Barrow upon Humber
Encyclopedia
Barrow upon Humber is a village and civil parish
in North Lincolnshire
, England. Many of the buildings in the centre of the village are of 18th and 19th century origin. There are several buildings of note including Down Hall, Barrow Hall, Forester's Hall and West Cote Farm. There are two public houses: the Royal Oak and the Six Bells. A third public house, the Red Lion, situated in the lower High Street, reverted to a residence in the early 20th century.
According to the 2001 census Barrow upon Humber had a population of 2,745. The village is located near the Humber
, about three miles east of Barton-upon-Humber
. The small port of Barrow Haven
, 1.5 miles north, on the railway line from Cleethorpes
and Grimsby
to Barton-upon-Humber
handles timber from Latvia
and Estonia
. The village is the home of Barton-upon-Humber Rugby Union
Football Club, whose clubhouse is in Mill Lane.
monastery, which has been fully excavated. The location is now built-over, but is marked by a plaque in the village. King Wulfhere
gave land to Caedda (Saint Chad
) in the 7th century at Ad Barvae (at the wood). It was on this site that the monastery was developed. The street adjacent to the monastery site is still known as St Chad.
Once clear of the village the Beck is known as the Leden and flows to Barrow Haven
passing through sluice gates to enter the Haven which then flows into the River Humber. The original sluice gates were of wooden construction and situated beneath the small stone bridge at Ferry Road, Barrow Haven
. The gates were two opposing, free-swinging, vertically-hinged doors and closed with the pressure of incoming tidal water thus preventing salt water, and more importantly flood water, moving into the Leden and possibly flooding the low-lying farmlands at Barrow Hann
which lies between Barrow Haven
and Barrow upon Humber. New sluice gates have been constructed approximately 50 yards downstream of Ferry Road.
church, with parts that appear to be of earlier origin, is situated on a hilltop to the north of the village. Known as Holy Trinity, Church of England
, the grounds of the church were landscaped during the 1960s with many graves lost and the remains reburied in a communal grave site close to the northern wall of the church. There was much controversy about the disturbing of graves at the time.
A sundial
designed by James Harrison, younger brother of John Harrison
, stood on the south side of the church near the cenotaph
but this has now been removed and replaced by a replica. The church lytch gate was removed circa 1960 but there are still lich-stones on the right hand side when entering the church proper. The churchwarden
's house that was located immediately to the east of the church path was condemned and demolished at about the same time. The church has a full peal of bells used frequently by local and visiting campanologists.
is identified by its stock stones
. The metal cross that topped the stones was removed late in the first half of the 20th century. During the Middle Ages
, local miscreants were tied to the stones as public punishment and the stones on the south side are worn indicating the place where people were restrained. Whilst the market place has been remodelled to accommodate car parking, the original shape and size of the market place can be determined from the alignment of the houses on the northern and eastern sides.
is on the eastern side of the lower High Street and was once used as a cinema. A projection room
was situated above the main entrance doorway. Access to hidden rooms could be attained through a trapdoor accessible through the ceiling of the projection room.
, famous designer of maritime chronometer
s, who lived in the village until 1736.
, known as Rigg's Mill, was located on the western side of the village but was largely demolished in 1928.
quarry existed on the south side of the village. Limestone was baked in retort
s as part of the process to make slaked lime. Remains of the retorts are still to be found on private property close to the quarry.
which marked the opening of the agricultural year.
in the church grounds. Several unexploded bombs were removed from the village by military bomb disposal experts. It has been speculated that a German bomber dumped its bombs on the village instead of the intended nearby heavily-defended target of Hull
.
is located about 2 miles south of Barrow. On 5 October 1541 Henry VIII
, after visiting Hull
with the Privy Council, crossed the river in a naval vessel and disembarked at Barrow Haven
and rode through Barrow en route to the abbey. Whilst the main part of this once magnificent abbey has largely disappeared, the gatehouse remains and is open to the public.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in North Lincolnshire
North Lincolnshire
North Lincolnshire is a unitary authority area in the region of Yorkshire and the Humber in England. For ceremonial purposes it is part of Lincolnshire....
