The church at the beginning of the twentieth century.

The Church at Old Dalby is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. It is a church that has very early origins, possibly Norman. It is a chapelry of Nether Broughton, sequestered during the commonwealth period when the Rev. Phlip Ormeston was put into the church at Old Dalby by the Parliamentary Sequestrators. No records survive before 1725 but at various times it has been a rectory and a vicarage. Originally the church had a nave, a south aisle and a north aisle but by c. 1800, the north aisle had been taken down. A chancel was built in 1729 by Charles Dunscombe Esq. and Nichols described the church in 1800 as having a steeple, a low tower and a spire, all wooden. The tower contained four bells. At that time too, new pews were fitted, provided by the Rev. John Mores, M. A. who was also rector of Nether Broughton. 1835, the church was rebuilt by Rev. W. G. Sawyer who was the patron as well as the incumbent. The cost of the rebuilding was £5000 and the new building still had four bells. In 1894 there was a further restoration of the church in which it was fitted with new pews. At the same time, the tenor bell was recast and a new organ was fitted. The cost of this restoration was £1400.

Sources: Trade Directories

A view of St. John the Baptist, taken in 2005.