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is situated about five miles from Horncastle in an eastern direction, lying between Somersby on the north-east, Greetham nearly west, and Hagworthingham almost south. It includes the hamlets of Stainsby and Holbeck. The register dates from 1627. Letters, via Horncastle, arrive at 10 a.m. At Tetford is the nearest money order and telegraph office, although there is in the village an office where postal orders and stamps can be obtained. The principal owners of land are Earl Manvers, the representatives of the late Mr. Pocklington Coltman, of Hagnaby Priory, and F. W. S. Heywood, Esq., of Holbeck Hall. The antiquity of the parish is implied in its name. “Ash” is the Danish “esshe” (the pronunciation still locally used), and “by” is Danish for “farmstead.” Indeed, the whole of the neighbourhood was overrun by the Danish Vikings, as is shewn by the termination “by,” which is almost universal, as in Stainsby, Somersby, three Enderbys, Spilsby, etc. The ash was probably the “moot” tree of the village, beneath whose spreading shade the elders sat in council. This tree was formerly held sacred. The “world-tree,” or “holy ash” of the Danish mythology (called by the Druids “Yggdrasil”) was supposed to have its top in heaven and its roots in hell [2a] (“Asgard and the Gods,” by Wagner). I am aware that another derivation has been suggested, viz., that “ash” represents the Norse “is,” “use,” “uisge” (compare river Ouse), all of which mean “water,” as in Ashbourne, where the latter syllable is only a later translation of the former, both meaning water. But I cannot see that water is so prominent a local feature as to give a name to this parish, nor to the other Ashbys in the neighbourhood. [2b]

The oldest official notice of the parish is in Domesday Book, where it is stated that “in Aschebi, Odincarle (Wodin’s churl) and Chilbert had 4 carucates (i.e., 480 acres) rateable” to the tax called “gelt,” their whole land being 5 carucates or 600 acres. This was in Saxon times. When William the Conqueror took possession these were deprived of their property, and he bestowed the manor on Odo, Bishop of Baieux, who was his half-brother on the mother’s side. On the bishop coming to England, William created him Earl of Kent, and also Count Palatine, and “Justitiarius Angliæ.” He was so powerful that historians of the day described him as “Totius Angliæ Vice-dominus sub rege,” second only to the King. He held, of the King’s gift, 76 manors in Lincolnshire, besides 463 in other parts. This greatness, however, was his ruin, for, from his pride and arrogancy, he incurred the Conqueror’s displeasure and was sent to prison in Normandy. On the Conqueror’s death, in 1084, King Rufus restored him to his honours, but, finding his power not so great as formerly, he headed a conspiracy against Rufus in favour of Robert, Duke of Normandy, and, failing in it, he fled to the Duke, who made him governor of that Province, where he died in 1097. Ashby Puerorum was thus again “in the market.”

The subsequent history of Ashby is more or less enveloped in the folding mists of antiquity. The clouds, however, do here and there lift a little, and we get a glimpse into the past which enables us to form a shrewd guess as to its early proprietors. Among the list of noble soldiers contained in the famous “Battle Roll” of the Conqueror, as coming over with him to England and fighting for him at Hastings, is the name of Creuquere, or Creveceur, Latinized as “De corde Crepito,” which some have rendered “of the craven heart,” not a very likely attribute of a brave soldier. We prefer another rendering, “of the tender heart,” and connect it with the legend of his rescuing a “ladye fayre” at the risk of his own life, who was kept “in durance vile” by a knight of ill repute, in his castle, situated in a lonesome forest. The name also took the alternative form of De Curcy. A de Curcy was seneschal, or High Steward, to Henry I., and it is a name which ranks high still. This Creveceur (we are not sure of his Christian name) was one of a doughty race. Giraldus Kambrensis tells us of one of them, who conquered the Irish kingdom of Ulster in 1177 (Hibernia Expugnata, lib. ii., c. 16, 17), and was created Earl of Ulster. He was of gigantic stature, and in a dispute between Kings Philip of France and John of England, the former sent one of his most redoubted knights to maintain his cause, but, the Creveceur being appointed champion for John, the Frenchman thought it best to show a clean pair of heels and shun the combat. In recognition of his valour this Knight was allowed by King John to wear his hat in the King’s presence, a privilege still enjoyed by Lord Kinsale, the present representative of the family. Lord Forester had the same privilege granted by Henry VIII.

