Fletton. church : st margaret

August Bank Hliday Sunday and amazingly the sun was shining (after the usual Bank holiday rain early on) and I was actually close to picking up a tan by the time that I got home. This was the second church in a built up area right on the edge of Peterborough city centre that I had visited. After starting at Woodston and moving on to Fletton I was then to visit neighbouring Stanground before heading home via Orton Longueville.

  Fletton, along with Woodston and Stanground were small villages that have all but been swallowed up by the growth of Peterborough. Fletton grew at a fast rate due to the local brickyard industry. The population was 134 in 1801, rising to just over 4,000 100 years later. There was a church at Fletton mentioned in the Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, although it is thought that the church here was completely rebuilt in or around 1150.

  Quite a lot of restoration has gone on here over the years including work in the 1870's and very early 1900's. The top of the spire was also replaced in 1917 after the church was struck by lightning.

  The church is set in amidst rows of terraced houses, and is not very far from the home of Peterborough United FC. However, it is actually quiet and peaceful in the large church grounds. Some very nice and intricately carved graves to be found here. Obviously big on cherubs in this area, with some examples included on this page.

  The remains of a cross can be seen close to the porch, along with some fragments of what I thought might be medieval stone coffins. I wasn't surprised to see that this church was locked. In all, I visited four churches that day, all in built up areas, and all were locked and I can't honestly remember seeing a single keyholder notice up in any of them!

  I spent a frustrating few minutes attempting to photograph dragonflies that were settling on the gravestones. There were dozens of them, but I certainly would not have made much of a living as a wildlife photographer! Wandering around the church grounds, with gravestones covered in ivy and some leaning over at strange angels I thought that the grounds had a gothic feel to them. Very eerie when the fog has descended.