Thurlby by Bourne

CAUTION: This parish is often confused with Thurlby by Lincoln, which lies between Lincoln and Newark. There is also a Thurlby hamlet in Bilsby parish, Lincolnshire.

Description and Travel

Thurlby is both a village and parish about a mile south of Bourne and 92 miles north of London. Witham on the Hill parish lies to the west and the River Glen forms part of the southeastern boundary. The area is about 4,000 acres of flat fenland, drained by many small canals.

Othorpe is a very small hamlet 1 mile southwest of the village and Northorpe is a hamlet 1 mile north of the village. If you are planning a visit:

• The A15 trunk road runs through the east end of the village itself.
  
  
• Visit our touring page for more sources.
  
  

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Census

• The parish was in the Bourne sub-district of the Bourne 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 Saint Firmin. Some sources give the spelling as St. Fermin.
  
  
• The Carr Dyke runs between the church and the vicarage house.
  
  
• Many parts of the building are of Norman origin.
  
  
• The church was restored in 1856.
  
  
• The church seats about 350.
  
  
• There is a photograph of St. Firmin's Church on the Wendy Parkinson Church Photos web site.
  
  
• Here is a photo of St. Firmin's Church, taken by Ron Cole (who retains the copyright):
  
  

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Church Records

• Parish registers exist from 1575 (one source gives 1560).
  
  
• You may wish to purchase some of the Aveland and Ness Deanery marriage indexes.
  
  
• The Wesleyan Methodists had a chapel here, built in 1832. The United (Free) Methodists also had a chapel built in 1861. 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 Bourne sub-district of the Bourne Registration District.
  
  
• Check our Civil Registration page for sources and background on Civil Registration which started in July, 1837.
  
  

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History

• The "Carr Dyke," a canal of Roman origin, runs just a few yards west of the church. The Dyke extends for 56 miles from Peterborough to Lincoln.
  
  

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Maps

• The national grid reference is TF 0916.
  
  
• An Ordnance Survey Explorer map will show detail of 2.5 inches to 1 mile scale.
  
  
• See our Maps page for additional resources.
  
  

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Names, Geographical

• The name Thurlby is from the Old Scandinavian Thorulfr+by, or "Farmstead of Thorulfr". In the 1086 Domesday Book, the village is given as Turolvebi.
  ["A Dictionary of English Place-Names," A. D. Mills, Oxford University Press, 1991]
  
  

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Politics and Governance

• The parish was in the ancient Ness Wapentake in the South Kesteven district in the parts of Kesteven.
  
  
• For today's local governance, contact the South Kesteven District Council.
  
  

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• In 1769, Ann FISHER left the interest on £100 for the benefit of the poor. It was generally given as bread at Christmas.
  
  
• As a result of the 1834 Poor law Amendment, this parish was placed in the Bourne Poor Law Union.
  
  

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Population

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Schools

• A Public Elementary School was built here in 1877 and enlarged in 1898 to hold up to 150 children.
  
  
• For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.
  
  

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© 2002 EnglandGenWeb Project