Choose a Topic ....
Photograph Galleries
ABCDEFGHIKLMNOPQRSTUWY
Amber Hill
 
Amber Hill, Bridge over Maryland Drain
Amber Hill, Bridge over Maryland Drain
Amber Hill, Bridge over Maryland Drain

This view, looking towards the north-east, shows the geometric pattern of the roads. Presumably the bridge parapet to the south (on the right) has been replaced through damage or widening.

Jean Howard, July 2023

Amber Hill, Bridge
Amber Hill, Bridge over Maryland Drain
Amber Hill, Bridge over Maryland Drain
Amber Hill, Bridge over Maryland Drain

The Act of Parliament for draining this area of fens was passed in 1767.

The road bridges across the drains appear to be later (probably nineteenth-century) and are largely of this style of red brick with four piers and curved stone capping.

Jean Howard, July 2023

Amber Hill, Bridge
Amber Hill, Coronation Cottages
Amber Hill, Coronation Cottages
Amber Hill, Coronation Cottages

Built by farmer Thomas Pridmore who lived at Glebe Farm, Amber Hill according to the Directory of 1900, but at Vicarage Farm, Sutterton Drove, Amber Hill in the 1901 Census.

Jean Howard, July 2023

Amber Hill, Coronation Cottage, Thomas Pridmore
Amber Hill, Coronation Cottages and Wesleyan Chapel
Amber Hill, Coronation Cottages and Wesleyan Chapel
Amber Hill, Coronation Cottages and Wesleyan Chapel

This shows the closeness of the chapel site to the Pridmore’s cottage.

Jean Howard, 2023

Amber Hill, Coronation Cottage, Thomas Pridmore, wesleyan methodist chapel
Amber Hill, Coronation Cottages, Datestone
Amber Hill, Coronation Cottages, Datestone
Amber Hill, Coronation Cottages, Datestone

Pridmore’s cottages are dated a little early to accurately mark the coronation of Edward VII which took place on 9 August 1902.

Jean Howard 20 July 2023

Amber Hill, Coronation Cottage, Thomas Pridmore
Amber Hill, Pilgrim School
Amber Hill, Pilgrim School
Amber Hill, Pilgrim School

Following the creation of the new civil parish of Amber Hill in December 1880, two School Boards were formed to undertake the provision of schools in this area of the fen.

This was one of three schools that were built and this ultimately became the only school in the area and was named Amber Hill and Toftstead School.

It was constructed in 1881 at a cost of £900 for 134 pupils, extended in 1969 and closed in 2010.

Its present role is as one of three Pilgrim Schools in the county offering educational support to children with complex medical and/or mental health needs.

Jean Howard, 2023

Amber Hill, Pilgrim School
Amber Hill, Pilgrim Schoolmaster's House
Amber Hill, Pilgrim Schoolmaster's House
Amber Hill, Pilgrim Schoolmaster's House

The eastern (left hand) end of the building with two storeys would appear to have been the schoolmaster’s house.

Between the gabled end sections are four windows, the middle two having incised in the lintels ‘BOARD SCHOOL’ and ‘ERECTED 1881‘

Jean Howard, 2023

Amber Hill, Pilgrim School
Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel

The former Primitive Methodist chapel, standing in Chapel Lane, was built in 1843 and later extended.

The last service was held in July 1971 before closure and subsequent conversion into a house.

July 2021 

 

Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel

This view of the chapel from the southwest shows how close it was built to the road.

July 2021 

Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel

The chapel date plaque.

July 2021 

Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel

The arch carrying this date is over what was the porch door on the roadside. This opening has now been made into a window.

Jean Howard, 2023

Amber Hill, Primitive Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Road Hazard Sign
Amber Hill, Road Hazard Sign
Amber Hill, Road Hazard Sign

This sign is a rare survival of the style first introduced in 1903 and widespread by 1930s.

The red open triangle indicated a hazard and could stand alone or carry an explanatory panel below. This one indicates a bend, an unusual occurrence in fen landscape where the road system is largely a grid pattern.

In this case, the bend was the site of Amber Hill Primitive Methodist chapel (at NGR TF 233459).

This style of signage was used until the Worboys Committee report of 1963 caused all signage to be revised. See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worboys_Committee 

Jean Howard, 2023

Amber Hill, Road Hazard Sign
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist

"Parish church. 1867 by Edward Browning*, in neo Norman style"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1360489 

"It was made redundant on the 9th November 1995 and then later adapted for private dwelling use"

http://parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/AmberHill/section.asp?catId=22217 

Peter Kirk Collection, 22 June 2002

* Edward Browning, ARIBA (1816-1882) was an architect based in Stamford. He was also responsible for the churches at Fosdyke and Snelland, Grantham National School and several prominent buildings in Stamford

Amber Hill, Saint John The Baptist, Church, Edward Browning
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist

The 1867 former parish church, viewed here from the north-east, was designed by Edward Browning, architect, of Stamford in neo-Norman style at a cost of £4,500.

