Londonthorpe
Encyclopedia
Londonthorpe is a satellite village of Grantham
, in the South Kesteven
district of Lincolnshire
, England. The village is in the civil parish
of Londonthorpe and Harrowby Without. It lies 3 miles (4.8 km) to the north-east from Grantham, 1 miles (1.6 km) to the west from the B6403 (Ermine Street
Roman road), and borders on Belton Park in the west.
The Londonthorpe name may derive from the Old Scandinavian lundr+thorp; in the Domesday account the village was written as "Lundertorp".
The parish is centred around Grade II listed Harrowby Hall
, Londonthorpe previously being an estate village of Harrowby Estate. The village listed buildings include The Grange farm house, the Manor House, and various other houses and cottages. Listed buildings within the larger Londonthorpe and Harrowby parish include the Officer's Mess of the WWII RAF Spitalgate
, and buildings and structures within Belton Park.
The parish church is dedicated to St John Baptist
, the tower of which dates back to the early 13th century, and parts of the rood screen
from the 15th century. The church was rebuilt with a new roof in 1850, with considerable further restoration
taking place in 1879. Earthworks of unknown origin lie to the west of the church
Londonthorpe Wood, created in 1993 by the Woodland Trust
, is within the parish 1 miles (1.6 km) to the west. The parish also includes Prince William of Gloucester Barracks (previously RAF Spitalgate) and parts of eastern Grantham, particularly Alma Park Industrial Estate.
During the 1930s the parish was a centre for the Land Settlement Association
scheme, a social experiment where unemployed Durham miners were offered specially built cottages with smallholdings of land and livestock, to encourage self-sufficiency.
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...
, in 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. The village is in 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 Londonthorpe and Harrowby Without. It lies 3 miles (4.8 km) to the north-east from Grantham, 1 miles (1.6 km) to the west from the B6403 (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,...
Roman road), and borders on Belton Park in the west.
The Londonthorpe name may derive from the Old Scandinavian lundr+thorp; in the Domesday account the village was written as "Lundertorp".
The parish is centred around Grade II listed Harrowby Hall
Harrowby Hall
Harrowby Hall in Harrowby, Lincolnshire, England, was the family home of the Ryder family and is the former home of Nathaniel Ryder, Earl of Harrowby...
, Londonthorpe previously being an estate village of Harrowby Estate. The village listed buildings include The Grange farm house, the Manor House, and various other houses and cottages. Listed buildings within the larger Londonthorpe and Harrowby parish include the Officer's Mess of the WWII RAF Spitalgate
RAF Spitalgate
RAF Spitalgate formerly known as RFCS Grantham and RAF Grantham was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station, located south east of the centre of Grantham, Lincolnshire, England fronting onto the main A52 road.-History:...
, and buildings and structures within Belton Park.
The parish church is dedicated to St John Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
, the tower of which dates back to the early 13th century, and parts of the rood screen
Rood screen
The rood screen is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or wrought iron...
from the 15th century. The church was rebuilt with a new roof in 1850, with considerable further restoration
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
taking place in 1879. Earthworks of unknown origin lie to the west of the church
Londonthorpe Wood, created in 1993 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:...
, is within the parish 1 miles (1.6 km) to the west. The parish also includes Prince William of Gloucester Barracks (previously RAF Spitalgate) and parts of eastern Grantham, particularly Alma Park Industrial Estate.
During the 1930s the parish was a centre for the Land Settlement Association
Land Settlement Association
The Land Settlement Association was a UK Government scheme set up in 1934, with help from the charities Plunkett Foundation and Carnegie Trust, to re-settle unemployed workers from depressed industrial areas of Britain, particularly from North-East England and Wales...
scheme, a social experiment where unemployed Durham miners were offered specially built cottages with smallholdings of land and livestock, to encourage self-sufficiency.