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Digby
 
Digby, Bridge
Digby, Bridge
Digby, Bridge

Stone foot bridge.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, bridge
Digby, Red Lion
Digby, Red Lion
Digby, Red Lion

The Red Lion claims to be 400 years old and has beamed low ceilings. It is known to have been in use as a pub since 1677 when the landlord was charged at Sleaford Quarter Sessions with allowing several persons to drink on the Lord’s day. The building was extended when the Louth to Newark coaching route used it as a stopping place. See:

https://heritage-explorer.lincolnshire.gov.uk/Monument/MLI98294

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, Red Lion Public House
Digby, St Thomas Martyr
Digby, St Thomas Martyr
Digby, St Thomas Martyr

The church of St Thomas Becket in Digby contains architecture from many periods.

There is Saxon long-and-short work at the south-east corner of the nave, a Norman south doorway, Early English & Decorated arcades and a chancel rebuilt in 1881.

The interior has old bench-ends & a Jacobean pulpit.

Mark Acton, 2014

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church, Jacobean pulpit
Digby, St Thomas Martyr
Digby, St Thomas Martyr
Digby, St Thomas Martyr

Digby St Thomas Martyr from north east.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church
Digby, St Thomas Martyr
Digby, St Thomas Martyr
Digby, St Thomas Martyr

Digby St Thomas Martyr from south east 

The church is Grade I listed:

 https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1254176?section=official-list-entry

The lancet windows on the south side of the chancel indicate a date of c1200.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church
Digby, St Thomas Martyr
Digby, St Thomas Martyr
Digby, St Thomas Martyr

Digby St Thomas Martyr from south west.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church
Digby, St Thomas Martyr
Digby, St Thomas Martyr
Digby, St Thomas Martyr

Digby St Thomas Martyr from west 

This view shows lancet windows in the west end of both aisles and at the ground level of the tower giving a probable date of c1200.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Aumbry
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Aumbry
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Aumbry

The aumbry doors were made in 1930s and said to have been fashioned from wood salvaged from a French monastery during the First World War.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church, aumbry
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Capital Detail
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Capital Detail
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Capital Detail

Both the eastern corbel of the north arcade and the capital of the chancel respond show evidence of fine carving.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Font
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Font
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Font

15th century octagonal bowl and stem font with diamond-shaped panels. The two wall tablets on the south wall are part of a series of matching 19th century memorials to members of the Cooke family.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church, font
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Henry Young Charity
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Henry Young Charity
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Henry Young Charity

Mounted in the nave above the north arcade this wooden panel decribes a  bequest to the village. It reads:

MEMORANDUM/ MR HENRY YOUNG a native of this parish/ and Gardener to His Grace the Duke of/ Rutland at Belvoir Castle in the County of Leicester/ DID by a certain Indenture dated the First day of/ May One thousand seven hundred and Sixty one/ Convey and settle forever Nine Acres of Land com-/ monly known by the Name of Holmes Pasture lying and/ being in Frieston in the County of Lincoln for certain/ Charitable uses therein mentioned for the Benefit of poor Wi-/ dows and Poor Children of this Parish of DIGBY That is to/ say Twenty shillings to be paid yearly on St Thomas’s Day/ amongst four Poor Widows inhabiting in this Parish, Share/ and Share alike. And the remainder of the profits arising/ from the said Premises, after certain deductions for the/ discharge of Out-Rents, Land-Tax and repairs of the/ Sea-Banks, with other incident Expences which shall/ from time to time be assessed upon or payable for the/ said Premises, to be paid half yearly to a proper Person/ to be chosen by the Vicar for the time being to teach/ Eight poor Children belonging to this Parish, to Read,/ Write, and cast Accompts. NB This is placed Here by/ the Parish as a publick Acknowledgement of the/ abovementioned Charity./ Gilbert Smith,/ VICAR. William Stennett,/ Churchwarden.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Incumbents
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Incumbents
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Incumbents

Digby St Thomas Martyr incumbents 

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church, incumbents
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Interior
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Interior
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Interior

Digby St Thomas Martyr looking north east 

From the south door there are several steep steps down into the nave which is very light because of the large windows of the clerestorey. The pews date from 1904 but incorporate sections of pew-ends which had been ‘lying about the church’. The screen is said to have been dug up in a field near Catley Abbey, brought to the church in 1707 and placed in its present position.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Interior
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Interior
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Interior

Digby St Thomas Martyr looking north west 

The pew-ends have a number of different tracery designs. Some of the poppy-heads are clearly recycled from earlier seating.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Interior
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Interior
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Interior

Digby St Thomas Martyr looking west 

The large clerestorey windows are set in pairs. The face of the tower shows an earlier roofline. 

