History of Swineshead

The name Swineshead originates from the Scandinavian word ‘svein’ and the Old English word ‘swin’ both meaning a tidal creek, and the Anglo-Saxon word ‘heda’ meaning a landing place. It is fairly certain that this is the derivation of the name Swineshead. The village was not mentioned in the domesday book, but the Drayton was. It is supposed that the name Drayton derives from the word ‘draught’ or ‘dray’ (draw) meaning a place where boats were drawn up. And as it was nearer to the sea this is probably where the larger boats were moored.

Swineshead is generally known as the place where King John was poisoned when staying at the abbey there. This abbey was founded in 1135 by Robert de Greslei who endowed it with 240 acres of demesne land and eleven monks were sent from Furness Abbey to run it. It was probably because of the abbey that Swineshead flourished and eventually grew into a busy market town, as in 1292/3 the abbot of Swineshead was granted a license to hold a fair annually on 2nd October. Also from the early twelfth century a weekly market was held in the village every Thursday. At one time, because of this market, there were eighteen pubs and beer houses in the village, where the farmers went to quench their thirst and talk business.

Swineshead had everything the villagers needed. The shops included butchers, bakers, grocers and a chemist. We had dressmakers carpenters and builders, a bootmaker, an ironmonger, a wheelwright, two harness makers, a monumental mason, three millers, a gas works on Tarry Hill and the carrier’s cart went to Boston twice a week Wednesdays and Saturdays. What more could anyone want?

The above is just a taste – for more see my books
A History of Swineshead and Swineshead Remembers.

Some of the photos on the right are self explanatory but here is some information to a few of them:

The bicycles in High Street were decorated for a competition of some sort and judging by the ladies dresses the photo was taken about the turn of the last century.

The Police House. This is now a private residence but when we had a local constable this house went with the job. South Street. This shows Atkinson’s saddlers shop with various goods on show on the pavement. This row of cottages was demolished to build a bungalow for George Burrell and his family. Of the next group of cottages only one remains today. The band room can just be seen where the road bends.

The Manor House stood in the Market Place and was demolished in the late 1950s to build a modern shop for the Nottingham Co-op. The new building later became a restaurant and now it is the Church Hall. The Manor House contained various shops and offices and at the back were a number of dwellings.

The Bull and The Green Dragon. This picture was taken around 1900 as the Bull Inn lost its licence in 1907. The Green Dragon is still in business today but has changed its name to The Pig & Whistle.

The Golden Cross. This public house was in North End on the corner of Station Road and Boston Road. It closed some years ago after a fire and today is just a private residence.

The New Inn. This inn was also in North End just a few hundred yards from the Golden Cross. It had a blacksmith’s shop attached at the side and this was usually run by the landlord of the pub. The old Salvation Army Tin Tab can be seen on the left of the picture. This is where the youth club moved to in 1952 after being housed in the old church hut in Church Lane.

The next photo is taken from the Market Place and the Wheatsheaf can be seen on the right, but there is a good view of The Griffin Inn in the centre. This old inn, dating back to the 1600s, was demolished in the 1950s to widen the road. Up till then it was still open for business. The cottages on the left backed on to the churchyard and contained Shakleton’s shop.

The next photo of the Wheatsheaf shows the post office which was then in the corner of the Market Place. It later moved to Mr Routen’s shop in High Street next to The Red Lion Inn, and later to its present position a little further along.

The next few pictures are self explanatory

The last photo, at the bottom of the page, is where Robert Delaney, the notorious cat burglar once lived when he was married to a local lady.