A6121 road
Encyclopedia
The A6121 is a short cross-country road in the counties
of Lincolnshire
and Rutland
, England
. It forms the principal route between Bourne
and Stamford
and the A1 in Lincolnshire, continuing on through Ketton
in Rutland to its junction with the A47
at Morcott
. Its south-western end is at 52°35.5860′N 0°38.0820′W and its north-eastern end is at 52°45.9120′N 0°24.0660′W. The road has increased in importance with the rapid expansion of housing in this part of South Kesteven
.
The road is deemed to start from its junction with the A47 to the west of the A1, therefore it is allocated to Zone 6
and numbered accordingly. It is the only A road in the Stamford area that is not a trunk road
(before the A16 is de-trunked to become the A1175
).
), becoming Stamford Road near the White Horse Inn. It is crossed here by the Rutland Round and from here to Tinwell, west of Stamford, it follows the River Chater
. From South Luffenham
to Caldecott, the A6121 and B672 also follow the Rugby branch of the Syston and Peterborough Railway
, which opened in 1851. The road passes through South Luffenham as Stamford Road, with a crossroads for the village and Barrowden
(to the south), and the Coach House Inn. To the east of the village is the Wireless Hill roundabout for North Luffenham
(to the west) and the A47 (to the south).
From here the road follows the main Syston and Peterborough Railway (part of the Birmingham to Peterborough Line
), which it passes under a mile to the east, north of Luffenham Heath Golf Club, and the point where the road crosses the River Chater
. On the North Luffenham / Ketton parish boundary there is a junction for North Luffenham (to the west).
It enters Ketton
as Luffenham Road, passing a crossroads for Edith Weston
(to the west), and Geeston and Aldgate (to the south). On the eastern exit of Ketton is the large complex of Hanson Cement (former Ketton Cement then Castle Cement), to the north. A railway branch line for the factory passes under the road, and further east is a junction with Steadfold Lane, for Great Casterton
, to the north. In Tinwell it passes All Saints church, to the south, and the Crown Inn. West of Tinwell, the River Chater joins the River Welland
, a few hundred metres to the south. Entering Tinwell, it meets Casterton Lane to the north (for the A1/A606 junction). On the eastern side of the A1 cloverleaf junction it enters Stamford, South Kesteven, and Lincolnshire
as Tinwell Road. This entry into Stamford has the best view of the Welland Valley.
Ermine Street
at the junction of Roman Bank to the north and Waterfurlong to the south. It leaves the main road (Rutland Terrace), following West Street, to the left near a Waitrose
. It meets Scotgate (A606 and B1081) at busy traffic lights crossroads, which is the former Great North Road. It passes to the north of Stamford town centre, along North Street and East Street, which passes the police station and Stamford School
. It briefly follows the trunk road A16, then at a mini-roundabout, follows the road to the left as Ryhall
Road, with Stamford and Rutland Hospital to the right. Further north is the former site of the Mirrlees Blackstone diesel engine
works, on the right hand side, now a retail park. From Stamford School, this is also part of the Macmillan Way
. There is a junction with Drift Road to the left (for New College Stamford and Stamford Leisure Centre) in the part of Stamford known as Northfields.
At Borderville, it re-enters Rutland
. There is a staggered junction for Little Casterton
(to the west), and Belmesthorpe (to the east). It passes Ryhall
(to the east), and crosses the River Gwash
, which the road follows from Stamford. There is a cross roads where the road bends to the right, with junctions for Great Casterton
(to the west) and the B1176 to the north. It leaves Ryhall as Essendine Road, and crosses a 400kV pylon line. It enters Essendine
as Stamford Road, where it crosses the East Coast Main Line
. As Bourne Road, it crosses the West Glen River
. It enters Lincolnshire and South Kesteven south of the Greatford
junction. Nearby to the east is the former Stamford to Bourne railway, which the road follows from Stamford. It passes on the eastern edge of Carlby
, and from near Carlby Hawes wood, is the parish boundary between Witham on the Hill
and Toft with Lound and Manthorpe (to the east).
