worth of Langtoft Esq. who deceased ye 4. daie of May A. D. 1718 aged 44.

On a brass plate in the chancel floor; Here lyeth the body of Sarah the wife of Bernard Walcott of Langtoft Esq. by whome he had issue fower sonnes and three davghters, who died 24. Aug. A. D. 1651. In the middle aile is a monument to the memory of Rich. Beavor Gent, and another to Henry Ramkin.

The pulpit is a remarkably fine one, being inlaid and otherwise ornamented; the church is well pewed, here is also a singing gallery, and a very pretty font. The arches are gothic and clustered pillars.

In the porch is an inscription to Dorothy Nicholas who was buried A. D. 1619.

The living is a discharged vicarage, valued in the King's books at 51. 5s. 7 d. the church is dedicated to St. Michael, Patron, Sir Gilbert Heathcote, Bart.

The School.

Here his a house, and some land left for a school, but of what value is not known-the present Master, Mr. Ash, receives six pounds per ann. for teaching a few poor children.

MODERN STATE.

Sir G. Heathcote is Lord of the manor. The parish contains about 2025, acres of land. The soil is a brown loam, the tithes are exonerated and the fences are quick hedges.

The principal proprietors of land are, Sir G. Heathcote, Bart. R. Henson Esq. and R. Parkin Esq. who is impropriator.

BASTON.

Baston is a village in the wapentake of Ness, in the parts of Kesteven, about 4 miles south from Bourn, on the road leading from Market Deeping to Lincoln,

Domesday Account.

Land of St. Guthlacus of Croyland.-In Bastune (Baston) St. Gutlacus had and has four carucates of land to be taxed. Land to four ploughs. There is now in the demesse there

one plough, and five villanes, and two bordars and 7 sokemen with two ploughs. There is a church, and half a mill, and forty-five acres of meadow. Marsh sixteen quarentens long and eight broad. Arable land eight quarentens long and eight broad. Value in King Edward's time forty shillings, the same now.

In

Land of Gilbert de Gaunt.-Berewick. Bacstune (Baston) is a berewick of two carucates of land to be taxed. Land to two ploughs.

Ivo, a vassal of Gilbert's, has there half a plough, and eight sokemen have one carucate of this land, and four villanes and three bordars with two ploughs, and forty acres of meadow. It is worth fifty shillings.

"Robert de Driby held land here of Gilbert de Gaunt in temp. Henry III." (Testa de Nevill.)

The principal manor and church belonged to the abbot of Croyland. In the time of Henry VI. John Witham esq. pretended to be lord of the whole town, and among other acts, witheld for several years an ancient rent of two pounds of white incense, for a piece of land called Boycote-green. He claimed also a chapel, which, by leave of the said abbot, had been built on the waste, for the convenience of travellers, and not

only held his court in it, but ordered his servants to put his horses into it, and by way of encouraging them to this act of profaneness, made water over the wall. At length he was obliged to acknowledge the abbot's right, and being ruined by law suits, he ended his days in poverty. Algarus gave Baston to the abbey of Croyland before the year of christ 806; at that time the grant was confirmed by Kenulphus.

The Church.

Is a good gothic building consisting of a nave north and south aile, a chancel and a tower steeple.

The pulpit is curiously carved, and here are some very ancient stalls. The font is plain; a few pews, and neat singing gallery. The church is dedicated to St. John Baptist, it is a discharg ed vicarage valued in the king's books at 61. Is. 3d. Patron the king.

MODERN STATE.

Sir Gilbert Heathcote is lord of the manor. The parish contains about 2303 acres of land. The fences are quick hedges, lately planted. Tithes exonerated at the inclosure. Soil, a

brown loam. The principal proprietor of land Sir T. Trollope Bart.

Thetford,

Is a hamlet to Baston, it consists of a single house, which with the whole hamlet is the property of G. Denshire esq. At this place was formerly a chapel.

Thetford is a manor farm, which belonged to the abbey of Spalding, to which the Abbots had a fine gravel road across the fen-this road, which had been grown over, and lost, was discovered when the fens were inclosed.

GRETFORD.

Gretford is a small village in the wapentake of Ness, in the parts of Kesteven, about five miles. nearly N. E. from Stamford.

Domesday Account.

Land of Robert de Todeni.-In Griteforde