Many of our small churches suffer from dwindling congregations and have been shut. Some have been sold others were threatened with demolition. Many of these are now cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust who work with the local community to keep the churches alive. They now own over 340 churches throughout England. All the churches are open daily although some you need to collect a key from the key holder.
Armed with 1:50,000 ordnance survey map we set out to find some of these in Lincolnshire. Many are in isolated situations with few houses around. Each is very different and you are never quite sure what to expect when you push open the door.
I’ve written detailed reviews of all the churches we’ve visited. This list is a summary for those interested in seeing what there is on offer in Lincolnshire.
• St Michael’s Church in Burwell has a beautiful Norman chancel arch with the remains of a wall painting.
• St Gregory’s Church in Fledborough is an imposing medieval church on the River Trent surrounded by cooling towers and pylons. It has a lot of beautiful 14thC stained glass.
• All Saint’sChurch in Haugham has an exhilarating spire and a sainted glass window of Holman hunt’s Light of the World.
• St Nicholas Church in Littleborough is a tiny Norman church at an important crossing point on the River Trent.
• St Helen’s Church in Little Cawthorpe is a typical small Victorian church with a rather nice reredos and memorial stone.
• St Wilfred’s Church in Low Marnham is a typical perpendicular church like so many others seen throughout England with splendid gargoyles and some nice memorial slabs.
• St Nicholas Church in Normanton-on-Cliffe is a typical small medieval church with a splendid carved chest and an intriguing Benefactor’s Board.
• St Mary’s Church in North Cockeringham is actually in the village of Alvingham and shares a churchyard with adjacent church of St Adelwold’s.
• All Saint’s Church in Saltfleetby is the leaning tower of Lincolnshire with a south aisle gradually sinking into the marsh.
• St Martin of Tours Church in Saundby is a 16thC building which was carefully restored in the 19thC. It has a nice rood screen and splendid reredos.
• St Botolph’s in Skidbrooke now an empty shell, is reputed to be the most haunted church in Lincolnshire.
• St Lawrence’s Church in Snarford has the family tombs of the St Paul Family, with the parents lying in state in a massive bed with the ir children kneeling round the canopy and the son and heir in pride of place on the top.
• St Peter’s Church in South Somercotes is often referred to as the Cathedral of the Marsh with its tall slender steeple which acted as a beacon for sailors.
• All Saint’s Church in Theddlethorpe has beautifully carved wooden screens around the side chapels.
• Church of St John the Baptist in Yarburgh has a splendidly carved west door and beautiful nave roof.
• St Martin’s Church in Waithe was restored as a family mausoleum in the 19thC and has a chancel lined with decorative Minton tiles.
