#: locale=en
## Hotspot
### Text
HotspotPanoramaOverlayTextImage_7431C992_47AB_A9B4_4169_AE1FB0B03032.text = EXIT
## Media
### Audio
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### Floorplan
### Image
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### Popup Image
### Title
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panorama_4C37BE0F_4766_AAAB_41B7_D0C01A95F9FC.label = Chancel
panorama_4C372435_4766_DEFC_41D0_A24623FF09C3.label = Entering Lady Chapel
panorama_63CEF389_6D43_018F_41B2_52A4473510CE.label = Entering North Transept
panorama_36F8D7F0_3DD3_5FD0_41C1_EC091044C7B6.label = Entrance
panorama_4C365772_4767_B974_41B1_3F87DD9F082A.label = Font
map_77516198_47A6_59B4_41AE_BE82AC4C44E8.label = Gosberton Floor Plan
album_F10BEBDB_C000_9BF9_41C1_E80B3490F952_0.label = IMG_7025
album_F10BEBDB_C000_9BF9_41C1_E80B3490F952_1.label = IMG_7026
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album_EF29FB00_C001_A447_41E4_328DE0C13738_0.label = IMG_7046
photo_CF90D710_C0C0_2088_41D9_23292A2158DB.label = IMG_7049
photo_CF90D710_C0C0_2088_41D9_23292A2158DB.label = IMG_7049
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album_EE8D80B9_C001_65B9_41D3_48BA87C00BB5.label = Lady Chapel
panorama_4C376DC4_4765_E99C_41D1_1D74CA84A04F.label = Lower Nave
panorama_4C36E0B6_4765_D7FD_41CC_8ADC4D25519B.label = Lower Nave 2
panorama_4C370825_4766_569C_41D1_5BAAE1F00169.label = Middle Nave
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panorama_4C371C68_4766_6E94_41A3_28650C848FBB.label = Middle south aisle
album_EF46E8E9_C003_A5D9_41DC_E0E8B21A4B1C.label = Nave
panorama_63AB8BB3_6D43_0183_41DA_2DA346584FC2.label = North Transept
panorama_31ABE5EA_3DD3_53F3_41A1_6FF100E1AE3E.label = Photo 16-03-2023, 10 13 19
panorama_36F35049_3DD2_D030_41C0_F1FC21F4EAFF.label = Photo 16-03-2023, 10 13 56
panorama_36F3A851_3DD2_F0D0_41B4_F95729F79DAD.label = Photo 16-03-2023, 10 14 22 (1)
panorama_36F091A6_3DD5_5070_41C1_6AE4E4AA33D6.label = Photo 16-03-2023, 10 14 42
panorama_36F30D12_3DD5_7053_4198_DFCE65A1E760.label = Photo 16-03-2023, 10 15 44
panorama_36F0774C_3DD5_B030_41CD_ADC95145D122.label = Photo 16-03-2023, 10 16 01
panorama_36F3C1A5_3DD5_F071_41CD_AD72EA32761E.label = Photo 16-03-2023, 10 16 17
panorama_36F3B388_3DD5_5030_41CE_0072B470D772.label = Photo 16-03-2023, 10 16 42
panorama_36F37DF7_3DD5_73D0_41B2_341E215C1523.label = Photo 16-03-2023, 10 16 57
panorama_36F0592B_3DD6_B070_41CC_29F293789271.label = Photo 16-03-2023, 10 17 21
panorama_36F09313_3DD7_5050_41CD_D8F944913F14.label = Photo 16-03-2023, 10 17 37
panorama_36F0F79A_3DD7_5050_4190_D611F2F2FB5F.label = Photo 16-03-2023, 10 18 10
panorama_36F02193_3DD7_D051_41C3_91502C4F680B.label = Porch
album_EFE5CA1F_C000_E479_41DD_B03D86464CA1.label = South Aisle
album_F10BEBDB_C000_9BF9_41C1_E80B3490F952.label = South Porch
album_EE87060B_C000_AC59_41D0_C7E65D6E8CF3.label = South Transept
panorama_4C37F260_4766_5A94_41BF_8249A8F6FD4B.label = Upper Nave
panorama_4C3735C9_4766_7994_41C2_0E4E04B0F35B.label = Upper Nave 2
album_ED727DCE_C000_9FDB_41D3_D0256BA853D7_0.label = img_2383-2
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panorama_36F1A89E_3DD7_F053_41BA_F3C716398336.label = lower south aisle
panorama_4C3906CD_476A_5BAC_41C1_2CA54ED147BF.label = middle north aisle
panorama_4C3918F6_476A_777C_41B1_CB4D383B2FD1.label = upper north aisle
panorama_4C28D1A6_4766_B99C_41C0_FF9362ADFC41.label = upper south aisle
## Skin
### Button
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Button_365251A7_2E0C_0CDA_41BE_1EFE27785AB9.label = PLAN
### Image
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### Multiline Text
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HTMLText_DD0FFE15_C001_BC49_4164_734C24C31AF2.html = SOUTH AISLE
The window in memory of Dr Wilson
Dr. Alexander Sweet Wilson, a Glaswegian, had been Gosberton’s Doctor for 40 years. He died at
the age of 69 in 1959. Nationally, he had served for many years as a member of the Joint Medical Services Committee of the British Medical Association (B.M.A.), and was for some time secretary of the Lincolnshire branch of the B.M.A. He was also a member of various health-related committees in the District. He was an active member of the Gosberton branch of the British Legion and was appointed president in 1956. No wonder, then, that a memorial service in his honour at St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church was crowded to capacity. Such was the esteem in which he was held,
that a window was re-glazed in his memory. It is a fine work of stained glass in the gothic tradition, containing the following inscription:
“Remember in prayer with thanksgiving the soul of ALEXANDER SWEET WILSON physician in these parts for forty years who died the sixteenth of August 1959. R.I.P.”
The glass also bears a symbol of a snake coiling around a staff, commonly used to represent medicine. The figure is that of Saint Luke, thought to have been a physician by trade, and shown
here carrying a book and a pen (quill), typical symbols (or ‘attributes’) depicted in artworks of him.
The Font
The octagonal font dates back to the ‘perpendicular’ architectural period, sometime around the 15th century. The domed wooden font cover is modern.
The font now stands at the western end of the south aisle, but this wasn’t always so. It had originally stood in the nave, near the west doorway, but was moved to its present location during the church
restoration work in the 1860s. When the nave was re-floored in the 1890s, one of the original octagonal steps upon which the font had sat near the west door was revealed. Fonts were traditionally positioned near the entrance to the church in medieval times, thus welcoming a child into the House of God.
Millennium Embroidery
With the aid of a Millennium Grant, a team of skilled local needle-women produced the Gosberton Village Millennium Embroidery, which is proudly on display in St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church.
It was dedicated by the Bishop of Grantham in December 2000. Postcards were produced of the
embroidery in aid of church funds.
The embroidery provides a wonderful snapshot of contemporary Gosberton, to be enjoyed hopefully by many generations to come.
SOUTH TRANSEPT
Clock mechanism
In a glass display case in the south transept is the old mechanism for the clock situated on the east side of the tower. A brass plate on it states that this “ancient turret clock of Gosberton Church was restored and modernised by Alfred Minnis of Spalding 1936.” The clock had been damaged by a high gale in the latter part of 1936, and Mr. Minnis was called in to fix it. It had been thought to be beyond repair, but Mr. Minnis patiently worked on it and got it working again, for which he received much gratitude, to the extent that the then Vicar, Reverend Ivor S. Bennett, had the brass plate commemorating the restoration added to the mechanism. The brass plate declares the clock
mechanism to be ‘ancient’, and a newspaper article in 1961 suggests it dated from the 17th century.
