Orby

Coordinates: 53°10′56″N 0°13′52″E / 53.182217°N 0.231062°E / 53.182217; 0.231062

Orby is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated approximately 9 miles (14 km) east from the town of Spilsby, and 5 miles (8 km) west from the seaside resort of Skegness. The civil parish includes the hamlet of Habertoft, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the north-west. Orby lies within the Lincolnshire coast marshes.

History

Orby is listed in the 1086 Domesday Book as "Heresbi", and in 1115 it was recorded as "Orreby". However, this unusual citation does not relate to any described settlement within the parish itself, but is used instead, as a reference point to help locate lands held by the Bishop of Durham in neighbouring Addlethorpe.

The church, which is dedicated to All Saints, is a Grade II* listed building dating from the 13th century with later alterations and additions. The chancel was rebuilt in 1888.

Manor House Farm is a Grade II listed farmhouse dating from 1660, of red brick, which replaced an earlier medieval moated manor, the site of which is an ancient scheduled monument.

Orby (horse)

Orby (1904–1918) was an Anglo-Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which lasted from 1906 to 1907 he ran seven times and won four races. In 1907 he became the first Irish-trained horse, and the third owned by an American, to win the Epsom Derby. In the same year, he became the first horse to complete the Epsom Derby-Irish Derby double, but his racing career was ended by training problems after one further race. He went on to become a successful breeding stallion.

Background

Orby, a rangy, well-made chestnut horse with a narrow white blaze was bred by his owner, the American politician Richard "Boss" Croker and raised at his Glencairn Stud. Although sometimes referred to as "Irish-bred", Orby was actually born in England and brought back with his mother to Ireland when still a foal. Croker was a controversial figure who based his racing and breeding operations in Ireland after being refused permission by the Jockey Club to set up in Newmarket. He was briefly in training with Henry “Atty” Persse, and then with Jim Parkinson at Maddenstown, County Kildare before being sent to Fred McCabe at his Glencairn Lodge Stables at Sandyford, near Dublin.