Messingham has a long history and was mentioned in the Domesday Book. It has always been a relatively large community but following World War II there was considerable housing development and the village has trebled in size to its present population of 4,000 inhabitants. Up to the beginning of the 20th Century agriculture was the main occupation but with the introduction of steelmaking to North Lincolnshire and the development of less labour intensive farming methods, land workers drifted into more industrial pursuits in nearby Scunthorpe.

The present day village boasts a public library, a medical centre, pharmacy, four public houses, a wine bar, two restaurants, tea room, café, four takeaway outlets, three small supermarkets (one incorporating the Post Office) and a number of smaller shops, including hairdressers, beautician, bakery, florist and a carpet shop. There are two places of worship – the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Methodist Church.

Messingham is a lively village with a variety of thriving organisations, many of which use the spacious Village Hall as their venue. Leisure is well catered for with a well-equipped playing field, which includes a young Children’s Play Area and a  Multi Use Games Area; and an additional 20 acre recreation area which hosts, among other activities, gymkhanas, the annual Messingham Horse & Foal Show, and Messingham Junior football.

For those keen to grow their own produce, Messingham  offers allotments situated with views over the Trent valley and for those keen to enjoy the outdoors there are plenty of public footpaths across the parish.

On the western outskirts of the village there is Grange Park Leisure complex, which provides facilities for golf, angling, tennis and has a touring caravan site together with log cabins.

Sand is an important mineral resource in the area and around Messingham the exhausted quarries have been put to good use with the Messingham Sands Fishery angling complex to the west and the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Messingham Sand Quarry Nature Reserve to the east.

The Junior and Infant Schools, formerly operated on two sites, are now amalgamated on one site and have an excellent reputation. At secondary level, pupils may choose between Huntcliff School at Kirton in Lindsey or Frederick Gough School in Bottesford or consider Queen Elizabeth’s High School at Gainsborough. Pre-School Children are also well catered for with a choice of two nurseries operating in the village.

In April 2018, Holme Parish, covering the hamlets of Raventhorpe and Twigmoor, amalgamated with Messingham. Holme offers a championship 18 hole golf course and The Pink Pig farm with its  café, children’s play barn and arial trail.

There is something for everyone in the parish including some good public footpaths.