Lindsey
From Freepedia
Until 1974, Lindsey was a unit of local government in Lincolnshire, England. Administratively, the Isle of Axholme has normally formed part of it but geographically, it is separate, on the other side of the River Trent.
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Origins
Its name means the 'island of Lincoln'. This derives from the fact that it was surrounded by water and very wet land and had Lincoln towards its south-west corner. In the period of Anglian settlement in Britain beginning in about 450, it was one of the petty Anglo-Saxon kingdoms which formed the English Heptarchy. Although it has its own list of kings, at an early date it came under external influence. It was from time to time effectively part of Deira, the Northumbrian kingdom and particularly later, of Mercia. Lindsey's independence was gone well before the arival of the Danish Settlers.
The list of Lindsey's kings
A collection of genealogies, created in the last years of king Offa's reign, gives the names of the ruling lineage of Lindsey. The early names will relate either to life in Angeln or to a boastful genealogy arising from gods such as Woden.
- Geot - Compare the Geats who are frequently mentioned in Beowulf's story.
- Godulf
- Finn
- Frioðulf
- Frealaf
- Woden - Compare Woden, the god.
From Winta on, the names will refer to the early leaders in Lindsey.
- Winta - Compare Winteringham (the homestead of Winta's people).
- Cretta
- Cuelgils
- Caedbaed
- Bubba
- Beda
- Biscop
- Eanferð
- Eatta
- Aldfrið
Only the last individual (Aldfrið or Ealdfrith) can be securely dated: Frank Stenton refers to an Anglo-Saxon charter (BCS 262) which mentions Ealdfrith, and dates its writing to some time between the years 787 and 796. If Winta arived in Lindsey in 487, these leaders will have been in charge for an average of thirty years each. While this is not impossible, it seems rather a long time unless life was relatively peaceful.
When, about a thousand years ago, the English shires were established, it became part of Lincolnshire. It and each of Kesteven and Holland, acquired the formal designation of Parts. Thus it became the 'Parts of Lindsey'.
Local government
In 1888, the local government of England was modernized and each of the Parts was given the status and responsibilities of a county. Lindsey was a fairly extensive county so, like Yorkshire, was divided into three ridings, North, West and South.
The Humberside phase
The Parts of Lindsey lasted until April 1 1974 when, as a result of the Local Government Act of 1972, the northern zone (not the North Riding) of Lindsey was removed from Lincolnshire in favour of the then new county of Humberside while the bulk of Lincolnshire took over the responsibilities of a county.
The original Lindsey was divided into administrative districts. Those in the new county of Lincolnshire were:
Those in Humberside were:
- Cleethorpes
- Glanford
- Scunthorpe
- The southern part of Boothferry District.
The map to the right, shows the districts of the now defunct, Humberside. The highlighted one is Glanford. To its east is Cleethorpes which surrounds Great Grimsby. To Glanford's west is Boothferry and the enclave within Glanford is Scunthorpe.
Present authorities
In 1996 these Humberside districts were re-grouped into unitary authorities. In other words, the new units perform the duties of both county and administrative district.
- One is North Lincolnshire (centred on Scunthorpe). This is the former administrative districts of Glanford and Scunthorpe, as well as the Isle of Axholme which had become the southern part of Boothferry District.
- The second is North East Lincolnshire comprising the former administrative districts of Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes.
The two unitary authorities represent the most urbanized part of the pre-1974 Lincolnshire.
Links to articles on places in Lindsey
See also
- Vince, A. ed. Pre-Viking Lindsey (1993) ISBN 0-9514987-7-0
