A small chapel dedicated to St Mary existed on or near this site. It is known to have been present by at least 1340, but had become ruinous by 1550. {1}{2}{3}{4} Trollope writes of the medieval Chapel of St Mary at Holdingham, saying that it was still present in the 16th century. It stood in the small pasture close, bounded on the east and north by the Lincoln and Newark Roads. From an examination of this site he estimated the chapel to have been roughly 70ft long and 30ft wide. The 1st edition 6" Ordnance Survey County Series map places the site of the former chapel within a small enclosure or close, at grid reference TF 0571 4718 (as is currently recorded by this HER record). Trollope's description of this location may indicate a site a little further to the north, however, closer to the former junction of Lincoln Road and Newark Road, at grid reference TF 0577 4732. The exact location of the chapel therefore remains uncertain, although the location given by the OS is thought to be the more likely. Trollope mentions a medieval cross as having formerly stood in front of the Chapel of St Mary, by the road side (see MLI91290). {5}{6} Trollope also claims that the chapel still existed in the mid 17th century, stating that Holles visited it in 1640 and noted four armorial bearings painted on its windows. This is incorrect, however, and Trollope is mistakenly describing the details from Holles' visit to the Church of St Denys in Sleaford (see MLI82716). {7}{8} The chapel is thought to have been demolished by Robert Carre of Sleaford in c.1554. Correspondence from Sir William Cecil (dated to this year and held in the Thynne archive) speaks of a 'compleynt that he [Robert Carre] should plucke downe a certen chappell at Sleford called Haldingham without any authoritie'. {9} A similar complaint against Robert Carre for demolishing the chapel is detailed in document of c.1558, held in the records of the Court of the Star Chamber. {10} The small enclosure which the OS map marks as the site of the former chapel is named as 'Chapel Close' on an earlier map of this area drawn by John Fillingham in 1766. The name would support this as being the correct site of the former chapel. {11}{12} A watching brief undertaken in 2016 on land to either side of No. 4 Holdingham, on the site marked on the OS map, found no trace of the chapel. {13}{14}