The Parish Registers Of Coleby Lincolnshire 1561-1812

Unlock the Secrets of Coleby: Your Ancestors Await in The Parish Registers of Coleby, Lincolnshire, 1561-1812

Step back in time and walk the hallowed fields of Lincolnshire. For anyone with roots branching back to this historic county, this meticulously transcribed volume is not just a book—it is a key. A key that unlocks over 250 years of your family's story, etched into the very fabric of a village steeped in history, hardship, and myth.

The Parish Registers of Coleby, 1561-1812 is the definitive resource for any genealogist tracing lineage in this corner of North Kesteven. Within these pages, you will find the vital records of your ancestors' lives:

Baptisms (1561-1812): Discover the names of children born through the reigns of Elizabeth I, the turmoil of the Civil War, and into the Georgian age. Each entry is a new branch on your family tree.
Marriages (1561-1812): Witness the unions of generations. Find the couples whose love and resilience laid the foundation for your existence. See the names of witnesses, perhaps other ancestors or neighbours.
Burials (1561-1812): Pay respects to those who came before. Trace the impact of history on a small community, from the devastating plague years to the quiet passing of a village elder.

These are not just names and dates. They are the echoes of real people who tilled the soil, prayed in the ancient church of St. Mary the Virgin, and lived through events that shaped a nation. This collection bridges the gap between the 16th-century yeoman and the 19th-century farmer, placing your ancestors directly in the sweep of English history.

Beyond the Names: Echoes of Coleby's Legends
Coleby is more than just a village; it is a place of stories. As you delve into the registers, you may find the names of people connected to the local myths and legends whispered through the centuries. Did your ancestor have a brush with the supernatural or a link to a hidden treasure?

The Legend of the Phantom of the Cliff: Local lore speaks of a spectral figure, a Roundhead soldier from the Civil War, who is said to appear on the Lincoln Cliff overlooking the village during the twilight of a winter's evening. He is searching for a hidden payroll he was meant to guard before being ambushed near the ancient trackway. The registers from the 1640s are filled with marriages and burials; could one of those names belong to the phantom, or to the foe who bested him?

The Whispering Well of St. Mary's: Long before the present church stood, a spring was venerated on the site. Villagers would come to the "Whispering Well" to divine the future or seek blessings for a child. Legend says that if you listened closely at dusk, you could hear the names of future lovers whispered on the wind. As you search the marriage banns, imagine the young couples of Coleby who might have visited this very spot, their hopes and fears now part of the village's enduring memory.

The Tale of the Roman Hoard: Coleby lies close to the line of the Roman road, Ermine Street. A persistent myth, passed down in farmhouses for generations, tells of a Roman centurion fleeing a Saxon raid, burying a chest of silver and gold somewhere in the fields to the west of the village before meeting his end. The treasure was never found. Perhaps the name you uncover in a 17th-century baptismal record belongs to a family of farmers who always spoke of the "ghostly glint" seen in their pasture after a heavy rain.