Wilsthorpe
Description and Travel
Wilsthorpe is both a village and a township 93 miles north of London and almost five miles northwest of Market Deeping, just west of the A15 trunk road. The parish is bounded on the southwest by Braceborough parish and on the north by Thurlby parish. The East Glen River runs through the southeast side of the parish. The parish covers about 800 acres.
If you are planning a visit:
- For bus service from Stamford, see the Carlberry Bus Service for schedules and routes.
- See our touring page for visitor services.
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Archives and Libraries
- Stamford Library
- High Street
- Stamford, Lincs, PE9 2BB
- Tele: 01780 763442
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Census
- The parish was in the Barnack sub-district of the Stamford Registration District.
- Check our Census Resource page for county-wide resources.
- The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
| Census Year |
Piece No. |
|---|---|
| 1851 | H.O. 107 / 2094 |
| 1861 | R.G. 9 / 2314 |
| 1871 | R.G. 10 / 3310 |
| 1891 | R.G. 12 / 2554 |
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Church History
- An old church at Wilsthorpe was torn down in 1715.
- Wilsthorpe was a chapelry of Braceborough's Anglican Church for two centuries. The new chapel itself was built the same year the old church was torn down, in 1715.
- The chapel underwent extensive modification in 1862.
- The chapel seats about 100.
- There is a photograph of St. Faith's church on the Wendy Parkinson Church Photos web site.
- Here is a photo of St. Faith's Church, taken by Ron Cole (who retains the copyright):
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Church Records
- Researchers should look for early church records in Braceborough parish registers.
- Wilsthorpe parish registers exist from 1754 for marriages and 1770 for baptisms.
- The Lincolnshire FHS has published several marriage indexes and a burial index for the Aveland and Ness Deanery to make your search easier.
- Check our Church Records page for county-wide resources.
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Civil Registration
- The parish was in the Barnack sub-district of the Stamford Registration District.
- Check our Civil Registration page for sources and background on Civil Registration beginning in July 1837.
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History
- The parish was blessed with a fine mineral spring about a mile northeast of the village and a "bathing house" was built here in 1841 for people who wanted to "take the waters".
- There was a railway station here by 1872, on the Bourne and Essendine branch of the Great Northern line.
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Land and Property
- In 1842, Dr. Francis WILLIS of Shillingthorpe Hall, lord of the manor, was the principal landowner.
- In 1872 and 1882, the principal landowners were Lord Kesteven and Dr. Francis WILLIS.
- In 1900 thru 1913, the principal landowner was Lord Kesteven, lord of the manor.
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Manors
- A Manor House is referenced in White's 1882 Directory, but no description or history is provided.
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Maps
- The national grid reference is TF 0913.
- You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer #234 map, which has a scale of 2.5 inches to the mile.
- See our Maps page for additional resources.
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Military Records
There is a plaque in Saint Faith's Church honoring just one man. See it at the Roll of Honour site.
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Names, Geographical
- The name Wilsthorpe is probably from the Old English Wils+thorpe, or "Willow-tree farmstead".
[A. D. Mills, "A Dictionary of English Place-Names," Oxford University Press, 1991].
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Names, Personal
- White's 1842 Directory lists the following names in the parish: George Wm. BANKS, Abel ULLETT and William ULLETT.
- White's 1882 Directory lists the following names in the parish: George BARBER, William CROSS, George HILL, Richard TALES, William TAYLOR and John WILCOX.
- Kelly's 1900 Directory lists the following names in the parish: William CROSS, Joseph ELLIS, George HILL, Martha Jane SANDALL, Richard TALES and William WASS.
- Kelly's 1913 Directory lists the following names in the parish: Arthur ELLERBY, Joseph ELLIS, Charles GRRENFIELD, Newman HAWKES, George PEASGOOD, Henry STARKEY and Edwin Robert WARTH.
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Politics and Governance
- Wilsthorpe was a township in Greatford parish until after 1872. At that time, the entire township consisted of three farms.
- The parish was in the ancient Ness Wapentake in the South Kesteven district and in the parts of Kesteven.
- For today's district governance, contact the South Kesteven District Council.
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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.
- After the Poor Law Amendment Act reforms of 1834, this parish became part of the Stamford Poor Law Union.
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Population
Year Inhabitants 1801 80 1841 72 1871 52 1881 81 1891 84 1911 80
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Schools
- Kelly's 1913 Directory tells us that the children of the parish attended school at Greatford.
- For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.
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Last updated on 21-August-2012
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