West Rasen and the Packhorse Bridge

Packhorses were the main form of transport for carrying goods in the middle ages.  Most roads were little more than tracks, even the Roman roads were in poor condition, so carts were unsuitable during winter and wet weather. Packhorse bridges were built wide enough to carry horses in single file, the parapets are low so as not to interfere with the panniers carried by the horses

The Packhorse Bridge

The Packhorse bridge at West Rasen dates from 1310 and was built by Bishop John Dalderby, he held lands at Bishop Norton to the north of West Rasen.  The bridge has three elliptical double-chamfered ribbed arches.  Wool was an important source of income for the church, therefore they needed a way of moving it to market quickly and easily.

On early 20th century OS maps there is evidence of a track running across the fields to the bridge and continuing north-west to join with another track from Middle Rasen.

The Packhorse Bridge

West Rasen is a "blink and you've missed it" village, progress along the A631 is slowed by a 90-degree bend and a roundabout.  Despite this West Rasen has a charm and is worth stopping at to view the things it has to offer.

A small village, without the church, it would be a hamlet, but it has a high proportion of Grade I, II* and II Listed structures, seven in number.

All Saints Church stands on raised ground north-east of the village, and is believe to date from the 11th century with extensive re-modelling over the centuries.  Built of coursed ironstone rubble with ashlar dressings.  It was partly rebuilt in 1829 under the supervision of E J Willson, architect, of Lincoln. Evidence of a north chancel can be seen in the blocked arches of the north wall.

West Rasen Views

Medieval base with 19th century cross probably 
replaced during the church renovations.

Church Interior

Murder in the Wilderness

Stennet Jeffrey worked for a Mr Warrener who farmed near the Tower on the Moor, Woodhall Spa. Stennet visited Horncastle market on Saturday 21st June 1822 and, after enjoying alcoholic beverages at some Horncastle pubs he set off for home at 2 a.m. Sunday morning.  The distance was about 5 miles, not a great distance for a 22-year-old farmworker of the early 19th century.

Stennet Jeffrey was murdered near this location.

The story goes that as he was passing along the footpath through a part of Whitehall Wood, called "the Wilderness, " he was attacked by two men against whom he had given information of their poaching.  They were accompanied by a female named Sophia Motley, a big, masculine woman. His throat was cut and his body was thrown in a ditch.’They stole his watch, which he had bought at Horncastle the previous day and 20 shillings in silver.

Stennet’s murderers were thought to be from Coningsby Moor and was confirmed when it was discovered that the men stopped at a small public house at Fulsby kept by a Mrs Copping, Fulsby is between The Wilderness and Coningsby Moor. Some bloodstained clothes were found concealed in a hedge near Fulsby.

A £100 reward was offered for the apprehension of the killers. One of the men was drinking in a small public house when he got into conversation with the landlord and another person, there was some disagreement about the facts of the murder, the man stated that he should know more than they as he was the last person in his company.  The constable was sent for and the man was arrested and taken to Lincoln. Along with another man he was convicted and transported for life. Motley was arrested as a suspect but there was insufficient evidence to convict her. Many years later a man named Paul Tomline confessed on his deathbed that he had been an accomplice in the murder of Jeffrey, he held Jeffrey down while his throat was cut.  

Stennett Jeffrey was buried at the church of St Lawrence, Revesby, on 25th June 1822.

The murder of Stennet Jeffrey was true and reported in the next issue of the Stamford Mercury, but there are a few inconsistencies in this story; the first is that, along with many other crimes, murder and highway robbery were capital offences at that time, so why were the murderers transported?  Were they from a wealthy family? What were their names?

Sources:  Records of Woodhall Spa & Neighbourhood - J. Conway Walter

Stamford Mercury 28 June 1822