Built in the late eighteenth century with later additions, Bethel Baptist Chapel is Grade II listed.

It remains in active use as a place of worship.

April 2018

The beautiful, sinuous lines of a Bronze Age sword are unmistakable.

Although fragments of Bronze Age swords are not uncommon, complete swords are still rare finds.

This sword, from Billinghay, was found in 1852.

It belongs to a series of swords known as the 'Ewart Park' type, dating to the late Bronze Age, c.950-800BC.

This six-floored mill on Walcot Road had six sails, although, as was commonly the case, it ran with four sails when sails were under maintenance or repair.

Jon Sass Collection, photograph c.1928

The sails and fan on Field Mill were removed in 1938 following a lightning strike and the empty tower was reduced in height in the 1960s.

Location of mill: TF 143 551

The former Butchers Arms in Bridge Street closed in 1970.

Mark Acton, 2018

A lamp over the front door recalling ownership by Halls of Ely brewery.

Mark Acton, 2018

This former pub, closed in 1956, belonged to Soulby, Sons & Winch brewery.

Mark Acton, 2018

Former Golden Cross public house.

Listed in Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1919 "Singleton Philip, Golden Cross P.H"

DB 25 June 2020

Lincolnshire Life reports "Another interesting feature is the mosaic which tells a potted history of Billinghay, including the settling of the Romans there in the 1st century AD; the seventeenth century draining of the Fens to create farmland – which then saw the crops ground in the village windmills; 1987 when Billinghay was twinned with French village Ballon and the great fire of 9th September 1864.

The mosaic was created by a local group called the Billinghay Nibblers between 2000 & 2007"

https://www.lincolnshirelife.co.uk/posts/view/village-with-characterful-tales-to-tell 

DB 13 June 2020

Billinghay is a large village in the Witham fen between Lincoln, Horncastle, Sleaford and Boston. The Roman Car Dyke passes through the parish.

The major land drain in the area, the Billinghay Skirth, runs to the east of the village and up to the Witham near Tattershall Bridge.

The New Bridge crosses this drain to give access from the village to the A153, the former Horncastle to Sleaford turnpike road.

The tall chimney in the centre background is thought to be at the Billinghay North and Walcot Dales Pumping Station (TF 177559). The pump was operated by steam engine from 1864 to 1940.

undated postcard (by B. Smith of Heckington)

The date stone, missing in this image but which has subsequently been replaced, reads "PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHAPEL 1850 RENOVATED 2017" 

"A List And Brief Details Of Chapels In The Sleaford Circuit Past And Present" prepared by  Colin Shepherdson & Peter Robinson June 1996 states :-

"The first chapel was erected in 1851, in West Street, and is now in use as a storehouse"

The front of the building, facing onto West Street, formally had a central doorway but no windows.

DB 25 June 2018

"A List And Brief Details Of Chapels In The Sleaford Circuit Past And Present" prepared by  Colin Shepherdson & Peter Robinson June 1996 states :-

"The second chapel was erected in the High Street in 1912 and closed on the 6.1.1996.

The chapel is currently standing empty" 

Now in use as a private house.

DB 13 June 2020 

Listed in Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1909 "Taylor Robert, Ship inn"

Two public houses listed in White's Directory 1856 "Bones James, vict. Cross Keys" & "Stringer Wm. vict. Golden Cross" also a brewer "Johnson Wm. brewer" and four beerhouses. 

Ship Inn closed along with all other public houses, when this picture was taken, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

DB 13 June 2020

A signpost remembering villager Fred Gilbert.

'Fred Gilbert was a piano teacher who rode around the village on an old-fashioned bicycle. He was so short-sighted that he wore up to three pairs of spectacles on his nose at the same time. Lessons were spent looking for lost pairs.'

Mark Acton, 2018

A signpost remembering villager Nickel Bavin.

'During the 1920's local prizefighter Nickel Bavin would always oblige if called upon for a fight. His contests happened in the Market Place, on raw stones and gravel. He was a popular attraction at the annual October Fair.'

Mark Acton, 2018

South Mill was built in about 1806 on the site of an earlier post mill in Victoria Street.

It was raised by two storeys in 1830 after the top had been wrecked in a storm.

Jon Sass Collection, undated photograph

This is the surviving stump of a seven-storey four-sailed mill built on Victoria Street. It last worked in the 1930s.

Location of mill: TF 153 551

Peter Kirk Collection, 1999

Built in about 1830 on the site of an earlier post mill in Victoria Street. There remains only a small part of the brick tower.

Painting by Karl Wood, 1932

The Early English west tower of St Michael's church, Billinghay.

The broach spire with flying buttresses was added in 1787.

August 2012

St Michael’s Billinghay has an Early English west tower, with a broach spire with flying buttresses added in 1787.

