Stories from History
The following paragraph is from the Memoirs of Elizabeth Dixon Cox, written before 1934
In those days there was a gallery in church (does this mean the Singing Loft? We know the Rood Loft was destroyed in 1565 E.A.G.) a screen and the chancel was only used 3 times a year. There were no lights, each person took their own candle for dark afternoons. I remember seeing my grandmother's church lantern, we thought it such a pretty plaything. The pulpit was a three decker and the parson's name was Shingler. He farmed his own glebe, and in lambing time often came into Church from the fields, no time to change even his boots, between attending to one flock and ministering to another. (Mr Shingler died in 1826 E.A.G.)
The following written by Mrs Evelyn Goshawk, the wife of Revd Charles Goshawk, Vicar from 1939 - 1948
Legend has it that one vicar tried to prevent the establishment of a "right of way" through the churchyard and locked the gates them once a year, but otherwise the locks are not used. The village objected and on one occasion the gates were lifted from their hinges, as an expression of public opinion.
The following written by Roberta Purser
The summer of 1921 saw one of the worst droughts of all time. Prayers for rain were said in St Andrews Church, and I suppose it did rain eventually. Meanwhile the drought brought people from miles around to fetch water from our Spring Wells, from as far afield as Boston. The Springs have never dried up within living memory.
In those days the Sunday School played a great part in our 'spare time'. We attended twice on Sundays, and each attendance was rewarded by a coloured stamp to be stuck in a special book. At Christmas there was a jolly good tea, followed by games in the Hut, and those with a good record of attendances received prizes, 'improving' books, Bibles, and Books of Common Prayer. I still have mine, red leather and the finest quality paper, signed by the Rev. Meurig Davies, Vicar of St Andrew's at the time. The Summer Treat was just as much fun. Two or three horse-drawn wagons collected us all, and we went off to the edge of the Fen where a nice picnic was waiting. After tea, there would be a few simple games, and then back again in the wagons.