{123}

HISTORY OF

Burgh-le-Marsh,

LINCOLNSHIRE.

{124}{Blank}

{Facing page 125}

Burgh Church

{125}

History of Burgh-le-Marsh, Lincolnshire

BURGH is a small market town, situate in the Marsh division of the Wapentake of Candleshoe, and hence it is frequently termed “Burgh in the Marsh.”

Its distance from Wainfleet is five miles, and from Spilsby eight miles.

The name of this place, affording as it does undoubted proof of its Roman origin, claims for it the attention of the Antiquary. Stukeley describes it as having been a Roman Castrum to guard the sea-coast, probably against the Saxon rovers. He supposed that the Romans had forts all along the eastern coast of the kingdom, and that this bay was defended by five, viz. two upon the edges of the high country, and three upon the rivers. The fort on the Norfolk coast he supposed to have been at Brancaster; on the Lincolnshire side at Burgh; and one each at Wisbech, Spalding, and Boston.

Burgh is situate on a piece of very high ground, partly natural and partly raised by Roman labour, overlooking the widely extended marshes, probably in early times overflowed by the sea, at least in spring tides. There are two artificial tumuli, one very high, called Cockrill. Roman coins have frequently been found in Saint Mary’s deserted churchyard.

{126} A very large and fair Antoninus Pius in brass Cos. III., was, when Dr. Stukeley visited this place, in the possession of a Thomas Linney, Skeletons were frequently dug up, at the same period, in the yards and gardens about the town. There are no remaining appearances of there having been a vallum or ditch around the town.

From the summit of the hill, referred to above, there is a very extensive view of the surrounding country.

The prospect on the West over the Wolds reaches West Keal. The country on this side being well wooded, and abounding with hills and dales, presents a most delightful landscape. The view on the other sides of the hill, being over the flat marshes, which are almost entirely destitute of wood, extends to a great distance. On the North, the Churches of Welton, Orby, Huttoft, Hogsthorpe, Mumby, Anderby, and Cumberworth, with the Hall at Boothby, are distinctly seen, and on the Fast, on which side the prospect is bounded by the German Ocean and the Norfolk coast, those of Addlethorpe, Ingoldmells, Winthorpe, and Skegness.

On the South may be seen the Churches of Croft, Wainfleet All Saints and Saint Mary’s, Thorpe, Friskney, and in the background those of Boston and Sibsey. On the West, Bratoft, Irby, Halton, Spilsby, and Gunby, with the Hall at the latter place.

The account of this parish in the record of Domesday is as follows:—

Land of Earl Alan. Soke. In Burgh is soke of Drayton, One carucate and a half of land to be taxed. Land to twelve oxen. Three sokemen and two villanes and three bordars have there one {127} plough and a half. Land of Eudo, son of Spirewic. Calnodeshow Wapontake. Manor in Burgh, Goodwin and Tochi and Godric had nine oxgangs of land to be taxed. Land to as many oxen. Eudo and two of his vassals have there one plough and five villanes and four bordars and three sokemen with one plough and eighty-five acres of meadow. Value in the King Edward’s time forty shillings, now twenty-three shillings. Inland in Burgh. One sokeman has there six oxen in a plough. There are one hundred and sixty acres of meadow. Soke in Burgh. One vassal has there one ox in a plough, and thirty acres of meadow. Inland in Burgh. Three villanes have there two oxen in a plough, and four acres of meadow, and two salt-pits of sixteen pence.

Manor in Candlesby. Soke. In Burgh is soke one carucate of land to be taxed. Land to one plough. One sokeman has one plough there. Soke in the same. Sortebrand, a Saxon Thane, has one ox-gang of land to be taxed. Land to one ox, Manor in West Keal. Soke in Burgh. Four sokemen and two villanes and two bordars have there six oxen in a plough, and eighty acres of meadow. Berewick. In the same, three ox-gangs of land and the fourth part of one ox-gang to be taxed. Land to four oxen. Land of Gilbert de Gaunt. Soke in Bardney. In Burgh is eight carucates of land to be taxed. Land to as many ploughs, twenty-one sokemen and eleven villanes and three bordars have there six ploughs and one Church and five hundred acres of meadow. Land of Colegrine Manor. In Burgh Archil had six ox-gangs and a half of land to be taxed. Land to as many oxen. And one mill of twenty shillings and eight acres of meadow and three acres of coppice wood. Value in King Edward’s time thirty shillings now forty. Berewic. {128} In Ekintune is two ox-gangs and a half of meadow, belonging to Burgh, Inland. Manor. In Burgh, Archil has five ox-gangs of land to be taxed. Land to six oxen. There are two sokemen with one plough. Value in King Edward’s time and now three shillings.

