Legbourne
| Legbourne | |
| Lincolnshire | |
|---|---|
 All Saints Church, Legbourne | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TF368843 |
| Location: | 53°20’19"N, -0°3’13"E |
| Data | |
| Population: | 644 (2011) |
| Post town: | Louth |
| Postcode: | LN11 |
| Dialling code: | 01507 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | East Lindsey |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Louth and Horncastle |
Legbourne is a village in Lindsey, the northern part of Lincolnshire, about three miles south-east of the nearest town, Louth. The Greenwich Meridian line passes through the village.
History
The Priory of Legbourne was founded by Robert Fitz Gilbert of Tathwell about 1150, apparently to receive Cistercian nuns known as the "Nuns of Keddington" (sometimes Haddington).[1] The priory was dissolved in 1536, although it seems still to be occupied by nuns at the time of the Lincolnshire Rising of that year, a precursor to the Pilgrimage of Grace, when they were dragged out by a mob.[1]
The original priory endowment consisted of lands belonging to Robert Fitz Gilberts fee in Tathwell, Legbourne, Hallington, and the churches of Farlesthorpe, Saltfleetby St Peter, Raithby, Hallington, Somercotes, Conisholme, and half that of Legbourne.[1] The priory site is in the grounds of Legbourne Abbey, at present a private house. The only visible remains of the original building are earth mounds.[2]
Parish church
Legbourne church, built about 1380, is dedicated to All Saints.[3] It was extensively rebuilt in 1865. The church clock was presented by Thomas Cheney Garfitt in 1890.[2] The church is a Grade I listed building.[4]
Sights of the village
The village pump, a Grade II listed structure,[5] is a canopied and pinnacled stone structure in front of the church, built by Canon J. Overton in 1877 in memory of his mother. It was the principal supply of water to the village until 1953, when mains water arrived.[2]
Legbourne Tower Mill, also Grade II listed,[6] was built by Thomas Davy in 1847 after an older post mill burned down. It is now a private dwelling.[2]
There is a trout farm at the village, opened in 1982.
Legbourne once had a railway station, Legbourne Road station, built in 1863[2] for the Great Northern Railway.[7] The level crossing has disappeared, but the old station house survives as a private residence.[2]
Legbourne Wood is one of the few ancient woodlands in eastern Lincolnshire and the largest of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust woodland nature reserves. The Trust bought the wood in 2004. Its canopy is ash and oak. Beneath the trees, over 60 species of wildflowers have been recorded, including primrose, early purple orchid, bluebell, wood anemone, sweet woodruff, wood sorrel and lesser celandine. There is a varied bird population, including one of the largest heronries in the county.
Community
Legbourne and Little Cawthorpe Community Centre was built in 1990 as a sports and functions hall. It includes playing fields used for both sports and outdoor sales.[8] The village retains a post office and general store.[2]
The village pub, the Queens Head Inn closed in anuary 2012.[9]
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Legbourne) |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 A History of the County of Lincoln - Volume 2 pp 153-155: Houses of Cistercian Nuns: Priory of Legbourne (Victoria County History)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "Legbourne" Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore Village site. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
- ↑ "Legbourne All Saints Church"; Lincolnshire.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 May 2011
- ↑ {NHLE|063692|Church of All Saints|grade=I}}
- ↑ National Heritage List 1359662: Pump; Legbourne (Grade II listing)
- ↑ National Heritage List 1063695: Tower Mill, Legbourne (Grade II listing)
- ↑ Legbourne Disused Station: Disused Stations
- ↑ "Legbourne & Little Cawthorpe Community Centre"; Lincolnshire.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 May 2011
- ↑ "Lost pubs in Legbourne"; Closedpubs.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2012.