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South Somercotes

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Archives & Libraries

The Library at Louth will prove useful in your research.

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Cemeteries

Peter WOOD has a photograph of St. Peter and part of its burial ground on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2019.

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Census

  • The parish was in the Saltfleet sub-district of the Louth 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 / 644
1851H.O. 107 / 2112
1861R.G. 9 / 2385
1871R.G. 10 / 3408
1891R.G. 12 / 2610
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Church History

  • The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Peter.
     
  • The church was originally constructed about 1200.
     
  • The spire was added to the tower circa 1450.
     
  • The church underwent extensive repairs in 1866 and again in 1896.
     
  • The church seats 240.
     
  • The church is a Grade I listed building with British Heritage.
     
  • There is a photograph of Saint Peter's church on the Wendy PARKINSON Church Photos web site.
     
  • Richard CROFT has a photograph of St. Peter's Church on Geo-graph, taken in April, 2006.
     
  • J. HANNAN-BRIGGS has a striking view of the church tower also on Geo-graph, taken in June, 2012.
     
  • The church has been nicknamed the "Queen of the Marsh" and its tower and spire have long been a navigation aide for local fishermen and boaters.
     
  • The church no longer has weekly services and it is in the hands of the Churches Conservation Trust.
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Church Records

  • The Anglican parish register dates from 1558.
     
  • We have the beginnings of a Parish Register Extract in a text file. Your additions are welcome.
     
  • The Lincolnshire FHS has published several Marriage indexes and a Burial index for the Louthesk Deanery to make your search easier.
     
  • The Wesleyan Methodists built a chapel here in 1869 to replace a small one they erected in 1813. There was also a Free Methodist chapel built in 1854, replaced in 1872.
     
  • For information and assistance in researching these chapels, see our non-conformist religions page.
     
  • CHRIS ? has a photograph of the Old Methodist Chapel on Geo-graph, taken in 2006.
     
  • Check our Church Records page for county-wide resources.
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Civil Registration

  • The parish was in the Saltfleet sub-district of the Louth 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

South Somercotes is a village and a parish 8 miles northeast of Louth. The parish covers almost 2,600 acres and includes the hamlet of Scupholme.

If you are planning a visit:

  • Billingsgate is a hamlet just north of the village.
     
  • Steven FAREHAM has a photograph of Billingsgate on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2015.
     
  • See our touring page for visitor services.
You can see pictures of South Somercotes which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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History

  • It's not something you see in every village. Chris ? has a photograph of the chicken house just north of the village on Geo-graph, taken in December, 2012.
     
  • The parish had a Public House around 1900 called the "Blue Bell." It is now considered a "lost pub". The Anchor Inn appears to have opened just before 1900. These are the names associated with the Blue Bell in various directories:
YearPerson
1842Edward ROE, vict.
1868Edward ROWE
1872Freere PARKINSON, vict.
1882Edwin LACY, butcher
1900Edwin LACY
1913Mrs. Lucy LACY
1919Mrs. Lucy LACY
1930Ephraim BILLINGER
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Maps

  • See our Maps page for additional resources.

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference TF416938 (Lat/Lon: 53.421994, 0.129403), South Somercotes which are provided by:

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Military History

  • In the churchyard is a cross erected in memory of the 5 men of the parish who fell in World War I. It has a crusader's sword carved on the face.
     
  • Charles has a photograph of the War Memorial for us (Charles retains the copyright):
     
image

 

Ian S. has a closeup of the plaque at the base of the War Memorial on Geo-graph, taken in November, 2013.

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Military Records

The names on the War Memorial are:

  1. Harold Isaac Dunham
  2. Joseph Edcar Dunham
  3. Richard Hoodless Sinderson
  4. Arthur Birkett Smith
  5. Arthur Wilson
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Monumental Inscriptions

Micahel GARLICK has a photograph of the Frederick Freshney memorial on Geo-graph, taken in September, 2016.

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Politics & Government

  • This place was an ancient parish in Lincoln county and became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
     
  • The parish was in the Marsh division of the ancient Louth Eske Wapentake in the East Lindsey district in the parts of Lindsey.
     
  • For today's district governance, see the East Lindsey District Council.
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Louth petty session hearings.
     
  • In 1620 John LOWRIE left a yearly rent-charge of 10 shillings for the poor.
     
  • After the Poor Law Amendment Act reforms of 1834, this parish was part of the Louth Poor Law Union.
     
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Population

YearInhabitants
1801284
1831320
1871455
1881435
1891415
1911314
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Schools

  • A Church School was built here in 1846 and enlarged in 1871 to hold 120 children. At that time, each child paid a pence per week to attend.
     
  • See our Schools page for more information on researching school records.