St Benedict and Old Kate

St Benedict's Church in 1905

A Saxon church existed on the site of St Benedict's church at the time of the Norman conquest, although most of what we see today is of the 13th and 14th centuries. The church was once much grander and larger, a victim of the Civil War, the chancel and north aisle is all that remains, the church was repaired and the tower was reconstructed against the west side of the medieval chancel arch after the Restoration, in a position to the east of the original tower.

Prior to the Civil War St Benedict's was the Lincoln Civic church. Many of Lincoln's churches were damaged or destroyed during the Civil War, only three churches were able to conduct public worship: St Peter at Arches, St Mary le Wigford and St Peter at Gowts.
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The exterior gives little hint to the grandeur of the church prior to its partial demolition, at one time it was the church of the richest and most important people of the city; many affluent citizens of the parish have monuments within the church. It was rebuilt at a time when Lincoln was in decline and no longer had the benefit of the Wool Staple.

The parishioners of St Benedict's were transferred to the nearby St Peter at Arches church when St Benedict's church was retired as a parish church.

Old Kate
In 1585 the Company of Barber Surgeons gifted a curfew bell to the church, hung in the bell tower, it was rung at 6 a.m. to tell workmen it was time to go to their work and 7 p.m. to tell them to finish their days toil and later in the evening to extinguish their lamps and candles. The bell was known as "Old Kate". It was rung for many years by John Middlebrook, the parish clerk; he lived in a lean-to building attached to the north side of the tower. He died in December 1804 and his wife, Mary, succeeded him as parish clerk and took on the job of ringing Old Kate. It is said she brought the bell rope through belfry door and into her bedroom so that she could ring the bell when in bed. Mary died 7th November 1822 at age 72, old men and boys continued to ring the bell kneeling on her bed. The Corporation paid 6s 8d (33p) a year until 1837. The bell was later hung in the tower of St Marks, I understand it was returned to St Benedict's church in 1971, when St Mark's church was demolished

Potential Demolition
The church was closed in 1931 and demolition was proposed. However, following a public outcry, the church was saved as the result of an appeal led by the Lincoln Architectural and Archaeological Society and renovation work was undertaken. Sadly, the LAAS were not so forthcoming when the much grander St Peter at Arches church was demolished.

St Benedict's Church by Samuel Hieronymous Grimm, 1784

War Memorial

War memorial. 1922. By Montague Hall. Ashlar. Gothic Revival style. Moulded plinth with quatrefoil band. Octagonal base with crocketed gabled diagonal buttresses, with the faces inscribed with names. Panelled octagonal shaft with moulded stepped base, topped with a gabled tabernacle and crucifix.

(Buildings of England : Lincolnshire: Pevsner N: Lincolnshire: London: 1989-: 524).

The Foundation stone was laid by John Harris, J.P.  Dedicated by the Bishop of Lincoln, Edward Hicks, and unveiled by Field Marshal Sir William R Robertson Bart GCB GCMG KCVO DSO on  25th October 1922

 

The Lost Houses of Lincoln - Eastcliffe House

Eastcliffe House was designed by Henry Clutton for Nathaniel Clayton of Clayton & Shuttleworth. The house was built between Sewell Road and Lindum Terrace in 1877.  A grotto was constructed in the 1870s in the grounds of the house, Pulhamite mortar was used to make garden features including paths, flights of steps and a bridge over a pond.  The grotto is now in the grounds of 12 Lindum Terrace, the bridge has not survived.

Nathaniel ​Clayton died in 1890 at the age of 78, his wife had died three years earlier.

The house was offered for sale for a number of years and eventually became residence of Henry Elsey.

The house was auctioned by Henry Elsey in 1920, not sure if it sold, it was demolished in 1926. Many large houses were demolished it the 1920s and 1930s, there was a shortage of raw materials and the stone, wood, etc of the houses was worth more than the complete buildings see https://itsaboutlincoln.blogspot.com/2017/01/sad-end-to-grand-country-house.html. Another reason was the shortage of domestic staff, women had got their "freedom" during World War One.

