A church has existed in Glinton since long before the Norman conquest. Early writings show that the Manor of Glintone had a chapel which was subject to the Abbot of St Pega's Monastery. Of the early Saxon church, which was probably a simple rectangular building built using split tree trunks, wattle and clay, nothing remains. It is believed however, that it stood on the same site as the current building since this is the highest knoll of land in the village.
The current church of St Benedict, with it's tall slender spire can be seen from miles around. Indeed, it is considered to be one of the finest needle spires in the land.
John Clare,the poet, although born in Helpston, first went to school in the church, in what is now the Lady Chapel. In the stone doorframe of the church is the inscription 'JC 1808 MARY' which relates to Mary Joyce (1797 - 1838) whom he met and fell in love with around that same time. Mary died a spinster and is buried in the churchyard
Glinton Spire
Glinton, thy taper spire predominates
over the landscape and the mind
musing the pleasing picture contemplates
like elegance of beauty much refined
by taste that almost defys and elevates
once admiration making common things
around it glow with beauty not their own.
This all around the earth superior things
those struggling trees though lonely seem not lone
but in th presence wear superior power
and e'en each mossed and melancholy tone,
gleaning cold memories round oblivion's bower
seems types of fair eternity - and hire
a lease from fame by thy enchanting spire.
John Clare, 1832
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The church of St Benedict's in Glinton is part of a Benefice that includes St Pega's, Peakirk, and St Andrew's, Northborough.
The parish records show that in the 1690's the six church bells were rung at 4am and 8pm from Michelmas to Lady Day and a Mr John Haines was paid £1/7/6 (£1.37) per annum to ring the bell and a further £1 to look after them.
In 1715, Robert Fox was paid £1/10 (£1.50) or it was agreed that he could live rent free in return for keeping dogs out of the church during Devine Worship, ordering the clock on the church and ringing the bells.
The earliest dates for baptisms, marriages and burials records are in 1567 when Mary, the child of John Wylebore who lived at the Manor, was baptised.
St. Benedicts used to be a Chapel of Ease for Peakirk and was served by curates until 1875 whan a Rev. W. Wilkinson came to the village and was the first Parson of Glinton.
An interesting feature are the gargoyles on the south side of the roof. Three show their faces however, the fourth shows the opposite. The story is told that, the mediaeval stonemason was paid according to the items' worth as assessed by the patron. The mason failed to be paid what he considered to be a fair value and showed his displeasure in an appropriate manner.
The porch of the church is 15th century, but it's outer door belongs to the 13th; in the porch roof are five original floral bosses and two defaced stone figures, a woman wearing a wimple and a forester with horn, bow and arrows.
Just outside the porch entrance is a grave stone dated 1652.
The high arcades of the nave are 15th century, and between the clestory windows are eight heads which held up the original roof.
The font is from the Norman church and has deep bands of carving, and there is more Norman craftsmanship on the columns on which the English builders raised an arch leading from the chancel to the north chapel. There is an elegant 14th century piscina with an elaborate canopy, in contrast to a plain 13th century piscina in the south aisle.
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