Kettleby in Lincolnshire ~ Burial Ground !
Kettleby in Lincolnshire
It was whilst looking at a map of Lincolnshire I came across a symbol marking a spot which intrigued me. Nothing like it appeared elsewhere on this portion of the map.
So surely it denotes something . . .
Here’s a section of the map from the 1700s
Take a look just above ‘Glamford Briggs’
You’ll note a dotted line in a circular shape with a symbol in the middle, clearly worth marking on the map but not labelled.
The easiest way to try and see what it marked was to look at an Ordnance Survey map and this is when fortune smiled upon me.
The site appears to have been omitted from later OS maps but thankfully I prefer those from the 1950s and there it was . . .
Listed as a Burial Ground
Annoyingly, I cannot seem to find it in English Heritage’s listings and rather ironically a search for kettleby “burial ground” lincolnshire brought this site up as #1 on the Helby thread with a comment from History Hunter
On the farm site is a desecrated burial-ground, where fragments of Roman pavement have been found
The next site down from this is the huge British-History site and despite the above phrase having been
cut and pasted 
from them they rank second for it 
What strikes me as unusual is, if it is indeed it is the Burial Ground then it does seem unusual to have it on such a map and if indeed it is some sort of Barrow or the like then why was it deemed so important over 250 years ago to mark on a map which doesn’t appear to bother listing anything else like it at all anywhere on the portion of map I have ?
I’d just like to try and gather as much background on it as possible and also determine for sure that it is not now under water !
If you come across anything or can wheedle it out of EH then any comments would be greatly appreciated
Cartographically yours
Rod
chris keyworth said,
September 2, 2010 @ 7:31 pm
Rod the only roman pavement in that area is Bigby Roman villa a little way south east from kettleby
regards
chris
Rod said,
September 2, 2010 @ 7:43 pm
Chris,
here’s what EH have to say about the spot near Kettleby Thorpe
Roman pottery and building debris and a possible mosaic have been found. Several sherds of grey ware and amphorae plus roofing tiles were found in 1965 at TA 042081 on the site of Kettleby deserted medieval village (TA 00 NW 7, 10). Whitwell refers to a possible mosaic at TA 0408, but provides no source. This may be a reference to the “Roman pavements” allegedly found circa 1847 at Kettleby Thorpe deserted medieval village (TA 00 NW 11), which have been alternatively identified as Medieval encaustic tile fragments. Scott appears to have combined the surface finds and the possible mosaic in compiling an entry in her gazetteer of Roman villas. The presence of a villa is rather conjectural on present evidence [NB an erroneous NAR number cited by Scott is in fact a reference number belonging to a card index held at Lincoln Museum].
chris keyworth said,
September 2, 2010 @ 7:43 pm
the burrial ground i was on about is located at grid TA 0550 0800 centered…
the villa is at TA 0520 0670
EXPRESS SERVICE by CK
Rod said,
September 2, 2010 @ 7:47 pm
Site on 1887 OS Map
Amiguru said,
September 2, 2010 @ 9:44 pm
Rod,
This could be your shortest lived thread!
The burial ground on your map is being excavated, verily as you read this…but don’t put on your volunteers hat as there are no archaeologists onsite; rather roadbuilding contractors. It is now called Hurdiss Quarries and is a chalk pit. Isn’t it always the case? Anything of archaeological interest must be destroyed with all haste. Access is off the A1084 west of Bigby if you want to ‘Streetview’.
“Annoyingly, I cannot seem to find it in English Heritage’s listings” No wonder it disappeared off the radar!
Regards,
Neville
chris keyworth said,
September 2, 2010 @ 9:54 pm
Nev
the actual burial ground is safe its centered on the grids i gave above the quarry has excavated around the site but not actualy on it i visited the site last year and it was all ok
regards
chris
Rod said,
September 3, 2010 @ 8:08 am
On Google Earth it looks, in relation to the OS map, to be very close to being under water ?
Chris,
do you know anything of the site’s history etc ?
Best
Rod
Amiguru said,
September 3, 2010 @ 10:41 am
Rod & Chris,
I have just used a series of mapping sites to determine the positioning. The centre of the Burial Ground, as illustrated above by Rod, is at TA 04215 08094, or, in degrees, 53.55915 -0.428166
As Rod says, the centre is perilously close to the water’s edge and indeed the site illustrated above is already partly underwater if the chalk excavations haven’t eaten into the site on the other side, I would be more than surprised.
Regards,
Neville
History Hunter said,
September 3, 2010 @ 1:12 pm
Hang on Rod, i think you are stealing my thunder here.
History Hunter said,
August 29, 2010 @ 5:33 pm
Incidentally, what do you think that may be surrounding Kettleby near Brigg?
Next you’ll be accusing me of copy and pasting………….doh!
Anyway having done my usual trick of stealing the photo and overlaying it on GE, i now have a problem.