There is a crossroads for Witham on the Hill (to the west), and Manthorpe
(to the east). South of Toft it crosses the East Glen River. It passes the Toft Country House Hotel, and there is a left turn for Lound
(to the north). The is a sharp bend to the left. Further north of Toft is a left turn for Lound. At Toft Lodge, it crosses over a tunnel of the former Melton Mowbray
- Bourne
railway (Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
). This is now Toft Tunnel Nature Reserve. North of here it enters Bourne, and further north is the junction with the A151, the terminus of the road, east of Auster Wood.
Counties of England
Counties of England are areas used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. For administrative purposes, England outside Greater London and the Isles of Scilly is divided into 83 counties. The counties may consist of a single district or be divided into several...
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...
and 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....
, 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...
. It forms the principal route between Bourne
Bourne, Lincolnshire
Bourne is a market town and civil parish on the western edge of the Fens, in the District of South Kesteven in southern Lincolnshire, England.-The town:...
and Stamford
Stamford, Lincolnshire
Stamford is a town and civil parish within the South Kesteven district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately to the north of London, on the east side of the A1 road to York and Edinburgh and on the River Welland...
and the A1 in Lincolnshire, continuing on through Ketton
Ketton
Ketton is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is located about eight miles east of Oakham and three miles west of Stamford in Lincolnshire...
in Rutland to its junction with the A47
A47 road
The A47 is a trunk road in England originally linking Birmingham to Great Yarmouth. Most of the section between Birmingham and Nuneaton is now classified as the B4114.-Route:...
at Morcott
Morcott
Morcott is a village in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is located about seven miles south-east of Oakham on the A47 and A6121 roads.The village railway station on the branch line between Seaton and Luffenham closed in 1966...
. Its south-western end is at 52°35.5860′N 0°38.0820′W and its north-eastern end is at 52°45.9120′N 0°24.0660′W. The road has increased in importance with the rapid expansion of housing in this part of South Kesteven
South Kesteven
South Kesteven is a local government district in Lincolnshire, England, forming part of the traditional Kesteven division of the county. It covers Grantham, Stamford, Bourne and Market Deeping.-History:...
.
The road is deemed to start from its junction with the A47 to the west of the A1, therefore it is allocated to Zone 6
Great Britain road numbering scheme
The Great Britain road numbering scheme is a numbering scheme used to classify and identify all roads in Great Britain. Each road is given a single letter, which represents the road's category, and a subsequent number, with a length of between 1 and 4 digits. Originally introduced to arrange...
and numbered accordingly. It is the only A road in the Stamford area that is not a trunk road
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
(before the A16 is de-trunked to become the A1175
A1175 road
The A1175 road is a public highway in south-west Lincolnshire, England within the United Kingdom.It was previously designated as the southern section of the A16, but is being re-classified as the A1175 in early August 2010 following the completion of the new Peterborough to Spalding A16 section.The...
).
Morcott - Stamford
It begins in Morcott at the staggered crossroads with the east-west A47 and the B672 (its continuation to CaldecottCaldecott, Rutland
Caldecott is a village in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is located about four miles south of Uppingham and is the most southerly village in Rutland....
), becoming Stamford Road near the White Horse Inn. It is crossed here by the Rutland Round and from here to Tinwell, west of Stamford, it follows the River Chater
River Chater
The River Chater is a river in the East Midlands of England. It is a tributary of the River Welland, and is about long.It rises near Whatborough Hill in Leicestershire, and then flows east, past the sites of Sauvey Castle, and Launde Abbey, before crossing the county boundary with Rutland...
. From South Luffenham
South Luffenham
South Luffenham is a village in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England.The village lies largely on the north side of the A6121 road from Uppingham to Stamford. It is divided into two by a small stream, the Foss, which is a tributary of the River Chater...
to Caldecott, the A6121 and B672 also follow the Rugby branch of the Syston and Peterborough Railway
Syston and Peterborough Railway
The Syston and Peterborough Railway was an early railway in England opened between 1845 and 1848 to form a branch from the Midland Counties Railway at Syston just north of Leicester to Peterborough.-Origins:...
, which opened in 1851. The road passes through South Luffenham as Stamford Road, with a crossroads for the village and Barrowden
Barrowden
Barrowden is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is often considered to be one of the more picturesque villages in Rutland due to its beautiful setting amongst hills and rivers, and also because of the open village greens and the village...
