Thornton Curtis

Census

• The parish was in the Barton sub-district of the Glanford Brigg Registration District.
  
  
• We have a handful of 1901 census surnames in a text file. Your additions are welcome.
  
  
• Check our Census Resource page for county-wide resources.
  
  
• The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
  
  

Top

Church History

• The Abbey of St. Mary, also known as Thornton Abbey, sits just east of the village. The abbey was founded in 1139 by William le GROS, Earl of Yorkshire, and reached status of Abbey in 1148. It was seized by the crown in the Dissolution of 1541. It is now an English Heritage site.
  
  
• The Abbey was visited by king Henry VIII in 1541.
  
  
• The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Lawrence.
  
  
• The church is built of stone.
  
  
• The church was restored in 1883-4.
  
  
• A clock was added to the tower in 1901.
  
  
• The church seats 300 people.
  
  
• There is a photograph of St. Lawrence church on the Wendy PARKINSON Church Photos web site, taken by Debbie Shearwood.
  
  
• Here is a photo of St. Lawrence Church, taken by Ron COLE (who retains the copyright):
  
  

Top

Church Records

• The Anglican parish register dates from the year 1568.
  
  
• The Lincolnshire FHS has published several marriage indexes and a burial index for the Yarborough Deanery to make your search easier.
  
  
• The Wesleyan Methodists built a chapel here in 1850. The Primitive Methodists built their chapel in 1859. For information and assistance in researching these chapels, see our non-conformist religions page.
  
  
• Check our Church Records page for county-wide resources.
  
  

Top

Civil Registration

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

Top

Description and Travel

This village and parish are about 5 miles southeast of Barton-upon-Humber and 4 miles south of New Holland. Wootton parish is to the south. The parish covers over 4,900 acres and includes the hamlet of Burnham, 2 miles west of the village.

Parts of the village are designated as a "conservation area", to preserve the village character. If you are planning a visit, then:

• By automobile, take the A1077 east from Barton and follow it as it turns south into Thornton Curtis, where it bisects the village.
  
  
• Drop in to the Thornton Hunt Inn and ask about your family roots. The Inn hosts a "village night" where all locals are invited to meet neighbors and friends on the 1st Tuesday of each month. The Inn is a grade 2 listed building with British Heritage.
  
  
• David WRIGHT has a photograph of the centre of Thornton Curtis on Geo-graph, taken in 2006.
  
  
• Visit our touring page.
  
  

Top

History

• The Thornton Hunt Inn on Main street is a good spot to catch up on local news. The inn has a long history, but is still functioning. It has it own website.
  
  
• Richard CROFT has a photograph of the inn on Geo-graph. These are the names associated with the Inn in various directories:
  
  

William SMISSONS, above, was born circa 1828 in Thornton Curtis, LIN.

Top

Manors

• David WRIGHT has a photograph of Thornton Hall on Geo-graph, taken in 2006.
  
  

Top

Maps

• The national grid reference is TA 0817.
  
  
• 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

David WRIGHT has a photograph of the War Memorial tablets in the church on Geo-graph, taken in 2006.

The Lytch Gate to the churchyard is also a War Memorial. David WRIGHT has a photograph of the Lytch Gate on Geo-graph, taken in 2006.

Top

Military Records

John EMERSON supplies this list of names off of the memorial:

To the glory of God and in proud and grateful memory of the following men of this parish who gave their lives in the Great War 1914-1918.

Notes:
a = Not found in CWGC database
b = more than one candidate in CWGC database

To the Glory of God and in proud and grateful memory of the following men of this parish who gave their lives in the Great War 1939-1945.

Top

Names, Geographical

• The name Thornton is from the Old English thorn+tun, meaning "village where thorn trees grow." In the 1086 Domesday Book the name is rendered as Torentune.
  [A. D. Mills, "A Dictionary of English Place-Names," Oxford University Press, 1991]
  
  

Top

Politics and Governance

• The parish was in the northern division of the ancient Yarborough Wapentake in the Glanford district in the parts of Lindsey.
  
  
• The National Archives have the Parish Council Minute Books for 1894 thru 1937 under record no. 1061.
  
  
• District governance is currently provided by the North Lincolnshire Council.
  
  

Top

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• After the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act reforms, this parish became part of the Glanford Brigg Poor Law Union.
  
  
• Bastardy cases would be heard in the Barton-on-Humber petty session hearings every other Monday.
  
  

Top

Population

Year	Inhabitants
1801	242
1811	300
1821	328
1831	362
1841	393
1851	497
1861	483
1871	478
1881	471
1891	489
1901	477
1911	452
1921	481
1931	467
2001	246

Top

Schools

• A Public Elementary School was built here in 1873 to hold 100 children. A new wing was added in 1904.
  
  
• For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.
  
  

Top

Thank you, Alan Brigham, for your help in providing information on this parish.

Return to the Alphabetical Index

© 2004 EnglandGenWeb Project