Caistor Lincolnshire ~ A Visitors Guide to Caistor
One sentence in a book I am currently reading brought about an urge to visit a town in Lincolnshire I’d not been to in years.
I used to visit Caistor very regularly, usually on the way to or from Lincoln, as it had a nice secondhand bookshop - sadly no longer there.
It was the startling information on Lazarus I previously blogged which necessitated this trip and well worth while it was too
Once there plenty of free parking, the first job was to find the church because the Roman Wall lies just behind it
The Parish Church of St. Peter and St. Paul is a beautiful building and comprises of a variety of build styles. The tower stems from a Norman base and one of the doors contains 13th century ironwork. Inside the Church are effigies of two medieval knights and a lady.
Parish Church of St. Peter and St. Paul
The wall is situated to south or rear aspect of the church and is protected by railings. It is marked by a plaque placed by the Caistor Society which is very helpful. Sadly it is largely overgrown with ivy and nettles which is less than helpful. The wall dates back to the fourth century and whilst some may say not much to look at I would beg to differ. It’s not so much what it looks like but the staggering amount of history soaked into those stones
The Remains of the Roman Wall
The whole town is absolutely scattered with Grade II listed buildings from beautiful period cottages to magnificent house such as that below
Caistor House
Sessions House
Sessions house dates 1662 and was one of the few buildings to survive a terrible fire in the town. It seemed to be undergoing some restoration and if I’m bluntly honest it seemed less than sympathetic to me.
Mystery Walls and Turret
This wall and turret I came across by accident and have been unable to identify it. It runs alongside Mill Lane and looks extremely interesting - we would welcome more information from anybody who has any.
As mentioned, it’s been a while since I visited the town and whilst it never appeared to be the busiest of places it seemed even quieter today. There are quite a few period retail outlets not only empty but failing into disrepair. The epidemic of pub closures is more than evident here and I suppose the basic issue has to be just what can the local populous sustain ?
I suspect visitors are thin on the ground and being placed between Grimsby and Lincoln it could be passed over by those travelling.
It is a very nice place and screams with even more potential - if you moved it to the home counties the numerous beautiful homes both large and small would cost a small fortune.
I’m not sure how many people there are like me who are happy to travel and have the time to immerse oneself in an historic aura that is increasingly appealing to me.
I had a very enjoyable morning and anybody that shares interests similar to those seen in the pictures really should visit if they are in the area.
The Roman Wall and the church were the highlights for me. Some of the grave stones being so old literally have their depth has been eroded by weather and time - stones from the 1800s actually look almost new by comparison.
Overall Another Great Day
Romanly Yours
Rod
Little Brother said,
June 8, 2009 @ 8:56 pm
Rod,
Picture quality is superb, beats mine!
LB
Rod said,
June 9, 2009 @ 7:43 am
LB,
many thanks - we'’ll sort it your end
Best
Rod
Roy Schofield said,
June 9, 2009 @ 9:11 am
Dear Rod,
It would have been useful if you had mentioned the date of your visit. Over the past 4 years a Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) has taken place in Caistor which has resulted in approximately £2.5 Million being invested in the town in the form of grants to assist property owners to restore heritage detail, carry out heritage repairs, bring property back in to use and laterly a public realm scheme which has completely rejuvenated the streetscape in the town centre. There is still more to be done and with the help of the Heritage Lottery Fund and West Lindsey District Council we hope that will happen in the near future. Well worth another visit.
Kind Regards
Roy Schofield
09-June-2009
Roy Schofield said,
June 9, 2009 @ 9:17 am
Dear Rod,
Mystery Walls and Turret - This is part of Tower House which is across the road, off to the right and the walls hide a garden which is accessed by a tunnel under the road. I believe the tower is a folly but may have been used as a lookout post in more troubled times.
Kind Regards
Roy Schofield
09-June-2009
Rod said,
June 9, 2009 @ 9:23 am
Hi Roy,
thanks for the comment and welcome to the site
It would have been useful if you had mentioned the date of your visit.
That would be yesterday Roy - the date is under the title.
It’s great to see we are getting some help to protect our heritage in this area and thanks for the info on Tower House - much appreciated.
I shall certainly be returning myself
All the best
Rod
Roy Schofield said,
June 9, 2009 @ 9:48 am
TO ALL POTENTIAL VISITORS . We have an extensive conservation area with 57 grade II listed buildings, the roman wall and St. Peter & St. Paul Church are grade 1 listed, a scheduled ancient monument and 2 medieval fish ponds (not visible at present). Dating from the Roman period, Caistor has a prosperous history as a key market town in the area. The medieval street pattern of narrow plots and interconnecting market square, combined with fine Georgian and Victorian buildings contribute to the town’s special character. Enjoy your visit.
