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TOWNS & VILLAGES - Lincolnshire
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Alford (pronounced "Olford" in
Lincolnshire) was established as a small hamlet in
pre-Norman times at a place where it was easy to
ford the local stream.
It was granted a market
charter in 1283 and prospered with the arrival of
the railway and the Alford to Sutton-on-Sea steam
tram in 1884.
It is today perhaps most famous for its
five-sailed windmill, Hoyle's Mill, one of only
three remaining in Lincolnshire which are still
working.
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Hoyle's Mill - Photo:
Dave Hitchborne
CCL |
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St Wilfrid's Church, Alford
Photo:
Andrew Telfer
CCL |
At one time the town boasted
three windmills but this is the last and dates
from 1837.
Today it operates as a tourist attraction but
stone-ground wholemeal flour is available for
purchase.
The town's oldest building
is St. Wilfrid's Church, dating from the 13th
century.
The Queen Elizabeth Grammar School
originally started in a room above the church
porch. |
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The Romans
settled here and
traces of their
original
nine-acre camp
can still be
found. Artefacts
from the site, including coins, are displayed
at Grantham Museum.
One famous legacy of the
Roman invasion is the road network. Many
modern straight roads follow the line of a
Roman original.
This is Ermine Street
(B6403) near Ancaster (Roman name:
Causennae), part of a road which ran
originally from Chichester via London and
Lincoln to York.
The route of a roman road
can vary from a trunk road to a muddy track or
disappear completely, as it does a little
further north where it lies somewhere under
the runways of RAF Waddington.
Photos: Ermine Street near
Ancaster.
Photos by:
Ian Carrington
CCL
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During the
medieval period Ancaster became
famous for its
locally-quarried
stone, which
provided the
building
material for
numerous
Lincolnshire
churches.
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Barrow on Humber castle remains. Photo:
David Wright
CCL
These earthworks are all that remain of the Norman motte & bailey castle at
Barrow-upon-Humber but they are nevertheless impressive (Map ref: TA 065 225).
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Famous son of this town is
John Harrison 1693-1776, the inventor of the
first marine chronometer - a clock designed to
keep accurate time whilst at sea, essential
for calculating a ship's longitude.
Although John was born
near Wakefield, the family moved to
Barrow-on-Humber soon afterwards and it was
here that he grew up.
He trained in his father's
joiners shop but he developed an interest in
clock-making. After almost 300 years, one of
his is still in good working order at nearby
Brocklesby.
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John Harrison |
As trans-oceanic journeys became more frequent, a system was needed to plot a
ship's accurate position on a chart. In October 1707 in thick fog, part of the
English fleet under the command of Sir Cloudesley Shovell ran aground in the
Scilly Isles even though their navigation calculations had indicated they were
in safe waters. Over 2000 men died in that incident and the Government
established a prize of up to £20,000 for anyone who could find a method of
calculating longitude at sea.
To accurately know their ship's position, a crew needed to be able to calculate
its latitude and its longitude. The former could be obtained by measuring the
elevation of the Pole Star but longitude was not so easy to calculate using
astronomy. Harrison's method was to create a clock that could keep accurate time
of the home port. Using sun sights, the crew could calculate "local" time at sea
and, by comparing with the clock, they could find the difference in time and
work out their longitude.
The earth rotates 360 degrees in 24 hours (1440) minutes. Therefore every 4
minutes, the earth rotates 1 degree of longitude. If a ship were 1 hour behind
the time at their home port, they knew that they were 15 degrees west of their
starting point. Political wranglings stopped him winning the actual prize but he
was eventually paid an equivalent sum by parliamentary decree.
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Barrow Haven is still in
use as a small port today. The photo shows a
coastal vessel "Tramp" offloading timber.
Nearby a tileworks is still in production. |
 "Tramp"
in Barrow Haven.
