Calceby Church ~ St. Andrew’s Lincolnshire Church Ruins
Little remains of St Andrew’s church in Calceby now, indeed little remains of what was once a thriving medieval village.
What does remain though is pretty dramatic, albeit on a small scale, but a place that I simply had to visit - you’ll see why
Hat tip to Chris Keyworth for suggesting I visit, in fact I did so only 2 days after he suggested it but I’m getting back logged with these type of posts at the moment.
You’ll not find the village listed on a standard road map but it is on my 50 year old Ordnance Survey map ( grid reference is 3975) following the A16 through Louth it’s centred roughly between South Thoresby and South Ormsby and worth the trip as you can see . . .
Calceby Church
It was an Anglican parish church and by the turn of the century (1900 that is ) is was pretty much in ruins. Being there reminded my instantly of the trip to Tupholme Abbey and you feel mired in history - wonderment at times and events gone by.
I was especially fortunate in having the weather and my new camera set up which got me some pretty pleasing shots against an amazing skyline providing the perfect backdrop
Lincolnshire Church Ruins
It certainly had Norman origins as the church at South Ormsby has some parts were taken from the ruins when it was renovated.
The construction seems to be primarily of chalk and then dressed with local stone. All could be sourced locally and presumably its use was financially based.
Saint Andrew’s
Solid information seems, much like the church remains, thin on the ground. According to the National Archives one Reverend Francis Charles Massingberd proposed to restore it in 1858 . The parish register dates back to 1571 but I have no firm date on when the church was actually built or how far back it goes as a religious site.
Minimum 14th century surely ?
Hard facts from an authority source are what’s wanted
Historic Lincolnshire Site
I’m sure you’ll agree it was well worth the trip, standing on the hill amongst the remains simply transports the mind somewhere else.
Where it goes you can decide - if you’re looking for peace and solitude then you’ll get it there - an almost meditative calmness I seem to find only on ancient holy sites.
Or like me you can allow the history and mysterious past to engulf you - look around - see the earthworks which are still extant and wonder at what must have happened here over the centuries.
Although perhaps doing nothing notable you too become part of the place’s history - it really is quite fabulous !
Floridly Yours
Rod
chris keyworth said,
August 9, 2009 @ 10:05 pm
hi nice one rod..
great pics, incidentaly did you lok down the bank next to the laybye?
thats where some of the residents of the village are to be located dug up by rabits and badgers when i went there it was to investigate some human reamains, but there was not just some, there was loads, sculls long bones you name it, it sent shivers down my spine when i found them.
regards
chris
Rod said,
August 10, 2009 @ 8:07 am
Chris,
I did look around but didn’t see anything like that, next time I’m in the area I’ll investigate further
Cheers
Rod
Little Brother said,
August 10, 2009 @ 8:15 am
Rod,
I’m impressed, you’re doing the exact opposite of the local tourist board! Great photographs and information, there really is a lot to see and do in Lincolnshire!
LB
chris keyworth said,
August 10, 2009 @ 12:54 pm
Calceby Domesday Survey.
In Haugh and Calceby Halfdan had 2 bovates of land taxable.
Land for 3 oxen.
Now William, the Bishops man has half a plough there.
1 smallholder.
Value before 1066 10 shillings, now 10 shillings 1086.
In Wainfleet, Haugh, Calceby, Theddlethorpe and Mablethorpe, a juristiction, 20 carucates of land and 2 bovates taxible.
Land for as many ploughs.
83 Fremen, 33 Villagers and 35 Smallholders have 18.5 ploughs and meadow, 1000 acres; 20 salt-houses, 10s; underwod, 80 acres.
Chris
the dinosaur said,
August 10, 2009 @ 6:11 pm
Rod, with regard to Chris mentioning the disturbed and revealed bones, I think it might be worth mentioning a true story I’ve read about. Whilst doing some essential maintenance on a cathedral years ago, workmen had to move some bones buried beneath the floor and within days developed bubonic plague! So it’s not a good idea for anyone to be tempted to go near these remains, no matter how old they might be.
Rod said,
August 10, 2009 @ 6:26 pm
Dino,
Aye Caramba !
I would never even have imagined it possible !