Robert Dispenser was returned as holding lands here at the same period.

Earl Alan, noticed above as a proprietor of lands in this parish, was Earl of Brittany and Richmond, and nephew of the Conqueror. In the division of the landed property of the kingdom amongst the military adventurers who by their prowess advanced him to the throne, William gave to this Earl the confiscated estates of the Saxon Earl Edwin, the eldest son of Algar, Earl of Mercia.

If, therefore, the property possessed by the Earls of Richmond, in Burgh, formed a part of the immense estate of the unfortunate Edwin, it will of course follow that a part of this parish was prior to the Conquest in the possession of the Earls of Mercia.

The Richmond estates continued in the possession of the Dukes of Brittany until the reign of Henry II., when Ranulph, Earl of Chester, became possessed of them, by his marriage with Constance, widow of Geoffrey Plantagenet, and daughter and heiress of Conan, Duke of Brittany; but after the death of the Earl of Chester the estates reverted to their former possessors. In the reign of Henry III., they were seized into the hands of the King, who bestowed them upon Peter of Savoy, the uncle of Queen Eleanor.

When the Testa de Nevill inquisition was taken, temp., Henry III., the Prior of Bolington, and his tenants, held in Burgh the eighth part of {129} one knight’s fee of Lady Beatrice de Mumby, and she of Peter de Sabauda who held it of the King in capite. Roger de Cressi and Gab, fr de Burgo and John, the son of Alan, held in this place the eighth part of one knight’s fee of the aforesaid Beatrice, and she of Peter de Sabauda who held it ut supra. Alan de Mumby held in Burgh the eighth part of a knight’s fee of the honor of Richmond which the Prior of Bolington held of him.

In 1333, Peter de Gibthorp died, seized of lands and tenements in Burgh, Winthorpe-Mumby, and other places of the honor of Richmond. Alexander, his son and heir, the same year did homage for one messuage and all other lands and tenements which his father held at the time of his death, in Burgh and Winthorpe.

In 1345, Richard Graymagh, of Burgh, and others held certain lands, etc., in Burgh of the Prior of Bolington, parcel of the honor of Richmond. Eudo, the son of Spirewic, was founder of the Tateshall family. Robert Lord Tateshall had property in this parish in the reign of Henry III. His grandson Robert died in 1302, without issue, when the inheritance was divided between his three sisters, viz., Emma, married to Sir Osbert Cayley; Joan, wife of Sir Robert Driby; and Isabel, married to Sir John Orreby. In this partition of the property, the estate at Burgh came into the possession of Sir Robert Driby, whose daughter and heir, Alice, married Sir William Bernake, whose grandson, William, dying without issue in his minority, left Maud his sister, wife to Ralph de Cromwell, his heir. From this family the property descended by a female heiress to the Willoughbys de Eresby, in whose possession it still continues.

{130} Bernake Hall stood a little to the S.W. of the town. What remains of the premises is converted into a farmhouse, in which the “manorial courts” are occasionally held. Connected with this family was Walter Bernak, who in 1331 died, seized of lands in this parish; and Sir Hugh Bernak whose grand-daughter married Thomas Massingberd, in 1434. A.D. 1199, Richard I., confirmed to the Abbey of Revesby, the estates belonging to it in Burgh; (26th Henry VIII.) the possessions of this Abbey in Burgh were valued at £6 16s. 8d. per annum. Walter Marescall, Earl of Pembroke, held the town of Burgh of the King, as the honor of Pumfrays in the reign of Henry III.

Walter Bee, Symon de Kyme, William de Scremby, and William de Brayton, held lands here at the same period. Gilbert Blanchard held in this parish the fourth part of a knight’s fee of Gilbert de Gaunt who held it of the King in capite.