Now the Creveceurs were lords of considerable territory in the neighbourhood of Ashby; for instance, at Bag Enderby, Somersby, Tetford, etc., and in the document “Testa de Nevill” (circa 1215) it is stated that Hugh Fitz Ralph is tenant, under the Barony of Cecilia de Creveceur, of lands in Ashby, Tetford, etc. Other documents lead us back a little further, as an “Assize Roll,” of date A.D. 1202, says that the property came from Matilda de Creveceur, who was the daughter and heir of Gislebert Fitz Gozelin, who held lands at Bag Enderby, etc., and this last is named as owner in Domesday Book.

Another name now appears. By an Assize Roll of 9 Edw. I. (A.D. 1280), Thomas de Houton claims of Robert de Kirketon, and Beatrix his wife, certain “rents and appurtenances in Ashby next Greetham (i.e., Ashby Puerorum), Stainsby,” etc.

The Kirketon family would seem eventually to have acquired a part of the manor of Ashby Puerorum, and from them it passed to Lord Cromwell of Tattershall. A Chancery Inquisition, held at Horncastle in 1453, shews that the College at Tattershall held the advowsons of Ashby Puerorum, Wood Enderby, Moorby, and several other benefices. By an Inquisition of the same date and place, the Jurors state that the Manors of Ashby Puerorum and certain other places belong to the Earl of Albemarle. After that, at the Dissolution of Religious Houses (Tattershall College being one), the King granted to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, most of their lands in the neighbourhood, including those in Ashby Puerorum. This brings us down to 1539. In course of time a general process of dissolution also took place in ownership of land. The lands owned in this parish by the Brandons, were sold (22 Elizabeth, i.e., in 1580) to James Prescott, gentleman, who married a daughter of Sir Richard Molineux, Knight. He had a son, John, whose widow married Lord Willoughby of Parham (Architect. S. Journal vol. xxiii., pp. 128, 9). By a Feet of Fines, held at Lincoln, of the same date, it is shewn that George Gedney, Esq., and his descendents, also had lands in this parish in 20 Henry VII. (A.D. 1504), etc. (Ibidem. p. 27.) All these lands ultimately passed to Tattershall College. But even before that date it would appear, by a Chancery Inquisition, held at Lincoln, A.D. 1504, that Joan Eland, [4] the widow of Thomas Gedney, held lands in Ashby Puerorum, Somersby, and other near places.

Another prominent family now appears as owning the manor of, or at least considerable lands in, Ashby Puerorum, viz., the Wentworths. A tradition remains that Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, in the reign of Charles I., and one of his Sovereign’s most faithful adherents, owned the manor of Greetham. I have not been able fully to verify this, but a lease of that parish was granted in 1685 (see my account of Greetham) to Sir William Wentworth, Knight, of Ashby Puerorum, who was son of Sir William Wentworth, who fell at the battle of Marston Moor, fighting for Charles I. The Parish Award shows that Thomas, Earl of Strafford, was Lord of the Manor in 1705. (“Architect. Soc. Journal,” 1891.)

The succession of the Wentworths to this property probably came about in this wise. We have seen that it passed from the Kirketons [5] to Lord Cromwell, and the Cromwells were succeeded, through a marriage on the female side, by the Fortescues; and Camden (“Britannia,” p. 266, ed. 1695) tells us that a daughter of Sir Adrian Fortescue (who was attainted) being heiress of her mother, married the first Baron Wentworth.

The Wentworths were a very ancient family. They are now represented by the Earls Fitzwilliam, one of whose names is Wentworth, and they own the princely residence of Wentworth Castle, near Rotherham. They trace their descent from Saxon Royalty, in the person of their ancestor, Sir William Fitz Godric, cousin to King Edward the Confessor. (“Beauties of England. Yorkshire,” p. 838.)