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Links to this article: Henry Clutton  Pulmanite   Other Lincoln Houses The Lost Houses of Lincoln  - Boultham Hall The Lost Houses of Lincoln  - Hartsholme Hall The Lost Houses of Lincoln  - Eastgate House The Lost Houses of Lincoln  - Monk's Tower The Lost Houses of Lincoln  - Monk's Manor The Lost Houses of Lincoln  - Cold Bath House The Lost Houses of Lincoln  - Sibthorp House The Old House on Corporation Street The Crooked House and the Harlequin Grand House Built on the Sale of Drugs

The Accident-Prone Steam Locomotive

British Railways locomotive 60123 "H A Ivatt" was built at Doncaster in February 1949. On the 25th October the engine was pulling a fast goods train from King's Cross to Doncaster. However, it was diverted along the Lincoln Avoiding Line due to a broken rail at Claypole. The express goods collided with some empty goods wagons travelling in the same direction at the Skewbridge end of Coulson Road. The A1 Pacific locomotive fell down the south side of the 30 foot high embankment taking a blazing brake van with it. Four railwaymen were injured and were treated by residents of Coulson Road while waiting for ambulances.

The scene on the Lincoln Avoiding Line

60123 was repaired and continued to work until 1962.

On 7th September 1962 60123 again on express freight duties, leaving King's Cross at 8:50 p.m. for Leeds, at Offord near Huntingdon collided with the rear of the 8.25 p.m. King's Cross to Gateshead express freight which was stopped at signals. Fifty wagons and a steam locomotive, blocking the southbound track, were derailed. Four of the six crew on the two trains were injured and taken to Huntingdon County Hospital.

60123 at Doncaster following collision at Offord.

60123 was scrapped at the Doncaster Works in October 1962. The rest of the class, numbered 60114 to 60162, was scrapped between 1962 and 1966, a total of 49 engines, none were preserved. In 2008 a completely brand-new engine of the same class was completed, 60163 Tornado.

Henry Alfred Ivatt (16 September 1851, Wentworth, Cambridgeshire – 25 October 1923) was an English railway engineer, and was the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Great Northern Railway from 1896 to 1911.  -- Wikipedia  

Don't Wear Your Crown in Lincoln

St Mary le Wigford church stands next to the railway line on St Mary's Street in today's centre of Lincoln. Built during the 11th century by Eirtig.  It was one of the 15 Lincoln churches that survived the Reformation: there were 52 churches until this time but many of the parishes they served were deserted or were very small.  Parishes were combined and many of the redundant churches were pulled down.

Since the time of King Stephen Lincoln had been seen by the English kings as an important city. Several kings, including Henry II, spent Christmas at Lincoln.  The parish of Wigford, being outside of the walls of the city, was a suburb of Lincoln during the medieval period.

The memorial stone in the church tower of St Mary le Wigford is well recorded, you can read more about it here, but I write about an interesting event that took place in the 12th century:

Henry II's coronation was in London on 19 December 1154, John Speed, the chronicler, says he was crowned at Lincoln in 1155, while Paul de Rapin-Thoyras, the French historian, describes the event as having taken place at Wickford (Wigford) in 1158.  The date given by Speed is more likely to be correct as Henry probably used his second crowning as a way of securing the support of his subjects prior to his departure for Flanders, where he was guardian of the lands of Dietrich of Alsace (Deitrich asked Henry to guard his lands while he went on a crusade to the Holy Land).

The chronicler, Roger of Hoveden,(?-1201) stated that the King cautiously avoided entering the walls of Lincoln, for the ceremony, but wore his crown in Wigford, due to a widely believed prediction, that no king wearing his crown in Lincoln would have a prosperous reign.  

The Battle of Lincoln

Henry I's Barons swore an oath to support Henry's daughter Matilda as Queen of England.  Henry I died in 1135 and the Barons broke the oath favouring Stephen of Blois, Matilda's cousin, as King.  In 1139 Matilda, with the assistance of her half brother, Robert of Gloucester, seized control of Bristol and much of the West Country.  Civil war broke out throughout England, one of the most important battle was that of strategically important Lincoln.

The lead up to the battle of Lincoln began in the year 1140 when Ranulf of Gernons the earl of Chester, and his half brother William of Roumare joined the rebellion against Stephen and captured Lincoln Castle.  

