THE BECK AND TRENT CHURCHES (Sutton on Trent, Norwell, Caunton, Cromwell, Carlton on Trent, Ossington)

We are six rural parishes of varying size. Each church is distinctive but together we form a whole which provides a clear

Christian witness and mission in this attractive part of Nottinghamshire. There is easy access to the local towns of

Newark and Southwell, and beyond that to Nottingham, Lincoln, Retford, Tuxford, and Mansfield. The A1 and the East

Coast Mainline provide excellent contact with London and the north and Scotland (see map). It is a lovely area in which

to live with good local facilities. There are also three primary schools within the parishes (two of them voluntary

controlled C of E) which feed outstanding secondary schools in Tuxford (C of E Affiliated) and Southwell.

Some facts Diocese Southwell and Nottingham

Deanery Newark and Southwell

Parish Church Population(2011)

Sutton on Trent All Saints 1,331

Norwell (including Norwell Woodhouse) St Laurence 490

Caunton St Andrew 483

Cromwell St Giles 232

Carlton on Trent St Mary 229

Ossington Holy Rood 100*estimate

Total population 2,865

Our name is taken from the River Trent which forms the eastern boundary of our parishes and The Beck which flows

through some of the parishes.

We are seeking a Priest in Charge of six rural villages in this attractive part

of the county, close to the market town of Newark and the Minster town of

Southwell, and having good access to Nottingham, Lincoln and Sheffield.

We offer:

Six parishes that work closely together to provide Christian

witness, with strong lay support

A fine opportunity to build on strong foundations laid in recent

years

Sought after local primary and secondary schools

Attractive rural area on the edge of Sherwood Forest and the

Dukeries

Spacious modern vicarage with good gardens in charming village

setting

An ideal applicant would have:

• a living faith and spiritual wisdom

• the ability to communicate their own faith and share it with inspiration and enthusiasm both in formal

worship of a range of traditions, and in other more informal situations

• an understanding of rural parishes

• willingness to be a pastoral presence in the community at the same time as being aware of what is

possible in the context of six different parishes

• collaborative leadership; and be a good organiser with the ability to recognise the strengths of others

and to delegate effectively

• enthusiasm to work with young people and with the schools in the parishes and encourage links between

them and the churches

• a desire to work ecumenically

• Imagination and a desire to experiment in outreach

• willingness to support and promote a variety of musical activity

• a good sense of humour and lots of energy.

Organisation of worship All churches offer a mixture of styles and types of worship which makes possible traditional worship and more modern

approaches for engaging younger families and others less traditional. Experimental styles of worship are explored.

Services are arranged so that it is possible for the priest in charge to take all Eucharistic services. Other services are taken

by a lay reader or laity. There is one lay reader licensed to the six churches. All congregations come together for a ‘Group

Service’ which takes place on fifth Sundays; a combined group of singers helps lead these services. They also come

together for worship on other special occasions. Churches have their own festival services and themed services as

appropriate.

Other activities

Between them the churches organise a full range of activities which means that each church is a very real and visible

Christian presence in its own community.

OUR VISION

The six churches have been working together for two years under the inspiring guidance of our priest in charge who left

due to family relocation. A Group Council meets several times a year to plan services and other events and to deal with

Diocesan and Deanery directives.

We are exploring our shared vision for rural churches. There is a desire to nurture those who are strengthened by a

traditional approach to worship. There is also an openness to new and imaginative ways of worshiping and a wish to

reach out to those with little church background so that they discover a spiritual dynamic in their lives. A special focus is

to develop work with children and young people. We recognise the importance that each church has in its own parish

and value the support given by the community.

Our vision is that we will be truly united in God’s work, but that we will also celebrate the diversity of the churches and

through that be an open and welcoming Christian presence in each parish.

The Vicarage

The Vicarage is a spacious detached house situated on Main St, Norwell, in a pleasant village location with good sized

plot and open fields to the rear. Accommodation is briefly sitting room, dining room, kitchen, utility, hallway with

separate lobby to cloakroom with wc, and large office. On the first floor are 4 large bedrooms, bathroom with white suite

including bath and separate shower.

Mains water, electricity and drainage are connected. Oil fired central heating, with option of LPG gas for cooking. Single

attached garage and secure gated parking, plus large drive and turning area, with parking for several cars.

