HUGH MARROWS St Giles, Wragby The Stephen Langton Trail Wragby 2

Archbishop Stephen Langton, who originated from the tiny village of DISMANTLED Langton by Wragby played a key negotiating role between King John RAILWAY and his barons. This Trail has been devised to celebrate the 800th 4 1 3 anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta in 1215. 5 Langton by Wragby Ash Holt Little Langley

1 THISTLE Langton Manor STORR WOOD Lincoln, from theRiver Witham N 2 P HARDY GANG W E WOOD Apley

3 S Viking Way St Andrew’s, Apley

4 can therefore be detected, especially the At Runnymede on 15 June 1215 Archbishop 5 charter’s clause confirming ecclesiastical Langton was in attendance as one of the AIRFIELD REMAINS OF liberties. King’s Commissioners along with Bishop BARLINGS ABBEY By 1215 the baron’s were ready to take Hugh of Lincoln. their stand against the king. Initially John In another connection with his home Cherry Willingham refused their demands, however, in what county, Archbishop Langton was Fiskerton 6 scholar. Amongst his many works was amounted to civil war, once they captured appointed by the Pope in 1219 to oversee the revision of the order of the books in London on 17 May 1215 he was left with little the canonisation of Hugh of Avalon, an 5 the bible and arranging them into the option but to meet and agree terms that earlier Bishop of Lincoln who had died 4 1 3 chapters with which we are familiar today. would limit his power and make him, just as in 1200. That task he completed in 1220. GREETWELL HALL This meant that by 1207, as the most much as his subjects, answerable to the rule Archbishop Stephen Langton died on 9th FIVE MILE BRIDGE 1 ARBORETUM 2 prominent living English churchman, of his own laws. July 1228 and was buried at Canterbury. he was consecrated as Archbishop of LINCOLN Canterbury by Pope Innocent III. This was the culmination of a long-running dispute between the Pope and King PRACTICALITIES John following the death of the previous 2Archbishop Hubert Walter. Angered by Not everyone will want to walk the Horncastle – Skegness bus route (Service the Pope’s decision John refused to allow full 16.5 miles in one go. It has therefore 6) with a bus stop only a few yards from t was only in the 1920s that Bullington Priory a mere three miles as the been divided into three more the start. Fiskerton too lies on a bus Stephen Langton’s birthplace crow flies from his home. As a teenager the new archbishop into England and so manageable sections. route – the 15/15A services to Short Ferry. was established with any (along with one of his brothers) Stephen Stephen Langton was forced to remain in Consult the ‘lincsbus’ and County Council Despite being so close to Lincoln some exile. Innocent III responded to this with websites. The countryside in between certainty although it had always went to Paris to study art and theology. of the route does cross quite isolated an interdict excluding England from the has no services so, unless sections 1 been known that he was of Paris was recognised internationally countryside. Unless a detour is made and 2 are done together two cars will Lincolnshire stock. as a centre of learning so an education church. An attempt at negotiation in 1209 into Wragby early in Section 1 the only be needed for the Apley / Thistle Storr I chance of refreshments before Lincoln is Stephen Langton was perhaps the in France was not unusual. Gilbert of failed but the king finally gave way by 1213. Wood start / finish points; the only other the inn at Fiskerton (end of Section 2 / 3 King John remained in difficulty at home option being a long ‘walk in’ from the oldest of three sons of Henry Langton, a Sempringham, had done the same thing start of Section 3). Plenty of choice once A158 at Langworth. minor landowner with great respect for the some eighty years earlier and he was the Limewoods where the barons were unhappy with his Lincoln is reached. church, and was born between 1150-1165; founder of the Gilbertine order, one of heavy taxation and arbitrary use of the law. The Ordnance Survey Maps covering Self-sufficiency is therefore the order of the route are Landranger 121 (Lincoln) his father’s house may well have been on whose priories was at Bullington. Although Archbishop Langton, concerned for the the day – so be prepared! The route uses - which covers the whole route - and church became involved. He was therefore the present moated manor site in Langton in his eighties when Stephen was born public rights of way throughout. Explorers 273 (Lincolnshire Wolds in the forefront of the campaign to affect by Wragby. Of his early life we know little Gilbert lived until 1189 so it is tempting to There is not much public transport South) and 272 (Lincoln). These latter but his education may well have begun speculate that they may have met. some control over the monarchy and access to the trail. Langton by Wragby two are strongly recommended for their greater detail. in Lincoln. However it is also possible that Stephen stayed in Paris for twenty-five became the principal negotiator between lies conveniently on the Lincoln - some of his time may have been spent at years, establishing a reputation as a great the king and his barons. His influence

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