YES the map fits OK, nothing better than OK, but personally i think they have marked the burial ground in the wrong place. IF the map is to be believed regarding the size and shape then we are 130 metres away from where i believe it to be. Using the overlayed map, have a look at 53°33′30.40″N 0°25′49.69″W or TA 0406408014 and then overlay the shape of the burial ground over the existing cropmarks and…………… WALLOP……an exact match.
What sayeth you?
History Hunter said,
September 3, 2010 @ 1:21 pm
Kettleby House, 800 metres over to the left of the burial ground 53°33′25.26″N 0°26′29.32″W or TA 0333907840 has, or had, a large moat around its grounds. Also in an adjoining field there are the remaining earthworks of a series of fishponds. Must have been an important household to warrant those features.
Amiguru said,
September 3, 2010 @ 1:37 pm
HH,
Sir Robert Tyrwhitt was a judge of the Court of the King’s Bench tempus Henry IV, V, & VI. More later if needs be.
regards,
Neville
Rod said,
September 3, 2010 @ 1:37 pm
Map overlay, courtesy of Neville:
Here’s an overlay of the 1891 OS on the Earthtools image. I used the 1891 to get a wider view so that more ‘markers’ could be identified for accuracy. The long copse on the right is extant and the railway wouldn’t move; together with other features such as the road to the quarry it has to be overlain correctly. I left a bit of the satellite view on the right to show that it is aligned.
Rod said,
September 3, 2010 @ 1:50 pm
HH,
I’ve just looked at a 1950s OS and compared it to Neville’s excellent overlay above, it matches.
As to whether the OS is wrong or not I don’t know but I think it would be a surprise.
What I think is important here is why it appeared on that early map in the first place ?
Best
Rod
Rod said,
September 3, 2010 @ 1:58 pm
Another point worth making is that if the positioning is accurate and that modern water does indeed cover part of the burial ground then surely that must mean the burial ground is / was not listed.
If not then it explains why I couldn’t find it listed by English Heritage (though of course it could be) but once again it then asks the question . . .
If it was worth marking on maps for a few hundred years how come it wasn’t worth an EH listing ?
Best
Rod
Amiguru said,
September 3, 2010 @ 6:21 pm
Rod,
Aha! Just had a quick look at my 1824 OS map and it is marked as “Roman Catholic Burial Ground”. I’ll e-mail a scan if you feel it needs posting. A wild guess by me is that it might have a something to do with the blazing row the Tyrwhitt’s had with the Ross’s of Melton Ross that endured from the 15thC. to the Jacobean period. The Tyrwitt’s may have refused to be buried in the same graveyard as the Ross family and set up their own!?!
These families are a whole bag of dynamite if you want to develope the stories but I won’t blurt them out here as it will perhaps spoil your plans
regards,
Neville
Rod said,
September 3, 2010 @ 7:53 pm
Neville,
that’s very interesting indeed - could well explain why I can’t find a listing etc - it’s probably modern, well you know what I mean !
How common is it to have a RC burial ground without a church I wonder ?
Again, another really interesting thread
Best
Rod
chris keyworth said,
October 12, 2010 @ 8:11 pm
check this out may explain a few things.
From Bigby four miles brings us to Brigg, passing near Kettleby,
the home of the Tyrwhits, who kept up a blood feud with the
Ros family till the beginning of the seventeenth century — not
a very neighbourly proceeding — and as they only lived four
miles apart their combats and murders were perpetual.
interestingy
chris….
History Hunter said,
October 13, 2010 @ 12:43 am
This is taken from a magazine published in 1799 and mentions the feud between the Ross family and the Tyrwhitt’s. I will try to translate it as its all in Ye Olde English font!!!
About two miles hence is Melton Ross, so called from its having been the residence of the Ross family ; in which lordship is a plot known by the name of Gallows Close; concerning which we have the following tradition.
During the time that family resided at Melton, the Tyrwhitts were also in prosperity at this place; and they carried on a kind of rivalry with each other, which was once borne to such a height by their vaslals (sic), that, having met on a hunting party, they proceeded to blows, and many were slain on both sides.
King James, being soon after down in Lincolnshire, was apprized (sic) of this circumstance; and it was by his order that a pair of gallows were erected on that spot where the fight happened. He also farther enacted, ” that, in future, any man, slain in actions of this sort, should be accounted murdered, and the perpetrator of the crime hanged.”
It is a fact beyond all controversy, that there has been gallows in that place; for, at the beginning of this century, one of the posts was still standing.
————————————————
This is me now….so there you have it. For those who knew of the gallows near Gallows Wood, that is the story. For those that didnt know about the gallows……….that is STILL the story. Feudal scrapping at its best.
There is still a gallows situated there but how ‘original’ it is, Im not sure.
Dave said,
October 28, 2010 @ 7:06 pm
The initial Tyrwhitt - Ross (De Ros) feud featured some not insignificant characters of the time.