Extensive front and rear gardens, the rear being fully fenced, with enclosed patio/ courtyard area.

The office forms an excellent working and meeting space, self-contained from the main accommodation.

The six parishes have much to offer. We warmly invite applications from those with experience as we feel that there

are many opportunities for development. We would also welcome applications from those looking for their first

incumbency as we have the experience and expertise to support them..

Beck & Trent Parishes

All Saints, Sutton on Trent

Overview of Church

All Saints dates from around 1200 and there has been a Church here since Saxon times. It is in fine

original condition having escaped Victorian renovation. Recent improvements have included

relocation of the organ, creation of self -contained meeting room, roof alarm, installation of solar PV

panels.

Quinquennial report done 2014: good condition overall with some routine work required, currently in

hand.

Groups – Christian Women’s Fellowship, Rummikub, Bell Ringers.

Overview of Worship

Current Sunday worship pattern includes one 9.00am Holy Communion (CW); a 10am Morning Payer

(CW); and a new ‘Village Service’, at which guest speakers talk about varied topics, previous topics

have included Tuxfood Food Bank, Notts Police Aid Convoys, and the Christian Motorcycle Group.

Every Thursday at 9.15am there is a said CW Holy Communion with a regular congregation of over a

dozen.

Currently 27 on the Electoral Roll

Occasional Offices

2013 2014

Baptisms 8 6

Weddings 1 3

Funerals (Church and or

Crem)

7 9

Parish Finance

All Saints has financial reserves, due to sale of the Church Hall site some years ago. This has been

wisely managed and has enabled sensible renovation and improvement. However due to the large

parish share, reserves are now being diminished every year. A Funding Campaign in 2014 did result

in increased giving but not to full target, despite wide initial support. 100% Parish Share continues to

be paid.

Context of Village and Community

Sutton on Trent is the largest village in the Group with a population of about 1,500. Mixed socio-

economic groups, with a large council estate built on the edge of the village, many still social housing.

Good facilities include one pub, large Co-op store, primary school (over 100 children), two hair

dressers, two butchers shops, library (limited hours), garage, doctors’ surgery, several large

manufacturers & employers, and a community/ sports centre situated at the edge of the village.

Several working farms are situated in and around the village. Regular bus route between Retford and

Newark, and Marshall’s coaches is based and operated from Sutton There are strong links between

the Methodist Chapel and the Anglican church, in particular to special services such as Remembrance

Sunday, Village Festivals and Harvest Festival.

Strengths Weaknesses

High profile in the village. Church in good condition,

with open useable grounds, good modern meeting room.

Regular congregation small in number

(averaging less than 20 people)

Strong link with Methodist Chapel Congregation mainly retired people.

Good links with village primary school Large Parish Share to pay, erosion of reserves

Potential for increased work with young families and

some valuable groundwork already done (Tea time

Praise)

Good modern meeting room but lack of large

function space (no church/village hall)

Strong support for social events and fund raising

initiatives, including ‘Acoustic Nights’ well supported by

different groups of villagers.

Beck and Trent Churches

Parish of St Laurence Norwell

Overview of the church

The church building is open throughout the day and is used for a wide range of social activities including talks

and lectures, themed concerts, teas and lunches, displays (frequently in conjunction with Norwell Parish

Heritage Group) and a Christmas Festival. People are encouraged to drop in, and the play area is sometimes

used by mothers and children during the day. Norwell Church of England Primary School reguarly uses the

church for educational visits, as do cubs.

Overview of worship

At present there are two regular services of Holy Communion a month on the 1st and 3rd Sunday, both at

9.00am. In addition special services are held throughout the year: Carol Service, Crib Service, Mothering

Sunday Service; themed Open Churches Service, Pet Service, Harvest and Remembrance Sunday. These are

held either at 10.30am or 4.00pm. Other themed serves are held as appropriate eg Outbreak of World War 1.

Norwell Church of England Primary School uses the church for five service as year. Attendance for regular

services is between 10 and a dozen, and higher (40 – 60, or more) for special services. There are currently 25

people on the Electoral Roll and 10 people on the PCC.

