The parish held by Gilbert de Gaunt in 1086

A very, very brief potted description... In Roman times one of the major roads was Ermine Street, running northwards through Bourne, Sleaford  and Lincoln. In the dark ages it was under the control of the Danish invaders, called the Danelaw.      Lincolnshire is the second largest of the Shires of England . It is divided into 3 parts - Kesteven, Holland and Lindsey. In early times from the 11th century Kesteven was divided into 11 Wapentakes [later 9] . Graffoe, Boby, Langoe, Flaxwell,Loveden, Threo, Winnibrigg, Beltisloe, Aveland, Ness and Aswardhurn.  Graffoe and Boby [Boothby],  Winnibrigg and Threo were combined to make the 9.   Heckington was in the Wapentake of Aswardhurn.        For description of the Aswardhurn Wapentake go to the link.

A description of Heckington from the History & gazeteer & directory of Lincs 1856

HECKINGTON, one of the largest and neatest villages in Lincolnshire, is pleasantly situated on a commanding eminence, overlooking the fens, on the Swineshead road, 5 miles E by S of Sleaford, and 18 miles W of Boston.  Its parish is from 1 to 2 miles broad, and 6 miles long, extending five miles east of the village, where it has a large tract of low, but now well drained fen, crossed by the Roman Car-Dyke.   It increased its population from 1042 souls in 1801 to 1581 in 1851; and comprises 5049 acres of land, including many scattered houses on the fen, and the small hamlets of Garwick, 2.1/2 miles E,; Oat Sheaf, 3.1/2 miles E,; and Six Hundreds, adjoining Holland Fen, 4 miles E by N of the village.                                                    A sheep and cattle fair is held at heckington on October 10th, but the April fair formerly held here, is now obsolete.   Henry Handley, Esq., is lord of the manor of Heckington, but a great part of the parish belongs to the Scott, Godson, Christopher, Leivesley, Kelham, and other families.        Winkhill, nearly a mile N.E. of Heckington is the small manor and seat of John Christopher Esq, whose mansion stands on the site of an ancient moated house, which was taken down in 1750.   Holmes House farm, near the Car Dyke, belongs to the occupier, Mr Benj Leivesley, and had a very ancient mansion, which was taken down about 45 years ago, when some curious armour was found. The parish church [St Andrew] is a large and magnificent structure, built about the reign of Edward 11, and consistingof a lofty western tower and spire, a nave with side aisles, a spacious transept, and a large chancel, with a vestry on the north side.  It is built throughout in the decorated style, but its original beautifull proportions have been destroyed by a low roof, which obscures the noble chancel arch, but leaves the large east windows perfect on the outside.  The nave has a well-proportioned clerestory, and one of its windows is filled with ancient stained glass.   The font is hexagonal, with richly decorated niches.  In the chancel is an elaborately sculptured sedilia, and a beautiful representation of the Holy Sepuchre, and Christ rising from the Tomb, all in fine preservation, and enriched with niches, foliage, and small figures.  Here is also a double piscina, under highly enriched Gothic arches; and an arched tomb, in which lies the effigy of an ecclesiastic, the vestments of which are remarkably well executed.   The south transeptis called the Winkhill aisle, being the burial place of the owners of that manor.   The tower contains a good clock and six bells.  The vicarage, valued at K B £12-0s-3d, and now at £300 is in the patronage of Major Skipworth, and incumbency of the Rev Chas de la Cour M.A.  The tithes were commuted at the enclosure in 1764 for allotments of land, and a small tithe rent.  The vicarage house was built in 1820, and is a commodious brick building.  The National School was established in 1845.   The Baptists, the Wesleyans [built 1835] and the Wesleyan Reformers [built 1852] have small chapels in the village;  and the Wesleyans have a smaller one in the fen, near Six Hundreds.   Mr Handley's grandfather purchased the manor of the Heron family.   In Domesday survey it is called Eschintune, and it was then mostly held by Gilbert de Gaunt, Wm de Latimer, and others.   Henry Brookor Broke, the ninth Lord Cobham of his family, was seated here, and was attainted, with his brother george, for high treason, in the reign of James 1; when the latter was beheaded; but the life of his lordship was spared, and after living some years in poverty and misery, he died in 1619.   The title was revived in 1645, when John Brooke, the nephew of the late baron, was created Baron Cobham, but it became extinct on his death without issue in 1651.   It now forms one of the titles of the Duke of Buckingham, a cllaterel descendant of the Cobhams, who were long seated at heckington Hall, which stood a little south of the village, near a mound called Butts Hill, which was partly levelled in 1815, when human bones, an urn, and several spear heads were found in it.   Near the same place, several skeletons and pieces of armour were found a few years afterwards.  The old hall was taken down many years ago.  In 1720, Wm Taylor bequeathed to the poor of Heckington four cottages in the village, a house and 12 acres of land at garwick, and five acres called Star Fen.   Two of the cottages were burned down about 1835, and the other twoare occupied rent-free by poor widows.  The house and land are let for £25 per annum, which is distributed among the poor who do not receive parochial relief.

Heckington's National Grid Reference - TF1444

The population of Heckington in 1801 was 1042,   in 1841 was 1558, in 1851 was 1566,  in 1871 was 1865,   in 1911 was 1666

The Union Workhouse covering Heckington and district was the Sleaford Union, details of this go to links page

Go to this link for an Aerial Map of Heckington

An O.S. map of about 1824 with additions up to 1890 can be seen on this link

The densly populated area of Back street -now the northern part of Eastgate had no sanitation until 1889 and the only water was from a public pump.

