The Lych Gate

The Lych Gate at All Saints' has been slowly deteriorating over the last few years. Bill Mitford and John Fancy have been installing replacement oak beams and columns, restoring it to its former glory.

What is the origin of a Lych Gate?

“Lych” is derived from the Old English 'lich', meaning corpse. Lych Gates were meeting places and shelters for the party bringing a corpse for burial, and for the priest to receive the body. Although some had been built earlier, the 1549 Prayer Book required the priest to meet the corpse at the churchyard entrance. This encouraged the provision of lych-gates to shelter the corpse and the funeral party for that purpose. Medieval lych-gates were made of timber and most have long since disappeared, making All Saints' Lych Gate all the more special.

Next time you are on a walk – go via the Church and admire it and the work that Joe and Bill have done.

Comment from a Parishioner!

Wow, it looks amazing. So nice to see it restored. Many thanks and great work Bill and John.

Lesley Heslop