ, a description of Mount Sinai, and coronation sermon 1761; 12
are mainly archaeological, dealing with the antiquities of Stamford,
British coins, the order of Roman knights, pedigrees mainly of kings,
Crowland abbey, the early use of brick, a journey illustrated 1757, a
diary September to December 1735, correspondence 1728-9 (copies)

etween Stukely and Maurice Johnson concerning a society of literary
men meeting at Ancaster; and 3 are miscellaneous and include some
family and biographical notes; acre books Wyberton 1702, revised 1723,
Frampton 1737, Algarkirk 1737-9, from the collection of Col. J. T.
Moore; copy, 18 c., of an award by decree Claypole dated 1615; court
book manor of Doubledyke, Gosberton, 1747-1832, the same, Buckminster
Hall, Billingborough 1739-1780; The Coroners’ Guide, printed,
1746, with notes, formerly belonging to James Burton of Billingborough;
notes and extracts on the history of Crowland abbey, 18 c.; record of
Thomas Marshall’s rents 176871 and of family marriages etc. in the
Chequer church, Lincoln, 1758-68; copy, minutes of commissioners for
the Black Sluice 1791-1803; copy, minutes of the county magistrates
1788-1823; collection of printed notices of meetings etc. mainly Lincoln
1820-48; letters re farming to and from sir Joseph Banks 1790-1819
(which have stuck in the same book a commission to sir Thomas Hussey
bart. from the Council of State 16 April 1660, letter to sir Edmund
Hussey 1610, copy address to the king 1695, 2 letters re estate business,
lord Willoughby 1632, 1639; letter of Robert earl of Lindsey re visit to
Lines. of the Duke and Duchess of York 1679; copy, grant of additional
arms to sir John Walpole, letter Anne to Robert Boswell 17 c.); letter
book, letters received by John Halkett clerk of the lord Chancellor
regarding livings in his gift, covers the whole country, 1797-1800; estate
and household accounts, duke of Ancaster, accountant Mr. Parker 1801-
09; diary of William Parker of Hanthorpe, landowner, justice of the
peace, commissioner on drainage etc. 3 ~01s. 183158; book with notes,
drawings, prints and the like for the counties of Gloucester, Hants,
Hereford, Herts., Hunts., Lancaster, Lincoln, the Reverend John
Pridden 18 c. -mid 19 c.; 2 ~01s. antiquarian notes, perhaps of the
Rev. George Ashby of Barrow in Suffolk, on Roman roads and related
topics, c. 1797-1807; a formulary on the order of Quarter Sessions and
some notes from the Harleian mss. M. P. Moore 1827, who was later
clerk of the peace, parts of Kesteven; notes, privately printed, sir
Robert Heron bart. 1850, biographical material 1812-50; a collection of
miscellaneous printed matter, 18 c. -19 c.; transcript of Inventarium
monumentorum sqkrstitionis, Edward Peacock, printed English Church
Fzcrhiture, London, 1866; 3 mss. of A. Gibbons, Institutions, Lincoln
archdeaconries, copy Sutterton churchwardens accounts S-13 Henry
VIII, monumental inscriptions in Lincoln churches, 1889; Report, Royal
Commission on Agriculture, Lincoln except the Isle of Axholme, 1895;
2 mss. of Major General W. H. Smith, copies of 14 c. deeds Pinchbeck,
Whaplode and Holbeach, wills from Canterbury Prerogative Court
1558-89 (extracts from the former printed Lines. Notes and Queries
vol. xviii pp. 60-157 passim), Antiquarian notes, Lincolnshire and
Liverpool, Henry Peet, early 20 c.
Cragg 3
This consists of deeds mounted or placed loose in an album. It
was decided to calendar these in their present physical order in case
this gives and clues as to provenance or date of acquisition. Examination
of other groups of deeds in the collection, however, suggests that the
arrangement cuts across some portions of archive groups. The Southwell
deeds, for example, are divided between the album and a series of
small boxes which is listed as Cragg 4. A notable item from this group,
a fragment of an Anglo-Saxon document relating to Thorney abbey,
has been deposited by Major Cragg in the library of Queen’s College,
Cambridge, where it re-joins another portion of the same document.
,

It had apparently been used as a binding strip and there was no clue as
to provenance. Another item in this group of much interest is two
folios of the history of Crowland, which had been identified as part of
the work of the second continuator, 1149-1470. It is of interest that
these folios are in a hand not later than about the beginning of the
fourteenth century. It is not known from what source these were
obtained.
The group of Southwell deeds mentioned above are of much
interest, and, together with those in Cragg 4, listed below, they may be
presumed to have come as survivors from the scattering of the Southwell
archives graphically described in Southwell Schools, W. A. James,
Lincoln, 1927, pp. 14-15, as part of the despoliation following the visits
of the Commissioners in 1547 when the cupboards and chests in which
the “evidences” were kept were taken away and the deeds cast abroad
in the church and churchyard. (Some of these may be presumed to
have been enregistered in the White Book of Southwell, a brief list of
the contents of which is given in Visitations and Memorials of Southwell,
-4. F. Leach, Camden Sot. new series, vol. 48, 1891.) They include
the following:-
Relationship with York: John Kempe archbishop of York, to the chapter
of Southwell, mandate to install a canon, 1442; the official of the
archbishop of York to the chapter of Southwell, transmission of
instructions of the commissary of Hugh Pelegrine papal nuncio re
the sequestration of two prebends 1358.
Relationship of prebendary with the chapter: Appointment of a proxy
to appear concerning residence 1472.
Visitation: Monition to churchwardens in the Southwell peculiars to cite
vicars and 6 laymen, 1376; return of a mandate to cite for a visitation,
1354. In both cases the attached schedule giving the names
of persons cited or to be cited is lost.
Prebendal: Resignation of the vicar of the prebendal church of Oxton
1409; grant to a man and the heirs of his body, with reversion to
the prebendary, lands in Northwell, 1400.
The Chapter: Lease of the rectory of Barnby, 1390; properties in Halam
and Edingley, 14 c. and ? 1506; in Southwell, fabric fund, 1296;
deed re the foundation of Richard de Sutton’s chantry c. 1268.
Appropriated church: The rector of Kneesall promised to pay a rent of
4 marks to Norton Priory, and will submit himself to the archdeacon
of Nottingham in the case of failure, 1256. Kneesall church
was not appropriated until the reign of Henry VI (Tanner,
Monasticon, 1744, p. 400).
Vicars Choral: Deed relating to the foundation of a chantry for John
de Bella Aqua and Hugh de Annesley 1408; grant of right of way
to mine coal in Rawmarsh co. York 1482.
Unidentified funds: Properties in Beckingham 1399, 1407, 1411; Southwell,
Easthorpe and Upton 1439; Easthorpe and Southwell, ? early
14 c.; Southwell a half burgage, witnesses clerk of the court and
bailiff of the borough of Southwell 1449.

The Southwell deeds are numbered Cragg 3/6-13, 15-21, 21-32.
They appear to have been sent for examination to Mr. J. P. Gilson of
the British Museum who was also consulted regarding the terrier of the
Dean and Chapter of Lincoln mentioned above, and summaries of the
deeds in his hand were pasted in the album. Some of these deeds are
in a fragmentary condition.
Other groups are strays from the public records, strays from the
Newton family’s deeds, documents relating to Alford and Well, miscellaneous
personal and official documents, and other miscellaneous deeds
which may be summarised as follows:-
Strays from the public records: A number of judicial and original writs
and notes of fines relating to places and persons in Lincolnshire 14 c.
and 15 c. (Cragg 3139-40, 42-51, 62. See also Cragg 8 below from
which these Lincolnshire *examples have evidently been removed.)
Newton deeds : Manors of Culverthorpe 1587, Balderton 1535 (2),
dispensation to hold the vicarage of Haydor, to Robert Lamb
chaplain to the Countess of Coningsby 1734, receipt for hearth tax
1687 (Cragg 3133-37. See also Cragg 2 above for 2 Newton account
books and Lindsey deposited collections above for other Newton
documents. See also Archivists’ Report 1951-2 pp. 20-24).
Alford and Well: Enrolment of proceedings in the king’s court regarding
a market at Alford and Saleby c. 1290 (cf. Lincolnshire Notes
and Queries vol. x p. 35), gift to the altar of St. Mary in the chapel
at Well, probably c. 1250 (Cragg 3152, 65. See also Cragg 4/l-3
below).
Miscellaneous personal and official: Licence as preacher, Alford 1605;
commissions to Gervase Hollis from Robert earl of Lindsey to be
captain 1642, to Capt. Robert Markham of Grayby to await the
king’s summons 1642; Thomas Parker Smith to be ensign in the
South Lincoln militia 1815; order by the registrar of the Committee
for the county of Lincoln for raising money to maintain the army
1649; receipt from treasurers appointed under the act for provision
of money to pay off the forces 1660; bonds to the sheriff to appear
before the lord Protector 1657; copies of articles against the earl of
Strafford 1640 ; petition of the Commons c. 1628 ; will of A.
Adamson weaver of Market Rasen 1660; bond Vavasour to Skipwith
1655; bond re landing a cargo of beans Grimsby 1691; letters
of orders Timothy Shaw 1741; Quaker marriage certificate Tumby
Woodside 1745; letter of John Green bishop of Lincoln to George
Marquis Townsend 1771; Aveland and Beltisloe tax duplicates
windows and servants 1779-80.
Miscellaneous deeds: Spanby 1612; Halton Holegate 1450, Crowland
1519, Corby 1461, Burton Pedwardine 1575-1681 (4), North Cove
co. Suffolk 1390, Anderby 1538, Pinchbeck 1441, 1405, Alvingham
? 13 c., Donington 1519 (2), 1540, West Laughton 1472,
detailed topographical information, Tydd St. Mary case papers 16
c., 3 items (see also Cragg 5 below), Bourne 1607, Grimoldby 1593,
Denton, Harlaxton, Hungerton and Wyville 1608, Haxey Westwood
1621,

.,
Cragg 4
These were deeds carefully folded and kept in a series of small
boxes. They fall into three groups, namely deeds relating to Alford
and Well (See also Cragg 3 above and Cragg 6 below), miscellaneous
deeds mainly relating to Lincolnshire, and Southwell deeds (See also
Cragg 3 above).
Alford and Well: Exchanges of land, mid 13 c. ?, (Z), grant by Robert
lord of Well to his free tenants and concommoners to hold their
lands in “inham” with some details as to cultivation, 1281 (Cragg
4/l-3).
Misc. deeds: Agreement between the abbots of Kirkstead and Revesby
re common in Wildmore 1257; Wilsford 1393; one third of the
manor of Gedney 1398; South Cave co. York, relates to the Ellerker
family who had a branch in Threckingham, 1458; petition for the
augmentation of a benefice, Deopham co. Norfolk 1465; receipt
for a pension from appropriated churches, dean and chapter of
Lincoln to the abbot and convent of. Sulby 1529; Hungerton and
Wyville 1557, 1568; Boston 1557; rental of lands of Corpus Christi
guild, Boston, 1489 (printed in Pishey Thompson’s History of
Boston 1856, pp. 127-9); Cowick in Snaith co Yorks 1587; Crail,
Scotland, witnessed by the scribe of the borough 1592; licence to
alienate, rectory of Staunton co. Gloucester and annexed chapel of
Snowshill 1600; commission to Gervase Hollis as colonel, 1642.
Southwell deeds: Relating to the ordination of Robert de Lexington’s
chantry, confirmations of Walter de Gray archbishop of York,
with seals, confirmation of the dean and chapter of York and a
grant of land in Barnborough co. York to Robert de Lexington,
mid 13 c.; relating to West Ravendale, grant by king Henry VI of
the alien priory there to the chapter of Southwell, 1439, letters of
protection king Henry III for all possessions of the abbot and convent
of Beauport (of which West Ravendale was a cell) 1230,
letters of the abbot and convent of Beauport appointing a proctor
1279; relating to the chapter, fabric fund, Halam and Edingley,
? early 14 c. 3 items; attested copy of will re rents in Farnsfield,
Edingley, Osmondthorpe and Halam to the church master of the
works ? 15 c.; relating to the chapter, resignation of the vicar of
Caunton 1477, exemplification of pleadings re the rector of Kneesall
and the prior of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem concerning
rent from land in Maplebeck 1449, quitclaim re the office of auditor
and receiver of revenues, the chapter to the widow of Edward
Burnell gent. 1592; relating to prebends ? land in Normanton 1416,
and Beckingham, no date: relating to the vicars, contemporary
copy order of pope Boniface IX to Thomas de Arundel archbishop
of York to confirm an agreement between the chapter and vicars
of Southwell 1390 (this was apparently attached, judging by surviving
slits for tags, to a covering letter of confirmation sent to the
chapter and vicars by the archbishop of York, Boniface IX’s own
confirmation of the affair is recorded in the Cal. of Papal Registers
vol. V p. 592); leases of land in Rawmarsh co. York 1474 (giving
details of construction of buildings to be erected) 1540, leases, a
cottage at Halam 1581 and land in Westhorpe in Southwell 1489.

36
Cragg 5
After the two groups of deeds Cragg 3 and 4 which had been seen
when visiting Threckingham had been dealt with, there remained a
large residue of deeds not previously looked at and not in any definite
arrangement, although in many cases annotated by Captain Cragg.
These have now been sorted into three sections, namely Lincolnshire
deeds arranged alphabetically by place, deeds relating to other counties
and miscellaneous personal and official documents. A calendar of these
is in progress. Most of these appear to have been purchased from
dealers, some probably in a large lot as they do not appear to he
individually priced and have similar dealers’ marks on them.
Lincolnshire deeds
Alford 1664, Alvingham late 13 c. or early 14 c. (Z), Aslackby 1611,
Barkston 1612, Barkwith and Snarford 1693, Barrow manors of
Sutton and Beesby 1689, Barrowby 1697, Barton on Humber 1681,
Bassingham 1630, 1649, Beckingham 1660-1698 (4), Long Bennington
no date ? 17 c., Bitchfield 1657, 1659, Blankney 1633,
Boston 1566-1632 (3), Burringham 1589, Carlton and Scrafield
manors of, 1603, Cockerington 1545, Corby manor of, 1419, messuage
in 1556, Crowle lands of the poor 1703r, Dalby 1713, Deeping
manor of East and West, lease, 1650, Deeping St. James 1746,
Dry Doddington 1673, ,1676, Dowsby manor of 1617, Dunholme
1679, Dunston 1648, East Fen 1639, Edenham lease 1674, Epworth
admissions mid 17 c. (6), Ewerby 1654 (Z), Fleet 1619, 1684,
Fishtoft 1616, Fishtoft and Skirbeck 1652 (Z), Fiskerton 1746,
Foston and Long Bennington 1705, Folkingham honour of, 1526,
Frieston 1726, Fulbeck 1692, Gedney 1679, Gonerby Allington and
Manthorpe 1649-75 (4)) Gosberton 1647-85 (4), Gosberton Quadring
Surfleet and Moulton 1603-1762 (6), Goulceby manor and
advowson 1601-53 (5), Grantham, various properties 1591, 1599,
1608, 1651, 1675, 1655-1701 (4), 1759, probates 1756, 1785, 1796,
Great Grimsby 1793, East Halton 1669, Hameringham 1691,
Potter Hanworth 1609 (2)) Haxey a warren of coneys 1595, Haxey
land in Epworth manor 1634-52 (3)) Haxey land in Hallgarth
manor 1658, 1683, Haxey land in Westwood manor 1755, Heckington
1627, Holbeach 1682, Honington manor and advowson
Somerby, Corringham, Springthorpe and Gainsborough 1661,
Hough and Gelston 1656, Houghton Walton and Spittlegate 1711,
Howell manor 1612, Humberstone 1551, Ingoldsby Evedon and
Cammeringham manors 1777, Keadby 1742, East Keal manor 1815, ’
Kettleby Thorpe in Bigby, manor, 1674, Kirkstead 1661, Laceby
1630, Laughton 1632, Lincoln piece of ground between the towers
at the east part of the Castle 1683, Lincoln lease of tenement in
the Chequer 1636, Lincoln part of the Chanter’s house 1651, Lound
in Witham on the Hill 1616, Morton by Bourne rectory 1652-1743
(6), Morton by Bourne 1639, Morton by Gainsborough 1610, 1660,
Morton in Swinderby 1678, 1679, ? Morton in Swinderby 1603,
1630, Mumby chapel 1663, Nocton lease 1593, Norton Disney 1635,
Orby rectory 1653, Pinchbeck leases 1596, 1771, Reasby in Stainton
by Langworth 1569, North Reston and Cammeringham 1695,
Risby manor and Appleby 1619, Rowston 1658, Ruskington 1698-
1779 (17), Saltfleetby 1550-1659, Skillington 1676-99 (3)) Skirbeck
1709, Sleaford, an annuity from, 1705, Sotby 1593, Southray
1577, Spittlegate 1698-1766 (5), Stamford 1590-1667 (3), Stamford
1661, 1691, 1796, Stickney 1596, SurfIeet 1567-1687 (4),
1 Appears on closer examination Crowle co. Wore.

