St Chad's Church, Harpswell
Encyclopedia
St Chad's Church, Harpswell, is a parish church
in the Church of England
in Harpswell
, Lincolnshire
.
, about 12 miles north of the city of Lincoln, was established c.
1042 and has one of the few complete Anglo-Saxon
towers remaining in England
.
The church had thirteenth and fourteenth century additions, in particular its Norman
south arcade
was extended in this period, and the whole church was heavily restored
in 1890-91.
It is a Grade I listed building.
s. The largest of these is an effigy
of William de Harrington
dating from 1346, which shows him reposing on a pillow
supported on two angels whilst dressed in cassock
, hood
and pileolus
whilst at his feet are images of the green man
.
There is also a large stone slab bearing the figure of a fully vested Norman
priest
of "Harpperswelle" called John Gere, who died around 1300.
On the north wall of the chancel
is a fifteenth century brass of John Whichcote in armour and his wife, Elizabeth Tyrwhit, in a complex butterfly headdress
. One of their descendants, Thomas Whichcote, to whom there is also a memorial, was an ardent Royalist and supporter of the Act of Settlement
. He introduced the arms
of Queen Anne and had a notable memorial stone
placed on the tower with above with an inscription commemorating the erection of a clock in 1746 in memory of the Duke of Cumberland's "victory over the rebels" at Culloden
. Thomas was also father of Frances Maria Whichcote, who married Rev John Fountayne
, the longest serving Dean of York
.
.
The stained glass
contains fragments of mediaeval glass and a the font
dates from the Norman period.
A section of the churchyard
is set aside for the grave
s of service personnel
. A former R.A.F.
base, R.A.F. Hemswell
(formerly known as Harpswell Aerodrome
when it was first opened in 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps
) adjoins the parish.
, now under the joint Glentworth
Benefice.
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
in Harpswell
Harpswell, Lincolnshire
Harpswell is a village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies just west off the junction of the A631 and B1398, north of Lincoln.According to the 2001 census Harpswell had a population of 65....
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
.
History
The ancient church of St Chad in the village of HarpswellHarpswell, Lincolnshire
Harpswell is a village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies just west off the junction of the A631 and B1398, north of Lincoln.According to the 2001 census Harpswell had a population of 65....
, about 12 miles north of the city of Lincoln, was established c.
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1042 and has one of the few complete Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon architecture
Anglo-Saxon architecture was a period in the history of architecture in England, and parts of Wales, from the mid-5th century until the Norman Conquest of 1066. Anglo-Saxon secular buildings in Britain were generally simple, constructed mainly using timber with thatch for roofing...
towers remaining in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The church had thirteenth and fourteenth century additions, in particular its Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
south arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
was extended in this period, and the whole church was heavily restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
in 1890-91.
It is a Grade I listed building.
Monuments
There are a number of historical monuments in St Chad's Church, two of the most notable are located in the south aisle and are dedicated to former priestPriest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s. The largest of these is an effigy
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
of William de Harrington
Harrington, Lincolnshire
Harrington is a hamlet and civil parish located 6 miles west of Alford, and about north west of Spilsby, Lincolnshire, England.-The Church:...
dating from 1346, which shows him reposing on a pillow
Pillow
A pillow is a large cushion support for the head, usually used while sleeping in a bed, or for the body as used on a couch or chair. There are also throw pillows , which are pillows that are purely decorative and not designed for support or comfort...
supported on two angels whilst dressed in cassock
Cassock
The cassock, an item of clerical clothing, is an ankle-length robe worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, Lutheran Church and some ministers and ordained officers of Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Ankle-length garment is the meaning of the...
, hood
Hood
-Apparel:* Hood , type of head covering** Article of Academic dress** Animal hood, something used in costume play or part of an animal transformation fantasy** Bondage hood, sex toy-Anatomy:* Hood , flap of skin behind the head of a cobra...
and pileolus
Zucchetto
The zucchetto , a/k/a pileolus in Latin and calotte/calotta in France, Italy and Hispanic nations, is a small skullcap worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in Anglicanism....
whilst at his feet are images of the green man
Green Man
A Green Man is a sculpture, drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves. Branches or vines may sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils or other parts of the face and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit...
.
There is also a large stone slab bearing the figure of a fully vested Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
of "Harpperswelle" called John Gere, who died around 1300.
On the north wall of the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
is a fifteenth century brass of John Whichcote in armour and his wife, Elizabeth Tyrwhit, in a complex butterfly headdress
Gable hood
A gable hood, English hood or gable headdress is an English woman's headdress of c. 1500–1550, so-called because its pointed shape resembles the gable of a house...
. One of their descendants, Thomas Whichcote, to whom there is also a memorial, was an ardent Royalist and supporter of the Act of Settlement
Act of Settlement 1701
The Act of Settlement is an act of the Parliament of England that was passed in 1701 to settle the succession to the English throne on the Electress Sophia of Hanover and her Protestant heirs. The act was later extended to Scotland, as a result of the Treaty of Union , enacted in the Acts of Union...
. He introduced the arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of Queen Anne and had a notable memorial stone
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
placed on the tower with above with an inscription commemorating the erection of a clock in 1746 in memory of the Duke of Cumberland's "victory over the rebels" at Culloden
Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
. Thomas was also father of Frances Maria Whichcote, who married Rev John Fountayne
John Fountayne
John Fountayne, M.A. , DD, was a Church of England clergyman and the longest serving Dean of York.-Life:Fountayne was the younger of two sons of John Fountayne...
, the longest serving Dean of York
Dean of York
The Dean of York is the member of the clergy who is responsible for the running of the York Minster cathedral.-11th–12th centuries:* 1093–c.1135: Hugh* c.1138–1143: William of Sainte-Barbe...
.
Other Notable Features
There are some exceptional oak benchends from the mediaeval period, one of which is decorated with the five Holy WoundsHoly Wounds
The Five Holy Wounds or Five Sacred Wounds refer to what are believed to be the five piercing wounds that was suffered during the crucifixion of Jesus....
.
The stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
contains fragments of mediaeval glass and a the font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
dates from the Norman period.
A section of the churchyard
Churchyard
A churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language or Northern English language this can also be known as a kirkyard or kirkyaird....
is set aside for the grave
Grave
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried.Grave may also refer to:*Grave accent, a diacritical mark*Grave , a term used to classify sounds*Grave , a term for "slow and solemn" music*Grave , an old name for the kilogram...
s of service personnel
Military service
Military service, in its simplest sense, is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft . Some nations require a specific amount of military service from every citizen...
. A former R.A.F.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
base, R.A.F. Hemswell
RAF Hemswell
RAF Hemswell was an airfield used by RAF Bomber Command for 20 years between 1937 and 1957 and saw most of its operational life during World War II. Later used by RAF Fighter Command as a nuclear ballistic missile base during the Cold War it closed to military use in 1967...
(formerly known as Harpswell Aerodrome
Aerodrome
An aerodrome, airdrome or airfield is a term for any location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve cargo, passengers or neither...
when it was first opened in 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
) adjoins the parish.
Current use
It is part of the Diocese of LincolnDiocese of Lincoln
The Diocese of Lincoln forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England. The present diocese covers the ceremonial county of Lincolnshire.- History :...
, now under the joint Glentworth
Glentworth
Glentworth can refer to:*Glentworth, Lincolnshire, a village in England;, a cargo steamer launched in 1920....
Benefice.