Haxey
Haxey is a large parish on the southern border of the Isle of Axholme. It now consists of the two large villages of Haxey and Westwoodside with the hamlets of Burnham (High and Low), Eastlound and Graizelound. In earlier days Westwoodside was divided into Park, Newbigg, Nethergate and Upperthorpe.
Two views of St Nicholas Church
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Click for Haxey Parish Council
Haxey C of E Primary School
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Haxey is famous for its annual Hood game held on the 6th of January and is one of the most ancient traditions of its kind in the country.
The Fool makes his welcome speech at the Haxey Hood
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St Nicholas Chrch from Upperthorpe
The parish is situated on a series of low-lying hills reaching to about 200 feet which would have protruded from the marsh surrounding them, until the beginning of the drainage by Vermuyden in 1626. This swampy area was supposedly caused by the Romans, who are reputed to have cut down the surrounding forest areas to prevent raids by the Coritani, based on higher ground. Up until the time of the drainage, the main occupations of the parish were wild-fowling, fishing and pasturage with some arable farming on the higher land. The inhabitants, with those of the neighbouring parishes were referred to by the antiquarian Abraham de la Pryme as "being little better than heathens", and the independent spirit shown during the drainage disputes continues to the present day.
Haxey Parish has many miles of footpaths and a very rural aspect
Greenhill on a cold February morning