It is worthy of note that one of this family, accompanying William the Conqueror to England, fought so valiantly at the battle of Hastings that William gave him a scarf from his own arm (presumably), to stanch a wound. Drake, the historian, in his “Eboracensis,” gives plates of the Wentworth monuments in York Cathedral. The Barony of Wentworth still survives in the present Lord Wentworth, of Wentworth House, Chelsea, its creation dating from 1529.

We have now done with the Wentworths. Their property at Ashby descended, towards the end of the 18th century, to Mr. Stevens Dineley Totton, from whom it passed to Earl Manvers and the Coltman family.

We now take the hamlet of Stainsby, which lies to the north-east, distant about a mile, on the right of the road to Somersby. This was formerly the chief seat, in this neighbourhood, of the Littlebury family. We mention them in our Records of various other parishes. There are mural monuments of them in both Somersby Church and that of Ashby Puerorum; the former is a small brass, about 10in, broad by 14in. high, having a kneeling figure of George Littlebury, with the inscription, “Here lyeth George Littleburie of Somersbie, 7th sonne of Thomas Littleburie of Stainsbie, who died the 13th daye of October, in ye yeare of our Lord 1612, being about the age of 73 yeares.” The Littleburys were a very old family, coming originally from Littlebury Manor, near Saffron Walden, in the county of Essex, A.D. 1138. One of them was Chief Justice of England. Subsequently they had a fine residence at Holbeach Hurn, in South Lincolnshire, and large property in many other places. We have spoken already of the Kirketons, as connected with Ashby Puerorum and Sir Humphrey Littlebury, Knight, whose name appears in the Sheriffs List, in 1324, married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Sir John Kirkton (or Kirton), and so became Lord of Holbeach. Sir John Littlebury [6a] married a daughter of Thomas Meeres, an old and wealthy family, also of Kirton, [6b] and it would seem that it was through this marriage with the Kirtons of Kirton the Littleburys came to Stainsby. Sir Humphrey was buried in Holbeach Church, where there is a very fine tomb of him, now in the north aisle, but formerly “before the altar.” The effigy is that of a knight, encased in armour, the hands joined in prayer, the head resting on a woman’s head, which is enclosed in a net, the feet being supported by a lion. The sides are covered with roses, and there are four niches, with canopies, which probably held figures on a smaller scale. Two views of it are given by C. A. Stoddard, in his “Monumental Effigies of Great Britain” (London, 4to., 1817). The actual date of the Littleburys coming to Stainsby cannot be exactly ascertained, but they were there in the reign of Henry VIII.

A small proprietor in Stainsby is named in a Chancery Inquisition, 19 Henry VII., No. 20 (i.e., A.D. 1503), viz., John H. Etton, who, besides several other lands, held “one messuage and four cottages in Bag Enderby, Stanesby and Someresby,” which lands also passed to Tattershall College. (“Architect. Soc. Journal,” xxiii., p. 21.)

Stainsby (let not my readers be alarmed, for witches and warlocks are out of fashion in this unimaginative, or sceptical, age) has not been without its supernatural associations. I here give a colloquy held, not many months ago, with a quondam resident. (J. C. W. loquitur. F. C. respondet). “Well, C., did you ever hear of a ghost at Stainsby?” “Aye, that I did, mony a year sin’. When I were young, I lived i’ them parts, and I heard o’ one oftens.” “Did you ever see it yourself?” “Noa, I never seed it me-sen, but I knowed several as did.” “Where was it seen?” “Why, i’ mony places.” “Tell me one or two.” “Well, it were seen about Stayensby, haaf a mile afore ye come to Somersby, and it were seen about the esh-planting (notice the ‘esh,’ the old Danish pronunciation still surviving, the Danish for Ashby being Eshe-by), just afore ye go down to the brig o’er the beck.” “Can you name anyone who saw it?” “O, many on ’em, specially gean the brig.” “Name someone.” “Well, a waggoner living at Bag Enderby.” “What was it like?” “Well, a misty kin’ o’ thing. Ye could make nayther heead nor taal on it, only ye knew it was there, and it flitted unaccountable.” [7]

I will here give a few extracts from old documents connected with former owners, which may be of interest from their peculiarity, or otherwise.

