Maltby le Marsh 28th May 2025

After a few days of strong winds and rain or showers, today the weather looked promising for a ride to Eastfield Farm at Maltby le Marsh as had been requested last Sunday.

 

Meeting up at Louth’s Leisure Centre were Tim Newbery (back on the trusty Merican tourer), Ty Harness, Rob Cook, John Rickett and Martin Wood (recovering for a cold). Martin would need to be back in Louth by about 1 pm. Paul Linder had indicated he’d meet up with us at Eastfield Farm Café with Alan Hockham joining us en-route. 

 

With a helpful tail wind we’d make good progress along the usual route through Stewton, Legbourne Furze and the Carltons. Very quiet on the roads and plenty of birdsong to cheer our spirits. John had remarked that a particularly vocal Blackbird had serenaded the Rickett household at about a quarter to four this morning so maybe he’d heard enough for the day.

 

With sunny spells lifting temperatures to a respectable 14 Degrees Celsius we’d soon be joined by Alan and arrived at the café a little after 11 am with Paul waiting inside for us. With seven of us now queuing up for refreshment we guessed there’s be a little bit of a wait so time for a chat in the 200 year old building once occupied by cattle. Some of the woodwork of the converted barn definitely has some age and may well date to the early 19th Century.

 

Departing just before noon Ty, Paul and Alan would depart their separate ways to leave Tim, John, Martin and Rob to continue and as we passed by Galley Hill Farm, jolted somewhat by the raucous "bu-girk" of a Peahen … or Peacock. It’s that time of year!

More serene now all the way to Claythorpe where road signs indicated a diversion was required to Authorpe as work was underway on pot hole repair. Much needed. 

 

We arrived back into Louth at 1 pm just as we’d promised Martin, John kindly proffering cups of coffee at the Leisure Centre. 28 miles covered, temperatures now a pleasant 18 Degrees.

Tim’s ‘Relive’ video: https://www.relive.com/view/vrqDyxXzAwv

Maltby le Marsh is most famous, or perhaps infamous, for the legend of the knight’s duel at Earl’s Bridge. The duel took place on 26 December 1329. The 2 combatants were Baron Robert de Montalt (a descendant of the powerful de Monte Alto family) and Sir Robert de Mablethorpe (a lawyer and Chief Justice of the Kings Bench). 

 

Their families had feuded bitterly for some 96 years over a quarrel as to who would present the next Rectors at St Mary’s and St Peter’s parish churches in Mablethorpe. The dispute would finally be settled in a duel at the bridge where the West Bank Drain now flows.

De Montalt was at the Maltby side of the bridge with De Mablethorpe the Mablethorpe side, the site of his ancestral Manor. De Montalt accused De Mablethorpe of cowardice in battle and ordered him to clear the bridge. De Mablethorpe resented the unjust rumour and refused to move. De Montalt feared that by withdrawing that he would be thought a coward. Evenly matched, they fought for hours. Contemporary records state that the earls attacked each other ‘like lions'. Both were mortally wounded and fell at the bridge.

Robert de Montalt was buried in All Saints church Maltby le Marsh whilst Robert de Mablethorpe was buried in St Mary’s church Mablethorpe.