Redbourne is an attractive small dormitory village to the south of Scunthorpe and Brigg. Redbourne Hall with its splendid gateway was the home of the Duke’s of St Albans and their memorials are in the church.
The church is in the centre of the village and is surrounded by trees and a well maintained churchyard. It has a very tall tower. The top two tiers were added to increase the height of the tower so it could be sen from the Hall. A narrow tower on the south east corner gives access to the bell chamber and has narrow slits to give light. It has an old sundial on the south wall. There is a blocked doorway on the west wall and a clock above.
The top of the tower, nave, chancel and side aisles are battlemented and there are tall slender pinnacles on the side aisles.
Entry is through the porch on the south wall and the first thing you notice is the loud ticking of the clock. The weights and pendulum can be seen at the back of the tower. Below are old tomb slabs propped up against the wall. Inside the blocked west door is a wooden door with painted panels of angels and figures.
The nave has hexagonal pillars pointed with orange or green chevrons. These have pointed arches which separate the nave and side aisles. Walls and ceiling are whitewashed. The nave ceiling is plaster Gothic over an earlier wooden ceiling. The chancel ceiling has decorative ribs.
The 19thC stained glass windows in the side aisles have colourful representations of the twelve apostles. But the real glory is the enamelled glass east window from 1830 with its dramatic representation of the Opening of the Sixth Seal on the Day of judgement. There are clouds with flames and bodies. At the bottom os the Lamb of God.
Steps lead up to the pulpit with railings painted with white daisies. There are more flower paintings on the ends of the choir stalls. The altar rail has gold paint on the carved open arches. The wooden altar table has carved legs with arches and an open carved cross on the base.
There is a splendid brass eagle lectern which is firmly bolted to the floor with a chain.
At the end of the north aisle is a large organ with beautifully painted organ pipes. There is a smaller organ in the chancel also with painted pipes.
The chancel served as the mausoleum of the Dukes of St Albans and there are memorials to them on the walls including a splendid marble memorial to William Aubrey de Vere. the ninth duke with a weeping figure and two small children set under a decorative arch. Around the walls are wooden hatchments belonging to the Duke of Albans.
On the north side of the chancel is a massive black marble grave slab to Sir Gerald Sothill (1410). He is in full chain mail armour with a dagger and sword. His feet are resting on a greyhound and his head is supported by angels. Above is an ogee arch with a heraldic badge with an eagle.
This is an attractive church. In spite of the size of the village, the church is no longer used and is looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. The church was open when we visited. Otherwise a key can be obtained from Stone House which is the house immediately to the west of the church. Watch out for the large dog whose bark is a lot worse than his bite.
This church is well worth searching out for the east window. Across the road to the north is the remains of the old smithy complete with two forges.