Morborne. church : all saints
Morborne is a tiny village, which can be found about a mile from Folksworth, just to the West of the A1M. The population of this village has declined from Victorian times, with the village having a population of no fewer than 43 in 1991!! Just a few scattered farms and cottages really, plus the church.
I have lived about four miles from Morborne for my whole life, but I have to hold my hands up and say that I didn't know that there was a church here. It wasn't until fellow Churchcrawler Chris Stafford sent me a photograph that I knew the church existed!
Morborne is a place that I visit fairly often these days. In Spring the fields surrounding the church are filled with lambs. Very little traffic goes through this village. It is a good place, therefore, to go if you want peace and calm for a while. For me it is a place to get my breath back as well. Morborne is situated at the top of a steep hill which normally tests out my lungs as I crawl up it on the cycle!
A small village and a small church. Nice church with an attractive red bricked Tudor tower. You will notice a font in the church grounds, to the left of the porch. I am told that this font was taken from nearby Caldecote when the church there was converted in to a private house.
The church grounds are well maintained. I did notice though on my last visit that the grounds at the rear of the church had become overgrown. My thoughts are that this is deliberate and several churches are adopting this style to encourage wildlife.
Regular readers of this, and my other sites, will probably know that my main interests are gargoyles, grotesques and old gravestones. Well, no gargoyles or grotesques here, and most of the gravestones of any age are very badly worn. However, there is one beautiful piece of work to be seen. Leaning up against the outer East wall of the church is a headstone to one Thomas Woods who "departed this life November 17 1700". Lovely crude lettering and in good condition considering the age.
Very little information regarding this church on the internet. However, I could find out that a church was mentioned here during the Domesday Survey of 1086. The earliest surving part of the present structure is suggested as being the East wall of the nave which is said to date from the 12th Century. Beautiful round cinqefoil window to be seen on the East wal. This church is normally to be found locked, with a keyholder notice pointing the visitor in the direction of a nearby farm.
