Woodhall Spa
Encyclopedia
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 6 miles (10 km) south-west of Horncastle and about 15 miles (24.1 km) east-south-east of Lincoln
. It is noted for its mineral springs
, cinema
, and its World War II association with the RAF 617 Squadron.
Twin Towns Roézé-sur-Sarthe
in Pays de la Loire
which is about 6 miles (9.7 km)south west of Le Mans
. The charter was signed in 1989.
. After spending several thousand pounds, and sinking a shaft
over 1,000 feet deep, the enterprise was abandoned on account of the now rising spring
. The spring flows daily through soft spongy rock
, at a depth of 520 feet.
About 1834, the then Lord of the Manor, Thomas Hotchkin, ascertained by analysis
that the water was in fact valuable, being an iodine
and bromine
containing mineral spring
. He spent nearly £30,000 sinking the well
and erecting the Spa Baths and the Victoria Hotel.
The Victoria Hotel burned down on Easter Day, 4 April 1920 when an electrical fault in the boiler room spread to the linen room above.
The Spa Baths finally closed when the well collapsed in 1983.
Other hotels sprang up due to Woodhall Spa's popularity and included:
The Legacy Woodhall Spa Hotel, which opened in 1882 as the Eagle Lodge Hotel. It was converted into a nursing home in the 1960s and reopened as a hotel in 1991.
The Golf Hotel was originally called Clevedon House and has been a school, a club, and a hotel of the same name.
Most of the Royal Hydro Hotel and Winter Gardens were destroyed by a parachute mine
which fell on 17 August 1943,although part of it did survive and became the Mall Hotel
The Petwood Hotel is so called because it was originally built at the turn of the 20th century as a house for Lady Grace Weigall, who had it constructed in her favourite wood, her "pet wood". Lady Weigall turned her former home into a hotel in 1933.
The heyday of Woodhall Spa was recorded by a local photographer, John Wield and many of his photographs are displayed in the Woodhall Spa Cottage Museum, which was his home.
Much of the village's Victorian
elegance remains,
and since January 1991 it has been a designated conservation area
.
to Lincoln
. Works commenced in 1847 and the line opened on 17 October 1848. The Kirkstead Station, later to be renamed the Woodhall Junction
, was one of seven between Lincoln and Boston. A branch of the line, to Horncastle, which included Woodhall Spa railway station
, was opened on 11 August 1855.
The railways brought increasing popularity and an elegant spa town
with hotels and guest houses on wide tree-lined avenues, largely designed by Richard Adolphus Came, grew up around the original facilities. He stated in his designs that none of the roads shall be 'streets' which is still true today and the roads built since have also been lined with various trees. In 1886 the estate was purchased by a syndicate
and extensive alterations and improvements were made. The Victoria Hotel and the Spa Baths were greatly modified by the Syndicate, a group of investors including Lord Alverstone
, Lord Iddesleigh, and Edward Stanhope
MP in 1887.
Woodhall and Woodhall Spa stations closed along with the rest of the Boston to Lincoln line in 1971 and demolition came soon after.
saw Woodhall Spa's two main hotels, ‘The Golf Hotel’ and ‘The Petwood Hotel’, requisitioned for the RAF
, an airfield, RAF Woodhall Spa
, built to the south of the village, and the Pinewoods used to hide military equipment, especially on the northern perimeter. All of the airfield is in the parish of Tattershall Thorpe
.
A memorial wall depicting the breaching of the German dams in Operation Chastise
, otherwise known as the "Dam Busters" raid, was dedicated to the memory of those from 617 Squadron
who were lost during the night of 16 - 17 May 1943, and stands at the crossroads in the centre of the village. It was also the location for a mysterious sighting of a black Labrador
dog. As the local school choir prepared for a photograph near the memorial, the dog joined them. He would not be moved away, but took up what he seemed to think was his rightful place, that being front centre, and sat down. Only when the photographic session was complete did the dog move silently away. Many feel that this was connected in some way to Guy Gibson's dog
, which was also a black Labrador, and was run over and killed shortly before Gibson departed to bomb the German dams.
In 1964 RAF Woodhall Spa closed for operational uses although it is still owned by the Ministry of Defence and is used mainly for jet engine testing.
The more ancient parish of Kirkstead amalgamated with Woodhall Spa in the early 1980s thus formalising what was already a reality.
