UK Mega 2021: Lincolnshire
Glentham St Peter & Our Lady
As you round the corner you are in for a great surprise, over the south porch is a lovely, if weathered, panel of Our Lady of Pity, one of the most popular images in late medieval English iconography. The panel shows the Virgin Mary seated holding her dead son, who is lying across her lap. It is a remarkable survival. Below the panel and incorporated into the niche are the arms of the Tourney family, three bulls with chevron band and a 15th century pieta.
The medieval door contains its original sanctuary ring. You enter the church through the west door and emerging from the tower under a Georgian west gallery. The nave, which is an extremely spacious Perpendicular space, is filled with Georgian pitch pine box pews. The aisles are paved in brick. There are some interesting features within. At the east end of the north aisle there is evidence of a medieval side altar and an image bracket. At the east end of the south aisle is a fine 14th century wooden chest, with chip carved decoration.
The stained glass window in the north wall shows St George and the Dragon and is a memorial to Sir Montague Chomeley of Norton Place, killed in the First World War. It was designed by Christopher Whall (1849–1924) who was the principal teacher of Stained Glass Design at the Royal College of Art and the Central School of Art and Craft. Other works by Whall can be seen at Southwell Minster, Gloucester Cathedral and in the USA. The pulpit is a further memorial by George Jack (1855–1931), who was a colleague of Whall. The vestry was a mortuary chapel of the Tourneys, and also contains a 14th century brass located in the northeast corner.
The organ is situated in the gallery at the west end, and was built by Foster and Andrews of Hull. It cost £80 in 1836, and was originally situated at the east end of the south aisle. There are four bells in the tower which were cast in 1687. The carved chest in the south aisle is very old, probably dating from the 14th century, with some later restorations. It is a clamped chest with framed ends made of riven oak and still with the original lock. The softwood lid and hinges are a 17th or 18th century repair. Inside is an original candle box. There is brass to Elizabeth Tourney, who died in 1452 and another to Anne Tourney dated 1641. The list of Incumbents shows the first rector as Geofrey in 1190, and the first vicar as Richard de Stamford in 1273. In the east wall of the north aisle there is a recess for a Reredos, probably used originally to accommodate statues of the twelve apostles. The font has a 12th century base with a circular still leaf capital. The top section was added in 1916.
Under the organ loft lies an old 14th century stone effigy known as Molly Grimes. The ancient ritual of washing holy images on Good Friday was perpetuated in Glentham until 1832, using this effigy. A rent charge of seven shillings a year had been left on some land to pay seven virgins to perform this task, the water being carried from the well near Caenby Corner. When the land was sold in 1832 with no reservation on this rent charge, the custom fell into disuse. The 13th century tower was repaired in 1756 and again in 1989. The clock, made by TM Hartley of Shillingford, was installed in 1921 as a war memorial, and has to be wound every six days. On the east wall of the vestry is a small area of typical Norman stonework in the chevron pattern. And finally have a look in the west end of the churchyard, here stands two rare black walnut trees which were planted in 1930.
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