LincolnshireALKBOROUGHStJohnBaptist(timheatonCC-BY-SA2.0)1 TimHeaton

St John the Baptist

A small monastic establishment is believed to have existed at Alkborough just prior to the Norman Conquest and the church tower is thought to be of Anglo Saxon origin dating back to 1052.

Alkborough, Lincolnshire

Opening times

The keyholder lives opposite the church and, if he is home, is always willing to show visitors round the church.

Address

Church Side
Alkborough
Lincolnshire
DN15 9JF

The church was restored in 1887 by John Oldrid Scot who built the chancel in the Early English style but left the Georgian ceilings intact.

He also built the wooden south porch which has a pattern of the local turf labyrinth maze set into the floor. It is 2m in diameter, and was created by J Goulton-Constable, the local squire and keen local historian, to preserve the plan should the turf labyrinth become overgrown. Inside the church, a smaller version of the same design appears above the altar in a stained glass window, likewise donated by Goulton-Constable.

Lying nearby, the turf maze is called Julian's Bower, and is one of the last original turf mazes in the country. It is 13m in diameter, and is thought to date to the Roman period.

In front of the church can be seen the shaft of the churchyard cross which is very worn having for years been used as a sharpening stone.

The tower is of typical Saxon design. The architecture of the church shows there have been many changes to the building throughout its long history.

The font, although set on a modern base, dates back to Norman times.

The oak reredos behind the altar was handmade by the famous Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson of Kilburn. His signature mouse can be seen on the right hand upright. The reredos was placed in the church as a memorial in the early 1920s.

Under a capping stone set in the floor near the tower entrance, lies what is believed to be a stone of Romano British origin.

  • Captivating architecture

  • Glorious furnishings

  • Social heritage stories

  • Spectacular stained glass

  • Accessible toilets nearby

  • Dog friendly

  • Level access to the main areas

  • On street parking at church

  • Parking within 250m

  • Space to secure your bike

  • Walkers & cyclists welcome

  • Church of England

Contact information

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