Immingham, United Kingdom

There is archaeological evidence of the medieval settlement. Earthwork remains indicating a settlement and agricultural use exist near south of the church; earthwork remnants of a former shrunken village exist to the north of the church. Archaeological evidence of saltmaking has been found north of the village (formerly in the parish of Harbrough, now within the dock estate), references to a saltmaking site here exist from the Domesday book, and in a late 12th-century document describing the gift of land including the saltpan to Newhouse Abbey.

In 1608 the village briefly became a location in the story of the Pilgrim Fathers of America; their vessel was forced to put ashore due to bad weather, sailing up Killingholme Creek; the women of the party were allowed to sleep in the village church for the night, but news of this reached the authorities, with the consequence that the womenfolk were arrested, whilst the others escaped to the Netherlands. A popular protest secured the release of the women, who were then able to rejoin their families, and continue the journey.

In the later medieval period Immingham declined from 66 households in 1523 to 46 in 1723, in common with other Lincolnshire places on or near the Humber banks. The silting of the haven leading from the Humber has been supposed as one possible cause.

Churchfield Manor, in the north-west of the town dates to the late 1600s/early 1700s. Belmont cottage south of the church dates to the early 1800s. Both are now listed structures.

The Ings at Immingham were enclosed in 1840. A coastguard station erected in 1850. The Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway (opened 1845) passed through the parish south of Immingham.

In the 1870s the parish of Immingham had a population of 237, whilst Roxton was still known as a small hamlet. The parish had an area of 3,195 acres (1,293 ha) which was mostly good grazing land – much of which was owned by the Earl of Yarborough. In addition to the church the village also had Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist chapels.

Building of the Immingham Dock began in 1906, and it was opened by King George V on 22 July 1912. In part funded by the Great Central Railway, the dock property was 2+1⁄2 by 1 mile (4.0 by 1.6 km); covering 1,000 acres (405 ha), with 45 acres (18 ha) of water. A railway line to the north-west, the Barton and Immingham Light Railway was opened in 1912. The docks were connected to their primary supply of labour in Grimsby by the Grimsby & Immingham Electric Railway, opened 1912. As part of the development of the new port some wood framed, corrugated iron clad housing was constructed; several of these survived to the 21st century, and one of these dated 1907 is now a listed structure.

During the First World War, Immingham served as a base for British D class submarines. There was also an anti-aircraft battery in the town, manned with 1 pounder and later a 12-pounder gun.

By the 1920s the village of Immingham had been eclipsed in importance by the port; a publication of the Cambridge University Press opined:

Immingham is solely a commercial port; its official title of Immingham Dock describes it. There is no town and only a small population resident in this artificial creation

By the early 1930s housing development was scattered across several locations: most was along Pelham Road, of which the majority was east of the original village (St Andrew's church), centred around the County Hotel, and close to the dock estate; further development had taken place south and south-east of the church, also on Pelham Road, in two locations each centred on one of the two nonconformist chapels. Almost all the housing was terraced, with the more generous ground plans found moving south-west along Pelham Road. By the mid-1930s the village had grown as much to require a comprehensive school which opened in 1936.

During the Second World War, John Dowland and Leonard Harrison received the George Cross for defusing a bomb that had fallen onto the grain ship SS Kildare in February 1940 in Immingham Dock. Anti-aircraft batteries were located around the dock during the war, as well as at Homestead Park, and near Immingham Grange.

The Humber Force, part of the Home Fleet which had two cruisers and a destroyer flotilla, including HMS Afridi (F07) was based at Immingham during the war, as well as submarines including HMS Seal (N37).

At the beginning of the 1950s the village of Immingham had little expanded. Development of new industries on the South Humber bank after the Second World War caused further growth of the town. By 1981 the population had risen to 11,506; making it North Lincolnshire's fourth town, after Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Scunthorpe.