Church Micro 3338…Bulcote Traditional Geocache
Church Micro 3338…Bulcote
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Part of the Church Micro series started by sadexploration in November 2007.
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Holy Trinity, Bulcote
Holy Trinity ("the little church on the hill"), surrounded in springtime with wild violets, primroses, daffodils and bluebells, and overlooking Bulcote Village Green. There is no mention of a church at Bulcote in the Domesday Book. It is thought that it was probably founded as a manorial chapel within the parish of Burton Joyce by the Sancta Maria family, who were lords of Bulcote in the thirteenth century.
Records tell us that Adam Sancta Maria, who lived here in the first half of that century, gave the advowson (the right to appoint a clergyman to a living) of Holy Trinity Church, together with the lands at Bulcote, to Welbeck Abbey for "the sake of the souls of his first wife, Alice, and his son Bartholomew". It remained with Welbeck until 1349 when (together with Burton Joyce's church) it was surrendered to Shelford Priory in exchange for the advowson of Kelham. It was in documents accompanying this transaction that it was stated "the Vicar shall find at his own costs and charges one able Chaplain to celebrate Divine Service in the Chapel of Bulcote". On the dissolution of the priory in 1536 both churches were appropriated by Sir Michael Stanhope. Whilst Burton Joyce's church is dedicated to St. Helen (the supposed daughter of "Old King Cole" and the mother of King Constantine), Bulcote's church has been dedicated to the Holy Trinity since at least the seventeenth century.
Little is known of the original, mediæval church building other than what can be seen from three photographs and an old painting displayed in the current church. However, from Reverend John Rolleston's records it is known that by 1860 the church was in a very poor state of repair and was closed because it was "falling down and parting in all directions". A year later the church was sadly struck by lightning and completely destroyed. This is recorded in the 20th July 1861 edition of "The London Illustrated News" under the heading of Country News. It was reported that "a few days ago a violent thunderstorm passed over the villages of Lowdham, Carlton, etc. in Nottinghamshire, and during the storm, the electric fluid struck the parish church of Bulcote and the building fell to the ground". This event was witnessed by Miss Maria Popplewell from her upstairs drawing room at Bulcote Lodge, across the paddock to the south of the church.
The present church was built in 1862 on the site of the earlier, collapsed one. The entire cost of the new church was financed by Colonel Egerton Leigh of Bulcote Manor, for a total of around £900. The church was essentially as seen and worshipped in today. Points of interest: In the south side of the sanctuary wall are the remains of a twelfth century piscina (a bowl for water recessed in a niche, in which the priest could wash his hands or sacred vessels after the service), decorated with crude volutes. In the winter when snow is on the ground and the christmas tree is lit up it reminds me of a christmas card scene.
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Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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