In 1968, the clock stopped working. Up to this point, it had been wound up every day by Gosberton milkman Mr. Fred Payne (Before him, Mr. Robert Sellers had undertaken the task). That same year Mr. Len Windsor, a councillor and Gosberton businessman, took on the task of raising money to replace the mechanism with an electric one, thus avoiding the need to wind it up every day. (Not weekly, as the sign on the display case suggests). It was replaced by an electric motor in 1971, and this old mechanism was shortly afterwards encased as we see it today.
The Parish Chest
Walter Jenkinson Kaye, in his book ‘A Brief History of the Church and Parish of Gosberton’ (1897) described the Parish Chest of being of venerable appearance and he records that it was, interestingly, painted white at that time. Today the Chest is stripped back to wood and varnished. Its age is uncertain, but it certainly looks centuries old. It has a rounded lid, bound with iron bands and
is secured with three locks (which are still in situ); the Vicar, the Churchwarden and the chairman of the Parish Council each had a key.
Parish Chests were where the church’s valuables used to be stored under lock and key. Typically, they contained the Parish Registers, alms for the poor, and church silverware. Gosberton’s parish
chest now lies empty.
Stone effigies
The tomb recess in the south transept is one of the finest pieces of Decorated display in the church.
The cross-legged figure of a knight in chain mail and surcoat, with shield and sword lies in an attitude of prayer under a low, ogee-headed arch. The canopy is cusped and crocketed, and capped
with a large finial. On either side rise square shafts terminating in crocketed pinnacles, and censing angels fill the spandrels. The identity of the figure is unknown. Gervase Holles, writing in the
seventeenth century, associated the tomb with the Bolle family, but from the late nineteenth century it has been supposed that the monument commemorates Sir John de Rye who fought with Simon de Montfort against Henry III and who died in 1280. The effigy of the lady nearby wearing costume of roughly the same period is popularly believed to represent his wife.
The de Ryes were an influential family in Gosberton for many generations in medieval times, and were Lords of the Manor there. Gosberton Risegate derives its name from the de Rye family.
Rood and Screen
The original parts of the wooden screen leading from the south transept into the Lady Chapel are medieval, but have undergone some restoration, most significantly in 1915, during World War One, when Belgian refugees billeted in Spalding carved a new rood (Jesus on the cross with the Virgin Mary and St. John either side) which sits on top of the screen. This work was commissioned by the parishioners as a memorial to their late Vicar, Rev. Edgar Torr Hudson, who was Vicar of Gosberton from 1896 to 1905, and who had overseen much restoration work in the church during
his ministry. The design of the rood was by Mr. Walter Tapper, A.R.I.B.A., of St. John’s Wood, London. The full cost was £35 and was paid for by Mr. Edward. E. Welby-Everard, of Gosberton House.
Some restoration of the screen itself had previously been undertaken in 1896/7 under Reverend Hudson’s stewardship.
The tomb recesses on the south wall (exterior)
On the exterior of the south wall of the south aisle are two tomb recesses, according to Pevsner’s ‘The Buildings of England: Lincolnshire.’
Whatever effigies, gravestones or memorial tablets once sat within them have long since vanished, along with the names of whoever they memorialised. One thing is certain: they will have been
highly influential people to warrant such an esteemed resting place. We can but hope that one day the veil of anonymity will be lifted.
Church Architecture
That there was a Church in Gosberton in Saxon times is suggested by the original name “Gosberkirk” or “Gozeberlechercha" (as it appears in the Domesday Book) meaning probably the
church of Gosbert or Gosberd, a name which belongs to a period before the Norman Conquest.
There was certainly a Norman church on the present site, as is shown by the Norman foundations underneath the existing pillars of the Nave.
The church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul that stands today contains architecture from various time periods. Much of the fabric of the building we see today was built in the 14th and 15th century, being an example of a style of architecture called ‘perpendicular.’ The person most credited with introducing this style in England is William of Wykeham who was a Rector here in Gosberton in the
1360s. William became Chancellor of England, but as an accomplished architect he is credited with work at Winchester Cathedral, Windsor Castle, Dover Castle and elsewhere.
CHANCEL
The Altarpiece, or Reredos
Sitting behind the main altar at the eastern end of the church is a splendid reredos. A reredos is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes
religious images. Gosberton’s reredos consists of five panels - a central panel with two smaller panels on either side - and at either end a hinged door, with paintings on their inside. When the
doors are fully open (as they are in Gosberton’s church), all seven painted scenes are on view, but the doors can be closed, which would hide and protect all the artworks when moving the reredos.
Gosberton’s reredos consists of copies of Italian Renaissance art of the 15th century. Many Renaissance artworks were originally painted as altarpieces, so this Gosberton example is keeping
that tradition alive.
Who can we thank for providing Gosberton with this mini-gallery of renaissance art? None other than one of Gosberton’s most respected residents, Mrs. Gwladys (Gay) Welby-Everard. The Welby-Everards lived in Gosberton House, the grand home situated next to St. Peter and St. Paul’s church. The building is now in use as a residential care home. The Everards', and later the Welby-Everards', tenure in Gosberton House spanned around a century, from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s. Mrs.
Welby-Everard spent a total of seven years painting and gilding the reredos. She completed the panels in September, 1909, and the two doors were completed and fitted in May, 1911. The press reported at the time, “Gosberton is very fortunate in receiving such a magnificent gift, and honour is
due to Mrs. Everard, whose skill and years of work have given this gem of art to the parish.” (Boston Guardian, 10 June 1911).
The reredos, with all its wonderful renaissance iconography to explore, contains a hidden gem that has been all but forgotten, but for a fortunate discovery of a local newspaper article from 1969. Mrs. Welby-Everard, in the best traditions of the renaissance artists, included something personal to her
in her wonderful work. It was, and still is, not uncommon for artists to include a portrait of themselves or their pets in their paintings. In the case of her reredos, she managed to include her
beloved pet dog, Bat. Bat is not easy to spot; an extra hinderance today is that, after over 110 years, the varnish on the paintings has discoloured and muted the artwork. He is to be found on the right
door, amongst the multitude of saints. In the bottom right of the door, the fourth Saint from the right on the bottom row is Saint Agnes. Since the Middle Ages, Saint Agnes has traditionally been
depicted as a young girl with her long hair down, with a lamb, the symbol of her virginal innocence.
In Mrs. Welby-Everard’s interpretation, Saint Agnes carries, not a lamb, but her pet dog Bat.
This hidden gem is the icing on the cake of a wonderful historical item worthy of examination. Long may it continue to provide enjoyment and education to generations to come.
The East Window
The extensive restoration work of 1864-69 included the lengthening of the chancel by about three feet westwards. Thus, the East Window dates from that time. The window consists of three pointed lights, with the tracery at the top consisting of a trefoil (three-leafed design) at the apex, with two quatrefoils (four-leafed design) below.
Most references to the church say that the glazing was done “in memory of Mr. Samuel Everard, who died in 1877.” This is incorrect. In fact the window, and its glazing, dates from 1868, given as a gift by the then very much alive Samuel Everard. This is testified by newspaper reports of the time. Sadly, Mr. Everard committed suicide by shooting himself with a pistol in 1877.