In the succeeding reign, Robert de Scremby held lands in Burgh of Gilbert de Gaunt. Lady Matilda de Lacy and Symon de Kyme also possessed lands in Burgh in this reign. In 1256, William, son of Philip de Kyme, and his wife Lucy, gave to the Priory of Bolington, all the lands held of them in Burgh, by the said Priory, with the patronage and advowson of the Church at Burgh. Symon de Kyme confirmed to the said Priory a donation of William, son of Gilbert de Sceggenesse, of one toft and three acres of land in Burgh.

One messuage in Burgh juxta Wainfleet was held of the Priory of Bolington, by Nicholas Bolingbrok, in 1312, In 1315, the same messuage was held by J. Rasshe; in 1323, by Alanus de Rawe; and in 1349, by John Castelor de Kyme and William de la Chaumbres.

{131} A.D. 1309, Peter de Gibthorp had a grant of free warren in Burgh. The same privilege was granted in 1400, (2nd Henry IV.) to John Weston, who also obtained a Charter to hold a market and fair in Burgh-le-Marsh. In 1303, the possessions appertaining to the fee of Gaunt in Burgh were estimated at four parts of a knight’s fee. In 1338, Henry de Bellmonte, Earl of Buchan, was in possession of the above property. His grandson, Sir Henry de Bellmonte, held it in 1373.

In 1316, John de Orreby died, seized of lands in Burgh of the annual value of forty shillings. The succeeding year, Robert de Wylughby, who had married Margaret de Orreby, had an estate in Burgh and Winceby, valued at thirty shillings per annum. In 1326, Peter de Scremby obtained a licence to appropriate a lay fee in Burgh and elsewhere, to the support of a chaplain in Scremby.

A.D. 1346, the Abbot of Bardney gave to the Priory of Greenfield, lands in Burgh and elsewhere of the annual value of ten pounds. The Abbey of Bardney possessed at the period of its dissolution, rents in kind in Burgh and Winthorpe, amounting yearly to five pounds fifteen shillings.

The Massingberd family had a residence in Burgh as early as 1434. An ancient building termed Whitehouse, situate a short distance from the town southward, continued in the possession of the Massingberds until very lately. Augustine Massingberd, Esq., purchased the lands belonging to Sir John Markham in this parish in 1538. About the year 1520, William Smyth, LL.D., Archdeacon of Lincoln (nephew of William Smyth, Bishop of Lincoln, one of the founders of Brasenose College, Oxford), purchased for the sum of £360, of John Newdigate, Serieant-at-Law, of {132} Lincoln’s Inn, the manor of Sutton, with lands in Skegness, Winthorpe, and Burgh. John Newdigate was ancestor of the baronets of that name. He married Amphilicia, daughter of John Nevill, of Sutton, who being heiress to her father, was a party with her husband in the sale of the estate, and in suffering a recovery to secure the right of the purchaser. The Archdeacon afterwards settled these estates upon Brasenose College, Oxford. They were valued in 1541, (33rd Henry VIII.) at £XXVI, IVs. VId. per annum.

The following particulars respecting Burgh are extracted from the “Inquisitiones Post-Mortem.”—

“In 1554, Thomas Philipson died, seized of one messuage, thirty acres of pasture, etc., in Skalflet in Burgh in the Marsh; leaving issue two sons, James and Gilbert. George Cutler, Gent., of Folkingham, possessed at the time of his death in 1556, one capital messuage (£7 16s. 8d.), and divers lands in this place, held of the heirs of Lord Willoughby, by fealty and sevenpence halfpenny rent. He left issue by Winifred Dysones, one son, John, his heir, with remainder to Francis, son of Robert Harrington.

“In 1558, William Reade, of Wrangle, possessed, as heir of Thomas Reade, Gent., deceased, one capital messuage, fourteen others, one dove-house, one windmill, nine orchards, two hundred and ninety-three acres of land, one hundred acres of marsh, and two shillings rent, in Burgh. Winthorpe, Wrangle, Leake, Leverton, and Bennington.

“In 1606, Humphrey Corbett, Esq., died, seized of one capital messuage (41s.), twenty acres of land, and one hundred and sixty acres of pasture in Croft and Burgh, held of the King in capite {133} by the fortieth part of a knight’s fee, he left issue one son, Rowland. In 1630, John Day, Gent., possessed at the time of his death, eight acres of land in Burgh called Bassetts, held of the manor of Winthorpe, by fealty and suit of court. He had three sons, Thomas, John, and Francis.

