Haxey, Lincolnshire

Description
Haxey, a village and a parish in Lincolnshire. The village stands in the Isle of Axholme, adjacent to the Spalding and Doncaster extension of the G.N.R. and G.E.R., on which it has a station, 3 miles W from the river Trent, and 8 NW from Gainsborough; was anciently called Axel, and gave name to Axholme; suffered much injury by fire in 1744; and has a post, money order, and telegraph office under Bawtry. A fete is held at it on 6 Jan., for an ancient game called " throwing the hood," and a pleasure fair is held on 6 July. The parish contains also the hamlets of Bnrnham, Craise Lound, East Lound, Westwood Side, Nethergate, Newbigg, Park, and Upperthorpe. Acreage, 8587; population of the civil parish, 1855; of the ecclesiastical, 1840. A castle of the Mowbrays once stood near here. An oaken statue, about 6 feet high, black like ebony, and representing a Roman warrior, was found several feet deep in the earth, in 1802, but this ancient relic has since been destroyed. There is a stratum of gypsum. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Lincoln; net yearly value, about, £520 with residence. Patron, the Archbishop of York. The church contains two Norman pillars, but is mainly Perpendicular in style. It consists of nave, aisles, Lady chapel, chantry, and chancel, with two porches and a tower, and was repaired in 1826 and 1854. There is an unusually fine peal of bells and chimes of several tunes; the church plate is very costly; and there are several very ancient books in the church library, and deeds in the parish chest from the time of Henry III. downwards. There are Wesleyan, Primitive Methodist, and New Connexion chapels. The charities include a school endowment with about £108 a year, lands and cottages worth about £70 a year, and various bequests worth over £110 a year. There are remains of three ancient crosses.