St Martin's Church

The building originates from the 10th century, with additions and alterations carried out in the 11th and 13th centuries. It was restored in 1861 by James Fowler of Louth, for the Haigh family, local landowners. By the time it was vested in the Churches Conservation Trust in the 2000s, the building was in a state of decay and it had been vandalised. Some of the bell openings were near to collapse. The site was overgrown and the interior contained debris and bat guano. Repairs started in October 2005 and cost nearly £350,000.

The nave is separated from the aisles by two-bay arcades. The walls of the aisles and nave consist of bands of red brick and ashlar stone. Around the tops of the walls are tiles containing texts. The tower arches are round-headed. In the south wall of the tower is a marble plaque recording the restoration of the church in 1861. Around the chancel apse is blind arcading consisting of marble shafts and limestone arches with decorated capitals, rising from a string course. The reredos, chancel floor and chancel walls are covered with elaborately decorated Minton tiles. Some of the stained glass is by Ward and Hughes, and the rest is by Powell. The fittings date from the 1861 restoration and…