ST ANDREW'S CHURCH, HELPRINGHAM

"As the pleasant village of Helpringham is approached, the outstanding focal point is the Parish Church. Enter the village from the westerly direction and the church tower and spire will be seen in their majestic splendour."

THE DOMESDAY BOOK

Five followers of the Conqueror who were rewarded with land in HELPERICHAM are mentioned in the Domesday Book. Among them is Geoffry of Cambrai.

"In Helpericham Azor had one church, to which belonged four oxgangs of land and four acres of meadow. Geoffry has it and it belongs to Deeping."

(An oxgang was as much land as an ox could plough in a year - variously stated from six to ten acres but generally reckoned as about twenty acres.)

THIRTEENTH CENTURY CHANCEL

Azor's church disappeared long ago. The earliest part of the present church is the Chancel. The trefoil-headed sedillia and piscinia are indicative of 13^th century craftsmanship. It is believed that the church had then only simple Nave and Chancel. The roof marks of the old Nave are still above the Chancel Arch

FOURTEENTH CENTURY

The first half of the fourteenth century was a great church building period in the area. As the local villages now vie with each other for supremacy in sporting activities, so at that time they strove not to be outdone in the improvement of their respective churches.

The people of Helpringham replaced the old Nave of their church with the present magnificent structure of Aisles and a Tower, adding the Celestory and Spire during the following century. The noticeable difference in the stonework inside the Nave may be due to using stones from the old church.

THE NAVE

The Tower opens to the Nave and Aisles with three great pointed arches. The structure of the Nave Arch is best seen from the Chancel step. The Arches on each side of the Nave rest on Clustered Columns. The Columns are adorned with carved heads, among them a bishop and a king.

The Nave was reroofed in the mid 1890's. A decision to rebuild the South Porch at that time ended in re-roofing only.

The diamond-shaped cutting of a single stone, forms a light in the Rood Turret.

THE FONT

The Font is late 12^th or 13^th Century. The corner pillars are badly damaged. Three sides of the Font have blank pointed arcading and on the fourth side there is what some believe to be a rough carving of the Holy Lamb. Others translate the carvings as a tree, bird and quadruped - indicating the Tree of Life.

PEWS AND PULPIT

The pews in the Centre Aisle are 16^th - 17th^th Century and were hand-made. The ends have ogee tops crowned with knobs of various forms.
The simple oak pulpit is 15^th Century

CHILDREN'S CORNER CARVING

Under the South window of the Children's Corner there is a stone fragment with Norman carving. This is thought to be part of the market or churchyard cross. There is also a carved fragment in the chapel of St. Hugh that may be part of the capitals carrying the original Rood Loft

THE SCREEN

The present Screen, with its seven traceried arches, may have been the Parclose Screen of one of the Side Chapels. It is typical East Anglian pattern, date about 1500.
The original Screen had a Rood Loft indicated by the stair, door and aperture for supports. According to the record of English Church Furniture and Decorations, AD1566, Helpringham had;

"One Rood with Mary and John defaced. William Wetherall and John Goulding Church-wardens then."
"Rood Loft pulled down and part sold to Robert Farrow and other part burned."

(Does the 'other part' refer to the original screen?)

A drawing in 1869 showed the screen fitted with Gates. A report of a visitation dated 14^th July 1834 states that

"The head of the Arch over the Screen is blocked up with the King's Arms, Commandments, etc. At the West End of the Nave is a Gallery(D) of oak in the modern style but handsome of its kind, for the singers."

These items no longer exist.

THE HIGH ALTAR

The High Altar, of recent design, has a Decorative Front. This is at present covered by an appropriately covered Frontal, except during the Penitential Seasons of Advent and Lent. The Decoration combines two ideas, symbolised heraldically.
First, the Altar as a meeting point between earth and heaven has at its base a dark blue line with with a wavy top. This represents the waters under the earth. Next, a light blue wavy line carrying a white line. These together stand for the waters of the earth (rivers, - the sea with its white foam), the green for the good earth itself. Looking at the top we see a blue and white line intermixed. This symbolises the white and blue of cloud and sky.

