Originally, two churches existed in Middle Rasen resulting from disputes which had arisen between an Abbot and a Prior. They were separately dedicated to St Peter and St Paul. Drax Priory, in Yorkshire, was responsible for St. Paul’s church whilst the present church, initially dedicated to St Peter, was built by the inmates of Tupholme Abbey. Centuries later, both churches having fallen into an extreme state of disrepair, St Peter’s church was largely restored with materials derived from the redundant church of St Paul.
Tupholme Abbey belonged to the Premonstratension Order, which originated at Premontre in France, and was built about 1160. Its location was almost midway between the villages of Bardney and Bucknall, about 1V2 miles north of the River Witham in Lincolnshire. The remains of the Abbey can still be seen and visited, close to the Bl 190 road. The Abbey fell to the first wave of Suppression in 1535, and was already empty when the Lincolnshire Rising took place in October 1536.
The church now consists or a nave and chancel which are embattled and pinnacled on the south side, north aisle, south porch and an embattled and pinnacled tower. It is built of the local brown ironstone from Walesby, with limestone weatherings. The original Norman church is much in evidence; the south doorway, the chancel arch and the lower sections of the tower in particular. The South Entrance door is a splendid example of Norman work: each of the three bands of mouldings being of continuous motif, with an inner zigzag, a middle band of crenellation and an outer band of beak-heads. It is among the most impressive Norman doorways in the country.
The chancel arch is unexpectedly high, the responds of which have their ornamented fluted capitals; and some outstanding circular, beded and scalloped medallions (paterae), with a simple round recess as the hub, are set into the quion stones. The arch itself is pointed and usually considered as later, although the pointed arch was used in Durham Cathedral as early as 1130 and was in general use by the end of the century.
The north arcade is of about 1200, and consists of three bays with heavily moulded pointed arches set on massive circular pillars. It can be noted that the mouldings of the central arch differ quite surprisingly from those flanking it.
The chancel screen has been carefully and skilfully restored and thus is substantially its 15th centuiy original self. It is tall, of three light divisions, with cusped intersected arches and Lincolnshire-style panel traceiy.
The Norman font at the west end of the north aisle was only installed in 1972 by the vicar and churchwardens of the day. It came from the now demolished church of the Good Shepherd, Grimsby, but was originally at Gate Burton, near Gainsborough. The font which stands in the chancel dates from 1860, when the church was restored, and was moved from the west end or the church when the Norman font was installed.
The Norman Font in the North Aisle
In the chancel lies an early 14th century effigy of a priest set on a low tomb-chest, with plain quatrefoils, which was brought from St Paul’s church at the time of rebuilding. It differs from others, then in vogue, with the robes appealing to be fluttering in the breeze and thus producing flowing lines throughout. The head of the effigy lies beneath a richly carved canopy and in the hands is a chalice. Perhaps most surprisingly, the feet appear to be resting upon a lion, usually denoting that the deceased gave his life in service of his country; a dog usually indicates a person who dies whilst faithfully doing his duty, whatever that duty might be.
Also in the chancel, on the south side, is a veiy interesting example of a low-side window which was opened up during the late restoration of 1860. It is shuttered below, and glazed only above. This is the only mediaeval glass remaining in the church and the cusped head of the window appears to be formed from an early tombstone.
The north side chancel window, from the Decorated Period (14th century), has reticulated traceiy and comes from the demolished church of St Paul. The priest’s doorway in the chancel is also of the same period.
The north aisle extended the church in 1861, the architects being Bellamy and Hardy. At one end of the aisle is a decorated window which came from St Paul’s church and at the other end is a copy of the same window; both of these have been inserted at rather a low level.
There are eight roof truss supports in the Nave, each one carved as a face.
The tower is built in three stages, divided by freestone string courses, and has an embattled parapet and four angle pinnacles with, initially, a gargoyle beneath each of them. The buttresses on the western angles were added to give strength at the time of the church’s restoration. The tower was also strengthened with iron tie rods with cross plates just below each of the two floors. The two lower stages are plain except for an undecorated doorway on the west side and small Norman slit windows in the south and west of the second stage. The arch into the nave of the church is indicative of the true age of the lower sections of the tower. The third, or bell stage, has a two-light window with four-centred arch, in each side. The east side of the tower shows the pitch of the earlier roof.
Following the restoration of the church the lofty Perpendicular windows of the 15th century in the nave and chancel, together with the embattled parapets and the heightened And pinnacled tower, all tend to give an overall impression of a church of that period rather than its true 12th century origin.
An Extract From the “Architectural Societies”
“It must however be borne in mind that (he sum at the disposal of the Restoration Committee here was very limited, considering how much work was requisite. The good work of restoring the church has been greatly aided by the zealous exertions of the Rev. S. Sheen, the curate of Middle Rasen: the architects were Messrs Bellamy and Hardy; and the cost of the later repairs was £1,500. ”“St Peter’s, known as the ‘High Church’, has again been rendered fit for Divine Service after an interregnum of fifteen years. As the church of St Paul, known as the ‘Low Church’, required much reparation as well as that of Si Peter’s and only one was wanted for the use of parishioners, it became a question of which should be retained and restored. Finally the point was decided in favour of the one that was the more interesting of (he two, namely St Peter’s. ”
“As a result of the dismantling of Si Paul’s, and especially since much of’St Peter’s restoration was carried out with material from St Paul’s church, St liter’s absorbed the title of its sister church and became the only parish chrch of Middle Rasen, with the dedication of St Peter and St Paul.. “
A Millennium Project to restore the three existing church bells and add three new bells was completed by March 2000. Bells 1, 2 and 6 were cast by Eljbouts (Holland) in 1999; bell 3 dates from 1695, bell 4 from 1721 and bell 5 from 1707.
We hope that you will visit to beautiful and ancient centre of worship.
Any donation you might make toward the upkeep of the Church will be much appreciated,
Please note that all of the drawings were produced by Rosi Fieldson B A B.Arch. M.Arch. RIBA in 1985 when aged twelve