Building record MLI85670 - Church of St Michael and All Angels, Bassingham
Summary
Parish church thought to date from the 11th century, with later alterations and restoration.
Type and Period (1)
- CHURCH (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Modern - 1000 AD? to 2050 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
Full Description
The current parish church at Bassingham is thought to date from the 11th century, with a church and priest at Bassingham being mentioned in the Domesday Book. Fragments of Anglo-Saxon sculpture have also been found in the church, suggesting a possibly earlier structure in the village (see MLI60385). {1}{2}
The present church of St Michael is located on Newark Road. There is much medieval stonework in the fabric of the church, some of which dates to the 11th century. The chancel was rebuilt in 1835, and restorations were carried out in 1860. The tower was rebuilt in 1782. It is constructed of coursed rubble and ashlar, and lead roofs. For the full description and the legal address of this listed building please refer to the appropriate List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. {3}{4}{5}
The Valor Ecclesiasticus records that the rector of Bassingham had interests in the chapel of St James the Apostle at Rodemill, Brant/Norton Disney. {6}
Historic graffiti at this church was recorded in November 2013 by the Lincolnshire Medieval Graffiti Project. The survey identified a large number of historic marks, mostly located in the porch and around the south door entrance walls. The marks include several roughly carved crosses, pentagrams, and a 'compass-drawn' series of overlapping circles on the westernmost south aisle pillar. Perhaps the most significant mark, however, is the elegantly executed carving of a late medieval or Tudor ship, located in the porch. The carving shows a high degree of detail, including hull decoration, early gun ports and the rigging arrangement, and represents one of the finest pieces of historic ship graffiti in England. {7}{8}
Sources/Archives (8)
- <1> SLI893 Bibliographic Reference: C.W. Foster and T. Longley. 1924. Lincolnshire Domesday and Lindsey Survey. 1/26.
- <2> SLI2344 Index: Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey Card Index. SK 95 NW: 5.
- <3> SLI1062 Bibliographic Reference: Nikolaus Pevsner and John Harris, with Nicholas Antram. 1989. Buildings of England: Lincolnshire (Second Edition). p.128.
- <4> SLI886 Bibliographic Reference: William White. 1856. History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire (Second Edition). p.333.
- <5> SLI7666 Index: Department of the Environment. 1986. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. 4/6.
- <6> SLI737 Article in Serial: Dorothy M. Owen. 1975. 'Medieval Chapels in Lincolnshire' in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology. vol. 10, p.16.
- <7> SLI17096 Index: Lincolnshire Medieval Graffiti Project. 2013->. Lincolnshire Medieval Graffiti Project Surveys. -.
- <8> SLI17126 Bibliographic Reference: Matthew Champion. 2015. Medieval Graffiti: The Lost Voices of England's Churches. pp.87, 232-3.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 90804 59728 (33m by 19m) Surveyed |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | BASSINGHAM, NORTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (2)
Related Events/Activities (2)
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Aug 10 2022 11:26AM
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