Folkingham
Encyclopedia
Folkingham is a village and civil parish
at the northern edge of the South Kesteven
district of Lincolnshire
, England. It lies on the A15 road 11 miles (17.7 km) of north of Bourne
. The civil parish and ecclesiastical parish have the same boundaries. The 2001 census recorded a population of 729.
The village has several historic buildings, such as the House of Corrections and The Greyhound. The area around the castle site became a designated conservation area in 1968.
Passing through the village are several footpaths; walking providing one of a number of activities that attract visitors.
Today the local economy is still mainly agriculture-based.
Every five or six years Folkingham suffers from flooding, caused by water gathering on the old RAF base swelling the river flowing through the village. The floods usually start at Millennium Green, then spread onto the A15 and into Billingborough Road.
Folkingham is the home village of Major
Lance Gerrard-Wright, the former equerry to the Duke of York
and former husband of Ulrika Jonsson
.
entry "Folchingeham", and is said to derive from the word Folch or Falx, meaning a sickle
. Another spelling, also based on Domesday is "Fulchingeham", which has been interpreted as "the Ham of Fulca's people".
A castle was built in the 12th century by Gilbert de Gant, Earl of Lincoln
and enlarged by Henry Beaumont in the 14th century. He was given a licence to crenelate it in 1312. The last documentary record of occupation of this castle dates from 1372. John Leland described it as a ruin in 1535, in which state it survived until the Civil war
. The site was later used as the village house of correction.
In the late 18th century Folkingham market place was used for stacking timber. Around it was a horse pond, a market cross and a small town hall. The market place was divided by chains into areas for sheep, cattle, horses and poultry, and for the sale of farm produce and other wares. In 1788 the third Richard Wynne, then lord of the manor, was in financial difficulties and sold-off the estate to Sir Gilbert Heathcote
whose great-grandfather, the first baronet, was a member of Parliament
, lord mayor of London
and governor of the Bank of England
. When Sir Gilbert acquired the estate he wanted to transform Folkingham into a small market town. His changes included clearing the market place and having it equipped to cater for the stage coaches using the main London to Lincoln road which passed through.
Folkingham (then Falkingham) was the birthplace of Elizabeth Wynne Fremantle
(1779–1857), the main author of The Wynne Diaries.
The Falkingham Gas Light Company was founded in 1863. The installation almost certainly used a Water gas
or combined Water Gas/Producer gas system to produce gas from coal. No large-scale plant was installed in the village.
In 1940 RAF Folkingham
, to the south-west of the village, began use as a World War II airfield. It provided for troop carrier and airborne units, and acted as decoy airfield. During the 1950s and the 1960s it was occupied by Bomber Command
as a ballistic missile
base.
to London stagecoach route. Sir Gilbert Heathcote restructured the village during the 18th century, investing a large amount of money in rebuilding the Greyhound and creating its present red brick frontage.
It became one of the main stopping posts for coachmen traveling between Lincoln and London. Up to 2003 it was known as the Greyhound Inn, and was then, for a short time, an antiques showroom. After 2003 it was put up for sale and auctioned unsuccessfully several times, until recently when it was bought by property developers who turned it into luxury flats.
In April 2005 fire broke out in one of the wings. Damage, which was restricted to three rooms on the top floor, was repaired during the conversion into flats. It was initially not known how the fire started and who was responsible, but most put the blame on intruders.
, the higher court that dispensed justice for the area, which explains why a House of Correction, or minor prison, was built. It was constructed on the site of Folkingham Castle. The surviving Grade II* listed buildings consist of the original 19th century governor's house and gateway, dating from 1808 and 1825. It was closed in 1878 but was taken over in about 1980 by the Landmark Trust
, an organisation that converts unusual and neglected British buildings into holiday accommodation with modern amenities. They transformed the Gateway into a holiday home.
is dedicated to St Andrew. It originates from the late 12th century and was largely completed by the late 15th, with restorations carried out in 1825, 1858 and 1860. It has early Decorated style arcades
and a mainly Early English chancel
, with a Norman
pier
where there was an opening into a chantry
chapel. On the south side of the church are the remains of stocks and a whipping-post.
