This sign showing the mileage to Boston and Revesby is in the gable end of the railway booking office. It was originally on the blacksmith's premises before that building was demolished. 

The site chosen for the establishment of the new settlement of New Bolingbroke is almost equidistant from Boston, Spilsby and Horncastle, each about 9 miles away.

Jean Howard, April 2023

The drains in this part of the fen were constructed to allow horse-drawn boats to use them. So it was possible to bring building materials in and also take local produce out to market.

When New Bolingbroke was being built a new length of drain was cut to link it to the Medlam Drain to the east of the settlement. At the New Bolingbroke end it was completed with a wide ‘basin’ section to allow for boats - perhaps two or three at a time - to load and unload and turn around.

By 1835 there was a daily (except Sundays) passenger boat leaving the basin for Boston at 7.30 am; and on Wednesdays a boat carrying local produce for Boston market left at 7.00 am. The last mention of boatmen is 1878.

New Bolingbroke can still be accessed by modern narrow boats from the river Witham via Anton’s Gowt, the canal being part of the Witham Navigable Drains.

However, the canal had to be culverted in the 1960s where a new farm track crossed the canal about 70m east of the man road. As a result, the truncated basin was cut off from the Medlam Drain and waterway system.

Jean Howard, April 2023

The Globe Inn is one of three public houses in New Bolingbroke mentioned as early as 1826. It is conveniently placed next to the canal basin.

The pub was operated by Soulby’s who had a large brewery behind the pub.

Note the steps up to the doorway to a raised floor within and allowing for a cellar beneath. On the fen, cellars could soon accumulate ground water.

The pub closed about 1951 and John H Rundle established a foundry, the Globe Foundry, in the brewery buildings.

The single storey addition to the left of the pub served as a butcher’s shop for many years. It is on the northern, that is, the cooler, side of the main building.

Jean Howard, April 2023

The Duchy of Lancaster Arms is one of three public houses mentioned as early as 1826. It is immediately next to the Town Hall on the west side of the main road.

The pub was owned by the Duchy of Lancaster until 1918 and subsequently by Soulby, Sons & Winch brewery. Latterly known as the Lancaster Arms, it closed in 1952.

Jean Howard, April 2023

This house is built at the western end of the commercial maltings building.

Like many of the more substantial properties it is approached up a short flight of stone steps, perhaps an advisable precaution in a low-lying landscape with a high water table.

Jean Howard, April 2023

The first maltster listed at New Bolingbroke was Peter Blackbourn in 1826.

By 1842 Edward Soulby & Co are referred to as Brewers & Maltsters and were probably occupying these premises.

Jean Howard, April 2023

This is the former booking office at New Bolingbroke railway station.

The ‘New Line’ was built in 1913, running west-east from Coningsby Junction on the Lincoln to Boston line, to Bellwater Junction, where it joined the East Lincolnshire line.

The line and this station closed in 1970. For many years since then the booking office and railway yard have been the base of a sales emporium of large vintage and antique items, many of which relate to rural industries.

Jean Howard, April 2023

The left-hand portion of this building was the waiting room on the south platform for trains heading west to Coningsby and Lincoln. The lower structure on the right was for storing goods.

Jean Howard, April 2023

The edge of the south platform can be seen behind an array of metal items ranged for sale.

Jean Howard, April 2023

Opened with what was known as the "New Line", between Coningsby Junction and Bellwater Junctions, in 1913, the line and station closed in 1970.

The route was created primarily to help speed excursionists from the Midlands to Skegness and Mablethorpe and it was very successful at doing this. It also served some small villages en route of which New Bolingbroke was one.

Everything in this view has gone now although the very distinctive former booking office, out of view to the right, remains in a new use to mark the location.

Peter Grey Archive, 1970

‘Robin Hood House’ was the Robin Hood & Little John pub, the last hostelry to survive in New Bolingbroke.

To the right of camera there was once a fish and chip shop which burned down.

Jean Howard, January 2024

The Rundle family are very well known in New Bolingbroke. The first member to settle here was the Revd Harness Rundle who came from Coningsby to take on the role of Vicar in 1913, serving the church until his death in 1943. The cross is his memorial.

Harness Rundle was a keen photographer and woodworker, making and carving a chair and offertory box for the church.

He converted outbuildings at the Vicarage into a men's club offering billiards, darts, dominoes, etc.

