St Martin's Church, Waithe, Lincolnshire

St Martin’s is a prominent local landmark with its tower standing out above the surrounding trees in the small hamlet of Waithe just off the A16 Grimsby – Louth road. Beyond the rather romantic churchyard are scattered estate cottages and open fields. Archaeological evidence suggests that the site may be pre-Saxon and that the surrounding settlement would have been much larger than it is today.

The church is of two dates and has a late Saxon tower rising above the Early English style rebuilding of 1861, which is clustered around its base. The tower forms the crossing between nave and chancel and there is also a transept or porch to the south. The Victorian rebuilding was by James Fowler a notable local architect.

The church is built of local ironstone and limestone; ironstone would have been used for the original Saxon church. Roofs are a mixture of plain clay tiles and Welsh slate. Inside, the nave is quite plain and has exposed red brick walls with bands of buff coloured brick and limestone. This doesn’t prepare your first glimpse of the chancel, which is covered in elaborately patterned Minton tiles. Furnishings remain intact and include a Victorian font, full set of pitch pine pews, a stone pulpit on a marble base and various pieces of oak furniture. The stained glass windows by two firms Ward & Hughes and Powell’s are a fine example of their time but unfortunately were badly vandalised prior to vesting, with those to the north aisle beyond repair.

Before vesting the church had become completely overgrown and derelict with some of the belfry opening close to collapse. Trees and undergrowth had to be cut back and tons of guano and other debris removed to enable the architect to carry out his initial inspection. Once we could get access we found that repairs would include:

• Erect full scaffold and temporary roof covering
• Reroof aisles, chancel and porch – this work necessitates renewing the ceilings below
• Overhaul nave roof and tower roofs
• Repair rainwater goods, reinstate missing sections and redecorate all
• Investigate and repair below ground drainage
• Masonry repairs in particular to tower and other high level areas
• Renew floors in tower and install access ladders
• Overhaul bells and bellframe
• Glazing repairs and new window guards
• Industrial clean whole interior to remove residual guano and restore finishes
• Inspect and repair electrical installation
• Other minor repairs

Repairs started on the tower in October 2005 prior to vesting with the help of a pre-vesting package of £65,000 and took around 24 months to complete. Work was carried out by Arthur Wood & Son of Alford under the supervision of Mr Lee Holmes and in total cost just under £350,000.