Although the church was made redundant in November 1995 and has been made into living accommodation, the churchyard is clearly still in use for interments, and therefore accessible.

The church is Grade II listed and some details are quoted from the listing:

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1360489?section=official-list-entry

The number of buttresses seem to indicate that the architect was uncertain about the stability of the building in this fenland location

Jean Howard, 2023

Amber Hill, Saint John The Baptist, Church, Edward Browning
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist

The church viewed from the northwest. 

‘The west end has plinth, chamfered band, dogtooth and 5 corbelled eaves courses terminating on dentillated pilasters. 4 deep buttresses with raking steps.

The 3-light west window has semi-circular heads to the lights with moulded brick mullions and 3 plain circular lights set in the brick tympanum. It is flanked by single buttresses and single tall semi-circular headed lights.

The gabled double bellcote has ashlar coping and kneelers, and its tumbled raking walls are supported on a dentillated base.’ 

Jean Howard, 2023

Amber Hill, Saint John The Baptist, Church, Edward Browning
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist

View of the church from the southeast. 

The external north and south elevations ‘have plinth, moulded cill band, corbelled and dentillated eaves with stepped raking buttresses dividing the window bays which contain paired semi-circular headed lights with roll-moulded brick surrounds.’ 

Jean Howard, 2023

Amber Hill, Saint John The Baptist, Church, Edward Browning
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist

The gabled double bellcote has ashlar coping and kneelers, and its tumbled raking walls are supported on a dentillated base. The bell openings are semi-circular headed.

Bryan Kitson, 1998

Amber Hill, St John
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist, Churchyard Wall
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist, Churchyard Wall
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist, Churchyard Wall

An unusual and attractive brick wall with two buttresses between each brick pier, topped with a dentil course and moulded brick capping.

A twisted iron rail links the piers. Sadly the rusting metal gate hinge anchor is splitting the gate pier.

Jean Howard, 2023

Amber Hill, Saint John The Baptist, Church, Churchyard Wall
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist, Interior View
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist, Interior View
Amber Hill, St John the Baptist, Interior View

The interior of the church has yellow brick faced walls with red and black brick dressings.

Bryan Kitson, 1998

Amber Hill, St John
Amber Hill, Wesleyan Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Wesleyan Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Wesleyan Methodist Chapel

The Wesleyan Methodist chapel built in 1846, was originally known as Sutterton Fen. (It is at TF 212491)

It was rebuilt in 1877 and closed for worship in 1915. 

Note: This area is also known as Sutterton Drove 

July 2021 

Sutterton Drove, Amber Hill Wesleyan Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Wesleyan Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Wesleyan Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Wesleyan Methodist Chapel

After a very short interval of only two years, the building and its surroundings have been extensively remodelled.

Jean Howard, 2023

Amber Hill, Wesleyan Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Wesleyan Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Wesleyan Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Wesleyan Methodist Chapel

A second view of the recently remodelled chapel with Coronation Cottages beyond.

Jean Howard, 2023

Amber Hill, Wesleyan Methodist Chapel
Amber Hill, Wind Drainage Engine
Amber Hill, Wind Drainage Engine
Amber Hill, Wind Drainage Engine

For many years the principal form of pump used to drain the Fens was a scoop wheel comprising an array of flat wooden paddles rotating in a narrow slot and capable of lifting a surprisingly large mass of water through a height of a few feet (eg, the pump at Dogdyke could raise 25 tons per minute).

Initially these scoop wheels were wind-powered then steam was introduced.

By the time that diesel engine power came into use the more efficient centrifugal pump had been developed and scoop wheels largely disappeared.

This example of a scoop wheel was photographed in 1972 at Amber Hill.

It is standing adjacent to the brick tower of the wind engine which powered it.

Chris Lester, 1972

Amber Hill, drainage, scoopwheel, windmill,
Amber Hill, Wind Drainage Engine
Amber Hill, Wind Drainage Engine
Amber Hill, Wind Drainage Engine

Hundreds of wind-powered drainage pumps once lined the rivers and drains in the Fens, of which this is the principal survivor.

This engine was probably built in the late eighteenth century and was taken out of use when steam powered pumping stations were introduced in the 1840s. It was originally about twice the current height and would have worked with four sails.

The wooden scoop wheel has been restored in recent years.

Location of mill: TF 229 460

Peter Kirk Collection, 2002
Amber Hill, wind drainage engine scoop wheel
Amber Hill, Wind Drainage Engine
Amber Hill, Wind Drainage Engine
Amber Hill, Wind Drainage Engine

View of the wooden scoop wheel about 30 years after restoration.

Peter Kirk Collection, 2002

Amber Hill, wind drainage engine, Peter Kirk