ASTERBY AND GOULCEBY PARISH COUNCIL
https://asterby-goulceby.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk
Parish Council Business
The last meeting of the Council took place on 10th December at All Saints, Goulceby, which was reported in the last magazine. Therefore, there is no further Parish Council business to report.
Next Parish Council Meeting
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held in All Saints Church, Goulceby on Wednesday 18thMarch at 6.30pm. Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting.
New email for the Parish Clerk
In line with new guidance a new gov.uk email has been set up for the Clerk and Responsible Finance Officer. Parish Councillor email addresses will remain unchanged. The website has already been updated as much as possible, policies will be updated as they are renewed and the agendas and minutes will be amended from March 2026 with the new email.
The new email is: Clerk@asterbygoulceby-pc.gov.uk
Parish Council Vacancies
As previously reported, there are still three vacancies on the Parish Council, and should anyone be interested in becoming a Parish Councillor they should contact the Parish Clerk (Diane De Halle) by emailing Diane at Clerk@asterbygoulceby-pc.gov.uk
The current councillors are:
Jon Mold (Chair) - Sycamore Lodge, Goulceby
Ian Taylor - Lavoir, Goulceby
Graham Johnson - Lindores, Goulceby
Contact details are on the Council’s website which can be found at:
https://asterby-goulceby.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/
Temporary Road Closures
1. Road Closure Order - Main Road (Between Shoe Lane & Horncastle Road)
Telegraph Pole replacement:
Period of restriction: 20/03/2026 - 20/03/2026 06:00 to 18:00
(Restrictions to be implemented for 1 day as and when required during this period, signage detailing accurate dates and times will be displayed on site in advance)
2. Road Closure Order - Butt Lane (Between 50m & 100m Southwest of Shop Lane)
Stop tap replacements:
Period of restriction: 05/03/2026 - 09/03/2026
Flood Monitoring Equipment in Goulceby Village
Lincolnshire County Council has identified our Parish as one of the areas that may benefit from flood monitoring devices. The location currently proposed by the Council is adjacent to the bridge (water course/beck) at the bottom of Watery Lane, Goulceby. The equipment is a tube that goes to the river bed and attaches to the masonry. This will be set at the lowest point and the river bank will be set as the second point. After installation we will have an account login to access the data.
There will then be a meeting for any interested residents with a demo’ when it goes live, then the public will have access.
The Ford is being looked at as another possible second monitor location.
These devices will:
- Monitor water levels year-round in ordinary watercourses
- Feed data into an online dashboard accessible to residents
- Deliver a simple alarm when water reaches predetermined levels
Once the devices are installed a drop-in session will be arranged for residents in order to:
- Share more details about the flood alarm system
- Encourage residents to discuss their flooding experiences
- Discuss possible property flood resilience (PFR) measures
- Allow and encourage residents to register for free flood alarms
These devices DO NOT replace the existing Environmental Agency systems, they are merely there to compliment it by monitoring other watercourses as well as the river, and providing a holistic view of the water network across the county.
Local Government Reorganisation
The government’s consultation on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) for Greater Lincolnshire has now started.
You will remember that we submitted our ‘Your Lincolnshire’ proposal for one unitary authority for Lincolnshire, last year. Other proposals were also put forward and they can all now be viewed at www.GreaterLincolnshireLGRhub.org
All four proposals are out for consultation at the same time and you can take part on the government's consultation website before 26th March.
The government will also be specifically asking key stakeholders, including the Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils (LALC), for their views.
Following the consultation, the government will make a decision about which proposal to take forward. In the meantime, a number of workstreams are underway between all councils to look at what will need to be done to take LGR forward, whichever model is chosen.
Three Horseshoes – Goulceby Re-opening after winter
The village pub will be re-opening after the long damp winter on Friday 20th March 2026.
