St Denys' Church, Sleaford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Denys' Church , Sleaford |
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The church's west façade, facing
the market place |
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 St Denys' Church , Sleaford
Location in Lincolnshire
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| 52°59′59″N 0°24′32″W / 52.99972°N 0.40889°W | |
| OS grid reference | TF 06883 45893 |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | St Denys |
| Administration | |
| Parish | New Sleaford |
| Deanery | Lafford |
| Diocese | Lincoln |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Denys' Church is an old Anglican church in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England. People think a church has been here since around 1086. The oldest parts you see today are the tower and its pointy top (called a spire). These were built in the late 1100s and early 1200s. The stone spire is one of the first of its kind in England!
The main part of the church, called the nave, and its side sections (aisles) were built in the 1300s. They show a beautiful style called Decorated Gothic. The church was changed a bit in the 1800s. For example, the north aisle was rebuilt in 1853. Also, the tower and spire were mostly rebuilt in 1884 after being hit by lightning. St Denys' is still a busy church today.
This church is a Grade I listed building. This means it's a very special building with lots of history. Experts say its design is amazing. They especially love the patterns in its windows, called tracery. The church is made of Ancaster stone and has a lead roof. Inside, you'll find an old screen (a rood screen) and a communion rail. It also has eight bells that were made in 1796. You can see several memorials inside, including two large tombs for the Carre family. They were important local landowners in the 1600s.
Contents
What St Denys' Church Looks Like
St Denys' Church is the main church for the town of Sleaford in Lincolnshire. It's located right next to the market place in the town centre. The church is named after St Denys. This name is an old way of saying St Dionysius. It refers to a mix of different saints named Dionysius.
The church holds regular services on Sundays and Wednesdays. On Sundays, there's a Holy Communion service early in the morning. Later, there's Sunday School and a family worship service. On Wednesdays, there's a group for parents and toddlers.
A Look Back: Church History
How the Church Began
People have lived in the Sleaford area for a very long time. They settled near a river crossing called a "ford" over the River Slea. This area was home to ancient tribes, then the Romans, and later the Anglo-Saxons. The name Slioford first appeared in 852. It means "crossing over a muddy stream."
The original settlement became known as "Old" Sleaford. A new part of town, "New" Sleaford, grew up around the current market place. Some people think the Bishop of Lincoln started New Sleaford in the 1100s to earn more money. The church's old stonework from the 1100s supports this idea.
Old records from 1086, called the Domesday Book, suggest St Denys' Church might be even older. The records mention a church and a priest in Sleaford. This suggests that St Denys' was already there, even before "New Sleaford" was fully planned.
Growing and Changing the Church
Sleaford and its church changed a lot in the 1100s. Bishop Alexander of Lincoln built Sleaford Castle nearby. Work on the oldest parts of the church, like the tower, might have started around this time, possibly in the late 1100s. The tower's pointy top, the broach spire, was added in the early 1200s.
In 1274, the church got its first official vicar, Henry de Sinderby. A vicar is a type of priest who looks after a church and its community.
The church was rebuilt and updated a lot in the late Middle Ages. A special chapel, called a chantry chapel, was added in 1271. It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. People would pray there for the chapel's founders. The house for the chapel's priest later became the vicarage, where the vicar lived.
The main part of the church (the nave) was rebuilt in the 1300s in the Decorated Gothic style. The transept, a part that sticks out from the sides, was added a bit later. Around 1430, a row of windows high up on the walls, called a clerestory, was added. The area around the altar, the chancel, was also updated then.
Modern Times and Restorations
In 1563, there were 145 households in Sleaford's church area. By 1676, about 576 people in Sleaford followed the Church of England.
There's a local story that during the English Civil War (1642–1651), soldiers used St Denys' as a place to stay. They supposedly damaged the inside of the church, breaking windows and stealing things. Whether this is true or not, repairs to the windows and roof were done in 1657.
In the 1700s, extra seating areas, called galleries, were added to the church. In 1772, a new organ was installed, paid for by a generous donation.
The 1800s saw two big updates to St Denys' Church. As more people joined the church, a new north aisle was added in 1853 to create more space. This was part of a larger restoration project that cost £3,500. The old galleries were removed, and the organ was moved.
In 1884, a lightning storm damaged the church. Parts of it, including the old stone spire, had to be rebuilt in 1885–1886. Electric lights were added in the 1950s. More big restoration work happened in 1966 and 1988. In 2008, 54 solar panels were put on the church. By 2011, these panels could produce enough electricity to cover the church's entire bill!
