A History of Horncastle Part 29

LANGRIVILLE.

Langriville, so called because it is near Langrick (or Long Creek) on the Witham, has an area of 2,514 acres, including Langrick Ferry; rateable value 3,300. The population is entirely engaged in agriculture. The nearest railway station is at Langrick, in the parish.

It consists of the southern portion of Wildmore Fen, which at the enclosure was allotted to the Earl of Stamford and Warrington, in lieu of his manorial rights over Armtree and Wildmore; with other lands sold by the Drainage Commissioners, early in the 19th century. The Earl's estates afterwards pa.s.sed, by purchase, to the late J. Fretwell Bramley and others. The present Lord of the Manor is Lord Malcolm, of Poltallock; and he, the Rector of Coningsby, the executors of Lady Ingram Watkin, J. Linton, Esq., of Stirtcoe, Buckden, Herts., Harrison Hayter, Esq., W. Goodenough Hayter, Esq., Mr. Jonathan Fox, of Boston, E.

Harrison, Esq., and Mr. William Pepper are the largest land owners.

A small brick church was erected in 1831, consisting of nave, chancel and bell turret; and repaired and improved in 1885, by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The Bishop of Lincoln is patron; and the Rev. W.

Fitz-Harry Curtis is the inc.u.mbent, who has here a residence, with an income of 320 a year.

The Wesleyans have a chapel at Langrick Ferry, also in Armtree Road. By an order in council, dated 26th August, 1881, Langriville and Thornton-le-Fen were united, under the t.i.tle of "The Consolidated Chapelry of Wildmore." There is a church at each place. At the time of the enclosure fen allotments were a.s.signed to various of the older parishes, and these are many of them now included in this modern district, comprising parts of Fishtoft Fen, of Coningsby, of Kirkstead, Scrivelsby, Woodhall, Dalderby, and Martin. The entire area is now 10,500 acres, and population 1,470.

The National School, erected in 1857, is at Gipsy Bridge, now under a School Board.

THORNTON-LE-FEN.

Thornton-le-Fen adjoins Langriville, lying to the east of it, about three miles from Langrick railway station. The area was originally about 1,425 acres, including Bunkers Hill, part of Gipsy Bridge, and other scattered farms, which were sold by the Drainage Commissioners early in the 19th century, when it was made, by Act of Parliament, a parochial towns.h.i.+p.

Rateable value 1,979. It has its name from the former chief proprietors, the Thornton family; but the chief land owners now are Lord Malcolm of Poltalloch, the Pepper, Ireland, Creasey, Ward, and Wilc.o.c.k families. The soil is clay, and very fertile.

The church, which was built on the Fen Chapel Estates in 1816, is a small brick building, containing 200 sittings; the benefice, valued at 100 a year, is in the gift of the Bishop of Lincoln, and by order in council, dated 26th August, 1881, was consolidated with the chapelry of Langriville; the two being of the united yearly value of 320, and held by the Rev. W. Fitz-Harry Curtis, who resides at the latter place.

A good school and master's house were erected in 1880, by the School Board of Wildmore Fen, at a cost of about 1,200, to accommodate 168 children. The Wesleyans have a chapel at New York and Bunkers' Hill.

The Primitive Methodists have also a chapel.

The Ecclesiastical Commissioners, to whom the Fen Chapel Estates were transferred in 1876, pay 120 a year for a curate, who now is the Rev.

Harold E. Curtis. The total area is now 10,500 acres, and population 1,470.

NOTE.-Other parishes have once been in the Soke of Horncastle, which no longer belong to it. _Domesday Book_ gives Scrivelsby, "Langton and (its) Thorpe" (from which I write; "Thorpe" being doubtless the outlying district recently known as Langton St. Andrew), and also Edlington. How these became separated is not known. As suggested by the author of _Scrivelsby_, _the home of the Champions_, Scrivelsby, as a barony of the Marmyon and Dymoke families, would probably be separated by payment of a fine; such powerful families preferring not to be sub-ordinated to another manor. Several Dymokes, however, were buried at Horncastle, where are their monuments.