Kirkstead
is the western side of Woodhall Spa between the village centre and the River Witham
. It has its origins in Kirkstead Abbey
, of the Cistercian order, founded in 1139 by Hugh Brito, Lord of Tattershall
It was around this abbey that the little hamlet
of Kirkstead grew.
The railways spelled the end of Kirkstead's isolation and eventually of Kirkstead itself, as Woodhall Spa's increasing popularity led it to expand outwards into Kirkstead parish until it reached the banks of the River Witham.
In the first half of the 19th century it was known as Woodhall Lodge or simply The Lodge. It was occupied by several generations of the Hotchkin family, originally from Rutland
. Thomas Hotchkin (1774–1843) died there in June 1843 (Stamford Mercury
, 9 June 1843). In 1861 it was in the possession of his grandson Thomas John Stafford Hotchkin. By the 1880s it had become known as The Manor House, and Thomas John Stafford Hotchkin lived there until he died in 1891. His widow Mary moved into a purpose-built Dower House in 1906 enabling son Stafford Vere Hotchkin
and his new wife to move into the Manor House. Stafford Hotchkins son Neil sold the property in 1965 to the National Farmers Union, who sold it in 1992.
whose fortified house, Tattershall Castle
, was located 4 miles (6 km) to the south. It is a Grade II Listed Building, and a scheduled Ancient Monument
. It is known that the tower was partly demolished in the latter part of the 15th century to provide brick for repairs to Tattershall Castle. One of the older local roads in Woodhall Spa, Tor-O-Moor Road is named after the tower.
at the centre of the village, owned by the Woodland Trust
. It is made up of mature Oak, Scots Pine, Beech and Birch. Originally scrub land, later becoming part of the grounds of the Victoria Hotel, it attracts visitors, particularly in the spring and autumn.
Near to the former airfield is another wood, Ostlers Plantation
, which is the remaining part of several hundred acres planted by John Parkinson.
The unique Kinema in the Woods, situated at the centre of the Pinewoods, is one of the treasures of Woodhall Spa. It is located next to the now derelict Spa Baths and opposite the site of the former Victoria Hotel. Housed in a converted cricket pavilion, when it opened in 1922 it was one of the first cinemas in Britain. It is one of the few cinemas in the country to still employ back projection
and also offers regular entertainment on an original Compton Captain Organ.
a facility that is fairly busy in summer, a heated outdoor swimming pool
. The park also offers tennis courts, a bowling green
, children's playground and a cricket ground, which is home to Woodhall Spa Cricket Club. On 22 December 2010, BBC Radio 4
broadcast the half-hour long Australian Wanted in Woodhall Spa, presented by Chris Ledgard and detailed overseas players playing for English amateur cricket clubs.
In December 2010 East Lindsey Council sold Jubilee Park to the Woodhall Spa residents for one pound. It is currently undergoing renovations. Jubilee Park is next to a caravan park of the same name.
was laid out, but by 1902 it became clear that the golf course would have to find another new home as the land was required for the expansion of the spa town again.
Local landowner, Stafford Vere Hotchkin, offered a sandy tract of land off the Horncastle Road for the building of an 18 hole course. The course was designed by Harry Vardon
and was formally opened for play on 24 April 1905. It was remodelled in 1911 by Harry Colt, and again by Hotchkin himself in the 1920s.
The English Golf Union
bought the course in 1995 in order to set up a National Golf Centre. A second course, "The Bracken", opened for play in 1998 alongside the original course, now named "the Hotchkin". The St Andrews Trophy
was held at the golf course in 1996.
Most recently, it was voted 20th best course in the world by Today's Golfer
magazine in 2010.
is a 147 miles (236.6 km) long-distance footpath which passes through Woodhall Spa. The Spa Trail is a three mile stretch of the Viking Way which follows the course of the old railway line from Horncastle to Woodhall Spa.
that runs from Boston
to Lincoln
following as closely as possible the banks of the River Witham
. Between Woodhall Spa and Lincoln it consists of a tarmaced path that runs along the route of the former railway line from Boston
to Lincoln. It was built and financed by Sustrans
organisation and was finally completed and opened in November 2008. It is open to all forms of non-motorised transport, forming part of NCN
Route 1. Named primarily after its route and former use, the path is also so named due to the rare Water Rail
bird.
s church was built in 1893 although it was not until 1915 that it was legally designated the parish church
. Until then the little church of Saint Andrew
s, built in 1846, was the parish church, but was too small for the rapidly growing town.
