Church

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PCC All Saints Church annual Parish meeting report 2011-2012 Jane Thompson.

There were three weddings, no baptisms, and five funerals held in the church in 2011.
Due to the timing the autumn quiz was not held last year or the carol singing due to the weather. We hope that both events will occur this year. The annual spring lunch was held and was a sell out with over £400 being raised for the church funds.

The church remains open every day and is kept clean and well decorated. Thanks to all the villagers who open and lock the church and to the cleaners and flower arrangers many of whom are not regular worshippers but who support the church as part of village life.

The bells are rung regularly for services. There is now a full team of bell ringers from the village including six newer members who are being coached by Mark.

Peter Singleton, a reader for eleven years retired and left the village. A party was held and a presentation made to Peter and his wife Linda.

The historic church bike ride was held again and Mike Headland rode on behalf of All Saints the church provided refreshments through out the day.

The promise programme was a great success and the target was nearly reached being just £200 short of the target.
The new notice board should be in place in the next few weeks hopefully by the Jubilee weekend.

The Alter kneelers are becoming very worn and the Granby and Sutton WI have offered as part of their 70th celebrations to provide a new set. The work is being led by Rosemary Cranswick who is developing a design sympathetic to the interior of the church.

There are a number of entries in the visitor’s book from all over the world.

The boiler need some attention this year and will need to be replaced in the near future.

The replacement Chalis and Paton were obtained and dedicated during the year.

A large print hymn book and ramp have been provided to meet the needs of people visiting the church. Peter Singleton donated a number of lanterns to light the path for Christmas services in the church.

All Saints Church Bell Ringers – Mr M Tubbs.

I am delighted to be able to report that the Granby Band has grown both in numbers, and in terms of skills, since my last report.

There are now nine ringers, four of whom have been ringing for about a year or less, and two others have returned to bell ringing after periods of absence. We are, therefore, very much a Band of Learners – and I am grateful to Mr. Preece for effecting repairs to broken stays.

As anybody living near to the Tower will know, we are now ringing regularly half an hour before Sunday Worship, and practicing on a Thursday evening from 7.30 to 9.00. Once a month, our Thursday practice is moved to Langar, but I am sorry to say that some planned repair work there will mean that it will not be possible for us to go for some coming months. The patience and forbearance of those within listening distance is much appreciated.

I am particularly delighted that we will be ringing for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on Sunday June 3^rd, before the special Songs of Praise. I hope that the Band will feel sufficiently confident to have the door open for observation.

I am also hoping that I will be able to participate in a Quarter Peal in June, to be rung as part of the 50^th anniversary celebrations of the Bingham District of the Nottingham & Southwell Diocesan Guild.

Any newcomers, young or adult, will be made most welcome.

PCC AllHistory of All Saints Church.

Researched by Brenda Preece. Photos from the Len Watson collection

Domesday records show that a church was built by William D’Ayencourt before the Norman conquest. The records also mention a second church at Sutton, St. Etnelburga’s but this has long since diappeared. The probable date of the foundation is roughly 1150 A.D. although the first mention on the list of incumbents is William Punch 1253 A.D.

In 1155 Ralph D’Ayencourt founded the Priory of Thurgaton and gave to the Prior the livings of Granby and several other Vale of Belvoir churches. At the dissolution of the monasteries the patronage passed from the Prior to Queen mary and King Philip of Spain, then to Queen Elisabeth who gave it to John Manners, founder of the Ducal Rutland line. In 1888 the church was restored at a cost of £1,400. See photo

The Tower

Walls of immense thickness suggest the tower may have been used as a stronghold and it is probably the oldest part of the building. In 1777 the tower (see the framed picture on the nave wall) was either removed or struck by lightning. Ornamentation was salvaged anr reconstructed but only roughly five feet of the original tower remains. Two bells remained, the others possibly being melted down at the time of the civil war.

A new clock was added in the millenium year 2000 with its face on the west side and a hammer strike was added in 2005. After the Second World War the tower and the bells were found to be unsafe resulting in a complete reconstruction in 1950 by Meesers Bowman of Stamford at a cost of £1,037.

In 1953 a ring of five bells were re-hung by Gillet & Johnston of Croyden, a sixth bell being added later (see photo). The tower was screened by old oak from a ceiling at Rufford Abbey. There was an english doorway in the tower which, it is said, the Incumbent blocked up tp stop the ringers slipping away from church.

Nave

The original studded door remains. The ancient font was turned upside down to form the base of a newer stone font. the north side of the nave seems to be leaning out although it appears vertical on the outside. It is possible that this was done to strengthen the foundations.

In pre-Reformation times there was a north aisle dedicated to St. Nicholas with three altars and a rood screen. This was pulled down around 1770 due to its dilapidated condition.

Windows

On the north side there are two early english windows with a carved stone head above each one. There is a stones buss on each arch, grotesque face. On the south side there is one Lancet and one perpendicular window.

Benches

The 15th Century poppyheads were probably carved about 1440. They consist of:

North side: pair of angels; pair of male figures; mermaid and merman; birds; conventional; conventional; country woman

South side: Pair of angels; conventional; animals with shield; pair of angels; grotesque faces; faces in foliage; conventional

The pulpit is Jacobean, dated 1629

Chancel

The south side windows are of the Transitional period. The doorway is Stuart with a gravestone forming the lintel. There are three Aumbries, one with wooden doors. There is an ancient oak table formerly used as an altar and a cross from the Flanders battlefield (see below). There is said to be a stone bee on the chancel above the Incumbent’s chair.

The Queen Anne altar rails have gravestones in front, one of which is inscripted as Abigail Frost, sister of Thomas Seekes, Archbishop of Canterbury. The Reredos are from Rufford Abbey. The tiles in the sanctuary are english and mediaeval and have a Fleur de Lyse patter.

The original east window was built of 16th century terra cotta. The diamond pattern windows were installed later and can still be seen but the present day stained glass window was designed and installed by Michael Stokes of Edwinstowe in 2002.

In 2009 the rooves of the chancel and the nave was replaced with Cumbrian slate along with other reconstructive masonry work. This work was supported by a grant from English Heritage.