Editing Coningsby

{{Short description|Town and civil parish in the East Lindsey district in Lincolnshire, England}}
{{other uses}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=July 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2013}}
{{Infobox UK place 
 | country                  = England
 | coordinates              = {{coord|53.1051|-0.1752|display=inline,title}}
 | official_name            = Coningsby
 | static_image_name        = High Street, Coningsby - geograph.org.uk - 429925.jpg
 | static_image_caption     = High Street ([[A153 road|A153]]), showing the church's painted clockface, in 2004
 | population               = 3,864
 | population_ref           = <ref>Census, 2011</ref>
 | civil_parish             = Coningsby<ref>{{cite web |title=Coningsby Town Council Website |url=https://coningsby.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/ |website = Coningsby Town Council |access-date=16 January 2022}}</ref>
 | shire_district           = [[East Lindsey]]
 | shire_county             = [[Lincolnshire]]
 | region                   = East Midlands
 | constituency_westminster = [[Louth and Horncastle (UK Parliament constituency)|Louth and Horncastle]]
 | post_town                = LINCOLN
 | postcode_district        = LN4
 | postcode_area            = LN
 | dial_code                = 01526
 | os_grid_reference        = TF2258
 | london_distance_mi       = 110
 | london_direction         = S<!-- straight line per MOS – constant and comparable with other place distances -->
 | area_total_km2           = 14.67}}

'''Coningsby''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|ʌ|n|ɪ|ŋ|z|b|ɪ}} is a town and [[Civil parishes in England|civil parish]] in the [[East Lindsey]] [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] in [[Lincolnshire]], England,<ref name=OS122>{{cite map|title=Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 122 ''Skegness & Horncastle''|ISBN= 9780319229392 |publisher=Ordnance Survey|date=2013}}</ref> it is situated on the [[A153 road]], adjoining [[Tattershall]] on its western side, {{convert|13|mi|km}} north west of [[Boston, Lincolnshire|Boston]] and {{convert|8|mi|km}} south west from [[Horncastle]].Home of the world famous Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

==Governance==
Coningsby is the most populous parish in the [[Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom|electoral ward]] of Coningsby and Tattershall. The population of this ward taken at the 2011 Census was 6,943.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/coningsby-and-tattershall-e05005563#sthash.L0LGVw2y.dpbs|title=Coningsby and Tattershall ward population 2011|access-date=18 August 2015}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Road Bridge over the River Bain, Coningsby - geograph.org.uk - 106253.jpg|thumb|left|Bridge over the [[River Bain]] ]]
The town takes its name from the [[Old Norse]] ''konungr'' meaning "King" and the [[Old Norse]] noun ''by'' meaning "settlement", which gives "settlement of the King".<ref>{{cite book|title=A Dictionary of British Place Names|first1= A.D.|last1= Mills|publisher=Oxford University Press| location=Oxford| orig-year= first published 1991|date=2011|edition=First edition revised 2011|isbn=9780199609086|page=128 }}</ref> Coningsby is about {{convert|7|mi|km|0}} south of [[Horncastle, Lincolnshire|Horncastle]] on the [[A153 road|A153]] Horncastle to [[Sleaford]] road, with the [[Lincolnshire Wolds]] to the east and the [[The Fens|Fens]] to the west. The B1192 [[Kirton, Lincolnshire|Kirton]] to [[Woodhall Spa]] road passes through the town. At the town's western end it is separated from the village of [[Tattershall]] by the [[River Bain]].
 
The [[Kirkstead and Little Steeping Railway]] passing through the town opened on 1 July 1913 but closed on 5 July 1970. The former [[Coningsby railway station]] has been demolished and nothing remains except for the station master's house.<ref name="disused">{{cite web |title=Disused Stations: Coningsby Station |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/coningsby/index.shtml |website=www.disused-stations.org.uk |access-date=6 September 2021}}</ref>

A temperature of {{convert|40.3|C|F}}, which is the [[United Kingdom weather records|highest temperature ever recorded in the UK]], occurred on [[2022 United Kingdom heat wave|19 July 2022]] at Coningsby.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gsynres?ind=03391&ano=2022&mes=7&day=20&hora=12&min=0&ndays=30|title=03391: Coningsby Royal Air Force Base (United Kingdom) |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=19 July 2022 |website=ogimet.com |publisher=OGIMET|access-date=20 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-62217282 |title=UK heatwave sees temperatures above 40C for first time |last1=Andersson |first1=Jasmine|last2=Faulkner |first2=Doug |date= 19 July 2022 |website=bbc.co.uk |publisher=[[BBC]]|access-date= 19 July 2022 |quote=}}</ref>

