"It is thought that the original castle on this site was erected soon after the Norman Conquest but that it was dismantled in 1095.

It was rebuilt in 1173 by Roger de Mowbray to support Prince Henry in the conflict with his father Henry II who subsequently had the castle destroyed.

View from the castle's motte with St Martin's Church built in what had been the castle's bailey. 

DB 2 September 2018

"Centenary Methodist chapel. 1837. Red brick, with front of red stock brick in Flemish bond, ashlar dressings. Concrete tile roof"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1049072

DB 21 August 2018

White's Directory of Lincolnshire 1856 states :-

"The parish school was rebuilt in 1842, and has room for 150 children. The master has a yearly rent-charge of £5, left by Joseph Noddel, but the school is supported chiefly by subscription and partly by the children's pence"

In 1919 Kelly's Directory states :

"Owston (mixed), for 230 children; L. W. Newby Stubbs, master; Miss Roberts, infants' mistress"

Now a private house - a new primary school was built in 1966.

DB 21 August 2018

Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1919 states "The Coronation Hall and Institute was erected in 1912. Here is a reading room, with billiard room attached"

The coronation of George V took place on 22 June 1911.

DB 21 August 2018

Listed in Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1919 :-

"Cobb Thomas H. Crooked Billet inn"

White's Directory of Lincolnshire 1856 lists 4 inns & taverns :-

Crooked Billet, Harriet Cawthorn

Neptune, Thomas Sampson

Red Lion, John Humfries

White Hart, Edward Briggs 

DB 21 August 2018

Owston Ferry, in the Isle of Axholme, is on the west bank of the River Trent, 9 miles north of Gainsborough.

The motte of a castle, possibly built soon after the Norman Conquest and demolished in 1175-76, can still be seen.

In the nineteenth-century the village was home to a rope-walk, boat-building yard and sacking and sail cloth makers.

undated postcard

"Lamp standard. 1866 for Frances Sandars ... plate on north side inscribed:-

THE GIFT OF FRANCES SANDARS 1866

Originally lit by gas from the village gasworks"

http://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1083225 

Lamp standard now carries a clock. 

Telephone kiosk and Post Office visible in the background. 

DB 21 August 2018

This is one of three mills which once stood on the bank of the Trent to the east of the village centre.

Jon Sass Collection, undated photograph

Lilley's Mill was disused by 1923 and was later reduced to three storeys but then raised an extra storey for conversion into a house.

Location of mill: SK 815 993

Peter Kirk Collection, 1999

The Pumping Station (viewed from the South) is situated by the River Trent at Owston Ferry.

It was built in 1910 to drain 5000 acres of the Isle of Axholme to the west.

The station contains an original Marshall of Gainsborough steam engine and later diesel engines by Ruston & Hornsby and
Lister-Blackstone.

Ken Redmore, 2008

The Pumping Station (viewed from the north) is situated by the River Trent at Owston Ferry.

It was built in 1910 to drain 5000 acres of the Isle of Axholme to the west.

The station contains an original Marshall of Gainsborough steam engine and later diesel engines by Ruston and Hornsby and
Lister-Blackstone.

Ken Redmore, 2008

"Smithy and engineering shop. 1859 for George Laming; bay to right raised to 2 storeys in later C19 - early C20"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1083224 

Now the Owston Ferry Museum & Heritage Centre.

DB 21 August 2018

Smithy in action during a museum open day.

"The business was owned by the Laming family, and when the last member, George Laming, died in 1988 the whole complex was put up for sale ... The whole complex was bought by Mr Arthur Mills, who donated the Smithy to the Owston Ferry History Society"

DB 2 September 2018

"The Snow Sewer was cut, or re-cut, by Vermuyden in the 1620s-30s.

The flood gates were destroyed by rebellious local inhabitants in 1642 and the sluice subsequently repaired.

In 1764 John Smeaton reported on the Axholme drainage and following his recommendations the sluice was rebuilt with a lower sill.

In the C19 the sluice and drain were also used for warping the adjacent land, a process whereby silt was deposited by controlled flooding.

The sluice was largely superceded by mechanical pumps in the C20"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1083227 

DB 21 August 2018

St Martin's lies on the edge of the village, and is approached through a 19th century gothic archway.

The church stands on the site of a Norman castle - destroyed in 1174.

Much of the building is Perpendicular, though the S arcade dates from the late 13th century.

The brick N aisle, built in 1840, re-uses earlier Perpendicular windows.

Ken Redmore, 2010

The Perpendicular south porch has a parapet decorated with blind quatrefoils.

August 2015

The Perpendicular windows on the south side of the chancel are described by Pevsner as "irregular" in that the centre one of the three is at a higher level to accommodate the priest's door.

August 2015

The north aisle of 1840 was built in yellow brick.  Perpendicular windows from the former aisle were re-used.

August 2015

Pevsner states :-

"Early c 18. - stained glass. In the e window Christ, St Peter, and St Paul, 1836 by Ward & Nixon, designed by James Nixon, a fine example of the move from the more pictorial Georgian glass to the revival of medieval styles and techniques advocated by Pugin.

