26-Jan-2022
Swineshead is a small village about seven miles to the west of Boston. We went because family lore has it that Nigel's forebears hail from this area.
We didn't find any long-lost rellies, but it's a really pretty little place, perfect for a walk on a sunny winter's afternoon.
The name, by the way, has nothing to do with piggies, but rather refers to a former tidal creek, known in Old English as the "Swin".
Our Swineshead gallery:
The church of St Mary the Virgin, begun in the 12th century, and boasting a 14th-century tower
The "Stump Cross" -- all that remains of a 14th-century wayside cross
According to a local tradition, King John was poisoned by one of the monks at Swineshead Abbey... Newark folk, however, are adamant that the monarch died of dysentery in Newark Castle...
The earthworks that are all that remain of the castle built by the De Gresley family
So, does it deserve the appellation "hidden gem"? Yeah, I reckon...