The grave also commemorates his wife and several descendants.

Jean Howard, April 2023

The solid red brick five storey Grade II listed tower of the 1820s mill, known as Rundle's Mill, stands in the yard of Rundle's premises.

The company was originally founded as agricultural engineers, later with a foundry, but they now service and repair fairground rides.

Early maps and photos show a large flooded brick pit to the south-west of the tower. This is still there but hidden by trees and shrubs which surround it.

From here the clay would have been dug for the bricks for building New Bolingbroke.

Jean Howard, April 2023

This Grade II listed tower was built in the 1820s as a five-storey, four-sailed mill.

Location of mill: TF 307 585

The village was founded in 1823 by John Parkinson (steward to Sir Joseph Banks).

St Peter's, though, is later, and was built by S.S.Teulon in 1854 in the style of the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

The brick church with stone dressings has nave, chancel, north aisle, organ chamber and an elaborate north east tower and spire.

May 2013

Detail of the odd tower and spire at the north-east corner of St Peter's.  This is a most unusual - but Teulon was noted for his eccentricities.

May 2013

St Peter's is best seen when trees are not in full leaf. This view is from the north-east.

Peter Kirk Collection, 1991

This view from the north-west shows a simple north door (was this in the original building?), the lancet windows and the use of black bricks to decorate the arched window heads and as horizontal bands along the building.

Unlike the vicarage, the darker bricks in the church have been ‘painted’ though the finish has weathered away in many places.

The roof of the nave is red tile in alternate bands of flat and fish-scale pattern, and the north aisle roof is slated.

Jean Howard, April 2023

The western elevation of St Peter's church shows a small rose window in the gable, a central two light west window with a lancet either side; and the broad north aisle with two light window.

This elevation probably had a more striking impact as some of the 'black' bricks in the banding and window heads have lost their colour.

Jean Howard, April 2023

Despite the fact that the church was designed to hold 275 adults and 75 children, the chancel is quite small.

The foundation stone of the church was laid by Miss Mary Anne Soulby, daughter of Mr J C Soulby who, sadly, had died before the date of consecration of the church on 29 June 1854.

Jean Howard, April 2023

The glass in the church at its opening was described as being 'of a neutral tint'.

The present east window is by C E Kempe and in memory of Mabel Adelaide, the beloved wife of Revd John Greenwood Smith, who died in December 1891.

It depicts the Crucifixion with the figures of the Virgin Mary to the left and St John to the right.

Beneath, from the left, St Peter fishing and being called by Christ; Peter receiving the keys of Heaven; the charge to St Peter by Christ, to 'feed my sheep'.

Jean Howard, April 2023

The octagonal font is contemporary with the church.

The eight sides of the bowl carry alternately plain and decorative panels bearing an incised quatrefoil-style motif with foliage.

Jean Howard, April 2023

This view of the interior looking west shows the arcade of the north aisle and the pipe organ.

When first built the church music was provided by a harmonium but in the 1960s this organ was purchased from Mareham le Fen by R Cary and John Harness Rundle, son of the previous vicar.

The ceiling has had netting erected to catch falling flakes of plaster.

Jean Howard, April 2023

This unused postcard shows the church when it was lit by oil lamps and the altar was framed by riddel curtains in a heavy brocade.

Jean Howard

A section akin to a north transept is lit by a three light window in which the central blind element contains an angel figure.

This part of the building originally housed a gallery within for children thereby making the capacity of the building 275 adults and 75 children.

Jean Howard, April 2023

The plain panels of the stone pulpit are enhanced by lens shaped recesses, the front panel with an elongated quatrefoil and the letters IHS.

Jean Howard, April 2023

The sanctuary was tiled in 1905. Close inspection shows that a number of tiles have the crossed keys of St Peter and the sword of St Paul. These were probably a standard design as many churches carry the joint dedication to Saints Peter and Paul.

Jean Howard 22 January 2024

The vestry is housed in the base of the elaborate north-east tower and is entered through this doorway.

Beneath an ogee arch with carved hood mould stops and between detached shafts is a narrow pointed door with elaborate wrought iron hinges.

To the right the vicar was provided with his own bootscraper.

