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Lincolnshire HER

Name:Former Chapel of St Mary, Holdingham
HER Number:MLI60400
Type of record:Monument

Summary

Site of the former medieval Chapel of St Mary, Holdingham. Thought to have been demolished c.1554.

Grid Reference:TF 057 471
Map Sheet:TF04NE
Parish:SLEAFORD, NORTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE
Holdingham, North Kesteven, Lincolnshire

Full description

A small chapel dedicated to St Mary existed on or near this site. It is known to have been present by at least 1340, but had become ruinous by 1550. {1}{2}{3}{4}

Trollope writes of the medieval Chapel of St Mary at Holdingham, saying that it was still present in the 16th century. It stood in the small pasture close, bounded on the east and north by the Lincoln and Newark Roads. From an examination of this site he estimated the chapel to have been roughly 70ft long and 30ft wide. The 1st edition 6" Ordnance Survey County Series map places the site of the former chapel within a small enclosure or close, at grid reference TF 0571 4718 (as is currently recorded by this HER record). Trollope's description of this location may indicate a site a little further to the north, however, closer to the former junction of Lincoln Road and Newark Road, at grid reference TF 0577 4732. The exact location of the chapel therefore remains uncertain, although the location given by the OS is thought to be the more likely. Trollope mentions a medieval cross as having formerly stood in front of the Chapel of St Mary, by the road side (see MLI91290). {5}{6}

Trollope also claims that the chapel still existed in the mid 17th century, stating that Holles visited it in 1640 and noted four armorial bearings painted on its windows. This is incorrect, however, and Trollope is mistakenly describing the details from Holles' visit to the Church of St Denys in Sleaford (see MLI82716). {7}{8}

The chapel is thought to have been demolished by Robert Carre of Sleaford in c.1554. Correspondence from Sir William Cecil (dated to this year and held in the Thynne archive) speaks of a 'compleynt that he [Robert Carre] should plucke downe a certen chappell at Sleford called Haldingham without any authoritie'. {9}

A similar complaint against Robert Carre for demolishing the chapel is detailed in document of c.1558, held in the records of the Court of the Star Chamber. {10}

The small enclosure which the OS map marks as the site of the former chapel is named as 'Chapel Close' on an earlier map of this area drawn by John Fillingham in 1766. The name would support this as being the correct site of the former chapel. {11}{12}


<1> Ordnance Survey, Sleaford O.S. cards, TF 04 NE: 4 (Index). SLI2726.

<2> Sleaford SMR cards, TF 04 NE: CL (Index). SLI3265.

<3> William White, 1856, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire (Second Edition), p.438 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI886.

<4> Dorothy M. Owen, 1975, 'Medieval Chapels in Lincolnshire' in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, vol.10, p.20 (Article in Serial). SLI737.

<5> Rev. Edward Trollope, 1872, Sleaford and the Wapentakes of Flaxwell and Aswardhurn in the County of Lincoln, p.181 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI920.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1883-1888, 6 Inch County Series Map - First Edition, TF 04 NE (Map). SLI9454.

<7> R.E.G. Cole, 1911, Lincolnshire Church Notes made by Gervase Holles 1634 to 1642, pp.213-4 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI14662.

<8> Bennet, Mark, 2014-15, Verbal Communication from Mark Bennet of the Lincolnshire HER, 29/08/2014 (Verbal Communication). SLI14486.

<9> Sir John Thynne, General Correspondence of Sir John Thynne, TH/VOL/II.17 (Unpublished Document). SLI17324.

<10> The National Archives, Document Held by The National Archives, STAC 4/3/8 (Unpublished Document). SLI17325.

<11> Lincolnshire Archives, Document Held by the Lincolnshire Archives, HOSF/2/C (Unpublished Document). SLI4514.

<12> Simon Pawley, 1990, Sleaford and the Slea, p.8 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI11124.

Monument Types

  • CHAPEL (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1554 AD?)

Sources and further reading

<1>Index: Ordnance Survey. Sleaford O.S. cards. SLEAFORD. TF 04 NE: 4.
<2>Index: Sleaford SMR cards. SLEAFORD. TF 04 NE: CL.
<3>Bibliographic Reference: William White. 1856. History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire (Second Edition). p.438.
<4>Article in Serial: Dorothy M. Owen. 1975. 'Medieval Chapels in Lincolnshire' in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology. vol.10, p.20.
<5>Bibliographic Reference: Rev. Edward Trollope. 1872. Sleaford and the Wapentakes of Flaxwell and Aswardhurn in the County of Lincoln. p.181.
<6>Map: Ordnance Survey. 1883-1888. 6 Inch County Series Map - First Edition. 1:10560. TF 04 NE.
<7>Bibliographic Reference: R.E.G. Cole. 1911. Lincolnshire Church Notes made by Gervase Holles 1634 to 1642. pp.213-4.
<8>Verbal Communication: Bennet, Mark. 2014-15. Verbal Communication from Mark Bennet of the Lincolnshire HER. 29/08/2014.
<9>Unpublished Document: Sir John Thynne. General Correspondence of Sir John Thynne. TH/VOL/II.17.
<10>Unpublished Document: The National Archives. Document Held by The National Archives. STAC 4/3/8.
<11>Unpublished Document: Lincolnshire Archives. Document Held by the Lincolnshire Archives. HOSF/2/C.
<12>Bibliographic Reference: Simon Pawley. 1990. Sleaford and the Slea. p.8.

Related records

MLI91290Related to: Former Medieval Cross, Chapel of St Mary, Holdingham (Monument)