Market Rasen
- The Cemetery is on the east side of town on Legsby Road. It was originally 1.5 acres in Feb. 1855, when it was opened, but was expanded in 1908 to two acres. The town council administers the cemetery.
- The parish was in the Market Rasen sub-district of the Caistor Registration District.
- Check our Census Resource page for county-wide resources.
- The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
Census
Year |
Piece No. |
| 1871 |
R.G. 10 / 3423 |
| 1891 |
R.G. 12 / 2623 - 2624 |
- The Anglican parish church is dedicated to St. Thomas the Apostle.
- The church nave was rebuilt in 1862.
- The top of the church tower was restored in 1884.
- The church seats 526.
- Here is a photo of St. Thomas's Church, taken by Ron Cole (who retains the copyright):
- The Anglican parish register dates from 1561.
- We have a handful of entries in our parish register extract. Your additions to this are welcome.
- The Lincolnshire FHS has published several marriage indexes and a burial index for the Westwold Deanery to make your search easier.
- The Wesleyan Methodist chapel, in Chapel Street, was built in 1862 to replace a smaller chapel built in 1800.
- The Primitive Methodist chapel, in Jameson Bridge Street, was built in 1866.
- The Free (United) Methodist chapel, in Union Street, was built in 1861.
- The Catholic church is dedicated to the Holy Rood and was built in 1824 on King Street, then enlarged in 1869. For information and assistance in researching these chapels, see our non-conformist religions page.
- Check our Church Records page for county-wide resources.
- The parish was in the Market Rasen sub-district of the Caistor Registration District.
- Check our Civil Registration page for sources and background on Civil Registration which began in July, 1837.
Market Rasen is a both a parish and a village of the same name. It lies 15 miles north-east of Lincoln and 15 miles west of Louth. Linwood parish lies to the south and Middle Rasen parish to the west. The parish only covers about 975 acres.
Market Rasen was described by Charles Dickens as the "sleepiest town in England." If you are planning a visit:
- Market Rasen lies on the A46 trunk road about midway between Lincoln and Grimsby. The A631 also passes through the heart of the village as it winds between West rasen and Louth.
- Or try the Market Rasen Today site.
- Like to watch the horse races? Then check out Market Rasen Racecourse, the only one in Lincolnshire.
- Find a place to stay at Market Rasen UKWebstart.
- Check out our touring page for resources.
- A railway station opened here in 1848 on the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire branch line.
- The town had a county police station in 1912, on Dear Street. John RAWDING was the inspector and he had 18 constables.
- Tuesday was the day for the corn market, as well as the cattle market.
- The national grid reference is TF 1089.
- 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.
- A hospital was founded here in 1612 by George St. POLL of Snarford, for the maintenace of eight indigent men. the hospital was still in operation in 1912, with five residents, but access to historical medical records is unknown.
- The Market Rasen Dispensary was established here in 1856 to aid the poor.
- The Cottage Hospital was built in Deer Street in 1869, again with a primary focus of the poor. The hospital only had room for six patients.
- K Company of the 1st Lincolnshire Rifle Volunteers was established in 1860. In 1882, Arthur A. PADLEY was the Captain; F. B. COUSANS was the 1st. Lieut.; H. P. PADLEY was the 2nd Lieut.; Peter LOGAN was the drill sergeant; and W. COCKING was the quarter-master sergeant.
- The town and parish are named after the River Rase, which runs through it.
- The Market Rasen Weekly Mail and Lincolnshire Advertiser, established in 1856, was published every Saturday by Thomas H. WHITTINGHAM.
- The parish was in the south division of the ancient Walshcroft Wapentake in the West Lindsey district in the parts of Lindsey.
- In 1894, the town established itself under an Urban District Council of 12 members.
- Kelly's 1913 Directory of Lincolnshire places the parish in the East Lindsey district of the county.
- In 1612, St Poll Hospital was founded by Sir George St Poll (also given as St. PAUL). These almshouses are still operating.
- The Common Lands were enclosed here in 1779.
- As a result of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, this parish became part of the Caistor Poor Law Union.
- The Catholic Church erected some almshouses in 1845. The three inmates lived free of rent and received £20 each year.
| Year |
Inhabitants |
| 1801 |
774 |
| 1821 |
1,166 |
| 1831 |
1,428 |
| 1841 |
2,022 |
| 1871 |
2,815 |
| 1891 |
2,497 |
| 1911 |
2,296 |
- The Willingham road (boys) school was built in 1822 to hold 150 children. The girls' school was built in 1870 and an Infants' school in 1868.
- The Catholic school on King street was closed in 1909.
- The Wesleyan Methodists built a school here in 1873 to hold 240 children.
- Market Rasen's De Aston School (founded 1863) has a website at De Aston School, but no history. It was erected in 1862 on Willingham road as "the De Aston Grammar School." In 1904 new classrooms were added.
- See our Schools page for more information on researching school records.
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[Last updated: 15-March-2012 - Louis R. Mills]
