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Summary

The settlement of Howell is first mentioned in Domesday Book and survives, in a much shrunken form, to the present day.

Full description

PRN 60335
The name Howell includes the Old English element 'welle' meaning 'a spring'; the first element is obscure. {1}
The settlement of Howell is first mentioned in the Domesday Book. The land there belonged to the King, the Bishop of Lincoln, Gilbert de Gand, Colsuain and Colegrim. The minimum population consisted of 13 sokemen, 7 bordars and 1 priest although this figure may include residents of Boughton and part of Asgarby. A church is also mentioned. {2}
The Lay Subsidy of 1334 records the settlement's wealth as £3 6s 8d, below average for its wapentake. {3}
The Diocesan Return of 1563 records 14 households at Howell. {4}
By the late 17th/early 18th century, there were 7 families resident at Howell. {5}
By 1801, the population stood at 75 people, rising to 89 in 1881 before falling again to 83 by 1901. {6}
The fields immediately west of the church contain earthworks associated with medieval settlement. The earthworks which still survive include ridge and furrow with headland, a sunken way and three crofts, at least one of which is subdivided. {7}{8}{9}
The landowners at Howell from medieval times to the 19th century are discussed by Trollope. {10}

<1> Kenneth Cameron, 1998, A Dictionary of Lincolnshire Place-Names, p 67 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI5432.

<2> C.W. Foster and T. Longley, 1924, Lincolnshire Domesday and Lindsey Survey, 1/3; 7/46; 24/39; 26/29; 67/2 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI893.

<3> R.E. Glasscock, 1964, 'The Lay Subsidy of 1334 for Lincolnshire' in Lincolnshire Architectural and Archaeological Society Reports and Papers, vol.10.2, p.123 (Article in Serial). SLI653.

<4> Gerald A.J. Hodgett, 1975, Tudor Lincolnshire, p 190 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI6089.

<5> R.E.G. Cole, 1913, Speculum Dioeceseos Lincolniensis sub Episcopis Gul: Wake et Edm: Gibson A.D.1705-1723. Part 1: Archdeaconries of Lincoln and Stow, p 68 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI6090.

<6> William Page (ed), 1906, The Victoria County History: Lincolnshire - Volume 2, p 360 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1104.

<7> R.H. Healey and D.R. Roffe, Some Medieval and Later Earthworks in South Lincolnshire, Vol 1 pp28-9; Vol 2 fig 13 (Unpublished Document). SLI4819.

<8> Get Mapping, 2000, Digital National Imaging for Lincolnshire vertical aerial photographs (Aerial Photograph). SLI8381.

<9> 1945-84, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY COLLECTION, CLJ 40 (Aerial Photograph). SLI173.

<10> Edward Trollope, 1872, Sleaford and the Wapentakes of Flaxwell and Aswardhurn in the County of Lincoln, pp 406-7 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI920.

<11> William White, 1856, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire - Second Edition, p 547 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI886.

Monument Types

• SETTLEMENT (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Modern - 1000 AD to 2050 AD)
• CROFT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HOLLOW WAY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PLOUGH HEADLAND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• RIDGE AND FURROW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Events

• Aerial photograph of earthworks to the west of Howell Hall

Sources and further reading

Related records

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