Woodhall Spa is part of a group of six Anglican parishes comprising:
Woodhall Spa and Kirkstead, Stixwould
, Horsington, Langton with Old Woodhall
, and Bucknall
with Tupholme
.
The Church of Our Lady
and Saint Peter
, built in 1893, is Woodhall Spa's Roman Catholic church.
in Horncastle and Gartree Community School
in Tattershall. St Hugh's is a preparatory boarding school on Cromwell Avenue.
sandy soil.
The civil parish
of Woodhall Spa borders the civil parishes of Tattershall Thorpe
, Timberland
, Martin
, Stixwould and Woodhall, Roughton
, and Kirkby on Bain
.
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...
and village 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 within a wooded area on the Southern 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...
, about 6 miles (10 km) south-west of Horncastle and about 15 miles (24.1 km) east-south-east 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....
. It is noted for its mineral springs
Mineral Springs
Mineral Springs is the name of several locations in the United States:* Mineral Springs, Arkansas* Mineral Springs, North Carolina* Mineral Springs Township, North Dakota* Mineral Springs at Green Springs, Ohio...
, cinema
The Kinema in the Woods
The Kinema in the Woods is a cinema in the village of Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, England. It dates from 1922, and it is the only fully functioning cinema in the UK to employ back projection....
, and its World War II association with the RAF 617 Squadron.
Twin Towns Roézé-sur-Sarthe
Roézé-sur-Sarthe
Roézé-sur-Sarthe is a commune in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays-de-la-Loire in north-western France.-References:*...
in Pays de la Loire
Pays de la Loire
Pays de la Loire is one of the 27 regions of France. It is one of the regions created in the late 20th century to serve as a zone of influence for its capital, Nantes, one of a handful so-called "balancing metropolises" ¹...
which is about 6 miles (9.7 km)south west of Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
. The charter was signed in 1989.
The development of Woodhall Spa
Woodhall Spa came about by accident in 1811 after John Parkinson, of Old Bolingbroke made several attempts to find coalCoal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
. After spending several thousand pounds, and sinking a shaft
Shaft mining
Shaft mining or shaft sinking refers to the method of excavating a vertical or near-vertical tunnel from the top down, where there is initially no access to the bottom....
over 1,000 feet deep, the enterprise was abandoned on account of the now rising spring
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
. The spring flows daily through soft spongy rock
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
, at a depth of 520 feet.
About 1834, the then Lord of the Manor, Thomas Hotchkin, ascertained by analysis
Analysis
Analysis is the process of breaking a complex topic or substance into smaller parts to gain a better understanding of it. The technique has been applied in the study of mathematics and logic since before Aristotle , though analysis as a formal concept is a relatively recent development.The word is...
that the water was in fact valuable, being an iodine
Iodine
Iodine is a chemical element with the symbol I and atomic number 53. The name is pronounced , , or . The name is from the , meaning violet or purple, due to the color of elemental iodine vapor....
and bromine
Bromine
Bromine ") is a chemical element with the symbol Br, an atomic number of 35, and an atomic mass of 79.904. It is in the halogen element group. The element was isolated independently by two chemists, Carl Jacob Löwig and Antoine Jerome Balard, in 1825–1826...
containing mineral spring
Mineral spring
Mineral springs are naturally occurring springs that produce water containing minerals, or other dissolved substances, that alter its taste or give it a purported therapeutic value...
. He spent nearly £30,000 sinking the well
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
and erecting the Spa Baths and the Victoria Hotel.
The Victoria Hotel burned down on Easter Day, 4 April 1920 when an electrical fault in the boiler room spread to the linen room above.
The Spa Baths finally closed when the well collapsed in 1983.
Other hotels sprang up due to Woodhall Spa's popularity and included:
The Legacy Woodhall Spa Hotel, which opened in 1882 as the Eagle Lodge Hotel. It was converted into a nursing home in the 1960s and reopened as a hotel in 1991.
The Golf Hotel was originally called Clevedon House and has been a school, a club, and a hotel of the same name.
Most of the Royal Hydro Hotel and Winter Gardens were destroyed by a parachute mine
Parachute mine
A parachute mine is a parachute naval mine dropped from an aircraft. They were mostly used in World War II by the Luftwaffe and initially by the Royal Air Force Bomber Command.-Blast effects:...
which fell on 17 August 1943,although part of it did survive and became the Mall Hotel
The Petwood Hotel is so called because it was originally built at the turn of the 20th century as a house for Lady Grace Weigall, who had it constructed in her favourite wood, her "pet wood". Lady Weigall turned her former home into a hotel in 1933.
