A Guide to Ancient Cleethorpes

We have often been asked to tell the story of the rise of Cleethorpes as a resort. This first installment from Edward Dobson's "Guide & Directory to Old Cleethorpes", published in July 1850, details some of the "ancient" history of the place before turning to the decades leading up to publication.

"This noted bathing place is situate at the mouth of the river Humber, about two miles and a half from Great Grimsby, on the east coast of Lincolnshire; it is comprised in the wapentake of Bradley Haverstoe. It is very pleasantly situated, and commands from its high cliffs and extensive view of the German ocean, and opposite Yorkshire coast, being distant from Spurn lights about seven miles and three furlongs. It derives its name from the Celtic word “Cleis” (chalk), it being the landing place for chalk and lime at the time when Grimsby and Spurn, or Ravenspurn, carried on a trade with Zealand previous to the year 1647. The place was then called Clea, or Clee, the name of the parish to which this township belongs.

Anciently, the name Cleethorpes included the three hamlets of Owle, now called Fore Thorpe; Itterby, now Upper Thorpe; and Turnsea, now Thrunscoe. It is now a township maintaining its own poor, including the three above-named hamlets, Fore Thorpe, Upper Thorpe and Thrunscoe, which are altogether comprised in the parish of Clee, distant about a mile.

In the year 1377, the Fore Thorpe, called Owle, contained only a few thatched houses or huts for fishermen, who having to attend to their nets and fish-hooks in the night-time, were called Owlets; a term of reproach which continues to be used by their vulgar neighbours to the present time.

Itterby, now called Upper Thorpe, is situate on rising ground, about 400 yards distant from the Fore Thorpe, and is nearer to the sea, some of the Lodging Houses being within twenty-five yards of the cliff which defends them from the highest tides.

Thrunscoe derives its name from the defence which the inhabitants made against the sea. When the sea swept away Ravenspur, it inundated lands on the coast of Lincolnshire, at which time the inhabitants cut down their trees and fastened them together so as to resist or turn the sea for a time, whence the name was given to the hamlet of Turnsea, which being corrupted, is now called Thrunscoe; and the barrier, “Tom Stocks”, which names they still retain.

The completion of this barrier was effected by the Duke of Leeds, for which a quit rent was paid by the owners or occupiers of land, which did not cease until after the inclosure in 1843.

At a place called Church Well, about half a mile west of Thrunscoe, stood their Church, which tradition tells us sunk into the earth; that it was swallowed up by an earthquake there is no doubt; there being another place called “West-well”, about a hundred yards from it, which, in all probability, was caused by the same eruption. These wells contain stagnant water only.

Church Well is now planted with oisers, and is the property and in the occupation of Mrs Dalton, executrix of the late Mr Wm. Nicholson White. This eruption happened on or about the 8th of September, 1692. Vestiges of pavements were to be seen previous to the inclosure, leading from Thrunscoe and Cleethorpes, to Church Well.

After the inhabitants of Thrunscoe had lost their Church, they built a Chapel at the north-west corner of their village, equa distant from Itterby or Upper Thorpe, which, like their houses, has long since gone to decay; the site on which it stood is called “Chapel Nooken”. After losing their Church and Chapel, they formed a road across their fields, of the width of four gads, leading to the Parish Church of Clee, which road they called “Kirk Gate.”

Thrunscoe is now reduced to two inhabited houses, which are included in the population of the Upper Thorpe. This Thorpe (formerly Itterby) was the place of residence of a member of Parliament, in the 38th year of the reign of Edward III, 1364, named Randulphus de Itterby who was returned to serve in Parliament for the borough of Grimsby; and in the 50th year of the same reign, we find the names of two members from this place, Randolphus de Itterby and Williemus de Thorpe. From the same records we learn that William Broxholme, alderman, was returned three times for the borough of Grimsby, the last time was in the year 1681. This gentleman was a native of Thorpe, or Cleathorpe, a part of whose descendants are still living in the place. It appears that Cleethorpes was a favourite place for the residence of country gentlemen, and members of Parliament during the vacations; and no doubt was one of the pleasantest places for health and amusement of any in the county of Lincoln, having woods and forests extending from north-east to south-east. These woods were about a mile from the village , and so narrow was the river Humber, that the manor of Itterby extended to a place called “Clea Ness”, now near the centre of the channel, consequently this place was then partly obscured from the sea; on the other hand, there being no inclosed lands, except a few crofts and gardens adjoining the houses, a fine open country presented itself, having the sea-port of Grimsby on the north, from which it was distant about three miles; and those of Marsh Chapel and Tetney, about six miles distant on the south. Leland makes the distance from the ancient sea-port of Marsh Chapel, river and Grimsby, (to use his own words,) “From Grimsby to Marche Chappelle where is a dok, or creke, about vi. m.s.” This navigation which went up to the town of Marsh Chapel, (a place famous for the manufacture of salt), has long been choked up, and the trade altogether abandoned.

