North Somercotes
Encyclopedia
North Somercotes is a large coastal village with a population of approximately 1800 people, located in the Marshes area of Lincolnshire
, England.
and Cleethorpes
, and is the home of two public house
s, (the Axe and Cleaver and the Bay Horse) two convenience stores, (McColl's and H's Costcutter supermarket) a number of take-away
establishments (Zara Indian restaurant and takeaway, a Chinese take-away and a Turkish kebab takeaway, also serving fish and chips
), a restaurant (The Travellers' Joy) two hairdressers and a tile shop. A Post Office has existed here since the 1840's. It offers a wide range of services including motor vehicle licensing and on demand Euro foreign currency purchase. There is a youth club for 12 to 17 year olds which meet at their own youth club building situated on The Birkbeck School grounds. It is also home to the North Somercotes Detachment of the Army Cadet Force held at one of the two Schools that are there, these are North Somercotes Primary and The Birkbeck School and Community Arts College. The Primary School is one of the oldest primary schools in the entire East Midlands region, dating back to 1691.
out of the county and the event has not taken place since.
However, one surviving tradition for which North Somercotes is well known is that of its Pancake Races, which take place annually on Shrove Tuesday
at the Birkbeck School and Community Arts College. Originally the race was run along Keeling Street which is the main street of the village and part of the A1031 There are races for different age groups and the winner of the adult race has their name inscribed on the trophy. Each person receives a frying pan and has to race from one end of a field to the other, tossing their pancake at least once every few seconds on the way. The winner is the first to cross the line, having tossed their pancake several times and with the pancake still intact.
. The beach at Donna Nook is used by the RAF for target practice and bombing is carried out at limited times during the week and outside the main seal breeding season of November and December.
and other parts of South Yorkshire
, as well as the nearby larger town of Grimsby
. The camp comprises a large lake, suitable for fishing, tennis courts, a swimming pool, various bars, a fish'n'chip shop (not any more.) Now a 'Snooker room' and woods with public footpaths and a partially-stocked shop. Local residents may also use the park's facilities for a small charge.
s, and the seal population generally.
parish church and the Methodist church. It is a part of the Diocese of Lincoln
and the Methodist circuit of Louth
. While both churches are still regularly attended, neither of them has a junior church nor Sunday school. There is also a Pentecostal Church which meets in the village hall every Sunday morning.
, or at the cheaper larger chains in Louth (11 miles from North Somercotes inland) or Cleethorpes (Tesco supermarket 13 miles north).
North Somercotes is served by its own Fire Station, manned entirely by volunteers. The nearest police stations are in Louth and Mablethorpe, both about 11 miles distant. The nearest ambulance stations are also in Louth and Mablethorpe. The village has its own Medical Centre (Marsh Medical Practice), comprising four GPs, who divide their time between the surgeries in the village and in the neighbouring village of Manby
. The Medical Centre has its own dispensary, negating the need to travel to chemists in Louth or Mablethorpe.
, 16 miles distant. The station is operated by TransPennine Express, and is also served by Northern Rail
and East Midlands Trains
.
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.
General
The village's name means "North Summer Grazing Area" as only in Summer would it be dry enough for sheep and cattle to be able to graze in this area. It is located midway between the towns of MablethorpeMablethorpe
Mablethorpe is a small seaside town in East Lindsey on the coast of Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:Several small caravan parks exist around Mablethorpe. The town is administered with Sutton-on-Sea and Trusthorpe, as the civil parish of Mablethorpe and Sutton...
and Cleethorpes
Cleethorpes
Cleethorpes is a town and unparished area in North East Lincolnshire, England, situated on the estuary of the Humber. It has a population of 31,853 and is a seaside resort.- History :...
, and is the home of two 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...
s, (the Axe and Cleaver and the Bay Horse) two convenience stores, (McColl's and H's Costcutter supermarket) a number of take-away
Take-out
Take-out or takeout , carry-out , take-away , parcel , or tapau , is food purchased at a...
establishments (Zara Indian restaurant and takeaway, a Chinese take-away and a Turkish kebab takeaway, also serving fish and chips
Fish and chips
Fish and chips is a popular take-away food in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada...
), a restaurant (The Travellers' Joy) two hairdressers and a tile shop. A Post Office has existed here since the 1840's. It offers a wide range of services including motor vehicle licensing and on demand Euro foreign currency purchase. There is a youth club for 12 to 17 year olds which meet at their own youth club building situated on The Birkbeck School grounds. It is also home to the North Somercotes Detachment of the Army Cadet Force held at one of the two Schools that are there, these are North Somercotes Primary and The Birkbeck School and Community Arts College. The Primary School is one of the oldest primary schools in the entire East Midlands region, dating back to 1691.
Traditions
North Somercotes was famous throughout the county of Lincolnshire for its village carnival in which brightly decorated floats with both children and adults dressing up wound the streets of the village once a year, usually in mid July. A young teenage village beauty was traditionally chosen to be the Rose Princess and a much younger girl was chosen to be the Princess's attendant. The Princess was crowned during the event. The last of these carnivals took place in 2000. All events were banned the following year, due the efforts by Lincolnshire County Council to keep the 2001 UK foot and mouth crisis2001 UK foot and mouth crisis
The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom in 2001 caused a crisis in British agriculture and tourism. This epizootic saw 2,000 cases of the disease in farms in most of the British countryside. Over 10 million sheep and cattle were killed in an eventually successful attempt to...
out of the county and the event has not taken place since.
