Aswarby

Aswarby
St Denys' Church, Aswarby
Aswarby  Aswarby shown within Lincolnshire
OS grid reference	TF066397
– London	100 mi (160 km)  S
Civil parish	Aswarby and Swarby
District	North Kesteven
Shire county	Lincolnshire
Region	East Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Sleaford
Postcode district	NG34
Dialling code	01529
Police	Lincolnshire
Fire	Lincolnshire
Ambulance	East Midlands
EU Parliament	East Midlands
UK Parliament	Sleaford and North Hykeham
List of places UK England Lincolnshire

Coordinates: 52°56′42″N 0°24′49″W / 52.944900°N 0.413589°W

Aswarby (pronounced 'as-r-bee') is a village in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south of Sleaford and 750 yards (690 m) east of the A15 road, between Sleaford and the point near Threekingham where it crosses the A52 road.

With the village of Swarby, 1.4 miles (2.3 km) to the northwest, Aswarby forms the civil parish of Aswarby and Swarby.

History

The village may take its name from the old Danish name Aswarth;^[1] it was originally an ecclesiastical parish within the ancient Aswardhun ^[2] wapentake of the Danelaw. Although there is no firm evidence of earlier occupation, a flint axe ^[3] and a 2nd-century AD Roman brooch^[4] were found near Aswarby.

The village is recorded in the Domesday Book as "Aswardebi". In the mid-19th century, it was moved to a new site to make way for improvements to Aswarby Park; the original position is about 500 yards to the south-west of the modern village.^[5]

In 1931 the parish was merged with Swarby into a single civil parish.^[6]

Landmarks

The Anglican church of St Denys is located in Aswarby; it has been a Grade I listed building since 1967. Parts of the church date back to the 12th, 14th and 15th centuries. The font is 12th century with a 20th-century lid, and the chancel, designed by H. E. Kendall, was built in 1849. In 1850 the church was restored by Edward Blore. There are memorials to George Bass and members of the Whichcote family.^[7]

Aswarby Hall was the seat of the Hervey and Carr^[8] (or Carre) families. In the mid-19th century, it was owned by Sir Thomas Whichcote, 7th Baron Whichcote and High Sheriff of Lincolnshire.^[9] It is the setting for "Lost Hearts", a ghost story by M. R. James, a writer of supernatural short fiction.^[10] The hall itself was demolished in 1951, leaving only two pillars standing.^[11] The surrounding park remains and is owned by Aswarby Estates.

The surviving estate properties are included in Aswarby's inventory of 19 Grade II listed buildings, which includes the Estate Office, several farmhouses, cottages, The Old Smithy, a walled garden and bothy, and a milestone. 13 of the village's listed buildings are located in a conservation area, as defined by Heritage Lincolnshire.^[12]

Notable people

George Bass,^[13] explorer of Australia and Tasmania, was born in Aswarby; Bass Strait was named after him.

References

1. "Lincs to the Past - Settlement of Aswarby". Retrieved 3 February 2013.
2. "Vision of Britain - Aswardhurn wapentake". Retrieved 3 February 2013.
3. "Lincs To The Past - Flint axe". Retrieved 3 February 2013.
4. "www.finds.org Aswarby brooch". Retrieved 3 February 2013.
5. "Lincs To The Past - Original settlement of Aswarby". Retrieved 3 February 2013.
6. "Vision of Britain - Aswarby and Swarby Civil Parish history". Retrieved 2 February 2013.
7. Historic England. "Church of St Denys (1360619)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
8. "History of Parliament online - Sir Robert Carr". Retrieved 3 February 2013.
9. "GENUKI - Aswarby page". Retrieved 2 February 2013.
10. Google Books - Ghost Stories of An Antiquarian. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
11. "Aswarby Park Pillars". Retrieved 2 February 2013.
12. "Heritage At Risk - Aswarby". Retrieved 2 February 2013.
13. Bishop's transcripts for Aswardby, 1561-1830, Church of England. Parish Church of Aswardby (Lincolnshire)

External links

• Media related to Aswarby at Wikimedia Commons
• M.R.James website
• Aswarby in the Domesday Book