Our Village and local history

Utterby is a small village in the East Lindsey District of Lincolnshire England. It is situated at the foot of the Lincolnshire Wolds in an area of outstanding natural beauty and straddles the A16 road.

It is 10 miles south of Grimsby and 4 miles north from Louth.

Near to the Village is the site of a former Gilbertine Priory. It is believed that the monks of this priory built the villages’ Packhorse Bridge in the 14th century to give them access to the church. 

There is evidence that the bridge was used by Salt Drovers carrying salt from the coastal strip to trade with it inland.

Utterby Manor, with its three-storeyed porch and Dutch gable, was enlarged in late Victorian times, but has on its old fabric the date 1639 and the coat-of-arms of the Elye family who acquired the manor in the 16th century.

The following text is copied from the book 'Utterby A Village Story', produced by Utterby History Publications Group June 2000.

Utterby's oldest building is, of course, the medieval church, thought to date back to the 14th century. However the list of rectors, two framed copies of which can be seen inside the church, begins a century earlier in 1220. It seems possible that the present building stands on the foundations of an earlier church.

Utterby's second largest mansion, Utterby House, was built in 1716-17.

The Round House, in Grange Lane was once the apprentice joiner's house. It originally composed of single brick, with mud and stud construction behind the brick. Its thatched roof went when the upper floor was added at the beginning of the 20th century.

There were four places of worship in Utterby and as there were only 199 inhabitants,  there was plenty of room for all.

The Free Methodist in Chapel Lane, the Wesleyan in Grange Lane and the Primitive Methodist at Templeton, on the main road. They were all well attended years ago. In between 1882 and 1892 the Primitive Methodist was forced to close. After a spell as a warehouse, it became a dwelling.

The Wesleyan Chapel, built in 1846,  but in 1930 after years of fortnightly services, it was forced to close its doors and was converted into a joiners shop.

The chapel built in 1854, was particularly busy with morning and evening services, split by the delightfully named PSA's or Pleasant Sunday Afternoons. At these events the children would sing and give recitations and visiting children from North Ormsby would stay all day and have tea in Utterby.

In 1973, St Andrew's Church was in such a state of disrepair that is was threatened with closure and condemned as unsafe. 

A campaign was launched. Many villagers participated. There were charity dinners and a variety of fundraising events held. Eventually the target was reached and the church saved for the time being.

Fundraising continues to keep this building open.

Most of the older houses on the main road in Utterby have at some time been farmhouses, shops, or smallholdings. The last shop to close, owned by Brian Frobisher, was in 1999.

The Parish Room has played a very big part in village life since opening in 1908.  Every night there were frequent dances. In 1925, a wireless was purchased and the entertainment scene was transformed. Listeners were charged  threepence for half an hour's listening. During the war the army had use of the room then it was taken over by Fotherby Football club.

The room was used for wedding receptions and similar  events  There have been playgroups, young wives, Women's Institute and girl guides meeting regularly. Childrens pantomimes, suppers, dances, and car boot sales.

It is now known as Utterby Village Hall.

Further information on these items are printed and available in the church:

• History of St Andrews Church
• Son of a Crusader Knight: Lord of the Manor of Utterby
• Pack Horse Bridge
• Holy Well
• Utterby Halt
• Out of the Dark Ages (Early Utterby History)
• North Ormsby Priory
• The Gilbertine Order of Monks and Nuns
• St Gilbert of Sempringham
• Barton Street Head Stone
• Cadeby Hall
• Utterby School
• Utterby Places
• The Mysterious White Lady of North Ormsby
• Utterby 1939 - 1945
• Harold Bedson, Mariner and Family
• Henry Cross, Lincolnshire Drover
• Infant Mortality

Listen to stories about village life, we have gathered reminiscences from people living in the village and have recorded their narratives. They have told us about aspects of their experiences of which there are no official records.

Come and listen to these recordings; imagine how it was for them and compare how it is today. There are personal stories about village life and descriptions of how the village has developed over the years