The heyday of Woodhall Spa was recorded by a local photographer, John Wield and many of his photographs are displayed in the Woodhall Spa Cottage Museum, which was his home.
Much of the village's Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
elegance remains,
and since January 1991 it has been a designated conservation area
Conservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
.
| Population of Woodhall Spa 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... |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1951 | 1961 | 2001 |
| Population | 988 | 1,484 | 1,635 | 1,372 | 1,671 | 1,978 | 3,657 |
Railways
In 1846 the Great Northern rail company purchased the land to build a 58 miles (93.3 km) rail link from PeterboroughPeterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
to 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....
. Works commenced in 1847 and the line opened on 17 October 1848. The Kirkstead Station, later to be renamed the Woodhall Junction
Woodhall Junction railway station
Woodhall Junction railway station is a former station in Woodhall, Lincolnshire. It served as a junction where several different lines met, none of which are still open....
, was one of seven between Lincoln and Boston. A branch of the line, to Horncastle, which included Woodhall Spa railway station
Woodhall Spa railway station
Woodhall Spa railway station was a station in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire on a small branch line running north from Woodhall Junction to Horncastle...
, was opened on 11 August 1855.
The railways brought increasing popularity and an elegant spa town
Spa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
with hotels and guest houses on wide tree-lined avenues, largely designed by Richard Adolphus Came, grew up around the original facilities. He stated in his designs that none of the roads shall be 'streets' which is still true today and the roads built since have also been lined with various trees. In 1886 the estate was purchased by a syndicate
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies or entities formed to transact some specific business, or to promote a common interest or in the case of criminals, to engage in organized crime...
and extensive alterations and improvements were made. The Victoria Hotel and the Spa Baths were greatly modified by the Syndicate, a group of investors including Lord Alverstone
Richard Webster, 1st Viscount Alverstone
Richard Everard Webster, 1st Viscount Alverstone, GCMG, QC was a British barrister, politician and judge who served in many high political and judicial offices.-Background and education:...
, Lord Iddesleigh, and Edward Stanhope
Edward Stanhope
Edward Stanhope was a British Conservative Party politician.-Background and education:Born in London, Stanhope was the second son of Philip Stanhope, 5th Earl Stanhope, by his wife Emily Harriet, daughter of General Sir Edward Kerrison, 1st Baronet...
MP in 1887.
Woodhall and Woodhall Spa stations closed along with the rest of the Boston to Lincoln line in 1971 and demolition came soon after.
The Second World War
The Second World WarWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
saw Woodhall Spa's two main hotels, ‘The Golf Hotel’ and ‘The Petwood Hotel’, requisitioned for the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, an airfield, RAF Woodhall Spa
RAF Woodhall Spa
-History:Constructed on farmland 1 km south of Woodhall Spa, the station opened in February 1942 as a satellite station to RAF Coningsby. In August 1943 it became No 54 Base Substation. After victory in Europe the airfield was used as an assembly and kitting out point for Tiger Force...
, built to the south of the village, and the Pinewoods used to hide military equipment, especially on the northern perimeter. All of the airfield is in the parish of Tattershall Thorpe
Tattershall Thorpe
Tattershall Thorpe is a hamlet and civil parish about north east of Tattershall, Lincolnshire, England and about south of Woodhall Spa.The hamlet is notable because of its war-time connections with RAF Woodhall Spa, which was actually in this parish....
.
A memorial wall depicting the breaching of the German dams in Operation Chastise
Operation Chastise
Operation Chastise was an attack on German dams carried out on 16–17 May 1943 by Royal Air Force No. 617 Squadron, subsequently known as the "Dambusters", using a specially developed "bouncing bomb" invented and developed by Barnes Wallis...
, otherwise known as the "Dam Busters" raid, was dedicated to the memory of those from 617 Squadron
No. 617 Squadron RAF
No. 617 Squadron is a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. It currently operates the Tornado GR4 in the ground attack and reconnaissance role...
who were lost during the night of 16 - 17 May 1943, and stands at the crossroads in the centre of the village. It was also the location for a mysterious sighting of a black Labrador
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. A breed characteristic is webbed paws for swimming, useful for the breed's original purpose of retrieving fishing nets. The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Canada, the United...
dog. As the local school choir prepared for a photograph near the memorial, the dog joined them. He would not be moved away, but took up what he seemed to think was his rightful place, that being front centre, and sat down. Only when the photographic session was complete did the dog move silently away. Many feel that this was connected in some way to Guy Gibson's dog
Nigger (dog)
Nigger was a male black labrador retriever belonging to Wing Commander Guy Gibson, and the mascot of 617 Squadron. Nigger died on 16 May 1943, the day before the famous "Dam Busters" raid, when he was hit by a car. He was buried at midnight as Gibson was leading the raid. "Nigger" was the codeword...
