The survey and antiquitie of the towne of Stamford in the county of Lincolne with its ancient foundation, grants, priviledges, and severall donations thereunto belonging : also a list of the aldermens names, and the time when they were chosen : with the names of 10 Lord Majors (of the Hon. city of London) borne in the foresaid county of Lincolne / written by Richard Butcher, Gent. ...

CHAP. II. (Book 2)

Stamford ruinated by the Danes, re-edified and the Bridge over Welland builded by Aliren the second King of Den∣marke, the Castle and Wa••••s built by Edmund Jronside a Saxon King; with the names of the Gates, the names and uses of the Watch-towers, the scituation of the Castle, the number of the Streets and Lanes, with the Conduits and Wells which water the same: Together with the Chur∣ches and houses of Religion, in and about the same.

ABout the yeare after the Incarnation of Christ 116, Canu••us the heathen King of Denmark invading England with a potent Army, amongst other of his spoyles and rapines layd wast the Towne of Stamford, which not long after was by Aliren the second his Successour, re-edified and a Bridge

of Stone built over the River of Welland leading into Stamford-Baron, it remained without Castle or Walls till the time of Ed∣mund Ironside a Saxon King, about 200 yeares before the Nor∣man Conquest, who built the Castle and compassed the Towne with a wall of Stone of an indifferent height, for the better defence against the Danes invasion, garnishing the same with Five strong and stately Watch-towers, two towards the Water-side for the discovery and defence against the Enemy towards the South, the one called Béesfort, the other Holme-towes: The other three Bulworkes or Watch-towers are towards the East, North, and West, for the discovery and defence against the Enemy on those parts, called Carpe-tower, White-tower, and North Bul∣worke.

The Walls have in them Five principall Gates or entries, Peter-gate on the West St. Clements-gate on the North, Paul-gate, and St. Georges-gate toward the East, and the Bridge gate to∣wards the South: To these may be added a Sixth standing North∣east called the New-gate, but made long since the ancient Gates were erected all the rest appearing to have slippes of strong Port∣cullesses, which New-gate wanteth. Besides there is toward the South, two ancient Posterne-gates which seeme as ancient as the Walls themselves, the one joyning to the Bridge-gate▪ the other not farre from St. Georges-gate, leading into the Tenter-Mea∣dowes.

But as the length of time corrupteth not only manners and good Government from the ancient intent and integrity thereof but also Stone walls from their true use and sufficiency, so hath it brought to passe in these more moderne Times, that the manners of good and carefull government of Majestrates becomming corrupted, eyther by self-seeking Covetousnesse, or friendly partiality, have so farre cor∣rupted these very walls of Stone that they have lost the true use and strength of them contrary to the intent and wise meaning of the first-Founders, by permitting the adjacent Inhabitants within them to make back-doores out of them: ••o that one may say, so many Tenements as border upon them so many new Posternes are made out of them, serving for no other purpose then for the letting in and

out at unlawfull houres Night-walkers and suspected persons, which feare to appeare in the presence of a Watch, or to be seene in the heart of a Towne, or to come within the compasse of the awfull eye of the publique Majestrate, things of no small and dangerous consequence in the times eyther of Peace or Warre, especially where they are permitted to the backsides of Victualing-houses, as too many of them are.

The Castle was scituated whilest it stood upon the side of an Hill (as indeed all the Towne stands upon the rising of an hill) but the Castle-hill appeares somewhat artificiall, being cast up round and higher then the ordinary degree, stan∣ding well towards the middest of the Towne and somwhat South-west, facing the River with a very pleasant prospect.

* 1.1 Mr. Camden makes mention of ano∣ther Castle somtimes standing in Stam∣ford-Baron, built by Edward the Elder a Saxon King, as a Fortification against the Danes, which was destroyed in the warres betwixt King Stephen and Henry the second; and indeed the very ruines thereof are now come to ruine for no place there appeares to give evidence where it stood.