Sutterton and Wigtoft 1607-1631 (3), Sutton le Marsh 1578, Sutton
St. Edmund 1722, 1737, Sutton St. Nicholas or Lutton 1783, Sutton
Fleet and Gedney writ to enquire into the stoppage of a dyke 1528,
Swinderby Morton and Eagle 1576-1658 (4), Swineshead 1640-
1676 (3), Tetford Gretford and Baston licence to alienate 1629,
Thorton le Moor 1660, Thorpe next Wainfleet 1636, Thurlby by
Bourne 1554, Toft in Witham on the Hill 160251 (4), East Torrington
1633, Tydd St. Mary 1638, Tydd St. Mary case papers 16
c. (cf. Lines. Notes and Queries vol. 24 pp. 5-lo), Waddingham
1630 (2), Waddingham rectory 1702, West Willoughby in Ancaster
1655, Winthorpe 1598, Wintringham 1677, Wyberton 1698-1772
(3)) Wykeham in Spalding 1664.
Other counties
Bedford: Eaton ? Bray and Totternhoe 1620, Lidlington, Marston Mortayne,
Aspley, Potton and Shillington 1727.
Cambridge: Morton’s Learn, lease from the conservators of the Great
Level 1731.
Gloucester: Hawkesbury 1628, Sandhurst in GIoucester City, a terrier
1580.
Hampshire: Cridmore in Carisbrooke Isle, of Wight 1701.
Hereford: Eardisley, Willersley, Kington, Brilley 1641.
Kent: Maidstone 1442.
Lancashire : Aughton 1599.
Middlesex, London: St. Clements Lane near Candlewick Street 1466,
St: Sepulchre Newgate 1610, 2 water mills in East Smithfield 1615,
St. Paul’s, shop at the south door 1607, shop in the great churchyard
1620, shop in churchyard parish of St. Gregory, adjoining
west end 1629, Whitechapel 1621, St. Michael Quorn 1632, Mileend
Stepney 1652, fields near Hyde Park 1662, St. James Street
and Bennet Street 1735.
Norfolk and Suffolk: Mundham ? late 12 C.--early 13 c.; Fundenhall,
Tittleshall (Norfolk), Horham, Fressinglield (Suffolk) ? early 14
c.; Letheringsett early 14 c.; Thetford 1308, Gresham manor 1399,
Redenhall, indentures re delivery of goods of an intestate by the
bishop’s attorney 1390; Fakenham (Suffolk) 1393, licence to
preach, bishop of Norwich, Boyton (Suffolk) 1663; letters of orders
bishop of Norwich to Joseph Bokenham 1712, letters of institution
to Bacton (Suffolk) 1634, Buxton (Norfolk) 1692; probate John
Burgess of Brockdish 1850, Weston (Suffolk) 1649.
Northampton: Syresham 1668,’ 1696.
Nottingham: Newstead site and lands of the abbey 1539; Mansfield
copyhold in, 1611, 1741; Clareborough 1675, Misson 1686-1767 (4);
Laneham 1703.
Oxford: Bicester 1693, 1707; Morton in Thame 1703.
Shropshire: Norton in the Moors, Worthen etc. 1606.
Somerset: West Harptree, bond re the rectory 1615.
Surrey: Caterham manor, 1773.
Worcester: See p. 30 note.

L.-
Miscellaneous Personal and Official
Licence to teach, free school of Fleet 1800; letters of institution
Scrivelsby 1789; appointment of an attorney re Moorehouse in
Chelsea Theophilus earl of Lincoln 1623; schedule of plate of the
countess of Downes 1670; will of John Mill of Mottisfont, Hampshire,
signed and sealed, 1693; probate of Henry Naylor midshipman
1804; settlement of household goods Edward Bromhead of
Thurlby by Lincoln 1717, bond for debts to Thomas Bromhead of
Scarcliffe co. Derby 1669, bonds for landing of goods to customs
at Grimsby and Hull 1691, 1813; copies of enrolments cases relating
to goods and a wharfinger at Gainsborough 1813, 1821; share
certificate Fosdyke bridge 1811, copy declaration of trust to the
proprietors, Fosdyke bridge 1816; grant of debts and judgments to
Thomas Manse11 of Briton Ferry co. Glamorgan 1677.
Sheriff’s quittance, Sir Henry Bromley kt. for Shropshire 1603-23,
Phillips ms. 14015; sheriff’s indentures of return of members of
parliament for Grantham, of Thomas Harrington and John Thorold
by Sir Edward Ayscoghe kt. 1685; appointment by the duke of
Portland of John Calcraft as steward of the manor and soke of
Grantham 1744; duplicate tax on male servants hundred of Winnibriggs
and Threo 1779; appointment of James Torkington as town
clerk and clerk of the peace, borough of Stamford 1820.
Cragg 6
This is a miscellaneous collection of rolls, including court rolls,
accounts, surveys as follows:-
Court rolls: manor of Well 37 Edward III, 3 mm., manor of Rither in
Alford 15 Henry VIII 1 m., manor of Well and Alford, Hanby and
Rither fees: 1605, 1656, 1 mm. each, 1660-65, 6 mm.; manor of
Long Bennington 5 Henry V 1 m.; Bourne temp. Charles II 1 m.;
Fenton 4-6 Hemy VIII 1 m., East and West Hall in Ruskington
1664-69, 4 mm.
Other misc. rolls: manor of Tallington compotus of collector of rents
and farms 1413-14, Uffington Tallington and Deeping 1454-5 (for
another compotus of Uffington see below under other gifts and
deposits) ; compotus of collector of rents and farms Coningsby
1431-32 (gives details of payments for work on buildings); executrix’s
account roll, Dame Mary Trollope for Thomas Trollope bart.
incomplete, Sir Thomas died 1651; probate inventory Thomas Hall
of Byfield co. Northampton 1662; administrator’s account Thomas
Bredgland of Goodhurst co. Kent discharge of the official of the
archdeacon of Canterbury 1678; sheriff’s quittance Thomas Harrington
esq. 1677; rental of Towcester co. Northampton, master
Thomas Emson’s land late the prior of Bradenstoke ? late 15 c.
(perhaps Thomas Emson B.D. 1488-9. B.D. 1492 Alumni Cantab.) ;
terrier of lands belonging to Great Humby and Kellams freehold
1585, first membrane lost, detailed information re lands in furlongs,
signed by several persons.

JJ
Cragg 7
Two volumes of Tellers’ bills which appear to be some of the documents
described in M. S. Giuseppi’s G&de to the Public Records vol. 1
p. 184 (London, 1923), as being the slips, shewing money received at
the Exchequer, which were thrown down a pipe into the Tally Court
so that a wooden tally might be struck, which was split in!‘two, one
half being given to the party paying in the money. The&bills have
the name of the county or district for which payment was being made,
the nature of payment whether subsidy, fee farm rent, tenths and the
like, the date, the name of the person paying the money and the amount
paid. To this was added “Recordatur”, Easter in the regnal year 22 or
23 Charles II and the signature of the teller, Sir George Downing in
1670, John Loving in 1671. There seems to be no clear arrangement by
date or place of these parchment slips which are sewn together to make
pages in the books. A dealer’s label states that there were 239 of them
and that they were formerly part of the Phillipps collection.
Cragg 8
Reference has been made to a collection of notes of fines and
original and judicial writs from which some Lincolnshire examples had
been removed and placed in the album Cragg 3 above. The notes of
fines range from those dated by the year only of an unnamed king (?
Edward II to Edward III) to those of Henry VII. They have rows of
holes along the top shewing that they have been sewn up and some of
them are still sewn together incongruously as regards date or subject
matter. They are for various counties. The earlier documents have a
slit running from the left hand edge towards the middle, and a hole
punched for filing, and all have filing marks. There are only about a
dozen writs some in very poor condition. There are about 80 items in
all.
Cragg 9
A portfolio of papers of which the greater part are of the executors
of sir Roger Townshend of Raynham co. Norfolk, Michael Stanhope of
Grays Inn and Miles Corbett of Sproston co. Norfolk, mainly 1590-95.
The affairs were handled by and most of the letters and receipts
addressed to John Owles late servant of Roger Townshend. They consist
of correspondence, cancelled bonds, accounts presented and
vouchers, and are detailed and of much interest. With these is a printed
portion of a catalogue on which it is stated that these papers were
removed from Raynham Hall, Fakenham and sold with the approbation
of Mr. Justice Swinfen Eady. There are c. 120 items. The other papers
in the portfolio consisted of warrants and other papers apparently of
Ralph Peirson justice of the peace for the district of the Isle of Ely
1693-1701, 15 items. Some others of this group had been removed and
placed in John Cragg’s Directory of Lincolnshire, Cragg 1 above.
Cragg 10
This is a folder with letters relating to the Boswell family of
Thoresby. More of these are inserted into the book of letters relating
to agriculture of sir Joseph Banks (See Cragg 2 above) where are two
letters of lord Willoughby to Robert Boswell regarding estate business,
1632, 1639 and a letter from his wife Anne to Robert Boswell, date torn
away. Here are eleven letters relating to estate business of the earl of

Lindsey of which &veml are addressed to Robert and John Boswell
including the appointment of Robert as bailiff of the manor of Will
loughby in the Marsh 1634 and a letter authorising John Boswell to
collect rents at ‘Belleau Aby and Swaby 1662 (1634-1719). There are
six letters to or drafts from Robert Boswell, some regarding estate or
family business, one from his son John then a student at the Middle
Temple 1633 (1616-49). There are another twentv-one letters mainly
to John Boswell who practised as an attorney, of which eleven are from
Charles Dymoke 1676-80, three from Boswell’s son in law Dymoke
Walpole 1676, two to his daughter Mrs. Walpole 1676, 1701, one to
his ? son Robert 1699, and five miscellaneous including his draft to the
earl of Devon on the subject of exchanges of meadow lands in Willoughby
in the Marsh 1662-79. These are of interest and relate both to
family and professional affairs.
Cragg 11
Estate papers relating to the manor of Crowland and papers of the
Reverend Moor Scribe incumbent of Crowland 1767-1808 are together
in this parcel.
Estate papers as follows: Justices order on rating of Great Postiand in
Crowland 1687; rental and abstract of the manor of Crowland,
lord, Brigadier Robert Hunter, 1723, abstract of pains and penalties
in the manor of Crowland 1727-36, steward Maurice Johnson,
rental of Great Postland in Crowland and Burton Pedwardine;
extract of fines on admission and for penalties, manor of Crowland
1777, Charles Orby Hunter lord, Walter Johnson steward, copies
of documents re the conveyance of the reversion of the manor
1752-3 (2)) documents relating to mortgages of Crowland and
Burton Pedwardine and particulars of work required on the estate
at Crowland 1775-81 (4).
Letters and papers of Moor Scribe: Letters regarding a curacy at
Gedney 1756, letters from J. C. Brooke of the Herald’s College
including one introducing R. Gough the antiquary 1782, and relating
to Scribe’s management of the Lines. property of Brooke’s
aunt, 1777-1790, copies of letters to R. Gough 1783-94, some notes
on the descent of the manor of Gedney, extracts from Crowland
registers re the Wyche family 1639-87, letters regarding the right
of the parishioners to some land of the Durnford family 1789-90,
a letter from Thomas Pownall (Governor) regarding a boundary
stone at Crowland, undated. In all 30 items.
Cragg 12
Some 25 fragments of manuscripts which have been used in binding
and one or two pieces of early printing, not yet identified.
Cragg 13
Two foreign manuscripts as follows: The “vidimus” of Louis duke
of Anjou, of a confirmation by Philip king of France of certain jurisdiction
in Languedoc in right of the preceptory of St. Eulalia formerly of
the Templars, to William de Relevia prior of St. Giles of the hospital
of St. John of Jerusalem 1369, and with it, the grant of a pension by
Emmanuel de Rohan grandmaster of the order of Knights Hospitallers
1776.

33
” A large service book with music, “in festo sanctoruni ap0st0i0nm
Phillipi et Jacobi ad missam” by grant of pope Benedcit XIV to all
churches in the dominions of the catholic king 17 March 1756.
There remain a few prints, and a further parcel labelled historical
manuscripts to be catalogued. These are mostly unrelated to one
another and bought at different times. It is hoped to proceed to a
calendar of them. They are mostly from the 16 c-19 c. in date. The
following manuscripts which were referred to in the earlier report on
this collection are being retained at Threckingham: John Cragg’s note
book with drawings of churches etc. 1790, the Bussey psalter, a service
book with obits of members of the Bussey family in the calendar at the
beginning of the book, 1400-1609, and sir Joseph Banks’ two books
Fishery book 1788, and minutes of the annual fishing on the Witham
1784-96.
ANCASTER SECOND DEPOSIT
This second deposit of records from Grimsthorpe Castle was received
in September, 1953. A portion of it, consisting of recent estate records
was placed in the store-room in the Castle, the remainder, including a
single large and heavy chest, came directly to the Exchequer Gate:
When opened, the chest was found to contain two trays which had
effectively excluded the air from the bottom, where a small number of
books and court rolls were in a very decayed condition. The lower of
the two trays contained more court rolls, which had suffered slightly
from damp but were not seriously affected and the upper tray had, loose
and in ,bundles tied with thin string which broke almost at touch, 593
documents, almost all of them mediaval. The archivists were fortunate
in that the arrival of this deposit coincided with a visit to Lincoln of
Sir Frank and Lady Stenton, for whose illuminating comments, no less
than for the interest they have taken in the deposit, they are very
grateful.
The catalogue of the title deeds, court rolls, maps, surveys and
accounts in the deposit is now complete. Miss Jean Monteith, M.A., to
whom the archivists are very grateful for her help, has made a list of
the lieutenancy papers. The remaining documents have been sorted and
roughly cleaned but are not yet catalogued: they include settlements
and trust deeds arranged in three groups, Willoughby (before 1520),
Brandon-Bertie 1520-1580 and Willoughby-Ancaster 1600-1780, Personal
vouchers and miscellaneous estate memoranda, 18th and 19th
centuries. In addition there is a further series of vouchers and accounts
with a few business papers, of the Heathcote family, 1720-1790 (c.f.
Report 1951-2, pp. 39-40) and of the junior branch of the Bertie family
which had settled at Uffington, 1700-1760.
At the time when Lord Ancaster’s first deposit was made it was not
possible to say what had become of most of the mediaeval title deeds of
the Willoughby family though it was sufficiently clear from the Harleian
charters printed by sir Frank Stenton in Danelaw Charters and from
Tanner’s notes reprinted in Monasticon (V, 579 and VII, 865 and 951)
that the charters of Bullington, Greenfield and Newhouse had been seen
at Grimsthorpe in 1646, were subsequently in the possession of sir
Simonds D’Ewes and were finally bought by Humphrey Wanley for the
Harleian Library (Sir Christofiher Hutton’s Book of Seals, ed. L. C.

Loyd and D. M. Stenton, Oxford, 1950, pp. xxxviii-xxxix). Some few
charters, which appeared to relate to Vaudey Abbey, had been cut into
strips to tie round court rolls, where they were found in the first deposit.
Twelve charters, none of which has yet been re-discovered, were published
in the Historical Manucript Commission’s Report on the Manuscripts
of the Earl of Ancaster (1907)) pp. 449-452, from among “a great
number of medizval deeds and court rolls” then in the muniment room
at Grimsthorpe; otherwise the reporter thought that the collection at
Grimsthorpe “affords little material for the family history earlier than
the reign of Elizabeth.” It seems likely that the present deposit represents
part, at least of these deeds so summarily dismissed in 1907 and
it was with the greatest pleasure that the archivists recognised among
them large numbers of documents of great value for the history of the
Willoughby family and of the county.
The bundles in which some. though bv no means all of the deeds
were arranged proved on examination t”o ha;e no significance and it was
necessary to re-sort the entire deposit as a preliminary to the making of
‘a catalogue. The catalogue was then begun on a topographical basis
corresponding to the divisions in which the estates were known to have
been administered, the Kesteven estates with their centre at Edenham,
those of the “Lindsey coast”, in the southern and eastern parts of that
division which looked to Spilsby and finally the estates in Holland,
Norfolk and London which had passed out of the family’s hands soon
after 1600.
The value of this collection for genealogical and feudal history was
realised as early as the 17th century, for comparison of surviving sections
of Bishop Sanderson’s notes (Report 1951-2, p. 33) with these
deeds shows that he saw and noted most of them and others that have
not survived, and drew or described a number of the seals. Moreover
the number of deeds of an early period, (188 being datable before 1280)
and the great diversity of place represented among them gives the
collection peculiar value for the study of the place names of the county.
The bulk of the deposit is taken up with documents’relating to the
estates of the Bek and Willoughby families, united c. 1300 in the person
of William de Wilughby son of Robert de Wilughby and Alice Bek, in
south and east Lindsey. Many of these are title deeds to additions made
to the “original” estates, especially by John Bek in the second half of
the thirteenth century. It has previously been observed (L.A.A.S., vol.
4 part 1, pp. 1-56 Some Notes on the Mediaeval Manors of Fulstow),
that John Bek purchased large quantities of small properties in Fulstow
to consolidate his holding there and the same process can be seen here,
particularly in the title deeds of Skidbrook, where many pieces of land
were being conveyed to him in the second half of the 13th century by
John Galle, Andrew son of Robert of Somercotes and others who had
themselves purchased the lands from sokemen like Roger and Hugh,
the sons of Wigot Cnoting (l/7/4 and 5) who had sold 304 acres and
84 acres respectively to Andrew son of Robert. The same process of
consolidation was pursued, rapidly by John Bek, more gradually by
the Willoughby family which succeeded him, in a number of different
manors in south-east Lindsey. The documents relating to these purchases
reveal the family in close association, especially in the 14th century,
with other Lincolnshire families of equal or lower status, such as
Trehampton, Copledike and De La Launde who figure as trustees or
vendors and incidentally provide numerous examples of the fine armorial

seals of these and. other families. Not much can be learned from them
of the administration of the estates: Anchetin the servant of Walter Bek I
occurs as tenant of a fee in Wisping-ton c. 1175 (1/33/l) and John
Fraunceys, servant of John Bek, was his tenant in Raithby by Spilsby
(l/29/1-3); in 1380 Robert de Wilughby enfeoffed a tenant with land,
in the presence of his council (l/29/22) and Albinus of Enderby appears
as his steward in a number of transactions about the year 1400.
The interest of individual documents is very great and much that
deserves comment must be omitted. There is, however, tucked inside
the fold of a conveyance of land in Grebby dated 1282 (l/26/10) a
Norman-French letter giving proof that the vendor is of age and the
same group of documents contains a conveyance to Peter of Scremby
lord of the manor of ten selions in Grebby, which he is to be allowed to
enclose and hold in severalty. (l/26/ 15, 1330). There are examples of
exchange for the purpose of enclosures at Spilsby in 1656 (l/2/54) and
Edenham in 1659 (l/3/25). Among many instances of the operation
of .feudal relationships is the agreementr,made in 1347 between John de
Wilughby and Alice countess of Lincoln about the right of escheat over
a toft in Hundleby which had belonged to a man hung for felony and
which Alice had wrongfully claimed in right of her court of Bolingbroke.
An example of the economic arrangements possible in a feudal
society is found in a document of unknown provenance of the late 13th
century (l/41/16) which contains a memorandum of the number of
works done for 234 bovates of land in Lutton and Sutton in a single
year, with a detailed account of the nature of the employment, which
included “Digging the sea bank” on a number of occasions. The whole
concludes with a balance of 708Q days owing by the lord, each bovate
being responsible for providing 107 days.
The upkeep of coastal defences and the reclamation of land from
the sea are illuminated by a number of documents. At Killingholme in
the early 13th century there is mention of a rent charge which represented
all charges on a piece of land except “defence of the sea and
* marsh” and there are a number of similar references in the Skidbrook
and Saltfleetby deeds (l/7). At Mablethorp (l/11/3) and Sutton
(l/12/19) 4 pastures called Nucroft in le Neufen, surrounded by
ditches, suggest methods of reclamation already in vogue by the early
14 c. and at Skidbrook two holdings of sea-bank and marsh, “across
from” two holdings in the common field, are mentioned in a conveyance
of the mid 13th century. Social conditions in the coastal villages. reflect I
those described by sir Frank Stenton in The Free Peasantry of the NOTthem
Danelaw (Lund, 1926), with free conveyances of small pieces of
land by sokemen of Anglo-Danish descent who pay rents in lieu of
services, at the four terms “fixed in the soke of Gayton.” The presence
of villeins is however ta ‘be noted; Matilda de Rabayne conveyed a
villein and his land in Skidbrook to John Bek in 1284 (l/7/5) and
villeins are mentioned at Sutton in 1339 (l/12/22). There is much topographical
detail in the coastal charters, particularly those of Skidbrook
where for example the haven called “Mar” occurs in. the mid 13th
century (l/7/27). Finally there is mid 13th century sale made by
Basilia de Marisco for 8 marks “so that I may perform my pilgrimage”
(l/7/8) *
Miss Marian Dale printed, as a document of some rarity a deed of
partition of a manor-house at Chalgrave, dated 138617 (Cozm! Roll of
Chalgrave Manor 1278-1313, Beds. Historical Record Society, vol. 28,