Photo:
David Wright
CCL |
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Although there is some
evidence of Roman occupation, the small town of
Barton upon Humber is considered to be of
Anglo-Saxon origin. It lies on the south bank of
the river at the southern end of the Humber Bridge
and a viewing area has been provided from which to
see this magnificent structure.
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The Old Mill. Photo:
David Wright
CCL |
At one time, Barton was a thriving industrial town
producing bricks & tiles, rope and chalk which was
easily transported away by river and sea. Today
the once industrial areas near the riverside have
become a haven for wildlife. Visit Water's Edge
Country Park and Far Ings Nature Reserve.
The Old Mill pub in Market
Lane is a converted windmill, Kings Garth
Mill, which was in use as a mill up to 1950.
Excavations have shown
that it was built on the site of an
Anglo-Saxon Cemetery. |
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At one time Boston was a major port and Fenland sailors plying their trade in The
Wash would take their bearings from the 272ft tower of St Botolph’s Church, also known as ‘The
Stump’. The town’s quays still sing to the sound of small-boat engines.
It was from here in 1630 that a band of Puritans set sail for America to found
the town of Boston in Massachusetts.
Boston has numerous fine old buildings, including the 15th century Guildhall
and the 18th century Fydell House, home of the Pilgrim College.
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Boston Marina - Photo: Lincolnshire County
Council |
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The Maud Foster Windmill
stands next to the Maud Foster Drain in
Boston. It is the tallest working windmill in
the country, and is unusual in that it has
five sails.
It was built in 1819 to
grind corn, and flour is still produced by the
mill today.
Maud Foster Windmill
Photo:
Christine Hasman
CCL |
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This pretty market town was the birthplace of at
least three remarkable characters, the Fenland rebel Hereward the Wake who fought against the
Normans in the 11th century, Sir William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Elizabeth 1, and Frederick
Worth, who founded the Paris-based House of Worth fashion house. Cecil’s old house is now the
Burghley Arms Hotel.
The town has extensive beds of watercress thanks to its ‘pure’ water and a 13th century
church is the last relic of an Augustinian priory founded here in 1138. The earthworks of an 11th
century castle lie close to the town centre.
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Brigg is a small market town on the River Ancholme, which joins the Humber just
west of the present day Humber Bridge. It is thought that the name is derived
from "briggja", an old Norse word meaning a jetty indicating the significance of
the river in its location.
In the centre of a large rural area, a
crossing point on a small but navigable river
and with good road links (the old Roman road
Ermine Street is only about 3 miles away, it
is not surprising that Brigg should have
thrived as a market town (granted a Royal
Charter to establish a market in 1205AD). |
Brigg Town Centre - Photo
Colin Park
CCL |
Two unusual products
for which the town became famous were liquorice and rabbits (for meat and fur).
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The Nelthorpe Arms
Photo:
David Wright
CCL |
As a network of stagecoach routes became established in the 16th century,
several coaching inns were built to provide a break in the journey for both
people and horses.
The town further expanded with the arrival of the Manchester, Sheffield and
Lincolnshire Railway, which provided easy access for visitors to the town's
famous Thursday market.
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The Romans created a settlement here around 300AD and, unsurprisingly, the name of the town, in Latin,
signifies a fortified camp. Today, the most historically significant feature of this mainly Georgian
market town is the 13th century church of St Peter and St Paul. |
Caistor Marketplace
Photo:
David Wright
CCL |
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This small seaside village is situated on the coast between Mablethorpe and
Skegness. It thrives on the holiday trade, has fine sandy beaches, amusements,
shops, pubs, restaurants and various types of accommodation to offer.
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This was a
tiny fishing village famous for its oysters
until its vast, gently-shelving beaches
stretching for three miles began to attract
fun-seeking tourists during the early days of
coastal holidaymaking in the mid-19th century.
Today it is one of the north’s favourite East
Coast resorts with some some fine houses, a
huge pier and views of the Humber and Spurn
Head. The latter has a
lighthouse and lifeboat station. |
Cleethorpes Beach - Photo
John Clark
CCL |
Cleethorpes is one of few coastal places located on the Greenwich Meridian, indicated by a marker in the sea wall.
