Fulletby has always been a small place but here on January 23, 1816 was born one Henry Winn, and the village was to be his lifelong home for 98 years.

Henry grew, however, into a quite extraordinary character who gained an entry in the Guinness Book of Records.
His boyhood schooling was in Belchford but, when he was ten, his father died and he took on the responsibility of supporting his mother and the younger members of the family.
Undaunted he continued to educate himself at home.
When he was 24 he married and opened a general store (which remained a business until 1980) in his home opposite the church, but also mastered the trades of decorator and auctioneer's clerk, became the village constable, Sunday school teacher, and local tax collector.

He inaugurated a village sick club too, and in his spare time (and there can't have been much of that!) he wrote poetry and newspaper articles.
In 1850 he and his wife also founded Fulletby's first school and free library, mostly stocked with his own books.
And, almost unbelievably, they found the time (and energy!) to have 21 children, though tragically only four daughters survived to adulthood.
Henry died in 1914.

His other important role in village life, that of parish clerk, is commemorated in the Guinness Book of Records.
Henry first assumed this duty in 1830 at the age of 14 because the elected clerk could neither read nor write, but he became full time clerk in 1945, staying in the post until 1910, a total of 80 years, qualifying him as England's longest acting public servant.

His gravestone is in St Andrew's churchyard close to a large carved memorial to his 15 year old nephew Matthew.
The carving is by Henry's brother Richard, a skilled sculptor, who also lived in Fulletby.
Fulletby's village name with its familiar 'by' ending denotes a settlement here from soon after the Danish invasion.

Any early church has disappeared and the present St Andrew's dates from 1705, being much restored in 1857 by James Fowler from Louth.

By all accounts (or rather lack of them!) Belchford seems to have slumbered peacefully through the centuries with no great historical events taking plale there, and none of its 'sons' becoming famous.

Taking into account the fact that it lies beside the River Waring the village name seems a bit odd, for one would expect 'Waringford' or some similar reference to the river.
There is a ford along Ings Lane to the north of the village, close to the course of the Lincoln to Wainfleet Roman road, and probably named after a local man with the Old English name of 'belt'.

The walk is 4.5 miles (7 kilometres) long and starts in Belchford, allow around 2.5 hours.
Although Fulletby stands some 200 feet higher than Belchford, the climb there is gradual.
Our return follows the Viking Way and has wonderful views.
Park considerately in Belchford near the Blue Bell Inn or the church.

Recommended maps are the OS Landranger sheet 122 or Explorer 273.





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THE ROUTE TO FOLLOW



THE ROUTE: Follow Main Road westwards and uphill out of Belchford towards the A153 for just over half a mile, then turn left onto a signed footpath.

After crossing the hillside the path veers left slightly and descends to the River Waring, though it's more like a stream here!

Cross the footbridge to begin another uphill section, rising steadily until the path bears right on a track past Westfield House that continues to the public road near Fulletby.

We join the Viking Way here and it is a fine viewpoint too!
Turn left, walk into Fulletby and turn left again by the garage.
The first right turn will then lead you to the churchyard.
Pause here to visit Henry Winn's grave and see his old shop opposite, now a private house.

On leaving the churchyard turn left, making a second left turn down Paradise Lane, this becomes School Lane where Henry's school once stood.
After 200 yards climb a stile on the right and walk down the middle of a large meadow, where grassy mounds indicate the site of medieaval Fulletby.
Head for another stile by a gate and over another meadow to a third stile.

Now follow a grass path briefly uphill beside a hedge and at the top bear left a little to another stile situated on your right.

Now descend by hedges towards Belchford, keeping forward for a few yards when you join a track.
Then turn sharp right briefly until the path turns sharp left again and continues downhill again.
After re-crossing the Waring we join Dams Lane and turn right into Belchford for the Bluebell Inn.