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Pickworth Pickworth is on the eastern edge of Rutland about seven miles north-west of Stamford. In the thirteenth century Pickworth was quite a substantial village, but by the end of the fourteenth century little survived. The village name derives from 'Pica's enclosure'. The '-worth' part of the place name suggests that in the middle Anglo-Saxon period Pickworth was a locally important, perhaps a defended site. 'Worth' place-names tend to be on boundaries and near former Roman roads, as with Pickworth. Rectangular earthworks encompassing Manor Farm might be the remains of the enclosure implied by the name 'worth'. Pickwell was in East Hundred, formerly Witchley. Pickworth is the only village on an old route – now mostly reduced to a bridleway – from where the Sewstern Lane joins the Great North Road (A1) near Greetham to the historically-important crossing of the West Glen River at Essdendine and the crossing of River Gwash at Ryhall. It is also on the road running north from Stamford towards Ancaster. These routes appears to have been of some strategic importance in the Middle Ages as they are overlooked by two castle earthworks near Pickworth. One is just across the Lincolnshire boundary. The other is just inside Great Casterton parish, at Woodhead. Although now all-but deserted, the village was much larger and very prosperous during the reign of Edward II (1327–77). Records reveal that all the inhabitants had gone by 1490. Perhaps the buildings were destroyed after the Battle of Losecoat Field in 1470. Evidence for lost buildings is revealed by various earthworks around Manor Farm and show that the medieval village had an unusually dispersed arrangement. However some of these 'humps and bumps' are attributable to more recent limestone quarrying. Just across the border in Lincolnshire is a Holywell Wood and Hollywell Hall. Battle of Losecoat Field Battle of Losecoat Field, also known as the Battle of Empingham and the Battle of Hornfield (Horn is the next parish), was fought on 12 March 1470. It was the twelfth of fifteen pitched battles during the Wars of the Roses. King Edward IV's army quickly defeated a larger army of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire rebels who fled the scene. Many rebels were killed. A wood nearby is still called Bloody Oaks. The notion of the fleeing rebels shedding their distinctive coats is a later fantasy. 'Losecoat' is from the Old English phrase hlose-cot meaning 'pigsty cottage', and versions of hlose-cot survived in field names. As always Wikipedia has more than enough details. Pickworth's astrologer For I, Thomas Wright of Eaton, near Melton-Mowbray, Leicestershire, grazier, astronomer, mathematician, and professor of astrology, have been for near the fourth of century the only author of the true Moore's Almanack, which I have always compiled from the original copy and instructions, as they were transmitted and communicated to me by the late ingenious Mr. Tycho Wing, of Pickworth, in the county of Rutland, my quondam preceptor [former teacher], who was the successor of Mr. Moore; and at Mr. Wing's decease the copy descended to me, and I have the originals in my study at this time. Tycho Wing lived from 1696 until 1750. Following his death the almanac continued to be compiled by other members of the family who were also named Tycho Wing. Clearly by 1792, when Thomas Wright included the above in his Moore's Almanac, there were several diferent versions being published each year.   A page from an early twentieth century Moore's Almanack. Pickworth's poet The poet John Clare (1793–1864) worked here in 1812 as a lime burner and wrote 'Pickworth is a place of other days… it appears to be the ruins of a large town or city […] the place where we dug the kiln was full of foundations and human bones.'   The lime kiln which Clare helped to dig was cleared out in 1989. Access is just to the west of the 30 mph signs on the western edge of the village. Photograph taken in 2002. More about John Clare's Rutland connections in Rutland Record No.13. RAF Woolfox Lodge was constructed in 1941 to the east of the A1 near Pickworth. Technically it straddled both Empingham and Greetham parishes. The site is now used for agriculture and industry. Pickworth's churches The original church, built in the fourteenth century, was ruined by the end of the fifteenth century, presumably at the time the rest of the village was greatly reduced. Several seventeenth century farmhouses probably reuse stone from the church. Little Casterton church has a flower-shaped piscina said to have come from Pickworth church. The spire and tower survived until about 1730, when they were taken down to repair bridges at Great Casterton and Wakerley, Northamptonshire. Near to Manor Farm one arch of this church survives. It seems to be on the site of the medieval church but was probably re-erected as a folly rather than being actual structural remains. The present parish church of All Saints was built in 1823–4. The design attempts to copy the eighteenth century rebuilding of Tickencote. Inside is a late example of a three-decker pulpit, originally situated at the west end, and some painted box pews. Victoria County History page for Pickworth. Back to top of this page     Back to home page   This website does not gather or store any visitor information. Copyright Bob Trubshaw 2026 No unauthorised copying or reproduction except if all following conditions apply a: Copy is complete (including this copyright statement). b: No changes are made. c: No charge is made. www.hoap.co.uk/rutland

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