BOURNE : THE ABBEY CHURCH
Church Post Code PE10 9LY
Open to visitors
It was a blustery day in January 2023 and a return visit to the Abbey church, Bourne. The church here, along with others along the A15 coming out of Peterborough and across the Lincolnshire border, have become favourites over the years. Bourne itself I have spent many pleasant afternoons in, during my pre church photography days; watching Bourne Town play in the United Counties League, before I was tempted off in a different, and much quieter direction!
Today was not a churchcrawl, with just the Abbey church visited, followed by an all day breakfast at the Ginger Fox tearoom. Not for the first time, my church photography and large amounts of food go hand in hand!
Bourne is a pleasant market town in South Kesteven, Lincolnshire, which had an estimated population of 16,780 in 2019. There is plenty of history here, with the Roman Road, King Street, running close by and the Carr Dyke, a Roman canal, goes through the town as it heads towards Peterborough.
There was a church and a priest mentioned here at the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086. There was half a church and a priest mentioned in the lands for one manor, with a further half a church mentioned in another manor, with each owned by Oger the Breton. A castle was built here in Norman times; being destroyed after being used by Cromwell’s forces in 1645.
Bourne Abbey was founded here in 1138, being the home to Arrouasian monks. This was an order of Augustinian monks; a rare order with only nine Arrouaisian houses in the whole of England. The abbey here was dissolved in 1536, but the building survived for worship as the nave had been used by the parish, possibly from the time of its foundation.
This early structure consisted of nave with aisles, south transept, and chancel with twin tower at the west end. It is suggested that that at one point plans were drawn up to rebuild this to a structure of cathedral like proportions. This never came to fruition though with a possible reason for this being the Black Death which decimated Europe in the mid 14th century.
There were alterations to the fabric of the building during the Middle Ages, with some rebuilding work completed using the existing stonework. The structure was reduced in size after the Abbey was dissolved, as can be seen at the west end. Little was done to the building though from 1536 until the early years of the 19th century; by which time the chancel was in disrepair; this being rebuilt in 1807.
In 1870 the west gallery was removed, with the north aisle extended and widened. At the same point, a vestry was added with an organ chamber being built at the eastern end of the north aisle. In 1890 the nave floor was lowered to its present level, with new roofs added a couple of years later.
The church that we see today consists of offset south west tower, nave with north and south aisles and clerestories, south porch, south transept, vestry and chancel.
The west front of this church is of great interest. There is blank arcading along this west face, with a outlines of a couple of interlocking larger arches; with it being suggested that the building extending westwards with these arcades leading to the monks living quarters and kitchen. Along this west side there would also have been a second tower, with one also at the North West end, which was never completed.
Looking at the church from the south, the south west tower is of four stages and is battlemented and pinnacled. It is evident that the lower stage and possibly the lower two stages, pre date the rest of the tower; with that being rebuilt during the 16th century. The church clock faces out from the south wall.
The south porch is battlemented, with an empty and much weathered niche to the east of the door. The porch itself is not used, with entry to the church from a door at the north end of the west front.
There is a sundial, without date, painted above the window on the south transept. Weathered gargoyles look out from the south, including one with one hand to mouth and the other to ear; perhaps a call to hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.
There are six bells hanging here, with all six bells being cast originally by Peterborough founder Henry Penn in 1729. As historical items these six were of particular interest as they were the final bells ever cast by Penn before he died. Four of these bells were re-cast, three by Gillet and Johnson in 1926 and one by Mears and Stainbank in 1905.
Prior to the recasting, the original inscriptions were as follows. The first bell of the six was inscribed 'William Dodd Vicar. The second had the Latin inscription 'LAUDO DEUM VENUM' (I praise the true God), the third being inscribed 'ET CLAMOR AD COELOS' (and cry to the heavens). The fourth bell had on it 'UT MUNDUS SIC NOS NUNC LAETITIAM NUNC DOLOREM' (look how elegantly we rejoice and express pain). Bell five read 'PLEBEM VOCO CONGREGO CLERUM' (I summon the people I call together the clergy). The final bell had the Latin 'DEFUNCTOS PLANGO VIVOS MONEO' (I toll for the dead the living I remind), with this latter bell also having the names John Hardwicke, Lyon Falkner and James Ley, the church wardens of the day inscribed on it.
Moving inside, entering through a small door at the north end of the west end, the visitor walks though some blind arcades and finely carved arches, where the church here back in time would have extended out to the west. When entering through this door, the visitors will be under where the north west tower previously stood.
This is an impressive interior, bright and welcoming with four bay arcades to north and south with huge circular piers with scalloped capitals. An impressive interior as befits its past Abbey status. The wide north aisle has a small alter at its eastern end, with two arches leading in to an organ chamber.
