begun more than 30
years ago. While writing a volume of _Records of more than_ 30 _Parishes
around Horncastle_, published in 1904; and, before that, while describing
about as many more, in a volume, _Woodhall Spa and Neighbourhood_,
published in 1899, he had constantly in view the crowning of the series,
by the history of the old town, round which these sixty, or more,
parishes cluster; the haunt, if not quite the home, of his boyhood, and
familiarized to him by a life-long connection.

For this purpose sources of information have been tapped in every
possible direction; of public institutions, the official records, and
title deeds, where available, have been carefully consulted; especially
should be here mentioned various deeds and charters, which are quoted in
Chapter II, from the archives of Carlisle Cathedral, which have not
hitherto been brought before the public, but of which the author has been
allowed free use, through the courtesy of the librarian. These are of
special value, from the long connection of the Manor of Horncastle with
the See of Carlisle.

In other cases the author has been allowed the privilege of more private
testimony; for instance, his old friend, the late Mr. John Overton (of a
highly respectable family, for generations connected with the town and
county), has most kindly given him the use of various family MS. notes,
bearing on parish and other matters. Mr. Henry Sharp has freely assisted
him with most varied information, derived from long years of connection
with the town, in public or private capacity. The late Mr. Henry
Boulton, ancestrally connected with various parts of the county, was
remarkable for a mind stored with memories of persons and things, in town
and neighbourhood, which he freely communicated to the author, who saw
much of him in his later years. While, last but not least, the late Mr.
William Pacey, whether in his "Reminisences of Horncastle," which he
contributed to the public newspapers, or in his personal conversations,
which the present writer enjoyed for many years, yielded up to him
treasure, collected by an indefatigable student of local lore, who
entered into such work _con amore_.

To all these the author would now fully, and gratefully, acknowledge his
indebtedness; but for them this work could not have been produced in
anything like its present fulness. In some of the matters dealt with, as
for instance in the accounts of the Grammar School, as well as i