The two quatrefoils depict Saints Peter and Paul, the patron Saints of the church. Both Saints bear their traditional attributes - Saint Peter with keys, and Saint Paul with a sword and a book. The
trefoil at the top depicts Christ in Glory. The central light bears a depiction of the crucifixion, flanked by the Virgin Mary in the left hand light and St. John in the right hand light. The carvings of the wooden rood above the screen in the Lady Chapel, done by Belgian refugees in 1915, replicate the same scene.
LADY CHAPEL
The East Window
The current East Window of the Lady Chapel was inserted around 1700, replacing what had been a much larger one. The window was reglazed in 1896 with stained glass, depicting the biblical story of the Walk to Emmaus, as told in the Gospel of Luke. Luke tells the story of that first Easter afternoon when the risen Christ appeared to the two disciples who were walking together along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. The disciples think that Jesus is a pilgrim who must have witnessed Jesus’ death. During the walk, Jesus remains ignorant about the events of the past few days. He listens intently to their discussion. The disciples tell him of their shattered hopes and dreams for Jesus, the prophet, who through his great and mighty works and preaching would redeem Israel. The concept of redemption for these disciples and for many other Jews meant that a conquering, all-powerful Messiah would come and lead them to freedom. Their idea of redemption had been decimated by the death of Jesus. They also believed that the women’s story of Jesus’ Resurrection was simply an idle tale. Jesus, still the stranger to the disciples, proceeds to explain through scriptures that fulfilment of the expectation of the People of God for a Messiah had been accomplished through the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. Upon arriving at Emmaus, the
disciples welcome the stranger, who has now become their companion on the journey, to stay and prepare to spend the night with them. Jesus remains and takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it and
gives it to them. It is at this moment, as the scriptures have been explained to them that their hearts burn, they are transformed, and they realise their companion is the Risen Jesus. It is the message of faith nourished by Jesus, the living bread that many believers take from this narrative. Believers are sustained by faith in Jesus that burns within their hearts. Another universal message for believers is that death does not put an end to one’s life. However, the essence of this passage is that the Messiah must suffer and die before he enters glory. This explains that the death of Jesus, the Messiah was in
keeping with God’s purpose.
The glazing was the gift of Mrs. Henry Everard, in memory of her husband. The Everards divided their time between their homes at Gosberton House and Leamington Spa.
The window glazing is certainly a treat to the eyes, and worthy of a close and prolonged examination.
Gesso Cast of Rossellino’s relief, ‘Virgin and Child’
Standing pride of place on the altar in the Lady Chapel is a gesso cast of 'Virgin and Child’ a relief made by 15th century Florentine Sculptor Antonio Rossellino. As an aside, the relief is also known by the name ‘Madonna of the Candelabra,’ named for the candelabra festooned with garlands that can be seen behind the figures.
How did such an exquisite piece end up in Gosberton?
This particular cast was in the possession of a Mr. Maurice Hewlett, a Victorian and Edwardian author, quite famous in his day. He was a friend of J. M. Barrie, who named one of the pirates in Peter Pan "Cecco" after Hewlett's son Francis (Cecco being a variant of the Italian name Francesco or, in English, Francis). He was the brother in law of Mrs. Welby-Everard of Gosberton House. He gifted the cast, which had been at Surrey House, to her in 1916 as a thanks offering for the safe return of his son, Francis Hewlett, a Flight Commander in the Royal Navy, who had gone missing on Christmas Day in 1914 after an attack on Cuxhaven, on the German coast, but who had been safely picked up by a Dutch trawler. Frances had spent some time previously staying at Gosberton House with the Welby-Everards.
Incidentally, when Mr. Hewlett died in 1923, he bequeathed to Mrs. Welby Everard more artworks:
A painting, ‘Virgin and Child’ by Neri di Bicci, the Greek tombstone found at Kimairos, and his collection of Tanagra figurines, in the hope she would in turn bequeath the picture to the National
Gallery, and the tombstone and figures to the British Museum. He also bequeathed to her his unpublished manuscripts of poems entitled ‘The Wreath’. He clearly held his sister in law in high esteem.
MIDDLE TRANSEPT (BASE OF TOWER)
The Organ
This wonderful musical instrument was installed in the church in 1882, replacing a far inferior instrument, a harmonium. So grand was the new organ, that the opening ceremony and church services, held on Thursday, September 28th, 1882, were considered a red letter day for Gosberton.
The whole village was decorated with flags and banners. The shops closed early in the afternoon and the remainder of the day was observed as a general holiday. At intervals during the day the
church bells were rung. Services were held at the church. Hymns were sung and, as reported in the Boston Guardian on 30th September 1882, the “concluding voluntaries brought out the full power of the new musical instrument.”
In contrast, the organ fell silent in 1943 for the funeral of Miss Nina Noble, in tribute to her 46 years' dedicated service as church organist. In memory to Miss Noble, money was raised to install an electric blower for the organ, which was installed in 1947. The days of the choirboys and others having to manually ‘blow’ the organ were now over! A brass plaque adorns the organ, which reads
“The electric movement of this organ was installed by public subscription in memory of Nina Florence Noble, for 46 years organist who died on June 23rd 1943.”
The Groined Vaulting
The lowest level of the church tower consists of four pillars, each with open arches. The arched structures on each of the four sides extend inwards to form what is known as a groined vault.
Basically, this type of structure ensures that the force of weight (the thrust) of the tower it supports is channeled to the four supporting pillars at each corner.
Whilst this is a marvellous piece of structural engineering, the decoration of the vaulted roof is a stunning piece of medieval aesthetics.
NAVE
The Nave
The Nave of this church stretches from the west door to the base of the tower. On the north and south sides are arcades of four arches, set between substantial stone piers. When the nave was originally built (in the late 1200s/early1300s?) its length was only three arches, but the western ensemble of the nave, and the north and south aisles, was extended by one arch between 1436 and 1450. This means that all the windows in this extension date from 1436-1450, though the new aisle windows were built to match the styles of the adjacent, older windows. So, the new window in the south aisle (which today is glazed in memory of Dr. Wilson) matches the ‘perpendicular’ style of the
other two south aisle windows. The new window in the north aisle matches the ‘decorated’ style of the other two north aisle windows.
A close inspection of the walls of the north and south aisles reveal dividing lines between the old walls and the 15th century extension.
The extension work was at the bequest of William Whytebrede of Gosberkyrke, stating in the will that his executors, together with the executors of the will of John Thacker, should “enlarge Gosberkyrk Church in length at the west end by an arch on either side of the same structure as the rest of the arches.”
Pulpit
The pulpit was placed in the church in May 1897, the gift of a Miss Hudson, who may or may not have been a relative of the then incumbent Vicar, Reverend Edgar Torr Hudson. The pulpit capped
what had been a two year restoration of parts of the church. It is made of four solid oak panels, each with beautiful and intricate carvings of a Saint. They are said to represent Saints Peter, Paul, Aidan, and Augustine. Saints Peter and Paul, after whom the church is of course dedicated, are easy to spot, based on the standard ‘attributes’ associated with them for centuries: for St. Peter, the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and for St. Paul the sword and the book. These attributes decorate a number of areas in the church (as you would expect).
The base upon which the pulpit stands is also worthy of note. It is made of Frosterley marble, coming from a quarry at Frosterley in County Durham. The marble is unusual, being a black limestone containing crinoid fossils. When, as here, it is cut and polished it looks stunning.
Frosterley marble was a much sought after material for church decoration, as well as stately homes, in Victorian times.
