Market Deeping
- A public cemetery was set aside in 1863 and a Burial Authority established. In 1894, a cemetery of one acre was laid out near the churchyard.
- The parish was part of the Deeping sub-district of the Bourne Registration District.
- We have a partial list of 1901 Census Surnames for the parish.
- Check our Census Resource page for county-wide resources.
- The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
Census
Year |
Piece No. |
| 1851 |
H.O. 107 / 2095 |
| 1861 |
R.G. 9 / 2318 |
| 1871 |
R.G. 10 / 3317 |
| 1901 |
R.G. 13 / 3027 |
- The parish church is dedicated to St. Guthlac. It was built or rebuilt in the 12th century and again in the 15th century.
- Portions of the Rectory House consist, in part, of a building erected by the monks of Croyland in the 13th century. The monks had built a Priory on the east side of the church, later to become part of the Rectory House.
- The church was restored and partially rebuilt in 1877-78.
- The church seats about 400 people.
- There is a photograph of St. Guthlac's Church on the Wendy Parkinson Church Photos web site.
- Here is a photo of St. Guthlac's Church, taken by Ron Cole (who retains the copyright):
- Anglican parish registers exist from 1709, but Bishop's Transcripts go back to 1562.
- There is a book of churchwarden accounts going back to 1570.
- We have a partial parish register extract. Your additions are welcomed.
- From John Steer: The reasons why the Market Deeping parish registers, as an older parish, only start from 1709 is explained by two comments to be found in the first surviving register before and after the burial entries. The hand writing and quality of the microfilmed copies mean that these comments are not completely legible. "Memorand - The old register book was very deficient Mr. Edmundson the late incumbent being blind some years before his death and the Parsonage House being very much out of repair so that I was obliged to live in town. Several of my papers were lost in my removal and this register book not being bought till some time afterwards occasioned this (word unclear)(signed) Borradale Rect"
"Memorandum - The former register Books were all torn in pieces by my Predecessor's wife, Mrs. Edmundson. A woman very (unclear word) her husband being blind by her means."
- Check the Aveland and Ness Deanery page to see which indexes are available.
- An Independent Chapel was built here around 1811. A Primitive Methodist chapel, built in 1876, graced the parish, as did a Wesleyan Methodist chapel (built in 1866). For information and assistance in researching these chapels, see our non-conformist religions page.
- Check our Church Records page for county-wide resources.
- The parish was part of the Deeping sub-district of the Bourne Registration District.
- Check our Civil Registration page for sources and background on Civil Registration which began in July, 1837.
Market Deeping is both an ancient market town and a parish lying 90 miles north of London and a few miles north of Peterborough. Deeping St. James parish lies to the southeast and Langtoft parish to the northwest. Northamptonshire lies to the south, just across the River Welland. The area is flat fenland, about 1,540 acres, drained by many small canals including the South Drove Drain.
Before 1870, the town was basically one long street lying on the north bank of the River Welland. In the early 1800s the town grew to the north toward Langtoft village. If you are planning a visit:
- By automobile, the village lies at the junction of the A15 and A16 trunk roads.
- There is a village website with local information and history, but no genealogy resources when last I looked.
- Rex Needle has some local colour at his Market Deeping web page. His site also includes a genealogy page.
- See our touring page for visitor services.
- Richard de RULOS, chamberlain to William the Conqueror, is reputed to have raised the first bank to confine the River Welland from overflowing the land at high tide.
- A lovely three-arch stone bridge used to cross the River Welland in the south-east part of the town.
- Market day used to be on Wednesday, but was obsolete by 1880.
- A Town Hall was built in 1839. The Gas Works were erected in 1855.
- In 1878, an Act of Parliament was passed to build a railway from Market Deeping to Helpston in Nottinghamshire.
- A Police Station was built here in 1880. In 1912, Inspector Richard W. DECANN and 4 constables staffed the office.
- The national grid reference is TF 1310.
- You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer #235 map, which has a scale of 2.5 inches to the mile.
- See our Maps page for resources.
- The name Deeping is from the Old English Deoping, or "Deep or Low place".
[A. D. Mills, "A Dictionary of English Place-Names," Oxford University Press, 1991].
- In 1806, John WARRINGTON left £4,000 to generate interest , which was to be given to 10 poor widows in several parishes.
- In 1813, the Common Land was enclosed and later drained and cultivated.
- As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, the parish became part of the Bourne Poor Law Union.
- In 1844, Jonathan PILKINGTON left £100 to generate interest, which was to be given to poor widows in the parish. Another £100 was added in 1850 by J. K. MILLER.
- In 1876, almshouses were built on Church Street as part of the will of Miss Mary Ann SCOTNEY. They were to be used by six poor protestant women. In 1912, each woman received 4s. per week.
| Year |
Inhabitants |
| 1801 |
803 |
| 1821 |
1,016 |
| 1831 |
1,091 |
| 1841 |
1,219 |
| 1851 |
1,294 |
| 1871 |
1,235 |
| 1881 |
1,212 |
| 1891 |
1,079 |
| 1901 |
978 |
| 1911 |
966 |
| 1921 |
888 |
- The Endowed School on Church Street was built in 1819. It could hold up to 70 children.
- The Green School was built in 1851 from funds provided by Mrs. Mary WENSOR. It had originally been endowed with £200 by Mrs. Elizabeth MOLECEY in 1844. The school could hold 100 children.
- For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.
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[Last updated: 12-November-2010 - Louis R. Mills]
