page_title: West Leake
section_title: St. Helena's Church (Grade II*)
hierarchical_section_title: West Leake / Heritage / Listed buildings / St. Helena's Church (Grade II*)
caption_attribution_description: English: St Helena's Church, West Leake
context_page_description: West Leake is a small conservation village and civil parish in the Rushcliffe district of Nottinghamshire.
context_section_description: The parish church is St. Helena's Church, West Leake. The church was designated Grade II* on 13 October 1966.
  A church has been located on the site of St. Helena's since Saxon times. The oldest part of the present church is the Norman north wall which dates back to the 12th century. The nave is noted for being unusually long. The chancel was enlarged and the south aisle built, to create a chapel, in the 14th century. The church does not have a tower but does have a 19th century gabled west bellcote which houses two bells. The gabled south porch dates back to the 19th century. The church was extensively restored and the organ chamber rebuilt in 1878.
  The church has a two manual pipe organ by J.M. Grunwell of Derby, dating from 1878.
  
  White's Directory of Nottinghamshire, written in 1853, describes St. Helena's Church as follows:
  The church is a low, ancient edifice, dedicated to St Helen, with chancel, side aisle, and ivy mantled belfry, in which are two bells. The rectory is a pleasant mansion, occupied by the Rev. John Bateman, and stands at the west end of the church. In 1850 a school was erected for the use of the parish. The feast is held on the Sunday after Martinmas.
  John Throsby, writing during 1790 in his new edition of Robert Thoroton's Antiquities of Nottinghamshire, describes St. Helena's Church as:
  The Church, which is dedicated to St. Helen, has a nave, side aisles, two bells, and is a low structure. In the chancel wall is a mutilated figure of a Lady, in stone.—Here is a monument to the memory of Thomas Mansfield, Esq. once lord of the manor; he died in 1741–2. Evelyn, (it says) his nephew, had gratitude for his memory, and erected it. Edward Bigland, Rector, died in 1650.—Thomas Mansfield, Esq. died in 1741. Another Thomas Mansfield, Esq, has a monument to his memory, who died in 1706.— George Chadwick, Esq. died in 1722.—Robert Hemington, M. A. died in 1774, aged 64: He was son of Lieut. Col. Hemington, of the first Regiment of Foot Guards.— In a nich of the north wall, near the pulpit, lies an old figure in stone, well preserved; and near the door is one seemingly much older. The monument for Richard Mansfield, mentioned by Thoroton, remains. The arms are over the monument (see Willoughby.) In this church is a light little font; but there stands, near it, some offensive lumber. The earliest Register begins in 1616. Bap. the five first years 18, buried 20.—The last five years bap. 21, buried 14. Increased bap. 3, decreased burials 6.
caption: St. Helena's Church (Grade II*)
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