{{Short description|Village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England}} {{Use British English|date=November 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox UK place | static_image_name = St.Andrew's church, Willoughton, Lincs. - geograph.org.uk - 113734.jpg | static_image_alt = | static_image_caption = St Andrew's Church, Willoughton | country = England | official_name = Willoughton | map_alt = | coordinates = {{coord|53.426926|-0.601379|display=inline,title}} | population = 341 | population_ref = (2011) | shire_district = West Lindsey | shire_county = Lincolnshire | region = East Midlands | constituency_westminster = Gainsborough (UK Parliament constituency) | post_town = Gainsborough | postcode_district = DN21 | postcode_area = DN | dial_code = | os_grid_reference = SK930931 | london_distance_mi = 140<!-- straight line per MOS – constant and comparable with other place distances --> | london_direction = SSE }}
'''Willoughton''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|w|ɪ|l|ə|t|ə|n}} {{Respell|WIL|ə|tən}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1yN3Pi1MWI|title=WILLOUGHTON: West Lindsey Parish #75 of 128|work=YouTube|date=November 28, 2022|accessdate=27 April 2025}}</ref>) is a village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated {{convert|2|mi|km|1}} west from the A15 road, {{convert|13|mi|km|0}} north from Lincoln and {{convert|3|mi|km|0}} south from Kirton Lindsey. According to the 2001 census the village had a population of 330, increasing to 341 at the 2011 census.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11130696&c=willoughton&d=16&e=62&g=6447727&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1464964507082&enc=1|title=Civil Parish population 2011|access-date=3 June 2016|publisher=Office for National Statistics|work=Neighbourhood Statistics}}</ref>
The name 'Willoughton' derives from the Old English ''wilig-tūn'' meaning 'willow tree farm/settlement'.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Lincolnshire/Willoughton | title=Key to English Place-names }}</ref>
[[File:Old Primitive Methodist Chapel, Willoughton.jpg|thumb|left|120px|Old Primitive Methodist Chapel]] The church of St Andrew was built in 1794 to replace earlier buildings on the site, and was restored in 1888. It is of Georgian style.<ref>{{cite PastScape|mnumber=327138|mname= Church of St Andrew|access-date=13 February 2011}}</ref> There was a Primitive Methodist chapel,<ref>{{cite PastScape|mnumber=1381378|mname= Chapel|access-date=13 February 2011}}</ref> built in 1866, replacing an earlier chapel of 1837. It closed in 1979 and has since been converted into apartments.{{Citation needed|date=July 2012}}
Willoughton has a post office and village shop, a primary school, village hall and a public house, the Stirrup.
The folklorist, historian and archaeologist Ethel Rudkin lived in the village for much of her life.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Brown|first=Theo|date=1986-01-01|title=Obituary: Ethel H. Rudkin, 1893–1985|journal=Folklore|volume=97|issue=2|pages=222–223|doi=10.1080/0015587X.1986.9716384|issn=0015-587X}}</ref>
==Lincolnshire preceptories== Until their disbandment in 1312, the Knights Templar were major landowners on the higher lands of Lincolnshire, where they had a number of preceptories on property which provided income, while Temple Bruer was an estate on the Lincoln Heath, believed to have been used also for military training.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ward|first=Penny|title=The Knights Templar in Kesteven|year=2009|publisher=Heritage Lincolnshire Publications|location=Heckington|isbn=978-0-948639-47-0|edition=2nd |editor=Dennis Mills}}</ref> The preceptories from which the Lincolnshire properties were managed were:<ref>{{cite book|series=Victoria County History|title=A History of the County of Lincoln|volume=2|editor-first=William |editor-last=Page|year=1906|pages = 210–213 |section=Houses of Knights Templars: Willoughton, Eagle, Aslackby, South Witham and Temple Bruer |section-url= http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=38047 |access-date=12 February 2011}}</ref> *Aslackby Preceptory, Kesteven ({{gbmappingsmall|TF0830}}) *Bottesford, Lindsey ({{gbmappingsmall|SE8907}}) *Eagle, Kesteven ({{gbmappingsmall|SK875672}}) *Great Limber, Lindsey ({{gbmappingsmall|TA1308}}) *Horkstow, Lindsey ({{gbmappingsmall|SE9818}}) *Witham Preceptory, Kesteven ({{gbmappingsmall|SK928205}}) *Temple Bruer, Kesteven ({{gbmappingsmall|TF0054}}) *Willoughton Preceptory, Lindsey ({{gbmappingsmall|SK923931}}) *Byard's Leap ({{gbmappingsmall|SK990494}}) was part of the Temple Bruer estate.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Willoughton}}
{{Portal bar|England|United Kingdom}} {{Lincolnshire|state=collapsed}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Villages in Lincolnshire Category:Civil parishes in Lincolnshire Category:West Lindsey District