Lectern
The lectern is an object of beauty, being made of brass, surmounted by a brass eagle which juts out toward the congregation, and upon whose wings rests the Bible. The use of Eagle lecterns dates back to medieval times. The symbolism of the eagle derived from the belief that it was the bird that
flew highest in the sky and was therefore closest to heaven, and symbolised the carrying of the word of God to the four corners of the world.
This lectern has stood here since 1896, when it was donated to the church by a Mr. and Mrs. H. Calthrop of Barton-Upon-Humber. The Calthrops were an influential family with ties to Gosberton going back centuries.
The Clerestory
Above the north and south arcades are short walls, each studded with eight windows, spanning the length of the nave. These exist to allow as much light into the nave as possible. The architectural term for these high-mounted banks of windows are CLERESTORIES. Clerestory is pronounced ‘clear story’ which is exactly what it is; a clear upper storey.
In medieval times, naves would generally have been festooned with murals of biblical scenes on the walls, and the pillars of its arcades would also have been painted. As Trevor Yorke explains in his book ‘English Churches Explained’ (2010): “One of the most surprising aspects of churches is that
they were originally a riot of colour. It was only in the 100 years after the Reformation that whitewashing, neglect and destruction removed most traces of mediaeval decoration.” Yorke goes
on to give one explanation for the murals, stating that the biblical scenes were “warning the illiterate congregation of what would happen to them if they blasphemed.”
That the nave of St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church was once ‘a riot of colour’ is evidenced in Walter Jenkinson Kaye’s book ‘A Brief History of the Church and Parish of Gosberton, written in 1897. In
it he states: “The remains of some mural paintings may be faintly discerned between the clerestory windows and several pillars bear traces of previous colouring” Those paint traces are today hard to spot.
The Clerestory Gargoyles
(NO PHOTO AVAILABLE)
Gargoyles on churches generally depict grotesque or comical figures, jutting out from the parapets on top of the walls. They served the functional purpose of directing the rainwater from the roofs
away from the walls underneath.
On the parapets of St. Peter and St. Paul’s church clerestories are ten such gargoyles - five on each clerestory.
On the north clerestory is one particular gargoyle worthy of note. It is a human figure bending over and showing his bare posterior. Clearly the stonemason who created it was in a ‘cheeky’ mood to
say the least!
Foundations of an Earlier Church
There are a number of traces of earlier stages of the church building, to be found under the floor of the nave at various points.
Northern Arcade
At the base of the most westerly pier on the north arcade is a trapdoor in the wooden floor, which, when raised, reveals one of the few remaining traces of the Norman church which originally stood on this site. What can be seen is a large circular Norman pillar base, the present pillar being founded upon it.
The adjacent pier also apparently stands on the remains of a circular Norman pier, although today it is inaccessible. Walter Jenkinson Kaye, in his book ‘A Brief History of the Church and Parish of
Gosberton’ (1897) records seeing it. Kaye also records that underneath the third pier, towards the west, are the foundations of the original western wall of the church, which run from here to the equivalent pier in the south arcade. During the reflooring of the church in 1896, these foundations were exposed, including traces of a recessed doorway (i.e. the original western doorway).
Southern Arcade
Underneath the southern arcade are the foundations of the original (Early English) south wall, which was knocked down and turned into the arcade when the south aisle was built. A trapdoor under Pillar 3 shows the a fragment of an Early English pillar base, which Kaye conjectures was brought there from another part of the church as a useful foundation for the present pillar.
SOUTH PORCH
The church doorway
The most immediately striking feature once inside the South Porch is the church door, with its fine stonework around it. As with the porch’s external arched entrance, we meet with similarly-designed fleurons (flower and leaf motifs) around the whole perimeter of the doorway. The S-shape of the arch, with its pointed apex, is what architects call an ogee arch.
The substantial wooden door, its hinges and its handles are old and impressive, but whether they are of medieval origin is uncertain.
As with the external entrance, there are carved corbels in the form of human heads at the base of each side of the arch. The identities of the figures are lost to us.
The Niches either side of the church door
On each side of the internal door you will find a niche, of a fairly similar design to those flanking the external door. Grotesques adorn the plinths at the bases of the niches, but unlike those on the external entrance, they represent animals rather than people. There are humanoid grotesques on each side of the hoods of the niches.
What is immediately obvious in the right hand niche is the significant trace of red paint which at one time adorned the inside of the niche. Clearly the painter at that time had to work their brush around a statue which would have adorned the niche, as the ghostly image of that statue can clearly be seen. It has long ago been removed, as the niche was already empty when Walter Jenkinson Kaye published his book, ‘A Brief History of the Church and Parish of Gosberton,’ in 1897. The left hand niche, too, has traces of red paint, but much less so than that on the right,
Reverend Topham’s grave slab
If you look down to the paved floor of the porch, you can’t fail to see an inscribed stone grave cover dedicated to Reverend John Topham. It reads:
“IN HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE.
THIS STONE IS PLACED AS A MARK OF ESTEEM BY THE PARISHIONERS OF GOSBERTON AND CLOUGH DISTRICT, IN MEMORY OF THE REVD. JOHN TOPHAM, M.A., VICAR OF THIS PARISH 26 YEARS, WHO DIED JUNE 2ND, 1879, AGED 66 YEARS.
ALSO IN MEMORY OF JANE, WIDOW OF THE ABOVE WHO DIED FEB. 13, 1892, AGED 81 YEARS.
THERE REMAINETH THEREFORE A REST TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD. UNTO YOU THEREFORE WHICH BELIEVE HE IS
PRECIOUS.”
Reverend Topham was Vicar of Gosberton for 26 years, from 1853 until 1879. He was very well respected by all those that knew him, and in his time at Gosberton he oversaw an extremely extensive renovation programme at St. Peter and St. Paul’s church, which included the removal of the gallery at the west end of the church, the construction of new roofs for the nave and the north
and south aisles, the taking down and rebuilding of the north and east walls of the chancel, and the lengthening of the chancel by about three feet eastward. The walls were at the same time chiselled clean. He also oversaw the procurement of a Mission Room at Gosberton Clough, for those parishioners in the furthest outreaches of the parish. He was also instrumental in securing the erection of Gosberton Public Hall in 1872.
His funeral service in the church was attended by around 1000 people, who filed past his open grave here in the south porch, his coffin lying in what was described in the press at the time as a ‘wellbuilt vault’ Whether the vault was constructed especially for Mr Topham, or had been an existing structure, is not recorded. The inscribed grave cover, supplied by a Mr. Hopewell of Boston, was placed over the grave in February 1880. An interesting feature on the cover is the anchor motif at its head. The anchor was a Christian symbol of hope and steadfastness.
CHURCHYARD
Crosby Tomb Chest
St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church is, as one would suspect, a Grade I Listed Building.
What may come as a surprise is that a grave in the churchyard is Grade II Listed. It is the grave of a Benjamin Crosby, who died in 1823. It is described in the listing as a “Tomb chest with bulbous angle baluster pilasters and slate inscription panel. By Blackwell.”
The Crosbys were major agriculturalists in the area at one time. The most famous, without doubt, was Sir Thomas Boor Crosby, born in Gosberton Risegate, who went on to become Lord Mayor of London in 1911.
NORTH AISLE
The windows
The two easternmost windows in the north wall of the North Aisle bear stained glass which, although Victorian rather than the medieval originals, are nonetheless artworks that can be appreciated for their great beauty (despite Walter Jenkinson Kaye, in his 1897 book ‘A Brief History
of the Church and Parish of Gosberton’ describing the stained glass in the church as “modern and of no particular merit”).
