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History of the Church Building

As Rothley’s oldest surviving building, the Church of St Mary & St John stands tall on its early Norman foundations. Explore its history with links to the published record and in the stunning 360 HD Tour.

A 10th century Saxon cross shaft stands just next to the church, pointing to the Christian presence that was here before the Conquest, confirmed in Rothley’s entry in King William’s Domesday Book. Soon afterwards the Normans built in stone, to be extended several times into the Medieval period. Elizabeth 1st’s regime stamped the protestant ethos and furnishings on the church, until the energy of Victoria Vicar Richard Burton restored and refashioned the building into the Gothic tradition prevailing in 1877. The aftermath of wars saw the interior decked out with a magnificent organ and memorials to the sad casualties of conflict. In the modern era, the Gothic symbolism of the high altar at the east end has given way to communion celebrated round a simple carpenter’s table at the head of the Nave amongst the people. The 18 page story is available for download [PDF], and a glossy printed version can be purchased through the Church Office


The church building, inside and out, was beautifully photographed in 2015 by Adrian Witcombe. The images were assembled into seven interactive 360 HD Tours which allow the reader to enlarge each historic memorial or artefact, and to read a short description of their place and significance.

The Roll of Honour commemorating those who served in the The Great War was refurbished and redicated in 2018, details and photos are available on the Centenary of the Armistice page.

Cast Iron Grave Markers Remounted

Rescued from undergrowth in the churchyard, these two specially commissioned objects now have a home on the repointed west wall of the churchyard, and both have intriguing stories.

Russell twins
russell
[Cast iron grave marker of twins Guy and Eric Russell] The two months old Russell twins, Guy and Eric, were staying with their parents at the Rothley Grange Farm on Rothley Plain, home of farmer George Waugh. 

The twins took ill, and on 9th and 11th Aug 1896 were overcome with infantile diarrhoea and died. Rather than be taken back into Leicester where the Russells lived on the Hinckley Road, they were buried in the churchyard.

Father Samuel Russell was a Leicester Iron-founder, and would have personally commissioned this marker in his foundry to remember his tiny sons. Now fixed as a lasting memorial to their memory.

CJW 1863
cjw
[Cast iron grave marker of Charles John Woodbridge] The other marker in cast iron remembers the death od 12yr old Charles John Woodbridge, buried here on 26th Aug 1863. His 7yr old brother George followed him into the grave five days later on 31st August, both succumbing to the scourge of scarlatina.

Their Rothley-born mother Ann Palmer left the village in the 1840s for work in London as a Housemaid where she married a Footman, Giles Woodbridge, in 1847. Giles died of tuberculosis in 1857, and Ann came back to her village here with her two sons.

Before long, Ann struck up a relationship with widower William Boyer, who also had two teenage sons, and in 1860 they were married here in Rothley Church. Their union was blessed with a new son, Harry Boyer, who later became noted for founding Boyers Buses.

Harry, a skilled joiner, bought four bare lorry chassis and built passenger carrying bodies on to them. Rothley people became very appreciative of having Boyer’s Buses available to link them to Loughborough and Leicester.

Other Resources

The church and parish were studied in depth in 1921 by four antiquarians and the result published in the 1921 Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological & Historical Society. The four-topic report included studies of the Rothley Vicars and the Church building, which has some expert architectural drawings of its old and current features. The report is viewable online.

Many church-related articles feature on the Rothley Village Website in its Village History section, including details of the 248 headstones still extant in the Churchyard.

The 1911 Philimore transcript of marriages solemnized in the parish church between 1562 and 1837 has been further transcribed digitally and is available online.

A medieval scholar, Vanessa McLoughlin completed a doctorate on the The Manor and Soke of Rothley. Vanessa distilled a 28-page article her thesis on Medieval Rothley, A Peculiar Parish. The article shows how Rothley Church had responsibility for five chapels within the Soke of Rothley, an administrative grouping of originally 22 settlements east of the River Soar. It also shows how Rothley was an Ecclesiastical Peculiar, outside the jurisdiction of the Archdeacon and the Bishop, a status following from the Manor having been in the ownership of the King before and after the Conquest. The article is available for download.

Susan Joyce, Chair of the Rothley History Society, also distilled an article from her MA Thesis on the Civil War period entitled Saints & Malignants: Rothley and its Neighbours In the 17th Century’s Times of Turmoil. Its 16 pages can be downloaded [PDF].

Terry Sheppard 

Glenys
Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello 

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect at our Sunday Services.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Services.  You can check service times on our calendar.  In July and August our service pattern may change so please check the calendar before planning a visit.

Communion (The Lord's Supper)

Check the calendar to see when we celebrate the Lord's death and resurrection by sharing in bread and wine.

9.30am Service with Choir and Organ or said Communion. No service 5th Sunday of every month.

Coffee and Tea will be served after this service at 10:45.  All refreshments are free and its a great way to meet people from the 9:30 and 11:00 services.

11.00am Informal Service with Music Group.  Children's & Youth Work. No service 1st Sunday of every month.

1st Sunday of the month: Shine!  An event for all ages at 4:00pm. 
Shine - something different.  More details here.

2nd Sunday of the month:  Choral Evensong at 6:00pm.

4th Sunday of the month:  Prayer meeting at 6:00pm.

When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

Accessibility: The church does not have a car park, but we have the use of the Victoria Mills car park on Fowke Street for Services.  This is about 75 metres from the church building.
The church building does not have toilets.  Toilets are available in the Old School Rooms which are between the church building and the Victoria Mills car park.  This includes a toilet for people with a disability and baby changing facilities.
If you need to be dropped off nearer the church building, please contact us so that we can explain how you can do this.
The paths from the public footpaths to the church building are uneven.
There is a sound loop for anyone who needs it.  Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up.

11:00am Service

Someone from the church will welcome everyone.  There will be singing (you don't have to join in), readings from the Bible and prayers.  Someone will give a message from the Bible and that we can apply to our everyday life.  We also have news and notices mainly about the life of the church.

rothley church

What about my kids?

We have a great programme lined up for children and young people:

  • Creche (0 months to 3 years). Children must be accompanied by their parent/grown-up at all times.  You will be able to hear the service in the creche.
  • Scramblers (3-5 years)
  • Climbers (5-7 years)
  • Explorers (8 - 11 years)
  • GRID (11 - 14 years)
  • Young people (15+ years) Stay in service.

We meet during the 11:00am service each Sunday (GRID 2nd and 4th Sundays). We spend a short time in church for the family focus and then for the rest of the service we are in the Old School Rooms.
On the fourth Sunday of each month, we will start together in the Old School Rooms and return to church for communion. Come and learn about Jesus and have lots of fun!

You will have great teachers and make lots of friends!  Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and notices. We really value worshiping God all together as a family. Someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy.

The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, Bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play.

Children

Getting Connected


Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team. 

Other Ministries

We also run the following ministries:

  • Men's Ministries
  • Women's Ministries
Get in touch with us to plan your visit
If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.
 
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Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.
 

Leadership 

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Leader 1   Leader 2
Leader Intro   Leader Intro
 
We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

(Handwritten Signature)