SPALDING, a market-town and parish in the
wapentake of ELLOE, parts of HOLLAND, county of
LINCOLN, 44 miles (S. E. by S.) from Lincoln, and 100
(N.) from London, containing, according to the last
census, 5207 inhabitants, now supposed to amount to
upwards of 6000. This place is said to have derived
its name from a Spa, or spring of chalybeate water, in
the market-place; it is of considerable antiquity, being
mentioned at an early period of the Saxon annals as
one of the points on the boundary line of the estate
belonging to Crowland abbey, to which a subordinate
cell for a prior and five monks was founded here, in
1051, by Thorold de Buckenhale j but at the Conquest,
on the presentation of this manor to Ivo Talbois, Earl
of Angiers, and nephew of the Conqueror, who built a
castle here, the society was so harassed by their new
neighbour as to be compelled to abandon their cell,
which, falling into his hands, was given, in 1074, with
the church of St. Mary and the manor, to the abbey
of St. Nicholas at Angiers, whereupon some Benedictine
monks were sent over, and it became an Alien
priory to that monastery, being dedicated to St. Mary
and St. Nicholas; it did not share the fate of other
Alien houses, but was raised to the dignity of an abbey,
and so continued until the general suppression, when
its revenue was valued at £878. 18. 3. The town is
situated on the river Welland, in a fenny district, but
remarkably well drained; the streets are clean and
well paved, the houses of neat appearance, and the inhabitants
are well supplied with water. An Antiquarian
Society was established here, many years ago, by Mr.
Maurice Johnson, a native of the town, of which Sir
Isaac Newton, Sir Hans Sloane, Dr. Stukeley, and several
other distinguished persons, were members; many
of the valuable books are still preserved, some in the
vestry-room of the church, and others in the grammar
school, as are also some manuscripts, relics of antiquity,
and natural curiosities; the room is now used for a permanent
subscription library. A literary club has also
been recently established. The theatre, a small and neat
edifice, is open about three weeks in the year; assemblies
are occasionally held in commodious rooms in
the town hall. The land in the vicinity is extensively
appropriated to grazing; and the fenny tracts have been
drained by means of steam-engines. Wool forms a principal
article of trade, and some of the manufacturing
towns of Yorkshire are supplied from this neighbourhood.
Since the river Welland was made navigable to Crowland
and Stamford, Spalding has acquired a considerable
traffic in corn and coal; sloops of from fifty to seventy
tons' burden come up to the centre of the town, and by
these a regular coasting trade is maintained with London,
Hull, Lynn, and other places; there is a quay for landing
goods, with spacious storehouses for their reception.
The port is a member of the port of Boston. The
market, on Tuesday, is the largest in the county for
cattle. Fairs are held April 27th, June 30th, August
28th, September 25th, and December 6th, chiefly for
live stock. Spalding has been the principal seat of jurisdiction
for the parts of Holland for many centuries.
In the Saxon times the courts of law were held here by
the earls, and subsequently to the Conquest the priors
were invested with the judicial authority, and possessed
the power of life and death. At present the quarter
sessions for these parts are held here, and petty sessions
for the wapentake every week. Courts of sewers, and
of requests for the recovery of debts not exceeding £5,
for the hundred of Elloe; and also courts leet and
baron, at which the steward presides, are held. The
town hall, situated at the north-west end of the marketplace,
was erected at the expense of Mr. John Hobson:
the lower part is let for shops, and the rental given to
the poor, according to the will of the donor. A new
house of correction for the parts of Holland was built
in 1824; it is an airy and commodious edifice, under
very good regulations.
The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry
and diocese of Lincoln, and in the patronage of certain
Trustees, who are seized of the rectory, which is of
considerable annual value, in trust for the incumbent.
The church, which is dedicated to St. Mary and St.
Nicholas, is principally in the later style of English
architecture, with a fine tower and crocketed spire; it
was erected in 1284, instead of the conventual church,
then pulled down, and considerable additions were
made in 1466, amongst which was a very beautiful
north porch. There are places of worship for Baptists,
the Society of Friends, Independents, and Wesleyan
Methodists. A free grammar school was erected in the
reign of Elizabeth, and endowed, by the will of John
Blanche, with eighty-nine acres of land, for the support
of a master to instruct the children of householders
born in the parish: the original endowment has been
considerably augmented by Mr. Atkinson: the trustees
are incorporated, and have a common seal. Another,
called the Petit school, was founded, in 1682, by Thomas
Willesley, and endowed with nearly sixty acres
of land. The Blue-coat school, founded by one of the
Gamlyn family, is supported by a small endowment of
land, aided by voluntary contributions. An almshouse,
for the reception of twenty-two poor persons, was
founded and endowed, in 15QO, by Sir Matthew Gamlyn;
and another for eight poor widows., in 1709, by Mrs.
Elizabeth Sparke. There are also considerable estates
vested in trustees, called "Town Husbands," for the
benefit of the poor. A portion of the abbey buildings
yet remains, which has been partly converted into
tenements, and is partly in ruins. Many relics of
antiquity have at different periods been discovered in
the neighbourhood, and others taken out of the river
Welland.