St Mary Magdalene is one of a number of local churches which form the Ironstone Group, others can be found at Chadwell &Wycomb, Eastwell, Eaton, Goadby Marwood, Scalford and Stonesby.
The church is the focal point of Waltham-on-the-Wolds, Leicestershire, and is situated adjacent to a busy cross-roads. The church is dominated by a central tower and fine crocketted spire of the 15th Century, but shows work of almost every period. On 27th February 2008, the church spire was badly damaged by the Lincolnshire Earthquake. The top 30 ft (9.1 m) of it had to be rebuilt, at an estimated cost of around £100,000. The work was completed in 2009.
The ancient wooden nave roof is decorated with monastic figures bearing shields, books and scrolls. (It is believed this church was built for a convent of nuns settled in adjoining land). At the roof level there are many other fine carvings – some gentle, some grotesque – and the supporting stone carved corbels take up the theme. At the point where the arches join, human faces are carved and these are generally in excellent condition.
There was, in the 18th Century, a gallery for the singers – probably under the tower, but no-one can be certain. This was removed in the 19th Century.
The two brass chandeliers attract enormous interest. The smaller, situated nearest the West end, has two tiers of five branches. The scrolled branches, octagonal in sections, relate to the period 1717-25. It was the gift of William Love who was parish clerk and schoolmaster and who died in 1761. The maintenance of the chandelier was the responsibility of the parish clerk and, from 1809 to 1828, Richard Tinder and his wife Sarah were paid one shilling per year for cleaning it. Later, when a second chandelier came into the church, the payment rose to two shillings and sixpence.
The larger chandelier at the crossing and close to the choir stalls was given to Waltham Church in 1835 by Sarah Morgan, having been obtained by her when it was no longer required in Grantham Church. It has two tiers of seven scrolled branches and the dove has scale-like feathering. Probably later than 1724, it is identical to that in Bushey, Hertfordshire, and very similar to those at Seal, Kent (1725), St Martin-at-Palace, Norwich, (1726) and Barton Turf, Norfolk (1727). All are most likely the product of a single foundry in London.
The transepts have very good 14th Century style windows, whilst the clerestory, recently repaired, gives light and air to the church. The south door, leading to the porch, is worthy of note. From the porch you can see the oldest part of the church and its many interesting features. The south transept was devastated in a gale on the night of 2 January 1976 when the South-West pinnacle was blown off and crashed through the roof, wrecking everything beneath.
Note how the roof is supported by the figures of 10 beautifully worked angels. The mosaic reredos, depicting The Last Supper, a text, and the Apostles and Symbols, become a blaze of glory as the setting summer sun, shining through the great West window, picks out the surrounding gold at eventide.
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