All Saints’ Church in the Lincolnshire village of Moulton is known locally as ‘The Queen of the 

Fens’. This beautiful building was erected in 1180.

 

It is possible that there was a much earlier Saxon church in Moulton, as a burial ground was discovered in 1789 during the construction of what is now the A151.

Historical records suggest that Thorold of Buckenhale, the Sheriff of Lincoln and the brother of Lady Godiva, had the right to appoint the parish priest at Moulton. Thorold granted that right to the Prior of Spalding, and sometime between 1175 and 1190 Prior John of Spalding began building the present church at Moulton. He may have been trying to outdo the monks 

of Croyland Abbey, who were building the parish church of Whaplode at the same time.

 

Curiously, the parishioners of Moulton contributed to the cost of the new church, but 

Thomas de Multon, the largest landowner in the area, refused to do so. Multon refused to 

worship in the new church and decided instead to build his own chapel, where he held 

services without permission and allowed local residents to worship.