Occasional Offices

2013 2014

Baptisms 3 0

Weddings 1 0

Funerals (church and crem) 2 2

A church in Norwell was recorded in Domesday Book. The

building is Grade 1 listed and has a wealth of architectural

features from the 12th to the 16th century. Its Victorian

restoration was sympathetic and most of the earlier features

were retained. In the last 20 years parts of the church have

been adapted for catering and socialising; for a children’s play

area; for meetings and quiet meditation; and for displays.

There is full disabled access to the church, and toilet facilities

for the disabled have been put into the base of the tower. The

condition of the church is generally sound; lead was stolen in

2011 and three lead roofs have now been replaced with terne-

coated stainless steel; the current challenge is death watch

beetle in some of the floors. There are six bells and these are

rung by a joint team from Norwell and Caunton.

The churchyard is extensive and peaceful with many mature trees

and views over open country. It is well cared for and some areas

are managed for wildlife. There is also a grass labyrinth. The

churchyard is still used for burials and has a designated area for

cremated remains.

Parish Finance

The Parish Share is £8,800. Until recently this has always been paid in full, however, the theft of lead, other

maintenance work and now death watch beetle have meant that financial reserves have been severely

depleted and last year the share was not quite paid in full. Parishioners have supported fundraising activities

very generously. A funding campaign is under consideration for spring 2015. Where possible the church

supports a range of charities

Context of Village and Community

The parish consists of the village and of Norwell and the hamlet of Norwell Woodhouse with a total

population of approximately 490. Most of the housing is home ownership with some rented property and

some housing association and council housing. The population is mostly white, middle class and with a cluster

of retired people. The Church of England Primary School has about 50 pupils, there is also a pre-school

playgroup which uses the school site and facilities. The links with the school involve foundation governors,

day to day visits and assemblies as well as the visits from the school to the church and churchyard.

The facilities offered by the village are many: excellent Village Store which is a community hub, thriving pub

(with pub food), children’s play park, sports field and cricket pitch, Village Hall (with a wide range of

activities), visits from a mobile library, and bus links to Newark and Ollerton. The Parish Magazine is produced

monthly and goes free to every household in Norwell, Cromwell, Caunton and Ossington.

The church benefits from great support from the village for fundraising and social activities which have

included recently strawberry cream teas, wine tasting, beetle drive, drive way sales throughout the village and

a pop up pizza night. The church also organises Pancakes at the Plough on Shrove Tuesday and carol singing

round the village Christmas tree.

There are many social groups and secular organisations; the heritage group has close links with the church

and last year produced a new booklet, Norwell Church and Chapel.

Strengths Weaknesses

Skills, abilities and experience of the congregation Small average congregation at regular services, predominantly retired

Close links with and support from the village Outstanding essential building works

Links with the school Few financial reserves

Open churchyard which is well-maintained

Beck & Trent Parishes

PARISH OF ST ANDREW’S CAUNTON

Overview of Church

The beautiful 12th century Church of St. Andrew’s is situated in the centre

of Caunton and is the main feature of the village. Although a large part of

the interior is Norman, over the following centuries, there have been

enlargements and alterations with the tower being completed in the 15th

century. Internally, there are several unique architectural features which are

detailed in a leaflet available to all visitors.

The next significant development came during the incumbency of Revd Samuel Reynolds Hole, Dean

of Rochester and founder of the Rose Society. It was at this time that the organ was installed.

More recently the community has raised the necessary funds to increase the number of bells from 3 to

6 as well as to install a new bell frame.

In 2008, a kitchen and disabled toilet facilities were installed in the base of the tower. At the same

time the pews on the north side were removed and replaced with a polished wooden floor, this gives a

versatile space for displays, children’s corner, serving of refreshments, etc.

During 2014 St. Andrew’s has been internally refurbished with the addition of new carpets and

electrics.

The inside of the Church is well cared for by volunteers – flowers, cleaning and refreshments are all

done on a rota system.

The Churchyard is one of the main attractions of St. Andrew’s, being well tended by a team of

volunteer mowers. It is planted with various types of trees, predominantly yew.

Overview of Worship

St. Andrew’s has three services per calendar month. The 1st Sunday - 10.30am all age, 2nd Sunday

8.00am HC – BCP and 3rd Sunday 6.00pm sung Evensong.