, which was also a black Labrador, and was run over and killed shortly before Gibson departed to bomb the German dams.
In 1964 RAF Woodhall Spa closed for operational uses although it is still owned by the Ministry of Defence and is used mainly for jet engine testing.
Kirkstead and Woodhall Spa
Kirkstead
Kirkstead
Kirkstead is an ancient village and former parish on the River Witham in Lincolnshire, England. It was amalgamated with the civil parish of Woodhall Spa in 1987.-History:...
is the western side of Woodhall Spa between the village centre and 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...
. It has its origins in Kirkstead Abbey
Kirkstead Abbey
Kirkstead Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery in Kirkstead, Lincolnshire, England.The monastery was founded in 1139 by Hugh Brito, , lord of Tattershall, and was originally colonised by an abbot and twelve monks from Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire...
, of the Cistercian order, founded in 1139 by Hugh Brito, Lord of Tattershall
Tattershall
Tattershall is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, located on the A153 Horncastle to Sleaford road, east of the point where that road crosses the River Witham. At its eastern end, Tattershall adjoins the village of Coningsby, to the north of the village...
It was around this abbey that the little hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Kirkstead grew.
The railways spelled the end of Kirkstead's isolation and eventually of Kirkstead itself, as Woodhall Spa's increasing popularity led it to expand outwards into Kirkstead parish until it reached the banks of the River Witham.
The Manor House
The Manor House in Woodhall Spa appears to have been built in the 18th century.In the first half of the 19th century it was known as Woodhall Lodge or simply The Lodge. It was occupied by several generations of the Hotchkin family, originally from 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....
. Thomas Hotchkin (1774–1843) died there in June 1843 (Stamford Mercury
Stamford Mercury
The Stamford Mercury based in Stamford, Lincolnshire claims to be "Britain's oldest newspaper". Berrow's Worcester Journal and London Gazette also claim this honour...
, 9 June 1843). In 1861 it was in the possession of his grandson Thomas John Stafford Hotchkin. By the 1880s it had become known as The Manor House, and Thomas John Stafford Hotchkin lived there until he died in 1891. His widow Mary moved into a purpose-built Dower House in 1906 enabling son Stafford Vere Hotchkin
Stafford Vere Hotchkin
Stafford Vere Hotchkin was an English landowner, soldier, High Sheriff of Rutland and briefly a Conservative Member of Parliament....
and his new wife to move into the Manor House. Stafford Hotchkins son Neil sold the property in 1965 to the National Farmers Union, who sold it in 1992.
The Tower-on-the-Moor
The Tower-on-the-Moor, a four story high red brick built tower, is the stair turret of what is believed to have been a hunting lodge built in the mid 15th century for Ralph de Cromwell, 3rd Baron CromwellRalph de Cromwell, 3rd Baron Cromwell
Ralph de Cromwell, 3rd Baron Cromwell was an English politician and diplomat. A Privy Councillor from 1422, he served as Treasurer of England and twice as Chamberlain of the Household during the reign of Henry VI....
whose fortified house, Tattershall Castle
Tattershall Castle (Lincolnshire)
Tattershall Castle is a castle in Tattershall, Lincolnshire, England, north east of Sleaford, and in the care of the National Trust.-History:...
, was located 4 miles (6 km) to the south. It is a Grade II Listed Building, and a scheduled Ancient Monument
Ancient monument
An ancient monument is an early historical structure or monument worthy of preservation and study due to archaeological or heritage interest. In the United Kingdom it is a legal term, differing from the American term National Monument in being far more numerous and always man-made...
. It is known that the tower was partly demolished in the latter part of the 15th century to provide brick for repairs to Tattershall Castle. One of the older local roads in Woodhall Spa, Tor-O-Moor Road is named after the tower.
The Pinewoods and Kinema in the Woods
The Pinewoods, is a 7.8 ha woodlandWoodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
at the centre of the village, owned by the Woodland Trust
Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is a conservation charity in the United Kingdom concerned with the protection and sympathetic management of native woodland heritage.-History:...
