PEAR TREE LOG

pear tree log: I started this blog to keep my younger son, Jonny, in touch with life in Lincolnshire, while he spent a year working in China. That year turned into five! Now he is home and training to become a physics teacher. This is simply a patchwork quilt of some of the things I enjoy - life in rural Lincolnshire, our animals, friends, architecture, books, the gardens, and things of passing interest.



Sunday 15 July 2012

The Leaning Tower of Sollerby

The bell tower of All Saints' Church, in  Saltfleetby (pronounced "Sollerby" by locals) seemed to have tilted just a little more since my last visit.
Externally it may not be the prettiest church building, but it is my favourite.

Unheated and ancient, this place is surprisingly comfortable, even on a bitterly cold day.

The porch dates from the 1400's with later supports to try to keep it in place.  It  has the armorial shields of the Grantham family set into it.


Nearby Saltfleet used to be a bustling and prosperous port on the mouth of the Withern Eau, but when it silted up the population dwindled.


The bell tower has a definite tilt to the west, even though it is supported by extremely large Victorian buttresses.
Looking to the front of the church (south side)


Step through the porch and the massive church doors and this is what you will see.



A very plain and simple interior.




Looking to the rear of the church (south side)
Can you see that tiny staircase just beyond the font?  It leads to the leaning bell tower, the wobbly line which runs up the wall is a very large crack, it has been 'repaired' many times, but each time the tower slips a little more it opens up again.  Sometimes it is wide enough to insert your hand, should you be so daring.

This is the south chapel.  

The reredos  - the stone decoration on the altar wall - is quite rare and I am told that this is a fine medieval example.

There is a 'double' arcade of arches - the old and the "new" sit side by side, as though they couldn't quite wipe out all that history, or perhaps even back then they knew it needed extra support and kept them both.
The arches from the south chapel





The 11th century Norman arches(with scalloped detail)  butt up to the 14th century single arch.  I love quirky things like this.  Almost an architectural traffic-jam.

The painted wooden screening is later.






The arches viewed from the chancel, on the other side

Walls are out of line, the roof lines are a bit wonky the style is very simple,  incredibly beautiful.

It is possible to walk in and be amazed by the quirks, enjoy the architecture, or to simply soak up the atmosphere of a simple, well-loved, although redundant, country church.

I enjoy it for all of those reasons, and more.

A glimpse of the Chancel from the south chapel
The whole church is a patchwork quilt of styles dating from the early 1100's church with  many alterations and additions through the centuries.

People have long cared about this building, it has been well used, well loved.

 Quite unlike poor old Skidbrooke Church, just a couple of miles away, and reputedly the most haunted church in Britain, although similar in style.

This is the view from the far side, the main body of the church.

Can you see the mellow light in the chancel?

The ancient roof timbers were installed over 600 years ago.

While we are talking about roofing I had better show you the scariest part of the visit...when I look up and check to see if the tower has shifted again, or whether it is simply my fertile imagination playing tricks again.  This is the junction of the bell tower to the main body of the church...and yes, that is daylight showing through.

If you enlarge the photograph you will see how far the tower has slipped away from where the beams originally joined the wall.

This is the view towards the bell tower.

The wooden screening is 15th century.  



Beautiful windows.





Mellow light comes through the old panes of glass.






Many apologies for showing so many photographs, I feel rather like those people who invite you round for dinner and then subject you to viewing hundreds of their holiday snaps.

The main reason I love this old church is for the way it reaches out and enfolds me in the most wonderfully comforting embrace.  You may think this is fanciful, spooky, even, but that is okay.  I don't mind.

I would rather visit this church than any other - and I visit a lot of old church buildings.  It is an interest of mine.   All Saints' may have been declared redundant in 1973, but  it still retains the essence of goodness, and I am not talking about religion.

I always leave there feeling refreshed, tranquil, comforted...although concerned about the way it continues to slip and slide on the marshy ground.




28 comments:

  1. Oh look at all those wonderful arches, great inspiration for me, and the tower sublime. Have a good one.

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    1. Hello Linda, It is an amazing place, I'm sure you would enjoy it too.

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  2. Hello Elaine...The serenity this church offers is so apparent in your photos. I especially like the painted screen and it's colors.

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    1. Hello Meggie, The painted screens retain some of their original paint. At some point someone began to re-paint them using the same colours, but then they abandoned the idea. It must have been pretty impressive. I forgot to mention, the last time I was there there was a notice about a talk on farming in the prairies - what a coincidence!