All Saints Church Goulceby
The newly restored harmonium has been ably played by Ken at three church services now; so good to hear it after years of neglect. The church has been used for some community events too. The monthly coffee mornings have continued successfully through the winter months, attracting villagers and some from further afield. The first of the Four Seasons Breakfast and walk was held on one of the few sunny days in January. Marcelle’s bacon or sausage baps were very popular, with some visitors enjoying breakfast, a walk, then second breakfast! The Spring breakfast and walk will be on 18th April. We look forward to welcoming you soon!
Goulceby Village Defibrillator
Just a reminder that the village has a fully maintained and registered Defibrillator which is located in the porch of the Three Horseshoes. In the event that the defib’ is needed, dial 999, give the location (Three Horseshoes, Shoe Lane, Goulceby, LN11 9WA) and the cabinet access code will be provided.
St Peter’s Church Churchyard, Asterby
As previously reported in this newsletter, the churchyard at Asterby St Peter’s needs stewards. Since the last edition, the churchyard has been cleared sensitively, paid for by a Councillor’s Community Grant via local District Councillor Daniel Simpson, and a grant from the Asterby Group Parochial Church Council. We are now looking for some enthusiastic people to look after the churchyard as a local amenity, and in line with current priorities at local and national level, in a way that encourages wildlife and biodiversity. Similar churchyards in other parts of the country have secured grants to provide advice and materials to develop the space around churches for this purpose. Are you local to Asterby or Goulceby? Do you have a connection with St Peter’s? Or do you know someone that does? Are you interested in conservation, biodiversity and the environment? Do you want to help preserve our outdoor heritage? Would you be willing to be part of a project to look after the churchyard at St Peter’s for future generations? Please contact Neil Walker on 07771 861202 if the answer to any of the above is yes, or you just want to know a little more.
‘NO UNEXPECTED CALLERS OR VISITORS’ signs
‘Able Community Care’ have advised the Parish Council that door/window notices are available for households which do not wish to receive uninvited or unexpected callers. These can be obtained by calling 01603 764567 or by visiting the website https://www.ablecommunitycare.com/
The Parish Council Clerk will also be holding some of these notices which will be available to collect. Please make contact using the new email as stated above.
Additional information on WWI and WWII Local History
The Parish Council has recently received further details regarding Asterby and Goulceby in WW1 and WW2 relating to residents either born or connected to the villages through family. We have also received further details on the two Hurricanes which crashed in mid-air over Asterby after a night patrol over Mablethorpe and the Wellington Crew from RAF Snaith which crashed at Asterby Top Farm – all the details will be collated and added to the website as an additional page to “Asterby and Goulceby Remembers”. A great deal of work has already been compiled and we are grateful for this additional information received from Lincolnshire County Council – Historic and Culture departments.
The following link will also be added: https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/88624; which details the ‘Asterby and Goulceby Book of Remembrance’ on the Imperial War Museum’s War Memorials Register website, which is a copy of the WWI information held at Goulceby All Saints Church.
Anyone wishing to see the records of the inscriptions from Asterby St Peters Church can access these via a copy of ‘A History of All Saints Church Goulceby’ for £4 via Goulceby Church.
The Parish Council have installed planters on Goulceby road bridge to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II, received a portrait of King Charles III and installed two new notice boards. As we have a memorial plaque for WWI in Goulceby All Saints Church, we have been looking at a memorial for WWII to commemorate those who lost their lives, if anyone has any thoughts or suggestions on this, please contact the Clerk.
We have been closely working with LCC Cultural Services in locating the old records for Asterby churchyard. In the meantime can we please ask if there is anyone in Goulceby or Asterby with knowledge of the records from the 1980’s on how they were compiled in relation to the churchyard to get in touch with the Parish Clerk. This is to try and establish their location. We are particularly interested in the location of the Jollands family plot and find the WWI memorial for Billie Jollands.
