St Helen’s – Kneeton
The Parish of East Bridgford, Kneeton and Flintham
Our Church
St Helen’s church, Kneeton, is positioned high above the River Trent, just to the north east of East Bridgford. It is recorded in the Domesday Book and much of the building and graveyard is Saxon in origin. It is central to the village and, as well as a place of worship, acts as a meeting place for the village. The church has been lovingly maintained by succeeding generations; the chancel, nave and porch were rebuilt in 1879.The churchyard has some notable features - being some fine Swithland grave markers and its near circular shape suggests a possible much earlier date for the church.
The clock was installed in the year 2000 to commemorate the Millennium.
Services
There is usually one service each month, but during the Interregnum there is no regular pattern. St Helen’s tries to hold a BCP Said Communion at least twice a year but is also pleased from time to time to host Fosse Group Communion services using Common Worship. The St Helen’s community also takes great joy from the Festival Services at Christmas, Easter, Rogation and Harvest, all of which are usually well attended. Refreshments are usually served after services.
Accessibility
St Helen's has the following features available in Church:
- Two shallow steps
- Step free access suitable for wheelchairs
- Large print books and sheets
Church Bells
St Helen’s originally had 3 bells, the tenor weighing just over 6 cwt.
In 1669 following a rebuilding of the church, the churchwardens reported ‘our bells are “forth of order” in the frames’. In 1892 all 3 bells were recast by Taylors of Loughborough.
In January 2001 the bells were augmented to four by the addition of a second-hand bell from the Roman Catholic church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Townhall, Swansea, in Wales.
These changes are commemorated on a brass plaque on the south wall which reads:
Treble bell January 2001
Donated by Susan Dawson
Installed by
Hayward Mills and George Dawson
In Memory of
Elizabeth Allen and Fred Smith
Kneeton has no regular ringers, but some of the East Bridgford ringers ring the bells on special occasions, e.g. Harvest Festival and Christmas carol service.
Our Village
Kneeton is a small village of some 30 households lying 9 miles SW of Newark-on -Trent and 2 miles NE of our joint parish of East Bridgford. It is bounded by the A46 to the east and the River Trent to the west. Much of the village, including the church, is in a conservation area - this reflects the very traditional appearance, layout and substantial historic interest of the village.
Kneeton has a mixture of dwellings from 17 Century Story’s House and early 18th Century cottages, a former school house to more modern 20C and 21stC barn conversions and developments. There is also a former blacksmith’s smithy and pinfold.
Kneeton does not have a village hall, but the church has a role as a meeting place from time to time. As such, it can facilitate community action -for example, in 2023, money was raised to enable the planting of a Coronation oak tree in the centre of the village