It appears that the land in front of Cleethorpes, which was overflowed by the sea, extended to the mouth of the then narrow river Humber.

Having described the ancient state of Cleethorpes, we shall proceed to note its present aspect, and point out its facilities for sea-bathing for which it is at present so much noted.

Its maritime situation, the salubrity of its air and its clean and fine shore (which exceeds 3 miles in extent from its south boundary at Humberstone Beck, to the new Dock works at Grimsby), with the retiredness and quiet which a village at all times afford, render it a fit place for the resort of invalids, as well as those who in the pursuit of recreation, delight in the stillness and quietude of country life, rather than the bustle of crowded places, has, no doubt, been the cause of its present celebrity.

About twenty-five years ago, two or three bathing machines were sufficient for the accommodation of the visitors; but so rapidly has this place sprung up to popularity, that there are now nineteen machines for bathing, and three warm Bath Houses, for the convenience of those who, from any cause, dare not bathe in the open sea. So late as the year 1800, there were no lodging houses in the place, except two or three, at which strangers were taken in; but in this, as in other matters, demand creates a supply, and at the present time there are 106 lodging houses and three inns, fit for the reception of visitors of all classes of society.

Previous to the year 1842, the greater part of the land in this neighbourhood was an open range of uninclosed land, in some places near two miles in width; but on the 22nd of April in that year, an Act of Parliament received the Royal assent for inclosing the open and commonable lands and fields of Clee, and Cleethorpes, with the hamlet of Thrunscoe. The quantity of land then inclosed was, arable, 819 acres; common, 740 acres, 1 rood, and 23 perches; pasture, 700 acres, and 15 perches; old inclosure, 143 acres, 1 rood, and 38 perches; extent of roads, 13 acres, 2 roods, and 9 perches, making a total of 2416 acres, 2 roods and 5 perches.

Previous to the inclosure, the appropriate or tithe of corn in both fields, belonged to the Bishop of Lincoln, for which a rent charge was awarded to the lessee, Richard Thorold, Esq; the tithe of hay to G.F. Heneage Esq., except that of the hamlet of Thrunscoe, which belonged to the late Mr William Nicholson White; and the Vicarial or small tithes, to the Vicar for the time being.

The following were the Vicar’s claim, according to a modus; tenth of pigs and poultry; and young chickens when they were able to fly upon a chair; pigeons, two shillings for the cote; new bare cow, 3d; not new bare, two-pence half-penny; smoke, one half-penny; wind for mills, thirty shillings each; communicants, or head money on all human beings at or above fourteen years of age, 2d each; and cottage gardens, according to their size.

The commutation agreed upon by the several Proprietors and Tithe Commissioner, were for The Bishop of Lincoln, £285; G.F. Heneage, Esq., £54 18s; Mr W.N. White, £26; Vicarial, or petty tithes, £42.

By the same Act of Parliament, a piece of land was set out fronting the sea, upwards of quarter of a mile in length, and containing upwards of two and a half acres , for the recreation of the public, on which is a raised gravel walk near the high cliffs, with seats at proper distances for people to rest themselves upon, from which may be seen the ships in the Humber (which sometime exceed a thousand sail), the opposite Yorkshire coast, the Spurn lighthouses, and the German ocean, the whole of which presents a picturesque scene."

The second installment will describe the people and places of Cleethorpes in 1850.