Witham on the Hill
- 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:
Census
Year |
Piece No. |
| 1851 |
H.O. 107 / 2095 |
| 1861 |
R.G. 9 / 2318 |
| 1871 |
R.G. 10 / 3316 |
- The Anglican parish church was dedicated to St. Andrew.
- The church tower fell down in 1738. It was rebuilt that same year. Local legend has it that the tower fell down while the bell-ringers were regaling themselves in a neighboring inn.
- The church has had a clock for over 400 years, dating back to before the invention of the pendulum.
- The church was restored in 1874.
- The church seats 230.
- There is a photograph of St. Andrew's Church on the Wendy Parkinson Church Photos web site.
- Here is a photo of St. Andrew's, taken by Ron Cole (who retains the copyright):
- The parish registers exist from 1670.
- The parish lies in the Aveland & Ness Deanery. You may wish to purchase some of the Deanery marriage indexes.
- The parish once supported a Wesleyan Methodist chapel. For more on researching these chapel records, see our non-conformist religions page.
- Check our Church Records page for county-wide resources.
- 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 began in July, 1837.
This village and parish, also known as "Witham le Hill", lies 4.25 miles southwest of Bourne and 7 miles north of Stamford. It is bordered on the east by Thurlby parish. The parish covers about 2,150 acres and includes the village of Manthorpe. The East Glen River flows southward through the parish.
The village sits on a rise. If you are planning a visit:
- From the A1 trunk road, take the A6121 north to Witham on the Hill.
- Visit our touring page for more sources.
- In May of 1775 a fire swept the village, burning down the inn, the vicarage house, a tithe-barn and several other buildings.
- Witham Hall was erected in 1750.
- Witham Hall, in 1841, was the seat of Major General William Augustus JOHNSON, lord of the manor.
- Witham Hall, in 1881, was the seat of Augustus C. JOHNSON, lord of the manor. However, it was occupied in that year by James G. DEARDEN.
- The national grid reference is TF 0516.
- An Ordnance Survey Explorer map will show detail of 2.5 inches to 1 mile scale.
- See our Maps page for additional resources.
- The name comes from the Old English wiht+ham for "homestead in a bend" and appeared in the 1086 Domesday Book as witham.
["A Dictionary of English Place-Names," A. D. Mills, Oxford University Press, 1991]
- The parish appears in some old records under the Latin name "Witham Super Montem".
- 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.
- Toft and Lound are hamlets in the parish which form a township.
- In 1723, Edward MOULTON left about 6 acres of land in Barrowby parish to provide income for the poor of this parish in the form of coats.
- In 1727, William QUARLES left 10 acres of land in Whaplode parish to provide income for the poor of this parish.
- The Common lands were enclosed here in 1813.
- As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, the parish became part of the Bourne Poor Law Union.
| Year |
Inhabitants |
| 1801 |
453 |
| 1841 |
633 |
| 1881 |
195 |
| 1891 |
226 |
| 1911 |
223 |
- A Church of England school (later "Public Elementary School") was built here in 1847. That school was converted to a reading room and parish meeting room by 1900. That building is now the church hall. The old school was rebuilt in 1896 to hold up to 90 children.
- For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.
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[Last updated: 16-June-2009 - Louis R. Mills]