However, one surviving tradition for which North Somercotes is well known is that of its Pancake Races, which take place annually on Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday is a term used in English-speaking countries, especially in Ireland, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Germany, and parts of the United States for the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of the season of fasting and prayer called Lent.The...
at the Birkbeck School and Community Arts College. Originally the race was run along Keeling Street which is the main street of the village and part of the A1031 There are races for different age groups and the winner of the adult race has their name inscribed on the trophy. Each person receives a frying pan and has to race from one end of a field to the other, tossing their pancake at least once every few seconds on the way. The winner is the first to cross the line, having tossed their pancake several times and with the pancake still intact.
Royal Air Force
North Somercotes is home to the RAF Donna NookRAF Donna Nook
RAF Donna Nook is a bombing range in East Lindsey in north-east Lincolnshire in England. It is maintained by the RAF and used by British and NATO war planes.-History:...
. The beach at Donna Nook is used by the RAF for target practice and bombing is carried out at limited times during the week and outside the main seal breeding season of November and December.
Lakeside Lido
There is a caravan park known as Lakeside Lido on the edge of the village, with both static caravans and room for touring caravaners, many of whom travel to the village from SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
and other parts of South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, as well as the nearby larger town of Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
. The camp comprises a large lake, suitable for fishing, tennis courts, a swimming pool, various bars, a fish'n'chip shop (not any more.) Now a 'Snooker room' and woods with public footpaths and a partially-stocked shop. Local residents may also use the park's facilities for a small charge.
'The Ark'
North Somercotes is home to a dog rescue centre, known as the Ark. This is located outside the main village on the way to Donna Nook.Seals
In November and December North Somercotes loses its calm air as it is home to many tourists, who come to see the seals at Donna Nook, the beach located a 1½ miles from the village. While there is some dispute as to whether this is the largest seal breeding colony in England, it is certainly the only one where visitors can be within a few inches of the seals. Children particularly delight in seeing the new seal pups at such a close range. Wardens are there to offer information and anecdotes about Grey SealGrey Seal
The grey seal is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a large seal of the family Phocidae or "true seals". It is the only species classified in the genus Halichoerus...
s, and the seal population generally.
Worship
The village is served by two churches, the Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
parish church and the Methodist church. It is a part of the 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 :...
and the Methodist circuit of Louth
Louth, Lincolnshire
Louth is a market town and civil parish within the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:Known as the "capital of the Lincolnshire Wolds", it is situated where the ancient trackway Barton Street crosses the River Lud, and has a total resident population of 15,930.The Greenwich...
. While both churches are still regularly attended, neither of them has a junior church nor Sunday school. There is also a Pentecostal Church which meets in the village hall every Sunday morning.
Luke Walmsley
The village was thrust into the spotlight of the media in November 2003, when schoolboy Luke Walmsley was murdered by another pupil in the Birkbeck School, the only time that such an event has happened at a school in the United Kingdom. After Luke's death, his parents set up a Sports Foundation in his memory. The Foundation raised over £150,000. The money was used to build a new pavilion on the village playing fields, to upgrade the sports changing area and to build two brand new full size sports pitches and a mini soccer pitch. After a delay, work started on this on 4 February 2009 and was completed in September 2009.Facilities
There was previously a petrol station at North Somercotes. However, since it closed, in early 2001, residents have had to buy their fuel in the neighbouring village of SaltfleetSaltfleet
Saltfleet is a coastal village in the county of Lincolnshire, England. Situated approximately north of Mablethorpe and east of Louth. The village is part of the civil parish of Skidbrooke with Saltfleet Haven, which had a population of 523 at the 2001 Census.Saltfleet has a 19th century...
, or at the cheaper larger chains in Louth (11 miles from North Somercotes inland) or Cleethorpes (Tesco supermarket 13 miles north).
North Somercotes is served by its own Fire Station, manned entirely by volunteers. The nearest police stations are in Louth and Mablethorpe, both about 11 miles distant. The nearest ambulance stations are also in Louth and Mablethorpe. The village has its own Medical Centre (Marsh Medical Practice), comprising four GPs, who divide their time between the surgeries in the village and in the neighbouring village of Manby
Manby
Manby is a village in the county of Lincolnshire, England. Situated approximately five miles east of Louth, the village had a population of 833 at the 2001 Census....
. The Medical Centre has its own dispensary, negating the need to travel to chemists in Louth or Mablethorpe.
Transport links
The village is served by a bus link to Louth, which runs three times a week on Louth Market days, i.e. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. There are more frequent buses to Grimsby and Mablethorpe at certain times of year. The village is served by Cleethorpes railway stationCleethorpes railway station
Cleethorpes railway station is a rail terminus serving the seaside town of Cleethorpes in North East Lincolnshire. The station is operated by First TransPennine Express, and is also served by Northern Rail and East Midlands Trains....
, 16 miles distant. The station is operated by TransPennine Express, and is also served by Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
and East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
.