3”
195& pp. xxxi-xxxii) , A similar, earlier deed of partition of the manor
of’ Orby, between Robert de Wilughby and Edmund Somervyle, made
in 1317, has survived in this deposit (l/31). It is a document of some
importance because not only does it set forth the entire demesne land in
great detail, but the rooms and outbuildings, gardens and ditches of the
manor house are enumerated so fully as almost to make it possible to
draw a plan of the structure.
Valuable topographical detail occurs in most of the earlier charters
of the deposit and references occur to the sites of monastic cells or
granges which seem to be otherwise lost. In the Partney deeds there are
for example, two references a century apart to a road leading to the
court of the monks there (l/28/2 and 8)) that is, to the cell of Bardney
which is known to have existed at Partney (G. G. Walker, A History
of Partney, Spilsby, 1898, p. 52). A selion called Spitelponstret, in the
east field of Great Steeping, is mentioned several times in the 14th
century, (l/20/10, 13, 51) and two water mills in Halton Holgate, each
with its “Saa” appear as bounds in the same period (l/23/5 and 12).
Even more detailed topographical information of the year 1280 appears
in the document by which William de Well and his villeins of Bonthorp
agree with William de Wilughby that their traditional church way to
Willoughby shall no longer pass directly through William’s court but
shall be diverted to the north (l/14/5). The Spilsby deeds have a
number of references to the market place and in 1330 les Clathbothes
on its north side are mentioned (l/24/ 19). Some of these Spilsby deeds
appear to relate to the property of the college founded in its parish
church by John de Wilughby in 1347; it is clear from one of them that
on some occasions one or other of the chantry priests kept a school for
in 1479 John Fenne, chaplain of the chantry of Spilsby is described as
“master of the schools” in Spilsby. (l/24/47). Moreover there is a
letter of proxy and instructions for a proctor in a case heard at the papal
Curia concerning the endowments of the chantry.
The deposit contains a small group of Norfolk charters (l/42)
which are concerned with the estates brought into Willoughby hands
by the marriage of John de Wilughby (second lord Willoughby) and
Joan Rosceline. Related deeds were printed by Professor Douglas from
among the Harleian Charters (Social Structure of Medimal East
Anglia, Oxford Studies in Social and Legal History IX, 1927, pp. 222-
228), another occurred among the title deeds of Fulstow, which was
alienated in the early seventeenth century and another has just been
discovered among a group of miscellaneous deeds purchased from a
dealer by Captain Cragg. Perhaps the most notable of these Norfolk
documents is a lease of demesne land at Walcott in 1402 which carries
the obligation to enclose the plot with a dyke called Worpdyke, presumably
for drainage or reclamation purposes, within five years.
(I/42/3) -
It seemed until this deposit was made that very few monastic documents
could have remained at Grimsthorpe from among the large numbers
which were known to have been taken there in consequence of the
grants of monastic properties received by Charles Brandon, Duke of
Suffolk, at the Dissolution. Though large numbers of the Greenfield
Priory deeds passed into the Harleian Library (Danelaw Charters, numbers
116-155) a few were overlooked. They include the endowment of
an anniversary mass by John and Agnes Steyndrop in 1476 (l/18 / 4)
and a provision made by her family for a nun of good family about to

39
enter the convent in 1397 (l/18/7), Hagnaby Abbey, of the records
of which Tanner has almost nothing to say (Notitia Mona&a, London,
1744, p. 273)) is represented by a deed of endowment of an anniversary
mass by Agnes de Percy (l/41 / 1) of c. 1270 and letters patent of general
pardon granted to the prior and convent in 1457 (l/41/15). At least
one other Hagnaby document (also relating to the Percy obit) is among
the Harleian Charters (44 E 14). A single magnificent Revesby charter,
even more important than that deposited this year by Mr. Passmore and
the Lincolnshire Architectural and Archaeological Society, survives
among these documents. ,(l / 19). It is a detailed confirmation by
William of Roumara III of the grants made by his uncle at the foundation
of the abbey; it is dated 31 March 1172 and has a fine equestrian
seal on a leather tag. The contemporary endorsement, with the number
10, shows it to be a duplicate and Dugdale prints, from a charter then
at Grimsthorpe, a similar but slightly shorter version, dated one day
later (Monasticon, v. 455). J. B. Stanhope gives an abstract, (Abstracts
of the Deeds and Charters now at Revesby Abbey, Horncastle, 1889, p.
4) from a copy in British Mus. Add. Ms. 6118, p. 331), which seems to
be based on the present document.
Little has been known before this of the records of Vaudey Abbey;
only two Vaudey deeds can be traced to Grimsthorpe among the
Harleian Charters (43.A.19 and 45.A.25) and the writer of the Victoria
County History account (ii, 143-4) knew scarcely any others. A single
charter of Robert de Gaunt (1147-1182) was printed in the Historical
Manztscripts Cowmission’s Report (pp. 450-451). The present deposit
contains forty-five documents which can be regarded as part of the
muniments of Vaudey. None of them is among the “foundation charters”
of the first years of the abbey and two only, those of David the
priest and Robert Joie (l/l / 1 and 2) are earlier than the confirmation
charter of Richard I (Monasticon, V, 490). The donors in the remaining
charters of grant are members of that branch of the Amundeville
family which held the fee of Gaunt in Edenham and Scottlethorp
(L.A.A.S.R., vol. 3 part 2, C. T. Clay, The Family of Amundeville, pp.
109-136), a few neighbouring landlords such as Hugh son of Alan of
Rippingale (l/1/15), Osbert son of Nigel of Ingoldsby (l/1/12) and
Stephen of Jarum (11 l/24) and smaller inhabitants of Edenham and
Morton whose gifts consist of two or three selions of arable or single
plots of meadow.
The charters of grant bear endorsements and press marks, in hands ’
of the late 13th century, which make possible a partial reconstruction
of the scheme on which the endowments were divided among different
funds and it has been possible to arrange and catalogue them according
to these funds. The funds which appear in the endorsements are: the
abbacy (l-9)) the convent (10-12)) the fabric of the church (13-15))
the gate ( 16-30)) the wool-house (31) and the mill or tannery (32).
The assignment of endowments to separate funds seems to have begun
relatively early, thou’gh not so soon as the first of these charters. None
of the charters endorsed “abbacy” is granted specifically to the abbot
but gifts to the “work of the Monks’ church” survive from the early
13th century, considerably before the date of the endorsements and
suggest that as in secular cathedrals (K. Edwards, English Secular
Cathedrals, Manchester, 1949, pp. 233-8) the formation of a separate
fabric fund account began early. Similarly there is a grant for the work
of the gatehouse (l/20) which can be dated earlier than 1233, though
some undoubtedly later grants, endorsed as belonging to the gatehouse

fund, are made to the abbot and convent and in no way earmarked.
The wool-house and tannery grants are made specifically for these objects
and can be dated in the mid 13th century. A slightly different type of
grant (1 / 1/ 10) was made very early in the 13th century by Thomas
the chaplain of Thurlby, to provide pittances for the monks on certain
specified feasts and this is placed, by the endorsements, in the convent
fund. Endorsements for the abbacy and the convent have also been
identified in the strips of the first deposit (Ant. 3 129 13).
If Vaudey were not a Cistercian house it might seem that some of
the funds thus created represent the endo+ments which would subsequently
support independent obedientiaries especially as the land
granted for the upkeep of the gate is soon afterwards described as “the
porter’s land” (l/l /26) and the existence of a “brother woolman” is
known from other sources (Rot&i Hwtdredorzcm, Record Commission,
1812-18, p. I, 259). There is however no evidence from the court rolls
of Vaudey manors, a number ,of which have survived from the early
14th century onwards, (2 120 and first Ancaster deposit 3/ 13, 25) that
any such independence existed.
The numbers in the endorsements make it clear that this group of
charters is only a small portion of the whole. Each fund seems to have
been divided, into at least four table, (the use of this word suggests the
preparation of a list or cartulary) and in each tabula there were a number
of charters of which the highest surviving number is forty-five. The
date of the endorsements is probably later than a charter of William de
Wellebi of 5 February 1278 (1 /l/29) but only the 12th and 13th
charters of grant and their associated documents are endorsed in this
way. A grant of free warren in 1298 (l/2/ 1) and a gift made by
Geoffrey Lutterel in 1318 (l/2/2) have no endorsement. It seems
therefore that the endorsements relate to the creation of special funds
which may afterwards have been recorded iti a cartulary, but are not
neces&ily indications of the way in which the whole of the abbey’s
muniments were kept. It seems likely also that no attempt was made
to preserve the earlier muniments at least, by place. Some but by no
means all, bear a later (14th century) endorsement of place name, but
no number or press mark is appended and the scheme of arrangement
cannot now be recovered unless more deeds can be found.
No conclusions can be drawn about either the hands or the diplomatic
of these charters. With the exception of the two earliest charters,
those of David the priest and Robert Joie, no two charters resemble
each other in hand or phraseology and the many charters of Agnes
daughter of Geoffrey le Butiller are particularly notable for their variety
of style.
A point of some interest is a long strip of parchment containing
the first line of a papal mandate of about 1300, addressed to the abbot
and convent of Vaudey, which has been threaded through the seal-tag
slit of a grant of about 1250 (l/15) but shows no sign of having borne
a seal.
A certain amount of light is thrown by these documents on the
economic life of the abbey and incidentally on the topography of Edenham
and Scottlethorp. The earliest grant refers to the abbey’s quarry
( 1 J l/2) and masons occur as witnesses or neighbours in almost every
charter. The abbey’s conduit (near to Prestebrige) is mentioned in a
mid 13th century grant (1 / 1 / 8) . Most light is thrown on the economic

affairs of the abbey by a document of the early 15th century containing
copies of pleadings in a cause between Vaudey and Bridlington Priory
(the owner of the rectory of Edenham). The prior and convent of
Bridlington claimed common in a pasture which had at one time been
held by Vaudey in severalty. This pasture called Le Skort had not
been commoned before the great pestilence when all the convent’s shepherds
died and it had been necessary to lease the pasture and the sheepfold
on it to a layman, by whom commoning had been allowed
(l/2/13).
The remaining title deeds found loose elsewhere in the deposit
record the sale or exchange of various small properties near to lands
already held by the family in Lindsey and Kesteven. A number of
them are counterparts of sales of properties in Willoughby, Sloothby
and Hogsthorpe which in the early 18th century are balanced by purchases
in Edenham, Swinstead and Creeton.
The 389 court-rolls contained in the second tray of the chest came
from no new manors though a few of the rolls were earlier than any in
the previous collection and it should be possible to reconstruct from
them and the first deposit a fairly complete picture of the working of
manorial courts in the lands of John Bek at about 1390. There is also
in the two deposits a considerable body of material for the study of the
courts of the abbot of Vaudey, which is not unfortunately, paralleled
by any account rolls. Many of the rolls contain references to seadefences
and land drainage, those of Fishtoft, where a reeve of the sea
and marsh-dykes was noted as early as 1311 (2/5 / 22) being particularly
good. A notable inventory of clothes and books cast up on the sand
hills at Marshchapel in 1598 is entered under the heading w1yecca maris
on the court-roll of that year (2/ 6 /37). One of the small number of
rolls for Greenfield priory contains a reference to the master of the
schools at Market Rasen who in 1422 was presented for brewing beer
contrary to the assize (Z/7 / 2) and in 1568 the Alford court rolls have
an early reference to fireworks when William Marshall was presented
for bringing “a squybb” into the town to the manifest danger of all
(2/l/27).
With the court rolls was found a group of paper books of the mid
sixteenth century, similar to one noted in the first deposit. These contain
copies of title deeds and extracts from court rolls, their purpose
being apparently to record on the one hand the title of the lord to
certain properties and on the other the terms on which copy-hold tenures
had been created. Some rentals and surveys of individual holdings
were also recorded there. Taken together with surveys of the same
period for Edenham, Grimsthorpe and Swinstead (4 / 1, 3) with the later
title deeds and with the grouped court rolls which appear in the second
half of the century (Z/23) they provide a useful source of information
for the organisation of a great estate augmented by monastic properties
and for the general policy of land-owners in the second half of the
sixteenth century.
The present deposit contained a large and valuable series of estate
accounts and vouchers of the eighteenth century, the few gaps in which
are supplied by stray items in the Lindsey deposit noted above. It is
clear from the deposit that in the 18th century four separate accounts
were kept, for the Edenham, Castle Bytham, Lindsey Coast and Welsh
estates though one accountant dealt with the first two, as might have

eeti sxpected. The same accountant, for what might be called the
“Home” estates dealt with all household expenditure, both in Grimsthorpe
and in London and with the personal expenditure of successive
Dukes. There are in addition a few household accounts, including a
wages bill for Grimsthorpe in 1637 and a London account in some detail
for the years 1647-9. A single year’s account which appears to be for
the year 1678 has details of election and Lieutenancy expenses which
are of some interest.
The maps and surveys in the present deposit are relatively few in
number though there are severa interesting pre-enclosure surveys including
one for the Navenby estate, with a plan of buildings attached,
which was evidently made when it was purchased for a hunting lodge in
the early 18th century. Most of the maps date from about 1818 when
a complete set of estate maps seem to have been made. Portions of a
somewhat decayed map of Coningsby, apparently made just before the
enclosure of the lordship, have also survived. The deposit included a
copy of Armstrong’s Lincolnshire map of 1778 with a separate reprint
of the wapentake of Beltislowe.
The position of the earls of Lindsey and their successors as Lords
Lieutenant of the Crown and Custodes Rotulorum within the county of
Lincoln explains the presence in this deposit of a considerable body of
material relating to the lieutenancy and to a series of commissions for
the lieutenancy and the keepership ranging from late in the reign of
Charles II, to the first year of William IV, with certain other “public”
documents, including an inspeximus under the seal of the Duchy of
Lancaster of a judgment in the Duchy Court about the upkeep of
Wainfleet Haven (1560). This group of documents has not yet been
catalogued in detail but a catalogue of papers resulting from the office
of lieutenancy has been made by Miss Jean Monteith. These records
are in two groups, the first of which, for the year 17151716, has lists
of names and information about the basis on which the regiment was
raised in the county in these years. There is a much larger group of
papers for the perilous years 1756-62, including returns of numbers,
with officers’ names and a number of letters relating to supplies, applications
and recommendations for commissions. One group of papers
relates to the proposed muster of the regiment at Lincoln in December
1759 when an outbreak of small-pox caused the transfer of the muster
to Stamford from where the regiment eventually marched to Manchester.
Other letters are concerned with a dispute for precedence between the
northern (Lindsey) and southern (Kesteven and Holland) battalions.
The public position of the Dukes of Ancaster within the county
seems to explain their participation in a variety of enterprises traces of
which are seen here in a collection of miscellaneous public acts, letters
and memoranda about the setting up of the County Assembly Rooms
(17457) and a list of subscriptions to a fund for the relief of Spilsby
after the fire of 1707.
Title deeds.
Summary of collection
Aby 1573, 1819-76, 3 items; Addlethorpe, 1856, 1 item: Ailby, early
13 c. 1333, 2 items; Alford, 1405, 1565, 1649-98, 6 items: Anderby,
c. 1300, 1 item: Authorpe, 1321, 2 items; Rratoft, 1335, 1 item;
Rurgh le Marsh, 1565-1650, 5 items; Great Carlton, 1609, 1 item;
Coningsby, 1792-1880, 24 items: Creeton, mid 13th century-1641,