The most easterly window shows Christ stilling the tempest, the feeding of the five thousand, the raising of the widow’s son and the parable of the Good Samaritan. The window bears the inscription
“In affectionate and grateful remembrance of William and Ann Dods.” This most probably refers to Gosberton farmer and grazier William Dods, who resided at ‘Marsh Bank’ (what we call Gosberton
Bank today), and who died in 1838, and his wife Ann (nee Spurr) who died in 1862. Both were buried in Gosberton churchyard, just below this very window.
The neighbouring window shows Mary Magdalene weeping at Christ’s tomb, Christ blessing the children, and Christ appearing to Mary Magdalene in the Garden. It, too, was glazed in memory of
members of the Dods family, in this case Henry Dods, who died age 48 in 1863, and his 11 year old son Henry Water Dods, who died in 1859.
The Dods of Gosberton were farmers and graziers, and were a branch of the more successful and influential Dods of Donington, who had links to that village for over 200 years, and were over the years land and property owners, coal and corn merchants, road stone merchants, animal feed and manure merchants, boat owners, farmers, maltsters, brewers, wine and spirit merchants, publichouse owners, attorneys, insurance agents and general traders, employing near to one hundred men at the peak of their business empire.
ROOF
Signs of earlier roofs
The various roofs of the church have, as you can imagine, been repaired or replaced a number of times over the centuries. When the church was first built, the pitches of the roofs were much steeper than what we see today. Evidence of this can be seen today by looking at the tower wall, from the
nave.
None of the roofs of the church are the original medieval ones, with most being replaced in Victorian times.
TOWER
The Gargoyles
Eight gargoyles, two on each side, adorn the church tower.
Gargoyles feature on many medieval churches and are basically decorated overhanging waterspouts, designed to keep rainwater away from walls, protecting them from damage. There are many different types of gargoyle from animal and human figures, some based on the faces of local people, to strange demons and nightmarish creatures, to some which are comical, at least to the modern eye.
Of particular ‘fame’ is one of the gargoyles on the eastern side of the tower, which is in the shape of an elephant - this is considered quite rare, if not totally unique.
Why an elephant? There is no hard and fast evidence explaining what the elephant, in this context, represents. A past Vicar, the Reverend Ivor Sterndale Bennett, told a reporter of the Lincolnshire Standard in 1949, “It’s supposed to be there because long ago a lord of the manor presented an
elephant to Henry IV, who allowed the animal to become part of his crest.” Without hard evidence, we have to treat this assertion as pure speculation.
CHANCEL
The Altarpiece, or Reredos
Sitting behind the main altar at the eastern end of the church is a splendid reredos. A reredos is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes
religious images. Gosberton’s reredos consists of five panels - a central panel with two smaller panels on either side - and at either end a hinged door, with paintings on their inside. When the
doors are fully open (as they are in Gosberton’s church), all seven painted scenes are on view, but the doors can be closed, which would hide and protect all the artworks when moving the reredos.
Gosberton’s reredos consists of copies of Italian Renaissance art of the 15th century. Many Renaissance artworks were originally painted as altarpieces, so this Gosberton example is keeping
that tradition alive.
Who can we thank for providing Gosberton with this mini-gallery of renaissance art? None other than one of Gosberton’s most respected residents, Mrs. Gwladys (Gay) Welby-Everard. The Welby-Everards lived in Gosberton House, the grand home situated next to St. Peter and St. Paul’s church. The building is now in use as a residential care home. The Everards', and later the Welby-Everards', tenure in Gosberton House spanned around a century, from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s. Mrs.
Welby-Everard spent a total of seven years painting and gilding the reredos. She completed the panels in September, 1909, and the two doors were completed and fitted in May, 1911. The press reported at the time, “Gosberton is very fortunate in receiving such a magnificent gift, and honour is
due to Mrs. Everard, whose skill and years of work have given this gem of art to the parish.” (Boston Guardian, 10 June 1911).
The reredos, with all its wonderful renaissance iconography to explore, contains a hidden gem that has been all but forgotten, but for a fortunate discovery of a local newspaper article from 1969. Mrs. Welby-Everard, in the best traditions of the renaissance artists, included something personal to her
in her wonderful work. It was, and still is, not uncommon for artists to include a portrait of themselves or their pets in their paintings. In the case of her reredos, she managed to include her
beloved pet dog, Bat. Bat is not easy to spot; an extra hinderance today is that, after over 110 years, the varnish on the paintings has discoloured and muted the artwork. He is to be found on the right
door, amongst the multitude of saints. In the bottom right of the door, the fourth Saint from the right on the bottom row is Saint Agnes. Since the Middle Ages, Saint Agnes has traditionally been
depicted as a young girl with her long hair down, with a lamb, the symbol of her virginal innocence.
In Mrs. Welby-Everard’s interpretation, Saint Agnes carries, not a lamb, but her pet dog Bat.
This hidden gem is the icing on the cake of a wonderful historical item worthy of examination. Long may it continue to provide enjoyment and education to generations to come.
The East Window
The extensive restoration work of 1864-69 included the lengthening of the chancel by about three feet westwards. Thus, the East Window dates from that time. The window consists of three pointed lights, with the tracery at the top consisting of a trefoil (three-leafed design) at the apex, with two quatrefoils (four-leafed design) below.
Most references to the church say that the glazing was done “in memory of Mr. Samuel Everard, who died in 1877.” This is incorrect. In fact the window, and its glazing, dates from 1868, given as a gift by the then very much alive Samuel Everard. This is testified by newspaper reports of the time. Sadly, Mr. Everard committed suicide by shooting himself with a pistol in 1877.
The two quatrefoils depict Saints Peter and Paul, the patron Saints of the church. Both Saints bear their traditional attributes - Saint Peter with keys, and Saint Paul with a sword and a book. The
trefoil at the top depicts Christ in Glory. The central light bears a depiction of the crucifixion, flanked by the Virgin Mary in the left hand light and St. John in the right hand light. The carvings of the wooden rood above the screen in the Lady Chapel, done by Belgian refugees in 1915, replicate the same scene.
LADY CHAPEL
The East Window
The current East Window of the Lady Chapel was inserted around 1700, replacing what had been a much larger one. The window was reglazed in 1896 with stained glass, depicting the biblical story of the Walk to Emmaus, as told in the Gospel of Luke. Luke tells the story of that first Easter afternoon when the risen Christ appeared to the two disciples who were walking together along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. The disciples think that Jesus is a pilgrim who must have witnessed Jesus’ death. During the walk, Jesus remains ignorant about the events of the past few days. He listens intently to their discussion. The disciples tell him of their shattered hopes and dreams for Jesus, the prophet, who through his great and mighty works and preaching would redeem Israel. The concept of redemption for these disciples and for many other Jews meant that a conquering, all-powerful Messiah would come and lead them to freedom. Their idea of redemption had been decimated by the death of Jesus. They also believed that the women’s story of Jesus’ Resurrection was simply an idle tale. Jesus, still the stranger to the disciples, proceeds to explain through scriptures that fulfilment of the expectation of the People of God for a Messiah had been accomplished through the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. Upon arriving at Emmaus, the
disciples welcome the stranger, who has now become their companion on the journey, to stay and prepare to spend the night with them. Jesus remains and takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it and
gives it to them. It is at this moment, as the scriptures have been explained to them that their hearts burn, they are transformed, and they realise their companion is the Risen Jesus. It is the message of faith nourished by Jesus, the living bread that many believers take from this narrative. Believers are sustained by faith in Jesus that burns within their hearts. Another universal message for believers is that death does not put an end to one’s life. However, the essence of this passage is that the Messiah must suffer and die before he enters glory. This explains that the death of Jesus, the Messiah was in
keeping with God’s purpose.