“A.D. 1637, George Cracroft, Esq., died, seized of three messuages (£5 17s.), and one cottage in Burgh, and one hundred and forty-six acres of land in Burgh, Bratoft, and Gunby. By Elizabeth, sister to Sir Charles Bolles, he left issue Charles his heir, William, Robert, John and five daughters.”

There were formerly two Churches in this place; one of them which was dedicated to Saint Mary, has long ago been demolished. The burying ground attached to it, was afterwards made use of by the General Baptists as a place of sepulture, and it is now converted into a garden.

The Church at present used by the inhabitants is dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul. It is built on the same plan as most of the marsh Churches, consisting of a nave, north and south aisles, chancel, and tower at the west end. The nave is surrounded by an embattled parapet, and supported by five light pointed arches, over which is a row of handsome clerestory windows.

The beauty of this Church has been much impaired by the removal of the tracery work out of the windows in both aisles, to give more light to the body of the Church.

Two Chapels, one at the east end of each aisle, are separated from the nave by Gothic fretwork.

The font and pedestal are octagonal. In each compartment round the bowl is a blank shield; {134} the cover is carved and surmounted by a spire raised on eight double pillars: on the top of the spire is an eagle gilt, with extended wings and holding in its mouth a baton and bottle.

The pulpit is made of dark oak, and is very handsomely carved; the following inscription points out the time of its erection;—“1623, John Houlden.”

The lectern is a massive eagle, hand-carved in oak, in 1874, by a local artist (Jabez Good, hair-dresser, Burgh), and was placed in its present position, in 1875, as a memorial to Bishop Tozer, who was Vicar of Burgh from 1858 to 1863, and eventually became the Bishop of the Universities’ Mission, Zanzibar.

The cost was defrayed by public subscription.

At the west end of the nave, over the door leading to the tower, is a spacious singing gallery, at the back of which is a painting of the Royal Psalmist playing on his harp; below the picture are two inscriptions, one taken from Col. ii., 16, the other from Psalm cxviii., 5, 7.

The tower is surrounded by a highly ornamented embattled parapet, and surmounted by a lanthorn and pinnacle. It contains eight bells. Each is inscribed as follows:—

1st Bell.The gift of Charles Walls. Physician and Warden, 1898.

Life giving Spirit, o’er us move,
As on the formless deep;
Give life and order, light and love,
Where now is death or sleep.

John Taylor & Son, Loughborough, Leicestershire.

{Facing page 135}

Lectern

{135}

2nd.The gift of Charles Walls. Physician and Warden, 1898.

D. J. White, Vicar.

“Age to age, and shore to shore,
Praise Him, praise Him ever more.”

John Taylor & Son, Loughborough, Leicestershire.

3rd.John Dawson, Church Warden, gave this bell, 1868, to the glory of God, and for the use of his Church.

“O come let us sing unto the Lord.”

J. Taylor and Co., Founders, Loughborough.

4th.This bell first belonged to the old Church at Wainfleet All Saints, A.D. 1820, and in 1868 was re-cast and re-hung.

“We praise Thee, O God.”

J. Taylor and Co., Founders, Loughborough.

5th.Wm. Harrison, Founder, Barrow, 1820.

6th.“I sweetly tolling men do call,
To taste on meats that feed the soul.” 1616.

7th.“Wm. Paulett chimed so well,
He paid for casting of this bell.”

John Kime, 1589.

8th.“Learn of John Houlden, all good Xtian people,
Who gave this bell to grace this Church and steeple.” 1616.

“Ting tang.—Jesus be our speed.” 1633.

{136} Hollis’ Notes on this Church are as follows:

On a gravestone.

Hic Jacet Gilbertus Knaresburgh Armig. qui obiit 17° die mensis. Januarii Ano Dmo 1442. Cujus Animae proprietor Deus.

In a window in the north aisle.

Ermine, on a chief dented G. three crosses, Arg. Thuxland.

Ermine, on a fesse G. mullet Arg. Quadring.

In another window.

Orate pro animabus Johns Halding et Matilde uxis ejus.

