Utterby in Lincolnshire Village & Church History
The small village of Utterby sits on the A16 to Louth and though small it has a church, a 17th century manor house and a particularly interesting bridge
Although not listed in the Domesday Book the village history certainly dates back to the Medieval period with a medieval moat at Grange Farm.
As well as that there’s associated earthworks suggestive of settlement - probably a medieval grange on the farm.
Elsewhere in the vicinity are signs of ridge and furrow and building platforms etc seen in the form of earthworks.
The village church is dedicated to St Andrew, it’s built from ironstone and chalk with the earliest parts remaining probably circa 14th and 15th century.
Inside there’s a 14th century font and an carved figure on a slab of a priest who died 1373 and I think it’s William Cumberworth.
The stone carving to the left can be seen in the doorway along with other assorted figures - a nice early feature.
Utterby Manor is 17th century originally with a datestone marked 1639. Since then it’s seen several rebuilds with the last extensive work done in 1900.
It was owned by the Elye family whose Coat of Arms is possibly the one on the 1639 datestone.
The Old Rectory is pleasant though not hugely notable. a red brick building built in 1863 by James Fowler
In 1821 the village had 34 houses with 165 inhabitants.
English Heritage make mention of a disused well which they describe as possibly being once a ‘Holy Well’.
An Iron Age gold stater coin was also found in the area and we’d be very keen to hear of any other artefacts found. If you know of any then please do leave a comment - you can do so anonymously and without any risk of being traced etc - it would be a shame to think there are finds out there unattributed to the immediate vicinity.
Utterby Church ~ St Andrews
The picture below shows Packhorse Bridge it’s only small but perfectly formed. It listed by English Heritage and dates back to the 1300s.
It has a beautifully chamfered stone arch and a walkway over it. Something easily missed but fabulous to see - make sure you do if passing through.
I’m always keen to collate as much information about Utterby, the church, buildings and history of the village.
It would also be of great interest to know something of the etymology of the name Utterby.
If you know of anything or want to comment in any way then please do.
Packhorse Bridge in Utterby Lincolnshire
Thanks in advance and we look forward to any new information that can be garnered.
All the best
Rod
Steve... said,
November 6, 2010 @ 1:05 am
Regarding the holy well…
Holywell Lane, as its name implies, passes a holy well, which in ancient times was considered to have medicinal properties. Pilgrims who visited the well left their bandages on the surrounding bushes.
It is marked on some 1960’s and earlier maps as a disused Holy Well (Chalybeate). Finding it amongst the dense thorn bushes is another thing, dowsing helped me locate it back in the early 1990’s. I cleared out a 6 foot deep hollow many leaves and cans etc. and it was very dry. I returned about 6 months later to find it full of bubbling red rich water; supposed to be good for all manor of cures.
Rod said,
November 6, 2010 @ 9:35 am
Steve,
that’s very interesting and very useful indeed - many thanks.
It’s also reminded me of another article I have in the pipeline and that needs finishing
Thanks and regards
Rod
Jolland DE said,
November 11, 2010 @ 10:58 am
hi Rod got info on this site Befor The Elye’s , It belong to the Hamby’s and befor them the Auford’s. if you would like
WALTER DE HAMBI/hamby, SIR, KNIGHT, b. 1324, Lincoln County, England; m.
ISABEL AUFORD, 1349, Brockelsby Manor, District of Yarborough, England; b. Brockelsby Manor, District of Yarborough, England.
From this marriage Walter Hamby, sir, Knight, acquired the manors of Brockelsby, District of Yarborough, England and utterby (Ludborough) Lincoln County, District of Yarborough, England.
A Hamby female married an Ely I think dont know.
As to this beining correct I leave it to the reader to verify. With the Elye’s there. ones here say yes.
The Coat of Arms did you take a pic of it ? this informatation may be of a diff. place. having same name UTTERBY
Rod said,
November 11, 2010 @ 12:02 pm
Jolland,
I didn’t photograph a coat of arms I’m afraid but I would imagine the palce is one and the same
Best
Rod
History Hunter said,
November 11, 2010 @ 12:41 pm
Isabel Auford - 1349
Arabella Aufrere - 1750ish
With the possible changes in spelling of names of over the years could it not be possible that they are from the same lineage. Both have a Gallic sound to them.
I know this should really be on a Brocklesby thread but im waxing lyrical! (Feel free to move it, Rod)
Incidentally ive just found out that Arabella Aufrere was NEVER called by that name as she was the daughter of Charles Anderson (1st Baron Yarborough) and Sophia Aufrere, but as she was born within wedlock, would not have taken her mothers surname. Somehow both her and her brother, Charles (1st Earl of Yarborough) had the official surname of Pelham
Jolland DE said,
November 11, 2010 @ 1:15 pm
No. 85. At Lincoln; on the morrow of Trinity, 47 Henry III, [28 May, 1263].
