Somerby (Somerby by Grantham or Old Somerby)

Census

• The parish was in the Colsterworth sub-district of the Grantham 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

• The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalen.
  
  
• The church was apparently built before 1670 and it was entirely restored in 1876.
  
  
• The church has some parts of Norman origin.
  
  
• The church seats 120.
  
  
• The chapelry at Humbry was formerly the private chapel of the BROWNLOW family. This chapel was restored in 1876.
  
  
• Richard CROFT has a photograph of St. Mary Magdalen's Church on Geo-graph, taken in March, 2006.
  
  
• Here is a photograph of St. Mary Magdalen's church, taken by Ron COLE (who retains the copyright):
  
  

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Church Records

• St. Mary Magdalen parish registers only date from 1730. The early years are much degraded.
  
  
• The Lincolnshire FHS has published several marriage and burial indexes for the Beltisloe Deanery to make your search easier.
  
  
• Around 1900, the deanery boundaries were re-organized and this parish was placed in the South Grantham Deanery. Researchers should use the indexes above.
  
  
• The Primitive Methodists had a small chapel in the parish. Check our Non-Conformist Church Records page for additional resources.
  
  
• Check our Church Records page for county-wide resources.
  
  

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Civil Registration

• The parish was in the Colsterworth sub-district of the Grantham Registration District.
  
  
• In an 1890 district re-organisation, the parish was allocated to the new "Grantham South" sub-district of the Grantham Registration District.
  
  
• Check our Civil Registration page for sources and background on Civil Registration beginning in July 1837.
  
  

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Description and Travel

Somerby is both a parish and a small village about three miles south-east of Grantham. The parish itself is bounded on the north by Londonthorpe parish and to the east by Ropsley parish. The parish covers about 2,155 acres and includes the Chapelry of Humbry.

Old Somerby is a small village, just east of Grantham on the B1176 road. Humby is a hamlet and chapelry in the parish about 3 miles south-east of the main village. If you are planning a visit:

• The town can be accessed off of the A1 motorway south of Grantham. Turn east on to the A52 and cross the B6403 (the Ermine Street) into Old Somerby.
  
  
• Visit our touring page for more sources.
  
  

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History

• The village well was sunk and enclosed in 1841.
  
  
• Kate JEWELL has a photograph of Grantham Road on Geo-graph, taken in February, 2007. The photo includes the Fox and Hounds Pub.
  
  
• These are the names associated with the Fox and Hounds in various directories:
  
  

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Maps

• The national grid reference is SK 9633.
  
  
• 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

• A tablet was placed in the church in 1919 in memory of the men who fell in the Great War.
  
  

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Military Records

For a photograph of both War Memorial plaques and the list of names on them, see the Roll of Honour site.

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Politics and Governance

• This place was an ancient parish in Lincoln county and became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
  
  
• The parish was in the ancient Winnebrigs and Theo Wapentake in the South Kesteven district in the parts of Kesteven.
  
  
• In December, 1894, this parish was abolished and reformed as "Old Somerby" Civil Parish to resolve confusions with the other Somerby in Lincolnshire.
  
  
• For today's district governance, contact the South Kesteven District Council.
  
  

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• Bastardy cases would be heard in the Spittlegate (Grantham) petty session hearings.
  
  
• As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act reforms, the parish became part of the Grantham Poor Law Union.
  
  

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Population

Year	Inhabitants
1801	194
1841	267
1851	297
1861	234
1871	271
1891	201
1911	198

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Schools

• A National School (later a Public Elementary School) was built here in 1844 to hold up to 50 children.
  
  
• For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.
  
  

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