Essendine

The village church at Essendine, eight miles south west of Bourne, is tucked away off the A6121 and is easily missed for it is accessible only by a track. In autumn, the surrounding countryside becomes a riot of golden colours as the trees start to lose their leaves and it was this wonderful sight that prompted us to stop and taker a closer look at this tiny building, dedicated to St Mary Magdalene. 

The church dates back to Norman times and may have been the chapel of a castle that once stood nearby because traces of the moat and earthen fortifications survive. The door is Early English and the carvings above it are likely to have come from the castle itself (pity about the doormat, though) and as the church has no tower or timber turret, two bells are hung in an open bell-cote at the west end of the building. 

The building is particularly vulnerable during periods of heavy rain because it is surrounded by waterways and there is a large underground aquifer nearby. Severe flooding damaged the church during the spring of 1998 and floodwater seeped into the building to a depth of thirty inches, destroying hymn and prayer books and lifting the wooden block floor. Restoration work was carried out and a new tile floor laid and the church was reopened for services in November but a water mark can still be seen halfway up the stone font as a reminder of the incident.

In February 2013, fast work by villagers prevented further costly damage to the church during flooding in the locality. The danger was caused by heavy rain and melting snow but a passing dog walker noticed the water rising around the church and raised the alarm. Nearby residents who rushed to help removed the carpets, kneelers and soft furnishings before sealing the front and back doors with sandbags and bales of straw to prevent the water getting in. Some water did penetrate from beneath the church and the pews were lifted on to wooden blocks to prevent damage which was kept to a minimum.

PHOTO GALLERY

The village church with its ancient doorway (top), flooding in February 2013 (below) and the village hall (bottom).

REVISED FEBRUARY 2013