LITTLEBURGH, SEGELOCUM.
Here was a famous passage over Trent, & near it have been found some old pieces of
Roman antiquities, coyns, or the like, as I have heard, which I suppose determined this place to be the Agelocum, corrupted from Adelocum, or Segelocum
of Antonine, which yet Mr. Cambden (fn. 1) thought once was to be sought for in vain
any where but on the banks of the river Idle (or Ydle, now Eeaton signifies Water Town,
and is upon that river and may as well by that reason be called Idleton; and Id or Yd
in the British language (fn. 2) signifies Seges, corn, and Ydlan, Area ubi reponuntur collecte segetes, which in these parts we call a Stack-yard, so that it seems the river Idle had
its name from corn, with which the neighbouring fields ever abounded, and Adelocum
was intended by the Romans for the place upon Ydel, after the broad pronunciation of
Ai for I, which is still frequent in this country, as Segelocum after the signification,
Ydle signifying a granary amongst the Britains. (fn. 3)
Littleburgh was of the Soc of Maunsfeild, the Kings great manor, as much of Ofwardbec
Soc was, whereof this was also part, and answered the Dane-geld or tax before the Conquest of four bov. (fn. 4) The land being one car. There fourteen sochm. two vill. four
bord. had afterwards five car. meadow three qu. and ten virg. long, two qu. broad;
this Soc was in the Conquerours time valued at 10s.
(fn. 5) King John being at Nott. when he was Earl Moreton, gave to the church of
Wellebec, and the monks there, whatever belonged to him of the church of Littilburgh,
with the appurtenances, viz. the advowson and presentation, and the very church to
be converted to their proper uses, as much as belonged to him or his heirs, and C.
arch-bishop of York appropriated it accordingly to that Abby.
(fn. 6) Hugh, son of Hugh de Stretton, gave twelve acres of meadow which he held of
Roger de Trehampton in the marsh of Lee, and two fishings in the water of Trent,
viz. one called Cosegarth—the church of Littilburgh, and the other called Wlwetgarth, which is between Littilburgh and Cotes to the Abby of Wellebec, to be held in
fee farm of him and his heirs for 5s. per annum. Raph, son of Roger de Treaton,
confirmed to that abby (fn. 7) ten acres of meadow in the marsh of Lee, which Hugh,
son of Hugh de Stretton, gave.
In the year of our Lord 1253, the Tuesday after — the court of Oswardebec
was held at Stretton, and an inquisition made by the oathes of twelve lawful men,
John de Applesthorp, Elias Hakun, &c. whether the abbat of Wellebec ought to make
the stone-bridge between Littilburgh and Levarton; and the jury found that one
Adam abbat of that place of his own will made that bridge for the easement of a certain grange, which that house had beyond the Trent, but never did it as due, neither
ought he to make it, and therefore was quit for ever. The like inquisition was made
at Retford the Saturday after the feast of St. Matthew the Apostle, 18 E. 1, before
John de Annesley then High Sheriff by the Kings precept (or writ) upon the oathes
of good and lawful men of the Wapentak of Bersetlawe, viz. Elias de Wheteley, and
others, who found as before, and that Stretton and Fenton ought to make the said
stone-bridge. There were certain tenants of small parcels of land which were to
repair the stone-bridge between Littilburgh and Happlesthorp. To the first inquisition
William de Eaton, bailiff of the court of Oswardbec, under his master John de Raygate, then the Kings escaetor, put his seal, with the juries; to the latter the said
sheriff.
(fn. 8) The freeholders in Littlebroughe Town 1612, are said to be Robert Sherbury,
William More, William Turuell of East Markham, Richard Rawlin, John Deane,
Thomas Wright, John Bercock, Edward Horley, Thomas Truswell, Henry Bromeheade, Thomas Bingham, John Quippe, clerk, Edward Clark, Thomas Cartwright,
John Calton, George Holmes, Thomas Nettleship, and Thomas Seaworth.
[Throsby] Littleburgh.
This lordship is chiefly owned by Mr. Foljambe of Osberton, in this county,
who is lord of the manor. Littleburgh is a small place, seated on the banks of the
trent, and is the supposed Segelocum of Antonine; its distance from Lindum Lincoln,
about eleven computed miles. Here have been found at various times, since those
mentioned by Thoroton above, coins of Domitian, Adrian, Carausius and Gallienus.
Here Dr. Gale saw a Roman urn which contained ashes and bones. A drawing of a
Roman altar found here was communicated to the society of antiquaries in 1759.
A curious tessera or tally was found near this place, represented, plate, page 232,
figure 6. (fn. 9)
Littleburgh chapel, certified value of the curacy 4l. 3s. 4d. Service only once a
month. Patron, John Hewitt, esq. Incumbent, Rev. Samuel Lawry.