This gold brooch is known as a 'birdlip' or 'beaked bow' brooch due to the characteristic protrusion on the bow. The two circular features above give the impression of a bird's face.

The brooch has sadly been damaged in the ground, and the bow has become bent. The pin is also missing, and would have attached beneath the trumpet above the bird's head.

Examples of Iron Age brooches in gold are exceedingly rare, with less than ten known from Britain.  Interestingly, one of the other examples is a gold brooch of similar form from Market Rasen, now in the British Museum.

The lower stages of the ironstone tower, and much of the south aisle wall are early 13th century.

Inside St Peter's, the unusual arcades are partly of this date, as is a corbel showing a man with toothache!

James Fowler carried out extensive restoration in 1868, rebuilding the north aisle and chancel.

Normanby is the highest settlement in the county, with fine views across to the Lincoln Cliff.

June 2011

James Fowler carried out extensive restoration in 1868, rebuilding the north aisle and chancel at St Peter's.

Normanby is the highest settlement in the county, with fine views across to the Lincoln Cliff.

June 2011

This view from the north-east shows the north porch through which one enters and the vestry against the east end of the north aisle.

The fourth storey was built onto the 13th century tower in the late 14th or 15th century and the bells were raised into that storey. This was then crowned with battlements which have a pinnacle and gargoyle at each corner.

Jean Howard, 2023

The view from the south-east shows the Decorated style of the tracery from the 1868 rebuilding of the chancel and the decorative ridge of the chancel roof.

It seems also to reveal a blocked window opening at the east end of the south aisle and the blocked 13th century eastern belfry windows.

Jean Howard, 2023

The chancel was rebuilt on its earlier foundations by James Fowler as part of the 1868 restoration.

The tracery of the east window is in Early English style with a shaft on either side.

The Early English detail continues with the horizontal moulding below the east window extending along the north and south walls, the decorative carved ends painted with gold paint.

Jean Howard, 2023 

The north aisle was rebuilt by Fowler to match the design of the south aisle which he restored. Each aisle has a transverse arch towards the east and this corbel of naturalistic foliage forms the support.

The cost of rebuilding the north aisle was borne by the Hargrave family. Stencilled in red along the nearby windowsill it says:

‘TO THE GLORY OF GOD & IN MEMORY OF THEIR ANCESTORS THE NORTH AISLE OF THIS CHURCH WAS REBUILT BY GEORGE HENRY & KATE MARY HARGRAVE AD 1867’.

Jean Howard, 2023

The corbel supporting the transverse arch of the south aisle is supported by a delightful 13th century carving of a man holding his mouth open with his right hand while his left clutches his forehead. Perhaps this depicts severe toothache.

Jean Howard, 2023

The ferrous content of the local ironstone looks particularly rich at this part of the building. This, the south doorway, is 13th century but it is not known when it was blocked.

The churchyard south of the building gives extensive views of the Lincoln plain and Trent valley but also the nearby folds of the Wolds.

Jean Howard, 2023

A drum style octagonal font with three bands of decoration: the upper frieze is of saltire crosses; the middle quatrefoils and a wavy band below.

Jean Howard, 2023

This view from the nave looking east shows a transverse arch in both side aisles and that the two easternmost ‘columns’ are broad and may be part of former external walls before side aisles were added.

Despite an initial impression that the whole is Victorian there is much early masonry particularly in the tower and south aisle.

Jean Howard, 2023

This is a view from the nave looking west. Although all the furnishings are Victorian the tower doorway is 13th century work.

Two of the three large paintings can be seen at the west end.

Jean Howard, 2023

This type of ledger, which shows the bust of the person commemorated, is variously called a sunk-relief, ‘head and shoulders’ or an ‘under the blanket’  monument.

It dates from around 1320 and is of a woman wearing a veiled headdress. At the lower edge her ‘shoes’ emerge.

Jean Howard, 2023

Alongside the path through the churchyard to the north door is this masonry. It is thought to have been part of the pinnacles of the tower which were replaced during the 19th century restoration.

Jean Howard, 2023

This is one of three large oil paintings hung in the church. They are part of a series brought to this area of Lincolnshire from the redundant church of St Paul, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire. Others are displayed at Stainton le Vale, South Kelsey and Claxby St Mary.

This painting hangs on the south wall and depicts Christ with St Peter kneeling at his feet begging him to calm the storm on the Sea of Galilee where the Apostles are in danger of shipwreck.

To the left is St Werburgh, a sainted Saxon princess, holding a model of Chester Cathedral where she was buried.

To the right is St Boniface of Crediton in Devon who was martyred by German pagans in 752.

Jean Howard, 2023

This is one of three large oil paintings hung in the church. They are part of a series brought to this area of Lincolnshire from the redundant church of St Paul, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire. Others are displayed at Stainton le Vale, South Kelsey and Claxby St Mary.

This one hangs above the tower door and a stone face. It illustrates Christ’s entry into Jerusalem riding a donkey on what we call Palm Sunday.

Jean Howard, 2023

This is one of three large oil paintings hung in the church. They are part of a series brought to this area of Lincolnshire from the redundant church of St Paul, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire. Others are displayed at Stainton le Vale, South Kelsey and Claxby St Mary.

This picture hangs just inside the door. It shows Christ flanked by the kneeling figures of Moses (left) with the Ten Commandments and Aaron (right).

The other figures are, left, St Faith with the gridiron on which she is said to have been roasted to death, and behind Aaron, St Martin of Tours, portrayed as a bishop holding a chalice.

Jean Howard, 2023

The ornate reredos of Caen stone and alabaster inlaid with marble and gilded mosaic work may be designed by James Fowler.

The east window had wholly clear glazing until ten panels of 18th century German glass were brought to Normanby from the redundant church of St Andrew at Panton.

Eight of them are arranged here, each one showing a scene from the life of Christ.

Jean Howard, 2023

This window in the south aisle commemorates ‘George Leonard Francis who died March 3rd 1932 aged 82. He worshipped in this church for 41 years, 33 as churchwarden’.

The design shows St Paul, Christ and St Peter above the arms of the Diocese of Lincoln (left) and the See of Canterbury (right). It is signed by Jones & Willis, manufacturers of church furnishings who began to supply stained glass from about 1880.

Some of their other stained glass designs can be seen at:

https:////www.flickr.com/photos/47859152@N05/albums/72157669174502806/ 

Jean Howard, 2023

This window on the south side of the chancel dates from 1897 and is by Kempe. It shows the Annunciation with the figures of the Archangel Gabriel on the left and the Virgin Mary on the right.

This window is said to have come from nearby Claxby St Mary.

Jean Howard, 2023

This is one of ten panels of German glass brought to Normanby from the redundant church of St Andrew at Panton.

It shows a very traditional depiction of the Annunciation with St Gabriel on the left and the Virgin Mary kneeling at a desk holding her prayer book with a madonna lily in the centre.

It has been placed with the words AVE GRATIA PLENA, which means ‘full of grace’, backwards, but perhaps it can be read from outside when the church is lit for evensong.

Jean Howard, 2023

This is one of ten panels of German glass brought to Normanby from the redundant church of St Andrew at Panton.

The Nativity as depicted in this roundel includes the traditional figures of the ox and ass but the surroundings are truly splendid for a humble cattle shed.

Jean Howard, 2023

This small brick building, with its 'ecclesiastical' pointed arched windows, is close to the west end of St Peter's parish church. It is marked as 'Sunday School' on both First and Second Editions of the Ordnance Survey County Series maps of 1887 and 1905.

It is apparent that it had recently been renovated.