The C18 tower of this church is unusually narrow with re-used medieval gargoyles.

The church was restored by James Fowler in 1877-78.

Inside is part of a Saxon funerary slab.

The church was restored in 1877-78 by James Fowler of Louth, using a mixture of window styles.

The chancel has lancet windows in the Early English style; the north chapel, showing to the right, suggests a later period.

May 2020

The oldest part of St Alkmund's church dates from the thirteenth century.

May 2020

The Georgian tower has a circular and round-arched windows typical of the period.

May 2020

Kelly's Directory 1930 states :-

"The church of St. Alkmund, restored in 1877, at a cost of £1,735, under the direction of Mr. James Fowler, architect, of Louth, is an edifice of stone, chiefly in the Early English style, consisting of chancel, with chantry chapel, nave, north aisle, south porch and a western tower containing one bell:

the east and south windows of the chancel are stained, being memorials to G. B. Luard esq. and to a rector:

considerable portions of the original Early English church remain:

in the chapel stands the ancient font, portions of effigies and a tomb with recumbent effigy to Robert Comyng, rector, ob. 1434 :

a new pulpit and font, of Caen stone and marble, have been placed in the church:

the restoration included the re-building of a north aisle, of the former existence of which the arches and pillars of an arcade, built up in the north wall, afforded evidence:

in the course of the restoration some fragments of Norman work were discovered, and an ogee arch between the chancel and chapel, beneath which lay a skeleton, conjectured to be that of Walter, rector, 1312: the arch could not be restored :

there are 180 sittings ...

In the churchyard is a stone cross, erected as a memorial to all who fell in the Great War, 1914-18 ; the cost was defrayed by public subscription"

DB 14 May 2023

Looking east towards the sanctuary.

DB 14 May 2023

White's Directory 1872 reports "The east window is filled with stained glass, at the expense of the parishioners".

A brass plaque in memory of Charles Bourryan Luard, Esq. d.1855 states "The East window of this Church was errected by subscription from his family, Friends and Tenants" 

DB 14 May 2023

Organ on north side of chancel with north chapel behind.

DB 14 May 2023

"North wall of chancel with long ogee headed tomb recess with ornate finial"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1063375?section=official-list-entry 

DB 14 May 2023

"TO THE MEMORY OF LOUISA MARIA JANE JOHN GODFREY AND FREDERICK THE BELOVED CHILDREN OF CHARLES BOURRYAU AND HENRIETTA LUARD"

DB 14 May 2023

"TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THE REVD WILLIAM PALEY GRAHAM FOR 24 YEARS RECTOR OF THIS PARISH DIED 29 APRIL 1870"

White's Directory 1856 has an entry " The rectory, valued in K.B. at £19, and now at £519, is in the patronage of the Lord Chancellor, and in the incumbency of the Rev. Wm. Paley Graham, M.A., who has a neat residence"

DB 14 May 2023

One of the medieval gargoyles on the eighteenth-century tower, crusted with lichen but still remarkably expressive.

May 2020

Kelly's Directory 1930 states :-

"The church of St. Alkmund, restored in 1877, at a cost of £1,735, under the direction of Mr. James Fowler, architect, of Louth, is an edifice of stone, chiefly in the Early English style, consisting of chancel, with chantry chapel, nave, north aisle, south porch and a western tower containing one bell:

the east and south windows of the chancel are stained, being memorials to G. B. Luard esq. and to a rector:

considerable portions of the original Early English church remain:

in the chapel stands the ancient font, portions of effigies and a tomb with recumbent effigy to Robert Comyng, rector, ob. 1434 :

a new pulpit and font, of Caen stone and marble, have been placed in the church:

the restoration included the re-building of a north aisle, of the former existence of which the arches and pillars of an arcade, built up in the north wall, afforded evidence:

in the course of the restoration some fragments of Norman work were discovered, and an ogee arch between the chancel and chapel, beneath which lay a skeleton, conjectured to be that of Walter, rector, 1312: the arch could not be restored :

there are 18o sittings ...

In the churchyard is a stone cross, erected as a memorial to all who fell in the Great War, 1914-18 ; the cost was defrayed by public subscription"

DB 14 May 2023

White's Directory 1872 reports :-

"The Church (St. Alkmond) is a small ancient structure, containing a tomb, on which is the recumbent effigy of Robert Conyng, a former rector, who died in 1436.

Here are also several neat monuments to the Southcotes and Luards.

The east window is filled with stained glass, at the expense of the parishioners ; and that in the south side of the Church, which is similarly embellished, was inserted by the widow of Charles B. Luard, Esq.

The rectory, valued in K.B. at £19, and now at £519, is in the patronage of the Lord Chancellor, and in the incumbency of the Rev. F. T. C. Margetts, M.A., who has a neat residence".

DB 14 May 2023

Kelly's Directory 1885 states "a new pulpit and font, of Caen stone and marble, have been placed in the church".

DB 14 May 2023

"This Font was erected to the Glory of God by Gerald Ward Martin Lieut Bengal Saff Corps in loving memory of his darling wife SUSAN ANNE MARIA MARTIN ...."

Gerald Ward Martin's promotion to Captain was reported in the The London Gazette, September 12, 1879 so the font was presumably installed prior to that date.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/24761/page/5456/data.pdf 

DB 14 May 2023

Kelly's Directory 1885 states "a new pulpit and font, of Caen stone and marble, have been placed in the church".

