Threekingham

Threekingham (sometimes Threckingham) is a village in mid-Lincolnshire, on the A52 Grantham to Boston road, near Sleaford, close to the A15 Threekingham Bar roundabout. Mareham Lane, the Roman Road aligned with King Street, crosses the A15 at Threekingham.

Geography

Close to the north is Spanby. It is in the district of North Kesteven.

History

Dominated by the Church of England parish church of St. Peter ad Vincula^[1] ("St Peter in chains"),^[2] the village of Threekingham lies seven miles south of Sleaford.

Folklore suggests that the village was originally called Laundon, but this was changed after the bloody battle fought near Threekingham, in either 869 or 870, between the Saxons (led by the earls Algar, Morcar and Leofric) and the invading Danes (during which three Danish kings and many of their followers were slain). What is more likely, however, is that the original settlement or ham was created more than 1300 years ago when the Saxon 'Trincinghas' tribe came to the area near to the crossroads of the Roman road (Mareham Lane) which was built as an offshoot of the Ermine Street to help defend the Car Dyke (6 km to the east of the village), and the more ancient Salters Way that joined the salt pans at Droitwich in the West Midlands to the Wash^[3]. The village pub is coincidentally called the Three Kings Inn

The Medieval Stow Fair was held nearby. It is possible that it was the site of the Early medieval nunnery, founded in the late 7th century by Saint Werburh and dedicated to Saint Æthelthryth, probably destroyed by the Danes circa 870.^[4]

There are ancient earthworks and a mound called Threekingham Beacon to the west of the village.^[5] The Post-medieval garden features overlie much older earthworks and tumuli. The remains of a moated manor are in Hall Lane.^[6]

There is a Whalebone Arch marking the entrance to Laundon Hall.

References

External links

• Village website