History of the Deepings
Originally the Saxon word for ‘deep fen’ or ‘low place’, the Deepings is the collective name given to Market Deeping, Deeping St James, Deeping Gate, West Deeping and Deeping St Nicholas (originally known as Deeping Fen).
The low-lying land of the Deepings is rich in archaeological remains, thanks to the River Welland, which had a huge influence on the development of the Deepings settlements. Providing transport for heavy goods and a source of fresh food, such as fish, eels and wild fowl, it once formed an important highway for trade between the town of Stamford in the west, and the Wash on the east coast.
As a result, the Deepings long history as a thriving community means many original buildings have survived and remain intact, a testament to a bygone era where people moved and traded their goods using rivers as their preferred method of transport.
A change in power
The turning point for the communities came when the Norman Richard De Rulos married into the Wake family of Bourne and took control of the area.
He raised a “high bank (for the river often overflowed), creating a great village”. The fen became “the most fruitful fields and a garden of pleasure”. This early settlement was called Deeping St Guthlac, now known as Market Deeping. St Guthlac’s Saxon chapel was converted into a parish Church in the 1120s.
Similar work was carried out by Richard’s son-in-law, Baldwin Fitzgilbert in Deeping St James. In 1139 the Benedictine Priory and Church of St James was consecrated, however the Priory was dissolved by Henry VIII in the 1530s.
The Wake family continued to own the two settlements throughout the Middle Ages. Between 1220 and 1308. Charters were granted for a weekly market on a Wednesday and an annual eight-day fair, which started on the vigil of the feast of St Michael. The name Market Deeping came into use, and a market still takes place here every Wednesday.
A ‘fair maid’ takes ownership
In 1352 the Wake lands passed to Joanna Wake, “the Fair Maid of Kent”, who went on to marry Edward the Black Prince. As a result, the manor of East Deeping passed to the Crown and remained a royal manor into the 19th Century.
East Deeping became a wealthy place and gained guildhalls, a courthouse, market crosses and schools. Margaret Beaufort (mother of Henry VII) was Lady of Deeping and took an active interest in her lands. Her coat of arms can still be seen on the tower of St Guthlac’s Church. A formidable woman, it is understood she had to intervene in disputes with the monks of Crowland.
In 1537 Queen Elizabeth I ordered a survey to be made of her lands in East Deeping. That survey included two bridges, a Vineyard Close, a Wakes Manor House, three corn mills, a highway ford and a live town bull! also the Bull Inn that remains today.
Market Deeping’s fine Georgian Church Street and Market Place reflect the impressive growth of the Deepings, which had grown to a combined population of more than 2,000 people by 1801.
The Deepings continued to develop in the 19th Century. The river trade and the two bridges made the Deepings vibrant and wealthy.
Barges and lighters boats; wharves, granaries, maltings breweries, mills and eight coaches travelling through the Market Place daily – it was busy! William Holland’s Essential Oil Distillery was world famous and in the 1870s the Rector of St Guthlac’s wrote: “here were the largest wheat stacks in the world and the greatest goose breeder in England”!
The 1960s saw another period of rapid expansion, where the fields began to fill up with houses, businesses and services. In 1998 the by-pass opened to ease the traffic that traversed these ancient settlements, helping to preserve our ancient heritage.
Now well into the 21st century, The Deepings continue to thrive as independent, proud and friendly communities.
Pre-historic findings
People and animals are known to have existed in the area continuously from Prehistoric times and a number of prehistoric artefacts have been extracted from the soft earth, including:
the bones of an unusual straight-tusked elephant
mammoth teeth
stone age flint axes
the Welland Bank Bronze Age settlement
burial mounds
Roman ritual crowns
the Frognall coin hoards
the Roman Carr Dyke
a Saxon cross – and many more … all evidence of our rich archaeological past.
More historic features of The Deepings
To discover more of our ancient history, why not take a walk and see the work of our ancestors up close.
Market Deeping Coaching Inns and Town Hall
The historic marketplace and high street of Market Deeping is lined with traditional houses and shops, restaurants, pubs and former coaching inns. These coaching inns serve as a reminder of the town’s strategic position on the main road to Lincoln. The Town Hall dates from 1835 and was designed in Tudor Gothic style by Thomas Pilkington.
The Cross – Deeping St James
With just enough room for three people to fit inside, the18th century village ‘lock-up’ is made from materials sourced from a 15th century wayside cross where markets were once held. The landmark is a listed structure which was used for ‘cooling off’ ‘disorderly persons’.
St Guthlac’s Church – Market Deeping
Situated halfway down Church Street, St Guthlac’s Church dates back to 1240 and is dedicated to the austere Fenland Hermit who settled near Crowland in the 7th century. There are two sundials on the tower, one marking the coming of the morning and the other, the coming of the night. The Old Rectory adjacent to the church is reputedly the oldest inhabited parsonage in England.
The River Welland
There are several town centre footpaths along short stretches of the river, which are ideal for easy walking, wildfowl-watching and fishing, The river walks extend through to Deeping St James where reminders of river traffic on one of England’s earliest canals can be seen at High Locks and Low Locks where you will also find the sturdy three-arched stone bridge in front of The Bell pub.
The Priory Church of St. James, Deeping St James
Once part of a larger medieval complex, founded in 1139 by Benedictine monks from Thorney Abbey, many periods of architecture are represented here, including Norman, early English and a rare 18th century tower. Stones from the original priory were incorporated into domestic houses around the village.
Manor House, West Deeping – now known as ‘The Granary’
In late medieval times, this site was owned by Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII. The current building dates from 1643 and comes complete with a moat (now privately owned). Nearby is the church of St Andrew, restored in the 1870s by the celebrated Victorian architect William Butterfield, who was also responsible for Keble College, Oxford.
The information above was supplied by the Deepings Heritage Group. The group meets regularly, so to find out how you can attend a meeting or to find out more about our history and heritage, please visit their website.