St. Peter and St Paul’s Church, Gosberton
The Lady Chapel is sited to the south of the Chancel. It is separated from both the Chancel and the South Transept by open archways. The Chapel has its own altar, sited (as is tradition) on the east wall.
How old is the Lady Chapel?
According to Kaye, in his book, ‘A Brief History of the Church and Parish of Gosberton,’ the Lady Chapel was added in the latter half of the 13th century. The then south wall of the chancel was opened out, and two arches installed, giving an open access to the chancel. Kaye states that the priests door at the south of the lady chapel was inserted in the ‘unfortunate’ churchwarden period (when was this?)
Gosberton’s First School
Before the state started to take some responsibly for providing education for children in the 1870s, the provision of any education was patchy across the country. Schools and academies for the middle classes were available – at a price. For the working class, there was either no education at all, or some provided on a charitable basis. The church was the main provider of such charitable schools – with a fee often chargeable.
Gosberton village had such a church school. It isn’t known when a school was first formed. We do know that a ‘National School’ (run by the church) began on New Years Day, 1816. The school-room was Lady Chapel, in the church, which was adapted for this purpose – the children entering and leaving by the side door in the Lady Chapel. The archways were boarded up to make the space private and distinct from the rest of the church. The wooden roof screen was boarded and plastered over. This school lasted until 1855, when a new National School was built on High Street (what is now Gosberton Youth Centre and Community Hub).