DB 14 May 2023

War memorial tablet on the south wall of the nave. 

"Within the church there is a marble tablet that was unveiled inside the church in 1921 in order to list those who had fallen in the First World War along with a similar tablet to commemorate four members of the Luard family who also died"

https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/church/st-alkmund-blyborough 

DB 14 May 2023

War memorial tablet on the south wall of the nave. 

"Within the church there is a marble tablet that was unveiled inside the church in 1921 in order to list those who had fallen in the First World War along with a similar tablet to commemorate four members of the Luard family who also died"

https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/church/st-alkmund-blyborough 

DB 14 May 2023

"To the Glory of God and in loving memory of Francis T.C. Margetts for thirteen years Rector of this Parish also of Sarah Louise his wife and Carolin Edith their daughter. This window is erected by the three surviving daughters 1923"

White's Directory 1872 has "The rectory, valued in K.B. at £19, and now at £519, is in the patronage of the Lord Chancellor, and in the incumbency of the Rev. F. T. C. Margetts, M.A., who has a neat residence"

DB 14 May 2023

Looking east towards the north chapel.

DB 14 May 2023

Looking west from the north chapel.

DB 14 May 2023

"TO GOD'S GLORY & IN MEMORY OF GEORGE & JOHN LUARD 1877"

DB 14 May 2023

"At the restoration of this Church AD 1877 the 5 surviving children of JOHN and ELIZABETH LUARD erected the above window in loving memory of their parents and of the uncle who was their father's comrade in the Peninsular War and at Waterloo ... "

DB 14 May 2023

"C13 north chapel of chancel restored in C19"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1063375?section=official-list-entry 

DB 14 May 2023

"C15 octagonal font with foliated base"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1063375?section=official-list-entry 

DB 14 May 2023

Head of a wimpled woman found during restoration.

DB 14 May 2023

Hatchment with a Luard family coat of arms.

"Zachariah Bourryau LUARD, of Blyborough, Lincs (which he purchased from the family of Southcote in 1747), was a wealthy West Indian merchant, who possessed estates in Granada, and St Kitts.  He married a woman by the last name of  SPOONER and died in 1752.  Zachariah was the first Luard of Blyborough Hall"

http://www.royalengineers.ca/luardfam.html  

DB 14 May 2023

"IN MEMORY OF SUSANNAH, SECOND DAUGHTER OF CHARLES DALBIAC ESQ:RE, WHO DIED SEPR: 4TH: 1842, AGED 80 YEARS"

DB 14 May 2023

"TO THE MEMORY OF THEIR BELOVED DAUGHTERS, LOUISA & MARIA JANE LUARD, WHO DIED OF SCARLET FEVER, LOUISA ON THE 18TH OF APRIL 1845 AGED 19, AND MARIA JANE, ON THE 27TH OF THE SAME MONTH AGED 16, THIS TABLET IS DEDICATED, BY THE AFFLICTED PARENTS, CHARLES BOURRYAU & HENRIETTA LUARD, OF BLYBOROUGH HALL"

DB 14 May 2023

"IN THIS VAULT ARE DEPOSITED THE MORTAL REMAINS OF PETER JOHN LUARD, OF BLYBOROUGH (FORMERLY CAPTAIN IN THE 4TH DRAGOONS) WHO DIED MAY 23RD 1830, IN THE 76TH YEAR OF HIS AGE.

AND OF HIS WIFE LOUISA LUARD, DAUGHTER OF THE LATE CHARLES DALBIAC ESQUIRE, SHE DIED JANUARY 4TH 1831, IN THE 70TH YEAR OF HER AGE.

TO THE MEMORY OF THE BEST OF PARENTS THIS MONUMENT IS DEDICATED BY THEIR GRATEFUL CHILDREN"

DB 14 May 2023

"To the memory of Charles Bourryan Luard, Esq. of Blyborough Hall, eldest son of Peter John Luard, Esq. and Louisa his Wife, who was born on the 16th day of April 1785 ... died on the 26th day of May 1855 at Torquay, and was buried in the cemetry of that place.

The East window of this Church was errected by subscription from his family, Friends and Tenants"

DB 14 May 2023

"Freestanding tomb in north chapel restored in C19 with effigy of Robert Conyng, priest, died 1434, with damaged angels at pillowed head and griffin at feet"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1063375?section=official-list-entry 

Local signage states "The tomb of Robert Conyng, died 1434. His head is supported on a cushion by angels, with a hound at his feet. He is wearing his Mass vestments decorated with water bougets. The inscription reads "Here lies Robert Conyng, sometime rector of this church, who died 3 May 1434. On whose soul God have mercy" 

DB 14 May 2023

"C19 gabled south porch with single pointed lights in east and west walls, squat clasping buttresses and pointed doorway with single flanking shafts, hood mould and label stops heads"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1063375?section=official-list-entry 

DB 14 May 2023

The unusually slender tower seems out of proportion to the sizeable nave. It was rebuilt in the eighteenth century re-using medieval gargoyles.

May 2020

The war memorial in St Alkmund's churchyard was promoted by John Luard of Blyborough Hall and paid for by public subscription.

It was unveiled and dedicated on 21 August 1920.

May 2020