Built close to Hobhole Drain at Lade Bank Bridge in 1855, the chapel was enlarged in 1891.

The last service in the chapel was held in 1969 and the building was sold later that year.

It currently serves as the garage for the neighbouring bungalow.

It is located in New Leake parish (TF 379 548)

Barry Barton, 1978

This fine pumping station (TF 379 545), was built in 1867, to pump water from the East Fen into the Hobhole Drain which runs south to Boston Haven.

Diesel pumps were installed in 1940 but the boiler chimney from the days of steam pumping has been retained.

Hobhole Drain formed part of an extensive network of navigable waterways in the area and there are the remains of a lock alongside the pumping station.

This early photograph appears to show work completing the lock and the pumping station outfall.

The fine steam-powered pumping station of 1867 has been retained, even though it was succeeded by a new structure containing diesel pumps in 1938, (seen here to the right background).

The pumps lift water from a large area of the East Fen into the Hobhole Drain, which runs south into the Haven SE of Boston.

Former site of New Leake's post office.

Undated postcard by Raphael Tuck 

New Leake is a small fen village 9 miles north of Boston. The bell turret of St Jude's mission church can be seen in the distance.

Undated postcard by Raphael Tuck 

An inter-war image of the fen village of New Leake.

Undated postcard by Raphael Tuck 

This small building, viewed here from the southwest, was constructed as a Mission Hall in 1897 at a cost of around £300.*

It is of all brick construction with western porch and bell-cote and lancet windows.

[*See Kelly’s Directory of Lincolnshire, 1933]

Jean Howard, September 2023

View of the church from the northeast. It occupies quite small rectangle of land.

Jean Howard, September 2023

The church is lined with vertical timber boarding with a simple screen leading into the chancel. It is not listed.

Jean Howard, September 2023

A view of the church interior, looking west.

New windows composed of rectangles of clear, red, blue, and green glass have recently been fitted at the west end.

Jean Howard, September 2023

A very simple pulpit with trefoils in the ends of the steps.

Jean Howard, September 2023

There is no east window in the church.

The church display for the Wolds & Coast Churches Festival in 2023 was about the war dead of the parish, hence the poppies.

Jean Howard, September 2023

A brass plaque commemorates the Midville* dead of the First World War.

*This is the information given in the leaflet. It is suggested on the Imperial War Museum website that it may have come from the closed church of St Peter at Midville which is about 1.5 miles south of St Jude's church.

Jean Howard, September 2023

The Wheat Sheaf Inn on Drainside survived into the 21st century but has now been converted into housing.

Undated postcard by Raphael Tuck 

The memorial to the fallen of New Leake, Eastville and Midville was built on a section of land given by farmer John Harrison adjacent to St Jude’s churchyard.

It is a cross of rough-hewn granite and cost £250 partly paid for by an auction of produce. It is listed Grade II; see: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1450521?section=official-list-entry 

The names of those who died can be found at https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/98145  and at: https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/102484 

There was once a timber Women’s Institute building behind.

Jean Howard, September 2023

The Wesleyan Chapel was built in Sibsey Road in 1838 and a schoolroom was added in 1848.

The building was sold in 1977 after the Methodists began a shared use arrangement with the Anglicans at St Jude's parish church.

Methodist services in the parish came to an end in 1984.

The chapel building is now a private house, "The Old Chapel"; the schoolroom has been demolished.

It is located at NGR TF 402 573.

Barry Barton, 1978

The former chapel is barely recognisable. Gone are the attractive round-headed windows, the stylish main entrance and the date plaque.

This must be one of the most insensitive and ugliest chapel conversions around.

September 2021