(to the south), and the Coach House Inn. To the east of the village is the Wireless Hill roundabout for North Luffenham
North Luffenham
North Luffenham is a village in Rutland, in the East Midlands of England. It lies to the north of the River Chater, east of Uppingham and west of Stamford.Located to the north of the village is St George's Barracks, formerly RAF North Luffenham....
(to the west) and the A47 (to the south).
From here the road follows the main Syston and Peterborough Railway (part of the Birmingham to Peterborough Line
Birmingham to Peterborough Line
The Birmingham to Peterborough Line is a cross-country railway line in the United Kingdom, linking Birmingham to Peterborough, via Nuneaton and Leicester....
), which it passes under a mile to the east, north of Luffenham Heath Golf Club, and the point where the road crosses the River Chater
River Chater
The River Chater is a river in the East Midlands of England. It is a tributary of the River Welland, and is about long.It rises near Whatborough Hill in Leicestershire, and then flows east, past the sites of Sauvey Castle, and Launde Abbey, before crossing the county boundary with Rutland...
. On the North Luffenham / Ketton parish boundary there is a junction for North Luffenham (to the west).
It enters Ketton
Ketton
Ketton is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is located about eight miles east of Oakham and three miles west of Stamford in Lincolnshire...
as Luffenham Road, passing a crossroads for Edith Weston
Edith Weston
Edith Weston is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is on the south-eastern shore of Rutland Water and is home of the main sailing club with a fishing lodge....
(to the west), and Geeston and Aldgate (to the south). On the eastern exit of Ketton is the large complex of Hanson Cement (former Ketton Cement then Castle Cement), to the north. A railway branch line for the factory passes under the road, and further east is a junction with Steadfold Lane, for Great Casterton
Great Casterton
Great Casterton is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is located at the crossing of the Roman Ermine Street and the River Gwash.-Geography:...
, to the north. In Tinwell it passes All Saints church, to the south, and the Crown Inn. West of Tinwell, the River Chater joins the River Welland
River Welland
The River Welland is a river in the east of England, some long. It rises in the Hothorpe Hills, at Sibbertoft in Northamptonshire, then flows generally northeast to Market Harborough, Stamford and Spalding, to reach The Wash near Fosdyke. For much of its length it forms the county boundary between...
, a few hundred metres to the south. Entering Tinwell, it meets Casterton Lane to the north (for the A1/A606 junction). On the eastern side of the A1 cloverleaf junction it enters Stamford, South Kesteven, and 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...
as Tinwell Road. This entry into Stamford has the best view of the Welland Valley.
Stamford - Bourne
It crosses the former Roman roadRoman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
Ermine Street
Ermine Street
Ermine Street is the name of a major Roman road in England that ran from London to Lincoln and York . The Old English name was 'Earninga Straete' , named after a tribe called the Earningas, who inhabited a district later known as Armingford Hundred, around Arrington, Cambridgeshire and Royston,...
at the junction of Roman Bank to the north and Waterfurlong to the south. It leaves the main road (Rutland Terrace), following West Street, to the left near a Waitrose
Waitrose
Waitrose Limited is an upmarket chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom and is the food division of the British retailer and worker co-operative the John Lewis Partnership. Its head office is in Bracknell, Berkshire, England...
. It meets Scotgate (A606 and B1081) at busy traffic lights crossroads, which is the former Great North Road. It passes to the north of Stamford town centre, along North Street and East Street, which passes the police station and Stamford School
Stamford School
Stamford School is an English independent school situated in the market town of Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. It has been a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference since 1920.-History:...
. It briefly follows the trunk road A16, then at a mini-roundabout, follows the road to the left as Ryhall
Ryhall
Ryhall is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is located close to the eastern boundary of the county, about 2 miles north of Stamford.-The Village:...
Road, with Stamford and Rutland Hospital to the right. Further north is the former site of the Mirrlees Blackstone diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
works, on the right hand side, now a retail park. From Stamford School, this is also part of the Macmillan Way
Macmillan Way
The Macmillan Way is a long-distance footpath in England that links Boston, Lincolnshire to Abbotsbury in Dorset. The route's distance is . It is promoted to raise money for the charity Macmillan Cancer Relief....
