Far Welter'd, the East Lincolnshire Dialect Society, gave lively "hentertayunmunt" to SLHA members at their Christmas party in Lincoln on 2 December.

An excellent buffet meal was followed by a recital of dialect poems and readings, interspersed with amusing Lincolnshire stories, presented by Alan Mumby and colleagues.

This half term holiday event, organised by Kathy Holland from the Society in conjunction with Kirton in Lindsey Society and held at the Jubilee Hall in Kirton, proved very popular.

It was attended by over 40 visitors including many young people who enjoyed a range of craft activities inspired by images of Gargoyles and Green Men to be seen in Lincolnshire and beyond.

Visitors had the opportunity to find out about these intriguing and imaginative creations to be seen on many buildings throughout the county, especially churches.

Craft activities included designing a gargoyle in clay, colouring a mask and creating an inspirational "Green Man" pendant.

The Kirton in Lindsey Society is keen to continue to work jointly with the SLHA to encourage interest in our history and heritage.

Market Rasen Library was the venue for a half term holiday event for families organised by Kathy Holland for the Society.

Visitors had the opportunity to find out about the Vikings in Lincolnshire and how they lived and then participate in craft activities inspired by the Vikings.

Activities included writing messages using Runes, making a model Viking ship and decorating a shield. Also on offer was creating a Thor's hammer pendant and learning about the legend of Thor.

The event was fully subscribed, with 23 young people and their families packed into the small space but good fun was had by all with another invitation to return.

The Society's contribution to the South Lincolnshire Walking Festival was a walk at Woolsthorpe (by Belvoir) to look at the Grantham Canal, Sewstern Lane and the ironstone quarries and railways in the area. The four mile walk led by Stewart Squires gave an opportunity to look at all three.

The puzzle of why Sewstern Lane changes its name here to Longmoor Lane was considered, but not solved. Longmoor Lane is a later diversion from the direct route of Sewstern Lane, seemingly to reduce the gradient down the escarpment at this point.

15 people enjoyed the walk and £41.00 was raised for the Society funds.

The walk round Nettleham on Sunday 13 September attracted 23 visitors who assembled on The Green where Pearl Wheatley explained the various features including the war memorial, village sign, shops and  farms.

The walk continued past the library to the church and then alongside the Beck before walking round the Bishops' Palace site, newly opened to the public.

The walk finished through the cemetery to the Old School and back to The Green.

This was a Heritage Open Day event.

A group of more than 30 SLHA members spent a thoroughly enjoyable day in Heckington on Saturday 20 June.

A programme of activities was managed by the Heckington Windmill Trust and the highlight of the morning was the conducted tour of the magnificent 8-sailed windmill. This unique working mill is run by a group of competent and dedicated volunteers and it was a good to learn how it still produces flour using machinery and techniques that have been in operation in the mill - on and off - for nearly 200 years.

Short visits were made to the on-site brewery - a recent innovation and already commercially successful - and also the excellent collection of railway and other local memorabilia in the station museum across the road.

After lunch Charles Pinchbeck led the group on a walking tour of the historic centre of the village.  Houses, pubs, almshouses and meeting rooms were the focus of attention and a few local characters were recalled.

The large parish church of St Andrew, with its outstanding architecture of the Decorated period, was the highlight of the afternoon; the group was fortunate to have an excellent, well-informed guide in Michael Rose.

Photographs: The SLHA group outside Heckington Mill and St Andrew's church

Simon Pawley led an enthusiastic group on a walking tour of Sleaford's Northgate on the evening of Thursday 18 June. This was the annual guided walk in honour of the late Les Gostick.

Starting at the Market Place Simon told the story of the principal buildings, including the banks and the so-called Manor House as the group progressed up Northgate as far as Carre's Grammar School.

By the early 1800s this northernmost area had acquired a poor reputation due to the numerous pubs, tenements and lodging houses and it was considered to present a poor image to travellers arriving from the north. Order was restored in 1857 when the area was cleared to make room for the Almshouses and Savings Bank.

Simon's description of the buildings was interspersed with anecdotes about their occupants and notes about the surrounding area. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening packed with information.

SLHA members attending the Society AGM in Sleaford on 13 June were treated to a highly informative tour of St Denys's church led by Douglas Hoare.

