Church exterior viewed from the southeast.

 

Set on a steep south facing slope, this tiny church was rebuilt in 1885 when its predecessor was found to be close to collapse.

 

It was designed by William Scorer of Lincoln and re-uses much of the Spilsby sandstone from the old church but with limestone dressings.  The red tile roof has a decorative ridge.

 

 

Church exterior viewed from the southwest.

 

The west end of the building has a plate tracery rose window below the bracketed overhang to protect the bell housing. 

 

The dedication is to St Olave, the patron saint of Norway.

 

The church enjoys lovely views across the nearby fields and the outside seats are much used by walkers.   

 

Jean Howard, April 2018 

section of Saxon stone

A section of an C11th coffin lid with a foliated cross head, now set into the north wall opposite the door.

 

Jean Howard, April 2018 

A traditional octagonal font, but C20th.

 

Jean Howard, April 2018 

Interior view looking towards the east.

 

This interior view shows the wagon roof and the painted reredos with alpha and omega.

 

This may have been a gravestone or a ledger slab set in the floor of the earlier church but now set into the fabric inside the west end of the building.  It reads:

 

Here lyeth the Body/Of Charles Humfrey/Gent Kind to his friends/& Relations Charitable/To The Poore of Ruckland/Farforth & Habrough/For Ever A Lover of &/Noble Benefactor to/The Church& by/Plate & a Scholarship/To Jesus Colledge of/Which he Was Student/& Graduate Died May/The 25 1719 Aged 53.

 

Jean Howard, April 2018 

Interior of south door. A new south door was commissioned in memory of a regular member of the congregation, retired architect John Sketchley.

 

He was born in Loughborough in April 1915.  A career in architecture led to his becoming Chief Architect in Nottingham City Engineers' Dept.  In 1964 he moved to become City Architect in Gloucester where he worked for the next ten years.  During that time he designed Sir Thomas Rich's Grammar School building in Elmbridge.

 

The inscription around the head of the door reads:

 

IN MEMORY OF JOHN R SKETCHLEY FRIBA OF BURWELL MANOR 1915 1995

 

This stone fragment is said to date from C11th.   It is set into the north wall close to the altar.

 

Jean Howard, April 2018