Records of Woodhall Spa and Neighbourhood: Historical, Anecdotal, Physiographical, and Archaeological, with Other MatterWalter, J. Conway (James Conway)
History
Records of Woodhall Spa and Neighbourhood: Historical, Anecdotal, Physiographical, and Archaeological, with Other Matter
Walter, J. Conway (James Conway)
Woodhall Spa (England)
Let us now look at the church; and, taking the exterior first, we are
struck by the fine tower, which is visible for many miles round. It is
of the Perpendicular order, very plain; indeed, almost without ornament,
except for the roses on the cuspings of the upper window; but it is of
solid, good ashlar work, well supported by buttresses, and its outline
relieved by several set-offs. It is pierced, below, by an arched
passage, through which there is a public thoroughfare, existing from time
immemorial, {222} the supposition being, that the monks of Croyland and
other southern monasteries, on their way to Kirkstead, and their more
northern brethren, “baited” at the rectory hard by, where there are still
traces of a large refectory in the presence of an arch of wide span,
which runs through the oldest part of the house, from top to bottom. In
the east and west walls, on either side of this tower arch, is a
sex-foiled, circular window; that on the east being in the west wall of
the nave, and filled with coloured glass; that on the west, being in the
outside wall of the tower, has never been glazed. In the south-eastern
wall of the porch is a stoup, which formerly was open both within the
porch and outside, though now it is closed outside. Built into the west
wall of the south aisle, probably at the restoration in 1872, is a block
of stone, carved with a closed hand, having a finely-laced cuff. This
is, doubtless, an importation from elsewhere. Near the top of the wall
of a cupola-shaped south finial of the rood-loft turret, is an old
sun-dial. Taking now the interior, we find a massive heavy roof, of
beams somewhat rudely hewn, with traces of former colouring still
perceptible. The four western bays of the arcade are Early English, with
low arches rising from octagonal piers; the easternmost bay seems to have
been an addition at a later date; some of the piers, two on the north and
one on the south, have been heightened, and the arches are higher and
wider. The moulding between two of the north arches terminates in a
head, on each side of which an evil spirit is whispering. Another
terminal is the head of a woman wearing the “branks,” or scold’s bridle.
{223} The clerestory windows were spoilt at the restoration, when their
height had to be reduced. Externally their original design remains—two
lancet windows over each arch; but internally the lancets have been cut
short and converted into triangular lights with curved sides. On the
south side of the chancel arch is a rood-loft staircase turret, of which
both the upper and lower doorways remain. The chancel east end is
apsidal, modern, and out of keeping with the rest of the structure.
There are three two-light windows in the three faces of the apse. In one
of these the present rector, Canon Arthur Wright, has placed a two-light
memorial window, to his deceased wife, of some beauty. South of the
Communion table, attached to the wall as a credence table, is an Early
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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