Goltho

Location

Approached across a field, the tiny and isolated church of St George is all that remains of a once substantial settlement. A wonderful display board gives you information and reconstruction drawings of this deserted village.  The earthworks and field markings of this settlement show up well on the location link I've given above.  To the south of the churchyard was a motte and bailey castle built on the site of an Anglo-Saxon fortification and in the Middle Ages this was home of the Kyme family.  In the 1530s the Grantham family bought the manor from the Kyme's and it is they who are believed to have rebuilt Goltho church, an atmospheric building. The nave of the church is of diapered brick and dates from c.1540. The chancel, probably replacing an earlier structure was added in the early 18th century. Inside the church there is an impressive array of furnishings, all dating from the early 18th century, including a fine pedimented reredos. The woodwork is all painted duck egg blue. There are hints of the earlier building.  In the chancel is part of a medieval poppy head bench end and in the nave a a coffin lid commemorating Lady Margaret Amstill dating from 1507. There are further stones to members of the Grantham family.







Access: The church is redundant and is now cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust, a keyholder is available close by.  It is possible the drive across the field and park just outside the churchyard, but watch out the slippy grass in wet weather.  

For further images of Goltho click on the link below to my Flickr folder