Wispington

Description and Travel

Wispington is both a small village and a parish about 2 miles west of the River Bain and 4 miles northwest of Horncastle. The parish itself is bounded on the north by Baumber parish, to the west by Waddingworth and Bucknall, on the south by Horsington parish and on the east by Edlington parish. The parish is on a hill in the west part of The Wolds and covers almost 1,200 acres.

Wispington village is small and lies mostly on the west side of the winding road. If you are planning a visit:

• Take the B1190 secondary road, which runs between Lincoln and Horncastle. About a half mile west of Thimbleby, just west of Horncastle, turn north and follow the signs to Wispington.
  
  
• Visit our touring page for more sources.
  
  

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Census

• The parish was in the Horncastle sub-district of the Horncastle Registration District.
  
  
• The North Lincolnshire Library holds copies of the census returns for 1841 and 1881.
  
  
• 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 St. Margaret.
  
  
• The church is built of local stone, originally in the Norman period, it was rebuilt in stone on the same site in 1863.
  
  
• The church seats 120 persons.
  
  
• The church was declared redundant by the Diocese of Lincoln in February, 1975. It was used as a store in April, 1978.
  
  
• A photograph of the Anglican church is at the Wendy Parkinson English Church Photographs site.
  
  
• Here is a photo of Saint Margaret's Church, taken by Ron Cole (who retains the copyright):
  
  

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Church Records

• Parish registers exist from 1662, but Bishop's transcripts go back to 1561.
  
  
• The LFHS has published several marriage indexes for the Horncastle 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 Horncastle sub-district of the Horncastle Registration District.
  
  
• Check our Civil Registration page for sources and background on Civil Registration which started in July, 1837.
  
  

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Land and Property

• In 1841, the principal landowner was Christopher TURNOR.
  
  
• In 1872, the principal landowner was still Christopher TURNOR.
  
  
• In 1900, the sole landowner was Edmund TURNOR, JP.
  
  
• In 1913, the sole landowner was Christopher H. TURNOR, JP, of Grantham.
  
  

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Maps

• The national grid reference is TF 2071.
  
  
• Maps WorldWide may be able to provide you with a Landranger map of Wispington. Ask for "Landranger Map 0122: Skegness & Horncastle".
  
  
• See our Maps page for additional resources.
  
  

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Names, Geographical

• The village is first recorded as Wispinctune in the 1086 Domesday Book, most likely from the Old English wisp+ing+tun or "farmstead where brushwood grows," or alternatively "farmstead belonging to a man named Wispa".
  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 farmers in the parish: Thomas CAVE, John DEAR, Andrew EVISON, Robert FOX, and Charles NUNDY. The vicar was Rev. Charles P. TERROT.
  
  
• White's 1872 Directory lists the following individuals in the parish: Mark CADE, Willey CHEFFINS, Frederick DEAR, Andrew EVISON, Joseph FOX, and John NUNDY. The vicar was Rev. Charles P. TERROT.
  
  
• Kelly's 1900 Directory lists the following individuals in the parish: Andrew EVISON, James FOX, John GAUNT, Thomas GAUNT, and Stephen PARISH. The vicar was Rev. James A. PENNY.
  
  
• Kelly's 1913 Directory lists the following individuals in the parish: John DONNOR, Walter Andrew EVISON, and James GAUNT. The vicar was Rev. James Alpass PENNY, MA.
  
  

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Politics and Governance

• The parish was in the ancient Gartree Soke 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.

• 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 schools at Edlington, Minting and Horsington.
  
  
• For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.
  
  

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