May 2014:
HARBY, All Saints.
On the first Thursday in May 2014 the Witham U3A Churches and Chapels group strayed just a few yards over the Lincolnshire border. Our destination was All Saints Church Harby which is actually in the Southwell and Nottingham Diocese.
A new church was built here in the neo Gothic style and dedicated on 2 August 1877 replacing an earlier very unimpressive structure. The new church’s main item of interest is the medieval font from the old church.
Harby’s claim to fame is as the site of the Manor House, the home of Richard de Weston, in which Queen Eleanor, wife of King Edward I died on 28 November 1290. This building was very close to the present church and our excellent guide took some trouble to point out the still existing moat and other remains.
After the Queens death part of her body was interred in a tomb in Lincoln cathedral. The King caused twelve elaborate stone crosses to be erected at each place where the cortège rested overnight. The first was at the foot of Cross O’cliff Hill Lincoln near to St Catherine’s Priory and the twelfth and last in Westminster, London.
On the east face of the church tower there is a statue of Queen Eleanor in a canopied niche flanked by the arms of Leon and Castile, England and Ponthieu. A very fine stained glass window depicting Queen Eleanor was installed in 2008 as a Millennium project. The window includes 12 crosses symbolizing the original Eleanor Crosses and the arms of Leon and Castile, England and Ponthieu. In the roundel there is cross as a symbol of Christianity with a narcissus and carnation as symbols of true love.
I am grateful to Eric Wilson for assistance with the text and to Max Kitchen for the photographs.
Harby’s claim to fame is as the site of the Manor House, the home of Richard de Weston, in which Queen Eleanor, wife of King Edward I died on 28 November 1290. This building was very close to the present church and our excellent guide took some trouble to point out the still existing moat and other remains.
After the Queens death part of her body was interred in a tomb in Lincoln cathedral. The King caused twelve elaborate stone crosses to be erected at each place where the cortège rested overnight. The first was at the foot of Cross O’cliff Hill Lincoln near to St Catherine’s Priory and the twelfth and last in Westminster, London.
On the east face of the church tower there is a statue of Queen Eleanor in a canopied niche flanked by the arms of Leon and Castile, England and Ponthieu. A very fine stained glass window depicting Queen Eleanor was installed in 2008 as a Millennium project. The window includes 12 crosses symbolizing the original Eleanor Crosses and the arms of Leon and Castile, England and Ponthieu. In the roundel there is cross as a symbol of Christianity with a narcissus and carnation as symbols of true love.
I am grateful to Eric Wilson for assistance with the text and to Max Kitchen for the photographs.
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