Geograph - photograph every grid square

Originally, two churches existed in Middle Rasen resulting from disputes which had arisen between an Abbot and a Prior. They were separately dedicated to St Peter and St Paul. Drax Priory, in Yorkshire, was responsible for St Paul’s church whilst the present church, initially dedicated to St Peter, was built by the inmates of Tupholme Abbey. Centuries later, both churches having fallen into an extreme state of disrepair, St Peter’s church was largely restored with materials derived from the redundant church of St Paul.
The tower is built in three stages, divided by freestone string courses, and has an embattled parapet and four angle pinnacles with, initially, a gargoyle beneath each of them. The buttresses on the western angles were added to give strength at the time of the church’s restoration. The tower was also strengthened with iron tie rods with cross plates just below each of the two floors. The two lower stages are plain except for an undecorated doorway on the west side and small Norman slit windows in the south and west of the second stage. The arch into the nave of the church is indicative of the true age of the lower sections of the tower. The third, or bell stage, has a two-light window with four-centred arch, in each side. The east side of the tower shows the pitch of the earlier roof.
Following the restoration of the church the lofty Perpendicular windows of the 15th century in the nave and chancel, together with the embattled parapets and the heightened and pinnacled tower, all tend to give an overall impression of a church of that period rather than its true 12th century origin.
The church now consists of a nave and chancel which are embattled and pinnacle on the south side, north aisle, south porch and an embattled and pinnacle tower. It is built of the local brown ironstone from Walesby, with limestone weatherings. The original Norman church is much in evidence; the south doorway, the chancel arch and the lower sections of the tower in particular. The south entrance door is a splendid example of Norman work being one of the most impressive Norman doorways in the country.
The chancel arch is unexpectedly high, the responds of which have their ornamental fluted capitals; and some outstanding circular, beaded and scalloped medallions (paterae), with a simple round recess as the hub, are set into the quoin stones. The arch itself is pointed and usually considered as later, although the pointed arch was used in Durham Cathedral as early as 1130 and was in general use by the end of the century.
The north arcade is of about 1200, and consists of three bays with heavily moulded pointed arches set on massive circular pillars.

Info taken from leaflet in church.

Created: Thu, 29 Dec 2011, Updated: Thu, 29 Dec 2011