During the year special services include:- Plough Sunday, Mothering Sunday, Dawn Easter Sunday

Service, Father’s Day, Harvest, Remembrance Sunday, Patronal Service, Carol Services, Crib Service

and Midnight Mass.

Sidespeople and readers are organised on a rota basis and a special effort is made to ensure that a

warm welcome is given to all who attend services and the congregation in encouraged to stay for light

refreshments after the 10.30am service.

Our organist is highly dedicated and professional and also chooses hymns appropriate to the Biblical

calendar.

There are very strong links with the Primary School and the children frequently come into church

especially at the end of term, for a service.

Attendance at services average about 12 at regular ones but increases for those of a special nature.

There is a very committed PCC consisting of 10 members who are a vital support to our two

Churchwardens

There are currently 23 members on the Electoral roll.

Kidzone is our Sunday School Workshop which meets every month. It is aimed predominantly at

primary aged children, and parents are encouraged to join in the activities.

Deal Hole Primary C of E School

The village has an excellent C of E (VC) primary school of which our vicar

would be invited to act as a governor. The school has an enviable reputation as a

good and happy school, and although relatively small (50 full time pupils), it is of

great significance to our community. The school is consistently rated highly by

Ofsted and attracts many “non-catchment” children. Despite the small scale of the

school, the children participate in a wide variety of extra-curricular activities, and

punch well above their weight in sports and drama competitions. The Christian

environment within the school is given very high priority. The school worships together daily, and fortnightly

the children lead the service and invite parents to join them. The daily act of collective worship is regularly led

by year groups, when parents are invited to attend, as well as outside providers. Previous clergy have also made

a regular contribution. The children are frequently in the church and share key services with the community, for

example at Harvest and Christmas. A recent new initiative has been to hold Prayer Spaces in the school

involving the vicar and other members of the Church and community.

The school has been rated “Outstanding” in three consecutive Diocesan inspections with particular reference to

spirituality, Collective Worship and the general ethos of the Church school.

Occasional Offices

2013 2014

Baptisms 4 8

Weddings 2 2

Funerals (Church and/or Crem) 6 7

There are 4 weddings booked for 2015

Parish Finance

Our regular income and expenditure are pretty much in equilibrium, and we have healthy balances in reserve.

There is a good level of village participation in our regular donation scheme, which demonstrates that the

community as a whole, values our beautiful Church and not just those who worship there.

We have consistently paid 100% of our Parish Share and aim to continue to do so.

We recently received a generous donation to cover the refurbishment of the internal fabric and fixtures of the

building.

We continue to monitor the building for signs of wear and tear/damage and implement repairs as necessary.

We annually give £400.00 to charities, which are decided upon by a group from the PCC

Our next Funding Programme is scheduled for September 2015

Context of Village and Community

Caunton is a small village and lies about 6 miles N/W of Newark, just off the A616, with Lincoln being 15

miles away and Nottingham about 20 miles. London is 80 minutes from Newark by way of East Coast

Mainland Railway. The School also doubles as our Community Centre. There are two pubs. Societies in and

around the village consist of Local History Society, WI, Garden Society, Local Singing Group, Tennis and

Cricket clubs, Lunch Club, as well as the Community Centre holding Bingo, Village Ventures (Rural

Travelling Arts), and Pilates. The school has a committed PTA. The Mobile Library visits once a month.

Links with other villages include organised Society outings and Village Ventures

Strengths Weaknesses

Supportive PCC Lack of provision for pastoral care

Strong links with the School are and mutually beneficial Failure to attract young people and children to services

Volunteer teams both inside and outside the building

Willingness to be flexible regarding services etc.

Kidzone provides a safe space for children’s worship and

regularly attracts over 10 children

Church open from dawn to dusk.

CROMWELL NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

A Parish Profile

The rural parish of Cromwell in Nottinghamshire is located about six miles north of the historic market town

of Newark. It is bounded on the east side by the river Trent and is dissected north to south by both the A1

trunk road and the East Coast Main Railway Line. The village itself nestles between the A1 and the railway

and is made up of about ninety properties with an approximate population of two hundred.

