St Andrew's Church, Billingborough facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Andrew's Church, Billingborough |
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Church of St Andrew, Billingborough
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| 52°53′39″N 0°20′23″W / 52.894053°N 0.339766°W | |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | 1251 or 1312 |
| Dedication | St Andrew |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 1968 |
| Architectural type | Perpendicular, Decorated |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 375 |
| Spire height | 150 feet (46 m) |
| Materials | limestone, rubble |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Billingborough |
| Deanery | Deanery of Lafford |
| Diocese | Diocese of Lincoln |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Andrew's Church is a very old and important church in Billingborough, Lincolnshire, England. It's a Grade I listed building, which means it's considered a special historical place. The church is dedicated to Andrew the Apostle, one of Jesus's first followers. You can find it about 11 kilometers (7 miles) south-east of Sleaford, right on the edge of the Lincolnshire Fenlands. St Andrew's is part of a group of churches in the area, all belonging to the Church of England.
Contents
History of St Andrew's Church
There has been a church in Billingborough for a very long time. The first one was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. The current St Andrew's Church was built much later. Some records say it was built in 1251, while others suggest 1312. Over the years, new parts were added, especially until the late 1400s. The church also had big repairs in 1868 and 1891. The church's official records, called the parish register, started in 1561.
Church Bells and Renovations
In 1717, Henry Penn installed five bells in the church tower. These bells were re-hung in 1846. Later, in 1914, a sixth bell was added. The main part of the church, called the nave, got a new roof in 1870. In 1887, new wooden benches and a beautifully carved pulpit were put in. The side areas, called aisles, also got new floors.
In 1891, the chancel, which is the area around the altar, was rebuilt. A special window was added in 1892 to remember the Duke of Clarence, who had passed away. A decorative screen behind the altar, called a reredos, was added in 1894. New stained glass was put into the west window in 1912. The church organ was also repaired in 1929.
Past Rectors and Church Status
The first recorded Church of England rector (the main priest) at Billingborough was John Jackson, who served from 1546 to 1577. One notable vicar was Robert Kelham, who was the priest for 50 years until 1752. His son, also named Robert, became a famous author and lawyer. He even wrote a special illustrated version of the Domesday Book.
In 1968, St Andrew's Church was officially given a Grade I listing by English Heritage. This means it's one of the most important historic buildings in England. The church is also part of Billingborough's special Heritage at Risk and Conservation Area, created in 1997.
Since 2010, St Andrew's has been part of a larger group of churches in the area. This group includes churches in Aslackby, Dowsby, Horbling, and Pointon with Sempringham. In 2011, people worked together to raise money to fix the wooden supports for the church bells. They also needed to repair some stained glass windows that had been damaged.
Architecture of St Andrew's
St Andrew's Church is built from limestone and rubble, with a smooth stone finish on the outside. It has a chancel, a nave, north and south aisles, a tower with a tall spire, and a south porch. The church shows different building styles from the Early English period and the Early and Late Perpendicular and Decorated Gothic styles.
Outside the Church
The church tower, built in the mid-1300s, has a strong, square shape with battlements at the top. It has buttresses (support structures) at the corners. A small stair turret helps people reach the upper parts of the tower. The tower holds six bells and clocks on its east and west sides. Below the clocks are arched openings for the bells. You can also see gargoyles on each side of the tower, which are decorative water spouts.
At each of the four corners of the tower are fancy crocketed pinnacles. These support the tall, 150 feet (46 m) (46 meter) octagonal spire. Many people have noted how tall and slender the spire is compared to the tower. The spire has three levels of lucarnes (small windows) placed around its sides.
The top of the nave (the main body of the church) also has battlements and corner pinnacles. It has many large clerestory windows, which are so close together that there's more glass than stone. These windows, from the 1400s, have three parts each. The roofs of the nave and the chancel are made of slate. The south porch, built around 1312, has a pointed arch entrance. Its inner church door has original ironwork from the 1300s. The porch has windows on its sides and stone benches inside.
Inside the Church
St Andrew's Church can seat up to 375 people. Inside the nave, you'll find arcades (rows of arches) from the early 1300s. These arches are supported by quatrefoil piers, which are columns shaped like four-leaf clovers. The south aisle, built around the same time as the porch, has a piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels) and a locker at its east end. The 19th-century chancel also has a piscina.
Besides the window for the Duke of Clarence, there are other stained glass windows. One in the south aisle remembers a Dr Blasson, and another in the chancel honors Lieutenant C. R. Winckley, who died in the First World War. The east window shows the coats of arms of important historical figures like Eleanor of Lancaster and the Marmion family. In the east window of the south aisle, you can see small pieces of medieval stained glass, including a figure with a halo.
The church also has marble monuments and plaques that remember eighteen people who lived between 1719 and 1848. There are also plaques for people who left money for charities. These include monuments to rector Robert Kelham and Thomas Buckberry, who in 1827 set up a charity to give bread to the poorest people in the village. The church's special silver items, called church plate, include a chalice from 1829 and a paten (a small plate for the bread used in communion).
