May 2015:
CAYTHORPE, St Vincent.
St Vincent’s Church, Caythorpe.
Caythorpe is a pretty village 8 miles north of Grantham, and has many interesting old buildings constructed of Ancaster stone.
The first thing you notice when approaching the Grade I listed church is the crocketed spire on top of the crossing tower. It is 156 feet high, and had to be rebuilt in 1860 after it had been struck by lightning.
We were given a very warm welcome by the churchwarden. She explained that many changes were due to take place in order to preserve the church as part of the community. St Vincent’s has received grant money from the Heritage Lottery Fund to go towards completing restoration. Rear pews have been removed to make space for community activities. The nave will be reroofed, and there will be improved facilities, easier access for all, and more research and interpretation of the church history. The glass in the east window of the chancel will cleaned, bringing more light into the space.
The church dates from the 14th century and is cruciform in shape. It is unusual in that it has a double nave, divided by two and a half bays with octagonal columns. Pevsner writes he was amazed by this. The north and south transepts at the central crossing both once housed chapels. Now there is a small Lady Chapel in the north east corner. There is a blocked doorway in the south transept that once led to the rood loft.
Caythorpe is a pretty village 8 miles north of Grantham, and has many interesting old buildings constructed of Ancaster stone.
The first thing you notice when approaching the Grade I listed church is the crocketed spire on top of the crossing tower. It is 156 feet high, and had to be rebuilt in 1860 after it had been struck by lightning.
We were given a very warm welcome by the churchwarden. She explained that many changes were due to take place in order to preserve the church as part of the community. St Vincent’s has received grant money from the Heritage Lottery Fund to go towards completing restoration. Rear pews have been removed to make space for community activities. The nave will be reroofed, and there will be improved facilities, easier access for all, and more research and interpretation of the church history. The glass in the east window of the chancel will cleaned, bringing more light into the space.
The church dates from the 14th century and is cruciform in shape. It is unusual in that it has a double nave, divided by two and a half bays with octagonal columns. Pevsner writes he was amazed by this. The north and south transepts at the central crossing both once housed chapels. Now there is a small Lady Chapel in the north east corner. There is a blocked doorway in the south transept that once led to the rood loft.
The north aisle was added in 1860 by George Gilbert Scott. The aisle is known as ‘The Arnhem Aisle’ in memory of the men of the First Airborne Divisional Signals who were billeted in Caythorpe before they flew to Holland in the attempt to take the bridge over the River Rhine at Arnhem. The church has been adopted by the 216 Parachute Signals Regiment as its mother church.
The first Sunday in September is Arnhem Sunday and the men are remembered in a special service on that day. Old comrades and serving members attend. The north aisle is carpeted incorporating the badges of the Parachute Regiment and Royal Signals and there is a beautiful stained glass window in memory of the Airborne Signallers.
There are many memorials on the walls including those to the Hussey family. There are brackets which held the funerary armoury of Lord Hussey, executed in Lincoln in 1538 for not doing enough to quell the Lincolnshire Rising. The actual funerary armour was stolen in 1997.
The south porch has an Early English arch. Inside the porch are two stone benches on which can be seen diagrams of feet etched in a series of holes. Their meaning is as yet unknown. Perhaps when further research has taken place, their significance may become clear.
After tea and biscuits we thanked the churchwarden and her helper for their hospitality. We should consider visiting St Vincent’s church again when restoration has been completed.
The first Sunday in September is Arnhem Sunday and the men are remembered in a special service on that day. Old comrades and serving members attend. The north aisle is carpeted incorporating the badges of the Parachute Regiment and Royal Signals and there is a beautiful stained glass window in memory of the Airborne Signallers.
There are many memorials on the walls including those to the Hussey family. There are brackets which held the funerary armoury of Lord Hussey, executed in Lincoln in 1538 for not doing enough to quell the Lincolnshire Rising. The actual funerary armour was stolen in 1997.
The south porch has an Early English arch. Inside the porch are two stone benches on which can be seen diagrams of feet etched in a series of holes. Their meaning is as yet unknown. Perhaps when further research has taken place, their significance may become clear.
After tea and biscuits we thanked the churchwarden and her helper for their hospitality. We should consider visiting St Vincent’s church again when restoration has been completed.
Words: JM
Photos: PS
Photos: PS
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