family, who inter-married with the De Lacys of Pontefract Castle and inherited some of their large estates.[1] Among these, one was the neighbouring manor of Kirkby-on-Bain, which would seem to have passed to the Lady Albreda Lizures;[2] they probably derived their name from the town of Lisieux, near Harfleur in Normandy. We soon lose sight of this family in England, and they seem to have migrated northward and to have acquired lands in Scotland. The name De Lizures is common in Scottish Cartularies, for instance in the Cartulary of Kelso, p 257 (Notes & Queries, series 2, vol. xii, p. 435). In 1317 William and Gregory de Lizures were Lords of Gorton, and held lands near Roslyn Castle, Edinburgh (Genealogie of the Saint Claires of Roslyn, by Father Augustin Hay, re-published Edinburgh, 1835), [Notes & Queries, 3rd series, vol. i, p. 173].
The De Bavents were also a distinguished family, their connection with Horncastle survives in the name of a field in the south of the parish, on the Rye farm, which is called "Bavent's Close." A few particulars of this family may not be without interest. The earliest named are Richard de Bavent in 1160,[3] and Eudo de Bavent in 1161,[4] as holding the manor of Mareham-le-Fen, in the extreme south of the Horncastle soke, under Henry II., "by service of falconry."[5] Eudo (about 1200) gave "to God, the Cathedral, and Chapter of Lincoln," his lands in the north fen of Bilsby.[6] The family seem to have gradually increased their possessions in this neighbourhood. In 1290, under Edward I., we find Jollan de Bavent holding lands in Billesby and Winceby, as well as Mareham.[7] In 1319, under Edward II., Robert de Bavent holds his land in Billesby of the King by the service of supplying "3 falcons for the royal use,"[8] and, under Edward III., certain trustees of Peter de Bavent, by his will, transfer the manor of Mareham to the convent of Revesby, to provide a monk who shall daily throughout the year say masses "for the souls of the said Peter and Catherine, his wife, for ever."[9] Truly "L'homme propose, et Dieu dispose," for from this time forward we hear little of the Bavents. They may "call their lands after their own names," "Bavent's Close" survives, but of the whilom owner we can only say, in the words of Coleridge:
The knight's bones are dust,
And his good sword rust,
His soul is with
The saints, we trust.
Another family of distinction connected with Horncastle was that of the Angevines. Among the Carlisle documents is one[10] shewing that a trial was held at Horncastle (A.D. 1489-90), in which Sir Robert Dymoke, Knt., and William Angevin, Esq., recovered possession of 400 acres of land, with tofts
- ↑ Ibidem.
- ↑ Camden's Britannia, p. 712.
- ↑ Pipe Roll, 1160-1.
- ↑ Pipe Roll, 1161-2.
- ↑ Testa de Nevill, folio 348. He also held the advowson of Mareham, which was transferred to the Bishop of Carlisle, as Lord of Horncastle, in 1239 (Final Concords, p. 304) by his successor, William de Bavent.
- ↑ Cathedral Charters (Calcewaith), folio 106 (a), quoted Architectural Society's Journal, No. xxvii, p. 14.
- ↑ Chancery Inquisition post mortem, 18 Ed. I., No. 34.
- ↑ Chancery Inquisition post mortem, 12 Ed. II., No. 22.
- ↑ Chancery Inquisition post mortem, 44 Ed. III., No. 32. These trustees were John Amery of Horncastle; Simon, Parson of Wilksby; John of Claxby Pluckacre; and others.
- ↑ De Banco Roll, 5 Henry VII., Hilary, M., A.D. 1490.
