St Helen’s Church is set at the edge of the small village of Saxby overlooking the flat Lincolnshire countryside. It is a lovely example of a small classical style church which was built in 1775 as the parish church and also the mausoleum of the Lumley Sanderson family, Earls of Scarborough. Their memorials are on the walls and funeral hatchments of the sixth and eighth earls hang above the west door.
The church is build of locally made red bricks with magnesium limestone base, portico, cornerstones and window surrounds. At the east end is a small semi-circular apse and there is a square wooden cupola with a weather vane, at the west end.
Steps lead up to the portico with its sturdy columns. A simple wooden door leads into the church.
The inside is a stunning example of the simplicity and elegance of the classical design with flat wall pillars with scrolls at the top. Walls are painted pale yellow with white pillars and ceiling, the original 1775 colour scheme. Hanging from the ceiling are white coronas with gilded candle holders now with electric light bulbs.
The apse has a triangular pattern on the dome with gilded balls at the centre and corners. This originally had a window in the east end behind the altar but this was removed and plastered over in 1869.
The Deep pink carpet adds a splash of colour. Pews, reading desk and lectern are a rich red brown wood wood which glows in the light. The altar is a simple table set under the apse with a rather nice crucifix set with semi precious stones.
The church is very light inside with large plain glass windows, apart from the stained glass window on the south wall which was put in in 1869 as a memorial to John Wheelwright Robinson of Saxby Manor.
This is a most attractive church and completely different to the other local churches which are either medieval or C18th.
The church is reached down a side turning in Saxby (follow the signs to Rebecca’s House of Beauty). There is parking at the end of the road. The church is open daily but if locked there is a list of keyholders on the notice board.
There are more pictures “here.”:http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/churches/england/lincolnshire/lincolnshire_four/saxby/index.html
