St Nicholas
Stenigot, Lincolnshire
This quaint parish church of St Nicholas holds a wonderful story within its walls, inside are memorials to two Spanish citizens of the Guevera family who came to England with Katherine of Aragon.
It has been suggested that the present church is not the original one, but that an earlier, Saxon building existed in a nearby field named Kirkfloor.
Donington on Bain is listed in the Doomsday book of 1097 but however, there is no mention of a church. The present church is Early English and consists of a tower, nave and chancel although, as an examination of the exterior reveals, a great many alterations to its appearance have been made over the years. The church originally contained a nave with north and south aisles which have since been taken down. The shape of the arches are clearly visible on the outside of the church. Until 1813 the chancel was divided from the nave by a wooden screen, but the upper portion was cut down when one of the parishioners, who sat in the chancel, complained to the curate that he could not hear the sermon!
Previous to 1779, the tower had a wooden spire with lead which, according to popular belief, was so unacceptable to the villages, that one Sunday morning in 1688, they fastened ropes to the spire and pulled it down. The rest of the tower was demolished in due course, and, until the present structure, a screen of wood was built just inside the nave to keep out the weather.
Apparently it was the custom at weddings in this church to pelt the bridal party with hassocks as it entered the church, but this practice came to an end when one of the rectors, was on the receiving end of one of the hassocks!