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Description: | The tall, square, unbuttressed tower is of the Lincolnshire late-Saxon type and the western part of the nave is probably of the same date, with later (Norman and 13th century work) arcades cut through its walls. The tower, of two stages separated only by a pronounced off-set, is of coursed rubble throughout, with side-alternate quoins. The lower stage is without openings to north and south, to the west is an inserted Early English window; the first floor has a square-headed window, possibly original, with a semi-circular stone tympanum beneath a rough, rubble-arched, round head. Distinct traces may be seen of an earlier west doorway, which must have been blocked and partially destroyed for the insertion of the Early English window. The upper stage has four tall, round- headed, double belfry windows with the usual late-Saxon mid-wall shafts supporting through-stone slabs, the shafts with well-formed bases and cushion capitals, but the stonework is so new that it would appear they were renewed during Bodley's restoration in 1883. The quoins of the original nave survive, indicating that it was 17 feet wide and c.30 feet long, with walls 2 feet 6 inches thick and c.23 feet high. The tall tower-arch is of two recessed orders beneath a hood-moulding of plain square section, the two orders are of plain square section except on their eastern faces, and rest on plain chamfered rectangular imposts carried on plain rectangular jambs. High above the tower-arch, a square-headed doorway, now blocked, originally gave access to the upper chamber. {3}
Pevsner and Harris suggest that the tower bell-openings are wholly of Bodley and Garner's restoration: the Nattes drawing shows a plain, quite different bell-opening. The tower arch is described as 'very strange - it may be pre-conquest, but the arch with its four roll-mouldings must be Transitional or even later.' {4}
This tower is listed as part of the listing for St Laurence's Church. For the full description and the legal address of this listed building please refer to the appropriate List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. {6} | Subjects: | Building | Temporal: | 850 - 2050 | Source: | Lincolnshire County Council | Identifier: | http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/Re... | Go to resource |
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