Wyville (Wyville with Hungerton, or Hungerton cum Wyville)

Note: There is also a Stonton Wyville in Leicester and the two are often confused.

Description and Travel

Wyville is both a village and a parish. The parish is about five miles southwest of Grantham. The parish itself is bounded on the north by Denton and Harlaxton parishes, to the east by Great Ponton, on the south by North and South Stoke, and on the east by Kerrial parish in Leicestershire. A small rivulet runs through the parish, eventually joining the River WItham. The parish covers about 1,670 acres.

The village of Wyville is a small hamlet - actually more like a collection of farm buildings. Hungerton is a small hamlet set about a half mile northwest of Wyville. Hungerton has been the "population" centre of the parish in recent centuries. If you are planning a visit:

• It is probably easiest to take the A607 southwest off the A1 Motorway for about two miles. Turn south at Harlaxton.
  
  
• Visit our touring page for more sources.
  
  

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Census

• The parish was in the Denton sub-district of the Grantham Registration District.
  
  
• In an 1890 district re-organization, the parish was placed in the new "Grantham South" sub-district of the Grantham Registration District.
  
  
• The Aussie Institute of Genealogical Studies has copies of the 1851 and 1871 census for this parish.
  
  
• 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. Catherine.
  
  
• Prior to 1850, parish residents attended the Anglican church at Harlaxton.
  
  
• The church was built of brick in 1850. The church was restored in 1899.
  
  
• The church seats about 80.
  
  
• There is a photo of St. Catherine's Church at Wendy Parkinson's site.
  
  
• Hungerton was anciently a separate parish, but declining population caused it to be merged with Wyville. It once had a church, but that went to decay several centuries before the new one was built at Wyville. Portions of its foundations were found in 1855, but stone coffins and skeletons had been found in the area for centuries.
  
  
• Wyville also had an ancient church, also the source of stone coffins and skeletal remains.
  
  
• Here is a photo of St. Catherine's church, taken by Ron Cole (who retains the copyright):
  
  

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Church Records

• I have two dates for parish registers. Kelly's Directories indicate that they exist from 1850, when the new church was erected. Phillimore shows that registes for 1817 - 1847 have been deposited at the Lincolnshire Record Office. Both may be technically correct if Phillimore is refering to registers from the Hungerton church.
  
  
• The LFHS has published several marriage and burial indexes for the Grantham Deanery to make your search easier. In the early 1900's, the parish was in the South Grantham Deanery. Today it is part of the Harlaxton group of Grantham Deanery.
  
  
• The Wesleyan Methodists had a small chapel here before 1901. Check our Non-Conformist Church Records page for additional resources.
  
  
• Check our Church Records page for county-wide resources.
  
  

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Civil Registration

• The parish was in the Denton sub-district of the Grantham Registration District.
  
  
• In an 1890 district re-organization, the parish was placed in the new "Grantham South" sub-district of the Grantham Registration District.
  
  
• Check our Civil Registration page for sources and background on Civil Registration which began in July, 1837.
  
  

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History

• Roman coins have been found in the parish, although there is no mention of the villages in any Roman sources. One coin is a very perfect coin of Constantine. The Romans apparently smelted iron at Hungerton.
  
  
• An entry in the Great Gonerby parish register tells us that on 7 August 1846, a bad storm had hit the county. There were lightening fires and hailstones one and a half inches wide. On the next day, appears a burial entry for: Stephen WALLBANK, abode Stroxton, age 19, (note in margin) "Killed by lightening with two others in the parish of Wyville."
  
  

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Land and Property

• In 1840, nearly all of the parish was held by Mr. Gregory GREGORY of Hungerton Hall.
  
  
• In 1871, nearly all of the parish was held by Mrs. Sherwin GREGORY of Harlaxton Hall, whose husband's family formerly resided at Hungerton Hall.
  
  
• In 1900, the greater part of the parish was held by Thomas Sherwin PEARSON-GREGORY of Harlaxton Manor.
  
  
• In 1913, the greater part of the parish was held by Thomas Sherwin PEARSON-GREGORY of Harlaxton Manor.
  
  

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Manors

• In 1840, Hungerton Hall was reported to be "a neat mansion, finely embowered in trees".
  
  
• In 1871, Hungerton Hall was the residence of a local farmer.
  
  
• In 1913, Hungerton Hall was the residence of Sir Arthur PRIESTLY, MP.
  
  

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Maps

• The national grid reference is SK 8829.
  
  
• Hungerton is at SK 8730.
  
  
• An Ordnance Survey "Explorer 247" 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 Wyville probably derives from a combination of Old English and Norman With+ville, meaning "village at the river bend". Or it could mean "village of the willow trees".
  
  
• The name Hungerton is likely from the Old English hungor+tun, meaning "estate or hamlet in unproductive land."
  
  

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Names, Personal

• White's 1842 Directory lists the following surnames in the parish: GREGORY, NICHOLLS, ROSE, STANILAND and WARD.
  
  
• White's 1872 Directory lists the following surnames in the parish: ADCOCK, DICKINSON, GREGORY, NICHOLS, ROSE, STANILAND and WYER.
  
  
• Kelly's 1900 Directory lists the following surnames in the parish: BARBER, LANGHAM, MOUNT, PRIESTLEY and WARD.
  
  
• Kelly's 1913 Directory lists the following surnames in the parish: BURROWS, BURTON, EVERITT, MABBOT, NORCROSS, PRIESTLEY and SMITH.
  
  

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Politics and Governance

• The parish was in the ancient Wapentake of Lovedon in the South Kesteven district and parts of Kesteven in the 19th century.
  
  
• In the late 19th or early 20th century, the parish was transferred to the Winnibriggs and Threo wapentake.
  
  
• For today's local governance, contact the South Kesteven District Council.
  
  

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• In 1824, the Rev. Edward GREGORY left a bequest for the poor of 12 Shillings 10 Pence annually.
  
  
• As a result of the Poor Law Amendment Act reforms of 1834, the parish became part of the Grantham Poor Law Union.
  
  

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Population

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Schools

• The children of this parish attend schools in Denton and Harlaxton.
  
  
• For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.
  
  

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