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| The Grade I All Saints church we see today is the product of several centuries' construction, revision, thievery and neglect. |  All Saints, Beckingham
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The area around Beckingham was settled at least as far back as Roman times, but probably developed as a village around the time of the crossover between Saxon and Norman periods. Certainly by 1086 - twenty years after the Battle of Hastings - a church had been built at Beckingham. Parts of this original building were relocated and reused in later incarnations of the church. This cannibalisation of the fabric of the church carried on through the centuries.For example, the present aisles, which are a product of the 14th century make use of columns erected in the 13th century.
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All Saints has many important architectural features from many different centuries. Perhaps one of its most beautiful is the Romanesque north doorway, but of special interest are the turret clocks, both of which are very rare. The clock fitted in the second half of the 17th century features a 'windless' winding mechanism, while the second dates from the 1800s and is set in a metal birdcage frame.
All Saints has survived despite several attacks on its integrity. During the Civil War, Parliamentarian soldiers laying siege to nearby Royalist Newark stripped the lead from the church roof to make shot for their muskets. More recently, a previous vicar at the church is alleged to have purposefully run down the congregation of the church in order to have more time to pursue his other interests. The church was subsequently neglected and this architecturally significant building is now judged to be in poor condition, with the masonry in particular in a bad state of repair.
Pronounced redundant by the parochial church commission in 2000, the arrival of a new vicar in 2001 and the provision of an English Heritage grant have given All Saints a new lease of life.
Current plans include a three-stage process of restoration, first stabilising the fabric of the building and later providing the 21st century facilities that would return the church to use as a valuable public space, and asset to the wider local community.
Beckingham is a small village in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire close to the Nottinghamshire border. The area formed by the parishes of Beckingham, Fenton and Stragglethorpe has been settled since the time of the Roman occupation. Beckingham itself began to develop as a village through the Saxon and Norman periods, but today still only has a population of around 300 people.
Beckingham experienced turbulent times in its development during the Reformation and later in the English Civil War. Recently dwindling local amenities have led to an exodus by older residents, but the village has also seen an encouraging influx of younger families.
This article can be found on the Internet at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/restoration/2006/mid_all_saints_01.shtml
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