The earliest known window by Ward & Nixon"

Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1919 reads " the stained east window and two more were given by Miss Frances Sandars in 1836"

DB 21 August 2018

Inscribed slab to John Pindar of 1776.

DB 2 September 2018

The maker's plate reads "Wordsworth & Co., Leeds".

Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1919 states "In 1835 an organ was presented by Elizabeth Stonehouse and placed in a loft built at the cost of the Most Rev. Edward V. Harcourt D.D. archbishop of York (1808-41), and Earl Beauchamp"

The Church Booklet states "The organ was originally placed on a loft at the west end in 1835; it was moved to its present position in 1888"

DB 2 September 2018

Closer view of the organ console.

DB 21 August 2018

Looking up to the chancel roof from directly beneath the chandelier. 

"chancel has 1780s king-post roof with open traceried panels"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1083261 

The Church Booklet states "The twenty-four branch chandelier was another gift by Elizabeth Stonehouse in 1840"

DB 21 August 2018

Lychgate erected 1911 in memory of Harry Emmitt Clark.

DB 21 August 2018

The interior view looking east  shows the two arcades - both 4-bay and in Decorated style. There are small differences.

August 2015

Looking east towards the chancel screen & arch. 

Late C13 south arcade and C14-C15 north arcade. 

DB 21 August 2018

"Nave has good pine board ceiling of 1780s with large blind tracery motifs"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1083261 

DB 21 August 2018

The south arcade is from the Decorated period. The quatrefoil piers have small nailhead in the abaci, as shown here.

August 2015

Chancel arch with screen below. 

"Wide low-pointed double-chamfered chancel arch dying into jambs" 

"Gothic-style 7-bay chancel screen of 1913 by H G Gamble of Lincoln, with Perpendicular tracery, coved hood and rood above with carved wooden figures"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1083261 

DB 21 August 2018

The Church Booklet describes the pulpit as "plain and serviceable but otherwise undistinguished"

DB 21 August 2018

The north aisle, now with a Lady Chapel at the east end, was rebuilt in 1844.

White's Directory of Lincolnshire 1856 states "The Church (St. Martin) was considerably improved in 1844, by rebuilding the north aisle on a much larger scale, at a cost of about £1000"

Rebuilt by the vicar Archdeacon Stonehouse with a flat Georgian style ceiling.

DB 21 August 2018

Baptistry at the west end of the north aisle.

Church Booklet states :-

"Baptistry with its three cast iron arches and a nineteenth century font, brought here from a Church at Woodhall Spa in about 1960"

DB 21 August 2018

Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire states that "a good carved oak chest is preserved in the church"

The Church Booklet states "The fine carved oak chest, now used for storing old registers, is believed to be Flemish work of the late fifteenth century. It was presented to St Martin's in 1840 by a Mr Maw of Hastings, who was born in Owston Ferry"

DB 21 August 2018

The font at St Martin's with finely carved cover.

August 2015

The royal arms are high on the north wall of the nave towards the west end.

August 2015

"Royal arms of Queen Anne, of 1707-14, in north aisle"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1083261 

DB 21 August 2018

Photographic Roll of Honour inside porch.

DB 21 August 2018

"Medieval mensa slab reset as altar in south aisle"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1083261 

The Church Booklet states "The south aisle is the Chapel of All Souls. The stone altar slab was at one time part of the floor; it was noticed, when the floor was being repaired, that it was marked with consecration crosses so it was removed and restored to its proper use. It is presumably PreReformation"

DB 21 August 2018

A representation in stained glass of 3 Bishops of Lincoln :-

Christopher Wordsworth 60th Bishop 1869-1885. Former headmaster of Harrow school. Very long sermons. A noted hymn writer and the poet's nephew.

Edward King 61st Bishop 1885-1910. Prosecuted by the Church Association for ritual offences. Remembered as a teacher and pastor in the Church's calendar on the 8th March every year.

William Swayne 63rd Bishop 1920-1933.

DB 21 August 2018

First and Second World War memorials.

DB 21 August 2018

Second World War photographic record of those who were killed.

DB 21 August 2018

Stained glass a gift of Frances Sandards dated 1864.

DB 2 September 2018

Pevsner states "Old Vicarage. 1866 by Henry Goddard"  

White's Diretory of Lincolnshire 1872 reports "The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £19. 10s., and now at £300, is in the gift of the Bishop of Chester, and incumbency of the Rev. George Edward Smith, M.A., surrogate, who has a neat residence" 

DB 21 August 2018

Unveiled by Earl of Yarborough 1922 and rededicated 1947 with the addition of names from the Second World War.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/51643

DB 21 August 2018

"Warehouse and former oil seed mill, now joiner's shop and stores.

Probably mid-late C18, incorporating late C17 - early C18 sections to south side ...

The sole survivor of a group of warehouses along this section of the river"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1373857 

DB 21 August 2018

Listed in Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1919 "Guest George W. White Hart P.H"

White's Directory of Lincolnshire 1856 lists 4 inns & taverns :-

Crooked Billet, Harriet Cawthorn

Neptune, Thomas Sampson

Red Lion, John Humfries

White Hart, Edward Briggs

DB 21 August 2018