John Gedney, of Bag Enderby, in his will, dated 14 June, 1535, mentions his lands in Ashby Puerorum and other parishes.

Margaret Littlebury, widow of Thos. Littlebury, Esq., of Stainsby, by her will, of date 2 January, 1582, requests that she may be buried in the Church of Ashby Puerorum, “near unto my husband.” She bequeaths to the poor of the parish, as also of Greetham, Salmonby, Somersby, Bag Enderby, and Hagg, the lease of the Parsonage of Maidenwell; a sheepwalk there to her sons George and Edward; to her daughter Anne, wife of Thomas Grantham, £10 (N.B.—The Granthams still survive); to her daughter, Elizabeth Fitzwilliam (a good family), £10; to her daughter, Katherine Wythornwyke, £5; to Thomas Dighton, son of Christopher Dighton, deceased (a family connected with several parishes), £10; “to Francis Atkinson, my warrener, 20s.” (“warrener” probably equivalent to gamekeeper). She refers to a schedule of plate, etc., bequeathed by her late husband to his deceased son, Humphrey, to be handed over to his son Thomas. She was a daughter of John St. Paul, of Snarford.

Thomas Littlebury, of Ashby, by will, proved June 10th, 1590, bequeathed to his wife Katherine £100, and “one goblett with gylte cover, two ‘tunnes’ (i.e., cups) parcel gilte, 6 silver spoons of the best, my gylte salte I bought of my uncle Kelke, with a cover.” (The Kelkes were related to the Kirtons of Kirkton). Then follow a number of bequests of property in various parts of the county. The husband makes his executors “my father-in-law, Charles Dymoke, my cousins Andrew Gedney and Thomas Copledike.” (N.B.—These are the Copledikes, of whom so many monuments exist in Harrington Church.)

George Littlebury, of Somersby, by will, dated 10 Sept., 1612, requests to be buried “in the Queare of Somersby Church,” and leaves 2s. to it, and 1s. to Ashby Church, and 1s. to Lincoln Cathedral. He wishes a stone to be placed over his grave, and his arms set in the wall, as his father’s were at Ashby. (N.B.—Both these stones and brasses still exist.)

When the Spanish Armada was expected, among the gentry who contributed to the defence of the country, at the Horncastle Sessions, 1586–7, was “John Littlebury of Hagworthingham Esq. ij. light horse.” At the same time “Thomas Littlebery of Staynsby Esq. [furnished] j. launce [and] j. light horse.” At the “Rising” in Lincolnshire (1536) against Henry VIII., on the Dissolution of the Monasteries, a previous John Littlebury was just deceased, but his son Humphrey took part in it, as also did Robert Littlebury, who was probably a son of Thomas Littlebury, of Stainsby.

The Littleburys and the Langtons of Langton intermarried more than once. In the reign of Henry VIII., Rose, daughter of John Littlebury of Hagworthingham, married John Langton, and in the next century (about 1620) Troth. daughter of Thomas Littlebury of Ashby Puerorum, married a son of Sir John Langton, Knt., High Sheriff of Lincolnshire. (“Architect. Soc. Journal,” vol. xxii., pp. 166–7). Probably it was owing to this connection that we find that Sir John Langton, of Langton, by his will, dated 25 Sept., 1616, leaves 20s. to the poor of Ashby, Langton, and several other places. (N.B.—I am indebted for these particulars to “Lincolnshire Wills,” edited by Canon Maddison of Lincoln.)

The second half of the name of this parish of Ashby Puerorum is derived from the fact that the rent of certain lands in the parish were assigned towards the support of the choristers of Lincoln Cathedral, which is now raised by a general rate of the parish, and, accordingly, the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln are patrons of the benefice, a vicarage [9] which is now held by the Rev. Robert Ward, who resides at Hagworthingham.

One of the early Norman Barons, probably Gislebert Fitz Gozelin, erected here a gallows (Hundred Rolls, A.D. 1275). The site of this is not now known, unless it may be traced in a part of the parish lying in an easterly direction from the village, and named “Knowles,” possibly a corruption for “Knoll Hill,” a rising ground on which a gallows might well be placed as a conspicuous warning for future would-be offenders. A lane in the parish is called Galley Lane, which again may point to the former gallows.

