Moulton, Lincolnshire

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Moulton is the primary village of an extensive Fenland parish, over 16 miles in length, and encompassing the smaller hamlets/villages of Moulton Chapel, Moulton Seas End and Moulton Eaugate.

Situated between Spalding and Holbeach, Moulton has many characteristics associated with English villages. Its main foci are the All Saints' church, known as "The Queen of the Fens", and Moulton Windmill, the tallest tower mill in the United Kingdom.

All Saints' Church was built in about 1180, instigated by Prior John of Spalding. It took approximately 60 to 70 years to build, and was heavily restored from 1866 to 1867 by William Smith. The church has a particularly wonderful rood screen, dating from around 1425. There is an intriguing headstone in the floor of the church, which is that of Prudence Corby, who apparently died on "July 36 1793". No explanation has been offered for its existence.

Moulton windmill, built in 1822, functioned, grinding wheat and other products, until 1995 despite losing its sails in 1895. The "Friends of Moulton Mill" was established to restore the Grade I listed mill to full working order. After the mill featured on the first series of BBC2's Restoration, the project won a large Heritage Lottery Fund grant, which, along with many charity fundraising events has meant that campaign has succeeded. A café and shop has also been built, and the mill has disabled access, allowing disabled visitors to see some of the mill's inner workings.

Moulton once had a castle, but now nothing more is visible above ground except a small mound of earth. It is reported that some of the stone from the castle was used to build at least part of the church at nearby Holbeach.

John Harrox founded a grammar school in Moulton in 1562, which closed in 1939 when the pupils transferred to Spalding. The school buildings still exist but are now private residences. The John Harrox Primary School commemorates his endowment as does the name of the sports club, Moulton Harrox.

There are many fine buildings reminiscent of the town-house style. Moulton also had a railway station, situated between Spalding and Holbeach, but this is no longer in service. The station buildings remain but are now private residences, but some of the old platform structures still exist.

During the 1970's Moulton was home to an astronomical observatory, the dome became something of a local landmark. The observatory was relocated to Sussex in the early 1980's.^{[citation needed]}

Located nearby, just off the A151, is the Elloe Stone, believed to mark the site of the moot of the Elloe wapentake in Danish times.

On July 28, 2005, a mini-tornado swept through the village, damaging the church roof and some other properties in the vicinity, depositing glass tens of metres away. The tornado is believed to be the first known local occurrence of such a meteorological phenomenon.

[edit] References

Kaye, David (1995). Lincolnshire, A Shire County Guide. Shire Publications Ltd. ISBN 0-7478-0271-8.
Elsden, Michael J. (2000). Aspects of Spalding Villages. Bookmark, The Crescent, Spalding. ISBN 0-9539582-0-5.