I can feel a blog post coming on - Bubonic Plague Rife in Lincolnshire.
Knowing my luck I’d catch it as well.
Great comment - many thanks
Rod
chris keyworth said,
August 10, 2009 @ 7:21 pm
Hi Dino
Where as you post could be true it is worth mentioning at this point the Five types of burial rights that exist and i will explain how BP can and can”t be transmited through the remains of our dead,
Type 1 Cremation (no Risk)
Type 2 Shroud Burial (no Risk)
Type 3 Kist or Stone Lined Burial (High Risk)
Type 4 Coffin Burial (Low to No Risk)
Type 5 Lead Lined Burial (High Risk)
Types 3 and 5 are high risk as these are classed as wet graves, Wet as in the remains only partialy decomposed and that which dose decompose remains within the grave causing a potential biohazard, i have seen such graves during my work on Abbeys and Priorys i suspect these are the types of graves you are talking about. graves that are sealed such as this are rare in churches but extremly common in monastic institutions, graves can exist in there wet form for well over 1000 years and in the right soil conditions much longer, i dug a lead grave in ludford which was Roman in date this was classed as a wet grave altho not that wet a down pillow survived and the hair and some of the skin was present, however on the Biohazard site of things the bigest problem here was the presence of lead oxide which we all no causes lead poisoning this is what most of the Roman population die from.
regards
chris
Rod said,
August 10, 2009 @ 8:28 pm
Dino,
good job you brought this up !
It could have led to your hosts early demise.
Thanks for the extra info Chris
Nothing’s easy nowadays - not even grave robbing !
Best
Rod
the dinosaur said,
August 10, 2009 @ 8:33 pm
Hi Chris, thanks for your detailed knowledge on the subject, its reassuring to know someone is aware of the dangers. Hope it doesn’t put Rod off his quest for lost monastries
chris keyworth said,
August 10, 2009 @ 8:48 pm
did somone mention lost monastries… Orford Priory Binbrook
Ravendale Priory West Ravendale
Gokewell Priory Broughton
St Chads Monastery Barrow on Humber
to name but a few lost ones
regards
chris
Rod said,
August 11, 2009 @ 7:51 am
Dino,
once I’ve found my marbles I’ll look for monastries
Chris,
here we go again - more petrol
Rod
Barbara Johnson said,
October 25, 2009 @ 7:14 pm
Hi Rod,
As promisd here is my input to your wonderful ancient churches in Lincolnshire.
I found your page by accident when I entered the name of Calceby Lincolnshire in google ………
First of all……….may I congratulate you on your photography they are excellent……….
Your photos of Calceby have brought back many,many wonderful memories to an elderly lady [possible the oldest you have ever had on your site !!!!!! ] I hope you do not mind me reminiscing …………….
I once lived in Calceby many years ago and for a few golden years I spent the happiest years of my life there, I still make a pilgramage back at least once a year where I walk around “my ruins” as I always called them when young. They were and still are my place of meditation where my daughters take me when I need to feel the peacefullness of these stones.
I had a photo taken only last year sitting on a pertruding stone on the corner of the ruins looking towards Swaby village over the fields,
I noticed it on one of your photos………..
Having an almost fanatical love of history and feel very passionate in the destruction of our ancient buildings.
Unless any one has spent any time length of time sitting amongst stone ruins they will never understand the immense power they enamate.
I have photograph of the ruins on a picture post card taken in 1900 when the ruins looked as I remembered covered in ivy many feet thick ,here I used to climb up and across the arch and lie there for hours hidden away from every one .
I knew every stone of this and led it with a passion.
I suppose the fact I lived at the Grange it was literally on my ground as I could see it from my bedroom window,
on you photo looking through the arch across to my old home ,I see you have not caught it as one wall has obliterated it .
The fields surrounding the ruins were my play ground and the hours of walking with my dog was pure paradise, my step father was a wonderful old Lincolnshire man who had a wealth of tales he could tell and his love of history was amazing.
Many times he would come home and bring pockets full of pottery he had found in the fields.
This hamlet as it was eventually called as it lost its church when the black death appeared and wiped nearly all the villagers out and I believe the church was left to go into ruin. The original old door I think was transported to Ormsby church up the road.
