Washingborough brings together tangible traces of its past, routes through the historic village centre and a landscape along the River Witham. A medieval village cross, the Car Dyke, outdoor art and views across the Witham Valley each offer a different perspective. When planning a stay, you can choose between historic landmarks, village art and scenery.

Bronze Age traces and the Car Dyke

Archaeological finds provide evidence of settlement in Washingborough during the Bronze Age. The Car Dyke represents a different historical layer: Wassynburg was the starting point of this major Roman drainage canal. The section of the Car Dyke between Washingborough and Common Square is a scheduled monument. An earthwork also survives near Washingborough, with banks up to two metres high. These details distinguish the early settlement from the later Roman canal and the surviving earthwork.

Washingborough’s village cross dates from the 15th century and was restored in the late 19th century. It is also a scheduled monument. Located east of the parish church, it is thought to stand in its original position. Its dating and later restoration belong to different chapters of its history: the cross is medieval, while the restoration marks a change in the late 19th century.

Historic village centre and outdoor art

The village walk passes through Washingborough’s historic centre and takes in the Penfold. In Chapel Park, cast-metal plaques form part of a separate village walk; a carved owl on the wall of the old chapel is also on this route. The walk therefore brings together local history and individual works of art, though these stops are not all the same kind of historical landmark.

For directions to other art installations in the village, consult “In View”, the art guide produced by North Kesteven District Council. It can help you locate several outdoor installations in Washingborough. Cast relief plaques by Sheila Jessop are also situated at the village’s four approach roads. The plaques at the entrances and the artworks on the village walk offer different points of interest if you are interested in local art.

Landscape between Lincoln Edge and the Witham

Washingborough lies on the lower slopes of the limestone escarpment known as Lincoln Edge, just above the flood level of the River Witham. From Washingborough, views extend across the Witham Valley to the farmland on the north side of the river. The village’s hillside setting and the open landscape beyond the river sit side by side: the limestone escarpment shapes the village’s location, while the views take in the valley and its agricultural land use.

Another route to explore is the Water Rail Way, a long-distance cycling and walking trail that runs to Boston. It follows a former railway line known as the “Lincolnshire Loop Line”. From the riverside path, you can look back towards Lincoln and its cathedral; the landscape painter Peter de Wint captured this view in the 19th century. Here, a former transport route meets a landscape view recorded by an artist.

These themes offer different ways to shape a stay in Washingborough: the village cross and the Car Dyke represent different historical periods, the village walk passes through the centre and takes in works of art, and the landscape can be understood through its setting by Lincoln Edge and the Witham. The Water Rail Way adds its former railway route and views of Lincoln. Which aspects you focus on depends on whether you are more interested in archaeological landmarks, village art, or routes and scenery.

Discover more destinations: Thorpe On The Hill, Immingham, Bourne, Cleethorpes, Tattershall, Holbeach, Horncastle, West Ashby.

For the wider travel guide: Lincolnshire.