ST ANDREW

The other idea is the history of the Church in Helpringham. The centre panel depicts St. Andrew, the patron Saint, in a fisherman's boat. The boat has a swinging light on the prow, thus identifying it with the Church. ('Nave' comes from 'Navem', meaning a boat). So here we have a symbol of the church shedding light onto the world and as being within which we ride the troublesome waves and storms of life. The sail on the boat bears the cross of St. Andrew. Below is the shield of the Holy Trinity - (three fishes in an everlasting circle). The panel on the extreme left carries the Arms of the Diocese of Lincoln, and on the extreme right the Arms of the Province of Canterbury, to both of which we at Helpringham belong. The remaining two panels bear in the middle the lilies of Lincoln and Canterbury supported by botanical symbols of the British Isles.

THE CROSS

The cross was presented in memory of Mr John Robinson, a regular worshipper for many years.

THE LADY CHAPELS

The Lady Chapels have been recently restored; the chapel in the North Aisle in memory of Mr Robert Knowles Watts. The Altar in the Chapel is a reproduction of a type much used in medieval churches. The Housling Benches are copies of the type used in pre-Reformation days. The figure of St. Hugh, who ably ruled the Diocese of Lincoln from 1186 - 1200 AD, stands on a 15^th century grotesque bracket. The inside panels of the Reredos have been executed on the Old English Medieval Style probably adopted by the monks of the Middle Ages from the Egyptians, and this is probably one of the oldest forms of colouring and craftsmanship.

MEMORIAL CHAPEL

The Memorial Chapel in the South Aisle was furnished in memory of those who gave their lives in World War II. Relatives donated inscribed items. The remainder was provided by village subscriptions. A tablet on the wall commemorates villagers who gave their lives in World War I.

THE WINDOWS

The East Window, with its dominant message of Faith, Hope and Charity is a memorial to Thomas Widdowson and his sons Thomas George and John William. The Widdowsons took an active part in the life of the Church and the Parish during the latter half of the last (19^th) century.

The theme of the memorial window in the North Aisle Lady Chapel is 'Lo I am with you always.' In the lower part of the centre light the Chalice and Host is seen enclosed within a vine. Nearby is a sheaf of corn representative of the True Vine and the Bread of Life. These stand within the landscape of Thorpe Latimer containing the house in which Robert Knowles Watts lived, the white rose, his favourite flower, and the buttercups and daisies of Helpringham fields.

The window on the North Side has for its theme 'One Generation shall praise Thy works to another.' In the centre light St. Luke is depicted in accordance with an ancient tradition, painting the picture of the Mother of our Lord, who sits beneath a Fountain, the emblem of her Purity. Near her are irises, and behind three trees pointing to Heaven. Enclosing the fountain are a wall and a hedge, symbols of the protecting care of Motherhood and steps leading to a house, emblem of Home, Life and Family. The scene thus set is an actual reproduction of the garden of Cecil Robinson at Quadring, whose memory, with that of his friend Tom Arthur White, this window perpetuates.

Mr Robinson also donated three more windows. The South East Window carries the message of the Annunciation and the window in the South Wall of the Memorial Chapel primarily illustrates the Seven Sacraments. The lower left and right hand panels are reminders of the Harvest Natural and Spiritual. The Rural scene in the left hand panel shows Heckington Mill and the house in Chapel Lane, Helpringham, in which Mr EE Robinson at one time lived.

The memorial window in the Children's Corner shows St. Faith and St. Edward, the boy and girl martyrs, with St. Christopher as the central figure. Immediately below are scenes of the Nativity, the Flight into Egypt and the Boy in the Temple. Below these are pictures of our village, methods of travel and parts of our Church. The window invites us to remember Joseph and Fanny Taylor and also George Martin, a faithful verger for 30 years.

The window in the West Tower depicts three men of strong conviction and faith in their several ages - St. Laurence, the Venerable Bede and Robert Grosseteste. It is a memorial to Athelstan Lawrie Riley, sometime patron of the Benefice.

PLATES, TABLETS AND MEMORIALS

An ancient brass plate in the Sanctuary states that

"Anthony Newlove the elder, patron of the Vicaridge of Helpringham departed this world y fifth daye of October 1597"

Boaz Baxter served in the various offices of Churchwarden, Overseer of the Poor, Overseer of the Highways and finally as Constable during the period 1760 - 1792. There is a marble tablet commemorating Baxter, his wife and seven children. It may well be that stones with the initial B, forming a part of the Sanctuary Floor, are associated with this family.

The brass plate above the Altar Rails is a reminder that we owe the present state of good repair of the Chancel to the family of Felix Tomlinson who was responsible for carrying out a thorough and complete repair in 1891.