43
7 items; Deeping Fen, 1637-9, 10 items; Edenham, mid 13th century-1676,
34 items; Wood Enderby, late 13th century, 2 items;
Fishtoft, late 13 century to 1542, 3 items; Friskney, 1307-1336, 5
items: Gayton le Marsh, early 14th century-1459, 6 items; Grebby,
late 12th century, 4 items; Little Grimsby, 1585, 1 item; Hagworthingham,
c. 1240-1339, 18 items; Halton Holgate, 1316-1857,
61 items; Hareby, c. 1246-1610, 5 items; Hundleby, 1317-1659, 16
items; Huttoft, 1349, 1 item; Ingoldmells, early 14th century-1612,
13 items; Killingholme, c. 1311-1350, 7 items: East Kirkby, 1347-
1620, 2 items; Leake and Leverton, late 13th century-1609, 5
items; Louth, 1596-1672, 26 items; Mablethorp, early 13th century
to 1649, 8 items; Martin by Timberland,,l405-38, 11 items; Moorby,
early 13th century to 1609, 9 items; Wold Newton, 1608, 1 item;
Orby, 1317, 1 item; Partney, late 12th century-1876, 25 items;
Pinchbeck, early 13th century-1562, 5 items; Raithby by Spilsby,
c. 1197-1380, 22 items; Riby, c. 1230, 1 item; Scremby, c. 1250-
1492, 34 items; Sibsey, 1301-1325, 10 items: Skendleby, 1867-9, 10
items; Skidbrook and Saltfleetby, late 12th century-1650, 69
items; Spilsby, 1271-1666, 55 items; Great Steeping, c. 1240-1430,
13 items; Stixwould, c. 1300, 1 item; Sutton le Marsh, c. 1180-
1409, 25 items; Sutton in Holland, late 13th century, 1 item:
Swaby, 1435, 1 item; Swinstead, 1395-1675, 13 items: Toynton,
All Saints, and St. Peter, 1560-1681, 30 items: Ulceby, 1611, 1
item; Waddingham, late 13th century, 1 item; Welton le Marsh,
1326-1879, 12 items; Wilksby, c. 1231-c. 1300, 7 items; South
Willing-ham, 1620, 1 item; Willoughby le Marsh and Sloothby,
late 13th century-1738, 33 items; Wispington, c. 1160-1325, 6
items.
Greenfield Priory, c. 1240-1533, 13 items: Hagnaby Abbey, c. 1270-
1458, 2 items; Revesby Abbey, 1172, 1 item: Vaudey Abbey, c.
1180-1610, 45 items.
London, the Barbican, 1348-1611, 7 items; Norfolk, Aldby, Thurton
and Walcott, late 12th century to 1506, 5 items; Northumberland,
Rothley, late 13th century (Anthony Bek) 1 item; Rutland, Glaston
and Bisbrooke, 1636-1754, 28 items.
Court Rolls:
Alford, Acclom 1568-71, 9 items, Hamby, 1508-58, 20 items, Rither
1510-12, 1 item, cum membris, 14251578, 8 items; Blyborough,
1551-2, 1 item; Burton Goggles, 1577-8, 1 item; Burwell, 1548-51,
2 items; Edenham, 1527-1628, 38 items; Elsham, 1572, 1 item;
Fishtoft, 1303-1600, 70 items; Fulstow, 1509-78, 38 items; W. Keal,
1501-2, 1 item; Kirton Holland, 1549, 1 item; Partney, 1394-1605,
35 items; Pinchbeck, 1405-1554, 2 items; Raithby 1567-8, 1 item;
Saltfleet and Skidbrook, 1337-1582, 8 items: Saucethorp, 1550, 1
item; Spilsby, 1296-1553, 22 items; Steeping, 1509-66, 2 items:
Stickney, 1551, 1 item; Toynton, 1417-1522, 11 items; Welton le
Marsh, 1430-1601, 13 items; Willoughby le Marsh, 1334-1540, 17
items; Wilsford, 1559-60, 1 item.
Bullington Priory, 1565-9, 3 items; Greenfield Priory, 1400-22, 2 items;
Kirkstead Abbey, 1496-1551, 10 items; Newsham Priory, 1559-73,
1 item; Vaudey Abbey, Creeton, 1317-1542, 5 items: Easton, 1340-
1530, 25 items; Edenham, 1510-35, 7 items; Swinstead, 1464-1554,
6 items.

44
Devon, Flute Damerell, 1548-9, Holbeton, 1541-2, Holsworthy, 1549-
59, 3 items Somerset, Bulstone, 1549-51, 3 items; Warwick, Monk’s
Kirkby, 1410-11, (a compotus) and 1549, 2 items.
Grouped rolls, all Lincolnshire manors, 1548-1628, 18 items.
Copies and abstracts, for Aby, Donington in Holland, Edenham,
Hundleby, Ingoldmells, Pinchbeck, Raithby, Skidbrook and Saltfieethaven,
Spilsby, Steeping, Stickford, Toynton, Welton le Marsh,
Willoughby le Marsh, Wispington, c. 1540-50, 25 items.
Family Settlements : Bek and Willoughby, c. 1285-1527, 55 items.
Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk, 1384-1550, 53 items.
Richard and Katherine Bertie, 1552-1581, 24 items.
Lindsey and Ancaster, 1659-1747, 46 items.
Surveys and Rentals : Edenham and Grimsthorpe, 1547-1656, 3 items;
Navenby, early 18th century; Swaby, 1725; Swinstead, 1564-1776,
3 items; Willoughby and Sloothby, 1681; all estates, 1642.
Maps: Aby, 1837; Ashby by Partney, early 19th century; Belleau,
1891; Bratoft, c. 1800-1839, 4 items; Burgh le Marsh, 1846-1906, 3
items; Cockerington, c. 1820, 2 items; Coningsby, late 18th century
to 1857, 9 items; Edenham, mid 19th century;. Gosberton, 1818;
Grimsthorpe, 1890; Halton Holgate, 1847; Hundleby mid 19th century;
Leake, 1906; Partney, 1851; Skirbeck and Boston, late 18th
century-1869, 3 items; Sloothby, mid 19th century, 3 items;
Spilsby, 1818-1859, 7 items; Stickford, c. 1820-1906, 3 items;
Steeping, 1839; Thorpe by Waintieet, 1823; Toynton, 1821-late 19th
century, 9 items; Wainfleet St. Mary, mid 19th; Willoughby le
Marsh, mid 19th century, 5 items.
Stretton co. Rutland, mid 19th century.
Lincolnshire, 1778, 2 items.
Accounts and vouchers:
Grimsthorpe estates, expenditure only, 1732-76, 16 items; rentals only
1666-1744, 18 items; rentals, expenditure and vouchers 1780-1804,
28 items; each tied with 12 bundles of vouchers; Lobthorpe and
Castle Bytham, rentals and expenditure, 1758-1803, 22 items;
Lindsey coast estates, expenditure only 1619-1826, 11 items; rentals
and expenditure, 1671-1703, 1736-45, 12 items.
Welsh estates, rentals and expenditure, 1711-12, 1751-75, 27 items.
Whole estate, rentals, 1748-68, 19 items.
Household expenditure, London and Grimsthorpe, 1637-1836, 24 items.
Miscellaneous accounts, including racing stable, 1638-1775, 5 items.
Personal expenditure, vouchers, 1780-1837, c. 100 bundles.
Miscellaneous estate papers, 18th and 19th centuries, 70 bundles.
Commissions and other documents relating to public life, l&60-1830,
30 items.
Lieutenancy : Lists of troops, 1715-16, 10 items: printed bills and
notices, 1756-60, 6 items; returns of numbers, 1756-74, 19 items;
letters and memoranda relating to the administration of the regiment,
1756-60, 40 items.
Miscellaneous material, public life in Lincolnshire: printed material,
drainage, 1670-1811, 17 items; turnpikes, 1765-1860., 8 items; ,
enclosures, 1768-96, 13 items: account book, Spilsby fire 1707,
letters and account books, assembly rooms, 1745-7, 12 items.

Heathcote family: vouchers and accounts, 1705-1807, 150 bundles.
Bertie of Uffington, subsequently Ancaster, rentals, estate accounts,
vouchers, 1719-9 1, 22 bundles..
WILLIAMS AND GLANFIELD DEPOSIT
The receiving of this deposit was noted briefly in the Archivists’
Report 1952-3, p. 32. Many of these records were in a state of much
dirt and confusion in an upper room in Silver Street and a considerable
amount of sorting was necessary before a list could be made. This firm
had had at least one removal before the present deposit took place .and
it is thought that losses of documents may have taken place. There has
remained however much material, though not of great antiquity, in the
shape of title deeds, records of clerkships to schools and charities, and
records of stewardships to manors.
Title deeds
Bardney 1695-1835, 24 items; Bassingham 1813-49, 13 items; Billinghay
1593-1731, 13 Items; Boston 1697-1926, 36 items; Bracebridge 1847-
93, 18 items; Brampton 1730-1818, 9 items; Branston 1826-93, 12
items: Dorrington 1787-1876, 10 items; Fiskerton 1852-72, 2
items; Fledborough co. Nottingham 1706-1866; a map dated 1822,
41 items; Harmston 1681-1804, 16 items; Ingoldmells 1838-1911, 30
items; Kirkby Green 1557-1720, 5 items; North Kyme 1815-49,
copy of enclosure act, 18 items; North Kyme 181852, 8 items;
Laneham co. Nottingham 1858-61, 2 items; Lincoln, various messuages
and cottages, Fish Hill or Michael Gate 1808-54, 15 items;
Red Lion in St. Martin 1808-76, 24 items; Hungate 1799-1840, 12
items; Swanpool Court in St. Mary le Wigford 1857;67, 7 items;
maltkiln and slaughter house St. Swithin 1813-89, 19 items; Silver
Street 1857-67, 2 items; Drury Lane or Saw Pit Hill 1812-71, 12
items; St. Paul in the Bail 1797-1812, 5 items; Burton Road 1858-
82, 5 items; Lindum Villas 1811-67, 7 items; St. Peter at Gowts,
leasehold, 1790-1867; St. Peter at Gowts, High Street, 1825-79, 9
items; Canwick Road 1846-1912, 14 items: Hungate and West
Parade 1868-86, 6 items; Rasen Lane 1852-55, 3 items; Silver
Street 1820-1913, 12 items: St. Benedict 1865, St. Mark 1875;
Bishop Norton 1772-1844, 6 items; Metheringham 1735-1855, 14
items; Metheringham, Mason’s Farm, 1700-99, 13 items; Metheringham
1568-1728, 10 items; Melbourn and Meldreth co. Cambridge
1772-1896, 33 items; Navenby 1773-1871, 29 items: Saxilby
1787-1859, 30 items; Saxilby 1840-48, 2 items: Saxilby 1751-1891,
22 items; Scothern 1710-1871, 30 items: Scothern 1719-1877, 4
items; Scatter 1814-49, 19 items; Thornton le Moor 1872, 2 items:
Timberland Fen 1755-1868, 11 items: Waddington 1811, 3 items:
Waddington blacksmith shop 1731-1876, 30 items: Cherry Willingham
1851-97, 17 items; Cherry Willingham 1849-76, 10 items;
Washingborough 1779-1884, 42 items; a miscellaneous bundle of
unrelated deeds 1749-1910, 29 items.
Personal documents
Probates and administrations, 1808-1916, 66 items: settlements 1792-
1922, 15 items; partnerships and assignments for creditors 1826-50,
6 items.

Working Papers
Draft conveyances, particulars of sale and correspondence relating to
them and other legal business 1863-1925, 28 main items and subsidiary
papers. Abstract of title 1832-1905, 27 items.
Working Bobks
Letter books 1892-3, 1903-30, 1936-8, 33 books; account books 1880,
1886; a book of duplicate returns of land values made for clients in
various parts of the county 1910.
Under Sheriff and Political
Duplicate returns of members of parliament, city of Lincoln, 1807, 1808,
1812, 1814, 1818, 1820, 1822, 1826, 1831, 1835, 1839, 1841, 1847,
1848, 1852, 1856, 1857, 1859, 1861, 1862: county of Lincoln 1832,
1841, 1847, 1852, 1857.
Appointment of undersheriff 1852.
Assignments of the gaol, the sheriff to his successor 1813, 1819. These
give names of prisoners then in Lincoln Castle.
Extract of fines, quarter sessions of Boston and Spalding 1857-8.
Letter book of Henry T. Williams undersheriff (seems actually to have
been a general letter book) 1829-31.
Two note books re Lincoln city elections 1906, 1910, J. G. Williams
election agent.
Clerkship to Governors
Richard Smith doctor of medicine established in 1612 a charity to
educate 12 boys, in Christ’s Hospital, Lincoln. Colonel J. G. Williams
was clerk to the governors of this charity and the following records
were found in this deposit :-
Schemes: papers mainly relating to the change of scheme for the charity,
whereby the funds were diverted to the Lincoln Grammar School
and Girls’ High School 1876-82. This contains interesting material
for the attitude of the Charity Commissioners to the school in 1876,
before the new scheme, as “not conducive to education” and to
the expenditure on maintenance and clothing as disproportionate.
The governors appear to have been well satisfied with the school
and wished it to be carried on unchanged. Lists of names were
prepared showing examples of the value of the education received
by scholars 1855-70 and a list of boys leaving 1870-80 showing that
60% left to be “mechanics”, 25% clerks and 15% to learn trades:
85 items.
Minute books: With accounts at audit, 1883-91, 1891-1902; draft minute
books: 1883-94, for the governors, Christ’s Hospital.
Lincoln Grammar School 1878-1906, 5 books; Lincoln Girls’ High School
1893-1906.
Documents relating to property: draft conveyances and agreements to
purchase lands at Potter Hanworth, Frampton and Kirton 1919-20,
90 items; plans of Kirton and Frampton 1837, plans of Grammar
School buildings 1905.

Particular charities: rental and accounts, land in Low Layton, Essex,
1690-93, Smith’s charity; payments to poor widows and poor aged
men Dr. Peter Richier 1759-1836, with marks and signatures of
recipients; correspondence relating to Dame Margaret Thorold’s
charity being taken over for administration by the trustees of the
municipal charities 1889; copies of deeds, minutes and payments
relating to Shuttleworth’s charity for former employees of Stamp
End works and their widows 1891-1923; applications and payments
for the same 1891-1926. ._
i I m$ i
,-A.“. I
Stewardship of manors, Manor of Eagle
Henry Williams and his successor Colonel John George Williams
were stewards to the manor of Eagle and Williams and Glanfield continued
to administer the affairs of this manor. Henry Williams was also
steward of the manors of Stow and Amcotts, transferred in 1854 to the
stewardship of Mr. Samuel Sketchley and subsequently to Toynbee and
Larken (see Archivists’ Reports 1948-50 pp. 48-50 for a list of the
records of these manors) and of the manor of Mere Hospital in Waddington
apparently transferred to Mr. Richard Mason partner in the
same firm in 1935 (see Archivists’ Report 1950-l p. 45 for a court book
of this manor). There are some strays from these other manors and
traces of their proceedings in the draft court books, but they are very
few compared with the Eagle records.
Manor of Eagle
Court books: 1744-97, 1818-1931, 5 books (the enclosure of Eagle High
Moor with plan is enrolled in 1841).
Indexes to court rolls: 17321847, 4 books.
Draft court books: manors of Stow, Eagle and Mere Hospital 1848-95,
manors of Eagle and Mere Hospital 18951925, 2 books.
Court Minutes: series 1738-1818, 1818-1928, occasional minutes 1889-
1900, 107 items in all.
Admissions and surrenders: overlapping series, 1744-1836, 1671-1825,
1841-1922, 231 items in all.
Mortgage surrenders: 1743-1841, 60 items.
Warrants of satisfaction: 1771-1920, 52 items.
Warrants on sale: 1817-1837, 11 items.
Suit rolls: lists of copyholders and freeholders 1701-1865; copyholders
call roll 1773-1811, 28 items in all, some covering several years.
Presentments and verdicts: 1742-1837, 69 items.
Rent books: 1868, 1889-1934, 13 books.
Enfranchisement: 1898-1922, 6 draft deeds: composition agreements
1925-35, 14 items.
Correspondence: 1831-1940 (found loose and arranged chronologically),
in bundles 1897-9, 1911-28, 277 items in all.
Miscellaneous: Sundry papers 1684-1813, includes some surrenders,
bonds and admissions, also agreement for enclosure of Low Moor
Eagle 1684 and draft agreement for enclosure Church field and
Whisby tield ? late 17 c., 25 items.

