Parish Church of St Denys is a Grade I listed building in the North Kesteven local planning authority area, England. First listed on 16 July 1949. A Medieval Church. 2 related planning applications.

Parish Church of St Denys

WRENN ID
grim-marble-river
Grade
I
Local Planning Authority
North Kesteven
Constituency
Sleaford and North Hykeham MP: Dr Caroline Johnson (Con)
Country
England
Date first listed
16 July 1949
Type
Church
Period
Medieval
Address
Parish Church of St Denys, Market Place, Sleaford, NG34 7DL
OS grid reference
TF 068 458
Coordinates
52.99973, -0.40879
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: related consents · flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The Parish Church of St Denys is a Grade I listed building located in Sleaford's Market Place. The tower dates from around 1180, with a spire added around 1220, making it one of the earliest examples of stone broach. The tower was rebuilt in 1884 after being struck by lightning. The church features a 14th-century Decorated nave and aisles that extend westwards, along with a large north transept. A clerestory was added around 1430, and the chancel was remodeled during this period. In 1853, an outer north aisle was added by architects Kirk and Parry, who reused old windows. The church is noted for its impressive mid-14th-century tracery and ornamentation, including a series of carved corbels and heads in the nave depicting a Turkish man and woman.

Inside, there is a medieval Rood screen that retains the original platform and pulpitum, with a balustrade and Rood restored by Sir Ninian Comper in 1918. The communion rail, believed to be by Sir Christopher Wren, was originally from Lincoln Cathedral. The church also features a decorated font that has undergone significant repairs, a piece of 17th-century Sheldon tapestry in the north aisle, a 17th-century dole cupboard, and a desk with 15 chained books.

The church has a peal of eight bells, cast in 1796, and contains Carre monuments. A 15th-century window, which was removed from the west front during the 1884 restoration, has been reconstructed and now stands at the east end of the churchyard. The Parish Church of St Denys, along with the Vicarage, Lock-up, War Memorial, and Nos 7-12, forms a group of historically significant buildings.

Local climate

Parish Church of St Denys sits in a drier-than-average part of the UK, with an average of 720 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 81% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 87% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 33 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 54% of listed buildings. Of these, 16 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • No EPC on record for this property
  • No sale records on file
  • Related listed building consents — 2 applications
  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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Similar buildings

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Nearby listed buildings

  1. Vicarage Grade II* 34 m
  2. 1, Eastgate Grade II 42 m
  3. 2 Eastgate Grade II 45 m
  4. 10, Market Place Grade II 46 m
  5. War Memorial Grade II 48 m
  6. 3, Eastgate Grade II 49 m
  7. Lock-Up in North-East Corner of Churchyard Grade II 51 m
  8. 8 and 9, Market Place Grade II 51 m
  9. 11, Market Place Grade II 52 m
  10. Carre's Hospital, Pump and Sundial in the Forecourt and Wall Along Carre Street Grade II* 54 m