A STOW VISITATION NOTES ON LINCOLNSHIRE CHURCHES 1845

A STOW VISITATION Being Notes on the Churches in the Archdeaconry of Stow, Lincolnshire, in 1845, by The Venerable W.B. Stonehouse.  Originally privately published in 1940, reprinted 2008 by Old Chapel Lane Books, Burgh le Marsh, Lincolnshire, 82 pages,  30 illustrations. The Archdeaconry of Stow includes all of north west Lincolnshire, the Isle of Axholme, Gainsborough and the surrounding villages and ends on the north edge of Lincoln. Archdeacon Stonehouse was vicar of Owston and was the first resident archdeacon for a long time, also the first to actually carry out his visitations and  order churchwardens, impropriators and clergy to maintain and repair their churches. His predecessors had all regarded the position as a sinecure and consequently many of the churches were out of repair  and almost unuseable. This book is a transcription of his notes on the churches he visited. It has descriptions of the churches in their neglected state, before the Oxford Movement set in motion the restoration of churches.  He also has interesting comments on some of the clergy of the time most of whom held their benifices for life, whether they carried out their duties or not.  It has some of his charming  little sketches of points of interest in the churches and is a treasure trove of information. This little book had only a few copies printed originally and we hope this reprint will make it more widely available to local history enthusiasts of Lincolnshire.