. It is made up of mature Oak, Scots Pine, Beech and Birch. Originally scrub land, later becoming part of the grounds of the Victoria Hotel, it attracts visitors, particularly in the spring and autumn.
Near to the former airfield is another wood, Ostlers Plantation
Ostlers Plantation
Ostlers Plantation is a Forestry Commission owned woodland next to Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. It has public access and lies next to an open area of heathland, the Kirkby Moor Nature Reserve; both are noted for having large numbers of adders which have been the subject of debate.-Snake bites:On 18...
, which is the remaining part of several hundred acres planted by John Parkinson.
The unique Kinema in the Woods, situated at the centre of the Pinewoods, is one of the treasures of Woodhall Spa. It is located next to the now derelict Spa Baths and opposite the site of the former Victoria Hotel. Housed in a converted cricket pavilion, when it opened in 1922 it was one of the first cinemas in Britain. It is one of the few cinemas in the country to still employ back projection
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:...
and also offers regular entertainment on an original Compton Captain Organ.
Jubilee Park
Jubilee Park, opened in 1937, lies adjacent to the Pinewoods and includes Jubilee Park Swimming PoolJubilee Park Swimming Pool
Jubilee Park Swimming Pool, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, England is an open air heated lido.-History:The park was created by Sir Archibald and Lady Weigall to commemorate the jubilee of King George V in 1935...
a facility that is fairly busy in summer, a heated outdoor swimming pool
Lido
The Lido is an 11 km long sandbar located in Venice, northern Italy, home to about 20,000 residents. The Venice Film Festival takes place at the Lido every September.-Geography:...
. The park also offers tennis courts, a bowling green
Bowling green
A bowling green is a finely-laid, close-mown and rolled stretch of lawn for playing the game of lawn bowls.Before 1830, when Edwin Beard Budding invented the lawnmower, lawns were often kept cropped by grazing sheep on them...
, children's playground and a cricket ground, which is home to Woodhall Spa Cricket Club. On 22 December 2010, BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
broadcast the half-hour long Australian Wanted in Woodhall Spa, presented by Chris Ledgard and detailed overseas players playing for English amateur cricket clubs.
In December 2010 East Lindsey Council sold Jubilee Park to the Woodhall Spa residents for one pound. It is currently undergoing renovations. Jubilee Park is next to a caravan park of the same name.
National Golf Centre
The first nine hole golf course was opened in Woodhall Spa in 1890, but only survived until 1895 when the land that the course was built on was required for building. A new site was found and another nine hole golf courseGolf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
was laid out, but by 1902 it became clear that the golf course would have to find another new home as the land was required for the expansion of the spa town again.
Local landowner, Stafford Vere Hotchkin, offered a sandy tract of land off the Horncastle Road for the building of an 18 hole course. The course was designed by Harry Vardon
Harry Vardon
Harry Vardon was a Jersey professional golfer and member of the fabled Great Triumvirate of the sport in his day, along with John Henry Taylor and James Braid. He won The Open Championship a record six times and also won the U.S. Open.-Biography:Vardon was born in Grouville, Jersey, Channel Islands...
and was formally opened for play on 24 April 1905. It was remodelled in 1911 by Harry Colt, and again by Hotchkin himself in the 1920s.
The English Golf Union
English Golf Union
The English Golf Union is the governing body for men's and boys' amateur golf in England. It represents over 1,900 golf clubs with over 740,000 members and is affiliated to The R&A, which is the global governing body of golf outside the United States and Mexico.The English Golf Union was founded in...
bought the course in 1995 in order to set up a National Golf Centre. A second course, "The Bracken", opened for play in 1998 alongside the original course, now named "the Hotchkin". The St Andrews Trophy
St Andrews Trophy
The St Andrews Trophy is a biennial men's team golf tournament contested between teams of amateur golfers representing Great Britain & Ireland and Continental Europe. It takes its name from St Andrews in Scotland, which is colloquially known as the "Home of Golf". The competition was founded in...
was held at the golf course in 1996.
Most recently, it was voted 20th best course in the world by Today's Golfer
Today's Golfer
Today's Golfer is a monthly golf magazine which is published by Bauer. It was launched by Emap to coincide with the US Masters in April 1998 and enjoyed many years as Britain's number one golf magazine. In 2008, Bauer acquired Emap's consumer media division...
magazine in 2010.
