Search:

TORKSEY – A LOST VIKING TOWN

The village of Torksey is 9 miles north west of Lincoln and 9 miles south of Gainsborough.

Although there is some evidence for prehistoric activity here, Torksey does not develop as a settlement until the Roman period.

---

ROMAN TORKSEY

Torksey was close to centres of Roman activity – the Roman road which we now know as Tillbridge Lane, crosses the River Trent just to the north of Torksey at Marton. However, Torksey’s importance is mostly due to the construction of a Roman 'Canal' (the Foss Dyke) which linked Brayford Pool (and the River Witham) to the River Trent. It has been said that this waterway was the basis of the Roman supply routes to carry grain to the northern legions. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foss_Dyke

With the construction of the Foss Dyke, Torksey begins to develop into a port. However, the name is probably Saxon in origin – from Torca’s ey (Torca’s island)

VIKING TORKSEY

Torksey becomes an important town in the late Saxon and Viking era and in AD 873 the Viking Danish army established its winter headquarters at Torksey. It became something of a regional capital. A Viking King was crowned here and a coin mint was established. An important pottery industry developed at Torksey – probably the proximity to river transport was a vital part of the success of this industry.

Torksey became an important port in the early medieval period but its prosperity depended on the state of the Foss Dyke canal which was always silting up. It was restored by Henry I in 1121 – At this time the town was quite important – we know there were three churches and two monasteries at Torksey in 1291. The town’s prosperity depended on river traffic and the tolls charged on goods passing along the Trent.

But Foss Dyke kept on silting up – There were lots of complaints between 1335 and 1432. It is probable that silting of the Foss Dyke led ultimately to the decline of Torksey in the 15thC

---

TORKSEY CASTLE

Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536-39, the Jermyn family of Norfolk became owners of the manor of Torksey. They built a modest country house at the side of the river, sometime around 1560. Its basement storey was built in stone – perhaps taken from the ruined priory and its upper storeys were in brick. During the English Civil War (on 1st August 1645) Torksey Hall was attacked by Parliamentarians and sacked – It was never rebuilt and its fabulous ruins (now known as Torksey Castle) still stand forlornly by the Trent at Torksey. More info is available on Torksey Castle here and there is a downloadable leaflet (pdf format) about the building, from West Lindsey District Council here

---

TORKSEY LOCK

The entrance to the Foss Dyke at Torksey is via Torksey Lock - now a major piece of British Waterways engineering - What did this look like in Roman and medieval times?

There is an interpretive centre at Torksey Lock telling the history of the waterway and the port. It was opened in Sept 2004.

---

More information on Torksey may be found here