The village has a couple of working farms, a micro-brewery, a vehicle repair and MOT garage, fishing lakes,

touring caravan park, doll museum, a small village hall, and to service the A1 users, a petrol station and 2

cafes.

General points of interest regarding the history of the village are the evidence of early Roman settlements and

river crossings, the fact that Cromwell is one of only four “thankful” villages in Nottinghamshire (a village

which suffered no fatalities during the Great War) and in more recent times the tragedy which occurred in

1975 at Cromwell lock and weir on the river Trent where ten soldiers on night navigation exercise were killed.

St Giles’ Church

Building History

The church at Cromwell stands on ground that has been hallowed for over a thousand years. Originally there

would have been a wooden structure, replaced sometime around the Norman conquests by one of stone. In

the church as it stands today, we can see windows dating from the 13th century, the south chancel arcade

from the 14th century and the tower built around 1430. There are 3 bells, the earliest dating from around

1520. Much of the present appearance of the church dates from a major renovation in 1873.

The church today

Whilst the majority of Cromwell residents do not attend regular church services, there is no doubt that people

in the village do value the church for those special times such as weddings, funerals and baptisms.

Historically the church has never boasted large congregations but in the past 3 or 4 years, several villagers

have become newly involved in the church, keen to keep it open and there has been a determined effort to

revive interest, particularly in special services, This appears to be paying off and congregations have increased

by 40-50%. The finances are modest but on a sound footing.

The church is unlocked during the day for most of the year so as to be accessible and the visitors’ book shows

that it is occasionally used by people breaking their journey along the A1 and by users of the nearby caravan

park.

Prior to the current interregnum, St Giles hosted 2 services a month on the 2nd and 4th Sundays at 9.00am and

6.00pm respectively, the morning service being Holy Communion. During the current interregnum, this has

been reduced to a service of Holy Communion on the 2nd Sunday of the month.

In addition we hold four or five special services a year such as a Mothering Sunday Service, Easter Praise,

Paratroopers Memorial Service (with an additional one at the lock), Harvest Festival and a Christmas Carol

Service.

Average attendances at Cromwell services during the past three years were as follows:-

Normal Sunday Worship 9 or 10

Mothering Sunday 35 (First held in 2014)

Easter Praise 25

Paratrooper Memorial 58

Harvest Festival 41

Christmas Carols 62

We have managed to pay our parish share in full over the last 3 years.

Conclusion/aims

Members of the PCC at Cromwell are realists. Our aims are very simple and modest. First and foremost, we

wish to keep the church open, accessible and available for Christian worship. Under the guidance of our most

recent vicar, we developed a greater emphasis on community involvement and community-based events

designed to increase the profile of the church within the village. We wish to continue this and move forward

in the same vein under the leadership of and with the assistance of a new vicar. We are excited about the

future of our little parish.

St Mary’s Church, Carlton on Trent

Carlton on Trent is situated between the River Trent and the A1. Newark on Trent is seven miles to

the south and Retford is 12 miles to the north. It was recorded in the Domesday Book and has many

old and interesting buildings, with 16 entries in the ‘Listed Buildings’ record.

Carlton Hall is a Grade 2* listed building and was built in 1765. There is a small village hall and a

public house, the Great Northern Inn, which is half a mile from the village centre.

The Primary School, Methodist Church, Health Centre/Pharmacy, library and shops can be found in

Sutton on Trent, one mile north. The local comprehensive school is in Tuxford, five miles north.

There is a regular bus service through the village, connecting Retford and Newark. The nearest

railway stations are in Newark, operating both locally and nationally. These can be reached by car in

ten minutes.

Nearest airports: Robin Hood Airport, Doncaster; East Midlands Airport.

There are milk and newspaper deliveries to the village.

The Church

St Mary’s church is Grade 2* listed. Built in 1851, it incorporates a 12th century south door dating from the

Chapel of Ease which originally stood on this site. The spire is a landmark seen from miles around and is

illuminated at night. There is a single bell, which is approximately 200 years old. In recent years, we have

converted the west door area to provide a toilet with access for disabled persons, sink units and storage

cupboards. The building is in a good state and all repairs recommended in our recent quinquennial inspection

have been completed.

The Churchyard

Is still in use for burials and is mown and maintained to the best of our ability. Visitors and relatives of the

deceased frequent our churchyard which also provides and quiet place to sit.

