The well known and much loved medieval "Ramblers' Church" at Walesby sits beside the Viking Way long-distance footpath high on the edge of the Wolds looking out across an expanse of Lincolnshire countryside.

The Early English tower is well buttressed against the westerly wind and weather.

Frank Robinson, 2009

The well known and much loved medieval "Ramblers' Church" at Walesby sits beside the Viking Way long-distance footpath high on the edge of the Wolds looking out across an expanse of Lincolnshire countryside.

Ken Redmore 2010

Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1909 states :-

"The church of All Saints, situated on an eminence, is a building of stone in the Transitional, Early English and Decorated styles, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and an embattled western tower with pinnacles, containing 3 bells :

the north arcade is Transitional (1160-80), the southern Early English, with a credence and piscina in the south wall:

the chancel retains its piscina and a fine altar slab, incised with five crosses, a fragment of another slab bears the just decipherable name of "Dominus Johannes de Walesby," and a third is inscribed to Henry Waterland, rector, and father of Daniel Waterland, mentioned below, who died on Good Friday, 22nd April, 1698, aged 58;

the church being dilapidated and very inconveniently situated, an iron church has been erected in the village to hold 140 persons, and is licensed by the bishop for divine worship until the restoration or rebuilding, on a new site, of the parish church"

Daniel Waterland wrote a critical "History of the Athanasian Creed" which was long regarded as a standard work"

DB 22 December 2019

Guide notes available in the church state that :-

"The 'Old Church' fell into disuse and was left to moulder until it was restored by Canon Harding in the 1930s.

In that same decade the church became a centre for pilgrimages by, among other groups, the Ramblers Association, and it is from that connection that Walesby gained its nickname as 'The Ramblers Church'.

A stained glass window depicting walkers and cyclists can be found in the Lady Chapel"

DB 22 December 2019

First sight of All Saints Church on a steep path leading out of the village.

Its inconvenient situation and dilapidation led to the building of an iron church in the village c1880 and subsequently in 1914 to the erection of St Mary's Church.

DB 22 December 2019

White's Directory of Lincolnshire 1856 states :-

The "Church (All Saints,) which is an ancient Gothic fabric, standing on a commanding eminence, and containing several handsome monuments of the Hackett and other families.

It was repaired and new roofed in 1829.

The Rectory, valued in K.B. at £23. 8s. ld., is now in the incumbency of the Rev W. B. Philpot, M.A., who has a good residence, and 77 A. 2R. 22P. of glebe.

The tithes were commuted in 1847, for yearly tithe rents of £570 from Walesby, and £130 from Risby.

Dr. Daniel Waterland, who vindicated the doctrine of the Trinity against Dr. Clark, was born here in 1683"

DB 22 December 2019

Guide notes available in the church state that :-

"The Chancel was built around 1300 and still has its priests doorway, double Piscina, and Altar Stone.

DB 22 December 2019

"East wall of chancel has marble memorial to Mary Davenport, died 1737"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1063484 

DB 22 December 2019

"Very near the church is a Signal Beacon.

Although this wasn't an original site for a beacon West Lindsey DC financed and suggested that it would be a suitable site.

It is a replica of those lit in 1588 to alert the local militia to the arrival of the Spanish invasion fleet.

This was erected in July 1988 and lit 19th July 1988 as part of the Beacon chain to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the sighting of the Great Spanish Armada"

https://www.walesbychurches.org/all-saints-walesby.html 

DB 22 December 2019

Oak tree planted in memory of Major Brett Collier MBE (1920-2005) Area President of the Ramblers Asssociation who helped establish the route of the Viking Way.

A former Japanese Prisoner of War who had been sold to a mining company in Nagasaki and was "fortunate" to be underground when the second atomic bomb was dropped on 9th August 1945.

After digging themselves out of the collapsed mine-workings the prisoners found that their guards had fled. 

"After the war Brett became head of a school in Malaya before moving to Lincolnshire in 1960 to lecture at what was then Bishop Grosseteste College".

Author of many Lincolnshire walking books and articles. 

https://www.lincolnshirelife.co.uk/posts/view/memories-of-the-far-east-major-brett-collier 

DB 22 December 2019

Looking east towards the wooden rood screen of 1933.

DB 22 December 2019

Looking west towards the c1300 tower arch.

DB 22 December 2019

"Fine ornate octagonal wooden pulpit of 1626, originally from St Leonards Chapel, Kirkstead, complete with ornate octagonal sounding board"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1063484 

DB 22 December 2019

"wooden C18 box pews painted white"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1063484 

DB 22 December 2019

North aisle of c1300 has blocked roundheaded doorway to east.

DB 22 December 2019

"South porch of c1300 with plainly moulded arched doorway"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1063484 

DB 22 December 2019

Looking east towards the Ramblers Window.

DB 22 December 2019

Looking west towards the font.

DB 22 December 2019

Inside All Saints church at Walesby are box pews and a thirteenth century drum-shaped font.

The pulpit of 1626, with its attractive tester, came from St Leonard's Chapel, Kirkstead.

This photograph shows the capital over one of the octagonal piers in the south arcade.

Ken Redmore, 2010

"C13 drum font much defaced, with angle shafts originally up the bowl"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1063484 

(Guide notes available in the church state that the original font is now in St Mary's) 

DB 22 December 2019

An inscription near the Ramblers Window states :- 

"THE GRIMSBY & DISTRICT WAYFARERS ASSOCIATION GAVE THE EAST WINDOW OF THIS LADY CHAPEL IN MEMORY OF LOVERS OF THE COUNTRYSIDE WHOSE ANNUAL PILGRIMAGES TO THIS CHURCH BEGAN IN 1932. DEDICATED 1950"

The Viking Way passes close to All Saints.

DB 22 December 2019

View from the south aisle, across the nave, and into the north aisle.

C15 clerestory visible above the late C12 north arcade.

DB 22 December 2019

"Early C13 west tower with pronounced moulded plinth and stringcourse, divided into 4 stages by moulded stringcourses.

Large 4 stage diagonal butresses"

"West side, first stage has single pointed light with stringcourse above and clock in 2nd stage"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1063484 

DB 22 December 2019

The square of concrete covers the Walesby Shaft, off Walesby Hill (TF143 932).

It was sunk by the Frodingham Iron and Steel Company in about 1919.

The scrub covered mound behind is the spoil removed from the 175 feet deep shaft. From the foot a tunnel was driven horizontally for some 217 feet.

Although beds of ironstone were proved they were very contorted and no mine went into production as a result.

Stewart Squires

House dates from 1869.

Pearl Wheatley, 2012

This farmhouse, dated 1835, sits high on the Wolds looking west with a grand view.

Pearl Wheatley, 2012

Walesby's 'new church', dedicated to St Mary, is close to the village centre. It was built in 1913-14 by the architect Temple Moore.

July 2017

St Mary's has plain mullioned windows.

July 2017

The tower of St Mary's unusually has a square top without battlements or pinnacles.

Peter Kirk Collection, 1991

St Mary's font, with its unusual fluted stem, probably dates from the seventeenth century.

May 2018

Looking east towards the chancel. The interior of the chruch is decidedly odd: an arcade divided the chancel longitudinally.

May 2018

A medieval window of the Perpendicular (15th century) period only visible from the interior. The exterior is in the form of a millioned window dating from Temple Moor's work of 1914.

May 2018