These two news paper articles from 1924 confirm that the circular area around St Matthew’s Church was called ‘Powlett’s Circus’, though it has been misnamed as ‘Parrot’s Circus’, possibly because the words phonetically sound the same.
POWLETT’S CIRCUS
Coun. Hudson opposed the minute of the Roads Committee authorising the making-up of of the south side of Powlett’s Circus.
He thought it should not be made up until the time was ripe for making-up the whole of Scarbrough Avenue, and also that the Council should seriously consider the taking over of the shrubberies and maintaining them as open spaces for all time.
He moved that the minute be referred back for further consideration.
It was resolved by 3 votes to 2 that the minutes be approved as they stand.
POWLETT CIRCUS
The Surveyor (Mr R. H. Jenkins) reported as follows on the making up of the south portion of Powlett Circus (Powlett Circus being the road surrounding St. Matthew’s Church):—
“I am given to understand that Lord Scarbrough is prepared to give to the Council the shrubberies on certain conditions. If this was accepted by the Council, there would then be no other frontages, and the road would be maintained at the cost of the Council.
“Your instructions are asked. I would recommend a loan being procured for the cost of the works chargeable to the Council.”
Coun. Hudson said that Lord Scarbrough was prepared to give the shrubberies on two conditions. The first was that he should be relieved entirely of the responsibility of them, and the second, that they should be kept as open spaces.
The Surveyor said that the cost of making up the south, side of Powlett Circus would be approximately £120. The part fronted by each shrubbery would cost about £40.
Coun. Hudson: Is it worth £40 to guarantee that. they will always be open spaces?
The Chairman replied that it undoubtedly was worth it.
Lord Scarbrough’s offer was accepted on the motion of Coun. Ball.
St Nicholas Church Addlethorpe near Skegness Lincolnshire England UK
Our Visit to Addlethorpe Church
Arriving unannounced at St Nicholas’ church one Sunday morning, more attired for filming rather than a church service, we were very warmly greeted by the churches’ team of bell ringers. One elderly chap was more than willing to act as our guide and thus proved to be a mine of information. On unlocking the church door, he scurried for a sweeping brush and briskly commenced sweeping the bat droppings aside from coconut mat in the outer entrance. Pausing, elbow on brush, he said that Lincolnshire generally supported the Parliamentarian cause and St Nicholas’ would have been a very `high’ church, which the Parliamentarians distrusted. He conjectured that when it was built, it was too large for the meagre population of Addlethorpe.
Our guide told us that the peasants of old were confined to worshipping in this outer area (the area just inside the door as seen in the photograph left), only the wealthy being allowed in the actual church itself.
He drew our attention to the simple font (left), built into the corner of the wall, telling us that the peasants would have had their children baptised in this font, and would indeed have had thier marriage services performed in the outer area. Stone seats ran down each side of the wall.
Instructing us to look upwards immediately inside the main door, our guide pointed out an inset stone in which was carved ‘The Green Man’ (right), a rather grotesque face with a protruding tongue. The Green Man is a pagan fertility symbol, the tongue apparently having sexual connatations. The church being built in the 1400s, the people were not long out of paganism.
The huge wooden door leading to the main body of the church, had a smaller, cutout door (left). Looking down, we could see the foothole which the churchgoers had worn into the stonework over the hundreds of years. Our guide told us that the door is original and remains exactly as it was when first built.
The chancel (the space around the altar of a church for the clergy and sometimes the choir, often enclosed by a lattice or a railing), was pulled down in 1706, he informed us. He calculated that it must have been around this time when the stained glass windows were knocked out, leaving only a small remnant as an example for us to view today.
Stooping and stepping through the door into the main church area, we were taken aback by the richness of the wood of the pews.
We were informed that most of the woodwork in the church and the rafters were original and are exactly how they were when first built in the 1400s.
All the screens and pews carvings are 15th century.
Left - 15th century oak timbers removed during restoration of the south aisle.
Below - 15th century timber rafters
Left - pews insalled in Elizabethan times
Left - ornate carving on the backs of the Elizabethan pews
Right - example of Elizabethan Script
We have no confirmation as to what these five items are (right).
The ‘faces’ are made from wood and the mounts are metal.
The accompanying label reads
‘Our duty done in Belfry high Now voiceless tongues at rest we lie The years have passed they used us plenty For we were made in seventeen seventy’
I conject that they are the old clappers removed from the bells during restration work. Anyone agree, disagree? Your comments are welcome.
Our visit to St Nicholas’ Church Addlethorpe culminated in a treat to the Sunday Morning Bell Ringing Ritual. Nora, one of the lady campanologists (bell ringers) came over to us to describe the opening proceedures; she explained that the bells needed to be ‘rung up’ in preparation for the actual pealing. This entailed pulling on the ropes until each bell was positioned mouth upwards and resting against a wooden steak. Only then could the bells be rang through a full 360 degree circle.
All bells ‘rang up’, pealing began!
