North Somercotes

North Somercotes is a coastal village in the East Lindsey district, and the Marshes area, of Lincolnshire, England. The village is situated midway between the towns of Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes. In 2001 village population was 1, 599, increasing at the 2011 census to 1, 732. GovernanceAn electoral ward in the same name exists. This ward had a population at the 2011 census of 1, 963. Culture and communityThe village's name means "North Summer Grazing Area" as only in summer would it be dry enough for sheep and cattle to be able to graze in the area. North Somercotes is essentially rural in character, with fields and footpaths, however, over the last decade there has been housing development. CultureNorth Somercotes previously held a village carnival once a year, usually in mid-July, in which decorated floats, with children and adults in costume, paraded village streets. A teenage village girl was selected to be the Rose Princess, who was crowned during the event, with a younger girl chosen to be the Princess's attendant. The last carnival took place in 2000. All village events ended the following year, effected by Lincolnshire County Council's attempt to keep the 2001 UK foot and mouth crisis away from the county. A surviving North Somercotes' tradition is a Pancake Race which takes place annually on Shrove Tuesday at the Somercotes Academy (formerly Birkbeck School). Originally the race was run along Keeling Street, the main street of the village, and part of the A1031. There are races for different age groups, and the name of the adult winner is inscribed on a trophy. Competitors race across a field, each carrying a frying pan containing a pancake, which they continuously toss. The winner is the first to cross a finishing line with their pancake intact.

North Somercotes is a coastal village in the East Lindsey district, and the Marshes area, of Lincolnshire, England. The village is situated midway between the towns of Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes. In 2001 village population was 1, 599, increasing at the 2011 census to 1, 732. GovernanceAn electoral ward in the same name exists. This ward had a population at the 2011 census of 1, 963. Culture and communityThe village's name means "North Summer Grazing Area" as only in summer would it be dry enough for sheep and cattle to be able to graze in the area. North Somercotes is essentially rural in character, with fields and footpaths, however, over the last decade there has been housing development. CultureNorth Somercotes previously held a village carnival once a year, usually in mid-July, in which decorated floats, with children and adults in costume, paraded village streets. A teenage village girl was selected to be the Rose Princess, who was crowned during the event, with a younger girl chosen to be the Princess's attendant. The last carnival took place in 2000. All village events ended the following year, effected by Lincolnshire County Council's attempt to keep the 2001 UK foot and mouth crisis away from the county. A surviving North Somercotes' tradition is a Pancake Race which takes place annually on Shrove Tuesday at the Somercotes Academy (formerly Birkbeck School). Originally the race was run along Keeling Street, the main street of the village, and part of the A1031. There are races for different age groups, and the name of the adult winner is inscribed on a trophy. Competitors race across a field, each carrying a frying pan containing a pancake, which they continuously toss. The winner is the first to cross a finishing line with their pancake intact.