Bilsby

Description and Travel

Bilsby is both a village and a parish only about 5 miles from the North Sea. Alford parish and town lies to the west, Huttoft parish to the east and Farlesthorpe parish to the south. The parish covers about 2,950 acres and includes the hamlets of Thurlby, which was a separate parish in ancient times, and Asserby.

The village is on rising ground, but a large part of the parish is Fenland. If you plan to visit:

• By automobile, take the A1111 trunk road east out of Alford for just under one mile. The road passes through the north end of the village.
  
  
• See the Lincolnshire Touring and Holidays page on this site.
  
  

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Census

• The parish was in the Alford sub-district of the Spilsby Registration District.
  
  
• Check our Census Resource page for county-wide resources.
  
  
• The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
  
  

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Church History

• The ancient parish church at Thurlby was dedicated to St. Mary, but no trace of it remained in 1882.
  
  
• The present Anglican church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity.
  
  
• The church is built of stone covered with stucco.
  
  
• The church was thoroughly repaired in 1841-44.
  
  
• The church seats 300.
  
  
• There is a photograph of Holy Trinity Church on the Wendy Parkinson Church Photos web site.
  
  
• Here are two photos of Holy Trinity Church, taken by Ron Cole (who retains the copyright):
  
  

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Church Records

• The Anglican parish register dates from 1679.
  
  
• The Lincolnshire FHS has published several marriage indexes and a burial index for the Calcewaith and Candleshoe Deanery to make your search easier.
  
  
• 917 parish burials are listed in the National Burial Index (NBI) for the years 1813-1900.
  
  
• The Society of Genealogists has parish register entries onfile for baptisms 1669-1979, marriages 1669-1981, and burials 1669-1964.
  
  
• The Wesleyan Methodists had a chapel here built in 1835. For information and assistance in researching this chapel, see our non-conformist religions page.
  
  
• Check our Church Records page for county-wide resources.
  
  

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Civil Registration

• The parish was in the Alford sub-district of the Spilsby Registration District.
  
  
• Check our Civil Registration page for sources and background on Civil Registration which began in July, 1837.
  
  

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Manors

• Bilsby Hall stood within a moated area. The site was once occupied by a castellated mansion reputed to be the site of the knightly family of BILSBY. Bilsby Hall still stands.
  
  

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Maps

• The national grid reference is TF 4776.
  
  
• You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer map, which has a scale of 2.5 inches to the mile.
  
  
• See our Maps page for additional resources.
  
  

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Politics and Governance

• The parish was in the Wold division of the ancient Calceworth Wapentake in the East Lindsey district in the parts of Lindsey.
  
  
• Kelly's 1900 Directory of Lincolnshire places this parish, perhaps erroneously, in the South Lindsey division of the county.
  
  
• For today's governance, see the East Lindsey District Council.
  
  

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act reforms, the parish became part of the Spilsby Poor Law Union.
  
  
• Bastardy cases would be heard in the Alford petty sessional hearings.
  
  
• The Common Lands were enclosed here in 1838.
  
  
• In 1871, the parish had ten cottages set aside for poor families at small rents, which were appropriated for the repairs of the cottages.
  
  

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Population

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Schools

• The children of this parish attended Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in the town of Alford until 1860.
  
  
• In 1860, a school was built by subscription. After the new school was built (below), this became a Sunday School.
  
  
• A School Board for the united district of Bilsby and Farlesthorpe was formed in 1876.
  
  
• In 1876-77, a new school was built, having accomodation for 104 children.
  
  
• For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.
  
  

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