Scopwick

Scopwick is a small village and civil parish in the district of North Kesteven, Lincolnshire, England, situated 6 miles (9.7 km) south from Lincoln. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 815.^[1] The parish includes Kirkby Green, a hamlet to the east of Scopwick. The village main road runs parallel to a narrow stream.

Scopwick
Church of the Holy Cross, Scopwick
Scopwick Location within Lincolnshire
Population	815 (2011)
OS grid reference	TF068580
• London	115 mi (185 km) S
District	North Kesteven
Shire county	Lincolnshire
Region	East Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Lincoln
Postcode district	LN4
Dialling code	01526
Police	Lincolnshire
Fire	Lincolnshire
Ambulance	East Midlands
UK Parliament	Sleaford and North Hykeham
List of places UK England Lincolnshire 53.108674°N 0.405056°W / 53.108674; -0.405056

The name Scopwick comes from old English. Scaep was an old word for sheep and wick meant farm.^[2][3]

Grave of John Gillespie Magee

The village cemetery includes a War Graves site for airmen from RAF Coleby Grange and RAF Digby (originally RAF Scopwick), and includes the grave of the nineteen-year-old Second World War poet and aviator John Gillespie Magee, who wrote the celebrated poem ‘High Flight’.

Part of the brick tower of Scopwick Tower Mill, which was built in 1827 and fell into disuse around 1912, remains standing.

History

Bronze Age burials and barrows have been found in Scopwick. There is evidence of a Roman settlement (coins, pottery, burials and a dwelling). A Saxon coin found in the village depicts Offa and has been dated to 757–796 AD.^[4]

The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Scapeuic/Scapewic.^[5]

1964 air incident

Two pilots ejected on the morning of Monday 15 June 1964. A BAC Jet Provost exploded in mid-air, from Cranwell. Flt Lt Etches and Flt Lt Denham ejected. They were taken to RAF Hospital Nocton Hall. The fire engines were from RAF Digby and the Kesteven Fire Brigade at Sleaford.^[6][7][8]

Geography and ecology

A limestone stream runs through the village toward Kirkby Green and terminates near the railway. Wildlife on the stream includes moorhen, mallard, water mint and hart's tongue fern. Around Scopwick Hall there is a small deciduous woodland. To the northwest of the village is a quarry.