All Saints, Barnby-in-the-Willows is a Grade I listed building, achieving the status on 16 January 1967.
A church and priest are recorded here in Domesday along with a half bovate of land. By 1291 the taxable value is recorded as £10. In 1637 the sum of £20 was expended on church repairs, though churchwardens’ returns reveal little detail of the state of the building for the whole of the 17th century, although between 1635 and 1639 a total of £49 10s was spent on repairs. Unusually there appears to have been no wholesale restoration in the 19th century.
The building comprises nave with two aisles, a late 15th century north porch with a contemporary door, chancel, and west tower. The nave aisle arcades date from the 13th century and have alternately circular and octagonal piers. The tower is perpendicular in style, mid-15th century and is ashlar built. The chancel is puzzling as the window tracery has strange geometrical forms (known locally as 'The Willy Window'!) within otherwise normal gothic architecture; it is most likely a fanciful 17th century invention, but merits further investigation. One of these windows appears to have been an early ‘low-side’ window, now incorporated into a later light.
There are some fine early pews, and monuments to the Sharpe family including one to George Sharpe who died in 1686, aged 26, and who was a student of the Middle Temple. There are six bells, four recast in 1932, one new bell of the same date, and a bell to commemorate George V cast in 1935. One of the recast bells was formerly by Abraham Rudhall of Gloucester and was dated 1713.
There is a clip of the bells being rung at All Saints, the link is found by clicking on the church name, beneath the image.
This is my church in the wonderful village I live in. I got married here and my daughter has been christened here. We are immensely proud to have such a beautiful church in the village. I hope you enjoy it!
You've got to admit, this is an unfortunate and rather funny shaped window! It makes us chuckle every time we look at it.
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THE CACHE
You are looking for Graham. My Dad. He accompanied me on many a geocaching trip when I first started playing the game. I think he'd be having a chuckle about his information being used for this cache and would whole heartedly approve. Use the date my Dad passed away as AB.CD.EFGH
The cache can be found at:
N 53° 03. D (A+B+C+D) (A+B+E)
W 000° 43. A B C
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