Lincolnshire county page

Contents

Lincolnshire Towns & Parishes

Nearby Places

Little Bytham

Census

• The parish was in the Corby sub-district of the Bourne 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 St. Medardus (or "Medard").
  
  
• The church tower dates from around 1100.
  
  
• The church was restored in 1875.
  
  
• The churchyard was enlarged in 1904.
  
  
• The church seats 144.
  
  
• Here is a photo of St. Medard's Church, taken by Ron Cole (who retains the copyright):
  
  

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Church Records

• The Anglican parish registers exist from 1561 (some sources give 1681).
  
  
• Some parish register entries are online at The Bythams website.
  
  
• The Lincolnshire FHS has published several marriage indexes and a burial index for the Beltisloe Deanery to make your search easier.
  
  
• The Wesleyan Methodists built a chapel here in 1880. For information and assistance in researching these chapels, 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 Corby sub-district of the Bourne 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

Little Bytham is both a village and parish which lies 92 miles north of London, 8 miles north of Stamford and 7 miles east of Bourne. Castle Bytham parish lies to the west and Creeton parish to the north. The parish covers just over 1,230 acres.

The village is called "an ancient village on an acclivity" in the early directories of 1800. The River Tham flows through the village and on toward the River Witham. The West Glen River passes just east of the village. If you are planning a visit:

• By automobile, the village lies just east of the A1 trunk road.
  
  
• Check the bus schedules at Transport Services. Beware, some routes do not have scheduled stops in Little Bytham, they just pass through the village. Remember to ask the driver if they stop (or will stop) there.
  
  
• The village Hall is on High Street, postal code NG33 4QX.
  
  
• There is a caravan park just northwest of the village.
  
  
• Some travellers will prefer the Willougby Arms for a meal and beverage. They are on Station Road.
  
  
• You might need a refreshing pint of ale care of the Newby Wyke Brewery.
  
  
• Keep with events by visiting The Bythams website.
  
  
• See our touring page for visitor services.
  
  

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History

• Clay was worked into pottery here in Roman times.
  
  
• The main line of the Midland and Great Northern is considered to begin at a point near Little Bytham, where it is connected with the L.M.S. branch from Saxby. It crosses the L.N.E.R. and runs via Bourne, Sutton Bridge, South Lynn, Fakenham, and Melton Constable, to Cromer. This line carries the express trains from the Midlands to the East Coast.
  
  
• The parish erected a recreation and reading room in 1900.
  
  

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Maps

• The National Grid Reference is TF 0117.
  
  
• Try this Multimap Site for local roads.
  
  
• 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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Names, Geographical

• Bytham is from the Old English bythme or "valley bottom," and the name first appears in 1067 as Bytham and in the 1086 Domesday Book as Bitham.
  [A. D. Mills, "A Dictionary of English Place-Names," Oxford University Press, 1991].
  
  
• Locals pronounce the name as "Bye-Tham".
  
  

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Politics and Governance

• The parish was in the ancient Beltisloe Wapentake in the South Kesteven district in the parts of Kesteven.
  
  
• For today's local governance, contact the South Kesteven District Council.
  
  

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act reforms, this parish became part of the Bourne Poor Law Union.
  
  

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Population

Returns from 1086 are from the Domesday Book. 1991 is an estimate.

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Schools

• By 1841 there was a school here, supported by Mrs. REYNARDSON, for the education of 22 poor girls. The 1841 schoolmistress was Elizabeth ATTON.
  
  
• In 1877 a Pulic Elementary School for 120 children was built here.
  
  
• See our Schools page for more information on researching school records.
  
  

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