John Springthorpe, an officer of the Parish for many years has his name inscribed on the treble bell (1788). A tablet on the South Wall of the Chancel reveals that three Springthorpe sons died during 1740 whilst his wife Constance died the following year.

The record of the Allen family is even more tragic, as the memorial tablet records that three sons died within little more than a month.

There are flatstones bearing the name of members of the Cawdron family, onetime Patrons of Great Hale, and also of John Miller, who in his time served as Constable, Poor Officer and Surveyor of the Highways.
Robert Cawdron left by will in 1633

"forty shillings a year out of the tithes of Little Hale to the Vicar of Helpringham for ever a sermon to be preached on the anniversary of his death."

We know when the payment of these tithes ceased, but it is not on record when the annual sermon was discontinued.

On the wall of the North Aisle there are tablets perpuating the memory of the Reverend Thomas Mitcheson and members of his family. Mr Mitcheson was Vicar of the Parish for 37 years.

The brass lectern is a memorial to Mr Erasmus Tomlinson.

The Forster and Andrew Two Manual Organ was presented in 1902 by the organist at that time, Mr GR Lee. During the 1950's and electric blower replaced the hand pump. The organ has tracker action to the manuals, pneumatic action to the pedals, 17 speaking stops and 3 couplers.
In 2001 it had major reconditioning work completed.

Emily Loggan presented the Altar Cross in the Children's Corner in 1878, "in humble gratitude to Almighty God for innumerable undeserved mercies received."

The work of ancient craftsmen is evident, but the work done by local craftsmen is worthy of its setting.

LOCAL CRAFTSMEN

Oak panelling in the Sanctuary matching the panels in the organ was erected by Cecil Robinson in 1940: the Rood Figure was carved by Felix Tomlinson: in 1942 the large wooden candlesticks in front of the Altar were made by Cecil Robinson in memory of Mr T Hill: the bookcase: the table in the Children's Corner: were all made by our village craftsmen. The most recent addition made by local enthusiasts is the embroidered cushion in the Bishop's Chair and thirty-six embroidered kneelers. The wrought iron hinges on the Aumbry Doors in the Lady Chapels are Lincolnshire made.

BELLS

There are five bells hung in the belfry. All the bells have inscriptions on them; the details are as follows:

The oldest bell bears the stamp of Francis Watts, Leicester bell founder, date 1600. The bells were re-hung in 1878, and again in modern fittings, in 1946. Much publicity has been given to the entry in an old registry telling of the fall of the great bell at the time of ringing on 24^th June 1610.

SPIRE DAMAGED

The spire was damaged by lightning on 5^th May 1854 and when bombs were dropped on the village on 4^th August 1942.
In 1920 there was a fire in the clock chamber.

DESIGNER'S MISTAKE!

At the end of the 19^th century an examining architect noted that the Clerestory Windows are spaced with regard to the outside of the building. He concluded,

"In this matter the old designer certainly made a mistake, for the regular division outside is of little or no advantage, and the slight eccentricity of the windows inside is a distinct fault."

There is a rather unique and interesting mark on the pillar near to the bookcase.

STAMP WEEK

On 21^st June 1972 the church of St Andrew, Helpringham was one of five churches featured on a set of postage stamps.

The Church and the people of the village celebrated this by having a week of festivities.

Miss Kate Edmunds, Art Mistress of Sleaford High School, drew the design of the First Day Cover. The framework of the design is one of the traceried panels of the early 16^th century Screen. The centrepiece was formed from a symbolic carving thought to represent the Tau Cross or the T of Trinitas. The circle is the emblem of Deity The Sacred Heart, bearing the letters VR 'Virginitas Regina', the emblem of John the Baptist. below this was a drawing of one of the panels from the Front. The cancellation hand stamp depicts the Sedilia in the 13^th century Sanctuary.

Funds raised by the sale of the cover were used towards the cost of repairing the church.

The, then, Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, the Earl of Ancaster visited the church on the day of issue.

SUMMARY

A good summary comes from a letter written in 1944,

"In my opinion the view from the West End is superb. It is a wonderful piece of design and craftsmanship and holds together with the touch of a master hand... done by one of the most skilled Masons of his day."

Compiled by Rev. R Rose, 1972
Updated 2001 by SJ Forman.