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Low Side Window
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Low Side Window
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Low Side Window

Digby St Thomas Martyr low side window 

Unusually the low side window is on the north side of the chancel.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church, window
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Memorial
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Memorial
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Memorial

Digby St Thomas Martyr Harmston tablet

This fine slate tablet is mounted on the exterior of the south aisle. It appears to record 8 of Thomas Harmston’s family, and was erected in 1844 by their surviving siblings and his widow, presumably his second wife. It was made by mason Barnatt of Heckington.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Organ
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Organ
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Organ

Digby St Thomas Martyr organ 

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church, organ
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Roll of Honour
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Roll of Honour
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Roll of Honour

Digby St Thomas Martyr roll of honour 

This roll is handwritten onto a pre-printed sheet featuring St George and the dragon.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church, roll of honour
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Sanctuary
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Sanctuary
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Sanctuary

The chancel was rebuilt by Charles Kirk in1881. A framed printed sheet explains that ‘The oak panelling and reredos are a memorial to Pereira Francis Brown given by the Parishioners and Friends to perpetuate the memory of one who, by his consistent Christian life and example, exercised an influence for good in the parish and in the public bodies to which he was attached. P F Brown was Churchwarden for 21 years and a regular worshipper and communicant in this church; he died June 25th 1928. The Memorial was dedicated on September 22nd 1929 by the Lord Bishop of Lincoln. 

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Sanctuary Tiles
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Sanctuary Tiles
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Sanctuary Tiles

The sanctuary tiles bear a number of different designs: that on the left shows the Agnus Dei or Lamb of God; the one to the right has some of the Instruments of the Passion and other references to the Crucifixion. These include the bag of 30 pieces of silver, the cock that crowed and two whips.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church, tiles
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Sedile
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Sedile
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Sedile

Digby St Thomas Martyr sedile

A rather unusual combination of a double piscina but a single seat.

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church, sedile
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, South Doorway
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, South Doorway
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, South Doorway

A fine Norman arch with chevron decoration. Some damage to the hoodmould may indicate an earlier narrower porch?

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church, doorway
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Tower Parapet
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Tower Parapet
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Tower Parapet

Some ferocious-looking beasts guard the tower parapet, while the crocketted spire holds evidence of modern communication. 

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Window
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Window
Digby, St Thomas Martyr, Window

Digby St Thomas Martyr north window north aisle 

This is the only stained glass window in the building. It was designed by Powells of Whitefriars and shows St Christopher in the left light and St Alban in the right. The text reads: To the Glory of God and in memory of Pereira Francis Brown 25 June 1928. This window is dedicated by his widow, son and relatives. 

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, St Thomas Martyr church, window
Digby, Village Cross
Digby, Village Cross
Digby, Village Cross

A medieval cross with 20th century additions. This survives despite being in the middle of Church Street, a main thoroughfare in the village. It is a Scheduled Monument and Grade II listed: 

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1254084?section=official-list-entry  

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, cross
Digby, War Memorial
Digby, War Memorial
Digby, War Memorial

The War Memorial stands inside the southern boundary of the churchyard. It was built by Messrs W H Maxey & Sons of Eastgate, Sleaford of polished Aberdeen granite and cost £120 raised by public subscription. It was dedicated on 22 August 1922. It is listed Grade II see: 

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1485392?section=official-list-entry  

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, war memorial
Digby, Wellhead / Lock Up
Digby, Wellhead / Lock Up
Digby, Wellhead / Lock Up

Formerly a wellhead constructed in 17th century this later served as a village lock up. It is listed Grade II: 

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1254194?section=official-list-entry  

Jean Howard 2 August 2024

Digby, wellhead