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Skillington

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Archives & Libraries

The Library at Grantham will prove useful in your research.

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Census

  • The parish was in the Denton sub-district of the Grantham Registration District.
     
  • In an 1890 re-organization,the parish was allocated to the new "Grantham North" subdistrict of the Grantham Registration District.
     
  • Check our Census Resource page for county-wide resources.
     
  • The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
Census
Year
Piece No.
1841H.O. 107 / 622
1851H.O. 107 / 2102
1861R.G. 9 / 2348
1871R.G. 10 / 3357
1891R.G. 12 / 2582
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Church History

  • The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint James.
     
  • The church dates from the 11th century.
     
  • Portions of the church appear to be of late Saxon and early Norman origin.
     
  • The church tower dates from the 13th century.
     
  • The church is a Grade I listed building with British Heritage.
     
  • The church seats 205.
     
  • J HANNAH-BRIGGS has a photograph of the church interior at Geo-graph, taken in 2012.
     
  • Here is a photo of St. James Church, taken by Ron COLE (who retains the copyright):
     
image
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Church Records

  • The Anglican parish register dates from 1542.
     
  • The Lincolnshire FHS has published several marriage and burial indexes for the Beltisloe Deanery to make your search easier.
     
  • The Wesleyan Methodists had a small chapel here, built in 1847. 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 Denton sub-district of the Grantham Registration District.
     
  • In an 1890 re-organization,the parish was allocated to the new "Grantham North" subdistrict of the Grantham Registration District.
     
  • Check our Civil Registration page for sources and background on Civil Registration which began in July, 1837.
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Description & Travel

Skillington is both a parish and a small village about eight miles south of Grantham. The parish itself is bounded on the south by Colsterworth parish and to the east by Easton township. Sproxton parish in Leicestershire lies to the west. The parish covers 2,240 acres.

Skillington is a small village, off the main roads. If you are planning a visit:

  • The village can be accessed off of the A1 motorway south of Grantham. Turn west at Easton.
     
  • Andrew TATLOW has a photograph of the Village Sign as you enter Skillington on Geo-graph, taken in October, 2013.
     
  • Kate JEWELL has a photograph of the town green at Geo-graph, taken in April, 2012.
     
  • Visit our touring page for more sources.
You can see pictures of Skillington which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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History

  • The Milestone Society has a photograph of the Wayside Cross base and shaft on Geo-graph, taken in 2018.
     
  • A young Isaac NEWTON used to visit his three aunts who lived in Skillington as a lad. He even began his schooling here.
     
  • Timothy HEATON has a photograph of the Memorial window to Charles HUDSON on Geo-graph, taken in September, 2007. HUDSON was part of a team of seven to make the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865.
     
  • Alpin STEWART has a photograph of the Cross Swords Inn on Geo-graph, taken in September, 2019.

Proprietors of the Cross Swords inn:

Year Person
1872John WILSON, butcher, baker & victualler
1896Arthur WILSON, butcher & carrier
1913--- not listed ---
1919--- not listed ---
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Maps

  • See our Maps page for additional resources.

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK897258 (Lat/Lon: 52.82228, -0.670305), Skillington which are provided by:

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Military Records

Adrian S. PYE has a photograph of the Memorial to RAF Sgt. John Newton on Geo-graph, taken in June, 2020.

Adrian has a close-up of the plaque on Geo-grapsh as well, also taken in June, 2020.

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Politics & Government

  • This place was an ancient parish of Lincolnshire and became a modern Civil Parish when those were formed.
     
  • The parish was in the ancient Winnibriggs and Threo Wapentake in the South Kesteven district in the parts of Kesteven.
     
  • Kelly's 1900 Directory of Lincolnshire reports that the parish is in the Betisloe Wapentake.
     
  • It was also within the Soke of Grantham.
     
  • On 1 April, 1965, this parish was reduced by 1 acre to enlarge Buckminster Civil Parish in Leicestershire. Buckminster transferred a 1 acre parcel to Skillington Civil Parish at the same time (i.e. a "land swap").
     
  • On 1 April, 1965, this parish gained 3 acres from Sproxton Civil Parish in Leicestershire.
     
  • For today's district governance, contact the South Kesteven District Council.
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Spittlegate (Grantham) petty session hearings.
     
  • The Common Land was enclosed here around 1798.
     
  • As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act reforms, the parish became part of the Grantham Poor Law Union.
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Population

YearInhabitants
1801244
1841432
1851490
1861466
1871454
1881393
1891369
1901354
1911321
1921343
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Schools

  • A Public Elementary School was built here before 1885 and enlarged in 1894 for up to 120 children.
     
  • For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.