HORNCASTLE, a market-town in Lincolnshire, England, at the foot of the Wolds, at the confluence of the Bain and Waring streams; the terminus of a branch line of the L.N.E.R., 13o m. N. from London. Pop. of urban district manor of Horncastle (Hornecastre) belonged to Queen Edith in Saxon times and was royal demesne in 1o86 and the head of a large soke. Under Stephen it belonged to Alice de Cundi, a partisan of the empress Maud, and passing to the crown on her death it was granted by Henry III. to Gerbald de Escald, from whom it descended to Ralph de Rhodes, who sold it to the bishop of Carlisle in 1230. The see of Carlisle retained it till the reign of Edward VI. when it was granted to Edward, Lord Clinton, but was recovered in the following reign. In 123o Henry III. directed the men of Horncastle to render a reasonable aid to the bishop, who obtained the right to try felons, hold a court leet and have free warren. An inquisition of 1275 shows that the bishop had, besides the return of writs, the assize of bread and ale and waifs and strays in the soke. Horncastle was a centre of the Lincoln shire rebellion of Royalist troops occupied the town in 1643, and were pursued through its streets after the battle fought at Winceby. Horncastle was never a municipal or parliamentary borough, but during the middle ages it was frequently the resi dence of the bishops of Carlisle. Its prosperity has always de pended largely on its fairs, the great horse fair described by George Borrow in Romany Rye being granted to the bishop in 1230 for the octave of St. Lawrence, together with the fair on the feast of St. Barnabas. The three other fairs are apparently of later date. The church of St. Mary is mainly Decorated and Perpendicular, with some Early English remains and an em battled western tower. Queen Elizabeth's grammar school was founded in 1562. The prosperity of the town is chiefly depend ent on agriculture and its well-known horse fairs. Brewing and malting, and leather dressing are carried on, and there is some trade in coal, iron and wood.