The history and antiquities of Boston, and the villages of Skirbeck, Fishtoft, Freiston, Butterwick, Benington, Leverton, Leake, and Wrangle; comprising the hundred of Skirbeck, in the county of Lincoln. Including also a history of the East, West, and Wildmore fens, and copious notices of the Holland or Haut-Huntre fen ... sketches of the geology, natural history, botany, and agriculture of the district; a very extensive collection of archaisms and provincial words, local dialect, phrases, proverbs, omens, superstitions, etc. By Pishey Thompson. Illustrated with one hundred engravings.

EAST SIDE OF THE MARKET-PLACE. 229
We will now cross to the east side of the Market-place, which we left at
Crown Court. The next opening was, until late years, called Cockburn Lane,
but is now named Cornhill Lane; it opens by a covered passage into Dolphin
Lane, near the eastern extremities of both.l South of Cockburn Lane is what
is now called Still Lane, we do not know its ancient name; in Hall's MIap of
Boston, published in 1741, it is called Still Lane. The next lane coming
south is now called Grant's Lane. In 1564, it was called Gaunt's Lane, and
also in 1584, 1660, and 1674. Richard Jeffereys resided in this lane when he
was elected Mayor in 1584, and "C had liberty to build a permanent porch to
his house, in consideration of his strait rooms." In 1640, the families of
Tilson, Whiting, Leake of Leake, and the heirs of William Coney, and Andrew
Baron, held property in this lane. Craythorne Lane took its name from the
family of Craythorne, who resided at the south-west corner of it, near the
Market-place, for many generations. Of this family, Nicholas Crathorne was
connected with St. Mary's Guild in 1522; Alexander Craythorne was a member of the same Guild in 1534; and Robert Craythorne is mentioned in the
Subsidy Roll of 1547: he was buried 17th February, 1564. The arms borne
by this family were argent, on a saltire gules, five crosses flory, or. The Craythorne property was held of Hallgarth Manor. In 1640, it belonged to John
Oresby of Hadley. The property adjoining this immediately north of Sibsey
Lane, belonged to the Tilson family in 1640. Opposite Craythorne Lane, on
the west side of the Market-place, the BOSTON SAYINGS' BANK is kept. This
well-managed institution has been in operation since 1817. The number of
depositors, on the 20th November, 1854, was 2937; and the amount of
their deposits, 69,0261. 4s. 10d. The POST OFFICE adjoins the Savings
Bank.
The next lane is Sibsey Lane, so called from the ancient family of SIoSEY,
which is first mentioned in connexion with Boston in 1338, when Richard de
Cybecy was assessed to a subsidy. John Sypey was chamberlain of the Corpus
Christi Guild in 1458. His name previously occurs in a writ, Inquis. ad
quod damnunm, in 1448. George Sibsay was chamberlain of the Guild of
Corpus Christi in 1461; and William Sibsay, merchant, was a member in
1465, and alderman of the Guild in 1492; George Sibsey, of Boston, gen-m
tleman, was a member of this Guild in 1533. Amya Sibsey is mentioned in a
Subsidy Roll, dated 1547. Many of this family resided in Boston during the
seventeenth century. The arms of the Sibsey family are argent, on a bend
azure five crosses formee, or. Crest, a griffin's head erased, gules. A survey
of the town in 1640 says, " A messnage, a garden, and a great orchard under
it, once SIBSEY'S; this was on the north side of Sibsey Lane, and was surrounded
by Edward Tilson's orchard and gardens (late Hilltofts), and the Staplers'
orchards and gardens on the north; and the orchard of Mr. Thorold (late
Gannock's) on the east; and the Staplers' and Mr. Tilson's warehouse on the
west." This description of the Sibseys' residence is more full than perspicuous,
but the account of the dwellings of the ancient merchants of Boston, from
Pump Square to Spain Lane, leads to the inference, that about the middle
of the seventeenth century the entire space was a succession of highly respectable mansions, surrounded by gardens and orchards. " Sibsey Place" is mentioned in 1564, as paying rent of assise to Hallgarth Manor.
An old building on the south side of this lane, and which was supposed to
1 This lane is not mentioned in the Corporation is mentioned in 1597; but it was on the west side
Records. The Priory of Kirkstead held tenements of the river, near the bridge. The name "Cocks
and a garth in Cockber's Lane; a place called Cocklers I burn Lane" has been very lately restored.