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  3. It's much to take in and absorb; another reason to visit over and over.

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    1. Hello Joanne, The wonderful thing is that I can be there in about twenty minutes and the drive is mostly on the quietest roads you could wish for. I often pop in, it is extremely rare to find anyone else there.

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  4. Elaine, I love the photos and commentary--you should be a tour guide! You definitely make me feel as if I am there with you, taking in all the detail and history. However, oh my, the crack with the daylight through; does rain come in? It's such a beautiful church in it's simplicity and you've captured all the craftsmanship and love that went into building it. Thank you, XOXO

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    1. Hello Susan, You are very kind - I think it is just my passion for this place which comes through. We have had very heavy monsoon-style rains recently and I intended to go and check the building - but I got worried about the sogginess of the ground and possible slippage of the tower, cowardy custard that I am - so by the time I did visit any evidence of leakage had dried up. With that big gap I am sure some must leak in though.xx

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  5. Oh, my, this was WONDERFUL!!!!! Not too many pictures at all...and thank you so much for letting me know you posted this. It really was a treat to get to see all these photos. I love old buildings, well old things in general....and I love architecture.

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    1. Hello Rose, I'm so pleased you enjoyed it. I had a difficult job whittling the number of photographs down to even that number, there are so many more which are stored for another posting! I missed out lots of details, but I'll let you know when I do another one.

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  6. Elaine, I, too, am drawn to old churches. I loved looking at all the different views. The detail is beautiful. It is so nice that is so loved. I hope it is possible to continue to keep it somewhat intact. Bonnie

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    1. Hello Bonnie, There are many people who love it and the interior shows that as there are always fresh (home-grown) flowers on both altars and also on the information table. I was interested to note some little mice-droppings on the table last time, so I guess there must be a family of church mice taking refuge in there too.

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  7. I think the church and the tower are beautiful.

    Hugs
    Elna

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    1. Hello Elna, I am delighted that you enjoyed seeing it! It is light, bright and beautiful.

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  8. Oh it is beautiful. If the church is redundant as a church what is it used for now?
    Jane x

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    1. Hello Jane, Although it is listed as a redundant church the churchyard is still used for burials, so there is the occasional funeral, an occasional concert, it is also available to be hired for suitable events - say art exhibitions, fashion shoots, local history talks, etc. It doesn't happen often though, I think people are wary of the state of the tower although it is regularly checked.

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  9. our church is natural stone inside and oh so dark... I love a church so bright!

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    1. Hello John, I loved the glimpse you gave us of your church - I agree, though, part of the attraction of All Saints' church is the wonderful quality of the light and that is helped by the white walls.

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  10. How wonderful that you have a place like that in your life--and so handy too!

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    1. Hello Ms Sparrow, It is only about 20 minutes drive away and on the back-roads - so no traffic to speak of, that is the kind of driving I enjoy!

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  11. No need to apologize to me. I thoroughly enjoy my tour of this lovely old church.

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    1. Hello Susan, I am so pleased you enjoyed the tour. I barely touched on all the details and quirky elements, so I may do another post on it in a few months. It is an incredible place.

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  12. What a fabulous church, and I love the empty interior. Shame about the roof, but I suppose the cost of something more attractive would be exorbitant. That porch is exquisite.

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    1. Hello Cro, The empty space does add to the attraction, there are just a few pews left in for small gatherings. I suppose one thing about the shifting tower is that it makes it less attractive to lead thieves. The porch is wonderful, but like the tower, it keeps subsiding and moving. That said, it is still the most wonderful of churches.

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  13. I'm so glad you posted many pictures - there is so much to look at and savour in the church. The simple white interior is so soothing and welcoming. A pity that the tower is leaning so much - hopefully an architect can figure out a way to keep it intact.

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    1. Hello Jenny, I'm so pleased you enjoyed seeing this lovely old church. I wish I could show you round and let you experience that wonderful atmosphere. You would really think that in this day and age it would be possible to stop the slippage, but it probably comes down to cost.

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  14. It's such a truly beautiful old church, and I can see why you love it! I do hope it doesn't fall! It would be such an enormous loss! I LOVED seeing all ytour photos! It was a wonderful pictorial visit.

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    1. Hello Marie, Thank you, I really appreciate that. I know you suffer from similar problems regarding the internet connection and difficulties viewing photographs.
      It is such a special building that I could have shown you three or four times as many photographs and not run out of things to say about it!

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