Another field-name in the parish is not without interest, viz., Peaseholme. We have Peasedale gate (i.e., road) in Hameringham, Peasegate Lane at Spilsby, Peasewang (i.e., field) in High Toynton, and similar names in Louth and elsewhere. All these are indicating the general use of pulse as an article of diet in those early times.

Near the western end of the village is a farm named “Clapgate,” so called because the fugitive Royalists, after the battle of Winceby (Oct. 11, 1643), kept a neighbouring gate clapping all night in their haste to escape. Near this is a footpath across the fields, which leads to Holbeck Lodge, and here again, till recently, survived the same name, “Clapgate,” because there was formerly a gate near Holbeck Lodge, on the now high road to Salmonby, which was also kept in motion by other fugitives, to the disturbance of the slumbers of those living near. And this brings us to Holbeck, the other hamlet comprised in the parish of Ashby Puerorum, commonly described as “an extra-parochial liberty.”

The name Holbeck contains two Danish, or Norse, elements. “Hol” implies a hollow, connected with our word “hole.” We have it in the German Swiss Eulenthal, or hollow dale. “Beck” is Norse, corresponding to the German “bach,” as in Schwabach, Staubbach, Reichenbach, etc. Thus Holbech means a beck or stream running through a hollow. [10] The name Holbeck still exists in Denmark. Thus we have a name, like so many (as already remarked) in the vicinity, shewing the great immigration of Danes in this neighbourhood. There is also a Holbeck near Leeds, to which the Danes, who came up the Humber, extended their settlements. At the back, to the north of the present Holbeck Hall, is the rising ground named “Hoe Hill.” This again indicates the same. The How, or Hoe, is probably the Norse “Hof,” a holy place (found in such names as Ivanhoe, Ivinghoe, Piddinghoe, etc.), or it may have been the Norse “Haughr,” a burial place. In that case it may have been held sacred as the burial place of some Viking chief, who led his followers in their invasion of the district. It may be described as a truncated, and rather obtuse, cone, with a dyke, or scarpment, running round it, like a collar round the neck. There is a How Hill near Harrogate. We have also Silver-how, Bull-how, and Scale-how, which were probably the burial places of the chiefs Solvar, Boll, and Skall. But whether or not it once served these purposes, there can be little doubt that it has been a Danish encampment, and probably a stronghold of the Briton at a still earlier period. The dyke would form the outer defence of the height above, from which to charge down upon an enemy, laboriously breasting the hill, with overwhelming advantage to the defenders. Geologically, Hoe Hill is interesting, the ironstone, of which it is composed, being so totally different from the sandstone of Holbeck below. These lower rocks are said to be still the haunt of that much-baited, but harmless animal, the badger.

As to former owners of Holbeck, old title deeds show that it was formerly the property of Augusta Ann Hatfield Kaye, sister of Frederick Thomas, Earl of Stafford, who also, as we have seen, was lord of the manor of Ashby. She died at Wentworth Castle, and was buried at St. John’s Church, Wakefield, May 4, 1802, as I am informed by the present owner, F. W. S. Heywood, Esq. Old documents, still existing, show that the house at Holbeck was formerly called “The Grange,” and from this we may fairly infer that, before the Dissolution of the Monasteries, it was a “Grange,” or dependency, of Tattershall College, which owned other lands in Ashby. The site was well adapted for a monastic house, as they invariably chose a position near water, this being necessary for the supply of fish, which formed so large a portion of their diet when fasting days were so many.