The following monumental inscriptions are at present in the Church and Churchyard:—

On a grey stone within the rails by which the communion table is surrounded.

Mr. Jo. Curteyne in Mednu. Baccarii. Reliquiae qui obiit, Oct. 18, 1669.

On a similar stone also within the rails.

Mr. Jo. Drope in Medna. Baccarii. Reliquiae qui obiit, Aug. 27th, 1669.

On a slab in the middle aisle.

Here lies the body of Wm. Sands, who died in the 51st year of his age, on the 10th of Feb., 1750.

{137}

On a plate of brass affixed to a slab in the north aisle.

“Quis jacet hic? Leonardus Palmerus Generosus.
Quæ coniux delecta fuit? Catherina, Quis.
Hæres? Christopher (Cui nupta Ana est) Quis fili alter?
Robertus, Gnatæ quot erat? tres. Elizabetha,
Ac Maria, Ac Helena. An superant? Superant.
Ubi Mens est defuncti rogitas? Dubio procul astra petivit.
Obiit Die Martii Octavo, Anno. Dom. 1610. Ætats suæ 70.”*

*who lies here? leonard palmer, gentleman.
who was his dear wife?—catherine.
who his heir?—christopher (to whom anne was married).
who his other son?—robert.
how many daughters had he?—three—elizabeth, mary, and helen.
do they survive?—they do.
do you inquire where the soul of the deceased is?
doubtless it has sought the stars.
he died on the eighth day of march, a.d. 1610, in the 70th year of his age.

On a slab in the south aisle.

Here lieth interred Rose Quadring, douter to Mr. John Quadring, and Sara, his wife, Sept. 20th, 1667.

On a mural table affixed to the north wall of the Nave near the chancel.

Sacred to the memory of Charlotte Cooke, who departed this life, May the 15th, 1812, aged 21 years. Also of Mary Anne Cooke, who departed this life, Sept. the 27th, 1812, aged 20 years; daughters of William Cooke, Esq., and Elizabeth, his wife.

{138}

On an altar tombstone in the Churchyard.

In memory of John Cooke, Gent., who died July ye 12th, 1773.

Time flies swift, death no man will spare,
Serve God in time with all thy care;
Death will come, Time will have an end,
In time serve God, and death’s thy friend.

On another.

Sacred to the memory of Mary Cooke, wife of John Cooke, Esq., who died, etc.

The two tombstones containing the above inscriptions are surrounded by handsome iron pallisades.

On another.

In memory of John Cotman of this parish, Apothecary, who departed this life May ye 17th, 1738. Aged 80 years. Also by him lyeth all his children he had by Eliz. Dau, of Laban Bee, viz., Anne, John, William, Mary. And Elizabeth, who died his widow, 15th Oct., 1780. Aged 76.

On another.

Here lyeth ye body of William Chapman (eldest son of William Chapman, of Skegness), who died ye 9th of March, 1704, in the 44th year of his age. Here lyeth six of his sons and four of his daughters, by Margaret, his wife, viz.:—

{139} And also the body of Thomas Chapman, youngest son of Will. Chapman, of Skegness, and brother of the deceased, William Chapman.

All you when liveing
did know me,
prepare for death when
this you see.
For loss of time is much,
The loss of truth is more,
the loss of Christ is such
the world cannot restore.

On another tombstone.

Here lyeth Robert Stone, Esquire, interred March 9th Day, 1658. Here lyeth the body of Robt. Stone, Gent., Interred July ye 8th, 1729. Ætat 94.

On another.

Here lyeth the body of the Reverend Mr. Charles Burnett, Vicar of Burgh, who departed this life, Feb. ye 20th. 1717-18. Aged 44. Heb. 13, 7. Remember them, etc.

Burgh Church, as before noted, was given in 1256 to the Priory of Bolington. The living is a discharged vicarage, formerly valued in the King’s book at £13 6s. 8d., and returned as being of the clear yearly value of £26 2s. 5d, It is united to Winthorpe. The living of both parishes was only £20 per annum, until the time of Bishop Green, who augmented it to £40. The Bishop of Lincoln is patron and Lord Monson lessee of the tythes. The present incumbent is the Rev. W. Barnes, 1829. “A.D. 1653, Humphrey Harvie and Dorothy Archer, of Firsby, were published in the market of Burgh, January 26th, February 2nd and 9th, and were marryed ye said 9th daye.” {140} From this time to August 14th, 1656, there were fifty marriages, the banns of thirty-five are stated to have been “published in the market,” and the rest “in the church.”

