EDENHAM. CHURCH : ST MICHAEL

The church of St Michael at Edenham turned out to be probably the highlight of my September 2007 cycling churchcrawl of South Lincolnshire. This was the last church visited on day two. It had been very hot that afternoon, reversing the trend of the rest of the miserable English Summer that year. I had cleared 50 miles on the cycle and was getting a little weary. The light quality had dropped alarmingly as I photographed Corby Glen, and I was in two minds whether to just pack in and head back early to the bed and breakfast in Hanthorpe.

  However, as I neared Edenham the Sun came out and it was absolutely glorious as I got to Edenham. I suppose if anything, Edenham is famous for the Cedar trees that grow in the churchyard. One of these overhangs the main A151, and is thought to be more than 150 years old.

  The church stands on a man made plateau, with the area being inhabited since at least Roman times. Some extremely ancient stonework here, with some extremely impressive Saxon carvings. The church was open, and the inside was glorious. I believe that some of the family tombs inside this church were moved here from Normanton, when that village was flooded when Rutland Water was formed.

  As always, I was particularly taken with some very high quality grotesque high up on the tower, with the possible exception of Sempringham and Folkingham, these were as good as any seen in the area.