A ruin since 1883. Remains consists of Norman chancel and W tower. (1)
The remains of St Helen's, the parish church of S Wheatley. Only 2 portions of the church are still standing: the W tower stands to its full height and the E entrance arch, Norman in style, is still visible underneath heavy undergrowth. The church stands in a churchyard. This is a surviving Med church, in ruinous condition, whose fabric and site still retain considerable interest and potential for the archaeology of the area. (2) (3)
Church comprises a C15 tower and C12 chancel arch… A visitor to the church in 1880 recorded that the chancel arch was blocked and the church disused except for funerals (Retford Times, Aug 1934). Demolition granted 17 Jan 1886 and the nave and chancel were subsequently demolished leaving the tower, chancel arch, and the central pier of the north arcade still standing. Around1913 plans were made to rebuild the church but were never implemented. C12: Church consisting of nave and chancel was built. C14 E. widow of chancel replaced with one in the Decorated (Gothic) style. C15: Tower built at W end of the nave c.1480 and it is likely that the N aisle was built at this time. C18: brick porch on south door of the nave may have been this date. C19: 1840 the last restoration work took place when new pews were installed in the nave. By 1880 the church was no longer in use for services. (4)
Tree-ring dating in 2013: Two beams supporting the bellframe were sampled but could not be dated. 9 bellframe timbers were sampled and found to cross-match with 3 pairs of timbers each being found to have been derived from an individual tree, producing a site chronology dated to 1579-1665. (5)
See L5166,7 for earthworks, deserted village.

Data Held (Document). SNT2647.

(3), Parish File

Data Held: Ground Photograph (Ground photograph). SNT2646.

7 colour print; 5 colour slide, CS 50-54, SMR

Data Held: Ground Photograph (Ground photograph). SNT2646.

9 Colour prints, Bilson P 06/07/1992, SMR

Listed buildings slides, 30 slides (Photograph). SNT2648.

--/03/99, The Ruins of St Helen's Church (Plan). SNT3138.

Thoroton Society, 1978, TTS, p 11 (Published document). SNT391.

<1> Pevsner N, 1951, The Buildings of England: Nottinghamshire, p 161 (Monograph). SNT49.

<2> Harper FR, 1962, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT748.

<3> English Heritage, 1984, Schedule Entry, Notts 74 (Unpublished document). SNT305.

<4> Denny Plowman, 1978, The Ruined and Redundant Churches of Nottinghamshire - A Survey (Unpublished document). SNT5716.

<5> Historic England, 2013, Church of St Helen, S. Wheatley – Tree-ring Analysis of Bellframe by Historic England in 2013 (Unpublished document). SNT5906.