St Martin

The church, like many others in the area, is built of green limestone.

The chancel was completely rebuilt in 1890, and in 1893 the nave was rebuilt at a cost of £800. Many of the features to be seen today came from neighbouring St Peter’s church, Cawkwell, now the site of a deserted medieval village.

Of particular note is one of the pillars which was used in the rebuilding of the nave. This pillar is early Norman and is easily distinguishable from the other pillars. The pew ends at St Martin’s are also thought to have come from Cawkwell. These depict images of the ‘Green Man’ and each pew end is slightly different. The front pew ends has carved seraphs. The church contains unusual and ancient Poppy Head pew ends, which are thought to be of monastic origins.

The 13th century font is also most unusual. It has a massive and unusual bowl, round at the top with an octagonal pedestal. There are two rather pretty monuments, one to Reading Grantham who died 1859 and the other to Margaret Henry who died in the 18th century. The 1672 will of Reverend Herbert Thorndike, a prebendary of Westminster, left his estate to the parish.

St Martin’s is one of the many churches situated along the Viking Way, a national long distance walk travelling 147 miles between Barton on Humber in North Lincolnshire to Oakham in Rutland.