St Wilfrid, Alford

St Wilfrid’s is a Grade I parish church on Church Street, Alford, Lincolnshire, in the Diocese of Lincoln and the Alford Group of Churches.

Overview

Historic England lists a parish church of the mid fourteenth century, with fifteenth-century, c.1530 and seventeenth-century work, restored about 1867 by Sir George Gilbert Scott. The fabric is coursed and squared greenstone with limestone dressings and stone slate roofs. The plan comprises a western tower, nave, aisles plus an additional nineteenth-century north aisle, south porch with parvise, chancel and north chapel. The four-stage tower was rebuilt in 1525–35; part of the top stage and parapet are nineteenth-century. The early fourteenth-century chancel has reticulated windows, including a five-light east window, and a fourteenth-century low-side window on the south.

Lincolnshire Heritage Explorer records the present church on the site of an earlier building demolished about 1350, associated with William of Tothby, whose family founded the north chapel as a chantry in 1396. The parvise is thought to have been used with the grammar school founded by Francis Spanning in 1566. The chancel holds a large standing alabaster monument to Sir Robert Christopher (d.1668) and his wife, with original wrought-iron railings. Fourteenth-century stained glass foliage panels survive in the chancel and north chapel. The church is open daily from dawn to late afternoon, with level access throughout.

Further Information

• Historic England list entry 1063026
• Alford Group of Churches: St Wilfrid
• Lincolnshire Heritage Explorer MLI42536