Haceby

A few miles to the north west of Bourne is a little explored area of South Lincolnshire with winding and inviting tree-lined lanes that criss-cross the landscape and a sparse population. Amid the isolation in this less frequented countryside is Haceby, once a tiny farming community but now even tinier, a decayed and deserted village with only one family living here while the rest of the stone properties stand neglected and falling into disrepair. 

The hamlet has an equally tiny church with a solid 13th century tower, Norman at its base and a plain Norman chancel arch with a rood by the late Wilfred Bond and where a 17th century royal arms has recently been uncovered and restored and an eight-sided mediaeval font. In the simple Early English chancel there is a 17th century east window and a tablet to John Lucas-Calcraft who baptised all of the babies that arrived in the village for 55 years during the last century. There is also evidence that a priest here in the 14th century, one John Peny, was set upon and assaulted by several intruders during a service because they disagreed with his teachings. 

The name Haceby, or Hazebi, is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and is thought to have derived from the Old Norse for Hadd’s farmstead or village. Other recorded spellings are Hatsebi (1115), Hascebi (1161) and Hacebi (1172). The Romans had a small settlement here and there are signs of this occupation because many Roman remains have been unearthed in the vicinity and the site of a large Roman villa, probably of the courtyard type, was found in an orchard just a mile from the church, partly in this parish and partly in that of Newton nearby. The discovery was made in 1818 and excavations during 1929 revealed six rooms including a bath house at one corner of the site while some of the rooms had tessellated pavements but the remains are now covered and overgrown with weeds. 

The church is dedicated to both St Margaret and St Barbara and shares the neglected air of what is left here, standing on the edge of a farmyard and the view blocked from the southern aspect by agricultural machinery. The churchyard and approaches are overgrown and the gate is difficult to find but then this is a little-used church, now purely dependent on charity, and only sees a congregation once a year, usually for harvest festival. 

A notice in the porch informs us: 

This church is maintained by the Redundant Churches Fund with monies provided by Parliament, by the Church of England and by the gifts of the public. Although no longer required for worship, it remains consecrated ground to the service of God. Please respect it accordingly.

The only regular visitors here are the partridge and pheasant that flock around in abundance. It is indeed a sad sight. In an age in which Christianity and religious belief is in decline, how long before our other churches suffer a similar fate? 

The church was extensively restored in 1924, largely due to the efforts of the rector, the Rev F H Adames, to whom fulsome tribute was made by the Stamford Mercury when reporting the event on Friday 18th July:

HACEBY'S ANCIENT CHURCH
CULMINATION OF RECTOR'S WONDERFUL WORK

Folkingham, Thursday (July 17th): The re-opening of the ancient Norman church of Haceby, near Folkingham, after restoration, took place this afternoon, the Bishop of Lincoln attending and there being a large congregation drawn from all parts of the district.
The edifice had been in a dilapidated state for many years. Wartime prices prevented any work being attempted, and it was only in October 1922 that a reasonable estimate was obtained. Under plans prepared by the architect, Mr Wilfred Bond of Grantham, the well-known firm of church builder, Messrs Bowman and Sons of Stamford, commenced a few months ago to carry out the work, but they were only just in time, for it was then found that the nave roof was ready to collapse at any moment. Bad cracks in the tower and north wall, similar to those in Lincoln Cathedral, have been remedied.
Structural stonework has been carried out in nearly every window; careful pointing to the whole body of the fabric has been effected; all glass has been re-leaded, and a proper drainage scheme laid down; nave, aisle and tower roof all had to come off and be made good and safe. Inside alterations include the opening up of a fine west end, two pillars and arch, hitherto hidden for some generations by a screen of osiers and mud. For the chancel the pre-Reformation altar stone, a fine example, showing the fine cut "crosses" and weighing nearly a ton, has been lifted from the floor and restored to its original position and use.
Towards the cost of the restoration, the rector, the Rev F H Adams, who is also rector of the adjoining parish of Newton, has worked like a Trojan. Little more than 18 months ago, there was hardly a penny in hand to carry out this much-needed work, estimated to cost £1,150. So assiduously has he carried out his appeal that on the opening day, he was barely short of £100 to pay for the whole cost of the restoration and he was sanguine enough to believe that the collection realised at the re-opening service that afternoon would see the whole of the work free from debt. His efforts to secure this end have been wonderful, and thousands of letters of appeal have been written to friends far and wide.
The antiquity of Haceby is of considerable interest. There are abundant traces that the village was once a Roman camp of considerable size. A tessellated pavement, with other remains, was discovered little more than a century ago, and near it a house was built and an orchard planted to mark and preserve the site. A Roman road runs quite near to, while at Newton, about a mile away, there is an ancient chalybeate spring which helps to determine the position of the encampment.
One of the most remarkable items in the history of Haceby is the fact that the Patron Saint of the church has been "lost" or unknown for hundreds of years. The rector of 1561, a most careful man with the registers, took trouble to show that he did not know in his day. Two clues have now been discovered, that it is St Barbara and the Bishop made a pronouncement to this effect today. It is interesting to mention that, as far as is known, there is only one other church of this dedication, and that is in Gloucestershire.

Five years later, archaeological excavations in the vicinity excited a great deal of interest in the country and were reported in the Stamford Mercury on 12th July 1929 as follows: 

A ROMAN VILLA AT HACEBY
RELIC OF 1800-YEARS-0LD BRITAIN UNEARTHED.
[by A.C.L.]

With the readily-accorded consent of Sir Charles Welby, the landowner, and Mr France, the occupier of the premises on which it is situated, a very thorough and careful exploration is being made of the baths of a Roman villa, which stood 1800 years ago in what is now the orchard of a farm near Nightingale inn on the Bridge End-road, some 4½ miles westward from Threekingham and four miles from Grantham.
Thanks to the labour of the officers and flight cadets of the Air Force College, Cranwell, it has been excavated with great skill and care, and will shortly be open to the inspection of all who wish to see it on payment of 3d. at the farmhouse. A short printed guide, with the plan and picture postcards showing some of the chief features of the building, will also be procurable on the spot.
In the opinion of one who has inspected the remains of other Roman villas excavated in this country, the walls, floors and underground heating system exposed to view are in an exceptionally well-preserved condition. They probably represent one wing, the south-eastern wing of a house built around three sides of a quadrangle, the opposite wing being devoted to kitchens and servants' quarters, the main living and sleeping rooms of the house joining the two wings at their northern extremities.
Judging from the space covered by this wing of the building and the character of the masonry, it must have been part of a residence of considerable size and importance. The exploration of that part of it which as yet has never been disturbed would, no doubt, if it could be accomplished, reveal much of great interest. But in what has been done a very fascinating glimpse is to be gained into a period of Lincolnshire's past history, the study of which has been woefully neglected.
A visit to this spot will well repay those who happen to be passing, or who are inspired to make a detour in their journey to reach it. The proceeds of the charge for admission and from the sale of cards and booklets will be devoted solely to the benefit of the tenants of the farm, by whose public spirit this interesting excavation has been possible.

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