Part 5

[Sidenote: +Whaplode.+]

Quaplode, called anciently Capellade, i. e. _Capella ad Ladam s. fluvium_, has a very ancient church, founded by the abbots of Croyland: the tower stands on the south side. In the upper and south windows are these coats of arms. Barry of six azure and argent; Azure, a bend gules, charged with three roses argent; Argent, two lions passant gardant gules, _Littlebury_. In the east window of the north chapel, _Littlebury_, and Or, a fesse between two chevronels gules; and Sable, a fret argent, _Harrington_: Azure, on a bend gules, three roses argent, as before. I have a copy of the foundation of this church. Here is a large monument of the Irbys.

GENEALOGY of MOULTON.

Thomas de Multon, lord Egremont, and lord of Holbech, obtained a market for Fleet, 9 Jo. | +--------------------------------------------------+ Robert Romley, = daughter of Wm. Meschines, lord of Coupland. | | | +---+ | | | Wm. Duncanson = Alice, heiress. Hugh de Morvile, lord of Burgh upon Sands, | | chief forester of Cumberland. | +--+ | | | +-----------------+ | | | +-------------------------------+ | | | 1 2 Richard de Lucy} = Ada, coheiress = Thomas de Multon obtained a market and lord Egremont} | | fair for Holbech, 37 Hen. III. +-----------+ +--------------+--------------------+ | | | Amabilis, heiress = Lambert de Multon, 1270. Thomas de Multon, lord of | | Burgh, in Cumberland. +-------------+ +------+ | | Thomas de Multon, 31 Ed. I. 1303. Thomas de Multon} { Maud de Vaulx, | lord of Burgh, } = { heiress of Gillesland, | 20 Ed. I. } | { daughter of Hubert | | de Vaulx. Thomas de Multon, lord Egremont. | | | Thomas de Multon, lord } { daughter of Rich. de | Egremont, ob. 15 Ed. II.} = { Burgh, earl of Ulton. | | | +----------------+ +-----------------+ | | John de Multon, lord Egremont, Thomas de Multon, lord of } ob. s. p. 9 Ed. III. Burgh, Gillesland and Holbech, } = Isabel. 21 Ed. I. and 2 Ed. II. } | _Inquisit. post mortem._ | +--------------------------------+ Ranulf de Dacre, lord of } | Drumbough castle } = Margaret, heiress. Maud, says Camden. | +----------------------+ | Thomas Dacre, esq. lord } of Holbech, 1450. } = Philippa, ob. 1453. | Humphry Dacre, esq. | Sir Ralf de Dacre, lord of Holbech, 1470.

[Sidenote: +Moulton.+]

Moulton, or Multon, probably has its name from a mill, which anciently, perhaps, were not so common as now. There is a good church, and very fine spire; as also a good free-school of near 100l. per ann. value in lands. Moulton hall, whose last ruins I have seen, was the seat of Thomas de Multon, lord Egremont, a great man in these parts. His hand is among the barons at _Magna Charta_. Between these two parishes, in a green lane northwards, stands a little stone called Elho stone, whence the name of this hundred is derived: it is about the middle thereof, and was formerly the main road across the country, now called Old Spalding Gate. Old men tell us, here was kept in ancient times an annual court; I suppose a convention, _sub dio_, of the adjacent parts, to treat of their general affairs. A wood hard by is called Elhostone wood.

[Sidenote: +Weston.+]

Weston, because west from the last town. Here is the stately chapel of Wykeham, the villa of the rich priors of Spalding, built by Clement de Hatfield, prior, who died anno 1318. In 1051, Spalding priory made by Thorold, sheriff of Lincoln, out of his own manor-house. Many places near the old sea-bank are called _hurns_, signifying an angle. Here is a little leam called the Wik: Mr. Camden, in _Bucks_, says it signifies the winding of a river, as Cowhurn hard by.