The Viking Way
The Viking WayViking 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...
is a 147 miles (236.6 km) long-distance footpath which passes through Woodhall Spa. The Spa Trail is a three mile stretch of the Viking Way which follows the course of the old railway line from Horncastle to Woodhall Spa.
Water Rail Way
The Water Rail Way is a 25 miles (40.2 km) long part of the National Cycle NetworkNational Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
that runs from Boston
Boston, Lincolnshire
Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
to 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....
following as closely as possible the banks of 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...
. Between Woodhall Spa and Lincoln it consists of a tarmaced path that runs along the route of the former railway line from Boston
Boston, Lincolnshire
Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
to Lincoln. It was built and financed by Sustrans
Sustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
organisation and was finally completed and opened in November 2008. It is open to all forms of non-motorised transport, forming part of NCN
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
Route 1. Named primarily after its route and former use, the path is also so named due to the rare Water Rail
Water Rail
The Water Rail is a bird of the rail family which breeds in well-vegetated wetlands across Europe, Asia and North Africa. Northern and eastern populations are migratory, but this species is a permanent resident in the warmer parts of its breeding range...
bird.
Churches
Saint PeterSaint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
s church was built in 1893 although it was not until 1915 that it was legally designated the 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....
. Until then the little church of Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew , called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name "Andrew" , like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews from the 3rd or 2nd century BC. No Hebrew or Aramaic name is recorded for him...
s, built in 1846, was the parish church, but was too small for the rapidly growing town.
Woodhall Spa is part of a group of six Anglican parishes comprising:
Woodhall Spa and Kirkstead, Stixwould
Stixwould
Stixwould is a small village in the civil parish of Stixwould and Woodhall in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, near the large village of Woodhall Spa....
, Horsington, Langton with Old Woodhall
Woodhall, Lincolnshire
Woodhall or Old Woodhall, is a small village located about south west of Horncastle, Lincolnshire, England.Woodhall, along with Woodhall Spa, was created a civil parish in 1889 comprising portions of Langton, Woodhall, Thimbleby, and Thornton. In 1894 Woodhall and Woodhall Spa were separated,...
, and Bucknall
Bucknall, Lincolnshire
Bucknall is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. The village is about 7 miles west of Horncastle. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 309....
with Tupholme
Tupholme
Tupholme is a village in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is the site of the ruined Tupholme Abbey on the road between Horncastle and Bardney....
.
The Church of Our Lady
Blessed Virgin Mary (Roman Catholic)
Roman Catholic veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary is based on Holy Scripture: In the fullness of time, God sent his son, born of a virgin. The mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God through Mary thus signifies her honour as Mother of God...
and Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
, built in 1893, is Woodhall Spa's Roman Catholic church.
Education
Secondary schools include Banovallum SchoolBanovallum School
The Banovallum School is a co-educational secondary modern school in Horncastle, East Lindsey in Lincolnshire LEA.-History:The school was built in the early 1960s. The previous school it replaced was called the Cagthorpe School. It is a specialist science college...
in Horncastle and Gartree Community School
Gartree Community School
Gartree Community School is a secondary school located in the village of Tattershall in Lincolnshire, England.-External links:*...
in Tattershall. St Hugh's is a preparatory boarding school on Cromwell Avenue.
Geography
Woodhall Spa lies at the south western edge of the Central Lincolnshire Vale, and was once extensive heathland with a light fluvialFluvial
Fluvial is used in geography and Earth science to refer to the processes associated with rivers and streams and the deposits and landforms created by them...
sandy soil.
The 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...
of Woodhall Spa borders the civil parishes of Tattershall Thorpe
Tattershall Thorpe
Tattershall Thorpe is a hamlet and civil parish about north east of Tattershall, Lincolnshire, England and about south of Woodhall Spa.The hamlet is notable because of its war-time connections with RAF Woodhall Spa, which was actually in this parish....
, Timberland
Timberland, Lincolnshire
Timberland is situated just south of Martin in North Kesteven, Lincolnshire, England on Timberland Fen.-Geography:Timberland is situated near the Car Dyke, which used to be navigable....
, Martin
Martin, Lincolnshire
Martin is a small, ancient, village just north of Timberland, Lincolnshire, located on the a large flat Fen through which the River Witham runs...
, Stixwould and Woodhall, Roughton
Roughton, Lincolnshire
Roughton is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.The village lies about south of Horncastle and near the hamlets of Thornton) and Kirkby-on-Bain...
