Scan copy of the book.
This is the Preface.
If from these pages the dwellers in the fen-land village of Gosberton can be induced to take a deeper interest in the history of themselves and of their church, the writer’s aim will have been attained. Like so many works of this description this one has been financially unsuccessful ; and this fact will in some measure account for the omission of matters which would otherwise have found a place herein. It was found necessary also to considerably alter my original intentions owing to the subsequent discovery of particulars unknown to me at the outset. I desire to express my
indebtedness to my friend J. Edwin-Cole, Esq. F.R. Hist. Soc., J.P., Barrister- at-Law, of
Swineshead Hall, for the loan of the two inserted pedigrees, shewing his descent
through various maternal ancestors, from the ancient Gosberton families of de Rye and
de Cressy, as well as for most kind assistance rendered in many other ways; to the Lady
Elizabeth Cust for the generous loan of un- published MSS. relating to the Rye family, and
to Walter Rye, Esq., for the gift of his published account of his ancestors (the de Ryes of
Norfolk and Gosberton); to Dr. J. G. M. G. Stack for valued assistance in the account of
the Volunteers, as well as for the encouraging interest he has taken in the work during
its progress ; to Edgar Leopold Layard. Esq. C.M.G., for the kind loan of numerous papers relating to the family of Calthrop; to the Vicar of Gosberton for permission to examine documents relating to the Church as well as for the few notes we have been able to extract from the parish registers; to Miss Topham for information as to the church; and to Dr. F. M. Sealy for the loan of notes left by the late Vicar, For help in various For help in various Lord ways I am also indebted to the Rt. Hon. Lord Brownlow, to the President (Dr. Perry) and the
Secretary (the Rev. E. M. Tweed) of the Spalding Gentle- men’s Society; to the Rev.
Canon Fowler, D.C.L., Fowler, D.C.L., F.S.A., the Rev. Canon Hemmans, the Rev. Canon
Maddison, F.S.A., the Rev. F. Todd, H. Peet, Esq., F.S.A., Charles Welçh, Esq., F.S.A., Major
Casswell, J.P., the Rev. J. H. Robinson, B.A., B. Fountain, Esq., and to my lamented friend
the Rev. W. F. Creey, M.A., F.S.A. For the illustrations I offer my thanks to Miss Topham, Dr.
Stack and Dr. Sealy; and to Messrs. Longmans, Green and Co. for loan of the block of the
knight’s tomb. The de Rye seal is from a photograph by Mr. W. A. Southwell, and that of
the Church by Mr. J. Sellers. My thanks are due to my sub- scribers, as well as my
Gosberton Domesday and parochial records
Gosberton ancient parish accounts
