Long Sutton

Archives and Libraries

• Many parish records can be found at the Spalding Library under "Sutton St. Marys".
  
  

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Census

• The parish was part of the Long Sutton sub-district of the Holbeach Registration District.
  
  
• Check our Census Resource page for county-wide resources.
  
  
• The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
  
  

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Church History

• There was an ancient monastic cell here, called Ketel, but physical traces appear to have vanished.
  
  
• The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Mary.
  
  
• The church was built in the 14th and 15th century and encloses an earlier Norman church. The tower was built in the 13th century.
  
  
• The church was restored in 1866.
  
  
• The church seats about 900.
  
  
• The church has a lofty spire which served local fishermen as a landmark for navigation.
  
  
• Here is a photo of St. Mary's church, taken by Ron COLE (who retains the copyright):
  
  

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Church Records

• The Anglican parish registers exist from 1561.
  
  
• We have a small Parish Register extract text file. Your additions are welcome.
  
  
• We also have a file of Norfolk Marriages in Long Sutton. Your additions here are welcome, too.
  
  
• Check the East Elloe Deanery page to see which indexes are available.
  
  
• The Wesleyan Methodists had a chapel here in 1839 on Market street.
  
  
• The United Methodists also met here on Market street.
  
  
• The Congregationalists built their chapel on the London Road in 1818, with seating for 450.
  
  
• The Baptists built their chapel on West street in 1840. Jonathan THACKER has a photograph of the Baptist Chapel on Geo-graph, taken in 2012.
  
  
• For information and assistance in researching these non-conformist chapels, see our non-conformist religions page.
  
  
• Check our Church Records page for county-wide resources.
  
  

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Civil Registration

• The parish was part of the Long Sutton sub-district of the Holbeach Registration District.
  
  
• Check our Civil Registration page for sources and background on Civil Registration which began in July, 1837.
  
  

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Description and Travel

Long Sutton, or Sutton St. Mary, is both an ancient market town and a parish about 107 miles north of London, about 13 miles east of Spalding and 9 miles north of Wisbech, off the A17 trunk road. Sutton Bridge parish lies to the east and Tydd St. Mary parish to the south. The parish includes the hamlet of Sutton Crosses. The area is marshy, drained by many small canals and the South Holland Main Drain.

Long Sutton was a host to many travelling up along the coastal roads. It offered inns, stables, repairs for conveyances and saddles, and an opportunity to shop and spend the night. See the History section below for a list of Inns and Hotels which served the village.

The parish once included Sutton Bridge village and encompased the three hamlets of Sutton Saint Mary, Sutton Saint James and Sutton Saint Nicholas. The parish was roughly 25,150 acres in size, at its largest, reduced to 3,923 acres by 1912.

If you are planning a visit:

• Peter LATHAM has a photograph of the Market Place on Geo-graph, taken in 2005.
  
  
• See our touring page for area resources.
  
  

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History

• Carriages, coaches, wagons and bicycles were made here.
  
  
• Prior to 1800, most of this parish was inundated by high tides in the North Sea. It wasn't until dykes were raised and drains created that the land was serviceable for crops and grazing.
  
  
• F. W. & B. A. ROBINSON wrote "History of Long Sutton and District", published in 1981.
  
  
• In 1824, Market Day was revived on Fridays. Fair days were May 13th and 14th and the first Friday after September 26th.
  
  
• Parts of this parish were allocated to other nearby parishes as boundaries changed.
  
  
• Evelyn SIMAK has a photograph of Harrison's Mill on Geo-graph, taken in 2011. Samuel HARRISON had owned the mill for many decades.
  
  
• The village had a police station on the London Road. In 1900, William MOORE was the sergeant in charge. In 1913, George MOODY was the inspector in charge.
  
  
• The village also had a fire brigade in 1913. John James BINGHAM was the fire captain.
  
  
• In 1842, the Anchor Inn was run by James BURTON.
  
  
• The Angel Public House stood in the London road. These are the names associated with the place in various directories:
  
  

Moses LUFF was born in Gedney, LIN, circa 1835.

• In 1842, the Bridge Hotel was run by Thomas COOKE.
  
