Coleby, North Kesteven
Encyclopedia
Coleby is a village and civil parish
in the North Kesteven
district of Lincolnshire
, England. It lies on the A607 approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Lincoln
.
The village, a documented settlement in Domesday, is set on the Lincoln Cliff
escarpment with views over the River Witham
valley from its western side. The Viking Way
, the 146 miles (235 km) long-distance footpath from the Humber Bridge
to Oakham
, passes through the village. Coleby's population is approximately 600.
Coleby Grade I listed Anglican parish church
is dedicated to All Saints
. The original church was built by the Anglo-Saxons
, extended by the Normans
and had a new spire built on top of the Saxon tower in the Middle Ages
. There is a lack of symmetry to the chancel
, the arches on the north and south walls do not match and half of an arch has been stopped off. The pews inside the church are not original, they come from a former church at Hackthorn
, a village about 14 miles (22.5 km) to the north, as do two of the windows in the north aisle. The church was also extensively restored in 1900. On the church steeple are landing lights for the nearby RAF Waddington
airbase.
Near the Church in a park of around 50 acres (20.2 ha) stands Coleby Hall, a gabled house dating back to 1628, built for Sir William Lister, the father of Thomas Lister
. The gateway to the Hall is an imitation ruined Roman
arch based upon Newport Arch
in Lincoln. Standing in the grounds is folly
of a Temple
to Romulus and Remus
which was built in 1762.
Coleby has two village pubs, The Bell situated close to the church, and the Tempest Arms which stands at the top of the road that leads up the hill from the valley.
The village has small school usually consisting of below 100 pupils.
to the east of the village on open heathland, immediately west of the A15 road. It opened in 1939 with grass runways as a relief landing ground for RAF Cranwell
. In May 1941 it was transferred to 12 Group, RAF Fighter Command
and became a satellite station for RAF Digby
.
The station re-opened in 1959 as a Thor IRBM
launching base, it closed again in 1963. Today the airfield is in private hands and used for agriculture
with only the Control Tower, which still stands although in a ruined state, as a visible sign of the station's existence.
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 North Kesteven
North Kesteven
North Kesteven is a local government district in the East Midlands. Just over north of London, it is east of Nottingham and south of Lincoln. North Kesteven is one of seven districts in Lincolnshire, England and is in the centre of the County...
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. It lies on the A607 approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
.
The village, a documented settlement in Domesday, is set on the Lincoln Cliff
Lincoln Cliff
The Lincoln Cliff is the portion of a major escarpment that runs north-south through Lindsey and Kesteven, in central Lincolnshire and is a prominent landscape feature in a generally flat portion of the county...
escarpment with views over the River Witham
River Witham
The River Witham is a river, almost entirely in the county of Lincolnshire, in the east of England. It rises south of Grantham close to South Witham, at SK8818, passes Lincoln at SK9771 and at Boston, TF3244, flows into The Haven, a tidal arm of The Wash, near RSPB Frampton Marsh...
valley from its western side. 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...
, the 146 miles (235 km) long-distance footpath from the Humber Bridge
Humber Bridge
The Humber Bridge, near Kingston upon Hull, England, is a 2,220 m single-span suspension bridge, which opened to traffic on 24 June 1981. It is the fifth-largest of its type in the world...
to Oakham
Oakham
-Oakham's horseshoes:Traditionally, members of royalty and peers of the realm who visited or passed through the town had to pay a forfeit in the form of a horseshoe...
, passes through the village. Coleby's population is approximately 600.
Coleby Grade I listed Anglican parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
is dedicated to All Saints
All Saints
All Saints' Day , often shortened to All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated on 1 November by parts of Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity, in honour of all the saints, known and unknown...
. The original church was built by the Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-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...
, extended by the Normans
Normans
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...
and had a new spire built on top of the Saxon tower in 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...
. There is a lack of symmetry to the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, the arches on the north and south walls do not match and half of an arch has been stopped off. The pews inside the church are not original, they come from a former church at Hackthorn
Hackthorn
Hackthorn is a village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 180. It is situated 7½ miles north of Lincoln just east of the A15....
, a village about 14 miles (22.5 km) to the north, as do two of the windows in the north aisle. The church was also extensively restored in 1900. On the church steeple are landing lights for the nearby RAF Waddington
RAF Waddington
RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England.-Formation:Waddington opened as a Royal Flying Corps flying training station in 1916 until 1920, when the station went into care and maintenance....
airbase.
Near the Church in a park of around 50 acres (20.2 ha) stands Coleby Hall, a gabled house dating back to 1628, built for Sir William Lister, the father of Thomas Lister
Thomas Lister (Regicide)
Thomas Lister was colonel in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War and an MP. He was appointed a judge at the trial of Charles I, but on the restoration escaped with a light punishment.-Early life:...
. The gateway to the Hall is an imitation ruined Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
arch based upon Newport Arch
Newport Arch
Newport Arch is the name given to the remains of a 3rd century Roman gate in the city of Lincoln, Lincolnshire. It is reputedly the oldest arch in the United Kingdom still used by traffic.- History :...
in Lincoln. Standing in the grounds is folly
Folly
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
of a Temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
to Romulus and Remus
Romulus and Remus
Romulus and Remus are Rome's twin founders in its traditional foundation myth, although the former is sometimes said to be the sole founder...
which was built in 1762.
Coleby has two village pubs, The Bell situated close to the church, and the Tempest Arms which stands at the top of the road that leads up the hill from the valley.
The village has small school usually consisting of below 100 pupils.
RAF Coleby Grange
During the Second World War, the Ministry of Defence constructed an airfield at RAF Coleby GrangeRAF Coleby Grange
RAF Coleby Grange was a Royal Air Force station situated alongside the western edge of the A15 on open heathland between the villages of Coleby and Nocton Heath and lying due south of the county town Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England....
to the east of the village on open heathland, immediately west of the A15 road. It opened in 1939 with grass runways as a relief landing ground for RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. It is currently commanded by Group Captain Dave Waddington...
. In May 1941 it was transferred to 12 Group, RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
and became a satellite station for RAF Digby
RAF Digby
RAF Digby is a Royal Air Force station which, since March 2005, has been operated by the Ministry of Defence's Joint Service Signals Organisation, part of the Intelligence Collection Group. Formerly a training and fighter airfield, it is currently a tri-service military signals installation located...
.
The station re-opened in 1959 as a Thor IRBM
Intermediate-range ballistic missile
An intermediate-range ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a range of 3,000–5,500 km , between a medium-range ballistic missile and an intercontinental ballistic missile...
launching base, it closed again in 1963. Today the airfield is in private hands and used for agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
with only the Control Tower, which still stands although in a ruined state, as a visible sign of the station's existence.
Further reading
- Halpenny, Bruce BarrymoreBruce Barrymore HalpennyBruce Barrymore Halpenny is a widely respected English military historian and author, specialising in airfields and aircraft, as well as ghost stories and mysteries. He is also a broadcaster and games inventor.-Parents:...
, Action Stations: Wartime Military Airfields of Lincolnshire and the East Midlands v. 2. ISBN 978-0850594843