Like some other parts of this parish, Holbeck also passed, at a later period, into the ownership of Mr. Stevens Dineley Totton, from whom Mr. John Fardell, of the Chantry, Lincoln, and formerly M.P. for that city, purchased this manor, about 1830. He took down the old residence, then a farmhouse, occupied by a Mr. Hewson, several of whose family are buried in the churchyard at Ashby, and built Holbeck Lodge, forming also the three lakes out of an extent of morass traversed by a brook, or beck. Portions of the old stables and outhouses still remain, but an interesting old circular dovecote [12a] was removed. There was, at that time, a watermill and cottage at the lower end of the lake. [12b]

The Lodge was subsequently bought by a Mr. Betts, but, through mortgages, it became the inheritance of a Miss Cunliffe, from whom Mr. Heywood recently bought it. This gentleman has made considerable improvements and additions to the residence, and one or two interesting discoveries have been made. In sinking a well there was found, at a depth of 20ft., an old key; also, as workmen were trying to trace a drain under the lawn, one of them dropped into a hollow below, where arches were found, apparently of ancient vaults. [12c] The monks of old knew what was meant by a good cellar, and these probably formed a part of the original monastic institution.

I now proceed to a description of the church of Ashby in the words of the late learned Precentor Venables, who gave it, on the visit of the Architectural Society in 1894 (which I conducted). “The chancel was restored in 1869 by the Patrons, the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln. The rest was restored in 1877. The fabric consists of nave, north aisle chancel, porch, and western tower, having 2 bells. The main building is of the Early English style. A lancet window still remains in the south wall, and at the west end of the aisle. The other windows of the nave are mostly Perpendicular. On the south side of the chancel is a two-light square-headed window of the Decorated period. The arcade has two chamfered arches, on low cylindrical piers. The tower is low, of Perpendicular style, the green sandstone, picturesquely patched with brick, giving a mellowed tint to the whole. The west doorway is well proportioned, and the three-light Perpendicular window above it, and the tower arch are plain, but good. The font is plain octagonal. On the south wall is a brass to Richard Littlebury, of Stainsby, who died A.D. 1521, also his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Edmund Jenny, died in 1523, and their ten children. [13] Haines says that this brass was not cut till 1560, at the same time with another of a knight in armour, without inscription, probably one of the six sons. In the pavement is a very fine incised slab of blue marble, representing a priest in Eucharistic vestments, with chalice on his breast. The head, hands, chalice, and other portions were of brass, but have disappeared.” An interesting discovery was made in this parish rather more than 100 years ago, a description of which I here give in the words of Saunders (“Hist. County Lincoln,” vol. ii., p. 170, 1), who gives particulars more fully than any other authority I have been able to consult. “On the 26th of October, 1794, a labourer, cutting a ditch (the actual site is not given) discovered at a depth of three feet below the surface a Roman sepulchre, consisting of a stone chest, in which was deposited an urn of strong glass, well manufactured, but of a greenish hue; the chest was of freestone, such as is found in abundance on Lincoln heath. When found the urn was perfect and had not suffered any of that decay which generally renders the surface of Roman glass of a pearly or opaline hue, for the surface was as smooth as if it had newly come from the fire. This receptacle was nearly filled with small pieces of bone, many of which, from the effects of ignition, were white through their whole substance; and among the fragments was a small lacrymatory of very thin, and very green, glass, which had probably been broken through the curiosity of the finder, as he acknowledged his having poured out the contents upon the grass in the hope of finding money, before he took it to his employer. The circumstances attending this sepulchre clearly prove it to have been Roman. It is, however, singular that the place chosen was not, as was customary with that people, near to a highway, and that it does not appear to have been the burial place of a family, since, although the trench was dug quite across the field, no traces of a body having been buried in any other part of it were observed. . . . No traces of the Romans have been observed here . . . except that some coins of brass or copper were dug up in an orchard at Stainsby, said to have been Roman, but as they were not preserved this must remain doubtful. . . . The locality, however, is so adapted, for various reasons, to the Roman villa, that Sir Joseph Banks, in an article communicated to ‘Archæologia,’ vol. xii., p. 36, thought it ‘not improbable that such a residence might some day be discovered, the Roman town of Banovallum being so near, with a number of Roman roads branching through the country.’”

The name of Stainsby itself indicates a considerable antiquity, meaning the stones-farm. This may have been from stepping-stones over the Somersby beck, near at hand or from some quarry of the sandstone in the vicinity, still so largely used. The stones were evidently the distinguishing feature of the locality.

P.S.—The writer is requested to say that he is in error in connecting the family of Coltman of Ashby with that of the Pocklington Coltman of Hagnaby, the two being quite distinct.