In the beginning of the 16th century, John Holden, of Burgh, enfeoffed Thomas Broding and others in an estate, consisting of a messuage and fifty-one acres and one rood of land, with the appurtenances in the town and fields of Burgh, Bratoft, Irby, Skegness, and Winthorpe, for the term of ninety-nine years, the profit arising from the estate to be applied to certain purposes specified in his will, bearing date March 14th, 1503, of which the following is an abstract:—

“First, I will that twenty acres of land that I bought of Thomas Tuttoft, Esq., and twelve acres in Skegness, and five acres called oxettings, and one messuage with six acres and a rood, which newly was Alice Brown’s and Thomas Arnow’s, whereof all those immediately after my decease, I will that they be let to farm by my feoffees then being, and the churchwardens for that time, with three or four of the most honest men of the parish of Burgh, unto the term and end of 100 years, save one; and the money therefore received yearly go to the exhibition of a lawful priest, being of good disposition and honest conversation, able to serve God every holiday that service is there kept by rote. Also other double feasts in the year, and he to sing in the north quyer of the said Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul (where I will lye), except that I will that the said priest sing one day in the week in the Church of our Lady, in the same parish, and four days in the year at Irby, that shall be every quarter one. Also, I will and charge that eight acres of land, the which was newly William Wyberds’, be put {141} and go to the same use above written. Provided always that as soon as there be but three or four of the said feoffees in life, that the said churchwardens in being for that time, with the counsel of the four as is above mentioned, enfeoffee eight or nine honest persons unto the true performance of this my last will. And then I will after the end of the said hundred years, save one, all the land and tenements be sold by my feoffees and the churchwardens, with the counsel of the four of the said parish, and the money therefore received to be disposed under this form and condition in the first to the Church of Saint Peter in Burgh to the work thereof £6 13s. 4d. Item, to be distributed in alms, within the said parish, £3 6s. 8d. Also to the mending of a causeway within the said parish, £3 6s. 8d. To the churchwardens of Irby, £6 13s. 4d. To the mending a highway betwixt Irby Church and Thorpe Mill, £3 6s. 8d. To the mending a way from Sutton Cross to Wainfleet Town’s End, £5. The residue of the said money not spent, will be equally distributed by even portions for the mending of vestments and necessaries of the Churches of Burgh and Irby.

And all those are the souls which the said priest shall sing for. John Holdyon and Maud, Symon Holdyon and Maude, Thomas Arnow and Julian, and for all my benefactors and good doers.”

John Holden, the testator, died the 24th of the same month in which his will is dated, leaving issue one son, Simon, who occupied the tenement and its appurtenances. Simon dying without issue, the use of the property descended to his cousin William, the son of Richard Holden, his father’s brother.

{142} From the death of John Holden to the 35th Henry VIII, a priest was found and sustained with the profits arising from the estate according to the specifications of the will. From that period to the end of the ninety-nine years it does not appear in what way the rents were applied. At the expiration of that term, the whole of the property was seized by Thomas Massingberd, the elder, Esq., and the issues and profits of the same were applied by him to his own use; from which circumstance we may infer that the feoffees had all of them departed this life, without having appointed others to fulfil the same office. To recover possession of the property for the use of the parish, Mr. Richard Maxey, one of the churchwardens, procured an inquisition to be taken at Louth, the 19th of September, 1607, before Sir William Pelham, Sir Thomas Grantham, and Sir Roger Halton, Knights, Thomas Hatcliffe, and Edward Skipwith, Esqs., commissioners appointed amongst others, according to the tenor of a statute made 43rd Elizabeth, entitled, “An Act to redress the misemployment of Lands, Goods, and Stocks of money heretofore given to charitable uses,” by whom a decree was made that the said Thomas Massingberd, the elder, should deliver up the said messuage and lands to Christopher Palmer and William Trew, who were Churchwardens of Burgh, when the aforesaid term of ninety-nine years expired; and that he should pay or cause to be paid, on the 21st of September following, in the north porch of the Church at Burgh, the sum of twenty pounds for the time he had enjoyed the messuage and forty-three acres and one rood of land, and thirteen shillings and four-pence for the time he had possessed the remaining eight acres. The following is also abstracted from the decree of the aforesaid commissioners:—“And forasmuch as the inhabitants of the said towns of Burgh and {143} Ireby do fear and stand in doubt as they have related unto us, that if the premises be sold, the money coming of such sale will not be well preserved in time to come, but will be wasted as other stocks and sums of money heretofore given to charitable uses within the said towns have been: and therefore have made humble suit unto us, the said Commissioners, that the premises may be kept. And for that the yearly revenues of the premises partly now have, and in a short time will perform the present payment in the said Will mentioned.

