RAF Bracebridge Heath

Bracebridge Heath
Village and civil parish
Country	England
Region	East Midlands
County	Lincolnshire
District	North Kesteven
Civil parish established	1 April 1898
Area
• Total	Template:Infobox settlement/areadisp
Population  (2011 census)
• Total	5,656
• Density	Template:Infobox settlement/densdisp
Time zone	UTC+0 (GMT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (BST)

Bracebridge Heath is a village and civil parish situated within the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. Positioned approximately 2 miles south of Lincoln, it lies along the boundary dividing Lincoln from North Kesteven.

The settlement is located where two primary roads intersect: the A15, leading towards Sleaford, and the A607, which heads to Grantham. Historically, Bracebridge Heath was part of the Boothby Graffoe wapentake in the Kesteven division.

Perched atop Lincoln Cliff, the village commands views over Lincoln city and the River Witham valley. The civil parish recorded a population of 4,530 in the 2001 census, which rose to 5,656 by the 2011 census.

History

Prior to 1898, Bracebridge Heath was encompassed within the parish of Bracebridge. The name Bracebridge possibly derives from Old English terms braesc and brycg, meaning 'a bridge or causeway constructed from branches'. This theory gains support from the proximity of the River Witham, situated about one mile to the west.

The village appears in the Domesday Book under the name "Brachebrige". Before the Norman Conquest, lordship was held by Ulf Fenman; following this period, Bishop Geoffrey of Coutances assumed both lordship and tenant-in-chief roles.

Bracebridge Heath occupies a position on the historic Roman Ermine Street, a route spanning roughly 200 miles from London to York. The main road junction within Bracebridge Heath marks where three Roman roads converge—now represented by the A15 (Sleaford Road), A607 (Grantham Road), and Cross O'Cliffe Hill leading into Lincoln. Extending northward from its last visible segment near Harmston, Ermine Street passes through Waddington before continuing along Heath Road in Bracebridge Heath.

According to White's 1876 account of Lincolnshire, the parish covered around 1,482 acres and formed part of Boothby Graffoe wapentake. It included notable sites such as the Lincoln County Lunatic Asylum on Sleaford Road, All Saints' Church, and a vicarage. At that time, the population numbered 340 individuals, including prominent residents such as:

• Thomas Allen, MD (affiliated with the Asylum)
• William Andrew, Solicitor
• Rev. William Bromehead BA, Vicar
• William Coupland, Blacksmith and Beerhouse proprietor
• William Green, Blacksmith
• George Kirkup, Steward of the Asylum
• William Mills, associated with Wards Brickyard
• Edward Palmer, MD and Superintendent of the Asylum
• George Wheatley, Carpenter
• Charles White, Pattern and Clog Maker
• John Wollfit, Licensed Victualler at The John Bull
• Thomas Butler, Farmer
• Charles Clarke, Farmer
• Edwin Scrivener, Farmer
• William Toulson, Farmer
• Mrs Mary Winn, Post and Carrier operating from Lincoln
• Harry Webber, Farmhand at Hall Farm

Present day

Since White's 1876 account, Bracebridge Heath has undergone significant transformation. The village's limits have expanded northward toward Lincoln and southward in the direction of Waddington.

The parish of Bracebridge Heath was established on 1 April 1898 by a Local Government Order (Kesteven), carved out from the entire parish of Bracebridge. Since its formation, the parish boundaries have largely remained unchanged, aside from a single minor modification.

A notable feature in the area is the intricately crafted stone water pumping station and reservoir situated on Grantham Road, commonly referred to as 'The Water Tower' to distinguish it from the white 'Hospital water tower.' The latter served as a header tank for the hospital laundry boilers and was a well-known landmark until its demolition in 2014.

Constructed in 1912, this underground reservoir is mostly hidden except for its visible 'pumping machinery tower.' It functioned as an overflow facility for the main reservoir located at Westgate Water Tower, replacing an older open-air reservoir on London Road built in 1871 and decommissioned in 1925. From 1912, the old reservoir remained filled with water as a fire emergency reserve for the Asylum until the new 'Hospital' water tower was connected to the mains in 1925. After that, it stood empty and deteriorated until being filled in and built over in 1972; today, this site is known as Stanley Crescent.

Buildings

Besides the former chapel of the old mental hospital, now converted into private residences, there are several churches including St John's Church (Church of England) on Grantham Road and the Methodist Church located nearly opposite it. Additionally, the Deeper Life Bible Church serves the community. St John's primary school—originally Bracebridge Heath County Primary School founded in 1880 and now an Academy—is also situated on Grantham Road, alongside a small cluster of shops and opposite a modern shopping centre.

Close to Sleaford Road (A15) heading toward Lincoln stands the village hall, tucked just behind 'The Bull' Public House (previously known as the 'John Bull'). Prior to this hall’s construction in the 1970s, church functions were held in the church hall behind St John's Church. In the early 1980s, this church hall became headquarters for the local Scout group (21st Lincoln), after being purchased by a local benefactor who generously donated it to them.

