St Wilfrid's Church, Alford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St. Wilfrid's Church, Alford
St. Wilfrid's Church, Alford
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Broad Church
Website	St Wilfrid's Church, Alford
History
Dedication	St. Wilfrid
Administration
Parish	Alford, Lincolnshire
Diocese	Lincoln
Province	Canterbury

St Wilfrid's Church in Alford is a special old church in Lincolnshire, England. It belongs to the Church of England. This building is so important that it's listed as a Grade I building. This means it's protected for its history and beauty.

About St Wilfrid's Church

A Look at Its History

This church is named after a saint called St Wilfrid. It's actually the second church built on this spot. The first one was made of wood a very long time ago.

People used to think the current stone church was built around 1350. However, in the early 2000s, experts found that one part of the building is even older. It dates all the way back to 1289! The church's tall tower was rebuilt between 1525 and 1535. Later, in 1867, a famous architect named Sir Gilbert Scott helped restore and fix up the building.

Special Features Inside

Inside the church, you can find many interesting things. There's a rood screen from the 1300s. This screen separates the chancel (the area near the altar) from the nave (where the people sit).

You can also see a Jacobean pulpit. This is a raised stand where the priest gives sermons. Some of the stained glass windows still have pieces of glass from the 1500s. There's even a tomb from the 1600s inside the chancel.

The Church Bells

How Many Bells?

St Wilfrid's Church has a set of six bells. This group of bells is called a peal. They were made and hung for bellringing by a company called John Taylors & Co in 1934. This company is located in Loughborough.

Bell Ringing Fun

The first full peal, which means ringing 5,040 different changes in the bell order, happened in June 1935. Since then, the bells have been rung for 38 more full peals. Bell ringers of all ages learn and practice together. They work with a teacher to master the art of bell ringing. Since 1991, the bells have been rung for 16 full peals.

Bell Ringing Successes

The bell ringers from St Wilfrid's have done very well in competitions. In 2008, six of them entered a local competition. They came in second place! This allowed them to enter a county competition, where they were runners-up.

In 2009, the St Wilfrid's team won the local competition. This competition was held at SS Mary & Nicholas in Wrangle. They then moved on to a higher level of county competitions in September 2009. On June 4, 2011, the team won the local six-bell competition in Friskney. They again entered the higher county competitions in September 2011.

Churches in the Alford Group

St Wilfrid's Church is part of a group of churches. Here are the other churches in this group:

• St Andrew's Church, Beesby
• Holy Trinity Church, Bilsby
• St Andrew's Church, Farlesthorpe
• St Andrew's Church, Hannah cum Hagnaby
• St Peter's Church, Markby
• St James' Church, Rigsby
• St Margaret's Church, Saleby
• All Saints' Church, Ulceby, East Lindsey
• St Margaret's Church, Well
• St Helena's Church, Willoughby, Lincolnshire

Activities at the Alford Group of Parishes

The churches in the Alford Group host many activities for different age groups:

• Beavers (for children and teenagers)
• Bell Ringing (for all ages)
• Boys' Brigade (for children and teenagers)
• Brownies (for children and teenagers)
• Cubs (for children and teenagers)
• Football Club (for children and teenagers)
• Girls' Brigade (for children and teenagers)
• Guides (for children and teenagers)
• Mother and Toddler Club (for mothers and toddlers)
• Model Aircraft Club (for children and teenagers)
• Rainbows (for children and teenagers)
• Scouts (for children and teenagers)
• Sunday Bunch (for children and teenagers)
• Young Farmers (for children and teenagers)
• YP's (for children and teenagers)

More Information

• Alford Group Of Parishes Website