St Stephen’s Church Picturesque in the Snow

This is one of my snow churches, St Stephens’s Church in Carlby, Lincolnshire.  We came across this little church when out and about on a mad dash to collect as many churches in the snow, before it all melted.  This predominantly Early English church is set in an isolated village and has been an integral part of village life since the 13th century.

The church stands in a quite corner of the village with its slender broach spire which is 700 years old.  The building is coursed limestone rubber and asher, with slate and lead roofs.  Going in to the gabled 14th century ashlar porch, I found the church locked.  As it’s a functioning church, I can understand why it’s locked, there was a key holder but It was too cold to go hunting.  It was really the exterior that had caught my eye and yes it was very picturesque in the snow.

The churchyard is well maintained and there are several interesting gravestones.  Apparently the interior is quite spacious with some fragments of a medieval Doom above the chancel arch which would have been interesting, as I have yet to see a Doom.

This is a working church and by the looks of it, well looked after and although lacking in any real outstanding features, the one thing it does have, is a congregation.  St Stephen’s is an attractive church in pleasant surroundings and is well worth a visit if you are passing by.