Irby in the Marsh

Bratoft is a small hamlet in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated approximately 5 miles (8 km) east from Spilsby, 2 miles (3 km) west from Burgh Le Marsh, and south from the A158 road. Bratoft Grade II listed Anglican church is dedicated to St Peter and St Paul. The church was completely restored in 1890. The octagonal font dates from the early 15th century, and the chancel screen and parclose screens date from about 1460. On the north wall of the tower interior hangs a picture of the Armada, signed "Robert Stephenson". Between pictorial elements for England, Scotland, Ireland and France is depicted the Armada as a red dragon. The text beneath states: Spaine's proud Armado with great strength and powerGreat Britain's state came gapeing to devour,This Dragon's guts, like Pharaos scattered hoast,Lay splitt and drowned upon the Irish coast.For of eight score save two ships sent from SpaineBut twenty-five scarce sound return'd again. Non nobis Domine In 1747 the preacher and biblical commentator Thomas Scott was born in Bratoft. Near Bratoft is Gunby Hall, a National Trust property open to the public, a red-brick house, dating from 1700, with Victorian walled gardens, which Tennyson described as a "haunt of ancient peace", It is alleged that Sir William Massingberd's daughter tried to elope with one of his postilion riders but her father shot the man dead. Sir William was sentenced to appear in London annually at which time the family coat of arms was smeared with blood. It proved too much so Sir William demolished the family seat at Bratoft Castle and built Gunby Hall in 1700. It's said the ghosts of his daughter and the man walk on the path near the hall. Also within the village is Whitegates Cottage, a small thatched cottage dating from c.1770. Bratoft Meadow is an area of semi-natural species rich grassland. In 1970 a fertilizer experiment was set up to examine the effect of different forms and rates of fertilizer application on the conservation value of this type of old meadow. The particular species of interest in this study was the Green-winged Orchid Orchis morio.

Firsby is a small rural linear village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated 30 miles (48 km) east from the city and county town of Lincoln, 4 miles (6.4 km) south-east from the nearest market town of Spilsby, and 7 miles (11 km) inland from the holiday resort town of Skegness. The village lies on the northern side of the waterway today known as the Steeping River, which is the lower element of the River Lymn that sources in the Lincolnshire Wolds. Firsby was once the location of one of the busiest railway stations on the East Coast of England. The 2001 census recorded a village population of 276, increasing slightly at the 2011 census to 278.

Thorpe Culvert railway station serves the village of Thorpe St Peter in Lincolnshire, England. It is situated 7 miles (11 km) from Skegness and 16.75 miles (27 km) from Boston. The station is now owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Railway who provide all rail services. A signal box is present at the West end of the station to supervise a level crossing, however, the station itself is unstaffed and offers limited facilities other than two shelters, bicycle storage, timetables and modern 'Help Points'. The full range of tickets for travel are purchased from the guard on the train at no extra cost, there are no retail facilities at this station.

Burgh-le-Marsh was a railway station on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the town of Burgh le Marsh in Lincolnshire between 1848 and 1970. It originally opened as Burgh, but was renamed in 1923. Withdrawal of goods facilities took place in 1966, followed by passenger services in 1970. The line through the station is now closed.

Thorpe St Peter is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, about 1 mile (1.6 km) north-west from the town of Wainfleet. Thorpe is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as having 33 households, two mills and a church.The parish church, dedicated to Saint Peter is a Grade I listed building dating from 1200 with later additions and alterations, and restored in the 19th century. It is built of greenstone and limestone. The west tower dates from the mid-14th century, and there is an early 13th-century font.Thorpe Culvert railway station was opened here in 1873.

Wainfleet St Mary is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated directly south of Wainfleet All Saints on the A52 road, 5 miles (8 km) south-west from Skegness and 14 miles (23 km) north-east from Boston. The 2001 Census recorded a population of 1,106, reducing to 1,025 at the 2011 census. It includes the hamlet of Wainfleet Bank.

Great Steeping is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated approximately 3 miles (5 km) from Spilsby. The parish includes the hamlet of Monksthorpe. There are two churches dedicated to All Saints, one being redundant and now known as Old All Saints. Old All Saints, built in 1748 on the site of a medieval church, and restored in 1908, is a Grade II* listed building. The Diocese of Lincoln declared it redundant in August 1973. In the grounds is the socket stone of a medieval churchyard cross which is an ancient scheduled monument.All Saints Church was built of red brick in 1891, after a design by William Bassett-Smith. It is Grade II listed, and has a listed churchyard cross.Great Steeping Primary School was built in 1859, and later run by the Great Steeping School Board from 1876 to 1903 as Great Steeping Board School.Kelsey Hall dates from 1854 but occupies the site of an earlier manor house which burnt down. It is first noted in 1507 as "Kelsayhall" and its name derives from the Kelsey family associated with Great Steeping. Old documents refer to "William de Kellessay in Steping" in 1299, and Ralph de Kelsay in 1327. Kelsey Hall is a private house.Great Steeping was also the base for RAF Spilsby, which originally was to be on the site of Gunby Park. However, after an appeal by Field Marshal Sir Archibald Montgomery-Massingberd of Gunby Hall to the King, the RAF Steeping airfield was built as RAF Spilsby. It opened in September 1943, and in 1944 RAF Spilsby, RAF Strubby, and RAF East Kirkby joined to become the newly formed 55 Base with headquarters at East Kirkby. In September 1944 RAF Spilsby became a station for two Lancaster squadrons, the 207 and 44. It was taken over by No 2 Armament Practice School from 1945 until November 1946, after which the station was placed on care and maintenance until 1955. It re-opened to host ground units of the USAF until they moved out in 1958.

Burgh le Marsh is a town and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.

Little Steeping is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, about 3 miles (5 km) south-east from the town of Spilsby The parish church is dedicated to Saint Andrew, and is a Grade II* listed building. It dates from the 14th century, with alterations in 1638 and 1701, and later restorations. A cross in the churchyard is Grade II listed and a scheduled monument.Little Steeping Parochial School opened in 1871 and was enlarged in 1904. It closed on 26 July 1963.The Little Steeping railway station opened on 2 October 1848 for the Great Northern Railway, and closed 15 June 1964. It had two narrow platforms with the main station buildings on the down side of the line, and the signalbox opposite on the up side.

Orby is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated approximately 9 miles (14 km) east from the town of Spilsby, and 5 miles (8 km) west from the seaside resort of Skegness. The civil parish includes the hamlet of Habertoft, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the north-west. Orby lies within the Lincolnshire coast marshes.

Little Steeping was a railway station on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the hamlet of Little Steeping in Lincolnshire between 1848 and 1964. It became a junction station in June 1913 when the Kirkstead and Little Steeping Railway was opened to provide a more direct route to Skegness for East Midlands holidaymakers. Withdrawal of passenger services took place in 1961, followed by goods facilities in 1964. The line through the station remains in use as the Poacher Line, although the Kirkstead and Little Steeping Railway closed throughout on 5 October 1970.

Batemans Brewery (George Bateman & Son Ltd) is an English brewery based at Salem Bridge Brewery in Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, and founded in 1874. The company owns 69 public houses, with 23 situated in Boston alone. The brewery focuses on cask conditioned ales, their best known being XB and XXXB. Their slogan is "Good Honest Ales".