The present Eastgate used to be called Back Street(the northern end) and Copewall street

The present St Andrews Street used to be called Chapel Street

The present Cameron Street used to be called St Andrews Street (also Chapman Street at one time)

There are some excellent photographs of Heckington railway station on this link, and details of the Museum.                                                                                            Also a picture of the famous 8-sail windmill

The National school was built in 1846 (probably replacing an earlier one from about 20 years earlier), a Mr George Bankes left £100 in trust to go the school.

The school was rebuilt in 1873 to take 270 pupils and re-named the Public Elementary School(during rebuilding the classes were taken in the Temperance Hall)

Go to the Directories  page for Directory entries for Heckington.

A description of Heckington  1882

HECKINGTON one of the largest villages in Lincolnshire, is pleasantly situated on an eminence, overlooking the fens, on the Swineshead road, 5 miles E. by S. of Sleaford, and 13 miles W. of Boston. The  parish is from one to two miles broad, and six miles long extending five miles E. of the village, where there is a large tract of low but well drained fen crossed by the Roman CarDyke. It is in the Parts of Kesteven, Sleaford Union, county council district and petty sessional division, Ashwardhurn Wapentake, Heckington polling district of South Lincolnshire, and Lafford (No 2) rural deanery of Lincoln archdeaconry.  It's rateable value is 10,595, and it contained 1766 inhabitants in 1881, and comprises 5720 acres of land, and includes the small hamlets of Garwick, 2 ½ miles east; East Heckington, 3 ½ miles E.; and Six Hundreds, Adjoining Holland fen, 4 miles E. by N. of the village.  A sheep  and cattle fair is hold at Heckington on Oct 10, but the April fair, formerly held here, is now obsolete. The Executors of B. W. Smith, Esq., are lordsof the manor of Heckington but a great part of the parish belongs to the Little, Godson, Tennant, Packe, Christopher, Levesley, Sharpe, Rippon, Kelham, and other families. Winkhill, nearly a mile N.E. of Heckington, is a small manor, belonging to Mr. Martin Christopher, whose house stands on the moated site of an ancient one, taken down in 1780.  Holmes House farm, near the CarDyke, belongs to Mr. Benjamin Levesley, and stands in the place of an older one, which was taken down about 60 years ago.   The Parish Church (St. Andrew) is a large and magnificent structure, built in the reign of Edward III consisting of a lofty tower and spire, a nave with clerestory, north and south aisles, north and south transepts, and a large chancel, with a vestry on the north side. It is wholly of the Decorated style. For a long time it's beauty was marred by the loss of it's high pitched roof, but this has been renewed, and other improvements have been carried out. The nave has a well-proportioned clerestory, and its west window is filled with fragments of old painted glass. The font, which is hexagonal, is enriched with highly decorated niches. In the chancel are elaborately sculptured sedilia, and a beautiful representation of the Holy Sepulchre, about 10  feet high and 5feet 6 inches broad, with a representation of Christ rising from the Tomb, in fair preservation, and enriched with  niches, foliage, and figures. Here is also a double piscina, under highly enriched arches; and an arched tomb, under which lies the effigy of an ecclesiastic, in eucharistic vestments.  The south transept is called the Winkhill aisle. The tower contains a good clock and eight bells, two having been added in 1881 through the liberality of E. Godson, Esq. The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £12 6s 3d., and now at £350, is in the patronage of William Allison, Esq., and incumbency of the Rev. George Thomas Cameron, M.A. The tithes wore commuted at the enclosure in 1764 for allotments of land. The vicarage house was built in 1820, and is a commodious brick building. The National School was established 1846. There is a chapelofease, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and a school at East Heckington, near Six Hundreds. The Baptists, the Wesleyans and the Wesleyan Reformers have small chapels in the village, the Primitive Methodists one in the Fen, and the Free Methodists one at East Heckington. A GAS COMPANY has been formed herewith a capital of   I800, in 10 shares; Mr. S. Barnes is the manager. In Domesday survey the parish is called Eschintune, and was then held of the Grown by Gilbert do Gaunt. In the reign of James 1, Henry Brooke or Broke, the ninth Lord Cobham, of Heckington, and his brother George wore attainted for high treason, the latter was beheaded, but the former was spared, and after living some years in poverty, he died in 1619. The title was revived in 1645, when John Brooke, the nephew of the late baron, was created Baron Cobham; but it became extinct on his death, without issue, in 1651. It now forms one of the titles of the Duke of Buckingham, a collateral descendant of the Cobhams, who were long seated at Heckington Hall, which stood a little south of the village, near a mound called Butts Hill, which was partly levelled in 1815, when some human bones, an urn and several spear heads were found in it. The old  hall was taken down many years ago. In 1720 William Taylor bequeathed to the poor of Heckington four cottages in the village, a bones and 12 acres of land at Garwick, and 5 acres in Star Fen. Two of the cottages wore burned down about 1835, but the other two are occupied by poor widows. The house and land are let for £25 per annum, which is distributed among the poor who do not receive Parochial relief. Miss Rebecca Packe left the interest of £90 14s. 3d, vested in the three per cent, Consols, to be distributed amongst the most deserving and necessitous poor of the parish, at the discretion of the vicar and churchwardens for the time being. The late Moses Frank Esq., M.R.C.S., built, and at his death bequeathed to the parish, a commodious hall for temperance and other purposes of a like nature. A Cemetary comprising an acre and half of land with two mortuary chapels, was formed in 1870 ;  Mr. James Barnes is clerk to the Burial Board.POST, Money Order and Telegraph Office and Savings Bank at Mr. M. 0. Summer's. Letters arrive at 9.15 a.m., and are despatched at 4.25 p.m. via Sleaford; and at Mr. E. Scott's, East Heckington, where letters arrive at 9.30 a.m., and are despatched at 12.4.0 p.m., v!& Swineshead, Spalding.