The church of St Peter and St Paul, North Wheatley, is the featured church for February 2024. The village of North Wheatley is 7.5 km (4.6 miles) north-east of Retford.
The stone church consists of west tower, aisleless nave, south porch, chancel, and north chancel vestry. The chancel and porch were re-built in 1824. The tower is built of ashlar and has early 14th century top windows.
The church was restored by C. Hodgson Fowler in 1896.
Inside the tower there is primitive-looking ladder which provides access to the ringing-chamber. It is made of oak timbers and has been dated by dendrochronology to 1538.
The timber pulpit, with ‘round headed arcaded panels, reeded pilasters, pulvinated [cushion-shaped] friezes and strapwork’ is from 1603.
There are several bench-ends (reputedly from West Burton church) with medieval panelling and poppyheads.
The tub font dates from the 12th century.
An unusual feature is a fragment of a Roman tombstone mounted on the nave north wall. It was found in 1928 buried beneath the tower.
There are two memorials here that were originally elsewhere: a brass inscription and detached merchant’s mark belonging to Edmund Sheffield (died 1445) that came from the demolished West Burton church and a late 17th century tablet to the Booth family from the ruined church at South Wheatley.
Further information on the church can be found at the Southwell and Nottingham Church History Project website.