Deeping St Nicholas in 5 images

Deeping St Nicholas in 5 images by Andy Croyle

The Big Skies

The flat landscape lends itself to splendid views of the Big Skies; visitors are amazed that they can see the sun rise above the horizon then sink below it, all from the same spot and on the same day. Seventy-five years ago this sky would have been full of bombers flying to and from their bases all over the county; nowadays their modern counterparts use the skies over the village as a practice area and on some days the landscape echoes to the roar of their jet engines and afterburners as they perform their manoeuvres in the sky.

Saint Nicholas’ Parish Church

Dating back to 1846 when the parish was formed, the stone-built church is a conspicuous landmark along the main road, and is grade 2 listed. Used – Covid-19 permitting – for a variety of purposes as well as religious services, the church hosts a children’s play group, whist drives, bell ringing, Parish Council meetings, craft fairs and fun days to name but a handful. The church is open to visitors every day and is regarded by many as the centre of the community. The churchyard is also host to the village war memorial, where tribute is paid annually – Covid-19 permitting again – to those fallen in conflict.

Love them or hate them, you can’t ignore them! Dominating the skyline for miles around since their installation in 2006 are the eight wind turbines north of the village. Fifty-nine metres from the ground to the hub with blades 42 metres long, these feed silently-produced green energy into the National Grid, and on a typical December day these would produce over 150,000 kWh, whilst running at a little over 40% load. They also benefit the village through the Wind Turbine Trust, contributing to a variety of community projects including the village’s much-loved primary school.

The level crossing

Many road users going from Spalding to the Deepings or back will have groaned at the sight of the red lights flashing: ‘Why does it always happen to me!’ and this will be their lasting memory of the journey. After some teething problems when signalling on the Loop Line was upgraded to release capacity on the East Coast Main Line, the barriers are down for two or three minutes, three or four times an hour at most. The adjacent Littleworth station closed to passengers in 1961 but there is a group campaigning for it to be reopened since the village has expanded, and to save the signal box, made redundant by the signalling upgrade.

The agriculture

Very much a farming community, Deeping St Nicholas and the surrounding area is home to many farms, predominantly arable. The area is host to a variety of seasonal cereal and vegetable crops, and in spring fields of flowers delight the eye. One of the less common crops is the sunflowers of Vine House Farm, whose seeds are destined to end up in bird feeders in all corners of the UK. Other crops include potatoes, destined for well-known brands’ factories and hence dinner tables and fast food restaurants across the UK, and sugar beet, on its way to regional processing plants. Lincolnshire truly feeds the nation! 51