fund, are made to the abbot and convent and in no way earmarked.
The wool-house and tannery grants are made specifically for these objects
and can be dated in the mid 13th century. A slightly different type of
grant (1 / 1/ 10) was made very early in the 13th century by Thomas
the chaplain of Thurlby, to provide pittances for the monks on certain
specified feasts and this is placed, by the endorsements, in the convent
fund. Endorsements for the abbacy and the convent have also been
identified in the strips of the first deposit (Ant. 3 129 13).
If Vaudey were not a Cistercian house it might seem that some of
the funds thus created represent the endo+ments which would subsequently
support independent obedientiaries especially as the land
granted for the upkeep of the gate is soon afterwards described as “the
porter’s land” (l/l /26) and the existence of a “brother woolman” is
known from other sources (Rot&i Hwtdredorzcm, Record Commission,
1812-18, p. I, 259). There is however no evidence from the court rolls
of Vaudey manors, a number ,of which have survived from the early
14th century onwards, (2 120 and first Ancaster deposit 3/ 13, 25) that
any such independence existed.
The numbers in the endorsements make it clear that this group of
charters is only a small portion of the whole. Each fund seems to have
been divided, into at least four table, (the use of this word suggests the
preparation of a list or cartulary) and in each tabula there were a number
of charters of which the highest surviving number is forty-five. The
date of the endorsements is probably later than a charter of William de
Wellebi of 5 February 1278 (1 /l/29) but only the 12th and 13th
charters of grant and their associated documents are endorsed in this
way. A grant of free warren in 1298 (l/2/ 1) and a gift made by
Geoffrey Lutterel in 1318 (l/2/2) have no endorsement. It seems
therefore that the endorsements relate to the creation of special funds
which may afterwards have been recorded iti a cartulary, but are not
neces&ily indications of the way in which the whole of the abbey’s
muniments were kept. It seems likely also that no attempt was made
to preserve the earlier muniments at least, by place. Some but by no
means all, bear a later (14th century) endorsement of place name, but
no number or press mark is appended and the scheme of arrangement
cannot now be recovered unless more deeds can be found.
No conclusions can be drawn about either the hands or the diplomatic
of these charters. With the exception of the two earliest charters,
those of David the priest and Robert Joie, no two charters resemble
each other in hand or phraseology and the many charters of Agnes
daughter of Geoffrey le Butiller are particularly notable for their variety
of style.
A point of some interest is a long strip of parchment containing
the first line of a papal mandate of about 1300, addressed to the abbot
and convent of Vaudey, which has been threaded through the seal-tag
slit of a grant of about 1250 (l/15) but shows no sign of having borne
a seal.
A certain amount of light is thrown by these documents on the
economic life of the abbey and incidentally on the topography of Edenham
and Scottlethorp. The earliest grant refers to the abbey’s quarry
( I/ l/2) and masons occur as witnesses or neighbours in almost every
charter. The abbey’s conduit (near to Prestebrige) is mentioned in a
mid 13th century grant (1 / 1 / 8) . Most light is thrown on the economic

Bundle relating to enclosure: copy agreement following a decree in
Chancery concerning the customs of the manors of Eagle and North
Scarle 1585 (has reference to descent to the youngest child, election
of greaves etc. and a rental of North Scarle 1587) ; copy
decree regarding enclosure 1684, particulars of admeasurement of
lands under the decree in Low Moor, the Holmes, Birklands, the
Ings, 1684, report on the suggested improvement of cultivation of
Barnsdale 1817, agreement for enclosure of High Moor 1820, 5
items.
Miscellaneous bundle contains: copy of agreement re customs of 1585;
rental of chief rents 1634, a juror’s charge 1783, 9 items.
A bundle, copies of wills, 9 items.
Stewards’ fee books: 1849-1925, 4 books.
This manor, like that of Crowle reported on last year, had a large
proportion of copyhold land and had an active life until recent times.
Appointments of manorial officers such as greaves and pinders continued
to be made till about the middle of the last century and presentments of
such matters as defective drains and noisome pigstyes continued till at
least 1832.
Association for the Prosecution of Felons
Colonel J. G. Williams was secretary and treasurer of the Lincoln
and Lincolnshire Association for the Prosecution of Felons, and bundles
of vouchers, dinner menus and other papers for the year 1900-21 have
been found. There was also a book with minutes and notices relating
to thefts 1868-76, and printed rules 1889. Some notes in an envelope
on the history of the association were found which give the date of
foundation as 1802, but nothing earlier than 1868 has survived in the
present deposit.
Plans and Maps
An undated tracing, post railway, Stow; a lithographed plan of building
sites St. Botolph, Lincoln, undated; three sheets of tracing of part of
Ingham, relating to sewers, undated; Plough Inn Swinderby plan
and tracing showing alterations 1904; Anwick Lane End road junction
1921; ordnance survey sheets Louth and Leicester, with instructions
for manoeuvres to the 1st and 2nd battalions Lincolnshire
regiment, 1896, 1897; schedule of apportionment of rent charge,
without a plan, Coleby, 1855.
PADLEY PAPERS
These were the papers accumulated by J. S. Padley the Lincoln
surveyor and preserved by his successors J. M. Thropp and G. R. C.
Harding. They have been given to the Committee by Mr. G. R. C.
Harding and are welcomed as a most valuable source of topographical
information.

50
Acts of Parliament
Enclosures for Great and Castle Carlton 1770, Thimbleby and Edlington
1778, Spridlington 1774, Hemingby 1773, Fulletby 1775, Wintringham
1795, Asterby and Goulceby 1776, Moorby cum Wilksby
1772, Harmston 1759, Covenham St. Mary and St. Bartholomew
1793, Tattershall Thorpe and Kirkby on Bain 1796; draining and
enclosure for Gainsborough Blyton and Pilham 1796; draining
enclosure and navigation Fen between Boston Harbour and Bourne
1770, Fens on both sides the river Witham 1762; enclosing and
draining for Timberland 1785, Great Carlton 1792; enclosure for
Caistor, N. and S. Kelsey, Clixby, Grasby and Searby cum Owmby
1811; for repairing roads Nettleham, Wragby and Baumber 1806,
the same and for Eastgate Lincoln to Horncastle, and from Hainton
to Barkwith 1780; act for vesting some estates in trustees for
Beverley Collegiate church lands in Dalby, Dexthorpe, Langton,
Over and Nether Toynton,, Ulceby, Raithby, Hallington, Fordington
and Partney 1763; canal from Grantham to the Trent 1793; also
with these, observations on the Trent Navigation Bill for sir
William Anderson bart. and Henry Dalton esq. no date.
Original Sketches
These are plans or tracings for parts of estates, buildings, etc.; many
are undated. Algarkirk 1826, Bardney Dairies 1821, Bardney,
Snakeholme in, 1842, Barkwith, Barlings 1774, 1869, Besthorpe co.
Nott. Boston road by Great Sluice 1824, Boultham (Z), Branston
new road 1845, Bullington woods 1812, Little Cawkhorpe old enclosures
1805, Croft by Wainfleet 1857, Dalby, Dunholme 1835, Edenham
1835, Fiskerton, Fledborough co. Nott. 1831, Gautby and
Minting 1800, Gedney, Gosberton 1835, Goxhill, Langley Hill 1825,
Hackthorn, East Halton, Hannah cum Hagnaby 1815, Cold Hanworth,
Kingerby, Kirkby on Bain 1824, Langworth Bridge road,
Laneham co. Nott., Lincoln: Christ’s Hospital, County Hospital
1846, Cross O’Cliff Hill 1831, High Street St. Botolph 1833, House
of Industry 1821, prison 1846, St. Mark, St. Mary Wigford 1831,
St. Mary’s Street 1846, Sibthorpe property, station, Waves Farm;
Mumby, Meering co. Nott., Newbold undated and 1825, Revesby
1824, Rowston 1823, 1827, Saxby 1813, Saxilby tow path, Foss
dyke, Scopwick 1831, Snarford, Stainfield 1831, Stainton with Newbold
1839, Temple Bruer Warren, Thorpe on the Hill 1774, 1845,
Toft by Newton, Toft Hill 1823, Ulceby, Waddingworth, Welton,
Wigsley co. Nott. 1829.
Particulars and Conditions of Sale
These have interesting details of properties and many of them have
plans: Aby, Saltfleetby, Trusthorpe, Winthorpe 1839; Addlethorpe,
Burgh, Croft 1852; Addlethorpe, IngoldmeIls, Winthorpe, Fishtoft,
Boston, Freiston, Skirbeck 1856; Althorpe 1826; Alvingham, Conisholme,
North and South Cockerington, Saltfleetby 1837; Amcotts,
Belton, Garthorpe, Keadby 1868; Ashby Puerorum 1845; West
Ashby 1859; the same and Hemingby 1864; the same and Walesby
1827; the same and Woodhall, Wildmore Fen 1857; Aswardby
1844;
BarIings 1849, 1853; the same Boultham and Kirkstead 1828; Bardney
1855, 1858, 1868; Bassingham 1838, 1874; Beesby and Mablethorpe
1876; Belchford, Billinghay, Bolingbroke, Dunholme, Leake, Leverton,
Mareham, Sibsey, Stickney and West Keal 1835; Bennington,

9
Bay Hail maker 1856; Besthorpe, S. Scarle, Girton, Wigsley,
Newark, N. Scarle co. Nott. 1829; Binbrooke 1826, 1859; Blyborough
1855; Bolingbroke, New, 1825; the same, Miningsby,
Revesby, Asgarby, Woodhall, Kirkby on Bain, Roughton, Moorby,
Hundleby, Skirbeck 1827; Bolingbroke Old and New, Miningsby,
Asgarby, Revesby, Hundleby, Wildmore Fen, Kirkby on Bain,
Roughton 1831; Old Bolingbroke, Mavis Enderby, Hareby, West
Keal, Stickford, Stickney 1827; Bolton by Bowland co. York 1840;
Boothby Graffoe 1871; Bracebridge 1848, 1856, 1864, 1869, 1870;
the same and Lincoln 1843; the same and Mere Hall 1834; Braintree,
Essex, 1859; Brampton 1878; the same and Torksey 1874;
Branston 1825, 1860, 1863, 1866, 1867, 1870; Branston and Hanworth
Booths 1860; Branston woods 1855, 1856; Bratoft, Huttoft,
Sutton and Yarborough 1844; Brigg 1849; Broadholme wood 1853,
1858; Broughton 1845, 1852, 1863; Broxholme and Saxilby 1838;
Bucknall 1842; Bullington 1875; Bulwell co. Nott. 1864; Burgh le
Marsh 1860; the same, Orby, Croft and Bratoft 1827; Burgh le
Marsh, Croft, Bratoft, Hogsthorpe, Orby 1855; Burringham and
Althorpe 1854; Burton Pedwardine 1864, 1869; Burwell 1849;
Caenby, Glentham, Bishop Norton, Normanby 1871; Caistor 1832,
1867; the same Hundon and Fonaby 1840; Candlesby 1836; the
same, Thorpe, Burgh le Marsh, Great Steeping and Winthorpe no
date; Candlesby Welton and Burgh le Marsh 1867; Canwick and
Washingborough 1868; Cape1 House on the Great North road no
date; Carlton, N., Broxholme, Saxilby 1838; Carlton on Trent no
date; Carlton cum Thurlby 1835; Cleethorpes 1854; Clixby 1852;
Coates, valuation, 1846-7; Collingham N. and S., co. Nott. 1851;
Coningsby, High and Low Toynton, Kirkby on Bain, Sutterton,
Kirton 1844; Corby 1852; Croft, Bratoft, Burgh, Winthorpe, Orby,
Ingoldmells, Addlethorpe, Willoughby, Mumby, Hogsthorpe,
Anderby, Hagnaby, Markby, Bilsby, Trusthorpe, Sutton, Maltby,
Strubby, Theddlethorpe, Ulceby and Carlton 1832;
Dalby 1855; Dogdyke 1853; Donnington on Bain 1848; Drayton, East,
Dunham and Laneham co. Nott. 1839; Dunham and Ragnall co.
Nott. 1824;. Dunholme 1797, 1853; the same and Ryland 1849;
Dunton co. Bed. 1868; Dunston 1860;
Eagle 1897; Eakring co. Nott. 1863; East Fen and Eastville 1858;
Edlington, Woodhall, Horsington 1868; Egton co. York 1854;
Epworth, Owston, Althorpe, Haxey 1855; Epworth, Owston,
Haxey, Belton 1856; Everton co. Nott. 1829;
Farlesthorpe 1849; Firbeck co. York 1852; Fishtoft, Skirbeck and Kirton
1838; Fiskerton 1856, 1857; Fotherby Alvingham Conisholme
N. and S. Cockerington Saltfleetby 1838; Fressingfield co. Suffolk
and Toppesfield, Essex 1836; Frith Bank and Earls Croft 1843;
Frithville 1851; Fulstow and Marshchapel 1848;
Gainsborough 1849; Girsby 1832; Grainthorpe, Conisholme and N.
Somercotes 1827; Grainthorpe, Skidbrooke, N. and S. Somercotes
1831; Grange de Lings 1867; Grasby 1849; Greetham 1783, 1853;
Greetham, Ashby Puerorum, Holbeach, Scamblesby 1828; Greetwell
undated, 1840, 1843, 1845; Greetwell and Nettleham 1837;
Grimsby 1872;

Haldenby co. York, 1858; Haltham, Wood Enderby, Roughton and
Thornton undated; Halton Holgate 1856, 1859; Hammeringham
1862; Hardwick 1859; Harmston 1860; Haxey Craizelound 1859;
Heapham 1855; Heckington 1863; Heighington 1864; the same
Washingborough and Harby 1867; Helpringham, Scredington,
Heckington, Kirkby 1864; Hemingby and West Ashby 1831; Hemswell
1856; the same and Reepham 1827; Henley on Thames 1833;
Higham on the Hill and Wiken co. Leic. 1841; Hogsthorpe and
Mumby chapel 1854; Holbeach 1857; the same Fleet, Whaplode,
Moulton 1865; Holbeach Marsh 1833; Holton Beckering 1854;
Horncastle, High and Low Toynton, Thimbleby, Haltham 1869;
Horncastle, Thimbleby, Mareham and Mavis Enderby 1867; Huttoft
1850, 1853, 1855; Great Humby 1869; Hykeham 1838; N.
Hykeham 1861; the same and Skellingthorpe 1848;
Ingham 1874; Ingleby 1844, 1846; Ingoldmells 1864; Ingoldmells,
Addlethorpe and Orby 1856; Ingoldsby 1852;
Keal, East and West and Wrangle 1863; Ketsby, Worlaby, Ruckland,
Farforth, Cawkwell, Willoughby, S. Somercotes 1842; Kexby 1860,
1867; Kirkby, East 1850, 1868; the same Horncastle, West Ashby,
High and Low Toynton 1869; Kirkby cum Osgodby 1827, 1871;
Kirkstead undated; Knaith 1826; Kyme, North and Billinghay
1846; Kyme, North, Dogdyke and Swineshead 1843;
Langton by Partney next presentation 1844; Langworth 1837; Leake,
Leverton, Bennington 1848; Lincoln 1831, 1835, 1841, 1847, 1853,
1854, 1856; Lincoln brewery 1871, Cantilupe Chantry 1855, Corn
Exchange undated, 1846, County Hospital 1879, flour mill 1839,
Lock tavern 1848, House of industry 1837, Grecian place 1855,
Monk’s Lane 1856, Monson Arms 1854, Newport 1855, Potter Gate
Bail and Close 1854, St. Catherine’s 1856; St. Mary Magdalen 1852,
St. Peter at Gowts 1853, 1855, the Strait 1843-4, Waves Farm 1859;
Lincoln and Bracebridge Heath 1856, Lincoln Hainton, East Torrington
and Bardney Dairies 1839; Lincoln Washingborough,
Heighington, N. Hykeham and Saxilby 1838; Lissington, Holton
Beckering, W. Torrington, Barlings, Newbold and Kmgthorpe
1859; London and Brighton 1874; Louth 1827, 1852, 1869-71;
Louth, Grainthorpe and Saltfleetby, Binbrooke 1831; Louth and
Lincoln railway prospectus 1871; Louth Park Estate Hunter River,
New South Wales 1853 (Maugham and Fowler surveyors and lithographers
Louth), Lusby 1847, 1857;
Mablethorpe 1838, 1854; the same, Willoughby, Orby, Partney, Old
Bolingbroke 1855; Manby 1841; Marshchapel 1847; Martin and
Branston 1844; Martin by Horncastle 1838, 1871; Marton 1838,
1861, 1862; Melton Mowbray co. Leic. 1841; Metheringham 1844,
1855; Midville 1850; Minting Park 1831, 1835; Morbone co. Hunt.
1853; Morton and Walkerith 1834;
Newball in Stainton 1856; Newark co. Nott. 1836, 1873; Northorpe
1873; Orby, Addlethorpe, Willoughby, Mumby Chapel 1858; Orby
and Hogsthorpe 1848; Orby, Sloothby, Willoughby and Trusthorpe
1855;
Piercefield co. Mon. and co. Glouc. 1854; Poolham, Edlington, Coningsby,
Mareham on the Hill, Stixwould 1859;
d

JJ
RagnaIl, Dunham, Da&on and E. Markham 1867; Raithby 1848, 1866;
the same, Mavis Enderby and Hagworthingham 1848; Market Rasen
1850, 1852; Market and Middle Rasen 1861, 1864; Market and
Middle Rasen, Osgodby, Dunholme 1872; Middle Rasen 1857;
Middle Rasen, Bleasby, Fulnetby, Rand 1874; West Rasen 1852;
Reepham 1828, 1860, 1870; Reepham and Fiskerton 1827, 1855;
Riseholme undated; Rowston and Harmston 1858;
Salmonby 1862; the same and Tetford 1862; Saltfleet undated; Saltfleetby
1856; Saltfleetby, Theddlethorpe and N. Somercotes 1856;
Sausthorpe and Hagworthingham 1834; Saxilby 1838, 1857, 1877;
Saxilby cum Ingleby and Torksey ‘1873; Saxilby and N. Carlton
1876; Scamblesby and Yarborough valuation, undated; Scampton
undated: Scothern 1870; the same and Cherry Willingham 1870;
Skegness 1864; Skellingthorpe, Bardney and Lincoln 1868; Skellingthorpe
and Nettleham 1872; Skegness 1864; Skendleby 1849, 1867;
Sloothby 1827, 1876; Somercotes N. 1868; Somercotes N. and S.,
Conisholme, Grainthorpe, Saltfleet 1854; Southray 1862; Snitterby
and Waddingham 1860; Spilsby 1838, 1871; Stainton 1848; Market
Stainton, W. Torrington and Collow 1858; Stallingborough 1863;
Stamford 1840, 1844; Stenigot 1848; Stewton 1833, 1860; Sturton
by Stow 1862; Sturton and Bransby 1877; Sudbrooke N. and S.,
Rauceby 1872; Sutton in the Marsh, Trusthorpe, Mablethorpe and
Huttoft 1827; Swaby, Sutterby, Driby, Ulceby, Skegness 1869;
Swinderby undated, 1846, 1855, 1856, 1858, 1864; the same, Half
Way House 1864, 1872; Swinderby, W. Clifton, Newton on Trent
1855; Swinethorpe Grange 1860; Swallowbeck, Bardney Dairies,
Heighington Lincoln 1867;
Tetney and Great Grimsby 1860; Thimbleby 1870; Thonock Morton
and Humble Carr 1841; Thorpe on the Hill 1861; the same and
Eagle 1871; Thorpe on the Hill and S. Hykeham 1850; Thorpe by
Wainfleet, Irby and Burgh le Marsh 1859; S. Thoresby, Swaby and
Sutton in the Marsh 1832; Thoresthorpe in Saleby 1832; Toft
Grange and Toft Hill in Tumby 1860; Toft and Newton 1849;
Toton and Eaton co. Nott. 1867; Trusthorpe 1852, 1855; the same
and Sutton le Marsh 1853, 1854; the same Hannah cum Hagnaby
and Manby 1839;
Waddingham 1851; Waddingham, Hibaldstow, Broughton and Wrawby
1854; Waddington 1856; Wainfleet All Saints, Northolme, St. Mary,
Thorpe and Mavis Enderby 1857; Wainfleet St. Mary, Thorpe and
All Saints 1856, 1876; Wainfleet Thorpe, Winthorpe, Saltfleetby
St. Peter, Strubby, Mablethorpe and Alford 1857; Walesby 1829;
Walkeringham and Misterton co. Nott. 1857; Waltham 1852,
1854; Washingborough and Heighington 1840, 1854, 1863, 1867;
Washingborough and Heighington and Bracebridge 1872; Washingborough
and Lincoln 1856; Welbourn 1871, 1872; Well 1836;
Welton by Lincoln 1838; the same and Dunholme 1843, 1846;
Welton and Ryland 1873; the same and Dunholme 1872; Welton
le Marsh, Grainthorpe, Partney 1861; Willingham, Cherry, 1848;
the same and Fiskerton 1855, 1859; Willoughby, Sloothby and Bonthorpe
1853; Withern, Mablethorpe and Strubby bv Alford 1817;
Woodhall and Thimbleby 1848; the same and Langton 1872;
Worksop co. Nott. 1840; Wrangle 1856; the same, Butterwick and
Frieston 1856; Wrangle, Leake and Friskney 1852.

