Plaques read "SIR THOMAS MIDDLECOTT ALMSHOUSES 1992" and "1992 CIVIC DESIGN AWARD BOSTON BOROUGH COUNCIL".

Kelly's Directory 1930 notes "There are several charities, amounting to £56 yearly, for the relief of the aged deserving poor. Sir Thomas Middlecott's almshouses at Fosdyke are 10 in number, 6 for Algarkirk and 4 for Fosdyke: the endowment consists of 98 acres, producing about £204 yearly; the building will hold 10 inmates of either sex, each of whom receives about £15 12s. yearly"

DB 12 October 2024

The grand Fenland church of St Peter and St Paul consists of clerestoried nave and transepts, crossing tower with spire, and chancel.

Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular work are well represented here.   Particularly impressive are the great Decorated windows.

R C Carpenter restored the church extensively in the 1850s, giving the chancel its rich colour scheme.

September 2011

A second image of this fine Fenland church.

September 2011

Kelly's Directory 1930 reports :-

"The church of SS. Peter and Paul, standing in a picturesque position and surrounded by groups of trees, is a magnificent cruciform building of stone, chiefly in the Early English and Decorated styles, and was thoroughly restored in 1850-51 by Canon Beridge, from designs of the late Mr. Carpenter, the north aisle and south porch being wholly rebuilt, new roofs fixed, open seats placed throughout the church and a low leaded spire added to the tower:

the superb reredos of Caen stone was decorated in polychrome by Mr. Crace, and the altar cloth was embroidered and presented by Miss Blencowe:

the church consists of chancel, clerestoried nave of five bays, aisles, north and south porches, transepts and a tower with small spire rising from the centre and containing 5 bells, all cast at the foundry of Thomas Norris, of Stamford, in 1662:

the whole of the windows in the body of the church are stained, and there are some remains of ancient glass in the vestry:

a fine-toned organ was given by the rector in 1876:

some fragments of the earlier Norman church are preserved in the vestry, but the oldest portions of the existing building are comprised in the tower, part of the transepts, the nave, arcade and north doorway:

the chancel, which has a modern east window, together with its aisles and the nave, are Decorated:

the latest portion is the battlemented clerestory, lighted by ten windows on each side, and the low roof:

the interior of the chancel is elaborately decorated in gold and colour, and has a double piscina of Early English date and a locker on the opposite side:

there is also a beautiful canopied and crocketed piscina in the south transept:

the font, of Purbeck marble, has an octangular basin on a clustered shaft:

the principal fittings are of oak:

in the tower are three slabs of grey marble, from the first of which effigies in brass of a civilian and his two wives, with other brasses, have been removed:

another now retains only a dimidiated figure of the Holy Virgin and Child:

the third slab has brass effigies kneeling of Nicholas Robertson, merchant of the staple of Calais, ob. 1498, and his wives, Isabella and Alice, the latter of whom was buried at St. Botolph's, Boston, in 1458; the merchant is attired in a furred gown, with girdle, from which depends a gypciere or purse; below on a separate brass is an admonitory inscription in abbreviated Latin, but without name or date:

in the church is the effigy of a civilian of the 14th century, and adjoining it is the effigy of a priest in eucharistic vestments:

in 1921 an altar and reredos, with a tablet, were erected in the south transept chapel in memory of the men of the parish who fell in the Great War, 1914-18:

there are 300 sittings" 

DB 11 November 2024

Church viewed from the south.

White's Directory 1872 has :-

"The Church (St. Peter and St. Paul) is a fine ancient cruciform structure, chiefly of Decorated character, and consisting of nave, having a clerestory with ten windows on either side, aisles, north and south transepts, chancel, south porch and a central tower, containing five bells.

At the east end of the chancel is an elegant reredos of Caen stone. The pulpit, prayer-desk and fittings are all of oak.

It has undergone a thorough restoration by the rector, at a very large cost; and its fine decorated windows have been filled with beautiful stained glass.

