THE DEEPINGSVisitor Guide to

Covering Market Deeping, Deeping St James, Deeping Gate,West Deeping & Deeping St Nicholas

2019

The Stage hotel has a number of bedrooms in the very heart of Market Deeping town centre, just a little way along the High St you will find the Caudle House B&Band there is Halfleet Grove, just north of St Guthlac’s Church on Halfleet, Market Deeping.

There are also 3 caravan sites in the area; Back Lane inDeeping St James, Peterborough Rd and Towngate East in Market Deeping. A couple of miles to the west you willfind Tallington Lakes which has static caravans and lodgesthat you can rent, an area for camping and touring vansplus a range of outdoor activities including watersports,a dry ski slope and a bar/restaurant.

Places to stay

The Great Outdoors

Weekly Markets

Exploring on foot

Near By

Riverside walks, historic walks, several parks, Deeping Lakes Nature Reserve, a skateboard park anda BMX track, a park with a trim trail and several withchildren’s play equipment. Most of these are shown on the map over the page.

There are 2 weekly markets within the Deepings.Every Saturday in Market Deeping, Market Square andEvery Wednesday in the Precincts car park

There are plenty of footpath to wend your way aroundthe surrounding countryside, some by the pretty river Welland as well as an Urban Walk which covers a mixof New, Old and Ancient Deeping.Copies of maps for various walks are available at:The Library, The Town Hall, Deepings Community Centreand also online at www.deepings.co.uk/walks

A short drive south, to Helpston you will find John Clare Cottage. Widely regarded as one of the greatest of the English poets. The John Clare Trust purchased John Clare Cottage in 2005, preserving it for future generations.Around 7 miles west is Burghley House, location of thefamous Horse Trial and England’s greatest Elizabethanhouse. Park & grounds - free entry.

Shopping in and around the Deepings

Eating & drinking in and around the Deepings

The Deepings has a good number of small independent retailers for its size. Most of the retail outlets are situated in the Market Place / High Street / Church Street. A further group of shops are located just behind the Market Place in “the Precincts” & “Market Gate”. Close by there is a Supermarket and several Convenience Stores. There are also some retail businesses located on the industrial estate - see map for details. There are a few other clusters of retail and Take-away businesses as shown on the map. There is a specialist retailer of Garden Pond Equipment in Frognall.

HIDDEN GEMS: At the eastern end of the High Street you will find the Deepings Antique & Craft Centre - a large venue with many individual vendors offering a wide selection of items. Just opposite is a very large Craft Store & a Café. In Church St. Deeping St James you will find a traditional Baker and a Picture Framing Shop that also has a selection of local artists work for sale.

Between the various parts of the Deepings we have 11 pubs, several of which offer a good range of food. There are 2 wine bars, 7 restaurants, 5 Fish & Chip shops - some multi-award winning, a selection of take-away food outlets plus around 7 cafés, some located in the main areas and a few out on their own.

HIDDEN GEMS: If you like an old traditional pub (with a roaring fire in winter) and a good beer garden in Summer, try the Waterton Arms, Church St, Deeping St James.Tucked away in Manor Court, Deeping St James is a small Bistro called Driftwood and for restaurants there is Tonino’s Italian and Chesters on Church St in Market Deeping.For great cakes with your tea and coffee, Lilli’s Tea Room in Market Gate or indeed most of the other small independent cafes.You can also get a great hot breakfast or lunch at Oasis café within the Eventus Business Centre on the industrial estate. Out at Frognall you will find the Goat, another friendly country pubwith a great beer garden and at West Deeping the Red Lion hassimilar offerings.

What’s On and When

The people of the Deepings are renown for puttingon great events, throughout the year. Here are

a few of the most popular. For a fuller listvisit www.deepings.co.uk/events

23rd to 26th May - Deepings Literary Festival - variousvenues. Details: www.deepingsliteraryfestival.co.uk

Saturday 29th June - Rose & Sweet Pea Show - Traditional Village Fayre, from late morning,Priory Church Gardens, Deeping St James

Sunday 30th June - Deepings Carnival - from 11amParade from Deepings Leisure Centre to John Eve FieldStalls, Displays and much more.

