Ludford (Ludford Magna and Ludford Parva)

Census

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

Top

Church History

• The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saints Mary and Peter.
  
  
• The church was built of stone and was rebuilt about 1862-64.
  
  
• The church seats 358.
  
  
• The church is a member of the Binbrook group of parishes, which has a fine photograph of the church.
  
  
• Here is a photo of Saints Mary and Peter's Church, taken by Ron COLE (who retains the copyrights).
  
  

Top

Church Records

• The Anglican parish register dates from 1696.
  
  
• The LFHS has published several marriage and burial indexes for the Louth Eske Deanery to make your search easier.
  
  
• The church contains the "RAF 101 squadron Roll of Honour".
  
  
• Check our Church Records page for county-wide resources.
  
  
• Kate NICOL has a photograph of the Former Methodist chapel at Geo-graph, taken in 2010.
  
  

Top

Civil Registration

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

Top

Description and Travel

Ludford is a parish at the north end of the River Bain, 9 miles west of Louth and south of Binbrook parish. The parish is in the Wold Hills and covers about 3,300 acres. The parish includes the hamlets of Great Towes and Thorpe le Mire (also known as Thorpe in Mire).

Ludford village consists of the ancient villages of Ludford Magna and Ludford Parva and is bisected by the road between Louth and Gainsborough, now the A631 trunk road. It is at the summit of the Lincolnshire Wolds located about three miles east of Market Rasen. If you are planning a visit:

• Kate NICOL has a nice Winter playground scene at Geo-graph, taken in 2010.
  
  
• By car, take the A631 between Louth and Gainsborough. Ludford is close to where the B1225 crosses the A631.
  
  
• See our touring page for visitor services.
  
  

Top

History

• The village was the epicentre of a 27 February 2008 earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale. Although no buildings were seriously damaged, the quake was felt over a wide area.
  
  
• The village holds an annual Christmas Fayre early each December.
  
  
• Coaches were built here in the early 1900s.
  
  
• Michael PATTERSON has a photograph of the Black Horse Pub at Geo-graph, taken in 2006. Mrs. Selina GILBERT was the proprietress in 1930.
  
  
• Kate NICOL has a photograph of the sign for theWhite Hart pub at Geo-graph, taken in 2010. Michael J. H. McDONAGH was the proprietor in 1930.
  
  

Top

Maps

• The national grid reference is TF 1988.
  
  
• You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer map, which has a scale of 2.5 inches to the mile.
  
  
• See our Maps page for additional resources.
  
  

Top

Military History

• The RAF opened an airfield called "RAF Ludford Magna" in 1943. They flew Lancaster bombers out of the base. RAF squadron 101 have a reunion every year in early September.
  
  
• Although he field had concrete runways, mud was always a problem at the base. It soon earned the nickname "Mudford Magna".
  
  
• The field was closed in October 1945.
  
  
• In 1956 the field was used as a Polish transit camp.
  
  
• The field was re-opened in 1958 and the next year it became a Thor missile site.
  
  
• The field was closed again in May 1963 and sold off in October 1965.
  
  
• Jonathan THACKER has a photograph of some derelict buildings at the base on Geo-graph, taken in 2011.
  
  

John EMERSON, who retains the copyright, provides these photographs of the war memorial at Ludford:

Top

Military Records

John EMERSON provides this list of names off the war memorial at Ludford:

In memory of the men of Ludford who died for their country 1914-1918

Top

Politics and Governance

• This place was an ancient parish in Lincolnshire and became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
  
  
• The parish was in the ancient Wraggoe Wapentake in the East Lindsey district in the parts of Lindsey.
  
  
• For today's district governance, see the East Lindsey Govt. Council.
  
  

Top

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act refrorms, the parish became part of the Louth Poor Law Union.
  
  
• Bastardy cases would be heard in the Wragby petty session hearings.
  
  

Top

Population

Year	Inhabitants
1801	314
1811	337
1831	322
1841	367
1871	416
1881	390
1891	313
1901	257
1911	246

Top

Schools

• A Public Elementary School was built in 1853 and enlarged in 1907.
  
  
• A decline in student attendance meant that the county council closed the school in 2009.
  
  
• For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.
  
  

Top

Return to the Alphabetical Index

© 2004 EnglandGenWeb Project