Drawing of the Battle of Lincoln from Henry of Huntingdon's Historia Anglorum

The capture of the castle was achieved through a simple stratagem; they both sent their wives on a friendly visit to the castle, so that when Ranulf appeared with three escorts ostensibly to escort the women home he was readily admitted. Once inside however, Ranulf and his men overpowered the guards, seized control of the gatehouse and admitted William with a small force of knights to seize control of both the castle and the city of Lincoln itself.

Stephen was understandably not pleased, and after Christmas he assembled an army and marched on Lincoln.

Stephen laid seige to Lincoln castle but were themselves attacked by a relief force loyal to Empress Matilda and commanded by Robert, Earl of Gloucester,  Matilda's half-brother.

The battle was fought on the 2nd February 1141 between Stephen, King of England, and the earls Ranulf and Robert, supporters of Matilda.

Ranulf made contact with Robert of Gloucester and also managed to raise a significant contribution from Wales.

Meanwhile Stephen busied himself with the construction of siege engines and made plans to retake the castle, whilst the earls of Chester and Gloucester combined forces and marched on Lincoln to raise the siege.

The site of the battle was between the castle and the West Common.

Stephen soon became aware that he was threatened by a large force, but declined the advice of those that urged him to either flee or seek a truce, and decided to stay and fight. Robert's army consisted of the divisions of his men, those of Ranulf, Earl of Chester  and those disinherited by Stephen, while on the flank was a mass of Welsh troops led by Madog ap Maredudd, Lord of Powys, and Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd. Cadwaladr was the brother of Owain, Prince of Gwynedd, but Owain did not support any side in The Anarchy. Stephen’s force included William of Ypres; Simon of Senlis; Gilbert of Hertford; William of Aumale, Alan of Richmond and Hugh Bigod, but was short of cavalry.

The core of Stephen's force was composed of some Breton and Flemish mercenaries, under the command of William of Ypres and Alan of Dinan respectively, and Stephen may well have believed that with such professional troops on his side he had little to fear. 

Stephen sent some of his troops forward to attempt to prevent the opposing army from crossing a nearby ford, but the opposition charged his lines, seized the ford and proceeded to engage the main body of his army. It soon became clear that Stephen was in danger of losing. The two earls therefore seemed to have had the advantage of numbers and they rapidly made it tell.

Seeing the tide of battle favouring the other side both William of Ypres and Alan of Dinan made their excuses and left. Once they'd gone a number of other Norman and English knights abandoned Stephen as well.  Stephen surrendered to Robert of Gloucester, who naturally handed over this valuable prize to his half sister Matilda.

When the citizens of Lincoln heard of the king's defeat, many of them abandoned their homes and fled towards the nearby river and sought to escape by boat across the water, but many were drowned when the boats capsized in the general panic to escape. 

Stephen was taken prisoner and taken to Gloucester before being imprisoned in Bristol Castle. With Stephen now out of action Matilda could (and did) consider herself Queen of England. She travelled to Winchester where the assembled clergy hailed her as the Lady of the English before proceeding to London where she began arrangements for her coronation. Unfortunately for Matilda her general arrogance and petulant demands for money soon angered the citizens of London sufficiently that they rose up against her and drove her out. Furthermore, Stephen's wife raised an army herself, and managed to defeat and capture Robert of Gloucester at the battle of Winchester. Matilda was forced to release Stephen in exchange for her brother Robert. 

An Account of the Battle
"Then might you have seen a dreadful aspect of battle, on every quarter around the king's troop fire flashing from the meeting of swords and helmets - a dreadful crash, a terrific clamour - at which the hills re-echoed, the city walls resounded. With horses spurred on, they charged the king's troop, slew some, wounded others, and dragging some away, made them prisoners. No rest, no breathing time was granted them, except in the quarter where stood that most valiant king, as the foe dreaded the incomparable force of his blows. The earl of Chester, on perceiving this, envying the king his glory, rushed upon him with all the weight of his armed men. Then was seen the might of the king, equal to a thunderbolt, slaying some with his immense battle-axe, and striking others down. Then arose the shouts afresh, all rushing against him and him against all. At length through the number of the blows, the king's battle-axe was broken asunder. Instantly, with his right hand, drawing his sword, well worthy of a king, he marvellously waged the combat, until the sword as well was broken asunder. On seeing this William Kahamnes, a most powerful knight, rushed upon the king, and seizing him by the helmet, cried with a loud voice, 'Hither, all of you come hither! I have taken the king!'"