54
Railways
Detailed plan and section, Lincolnshire railway 1845; Lincoln, Wainfleet
Haven and Boston railway, parliamentary contract, with lists of
subscribers, occupations, abodes, amounts subscribed 1845; subscribers
agreement for the foregoing 1845.
CARDINAL’S HAT
The deposit by Mr. T. A. Jackson on behalf of the St. John
Ambulance Brigade, Lincoln Corps, of the title deeds for the corps’
recently restored headquarters the Cardinal’s Hat, Lincoln, makes it
possible to complete the story of this house. It had previously been
ascertained from the records of the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln, with
the collaboration of Mr. C. L. ,Exley, that an earlier house on the site
had been Jewish property confiscated after the reputed murder of little
St. Hugh in the mid 13th century and bought by the treasurer Henry
of Welbourne to form part of the endowment of a chantry he intended
to found. It was as Welbourne chantry property that the present house,
already known as the Cardinal’s Hat, first appears in the Chapter
records in a rental of 1522. The property was diverted after the Reformation
to the Fabric Fund and continued to be described as “belonging
to the works of the cathedral” until it passed to the Church Commissioners
in the mid 19th century. The house was in use as an inn during
the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and from the probate inventory
of one of its tenants who died in 1616 a very good idea of its arrangement
and furnishing can be obtained. This inventory has been printed,
with the permission of the Lord Bishop of Lincoln, in a booklet The
Cardinal’s Hat published by the St. John Ambulance Brigade.
The present deposit consists of the leases and assignments of leases
of the building after 1748, when the lessee was the antiquary Thomas
Sympson who held it for the lives of himself and his two sons. The
principal tenants during the 18th century were a maltster Noah Straw
who had a maltkiln adjoining, followed in 1808 by a baker Hadnah
Yates. The house was still in the tenancy of a baker when the first
Church Commissioners’ lease was made in 1870 and seems to have been
divided since 1808 into two separate dwellings, as is shown in a plan
attached to one of the leases. With the Cardinal’s Hat leases are a few
leases of two other cathedral properties, a house just north of it and a
close further up the hill which was the site of a house destroyed during
the Civil War. Both these properties seem to have been held at various
times by the tenant of the Cardinal’s Hat. 1748-1904, 32 items.
LOWE FAMILY PAPERS
These documents were deposited by the Registrar of the National
Register of Archives on behalf of the owners Mr. and Mrs. Ralph of
30 High Street Huntingdon. A list made by Mr. Bezodis of the National
Register was kindly sent with them. The documents fall into two divisions,
namely, Ietters or copies of letters mainly to and from Charles
Lowe junior of Stamford, endorsed and put into packets by him 180%
23, and letters to and papers of Mrs. J. R. Lowe of Stamford ‘1892-1910.

?he &tit group aYe of Considerable interest, & number being to and
‘%om Ensign William Lowe including a letter written shortly before the
battle of Waterloo (in which he was killed) giving the impression of
excitement and confidence among the troops combined with various
rumours as to where Bonaparte and his forces might be. His brother
Charles, the endorser of the letters, and his father and another brother
John pursued business careers. They seem to have been interested in
the merchanting of corn and seeds, in malting, wine and spirits and rope
making from premises in the Beast market later Broad Street. Charles
the father was an alderman and mayor of Stamford in 1807 and the son
Charles was also an alderman. The letters give interesting evidence for
the economic situation especially in the later part of the Napoleonic
wars and at times give charming pictures of family life. With them are
some pamphlets and posters relating to elections at Stamford. 183 items.
The second group of letters are from descendants of one of the
above-mentioned brothers, namely the Reverend F. E. Lowe late rector
of St. John, Stamford, when chaplain at Malta in 1892 and from his
brother P. R. Lowe when on a sea trip to the West Indies 1902-03, 28
items. The information relating to the Lowe family given above is
derived from the letters themselves, from Records and Obituaries for
the counties of Lincoln, Rutland and Northampton, Justin Simpson,
Stamford 1862 and from White’s Directory 1826, 1842, 1872 and Kelly’s
Directory 1900.
OTHER DEPosITs
From the County Archivist, Shropshire: from the Bridgewater papers,
letters of administration 1711 and copy of the will (1686) of sir
William Wray bar-t. of Louth.
From Messrs. Tweed of Horncastle : deeds relating to Tetford and
Grainthorpe 1566-1866, 62 items; deeds relating to Thimbleby 1728-
1803, 10 items; deeds relating to Theddlethorpe 1803-39, 12 items.
From Mrs. E. C. Tennyson D’Eyncourt of Tealby through the good
offices of Mr. G. S. Dixon: a rental of Sixhills Priory covering
property in N. Willingham, Tealby, Walesby, Normanby, Kirmond,
Hainton, Holton Beckering, East Barkwith, Ludford, West
Wykeham, Market Rasen, Usselby, Cadeby, Rothwell, Saleby,
Grimsby, Lissington, Newton by Toft, Toft, West Rasen, Sixhills,
Beelsby, Thoresway, Lincoln (Eastgate), Bullington, Authorpe,
Binbrooke, Timberland, Helpringham, Strubby, Well, Aby,
Legsby, Reston, Saxilby; Bleasby, Claxby, Nettleton, Wragholme
(salt rents), Middle Rasen, Maltby, the churches of East Wykeham,
Saleby, Market Rasen, Maltby, Tealby, first half of 16th c. before
1537; Letters of protection, king Charles I to Henry Newton bart.
John Archer and James Newton 1636; rent rolls, Monks’ Hall
Gosberton 1734-7; deeds and papers re Saltfleetby, Skidbrook,
Saltfleethaven 1785-1818, 3 items: Caistor 1814; lease of manor
Scatter, copies of letters re 1773-1826, 10 items: valuation, estate
at Usselby 1829; copy of minutes, letters, bill, Ancholme dramage
1816-19; the same 1824-5; copy minutes House of Commons Committee
on Grantham election 7 July 1820; Market Rasen Reform
Festival, printed reports of speeches 1832:

3”
From Mr. Michael Spencer-Cook: deeds relating to Stamford 1686,
royal licence to enclose a way in North Stoneham co. Southampton
1823.
From Mr. Laurence Gibbons, School House, Grainthorpe: counterpart
lease to Methodist Trustees for a chapel, Middle Rasen 1795.
From the executors of the late Canon G. F. Wilgress: papers of Bishop
King, letters of collation etc. to Cuddesdon 1863; letters regarding
Bishop Sailer: restitution of the temporalities 1885; papers in the
case Read v. the Lord Bishop of Lincoln 1889-90, college dissertations,
sermons, some printed, obituary notices etc.; papers of Canon
Wilgress, letters of orders, licences and letters of institution and
appointment to St. James Grimsby (curacy), Kettlethorpe, Elm co.
Somerset, St. Anne’s Bede Houses, Lincoln, Browne’s Hospital,
Stamford, prebend of All Saints, Hungate, 1891-1933.
From Mr. H. V. Thompson of Stoke on Trent: school bills regarding
the Levick family at Bainbridge’s academy Lincoln 1838-44, deed
re Barnoldby le Beck 1751.
From the County Archivist, Hertford Record Office: deed re Snitterby
1704.
From Mr. K. G. Westmoreland of Bloxholm Hall: manorial account for
Uffington, fragment, date lost, but c. 1352-84, gives expenditure
on stock, harvest, works, fees and expenses, with interesting detail;
court roll of Roos Hall manor in Freiston 1560-l.
From Mr. A. A. F. Stubbs of Brigg: deeds relating to Kirton Lindsey
including the workhouse, 1604-1736, 11 items.
From Messrs. Marshall and Eldridge, Oxford, via the Bodleian Library:
deed re Barrow 1702.
From the Right Reverend the Dean of Lincoln on behalf of Mrs. J. H.
Srawley: papers of the late Canon J. H. Srawley including notes
on and correspondence about Bishop Grosseteste, on the history of
the Chapter, on liturgical matters, 1947-53; and a licence for the
chapel at the Chancery, Lincoln, 1900 transferred to Dr. Srawley
1925.
From Miss A. M. Scorer, Sudbrooke manor: notebooks mainly kept by
William Scorer as follows: Wages and General account books, farm9
at Manby, Nettleham, Saltfleetby, Sudbrooke and Swinhope 1835-
1927, 67 items, not a complete series; day books, journals and
accounts, the same farms, 1858-1928, 21 items, not a complete
series; rate and account books overseers of the poor and .of highways,
parishes of Swinhope and Sudbrooke, not a complete series,
1845-1921, 28 items; a book of mensuration c. 1830.
From the Diocesan Registrar: A set of printed monitions, citations and
articles for the primary visitation of the lord Bishop of Lincoln
1953 and returns of churchwardens for the same visitation.
From the Principal of the Diocesan Training College: Printed Scheme
for the Training College under the Charitable Trusts Acts 1853-
1925, dated 16 March 1953.

From the Lincolnshire Architectural and Archaeological Society, to
whom it was given by Mr. A. L. Passmore of Wanborough: Charter
of Ralf son of Gilbert to Revesby Abbey c. 1172, transcript and
photograph, with an account of the donor by Miss D. M. Williamson
in Lincolnshire Architectural and Archeological Society Refiorts and
Papers vol. 5 part 1 p. 19-27, 1953.
OTHER GIFTS
From the British Records’ Association Records Preservation Section:
Part of a miscellaneous collection made by the late Mr. A. W:
Turner. Many of the documents are marked in a hand which also
endorsed deeds bought from dealers in the Cragg collection. It
consists chiefly of title deeds, miscellaneous and unrelated, for
South Holland and the Isle of Axholme, including some copyhold
admissions in the soke of Kirton Holland which show that gavelkind
was customary there as late as the mid 17th century. Among
the miscellaneous documents are two of naval interest, a pass under
the seal of Admiralty 1766 for the ship Mary and Ann Snow of
Dartmouth trading to Newfoundland and a certificate of the taking
of a prize in 1800.
Title deeds: Axholme 16081827, 24 items; Great Carlton 1732, 2
items: Cowbit 1730-1824, 5 items; Crowland 1707-1813, 8 items;
Dalby 16651726, 6 items: Donington in Holland 17151826, 5 items;
Dorrington 1741-1858, 4 items; Dunston 1773-1851, 2 items; Ewerby
1721-1813, 3 items; Fishtoft 1631-1844, 2 items; Fleet 1686-1817,
12 items: Foston 1723-1748, 3 items; Fotherby 1767-73, 2 items;
Freiston 17081802, 5 items; Friskney 1719-28, 4 items; Gainsborough
1750-1813, 3 items; Gedney 1662-1791, 12 items; Great
Gonerby 1656-1835, 7 items; Gosberton 1648-1781, 30 items;
Grainsby 1659-1839, 4 items; East Halton 1641-1830, 7 items;
Holbeach 1794-1807, 2 items; East Keal 175562, 4 items; Moulton
1809-51, 3 items; Pinchbeck 1731-1821, 6 items; Spalding 1712-1844,
12 items; Great Steeping 1697, 2 items; Weston 1710-80, 3 items;
Whaplode 1701-1804, 6 items.
Survey. Estates in Axholme 1791.
Probates 1720-1859, 9 items; bonds 1692-1819, 15 items; executorships
1792, 10 items; misc. documents 1690-1876, 7 items.
From the same: A group of documents from a Norwich solicitor’s office,
given by the Norfolk Record Society. It forms the title to .the
estate of the Gardners of Bishop Norton at Stainton by Waddmgham
1599-1615, 12 items.
From Mr. Frank Nurse: Lease of the third part of the manors of Haydor
and Culverthorpe, for the period of the minority of Rawley
Bussy 1598 and receipts for rent from the feodary 1599-1607. These
are stray Newton family papers.
From Mrs. C. M. Clutton-Brock: inventory of furniture in a house in
Queensway, Lincoln, 1940.

From the county archivist, Lancashire Record Office: marriage settlement
of Thomas Marshall of London merchant and of Theddlethorpe
1709.
Mr. Mr. P. C. Marris of Totteridge: 74 postcards and other views of
Immingham docks and their construction, with some other views
of Immingham and Grimsby, c. 1906-11.
From Mr. C. L. Exley: a poll book for the Southern Division of the
county of Lincoln 1857.
I
From Mr. A. H. Packe of Burnham, Bucks.: Release of right to property
in Bourne, Robert Wake to Thomas Sempyngham 1389.
From Mr.’ W. R. Swinburn: tenants’ agreements for farms Scrivelsby
and Thornton 1887; valuation of farms Salmonby and Tetford
1866, and, of fixtures only, Scrivelsby 1887; petty sessions court
book soke of Horncastle and hundred of Gartree 1827-36.
From the librarian, Hanley, Stoke on Trent: deed relating to Hougham
1617.
From the librarian Westminster City Library: Livery of land of Charles
lord Willoughby of Parham, with a survey attached, manors and
lands in Bardney, Bucknall, Crowland, Minting Park, manor of
Stow with appurtenances, manors of Upton, Kexby, Orby, Belchford,
Fulletby, site of Tupholme abbey and lands late of Tupholme
in Tupholme, Knaith, Ranby, Great Sturton, Louth etc. site of
Bardney and Heynings, Stow Park etc. 1571.
From the archivist Bucks. Archaeological Society: deeds re Uffington
and Deeping 1635; Wainfleet, Lever-ton, Fishtoft, Skirbeck and
Boston 1737; Messingham 1751.
From Mr. T. Stephenson, clerk of the County Council East Riding of
Yorkshire: agreement re common pasture in Swarby 1789.
From the Ministry of Town and Country Planning: copies of provisional
lists of buildings of historic interest, city of Lincoln, county borough
of Grimsby, municipal boroughs of Boston and Grantham, and
other districts of Lincolnshire; 1946-7.
MUNIMENTS OF THE DEAN AND CHAPTER
EPISCOPAL RECORDS
Canon Foster remarked, in a paper on the Lincoln episcopal records,
that though the Bishop and the Dean and Chapter had a common
registry for the first sixty years after the foundation of the minster a
separate episcopal registry was in existence by the mid. 12th century
(A.A.S.R. XL1 part 2, 1935) p. 157. In 1283 an inspection was made
of charters relating to the bishopric of Lincoln, then kept in the treasury
of the cathedral church at Lincoln, in a great press, in various
,

59
labelled baskets and in a long chest. The report and a list made at the
same time were copied by a 16th century scribe into a book later used
for the court rolls of Stow (then an episcopal manor), which was
deposited with this committee in 1949 (Reports, 194850, p. 48 and
Reports and Papers, Lines. Arch. and Arch. Sot. 4 part 1 (1951) 68-
79). The lists of title deeds given there correspond to those documents
relating to episcopal property which have survived among the
capitular records and other documents were doubtless placed with them
for safe custody during the next two centuries.
There are some documents of the early 14th century, chiefly of an
administrative character which cannot be explained in this way. There
are for example, four documents concerned with a disputed presentation
to the church of Wold Newton (Dij 84/Z/27-31) and a file of letters
addressed to the bishop which consists chiefly of informal requests by
Edward I, his wife and his son, for preferment for royal clerks, and
which has a contemporary label “Evesque de Nicholes”. It seems
probable that the close association between the bishop’s familia and the
chapter which Canon Foster, in tracing the activities among the chapter
muniments of Bishop Dalderby’s registrar John of Schalby (Reg. Ant.
I, xxviii-xxxvii) has already remarked on, may account for this. Another
explanation may be the facts that in the years 1316-18 the Subdean
Henry of Benniworth was co-adjutor in the bishop’s illness,
(Dij/63/ 1, 17-18, 223) and that Richard Stretton whose activities have
already been remarked, was frequently employed by the bishop as his
commissary within the county of Lincoln (Episcopal Reg. 3 passim).
The confirmation by the Dean and Chapter of episcopal acts may also
account for the presence of certain documents such as the sentence of
the court of Arches in 1344 enforcing the claims of the bishop to the
tithes of Elstow (Dij / 62 / 1 / 15) .
The survival of these documents is a happy chance by which the
great series of administrative registers of the bishops of Lincoln, is
illuminated and amplified. As Miss Major’s Han&t of Lincoln Diocesan
Records Oxford, 1953, has shown, the registers, though complete
in themselves, are supported by very few administrative documents
before the fifteenth century and the court and visitation records do not
begin until the 15th century. Moreover no mediaeval records of the
episcopal property have remained outside the scattered references in the
memoranda registers though it may be noted that a very valuable collection
of 13th century surveys of episcopal manors survives, presumably
because of its connection with Bishop Thomas Barlow, among the manuscripts
of the Queen’s College Oxford (No. 366).
Titles to property
(4 Land, title deeds:
Asfordby c. 1200; Banbury c. 1198-1315, 9 items; Balderton c.
1210-1343, 3 items; Biggleswade c. 1250-70, 12 items: Leicester c.
1230, 11 items: Lincoln, St. Faith c. 1220; Lincoln, St. Stephen in
Newland c. 1230, 9 items; Louth 123570, 9 items; Marton by Gainsborough
c. 1250-80, 15 items; Meering c. 1130-1256, 6 items; Bishop
Norton late 12c.-1287, 13 items: Nettleham mid 12c.-1332, 26
items; Offord Cluny 1306, 2 items; Ropsley 1325, 7 items; Tinghurst
c. 1163-1263, 2 items;
(b)
Advowsons :
Bedford St. Peter early 14c.-1335, 3 items: Little Coates 1313;
Holbeach 1332-65, 15 items; Quarrington 1267; Sudbrook 1334.

