Village History

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The Priory Church of St. Mary Letheringham is a Grade I listed building and the priory site is mentioned in the Doomsday Book of 1086. The present church was formerly the nave of the Priory Church of Augustinian Cannons founded by Sir William de Bovile in 1194. At the dissolution of the Priory in 1537, the church consisted of the west tower, the nave (to where the present east wall stands) and beyond this the chancel which was wider and slightly longer than the nave. The present tower was added to the church in the 14th century. The large western doorway, now blocked up, is visible only to two thirds of its height, as it was silted up with rubble from the ruins of the Priory. The doorway has elegant and deeply cut mouldings, and above is a two-light window. The south porch is of brick and dated 1685. On a buttress to the east of the porch is a sub-dial dated 1609.