Coordinates: 52°58′N 0°32′W / 52.97°N 0.54°W
| Ancaster | |
  Ancaster shown within Lincolnshire |
|
| Population | 1,317 (2001) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | South Kesteven |
| Shire county | Lincolnshire |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GRANTHAM |
| Postcode district | NG32 |
| Dialling code | 01400 |
| Police | Lincolnshire |
| Fire | Lincolnshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| European Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | Sleaford and North Hykeham |
| List of places: UK • England • Lincolnshire | |
Ancaster is a village in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England, on the site of the Roman town of "Causennae"
Ancaster Hall at The University of Nottingham is named after the parish and the, now extinct, title of the Earl of Ancaster.
Contents |
Geography
It is situated midway between Sleaford and Grantham on the A153 road at its junction with the B6403 (Ermine Street). North of the village, the B6403 (High Dike) is the dividing line between South and North Kesteven. Towards Sleaford is Wilsford and to the east is Sudbrook.
Amenities
Ancaster has a C.E. Primary School,[1] local shop, butchers, a small railway station on the Nottingham-Skegness line, post office, and two petrol stations. There are two pubs: the "Railway Inn", and the "Ermine Way", both on Ermine Street and also a Sports and Social Club, associated with the playing field.
West of the village on Willoughby Moor is the Woodland Waters Holiday Park on Willoughby Road. There are two nearby natures reserves, each a SSSI, with a type of flower, the Tall Thrift, unique to this area in the UK.
History
The parish church is dedicated to St Martin. There are many churches on Roman sites which are dedicated to St. Martin, the Roman soldier who converted to Christianity and later became Bishop of Tours. The Ancaster church stands slightly elevated on the Roman Road Ermine Street, on the site of a Roman temple. The church is for the first time documented in the year 1200 when Bishop Hugh's body rested there over night on the way to Lincoln. It has fine decorated Norman arches and an early English fond. The corbels are decorated with images of mevial folk: a drinking nun, an old woman, a farmer with medevial head dress. There is also a Green Man, a mouthpuller in the vestry and the remains of a Sheila na Gig can be found on the north side of the tower. On the woodden ceiling there are carvings of seeminly archaic figures. Two Roman relief sculptures have been found in the 1960 in the East Wall of the church.
Archaeology
During the Romano-British period, the Romans built a roadside settlement on the site of a Corieltauvi settlement. It was traditionally thought to have been named Causennis, although this is now believed to be Saltersford. Ancaster lies on Ermine Street, a major Roman road heading north from London. To the north-west of Ancaster is a Roman marching camp and some fourth century Roman earthworks are still visible. Excavations have found a cemetery containing more than 250 Roman burials, including 11 stone sarcophagi.
A Time Team excavation in 2002 revealed a cist bearing an inscription to the God Viridius. The dig also uncovered Iron Age to 3rd century pottery, a 1st century brooch and some of the Roman town wall.
See also
References
External links
- Time Team at Ancaster
- Ancaster historical summary (UK & Ireland Genealogy site)
- Richard Stillwell, ed. Princeton Encyclopaedia of Classical Sites, 1976: "Ancaster (Causennae), Lincolnshire, England"
- Moor Closes Nature Reserve
- Ancaster Valley Nature Reserve
- Ancaster Karting
- Table Tennis club
- Woodland Waters
News items
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