Rippingale combines a long village history with the open landscape on the edge of the Fens. Its historic traces range from early place names and Roman features to a medieval stone standing cross and the former railway. Rippingale Fen adds flat horizons and a wide sky. When planning your trip, you can consider the village’s history and the Fen’s landscape character as distinct points of interest.
Early Names and Roman Traces
Rippingale was first mentioned in 806 AD under the name “Riapencal”; in the Domesday Book of 1086, the place appears as “Repinhale”. These two forms anchor the village’s history in different historical records. A section of the Roman road to Lincoln runs through the parish of Rippingale; the road was a branch of Ermine Street. Car Dyke runs through Rippingale Fen and was built by the Romans around 125 AD. The Roman features therefore also differ in their location: the road runs through the parish, while Car Dyke runs through the Fen.
Church, Village Landmarks and Railway
Inside St Andrew’s Church are effigies of a knight and a lady dating from the 13th century. According to published information, St Andrew’s Church is open daily from Easter to October; outside this period, the key can be collected from the churchwardens. Check before your visit whether this arrangement is still in effect.
The remains of a medieval stone standing cross are on Rippingale Village Green. The village’s street layout is thought to be of Celtic origin. The railway is also part of the village’s history: the single-track line opened in 1871, and the station closed in 1965. A section of track, a level crossing and a locomotive remain at the goods yard of the former station. Medieval village features and an older interpretation of the street layout thus sit alongside the later railway era.
Fenland Landscape and Paths
Rippingale lies in a flat valley, surrounded on all sides by open farmland, on the edge of the Fens. Rippingale Fen is a vast, flat and open landscape, with far-reaching views extending to level horizons beneath a wide sky. The Fen’s varied wildlife includes birds, bats and foxes. The valley setting surrounded by farmland and the wide-open Fenland landscape offer distinct impressions of the scenery.
Numerous footpaths connect all parts of the village with the countryside, particularly from Doctor’s Lane. A road in Rippingale Fen is used by pedestrians and cyclists and provides access to the western bank of the Great Dyke. For planning purposes, the routes serve clearly different purposes: the footpaths connect the village with the countryside, while the road in the Fen provides access to the bank.
Discover more destinations: Revesby, Cleethorpes, Marston, Norton Disney, Lissington, Stallingborough, Surfleet, Ingoldmells
For the regional travel overview: Lincolnshire.