. There is a junction with Drift Road to the left (for New College Stamford and Stamford Leisure Centre) in the part of Stamford known as Northfields.
At Borderville, it re-enters 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....
. There is a staggered junction for Little Casterton
Little Casterton
Little Casterton is a small village and civil parish in Rutland. It is about two miles north of Stamford on a minor road that runs to the south of the River Gwash between Great Casterton and Ryhall.The village has a church ....
(to the west), and Belmesthorpe (to the east). It passes Ryhall
Ryhall
Ryhall is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is located close to the eastern boundary of the county, about 2 miles north of Stamford.-The Village:...
(to the east), and crosses the River Gwash
River Gwash
The River Gwash, a tributary of the River Welland, flows through the English counties of Leicestershire, Rutland and Lincolnshire. It rises just outside the village of Knossington in Leicestershire, near the western edge of Rutland...
, which the road follows from Stamford. There is a cross roads where the road bends to the right, with junctions for Great Casterton
Great Casterton
Great Casterton is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is located at the crossing of the Roman Ermine Street and the River Gwash.-Geography:...
(to the west) and the B1176 to the north. It leaves Ryhall as Essendine Road, and crosses a 400kV pylon line. It enters Essendine
Essendine
Essendine is a village at the eastern end of the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It lies on the West Glen, close by the earthworks of a small castle.-Geology:...
as Stamford Road, where it crosses the East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
. As Bourne Road, it crosses the West Glen River
River Glen, Lincolnshire
The River Glen is a river in Lincolnshire, England with a short stretch passing through Rutland near Essendine.The river's name appears to derive from a Brythonic Celtic language but there is a strong early English connection.-Naming:...
. It enters Lincolnshire and South Kesteven south of the Greatford
Greatford
Greatford is a village and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies west of the A15, north-east of Stamford, and south of Bourne...
junction. Nearby to the east is the former Stamford to Bourne railway, which the road follows from Stamford. It passes on the eastern edge of Carlby
Carlby
Carlby is a small village/parish in the district of South Kesteven in Lincolnshire, England.It is located four miles south of Bourne on the A6121 near the Lincolnshire/Rutland boundary, which is partly the River West Glen....
, and from near Carlby Hawes wood, is the parish boundary between Witham on the Hill
Witham on the Hill
Witham on the Hill is a in the civil parish of the same name, in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:The village is between the and west tributaries of the River Glen, and despite its name, is not on the top of its 'hill', which reaches a peak one mile west towards...
and Toft with Lound and Manthorpe (to the east).
There is a crossroads for Witham on the Hill (to the west), and Manthorpe
Manthorpe, Bourne
Manthorpe is a small in South Kesteven in Lincolnshire.It is situated about two miles west of Thurlby and three miles south-west along the A6121 from Bourne. A mile to the west is Witham on the Hill....
(to the east). South of Toft it crosses the East Glen River. It passes the Toft Country House Hotel, and there is a left turn for Lound
Lound, Lincolnshire
Lound is a village about south west of the town of Bourne, Lincolnshire, England.Originally part of the parish of Witham on the Hill, Lound became part of Toft with Lound parish between 1866 and 1931...
(to the north). The is a sharp bend to the left. Further north of Toft is a left turn for Lound. At Toft Lodge, it crosses over a tunnel of the former Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray is a town in the Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It is to the northeast of Leicester, and southeast of Nottingham...
- Bourne
Bourne railway station
Bourne was a railway station serving the town of Bourne in Lincolnshire which opened in 1860 and closed to passengers in 1959.-History:The station was on the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway main line between the Midlands and the Norfolk Coast. it was finally closed in 1959 when the M&GN...
railway (Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, was a joint railway owned by the Midland Railway and the Great Northern Railway in eastern England, affectionately known as the 'Muddle and Get Nowhere' to generations of passengers, enthusiasts, and other users.The main line ran from Peterborough to...
). This is now Toft Tunnel Nature Reserve. North of here it enters Bourne, and further north is the junction with the A151, the terminus of the road, east of Auster Wood.