Sleaford is a market town and civil parish in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. Centred on the former parish of New Sleaford, the modern boundaries and urban area include Quarrington to the south-west, Holdingham to the north and Old Sleaford to the east. The town is on the edge of the fertile Fenlands, 11 miles (18 kilometres) north-east of Grantham, 16 mi (26 km) west of Boston, and 17 mi (27 km) south of Lincoln. Its population of 17,671 at the 2011 Census made it the largest settlement in the North Kesteven district; it is the district’s administrative centre. Bypassed by the A17 and the A15, it is linked to Lincoln, Newark, Peterborough, Grantham and King’s Lynn.
The first settlement formed in the Iron Age where a prehistoric track crossed the River Slea. It was a tribal centre and home to a mint for the Corieltauvi in the 1st centuries BC and AD. Evidence of Roman and Anglo-Saxon settlement has been found. The medieval records differentiate between Old and New Sleaford, the latter emerging by the 12th century around the present-day market place and St Denys’ Church; Sleaford Castle was also built at that time for the Bishops of Lincoln, who owned the manor. Granted the right to hold a market in the mid-12th century, New Sleaford developed into a market town and became locally important in the wool trade, while Old Sleaford declined.
From the 16th century, the landowning Carre family kept tight control over the town – it grew little in the early modern period. The manor passed from the Carre family to the Hervey family by the marriage of Isabella Carre to John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol in 1688. The town’s common land and fields were legally enclosed by 1794, giving ownership mostly to the Hervey family. This coincided with canalisation of the Slea. The Sleaford Navigation brought economic growth until it was superseded by the railways in the mid-1850s. In the 20th century, the sale of farmland around Sleaford led to the development of large housing estates.
Sleaford was mainly an agricultural town until the 20th century with a cattle market. Seed companies such as Hubbard and Phillips and Sharpes International were established in the late 19th century. The arrival of the railway made the town favourable for malting, but the industry has since declined. In 2011, the commonest occupations were in wholesale and retail trading, health and social care, public administration, defence and manufacturing. Regeneration of the town centre has helped to regenerate the earlier industrial areas, including construction of the National Centre for Craft & Design on an old wharf.
Top rated driving schools within 5 miles of Sleaford, Hampshire
Business Name | Rating | Categories | Phone Number | Address |
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Driving Schools | +442070991232 | Queens Lodge, 4 Old Park Lane, Mayfair W1K 1QW, United Kingdom |
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Common questions asked by learner drivers in Sleaford
Q: How much is a 2 hour driving lesson in UK?
A: 2 hour driving lesson in the UK typically costs around £40.
Q: How much is the driving theory test in UK?
A: The driving theory test in the UK typically costs around £23.
Q: Can you learn to drive in a week?
A: It is possible to learn to drive in a week, but it is not recommended. It is better to take your time and learn at a pace that suits you.
Q: How many lessons do you need to pass the driving test?
A: There is no set number of lessons you need to pass the driving test, as everyone learns at a different pace. However, it is typically recommended that you have at least 20 hours of professional driving lessons, plus additional private practice, before taking your test.
Q: How long is a driving test?
A: The driving test in the UK lasts around 40 minutes.
Q: How many lessons does a first time driver need?
A: A first time driver typically needs around 30 hours of professional driving lessons, plus additional private practice, before taking their driving test.
Q: What happens if a learner driver is caught alone in the UK?
A: If a learner driver is caught driving alone in the UK, they will face a fine of up to £1,000 and their driving licence will be revoked.
Q: Is UK driving licence hard to get?
A: The driving licence process in the UK is not particularly difficult, but it is important to make sure you are well prepared before taking your test.