"Cross base. C14. Limestone ashlar. A square base block with beasts to the angles, the side panels being carved with the Symbols of the Evangelists in deep relief"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1360612

Pevsner comments "Village Cross, w of the church, by the main road. Only part of the shaft, but a mighty base, carved with the signs of the Evangelists"

DB 20 August 2018

Listed in White's Directory 1856 "Money Thos. vict. Four Horse Shoes" and in 1872 as "Money Thomas, farmer & victualler, Horse Shoe". 

Kelly's Directory 1919 has "Rutter John, Horseshoes inn"

DB 20 August 2018

"Pump. 1897, restored 1973"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1168452 

DB 20 August 2018

"Rectangular slate tablet recording the construction of the pump in 1897 to the memory of the Rev. W.H.E. McKnight, M.A."

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1168452 

DB 20 August 2018

Former school now the Village Hall.

White's Directory 1872 reads "Here is a School, erected in 1859, by voluntary subscription" and "Money Mrs Amelia, schoolmistress".

Kelly's Directory 1919 has "Public Elementary School (mixed), for 40 children; Miss Ada Hare; mistress".

Date stone over the entrance reads "AD 1858".

School closed in 1971.

DB 20 August 2018

St Denis’s is largely 14th century, with a beautiful  tower and spire, and a spacious interior with high slender arcade piers.

The chancel was rebuilt in 1878 by C H Fowler.

Notable features include the Norman font, the fine 14th century carved bench ends, and the 1897 stained glass of the east window.

September 2013

The steeple is described by Pevsner as "very fine, bare below, ornately Decorated above.

"The bell-openings are fully shafted, the buttresses with decorated gables, a fleuron frieze below openwork parapet with an undulating pattern.

"The spire has two tiers of lucarnes in alternating directions."

September 2013

Another view of St Denis's church - from the south-east.

April 2016

Another view of St Denis's church - from the north-east.

April 2016

Kelly's Directory 1919 states :-

"The church of St. Denis is a fine building of stone in the Norman, Late Decorated and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and a western tower with open traceried parapet and small pinnacles and an octagonal spire relieved by two tiers of spire lights:

the tower contains 3 bells and a clock placed in 1904 at a cost of about £100 by Mrs. Amelia Money, of the Manor House, as a memorial to her family:

the edifice, with the exception of the chancel, which is Perpendicular belongs wholly to the Late Decorated or Curvilinear period (1315-60):

the chancel is wholly Perpendicular and retains groined sedilia, a piscina and a very good Early Perpendicular traceried rood-screen, and in the east wall is a shallow niche:

the great east window has been filled with stained glass, in memory of the Rev. W. H. E. McKnight M.A. rector 1879-1896:

there is also a handsome stained glass window over the sedilia on the south-east of the sacrarium:

the east end of the south aisle has a double aumbry and piscina, and on the floor is a slab with three incised roundels, two of which retain the words, "Jesu, mercy: "

there are numerous tablets to the Manners family, and a brass to John Leigh, rector, ob. 1681, and in the nave are some excellent oak benches with panelled ends and poppy heads :

the chancel was rebuilt in 1878 by the Rev. Jacob Montagu Mason B.A. rector from 1856, and is now fitted with carved oak stalls:

in rebuilding the chancel fragments of the tomb of William Armyn (1361) were found:

the font, a beautiful Norman work, adorned with bold interlaced arcading, has been replaced at the west end of the south aisle :

the south window of the sanctuary was filled with stained glass about 1890:

the church was restored in 1907-8, when it was new-roofed and refloored, and the rood loft stairs re-opened :

during the restoration some frescoes on the north wall and a double aumbry and piscina in the south chapel were discovered :

there are 200 sittings".

DB 20 August 2018

The chancel was rebuilt in 1878 but contains a reset C14 triple sedilia.

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1061769 

DB 20 August 2018

Looking back, through the screen, towards the nave.

DB 20 August 2018

The east window in Perpendicular style dates from 1878 when C H Fowler rebuilt the chancel.

April 2016

Kelly's Directory 1919 states "the great east window has been filled with stained glass, in memory of the Rev. W. R. E. McKnight M.A. rector 1879-1896"

Pevsner comments "Good e window, 1897 by Christopher Whall, identical to one at Berry Pomeroy in Devon. The background details - bunches of grapes, wicker fence, etc. - have a particular freshness" 

DB 20 August 2018

Plaque recording rebuilding of the chancel in 1878. 

DB 20 August 2018

Reset C14 triple sedilia.

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1061769 

A brass to John Leigh, rector, ob. 1681.