WWI 1914 – 1918
Moses Griffin (service no. 13508) - Private, 6th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment. Son of Moses and Mary Ann Griffin, of Roughton, Woodhall Spa. Possibly born in Goulceby (detailed in the Goulceby 1911 Census), enlisted Baumber, resident Woodhall Spa. Died 29th November 1915, aged 29. Buried at Azmac Cemetery, Sulva, Turkey, I. D. 8. Commemorated Hemingby St. Margaret and Roughton St. Margaret.
William Smith (service no. 13817) - Private, 7th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, born Goulceby, enlisted Louth, resident North Elkington. Died of wounds 17th February 1916 (16th in SDGW), buried Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, II. B. 41., commemorated Louth United Methodist and Tathwell W.M.
William is already detailed in our WWI “Asterby and Goulceby Remembers”.
Henry William Stones Smith (service no. 203109) - Private, 2/4th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action 26th September 1917. Aged 30 years. Born Gayton le Wold, enlisted Grimsby and resident Louth. Commemorated Dochy Farm New British Cemetery. VI.D.8., and Stenigot St. Nicholas. Reported wounded and missing, now reported killed on 26th September, 1917. A loving husband and father kind. A beautiful memory left behind.
From his sorrowing wife and family, Goulceby. L&NLA 21st September 1918. [Obits.]
Albert Edward Holland (service no. 49407) - Private, 10th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment. Son of Henry and Mary Elizabeth Holland, of Hainton House, Eastgate, Louth, Lincs. Born Lincoln, enlisted Louth, Lincs, resident of Goulceby. Killed in action 24th March 1918, aged 19, commemorated Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France, Bay 3 and 4.
Albert is already detailed in our WWI “Asterby and Goulceby Remembers”.
Billie William Jollands (service no. 19074) - Private, 7th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment. Born and enlisted in Gainsborough and was resident in Louth on Little Lane. He was killed in action on 3rd July 2016, age 30, during the Battle of the Somme and is presumed buried in France. From research we believe Billie had a memorial at Asterby St Peter Church in the family plot with his grandparents (entry 72). He is recorded on the Lincolnshire Regiment Roll of Honour. There is an obituary in the Louth and North Lincolnshire Advertiser - 2nd September 1916 (2510) and 14th March 1917 (2926). His next of kin were his grandparents Thomas and Eliza Jollands. Inscription on the grave: “In loving memory of Thomas Jollands died November 10th 1914 aged 75 years. Also Eliza wife of the above died May 29th 1917 aged 84 years. Also Billie grandson of the above died in France July 3rd 1916 aged 30 years.”
WWI ALFORD (St Wilfrid), LINCOLNSHIRE – WAR MEMORIAL / ALFORD MEMORIALS
As noted in the above Alford War Memorial, the following were presumed to be born in Asterby:
Scott Burkitt - Private 22910. 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action 4th July 1917. Son of Joseph and Fanny Burkitt of East Street, Alford, Lincs. Brother of Jesse Scott. Born c1883 Asterby, enlisted Lincoln and resident Alford, Lincs. Commemorated Boyelles Communal Cemetery Extension. I.E.9.
Jesse Burkitt - Roll states: Private, Lincolnshire Yeomanry, died 27th May 1919. Born c1889, the son of Joseph and Fanny Burkitt and brother of Scott Burkitt. Unable to identify as casualty and no further information currently available.
WWII 1939 - 1945
WWII HURRICANES - CRASH 22nd FEBRUARY 1941 - ASTERBY
A source from Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire was able to find out the following additional information on the WWII crash involving Hurricanes from 46 Sqn RAF Digby on 22nd February 1941 which was caused by a mid-air collision in bad weather between the two aircraft. The aircraft were part of ‘Blue Section’ sent to patrol over Mablethorpe at 8000ft. The aircraft both came down near Cadbourne Green Farm, Asterby.
Flight Officer Morgan-Gray was subsequently buried with military honours at Scopwick Church near Lincoln (war grave) and is located on Row 2 Grave 36. He was 22 years old.