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Coningsby, near Boston, is
dominated by its RAF station, home to the
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
The station began life as an RAF bomber base during World War
II and currently has the only airworthy Lancaster bomber in the country. |
Britain Memorial Flight Visitor Centre
Photo Lincolnshire County Council |
Lincolnshire County Council runs the
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Visitor Centre which also has Spitfire and
Hurricane fighters.
Coningsby also boasts the
largest one-handed clock in the world! The clock can be seen on the 17th century Church of St Michael and All Angels
and is almost 17ft in diameter.
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The sounds of jet aircraft and the sight of men in RAF uniform are as common as
tulips in this part of rural Lincolnshire, which is home to the world’s
first-ever training school for fly-boys, the Royal Air Force College.
RAFC Cranwell started as Royal Naval Air Station Daedalus in 1916 to train naval
officers to fly BE2C, Sopwith Pup, Maurice Farman, F7, airships and observer
kite balloons. The first flight in the UK of an aircraft powered by Frank
Whittle's jet engine was at Cranwell on 15 May 1941. One of many
Royal Air Force stations in
Lincolnshire.
Nearby is the
Cranwell Aviation Heritage Centre, a small centre providing historical
information about the nearby historic airfield. A Jet Provost and the nose of a
Vampire Jet are on display. Located to the south of RAF Cranwell and signposted
off the A17.
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RAFC Cranwell is also the
headquarters of the world’s finest formation
flying squadron, the indomitable Red Arrows.
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Matthew Flinders, the famous navigator who explored and gave the name to
Australia, was born at Donington in 1774. The Flinders Ranges in South Australia
and the Flinders River, in Queensland, were named after him in honour of the
important work he had carried out.
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Gainsborough Old Hall - Photo: Lincolnshire
County Council |
A few hundred years ago this bustling seaport was the stronghold of
the Swedish king Swein and one of Europe’s most important towns. Swein effectively conquered England in 1013 but died before
enjoying the fruits of his labours. His throne was inherited by Canute who famously thought he could control the tide. Modern
visitors will be impressed by the town’s quayside, which has many 18th century warehouses. |
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A famous old market town, Grantham has long been an important hub for
travellers. It still has some fine coaching inns, including the Angel and Royal Hotel, which dates
from the 15th century.
At one time Grantham was an important centre for both wool and agriculture.
While its most obvious landmark is the 280ft spire of St Wulfran’s Church, the building itself
contains a chained library with volumes dating back to 1472. It was possibly the first public
library in England. |
The Angel & Royal Hotel
High Street, Grantham Tel: 01476 565816
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Henry V11’s daughter, Princess 1530 en route to marry James 1 in Scotland. The
property is run by the National Trust.
Sir Isaac Newton – educated at what is now King’s School – was born at
Woolsthorpe. A bronze statue in Grantham’s Guildhall reminds visitors of his immense
contribution to science. Former Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher was born in North Parade.
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Until comparatively recently
this ancient port was one of the most important in
Britain, but it went into decline following the
so-called Icelandic ‘cod wars’ and, later, the
enforced reduction in European fish catches. The
town’s story really began in the 10th century when
a Dane named Grim landed on the shore of the
Humber and started selling fish to the locals.
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Paddle Steamer Lincoln Castle moored in
Grimsby Docks.
Photo:
David Wright
CCL |
Today the port still helps
to keep Britain stocked with fish and chips
though its real heyday was in the 19th century
when unsalted fish could be quickly
transported inland on new-fangled trains.
The largest town on
Lincolnshire’s east coast, Grimsby itself now
lies half a mile from the sea. Its finest
building is the medieval Church of James,
which has a 14th century tower.
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Holbeach, a fenland market town was awarded its Market Charter in 1252.
