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Lincolnshire Towns & Parishes

Nearby Places

Thurlby by Bourne

CAUTION: This parish is often confused with Thurlby by Lincoln, which lies between Lincoln and Newark. There is also a Thurlby hamlet in Bisby parish, Lincolnshire.

Census

• The parish was in the Bourne 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 Saint Firmin. Some sources give the spelling as St. Fermin.
  
  
• Many parts of the building are of Norman origin.
  
  
• The church was restored in 1856.
  
  
• The church was extensively repaired in 1929.
  
  
• The church seats 400.
  
  
• There is a photograph of St. Firmin's Church on the Wendy Parkinson Church Photos web site.
  
  
• Here is a photo of St. Firmin's Church, taken by Ron Cole (who retains the copyright):
  
  

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Church Records

• Parish registers exist from 1575 (one source gives 1560).
  
  
• Scott ARROL provides us with a list of Early Thurlby Marriages in a Portable Document File format (You'll need Adobe Reader for this).
  
  
• You may wish to purchase some of the Aveland and Ness Deanery marriage indexes.
  
  
• The Wesleyan Methodists had a chapel here, built in 1832 and replaced in 1912.
  
  
• The United (Free) Methodists also had a chapel built in 1861. Tim HEATON has a photograph of the original Free Methodist chapel on Geo-graph, taken in 2009.
  
  
• The Particular Baptists had a small chapel built in 1834.
  
  
• 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 Bourne sub-district of the Bourne Registration District.
  
  
• Check our Civil Registration page for sources and background on Civil Registration which started in July, 1837.
  
  

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Description and Travel

Thurlby is both a village and parish about a mile south of Bourne. Witham on the Hill parish lies to the west and the River Glen forms part of the south-eastern boundary. The area is about 4,000 acres of flat fenland, drained by many small canals.

Othorpe is a very small hamlet 1 mile southwest of the village and Northorpe is a hamlet 1 mile north of the village. If you are planning a visit:

• The A15 trunk road runs through the east end of the village itself.
  
  
• Visit our touring page for more sources.
  
  

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History

• The "Carr Dyke," a canal of Roman origin, runs just a few yards west of the church. The Dyke extends for 56 miles from Peterborough to Lincoln. Richard CROFT has a picture of a portion of the Car Dyke on Geo-graph, taken in 2007.
  
  
• According to White's 1842 Directory of Lincolnshire. races used to be held here on the nearest Monday to Old Michaelmast Day. The directory doesn't tell us what kind of races these were.
  
  
• The parish was known for its fine oak trees.
  
  
• In the 1800s bricks were made here.
  
  
• The Blue Bell Public House (known as just the Bell before 1882) closed before World War I. Here are the names of people associated with the Inn in various directories:
  
  

• In 1930 The Crown Public House served as a local spot for conversation and refreshment. Here are the names of people associated with the Inn in various directories:
  
  

• The Five Bells Inn also served the locals. Here are the names of people associated with the Inn in various directories:
  
  

• The Horse Shoe Inn was popular with folk moving along the roads. Here are the names of people associated with the Inn in various directories:
  
  

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Maps

• The national grid reference is TF 0916.
  
  
• An Ordnance Survey Explorer map will show detail of 2.5 inches to 1 mile scale.
  
  
• See our Maps page for additional resources.
  
  

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Names, Geographical

• The name Thurlby is from the Old Scandinavian Thorulfr+by, or "Farmstead of Thorulfr". In the 1086 Domesday Book, the village is given as Turoluesbi.
  ["A Dictionary of English Place-Names," A. D. Mills, Oxford University Press, 1991]
  
  

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Politics and Government

• This place was an ancient parish in Lincolnshire and became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
  
  
• The parish was in the ancient Ness Wapentake in the South Kesteven district and parts of Kesteven.
  
  
• For today's local governance, contact the South Kesteven District Council.
  
  

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• In 1769, Ann FISHER left the interest on £100 for the benefit of the poor. It was generally given as bread at Christmas.
  
  
• As a result of the 1834 Poor law Amendment Act, the parish became part of the Bourne Poor Law Union.
  
  
• Bastardy cases would be heard in the Bourne petty sessional hearings.
  
  

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Population

Year	Inhabitants
1801	508
1831	632
1841	699
1871	844
1881	814
1891	782
1901	726
1911	756

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Schools

• A Public Elementary School was built here in 1853, replaced in 1877 and enlarged in 1898 to hold up to 150 children.
  
  
• A School Board was formed in 1875.
  
  
• For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.
  
  

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