The glazing was the gift of Mrs. Henry Everard, in memory of her husband. The Everards divided their time between their homes at Gosberton House and Leamington Spa.
The window glazing is certainly a treat to the eyes, and worthy of a close and prolonged examination.
Gesso Cast of Rossellino’s relief, ‘Virgin and Child’
Standing pride of place on the altar in the Lady Chapel is a gesso cast of 'Virgin and Child’ a relief made by 15th century Florentine Sculptor Antonio Rossellino. As an aside, the relief is also known by the name ‘Madonna of the Candelabra,’ named for the candelabra festooned with garlands that can be seen behind the figures.
How did such an exquisite piece end up in Gosberton?
This particular cast was in the possession of a Mr. Maurice Hewlett, a Victorian and Edwardian author, quite famous in his day. He was a friend of J. M. Barrie, who named one of the pirates in Peter Pan "Cecco" after Hewlett's son Francis (Cecco being a variant of the Italian name Francesco or, in English, Francis). He was the brother in law of Mrs. Welby-Everard of Gosberton House. He gifted the cast, which had been at Surrey House, to her in 1916 as a thanks offering for the safe return of his son, Francis Hewlett, a Flight Commander in the Royal Navy, who had gone missing on Christmas Day in 1914 after an attack on Cuxhaven, on the German coast, but who had been safely picked up by a Dutch trawler. Frances had spent some time previously staying at Gosberton House with the Welby-Everards.
Incidentally, when Mr. Hewlett died in 1923, he bequeathed to Mrs. Welby Everard more artworks:
A painting, ‘Virgin and Child’ by Neri di Bicci, the Greek tombstone found at Kimairos, and his collection of Tanagra figurines, in the hope she would in turn bequeath the picture to the National
Gallery, and the tombstone and figures to the British Museum. He also bequeathed to her his unpublished manuscripts of poems entitled ‘The Wreath’. He clearly held his sister in law in high esteem.
MIDDLE TRANSEPT (BASE OF TOWER)
The Organ
This wonderful musical instrument was installed in the church in 1882, replacing a far inferior instrument, a harmonium. So grand was the new organ, that the opening ceremony and church services, held on Thursday, September 28th, 1882, were considered a red letter day for Gosberton.
The whole village was decorated with flags and banners. The shops closed early in the afternoon and the remainder of the day was observed as a general holiday. At intervals during the day the
church bells were rung. Services were held at the church. Hymns were sung and, as reported in the Boston Guardian on 30th September 1882, the “concluding voluntaries brought out the full power of the new musical instrument.”
In contrast, the organ fell silent in 1943 for the funeral of Miss Nina Noble, in tribute to her 46 years' dedicated service as church organist. In memory to Miss Noble, money was raised to install an electric blower for the organ, which was installed in 1947. The days of the choirboys and others having to manually ‘blow’ the organ were now over! A brass plaque adorns the organ, which reads
“The electric movement of this organ was installed by public subscription in memory of Nina Florence Noble, for 46 years organist who died on June 23rd 1943.”
The Groined Vaulting
The lowest level of the church tower consists of four pillars, each with open arches. The arched structures on each of the four sides extend inwards to form what is known as a groined vault.
Basically, this type of structure ensures that the force of weight (the thrust) of the tower it supports is channeled to the four supporting pillars at each corner.
Whilst this is a marvellous piece of structural engineering, the decoration of the vaulted roof is a stunning piece of medieval aesthetics.
NAVE
The Nave
The Nave of this church stretches from the west door to the base of the tower. On the north and south sides are arcades of four arches, set between substantial stone piers. When the nave was originally built (in the late 1200s/early1300s?) its length was only three arches, but the western ensemble of the nave, and the north and south aisles, was extended by one arch between 1436 and 1450. This means that all the windows in this extension date from 1436-1450, though the new aisle windows were built to match the styles of the adjacent, older windows. So, the new window in the south aisle (which today is glazed in memory of Dr. Wilson) matches the ‘perpendicular’ style of the
other two south aisle windows. The new window in the north aisle matches the ‘decorated’ style of the other two north aisle windows.
A close inspection of the walls of the north and south aisles reveal dividing lines between the old walls and the 15th century extension.
The extension work was at the bequest of William Whytebrede of Gosberkyrke, stating in the will that his executors, together with the executors of the will of John Thacker, should “enlarge Gosberkyrk Church in length at the west end by an arch on either side of the same structure as the rest of the arches.”
Pulpit
The pulpit was placed in the church in May 1897, the gift of a Miss Hudson, who may or may not have been a relative of the then incumbent Vicar, Reverend Edgar Torr Hudson. The pulpit capped
what had been a two year restoration of parts of the church. It is made of four solid oak panels, each with beautiful and intricate carvings of a Saint. They are said to represent Saints Peter, Paul, Aidan, and Augustine. Saints Peter and Paul, after whom the church is of course dedicated, are easy to spot, based on the standard ‘attributes’ associated with them for centuries: for St. Peter, the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and for St. Paul the sword and the book. These attributes decorate a number of areas in the church (as you would expect).
The base upon which the pulpit stands is also worthy of note. It is made of Frosterley marble, coming from a quarry at Frosterley in County Durham. The marble is unusual, being a black limestone containing crinoid fossils. When, as here, it is cut and polished it looks stunning.
Frosterley marble was a much sought after material for church decoration, as well as stately homes, in Victorian times.
Lectern
The lectern is an object of beauty, being made of brass, surmounted by a brass eagle which juts out toward the congregation, and upon whose wings rests the Bible. The use of Eagle lecterns dates back to medieval times. The symbolism of the eagle derived from the belief that it was the bird that
flew highest in the sky and was therefore closest to heaven, and symbolised the carrying of the word of God to the four corners of the world.
This lectern has stood here since 1896, when it was donated to the church by a Mr. and Mrs. H. Calthrop of Barton-Upon-Humber. The Calthrops were an influential family with ties to Gosberton going back centuries.
The Clerestory
Above the north and south arcades are short walls, each studded with eight windows, spanning the length of the nave. These exist to allow as much light into the nave as possible. The architectural term for these high-mounted banks of windows are CLERESTORIES. Clerestory is pronounced ‘clear story’ which is exactly what it is; a clear upper storey.
In medieval times, naves would generally have been festooned with murals of biblical scenes on the walls, and the pillars of its arcades would also have been painted. As Trevor Yorke explains in his book ‘English Churches Explained’ (2010): “One of the most surprising aspects of churches is that
they were originally a riot of colour. It was only in the 100 years after the Reformation that whitewashing, neglect and destruction removed most traces of mediaeval decoration.” Yorke goes
on to give one explanation for the murals, stating that the biblical scenes were “warning the illiterate congregation of what would happen to them if they blasphemed.”
That the nave of St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church was once ‘a riot of colour’ is evidenced in Walter Jenkinson Kaye’s book ‘A Brief History of the Church and Parish of Gosberton, written in 1897. In
it he states: “The remains of some mural paintings may be faintly discerned between the clerestory windows and several pillars bear traces of previous colouring” Those paint traces are today hard to spot.
The Clerestory Gargoyles
(NO PHOTO AVAILABLE)
Gargoyles on churches generally depict grotesque or comical figures, jutting out from the parapets on top of the walls. They served the functional purpose of directing the rainwater from the roofs
away from the walls underneath.
