The Parish of Abbots Ripton with Woodwalton

The Parish Church of  St Andrew

The parish church is Grade 1 listed and situated in the very heart of this small Estate Village.

Although first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086,  the earliest evidence in the present building is of a church gradually reconstructed and enlarged during the third and fourth decades of the 13th century.

Many reconstructions and additions have been made since then, mainly in the 16th Century, then, in 1858, the church was restored by subscription and in 1868 the roofs of the nave and south aisle were restored as a memorial to Frances Rooper by her brothers and sister.

There are many interesting features including the one remaining ‘squint’ enabling people to look through to see the High altar, a long old stone ledge in the South Wall predating the use of pews, used by the poor and invalided of the Parish (the origin of the saying “the weak going to the wall”) and some interesting memorials and windows including a window engraved by Sir Laurence Whistler (1912-2000) in memory of the late Lady De Ramsey.

A large vellum map (circa 1623) showing Abbots Ripton and the surrounding area is kept in a wooden cabinet on the West wall of the North side.