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Summary

The settlement of Kirkby has its origins in the Saxon period, and was united with Laythorpe by the early fourteenth century. The settlement survives to the present.

Full description

63683
The name Kirkby is given to those settlements where the Danes found a church on their arrival. This, coupled with the mid tenth to eleventh century grave cover suggests that the settlement was in existence by the middle Saxon period, and had an important pre-Conquest church (see PRN 62260). The settlement is first documented in the Domesday Book at which time a manor belonging to the King was noted, with 14 sokemen, 5 villeins and 5 bordars. There was also sokeland belonging to Gilbert de Gand with 31 sokemen and 6 bordars, and further land holdings. There was also a medieval settlement recorded called Burgh (63684) which is thought to have been in the Kirkby area, and it is even suggested that Burgh is substantially represented by the present Kirkby. Burgh can be traced until 1239, after which Kirkby appears to displace Burgh in later medieval documents. It is thought that Kirkby, Laythorpe (60571) and Burgh were part of the same estate in a pattern common throughout Ashwardhurn wapentake, and that the separate settlements were elements with defined functions, with Kirkby perhaps being 'the settlement of the church'. These elements seemed to be a loose agglomeration which eventually were joined into the single settlement of Kirkby la Thorpe. {1}{2}{3}{4}

A second church was recorded in Kirkby, dedicated to St Peter (which is thought to have been the church of Burgh - see PRN 63685). {3}

There is a single entry for Kirkby la Thorpe in the Lay Subsidy of 1334, which suggests that Kirkby and Laythorpe had become amalgamated to some extent by this stage. It was valued at £5 9s.6d., slightly above average for its wapentake. {14}

Kirkby Laythorpe was granted a market and fair in 1246. The grant was made on 16 October by King Henry III to the Hospitallers. The market was held on a Tuesday at the manor and the fair was held annually on the feast of St James the Apostle (25 July), also at the manor. {18}

The Diocesan Returns of 1563 list two entries for Kirkby la Thorpe: St Denis and St Peter. The total population was 39 households (21 at St Denis and 18 at St Peter). {15}

The Diocesan Returns of the late 17th/early 18th century lists Kirkby la Thorpe's population as 31 families. It also gives an alternate name for the village: Kirkby Dennis. {16}

By 1801, Kirkby la Thorpe had a population of 160 people, rising to 257 by 1891. By 1901 it had fallen slightly to 234 people. {17}

The landowners of Kirkby La Thorpe from medieval times to the 19th century are discussed by Trollope and White, who also lists the occupations of current residents in 1856. {19}{20}

Earthworks have been identified from aerial photographs which appear to represent the remains of medieval settlement. It is possible that some of the remains may repesent the remains of Burgh (PRN 63683a, b, c - TF 0978 4633; TF 0985 4602; TF 1003 4590). {5}{13}{21}

Within the field in the fork of Evedon Road and Ewerby Road there are surviving ridge and furrow earthworks and some other distinct earthworks. These remains may relate to part of the former medieval village focus around the former church of St Peter (PRN 63683d - TF 1004 4638). {8}

There are ridge and furrow earthworks in numerous fields surrounding the village. {13}{21}

Late Saxon and early medieval remains were recorded during an evaluation on land north of Ewerby Road. Early features comprised ditches, pits and a possible post-hole. A substantial ditch is visible as an earthwork, and appears to delineate a house platform, and was surveyed as part of the evaluation The surrounding ridge and furrow (which is well preserved in the eastern part of the plot, and in the field to the north) appears to respect the earthwork. Undated features earlier than the ridge and furrow are possibly contemporary with the late Saxon remains. There was no clearly structural evidence identified during the evaluation, and the finds assemblage does not suggest nearby intensive occupation. A little post medieval material (16th to 17th century Bourne ware) was recovered, which may be residual (PRN 63683e - TF 1004 4635). {9}{10}

During a watching brief, medieval features were recorded. An undated probable ditch aligned north-west/south-east, and an undated furrow aligned north-east/south-west, are thought to relate to the medieval earthworks at this site. Two rectangular pits containing 10th-12th and 13th-14th century pottery were of unknown function, and may be northern extensions of ditches found during a previous evaluation on site. A north/south aligned ditch was thought to be a boundary (PRN 63683e - TF 1004 4635). {11}{12}

<01> C.W. Foster and T. Longley, 1924, Lincolnshire Domesday and Lindsey Survey, li-ii; lx; lxxiv; 1/1; 3/37-38; 24/101; 26/29,52; 72/34 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI893.

