St Guthlac's Church, Market Deeping

St Guthlac’s Church stands in the small town of Market Deeping, Lincolnshire. It is a Church of England parish church built mainly in the 15th century. The building belongs to the Diocese of Lincoln and sits within the Deanery of Elloe West. It serves as the only church in Market Deeping and works closely with other local churches through Deepings Churches Together. The present rector is the Reverend Georgina Holding, appointed in 2020. The church’s architecture shows layers from different periods. On the tower’s south face a limestone sundial carries the words ‘The day is thine’, while the north face reads ‘The Night cometh’. Inside, the nave arches on the south aisle are Norman, and those on the north aisle belong to the later Gothic style. A Victorian organ fills the space with music, and the chancel windows contain stained glass that tells the story of St Guthlac’s life. One panel shows him sailing across the fens to found Crowland Abbey. Visitors enter a building where light falls through coloured glass onto stone arches. The organ pipes rise behind the altar, and the tower’s sundials mark the passing hours. Outside, the churchyard offers a quiet place to walk among gravestones that recall the town’s past. The interior walls carry plaques and memorials to local people. A peaceful atmosphere lingers in the nave, where the mix of Norman and Gothic shapes frames the chancel’s vivid windows.