W
Documents relating to the management of property
Grant and exchange of land in Stow 1153, 1253, 2 items; leases of land
in Sleaford lr83-1267, 9 items; miscellaneous documents regarding
Haddenham and Kingsey co. Oxford, 1190-1224, 12 items; documents
in tithe causes, Bishop’s Wooburn co. Buck. 123057, 3
items; documents in tithe causes, Beckley and Horton co. Oxford,
1260-79, 4 items: miscellaneous documents, Dorchester, including
a copy of an inquest regarding the upkeep of a bridge, 1243-1310,
8 items; sentence of Court of Arches as to the bishop’s right to the
tithes of Elstow co. Bedford, 1344, 1 item; list of pensions payable
to the Bishop, c. 1350, 1 item; court roll of the Hundred of Dorchester,
1366, 1 item: bailiff’s accounts, episcopal manors, 1422-4,
2 items.
Administration of the Diocese
(4 Institutions and vicarages:
Letters of institution to church of Horncastle, 1197; presentation
deeds, Dinton and Burton Overey co, Leicester, 1218-19, 2 items;
ordination of vicarage at Glen co. Leicester, 1266; request to bishop
for institution to a prebend, 1305; presentation deed and ordination
of vicarage, Great Tew, co. Oxford, 1309, 2 items; presentation
deed and inquisition etc. Goxhill, 1309-10, 3 items; ordination of a
vicarage, Ingham, 1311; return of a commission regarding vacancy
of Thurlaston (Leicester), 1312; documents regarding a disputed
presentation at Wold Newton, 1318, 5 items; letters of institution,
1483, 2 items.
(b)
(c)
(4
Ordinations:
Titles for orders, 1346, 1529, 5 items.
General administration:
Presentation to bishop for confirmation of a prior of Elsham, temp.
John; oath of canonical obedience by prioress of Stixwould, c. 1220;
confirmation of establishment of a chantry at Hockliffe co. Bedford,
1230; confirmation of endowments of Clattercotes priory co. Oxford,
c. 1246-62, 2 items; engagement by founder of Wroxton Priory co.
Oxford; miscellaneous documents for St. Leonard’s Priory Newark,
early 13c., 44 items; exemplification of letters patent regarding a
collection for a crusade, 1318; pile of letters to Bishop Dalderby
regarding benefices, 1301-8, 63 items; exemplification of bull in
favour of Merton Priory co. Surrey, 1345; fragments of returns of
church furniture c. 1566, 1 box. Printed in Lincolnshire Notes and
Qzseries XIV (1916-17).
Officials:
Draft patents of commissary Leicester and Bedford, 1631-74, 3
items; case papers regarding registrarship, 1733-41; miscellaneous
memoranda 1600-10; miscellaneous memoranda, 1717-38; accounts
of official: sequestrator’s account, 1313; J. Pregion’s accounts as
registrar, 1618-19.
Visitation
Lists of sequestrations and criminous priests, 1297, 2 items; list of church
furniture and a glebe terrier, c. 1500, 2 items; visitation articles for
archdeaconry of Lincoln, 1530; appeal against metropolitan visitation
1534; clergy lists, Leicester Archdeaconry, 1611; visitation book
of Bishop Neile, 1614. Printed in A.A.S.R. XVI (1881-2).

courts
Depositions in a case of non-residence, 1316; depositions in a case in-~
volving abbot of Bardney, 1317; citations, depositions and other
miscellaneous court papers, c. ‘1420, 72 items; royal mandate to
allow archdeacon of Lincoln to continue probate during royal visitations,
1535; papers regarding a legal separation, mid 18c., 1
packet; miscellaneous court papers, 1751-1805; mandate from Dean
of Arches to chancellor about production of a marriage bond, 1797.
Personal and public office, relations with Crown
Summons to bishop to peace talks at Monstreuil, c. 1300; enrolled royal
writs, 1308-9, 3 items; appointment of Henry of Benniworth as
coadjutor to the bishop, 1316-17, 4 items.
ARCHIDIACONAL RECORDS
This interesting and valuable group of records concerned with the
office and instance jurisdiction of the archdeacons of Stow c. 1270-1304
seems to have survived as a result of the activity of Benedict of Ferriby,
rector of Broughton by Brigg and later prebendary of Crakepole, who
was the archdeacon’s official. He resided continually in the years 1321-6
(K. Edwards, English Secular Cathedrals in the Middle Ages, Manchester,
1949, pp. 342-4) and was closely connected, like Richard of
Stretton, with Dalderby’s administration (Ep. Reg. 3 pass&). The
documents in this group include a useful series of visitation records
and the scattered papers of a tithe case relating to Frodingham which
are of some interest. The non-survival of other archidiaconal records
from this period naturally adds great value to this group of documents.
General administration
Draft certificate of the taking of the veil by a nun at Fosse, 1296, 4
items; episcopal mandates to summon candidates for ordination,
addressed t o the archdeacon or his official, 1296-1303, 9 items;
episcopal mandate to send list of exempt monasteries, 1305.
Visitation
Comperta in a parochial visitation Althorpe, Crowle and Luddington,
c. 1287; portion of a court book of office, Aslackhoe and Corringham
deaneries, c. 1288-9, 1 item; accounts of payments made during
a visitation held at Normanby, late 13c., 2 items; comperta in
a parochial visitation Pilham, Heapham, Springthorpe, Upton,
Willingham and Cotes, 1299; mandates to cite executors of wills,
to answer regarding dilapidations, presentment during visitations
made by the official of the. archdeacon, 1300-1304; partly mounted
by Canon Wickenden in a portfolio, partly loose, 230 items.
courts
Depositions in a matrimonial case heard by the official at Burton by
Lincoln, 1276; presentment, citation and depositions in a incontinency
case heard by the official at Scotton 1289, 3 items; depositions
in a dilapidations case, 1299; citations, depositions, sentences
in a cause regarding the tithes of Frodingham, 1299-1300, 38 items;
sentence in a case of violence, c. 1300; returned citation for a case
to be heard at Glentworth by the official 1302; citations, depositions
and executors’ accounts in a probate case, William Waterton of
Luddington, 1302-3, 11 items.

DIOCESAN RECORDS
ALNWICK TOWER
In the Archivists‘ Reports 1948-50 p. 41 was given an account of
records of historic interest brought to Exchequer Gate from the Alnwick
Tower, which was preceded by a summary of the main classes of documents
still remaining in the upper room there. Most of these are also
of undoubted historic interest and it is hoped when more accommodation
becomes available to remove them to a cleaner and more suitable
repository. The lower room had not been examined throughout until
last September when, with the permission of the Diocesan Registrar, a
brief list of its contents was made. The contents of the upper room had
showed a certain measure of order, the main series of curate’s nominations,
presentation deeds, ordination bundles, residence and nonresidence
licences, deeds relating to the augmentation or exchange of
glebe, unions and disunions of parishes, consecrations, confirmation
returns, being in numbered bundles and in sequences, only the more
miscellaneous documents being placed somewhat at will. This arrange-
?nent may be presumed to be the work of William Moss and W. W.
Smith, registrars in succession. The documents may be presumed to
have been placed in the Alnwick Tower after its ceasing to be used for
Theological students, about 1878. The lower room was also used by
Moss and Smith and was used until comparatively recent times for the
execution of certain types of document and current business. It contains
a large number of printed works of reference, Crockfords and other
clergy lists, Public and General Acts-printed reports of various kinds,
law books, all likely to be of use for current business and also likely to
be of use with the documents now they are mostly no longer current.
The arrangement of documents in this lower room because of its late
use as a working room is more informal and unsystematic than that of
the upper room, documents and bundles being scattered about the room
on open shelves and in pigeon holes with often very little pretence at
ordered series. This being the case, dates, when given below, are suspect
and subject to revision, as it is impossible to be certain of covering
dates until the documents have had a much more thorough examination
and have been listed and classified. There seems to have been some
division of function in the joint registrarship to which Richard Smith
and Robert Swan were appointed in 1829. Messrs. Moss and Smith,
following in succession the registrar Richard Smith who operated largely
from Buckden until c. 1853, as we have seen, were in charge of the
records at the Alnwick Tower, while the successive Swans operated in
Lincoln and at Exchequer Gate. Since the reunification of the registrarship
it is probable that the arrangements of records have been changed
and these distinctions of function obliterated. It is not known yet if
there exists any definite agreement as to their respective spheres and
more detailed examination of documents will no doubt throw light on
this. It is clear however that Moss and W. W. Smith kept and signed
the bishops’ registers and they appeared also to keep records for the
performance of other administrative acts. The Swans, Robert and then
John, appear to deal with matters arising more from judicial functions
of the bishops, such as probate before it was secularised, the appointment
of surrogates, the granting of faculties and other licences. They
also appear to have been registrars to the .archdeacons of Lincoln and
stow.

Records in the Lower Rooti
.2ihese are some of the chief groups: papers relating to benefices: including
augmentations, continuing the series in the upper room, dilapidations
papers and registers from 1873, lists of mortgage payments
and correspondence Q.A.B., from 1857, correspondence regarding
glebe, chiefly 20th century, returns to the bishop under the Pluralities
Act and Ecclesiastical Dilapidations Act, 13 bundles arranged
alphabetically, documents under the parsonage measure 1938.
Bishops’ estates: agreements with Ecclesiastical Commissioners 1883,
papers regarding the old Palace, rating etc. 1896-1901, note books
of business done perhaps bishops’ estates 1842-52, estate papers,
bundles regarding the different properties, bill and appendix, for
Episcopal Estates Act, 1851.
Consecrations, following the series upstairs, and bundles of consecration
papers from 1875; petitions to hold divine service in unconsecrated
buildings 190519.
Charities: petitions for places as almsmen and women Mere Hospital
1886-1925; papers re Dr. Busby’s charity 1903-23.
Confirmations, returns of, continuing the series upstairs.
Convocations: monitions for, 1880-1919, returns 1919, letters re the
house of laity.
Documents relating to the clergy: licences to officiate 1880-1908, 1933-
49; refusals of permission to officiate, lists, books, and letters c.
1891-1924; licences of chaplains 1838-1949; nominations to curacies
continuing the series upstairs 1939-46; ordinations continuing the
series upstairs, 1883-1953, other separate misc. bundles re ordinations,
regulations, testimonials etc.; presentations continuing the
series upstairs, from 1939; residence and non-residence orders and
licences 1886-1923; petitions 1920-25; register of non-residence
licences 1864-1949; register of licences to reside 1868-1934; register
of residence houses 1936-7; resignations, continuing the series upstairs,
1930-44; copies of deeds of relinquishment under the clerical
Disabilities Act 1870; subscription books 18951952, testimonials
on appointment to benefices or suspension 1888-1904.
Visitations: forms, monitions and citations 1876-1923; some misc.
returns; letters to Kings College Cambridge.
Bishop’s Hostel: various receipts and accounts 1880-1910; lists of weekly
examinations 1893-9.
Schools: Association of voluntary schools, 1897; lists of diocesan
inspectors.
Patronage: particulars of transfer 1898-1931.
Lay readers, and diocesan surveyors: some misc. papers.

Registrars’ working papers: Bound volumes of enclosure acts, copies of
terriers 1707-8, various packets of correspondence and a series in
pigeon holes, W. W. Smith; bundles re institutions etc. not proceeded
with 194351; deputations Richard Smith to William Moss
and letters re this, 1853; lists of documents handed over; various
bundles of returns: resignations with pension 1907, church building
and restoration costing more than ~8500 1898, returns of the
values of benefices 1914-20, commission on sale of ecclesiastical
benefices 1873, commission on parish boundaries 1912, various
forms, blank and obsolete; ecclesiastical fee books 1827-78, 1876-
1925; London Gazette giving lists of fees and letters about them
1870, office cash books 1850-82; bundles of vouchers 18851921;
W. W. Smith in account with the bishop 1886-1918, also day books
the same, 1882-1925, copies of returns of income as registrar 1883-
1923 and some few personal letters and papers.
An ordination register 1559-65 was discovered behind some printed
book on one of the shelves. This and four 18th century compilations
for precedents have been brought to Exchequer Gate.
PARISH RECORDS
Bourne ’
This parish was visited at the request of the Rev. D. S. Rowlands
and a list of the records was made by the archivist and Miss Kathleen
Major who also kindly provided transport to Bourne. The records
examined were : parish registers from 1562, banns book 1935-45, register
of confirmations from 1936, register of services 1906-50; vestry
minutes 1818-94, civil parish 1894-1921, church council 1920-40, parish
committees vestry and parochial church council 1913-33; documents
relating to the poor law, apprenticeship indentures 18th century and
early 19th century, 90 items; examinations for settlements 1750-1835,
45 items, removal orders 18th century and 19th century, 201 items,
bastardy papers late 18th century to mid 19th century, 30 items, settlement
certificates 1764-1821, 4 only, relief for wives of militia 1801-5, 5
items, overseers accounts and assessments with some vestry minutes
1731-54, assessments 1793-1823, accounts 1814-36, miscellaneous papers
and vouchers of overseers; a book with presentments regarding drains,
dykes, state of roads, 1796-99, also has orders of drainage commissioners
1798-1803, vestry minutes 1799-1813, accounts of overseers of the poor
Dyke and Cawthorpe 1805-19, inventory of work house goods Bourne
1803-28; log book of Bourne Eastgate mixed infants school 1863-1903;
petition for raising the annual value of land to be occupied by those having
common rights under the enclosure of Cow pasture, South Fen
because of the increase in the cost of living 1809; copy returns made of
live and dead stock, persons to serve as volunteers provided with arms,
as pioneers or labourers or guides, to provide waggons, boats etc. 1803;
Cawthorpe Town book disbursements for officers 1711-64.
Broughton by Brigg
This parish was visited by Mr. H. W. Brace who sent in notes on
its earliest parish register 1538-1733.
,

St. Michael on the Mount, Lincoln
Practically all the records of this parish are now deposited and a
list in some detail has been sent to the Reverend J. S. Maples the vicar.
The chief classes are: registers from 1562, those in current use being still
at the parish, banns books 1823-76, a large number of unbound churchwardens
accounts and assessments and bundles of vouchers c. 1700-
1922; documents relating to the rebuilding of the church 1856; forms of
services for its consecration; some constables’ precepts and forms for
raising money for prisoners, vagrants and the gaol 1742-1824; rate book
overseers of the poor 1837-66, collecting and deposit books 1851-68;
overseers accounts and misc. papers from mid 18th century; overseers
of the Highway rate books 183857, surveyor’s accounts 1836-45, with
some loose bills and receipts: some printed books and pamphlets and
papers of the Reverend J. S. Gibney a former incumbent.
St. Peter at Gowts, Lincoln
Some earlier parish registers of this parish were brought in by the
vicar, Canon G. Houlden, to join those already on deposit. They date
from 1538 and later registers are here till 1911. There is a note to state
that marriages all went to St. Botolph’s church in the period 1753-1826.
Lissington
The earliest parish register 1562-1708 and a book of briefs and
accounts 1709-49 were deposited by the Reverend P. C. Hawker on
behalf of the Reverend A. K. Paxon the rector.
Marton
Parish registers 1651-1863 were deposited by the Reverend D. B.
MacGregor.
Minting
Some further records of this parish were deposited by the Reverend
P. C. Hawker including documents relating to the benefice and an
exchange of land 1845, a counterpart of a mortgage 1845, a file of papers
on the rebuilding the church 1862 and a mortgage towards it, a settlement
certificate 1743 and a few marriage licences.
Rauceby
The following records were deposited by Miss J. P. Slight churchwarden:
parish registers 1688-1947, register of banns 1824-1944, paper
re augmentation 1759, exchange of land 1842, letters and papers re
alterations of parish boundary 1926, a plan of an estate in Gosberton
1772, vestry minutes 1828-31, some memoranda on charities, Thorold
and Carre 1786, disbursements for highways 1779-1831.
Riby
The earliest register of this parish is at present on temporary
deposit, 1559-1782, with some gaps and badly faded portions.