Between Walter de Hamby, plaintiff, and Robert prior of Ormesby, tenant, of the advowson of the church of Utterby.
Plea. Walter has quitclaimed the advowson from himself and his heirs to the prior, his successors and his church for ever. And the prior has received Walter and his heirs into all the benefits and prayers which shall henceforth be made in his church for ever.
From: ‘Final Concords for Lincs: 47 Henry III (Case 131, File 45)’, Final Concords of the County of Lincoln: 1244-1272 (1920), pp. 199-211.
Kate said,
November 23, 2010 @ 6:18 pm
Hi Rod,
I did a little research on this one and have finally got a few minutes to write about it. It would seem that it’s simple to explain the etymology - Utterby from either something like Odr-by or Yttr-by, meaning… outer farm(stead)… which is possibly why it is not listed in the Domesday book as it was perhaps just a small farm in another nearby village at the time and didn’t develop into a manor in its own right until later.
The well was reputed to have great healing properties - from Steve’s description it sounds like a chalybeate (iron bearing) well, of which whilst I’m sure the water might have been good for you, must have tasted pretty horrid :p
I’m sure I’ve seen it referred to somewhere as yet another “St Elen’s well” or “St Helen’s well”, both are very common holy well names in Lincs & E Yorks and probably pre-date (St) Helen, consort of Constantius and (St) Elen, wife of Maxentius - Elen is often ‘Latinised’ to Helen so it would probably be her they were actually referring to.
It was indeed a rag-well - I believe that this custom goes back deep in time and is probably related to the goddesses of fate; tying woven cloth or spun thread in recognition of the attributes of the spirits of the well - nominally the spinners and weavers of the destinies of mankind, made sense - as did making votive offerings by throwing an item of value into the water (coins came later). Pilgrim’s bandages (yuck!) were perhaps a later Christian addition, I must admit this is a new one to me… Although if they were bandages from sore and blistered feet (even bigger yuck!), it would show that said pilgrims connected the well with the legends of St Elen & Maxentius building the roads around Britain (so that it could be better defended and then according to legend, dissappearing off down them and away to Brittany along with the army and all its kit, the government and as Gildas called them, “the flower of youth” - that is, all the young men of fighting age…)
The modern custom of tying bits of plastic carrier bag to the trees or bushes around wells is a rather nasty habit and shows no understanding of any of the ancient customs it is aping… (rant over ! )
Utterby’s well has a mention in “Examples of Printed Folk-lore Concerning Lincolnshire” where it says ‘Persons yet living (in 1895) have taken their children to this well, and, after sprinkling them with water, have dropped a penny into it for good luck”
Finally, the pack horse bridge was, I’m led to believe, used by traders carrying salt from the salterns on the coast nearby…
Kate
Rod said,
November 23, 2010 @ 7:08 pm
Kate,
wonderful, as always !
The etymology of place names is really a great addition to the information on the site - truly fascinating as well - I can’t simply just look at a place name on a road sign or map anymore !
The idea of offerings causes more than a ripple of excitement here at Base Camp although I’m much prefer the idea of Pilgrim Badges to Pilgrim Bandages
(It’s one of my ambitions to find a pilgrim badge - that and a cap badge too)
I need to take a look at the well at some point - I’ve seen a street there called Holywell Lane - I’m taking that to be a clue !
Thanks again Kate - fabulous addition
Regards
Rod
Kate said,
November 24, 2010 @ 10:45 pm
Another alternative on the name (rolls eyes in despair) according to The English Place-Name Society based at Nottingham University…
‘Uhtred’s/Uhere’s farm/settlement’ - AS personal name ON suffix…
Surely if this was the case it would be more likely to have been recorded in the Domesday?
You are more than likely to come across one of those purse shaped pilgrim’s badges than most of the other forms round here Rod, you just need to find the right place one of these days
Kate
Rod said,
November 25, 2010 @ 8:38 am
Kate,
you just need to find the right place one of these days
I think I’ll be lucky
My fall back plan is to get somebody to buy artefacts off ebay and plant them in my garden - I can then look for them blissfully unaware of what I might find
There are a few red herrings in the etymology world I suspect, the more I’ve looked at it the more a case can be made for all sorts of name origins - they can’t all be right
Best
Rod
Kate said,
November 25, 2010 @ 2:08 pm
I’m going to stick by my first explanation; it corresponds with similar place names in Scandinavia, so to me is the more likely.
