incursions of the Danes, {9} which continued,
though temporarily checked by Kings Egbert and Alfred, through many
years, both nations eventually settling side by side, until both alike in
the 11th century became subject to their Norman conquerors. The traces
of these peoples are still apparent in Horncastle and its soke, since of
its 13 parish names, three, High Toynton, Low Toynton and Roughton have
the Saxon suffix "ton"; three, Mareham-on-the-Hill, Mareham-le-Fen and
Haltham terminate in the Saxon "ham," and six, Thimbleby, West Ashby,
Wood Enderby, Moorby, Wilksby and Coningsby have the Danish suffix "by."
The name of the town itself is Saxon, Horn-castle, or more anciently
Hyrne-ceastre, _i.e._ the castle in the corner, {10} or angle, formed by
the junction of the two rivers; that junction was, within comparatively
modern times, not where it is now, but some 200 yards eastward, on the
other side of the field called "The Holms," where there is still a muddy
ditch.

So far our account of the town has been based mainly upon etymological
evidence, derived from river and place names, with a few scanty and
scattered records. As we arrive at the Norman period we shall have to
deal with more direct documentary testimony, which may well form another
chapter.

CHAPTER II.
RECORDS OF THE MANOR, &c., FROM THE NORMAN CONQUEST.

A recent historian {11a} has said "In the 13th century the northern
counties of England were so unsettled that there was little security
north of the Humber, and in 1250 the powerful Bishop of Carlisle found it
necessary to buy the manor of Horncastle (his own residence in the north,
Rose Castle, having been destroyed by marauders), and the Pope granted
him the Parish Church (of Horncastle) for his use;" {11b} but we can
carry our history back to a considerably earlier period than this. As a
former Roman station, doubtless, and of even earlier origin than that,
Horncastle had become a place of some importance, and so, even before the
Norman conquest the manor was royal property, since _Domesday Book_
states that King Edward the Confessor bestowed it upon his Queen, Editha.
Edward died January 5, 1066, and his possessions naturally passed to his
successor, the Conqueror. Its subsequent history for a few years we do
not know, but in the reign of Stephen the manor was held by Adelias, or
Adelidis, (Alice or Adelaide) de Cundi, daughter of William de Cheney
{11c} (a name still known in the co