, and Kirkby on Bain
Kirkby on Bain
Kirkby on Bain is a village and civil parish in the English county of Lincolnshire.-Geography:Kirkby on Bain lies on the River Bain between Horncastle and Coningsby just west of the A153. Administratively it forms part of the district of East Lindsey. Close by to the north is the village of...
.
Notable residents
- Air Vice-MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
Allan Blackley CBECBECBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
, commandant from 1985-7 of the Central Flying SchoolCentral Flying SchoolThe Central Flying School is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 it is the longest existing flying training school.-History:...
at RAF ScamptonRAF ScamptonRoyal Air Force Station Scampton is a Royal Air Force station situated north of Lincoln in England, near the village of Scampton, on the site of an old First World War landing field.-First World War:... - Jason BradburyJason BradburyJason Bradbury is a complete tosser and children's author. His UK TV credits include a wide range of light entertainment, science and technology formats; these include The Big Breakfast, Top Gear GTI, ITV's The Web Review Show and Channel 5's The Gadget Show...
, went to St Andrews C of E Primary School - Violet DicksonViolet DicksonDame Violet Penelope Dickson, DBE was the wife of British colonial administrator H. R. P. Dickson. She lived in Kuwait for 61 years, half of them as a widow, and published several books on the country...
DBE, attended the village's Miss Lunn's High School in the early 1900s - Flying OfficerFlying OfficerFlying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
Ray Grayston - Michael Hardie OBE, High Commissioner to Gambia from 1994-5
- John Hartley (cricketer)John Hartley (cricketer)Colonel John Cabourn Hartley was a cricketer who played first-class cricket for Oxford University Cricket Club between 1895 and 1897 and Sussex County Cricket Club between 1895 and 1898. He then went on to play for the Marylebone Cricket Club in first-class fixtures until 1926...
- Mixmaster MorrisMixmaster MorrisMixmaster Morris is an English ambient DJ and underground musician. Relating specifically to ambient music, Morris stated "It's exactly what you need if you have a busy and stressful life".-Life and career:...
, DJ and broadcaster, lived Woodhall Spa in the 1970s and attended St Andrews school. - Ursula NiebuhrUrsula NiebuhrUrsula Mary Niebuhr was an American academic and theologian. She was the founder and longtime head of the Department of Religion at Barnard College in New York City.Although known as an American, she was born in Southampton, England...
- Steve PlaterSteve PlaterSteve Plater is an English motorcycle road racer. He was the 2009 British Supersport champion, and also finished as runner-up in the series twice in the late 1990s. In the British Superbike Championship he has 4 wins and 17 further podiums. He has also had success in Endurance and road racing...
, motorcyclist - David TarttelinDavid TarttelinDavid Tarttelin , is an English painter.-Early life and education:As a child during World War II, Tarttelin was evacuated from Grimsby to Kirkstead, near Woodhall Spa, and attended Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle...
- Adrian TchaikovskyAdrian TchaikovskyAdrian Czajkowski is a British fantasy author. His best known work is the ongoing Shadows of the Apt series.-Biography:...
- Robert WebbRobert Webb (actor)Robert Webb is an English actor, comedian and writer, and one half of the double act Mitchell and Webb, alongside David Mitchell.-Early life:...
, actor, comedian and writer; grew-up in Woodhall Spa. - Archibald Weigall KCMGOrder of St Michael and St GeorgeThe Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, Baronet Weigall of Woodhall Spa - David WigleyDavid WigleyDavid Harry Wigley is an English former first-class cricketer. He latterly played for Northamptonshire County Cricket Club, his third county after previously playing for Yorkshire and then Worcestershire, until his early retirement from the game in 2010...
, cricketer
See also
- List of spa towns in the United Kingdom
- KirksteadKirksteadKirkstead is an ancient village and former parish on the River Witham in Lincolnshire, England. It was amalgamated with the civil parish of Woodhall Spa in 1987.-History:...
- Kirkstead AbbeyKirkstead AbbeyKirkstead Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery in Kirkstead, Lincolnshire, England.The monastery was founded in 1139 by Hugh Brito, , lord of Tattershall, and was originally colonised by an abbot and twelve monks from Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire...
- St. Leonard's WithoutSt. Leonard's WithoutThe church of St Leonard’s Without is a small and ancient chapel built between 1230 and 1240 in the parish of Kirkstead, Lincolnshire. It is an excellent example of the Early English style and even though measuring only by it is up to “Cathedral standards” of construction and may well have been...
- Kirkstead Abbey