A little piece of history revolving around Ormsby………..on the crossroad before turning down to the left to go into the village. is a field on the right hand side .at this time it was a ploughed area when I was young, but my father knew the farmer who owned it .
The story goes at this time two swords had been dug up here , my father told me about the find and I asked for permission to field walk the area ………….unfortunatly permission was refused . I was devistated .
Archeology is my great interest and Calceby held all that for me , I suppose I wish I could have gone back in later years to look at the interesting things I used to see but but to young to realise what I was looking at,
all this area is ancient and I am so pleased to see there has been little change over the passing years .
Rod said,
October 25, 2009 @ 7:15 pm
Barbara,
many thanks for taking the time to leave such a fabulous comment - really appreciate it.
I hope you do not mind me reminiscing
Quite the reverse Barabara ! One of my passions and much that lies behind these articles and the trips I make is not only to discover and learn myself but also subsequently to preserve and make accessable information known by others. So much is lost simply because nobody has enough interest to preserve it - much like our historic buildings in fact.
Thanks again for sharing this with not only me but everybody else as welll Barbara
All the best
Rod
Steve... said,
October 25, 2009 @ 7:25 pm
With dowsing rod in hand I should be able to detect any tunnels like I found at Hatcliffe and other places of interest.
Rod said,
October 25, 2009 @ 7:30 pm
Steve,
Thoresway is the place for that, there’s supposedly a tunnel from the church to the site where a fort / castle stood.
I’ve yet to publish the post from my visit a few months ago but that’s the spot to go to
Cheers
Rod
Barbara Johnson said,
October 25, 2009 @ 7:34 pm
Dear Rod,
As promised I would contact you again to talk to you about Calceby…church Lincs.
I came across your .interesting site when I decided to enter Calceby Lincolnshire on Google , your site came up and here I am.
May I thank you you for these wonderful photos of the church they are amazing, dare I ask you what camera you used it certainly must be a very expensive set up………so clear and sharp.well done
I once lived in Calceby many many years ago as a child and your photos brought such wonderful memories ,
The ruins were my play ground and I used to think they belonged to me ……
this period was the happiest time of my life .leaving was devistating.
I lived in the Grange across the fields and over the Beck as the Lincolnshire people called the stream,I could see the ruins from my bedroom so my attachment grew for these old stones.
I played around this ruin every night regardless of the weather with my dog and I felt I knew every stone there
The history of this church is wonderful………..the village became a Hamlet after the black death when it literally killed every one there ,so the church went into ruin and the old church door was taken to South Ormsby church.
I think a few more things also went as well .
My step father a wonderful old Lincolnshire man , steeped in history with a great passion
for his Lincolnshire background. he was born in Strubby where all his fore fathers are buried ,there family history goes back well before the 15th century in Strubby village .there was a write up in the “Standard paper” about my fathers family [WRIGHT{ saying that the Wright family went along way back and for many years were payed a penny a week to keep the dogs out of St Oswald church Strubby.
I do have this cutting some where amongst my family history papers,
My father used to bring home at night pocket full of broken up pottery that he collected out of the fields unfortunatly after 6 moves after Calceby they went missing much to my horror.
I visit Calceby about twice a year ,my daughter takes me so I can spend the day walking my favourite haunts
and remember the past.
CALCEBY was and is my soul mate and there is no other place I could wish to be
Under the ruins of the church is a secret passage I tried to find it and repeatedly dug the place up but I was stopped by the farmer in The Manor house , who correctly told my father that I would have the ruins fallong down as I had dug so many holes..so ended my first attempt at being an Archeologist .
The bottom line is I still know where it came out at……… a little secret I have kept for many years as my father
took me to see it………….. .
I so wish I could have returned home many years ago to look at things I remember but did not understand being to young at the time………….
So little has changed there so my delight to walk those fields and touch those ancient stones is my idea of heaven…………..
Thank you for allowing me to reminise. I must be the oldest contributer to your site .
I have looked at your other pages and they are great ………….you have a brilliant sense of humour which appeals to me and I will be following your site with interest
all the best ……………Barbara
My joy is to return to Calceby and see very little
Steve... said,
October 25, 2009 @ 7:36 pm
Thanks Rod! Have made a note, probably next month.