Kind Regards
Roy Schofield
09-June-2009
Annie Flinn said,
June 9, 2009 @ 5:31 pm
Your post allowed me to have a trip, a delve into archeaology, and a history lesson without ever leaving my desk in California. Thank you Rod and Mr. Schofield.
Annie
Rod said,
June 9, 2009 @ 6:04 pm
Hi Annie,
my pleasure and pleased you enjoyed it - strange to think that somebody in California now gets to see what some slacker is doing in a small market town in little old Lincolnshire !
Best
Rod
Maria said,
July 8, 2009 @ 8:01 pm
Hi!
I am planning to visit your town in a future language-learning-holidays and I would like to know more about this city. Can you tell me which places can be visited around there? How many inhabitants are there? Is there any big city with university nearby?
Thank you in advance for attending this email.
Yours,
mj
Rod said,
July 9, 2009 @ 7:23 am
Hi Maria,
check out the “City of Linocln Lincolnshire” in Google, it’s very close and has all you are after
All the best
Rod
Jill Lucas Hassan said,
October 11, 2009 @ 1:46 pm
Hi , Rod ,
Just lost my mother in May , she was headmistress of Nettleton primary school for many years in the 50s and I went to CGS from 1956 onwards , I have been having acute attacks of nostalgia esp as I live in Egypt and because of house clearing this summer didn’t get my Lincolnshire ” fix ” , so finding your site and the Caistor site in general has been a life saver for me , your photos bring it all back and there are things you mention I had no idea about although we lived there so long !!! I shall now be looking for the spring , the turret and other points of interest on my next visit , hopefull y next summer . I can’t thank you enough !!
All the best from Egypt ,
Jill
Rod said,
October 11, 2009 @ 2:04 pm
Jill,
many thanks for the comment and welcome to the site - pleased you enjoyed the article - it’s very encouraging, as well as amazing, to hear just how my roaming gets about
Hope you manage to get back for a visit soon - it’s a tonic being here in Lincs - well that’s what I keep saying anyway.
All the best
Rod
john scott said,
December 4, 2009 @ 5:33 pm
Do you have a photograph of the Charles Kennington Memorial Window in Caistor Church?
Rod said,
December 4, 2009 @ 5:52 pm
Afraid not John, the church is due to be written up as a separate article John
Best
Rod
Mark said,
January 13, 2010 @ 1:54 am
Dont tell everybody how good it is. They will all want to come and it will end up like caistor hospital, donna nook and thornton abbey. A circus, a full car park, a burger van and an entrance fee. LOL
Jenny Price said,
January 14, 2010 @ 10:45 pm
Just came across this by chance. I used to go to school at Caistor Grammar School way back in the early 60’s. I used to walk up that little lane to school from Nettleton every day. When you live somewhere you really don’t see beauty of it. The lane ran down to Navigation lane at the bottom - which i seem to remember being told that it was supposed to be a canal but didn’t get built.
We used to often sit at the side of the lane in Art classes sketching.
By the way, I remember Mrs Lucas who was the headmistress at Nettleton School, and Mrs Holt.
Jill Lucas Hassan said,
February 4, 2010 @ 8:15 pm
Wow, Jenny , fancy you remembering my mother ! I used to walk to school too if the weather was good to save the bus fare . If it was stinking weather ,would take the bus from Nettleton in front of the Salutation Arms . Are you going to the 50th anniversary of the walk to Lincoln to save the school ?
if so , I’ll see you there , I am coming from Cairo specially .
All the best , Rod ,
Jill
Rod said,
February 5, 2010 @ 8:50 am
Hi Jill,
hope Jenny sees this
Kind regards
Rod
Ann Reeves said,
March 3, 2010 @ 8:16 pm
I enjoyed looking and reading very much. Just wonder if you can help me find a building where my Grandfatherx3 seemed to have lived. Early census mentions a Bakery in either the old Butter or Button Market. I shall be visiting in September and so far can not find a starting point.
Thanks for all the useful info !
Ann.
Rod said,
March 4, 2010 @ 7:57 am
Hi Anne,
thanks for the comment and welcome to the site - perhaps someone who lives in Caistor can chime in and help you
Enjoy your trip
All the best
Rod
Alan said,
March 19, 2010 @ 8:35 pm
Hi Anne
I shall be leading walks around Caistor in September. Dates not fixed yet. The bakery was behind a building in the corner of the Butter Market.