Sunday 4th August - Deepings Raft Race - from 11amUnique event with up to 40 decorated rafts racing upstream. Free to spectators. Come and enjoy the fun at the river Welland from Bridge Street Deeping St Jamesthrough to the Market Square, Market Deeping.www.deepingsraftrace.co.uk

Sunday 1st September - Deepings Duck Race from 12pm

Saturday 28th September - Deeping Business Awardswww.deepings.co.uk

Saturday 28th October - Pumpkin Carving CompetitionSwines Meadow Nursery, Towngate East, PE6 8LQ

Sunday 1st December - Deeping Christmas MarketTown Centre, Market Deeping - 10am til 5pmlots of stalls and entertainment tooPlus Christmas lights switch on

The world famous Deepings Duck Derby, come join the fun at Bridge St. Deeping St. James

Dates are correct at time of going to press. Please check for updates and more eventswww.deepings.co.uk

The Deepings have a long rich history as thriving communities and fortunately many buildings remain today as testament to that proud heritage. The Deepings is the collective name given to Market Deeping, Deeping St James, Deeping Gate, West Deeping & Deeping St Nicholas (originally Deeping Fen). Deeping was the Saxon word for deep fen or low place.

The River Welland (bubbling or roaring water-but not today!) has influenced the development of the settlements and provided transport for people and for heavy goods as well as fish, eels and wild fowl for food. Crossing points of that river became important and the two bridges, were crucial in the development of the settlements. East Deeping was the old name for what is now Market Deeping and Deeping St James.

The turning point for the communities came when the Norman, Richard De Rulos married into the Wake family of Bourne and took control of the area. He raised a “high bank (for the river often overflowed) creating a great village”. The fen became “the most fruitful fields & a garden of pleasure”. The early settlement was Deeping St Guthlac, now known as Market Deeping. St Guthlac’s Saxon chapel was converted into a parish Church in the 1120s. Similar work was carried out by his son-in-law, Baldwin Fitzgilbert, in what is now Deeping St James and in 1139 the Benedictine Priory and Church of St James was consecrated (Dissolved by Henry VIII in the 1530s).

The Wake family continued to own both settlements through the Middle Ages. Between 1220 and 1308 Charters were granted for a weekly market on a Wednesday, so the name Market Deeping was born.

In 1352 the Wake lands passed to Joanna Wake, “the Fair Maid of Kent”, who went on to marry Edward the Black Prince. As a result, the manor of East Deeping passed to the Crown and remained a royal manor into the 19th Century.

East Deeping became wealthy and gained guildhalls, a court house, market crosses and schools. Margaret Beaufort (mother of Henry VII) was Lady of Deeping and took an active interest in her lands. Her coat of arms is on the tower of St Guthlac’s Church. She had to intervene in disputes and wasa formidable Lady to be able to restrain the men of Deeping!

In 1537 Queen Elizabeth I ordered a survey to be made of her lands in Deeping. That included two bridges, a Vineyard Close, a Wakes Manor House, three corn mills, a highway ford and a live town bull! also the Bull Inn that remains today.

Both Market Deeping’s fine Georgian Church Street & Market Place reflect the impressive growth of the Deepings, with a combined population of over 2,000 by 1801.

The History of the Deepings

How to Get Here

Peterborough

Spalding& Boston

Bourne& Lincoln

Grantham &Newark-on-Trent

MARKETDEEPING

WESTDEEPING

STAMFORD

DEEPINGST JAMES

DEEPINGGATE

DEEPINGST NICHOLAS

The South & London

A1

A1

A1175

A1175

A15

A15

The Deepings are located in the very south of Lincolnshire, nestled along side the River Welland

which forms the county border with Cambridgeshire.

There are a few spaces in the Market square and some on road parking but there is a large car park located off Godsey LaneFor SatNav use postcode PE6 8HT First 4 hours FREE then £1 for all day.

By Road: Sat Nav for Market Deeping Town Centreenter postcode PE6 8EDFrom the South exit the A1 at Peterborough and follow A15 North then the B1524From the North exit the A1 at Colsterworth and followA151 towards Bourne, the A15 SouthFrom the East A16 then A1175From the West A47 / A43 then A1175

By Public Transport:Nearest railway stations are Peterborough, Stamfordand Spalding.Regular bus services available from Peterborough andBourne. Less frequent bus service from Stamford andSpalding. Timetables available at www.delainebuses.com