St Oswald
Rand, Lincolnshire
This grey stone church is dedicated to St Oswald, whose noble example and devoted labours had done so much to secure the establishment of Christianity in the north of England.
The oldest part is the lower section of the tower dating from the 13th century. All Saints still retains the original narrow tower arch and small lancet window in the west wall and was extended upwards in the 14th century.
The church was enlarged during the 15th century and later had restoration work done under WA Nicholson and Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 19th century. Scott was responsible for the rebuilding of the north arcade and added, according to Pevsner, a ‘glittering mosaic reredos, made, according to Canon Binnal, by a Catholic Italian who insisted on smoking his pipe while doing it’.
The octagonal font is 13th/15th century with a modern wrought iron top. Most of the windows are in stained glass and include designs that illustrate, The Nativity with Shepherds & Wise Men, The Crucifixion amongst others.
