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Croxby Top
Croxby Top maps
Historic maps of Croxby Top and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Croxby Top maps
Croxby Top photos
We have no photos of Croxby Top, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Binbrook| Tealby| Laceby| Waltham| Ludford| Bradley| Market Rasen| Middle Rasen| Grimsby
Croxby Top area books
Displaying 1 of 10 books about Croxby Top and the local area. View all books for this area
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Memories of Croxby Top
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Lincolnshire memories
The Blacksmith Arms
In 1962 I moved to The Blacksmith Arms with my parents and brother. My parents were Mr and Mrs Mitchell and were employed by Joseph Nickerson, a local landowner. Now I am mature in years and both parents have gone, but the memories are aways vivid. I remember the harsh winter of 1963, and customers being stranded in the pub. Despite my long evenings spent on my own I appreciate the hospitality and community presence there was at Rothwell. My biggest memory was of ghostly goings on within the pub, many stories to tell. Does anyone have any memories or stories to tell. A beautiful village with many stories and much local history.
'Blacksmith Arms Ghost'
In 1978 my sister-in-law Diane Plaskitt worked in the kitchens at the pub. During her time there along with another member of staff they came across 'the Blacksmith Ghost'. They caught site of an image of a man walking from the kitchen door into the hall and then down into the men's toilet at the bottom of the hall. One of the staff decided to go into the toilets to see who it was......and when they entered noone was to be seen! It is said that the man was Stephen Rowles dad who had been a blacksmith on the premises.
Nickersons And Blacksmiths Arms.
I left Caistor Yarborough School in 1961 and went to work for Mr Joseph Nickerson as a telephonist in a big house where his offices were (Nickersons Seeds had their labs too I believe), it was on on the hill leading to Cuxwold. I remember there was a lot of staff, most of whom I still remember the names of. We all used to go down to the Blacksmiths Arms for our lunch.They were good days, it was a beautiful village full of daffodils in Spring. I was only 15 at the time and I remember being very much in awe of Mr Nickerson, I used to make the tea and coffee for everyone and when Mr Nickerson 'was in' I was always terrified at having to take his tray down to his office! We lived near Cuxwold and before I left school we used to go to the Youth Club which was held in the Hall attached to the Blacksmiths that was the highlight of our week had some... Read more
Blacksmith Arms Pub
We used to have children's parties here, I remember a Christmas party in the large hall attached to the pub, with all the village children and there was always a huge Christmas tree in the car park with fairy lights.
The pub used to be a favourite of the RAF men based at Binbrook and on the walls of the pub were endless pairs of boots nailed up, said to be from the airmen who had to bail out? unless I have got that part wrong! I wonder what has happened to all those boots. A wonderful lady named Sandra ran the pub, who sadly died far too young. Her daughter Clare was a childhood friend of mine, but we have since lost touch.
Rothwell
Further to Lisa Plaskett memories. My grandfather Ernest Dawson, was the village blacksmith from the early 1920's to 1952. Stephen Rowles father Alfred, was the licensee of the pub from at least 1919 until the early 1950's. My grandparents, lived in a cottage opposite the forge (now the Hall) - there was also a shop,barn attached. To the left hand side of the forge was a pig sty. The large metal ring outside the hall was used to fix metal rings (tyres) to agricultural trailers. Outside the pub was a large walled garden (now the car park). My grandparents retired to the Rectory Cottage and paid £8.00 per year in rent to the Church. In 2010, I noticed it was on the market for £700 per month! In 1953, the Coronation year, Joe Nickerson installed a television in home farms dutch barn, most villagers watch the ceremony sat on straw bales.
School Days
I used to be Vanda Shucksmith and I have very fond memories of Swallow, having moved there when I was five years old, we lived down Chapel Lane in one of Mr Bingham's farmworkers cottages. I had actually started school at Dunham on the Lincs/Notts border, then my Dad being a farm worker got a job at Swallow. I was in the infant class taught by Miss Mayers, she was very nice and kind as I remember, we used to have a lovely open fire to keep us warm in the winter, then I moved to the juniors and we had Mrs Cox, she was more frightening than Miss Mayers but ok as far as I can remember. I did enjoy my schooldays at Swallow. It was when I first started Swallow school that I met my now life long freind Jean Holloway (now Lamming), she and I went on to marry two Grimsby lads who were also good friends. I remember having Sports Days in the field behind the school, when... Read more
Caistor Methodist Primary School
I remember the infants class at Caistor Methodist Primary School. The class used the vestry of the Methodist Chapel and the room had supporting pillars. Our teacher was Miss Parrott. We had a wooden dolls' house, a sand pit and wooden jigsaws of about 5 pieces. We sang 'Bell horses, bell horses what time of day, one o' clock, two o' clock, three and away'. Miss Reader's class was in the schoolroom and I remember her telling me off for losing a pencil which was only about 2 inches long! I won a prize in her class - it was 'Noddy goes to School'. We used to play tig in the playground, boys against girls, the safety place being the entrance to our toilets! Mrs Varlow came next and the big room was divded by folding doors between her class and Mrs Markham's. Mrs Varlow taught us to be polite to each other and I remember one day Philip Jollands took the matter too far by pulling my chair way back and... Read more