Church Design, Inside, and Grounds
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St Denys' is built from Ancaster stone. You can see different building styles from different time periods. The oldest parts, like the tower and spire, mix Early English Gothic and Decorated Gothic styles. The tower and spire together are about 144 feet (44 metres) tall.
Most of the church, except for the tower and spire, was rebuilt in the Decorated Gothic style in the late 1300s. Experts say Lincolnshire churches, like St Denys', are great examples of this style.
Amazing Windows and Details
The church's side sections (aisles) are very decorated on the outside. The north doorway has fancy carvings and shapes. The simpler south doorway has small statues and monster carvings. The window above the north doorway is a great example of the Decorated style. It has complex patterns with wavy, pointed arches.
The north transept has a huge six-light window. It's considered one of the most beautiful designs in the country. One expert, Simon Jenkins, said the window patterns are "works of infinite complexity."
A row of windows high up, called a Perpendicular clerestory, was added in the early 1400s. The north aisle was made longer in 1853, but the old windows were reused.
Inside the Church
Inside, the tower ceiling has a special arched design. The main part of the church (the nave) has four large arches. The north aisle was extended in 1853, and a special arch was added to support the tower.
The altar and the decorative screen behind it were built in 1922. The rood screen, which separates the nave from the chancel, was restored in 1918. The communion rail might have come from Lincoln Cathedral.
The church has beautiful stained glass windows. Some are from the 1800s, and one was made in 1900 by the famous Morris & Co. In 2006, a new stained glass window was added to remember Yvonne Double.
Bells, Organs, and Books
St Denys' has a set of eight bells. They were made in 1796. The largest bell weighs over 19 long tons (19,500 kg)! The church has a main organ that was rebuilt in 1966 and restored in 1999. There's also a smaller organ in St Hugh's Chapel.
You can also find a collection of fifteen old, chained books in an oak reading desk. The oldest books are from the early 1600s. Other old items include two chests and a cupboard for charity donations. The font, used for baptisms, is octagonal and in the Decorated Gothic style.
The Churchyard
The churchyard around St Denys' has been made bigger several times. Land was added in 1391 and again in 1796. In 1837, a new stone wall and iron fence were built around the grounds. The iron railings were removed during the First World War.
In 1855, people stopped being buried in the churchyard because it was too crowded. A new cemetery was bought to the north of Eastgate. This cemetery was made even bigger in 1862. Today, the Sleaford Town Council manages these grounds.
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The doorway in the tower of the church, showing three orders of shafts and zigzag mouldings in the arch
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The five-light window with reticulated ogee arches above the doorway of the north aisle
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The rood screen, restored by Sir Ninian Comper in 1918
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View into the north transept and the chantry chapel
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East window of the chancel
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Yvonne Double memorial window, by Glenn Carter, 2006
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The pulpit
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15th-century window removed from the tower during restoration work in c. 1884
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Important Memorials
The church has many old gravestones and plaques. The oldest tombstone recorded was from the 1200s, but it's now hard to read. A stone slab from the 1300s is still there, and a brass plate from the same time was found during the 1853 restoration. Plaques from the 1400s remember people like Richard Dokke and William Harebeter.
Many monuments from the 1500s have disappeared, but some important ones remain. These include tombs and plaques for the Carre family, who were very important in Sleaford. George Carre (died 1521), a wool merchant, has a brass plaque.
On the north side of the chancel, there's a large stone monument for Robert Carre (died 1590). It shows him, his three wives, and some of their children. Robert became the lord of the Sleaford lands. Across from it, on the south side, is another large tomb for Robert's son, Sir Edward Carre, 1st Baronet (died 1618). This tomb has statues of Edward and one of his wives. People say it was damaged during the Civil War. Later plaques remember Sir Robert Carre (died 1682) and his son, Sir Edward (died 1683), who also has a statue in the church.
There are many other memorials for important people from Sleaford. These include plaques for John Walpoole (died 1591) and Richard Warsope (died 1609). Later monuments remember people like Richard Moore (died 1771) and Elizabeth Cooper (died 1792). The famous writer Frances Brooke (died 1789) is also buried in the church.
More recent memorials include a window for Henry Snow (died 1905), a local lawyer. Plaques on the north wall remember George Jeudwine (died 1952), another lawyer, and William Hosford (died 1987), a local historian. Some memorials have beautiful statues, like the one for Ann Bankes (died 1834), which an expert called "remarkably tender."
