St Martin's Church, Waithe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Martin's Church, Waithe |
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St Martin's Church, Waithe. from the south
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| OS grid reference | TA 283 007 |
| Location | Waithe, Lincolnshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Martin |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 9 September 1967 |
| Architect(s) | James Fowler (restoration) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Saxon, Gothic Revival |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Limestone and ironstone Roofs of tiles and Welsh slate |
St Martin's Church is an old Anglican church in the small village of Waithe, Lincolnshire, England. It is no longer used for regular church services. This church is considered a very important historical building. It is looked after by a group called the Churches Conservation Trust. You can find it in the quiet countryside near the A16 road. This road runs between the towns of Grimsby and Louth.
Contents
History of St Martin's Church
This church building is very old. It was first built way back in the 10th century, which is over 1000 years ago! Over time, new parts were added. Changes were also made in the 11th and 13th centuries.
In 1861, the church was repaired and updated. This work was done by an architect named James Fowler. He worked for the Haigh family, who owned land nearby.
By the early 2000s, the church was in bad shape. It had started to fall apart and had been damaged by vandals. Some parts of the bell tower were almost collapsing. The area around the church was overgrown with plants. Inside, there was a lot of mess and bat droppings.
Big repairs started in October 2005. This important work cost almost £350,000. These repairs helped save the church.
Church Architecture and Design
Outside the Church
The church's tower is very old. It was built in the Anglo-Saxon style. The repairs done in the 1800s used a style called Early English. This is a type of Gothic Revival design.
The church is made from local limestone and ironstone. The roofs are a mix of clay tiles and Welsh slate. The church has a main open space called a nave. It has two smaller areas on the sides called aisles. There is also a small south transept, which is like a short arm of the church.
The chancel, where the altar is, is shaped like a half-circle, called an apse. The tower is in the middle of the church. It stands where the nave and chancel meet. The tower has three levels and a flat top.
On the north wall, there is a tall, narrow window called a lancet window. Above it is a window shaped like a five-leaf clover. The bell openings at the top of the tower come in pairs. A stone pillar with a rounded top separates each pair.
The west wall of the church has four lancet windows. It also has a window shaped like a fish. The north aisle has two lancet windows on its north wall. It has another similar window on its east wall.
Around the chancel's apse, there are five lancet windows. Another lancet window is on the east wall of the south transept. The south wall of the transept has a doorway. It has a pointed, decorated arch. This arch is supported by strong stone supports called buttresses. Above the doorway, in the pointed part of the wall, is another lancet window. The south aisle has two more lancet windows.
Inside the Church
Inside, the main part of the church, the nave, is separated from the side aisles. This is done by two arcades, which are rows of arches. The walls of the aisles and nave have stripes. These stripes are made of red brick and smooth stone blocks.
Around the top of the walls, there are tiles with Bible verses written on them. The arches under the tower are rounded at the top. On the south wall of the tower, there is a marble plaque. It tells about the church's repairs in 1861.
Around the chancel apse, there are decorative arches. These arches have marble pillars and limestone arches. They have fancy tops and rise from a stone ledge. The area behind the altar, called the reredos, is covered in beautiful Minton tiles. The floor and walls of the chancel are also covered in these fancy tiles.
Some of the colorful stained glass windows were made by Ward and Hughes. Other windows were made by Powell. The church's furniture is from the 1861 repairs. This includes a carved font for baptisms. There is also a stone pulpit on a marble base. The church has a full set of wooden pitch pine pews for people to sit on. Underneath the altar, there is a special burial place for the Haigh family. This is called a mausoleum.
Outside Features of the Church
In the churchyard, there is an old cross. It has a stone base and a tall shaft. This cross dates back to the 14th century. It was also repaired in 1861. This cross is also a very important historical item. It is protected as a Scheduled Monument.
See also
