St Andrew's Church Halton Holegate

Welcome to Halton Holegate

Halton Holegate is a village just 1½ miles to the east of Spilsby on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds.

With a population of almost 500, the village is surrounded by a wonderful abundance of valuable farmland, both arable and livestock, including the award winning Lincoln Red cattle, farmed by the Clough family for many generations. The Methodist Chapel, Halton Holegate Church of England primary school, The Bell public house, The Old Hall nursing home, and the historic parish church of St Andrew are much enjoyed and appreciated by parishioners and visitors alike.

The date when the first church was built on this site is unknown, but certainly we can go back at least to the days of William the Conqueror, for mention of a church is made in the Domesday Book.

Our present church, sitting proudly atop the hill, and constructed of Spilsby Green Sandstone, was probably built around the year 1370 A.D. and is of the style. Outstanding features are the graceful and lofty arches in the Nave, and the 16 large clerestory windows. There is also much elaborate carving.

A recumbent stone effigy of a Knight, about the year 1350, and is thought to represent Sir Henry de Halton. On the floor by the side is a very ancient burial slab of Purbeck marble, probably dated about 1250 A.D. In Norman French writing are the words (when translated) “Here lies Sir Walter de Bec on whose soul may God have mercy”. This ancient memorial is the oldest of any kind in the neighbourhood.

St Andrew’s church is an important focal point for the parish of Halton Holegate, both as a place of stability and welcome, but also for its architectural, cultural, and historical relevance for many from far and wide.

Over the years much has been done to preserve the fabric of this historic building including repairs to the tower, and the majority of the large expanses of roof coverings have been replaced. Some of these due to deterioration of the leadwork – being 250+ years old – but also as a result of numerous lead thefts. In the main these works have been financed by grant funding; the latest project made possible by the generosity of The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Further details of these projects can be found in the ‘History’ section of the website.

We invite you to visit our historic parish church. We offer you a place of peace, a place to sit, to contemplate, to pray, and the opportunity to explore the architecture and history of our wonderful building.
St Andrew’s halton holegate pcc