Image ID: 41909

Exterior of St Peter's Church, Sibthorpe

St Peter's Church
Sibthorpe
Nottinghamshire
England

View from south east. In 1662 the aisles of this church seem to have been taken down, the northern arcade built up and two decorated windows with their tracery inserted in the arches. Of the southern arcade nothing is left, but a wall built further south to make a wider nave. The chancel is a fine specimen of the Decorated period. The east window is of five lights, the centre one being taller than the rest with a quatrefoil above it. There is also a north window and three fine south windows of three lights each. On the north side is an Easter Sepulchre, the painting of which is said to have been restored some years ago by Mrs. Miles of Bingham. The form of this sepulchre is especially interesting as being an example of transition from the many movable sepulchres of wood to those beautiful, wrought-stone examples of tomb and arched recess, which have been preserved to us at Hawton and Arnold in this county, and at Lincoln, Navenby and Heckington in the county of Lincoln. At Sibthorpe is to be found over an arched tomb an ogee-headed recess, on either side of which are two small panels with a Roman soldier in each, clad in chain mail, surcoates without sleeves, and bascinet-shaped helmet worn by the English infantry in the reigns of Edward the Second and Edward the Third, and triangular shields. Springing from two half-figures whose hands are joined in prayer, is a pediment above the ogee, with crockets and finial, and in the spandrels of this pediment is a figure of our Lord with His right hand uplifted in blessing, and His left hand carrying the cross, while at His feet, one on either side, are two adoring angels. The east window has its central light, now filled with stained glass, the apex-part depicting a pelican with her young, below which there is a picture of the Crucifixion, with S. John and S. Mary standing on either side of the cross; and in the lower compartment, the brazen serpent is represented as raised on the cross in the wilderness, and our Lord as teaching the lesson of S. John iii. 14. At the foot of this compartment is the following inscription:-'To the glory of God, and the memory of Richard de Sibthorpe, the good parson of Beckingham.' The south side of the sanctuary possesses two piscinas, the one to the west being below the east end of the sill of the south window, a portion of sill and walling above this second piscina being cut away to make the requisite room. Double piscinas are not infrequently to be met with, and perhaps point to the use of one for cleansing the hands of the priest and of the other for cleansing the sacred vessels. Another piscina may be noticed here on the outside of the present north wall of the church and towards the east end of the nave. On the north side of the chancel, now lying between the Decorated window and the present vestry door, is the alabaster tomb of Edward Burnell. The wrought effigy is life-size, and recumbent, with the head resting upon a large book, probably representing a Bible, and the hands are placed together in the attitude of prayer. The monument has the two following inscriptions;-'Edward Burnell gt, departed this present world the xix of december in the yeare of our lord 1589,' and 'Made anno dni 1590 by me Barbara Burnell, God grant us a joyful resurrection.' This Barbara was previously the third wife and the widow of Richard Whallaye, of Screveton, to whom she erected the alabaster tomb now under the tower of Screveton Church. Before the restoration of Sibthorpe Church, some fifty years ago, this Burnell monument blocked up the western portion of the founder's tomb, and Throsby speaks of the tomb as being in that position in his time. A drawing of it, so situated, has been published by the 'Anastatic Drawing Society.' The incised cross as now seen on the founder's tomb is modern. The font is dated 1662, and has also the letter W inscribed within a lozenge to the left of the date. The panel-work pattern on the bowl of the font is to be seen also at Scarrington Church, and fonts of the same type of ornament are to be found at Whatton and East Bridgford churches. The four bells were recast by Taylor, of Loughborough, in 1893. (www.nottshistory.org.uk)

Date: 03/1983

Organisation Reference: NCCS001647

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