  
• The Bull Hotel stands in the market place and served many travellers. It is closed now and in need of restoration. It is a Grade II listed building with British Heritage. Richard CROFT has a photograph of the Bull Hotel on Geo-graph, taken in 2009. These are the names associated with the place in various directories:
  
  

Thomas Porter GRAYSON was born in LIN circa 1832.

• The Crown and Woolpack Hotel stands in High street and (after 1900) catered to automobile owners (it had a garage for cars). Richard CROFT has a photograph of the Crown and Woolpack on Geo-graph, taken in 2009. These are the names associated with the hotel in various directories:
  
  

Charlotte MEDD was born in Leadenham, LIN, circa 1821.

• The Nag's Head Public House stood in the market place. These are the names associated with the hotel in various directories:
  
  

• The Rose Public House stood in Chapel Bridge road for those who liked a good conversation. These are the names associated with the Inn in various directories:
  
  

James BULL was born in Glinton, NTH, circa 1849.

• The Station Public House served good beer. It was the Station Hotel in 1900. These are the names associated with the hotel in various directories:
  
  

John Wickham TAYLOR was born in Spalding, LIN, circa 1825. Earnest Augustus PITTS was born in Preston, RUT, circa 1863.

• The White Hart Public House stood in the market place and served as a gathering place for shoppers. These are the names associated with the place in various directories:
  
  

• The White Lion Public House stood in West street. These are the names associated with the Inn in various directories:
  
  

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Manors

The parish held three manors:

• Sutton Holland, the property of WELCHMAN and DEWING in 1912.
  
  
• Guanock Manor, (or Gwanock) the property of Richard Peele MOSSOP in 1912.
  
  
• Cranwell, the property of Samuel Septimus MOSSOP in 1912.
  
  

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Maps

• The national grid reference is TF 4322.
  
  
• You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer map, which has 2.5 inches to the mile scale.
  
  
• See our Maps page for additional resources.
  
  

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Military History

Evelyn SIMAK has a photograph of the War Memorial on Geo-graph, taken in 2011.

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Names, Geographical

• The name Long Sutton is from the Old English suth+tun, or "southern village".
  [A. D. Mills, "A Dictionary of English Place-Names," Oxford University Press, 1991].
  
  
• The "official" name of the parish was Sutton Saint Mary until 1932. The use of "Long Sutton" started in 1932.
  
  

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Names, Personal

• Surnames associated with the parish include ATKINSON, SUTHERBY and WHITE.
  
  

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Occupations

• Woad was harvested and processed in this area until the 1920's. See "Woad in the Fens", Norman T. Wills, published by L.J. Ruskin & sons (3rd Ed. 1979).
  
  
• Woad was grown to produce blue (indigo) dye. It was the only source of blue dye in Europe before 1600.
  
  

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Politics and Governance

• This place was established as a modern Civil Parish in December, 1894.
  
  
• The parish became a registration/poorlaw sub-district on its formation in 1894.
  
  
• The parish was in the ancient Elloe Wapentake in the South Holland district in the parts of Holland.
  
  
• For today's district governance, visit the South Holland District Council site.
  
  
• On 31 December, 1894, the parish was reduced in size to create Little Sutton Civil Parish and Sutton Bridge Civil Parish.
  
  

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• Petty sessions for Bastardy cases and other matters were held in this parish's court house.
  
  
• After the Poor Law Amendment Act reforms of 1834, the parish became part of the Holbeach Poor Law Union.
  
  
• Almshouses were built on the London Road in 1913 to fulfill the will of Emma GEE. Richard CROFT has a photograph of the Almshouses on Geo-graph, taken in 2009.
  
  

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Population

Year	Inhabitants
1801	1,723
1811	1,801
1821	2,392
1831	3,510
1851	4,416
1871	4,253
1891	2,439
1901	2,524
1911	2,837
1921	3,192

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Schools

• A Free School was founded here in 1492 by Robert PHILLIPS.
  
  
• The Free School eventually became the Public Elementary School after new uildings were erected in 1835.
  
  
• A school board was formed here in 1871 to include Central WIngland parish.
  
  
• An Infants School was built here in 1894 to hold 168 infants.
  
  
• See our Schools page for more information on researching school records.
  
  

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