LITTLE STEEPING
The figure represents a robed priest, with feet curiously
clothed in what look like socks. The face is good and in excellent
preservation. The work was probably local, for the ear
is of enormous size. The mutilated inscription read originally:
"Tomas de Reding priez qe Dieu pour sa grace de sa alme eyt
merci." The letters in italics are missing. Thomas de Reding
was presented to Little Steeping in 1328. There is a very
good font, and the south porch outer arch is remarkable for
the very unusual depth of its hollowed moulding on both of
the outer porch pilasters. The canopied work over the head
of the inner doorway is good, but quite of a different character,
and the wide projection of the north arcade capitals is noticeable.
A stone on the outer wall marked "1638 W P & R G"
gives the date of a destructive restoration, when tomb slabs
were cut up for window-sills and some ruthless patchwork
put in on the north side of both aisle and chancel. A good
rood screen with canopy has been put in, old work being used
where possible, and a new churchyard cross erected on the
old base, with figures of St. Andrew and the Crucifixion, under
a canopy like that at Somersby. The octagonal font in rich
yellow stone has figures difficult to make out, and a small niche
over the north-east pier of the nave arcade is to be noted;
probably it contained some relic or image. The stone brackets
for the rood loft remain, but there is no trace left of the staircase.
The seats and pulpit of dark stained deal are interesting,
as they were all made by Bishop Steere himself. The tower is
patched with the old two-inch bricks, which always look well,
and with some of the larger modern kind, which seldom do.
Our best way now is to return to the Spilsby-and-Firsby road at Great Steeping, which will take us past Irby to Thorpe-St.-Peter and Wainfleet.
The hamlet of Monksthorpe in Great Steeping parish indicates by its name the fact that Bardney Abbey had an estate here. No trace now remains of the manor built by Robert de Waynflete, when he retired in 1317 from the abbey and had the proceeds of the estates in Steeping and Firsby and two cells in Partney and Skendleby assigned to him for the maintenance and clothing of himself and family. But part of the moat is visible, and one may see here in a chapel enclosure a baptist's pool bricked and railed round on three sides with one end open and sloping to the water, for the Baptists walked into the