===Climate===

{{Weather box
 | width       = auto
 | metric first = yes
 | single line = yes
 | location    = [[RAF Coningsby]] (1991–2020)
 | Jan high C = 7.3
 | Feb high C = 8.1
 | Mar high C = 10.7
 | Apr high C = 13.6
 | May high C = 16.8
 | Jun high C = 19.6
 | Jul high C = 22.2
 | Aug high C = 22.1
 | Sep high C = 19.0
 | Oct high C = 14.7
 | Nov high C = 10.3
 | Dec high C = 7.5
 | year high C = 14.4
 | Jan low C = 1.2
 | Feb low C = 1.3
 | Mar low C = 2.7
 | Apr low C = 4.7
 | May low C = 7.5
 | Jun low C = 10.4
 | Jul low C = 12.4
 | Aug low C = 12.3
 | Sep low C = 10.2
 | Oct low C = 7.4
 | Nov low C = 3.8
 | Dec low C = 1.5
 | year low C = 6.3
 | rain colour = green
 | Jan rain mm = 47.6
 | Feb rain mm = 37.8
 | Mar rain mm = 34.8
 | Apr rain mm = 40.2
 | May rain mm = 45.8
 | Jun rain mm = 57.0
 | Jul rain mm = 54.8
 | Aug rain mm = 58.7
 | Sep rain mm = 51.4
 | Oct rain mm = 59.5
 | Nov rain mm = 56.0
 | Dec rain mm = 50.4
 | year rain mm = 594.1
 | unit rain days = 1 mm
 | Jan rain days = 10.2
 | Feb rain days = 9.3
 | Mar rain days = 8.2
 | Apr rain days = 8.3
 | May rain days = 8.5
 | Jun rain days = 9.3
 | Jul rain days = 9.2
 | Aug rain days = 9.2
 | Sep rain days = 8.3
 | Oct rain days = 9.9
 | Nov rain days = 11.6
 | Dec rain days = 11.0
 | year rain days = 112.9
| source 1 = [[Met Office]]<ref name="Met Office normals">{{cite web
|url = https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/gcryh17qz
|title = Coningsby (Lincolnshire) UK climate averages – Met Office
|publisher = Met Office
|access-date = 21 July 2024}}</ref>
}}

==Education==
[http://www.coningsbyprimary.co.uk/ Coningsby St Michael's C of E Primary School] is on School Lane. The secondary school is [[Barnes Wallis Academy]], the [http://www.gartree.lincs.sch.uk/ Gartree Community School], is just outside the Coningsby boundary in Tattershall, near the [[A153 road|A153]]. [[Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle|Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School]] provides sixth form education to pupils graduating from Gartree and other secondary modern schools.
RAF Coningsby Nursery and Kids Club provides childcare for military personnel and the community.

The nearest [[Further education#England|further education]] college is in [[Boston, Lincolnshire|Boston]]. In late March 2008, renovation of the Tattershall/Coningsby Library included a small learning centre provided by [[Boston College, Lincolnshire|Boston College]].{{citation needed|date=July 2011}}

==Media==
Local news and television programmes are provided by [[BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire]] and [[ITV Yorkshire]]. Television signals are received from the [[Belmont transmitting station|Belmont]] TV transmitter, <ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Belmont|title=Belmont (Lincolnshire, England) Full Freeview transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate=19 October 2023}}</ref> [[BBC East Midlands]] and [[ITV Central]] can also be received from the [[Waltham transmitting station|Waltham]] TV transmitter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Waltham|title= Full Freeview on the Waltham (Leicestershire, England) transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate=19 October 2023}}</ref> 

Local radio stations are [[BBC Radio Lincolnshire]] on 94.9&nbsp;FM, Greatest Hits Radio Lincolnshire on 102.2&nbsp;FM, and [[Hits Radio Lincolnshire]] which broadcasts on [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lincolnshire.org/radio-lincolnshire-find-your-local-station/|title=Radio Lincolnshire – Find Your Local Station |date=18 February 2015 |access-date=19 October 2023}}</ref>

''[[Lincolnshire Echo]]'' is the town's local newspaper.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishpapers.co.uk/england-emids/lincolnshire-echo/|title=Lincolnshire Echo|date=17 September 2013|website=British Papers|accessdate=19 October 2023}}</ref>

