Gedney (or Gadenai in the Doomsday Book of 1086) was King’s Land. At that time, Gedney was next to the sea. The Church of St. Mary Magdalene, an Anglican parish church of medieval origin, once had a tall spire which made it the grandest one in the area. It has been referred to as “The Cathedral of the Fens,” and is a Grade 1 listed building.
Parts of the Church date from the early 13th century, and additions and alterations were carried out into the 17th century. It was restored in 1890 but the spire was left unfinished. The tower is 86 feet high to its parapet, has early English lower stages and a perpendicular upper stage.
The nave arcades and chancel are built in the Decorated style. During the 1890 rebuilding, a brass of a woman from approx. 1390 was found in the south aisle with a puppy at her feet.
There is also a damaged 13th century effigy of a cross-legged knight in the south aisle, possibly representing Falco D’Oyry. There are also Jacobean alabaster monuments of Adlard Welby, his wife Cassandra, and their five children, erected in 1605.
The south porch has an upper chamber.
At the east end of the north aisle there are the remains of a 14th century Jesse window.
The churchyard contains the war grave of a Lincolnshire Regiment soldier of the First World War and was consecrated on Sunday, October 15th, 1967 by Ross Hook, the Suffragan Bishop of Grantham. Until that date, Gedney had been operating its own Burial Board with fees above those issued by Church Commissioners.
The new burial ground (west section) was consecrated on July the 26th, 1976 by Lord Bishop of Lincoln Rt. Rev. Simon Phipps.
St Mary Magdalene
Church End, Gedney,
Spalding
PE12 0BU