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Summary

The settlement of Helpringham is mentioned in Domesday Book and survives to the present day.

Full description

Helpringham is mentioned in Domesday Book. At this time the land there belonged to Ivo Taillebois, Gilbert de Gand, Colsuain, Robert de Veci and Godfrey of Cambrai. It had a minimum population of 38 sokemen, 17 bordars and 14 villeins (although some of Gilbert of Gand's men may have resided in Burton Pedwardine). A church is also mentioned. {1}

The name Helpringham is of Old English origin and refers to 'the homestead or estate of the Helpricingas'. {2}

The Lay Subsidy of 1334 lists the wealth of Helpringham (with Thorpe Latimer) as £15 5s 1d, the wealthist village in its wapentake (Aswardhurn). {3}

The Diocesan Return of 1563 records 56 households resident in the parish. {4}

By the late 17th/early 18th century there were 80 families resident in the parish. {5}

By 1801 the population of the parish was 518 people, rising to 941 in 1881 before falling to 767 by 1901. {6}

The right to hold a market and a fair at Helpringham was granted to William le Latymer on the 4th November 1259 by Henry III. The market was held on Tuesdays and the fair was held on St James's Day (25th July). Both were held at the manor (probably the moated site at Thorpe Latimer, PRN 64549). {7}

The landowners in the parish from medieval times to the 19th century are discussed by Trollope. {8}

The village and its residents in 1856 are discussed in White's Directory. {9}

A very small quantity of 19th century pottery and a single clay pipe fragment were found during a watching brief at the Nag's Head (PRN 64551a- TF 1399 4081). {10}{11}

A possible medieval quarry pit was revealed during a watching brief at 16 High Street (PRN 64551b - TF 1380 4083). A single sherd of medieval pottery was recovered from this pit. A number of similar, but undated, pits were also seen (see PRN 62843). {12}{13}

There were once three mud and stud cottages within the village, one on The Green, one on Main Street and also at no.2 Fen Road. All have now been demolished and can no longer be located. {14}

Three ditches and a pit were recorded in April and May 2011, during a watching brief at 21, The Green, Helpringham (PRN 64551c - TF 1402 4066). One of the ditches contained 19th century finds, and the other features are thought to be contemporary. Unstratified finds of 17th century artefacts and a fragment of animal bone were also recovered. {15}{16}

Remains of post-medieval activity were recorded in 2002, during a watching brief on land at Orchard Close, Helpringham:
Three probable clearance cuts and a ditch were identified and excavated (PRN 64551d - TF 1383 4055). It was thought that these features relate to the removal of small structures on the site, prior to 1774, as the enclosure map of that date showed no buildings. A fragment of a cattle femur bone was recovered from the fill of one of the cuts.
A probable pond and ditch was recorded to the north of the clearance cuts (PRN 64551e - TF 1382 4064). The pond is likely to be the feature marked on the 1905 Ordnance Survey map for this area.
The remains of a further pond was identified, to the south of the development site (PRN 64551f - TF 1375 4050). This is also likely to be the feature marked on the 1889 Ordnance Survey map for this area. A fragment of horse bone was recovered from the fill of the pond.
The features recorded suggest that this area of Helpringham served as agricultural land from the medieval to the late post-medieval period, when the site was cleared and enclosed. {17}{18}

<1> C.W. Foster and T. Longley, 1924, Lincolnshire Domesday and Lindsey Survey, 14/95; 24/105; 26/28; 37/1; 51/11 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI893.

<2> Kenneth Cameron, 1998, A Dictionary of Lincolnshire Place-Names, p.62 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI5432.

<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.63 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI6090.

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

<7> Letters, Samantha (Dr), 2003, Gazetteer of Markets and Fairs in England and Wales to 1516: Counties and Wales, - (Website). SLI9564.

<8> Edward Trollope, 1872, Sleaford and the Wapentakes of Flaxwell and Aswardhurn in the County of Lincoln, pp.397-8 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI920.

<9> William White, 1856, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire - Second Edition, pp.546-7 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI886.

<10> Archaeological Project Services, Dec 2000, Archaeological Watching Brief during Development at the Nag's Head, High Street, Helpringham, HNH00 (Report). SLI6256.

<11> Archaeological Project Services, Dec 2000, Archaeological Watching Brief during Development at the Nag's Head, High Street, Helpringham, LCNCC 2000.271 (Archive). SLI6257.

<12> Archaeological Project Services, June 2003, Archaeological watching brief on land at 16 High Street, Helpringham, HHS02 (Report). SLI8730.

<13> Archaeological Project Services, June 2003, Archaeological watching brief on land at 16 High Street, Helpringham, LCNCC 2002.504 (Archive). SLI8731.

<14> Rodney Cousins, 2000, Lincolnshire Buildings in the Mud and Stud Tradition, p.45 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI8383.

<15> Archaeological Project Services, 2011, 21 The Green, Helpringham, APS site code: HETG10 (Report). SLI13766.

<16> Archaeological Project Services, 2011, Archaeological Watching Brief and Photographic Building Recording at 21 The Green, Helpringham, LCNCC 2010.34 (Archive). SLI13767.

<17> Archaeological Project Services, 2002, Land at Orchard Close, Helpringham, APS site code: HOC 01 (Report). SLI14585.

<18> Archaeological Project Services, 2002, Land at Orchard Close, Helpringham, LCNCC 2001.196 (Archive). SLI14586.

Monument Types

• SETTLEMENT (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Modern - 1000 AD to 2050 AD)
• EXTRACTIVE PIT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• POND (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• DITCH (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1899 AD)
• OUTBUILDING (Post Medieval to 21st Century - 1800 AD? to 2011 AD?)
• PIT (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1899 AD)

Associated Finds

• ANIMAL REMAINS (Unknown date)
• SHERD (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1499 AD)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• SHERD (Post Medieval - 1600 AD to 1699 AD)
• CLAY PIPE (SMOKING) (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1870 AD)
• SHERD (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1899 AD)

Associated Events

• Archaeological Watching Brief at 21 The Green, Helpringham
• Watching brief at the Nag's Head, High Street, Helpringham
• Watching brief on land at 16 High Street, Helpringham
• Land at Orchard Close, Helpringham

Protected Status

• Conservation Area

Sources and further reading

Related records

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