A chapel was opened in Shop Hill by the Primitive Methodists in 1861.

It closed in the early 1940s and was sold in 1947.

The building stood derelict for at least 50 years. It is not clear whether the bungalow (called ‘The Old Chapel’) on the site incorporates any of the chapel.

It is located at NGR TF 278 611

Barry Barton, 1978

A tower mill built in 1820 and raised by the ‘insertion’ of two floors – making six in all – later in the century.

Jon Sass Collection, undated photograph

The mill had four sails, which were removed in 1910; the cap was taken off in 1939.

Location of mill: TF 281 610

The medieval stone cross close to the south door at Mareham church is Grade II listed. It dates from the fourteenth century and was restored in 1904.

June 2013

Details of the head of the cross in the churchyard.  This was extensively restored in 1904.

June 2013

"James Roberts / who in the years 1768-1771 sailed round the world / with the Right Honourable Sir Joseph Banks / on His Majesty's ship The Endeavour, / Lieutenant James Cook, commander. / In the year 1772 he again made a voyage with / Sir J. Banks to Iceland and ascended the summit / of that wonderful burning mountain, Hecla. / Having returned in safety to England, / he retired in 1795 to Mareham House / and died on the 8th July 1826, aged 74 years."

Plaque in north aisle of the church.

June 2013

The original National School was erected 1840 and later enlarged for 140 pupils in 1880. There were extensions and refurbishment in the 1980s.

April 2016

Both north and south aisles of St Helen's church (late Perpendicular) have pinnacles.

The chancel is slightly earlier.

July 2013

A large greenstone church in a large village. St Helen’s, Mareham le Fen, has a fourteenth-century chancel and nave arcades though the exterior is mostly Victorian (1873).

The south aisle has oil paintings, perhaps preliminary cartoons for a set of large Stations of the Cross.

The interior is cluttered; how many churches contain a three-piece suite? The bare interior walls cry out for limewash to dispel the gloom.

Mark Acton, 2013

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The four-bay arcades at Mareham are probably late fourteenth century. The piers are octagonal with unusual leaves in the capitals. The arches are double-chamfered.

April 2016

St Helen's octagonal font dates from the Perpendicular period. It has simple panels with low, flat ogee arches and large finials.

April 2016

This grotesque cat-like face is alongside the south door.

April 2016

By the westernmopst pinnacle above the south aisle is this small figure in fouteenth century costume.

Pevsner describes it as a knight; the local residents consider it to be St George. The creature beneath the figues feet is indeed dragon-like.

April 2016

This Wesleyan Methodist chapel on the corner of Main Road and Chapel Lane was opened in 1891.

The building became unsafe and had to be demolished in 1994, after which time the congregation met in the schoolroom at the rear of the site.

undated postcard