Essendine
Encyclopedia
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.
or Upper Estuarine Series geology
, though the church and castle are on river alluvium
. In the parish generally, the soils are shallow and well drained with limestone brash. There is some clay which is naturally rather poorly drained and occasionally waterlogged. It produces the wheat, barley, sugar beet and some potatoes usual in eastern England
tympanum
over its south door. It is built within the remains of the Castle, which appears to have been a very early Norman bailey
later developing into a strongly fortified manor.
The village is dominated by a large industrial site, once the factory of Allis Chalmers, later Fiat-Allis. After closure various buildings were rented to a variety of small enterprises, and there are a large number of small businesses to be found to this day.
Controversially two substantial fires occurred there in a short time.
. The railway line and station opened in 1852 and the station closed in 1966. The line is still very busy.
The station also became the main line terminus of the short Stamford
to Essendine line (via Belmesthorpe) which opened in 1856. The Bourne
and Essendine Railway, begun at Essendine in 1858, opened on 16 May 1860.
On 3 July 1938, Essendine saw the London and North Eastern Railway
Class A4
locomotive
number 4468 "Mallard
" break the land speed record for a steam locomotive reaching 126mph, which is still unbroken to this day.
Mallard achieved this at the 90 and a quarter mile marker. A commemorative sign was erected by the track in 1998.
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 East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
of 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 lies on the West Glen
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:...
, close by the earthworks of a small castle.
Geology
Most of the village is on Blisworth LimestoneBlisworth Limestone
The Blisworth Limestone is a stratum of limestone of the Bathonian stage, found in the Jurassic ridge which extends north and south through England. It was laid down in the shallows of the Jurassic sea and is part of the more widely defined Great Oölite Series. It is also known as the Great Oolite...
or Upper Estuarine Series geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
, though the church and castle are on river alluvium
Alluvium
Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated soil or sediments, eroded, deposited, and reshaped by water in some form in a non-marine setting. Alluvium is typically made up of a variety of materials, including fine particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel...
. In the parish generally, the soils are shallow and well drained with limestone brash. There is some clay which is naturally rather poorly drained and occasionally waterlogged. It produces the wheat, barley, sugar beet and some potatoes usual in eastern England
Buildings
The small church has a notable NormanNorman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
tympanum
Tympanum (architecture)
In architecture, a tympanum is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, bounded by a lintel and arch. It often contains sculpture or other imagery or ornaments. Most architectural styles include this element....
over its south door. It is built within the remains of the Castle, which appears to have been a very early Norman bailey
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
later developing into a strongly fortified manor.
The village is dominated by a large industrial site, once the factory of Allis Chalmers, later Fiat-Allis. After closure various buildings were rented to a variety of small enterprises, and there are a large number of small businesses to be found to this day.
Controversially two substantial fires occurred there in a short time.
The railway
The village once had a railway station on the East Coast Main LineEast 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...
. The railway line and station opened in 1852 and the station closed in 1966. The line is still very busy.
The station also became the main line terminus of the short 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...
to Essendine line (via Belmesthorpe) which opened in 1856. The 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 Essendine Railway, begun at Essendine in 1858, opened on 16 May 1860.
On 3 July 1938, Essendine saw the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
Class A4
LNER Class A4
The Class A4 is a class of streamlined 4-6-2 steam locomotive, designed by Nigel Gresley for the London and North Eastern Railway in 1935. Their streamlined design gave them high-speed capability as well as making them instantly recognizable, and one of the class, 4468 Mallard, still claims the...
locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
number 4468 "Mallard
LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard
Number 4468 Mallard is a London and North Eastern Railway Class A4 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive built at Doncaster, England in 1938. While in other respects a relatively typical member of its class, it is historically significant for being the holder of the official world speed record for steam...
" break the land speed record for a steam locomotive reaching 126mph, which is still unbroken to this day.
Mallard achieved this at the 90 and a quarter mile marker. A commemorative sign was erected by the track in 1998.
External links
- A photograph of the church. The castle earthworks are among the trees.
- Essendine Open directory listing for this village. Extensive early history of the village.