Barkston: a Lincolnshire village of church spires and airfield memory

Barkston is a village and civil parish in South Kesteven, Lincolnshire, lying on the A607 about 4 miles north of Grantham, just south of the junction with the A153 to Ancaster. The village was recorded in Domesday Book and has remained a recognisable rural settlement for centuries. Its principal historic building is St Nicholas Church, a parish church with 12th-century origins and later rebuilding, whose spire continues to dominate the landscape. In the wider area, Barkston is also associated with RAF Barkston Heath, which gave the parish a notable military and aviation connection in the 20th century.
Population: 493 inhabitants (2011 census).
Distance: about 4 miles north of Grantham.
Traditions and culture: Barkston combines parish continuity, agricultural life and the lingering memory of the RAF landscape around Barkston Heath.
Highlights: St Nicholas Church, the historic village core, the nearby RAF Barkston Heath area and the open countryside of South Kesteven.