Open village event to discover Withcall's history

​A tiny but fascinating village will be opening to the public next month, where visitors can learn all about its illustrious history.
By Rachel Armitage
Published 27th Mar 2023, 00:00 BST
Organiser Struan Wiley will be opening his garden at The Old Rectory on Church Lane.Organiser Struan Wiley will be opening his garden at The Old Rectory on Church Lane.
Organiser Struan Wiley will be opening his garden at The Old Rectory on Church Lane.

​The village of Withcall will be opening on Saturday April 15, where guests will be able to explore the village’s landmarks and learn about the village’s past, and its links to famed poet Tennyson.

Withcall is the highest land on the east coast at 500ft above sea level, and dates back to around 82-410AD when it was known as Vit-cala.

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In 1086, the village was owned by the Bishop of Bayeux (of the Bayeux tapestry), and has been owned by many famous people over the years – including Sir Joseph Banks in the 1700s.

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Elizabeth Tennyson, mother of Lord Alfred Tennyson, was born in Withcall and her father, Stephen Fythce, was the rector of the church, St Martin’s.

Withcall also boasts a rare Roman relic – a flour milling stone – which is believed to date back to 300-400BC, and was found in 1955 in a field in the village.

Situated on the former Louth to Bardney railway line, Withcall also boasts the longest railway tunnel in Lincolnshire at 900 yards long, which was closed in 1956 and has since become an SSSI due to its high bat population.

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During the open village event, guests will be able to enjoy a farm ride to see this railway tunnel, which will also pass the war memorial.

This was erected to commemorate two Polish Mosquito airmen who crashed near Withcall’s railway line on return from Operation Market Garden in 1944 – depicted in the 1977 film A Bridge Too Far, starring Sean Connery, Michael Caine, and Laurence Olivier.

Withcall will be opening from 1pm to 5pm, entry is £5 and children go free, with all proceeds in aid of St Martin’s Church.

There will be a Spitfire air display at 3pm (weather permitting), and various homes will be open with activities going on during the afternoon.

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Organiser Struan Wiley will be opening his garden at The Old Rectory on Church Lane, where guests can view his Millennium garden and folly, which boasts 85 different varieties of daffodil.

Withcall House will be offering an Orchard walk, and the Henry Smith's Farm Museum at Home Farm will also be open.