The annual feast is held on the sunday after Mary Magdalen, About the year 1795, the graziers in the neighbourhood established two annual fairs, for the sale of cattle, viz. the friday Before Lincoln April fair, and the friday before Old Michaelmas day. Before the inclosure there was a cottage and about 4 acres of land left to defray the expence of destroying moles in the parish at the inclosure, the quantity was increased to about 30 acres, which is now appropriated towards the poor's rate. In this town is a Dissenting Chapel; the congregation are followers of John Calvin. Formerly the inhabitants of Burton Pedwardine had a right to turn all their yoked (or working) cattle into the com mon fen of Heckington, but the Lord of the manor of Heckington, agreed to give the Lord of the manor of Burton, 301. a year instead of that privilege. The vicar of Burton, still claims and receives 61. annually from the Lord of this manor.

We are indeted to Mr. Robert Taylor of this place, for much valuable information not only in this, but also in several of the other neghbouring parishes.

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ANCASTER.

ANCASTER is a neat village, situated on each side the Ermine street, or High dyke as it is here called, about 8 miles from Grantham and 5. from Sleaford. All the houses standing on the east side the high dyke, are in the parish of Wilsford, in the wapentake of Winnibrigs and Threo, those on the west side are in the hamlets of Willoughby and Sudbrook, in the wapentake of Loveden, all except one house and the church yard, which are what may be called the parish of Ancaster, and these probably occupy the groundwhere the Roman Castrum once stood.

The derivation of the name, is probably from the Normans; here was a castrum, and in their language it would be called uns caster, or by a slight deviation, Ancaster,

According to Leland, "Ancaster standith on Wateling as in the highe way to Lineolir it is.

now but a very pore street having a small chirch.

But in times past it hath bene a celebrate toune, but not waullid, as far as I could perceive. The building of it lay in length by south and north. In south ende of it be oftentimes founde in ploughing, great square stones of old buil dings, and Romaine coins' of brasse and sylver. In the west end of it, were now meadows be, ar found yn diching great vaultes.

The area wher the Castle stoode is large, and the dykes of it appere, and in sum places the foundation of the waulle. In the highest ground of the area is now an old chapel dedicate to St. Marie, and there is an heremite. This area is right against the east ende of the paroche chirch The tounelet of Ancaster is divided into two lordships. The east side at the southe ende, where of the Castle is sette, is of the lordship of Wilesford, sumtime longging to the lord Crum. well, and after, as I hard, sold with other things to the performaunce of one of the lords Crumuels Wills, and after Burne Priory in Kestene had it by the meane, as I hard, of Margarete, mother to Henry VII. The Duke of Southfolk bath it now. He that tolde me this, saide that Foderingey was ons the lord Crumwelle, but I doubt of that.

The west side of the toune where the paroche Chirch stondith, was the Vescy's and the patronage of the chirch, with impropriation, was gyven by one of the Vescys to the Priory of Malton in Ridesdale.

The toune of Aneaster hath on eche side of it a spring, and they coming to one botom anone, after ren into Willesford streame, and so, as I remember, the Broke goeth thens to Uerby."

Dr Stukeley says that "Ancaster has been a very strong city, intrenched and walled about. The bowling green, behind the Red-lion Inn is made in the ditch; when they were leveling it, they came to the old foundations. At the end

of the town, where a dove cote stands, is Castleclose, full of foundations above ground, the ditchand rampire encompass it. Here are great quantities of Roman coins found, they are found too upon the hills all about the town, especially southwards, and towards Castle pits.

After a shower of rain the schoolboys and shepherds find them on the declivities. Coins of Faustina, Verus, Commodus, &c. have been found here.

There is a spring at each end of the town, and this was no doubt the reason why the Ro,

mans pitched their station at this place, for no more water is to be met with from hence to Lincoln.

There is a road on the west side of the town, which was for the convenience of those that travelled when the gates were shut.”

The author of Magna Britannia says, “In the entrance into this village, there is a trench which evidently appears formerly to have been a castle, as also towards the west are to be seen certain summer camps of the Romans. The an. tiquity of this town appears by the Roman Coins, by the vaults and arches that are often discovered, by the many square and closed pavements turned up in the fields, by its situation upon the roman Highway, and by the fourteen miles distance between this place and Lincoln for just so many Antoninus makes it to be be tween Crococolana and Lindum.” (Lincoln).

1

Hence it appears, that, according to this author, Ancaster is the Crococolana of Antoninus; Salmon in his new survey of England, pa. 247, places here Segelocum; but Horsley, in his Bri tannia Romana, makes this place CAUSENNE, and with much greater probability; for, though