We do therefore at the suit of the said inhabitants, order, adjudge and decree that as well the said messuage and forty-three acres and one rood of land, meadow and pasture, with the said eight acres of pasture, given and devised as aforesaid, shall be assigned and conveyed by deed of feoffment, or otherwise, by the said Christopher Palmer and William Trew forthwith, and as soon as they shall quietly enjoy the same, to William Quadring, of Ireby, Esq., Thomas Cracroft, of Burgh, Gent., Leonard Palmer, Simon Woolbie, Richard Maxey, John Pearson, Thomas Riggs, and Richard Sibsey, of Burgh, aforesaid; whom we do appoint, constitute, and ordain to be immediate feoffees of the premises; to the intent such feoffees may employ the profits of the said messuage and fifty-one acres and one rood of land, as occasion shall serve within the said towns, and as they or the greater part of them shall best like in their discretion for the good of the Church, and other charitable uses there for ever.”

The net produce of those lands in 1788 was £31 8s. 3d., which was equally divided between the parishes of Burgh and Irby. In the year 1726, Mrs. Jane Palmer vested twenty-seven acres of land in the vicar of Burgh, the vicar of Croft, and {144} the rector of Wainfleet All Saints, for the endowment of a free school. In 1788 they were valued at twenty pounds a year. The net produce is at present forty pounds per annum. Of this sum eight pounds a year are applied to the support of two female schools, and the residue to the support of the grammar school, conducted by Mr. Brown.

Ten shillings per annum were given to the poor by Mrs. Elizabeth Bateman, chargeable upon the estate of Thomas Moody; the period when it was devised is unknown.

There is a tradition in the parish that an acre of land in Burgh field, called Bell String Acre, was given by the captain of a vessel to purchase a silk bell rope for the tenor bell at Burgh, he having been warned of his danger and saved from shipwreck by hearing the sound of that bell in a dark night.

The curfew also is tolled upon the tenor bell during the winter months at 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., commencing on October 11th, and continuing until March 21st. The tenor bell is tolled on Shrove Tuesday in each year, for one hour, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

St. Paul’s Universities’ Mission College, established 1878. The College buildings provide accommodation for about twenty-six students, and a beautiful chapel is attached. The situation is a pleasant and healthy one, and the grounds occupy an area of about six acres. The College Principal is the Rev. T. H. Dodson, M.A.

A neat Wesleyan Chapel was erected in this place in 1816. The Baptists have also a Chapel here which belonged originally to the General {145} Baptists; it is, however, occupied at this time by the Particular Baptists. At a very early period the General Baptists formed a numerous and very respectable body in the south marshes of Lincolnshire, and there is the fullest evidence that they suffered very severely for conscience sake in the reign of Charles II. In 1660, an address containing a narrative of their sufferings was presented to his Majesty by Mr. Thomas Grantham and Mr. Joseph Wright. Of the former of these a short account is given in “Thompson’s Boston.” This address was signed by thirty-five individuals, nine of whom, viz., William Burton, William Dawson, John Dawson, Thomas Harrison, Roger Fawn, W. Hunter, John Rutter, James Carden, and Robert Shalder, resided in this parish and Croft, and for the testimony of a good conscience endured the heaviest censures of the hierarchy, as appears from the register books of these places.

“December the 27th, 1663. Peter Thornton, John Dawson, William Dawson, Thomas Harrison, James Carden, John Rutter, William Hunter, and Richard Quadring, was published in the parish Church of Burgh, to be excommunicated, with inhibition, p. me, John Crosley, Vicar, John Shaw, Robert Taylor, Ch. Ws.”