[Sidenote: +Spalding.+]

Spalding has been famous for its ancient and rich priory founded before the Conquest, and for the residence of Ivo Tailbois, the lord of this country, by gift of William the Conqueror, the site of whose castle is on the north-east part of the town. The town-hall was built by William Hobson. But of this place we expect from you, sir, a more particular account.

[Sidenote: +Pynchbek.+]

In Pynchbek church-windows are the arms of Ogle, of Fleet; Argent, on two bars sable, six escallops of the first, empaled with _De la Launde_. Pyncebeck seems to come from the Cimbrian _pinken_, _lucere_, from the clearness of its water.

[Sidenote: +Donington.+]

Many towns, on both sides Deeping Fen, end in _ington_, _ingham_, as lying upon the Mead. Donington is very hilly, full of elevations or dunes. Thomas Cowley, esq. of Donington, who died about 1718, left all his estate, which was considerable, to the poor of every parish where it lay, whereof 400l. per ann. to Donington, where he built a school-house, and endowed it.

[Sidenote: +Algarkirk.+]

Algarkirk has a fine church, in which are some water-bougets carved on the oak seats in escutcheons. They say here lived the famous count Algar,[23] commander of the Holland men in many battles against the Danes, of whom they show an image in stone in the church-yard. I found there this inscription,

_Sis testis Xpe, quod non jacet hic lapis iste Quisquis es si transeas sta perlege plora Corpus ut ornetur sit lapis ut memoretur. Sum quod eris fueramque quod es pro me precor ora._

[Sidenote: +Wiberton.+]

Wiberton, they say, has its name from Guibertus, a great man here formerly. There is a place called Multon hall, which belonged to the aforementioned Thomas de Multon. Here is likewise Titton hall: the chapel is now converted into a stable.

[Sidenote: +Frampton.+]

Hard by is Frampton, probably from the Anglo-Saxonic _Faran_, _trajicere_: for here they passed over the river in a ferry, before Boston bridge was built; as at Framton, in Gloucestershire, upon the Severn, and Framilode passage. Farnton by Newark, where now is the ferry over the Trent. Gosberton, from _Gosbèrt_, or _Gosbright_, I suppose lord of the town before the Conquest. Fossdike seems to be _Fordsdike_, where we pass over the Washes.

[Sidenote: +Skirbeck.+]

Skirebec doubtless has its name from the Saxon, _scire_, division, because here the river parts the hundreds. Here was an hospital of knights of St. John of Jerusalem, now intirely demolished, though the church was standing within memory of man. There was another religious house near the church: the remains of it is now the parsonage-house. Such names of towns as Fishtoft, Butterwick, Swineshead, Cowbyte, and the like, seem easy enough.

[Sidenote: +Sibsey.+]

[Sidenote: +Leverton.+]

Sibsey church has very handsome pillars and circular arches, somewhat after the Roman mode. The top of the steeple is added upon the old work; perhaps from its watery situation; _sipan_, to steep. Leverton, _Leofrici oppidum_: he was a potent man thereabouts at the time of the Normans coming, and gave to the town much common: his deed of gift is now in possession of the reverend and worthy vicar, Mr. William Falkner, which I have seen.

[Sidenote: +Frieston.+]

Frieston, a _frith_, _æstuarium_; so Ald Friston in Sussex, near Cuckmere haven. Here was an opulent monastery founded by Guy de Croun, whose genealogy I shall not think much to recite, because it relates to the antiquities of this country, and in some measure shows the reason of what my friend Mr. Becket, surgeon, much wondered at when he searched the old repository of wills at the Prerogative Office in London, where he observed more of this country than any other in England.

The GENEALOGY

Of the +Craons+, _Credon_, _Crodon_, _Croun_, the most illustrious family of Anjou, and one of the most illustrious in France, which came into England with William the Conqueror. The barony of Craon is the first and most considerable in Anjou: it is a small city in that province upon the river Oudon near Bretagne, encompassed with walls.[24]

A. D. 940.