St Wilfrid
Thornton, Lincolnshire
This pretty greenstone parish church is dedicated to St Wilfrid and is a Grade II listed building dating from the 15th century and restored in 1890 by Ewan Christian.
Look for the unusual font made from several bits of masonry, the base being part of a Norman roof vault. There's a welcome seat in the churchyard too for anyone needing a rest!
Inside the church on the west wall on either side of the doorway, are two very old tomb slabs which were originally in the pavement of the chancel. One is that of a priest, the other is thought to be that of either a deacon or deaconess since it lacks any form of decoration. The font is made up of several relics. The pedestal being carved stone from the ceiling at Kirkstead Abbey while the bowl is Barnach stone and is believed to have come from the lost church of St.Lawrence in Horncastle.
The carved golden dove on top of the cover of the font once hung in St Mary's church, Horncastle. In one of the windows in the south wall stands a medieval holy water vessel also made of Barnach stone, which came from the old Priory in Spalding. The pulpit was hand carved in oak by the Rev Conway Walters (vicar of the parish from 1890-1913.) The black oak chair located in the chancel has a carved figure of St Margaret holding a prayer book.
Watch out for a rare VR letterbox opposite the church gate and nearby a curious abandoned cottage with church style windows among trees beside the lane.