I’ll stick with you finding the right place for finding the right artefact too
The majority of the pilgrims badges unearthed round here often seem to come from sites that yield more Medieval artfacts than those from other periods (except those ubiquitous Roman coins, which seem to get everywhere… )
Buying artefacts from ebay, Hmmmm, you don’t have an emoticon for me looking daggers at someone…(it’s a scary experience so I’ve been told!) something I have strong opinions about, I’m afraid… If you must, at least make sure they’ve been recorded & have a PAS find number that actually corresponds with one on the PAS website or one of the other finds recording sites (I know, I promised I’d try not to nag on this, but…!) or any information that artefact could have given us is lost forever… Talking of which, but slightly off topic/village, I discovered another penanular brooch very much like yours that was found at Keelby back in 2004 or earlier… Find No LIN-7866F3 These brooches come from a period that historians don’t have much accurate information on except for finds & just goes to show the usefulness of recording your finds as it helps give us a far better picture of local history!
(Nag over!)
Now, If only we could find an ancient sign saying “Outer Farm”, or a nametag with “property of Utere” on it in Utterby…
Kate
Rod said,
November 25, 2010 @ 4:37 pm
Kate,
the eBay idea was a joke
I’m off to have a look at that Keelby find now Kate
Best
Rod
john hill said,
December 2, 2010 @ 11:09 pm
I was born in Utterby on Grange farm going back to medieval times it was no surprise soldiers were seen at the bed room window and monks seen in the yard filling buckets with water how spooky does that get
Nick Wiseman said,
December 21, 2010 @ 3:54 pm
Interesting carving you say is in the entrance of St Andrew’s, Utterby. Looks suspiciously like a “woodwose” with club & dragon at his feet as seen in many Suffolk churches.
I have found your website full of interest but lacking in pictures of the insides of these churches, the architecture always fascinates but the internal structure often reveals much about the generations who have used the buiding.
nick
Rod said,
December 21, 2010 @ 5:23 pm
Nick,
thanks for the comment and welcome to the site.
I too share your disappointment about the lack of interior photographs, it’s even more frustrating when you’ve been driving for an hour and a half to get somewhere and you know there is a knight effigy or the like inside but cannot get access.
The only churches I find open nowadays are the redundant ones ironically - it’s understandable of course.
Regards
Rod
Mick Deakin said,
December 21, 2010 @ 7:19 pm
Rod,
Several years ago, the missus and I visited her relatives in North Norfolk. We worked our way around a few of the little hamlets and villages - calling in at the churches of each. Not once, did we find any of them closed and some did not appear to be occupied by clergy at the time. It must be said that many of the churches were ‘out in the sticks’ and it also may have been local custom never to close doors. In your own experience as above, is it for fear of theft / vandalism ?
It is as you say understandable - but sad.
The very best to you,
Mick
Rod said,
December 21, 2010 @ 7:45 pm
Mick,
I would say just about every church I visit is locked, the redundant ones are opened every day and sometimes I do come across one which is opened but it’s a rare event.
I’m sure it’s theft and vandalism etc - it’s a terribly sad reflection on how we’ve become as a society
Regards
Rod
UTTERBY HERITAGE GROUP said,
April 4, 2011 @ 9:37 pm
Newly formed heritage group has just begun to register and record Utterby history in oder to create a Heritage visitor centre in St Andrews Church - we will log your infomation
Rod said,
April 5, 2011 @ 8:18 am
UHG,
many thanks for the comment and welcome to the site - very best of luck with your project
Regards
Rod
Andycan said,
January 11, 2012 @ 1:32 pm
Hi I have walked down holywell lane and can’t find the well. Could anyone give me a clue as to where it is hiding please?
Thanks Andy
Steve... said,
January 11, 2012 @ 3:39 pm
Andy,
You will need your armour on to combat the thorns…
OS X (Eastings) 531690
OS Y (Northings) 393735
Lat (WGS84) N53:25:26 (53.423975)
Long (WGS84) W0:01:11 (-0.019654)
LR TF316937
Rod said,
January 11, 2012 @ 5:43 pm
Andy,
thanks for the comment and welcome to the site - how’s that for a wonderful response !
Thanks Steve, really is appreciated.
Regards,
Rod
Andycan said,
January 12, 2012 @ 10:31 pm
That is great or will be when I buy a map lol.
The Louth Leader says that the well has been lost in this weeks issue.
Thanks for the info and so quickly. Andy
Steve... said,
January 13, 2012 @ 7:45 pm
Andy,
You can find it, just as I wrote; see my first comment on this subject at the top of the page…
Rod said,
January 13, 2012 @ 7:54 pm
Andy,
3 sets of coordinates from Steve - now that’s the deluxe service !
never mind the Louth Leader, you’ve come to the right place
If you get a taste for them there’s more Holy Wells here
http://www.rodcollins.com/wordpress/holy-wells-in-lincolnshire-a-list
Happy hunting
Rod
Amiguru said,
January 13, 2012 @ 8:06 pm
Andy,
It’s a thousand paces, give or take,down the lane, (depending whether you are a longshanks like Rod or a shorthouse like me), on the right in the undergrowth.
regards,
Neville
Rod said,
January 14, 2012 @ 5:49 am
Neville,
you’ve blown any chance of a job as a Cub Reporter on the Louth Leader
Best,
Rod