This is one of the finest parish churches in Lincolnshire, nationally known for the flowing tracery of its windows of the Decorated period.

Among other notable features, Douglas also drew attention to the variation in style of the arcades; the Carre monuments; the sedilia; the scissor brace; Morris's glass; the ex-Lincoln Cathedral communion rail; Ninian Comper's rood.

Close examination of this church - under expert guidance - is a very rewarding experience.

Ironstone mining started at Nettleton Top Mine in 1928 and Nettleton Bottom Mine in 1960. The last workings closed in 1968 but many buildings and structures remain.

48 people visited the Nettleton Top yard for a guided walk, organised by the SLHA and led by Stewart Squires as a contribution to the Wolds Walking Festival, on 20 May.

Here they are looking at the now blocked entrance built in 1957 as part of the rail link between the yard and Bottom Mine. The former workshop and store is on the left.

People who attended made generous donations amounting to £60.00.

On Sunday 14 May Martin Hollingsworth of the Kirton in Lindsey Society led a tour to several sites of the town's former industries.

Included in the 2-hour walk were Richardson & Darley's Steam Ploughing Works, a ropewalk, Picksley's engineering works, Marris & Beverley's foundry, the town gasworks and water supply.

Other significant sites away from the town centre - the railway station, Gleadell's Mill (maltings) Mount Pleasant windmill, the cement works - were also described by Martin.

The 30-strong group, a mixture of SLHA members and local residents, completed an enjoyable afternoon with refreshments in the Town Hall.

Animal Magic!
This holiday workshop for families held at Kirton-in-Lindsey Town Hall on Wednesday 1 April was very well attended.

Visitors had the opportunity to find out about the rare breeds of Lincolnshire and then enjoy a selection of craft activities inspired by the theme of animals and creatures of all kinds from Lincolnshire.

Activities included using clay to model a curly coated pig, one of Lincolnshire's rare breeds, or a shire horse, the Lincolnshire red cattle proved rather too challenging for many!! Other activities included making an owl mask complete with feathers and decorating a butterfly bangle.

Visitors also had the opportunity to create a wall hanging by painting an image of a Lincolnshire animal on a wooden plaque.

The event was organised as part of the Past and Present project which celebrates 170 years of the Society and is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The "Past and Present" display panels will be on show at the Jubilee Town Hall in Kirton-in-Lindsey until the end of May, and a number of joint events with the Kirton-in- Lindsey Society are planned to take place in the coming weeks.

The clue is in the name: "Kirton" means "Place of the Church" and religion has always played an important role in Kirton-in-Lindsey.

Martin Hollingsworth of the Kirton in Lindsey Society led a group of 18 around the town for an enjoyable, interesting and informative walk around religious sites on Sunday 22 March.

A number of sites, including the Methodist Chapel, the old Baptist Chapel and the Primitive Methodist Chapel, were visited and Martin provided a wealth of information about the rise and decline of different religions in the village.

The tour included St Andrew's Parish Church where Mary Hollingsworth presented an illustrated talk about the history of the Church and highlighted the outstanding features of the building.

The afternoon concluded with tea and coffee in the Town Hall.

The event was organised as part of the Past and Present project which celebrates 170 years of the Society and is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The "Past and Present" display panels will be on show at the Jubilee Town Hall in Kirton-in-Lindsey until the end of May, and a number of joint events with the Kirton-in- Lindsey Society are planned to take place in the coming weeks.

Almost 100 visitors attended this popular morning workshop for families organised by the Society and held at the Jubilee Town Hall in Kirton-in- Lindsey on 18 February.

A variety of activities were on offer including investigating archaeological artefacts and looking at which materials survive and which decay. Craft activities included making medieval faces from clay inspired by medieval carvings from Lincolnshire buildings, including the parish church in Kirton-in-Lindsey and Bardney Abbey, creating a Viking Thor's hammer pendant and painting a mini Roman fresco.

The event was organised as part of the Past and Present project which celebrates 170 years of the Society and is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The "Past and Present" display panels will be on show at the Jubilee Town Hall in Kirton-in-Lindsey until the end of May, and a number of events are planned in the coming months.