Spalding
Mr. H. E. Hallam has kindly sent a list of Spalding parish registers,
which date from 1538.
stow
Mr. H. W. Brace has kindly sent notes on the parish records at
Stow. The earlier parish registers 1561-1812, are on deposit at Exchequer
Gate. At Stow are the later registers, vestry minutes 1818-1923,
the enclosure award, churchwardens accounts 1707-1916, overseers of
the poor accounts for Stow and Normanby 1753-1838, guardians’ books
rates and accounts 1837-48, constables and thirdboroughs book 1757-
1813, school log book 1866-77, highway surveyors’ accounts 1789-1855.
There are also 45 removal orders, 155 settlement certificates, 55 bastardy
bonds, 16 apprenticeship indentures and some other miscellaneous
documents. Mr. Brace has made full lists of these last items and made
interesting descriptive notes of all the documents.
Stallingborough
Five parish registers 1588-1812 and marriages till 1837 have been
deposited by the vicar the Reverend H. Snartt. He has also deposited
an altered tithe apportionment 1868, a copy of the London Gazette 1867
with a note of a grant to Stallingborough an award of an exchange of
glebe 1868, and a mixed volume of accounts., churchwardens, constables
and overseers and some dyke reeves, with hsts of briefs and collections
on them 1680-1771.
Long Sutton
Some documents relating to this place were brought in by the archdeacon
of Lincoln on behalf of the Reverend Henry Gorse now of Little
Eversden, Cambridge, former incumbent of Long Sutton, to whom they
had been sent by two former pupils of his at Newark Grammar School
who had bought them on a market stall. They consist of the award of
an inquisition held to appease disputes between the tenants of the
Queen at Sutton of the duchy of Lancaster and the tenants of the bishop
of Ely in the Isle of Ely regarding the use of the fens, 1562 and-an
exemplification of the same, documents relating to Thomas Allen’s
charity c. 1552, 1603 (a copy of his will), 1689, documents relating to
Thomas Leeman’s charity 1586. There are on deposit in this office
from the Clerk of the Council of Long Sutton since 1939 certain other
documents which link up with those already described, namely documents
relating to Thomas Allen’s charity 1542, 1607, 1636, 1672, a
fragment relating to the award concerning the use of the fens mentioned
above with the seal of the bishop of Ely, apparently c. 1562 documents
relating to Robert Phillips charity for the fabric of the church, first half
of sixteenth century and 1557, and a list of tenants of the marsh with
the acreage held and annual value 1687. Another small deposit of documents
relating to Long Sutton had been made in 1938 which had been
sent to the late Canon W, H. Kynaston at the Cathedral Library and
had been handed on by him. They consist of a paper with list of feoffees
of Thomas Allen’s charity, lease of land belonging to its feoffees 1719
and the nomination of two persons to take action to protect the common
rights in the marshes 1730. With this last deposit were copies of the
documents and of some of those sent in by Mr. Gorse.

Mr. pfi. E. I-Iallam has reported that he has seen the following
documents in the church of Long Sutton: appointment of commissioners
for sewers under the seal of the duchy of Lancaster 1547, 1553; a law
for Sutton St. Mary and Tydd 1406, a pardon to the people of Long
Sutton in connection with the death of the king’s steward 1533 also
churchwardens accounts 1543-73. There is a note on some of these
documents in Lincolnshire Notes and Queries vol. I p. 130.
Thomas Allen’s charity had as one of its objects “the maintenance
of the lawdable solemnitie of church musicke and of the instrimient in
that church to be performed accordinge as it shalbe allowed by the laws
of the land and as it hathe beene usually heartofore by me the said
Thomas Allen in my lyffe time performed I meane with Christian
decency and religious zeale” and certain property was alloted to this
purpose. One of the deeds relating to it is endorsed: “Towards the
organe.” He left other property to bind poor children apprentice, to
distribute a dole to the poor twice a year and to have a sermon preached
at the same times.
Sutton in the Marsh
The tithe award and plan were damaged in the floods of 1953 and
were repaired by the archivist’s department of the Leicester C:\ty
Museum. They have now been deposited by the treasurer of Lindsey
County Council on beh‘alf of the financial officer, Mablethorpe and
Sutton Urban District Council.
West Torrington
A list of the records of this parish has been kindly supplied by
Mrs. P. A. Jackson, wife of the rector. They consist of registers from
1638, banns books from 1855, preachers’ book 1887-1901, register of
services 1902-21, letter regarding an augmentation which took place in
1775, dated 1863, letter concerning the churchyard 1860, mortgage for
enlarging the vicarage, faculties for a window 1935 and electric lighting
1953, settlement and removal orders 1700-1813, statement regarding
the Bread charity 1837.
Whaplode
The following list of records at Whaplode was kindly sent by Mr.
H. E. Hallam: vestry book with accounts of churchwardens, overseers
of the poor, dyke reeves and constables 1678-1770, vestry books appointment
of officers, no accounts, 1804-1854; select vestry 1821-82;
churchwardens accounts 1764-90, overseers of the poor accounts 1772-
1836, poor book 1812-29, poor law rate book 183S, 1850; dyke reeves
accounts 1790-1848, highway and accounts 1792-1865; these were all in
the parish chest when examined. In the vicar’s cupboard were some
records of the church school, copies of documents connected with liability
for chancel repairs made in 1907, some notes on the history of
Whaplode by the Reverend Edward Moore, vicar of Weston, printed
list of claims under enclosure, Holbeach and Whaplode 1812, South
Holland Drainage act 1792, plan of reseating the church 1854, census
returns 1801, 1811, genealogy of the Whaplode branch of the Walpoles
of Houghton 1874. The parish registers of Whaplode from 1559, except
for those in current use, a volume of settlement certificates 1704-92,
two examinations as to settlement 1724-5, 8 removal orders 1705-27, an
apprenticeship indenture 1668 and accounts for overseers of the poor
1700-05 have been on deposit at Exchequer Gate since 1940.

RECORDS IN OTHER CUSTODY
CHATTERTON
With the kind permission of Mr. R. Chatterton, solicitor, of Horncastle,
the archivist visited his office at 7 Lindsey Court, Horncastle,
and listed documents in his possession. The following records had
accumulated during the period of practice of Mr. R. Chatterton and of
his predecessors in the practice, members of the Clitherow family:
Title Deeds
Belchford 1829-42, 1936; Bolingbroke, Old Bolingbroke and East Keal
several packets 18451914, with earlier abstracts of title; Hagworthingham
mortgage 1873, Haltham 1871-2, abstract of title from 1776;
Hemingby 1760-1820; Horncastle, 3 and 4 Market Place 1731-1886,
West Street 1744-1903, Far Street 1808-84, West Ashby field 1846-
97, East Street 1807-1914, abstract of title from 1784, Cagthorpe
in Horncastle 1858 and malt kiln in, 1809-47, messuage and malt
kiln 1796-1905, land in market place 1855, gardens in Croft Street
abstract of title from 1855-99; Mareham le Fen 1710-1899, 1886-
79; Marsh Chapel mortgage 1811, Tattershall and Tattershall Thorpe
1787-1876, 1854-1909, 1741-1874; Tetford abstract of title 1716-
1840.
co. Derby: land in Derby, Boundary Road and the parish of St. Warburgh
1851-68.
Probates and Administrations
A large box, for persons mostly of Horncastle and district, 1809-1909,
the greater number being later than 1860.
Copies, Enclosure Awards
Unless stated these have no plan with them. They were copies
taken by Mr. Clitherow’s clerks c. 1790.
Asterby and Goulceby 1778, Atterby, Snitter%y and Waddingham 1770,
Baumber, incomplete, a copy of the act 1757-8, Belchford with
maps of the north and south parts of the lordship 1804, Edlington
1779, Mavis Enderby 1801, Fulletby 1777, Grantham 1795, Haltham
and Roughton 1775, Hemingby 1778, Hundleby 1804, Huttoft
1780, Langton and Woodhall 1769, Ludford 1774, Moorsby and
Wilksby 1773, Tetford 1767, Thimbleby 1751, High Toynton 1770,
Waddingham, copy proceedings and decree in Chancery.
Enclosure Acts and Minutes
Asterby and Goulceby 1776; Hagworthingham 1795; East Kirkby 1806
with minutes and later exchanges 1806-19; Wildmore Fen and East
and West Fen 1801, 1803.
Surveys
Survey and valuation of old enclosures and allotments in Horncastle
as made by commissioners at the time of the enclosure 1803-04,
with a rate or assessment made on owners and occupiers of allotments
in Hqrncastle by the commissioners of enclosure 1808; valuation
of houses and buildings in Horncastle by the committee at a
vestry meeting, also of lands made by commissioners at the time
of enclosure, signed by the members of a committee to make an
equal rate for the Land Tax 1813.

Parish Records
Account book, surveyors of highways, Horncastle 1841-2, 1858-9, highway
rate book Horncastle 1848, 1854-5.
Horncastle Water Company
Minute book 1882-1911, draft minutes 1882-1909; register of shareholders
1886-1918, shareholders address book 1882-1907, share
transfer certificates 1882-1952, counterfoils of shares and transfers,
various dates, dividend warrants to 1903, dividend list 1910-43,
debenture account book 1889-1908, debenture interest 1908-38,
register of debentures 1889 revised to 1941; cash book 1882-1928,
collecting and deposit account 1905-25, vouchers 1936-47, collectors’
cash books 1887-1905; draft conveyance and deed of covenant
re property in Cawkwell 1884, 1912; conveyance of land in Martin
for extensions to Woodhall Spa, with grant of pipeway leave 1889,
plans and sections Asterby 1882; case papers Horncastle Water
Co. with Woodhall Spa Gas Co. 1911; copy report on scheme for
augmentation of supply 1906, copy, some observations of the Joint
Committee of the Catchment Board Scheme for the River Bain
1937; ledger giving users’ names, residences, W.C.s, baths, memoranda
on pipes, plumbers’ names 1883-1904; packet of newspapers
with advertisements 1881-2; and some further miscellaneous papers
and correspondence.
Horncastle and Kirkstead Brewery Company
inutes 1916-1934, when the company went in voluntary liquidation;
/register of members from 1916; counterfoil book of share transfers
1916-32; accounts under names of firms and persons 1916-30, classified
accounts i.e. ale draught, fire and light, office expenses, carriage,
rates, misc. trade, insurance, travelling etc. 1930-34, day book
receipt and expenditure 1923-34, day book re goods supplied 1924-
33, day book ? purchases 1931-34; account with Lloyds Bank
Horncastle 1923-34, particulars of sale, property in Kirkstead Horncastle
and Thimbleby including the brewery 1933, some packets of
correspondence, the company’s stamping machine. ‘Mr. R.
Chatterton was the company’s auditor.
Drainage Board
River Bain drainage board draft accounts, areas A, B and C 1928-34,
a rate for area A, undated, letters 1926-31; Kirkstead drainage
board draft accounts Kirkstead and Tattershall districts 1929-34,
a rate 1932, vouchers 1923-29, letters 1926-31, letters Tattershall
Thorpe area 1929-30; accounts for daily work on drainage and
pipe laying Hareby 1893-94, application for post of engineer at
Dogdyke pumping station 1932. Mr. Chatterton was clerk to the
boar’ds.
Petty Sessions
Minute books Horncastle Petty Sessional Division 1905-47.
Clients’ Boxes
About a quarter of these was examined as a sample. They were. of
relatively recent date, but being concerned with the admmlstratlon
of property and cases at law they are of potential historic interest.

\
70
PUBLICATIONS
This year has seen the publication by Miss Kathleen Major of the
authoritative Handlist of Records of the Bishop of Lincoln and of the
Archdeacons of Lincoln and Stoze, (Oxford 1953) the culmination of her
work as Diocesan archivist for nine years, and of the seventh volume of
Registrum Antiquissimum (Lincoln Record Society vol. 46) which contains
the cathedral charters for Kesteven parishes.
Diocesan and deposited records have been used by a number of
writers: Joan Thirsk, The Isle of Axholme before Vermuyden, in
Agricultural History Review vol. 1 (1953), M. W. Barley and P. E.
Rossell in Notes on the Agrarian History of Owersby and Burgh le
Marsh in The Lincolnshire Historian No. 12 (1953), the Reverend F.
Baker The Story of Cleethor@es,and the contribution of Methodism (Cleethorpes
1953), A. E. Kirkby Humberstone the story of a village (Lincoln
1953). Editions of documents in the committee’s custody were
published by Bradford Smith in Captain John Smith (Philadelphia and
New York, 1953) by Mr. C. L. Exley for the St. John Ambulance Brigade
in The Cardinal’s Hat (Lincoln 1953), by F. W. East in The Heighington
Terrier part 2 in Reeorts and Papers, Lincolnshire Architectural
and Archeological Society vol. 5 part I 1953, by the assistant archivist
in Ralf son of Gilbert (ibid.). The archivist in collaboration wtih Miss
L. M. Midgley contributed a chapter to the handbook Local Records
Their Nature and Care published in 1953 by the Society of Local Archivists
and the assistant archivist wrote a paper on Sede Vacante Records
of the Diocese of Lincoln for Bulletin No. 12 of the same society.
Archivists’ Reports to this committee are still available from the
Archivist, Lincolnshire Archives Office, Exchequer Gate, Lincoln,
namely 1948-59, 1950-1, 1951-2, 1952-3, at 2s. 6d. each, 2s. 10d. to
include postage.
LECTURES AND EXHIBITIONS
During the year the archivist has lectured on the work of the cornmittee
to the North Hykeham Women’s Institute and to the Soroptimist
Club of Lincoln and on documents as a source of agrarian history to the
Training College Historical Society. The assistant archivist has lectured
twice on Sir John Meres, to the Historical Association, Lincoln Branch,
and to the Bridlington Augustinian Society.
The work in connection with the Coronation Exhibition held at the
Usher Art Gallery has already been described. In addition exhibitions
were prepared and brief lectures given for the following partres at
Exchequer Gate: Geographical Association Easter conference, Leicester
University College History Department, Hull Training College History
Department, Beeston co. Nottingham extra-mural class, Lincoln Training
College Mathematics Department. A small exhibition of records
relating to Bishop Grosseteste was prepared to be shewn with manuscripts
of the cathedral library for the Grosseteste Festival on 27th June
1953.

u!$B OF THE OPFfCE
The use of the office to see special exhibitions has already been
tiescribed; the total number of visitors coming to see the office and hear
of its work was 14% There have been 897 visits of readers working on
documents (signing the book once in each day) and the number of
persons involved was 118, There was little change in the types, of
readers from previous years. The decline in numbers of readers and
reader-visits is to be attributed to the absence of a summer school and
to the decrease in numbers of students from the Lincoln Training College
working on documents for their essays during the past year. The
number of personal, postal and telephone enquiries dealt with during
the year is 355 and 40 short searches have been made on behalf of
enquirers unable to visit Lincoln. In addition copies of 33 separate
items from documents have been made on the Contoura photo-copier.
Three extensive searches were made during the year, namely a return
to the History of Parliament Trust on poll books, a collection of information
on monastic and family cartularies in Lincolnshire for a survey
which is being made for the Royal Historical Society and the notes on
the history of the county treasurers already described. A reply to a
questionnaire on the educational use of archives which was recently
circulated by the secretary of the Society of Local Archives on behalf
of the director of the French National Archives showed that since March
1951 the records in the committee’s custody have been used by 19
British University teachers, 3 American University teachers, 3 teachers
in religious orders at University level, 5 University extra-mural lecturers,
14 teachers in grammar and secondary modern schools and 1
primary school teacher. In addition visits have been paid by 13 British,
1 German and 1 American University teachers for general information
concerning the office. Subjects studied have included ecclesiastical,
legal, architectural, economic, social and political, parliamentary and
educational history.
FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The archivists acknowledge gratefully reports catalogues and information
sent from the following archive repositories: the county record
offices of Bedford, Berkshire, Devon, Glamorgan, Gloucester, Hertford,
Northampton, Nottingham, Salop, Stafford and Worcester: the Leicester
City Museum, the University Library, Nottingham, the museums of
Peterborough and Guildford, the House of Lords, the Lambeth Palace
Library, and the Royal College of Physicians. They continue to receive
with gratitude the publications of the Lincoln Record Society and the
Lincolnshire Architectural and Archaological Society. Other reports
and publications have come from the National Register of Archives, the
Pilgrim Trust, the Northamptonshire Record Society, the History of
Parliament Trust and the Scunthorpe Local History Society. Gifts of
printed books, copies of documents and information have come from
Miss Kathleen Major, Miss F. A. R. Murray, Mrs. P. A. Jackson, Mrs.
Joan Thirsk, the Reverend H. B. Dudding, Fr. Conrad Walmsley
O.F.M., Sir Maurice Powicke, Sir Frank and Lady Stenton, the
librarian Stamford Public Library, the Lincoln Corps St. John Ambulance
Brigade and from Messrs. G. W. S. Barrow, H. W. Brace (including
the ms. minutes of the Butter Market Committee at Gainsborough
1851-66), V. G. D. Chapman, C. Cooke, C. B. Drover, G. S.

Dixon, C. L. Exley, H. E. Hallam, E. Hawthorn, W. H. Hosford,
H. W. Jones, T. M. Layng, J. Martin, W. A. Musson, S. Race, Bradford
Smith, A. R. Staniforth, F. B. Stitt, K. S. S. Train and F. West.
The archivists acknowledge gratefully the continued help of Miss
D. J. Fell in the sorting and listing of dyke-reeves’ accounts and of
Mr. L. B. Barley in the calendaring and indexing of probate inventories.
Miss Jean Monteith’s help in connection with the second
Ancaster deposit has already been referred to. They are also happy to
acknowledge the continued interest and help by way of information and
advice of Miss Kathleen Major, Miss F. E. Thurlby, and of Messrs. H.
W. Brace, G. S. Dixon and C. L. Exley. They are grateful to the
Reverend P. C. Hawker for sparing time in his vlsrts to see church plate
to ask about records. They are grateful to the librarian of the Lindsey
and Holland County Library for continued co-operation in the matter
of searches and the use of books. They are most grateful to all donors
and depositors of documents and to those who use their good offices in
furthering gifts and deposits.
JOAN VARLEY.
Archivist.
DOROTHY M. WILLIAMSON.
Assistant Archivist.