At one time, the sea came within a couple of miles of the town and instances of
severe flooding were recorded in the 13th and 16th centuries. Land drainage
schemes were started in the 18th century and gradually the coastline of
The Wash moved to nine miles away. The reclaimed area is now fertile
agricultural land.
All Saints' Church was built in the 14th century incorporating parts the town's
ruined Norman castle. |
Holbeach crossroads.
Photo:
Peter Latham
CCL
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Horncastle Market Place
Photo:
Tony Atkin
CCL
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The square of this old market town, which lies in the valley of the river Bain, was formerly the Roman fort of Banovallum
and some parts of its walls still survive.
At one time the town
staged famous horse fairs lasting up to 10
days. The Fighting Cocks inn was named after
the sport of cock-fighting, which was then a
feature of the festivities.
Today the town is probably
best known as a centre for bric-a-brac and
antiques.
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It was from a small creek
at Immingham that the Pilgrim Fathers set sail
for America in 1609.
A memorial was erected on
the site in 1924 but in 1970 it was moved to
its present location, opposite St Andrews
Church in Immingham, during the expansion of
Immingham Docks around the original site. |
Pilgrims Memorial, Immingham -
Photo:
Christine Hasman
CCL
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The ancient village of Leadenham, mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book (1086),
lies on the side of an escarpment, Lincolnshire Edge which marks the boundary of
the Vale of Trent.
There is a long history of the
Royal Air Force in
Lincolnshire and above the village on the higher flat ground
the Royal Flying Corps established an airfield in 1916. Although it closed in
1919, it was one of the forerunners of many other military airfields to be
constructed in the county (well over 50).
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No trace remains of the wooden Saxon church mentioned in the Domesday Book but a
stone church dedicated to St Swithun and built of local stone replaced it in
1320. In the 19th century, the village had its own Railway station, on the Grantham
and Lincoln branch of the Great Northern Railway.
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St Swithuns Church, Leadenham
Photo:
Richard Croft
CCL |
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The 18th century Leadenham House, home of the Reeve family, is surrounded by
parkland and 3000 acres of farmland. It has extensive views over the Vale of
Trent and is open to the public on certain days of the year. For access details
see
www.visitukheritage.gov.uk.
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It is not hard to see why
this 200ft limestone plateau overlooking an
otherwise flat landscape became one of the
most important cityscapes in Britain.
Ancient tribes quickly
responded to its military potential and later the
Romans turned the locale into a mighty hilltop
fort.
Unfortunately, the
term "hillTOP" indicates that, even today,
some places are harder to get to than others.
The name of this little street, "Steep Hill",
gives a clue! |
Steep Hill, Lincoln -
Photo
Ron Strutt
CCL |
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Roman North Gate, Lincoln -
Photo
Ron Strutt
CCL |
Even today, in the 21st
century, it boasts a Roman city gate still used by
traffic - The North Gate, also known as Newport
Arch.
Lincoln also has an 11-mile Roman canal, Fossdyke
Navigation, which is the oldest canal in the
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William the Conqueror ordered
the building of
Lincoln Castle in the south-west corner of the
old Roman upper city. The walls and keep still
stand in Castle Square.
In the south-east corner,
opposite the castle, he had built a cathedral
consecrated in 1092.
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Lincoln Castle
Photo:
Richard Croft
CCL
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Lincoln Cathedral - Photo:
Ian Carrington
CCL |
Following a fire and an
earthquake the cathedral was rebuilt in the Gothic
style and the earliest parts of today's
Lincoln Cathedral, one of the finest Gothic
buildings in Europe, date from around 1200 AD.
This fascinating, triple-towered
cathedral dominates the skyline for many miles
around and is surrounded by evocative medieval
buildings set amidst cobbled streets.
Inside the
cathedral is one of only four copies of the Magna Carta.
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The medieval street pattern has survived together
with some original buildings, including the 12th
century Jew’s House, while shops on the High
Street date from the 14th century and stand on a
12th century bridge.
