Castle Bytham

[2] At one time the village was an important commercial centre for the surrounding agricultural communities, but it is now largely a dormitory, although a number of farming families remain with a much reduced workforce.

[citation needed] Morkery Wood housed a former bomb dump during the Second World War for the nearby airfields.

In the early hours of 19 November 1942 Handley Page Halifax BB209 NP-G[7] of 158 Sqn, from RAF Rufforth in North Yorkshire, crashed near Stocken Hall Farm (in the wood).

[9] The site of the castle in Saxon times was owned by Morcar, also known as Morkere, who was the brother of Ealdgyth, wife of King Harold.

The civil parish extends much to the north-west of the village, up to Woolley's Lane, including Red Barn Quarry, owned by Bullimores.

[14] South of the A1 interchange to Woolley's Lane, the parish boundary is with North Witham, including Park House Farm.

Eastwards, the parish extends for about half a mile, where it includes the 30 acre Lawn Wood[15] which has been a nature reserve since 1995, joining two neighbouring meadows that were donated to Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust in 1993.

Every year Castle Bytham holds a midsummer fair and street market, with stalls, a duck grand prix, dog show, funfair, children's games, beer tents and barbecues.

The fair has raised over £40,000 for local causes including a Christmas lunch for pensioners and a children's party, and village infrastructure improvements.

It had served Creeton, Swinstead, Swayfield, Little Bytham and Clipsham, and other nearby small villages – it has now been replaced by a mobile 'outreach' service.

The church, started in the 12th century, and restored in 1900, is dedicated to St James[29] and is one of a group of parishes in the rural deanery of Beltisloe.

[4] There was at one time a Methodist chapel in High Street (now a private house), served by visiting ministers from Stamford.

[30] On its closure in 1972 the Methodist Circuit still sent a preacher to the village for a few years, service taking place in the parish church.

May Day celebrations, banned under the Commonwealth, were revived in 1660. The maypole at Castle Bytham was inscribed to commemorate the date when it was later cut in half for use as a ladder in the church tower [ 4 ]
Village sign in Castle Bytham