, England. Many of the buildings in the centre of the village are of 18th and 19th century origin. There are several buildings of note including Down Hall, Barrow Hall, Forester's Hall and West Cote Farm. There are two public houses: the Royal Oak and the Six Bells. A third public house, the Red Lion, situated in the lower High Street, reverted to a residence in the early 20th century.
According to the 2001 census Barrow upon Humber had a population of 2,745. The village is located near the Humber
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal River Ouse and the tidal River Trent. From here to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between the East Riding of Yorkshire on the north bank...
, about three miles east of Barton-upon-Humber
Barton-upon-Humber
Barton-upon-Humber or Barton is a small town and civil parish in North Lincolnshire, England located on the south bank of the Humber Estuary, and at the end of the Humber Bridge. It lies east of Leeds, southwest of Hull and north northeast of the county town of Lincoln...
. The small port of Barrow Haven
Barrow Haven
Barrow Haven is a hamlet and small port in North Lincolnshire, England. Site of a former ferry crossing to Hull, which now handles timber imports from Riga and Tallinn. Barrow Haven railway station is on the Barton Line. It was a convenient place for ships and boats crossing the Humber to moor away...
, 1.5 miles north, on the railway line from Cleethorpes
Cleethorpes
Cleethorpes is a town and unparished area in North East Lincolnshire, England, situated on the estuary of the Humber. It has a population of 31,853 and is a seaside resort.- History :...
and Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
to Barton-upon-Humber
Barton-upon-Humber
Barton-upon-Humber or Barton is a small town and civil parish in North Lincolnshire, England located on the south bank of the Humber Estuary, and at the end of the Humber Bridge. It lies east of Leeds, southwest of Hull and north northeast of the county town of Lincoln...
handles timber from Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
. The village is the home of Barton-upon-Humber Rugby Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
Football Club, whose clubhouse is in Mill Lane.
Monastery
Barrow contains the site of a late Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
monastery, which has been fully excavated. The location is now built-over, but is marked by a plaque in the village. King Wulfhere
Wulfhere of Mercia
Wulfhere was King of Mercia from the end of the 650s until 675. He was the first Christian king of all of Mercia, though it is not known when or how he converted from Anglo-Saxon paganism. His accession marked the end of Oswiu of Northumbria's overlordship of southern England, and Wulfhere...
gave land to Caedda (Saint Chad
Chad of Mercia
Chad was a prominent 7th century Anglo-Saxon churchman, who became abbot of several monasteries, Bishop of the Northumbrians and subsequently Bishop of the Mercians and Lindsey People. He was later canonized as a saint. He was the brother of Cedd, also a saint...
) in the 7th century at Ad Barvae (at the wood). It was on this site that the monastery was developed. The street adjacent to the monastery site is still known as St Chad.
Water sources
Fresh water was available from the many springs in the area. Two blow wells in particular were used and known as the Caedda Wells. This name was later contracted and the blow wells are still known by the locals as the Cadwells. Due to the limestone strata there are many freshwater springs in the area. One such spring is the source of the local stream known as the Beck. It flows through the village in roughly a south-west/north-east direction. Where it passes beneath Beck Lane there is a restored hand-operated pump which drew water up into barrels on horse-drawn carts which would then deliver the water to houses in the village that had no water source of their own.Once clear of the village the Beck is known as the Leden and flows to Barrow Haven
Barrow Haven
Barrow Haven is a hamlet and small port in North Lincolnshire, England. Site of a former ferry crossing to Hull, which now handles timber imports from Riga and Tallinn. Barrow Haven railway station is on the Barton Line. It was a convenient place for ships and boats crossing the Humber to moor away...
passing through sluice gates to enter the Haven which then flows into the River Humber. The original sluice gates were of wooden construction and situated beneath the small stone bridge at Ferry Road, Barrow Haven
Barrow Haven
Barrow Haven is a hamlet and small port in North Lincolnshire, England. Site of a former ferry crossing to Hull, which now handles timber imports from Riga and Tallinn. Barrow Haven railway station is on the Barton Line. It was a convenient place for ships and boats crossing the Humber to moor away...