The rector has also built two handsome school rooms, with houses for the teachers.

In the churchyard is a rude figure in stone, said by Stukely to be statue of Earl Algar.

DB 11 November 2024

Church viewed from the west.

"C14 Decorated west window of 6 lights with curvilinear tracery, flanked by single 3 light C14 aisle windows with ogee heads to the lights and triangular heads"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1164857?section=official-list-entry 

DB 11 November 2024

View from the northeast.

This wonderful building is very much at risk. A National Lottery Heritage Fund Stage Two grant was withdrawn in early 2020".

https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/heritage-at-risk/search-register/list-entry/18608  

DB 11 November 2024

Another view from the south. 

"Parish church. Late C12, early C13, C14, late C15, restored by R. C. Carpenter, 1850-4"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1164857?section=official-list-entry 

DB 11 November 2024

A notice on the vestry door "The church building is currently closed for regular church services. The churchyard is open for burials"

A church website reads :-

"St Peter and St Paul’s in Algarkirk is a beautiful medieval church. Containing nationally significant Victorian stained glass and decorations, it is a remarkable and important building.

Today, however, the church is in desperate need of repair and restoration. 

Our aim is to restore the building and re-establish it as a significant and relevant asset to Algarkirk. We must take action now in order to preserve it for future generations."

https://www.algarkirkchurch.org.uk/ 

It seems as though a £1.8 million grant from the National Lottery was forfeit because the necessary match funding of £300,000 could not be raised?

This church is on the Heritage at Risk Register :-

http://historicengland.org.uk/advice/heritage-at-risk/search-register/list-entry/18608 

DB 11 November 2024

North aisle viewed from outside the church - through mesh patching a broken window panel.

DB 11 November 2024

Font viewed from outside the church - through mesh patching a broken window panel.

"C13 Purbeck marble octagonal font on free standing circular shafts"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1164857?section=official-list-entry 

DB 11 November 2024

"A pointed doorway with hood mould"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1164857?section=official-list-entry  

DB 11 November 2024

"Transept has tall north window of 6 lights with curvilinear tracery"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1164857?section=official-list-entry 

DB 11 November 2024

"Gabled C19 south porch with round headed outer arch with triple shafted reveals"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1164857?section=official-list-entry 

DB 11 November 2024

"Recut C13 inner arch with roll moulded hood and chamfered head"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1164857?section=official-list-entry 

DB 11 November 2024

Noticeboard inside the church. 

DB 11 November 2024

View from southwest.

DB 11 November 2024

"The south window is of 7 lights with memorable cusped flowing tracery, replete with daggers, mouchettes and quatrefoils all of the finest"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1164857?section=official-list-entry 

DB 11 November 2024

Sundial on the south wall of the south transept.

DB 11 November 2024

"Central tower with C13 form paired belfry lights with mid wall shafts, plate tracery with mandorlas and chamfered pointed surrounds. Embattled parapet with short leaded C19 set back spire"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1164857?section=official-list-entry 

DB 11 November 2024

Tower parapet viewed from the north. 

"Embattled parapet with short leaded C19 set back spire. Fine lead rainwater heads dated 1650"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1164857?section=official-list-entry 

DB 11 November 2024

"Vestry in angle between transept and chancel has a single 2 light window and pointed doorway"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1164857?section=official-list-entry 

DB 11 November 2024

A north facing window illuminated by sunlight streaming through from the south side.

DB 11 November 2024

"Formerly schoolmasters' houses and school, now 2 cottages and Village Hall, and garden walls. By Sir G. G. Scott, patron Rev. B. Beridge, 1856"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1062043?section=official-list-entry 

In White's Directory it mentions that "The rector has also built two handsome school rooms, with houses for the teachers".

Sign reads "ALGARKIRK VILLAGE HALL 1980".

DB 12 October 2024

Beridge coat of arms above the door.

DB 12 October 2024

A second view of the school and schoolmasters' houses.

DB 12 October 2024