See the movie of the Bell Ringing Ceremony (link below)
Bell Ringers in action
Bell ropes guided through the 15th century timber rafters
Our Visit to St Nicholas Church Addlethorpe Lincolnshire England UK
Skegness Video movie duration 6 min 20 sec
The movie takes a tour around the 15th century church.
Camcorder Movies by Skegness Video
Bell Ringing at St Nicholas Church Addlethorpe Lincolnshire England UK
Skegness Video
movie duration 6 min 4 secBell Ringing at St Nicholas Church Addlethorpe Lincolnshire England UK.
An explaination and demonstration of the term ‘ringing up’and the actual pre church service bell ringing.
Photographs on this page are captured frames from a camcorder movie by skegnessvideo.com with the exception of the photograph of the Church Exterior which is the copyright of paulgoochimages.org used with permission.
The final reunion of the HMS Royal Arthur Naval Veterans was held in Skegness and Ingoldmells this weekend.
During World War 2, Butlins holiday camp in Ingoldmells was commissioned as a naval base and given the name HMS Royal Arthur.
The Mayor and Mayoress of Skegness, the Mayor of Ingoldmells, other digniatories and the veterans gathered at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Ingoldmells for a service in remembrance of naval servicemen who died in World War 2.
The service was led by the Bishop of Lincoln and Rev Malcolm France, rector and chaplain to the Skegness branch of the British Legion.
The service began inside the church where prayers were said and naval hymns were sung. As this was the final reunion of the veterans, the Royal Arthur Ensign was ceremoniously handed over to Ingoldmells church for future keeping. The Bishop of Lincoln said there is no more fitting a place for the ensign than in the house of God.
After the service, the remembrance party moved into the churchyard where the Bishop of Lincoln and Rev France offered prayers around the War Memorial.
below: The Mayor of Ingoldmells (right), Mayor and Mayoress of Skegness and other Digniatories.
The Standards were lowered as a mark of respect for the naval servicemen of HMS Royal Arthur who were killed in action during World War 2.
The Standard on the extreme left is the Norwegian Ensign. There is a headstone which marks the death of a Norwegian serviceman in the churchyard.
Respects were ceremoniously paid to the lost Royal Arthur servicemen…
…and a wreath of poppies laid on the War Memorial.
The congregation watched the ceremony.
The Bishop, Rev France, the Digniatories and the Standard bearers then moved to the headstones of the war dead. Again, prayers were offered.
After the service in Ingoldmells Church, the congregation marched through the streets of Ingoldmells to the HMS Royal Arthur Centre.
below: digniatories marching.
below: HMS Royal Arthur Military Veterans.
HMS Royal Arthur Final Reunion Church Service
Skegness News on Video
(includes the Drum Service and Ingoldmells Church Service)
6 min 20 sec - May 8, 2006
The final reunion of the HMS Royal Arthur Naval Veterans was held in Skegness and Ingoldmells this weekend.
Naval veterans travelled from as far afield as Canada to attend the reunion.
The parade, headed by the Royal Marines, marched through Skegness to the Pier Field on North Parade to hold the Drum Service.
Drum Service
The Band of the Royal Marines from Dartmouth led the parade.
The HMS Royal Arthur Veterans marched with the Standards (flags)
The drums, which represented the church altar during the Second World War, were ceremoniously laid in front of the Reverend and the Digniatories.
The Standard bearers then marched into position, flanking the drums.
The service was led by the Reverend Malcolm France who is rector and chaplain to the Skegness branch on the Royal British Legion.
The Mayor of Skegness, members of the Skegness Town Council and Ingoldmells Parish Council were also present.
Below: the drums in position with the Standards lowered as a mark of respect for the soldiers lost during the war.
You may also be interested in reading a letter written by Ordinary Telegrapher AER Rowe who was at the Royal Arthur Camp in November 1941
Skegness Video heard that Skegness was to host the University of the Third Age group so we went along to see what was happening. The venue was the Methodist Church in Skegness.
The University of the Third Age is a group formed by and for senior citizens. They participate in various activities including amateur dramatics, poetry and prose recitals.
When we arrived on scene, the Louth UTA Players were just about to go on stage to perform ‘Cinderella in Five Minutes’
The short play was very amusing.
Louth Players go onstage
The compare introduces the act, finishing with arms outstretched to welcome the cast from the wings…nothing happens… the audience is agog!
Tension is broken when the cast march in unexpectedly from a side door in the audience! In the photo above, Prince Charming gives the Good Fairy a ‘helping hand’ onto the stage.
Louth UTA Players
The play begins! (left to right) Good Fairy, Prince Charming, Cinderella, Buttons, Dick Whittington (Dick Whittington? in Cinderella?), and the Ugly Sister.
The play is cleverly written, consisting soley of ‘one liners’ and sometimes merely one word. The cast are seated, standing only to deliver their line. The lines were expertly delivered, with expression that conveyed each character’s personality. The overall result was hilarious!
Louth University of the Third Age Players
Cinderella’s script consisted mainly of the word ‘alright’, said in many different ways, the final delivery of which caused an uproar as the finale…
Bell Ringers in action
