Wold Newton

Sunday 5th September 2021

Wold Newton Churches Festival and Northcotes Airfield Flying Meeting.

There would in the end be a mixture of riders and routes for a number of reasons. Weather wise, after seemingly weeks of cool cloudy conditions, the day dawned bright and increasingly sunny. A top predicted temperature of 21 degrees Celsius. Perfect then to take advantage of the Lincolnshire Wolds and Churches Festival #LoveLincsChurches. Wold Newton’s All Saints would be one of 130 churches taking part this month. Additionally, the good folk of the village had been baking cakes for days and would open up the Village Hall just for this event. Thanks to resident Frances Kelly for the information and the invitation.

Meeting up at the Leisure Centre in Louth were Alan Hockham and John Ambler. They both opted for a route to Northcotes Flying Meeting and on this occasion wouldn’t go onto Wold Newton. With just about perfect Autumn weather we hope they enjoyed the day out on the coast watching the flying.

Tim Newbery who had originally intended to be away, attending the Cyclists’ Memorial Service at Meriden, had unfortunately gone down with food poising in the night before and was in no fit state to travel far let alone cycle anywhere. Never the less he met up with Alan and John and would continue by car to Wold Newton. En-route Tim passed by Chris Owen who had reached the summit of Dogdyke and was waiting for passing club members on the road leading to Wold Newton. It would transpire that both of us had just missed Reg Bagshaw who had also passed through North Ormsby. Always a delight along this valley with views of the deserted medieval village.

Arriving at Wold Newton about 10.45 am Tim, Reg and Chris enjoyed pleasant chat sitting outside the Village Hall and on this occasion, Reg too would indulge in a slice of fruit cake. Great work from all helping out at the Churches Festival.

With time to spare, Tim visited All Saint’s church, set on the hillside to the north of what is now the main village and invisible to the passing tourist. The current High Victorian building is at least the third incarnation of the original, some say there have been a series of five churches here dating to pre-1200. The reason why the church is now set so far from the village centre is that originally there would have been another road passing right by the entrance, indeed the former ‘Grimsby to Wold Newton Turmpike’.

From Wold Newton, Chris and Reg would make their way home independently and for Tim, back home for a lie down! Chris ended up with a very respectable 32 miles on the clock. Hope everyone enjoyed the day out.