Former Nag's Head public house now Little Lockets Nursery.

Kelley's Directory of Lincolnshire 1876 lists two public houses neither of which still exists :-

Nag's Head - Charles Wise 

Rose & Crown - James Dring (& Blacksmith)

DB 28 July 2018 

A National School built in 1828 by subscription on ground presented by the Marquess of Bristol. In the nineteenth century it had annual endowments of 19gns.

By the turn of the twentieth century it was known as Hale Magna CE School. It closed in summer 1987.

June 2017

"Former vicarage, now house. 1730, altered early C19 and C20"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1061842 

DB 28 July 2018 

This church has a fine late Saxon or early Norman tower (topped with Perpendicular pinnacles).

The chancel collapsed in the seventeenth century and was never replaced.

Mark Acton, 2017

View from Church Street.

"Parish church. Cll, C13, C14, C17, restored 1896-7 by Hodgson Fowler. Nave, north and south aisles, west tower, south porch"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1168767?section=official-list-entry 

DB 4 July 2022

East elevation with blocked chancel arch visible in the center. The medieval chancel collapsed and was not replaced.

"In the blocking of the chancel arch is a C16 4 centred arched doorway with above, a 5 light C19 window with intersecting tracery"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1168767?section=official-list-entry  

White's Directory 1872 reports :-

"The Church (St. John the Baptist), which consists of nave, aisles, south porch and a lofty western tower, is a large structure:

It was thoroughly repaired and beautified in 1825-7.

Among the monuments in this church is one with two small kneeling figures, in memory of Robert Cawdron, who died in 1665.

The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £8. 6s., and now at £590, is in the patronage of the Lord Chancellor, and incumbency of the Hon. and Rev. Frank Sugden, M.A., who is domestic chaplain to Lord St. Leonards, and has here a good residence and 60 acres of glebe.

The tithes were commuted in 1853 for £450 per annum"

DB 4 July 2022

An entry in Kelly's Directory 1930 reads :-

"The church of St. John the Baptist, at Hale Magna, is a building of the pre-Norman, Early and Late Decorated and Perpendicular styles, consisting of quasi-chancel and nave of five bays under a continuous roof, aisles extending along the whole length of the church, an unusually large south porch and an embattled western tower with eight crocketed pinnacles containing 6 bells, five of which were cast out of three old ones when the church was restored in 1896; there is also a sanctus bell:

the tower dates from a period anterior to the Conquest and has coupled circular-headed lights in the belfry stage :

the south aisle is Early English of late character, and retains a piscina and an aumbry:

part of the rood loft stairs remain, the octagonal font belongs to the Perpendicular period:

the stained east window, depicting the main facts of our Lord's life was erected in 1921:

the screen is now at the east end of the north aisle, the enclosed space, containing two aumbries and a piscina, was the ancient Lady chapel, which, in 1922, was refurnished and rededicated for divine worship and the vestries are now in the opposite chapel of the south aisle:

in the Lady chapel there is a number of mural monuments, chiefly of the 17th century, to members of the Cawdron family :

on the south wall a marble and alabaster tablet was erected in 1921 to the memory of those connected with the parish who fell in the Great War, 1914-18:

at the east end of the church, under the window, is a doorway leading into a passage or ambulatory, connecting the north and south aisle: the church was thoroughly restored in 1896, at a cost of nearly £2,150, and affords 266 sittings"

DB 4 July 2022

Medieval chancel collapsed and was not replaced. The east end of the nave now serves as the chancel. Church Guide compiled by Revd R Rose reports :-

"Sir Nathaniel Brent, Vicar Gen visited the church in 1634 and found it without a Chancel, although the  improprietor Robert Cawdron was worth two hundred pounds a year.  (Dom State Papers V.274).

The length of the Chancel is believed to be about two-thirds that of the present Nave" 

Fittings are C19 and C20 apart from the late C17 altar rails with turned balusters.

DB 4 July 2022

A closer view of the altar.

DB 4 July 2022

Church Guide compiled by Revd R Rose states

"The East Window, replaced by stained glass in 1922 was a bequest from Frank Day MA.

The work was ordered by Mrs Turkheim"

Pevsner states that the stained glass is by T.F.Curtis of Ward & Hughes.

DB 28 July 2018 

Detail showing the last supper at the bottom of the window.

DB 4 July 2022

C18 monument mounted on the exterior south wall of the chancel.

DB 4 July 2022

In 2020/21 an Ancaster stone floor was laid in the Nave and chairs replaced the pews.

