Goulceby (Goulsby)

Description and Travel

Goulceby (also found as Goulsby) is both a village and parish in the Wolds, 7 miles southwest of Louth and 7 miles north of Horncastle and bounded on the west by the River Bain. Asterby parish is to the east and Ranby parish to the west. Piewipe Hill in the parish was so named because of it's association with the Lapwing, or Peewit, which, not so long ago, occurred in vast flocks. They are now only seen in relatively small numbers. The parish covers just under 1,200 acres (and was slightly larger before 1900).

The village of Goulceby is in a narrow dale on one of the tributary streams of the River Bain. If you are planning a visit:

• The village lies just west of the Horncastle to Louth road, the A153, about midway between those two towns.
  
  
• Bus service is provided by The Carlberry Co.
  
  
• The Goulceby Post is a bed and breakfast establishment.
  
  
• Goulceby is along the Viking Way, a popular walking path in the Wolds.
  
  
• Sited just above Goulceby, the Red Hill Nature Reserve is owned by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.
  
  
• See our touring page for visitor services.
  
  

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Census

• The parish was in the Horncastle sub-district of the Horncastle 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 Anglican parish church is dedicated to All Saints.
  
  
• The church was partially restored in 1855.
  
  
• The Church of All Saints was taken down in 1886, and a replacement erected, but it had not been consecrated by 1913. At that time, the inhabitants used the church at Asterby.
  
  
• Here is a photo of All Saints Church, taken by Ron Cole (who retains the copyrights).
  
  

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Church Records

• The Anglican parish register dates from 1686, but the Bishop's transcripts go back to 1561.
  
  
• The Society of Genealogists has the parish burial records for 1813-1900.
  
  
• The LFHS has published several marriage indexes for the Horncastle Deanery to make your search easier.
  
  
• By 1676 there were twenty dissenters (Non-conformists) in Goulceby. By 1701 the Goulceby Baptist Chapel, established under the rule that a Non Conformist chapel must be five miles distant from a market town, had 106 members of which 25 were resident in the parishes of Asterby and Goulceby, 30 from Donington, 16 from Stenigot and the rest from surrounding villages.
  
  
• The Primitive Methodists built a chapel here in 1837 and the Wesleyans built theirs the next year, in 1838. The United (formerly Free) Methodists built a chapel here in 1854. For information and assistance in researching these chapels, 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 Horncastle sub-district of the Horncastle Registration District.
  
  
• Check our Civil Registration page for sources and background on Civil Registration which began in July, 1837.
  
  

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History

• In 1876, a bridge was built over the River Bain to Ranby. The cost of £160 was paid by voluntary contributions.
  
  
• In 2003, there was a sighting of a large cat, believed to be a black panther, between Goulceby and Hemingby. There have been numerous sightings over the years of what the media calls "the Lincolnshire Lion" and other derisive names.
  
  

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Maps

• The national grid reference is TF 2578.
  
  
• Maps WorldWide may be able to provide you with a Landranger map of Horncastle. Ask for "Landranger Map 0122: Skegness & Horncastle".
  
  
• You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer 273 map, which has 2.5 inches to the mile scale.
  
  
• See our Maps page for additional resources.
  
  

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Names, Geographical

• Locals pronounce the name as "Goal-ceby" and "Ghoul-ceby".
  
  

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Politics and Governance

• The parish was in the ancient Gartree Wapentake in the East Lindsey district in the parts of Lindsey.
  
  
• For today's governance, see the East Lindsey District Council.
  
  

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• The poor received an annual rent charge of £2 10s. (in 1913) derived from the manor at Asterby, left by Anthony ACHAM in 1638.
  
  
• As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, the parish became part of the Horncastle Poor Law Union.
  
  

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Population

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Schools

• The children of this parish attended the Endowed School in Asterby.
  
  
• For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.
  
  

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