The church is a prominent feature of the village, but is inconspicuous from the Market Place. In 2006 it was damaged when gale force
winds blew down two of the four pinnacle
s, one of which fell onto the roof causing damaging costing more than £100,000 to repair.
Folkingham parish is part of the South Lafford Group of parishes in the Deanery of Lafford, Diocese of Lincoln
. The incumbent is The Revd Charles Robertson.
Although not technically in Folkingham, most agree the water tower
a landmark of Folkingham. Completed in 1982 next to the A15 on a hill, it is 70 feet high and has a capacity of 54,000 gallons of water to boost supplies to the area in times of shortage. Before its erection an iron water tower close to the A151 dating from 1939 was used.
, so-called because a pillory
once stood outside, is now a premises for the making and selling of chocolates. Also in the Market Place is the post office, sited in The Old School – in response to its potential closure a local petition was raised. In West Street, off the Market Place, is the 18th century New Inn public house
. A local bus transport company provides public transport to and between Grantham
, Boston
and Spalding
. A converted Grade II listed barn and stables provides guesthouse facilities.
Recent years have seen a decline for local businesses. The Reading Room, a restaurant since the 1990s, closed in 2002; the premises is now a residential home. A public house, The Greyhound, closed in 2003, and another, The Five Bells, has been converted into a care home. Folkingham’s petrol station dated back to the 1940s and was a family business until its closure in 2003. It originally stood opposite The Old School and later relocated to other premises within the Market Place; its location is now occupied by three modern homes.
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...
at the northern edge of the 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:...
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 A15 road 11 miles (17.7 km) of north of 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:...
. The civil parish and ecclesiastical parish have the same boundaries. The 2001 census recorded a population of 729.
Village
Passing through the village are several footpaths; walking providing one of a number of activities that attract visitors.
Today the local economy is still mainly agriculture-based.
Every five or six years Folkingham suffers from flooding, caused by water gathering on the old RAF base swelling the river flowing through the village. The floods usually start at Millennium Green, then spread onto the A15 and into Billingborough Road.
Folkingham is the home village of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Lance Gerrard-Wright, the former equerry to the Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and former husband of Ulrika Jonsson
Ulrika Jonsson
Eva Ulrika Jonsson is a Swedish television presenter in the UK, who became famous as a TV-am weather presenter and moved on to present Gladiators and became a team captain of the show Shooting Stars.-Early life:...
.
History
The village owes its origin to the meeting place of traders, farmers, huntsmen, robbers and pedlars. The name "Folkingham" (or "Falkingham", as the village was previously written) derives from the DomesdayDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
entry "Folchingeham", and is said to derive from the word Folch or Falx, meaning a sickle
Sickle
A sickle is a hand-held agricultural tool with a variously curved blade typically used for harvesting grain crops or cutting succulent forage chiefly for feeding livestock . Sickles have also been used as weapons, either in their original form or in various derivations.The diversity of sickles that...
. Another spelling, also based on Domesday is "Fulchingeham", which has been interpreted as "the Ham of Fulca's people".
A castle was built in the 12th century by Gilbert de Gant, Earl of Lincoln
Gilbert de Gant, Earl of Lincoln
Gilbert de Gant, 1st Earl of Lincoln was an English nobleman who fought for King Stephen during The Anarchy.He was the son of Walter de Gant and Maud of Brittany...
and enlarged by Henry Beaumont in the 14th century. He was given a licence to crenelate it in 1312. The last documentary record of occupation of this castle dates from 1372. John Leland described it as a ruin in 1535, in which state it survived until the Civil war
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. The site was later used as the village house of correction.
