Rasen and Caistor feature in West Lindsey Churches Festival

West Lindsey Open Churches Festival gets underway this weekend, when the focus is on the eastern side of the district.
Snarford ChurchSnarford Church
Snarford Church

More than 50 churches and chapels in the Market Rasen and Caistor areas will open on May 12 and 13, with around the same number in the western side of the district opening next weekend, May 19 and 20.

Here are some of the highlights, but full details can be found at www.churchesfestival.info and in the brochures.

Brocklesby

Riby ChurchRiby Church
Riby Church
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With the festival’s theme marking 100 years since the end of WWI, Brocklesby will be remembering those who fought in the trenches, especially those who trained in Brocklesby Park and those who were nursed back to health in Brocklesby Hall, which was opened as a hospital by Lady Worsley in commemoration of her husband, who had been killed in October 1914.

The church has several monuments to Lord Worsley, including two crosses which marked the place where he fell - one put up by the English and one by the Germans.

Brookenby

The Aviation heritage Lincolnshire ‘Heroes of the Airfield’ exhibition will be in the community centre adjoining the church, along with a display of information relating to the former RAF Binbrook, from 1943 to 1989.

Brocklesby ChurchBrocklesby Church
Brocklesby Church

The exhibition will be open from May 11 to May 15, 10am to 3pm.

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The Church itself - part of the former Sergeants Mess, will host a display reflecting the development of Christian worship in RAF Binbrook and the new village of Brookenby.

Caistor

Poppies, Poems and Pictures is the theme at the parish church.

There will be displays of sculptures made out of poppies to mark the end of WWI and insights by people of 100 years of the Royal Air Force through poetry and pictures.

The town’s Methodist Church will be open on Saturday only, serving Christian Aid lunches from 11am to 1pm.

Great Limber

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Set by the southern woods of Brocklesby park, the church is planning a ‘Hymns and Pimms’ event for Sunday at 2pm.

Market Rasen

Holy Rood Catholic Church will be taking part in the festival for the first time.

Explore various books and texts spanning more than 700 years and see the display of angels created for the festival.

The Methodist Church will be holding their spring fayre on the Saturday, from 10am to 1pm, when light lunches will also be available, from 11am to 1pm.

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The town’s parish church will also be taking part in the festival.

Nettleton

There will be a themed exhibition on the villages’s war memorial bungalow.

There will also be plants and books on sale, plus refreshments.

North Kelsey

Visitors are invited to go along to the Methodist Church and play the organ, built by Forster and Andrew of Hull.

Light refreshments will also be on sale.

Riby

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Enjoy your breakfast on Sunday May 13 in an unusual setting and a chance to buy cakes, plants and other items at Riby church.

Join them between 8.30am and 11.30am.

Cant make Sunday? Then pop in for tea and cake on the Saturday from 1pm to 4pm and hear the bells, listen to the newly restored organ or go up the tower for a great view.

The church also has their registers on loan from Lincoln

Archives dating from 1560, with the burials recorded of the soldiers who fought in the Civil War’s Battle of Riby Gap in 1645.

Riby was also home to the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment for a while, so go along and learn a little about the history of a century ago!

Rothwell

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The theme is ‘Weddings’ and there will also be a display to commemorate 100 years of the RAF.

The weekend will finish with the popular Pimms with Hymns service at 4pm on the Sunday.

The village hall will be open for tea, coffee and cakes, with a book sale and tombola, and there is also the opportunity to visit the Sir Joseph Nickerson Gallery in the village (Saturday 10am to 4.30pm and Sunday 10am to 3pm).

Snarford

This church contains the magnificent memorials to the St Paul and Wray families.

Tealby

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A commemorative piece of art is dedicated to the 10 servicemen named on the memorial from WWI.

It is hoped more photographs and information will be forthcoming.

The surnames of the fallen are Bagley, Chambers, Goy, Heaton, Mumby, Ranyell, Todd and West.

The church will also host a flower festival dedicated to their memory.

Organ Trail

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The Lincolnshire Organists’ Association (LOA) will be holding an organ trail over the weekend.

There will be half-hour slots at the following churches: Saturday - 11am Greetwell; noon Brocklesby, on the antique chamber organ; 1pm Caistor Methodist Church; 2pm Searby cum Owmby; 3pm Grasby. Sunday - 2pm Tealby; 3pm East Barkwith.

Photos Ashley taylor @ Push Creativity