St Peter ad Vincula, Threekingham

The attractive church of St Peter ad Vincula in the village of Threekingham in Lincolnshire is worth a detour of anyone’s time. Dating to the 1180s, it is awash with heritage. It is stately and grand, an historic testament to faith’s enduring witness. I choose my words carefully, for I cannot vouch for its gospel witness, there being no evangelistic endeavour such as tracts or Bibles left our for mid-week visitors.

Nevertheless, three or four orange buckets were left out,  not for the collection of coin, but drops of water. A leaking roof, presumably, which we might forgive on account of age, and its lack of repair because of the eye-watering cost. This seemed to sum up the state of the church in Britain: it has a venerable heritage and a wonderful history, but the roof is leaking and the buckets are out to try and limit the damage and prevent puddles.

On its external wall, curiously, are the carvings of feet. I suspect that bored locals of some previous century thought this a good use of their time. Is this another symbol of the church: much trampled and walked over?

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Ephesians 5:25

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