St Lawrence's Church, Snarford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Lawrence's Church, Snarford |
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St Lawrence's Church, Snarford, from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | TF 051 825 |
| Location | Snarford, Lincolnshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Lawrence |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 30 November 1966 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Limestone, tiled roofs |
St Lawrence's Church is an old Anglican church located in Snarford, Lincolnshire, England. It's no longer used for regular church services, which is why it's called a 'redundant' church. This special building is protected as a Grade I listed building, meaning it's very important historically. The Churches Conservation Trust looks after it. You can find the church north of the A46 road, between Market Rasen and Lincoln. It's a medieval building, which means it's very old, and it has amazing monuments from the 1500s and 1600s inside.
Contents
History of St Lawrence's Church
This church was first built in the 12th century, which is over 800 years ago! Over time, new parts were added, and changes were made in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. In the 1800s, during the Victorian era, the church was repaired and updated.
St Lawrence's Church used to serve the people living at Snarford Hall, including a family called St Paul (or St Pol). Sadly, Snarford Hall no longer exists today. The church stopped being used for regular services in July 1995.
Church Architecture and Design
Outside the Church: Exterior Features
St Lawrence's Church is built from limestone and has tiled roofs. The church has a main area called a nave, a special area near the altar called a chancel, and a tower at the west end. There's also a small chapel on the north side of the chancel.
The tower is the oldest part, dating back to the 12th century. It has one main section and a hipped roof (a roof that slopes down on all sides). On the west side of the tower, there's a window from the 1400s. Above it is an older window from the 1300s with a special 'ogee' (S-shaped) arch.
On the north side of the nave, you can see where a doorway from the 1300s used to be, now blocked up. There are also two windows from the 1400s with two lights (sections). The chapel has a window from the 1500s and another from around 1800. The chancel and the south side of the nave also have similar two-light windows. The main entrance on the south side dates from the 1400s.
Inside the Church: Interior Features
Inside, the arch leading to the tower is from the 1300s, and the arch leading to the chancel is from the 1400s. The font, where baptisms take place, is from the 1400s. It has eight sides, and its bowl is decorated with carved heads, shields, and leaves. Most of the other things inside the church, like the pews, were added in the 1800s.
Important Monuments and Tombs
St Lawrence church
The most important and impressive parts of the church are the monuments found in the chancel and the chapel.
- Sir Thomas St. Pol's Tomb: Behind the altar, there's a large tomb for Sir Thomas St. Pol, who passed away in 1588, and his wife. The sides of the tomb chest are decorated with pilasters (flat columns) and shields. On top of the tomb are statues of Sir Thomas and his wife. He is wearing plate armour and holding a sword and a prayer book. His head rests on a helmet, and his feet are on a cushion. His wife is wearing a long dress, a cloak, and a hat, holding a Bible.
Above them is a beautiful canopy supported by six pillars. The top part of the canopy has carvings of leaves. On top of the canopy, above each pillar, there's a statue of a sad figure. In the middle, there's an altar with a kneeling female figure in front of it, and a kneeling male figure on top. This whole monument is painted and gilded (covered in a thin layer of gold).
- Sir George St. Pol's Tomb: On the north side of the chapel, you'll find the tomb of Sir George St. Pol, who died in 1613, and his wife. The side of this tomb has three niches (small alcoves). The middle niche has a carving of Sir George's daughter, and the other two have small, sad angel figures called putti.
On top of the tomb are two statues lying down, each resting on an elbow. The one closer to you is a woman in a mourning dress with a ruff (a pleated collar) and a hat, holding a prayer book. Behind her, a bit higher up, is a man in plate armour holding a sword. These statues are inside a rounded archway decorated with roses. The back wall has a carved panel with a message and symbols that remind people of death. Pillars on the sides support a decorative border and a flat top. On top of the monument are flaming urns, a coat of arms, shields, and tall, pointed obelisks.
- Robert Rich, Earl of Warwick Plaque: Also in the north wall of the chapel is a painted and gilded plaque made of alabaster for Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick, who died in 1619. It has a round carving of his head and shoulders, with his wife's profile behind him. Pillars are on each side, and above them is a coat of arms with heraldic supporters (figures holding the shield). Below the carving is a panel with a poem. This memorial is believed to have been created by a famous artist named Epiphanius Evesham.
You can also find brass memorial plaques on the east wall of the chapel and the south wall of the chancel.
See also
 | James Van Der Zee |
 | Alma Thomas |
 | Ellis Wilson |
 | Margaret Taylor-Burroughs |
