t with South
Street there still exists at the back of the second shop, in the former
street (a repository for fancy needlework), a room lined with good oak
wainscoting, with finely carved mantelpiece, over which is an
inscription, richly carved in relief, with the letters "Ao Di" to the
left, and to the right the date "1573;" while above, in the centre, are
the initials "J H" and "M H;" separated by a floriated cross and
encircled by a wreath. This would doubtless be John Hamerton and his
wife Mary (or Margaret) Hamerton, the original builders of the house.
Two doors beyond is Hamerton Lane, and the title deeds, which the present
writer has inspected, show that the whole of this block of buildings now
forming five shops and two private residences, once formed one large
dwelling place, belonging to the Hamerton of that day, with a frontage in
East Street of more than 20 yards, and in South Street of 70 or 80 yards,
with extensive back premises and gardens attached. The J.H. and M.H., of
whom we have here such interesting relics, were probably the grandfather
and grandmother of the John Hamerton of the time of the Commonwealth and
Charles II., and the extent of the buildings occupied by them show that
they were wealthy.

Tanning was at one time the chief trade of the town, there being within
the writer's recollection several tan yards, now no longer existing. The
Bain water was said to be specially suited for this purpose. We have
seen that several of the Hamertons were tanners, and they had evidently
prospered in their calling.

One more name in the register deserves a brief notice, that of Snowden
(spelt there Snoden). We have, at various dates, from 22 Oct. 1629,
onwards, the baptisms of the whole family of Mr. Rutland Snowden, and the
burials of some of them. The Snowdens were originally a Notts. family,
of the smaller gentry class, but Robert Snowden, third son of Ralph
Snowden, of Mansfield Woodhouse, became Bishop of Carlisle, and, ex
officio, Lord of the Manor of Horncastle. The Bishops of Carlisle had,
as has been already stated, a residence in Horncastle, near the present
Manor House, and the Bishop's widow, Abigail, probably resided there. In
her will, dated 15 April, 1651, and proved 7 May in the same year, she
mentions her sons Rutland and Scrope; there was also another son Ralph.
Rutland married on Xmas day, 1628, Frances, widow of George Townshend,
Esq., of Halstead Hall, Stixwould, and Lord of the