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STAMFORD & RUTLAND’S STAMFORD & RUTLAND’S DIVINE PLACES DIVINE PLACES

To err is human but to visit a local church is divine... and thankfully, Rutland and Stamford To err is human but to visit a local church is divine... and thankfully, Rutland and Stamford has a wealth of historically, culturally or architecturally significant buildings. Here, we’ve has a wealth of historically, culturally or architecturally significant buildings. Here, we’ve picked our 10 favourite buildings, a mix of churches and buildings of religious provenance... picked our 10 favourite buildings, a mix of churches and buildings of religious provenance...

Words: Rob Davis.

1. Normanton Church, Rutland Water

More correctly, ‘Normanton Church’ is St Matthew’s Church, although it is now deconsecrated

Where else could we begin when considering local churches but on the shores of Rutland Water, with St Matthew’s Church – known colloquially as Normanton Church. St Matthew’s is on the site of a medieval building created for the Earl of Ancaster’s Normanton Hall residence, which in the 18th century was cleared and the residents resettled to Empingham. A 14th century church was replaced by the Heathcote Baronets at the time and the church was built in a classical style for use as the family’s private chapel until 1920 when the Heathcotes left the area. The church was abandoned until the Gwash Valley became the site of Rutland Water. The medieval tower though has been replaced in 1826 and the nave and chancel restyled 1964. The church was deconsecrated in 1970 and plans to demolish it during the construction of the water were abandoned when there was public outcry. Instead, the top half of the chuch was retained, a new floor was created on which the church could stand, and an embankment was created leaving the present building; an iconic symbol of Rutland. n

2. All Saints Stamford

A divine nesting spot for Stamford’s peregrines!

Stamford’s All Saints’ Church is one of the oldest surviving churches in the town and was actually the daughter church of Stamford’s St Peters, on St Peter’s Hill. It was the only church in the town to be named in the Domesday Book and is believed to have been adjacent to or incorporated within the walls of Stamford’s castle. However, in 1296 St Peters was reported to be in a state of disrepair and the castle too had fallen into disuse in 1340. With the castle’s remains and St Peters crumbling, it was amalgamated with All Saints’ Church and the former was closed in the 1500s. Much of All Saints dates back to the 13th century, but the Browne family made many changes in the 15th century perhaps recognising it as being more worthy of investment than St Peters. Most recently, a pair of peregrines have been helping the church to deal with a pigeon infestation who were wrecking the fabric of the building. Divine intervention, perhaps? n

3. Peterborough Cathedral

The ‘mother church’ of Rutland...

Peterborough Cathedral’s nave is a breathtaking space, in scale and beauty, so it’s little surprise that the building is often home to exhibitions like Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon and – also on a lunar theme – this month’s One Small Step, which is a 36m x 7m art installation on the ground of the nave which allows visitors to walk around Tranquility Base, the site of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. More down to earth reasons to visit the Cathedral this summer include the option to climb the cathedral tower – nine dates are available in July. In the Cloisters on Friday 20th August you can enjoy a performance of Jane Eyre brought to life by DOT Productions, whilst on 29th August – Bank Holiday Weekend – you can also enjoy a performance from 21st century Abba performing some of the 1970s supergroup’s greatest hits. n

4. Ketton St Mary

Robert of Ketton was the first to translate the Qur’an into a European language for scholars to study...

The Parish Church of St Mary in Ketton was created in the 12th century, completed in the 13th century and it was updated extensively with a restored nave in the 1860s by George Gilbert Scott, gothic revivalist and architect to Westminster Abbey. The church’s real claim to fame though is that the parish’s priest, Robert of Ketton, first translated the Qur’an into Latin from their native Arabic around 1150. He was a true polymath and also worked as an astronomer, translator, diplomat and scholar. It’s likely that Robert of Ketton worshipped in an early building on the site of the current Grade I listed church, made of Barnack stone. n

5. All Saints Church in Oakham...

Look out for the Green Man, who made his home in All Saints Church back in the 14th century

It’s at the centre of the community in Oakham, both geographically and spiritually, and Oakham All Saints is the mother church of the Oakham Team Ministry which helps to support nine parish churches in the villages of Whissendine, Teigh, Ashwell & Market Overton in the north, and Langham, Braunston, Brooke, Hambleton & Egleton. Together with Oakhams School and Oakham Castle, All Saints Church is one of the oldest buildings in the town and the site itself dates to about the 12th century. The current building was created on the site of an older one, and dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries, in a mix of perpendicular (with an emphasis on vertical lines and medieval Gothic architecture) and decorated styles (with pointed arches, rib vaults, buttresses and lots of stained glass). A particular feature of the church is the 14th century carved capitals which depict animals, birds, grotesques and

Stamford’s The Green Man, who is seen emerging from various bits Many Churches of carved foliage. n

6. St Leonard’s Priory in Stamford

We’re cheating a bit with this one, since it’s actually a monastery, not a church!

