The Benefice of Barlings, Diocese of Lincoln : Parishes of Sudbrooke, Stainton by Langworth, and Barlings with Langworth

The Church of St Edward the Confessor, Sudbrooke

                         Notes on the History of St. Edward the Confessor,Sudbrooke

Sudbrooke church is not mentioned in Domesday Book, but shares much of its early history with St. Edward theConfessorBarlings (see Historical Notes on Barlings) – also being granted to the Benedictine abbey of Lessay in Normandy by Robert de Haia in 1123, being confirmed by King Henry I in 1126.

It is not mentioned in King Henry II’s 1185 confirmation grant to Barlings Abbey, but it appears to have been granted to Barlings Abbey at some time, because the advowson was confirmed to the canons in 1322 by Alice, Countess of Lincoln, a direct descendant of Richard de Haia who held the original advowson.  In 1334 Barlings Abbey granted the advowson to the Bishop of Lincoln. 

The Valuation of Norwich of 1252-1254 states that Barlings was no longer a parish (“desiit esse parochial”},so until the Abbey was suppressed in 1537, that church was probably served by the Canons – as was likely the case for Sudbrooke also.   The Abbey had many local connections,e.g. Grange-de-Lings being ‘the Granary of Barlings’,and the floor of the church at Scothern containing a mediaeval graveslab near the pulpit that may have marked the resting place of one of the Abbey Canons who served the church there.

Sudbrooke is recorded as having a Rector, one Robert Galle, as far back as 1271. The earliest surviving Register of Baptism and Burials and Marriages goes back to 1579.   The original Church is generally thought to have been of Norman foundation,although its traces above ground have disappeared.  By the 18thC the church was reduced to a mere red brick building (a picture of which may be found amongst the Records of the Banks’ Estate in the Archives in Lincoln).  

The pre-1860 Church building

By 1860 extensive repairs were needed and the church was rebuilt in stone,in the Norman style,as a memorial to Richard Ellison, who had left £2000 for this purpose by his will. The Ellisons were Lincoln bankers and at that time occupied Sudbrooke Holme, the large house that was demolished during the 1920’s, and which stood in what is now referred to as Sudbrooke Park.   .

The new building, completed over the years 1860 - 1862, was designed by Dobson of Newcastle,being chiefly a copy of the church at Steetley in Derbyshire,and it features a vaulted apse and chancel,nave, south porch and a western bell gable with one bell.

Linked for many years to the Parish of Scothern, the Parish of Sudbrooke, with its church dedicated to St. Edward the Confessor, whose annual Feast in the Calendar is 13th October, was separated away in 1978 to form part of the Benefice of Barlings.  The other churches in the Benefice are St. Edward the Confessor Barlings and St. Hugh Langworth (both in the Parish of Barlings),and St. John the Baptist at Stainton by Langworth.

The vicarage for the benefice is in the village of Langworth

In 1977 a small part of the Parish of Reepham, to the south of the Wragby Road, was transferred to Sudbrooke.

During the early 1980’s the vestry was removed and put in the re-modeled outhouse, major guttering replacement undertaken, and modernisation of the electrics carried out.

ST. EDWARD THE CONFESSOR SUDBROOKE
RECTORS SINCE 1875

1875 - 1895     R.B. Mackenzie   
1896 - 1918     H.F. Allison
1919 - 1929     G.H. Round-Turner
1931 - 1933      J.H.C. Tidmarsh
1933 - 1942      F.H. Adams
1943 - 1952      E.O.C. Halahan
1953 - 1959      H. Webb
1959 - 1961      L.Franklin
1962 - 1968      E.C. Hopkins
1969 - 1978      M.P. Brackenbury
1978 - 1982      K. Jardin
1983 - 1988      R. Gibson
1989 -              R.G.  Spaight

The scenes depicted in the stained glass windows in the Church

Angel announcing to Mary that she is to be the mother of Jesus
Mary with Jesus and shepherds in the stable
Angel telling shepherds of the birth of Jesus Christ
Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane
Jesus on the Cross
Jesus’ body being taken down from the Cross
Jesus appearing to Mary on Easter Day
Jesus instructs St Peter to “Tend my Sheep”
The Ascension of our Lord

SOUTH WALL OF CHANCEL

HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS
DEPOSITED WITH THE COUNTY ARCHIVIST IN LINCOLN

In addition to the historical books and documents kept in the Parish, the following are amongst the records deposited :-

Note :-    Receipt of a Marriage Register for 1839  - 1978 was acknowledged by the Superintendent Registrar in 1979.