As Neville has said, Sir Robert Tyrwhitt, (1335-1427/28), Knight of Kettleby, was a Justice of the King’s Bench, (1406, 1414, 1423), serving three monarchs. He attended Parliament in all three reigns representing interests in England, Gascony and Aquitaine.
William, Lord De Ros, (1369-1414), was 6/7th Baron of Hamlake (Helmsley) and claimant to the manor of Melton Ross. He was a favourite of Richard II but readily championed the cause of Henry of Bolingbroke (Henry IV). He was created a Knight of the Garter (1403) and also held the lofty office of Lord Treasurer (1403-4). From 1413 until his death he led investigations of the Lollards (political/religious thinkers regarded as heretics) in Notts, Derbys and Middlesex.
Now, to the spat. I’ll quote William Andrews, ‘Bygone Punishments,’ [The Project Gutenberg eBook].
“In the days of old two notable men held lands in the district, Robert Tyrwhitt of Kettleby and Sir William Ross of Melton, and between them was a deadly feud, the outcome, in 1411, of a slight and obscure question on manorial rights. It was alleged that John Rate, steward of Sir William Ross, had trespassed on lands at Wrawby belonging to Robert Tyrwhitt, digged and taken away turves for firing, felled trees, and cut down brushwood. The dispute was tried by Sir William Gascoigne, but it would appear that this did not altogether meet the requirements of Tyrwhitt. He assembled his men in large numbers and a fight took place with the retainers of Sir William Ross. An action of this kind could not be tolerated even in a lawless age, and the matter was brought before parliament. After long and careful consideration, it was decided that Tyrwhitt was in the wrong, and in the most abject manner he had to beg the pardon of Sir William Ross, but we are told it was merely “lip service.”
According to Cotton, (Robert Cotton, 1571-1631, noted librarian and record-keeper), Tyrwhitt had to make redress; ‘ right of common pasture in Wragby . . . 2 tunnes* of Gascoigne wyne, 2 fatt oxen and 12 fatte sheepes.’ Also ‘his knights, esquires and yeomen to confess fault and crave pardon. To pay Lord Rosse 500 marks in money.’ It was indicated that ‘Lord Rosse should refuse the money, grant him pardon and take his dinner only.’
(tunne=large cask, capacity of about 252 gallons!)
Returning to Andrews: “The hatred of the two families was transmitted from sire to son until the reign of James I., and then it broke out in open warfare. A battle was fought at Melton Ross between the followers of Tyrwhitt and those of the Earl of Rutland, the representative of the Ross family. In the struggle several servants were slain, and the king adopted stringent measures to prevent future bloodshed. He directed, so says tradition, that a gallows be erected at Melton Ross, and kept up for ever, and that if any more deaths should result from the old feud it should be regarded as murder, and those by whom the deadly deed was committed were to be executed on the gallows.
We hear nothing more of the feud after the gallows had been erected, the action of the king being the means of settling a strife which had lasted long and kept the district in turmoil.
The gallows is on the estate of the Earl of Yarborough, and it has been renewed by him, and according to popular belief he is obliged to prevent it falling into decay.”
Footnote to above: Robert Tyrwhitt’s son, Sir William Tyrwhitt (also of Kettleby) is said to have fought at Agincourt and received by royal grant (Henry V) the Bailiwick of three towns in France (Maunt, Moullant and Poissy). Founded hospitals at Wrawby and Glandford Brigg.
Regards,
Dave.
Rod said,
October 28, 2010 @ 7:10 pm
Dave,
that’s fantastic - many thanks for taking the time to put it all together and to share it with us - fabulous !
In appreciation
Rod
Newes out of Scotland said,
December 28, 2010 @ 12:20 am
This is interesting as there is a parallel in Timothy Pont’s maps of Scotland. Uniquely one ancient monastic site is mysteriously marked as a circlular enclosure. (Don’t have the ref to hand, ‘Scotland Delineated’ NLS)
While I’m here, I might mention that William Leach of Fulletby revenged his brothers’ executions in 1537 by killing Somerset Herald in 1542 at Dunbar, arguably with spectacular outcome.
Rod said,
December 28, 2010 @ 9:04 am
Newes,
thanks for the comment, very interesing and welcome to the site - hope you’ll return
All the best
Rod
frank wrawby said,
April 12, 2011 @ 6:59 pm
When the railway line and embankments where constructed, the construction work was pushed through the graveyard of the Tyrwhitt family from nearby kettleby manor [demolished 1697]. Little respect was shown for the religious nature of the site and burial remains were disturbed and uncovered. Tt is believed that the some where reburied by the nearby village church of Bigby by a local vicar.
Rod said,
April 12, 2011 @ 7:19 pm
Frank,
that’s very interesting indeed, really appreciate you taking the time to share it and welcome to the site - I hope you’ll return
All the best
Rod