This attractive early Georgian house is thought to date from about 1730. It was built for the Nelthorpe family and passed down the female line to the Beauclerk family in the early nineteenth century.

Later that century and into the twentieth the house was occupied by a succession of tenants, including Tom Wintringham (MP for Louth until his death in 1921) and Margaret Wintringham (Tom's widow, MP for Louth 1921-24).

St. Edith's church, Little Grimsby, stands amongst trees in the garden of the Hall.

Inside the church are monuments, hatchments and a stained glass window to Tom Winteringham MP, who lived in the Hall.

Mark Acton, 2008

The view of St Edith's from the south-east shows the pinnacles, probably dating from the eighteenth century.

April 2015

St Edith's is rendered and whitewashed, probably over a stone construction.

April 2015

This view of the west end of St Edith's nave shows the Perpendicular doorway and the bellcote above the gable.

April 2015

This date stone - of 1500 - is over the west door.

In the judgement of Pevsner the script and the Gothic quatrefoil date from the eighteenth century.

(The lettering reads 'St Edith')

April 2015

Little Grimsby St Edith from northwest.

This view shows the substantial buttresses to the west face of the building and the pronounced moulding above the door.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

Little Grimsby St Edith from east.

The tracery of the east window is timber.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

Little Grimsby St Edith from northeast.

There are no windows on the north facade of the building. The church is Grade II listed: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1063120?section=official-list-entry 

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

Looking east towards the sanctuary.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

Either side of the altar hangs an oak angel playing an instrument.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

A marble bust is supported on a scrolled bracket on the north wall of the chancel. The text below reads: In memory of/ Jemima Eleanora/ wife of/ Lord Frederick C. P./ Beauclerk./ This bust was made and erected/ by her affectionate son/ William Nelthorpe Beauclerk.

Lord F C P Beauclerk was 2nd son of the Duke of St Albans and Maria Janetta, only daughter of John Nelthorpe Esq. of Little Grimsby Hall. More can be learned about the family at: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Beauclerk-63

and at: https://landedfamilies.blogspot.com/2022/03/511-beauclerk-of-little-grimsby-hall.html 

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

This board hangs on the north wall of the chancel facing the Lord’s Prayer panel.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

The east window was made by David Sear of Lincolnshire Stained Glass Studio. Behind the altar cross is an inscription in the lower central pane of glass: In/ Loving/ Memory of/ Dawn Mountain/ 1921-1989

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

Hanging on the south wall of the chancel above the piscina, a delightful Lord’s Prayer complete with a grammatical error.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

These three memorial tablets are set into the buttress supporting the southeastern corner of the chancel.

The upper one reads: IN MEMORY OF/ MARIAN HELENA STRETTELL/ DIED 10TH MAY 1972/ GREATLY LOVED/ STILL ROUND THE CORNER THERE MAY WAIT/ A NEW ROAD OR A SECRET GATE/ AND THOUGH I OFT HAVE PASSED THEM BY/ A DAY WILL COME AT LAST WHEN I/ SHALL TAKE THE HIDDEN PATHS THAT RUN/ WEST OF THE MOON EAST OF THE SUN/ J R R TOLKIEN. 

The central: IN MEMORY OF/ PAMELA DIXON/ 20TH JAN 1921 – 30TH JUNE 1986./ LOVED BY ALL/ THE ROAD GOES EVER ON AND ON/  DOWN FROM THE DOOR WHERE IT BEGAN/ NOW FAR AHEAD THE ROAD HAS GONE/ AND I MUST FOLLOW, IF I CAN/ PURSUING IT WITH EAGER FEET,/ UNTIL IT JOINS SOME LARGER WAY/ WHERE MANY PATHS AND ERRANDS MEET/ AND WHITHER THEN? I CANNOT SAY/ J R R TOLKIEN.

The lower tablet: IN LOVING MEMORY OF/ DAWN MOUNTAIN/ 1921 – 1989/ WIFE OF JOHN MOUNTAIN/ MOTHER OF/ VANESSA, CHARLES AND JULIET.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

The piscina is a reset fluted Georgian font bowl.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

The kingpost roof of the chancel dates from 1777.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

Small fragments of late 14th century glass in the tracery of the two-light window in the chancel south wall. By 1989 the glass was in a very corroded state and still in its original leading. In that year the east window was reglazed and the opportunity taken to relead these mediaeval pieces. They are borders with stylized white and yellow stain foliage with a crown at the apex on a ruby and blue ground. They are probably in situ and part of the original Perpendicular church.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

The Nelthorpe family grave stands immediately west of the door of the church. The late 18th century urn and the two horizontal memorial slabs are listed Grade II:

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1147780?section=official-list-entry

Sadly the urn is no longer supported on the stem shown in the photo taken in 2002.

The two engraved slabs are included in the listing. The broken one reads: Here lieth the Body of/ GRIFFITH NELTHORPE/  who died the 3rd December 1754/ Aged 41 Years/ Also/ of/ MARY the Relict of the above/ GRIFFITH NELTHORPE ESQ/ She died Decr the 3rd 1790/ Aged 72 Years. 