DB 4 July 2022

Local signage states that :-

"This Chapel was endowed by Hugh de Wheteley in 1337. He was Parson of the Church of Staynton near Langewath in this Diocese. The following is an extract from the original document of the Ordination of a Chantry in the Church of Great Hale. :- 

"Wherefore I make it known to you all by these presents, that for the health of the soul of the once Rverend Elyas de Wheteley, late Rector of the Church of Hale, my brother deceased; and of my own soul and of the souls of Adam my father, and Petronella my mother, Nigel my brother, the Lady Isabel de Beaumont, the Lord Henry de Beaumont, the Lady Alice his wife, Henry de Loughton, and Beatrix his wife, Adam de Loughton, Marjory his wife, John de Hale, the Revs. Roger de Freston and Walter de Greenwich; and of all the faithful defunct,- and in future deceasing; and for the increase of Divine Worship, there being to this end obtained the License and assent of our Lord the King, and of the Patrons and Rector of the Church of Saint John the Baptist, of Hale; and of others whose interest it might be in this behalf"

DB 4 July 2022

"A brass plaque to Frances Cawdron, d.1650"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1168767 

DB 28 July 2018 

A monument to Robert Cawdron, died 1665.

June 2017

"further alabaster wall plaque to Sir Robert Cawdron, d.1652, in the form of an aedicule with broken pediment with escutcheon and line carvings of weepers beneath"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1168767 

DB 28 July 2018 

"On the south wall is a wall plaque with scrolls and acanthus leaves to the wife of Robert Cawdron, d.1733"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1168767?section=official-list-entry 

DB 4 July 2022

"An ashlar wall plaque to Robert Cawdron, d.1714, Doric columns support a broken segmental pediment with paterae and flaming urn"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1168767?section=official-list-entry 

DB 4 July 2022

The Church Guide compiled by Revd R Rose 1976 states :-

"The Screen appears to have had a somewhat chequered history.

An early nineteenth century writer says, "... the old oak Chancel screen now cuts off the westernmost bay of the North Aisle to serve as a lobby."

A faculty was issued in 1946 for the provision of a children's corner but no mention is made of moving the Screen.

It is unknown whether the Reverend Richard Bingham moved it to its present position and if that was the reason for his nameplate. 

"Beginnings of decay" were noted and repaired circa 1930" 

DB 28 July 2018 

The arcades from the Early English period have tall circular piers and double chamfered arches.

June 2017

Interior view looking west.

"C11 tower arch, round headed with chamfered imposts"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1168767 

DB 28 July 2018 

Looking east towards the blocked chancel arch which contains a 5 light C19 window.

The medieval chancel collapsed and was not replaced. East end of the nave now serves as the chancel. 

DB 4 July 2022

Another view looking west towards the tower arch.

"5 bay C13 north and south arcades, slender circular keeled responds with annular capitals supporting double chamfered arches with hollow moulded hoods and human head stops"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1168767?section=official-list-entry 

DB 4 July 2022

Church Guide compiled by Revd R Rose 1976 states :-

"Two pinnacles and a part of the parapet were dislodged during a severe gale in 1895.

This caused damage to the church roof.

Restoration work was therefore carried out and the church was reopened on Thursday 19th November 1896 by the Bishop of Lincoln"

"A brass plate can be found on the north wall of the Nave which commemorates the re-opening"

DB 28 July 2018 

Nave arcade with C13 human head stops.

DB 4 July 2022

Nave arcade with C13 human head stops.

DB 4 July 2022

Looking west along the C14 north aisle towards a 3 light window with C19 cusped flowing tracery.

DB 4 July 2022

Looking east along the C14 north aisle towards the Lady Chapel.

DB 28 July 2018 

Memorial to Rev. Ernest Julius Turckheim a former vicar. Erected by the parishioners 1908.

DB 4 July 2022

Royal Arms of George III dated 1801 and sited over the nave north door.

Mark Acton, 2017

"Above the north door is a fine carved and painted Royal Arms of George III dated 1801"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1168767?section=official-list-entry 

DB 4 July 2022

North doorway nowadays used as the main entrance to the church. 

DB 4 July 2022

"Gabled C14 south porch with setback buttresses and statue niche to the gable now containing a C19 carving of Our Lord. Moulded and pointed outer arch with angle shafts and hood with beast head stops"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1168767?section=official-list-entry 

DB 28 July 2018 

Faint remains of mass dials on the south porch.

