Bracebridge Heath

Bracebridge Heath is a commuter village approximately 4 km (2.5 miles) south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire. It lies at the junction of two major roads the A15 to Sleaford and the A607 to Grantham, and was (until modern systems of local government were introduced in the 19th century) part of the Boothby Graffoe Wapentake. The village sits on top of the Lincoln Cliff, overlooking Lincoln and the valley of the River Witham. Along the cliff top runs the Viking Way, the 235 km (145 miles) long-distance footpath which runs from the Humber Bridge to Oakham.

History

In A.D.MIlls 'Dictionary of English Place Names', the name was first mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Brachebrige", which may have had its origins in the Old English "braesc" + "brycg", meaning 'bridge or causeway made of branches'. The River Witham runs through the valley below, lending some credibility to this theory.

Bracebridge Heath lies along the route of the Roman 'Ermine Street' which was part of the link between London (Londinium) and Lincoln (Lindum Colonia) (In fact, the line of Ermine Street, when extended from its last traceable part at Harmston, runs down the middle of High Dyke in Waddington, and the side road in Bracebridge Heath known as Heath Road also lies exactly on the line). Of the estimated 16,000 km (10,000 miles) of Roman roads in Britain, Ermine Street is one of the best known. It runs approximately 320 km (200 miles) from London to York. In fact, the central road junction in the village is the junction of three roman roads, ie what is now the A15 (the Sleaford Road), the A607, (the Grantham Road), and Cross O'Cliffe Hill into Lincoln According to "White's 1876 Lincolnshire", the parish of 5.8 km² (1,482 acres) was part of Boothby Graffoe Wapentake, and consisted of the GBvosi|e=498294|n=367674|cty=|txt=Lincoln County Lunatic Asylum (on Sleaford Road), All Saints' church, and a vicarage. In 1876, 340 persons were recorded as living in the parish, the most notable of which included:

*Thomas Allen, MD (at the Asylum)
*William Andrew, Solicitor
*Rev. William Bromehead BA, vicar
*William Coupland, Blacksmith and Beerhouse
*William Green, Blacksmith
*George Kirkup, Asylum Steward
*William Mills, Wards Brickyard
*Edward Palmer, MD, Asylum Superintendent
*George Wheatley, Carpenter
*Charles White, Pattern and Clog Maker
*John Wollfit, Licensed Victualler, The John Bull
*Thomas Butler, Farmer
*Charles Clarke, Farmer
*Edwin Scrivener, Farmer
*William Toulson, Farmer
*Mrs Mary Winn, Post and Carrier from Lincoln
*Harry Webber, Hall Farm hand

Modern Bracebridge Heath

Bracebridge Heath has obviously changed dramatically since White's description of 1876. The village boundary is now much extended north in the direction of Lincoln and south towards the nearby village of Waddington.

A prominent local land mark is the water pumping station and reservoir located on the Grantham Road, the water reservoir itself was extended in the early 1970's and is known locally as 'The Mound.'

Prominent buildings other than the old mental hospital include St John's Church (Church of England) on the Grantham Road and the Methodist Church almost on the opposite side of the road. St John's primary school is also located on the same road along with a small parade of shops.

The village hall lies off Sleaford Road almost behind the John Bull Public House in the direction of Lincoln, previously it was situated behind St John's Church but this was taken over by the local Scout group (21st Lincoln) a number of years ago. Along the same road can be found the public library and the local police station.

A war memorial can be found at the junction of the Sleaford Road and the Grantham Road.

The 'Asylum' (St John's Mental Hospital) closed down in 1990 and was sold a few years later to a property developer who constructed nearly 1,000 new houses in the village. The original hospital buildings themselves are classified as Grade III listed buildings and are protected from demolition. During the redevelopment of the hospital site, a number of these protected buildings were refurbished and converted into flats and offices.

A large housing development was constructed at virtually the same time on the A15 Sleaford direction. The effect of these developments was to virtually double the size of the village.

Building work continues with a new housing development on the Grantham Road in the area of the old 'Texaco' petrol station . Almost opposite is the area of the now disused 'Pegasus' service and petrol station which is ear marked for development.

Modern Bracebridge Heath has three public houses. 'The Blacksmiths Arms' on the site of the blacksmith's shop run by William Coupland at the point where London Road forks into Sleaford Road (A15) and Grantham Road (A607). Opposite this on the western side of Grantham Road is the 'John Bull' public house. The last of the trio, 'The Homestead', is a relatively recent addition, a late-1990s building conversion of one the former hospital buildings which served originally as the hospital manger's residence.

The village is also home to the headquarters of the regional health authority, a local cricket club has its pitch within the grounds.

Within the area of the regional health authority on Sleaford Road is an open area known locally as 'The Hillies'. This area is currently farm land with a public footpath forming part of the 'Viking Way' running across. For many years this area, although privately owned, was partly given over to a rough and ready football pitch and a grazing area for sheep in the winter. The public had full access to this land but rumour has it that an irresponsible dog owner allowed a loose dog to worry sheep which led the land owner to turn it over to crops.

External links

*Bracebridge Heath is located at coord|53|11|43|N|00|32|02|W|¹.
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* [http://www.multimap.com/map//browse.cgi?client=public&X=497500&Y=367500&width=700&height=400&gride=496779.043880123&gridn=368189.135534111&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&in
]
* [http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=498000&Y=367000&gride=496779.043880123&gridn=368189.135534111&scale=25000&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&lang=&mapsize=big Aerial view of Bracebridge Heath]