Coordinates: 53°06′18″N 0°10′31″W / 53.1051°N 0.1752°W
| Coningsby | |
  Coningsby
 Coningsby shown within Lincolnshire |
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| Population | 3,238 (Parish) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | East Lindsey |
| Shire county | Lincolnshire |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LINCOLN |
| Postcode district | LN4 |
| Dialling code | 01526 |
| Police | Lincolnshire |
| Fire | Lincolnshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| European Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | Louth and Horncastle |
| List of places: UK • England • Lincolnshire | |
Coningsby (pronounced /ˈkʌnɪŋzbɪ/) is a village in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.
Contents |
Geography
Taking its name from the Welsh 'cwningen' meaning 'Rabbit's' town (with an Old Norse suffix), it lies 8 miles (13 km) south of Horncastle on the A153 Horncastle to Sleaford road, with the Lincolnshire Wolds on one side and the Fens on the other. The B1192 Kirton to Woodhall Spa road passes through the town. At its western end it adjoins with the village of Tattershall, demarcated by the River Bain. Before the late 1950s, a railway passed through the town. Pubs include the Black Swan and the White Bull which are both on High Street.
Education
Primary school
Coningsby St Michael's CE Primary School is on School Lane.
Secondary schools
There is a secondary modern school, the Gartree Community School on the other side of the river, near the speed camera on the A153.
There is also the Banovallum School in nearby Horncastle. For those attending these two schools, there is no sixth form.
Further education
The nearest FE college is in Boston - some distance.
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle provides sixth form education with enrollment open to pupils graduating both Gartree and Banovallum
In late March 2008, renovation on the Tattershall/Coningsby Library will include a small learning centre provided by Boston College.
Parish church
It is overseen by the impressive tower of its 15th century parish church, ‘St Michael's’ with its unique one-handed clock face. One of the few in the country (there is another at St Andrew's in Holt, Norfolk), it is thought to be the largest in the world. The face is painted directly onto the wall of the tower and was probably installed in the 17th century. It is 16.5 feet in diameter and its hand is nearly 9 feet long. The driving weights are large stones and the pendulum is so long that it swings only once every two seconds. The pendulum is not actually attached to the clock; it is some distance away, linked by a long connecting rod. There are only three wheels in the timekeeping mechanism but it keeps excellent time and needs winding once a day. The tower, on which the clock face is painted, is quite unusual in that it is on the outside of the building. There is an arched passage under the tower which is part of a public footpath through the churchyard.
RAF Coningsby
Half a mile (1 km) to the south of the village lies RAF Coningsby one of the Royal Air Force’s most important stations and home of No. XI Squadron, No. 3 Squadron, No. XVII Squadron and No. 29 Squadron. It is also home to an important feature of Britain’s heritage, for it is here that the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, formed in 1957 to commemorate the Royal Air Force's major battle honour is based; a Lancaster, five Spitfires, two Hurricanes and a Dakota. These aircraft are no museum pieces as they are still flying and can be seen at a variety of air shows in the summer months.
From 1950 RAF Coningsby was home to three squadrons of "Washingtons", the RAF name for the American B29 bombers and for at least the first 18 months these were maintained by technicians from the National Service. Most personnel were conscripted in the first instance for 18 months which was then stretched to 24 months because of their skill.
External links
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