been erected on the remains of a much older edifice. It is now considerably modernized, with very pleasing, though not extensive grounds, and is the residence of Colonel Pierpoint. In its former state, it was in some measure an object of antiquarian curiosity. The manor-court was held in a chamber, which had a door made out of a piece of fine old painting, representing part of the Crucifixion, Christ and one of the thieves remaining, and said to have been given by some of the ancient lords to the church. At the entrance stood the old Buttery hatch, the hall on the right hand, with a small and very old window cut out of one stone on the staircase. The cellar resembled the crypts of ancient churches, having a roof of ribbed work arches. In the outside wall, too, a very large arch still remains, which not only bespeaks high antiquity, but also shews that it must once have been a very extensive edifice.

In the Gentleman's Magazine for 1796, there is a passage which says, "here is an house, now an ale house, formerly ap parently a religious building; the altar is a crypt; and I was informed by the landlady, that in her mother's time Dr. Stukeley came to see it. One of the chamber-doors is made of the remnants of old painted pannels. I made out part of a Crucifixion. The paintings are done by a good hand." This seems an allusion to the present re-edified mansion-house. Of other antiquities in this parish, we must not omit "Stableford-bridge,” which Camden's continuator considers as derived from "St. Ebbe's ford," another holy virgin, cousin to St. Tibba, to whom he says, perhaps the spring opposite to St. Tibba's was consecrated, now called Jacob's Well. The conjecture is ingenious; but it may perhaps be as well derived from "St. Tibba's ford," the pronunciation being nearly the same.

When the Act of Inclosure took place respecting the parish, it was proved in Parliament that the Poor had a right of cutting furze, &c. upon the heath. In consequence of this, lands of the annual value, at that period, of ten pounds, and measuring be tween sixteen and seventeen acres, were awarded and set off

9

in

in lieu, for the purpose of being relet every twelve years. They now fetch fifteen guineas; and the profit rent is expended in supplying the meritorious poor with fuel, under the direction of the magistrates, and certain trustees.*

TOLTHORPE, in this immediate vicinity, is supposed by Mr. Blore to be corrupted from "the old Thorpe," or village. It has a very ancient church, modernized from recent repairs, with a small double open turret for bells. The village is very small, and lies in a most recluse situation in a bottom, on the banks of the river Guash. The mansion-house is a curious old building of Elizabeth's time, but now partly modernized; but, by the view of it in Wright's Rutland, it seems to have once consisted of a low centre, with two loftier advancing wings; the roofs were pointed, with small turrets and spires; the windows stone-framed; and two stone ballustraded balconies, one at a corner of each wing.

In early times this was a place of some consequence; for at the Domesday survey there were four mills, value forty shillings; and from the evident antiquity of a large mill which is still in existence here, it is not impossible that it may be actually on the site, perhaps containing some of the remains of one of these. The historians of this county give these lands (according to Domesday-book,) to William Fitz-Ausculf, and then to Nicholas Burton, in the reign of Edward II.; but we have ascertained, that previous to Burton's holding they were part of the posses sions of John de Somery, that fact being expressly stated in the "Calendarium Inquisitionum post mortem," taken in the reign. of Edward II.+ After this it came to the Brownes of Stamford; and Agnes, the widow of John Browne, in the reign of Henry VI. left a curious will, highly illustrative of the manners of those times.

"To the church of Allhallows of Stamford, a vestment of a suite the which shall cost me, by the oversight of my friend that shall occupy for me, 100 marks."

Blore's Rutland.

↑ Vide Calen. Inq. Vol. I. p. 306.

This was literally clinging to life after death; and she seems not only to have considered the money as her own after her departure from this world, but to have been resolved to gratify her taste for singing, to some tune, having left 751. « to a priest to sing for me fifteen years continually." At her funeral, too, she was likely to have noise enough made in the performance of her obsequies, for she left "to every curate that comes to my dirige, six-pence; priests, four-pence; parish clerks, two-pence." The good old lady also seems to have been much occupied in performing the office of sponsor to her neighbour's and friend's children; for, unable to ascertain all their names, she leaves in a lump," to every God-child that I have, 3s. 4d." Her son, Christopher, was highly honoured by King Henry VIII. for his exertions in favour of the Lancastrian cause in the contest between Richard III. and Henry VII; for he not only granted to his son Francis an exemption from serving upon juries, or in the office of sheriff, but also allowed him the privilege of being covered in the royal presence.

