Louth Church ~ St James The Highest Spire in England ~ My Trip
It’s quite hard to describe the impact of Saint James Church in Louth as it seems as though it should be in a famous city rather than a small market town in the Lincolnshire Wolds
Anyway, take a look and see what you think, I also report on my trip and the town so a post not just about the church lest be be bored of them !
St James church in Louth has the highest Parish spire in England coming in at an incredible 295 feet high
Building of the spire itself started 1501 and was completed in 1515 the whole thing costing £305.7s 5d - it scarcely seems possible, even allowing for the passage of time that something such as this came in at just over 300 quid !
It’s an impressive church full stop and regarded as one of the finest of its type in the country. It is in fact the third church to stand on this site with the majority of the remaining building being built early to mid 1400s.
It was in fact this trip that was the catalyst for the reckless dispersal of funds and the acquisition of the new camera and lenses.
The location, right by the roadside, made it impossible for the lens of my excellent Konica Minolta to get a full shot.
As you can see from the pictures there’s nothing wrong with the quality.
I’ve been to Louth many times and wrote it up briefly here about 2 years ago I should also point out that I wrote another part of this trip, i.e. the one you’re reading about now, it was when I met a Guitar Hero
I had a mini picnic sat on the same bench I ate on last time, I didn’t actually eat off the bench you understand I sat on it and ate off my lap if you know worra mean, just watching the world drift by, my brain filtering out all the extraneous interference from the outside world - not unpleasant - it could be a great deal worse.
The town is steeped in history going back to the 7th century when it was a Saxon village. Come the 9th century and we saw the fall of Lincolnshire to the Danes who destroyed the Saxon Monastery. Their mark still remains today in many of the names of streets etc still in use. When you see gate in a street name, which you do a great deal in Louth, it refers not to the wooden swinging variety but comes from the Scandinavian word gata which meant street.
I could go on about history but time is now running out, as it did for Thomas Kendall, once Vicar in Louth in 1536, he was hanged by the neck until dead at Tyburn in London for his part in the Lincolnshire Rebellion !
The good folk of Lincolnshire being further agitated by Henry VIII, the suppression being the primary cause, by his open letter in which he called the good men of Lincolnshire
The rude and commons of one of the most brute and beastly shires in the whole realm
I feel rather proud of that
Brutally and Brutely Yours
Rod
See Also Complete List Of Churches in Lincolnshire
Louth Church ~ Saint james
chris keyworth said,
August 23, 2009 @ 8:30 pm
Here is one for you to look into which i heared about a few years ago,
The last person to be burnt at the stake for witchcraft, i will give you a clue to get you on your way,
she was from Stallingborough and lived next to the church, this may lead you to louth….
her ancestors still survive to this day and the name lives on in street names….
regards
chris
Rod said,
August 24, 2009 @ 8:06 am
Chris,
very cryptic - say no more I’ll see what I can find out sounds like it’s worth it’s own write up
All the best
Rod
Erik Pyontek said,
September 25, 2009 @ 12:27 pm
Stallingborough in April. Is the spire open to the public?
Stephen Willmer said,
November 2, 2009 @ 7:58 am
I think her name was Anne Askew but not sure…
Rod said,
November 2, 2009 @ 9:22 am
Hi Stephen,
welcome to the site
you’re spot on - I’ll be writing about her at some point so I’ll say no more.
Thanks for the comment
Cheers
Rod
Stephen Willmer said,
November 21, 2009 @ 3:50 pm
Thanks Rod, are you also aware that there is also a ‘pirates’ gravestone up at the church as well which is normally kept inside I think….look forward to your writing of Anne Askew
Stephen
Rod said,
November 21, 2009 @ 4:12 pm
Hi Stephen,
I had no idea about the gravestone - I’ve made a note of it and will be checking it out asap
Thanks for the tip - really appreciated
Best
Rod
Chris Keyworth said,
November 21, 2009 @ 4:18 pm
its the same one as i mentioned rod i believe..
regards
chris
Stephen Willmer said,
December 4, 2009 @ 8:07 am
sorry it is the same one I hadn;t got round to reading all on the site before then ..