The stone and brick church of St Helen was built in 1747.  The wood and lead cupola at the west end was added in Victorian times.

September 2015

St Helen's church is built of stone, but the south and west walls are faced in red brick with stone plinth and quoins.

The wooden windows on this elevation with their segmented heads have a Dutch appearance.

September 2015

The west wall of the church is built of red brick with stone quoins.

The lower part of the brickwork is in Flemish bond (as is the south wall) but higher in the gable - presumably rebuilt at some point - it is irregular.

The flush oval stone in the gable reads: E.H./ Church Warden/ 1747.

September 2015

Aswardby St Helen from NE

This view reveals a bricked up classical window in the rock face ashlar east end and a circular window in the brick gable above. The church is listed Grade II; see:

 https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1359688?section=official-list-entry

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

Aswardby St Helen from W

The west end of the building has a stone plinth and brick above with tumbling above the kneelers. The 18th century pair of panelled doors have three square lights above. The flush oval stone in the gable reads: E.H./ Church Warden/ 1747.

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

Aswardby St Helen north wall

The north wall is built of rock face ashlar with two round arched windows in flush ashlar quoins.

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

Unexpectedly the Holy Bible on the lectern has come from Wood Enderby church which was declared redundant in 1976 and is in private ownership.

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

Metal brackets on either side of the nave probably once held oil lamps.

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

To the left of the path into the churchyard is the headstone for Lord John (Jock) Bruce-Gardyne.

He was a member of a landed Scottish family. He served in the Foreign Office, became a journalist and was later Conservative MP for South Angus, then Knutsford and was Economic Secretary under Margaret Thatcher.

He lived at Aswardby Hall with his wife Sally, daughter of Horncastle MP Commander Sir John Maitland and his wife Bridget who lived at nearby Harrington Hall. See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jock_Bruce-Gardyne

The inscription reads: In Loving Memory of/ JOCK/ LORD BRUCE-GARDYNE/ of Kirkden/ 1930-1990

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

A beautifully cut headstone close to the east window for ‘an Officer in the Excise’.

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

A very striking combination of a dark bowl and limestone pedestal. 

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

The plain but decidedly calm and attractive interior of St Helen's.

The two minute vestries either side of the altar are reminiscent of confessional boxes.

September 2015

Aswardby St Helen looking east

Since 2015 the panelled ceiling has been painted blue.

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

Aswardby St Helen looking west

This shows a pair of internal doors giving a porch at the only entrance to the building.

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

A lectern with the unusual addition of two wooden candle holders.

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

Three generations of the Brackenbury family of Aswardby Hall.

Charles Booth Brackenbury was a British major general and military correspondent to The Times. Further information about him may be found at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Booth_Brackenbury

A lithograph of him is in the National Portrait Gallery; see:

https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw42266/Charles-Booth-Brackenbury

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

This brass plaque reads:

To the Glory of God/ and in Memory of/ The Right Honourable Sir Henry Brackenbury/ Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath/ Knight Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India/ One of His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Councillors/ General in His Majesty's Army Colonel Commandant of the Royal Regiment of Artillery/ Son of William Brackenbury late of Aswardby Hall/ Born 1st September 1837 – Died 20th April 1914/ Erected by his widow Edith Maud Brackenbury/ his nephew Hereward Brackenbury, and his cousins/ Admiral John Brackenbury CB. CMG and Colonel Maule Brackenbury CSI 

Sir Henry Brackenbury was a British army officer and military historian; see:

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Brackenbury 

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

William Eardley Odling was member of a farming family. Originating from West Firsby near Lincoln he farmed for much of his life at Aswardby and was known as a breeder of red short-horn cattle. He died at Park House, Aswardby.

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

The rectors and patrons of Aswardby from 1218 to 1908.

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

An attractive design of mosaic pieces on marble.

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

Aswardby St Helen memorial window

This window is beside the font in the north wall. It depicts the raising of Lazarus. The text reads: Dedicated to the memory of Sir John Macpherson/ Brackenbury died November 30th 1847/ As o’er the grave where Lazarus slept/ Jesus in silent sorrow wept/ And sanctioned thus affections tear/ So filial love may mourn thee here.

Sir John Macpherson Brackenbury was a soldier and British Consul at Cadiz. A lithograph of him  is in the National Portrait Gallery; see:

https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw128937/Sir-John-MacPherson-Brackenbury

Jean Howard 7 September 2024

This derelict chapel, which closed for worship in 1996, was the second chapel built on this site for the Wesleyan Methodists.

It dates from 1842.

Chris Squires, 2021