On the parapets of St. Peter and St. Paul’s church clerestories are ten such gargoyles - five on each clerestory.
On the north clerestory is one particular gargoyle worthy of note. It is a human figure bending over and showing his bare posterior. Clearly the stonemason who created it was in a ‘cheeky’ mood to
say the least!
Foundations of an Earlier Church
There are a number of traces of earlier stages of the church building, to be found under the floor of the nave at various points.
Northern Arcade
At the base of the most westerly pier on the north arcade is a trapdoor in the wooden floor, which, when raised, reveals one of the few remaining traces of the Norman church which originally stood on this site. What can be seen is a large circular Norman pillar base, the present pillar being founded upon it.
The adjacent pier also apparently stands on the remains of a circular Norman pier, although today it is inaccessible. Walter Jenkinson Kaye, in his book ‘A Brief History of the Church and Parish of
Gosberton’ (1897) records seeing it. Kaye also records that underneath the third pier, towards the west, are the foundations of the original western wall of the church, which run from here to the equivalent pier in the south arcade. During the reflooring of the church in 1896, these foundations were exposed, including traces of a recessed doorway (i.e. the original western doorway).
Southern Arcade
Underneath the southern arcade are the foundations of the original (Early English) south wall, which was knocked down and turned into the arcade when the south aisle was built. A trapdoor under Pillar 3 shows the a fragment of an Early English pillar base, which Kaye conjectures was brought there from another part of the church as a useful foundation for the present pillar.
SOUTH PORCH
The church doorway
The most immediately striking feature once inside the South Porch is the church door, with its fine stonework around it. As with the porch’s external arched entrance, we meet with similarly-designed fleurons (flower and leaf motifs) around the whole perimeter of the doorway. The S-shape of the arch, with its pointed apex, is what architects call an ogee arch.
The substantial wooden door, its hinges and its handles are old and impressive, but whether they are of medieval origin is uncertain.
As with the external entrance, there are carved corbels in the form of human heads at the base of each side of the arch. The identities of the figures are lost to us.
The Niches either side of the church door
On each side of the internal door you will find a niche, of a fairly similar design to those flanking the external door. Grotesques adorn the plinths at the bases of the niches, but unlike those on the external entrance, they represent animals rather than people. There are humanoid grotesques on each side of the hoods of the niches.
What is immediately obvious in the right hand niche is the significant trace of red paint which at one time adorned the inside of the niche. Clearly the painter at that time had to work their brush around a statue which would have adorned the niche, as the ghostly image of that statue can clearly be seen. It has long ago been removed, as the niche was already empty when Walter Jenkinson Kaye published his book, ‘A Brief History of the Church and Parish of Gosberton,’ in 1897. The left hand niche, too, has traces of red paint, but much less so than that on the right,
Reverend Topham’s grave slab
If you look down to the paved floor of the porch, you can’t fail to see an inscribed stone grave cover dedicated to Reverend John Topham. It reads:
“IN HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE.
THIS STONE IS PLACED AS A MARK OF ESTEEM BY THE PARISHIONERS OF GOSBERTON AND CLOUGH DISTRICT, IN MEMORY OF THE REVD. JOHN TOPHAM, M.A., VICAR OF THIS PARISH 26 YEARS, WHO DIED JUNE 2ND, 1879, AGED 66 YEARS.
ALSO IN MEMORY OF JANE, WIDOW OF THE ABOVE WHO DIED FEB. 13, 1892, AGED 81 YEARS.
THERE REMAINETH THEREFORE A REST TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD. UNTO YOU THEREFORE WHICH BELIEVE HE IS
PRECIOUS.”
Reverend Topham was Vicar of Gosberton for 26 years, from 1853 until 1879. He was very well respected by all those that knew him, and in his time at Gosberton he oversaw an extremely extensive renovation programme at St. Peter and St. Paul’s church, which included the removal of the gallery at the west end of the church, the construction of new roofs for the nave and the north
and south aisles, the taking down and rebuilding of the north and east walls of the chancel, and the lengthening of the chancel by about three feet eastward. The walls were at the same time chiselled clean. He also oversaw the procurement of a Mission Room at Gosberton Clough, for those parishioners in the furthest outreaches of the parish. He was also instrumental in securing the erection of Gosberton Public Hall in 1872.
His funeral service in the church was attended by around 1000 people, who filed past his open grave here in the south porch, his coffin lying in what was described in the press at the time as a ‘wellbuilt vault’ Whether the vault was constructed especially for Mr Topham, or had been an existing structure, is not recorded. The inscribed grave cover, supplied by a Mr. Hopewell of Boston, was placed over the grave in February 1880. An interesting feature on the cover is the anchor motif at its head. The anchor was a Christian symbol of hope and steadfastness.
CHURCHYARD
Crosby Tomb Chest
St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church is, as one would suspect, a Grade I Listed Building.
What may come as a surprise is that a grave in the churchyard is Grade II Listed. It is the grave of a Benjamin Crosby, who died in 1823. It is described in the listing as a “Tomb chest with bulbous angle baluster pilasters and slate inscription panel. By Blackwell.”
The Crosbys were major agriculturalists in the area at one time. The most famous, without doubt, was Sir Thomas Boor Crosby, born in Gosberton Risegate, who went on to become Lord Mayor of London in 1911.
NORTH AISLE
The windows
The two easternmost windows in the north wall of the North Aisle bear stained glass which, although Victorian rather than the medieval originals, are nonetheless artworks that can be appreciated for their great beauty (despite Walter Jenkinson Kaye, in his 1897 book ‘A Brief History
of the Church and Parish of Gosberton’ describing the stained glass in the church as “modern and of no particular merit”).
The most easterly window shows Christ stilling the tempest, the feeding of the five thousand, the raising of the widow’s son and the parable of the Good Samaritan. The window bears the inscription
“In affectionate and grateful remembrance of William and Ann Dods.” This most probably refers to Gosberton farmer and grazier William Dods, who resided at ‘Marsh Bank’ (what we call Gosberton
Bank today), and who died in 1838, and his wife Ann (nee Spurr) who died in 1862. Both were buried in Gosberton churchyard, just below this very window.
The neighbouring window shows Mary Magdalene weeping at Christ’s tomb, Christ blessing the children, and Christ appearing to Mary Magdalene in the Garden. It, too, was glazed in memory of
members of the Dods family, in this case Henry Dods, who died age 48 in 1863, and his 11 year old son Henry Water Dods, who died in 1859.
The Dods of Gosberton were farmers and graziers, and were a branch of the more successful and influential Dods of Donington, who had links to that village for over 200 years, and were over the years land and property owners, coal and corn merchants, road stone merchants, animal feed and manure merchants, boat owners, farmers, maltsters, brewers, wine and spirit merchants, publichouse owners, attorneys, insurance agents and general traders, employing near to one hundred men at the peak of their business empire.
ROOF
Signs of earlier roofs
The various roofs of the church have, as you can imagine, been repaired or replaced a number of times over the centuries. When the church was first built, the pitches of the roofs were much steeper than what we see today. Evidence of this can be seen today by looking at the tower wall, from the
nave.
None of the roofs of the church are the original medieval ones, with most being replaced in Victorian times.
TOWER
The Gargoyles
Eight gargoyles, two on each side, adorn the church tower.
Gargoyles feature on many medieval churches and are basically decorated overhanging waterspouts, designed to keep rainwater away from walls, protecting them from damage. There are many different types of gargoyle from animal and human figures, some based on the faces of local people, to strange demons and nightmarish creatures, to some which are comical, at least to the modern eye.