Sergeant Cyril Edgar Hudson (Service Number: 936012 – volunteer reserve) age 20. He was presumably returned to his family for burial as no record shows any parade. However, on the Commonwealth War Graves Register information on his burial are as follows: Buried or commemorated at Birmingham (Yardley) Cemetery Grave 51260
WWII VICKERS WELLINGTON MK 1C – CRASH 22nd FEBRUARY 1942 - GOULCEBY
The 150 Sqn Wellington crashed in a field at 0330hrs near Asterby Top Farm near Goulceby whilst descending through cloud to determine their position. No further information can be found and the diaries have been checked at Snaith. Further information was sourced through www.cwgc.org Commonwealth War Graves Commission on their ages and burial locations:
Flight Sergeant D. Wormleighton (service no. 1162813) – killed – age 21 – buried Manby St Mary
Flight Sergeant J.E. McAllister (service no. 631875) – killed – age 20 – buried Derby cemetery
Sergeant J.E. Blackburn (service no. 1051863) – killed – age 21 – buried Irlam St John the Baptist
Sergeant E.F. Rawlings (service no. 1306695) – killed – age 21 – buried Manby St Mary
Private Officer J.B. Birkes – injured
Flight Sergeant O.D. Lland – injured
In a previous newsletter (May/June 2025) there was a letter from Sergeant E.F. Rawlings to his parents.
OTHER WWII
Benjamin Stanley Eyre (service no. 4807250). Trooper, 49th (West Riding) Regt, Reconnaissance Corps, Royal Armoured Corps. Son of C. Farrow Eyre and of Margaret A. Eyre of Goulceby. Born and resident Lincolnshire, presumed killed in action 22nd August 1944, aged 31, interred St Desir War Cemetery, Calvados, France, III. A. 3. No known Lincolnshire Memorial.
Mrs Wiles of No. 1, Council Houses, Goulceby, received the news from the War Office of the death in action in the North West European theatre of war, of her eldest son, Trooper Benjamin Stanley Eyre, of the Reconnaissance Regiment, R.A.C. He joined up in 1940 and before worked at East Lincs Garage, Louth. He was 31 years of age (Horncastle News 9.9.44).
LINCOLNSHIRE HERITAGE EXPLORER
Asterby and Goulceby has a great deal of heritage and this can be found through the Lincolnshire Heritage Explorer. It is simple to use by adding the village you wish to look at and then ‘click’ on the ‘map’ for the detail.
Link as follows: https://heritage-explorer.lincolnshire.gov.uk/recordsearch
It is a record of archaeology, historic buildings and landscapes across Lincolnshire. It has records from the earliest Stone Age to the 20th century and single finds to military airfields and parks. The database acts as an index to lots of other sources held in Lincolnshire County Council’s offices which the public are welcome to come and peruse in person (it needs to be by appointment though as the public viewing space is very small).
Looking at the resource there are a lot of records for Asterby and Goulceby - it's a place rich in history and archaeology going back to early Neolithic, late Saxon and Medieval, various monuments and many sites of interest, etc.
In terms of WWII there are records of the remains of a searchlight battery at Red Hill. The image below is the record on the Lincolnshire Heritage Explorer website: https://heritage-explorer.lincolnshire.gov.uk/Monument/MLI84911. This has been plotted from aerial photographs - the remains show up as cropmarks in the arable fields. All the lines within the red/marked boundary are cropmark remains of the searchlight battery. The curving line just to the west is thought to be a prehistoric trackway. The rectilinear enclosure to the south is of unknown date, but might be associated with the searchlight battery. Across the road to the east are what have been interpreted as being prehistoric enclosures. Within the red/marked line the two circular features are probable searchlight positions. The features to the north are probable building platforms, generator and shelter locations. This would have just been searchlights, and there does not seem to have been any anti-air guns here. The lights were helping to spot and triangulate incoming aircraft, for either fighters or gun positions in the area to target them.
We have been advised the 2 crash sites identified from WWII will be added to the website at some point.
Image: Searchlight Battery (Source: Lincolnshire County Council - Heritage Department)