Church

St John the Baptist Church at Alkborough dates back many years. Earliest records show that there was a Church here in 1052 and the Tower is of typical Saxon design. The architecture of the Church shows there have been many changes to the building throughout its long history.

Local legend tells how three of the four knights who murdered Thomas-a-Beckett in Canterbury Cathedral took refuge here and as a penance, did much to restore this building.

As you enter the porch you will see a copy of the medieval maze set in concrete in the floor and on entering the Church proper you see the font on your left, set on its modern base, this dates back to Norman times. (see the font below)

Looking ahead on the far wall are two frames giving details of the vicars of our parish since the year 1220, before this time the monks of the priory of Spalding serviced this place of worship, and before them, monks of the Abbey of Peterborough looked after the folk living here.

The monks also had at Walcot, a Chapel of Easement and a Leper colony.

Immediately on your left as you enter the Church is an ancient Holy water stoop, thrown out of the Church during the reign of Henry VIII this was restored some years later to its present position.

The photograph above shows the nave looking back from the choir stalls, and in particular the Saxon archway leading to the tower. The nave was enlarged and the arches built in around the year 1200 with stone imported from the great stone quarries near Caan, Northern France.

Under a capping stone set in the floor near the tower entrance, those with a strong arm will find what is believed to be a stone of Romano/British origin as shown in the photograph on the right. The floor was lowered and

re-paved with pews being installed in the Nineteenth Century.

The oak Reredos behind the Altar was hand made by the famous “Mousey Thomson” of Kilburn. His signature mouse can be seen on the right hand upright.

The Reredos was placed in the church as a memorial in the early 1920’s