| Country: | England |
| Static Image Name: | Ancient Cross - geograph.org.uk - 166840.jpg |
| Static Image Caption: | 15th century cross, Gelston |
| Coordinates: | 52.9973°N -0.6411°W |
| Official Name: | Gelston |
| Civil Parish: | Hough-on-the-Hill |
| Shire District: | South Kesteven |
| Shire County: | Lincolnshire |
| Region: | East Midlands |
| Constituency Westminster: | Sleaford and North Hykeham |
| Post Town: | GRANTHAM |
| Postcode District: | NG32 |
| Postcode Area: | NG |
| Dial Code: | 01400 |
| Os Grid Reference: | SK913453 |
| London Distance Mi: | 105 |
| London Direction: | S |
Gelston is a village in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is 2miles west from the A607 road, 5miles north from Grantham, and in the civil parish of Hough-on-the-Hill,[1] a village 1miles to the north-east.
The village is included in the ecclesiastical parish of Hough-on-the Hill, part of the Loveden Deanery of the Diocese of Lincoln.[2]
According to A Dictionary of British Place Names, Gelston could be "a farmstead or a village of a man called Gjofull" - 'Gels' from an Old Scandinavian person name and 'ton' Old English for "enclosure, farmstead, village, manor [or] estate".[3]
Gelston is referred to in the 1086 Domesday account as "Chevelestune"[4] in the manor of Hough-on-the-Hill, and in the Loveden Hundred of Kesteven. It had 26 households, 18 villagers, 6 smallholders and 2 freemen, with 16 ploughlands, a meadow of 146acres and a woodland of 200acres. In 1066 Earl Ralph was Lord of the Manor; after 1086 this transferred to Count Alan of Brittany, who also became Tenant-in-chief.[5]
In 1885 Kelly's Directory noted: "at Gelston there is a place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists; and an ancient cross".[6] The Wesleyan chapel was built in 1839, closed in 1958, and is now a private residence. The medieval limestone cross on the village green dates from the 15th century, is Grade II listed and is a scheduled ancient monument.[7]