<02> Kenneth Cameron, 1998, A Dictionary of Lincolnshire Place-Names, page 74 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI5432.

<03> Roffe, D., 2000, The lost settlement of Burg refound?, - (Unpublished Document). SLI10129.

<04> Paul Everson and David Stocker, 1999, Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture, page 74 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI5526.

<05> Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1992-1996, National Mapping Programme, TF0945,0946,1045:LI.852.2.1-2 and 852.3.1-2 (Map). SLI3613.

<06> Ordnance Survey, Kirkby la Thorpe OS card index, TF 04 NE:21 (Index). SLI2584.

<07> Kirkby la Thorpe SMR cards, TF 04 NE:CR (Index). SLI3111.

<08> W.M., 1999, Untitled Source, 20/12/1999 (Verbal Communication). SLI5633.

<09> Archaeological Project Services, 2000, Land north of Ewerby Road, Kirkby la Thorpe, KER00 (Report). SLI5723.

<10> Archaeological Project Services, 2000, Land north of Ewerby Road, Kirkby la Thorpe, LCNCC 15.2000 (Archive). SLI5724.

<11> Archaeological Project Services, Oct 2000, Development at Ewerby Road, Kirkby la Thorpe, KER00 (Report). SLI6365.

<12> Archaeological Project Services, Oct 2000, Development at Ewerby Road,Kirkby la Thorpe, LCNCC 2000.15 (Archive). SLI6366.

<13> 1945-84, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY COLLECTION, PH 36, EA 040-1, ACM.45-6 (Aerial Photograph). SLI173.

<14> 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.

<15> Gerald A.J. Hodgett, 1975, Tudor Lincolnshire, p 190 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI6089.

<16> 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, pp 74-5 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI6090.

<17> William Page (ed), 1906, The Victoria County History: Lincolnshire - Volume 2, p 360 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1104.

<18> Letters, Samantha (Dr), 2003, Gazetteer of Markets and Fairs in England and Wales to 1516: Counties and Wales, Kirkby Laythorpe (Website). SLI9564.

<19> Edward Trollope, 1872, Sleaford and the Wapentakes of Flaxwell and Aswardhurn in the County of Lincoln, pp 414-16 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI920.

<20> William White, 1856, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire - Second Edition, pp 547-48 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI886.

<21> 1946-98, RCHME, TF1045/15; 2217-30 (Aerial Photograph). SLI193.

<22> Yerburgh, Dr Richard, 1825, Sketches Illustrative of the Topography and History of New and Old Sleaford, pp 267-72 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1054.

Monument Types

• SETTLEMENT (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Modern - 850 AD? to 2050 AD)
• DITCH (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 900 AD to 1200 AD)
• PIT (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 900 AD to 1400 AD)
• POST HOLE (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 900 AD to 1200 AD)
• HOUSE PLATFORM (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• RIDGE AND FURROW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BOUNDARY DITCH (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1400 AD)

Associated Finds

• ANIMAL REMAINS (Early Medieval/Dark Age - 900 AD to 1065 AD)
• NAIL (Early Medieval/Dark Age - 900 AD to 1065 AD)
• SHERD (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Post Medieval - 900 AD to 1699 AD)
• SHERD (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Post Medieval - 900 AD to 1700 AD)

Associated Events

• Watching brief on land at Ewerby Road
• Aerial photographs of Kirkby la Thorpe village, 1949
• Aerial photograph of Kirkby la Thorpe village, 1955
• Aerial photographs of Kirkby la Thorpe village, 1961
• Aerial photograph of land to the east of Kirkby la Thorpe village
• Field observation of medieval earthworks
• Earthwork survey at Ewerby Road
• Trial trenching at Ewerby Road

Protected Status

• SHINE
• SHINE
• SHINE

Sources and further reading

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