Much of the church is Early English and Decorated, with a Perpendicular clerestory to the nave.

August 2012

Another view of the church from the south-east.

April 2018

The spire of St Michael's church was rebuilt in 1912.

April 2018

The quatrefoil piers in the south arcade are from the late Early English period.

April 2018

First World War memorial to Corporal J.Hildred and Staff Nurse N.Wilson buried in the churchyard.

DB 25 June 2020

A typical font of the Perpendicular (15th century) period, octagonal in section with panel tracery.

April 2018

View of the church interior looking east. The south arcade (right) dates from the thrteenth century, the north (left) from the fourtheenth.

April 2018

Mass dial visible on this butress.

"Some 3,000 mass, tide or scratch dials have been recorded in the UK.

Typically located on the south wall of a parish church, this form of sundial was used to mark the ‘variable’ time of liturgical services in the medieval world."

http://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/mass-dials/mass-dials.htm

See also

http://sundialsoc.org.uk/dials_menu/mass-dials/

DB 25 June 2018 

Bernard Gilbert was a poet, playwright, novelist and journalist who reflected on life in Lincolnshire, especially during the First World War.

He wrote series of articles for the Lincooln Gazette. Some of his poems are in Lincolnshire dialect.

April 2018

The rather 'rickety' south porch has a coped gable with gabled kneelers and a cross finial, plus stone benches inside.

April 2019

The timber roof with tie-beams, arched braces and bosses dates from the sixteenth century.

April 2018

Sited on the west wall of the nave. Royal Arms of 1801-16. Marked at the base 'Anthony Radford Churchwarden 1801 Everith Painter'. The board also contains the Lord's Prayer, the Commandments & the Creed.

Mark Acton, 2018

Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1919 states :-

"The church of St. Michael is a large edifice of oolitic stone, in the Early Perpendicular and Decorated styles, consisting of chancel, with organ chamber and vestry (added in 1895 at the cost of £104), nave, aisles, south porch and a western tower, with pinnacles and spire, containing a clock and 3 bells:

the aisles are separated from the nave by arcades of plain Pointed arches, with clustered columns on the south side and octagonal columns on the north side and the east window is stained:

in 1880 a memorial pulpit with a prayer desk; costing about. £40, was erected by friends of the Rev. Edward Charles Frederick Jenkins M.A. vicar 1832-80:

the north aisle was rebuilt and the church thoroughly restored and reseated in 1856, and the chancel has also been restored:

there are 300 sittings" 

DB 25 June 2018 

Detail of clock on the west face of the tower. 

"C19 metal clock face with above again a small plaque inscribed W:K. 1787"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1204770 

DB 25 June 2020

The windmill is South’s or Black Mill.

It worked until just before the Second World War. Only the derelict bottom two storeys remain.

undated postcard

The old vicarage, now a listed building, was sold in 1734 when this replacement vicarage was built.

DB 25 June 2020

"Cottage. Early C18 with late C18 and C20 alterations"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1061744 

"A cottage built in the mid 17th century which served as a vicarage until 1734. The building was converted to a museum and visitor centre in c.1989"

https://www.lincstothepast.com/The-Old-Vicarage-and-associated-outhouse--Billinghay/239526.record?pt=S 

DB 23 August 2020

On the edge of the village at National Grid Reference TF143551.

According to a Tweet by Anglian Water "It holds 0.6million litres and was built in the 1950s"

DB 13 June 2020

"A List And Brief Details Of Chapels In The Sleaford Circuit Past And Present" prepared by  Colin Shepherdson & Peter Robinson June 1996 states :-

"i) A dwelling house was licensed for worship in 1793.

The Society subsequently rented a chapel, erected in 1817, but in 1832 they built their own chapel in King Street.

This chapel has since been demolished.

ii) The second chapel, in Victoria Street, was built in 1867 but very soon had to be demolished and was replaced in 1869 by another on the same site.

This chapel is still in use"

DB 25 June 2018

Image repeated from North Kyme. Coach & Horses is on the outskirts of Billinghay but actually in the parish of Kyme.

As Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1905 puts it "A small stream, called the Skirth, sometimes navigable, and dividing North Kyme from Billinghay, passes through the parish, which is also traversed by the old Roman Car dyke"

Listed in Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1905 "Smith Joseph, Coach & Horses P.H. & farmer"

Signboard recently removed as witness the cones in the foreground - for sale when this image was taken with offers over £300,000 requested. 

DB 25 June 2020 

Image repeated from North Kyme. Kesteven House is on the outskirts of Billinghay but actually in the parish of Kyme. 

Former police station dating from late C19.

https://www.lincstothepast.com/Kesteven-House--Tattershall-Road--Billinghay/239540.record?pt=S 

DB 25 June 2018