In the late 18th century Folkingham market place was used for stacking timber. Around it was a horse pond, a market cross and a small town hall. The market place was divided by chains into areas for sheep, cattle, horses and poultry, and for the sale of farm produce and other wares. In 1788 the third Richard Wynne, then lord of the manor, was in financial difficulties and sold-off the estate to Sir Gilbert Heathcote
Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 4th Baronet
Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 4th Baronet was a British Member of Parliament.Heathcote was the son of Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 3rd Baronet by his second wife Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Hudson...
whose great-grandfather, the first baronet, was a member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, lord mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
and governor of the Bank of England
Governor of the Bank of England
The Governor of the Bank of England is the most senior position in the Bank of England. It is nominally a civil service post, but the appointment tends to be from within the Bank, with the incumbent grooming his or her successor...
. When Sir Gilbert acquired the estate he wanted to transform Folkingham into a small market town. His changes included clearing the market place and having it equipped to cater for the stage coaches using the main London to Lincoln road which passed through.
Folkingham (then Falkingham) was the birthplace of Elizabeth Wynne Fremantle
Elizabeth Wynne Fremantle
Elizabeth Wynne Fremantle was the main author of the extensive Wynne Diaries and wife of the Royal Navy officer Thomas Fremantle , a close associate of Nelson.-Life:Known in the family as Betsey, she was born Elizabeth Wynne, the second daughter of...
(1779–1857), the main author of The Wynne Diaries.
The Falkingham Gas Light Company was founded in 1863. The installation almost certainly used a Water gas
Water gas
Water gas is a synthesis gas, containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen. It is a useful product but requires careful handling because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. The gas is made by passing steam over a red-hot hydrocarbon fuel such as coke:...
or combined Water Gas/Producer gas system to produce gas from coal. No large-scale plant was installed in the village.
In 1940 RAF Folkingham
RAF Folkingham
RAF Folkingham is a former World War II Royal Air Force flying station in Lincolnshire, England. The airfield is located south west of Folkingham and due east of Lenton village, approximately due south of county town Lincoln and north of London...
, to the south-west of the village, began use as a World War II airfield. It provided for troop carrier and airborne units, and acted as decoy airfield. During the 1950s and the 1960s it was occupied by Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
as a ballistic missile
Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
base.
Notable buildings
The Greyhound
The Greyhound dates back to 1650. The now Grade II* listed building came to prominence during the 18th century when Folkingham became a key staging post on the LincolnLincoln, 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....
to London stagecoach route. Sir Gilbert Heathcote restructured the village during the 18th century, investing a large amount of money in rebuilding the Greyhound and creating its present red brick frontage.
It became one of the main stopping posts for coachmen traveling between Lincoln and London. Up to 2003 it was known as the Greyhound Inn, and was then, for a short time, an antiques showroom. After 2003 it was put up for sale and auctioned unsuccessfully several times, until recently when it was bought by property developers who turned it into luxury flats.
In April 2005 fire broke out in one of the wings. Damage, which was restricted to three rooms on the top floor, was repaired during the conversion into flats. It was initially not known how the fire started and who was responsible, but most put the blame on intruders.
The House of Correction
In the early 19th century Folkingham was part of Quarter SessionsQuarter Sessions
The Courts of Quarter Sessions or Quarter Sessions were local courts traditionally held at four set times each year in the United Kingdom and other countries in the former British Empire...
, the higher court that dispensed justice for the area, which explains why a House of Correction, or minor prison, was built. It was constructed on the site of Folkingham Castle. The surviving Grade II* listed buildings consist of the original 19th century governor's house and gateway, dating from 1808 and 1825. It was closed in 1878 but was taken over in about 1980 by the Landmark Trust
Landmark Trust
The Landmark Trust is a British building conservation charity, founded in 1965 by Sir John and Lady Smith, that rescues buildings of historic interest or architectural merit and then gives them a new life by making them available for holiday rental...
