Sleaford manor house's rich history explored

Old Places, New Perspectives is a new book by Old Sleaford Heritage Group (OSHG), created as part of an archaeological project, funded by a £56,000 Heritage Lottery grant.

The book details the intriguing and sometimes turbulent history of Old Place (originally known as Manor Place), located on Boston Road in Sleaford.

One of the most interesting aspects of the book looks at how one of Henry VIII’s most influential advisers, his chief butler, the 1st Baron John Hussey, was himself from Sleaford and lived at Old Place, and how he celebrated Christmas nearly 500 years ago at Old Place with dozens of guests.

The sumptuous banquets featured a boars’ head, whole oxen, swans and cranes, and performances by nine troupes of travelling players and a harpist brought in from Newark.

Lord Hussey was ultimately beheaded in 1537 after he was implicated in the Lincolnshire Uprising, which began in northern England in 1536 in response to the king’s dissolution of the monasteries and breaking from the Catholic Church.

As well as being Lord Hussey's seat during his years in power at the Tudor court, Old Place then went on to become a home for wounded soldiers in World War 1 and a military headquarters in World War 2.

OSHG spokesman Dr Wendy Atkin said: "There was originally going to be just a small booklet on the history of Old Place, but I knew there was enough material for a whole book."

Dr Atkin said that the research involved a wide variety of sources, including archaeological reports, wills and inventories of the inhabitants of the house and even the Domesday Book.

"For the later history, sources included local newspapers for 1914 to 1918, and I used the British Red Cross volunteers database online for information on the nurses who looked after the wounded soldiers," said Dr Atkin, "Other sources include the census returns, electoral rolls and trade directories.

"The most interesting set of documents, however, are the household accounts of Lord Hussey for the 1530s, which entailed a visit to the National Archives to photograph the volumes."

The book costs £15 plus £4 for postage. You can order your copy by visiting Heritage Lincolnshire's website at

www.heritagelincolnshire.org/shop/books/old-place-new-perspectives