THERE were formerly two churches at Grimsby; that of St. Mary has long since been demolished: St. James's is the subject of the accompanying Views. It is a ponderous pile, consisting of a nave, transept, and choir, with a centre tower, very peculiar and elegant in its construction, each face being broken into two pointed recesses, in which are inserted the belfry windows: the parapet is of beautiful tracery, but not perforated; the angles have evidently supported pinnacles, which are now destroyed; the bases are yet perfect. At the south west corner stands a turret, covering the staircase, over the door of which is this inscription, in old church text: "Pra for ye soulle of Iohn hemperynga." This personage, according to Gervas Holles, was born here, in the reign of Henry IV. and contributed largely to the revenues of the Church. The height of the tower is eighty-eight feet: it is supported by four octagonal pillars, whose sides are sunk into trefoil-headed compartments. The nave consists of a middle and side aisles; the middle one, measured from centre to centre of the separating pillars, is twenty-five feet three inches; each side aisle is seventeen feet three inches; making the whole breadth fifty-nine feet nine inches: the length is eighty-six feet. This part of the Church is fitted up for divine service. The aisles are formed by six pointed arches, supported by strong clustered columns: above these is a range of pointed recesses, resting upon light clustered columns. The west window has been very elegant, but the present mullions do not appear to be the original ones: it once contained a curious picture of stained glass, representing the several kings of Judah, branching off from the stem of Jesse. In the middle aisle are several stones with mutilated inscriptions, and others that have been, in former times, lavishly ornamented with plates of brass: a very large stone figure of a knight in armour, his head and feet resting upon a lion couchant, of uncouth sculpture, had been a moveable piece of furniture in this Church time out of memory; it has, however, lately been fixed upon an oblong heap of stones near the south-east door, by some masons who were repairing the Church. This figure is generally called Old Grim, (who, as will be hereafter noticed, is supposed to have been the first inhabitant of this district); but, notwithstanding this common appellation, it is proved to be the effigy of sir Thomas Haselerton, who re-edified the nunnery of St. Leonard, in the reign of Hen. III. and it was probably removed to this Church at the time that monastery was dissolved. The transept is in STONE CROSS, GREAT GRIMSBY CHURCH. length eighty-seven feet, and twenty-two feet ten inches wide. The chancel is at present thirty-one feet long, but was formerly of much greater extent, part of it having fallen about the year 1600. This, as well as some other parts of the structure, is of Norman architecture. The living of Grimsby is a vicarage: the presentation is in the Heneage family. In the churchyard are the remains of a cross: on digging about it a short time since, the basement was discovered considerably below the surface of the earth. Grimsby is a very ancient borough and seaport : it is said to derive its name from Havloc Gryme, whose traditional history is as follows:-This Gryme came in a vessel up the Humber, from Souldbourgh, and landing at or near the place where the town of Grimsby now stands, which was then a sort of island, formed by the waters of the river or swamps connected with it. Here he fixed his residence, and built a hut. The commodious situation of the place, upon the Humber, brought foreign vessels to visit it, and Havloc, with those who had joined him, engaged in mercantile transactions to such an extent that the place became shortly of considerable importance; and Havloc, having acquired great riches, spent the remainder of his life in the town which he had thus established. One principal step to his advancement is said to have been a successful exertion to save the lives of a Danish prince and princess by this, he obtained important privileges for his town; one of these, whatever was its origin, is still preserved. Every ship belonging to Grimsby, whose captain is a burgess of the town, is free from all tolls and port charges at Elsineur. However this story respecting Gryme may be ridiculed by Camden, it is certainly countenanced by impressions from the ancient corporation seal, and the existing privilege already named. Holles is of opinion that this town was founded by some Norwegian pirate; and Macpherson observes, in the Annals of Commerce, that Grimsby is noted, by the Norwegian or Islandic writers, as an emporium resorted to by merchants from Norway, Scotland, and the western islands. This town had a mayor in the reign of king John, and has sent two members to parliament ever since the time of Edward I. which is the earliest period of cities and boroughs returning members. Grimsby appears to have been of considerable importance in the time of Richard I. for that monarch, in 1190, by |