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Little is known about the history of Goxhill, a small village in North Lincolnshire. Goxhill played an important role during the World War II. This village served as an American Air force base during World War II. It was the same wartime, when the screen legend Clark Gable participated in the war. Besides Gable, Robert S. Johnson of Oklahoma, a brilliant pilot of World War II, also served here for some time.
With their arrival on December 1 in 1942, the 78th Fighter Group made this place historically rich. This group was officially known as 8th Air Force Station No. F-345. Amusingly, the American Unites that arrived at Goxhill referred to this place as “GoatHill”.
Since the 18th century, Goxhill has served as an important center for clay pantile production. Presently, Santoft represents this clay industry in Goxhill. Other historical facts about Goxhill include the ones like the arrival of its much talked about railway in 1848 that serves the village via Barton-on-Humber.
One of the historical places that is worth visiting in Goxhill is the All Saints Church. Dating back to the 15th century, this church is dedicated to All Saints. To know more about the history of Goxhill, one can also visit the remains of a Cistercian nunnery at Littleworth.
The history behind the origin of the name of this village is still not clear. According to a legend, an Old Scandinavian gaukr once married to An old English hill, also known as the “hill of the cuckoo”. Thus, came the name “ Gaukr + hill”, Goxhill. According to the political history of this village, it was part of the North Division of the ancient Yarborough Wapentake located in the Glandford Brigg district of Lindsey. It was Post- Poor Law Amendment Act in 1834 that this village came to be known as a part of the Glanford Brigg Poor Law Union.