You can get to know Hemingby through its precise architectural forms and distinct historical layers. A red longcase clock is mounted on the tower of St Margaret's Church, and several other buildings have clearly recognisable architectural features. Medieval earthwork remains add a landscape dimension to this built history. There is also a play area and a cycle route that passes through Hemingby. These offer different ways to shape your trip: architectural history, archaeological traces, cycling or places to play.
Architectural history in four different examples
The tower of St Margaret's Church, built of greenstone, bears a red longcase clock. Clockmaker Edmund Howard made it in 1787. The date belongs to the clock and provides a specific point of reference in Hemingby’s architectural history.
The Almshouses combine a historic inscription with a detailed description of the building. A block of ashlar sits above the central entrance. Its inscription states that Jane Dymoke built a hospital and a school in 1747. The two-storey building is made of red brick, has a roof of pantiles and an eleven-bay façade. The number of bays describes the division of the front and complements the details about the materials and roof type.
Hemingby’s Wesleyan Methodist Chapel dates from 1859. Its walls are made of red brick, with details in painted ashlar. It also has an overhanging slate roof and a four-bay south façade. The façade details can be compared with those of the Almshouses, but should be distinguished carefully: the Almshouses are described as having an eleven-bay façade, while the Chapel’s south façade specifically has four bays. This focuses on the division of each respective front, not on comparing the size of the buildings.
The Old Rectory was a vicarage dating from the mid-18th century. Alterations and extensions were added in the early 19th century. The garden façade is two storeys high and has two canted bay windows. The dates show two building phases here: the original period of the former vicarage and later alterations. Together with the Almshouses and the Chapel, it offers a different perspective on architecture from the church’s single tower clock.
Earthwork remains and the older settlement
The shrunken medieval settlement of Hemingby has earthwork remains around the modern village centre. The traces are visible in aerial photographs and LiDAR surveys; how easily they can be seen may vary depending on the season and viewing angle. This adds another perspective on the area’s history alongside the individual buildings: while materials, roof types and façade divisions are the focus for the buildings, the earthworks relate to the older settlement layout. Those interested in history will therefore find both specific architectural details and clues to the development of the settlement in Hemingby.
Cycling and places to play
The Castle to Coast Cycle Route passes through Hemingby and is 100 miles long in total. The terrain is mostly flat, but includes some hills and climbs. The total distance gives you a sense of the route’s scale; the terrain description adds a note about changing conditions. If you choose cycling as a focus, take both into account when deciding whether the route fits your travel plans.
At the Children's Play Area, much of the equipment is suitable for children with disabilities; the area also includes a ball games area. These two details offer specific guidance for travellers who want to include places to play. It is important to note the scope of the suitability statement: it applies to much of the equipment, not necessarily to every individual item. If you have a particular piece of equipment in mind, keep this distinction in mind when planning.
Discover more destinations: Scredington, Waltham, Stallingborough, Martin, Cranwell, Spalding, Fishtoft, Lissington
For the wider travel overview: Lincolnshire.
