St Mary's  has a tall 15th century west tower and is largely Perpendicular in style.

It is built in greenstone with limestone dressings.

The chancel, rebuilt in 1889, has a beautiful east window by Sir Ninian Comper.

September 2012

St Mary's  has a tall 15th century west tower and is largely Perpendicular in style.

The chancel, rebuilt in 1889, has a beautiful east window by Sir Ninian Comper.

Within the church is part of a well-preserved Anglo-Saxon slab with interlace decoration.

September 2012

This well-preserved late Anglo Saxon slab is inside St Mary's church.

It has a symmetrical pattern of interlaced decoration with rope moulding along the edges.

June 2015

The nave windows of St Mary's church are in Perpendicular style.

June 2015

View of the Perpendicular tower, typical in East Lincolnshire style and material (Spilsby Sandstone or greenstone with limestone dressing).

June 2015

The 1887 rebuilding of the chancel, seen here from the east, using alternate courses of Spilsby sandstone and limestone, has given a banded finish.

The view of the east window from the exterior shows the beautiful tracery design which is rather overlooked within because of the stained glass.

Jean Howard, December 2023

A slightly newer boot scraper is now beside the north door, but this older one, perhaps less stable now the base stone has broken away, has not been disposed of.

It is very likely to have been made by a local blacksmith. 

Jean Howard, December 2023

The chancel was largely rebuilt by Sir Arthur Blomfield in 1889. Some parts of the Perpendicular roof were re-used, including two figures.

St Mary’s is Grade II* listed:

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1063043?section=official-list-entry

Jean Howard, December 2023

This stone cross head is on the return of the chancel arch facing east.

Jean Howard, December 2023

This door secures the spiral staircase which formerly allowed access to the rood loft of the chancel screen, but now leads into thin air above.

Jean Howard, December 2023

The stained glass has been brought from the chapel of Burgh-le-Marsh missionary college.

The glass was designed by Sir Ninian Comper and dates from 1929. It depicts the conversion of St Paul.

Jean Howard, December 2023

This detail shows the bottom right hand corner of the east window and gives some impression of its beauty, along with the date 1929.

Jean Howard, December 2023

The dedication tablet is in the reveal of the east window and explains the origin of the glass.

Jean Howard, December 2023

The fifteenth century octagonal font has medieval faces holding the font bowl which may have been re-cut later: it certainly looks rather narrow. Pevsner questions if the bowl could date from the seventeenth century.

Jean Howard 10 December 2023

This handsome modern lectern was a gift from RAF Manby.

Jean Howard, December 2023

The lectern sports the crest of the Royal Air Force Flying College, Manby.

Jean Howard, December 2023

This tablet on the south wall of the chancel commemorates the incumbent under whom the 1887 restoration took place.

Jean Howard, December 2023

The hymn board carries the crest of No 25 (Flying Training) Group, RAF, who were for 10 years, from March 1951 to January 1961 tasked with administering the Flying Refresher Schools and Advanced Flying Schools at Manby.

Beside it is the wall tablet commemorating Wing Commander Roger Hugh McConnell. See: https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/62098

Jean Howard, December 2023

Historic England’s listing description considers the pulpit to be made in the nineteenth century but in seventeenth century style.

Jean Howard, December 2023

This attractive memorial lists those who served and returned in two columns either side of those who died.

A full description of all those listed can be found at: https://www.roll-of-honour.com/Lincolnshire/Manby.html  which also gives details of the military burials in the churchyard.

Originally several German casualties were buried here too, but their bodies were exhumed and re-interred at Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery.

Jean Howard, December 2023

This doorway led onto the loft of the chancel screen.

Jean Howard, December 2023

Two figures, thought to represent knights, are saved from the earlier roof. They are incorporated into the Victorian chancel roof.

Jean Howard, December 2023

Two figures, thought to represent knights, are saved from the earlier roof. They are incorporated into the Victorian chancel roof.

Jean Howard, December 2023

Now displayed on a window sill in the nave are five tiles formerly part of the sanctuary floor.

The initials are those of members of the Welfitt family of Manby Hall.

Jean Howard, December 2023