Lincolnshire county page

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Lincolnshire Towns & Parishes

Nearby Places

Elsham (Ailesham)

Census

• The parish was in the Brigg sub-district of the Glanford Brigg Registration District.
  
  
• 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 All Saints.
  
  
• The church is built of stone in the Early English style, but a date is uncertain.
  
  
• The church was restored in 1873-74.
  
  
• The church seats about 219 people.
  
  
• There is a photograph of the Anglican parish church on the Wendy PARKINSON Church Photos web site.
  
  
• Richard CROFT has a photograph of the church tower on Geo-graph, taken in 2008.
  
  
• Here is a photo of All Saints Church, taken by Ron COLE (who retains the copyright):
  
  

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Church Records

• The Anglican parish register dates from 1566.
  
  
• We have the beginnings of an extract from the parish register. Your additions to this Parish Register Extract text file will be appreciated. Please contact the site coordinator (below).
  
  
• The Lincolnshire FHS has published several marriage indexes and a burial index for the Yarborough Deanery to make your search easier.
  
  
• A small Wesleyan chapel was built in the village to sit 100 people. For information and assistance in researching this chaple, see our non-conformist religions page.
  
  
• Check our Church Records page for county-wide resources.
  
  

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Civil Registration

• The parish was in the Brigg sub-district of the Glanford Brigg Registration District.
  
  
• Check our Civil Registration page for sources and background on Civil Registration which began in July, 1837.
  
  

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Description and Travel

Elsham is a parish and a village in the north of Lincolnshire 163 miles north of London and about 4 miles northeast of Glanford Brigg. The parish covers just over 4,100 acres.

If you are planning a visit:

• Stop by the Village Hall and ask for a schedule of upcoming events. The Hall is photographed by David WRIGHT in 2005.
  
  
• See our touring page for visitor services.
  
  

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Manors

• Elsham Hall, a fairly modern mansion of brick, stood in a park of 150 acres at one time.
  
  
• Peter CHURCH has a photograph of the Manor lake on Geo-graph, taken in 2011.
  
  
• David WRIGHT has a photograph of the Manor House in Front Street on Geo-graph, taken in 2009.
  
  

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Maps

• The national grid reference is TA 0312.
  
  
• You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer map, which has a scale of 2.5 inches to the mile.
  
  
• See our Maps page for additional resources.
  
  

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Military History

• The Royal Flying Corps opened an airfield here in December, 1916, to counter Zeppelin raids. The fields was designated as "Elsham Wolds".
  
  
• The field was closed in June, 1919.
  
  
• The field was surveyed in 1939 and deemed suitable for bomber aircraft. An important factor was the nearby railway station at Barnetby.
  
  
• The RAF re-opened the field in July, 1941. The first operational sortie took off on 24 July that year.
  
  
• The field closed again in 1947.
  
  
• The A15 trunk road now bisects the former station.
  
  
• Rita EFFNERT in Germany provides this list of attendees at an RAF Christmas dinner, 1941.
  
  
• The RAF Elsham Wolds Association website give more details and some staff biographies.
  
  
• David WRIGHT has a photograph of the War Memorial cross in the churchyard on Geo-graph, taken in 2005.
  
  

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Military Records

For a photograph of the Elsham War Memorial and a list of the names on it, see the Roll of Honour site.

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Names, Geographical

• Elsham is often listed as "Aylesham" or "Ailesham" in old records and indexes.
  
  

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Politics and Governance

• The parish was in the ancient Yarborough Wapentake in the Glanford district in the parts of Lindsey.
  
  
• You can contact the local Elsham Parish Council regarding civic or political issues. They are NOT staffed to assist you with family history questions.
  
  
• For today's district governance, see the North Lincolnshire Council website.
  
  

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• There was an ancient Hospital for the poor, established prior to 1166. It stood near the Hall.
  
  
• After the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, this parish became part of the Glanford Brigg Poor Law Union.
  
  
• Bastardy cases would be heard in the Brigg petty session hearings.
  
  

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Population

Year	Inhabitants
1801	316
1831	471
1871	448
1881	512
1891	457
1911	424
2001	363

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Schools

• A Public Elementary School was built here in 1872 and enlarged in 1895 to hold up to 180 children.
  
  
• For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.
  
  

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