St Oswald’s Church

Rand is a hamlet off the A158, roughly halfway between Langworth and Wragby — its name denoting a ridge overlooking a valley. St Oswald’s has stood remotely in the fields since the early 14th century, though records of organised worship here go back to the 13th century, including an open-air mission station once marked by a cross. The church originally stood within a deserted medieval village.

Built of grey stone under a slated roof, the church has a broad 15th-century west tower with gargoyles, decorated bell openings, and a Norman monster head set in the west window. Inside hang two bells — one, 27½ inches across, dated 1715 and inscribed “Jesu be our speed”; the other, 32 inches, believed to date from the 15th century and inscribed “Ave Maria.”

The chancel arch is over five hundred years old. A stone pulpit with a brass rail, an octagonal carved font (reset in 1902 to mark the end of the Boer War), Victorian communion rail and choir stalls, and a stone reredos with three arches and decorated alabaster panels complete the interior. St Oswald’s is also known for its remarkable array of monuments in both brass and stone — including six brasses refixed in 1890, and stone monuments featuring carved children.