Stamford has so many churches because it was one of five Danelaw boroughs. Being a Royal borough, residents tended to be wealthy and so benefactors could afford to commission churches.

Stamford’s St Leonard’s Priory once stood in about 14 acres of land and was founded by St Wilfred in 658 before being destroyed by the Danish invasion. It was refounded by William the Conqueror and the Bishop of Durham until its dissolution in 1538.

The current building is Grade I listed and is a Scheduled Monument, it’s believed that on the site there was also a millhouse and additional accommodation, although these have long since been demolished. From the Priory, the Bishop of Durham’s interests south of the Humber were looked after, and additional changes to the building were made in the 14th century. In 1552 St Leonard’s Priory was granted to Sir William Cecil, later Earl of Exeter. By 1595 it was leased to John Browne, the holding including a house, two barns, a stable, kilnhouse, malthouse and corn chamber. The present Priory House was built in 1771, with additions made in 1780 and the C19th. n

7. St Nicholas Community Church Project, Stretton

£200,000 has been raised to upgrade Stretton’s church to become a community hub, says Greg Harker...

“St Nicholas Church in Stretton is reputed to be the oldest church in Rutland and is undergoing a major restoration project,” says project leader Greg Harker. “This has only been possible due to the generosity of several grant giving bodies from which over £200,000 has been raised.” “Our vision is to transform St Nicholas Church into a combined church and community centre.” “Like many churches, with dwindling congregations, leaking roofs and other issues, St Nicholas was under threat of being closed.” “The village of Stretton (including Stocken and Stretton Woods) has no village hall, shop, regular bus service or any other community facilities. Our vision will be delivered by a new committee which will be set up to run the community centre aspects of the church which will work hand in hand with the Parochial Parish Church Council. We hope to encourage are coffee mornings, present films and host concerts, and be able to host family parties or clubs.” “The project is now well underway with repairs to the Collyweston roof complete. We hope that work will be completed to coincide with the end of Covid restrictions.” n

8. St Mary’s, Ayston

Rutland’s last church to be made redundant

St Mary the Virgin in the village of Ayston dates back to the 12th century but much of its building is from the 13th century. Rutland has four defunct churches; Holy Cross, Burley; St Matthew’s Normanton (AKA Normanton Church); St Botolph’s Wardley and St Mary The Virgin, Ayston.

Whilst St Matthew’s is now under the custodianship of Anglian Water, the three other churches are cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust. St Mary’s was the last to come under the charity’s care in 2014, two years after the last service was held in the building.

The charity preserves its 350 churches and has the third largest estate of buildings under charitable ownership in the UK after the National Trust and English Heritage. The charity opens its buildings to 2,000,000 visitors each year and even provides ‘Champing,’ in its buildings... glamping in churches! n

9. St Peter & St Paul

Uppingham’s ironstone Grade II* listed church

Uppingham’s St Peter & St Paul’s church was constructed on the site of an old Saxon building, but much of the current structure is 14th century in origin. In 1861 though, the building underwent a serious renovation courtesy of Henry Parsons, and a couple of years later the font was installed, having been crafted by George Edmund Street, an ecclesiastical mason. Grade II* listed, its highlights include an elevated location on the top of the hill, and historic graffiti by a couple of errant pupils of the nearby school. The school originally included a hospital, almshouses and the schoolroom. The building hospital is now incorporated into the school’s library. The church’s organ was requisitioned from All Saints’ Church in Eppleton in County Durham and was installed in 2006. Look out, too, for two saxon sculptures on the east wall of the Lady Chapel and two more on the north door of the church. n

10. The Church of Lyddington St Andrew

Adjacent to the village’s Bede House, Lyddington St Andrew is now a venue for classical music...

Lyddington’s St Andrew’s Church stands adjacent to the Bede House, and was once owned by the Bishops of Lincoln, used by the retinue travelling around their territories prior to the creation of dioceses from the 16th century Reformation to 1927, when the final diocese borders were determined and the two provinces of Canterbury and York were created.

The current ironstone building was created in the 14th and 15th centuries, and 15th century details remain in the form of the rood screen, wall paintings and 15th century brasses. Acoustic ‘jars’ were also created in the walls of the chancel to improve acoustics, and they’re still proving useful today during the programme of classical music concerts held regularly in the church.

Founded by Brian Stokes, the musical programme resumes this month with performances on 31st July, when Ashley Solomon performs Purcell and Handel, then in August when Rosanna Rolton, the Echea Quarter and London Tango Orchestra perform Saint-Saëns & Debussy, Harden, Mozart & Beethoven and Piazzolla and Piazzolla. n