. The gates were two opposing, free-swinging, vertically-hinged doors and closed with the pressure of incoming tidal water thus preventing salt water, and more importantly flood water, moving into the Leden and possibly flooding the low-lying farmlands at Barrow Hann
Barrow Hann
Barrow Hann is a village in North Lincolnshire, England....
which lies between Barrow Haven
Barrow Haven
Barrow Haven is a hamlet and small port in North Lincolnshire, England. Site of a former ferry crossing to Hull, which now handles timber imports from Riga and Tallinn. Barrow Haven railway station is on the Barton Line. It was a convenient place for ships and boats crossing the Humber to moor away...
and Barrow upon Humber. New sluice gates have been constructed approximately 50 yards downstream of Ferry Road.
Church
The NormanNormans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
church, with parts that appear to be of earlier origin, is situated on a hilltop to the north of the village. Known as Holy Trinity, Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, the grounds of the church were landscaped during the 1960s with many graves lost and the remains reburied in a communal grave site close to the northern wall of the church. There was much controversy about the disturbing of graves at the time.
A sundial
Sundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
designed by James Harrison, younger brother of John Harrison
John Harrison
John Harrison was a self-educated English clockmaker. He invented the marine chronometer, a long-sought device in solving the problem of establishing the East-West position or longitude of a ship at sea, thus revolutionising and extending the possibility of safe long distance sea travel in the Age...
, stood on the south side of the church near the cenotaph
Cenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
but this has now been removed and replaced by a replica. The church lytch gate was removed circa 1960 but there are still lich-stones on the right hand side when entering the church proper. The churchwarden
Churchwarden
A churchwarden is a lay official in a parish church or congregation of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer. Holders of these positions are ex officio members of the parish board, usually called a vestry, parish council, parochial church council, or in the case of a...
's house that was located immediately to the east of the church path was condemned and demolished at about the same time. The church has a full peal of bells used frequently by local and visiting campanologists.
Market place
The market placeMarket Place
Market Place is the financial programme broadcast Monday to Friday at 10:30pm in Hong Kong by television channel TVB Pearl....
is identified by its stock stones
Stocks
Stocks are devices used in the medieval and colonial American times as a form of physical punishment involving public humiliation. The stocks partially immobilized its victims and they were often exposed in a public place such as the site of a market to the scorn of those who passed by...
. The metal cross that topped the stones was removed late in the first half of the 20th century. During the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, local miscreants were tied to the stones as public punishment and the stones on the south side are worn indicating the place where people were restrained. Whilst the market place has been remodelled to accommodate car parking, the original shape and size of the market place can be determined from the alignment of the houses on the northern and eastern sides.
Village hall
The village hallVillage hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
is on the eastern side of the lower High Street and was once used as a cinema. A projection room
Movie projector
A movie projector is an opto-mechanical device for displaying moving pictures by projecting them on a projection screen. Most of the optical and mechanical elements, except for the illumination and sound devices, are present in movie cameras.-Physiology:...
was situated above the main entrance doorway. Access to hidden rooms could be attained through a trapdoor accessible through the ceiling of the projection room.
School
John Harrison Church of England Primary School is located on North Street. Built in the last decade of the 19th century and formerly named Barrow upon Humber Church of England Primary School, it has been renamed in honour of John HarrisonJohn Harrison
John Harrison was a self-educated English clockmaker. He invented the marine chronometer, a long-sought device in solving the problem of establishing the East-West position or longitude of a ship at sea, thus revolutionising and extending the possibility of safe long distance sea travel in the Age...
, famous designer of maritime chronometer
Chronometer
Chronometer may refer to:* Chronometer watch, a watch tested and certified to meet certain precision standards* Hydrochronometer, a water clock* Marine chronometer, a timekeeper used for celestial navigation...
s, who lived in the village until 1736.
Windmill
A windmillWindmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
, known as Rigg's Mill, was located on the western side of the village but was largely demolished in 1928.
Limestone quarry
A limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
quarry existed on the south side of the village. Limestone was baked in retort
Retort
In a chemistry laboratory, a retort is a glassware device used for distillation or dry distillation of substances. It consists of a spherical vessel with a long downward-pointing neck. The liquid to be distilled is placed in the vessel and heated...
s as part of the process to make slaked lime. Remains of the retorts are still to be found on private property close to the quarry.
