Belchford
Encyclopedia
Belchford is a village and civil parish
in the East Lindsey
district of Lincolnshire
, England
, about 11 km (7 miles) north of Horncastle and just to the east of the A153 road. Village population is about 200.
19th century.
, in 1536, the vicar of Belchford was hanged, drawn and quartered for treason, after leading a rebellion against the crown.
, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
running from Louth
in the north, to Horncastle in the south. The village attracts ramblers, and hang-gliders who use the ridges from the Bluestone Heath Road
to launch into the valley.
The Viking Way
, a nationally recognised long distance footpath, passes through Belchford by the Blue Bell Inn, on its way from the Humber
in the north to Rutland
in the south.
The hunt was founded in 1823 by the Hon. George Pelham (the younger brother to Lord Yarborough). In the mid 1850s the hunt built kennels at Belchford. During the Second World War the Agricultural Executive occupied the kennels and so the country was temporarily split with the hounds kennelled at Aswardby
on the eastern side and Edlington Hall on the western side. The pack were united again in the 1948/1949 season when the hounds returned to the kennels at Belchford where they remain today. The South Wold Hounds are hunted every Saturday and most Tuesdays throughout the season, over a varied country which includes part of the Lincolnshire Wolds
and the Marsh. The country extends from Market Rasen
Racecourse in the North West to the coast in the East. Woodhall Spa
is at the South West of the Hunt's country.
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 the East Lindsey
East Lindsey
East Lindsey is a local government district in Lincolnshire, England. The council is based in Manby near Louth, and other major settlements in the district include Alford, Spilsby, Mablethorpe, Skegness, Horncastle and Chapel St Leonards....
district of Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, about 11 km (7 miles) north of Horncastle and just to the east of the A153 road. Village population is about 200.
Church
The Grade II listed parish church of Belchford is dedicated to St Peter and St Paul The original church was built before 1153, but was rebuilt in 1781, with later additions in 1859. The font is 15th century; the alter and reredosReredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
19th century.
History
The village history dates back to ancient times connected with the Romans and the Vikings. During the Reformation of the English Christian churchEnglish Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
, in 1536, the vicar of Belchford was hanged, drawn and quartered for treason, after leading a rebellion against the crown.
Location
Steep hills and deep valleys surround the village. Belchford lies in the Lincolnshire WoldsLincolnshire Wolds
The Lincolnshire Wolds is a range of hills in the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , and the highest area of land in eastern England between Yorkshire and Kent...
, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
running from Louth
Louth, Lincolnshire
Louth is a market town and civil parish within the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:Known as the "capital of the Lincolnshire Wolds", it is situated where the ancient trackway Barton Street crosses the River Lud, and has a total resident population of 15,930.The Greenwich...
in the north, to Horncastle in the south. The village attracts ramblers, and hang-gliders who use the ridges from the Bluestone Heath Road
Bluestone Heath Road
The Bluestone Heath Road is an ancient road across the Lincolnshire Wolds in Lincolnshire, England.-Route:The route begins at Candlesby and runs northbound to Caistor, following closely an ancient ridge trail across the spine of the wold...
to launch into the valley.
The Viking Way
Viking Way
The Viking Way is a long distance footpath in England running between the Humber Bridge in North Lincolnshire and Oakham in Rutland. The Countryside Commission recognised the significance of the Viking Way as a high quality long distance walk linking other major routes in Eastern England, these...
, a nationally recognised long distance footpath, passes through Belchford by the Blue Bell Inn, on its way from 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...
in the north to Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
in the south.
The Blue Bell Inn
The village public house is the Blue Bell Inn, which has a restaurant, and provides for locally brewed beer.Belchford Downhill Challenge
The Belchford Downhill Challenge is held every year in September, as a competition for gravity powered soapbox carts that race down a half mile course on a steep closed public road at up to 50 mph. Spectator turnout for the event has been up to 3,000South Wold Hunt
The South Wold Hunt is based near Belchford.The hunt was founded in 1823 by the Hon. George Pelham (the younger brother to Lord Yarborough). In the mid 1850s the hunt built kennels at Belchford. During the Second World War the Agricultural Executive occupied the kennels and so the country was temporarily split with the hounds kennelled at Aswardby
Aswardby
Aswardby lies 4 miles north-west of Spilsby, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, north of the A158 road and west of the A16 road.Fr. T...
on the eastern side and Edlington Hall on the western side. The pack were united again in the 1948/1949 season when the hounds returned to the kennels at Belchford where they remain today. The South Wold Hounds are hunted every Saturday and most Tuesdays throughout the season, over a varied country which includes part of the Lincolnshire Wolds
Lincolnshire Wolds
The Lincolnshire Wolds is a range of hills in the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , and the highest area of land in eastern England between Yorkshire and Kent...
and the Marsh. The country extends from Market Rasen
Market Rasen
Market Rasen is a town and civil parish within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies on the River Rase northeast of Lincoln, east of Gainsborough and southwest of Grimsby. According to the 2001 census, it has a population of 3,200....
Racecourse in the North West to the coast in the East. Woodhall Spa
Woodhall Spa
Woodhall Spa is a civil parish and village in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England within a wooded area on the Southern edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, about south-west of Horncastle and about east-south-east of Lincoln...
is at the South West of the Hunt's country.