Regards
Alan
Rod said,
March 20, 2010 @ 8:11 am
Hi Alan
many thanks for helping Anne, and other visitors to this popular page, out with that information and welcome to the site - hope you’ll return.
Best of luck with the guided walks it’s great to hear of such things
All the best
Rod
Geoff n Mary Wright said,
July 30, 2010 @ 12:18 pm
Hi, I used to live in Caistor between 1950 to 1965 when my parents emigrated to Australia. I attended Caistor Yarborough and also my wife who lived at Great Limber 5 miles away. I used to walk from Rawlinson Avenue in Caistor up Plough Hill to school. I was born in Fountain Street, the row of houses behind the Church and was Christened in that very Church.
The Market Square used to be the buzz of life with a market on a Saturday.
Caistor used to be so very pretty. Came over from Australia in 2006 and 2009 is when I brought my late mother to visit family and friends still living in the area. Mam was a nurse at Caistor hospital her name was Ethel Wright. My late dad Walter drove lorries for H C Wrights in those days. Myself and my wife Mary (Kirk) are also returning to Caistor in early September to visit the ole town. One of my favourite scenes I like to look at of Caistor is from Grasby how it sits on the side of the Lincolnshire Wolds. Just Perfect.
Rod said,
July 30, 2010 @ 5:06 pm
G & M
thanks for the comment and welcome to the site, it’s agreat spot all right. I hope it prospers as some bits appear to be struggling at the moment - like so many places.
All the best
Rod
Tia said,
August 10, 2010 @ 6:40 pm
hiya im just leaving a comment about the turrent.
its a tunnel and the monks used it when in trouble as it runs all the way thru the market place between the bank and the picture of the house above (3rd one down) and into the church, i know this as my grandad covered the entrance to the turrent up many years ago however as far as he knows the entrance in the church is still there but maybe covered by something simple as a mat. he also mentioned there is another tunnel that joins on but i cant remember where he said that one started, My grandad has being in these tunnels but ddidnt go to far in as they were covered by fungai and cobwebs. Hope this brings of interest
Rod said,
August 10, 2010 @ 7:17 pm
Tia,
that really is interesting - thanks for taking the time to share it with us - really appreciated.
This is just the sort of stuff we love to hear bout here
Thanks again Tia
All the best
Rod
Steve Crowder said,
August 24, 2010 @ 6:27 am
Hi All,it’s great reading your comments, although i was born in Sunny Scunny in 1958 we soon moved to Nth Kelsey for a short while & then to Caistor where my Grand parents lived on the bottom of Cornwell view.We lived in Hansard Cresent .What a wonderful place to grow up as a child i still remember playing in and around Mill Dam. Intresting to see the Grammer School mentioned my Grandad used to to be the caretaker there and i used to spend hours in the basement winkling out Blotting paper out of the old ink wells covered in Blue ink i might add (and loving it).My mother also used to be Nurse at the hospital and her mother before her.We then went to live in Barton upon Humber and rember not being very happy about the prospect of leaving Caistor but my father had to go where the work was,Funny i only rember barton for the Bad times and Caistor for good anyway we now live in Melbourne Australia i have been back to visit twice i still have great memories of Caistor.
Cheers Steve
Rod said,
August 24, 2010 @ 8:24 am
Steve,
thanks for the comment and welcome to the site - I must say it’s quite a surprise to me just how many people we get visiting the site from Australia and NZ etc, especially those native to the Wolds - it’s as if half the Wolds up sticks and left.
Hope you enjoy your trips wen you return
Regards from England
Rod
Amiguru said,
September 2, 2010 @ 6:25 pm
Rod,
Caistor’s ancient name before the Romans was ‘Caer Egarry’ which I suggest means Gareth’s Castle.
All en route to Helby!
regards,
Neville
History Hunter said,
September 2, 2010 @ 6:51 pm
I must admit that i prefer the Medieval name of Thong Castor.
Susan Lane said,
September 6, 2010 @ 10:50 pm
Hi, just found your site, loved it. I was born and lived in Caistor until about 1969. the pictures brought back many happy memories as I now live in Ireland.
Rod said,
September 7, 2010 @ 9:08 am
Hi Susuan,
thanks for the comment and welcome to the site - hope you’ll return and pleased it brought back a few fond memories
Regards
Rod