, an organisation that converts unusual and neglected British buildings into holiday accommodation with modern amenities. They transformed the Gateway into a holiday home.
St Andrew's Church
Folkingham Grade I listed Anglican churchSt. Andrew's Church, Folkingham
The Church of St Andrew in Folkingham, Lincolnshire, England, is Grade I–listed Anglican church. Originating in the late 12th century, it was largely completed by the late 15th, with restorations carried out in 1825, 1858 and 1860. It has early Decorated style arcades and a mainly Early English...
is dedicated to St Andrew. It originates from the late 12th century and was largely completed by the late 15th, with restorations carried out in 1825, 1858 and 1860. It has early Decorated style arcades
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
and a mainly Early English 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...
, with a Norman
Norman 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...
pier
Pier (architecture)
In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
where there was an opening into a chantry
Chantry
Chantry is the English term for a fund established to pay for a priest to celebrate sung Masses for a specified purpose, generally for the soul of the deceased donor. Chantries were endowed with lands given by donors, the income from which maintained the chantry priest...
chapel. On the south side of the church are the remains of stocks and a whipping-post.
The church is a prominent feature of the village, but is inconspicuous from the Market Place. In 2006 it was damaged when gale force
Beaufort scale
The Beaufort Scale is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. Its full name is the Beaufort Wind Force Scale.-History:...
winds blew down two of the four pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s, one of which fell onto the roof causing damaging costing more than £100,000 to repair.
Folkingham parish is part of the South Lafford Group of parishes in the Deanery of Lafford, Diocese of Lincoln
Diocese of Lincoln
The Diocese of Lincoln forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England. The present diocese covers the ceremonial county of Lincolnshire.- History :...
. The incumbent is The Revd Charles Robertson.
The water tower
Water tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
a landmark of Folkingham. Completed in 1982 next to the A15 on a hill, it is 70 feet high and has a capacity of 54,000 gallons of water to boost supplies to the area in times of shortage. Before its erection an iron water tower close to the A151 dating from 1939 was used.
Businesses and amenities
Folkingham has a corner store-cum-delicatessen in the Market Place, and a traditional tea shop. A property that was previously The Whipping Post public housePublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, so-called because a pillory
Pillory
The pillory was a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, formerly used for punishment by public humiliation and often further physical abuse, sometimes lethal...
once stood outside, is now a premises for the making and selling of chocolates. Also in the Market Place is the post office, sited in The Old School – in response to its potential closure a local petition was raised. In West Street, off the Market Place, is the 18th century New Inn public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
. A local bus transport company provides public transport to and between Grantham
Grantham
Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
, 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...
and Spalding
Spalding, Lincolnshire
Spalding is a market town with a population of 30,000 on the River Welland in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. Little London is a hamlet directly south of Spalding on the B1172 road....
. A converted Grade II listed barn and stables provides guesthouse facilities.
Recent years have seen a decline for local businesses. The Reading Room, a restaurant since the 1990s, closed in 2002; the premises is now a residential home. A public house, The Greyhound, closed in 2003, and another, The Five Bells, has been converted into a care home. Folkingham’s petrol station dated back to the 1940s and was a family business until its closure in 2003. It originally stood opposite The Old School and later relocated to other premises within the Market Place; its location is now occupied by three modern homes.
External links
- "Folkingham (also Falkingham)", genuki.org.uk. Retrieved 31 July 2011
- Folkingham, homepages.which.net. Retrieved 31 July 2011
- Folkingham, Lincolnshire, astoft.co.uk. Retrieved 31 July 2011
- Folkingham Castle, everingham.com. Retrieved 31 July 2011
- "The Parliamentary Gazetteer’s Summary of Folkingham, 1843", The Bourne Archive. Retrieved 31 July 2011
- "Britain turns out the supercar", Pathe News: BRM car tested at Folkingham aerodrome. Retrieved 31 July 2011
- Folkingham village video retrieved 18 Dec 2010