“September the 25th, 1664. William Burton, Gent., was published in the parish Church of Burgh, to be excommunicated, p. me, John Crosley, Vicar, John Shaw, Robert Taylor, Ch. Ws.”

“1667. Robert Hopwood was excommunicated December the 8th day, in the parish Church of Burgh, by me, Jno. Crosley, Vicar, William Quadring, Robert Taylor, Ch. Ws.”

{146} On the opposite page, over against the first entry, are the following memoranda:—

“Peter Thornton’s absolution was published.”

“Mr. Richard Quadring’s absolution was published.”

The family of the Quadrings were settled at Irby at an early period; a branch of them appears also to have resided at Burgh. A branch of the family of Palmer, of Winthorpe, had a residence here at the same period. A respectable family of the name of Wolby, or Woolbie, were also resident here for a considerable length of time. In 1547, Richard Woolbie was married to Maria Hall, He resided it is probable at Thorpe, as the name of Richard Woolbie occurs in the churchwarden’s accounts of that parish, immediately preceding and subsequent to the above period. He had four sons, Robert, Thomas, John, and William.

William resided at Burgh, and by Anne, his wife, had issue four sons and four daughters; Robert who died in 1550; Symon; Robert, born in 1555, and Josias. The daughters were Jane, who died in 1550; Margaret, who died in 1558; Elizabeth married in 1595 to Richard Sibsey; and Emma, who died in 1566; Mr. William Woolbie and his wife both died in 1584. Josias Wolbye, the youngest son, married in 1602 Helen, daughter of Mr. Leonard Palmer, by whom he had issue one son, Leonard, who died in his infancy; two children who died before baptism; and one daughter Anne, born in 1613. Josias died in 1615. Simon Wolbie, the eldest surviving son, also married a daughter of Mr. Leonard Palmer, he died in 1612, having had issue by his wife Elizabeth, eight sons, viz:—William born in 1589, {147} died in 1591; Simon born in 1591, died the year following; Thomas born in 1593, died in 1645, S.P. William born in 1594, of whom hereafter; Simon born in 1596, died in 1603; Richard born in 1598; Leonard born in 1600, died the same year; and John born in 1602. William, the fourth son, married in 1634, Arnie Covill, by whom he had issue William; Simon, who died in 1648; Rachael born May, 1647, married February 7th, 1664, to John Shaw, Esq.; and Mary, who died in 1652. He died in 1653, and his widow married the same year Robert Stone, Esq. William, the eldest son, married Ann and had issue one daughter Ann, born 1675; and two sous, William born in 1677, died in 1680, and Thomas, who was born in 1679. His wife died in 1698, and he followed her to the house appointed for all living, 1705, after which period no mention is made of the family.

A gentleman of the name of Fitzwilliams, supposed to be connected with the family of that name, settled at Mablethorpe, and which descended from the same stem as the present noble family of Fitzwilliam, had a residence in Burgh for a short period, about the middle of the 17th century.

February 14th, 1632, William Fitzwilliams, Esq., married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress to Robert Creswell, Gent., by whom he had two sons, during the period of their residence in this place; William, born in 1634; and George, born in 1636.

The parish of Burgh contains 4300 acres of land, nearly 200 of which are an open common. The principal proprietors are Lord Gwydir, Lord Monson, Lady Fallows, William Cooke, and Thomas Massingberd, Esqs.

About a century ago, a Captain Hardwick was {148} Lord of the Manor. He was steward to the Duke of Ancaster, and amassed a considerable property in the service of his Grace. Having no children he made the Duke his heir, whose descendant Lord Gwydir is now possessed of the manorial rights.

It has been already noticed that John de Weston obtained a charter for a market at Burgh in 1400.

It is a very important and prosperous market town; Thursday is the market day.

In the year 1847, a Fat Stock Market was established, and is now held fortnightly, which is well attended by all the dealers from the large towns. These markets commence in May and continue until Christmas.

There are two fairs held annually, viz., on the second Thursday in May, and the 26th of September, which are very popular and well patronised.

Ninety-two families resided in Burgh in the reign of Elizabeth. The number of inhabitants according to the parochial returns in 1801 was 716; in 1811, 709; in 1821, 903; and in 1901, 974.