To manifest the profitable and pleasant scituation of this Towne, the Munkes, Friers, and Nunnes of those superstitious times (like so many Rats or Mice, which make choyce to reed of the daintie•••• Cheese) made choyce of this place to build here severall receptacles, as one observes of them.

They plant themselves in fairest plots For Pasture, Wood and spring: No griefe, nor care, comes to their lots, When others sigh they sing.

For in and about this Towne they had no lesse then Eight severall

Cells or Monastories; as namely, the Gray-Fryers, the White-Fryers, the Black-Fryers, the Augustine-Fryers, St. Leo∣nards (being a Cell belonging to the Abbey of Durham) New∣sted Monastory, the Hermitage (being the place where now the Spittle-house standeth) and a house of Nunnes in Stamford-Baron.

Heere hath been likewise in former times (as I said before) thir∣teene Parish Churches besides three Chappels, namely St Maries, All-Saints, St. Thomas, St. Michaels, St Iohns, Trinity Church, Paules Church, Peter Church, St. Georges, St. An∣drews, Clement Church, St. Stephens, and St. Martins, in Stamford-Baron.

Also Benet Chappell, St. Thomas Chappell, and Magdaline Chappell. These are now all reduced into five Parishes within the liberties, and St. Martins without, namely, St. Maries, All-Saints, St. Michaels, St. Iohns, and St. Georges; and yet none of all these six Parishes (excepting All-Saints) hath so much maintenance belonging to any of them as wil competently maintain a Minister in them, a thing which may seeme very strange when sixteene severall Benefices are reduced to the number of five, or 6. But I conceive the reason to be heere as it is in the University of Cambridge, which hath in it (as I take it) 15 Parish Churches, and yet not any one of them of any competent maintenance; be∣cause the fellowes of the severall Colledges do officiate in those seve∣rall cures for the better exercise and practice of their Ministery, as having their chiefest maintenance from the Colledges: even so the Munks of the severall Monastories in this place (whilest those Mona∣stories stood) did officiate in the severall Parishes here, having their principall maintenance from the Monastories; which being dissolved most of these Parishes became united (especially those that had any maintenance unto them) for the support of the future Ministery, and those that had meerely nothing were totally ruinated.

This Town hath in it to the number of a Eleven indifferent faire Streets, and 10 small streets or Lanes, well replenished with houses, but in former times (as appears by the ruines of many ancient buil∣dings) it was much more populous then now it is (the reason of

which hereafter appeareth in the proper pl••••e). The names of the Streets and Lanes are as followeth Peter-hill Street St. Maries Street, Pauls Street, S. Michaels Street▪ S. Geo••ges Street, Cle∣ment-hill (where the Friday Market-Crosse s••••nds) Clip••••ill St. Maries Market Street, All-Hallowes gate the Bridge-street the Market-street, Cle-ment Lane, Star Lane Goldsmiths Lane, Manerly Lane, Chenie Lane, S. Thomas Lane, S. Iohns Lane, S. Maries Lane, Castle-dike, and Pillory-nooke, where the white meate Market is kept.

The Towne is watered by two common Conduits▪ as namely by St. Michaels and Pauls Conduits, besides it hath foure common wheel-Wells belonging thereunto, All-Hallowes Well, St▪ Geor∣ges Well Poule Well and Clement Well: the Conduits are fed by pipes of lead which descend from a spring called the Conduit-head, being twelve-score or thereabouts without the Walls, upon the North-east of the Town in the common field, and hath the Land next adjoyning to it for the benefit both of the Spring and Conduit.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cum Edwardus Senior ••ustrales fluminum ripas contra Danos et Aquilone irruentes communi••et è regione etiam hujus i•• Australi ••ipa (que nun•• Stamford-Baron voca∣tur) firmissimam arcem con∣struxisse. Nusquam tamen hodie apparet nae•• quod inte∣stino bello Stephanus contra Henricum Andegavensem fir∣mavit in ipso oppido fuisse et firma obtin•••• ipsius area etiam∣num ostendit. Camden Britt. in Com. Lincolne.