Mr. Blore observes, that not far from the manor-house, there is a spring of carbonated chalybeate water, without any mixture of the sulphuric acid. It is something similar to, but less powerful than, the water of Tunbridge Wells, and may be taken, he adds, with success in similar cases; but it is better to be drank at the spring, as its salutary properties are not sufficiently permanent for distant carriage.

Belmesthorpe is a small village, prettily situated on the southeast verge of the county. It was originally the property of the famous Lady Godiva, but contains nothing now to excite the curiosity even of a "Peeping Tom."

On approaching the great worth road, we come to LITTLE CASTERTON, which lies about one mile to the eastward of it. It is a pretty little, but modern hamlet, lying in a hollow, and not of such high antiquity as the Norman survey. In the reign of Edward II. it was church property, but afterwards came to the Crown, and has since been in the Browne family, and others,

being

being at this moment advertised for sale. It is but a small parish, consisting of not more than 700 acres, which lay open and uninclosed until 1796. The church is dedicated to All Saints, and is not older than the reign of Henry II. as the oldest part of it, which is the north aisle, has its arches of the style of AngloNorman architecture of that time, with a variety of fancifully ornamented capitals to the pillars. The other parts seem of a later date, and have some very fine lancet windows. The monumental remains are but few; and the only one deserving of notice is at the end of the south aisle, being a stone of a coffin shape, lying on the ground, under an obtuse pointed arch of the later Gothic, with very deep mouldings, and supported by short pillars. There are no other antiquities, except some slight remains of earth works to the westward of the church, in a field still called the Hill-close; and these Mr. Blore thinks may be the remains of " Scrope's manor," or of the mansion of the Prior of Newstead, when the parish belonged to that monastery.

BRIDGE CASTERTON, which lies upon the Great north road, and also upon the ancient Roman Ermine Street, has given rise to a greater variety of opinions among antiquaries than perhaps any place in the British empire.

It has by some been supposed to be the ancient Roman station of Gausennæ, or Cousennis, which others again place at Nottingham. Some again imagine the present name of it to have given an appellation to Kesteven in Lincolnshire.

Burton, in his Commentary, .says, "Brig Casterton, vetustatis nomen apparet, so called quasi Oppidum Castrorum, because of a camp there some time of the Romans:" and he adds, that "Brig in the beginning thereof (as Camden says,) denotes the passage over the river there by a bridge."

Some have supposed this place to be the "Durobrivis" of the Itinerary; but Reynolds, in his late Commentary, starts an idea that Durobrivis is Lynn in Norfolk; and that Causennis is Boston!

Burton again, in his Commentary on the Iter, (p. 203,) carries Durobrivis to Dornford near Wansford, but seems to think, with

Camden,

a

Camden, that Causennis is Casterton: and Dr. Gale, in page 94, under the head of "Durobrivis," says, "Dorneford Camdeno, ubi manifesta vidit urbis prostata indicia, et nummos Romanos. Numeri M. P. vero hic multum redundant Antonino, dissita sunt enim Durobrivæ se et Dorneford habeantur, vix XX milliaria Duroliponte. Suspicor itaque Durobrivis hisce esse. Brig Cas terton ad secundum ultra Stamfordiam lapidem et pro XXXV legenda esse XXX M. P. quæ vera est distantia inter Oppidum illud et Gormancaster, atque eo potius quod fere eandem habet a Causennis, quam, et illis assignat Antoninus."

After so many, and such wild, conjectures, we are almost afraid to venture any opinion upon its identity, further than that it was most certainly a Roman station, of which there are the re mains of the encampment on the south-east side of the present village. This seems to have been fortified with a very deep moat on both sides, being sufficiently defended on the other two by the river; but it is probable that the Romans had some more perma nent fortifications than mere earth works; for in a pasture which is still called the "Castle-close," foundations of a wall have been dug up not many years ago, as Mr. Gough tells us in his addi tions to Camden.

Here was evidently the great road called "Ermine Street;" and though the present road does not precisely keep its line, yet some part of its raised bank is still very visible in some places four or five feet high, between Casterton and the lane turning down to Tickencote, on the western side.*

Even the name of this road, as well as its direction, has given rise to some controversy. Selden considers it derived from the word "Irmensul," a name given by the Saxons to Mercury, who, according to the Roman mythology, presided over high

ways

Its line of direction in this neighbourhood is across Burleigh park, along the western side of the wall of Austin Friars at Stamford; then across the Uppingham road joining the present north road half way between Stamford and Bridge Casterton, thence to Horn-lane, where it soon after divides, one branch going towards Nottingham, the other by Stretton, &c. Vide Harrod's Stamford.