Winthorpe is a small coastal village in the East Lindsey district, 2 miles N of Skegness. The church stands in open farmland, and is a 15thc Perpendicular building with a W tower, a nave with a S porch and five-bay side aisles, and chancel. It was restored in 1880 by William Smith. Three fragments of Romanesque sculpture survive from an earlier church: two column bases and one capital.

Winthorpe is not recorded by that name in the Domesday Survey. It may be thought to have been recorded under Skegness, but that settlement is not recorded either. It has been argued that Skegness was recorded under the name of Tric (Owen and Coates 2003). The largest landowner in the settlement of Tric was Eudo son of Spirewic who had two separate entries in the survey. The first entry includes sokeland to Burgh-le-Marsh which had been held by Godric, Godwin, and Toki prior to the conquest. This comprised 1 household, enough plough land and men for 0.3 of a carucate The other entry relating to Eudo had previously belonged to Grimkel and Klak before it was awarded to Eudo. This comprised 2 villagers, 0.3 ploughlands and plough-teams and 30 acres of meadow. Count Alan of Brittany had one holding in Tric, which included 1 smallholder 0.5 ploughlands
and 60 acres of meadow. Robert the Bursar had one holding in Tric, although this was in an entry which included Tric, Burgh-le-Marsh, Partney, and Greet Steeping and included 2 villagers, 5 freemen, 2.5 ploughlands, 0.5 men’s plough teams, and 30 acres of meadow. Which, if any, of this related to Winthorpe is a matter for speculation.

It is curious why the column base has been cut back by one-quarter its size as this would make an awkward respond base. The cutting may be an element of later reuse. The two bases clearly belong to the same building campaign given their design similarity. The capital too most likely belongs to the same period given the affinity of intended shaft diameters of all three pieces.