— Roger de Hoveden, writing in the late 12th century

The Anarchy
The Anarchy was a civil war in England and Normandy between 1135 and 1153, characterised by a breakdown in law and order. The conflict originated with a succession crisis towards the end of the reign of Henry I, when the king's only legitimate son, William Adelin, died aboard the White Ship. Henry's attempts to install his daughter, the Empress Matilda, as his successor were unsuccessful and on Henry's death in 1135, his nephew Stephen of Blois took power with the help of his brother, Henry of Winchester.

The 150 Year Old Chemist Shop

Bailgate is one of the oldest streets in Lincoln, much of it approximately follows the north to south line of Roman Lindum Colonia's main street.  Some of the buildings date from the 17th century, there is one shop in the street that still has its 19th century owner's name emblazoned above the window: F P Watson

Frederick Percy Watson was born in 1865 in Lincoln, his father also Frederick, was an engineers clerk..  He learned his trade at Allen & Hanbury in London, a manufacturing chemist.  Allen & Hanbury were owned by a Quaker family so it is possible that Frederick's family were Quakers, particularly as Frederick's family lived in Beaumont Fee a short distance from the Quaker Meeting House.

1894 Advert

Frederick married Edith Brackenbury in 1895 and they had 3 children.  Her father Elijah was a chemist in Bardney near Lincoln.

Henry Hyett was manager of the shop when it was owned by Charles Knowles Tomlinson and Charles John Hayward, he took over the shop in 1880 following the death of Hayward.

Frederick acquired the business at 6 Bailgate from Henry Hyett in the early 1890s, renaming it "F P Watson", the shop still bears his name 100 years after his death. 

Frederick died in 1922 at the age of 57, an early death was not uncommon for chemists at time due to their handling of poisons used in various "miracle" remedies.

Charles Knowles Tomlinson built Frederick's parents' house on Beaumont Fee, based on a design by William Watkins.

 

The Lincolnshire Pub the RAF Destroyed

The Sir Isaac Newton in the 1930s, possibly shortly before demolition

Heading north on the A46 from Newark it is almost impossible to believe there once was a public house a short distance south of the roundabout at Halfway Houses.

The pub began life at Halfway House Farm.  In 1856 the pub moved south to its final location.  It and the nearby Red Lion were well placed to serve and accommodate the weary traveller being almost exactly midway between Newark and Lincoln.

During the Lincoln Handicap it was usually granted an alcohol licence extension so the late night travelling punters could celebrate their wins and losers could get some consolation in an alcoholic drink.

Auctions and inquests were also held at the pub.

Its end came with the building of RAF Swinderby, one of the last stations completed under the RAF's expansion plans begun in the 1930s.  The pub was demolished in 1940 to make was for a dispersal point.  As a result, the tenants moved to the newly constructed Fosse Way public house on the A46 near Thorpe on the Hill, where they remained until their retirement in 1956.

1912 Ordnance Survey Map overlaid with Bing aerial view
© National Library of Scotland

Google Streetview of the location of the Sir Isaac Newton public house.  Too dangerous to stop to take a photo.

List of Licensees of the Sir Isaac Newton public House

Dates are not when they became licensee, but give a chronological indication

1841 Thomas Glazier (b1813 - d1845)
1855 Richard Glazier
1860,1861 William Bottomley
May 1870 Robert Merry becomes licensee
1872 Robert Croft
Dec 1874 W Smith becomes licensee
1896 George Makin, 1st March 1893 he was prosecuted for selling adulterated brandy.
1905 William Henry White
1909/1913 Richard Bones
1919 Mary Ann Bones
27 February 1920 the S.I.N sold by auction for £1,550. With 10 acres of Land to Mr Antill of Cleethorpe.  Was he acting as agent for James Hole?
1924 licencee W D Antill
Mar 1934 Application for extension for Lincoln Handicap, licencee A J Gardner 
Arthur Gardner was licensee of the Sir Isaac Newton and became licensee of The Fosse Way from 1940, he retired in 1956 after 43 years with James Hole's brewery.