Dexthorpe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dexthorpe |
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 Dexthorpe
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| OS grid reference | TF408715 |
| • London | 115 mi (185 km) S |
| Civil parish |
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| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Spilsby |
| Postcode district | PE23 |
| Police | Lincolnshire |
| Fire | Lincolnshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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Dexthorpe is a fascinating place in Lincolnshire, England. It's what we call a deserted medieval village. This means it was once a busy village long ago, but now it's empty. You can find it near Spilsby in the East Lindsey area. It's about 5.6 kilometres (3.5 miles) north of Spilsby.
Contents
Dexthorpe's Ancient History
Life in the Domesday Book
Dexthorpe is mentioned in a very old book called the Domesday Book. This book was like a big survey ordered by William the Conqueror in 1086. It helped him understand who owned what in England.
In 1086, Dexthorpe was part of an area called the Candleshoe Hundred. The survey showed that Dexthorpe was a busy place. It had 23 households, which means 23 families lived there. There were different kinds of people, including villagers and many freemen. The village also had two churches and lots of land for farming and meadows for animals.
Before 1066, a powerful person named Earl Harold owned the land. But after the Norman Conquest, Earl Hugh of Chester became the new owner.
The Village Disappears
Over time, Dexthorpe slowly became less important. By the year 1577, it was mostly empty. Records from that time say it only had a pasture (land for animals), a church, and a parsonage (the house for a church leader). The busy village life had faded away.
Dexthorpe Today
What Remains
In 1829, a writer named Edmund Oldfield wrote about Dexthorpe. He noted that the people of Dexthorpe still helped pay for the church in a nearby village called Well. He also recorded how the number of people living in the wider area of Dalby and Dexthorpe changed:
- In 1801, there were 50 people.
- In 1811, there were 71 people.
- By 1821, the number had grown to 99 people.
Today, you can still see where Dexthorpe once stood. The old church and village are visible as earthworks. These are bumps and hollows in the ground that show where buildings and roads used to be. It's like a ghost village, with its history written in the landscape.