A police station once operated on Whitehall Crescent; it was expanded and refurbished in June 2012 before undergoing further renovations and eventually being repurposed as a nursery. Adjacent to this nursery is a public library. On London Road, residents can also access a Medical Centre and GP Surgery.

A war memorial dating from 1921 with an accompanying Remembrance garden is positioned on the eastern side of the intersection where Sleaford, London, and Grantham Roads meet.

St John the Evangelist's Church

Church of St John The Evangelist's Church, Bracebridge Heath

St John The Evangelist's Church in Bracebridge Heath originated as a mission church affiliated with All Saints Church, Bracebridge. Constructed between 1908 and 1910, its design was created by Charles Hodgson Fowler from Durham. Initially serving the residents of Bracebridge Heath before it became an independent civil parish in 1971—separating from Bracebridge—the area later joined the City of Lincoln jurisdiction in 1974. Meanwhile, Bracebridge Heath became part of North Kesteven district during that same year. The church remains active within the Deanery of Lincoln, continuing to serve local community needs.

St John's Hospital

St John's Hospital

St John's Hospital ceased operations in December 1989. Subsequently, the property was acquired by a real estate developer who constructed 183 upscale homes and apartments on the premises. The original hospital structures have been designated as Grade II listed buildings.

Public houses

There are three pubs located within Bracebridge Heath. 'The Blacksmiths Arms', now simply known as 'The Blacksmiths', occupies the site of a Victorian-era blacksmith’s workshop and beerhouse established by William Green’s family, a farmer from Harmston, in 1852. This establishment is positioned where London Road splits into Sleaford Road (A15) and Grantham Road (A607). After remaining unused for several years, it has undergone recent refurbishment and reopened. Opposite this, on Grantham Road’s western side, stands the 'John Bull', which was renamed 'The Bull' in 2007. The earliest recorded spirit license for this venue was issued to Thomas Spain on 16 October 1849. 'The Homestead' pub is housed in a building converted in the late 1990s from one of the former hospital structures originally serving as the Superintendent’s residence, constructed in 1906 for Dr. Thomas Leonard Johnston.

Facilities

The village hosts the headquarters of the regional Area Health Authority, situated around 'Cross O'Cliffe Court', a residence built in 1908-09 by Arthur Crookes Newsum J.P., a member of the Newsum family formerly involved in wood merchandising.

West of London Road (A15) lies an expanse of open land locally known as 'The Hillies'. Although owned privately by the Church, it functioned for many years as informal common land utilized for sheep grazing, dog walking, and an improvised village football pitch. A public footpath forming part of The Viking Way traverses this area. In recent years, this land has been repurposed for agricultural crop cultivation.

Sport and Leisure

Bracebridge Heath Cricket Club (2012)

Cricket

Founded in 1948, Bracebridge Heath Cricket Club plays its home matches at Cross O'Cliff Court. The club boasts an impressive record with twelve championship titles in the Lincolnshire County Board Premier League and secured the Lincoln & District Sunday League championship in 2023.

Bracebridge Heath fields four senior squads: their first team competes in the Lincolnshire County Board Premier League, recognized as an ECB Premier League, while the second team plays within the Lincolnshire County League. Additionally, two Sunday teams participate in the Lincoln & District League. The club also maintains a junior training section that competes competitively in the Lincoln Youth Cricket League.

Viking Way

The Viking Way is a long-distance footpath stretching approximately 147 miles (237 km) from the Humber Bridge to Oakham. It passes along the cliff edge situated to the west of the village.

RAF Bracebridge Heath

Originally established in 1916, the aerodrome at Bracebridge Heath served the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and was associated with the Robey-Peters aircraft factory. This facility was used for producing and flight-testing both proprietary designs and licensed Sopwith aircraft.Template:Fix/category Around 1919–1920, RAF Bracebridge Heath underwent expansion and became home to No. 121 Squadron RAF as well as No. 4 Aircraft Acceptance Park RAF.

During the Second World War, an aircraft repair unit managed by A V Roe and Co Ltd operated at Bracebridge Heath. This unit specialized in salvaging damaged components from Avro Lancaster bombers that would otherwise have been discarded, refurbishing them for reuse, thereby supporting the bomber campaign against Nazi Germany.Template:Fix/category An MAP B.1 style hangar from this era remained standing as of 2014.

A Grade II listed triple-bay Belfast truss aircraft hangar, constructed circa 1917, was once located here but was demolished in 2001 due to safety concerns.Template:Fix/category However, two other single-bay Belfast truss hangars that had been altered and re-clad continued to exist.

Further reading

Walls, John & Parker, Charles (2000) ‘Aircraft Made in Lincoln’ (The Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, ISBN 0-903582-16-3).

External links

• Media related to Bracebridge Heath at Wikimedia Commons
• [1] Bracebridge Heath Parish Council
• "Bracebridge", Genuki.org.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2011
• "Bracebridge Asylum", Genuki.org.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2011
• Template:OpenDomesday