Dunston 1842

Whites Directory

Whites directories are a valuable source of information about locations in England during the 19th century.  Although they give a description of the location, unlike the census, they are not comprehensive, tending to give only a list of landowners and tradespeople. They are nevertheless indispensable as a research tool. This extract is taken from Whites 1842 Directory of Lincolnshire

see also Whites 1856 entry for Dunston

Dunston is a pleasant village, upon a fertile plain, and on the banks of a rivulet, 8 miles S.E. of Lincoln, has in its parish 518 souls and 2850 acres of land, extending three miles westward from the village to, Dunston Pillar, on Lincoln Heath; and six miles eastward across the fen, to the River Witham, opposite Southrey. The Earl of Ripon is lord of the manor, and owner of the greater part of the soil, and the rest belongs to several smaller proprietors.  The Church (St. Peter) is an ancient structure, with a fine Norman arch in the south porch.  The Bishop of Lincoln is appropriator of the rectory, and patron of the vicarage, which is valued in K.B. at £7.0s.8d., and now at £151, in the incumbency of the Rev. John Prescott, M.A.  At the enclosure, the tithes were commuted for an allotment of 475 acres to the rectory, and 135 acres to the vicarage. Here is a Wesleyan chapel, erected in 1832.  DUNSTON PILLAR, on Lincoln Heath, and on the London Road, 5 miles S. by E. of Lincoln, was erected in 1751 by F. Dashwood, Esq., for the purposes of directing travellers over the then extensive and dreary heath, which is now enclosed and cultivated. A lantern was placed on the summit and lighted during the night; but since the enclosure, and the formation of good roads across the heath in all directions, the pillar has been rendered useless as a beacon, and is now surmounted by a colossal Statue of George III., in his robes, erected, in 1810, by the Earl of Buckinghamshire, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of that monarch's reign.  The pillar is a plain quadrangular stone shaft, of pyramidical shape, rising to  the height of 92 feet, and ascended by a spiral staircase to the statue, round the base of which is a ballustraded gallery, resting on a massive cornice.  The pillar stands in a square enclosure. planted with shady trees.  Dunston Hospital, an ancient foundation for leprous persons, stood on the heath, a little south of the pillar, but no traces of it now remain. The poor widows of the parish have the interest of £10, left by Robt. Warrender, about three centuries ago, and now vested with the churchwardens.

Marked 1, are on the Fen; 2, on the Heath; 3 and the rest in Dunston, or where specified.

CARRIER. Benj. Turner to Lincoln.

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