Lincoln, and particularly the
old town areas are famous for the Christmas
Markets. The fairground atmosphere and street
entertainers make this a spectacle worth seeing
... and you could find some interesting and
unusual Christmas gifts. |
Cathedral Quarter, Lincoln -
Photo:
Lincolnshire County Council |
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Hartsholm Park, Lincoln - Photo: Lincolnshire
County Council |
Around 3 miles from the city
centre is Hartsholm country park if you are
looking for peace and tranquillity.
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Louth, a small market town is sometimes referred to as the "Capital of the
Lincolnshire Wolds".
The local church, St James', has a spire 295 feet tall and claims to be
the tallest parish church in the UK. |
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The church is famous as the starting point of The Lincolnshire Rising, a brief
rebellion of Roman Catholics against the establishment of the Church of England
by Henry VIII and his dissolution of the monasteries. Shortly after the forced
closure of Louth Abbey in 1536, the parishoners of Louth started a rebellion
demanding an end to peacetime taxes, an end to
the dissolution of the monasteries, and
claiming the right to continue to practise
their Catholic religion.
With additional supporters
from neighbouring towns, a force of up to
40,000 marched on Lincoln and took over
Lincoln Cathedral. Within a few days, Henry
VIII sent word that they would have to face
the forces under the Duke of Suffolk if they
did not abandon their uprising. Over the next
year, the vicar of Louth, Thomas Kendall, and
most of the other ringleaders were rounded up
and executed for having taken part. |
St.James' church, Louth
Photo
Richard Croft
CCL |
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For Louth, as for many rural towns, the coming of the railway brought increased
prosperity. The East Lincolnshire Railway, from Grimsby to Boston via Louth
opened in 1847. Passenger services ended in 1970 with freight continuing until
1980. Once it was known that the line was to close, the Grimsby-Louth Railway
Preservation Society was established, to try to preserve the line.
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Lincolnshire Wolds Railway
Photo:
Dave Hitchbourne
CCL
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As in similar
situations throughout the country, this did not fit the plans of British Rail
who removed the track and buildings. The society has restored Ludborough station
and signal box as a working museum. They also have a half-mile line on which
they run trains hauled by both steam and diesel locomotives. They were
originally hoping eventually to have a complete line from Louth to Grimsby.
However the building of a bypass near Grimsby took over some of the trackbed but
it is still hoped to reconstruct the 10 miles of track between Louth and
Waltham. They are now known as the
Lincolnshire Wolds Railway.
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Mablethorpe Seafront. Photo
Chris Eccleston
CCL |
Just 15 miles from
Skegness, this popular bathers’ paradise has
sands stretching six miles to Sutton-on-Sea.
The seafront was rebuilt
in the 1950s following disastrous floods and
at low tide visitors can see the stumps of
trees, which are all that remain of a village
and forest drowned beneath the ocean in the
13th century.
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Market Rasen, a small historic market town, is best known for its racecourse
which was not the first in the town but has been in this location for over 75
years.
An agricultural trading centre since Tudor times, the town saw increased
development in the late 19th century but little major development since.
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Old Bolingbroke Castle - Photo
Lera Miles
CCL
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Arguably the finest of many villages in the Lincolnshire Wolds, Old Bolingsbroke was the birthplace in 1366 of Henry
IV.
His castle was later occupied by John of Gaunt but was finally destroyed when the royalists were defeated by
Cromwell during a Civil War clash at Winceby
in 1643.
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Saltfleet, a small seaside village a few miles north of Mablethorpe has a wild
bird sanctuary (Saltfleet Haven).
The village also has an unrestored windmill,
Saltfleet Mill, (Grid Reference
TF456936) which is
now virtually derelict. This tower mill, one of the oldest in Lincolnshire, is
said to be date from 1770. In the 1890's it was largely rebuilt with the
addition of an additional storey to give it extra height. It continued working
until around 1950.
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