"Some 3,000 mass, tide or scratch dials have been recorded in the UK.

Typically located on the south wall of a parish church, this form of sundial was used to mark the "variable" time of liturgical services in the medieval world."

http://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/mass-dials/mass-dials.htm

See also

http://sundialsoc.org.uk/dials_menu/mass-dials/  

DB 28 July 2018 

Looking east along C14 south aisle towards the organ and modern vestry beyond.

DB 4 July 2022

Looking west towards the font.

DB 28 July 2018 

"A Caernarvon arched doorway to the rood loft"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1168767?section=official-list-entry

Doorway to the former rood loft viewed from the modern vestry at the east end of the south aisle. 

DB 4 July 2022

A large octagonal font of unusual design with deeply incised carved decoration.

June 2017

Monument in the vestry at the east end of the south aisle. 

"SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF EDWARD JOHN DAWSON, A NATIVE OF THIS PLACE, ELDEST SON OF WILLIAM THOMPSON, AND PENELOPE DAWSON, DIED THE 31ST OF JANUARY 1853, IN THE 49TH YEAR OF HIS AGE"

DB 4 July 2022

Monument in the vestry at the east end of the south aisle.  

"IN A VAULT IN THE ADJOINING CHURCH YARD, REST THE REMAINS OF WILLIAM THOMPSON DAWSON. LATE OF LEVERTON IN THIS COUNTY. HE WAS A NATIVE OF THIS PARISH, AND WAS BORN ON THE 10TH OF JUNE 1775 AND DIED ON THE 15TH OF JUNE 1844. 

ALSO PENELOPE HIS WIFE BORN ON THE 8TH OF APRIL 1783. DIED ON THE 7TH OF APRIL 1821. 

THE CHILDREN OF THESE BELOVED PARENTS HAVE RAISED THIS TABLET TO THEIR MEMORY AS A TOKEN OF AFFECTION AND GRATITUDE. 

CATHERINE ANN THEIR DAUGHTER DIED IN INFANCY"

DB 4 July 2022

Church Guide compiled by Revd R Rose 1976 states :-

"The organ was originally built by Robson for the Jewish Converts' Institute in Palestine Place, London. It was purchased for one hundred and seventy pounds. Additional stops were added and it was installed in Great Hale Church for the reopening in 1896"

DB 4 July 2022

"There is an early C14 piscina in the south aisle with cusped trefoil to the pointed head"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1168767?section=official-list-entry 

Piscina in the southeast corner of the modern vestry showing that it was once used as a chapel.

DB 4 July 2022

Memorials to the fallen of Great Hale and Little Hale in both World Wars.

Mark Acton, 2017

First and Second World war memorials.

DB 4 July 2022

"3 stage C11 tower of plain unbuttressed 'Lincolnshire' type, embattled C15 parapet and crocketted angle pinnacles"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1168767  

Church Guide compiled by Revd R Rose 1976 states :-

"The clock was constructed to commemorate the Coronation of King George V.

It was fixed in the tower and set going on 25th January 1912" 

DB 28 July 2018 

To the right of the tower arch is a door. Local signage reports :-

"Saxon-Norman Staircase 

Behind this doorway, Great Hale has the only existing example of an internal spiral staircase in any Saxon-Norman tower in this country from the period up until 1100. Other towers have external turrets with wooden stairs or ladders to reach the higher parts of the tower. 

The lower part of this staircase indicates Saxon workmanship with a newel drum separate from the treads, but the higher level uses the Norman method of a newel drum and tread made of a single stone and so may have been completed a little later, around 1090. 

The circular window on the north face of the tower belongs to the Saxon part of the stairwell. while the rectangular windows belong to the Norman part of the upper stairwell. The tower arch also seems to date from this slightly later period"

DB 4 July 2022

Small window on the south side of the C11 tower.

DB 4 July 2022

"A List And Brief Details Of Chapels In The Sleaford Circuit Past And Present" prepared by  Colin Shepherdson & Peter Robinson June 1996 states that :-

i) A dwelling house was licensed for worship in 1824 and the first chapel built in the same year.

ii) The second chapel was erected in 1851.

iii) The stone laying for the third chapel, in Church Walk, occurred on the 3.10.1901 and the chapel opened on the 24.4.1902. Closed in 1982 it is now converted into a dwelling house. 

DB 4 July 2022

A closer view of the door which has an inscription above reading "WESLEYAN 1901 CHURCH".

DB 4 July 2022