The south aisle ends in a chapel, with altar set out. There is no window at the east end; rather a painting of the Last Supper. There is an ancient piscina on the south wall; oak panelling stretches the width of this chapel, with a curtain surrounding the altar on three sides.
The rebuilt chancel is wide and spacious. The east wall has blank arcading, with the arcading behind the altar being filled in with colour. There are no sedilia, piscina or aumbry, but I am sure that there would have been prior to the rebuilding. A memorial to one Catherine Digby on the south wall depicts a putto in mourning, carrying a downturned torch which symbolises death and mourning.
There is plenty of stained glass here. The east window is of five lights and has the crucifixion at the centre; a roundel containing the Agnus Dei, the Lamb of God below. This is flanked by the four Gospel writers. John is depicted far left, holding a goblet out of which rises a serpent. This is not Biblical but concerns a biography written about John which states that whilst in Ephesus, John was given poisoned wine. He prayed over the win and the poison came up in the form of a serpent.
There is a depiction of the ascension on the south wall of the chancel, with the sun casting multi coloured shadows on to an eighteenth century wall monument on the north wall. Also on the north wall of the chancel is the resurrection; the risen Christ emerges from the tomb, with Roman soldiers in a state of confusion. An angel is shown moving the tomb lid to one side.
On the east end of the south wall of the nave we have the risen Christ central; crowned as King of Heaven and wearing a blood red cloak and nimbus. He is flanked by Peter and Paul, with each portrayed as we would expect; each with receding hairline with Peter holding the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, Paul carrying a downturned sword.
There is plenty of stained glass here. The east window is of five lights and has the crucifixion at the centre; a roundel containing the Agnus Dei, the Lamb of God below. This is flanked by the four Gospel writers. John is depicted far left, holding a goblet out of which rises a serpent. This is not Biblical but concerns a biography written about John which states that whilst in Ephesus, John was given poisoned wine. He prayed over the win and the poison came up in the form of a serpent.
There is a depiction of the ascension on the south wall of the chancel, with the sun casting multi coloured shadows on to an eighteenth century wall monument on the north wall. Also on the north wall of the chancel is the resurrection; the risen Christ emerges from the tomb, with Roman soldiers in a state of confusion. An angel is shown moving the tomb lid to one side.
On the east end of the south wall of the nave we have the risen Christ central; crowned as King of Heaven and wearing a blood red cloak and nimbus. He is flanked by Peter and Paul, with each portrayed as we would expect; each with receding hairline with Peter holding the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, Paul carrying a downturned sword.
The west wall of the nave also has stained glass in its three lights, with an interesting selection of scenes. We have the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, the parable of the talents, separating the sheep from the goats, and one that I am not totally sure of. We have one young man busy at work sowing seed whilst another man is dozing in the foreground. My gut reaction is the sower and the seed but I am not sure where the sleeping man comes in to things.
There is also an illustration of the disciples fishing nets straining under the weight of the catch after they had previously fished all night for nothing. At the top we have Christ in majesty central with St Michael close by holding a set of scales. At the second coming of Christ the souls of the dead will be weighed with the righteous going off to Heaven.
The church grounds stretch away to the south. Nothing in the church grounds is listed but there is much of interest. The oldest readable stone that I could see was to one Robert Hardwicke who passed away in 1663. There is no mention of how old he was, but fascinating to think that this man could have lived through the time of the English Civil War.
A finely crafted stone to Mary Richardson, who died in 1789 has the following epitaph, reminding the onlooker of the fragile nature of human life ‘Farewell my husband and children dear, I am not dead but now lie sleeping here, now as I am so you must be, so pray prepare to follow me’.
One interesting Georgian stone features a grieving widow who leans against her husband’s urn. This is rich in symbolism, with Christian symbols of cross, scallop shell and anchor all present. Wrapped around the cross is an ouroboros, a serpent with its tail in its mouth, which was an often used symbol for eternity. Off to one side are crossed human bones, a symbol of mortality, and the book of life, in which the deeds of the deceased are recorded.
For me though, the highlight here is a stone, which looks to be 17th century. This has a carving on it which depicts Numbers Chapter 21 verses 5 – 9.
This tells of the moment when Moses saves his people from the snakes sent by God as punishment for their lack of faith. The bronze serpent on a rod, symbolises salvation with anyone looking to this serpent being saved.
An angel in flight blowing a trumpet symbolises salvation and two downturned torches on the end of a chest tomb symbolises mourning.
This is a fascinating church which is well worth taking a look at if you are around. The church is set close to the main road which runs through the town; inside though all is quiet and peaceful. An ideal place to sit and rest! It was time to move on, not too far though,; just as far as the Ginger Fox where my nourishing and wholesome all day breakfast awaited! The church here is usually open to visitors; and if you are in the area then it might be worth noting that the nearby churches at Morton, Market Deeping and Deeping St James are each also normally open.