The church of Headon cum Upton St Peter is the featured church for December 2024. The small village of Upper Headon is 6 km (4 miles) south-east of Retford.
The present building comprises a squat west tower, a nave with north and south aisles, a south porch, a chancel and a vestry. The main building periods are 13th century, 14th century, 1805, 1858 and restoration by G Somers Clarke in 1885.
The church is almost entirely Early English in style, constructed in the 13th Century. It is built of dressed coursed rubble and ashlar, with slate roofs. Extensive work was carried out on the building in the 14th Century, as most of the windows and the clerestory date from this time.
The squat appearance of the tower is an unusual feature of this church. The top courses of stonework and the battlements are 14th Century additions. It has a large ground plan, presumably designed to carry a much higher tower and possibly to carry a full-size spire. A drawing from the late 18th century shows the tower was surmounted by a short spire at this date.
Blocked arches in both north and south tower walls suggest the aisles originally continued westwards.
The bellframe is unique in Nottinghamshire and is of major importance. Dendrochronology estimates felling date between 1408-28, so this frame probably dates soon after 1428.
The one remaining bell is thought to date from the early 15th century and has an inscription that reads ‘’CUM VOCO VENITE’ (‘Come when I call’).
The fine Jacobean pulpit has unusual ‘wild man’ brackets support the tester above it.
There are several 17th-18th century mural monuments to the Wasteney family (who owned the village) and a worn 13th century slab depicting a knight in armour, his face in a sunk quatrefoil and his feet reappearing at the base.
Further information on the church can be found at the Southwell and Nottingham Church History Project website.