Of particular ‘fame’ is one of the gargoyles on the eastern side of the tower, which is in the shape of an elephant - this is considered quite rare, if not totally unique.
Why an elephant? There is no hard and fast evidence explaining what the elephant, in this context, represents. A past Vicar, the Reverend Ivor Sterndale Bennett, told a reporter of the Lincolnshire Standard in 1949, “It’s supposed to be there because long ago a lord of the manor presented an
elephant to Henry IV, who allowed the animal to become part of his crest.” Without hard evidence, we have to treat this assertion as pure speculation.
The tomb recesses on the south wall (exterior)
On the exterior of the south wall of the south aisle are two tomb recesses, according to Pevsner’s ‘The Buildings of England: Lincolnshire.’
Whatever effigies, gravestones or memorial tablets once sat within them have long since vanished, along with the names of whoever they memorialised. One thing is certain: they will have been
highly influential people to warrant such an esteemed resting place. We can but hope that one day the veil of anonymity will be lifted.
Church Architecture
That there was a Church in Gosberton in Saxon times is suggested by the original name “Gosberkirk” or “Gozeberlechercha" (as it appears in the Domesday Book) meaning probably the
church of Gosbert or Gosberd, a name which belongs to a period before the Norman Conquest.
There was certainly a Norman church on the present site, as is shown by the Norman foundations underneath the existing pillars of the Nave.
The church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul that stands today contains architecture from various time periods. Much of the fabric of the building we see today was built in the 14th and 15th century, being an example of a style of architecture called ‘perpendicular.’ The person most credited with introducing this style in England is William of Wykeham who was a Rector here in Gosberton in the
1360s. William became Chancellor of England, but as an accomplished architect he is credited with work at Winchester Cathedral, Windsor Castle, Dover Castle and elsewhere.
SOUTH AISLE
The window in memory of Dr Wilson
Dr. Alexander Sweet Wilson, a Glaswegian, had been Gosberton’s Doctor for 40 years. He died at
the age of 69 in 1959. Nationally, he had served for many years as a member of the Joint Medical Services Committee of the British Medical Association (B.M.A.), and was for some time secretary of the Lincolnshire branch of the B.M.A. He was also a member of various health-related committees in the District. He was an active member of the Gosberton branch of the British Legion and was appointed president in 1956. No wonder, then, that a memorial service in his honour at St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church was crowded to capacity. Such was the esteem in which he was held,
that a window was re-glazed in his memory. It is a fine work of stained glass in the gothic tradition, containing the following inscription:
“Remember in prayer with thanksgiving the soul of ALEXANDER SWEET WILSON physician in these parts for forty years who died the sixteenth of August 1959. R.I.P.”
The glass also bears a symbol of a snake coiling around a staff, commonly used to represent medicine. The figure is that of Saint Luke, thought to have been a physician by trade, and shown
here carrying a book and a pen (quill), typical symbols (or ‘attributes’) depicted in artworks of him.
The Font
The octagonal font dates back to the ‘perpendicular’ architectural period, sometime around the 15th century. The domed wooden font cover is modern.
The font now stands at the western end of the south aisle, but this wasn’t always so. It had originally stood in the nave, near the west doorway, but was moved to its present location during the church
restoration work in the 1860s. When the nave was re-floored in the 1890s, one of the original octagonal steps upon which the font had sat near the west door was revealed. Fonts were traditionally positioned near the entrance to the church in medieval times, thus welcoming a child into the House of God.
Millennium Embroidery
With the aid of a Millennium Grant, a team of skilled local needle-women produced the Gosberton Village Millennium Embroidery, which is proudly on display in St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church.
It was dedicated by the Bishop of Grantham in December 2000. Postcards were produced of the
embroidery in aid of church funds.
The embroidery provides a wonderful snapshot of contemporary Gosberton, to be enjoyed hopefully by many generations to come.
SOUTH TRANSEPT
Clock mechanism
In a glass display case in the south transept is the old mechanism for the clock situated on the east side of the tower. A brass plate on it states that this “ancient turret clock of Gosberton Church was restored and modernised by Alfred Minnis of Spalding 1936.” The clock had been damaged by a high gale in the latter part of 1936, and Mr. Minnis was called in to fix it. It had been thought to be beyond repair, but Mr. Minnis patiently worked on it and got it working again, for which he received much gratitude, to the extent that the then Vicar, Reverend Ivor S. Bennett, had the brass plate commemorating the restoration added to the mechanism. The brass plate declares the clock
mechanism to be ‘ancient’, and a newspaper article in 1961 suggests it dated from the 17th century.
In 1968, the clock stopped working. Up to this point, it had been wound up every day by Gosberton milkman Mr. Fred Payne (Before him, Mr. Robert Sellers had undertaken the task). That same year Mr. Len Windsor, a councillor and Gosberton businessman, took on the task of raising money to replace the mechanism with an electric one, thus avoiding the need to wind it up every day. (Not weekly, as the sign on the display case suggests). It was replaced by an electric motor in 1971, and this old mechanism was shortly afterwards encased as we see it today.
The Parish Chest
Walter Jenkinson Kaye, in his book ‘A Brief History of the Church and Parish of Gosberton’ (1897) described the Parish Chest of being of venerable appearance and he records that it was, interestingly, painted white at that time. Today the Chest is stripped back to wood and varnished. Its age is uncertain, but it certainly looks centuries old. It has a rounded lid, bound with iron bands and
is secured with three locks (which are still in situ); the Vicar, the Churchwarden and the chairman of the Parish Council each had a key.
Parish Chests were where the church’s valuables used to be stored under lock and key. Typically, they contained the Parish Registers, alms for the poor, and church silverware. Gosberton’s parish
chest now lies empty.
Stone effigies
The tomb recess in the south transept is one of the finest pieces of Decorated display in the church.
The cross-legged figure of a knight in chain mail and surcoat, with shield and sword lies in an attitude of prayer under a low, ogee-headed arch. The canopy is cusped and crocketed, and capped
with a large finial. On either side rise square shafts terminating in crocketed pinnacles, and censing angels fill the spandrels. The identity of the figure is unknown. Gervase Holles, writing in the
seventeenth century, associated the tomb with the Bolle family, but from the late nineteenth century it has been supposed that the monument commemorates Sir John de Rye who fought with Simon de Montfort against Henry III and who died in 1280. The effigy of the lady nearby wearing costume of roughly the same period is popularly believed to represent his wife.
The de Ryes were an influential family in Gosberton for many generations in medieval times, and were Lords of the Manor there. Gosberton Risegate derives its name from the de Rye family.
Rood and Screen
The original parts of the wooden screen leading from the south transept into the Lady Chapel are medieval, but have undergone some restoration, most significantly in 1915, during World War One, when Belgian refugees billeted in Spalding carved a new rood (Jesus on the cross with the Virgin Mary and St. John either side) which sits on top of the screen. This work was commissioned by the parishioners as a memorial to their late Vicar, Rev. Edgar Torr Hudson, who was Vicar of Gosberton from 1896 to 1905, and who had overseen much restoration work in the church during
his ministry. The design of the rood was by Mr. Walter Tapper, A.R.I.B.A., of St. John’s Wood, London. The full cost was £35 and was paid for by Mr. Edward. E. Welby-Everard, of Gosberton House.
Some restoration of the screen itself had previously been undertaken in 1896/7 under Reverend Hudson’s stewardship.