DB 20 August 2018

A memorial brass which seems to mention the names of Hugone Watts and Joanne Watts together with the date MDCL (1650).

DB 20 August 2018

A brass to Elizabeth Wyche, ob. 1691.

DB 30 September 2018

The arcades to north and south are from the Decorated period.

The piers are quatrefoil; the arches double-chamfered.

April 2016

Looking west towards the C14 tower arch.

Pevsner comments "The spaciousness and heigt of the three-bay Dec arcades inside are reminiscent of Swaton, not far away.

Quatrefoil piers with fillets, the foils connected by continuous hollows. Double-chamfered arches" 

DB 20 August 2018

Many of the bench ends in the church are decorated with poppy heads of traditional design.

April 2016

Letters carved on the top corners of the panels read RE, CT, OR, DE, DI, T and a symbolic castle.

Church Guide Notes by W.H.Collin state "If assembled in the correct order, they would have read RECTOR DEDIT, Latin words meaning, "The Rector gave them".

The Rector who carved them was Reverend W. H. E, McKnight, who was Rector of Silk Willoughby from 1879 to 1896.

The eagle and base were carved by W. Kingley McDermott in 1910, and he included REV McKnight's panels, But in the wrong order!" 

DB 30 September 2018

A view across the nave towards the south door.

"A fine set of C14 poppyhead benchends with blank cusped traceried panels containing trefoils and quatrefoils"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1061769 

DB 20 August 2018

The pulpit dates from the seventeenth century, in Jacobean style.

April 2016

This peculiar light bracket swings out over the pulpit. It is fitted with an electric light bulb, but originally held a candle, one presumes.

April 2016

"In the north aisle are extensive traces of a scheme of wall paintings in red, black, blue and yellow depicting mounted knights wearing surcoats and closed helms".

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1061769 

DB 20 August 2018

The maker's plate reads "COUSANS, SONS & Co LINCOLN".

DB 20 August 2018

"The early C14 inner doorway has a moulded and pointed head with 2 orders of ballflowers to the head which has human head stops.

The door itself has raised muntins and bears the date 1690"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1061769 

DB 20 August 2018

A mixture of old and newer graffiti inside the porch.

DB 20 August 2018

Is this an apotropaic mark beside the south door?

DB 20 August 2018

This one of several roof bosses conserved and mounted on display at the west end of the church.

April 2016

This one of several roof bosses conserved and mounted on display at the west end of the church.

April 2016

This one of several roof bosses conserved and mounted on display at the west end of the church.

April 2016

Kelly's Directory states "a very good Early Perpendicular traceried rood-screen"

However Pevsner states that it is mostly reconstruction.

DB 20 August 2018

Detail showing the carving on one of the screen panels.

Dog & monkey to left and a lion with two bodies & one head to right.

DB 20 August 2018

"The early C14 south aisle has a 2 light reticulated traceried window to the east and on the south are 2 matching 3 light windows, all with pointed chamfered surrounds"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1061769 

DB 20 August 2018

Local signage states "This window was commissioned for the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in the year of our Lord 2002 and put in place in June 2003.

Supported by the Parish Council, it was paid for by local subscription and a grant from "Awards for All" Lottery funds ...

Deliberately 'modern' to reflect the millennium, the window was designed and made by Lincoln artist Glen Carter.

The dove at the top represents the Holy Spirit of God 'brooding over creation': The blue may represent heaven, the rays of coloured light may stand for the love of God reaching down and being partly reflected back by the blue of the pond which represents the local village. The red 'figure'? Well, that's up to you ..."

DB 20 August 2018

The Norman font is drum-shaped with coupled shafts. The cover, in Jacobean style, dates from the nineteenth century.

April 2016

A second view of the font showing the elegant font cover.

Church Guide Notes by W.H.Collin state "This cover was made in 1891. Carved into it are words from the Book of Wisdom, "SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME". Also carved on the cover is "1891 BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT". 

Pevsner comments "FONT COVER. Victorian in imitation of Jacobean"

DB 20 August 2018

"In the south aisle is a cusped ogee headed piscina and a double aumbry with beaten copper Art Nouveau plaques of vines to the oak doors"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1061769 

DB 20 August 2018

Wall mounted Roll of Service for both World Wars.

DB 20 August 2018

West face of the tower with spire above. 

"Tall 2 stage west tower ... Set back spire ... The west window is of 2 lights with cusped flowing tracery to the head"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1061769 

Kelly's Directory 1919 states "the tower contains 3 bells and a clock placed in 1904 at a cost of about £100 by Mrs. Amelia Money, of the Manor House, as a memorial to her family"

DB 20 August 2018