Rod said,
October 25, 2009 @ 8:03 pm
Hi Barbara,
I’m really pleased you find the site of interest and enjoy the sense of humour, it’s great to get some feedback.
dare I ask you what camera you used it certainly must be a very expensive set up
It’s a Canon DSLR Barbara with an assortment of lenses, it’s great but there is a downside - the one you allude to
saying that the Wright family went along way back and for many years were payed a penny a week to keep the dogs out of St Oswald church Strubby
That’s fascinating Barbara, that’s the kind of information I love to learn - I had no idea such a thing ever happened.
Under the ruins of the church is a secret passage
Another cracking gem Barbara !
It’s a beautiful spot and anybody failing to be moved by it must be sadly lacking somewhere.
It may all sound a bit ‘New Ageish’ but just taking the time to sit and think in such a place does transport the mind.
It’s difficult to express in words but all those who go and take pleasure in such places and just allow themselves a little time to think and reflect about their surroundings now exactly what I mean and the rewards it brings.
Please feel free to comment and offer opinion on anything past, present and to come Barbara - believe me, it is appreciated.
All the best
Rod
chris keyworth said,
October 25, 2009 @ 8:05 pm
great comments….
tunnels hmmmm…. i like the sound of that may have to go for another walk….
Regards
Chris
Rod said,
October 25, 2009 @ 8:20 pm
chris,
great comments….
Absolutely, it’s truly fascinating.
Best
Rod
Adam said,
June 24, 2011 @ 7:14 am
In the early 1990’s I was driving out of Swaby, heading south towards Ulceby Cross. I’d just got past the old primary school (of which I am an ‘alumni’) and past the last couple of Swaby houses on the left, when I saw a very elderly couple walking along the grass verge, carrying what appeared to be heavy shopping bags. I slowed down the car to walking pace and asked them if they wanted a lift, because their bags looked so heavy. They said no thank you, they were fine and didn’t have far to go. But I asked them twice more and insisted on giving them a lift, and eventually they accepted. They got in the back of my car. The man told me they only needed to go as far as just around Calceby Corner.
So when I reached it, I turned right into Calceby and drove just a couple of hundred yards along in the direction of the ruins and the Baxter farm, and then they told me to stop and drop them off on the right, alongside the copse. They thanked me and I waved goodbye and watched them for just a few moments as they walked off together down a short overgrown driveway of about fifty yards through a clearing in the trees towards a small cottage which I could just see in the distance, although I’d never noticed the driveway or the cottage before.
A few weeks later I was in my car and in that area again, so I casually looked for a sight of the driveway and the cottage as I drove past, but there was none. Indeed, there cannot have been, because two yards from the roadside verge, that copse drops into a steep valley.
Did I dream it? If not, does anyone have any ideas as to who I saw and gave a lift to? Has anyone else seen this couple in Swaby or Calceby?
Rod said,
June 24, 2011 @ 7:26 am
Adam,
a strange story, thanks for sharing it and welcome to the site - hopefully it may flush out some information from somebody somewhere.
Cheers
Rod
History Hunter said,
September 9, 2011 @ 9:14 pm
Visited these today, even though it wasnt on my list of things to do places to see. I have been on a big jolly round 22 cemeteries and I just happened to pass these ruins. Unrepeatable words exited my mouth when i noticed them as i drove past. I actually parked round the side at the layby, but didnt think to have a rummage for skeletons.
Considering the villages i visited today, I bet there was loads of interesting stuff that i missed. Oh well….might go back again one day.
Cuxwold, Rothwell, Nettleton, Grasby, Cadney, North Kelsey, South Kelsey, Thornton Le Moor, Kirkby cum Osgodby, Middle Rasen, Market Rasen, Tealby, Ludford Magna, Burgh on Bain, Scamblesby, Belchford, Ruckland, South Ormsby, South Thoresby, Withern and Great Carlton!!!
BTW I went into Tealby Church and there is lots in there relating to Bayons Manor!!
Rod said,
September 10, 2011 @ 7:34 am
HH,
they are impressive remains, I keep meaning to go back myself.
That run of villages you mention is absolutely fantastic - I love the area, in fact I’d go now were it not for the weather
Best
Rod