Mummers
For many years the village supported a mummers troupe known as the Plough-Jags. Such troupes were associated with the festivities of Plough MondayPlough Monday
Plough Monday is the traditional start of the English agricultural year. While local practices may vary, Plough Monday is generally the first Monday after Twelfth Day , 6 January. References to Plough Monday date back to the late 15th century...
which marked the opening of the agricultural year.
World War II
The village was bombed during World War II. Names of civilians killed are recorded on the cenotaphCenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
in the church grounds. Several unexploded bombs were removed from the village by military bomb disposal experts. It has been speculated that a German bomber dumped its bombs on the village instead of the intended nearby heavily-defended target of Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
.
Thornton Abbey
Thornton AbbeyThornton Abbey
Thornton Abbey was founded as a priory in 1139 by William le Gros, the Earl of Yorkshire, and raised to the status of Abbey in 1148. It was a house for Augustinian or black canons. These priests lived a communal life under the Rule of St Augustine but also undertook pastoral duties outside of the...
is located about 2 miles south of Barrow. On 5 October 1541 Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, after visiting Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
with the Privy Council, crossed the river in a naval vessel and disembarked at Barrow Haven
Barrow Haven
Barrow Haven is a hamlet and small port in North Lincolnshire, England. Site of a former ferry crossing to Hull, which now handles timber imports from Riga and Tallinn. Barrow Haven railway station is on the Barton Line. It was a convenient place for ships and boats crossing the Humber to moor away...
and rode through Barrow en route to the abbey. Whilst the main part of this once magnificent abbey has largely disappeared, the gatehouse remains and is open to the public.
People associated with Barrow-on-Humber
- St Chad was given land to found a monasteryMonasteryMonastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
at Barrow by King Wulfhere of MerciaMerciaMercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
. - Chad VarahChad VarahReverend Prebendary Edward Chad Varah, CH, CBE was a British Anglican priest. He is best remembered as the founder of The Samaritans, established in 1953 as the world's first crisis hotline organisation, offering non-religious telephone support to those contemplating suicide.-Life:Varah was born...
's father was vicar of Barrow. - Barrow was the birthplace of John SergeantJohn Sergeant (priest)John Sergeant was an English Roman Catholic priest, controversialist and theologian.-Life:He was son of William Sergeant, a yeoman in Barrow-upon-Humber, Lincolnshire, and was admitted in 1639 as a sub-sizar at St John's College, Cambridge, graduating in 1643...
Catholic Philosopher (1623–1707). - Barrow upon Humber was the home of John HarrisonJohn HarrisonJohn Harrison was a self-educated English clockmaker. He invented the marine chronometer, a long-sought device in solving the problem of establishing the East-West position or longitude of a ship at sea, thus revolutionising and extending the possibility of safe long distance sea travel in the Age...
, the pioneer of a failsafe way of establishing longitudeLongitudeLongitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
at sea. A copy of Harrison's 1759 clock, H4, made by Larcum Kendall, and referred to as K1, travelled in 1772 with Captain Cook on his second Pacific voyage. Captain Cook grew to trust and rely on the timekeeper, which helped contribute to timekeepers being accepted as the way forward in the practical method of determining longitude at sea. Harrison was the subject of a 2000 film "Longitude" starring Michael GambonMichael GambonSir Michael John Gambon, CBE is an Irish actor who has worked in theatre, television and film. A highly respected theatre actor, Gambon is recognised for his roles as Philip Marlowe in the BBC television serial The Singing Detective, as Jules Maigret in the 1990s ITV serial Maigret, and as...
. (The premisePremise (film)The premise of a film or screenplay is the fundamental concept that drives the plot.Most premises can be expressed very simply. For example: Othello - Unchecked jealousy leads to death; Titanic - Love conquers all, physically and spiritually; The Silence of the Lambs - Courage destroys evil. ...
of the discovery of Harrison's clock was used in the plot of several episodes of the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
situation-comedy Only Fools and HorsesOnly Fools and HorsesOnly Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
in which the main characters, the Trotter brothers became overnight millionaires following the auctionAuctionAn auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
of such an item).