Church Organisation and Finance

8 members of the congregation are on the PCC.

22 names are on the Electoral Roll

A gift aid scheme is operated for both direct debit donations and gift aid envelopes in the weekly

collections.

We have always paid our Parish Share in full, except for withholding a (small) amount in 2012 as a

protest against an unreasonably long interregnum.

Attached is a resume of our position for the year 2013.

Charitable giving includes the RBL, Women’s World Day of Prayer, The Children’s Society, Marica

School, Notts Clergy Widows’ and Dependents’ fund and Beaumond House Hospice.

Worship

There is a service on each of the four Sundays in every month, providing a variety of worship,

average attendance being 12 adults and 2 under 16s.

First Sunday: 8.00am BCP Holy Communion; Second Sunday: 6.30pm BCP Evensong – Lay Reader

led: Third Sunday: 11.00am CW Holy Communion; Fourth Sunday: 11.00am Morning Worship –

Lay Reader led.

This monthly cycle of worship is intended to combine the best of the old and new traditions and

appears successfully to meet the needs of the parish.

Whenever there is a fifth Sunday, the whole group meets in one of the six churches and a group

choir takes part.

Special worship: We host Women’s World Day of Prayer annually, Mothering Sunday joint with

Sutton on Trent Church and Methodist Church (venue rotational), Harvest Festival, Patronal

Festival, Remembrance Service attended by Cubs and Scouts, Carols by Candlelight (first Friday in

Advent) incorporating recitations, carol singing, school children’s choir, and ad hoc adult choir and

seasonal refreshments served – usually attended by 100+, Children’s Nativity/ Christingle.

Church Life

Most events are social and fundraising, e.g. Annual garden fete, raffles, tombolas, dramatic

entertainments. In other venues: quizzes, musical evenings, beetle drive.

The church is cleaned and flowers provided voluntarily on a rota basis.

HOLY ROOD, OSSINGTON

Overview of Church The classical church was commissioned from Carr of York by the Denison family and built in 1782-5. It stands near the village of Ossington in a wooded churchyard watched over by a C17 sundial which was previously in the garden of nearby Ossington Hall, now demolished. The interior has fine memorial carvings to earlier owners of the Ossington estate. There are two organs, one conventional and the second a rare Grade 1 barrel organ dating from 1836, both regularly used in services. There is a notable peal of bells which is rung by a village team under the captaincy of Robert Wilson of Home Farm, and by visiting teams from across the country. The church is in good condition and the recent quinquennial inspection showed some minor repairs to be necessary, but no major problems

Overview of Worship There is Communion at 10.30 on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month alternating B.C.P. and Common Worship. The Annual Harvest Festival, Carol Service of lessons and carols and Easter Eucharist clearly resonate strongly with the community and attract a congregation big enough to fill the church. Fortnightly Communion is well supported by some 20% of residents of the village, though this is usually less than 20 people.

Occasional Offices

2013

2014

Baptism 0 0

Wedding 0 0

Funeral 1 1( to end July)

Parish Finance Holy Rood has a good reserve representing several years’ parish share, which is always paid in full. The Patron, Georgina Denison, supports the church financially in a number of ways.

The Village and Community Ossington is a small agricultural village of some twenty cottages and houses and ten farms with a population of less than 100 of mixed age groups. The children attend Norwell primary school and later secondary schools in Southwell and Tuxford. There is a well-equipped village hall, The Hut, which is the base for a number of village groups. A Monday luncheon club gives a light meal to residents and visitors, the Ossington Ladies’ Group meets there as does an Art Group which holds occasional exhibitions. The Harvest Supper in the Hut is always well attended and the facility is available for private hire. Nearest shops are in Norwell, where there is a Post Office facility on Monday and Thursday mornings and Sutton where the Post Office opens in the shop on Monday, Thursday and Friday mornings. A very popular annual Garden Party is held in the garden of Ossington House which raises several hundred pounds for the benefit of the church

Strengths Weaknesses

Well supported and highly valued by the

community

Congregation small in number

Well attended seasonal services Congregation is of older/retired age groups

Generously supported by Patron

Important and beautiful church interior No water in church, which is isolated