The slab to the south of it reads: HERE/ lieth the Body of/ GRIFFITH NELTHORPE Son/ of GRIFFITH NELTHORPE Esq/ who departed this life January 13th/ 1760 Aged 7 Years/ Also the Body of/ MISS MAGDALINE NELTHORPE/ who died May 8th 1789/ Aged 4 ? Years/ Also MARY FRANCES/ Wife of Wm HORNBY/ and Daughter of/ GRIFFITH and MARY NELTHORPE/ who died June ? 1804 / Aged 67

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

Little Grimsby St Edith Nelthorpe urn.

The urn is described in the listing as having a stepped top, decorated with linen swags, wreaths and a band of acanthus leaves with paterae and domed top. On the east side is an oval cartouche bearing an inscription which reads: SACRED/ to the Memory of/ John Nelthorpe Esq/ who departed/ this life March 16/ 1784/ in the 44th Year/ of his Age. Historic photographs show that the urn was on a slender stem which is now missing, rather reducing the elegance of the design. 

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

This simple inscribed slab commemorates Tom and Margaret Wintringham, both of whom served - in succession - as Members of Parliament for Louth

They lived in Little Grimsby Hall, immediately behind the church.

September 2020

Little Grimsby St Edith looking east

The chancel has a kingpost roof dated 1777.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

Little Grimsby St Edith looking west

This view shows the position of the hatchments and commandment boards and that the nave has a queenpost roof.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

Little Grimsby St Edith Commandments 1-4

The Commandment boards hang either side of the west door.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

Little Grimsby St Edith Commandments 5-10.

The Commandment boards hang either side of the west door.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

Little Grimsby St Edith hatchment north wall.

This hatchment is undated but for a member of the Nelthorpe family. Their family shield is white (argent) with a central stripe (pale) of black (sable) bearing a  vertical sword. Above the shield an extended arm also holds a vertical sword. Resurgam means I shall rise again. See the hatchment for a member of the Nelthorpe family at Scawby St Hibald’s church.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

Little Grimsby St Edith hatchment on south wall.

This hatchment is undated but for a member of the Nelthorpe family. Their family shield is white (argent) with a central stripe (pale) of black (sable) bearing a  vertical sword. Above the shield an extended arm also holds a vertical sword. This is perhaps older than the one on the north wall since it also sports a skull and two sets of cross bones. See the hatchment for a member of the Nelthorpe family at Scawby St Hibald’s church.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

Little Grimsby St Edith Tom Wintringham plaque.

This plaque is mounted in the reveal of Tom Wintringham’s memorial window in the south wall of the nave, and was dedicated on the same occasion as the window, 28 January 1923. It reads:

IN LOVING/ MEMORY OF/ TOM WINTRINGHAM/ M.P./ OF LITTLE GRIMSBY HALL/ WHO PASSED AWAY/ SUDDENLY IN THE/ HOUSE OF COMMONS/ ON THE 8TH OF AUGUST/ 1921, AGED 53./ A TOKEN FROM HIS WIFE

Tom Wintringham was Liberal MP for Louth. At his death the local party asked his widow, Margaret to stand in the by-election which she won. Information on them both can be found at:

https://www.louthmuseum.org.uk/blog/2021-07-02-margaret-wintringham-mp 

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

This memorial relates to a Lancaster of 625 squadron from RAF Kelstern. It took off at 06.28 hours bound for a raid on Duisburg on the Rhine. Fully fuelled and with a full bomb load it posed a huge danger to the villages of the Lindsey marsh as the pilot struggled to get it airborne. Realising the task was hopeless he ordered all crew to eject and stayed at the controls to keep in the air until he had cleared Fotherby and Little Grimsby. The plane crashed in a field to the east of St Edith’s church killing the pilot. The bomb aimer’s parachute had failed to open. The two fatalities are buried in Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery. The crew were all Canadian apart from Robert Bennett. Darrel Paige was on a training flight.

The text reads: FROM THE VILLAGERS OF LITTLE GRIMSBY/ AND FOTHERBY IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE/ OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CREW OF/ "Q” QUEENIE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES TO SAVE THE VILLAGES/ ON 14th OCTOBER 1944/ LLOYD A. HANNAH (PILOT) GAVE HIS LIFE/ LLOYD A. BENNETT (BOMB AIMER) GAVE HIS LIFE/ DARREL R. PAIGE (PILOT 2)/ K. ROY STRACHAN (NAVIGATOR)/ KEN MCRORIE (W.OP.)/ ROBERT BENNETT (F/ENG)/ JOHN BILAN (M.U.G.)/ JACK LOUGHLAN (TAIL GUNNER)

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

The doorway is framed by a moulded square hood with human head dripstones.

Jean Howard 31 August 2024

Little Grimsby St Edith Wintringham window.

This window was dedicated on 28 January 1923. It was the gift of Mr James Henry Todd, wine merchant of Lewisham. He was a school friend of Tom Wintringham from the time they both attended Mill Hill School in north London, and his best man when he married Margaret. A report of the dedication ceremony says: The window is the work of Messrs Bell of London who also recently have placed some windows in Lincoln Cathedral.’ Perhaps this is Clayton & Bell?

Text in the bottom left hand corner reads: In Remembrance of/ Tom Wintringham./ J. H. Todd. And along the base is a quotation from Revelations Chapter XXI verse 1: And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. 

Jean Howard 31 August 2024