Building record MLI82510 - Church of St Wilfrid, Church Lane, Metheringham

Summary

The present Church of St Wilfrid is thought to have been built in the 12th century, although an earlier church in Metheringham is mentioned in the Domesday Book.

Type and Period (2)

  • (Medieval to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
  • ? (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 1000 AD? to 1199 AD?)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

The present Church of St Wilfrid is thought to have been built in the 12th century, although an earlier church in Metheringham is mentioned in the Domesday Book. There was a fire here in 1599, after which the nave was restored in 1601. The nave was restored again in 1858-59, and the north aisle was added in 1870. {1}{2}{3}{4} Bonney composed notes on the church before the restorations of 1858. The church then was comprised of a nave with tower at the western end, and was described as being in a transitional Norman sytyle with battlements and croketted minarets. {5} Parish church, dating from the 12th century, with alterations in the 15th century, 1601, and the 19th century. The nave was restored by John Tirrel, after the fire of 1599. The church is built of coursed rubble with ashlar dressings, and features plain tile and lead roofs, with ashlar-coped gables with kneelers. It is comprised of a tower, nave, north and south aisles, south porch and chancel. The 12th century western tower shows marks of previous buildings to the west, now masked by a large 17th century buttress. The tower has small stair lights, two-light 12th century bell openings, gargoyles, battlements and pinnacles. The 15th century castellated nave has three, two-light chamfered mullion windows in the clerestory. The north aisle was added c.1870, and has four, two-light pointed windows, and small doorway. The east window is 19th century, and is three-light with flowing tracery. The south chancel has a small 15th century, two-light window with dripmould, and a fine 15th century, three-light window, originally sited at the east end. The south nave has three 19th century pointed windows, a gable porch with stone coping, and fine door date dating to 1602. The church interior has three-bay nave arcades, with Tuscan Doric columns of 1601 supporting medieval arches. There is a 19th century rood screen, ogee-headed piscina, and a monument to Sir Thomas and Lucy Skipwith. For the full description and the legal address of this listed building please refer to the appropriate entry in the National Heritage List for England. {6}{7}{8}{9}

Sources/Archives (9)

  •  Bibliographic Reference: C.W. Foster and T. Longley. 1924. Lincolnshire Domesday and Lindsey Survey. 68/4.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Nikolaus Pevsner and John Harris, with Nicholas Antram. 1989. Buildings of England: Lincolnshire (Second Edition). p.562.
  •  Index: Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey Card Index. TF 06 SE: 6.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: R.E.G. Cole. 1911. Lincolnshire Church Notes made by Gervase Holles 1634 to 1642. pp.238-9.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Rev. N.S. Harding (ed.). 1937. Bonney's Church Notes: Being Notes on the Churches in the Archdeaconry of Lincoln, 1845-1848. pp.19-20.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: William White. 1872. History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire (Third Edition). p.644.
  •  Article in Serial: 1896. 'Fify-Third Report' in the Associated Architectural and Archaeological Societies’ Reports and Papers. vol.XXIII, part.II, p.lxviii.
  •  Index: Department of the Environment. 1985. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. 5/34.
  •  Website: Historic England (formerly English Heritage). 2011->. The National Heritage List for England. http://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/. 1165640.

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Location

Grid reference Centred TF 07016 61287 (33m by 22m) Surveyed
Civil Parish METHERINGHAM, NORTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE

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Record last edited

Sep 4 2026 3:14PM

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