St Swithin's Church, Lincoln

St Swithin’s Church, Lincoln
St Swithin's Church, Lincoln
Map
53°13′45″N 00°32′14″W / 53.22917°N 0.53722°W / 53.22917; -0.53722
OS grid referenceSK 97742 71227
LocationLincoln, Lincolnshire
CountryEngland
DenominationChurch of England
ChurchmanshipCharismatic Evangelical Anglican
Websitewww.stswithinslincoln.org.uk
History
StatusActive, but church currently closed due to repairs needed
Architecture
Functional statusParish Church
Heritage designationGrade II* listed
Architect(s)James Fowler
Groundbreaking1869
Completed1887
Specifications
Height55m
Number of spires1
Bells1
Tenor bell weight213kg (4-0-21)
Administration
ProvinceCanterbury
DioceseDiocese of Lincoln
DeaneryChristianity
ParishLincoln, St Swithin
Clergy
Vicar(s)Revd Jim Prestwood
Assistant priest(s)Revd Ben Brady

St. Swithin's Church, Lincoln is a Grade II* listed parish church located in St Swithin's Square, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England.[1][2] The congregation is still active as is the church but the building has been closed due to repairs being needed to the roof of the church.[3]

History

The nave and chancel
The ruins of the original St Swithin's Church and the Greyfriars, Lincoln c.1784

The original church of St Swithin was near the Sheep Market. It suffered a bad fire in 1644 during the English Civil War. It was rebuilt in stone in 1801. This was replaced with a new building on Sheep Square. The foundation stone was laid on Easter Day 1869 by the Bishop of Lincoln, Christopher Wordsworth.

The mathematician George Boole was christened in the earlier church on 3rd November 1815. He had a close association with the church whose Rector, Rev. Dickson, encouraged him in his mathematics.[4]

The church was built to designs of the architect, James Fowler of Louth and financed by Alfred Shuttleworth, a Lincoln industrialist. The nave and aisles were built between 1869 and 1871, the chancel was completed in 1879, and the construction of the tower and spire took place between 1884 and 1887.[1]

Nikolaus Pevsner described the church as "without doubt his (James Fowler's) most important church."[2]

During the construction a Roman altar was discovered.[5]

The church contains a west window which was made by A L Moore & Co.[2]

The church was listed as Grade II* in 1973.[2]

Present day

In October 2014, St Swithin's Church was relaunched, at the invitation of the Bishop of Lincoln, by a planting team from Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) in the Diocese of London led by Revd Jim Prestwood.[6]

The original church building is closed. The church now meets in person at the Salthouse in Free School Lane (the former Co-op Ballroom) at 9.15am, 10.15am and 6:15pm each Sunday.[7] Although it is hoped that the church could be reopened for worship in the future, should funding be found and it being feasible.[8][9]

Organ

Chancel and organ

Details of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.[10]

Organists

  • John Pullein 1896–1903[11]
  • A. A. Osborne 1903–1917
  • Gerald Conran Hodgson 1917–1937[12]
  • Michael Boltz 2010–2014

Bells

The single bell of 4cwt 0qr 21lb (213kg) was cast in 1851 by Charles & George Mears in Whitechapel, London. The bell is hung for swing chiming only.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b The Buildings of England. Lincolnshire. Nikolaus Pevsner. 1989
  2. ^ a b c d Historic England. "St Swithin's Church, Free School Lane, Lincoln (Grade II*) (1388543)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  3. ^ "Lincoln church closed for roof repairs three years ago crumbling under £3m of work". The Lincolnite. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  4. ^ "St Swithins Church". Visit Lincoln. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  5. ^ "St Swithin's Lincoln". Skyscraper news. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  6. ^ "Who We Are". St Swithins Church Lincoln. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  7. ^ "Sunday Services". St Swithins Church Lincoln. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  8. ^ "Lincoln nightclub to be worship space". www.churchtimes.co.uk. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Uncertain future for old Lincoln church". The Lincolnite. 3 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  10. ^ "The National Pipe Organ Register - NPOR". npor.org.uk. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  11. ^ "Presentations". Lincolnshire Chronicle. England. 20 November 1903. Retrieved 12 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ "St Swithin's Memorial". Lincolnshire Echo. England. 3 June 1939. Retrieved 12 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ "Lincoln St Swithins". 1 and 2 bell towers. Retrieved 7 July 2013.