South Leverton

All Saints

Newark Archdeaconry

Bassetlaw and Bawtry Deanery

Introduction

A church is mentioned in Domesday. There is written evidence of a Saxon church but the only part remaining is some long and short walling in the vestry. A rarity in Nottinghamshire is the Norman west tower. Other Norman features are the south doorway and the tub font, all of the period 1120-1180.

Today the stone building consists of chancel, nave with arcades of three bays, aisles, south porch and an embattled western tower, containing 3 bells dated 1634.

The spacious nave is Early English with three pairs of pointed arches. There is no chancel arch. The chancel is 13th century with seven lancet windows, five in memory of the White family. The south aisle is Decorated, with a piscina and curious stone gargoyle. There are six stained glass windows in the church, none of them medieval.

Above the tower arch is the outline of a door which led to the musicians’ gallery, now removed. Only the top of the tower is Perpendicular. A problem is the blocked arch at the west end of the south aisle which Professor Maurice Barley suggested led into an extension south of the tower, probably blocked in the 19th century.

The chancel was restored in 1868 by Ewan Christian, the rest of the church in 1897-98 by Schofield, when new choir stalls were fitted.

This church is currently being researched, a full entry will appear in due course.