Jean Howard, April 2023

New Bolingbroke St Peter – War Memorial plaque

Those from New Bolingbroke who lost their lives in the First World War are commemorated on the War Memorial at Carrington. This plaque therefore relates only to the Second War. Air Gunner Twelvetrees is buried in New Bolingbroke churchyard. See: https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/20423 and: https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/264176/ 

Jean Howard 22 January 2024

This window was put in to celebrate the centenary of the church in 1954. It was paid for by public subscription.

The scenes show rural life through the four seasons and local landmarks including Lincoln Cathedral, Boston Stump and Tattershall Castle.

Jean Howard, April 2023

One of two stop valve covers in the footway along the west side of the main road. The letters must stand for Boston Corporation Water?

Jean Howard 22 January 2024

Built by John Parkinson in 1823, The Crescent is the centrepiece of his new ‘town’.

It consists of this six bay central section of two-and-a-half storeys with two-storey wings continuing the curve for a further six bays on either side.

This provided a higher standard of housing than the small terraced houses which align the main road to the south.

Jean Howard, April 2023

This view of The Crescent from the north-west shows that northern wing had another house attached with a curved wedge of masonry linking the brickwork.

Jean Howard, April 2023

At the southern end of The Crescent a section of curving masonry has been attached, behind which another residence projects eastwards.

Jean Howard, April 2023

The date on this stone is clear; perhaps the 'P' stands for Parkinson, the man responsible for the creation of the settlement; but have one or two letters been carefully erased from the top line of the stone?

Jean Howard, April 2023

The datestone was expertly repainted for The Crescent’s bicentenary.

Jean Howard, January 2024

Built as a market building, this was owned by the Duchy of Lancaster until sold in 1918.

The arches were open originally, though later photographs show them bricked up. Until the completion of St Peter’s church it was also used for church services for 17 years.

The creation of a first floor allowed the use of the upper storey as a school, and a bellcote featured on the southern hip of the roof.

The porch is a later addition.

Jean Howard, April 2023

Like the church, this vicarage was designed by S S Teulon and built by contractor Benjamin Andrews of Stickford.

It features polychromatic brickwork in red and a darker burnt shade to create diaper shapes. Ashlar stone outlines the window and door openings and forms the support for the oriel window. The roof tiles are a mix of plain and fish scale shapes.

The last vicar to live here was the Revd Robin Worsdale who left in 1973. The house, Grade II listed, was sold into private ownership and renamed Teulon House. The church was then served by the vicar of Sibsey church.

Jean Howard, April 2023

This view from the south of the former Vicarage, designed by S S Teulon, shows many of his signatures including diaper work of purple bricks; tumbling in the southern gable; tiles in alternate bands of plain and fishscale shape; and beautiful stone tracery, some of it pierced, around windows.

In the top of the gable is a stone with the crossed keys of St Peter.

Jean Howard, January 2024

In theis view along the main road through New Bolingbroke (present B1183) the Globe public house is on the right with Soulby's brewery alongside.

undated postcard

Watkinson's Mill survives as a shortened stump and is used as a store.

Jon Sass Collection, undated photograph

Watkinson's Mill was built in the early 1820s with four storeys and four double-sided patent sails.

It is sometimes known as Carrington Mill.

The Wesleyan Methodists were very swift to build a chapel in the new settlement in 1825. ( It was almost another 30 years before a purpose-built Anglican place of worship was provided in the village.)

The last service was held in the chapel in April 1986, since which time the building has stood empty, slowly deteriorating.

Jean Howard, August 2023

Chapel viewed from the north. 

Winter die-back of the greenery reveals the set of railings along the frontage. Three sections of dimpled amber glass remain in the arch of the left hand window.

Jean Howard, January 2024

The date of the opening of the Wesleyan Methodist chapel (1825) is confirmed by the surviving datestone on the building.

Jean Howard, April 2023

This postcard was posted in Boston on 15 October 1910. It shows the pulpit between two reading desks supported by twisted brass uprights decorated with ivy leaves. Two matching brackets hold oil lamps and uprights in the same style support the sanctuary rail. The bench ends, shaped with ‘arm rests’, are unusual.

Jean Howard

In common with many other rural Methodist societies, a separate schoolroom, attached to the chapel, was built here at New Bolingbroke - in 1907.

Jean Howard, April 2023

Harness Rundle (1870-1943) was Curate of Coningsby from 1901-13 and Vicar of New Bolingbroke from 1913-43.

His son John began an agricultural engineering company in New Bolingbroke which continues to this day.