==Parish church==
[[File:St. Michael's Coningsby - geograph.org.uk - 2824737.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|left|Church of St Michael and All Angels]]
Coningsby is overlooked by the tower of its 15th-century [[parish church]], [[Michael (archangel)|St Michael's]], with its one-handed clock face. The face is painted directly onto the wall of the tower and was probably installed in the 17th century. It is {{convert|16+1/2|ft|m|abbr=off}} in diameter and its hand is nearly {{convert|9|ft|m|abbr=off}} long. The driving weights are large stones and its [[pendulum]] swings once every two seconds. The pendulum is not attached to the clock but some distance away, linked by a connecting rod. There are three wheels in the timekeeping mechanism, which needs winding once a day. The tower on which the clock face is painted is on the outside of the building. There is an arched passage under the tower which is part of a public footpath from the [[A153 road|A153]] High Street to the school in School Lane, through the churchyard.

There is also a [[Tide dial|canonical sundial]], dating from the 12th century, on the south wall of the church.
{{clear left}}

In 1730, Britain's youngest [[Poet Laureate]], [[Laurence Eusden]] who was appointed aged thirty, was buried in the church where he had been Rector.<ref>DNB at [https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Eusden,_Laurence_(DNB00) Wikisource]</ref> Two decades later another poet, [[John Dyer]], was appointed as Rector and while living in the village completed his poem "The Fleece". He died there of [[Tuberculosis|consumption]] (tuberculosis) in 1757, and was buried without memorial in the church chancel.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=EXWBWr5MRs4C&q=Conningsby&pg=RA1-PA18 ''The Poetical Works of Mark Akenside and John Dyer'', ed. Rev. Robert Aris Willmott (1855)]</ref> [[England national football team|England international footballer]] [[Beaumont Jarrett]] was curate there from 1878 to 1882.<ref>{{acad|JRT873BG|name=Beaumont Jarrett}}</ref>

==Amenities==
[[Public houses]] include the Black Swan, The Castle Inn and the White Bull, are all on High Street, and the Lea Gate Inn on Leagate Road ([[B1192 road|B1192]]).

==RAF Coningsby==
[[File:Typhoon, RAF Coningsby - geograph.org.uk - 737223.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|left|A [[Eurofighter Typhoon|Typhoon]] fighter jet of No.3 Squadron takes off in February 2008]]
{{main|RAF Coningsby}}
Half a mile (1&nbsp;km) to the south of the town is RAF Coningsby, one of the [[Royal Air Force]]'s most important stations, home of [[No. 3 Squadron RAF|No. 3 Squadron]], [[No. XI Squadron RAF|No. XI Squadron]], [[No. 29 Squadron RAF|No. 29 Squadron]] and [[No. 41 Squadron RAF|No.41 (R) Squadron]]

The airfield houses part of [[United Kingdom|Britain's]] heritage, the [[Battle of Britain Memorial Flight]] formed in 1957 to commemorate the Royal Air Force's major battle honours, with a [[Avro Lancaster|Lancaster]], five [[Supermarine Spitfire|Spitfires]], two [[Hawker Hurricane|Hurricanes]] and a [[Douglas DC-3|Dakota]]. These aircraft still fly and can be seen at air shows during summer, as well as at events of national importance or RAF significance.<ref>[http://www.raf.mod.uk/bbmf/ "Welcome to RAF BBMF"], RAF BBMF. Retrieved 9 July 2013</ref>

From 1950{{Until when|date=May 2024}} RAF Coningsby was home to three squadrons of [[Boeing Washington|Washingtons]], the RAF name for the Boeing B-29 Superfortress and for the first 18&nbsp;months these were maintained by [[National Service]] technicians whose conscription was extended to 24&nbsp;months because of their particular skills.{{citation needed|date=July 2011}}
{{clear left}}

==Economy==
Pellcroft Engineering Ltd, in Coningsby, is a company selling agricultural fans.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pellcroft Engineering Limited|url=http://www.pellcroft.com/about.htm|website=pellcroft.com|access-date=1 April 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160706140323/http://www.pellcroft.com/about.htm|archive-date=6 July 2016}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline|Coningsby}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070403001336/http://www.coningsbyparishcouncil.co.uk/ Coningsby Town Council]
* [https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/430008 "St Michael & All Angels, Coningsby"], [[Geograph]].org.uk
* [https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/429916 "River Bain, Coningsby"], Geograph.org.uk
* [https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/102197 "Railway Bridge at Coningsby"], Geograph.org.uk

{{Portal bar|England|United Kingdom}}
{{Lincolnshire|state=collapsed}}
{{East Lindsey (district)}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Lincolnshire]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Lincolnshire]]
[[Category:East Lindsey District]]
[[Category:River Witham]]
[[Category:Coningsby]]