Former school now village hall.

"The school was built as a National School in 1872 and was closed on 21 May 1926.

It re-opened on 14 January 1929 for children under the age of nine years (older children being transferred to Claypole and Long Bennington Schools).

The school was again closed on 28 March 1961, with the children transferred to Claypole and Long Bennington Schools"

https://www.lincstothepast.com/DRY-DODDINGTON-CE-SCHOOL/727430.record?pt=S 

DB 5 September 2018

An earlier view of the school.

Was the school building completely demolished to make way for the Village Hall or has some part been incorporated? See later image.

Located at National Grid reference SK849464. 

Geoff Swain Collection 9 May 1994

The early fourteenth-century tower of St James, Dry Doddington, leans at an angle of 5.1 degrees (more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa).

North & south arcades are circa 1300.

The nave & chancel exterior walls are from the 1876-77 restoration.

Mark Acton, 2015

View from the south-west (before the removal of iron railings).

Peter Kirk Collection, 1990

"Parish Church now church. Early C12, late C13, early C14, 1876-7"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1253449 

White's Directory of Lincolnshire 1856 (before major alterations in 1876-7) states that :-

"The Church (St. James) is an ancient structure, and its vicarage is united with the first mediety of Westborongh rectory, as afterwards noticed.

As the church has no graveyard, the parishioners bury their dead at Westborough"

DB 5 September 2018

Detailed view of the sanctuary.

DB 24 June 2019

"Pointed chancel arch of 1876-7 with very ornate corbels with foliage and birds"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1253449 

Looking east towards the chancel. 

Kelly's Directory of Lincolnshire 1919 states :-

"The church of St. James is an edifice of stone in the Early Decorated style, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles and a western tower with short broach spire, relieved by four large dormer lights on the principal faces, containing one bell:

the church was restored in 1876 at a cost of £954, and has I5O sittings.

The register is included in that of Westborough.

The living is a vicarage, united to the second mediety of the rectory of Westborough, net yearly value £300, with residence in the gift of F. A. Stirk esq. and held since 1904 by the Rev. Edward Hall Foottit M.A. of Worcester College, Oxford, who resides at Westborough"

DB 24 June 2019

Looking west.

"Nave interior has 4 late C13 bays with plainly moulded pointed arches and octagonal piers and responds"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1253449 

DB 24 June 2019

View from the south aisle, across the nave, and into the north aisle.

The church tower is leaning to the west and many cracks are visible in the aisle wall.

DB 24 June 2019

"Late C19 and early C20 pews, pulpit and font"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1253449 

DB 24 June 2019

The Church History Leaflet states :-

"St James Church contains a memorial to a No. 49 Squadron RAF Avro Lancaster that crashed near the village on 26 November 1944"

DB 24 June 2019

Detail of south door. 

"early C12 doorway with chevroned round headed arch and jambs, hood mould, and mask head label stops"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1253449 

DB 5 September 2018

" Early C14 tower of coursed rubble with ashlar quoins and of 2 stages"

"Squat broach spire with 4 large lucarnces alternating directions with 4 very small ones above.

Tower and spire lean towards the west"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1253449 

The Church History Leaflet states :-

"The tower holds a single bell. From the inscription on the bell it was founded in the 14th Century by Johannes be Stafford of Leicester" 

DB 5 September 2018

Former telephone kiosk next to the Wheatsheaf Inn.

Now used to house defibrillator.

DB 5 September 2018

"Shona McCallin, MBE (born 18 May 1992) is a member of Great Britain women's national field hockey team and an Olympic gold medalist at the 2016 Summer Olympics."

Kelley's Directory of Lincolnshire 1876 lists the Wheatsheaf with William Webster as its landlord.

White's Directory of 1856 states "Roberts Wm. vict. Wheat Sheaf"

DB 5 September 2018

Another view of the Wheatsheaf Inn with Saint James Church in the background.

Church tower leaning noticeably to the west.

DB 5 September 2018