Horkstow is a village and civil parish

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, 4 miles (6.4 km) south-west from 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...

, 1 miles (1.6 km) south from South Ferriby

South Ferriby

South Ferriby is a village in North Lincolnshire, England situated on the south bank of the Humber Estuary 5 km west of the Humber Bridge and directly opposite North Ferriby on the Estuary’s north bank. It currently has a population of around 600 people.-History:It dates back at least to Roman...

 and 9 miles (14.5 km) north from Brigg

Brigg

Brigg is a small market town in North Lincolnshire, England, with a population of 5,076 in 2,213 households . The town lies at the junction of the River Ancholme and east-west transport routes across northern Lincolnshire...

. It lies on the B1204, and 1 miles (1.6 km) east from the navigable River Ancholme

River Ancholme

The River Ancholme is a river in North Lincolnshire, England, and a tributary of the Humber estuary.It rises south of Bishopbridge and passes through many Lincolnshire villages and the market town of Brigg before flowing north into the Humber at South Ferriby.North of Bishopbridge, where the River...

. It is one of the five Low Villages - Worlaby

Worlaby

Worlaby is a village and civil parish in North Lincolnshire, England, south-west from Barton-Upon-Humber and north-east from Brigg. It lies on the B1204, and to the east of the River Ancholme...

, Bonby

Bonby

Bonby is a village and civil parish in North Lincolnshire, England, about 5 miles south of Barton-upon-Humber. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 481.The village was recorded in the Domesday Book under the name of Bundebi....

, Saxby All Saints

Saxby All Saints

Saxby All Saints is a village and civil parish in North Lincolnshire, England. The parish church, dating from 1849, was designed by George Gilbert Scott. The population in 1991 was 220, and has changed little since. The village is a conservation area....

, Horkstow and South Ferriby - between Brigg and the River Humber, so-called because of their position below the northern edge 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...

. Horkstow was previously part of South Humberside

South Humberside

South Humberside is a former postal county of England. It was introduced by the Royal Mail on 1 July 1974, when some addresses were altered in response to the changes in administration brought about under the Local Government Act 1972....

 administrative district, and before that, the North Lindsey division of Lindsey

Lindsey

Lindsey was a unit of local government until 1974 in Lincolnshire, England, covering the northern part of the county. The Isle of Axholme, which is on the west side of the River Trent, has normally formed part of it...

, Lincolnshire.

In the Domesday account, the village is referred to as "Horchetou", although the name has gone through various changes since.

Parish church

The parish church, built by The Knights Templar in the early 12th century, is dedicated to St Maurice, and is Grade I listed.
It has been much rebuilt and restored

Victorian restoration

Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...

 since establishment; an internal restoration was carried out in 1868, and an external in 1895. Other places of worship were the Primitive Methodist and Wesleyan chapels, now converted to other use.

Listed buildings

Horkstow’s Grade II listed buildings include 17th and 18th century barns, and various houses and cottages. Three Horkstow listed buildings, Manor Farmhouse, Horkstow Hall, and Horkstow Grange, are of particular historic note.

In 1756 artist George Stubbs

George Stubbs

George Stubbs was an English painter, best known for his paintings of horses.-Biography:Stubbs was born in Liverpool, the son of a currier and leather merchant. Information on his life up to age thirty-five is sparse, relying almost entirely on notes made by fellow artist Ozias Humphry towards the...

 stayed at Manor Farmhouse to pursue analytical examination and meticulous drawing of horse carcasses acquired from nearby tanneries.

In 1796 three sections of a tessellated Roman mosaic

Roman mosaic

A Roman mosaic is any mosaic, made in Ancient Rome or by Roman artists outside of Roman frontiers. The Romans introduced exquisite mosaics in their domestic architecture and in the places of worship. The earliest examples of Roman floor mosaics are dated to the late Republican period and are...

 pavement depicting Greek mythological

Greek mythology

Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...

 figures were discovered by workmen in the grounds of Horkstow Hall. The pavement was taken to the British Museum

British Museum

The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...

 in 1927 on permanent loan, but was transferred to Hull Museum in 1974.

In 1937 Percy Grainger

Percy Grainger

George Percy Aldridge Grainger , known as Percy Grainger, was an Australian-born composer, arranger and pianist. In the course of a long and innovative career he played a prominent role in the revival of interest in British folk music in the early years of the 20th century. He also made many...

 used the traditional Horkstow Grange folk tune as part of his Lincolnshire Posy suite. Historic folk associations with the Grange inspired the Steeleye Span

Steeleye Span

Steeleye Span are an English folk-rock band, formed in 1969 and remaining active today. Along with Fairport Convention they are amongst the best known acts of the British folk revival, and were among the most commercially successful, thanks to their hit singles "Gaudete" and "All Around My Hat"....

 band name, and their album Horkstow Grange

Horkstow Grange

Horkstow Grange is an album by the English electric folk band Steeleye Span.Released in 1998, it is the band's 15th album, and the first album the band recorded without founding member Maddy Prior. Gay Woods provides most of the lead vocals, although the other three members of the band all do the...

.