Church of St Laurence, Stanwick facts for kids
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The Church of St Laurence is a very old and important church in the village of Stanwick. It is in North Northamptonshire, England. This church is a Grade I listed building, which means it's a special historic place. It was first part of the Church of England's Diocese of Lincoln. But in 1541, during the time of King Henry VIII, it moved to the Diocese of Peterborough. This happened near the end of a big change called the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
History of the Church
For a long time, many old records spelled the church's name as "St Lawrence." But the correct spelling is "St Laurence." This was officially fixed in 2014 by Historic England.
The church building has several main parts. It has an eight-sided west Tower with a tall, pointed Spire. There is also a main hall called the Nave, and the Chancel, which is the area around the altar. It has a south Aisle (a side part), a south Porch (entrance area), and a small room above the porch called a Parvise.
The first church here was built around the year 1200. It had a Nave and a Chancel. You can still see parts of this original building. Around 1230, the Tower, south Aisle, and porch were likely added. The tall Spire was finished later, in the early 1300s.
Over the years, the church was changed and updated. A new Chancel was built in the 1400s or 1500s. Some new windows were put in. The church was also repaired many times. The parvise, a lower roof, and decorative walls called battlements were added later. The Chancel was rebuilt again in 1823.
The Tower is shaped like an octagon. However, the stairs inside make it look square from the church's main area. In 1957, a new bell was made for the church. It was created using metal from two older bells from a church in Faxton.
The main part of the church, the Nave, is older than the Tower and the Chancel. The Chancel was rebuilt in the 1400s or 1500s. It was also repaired in the early 1800s. The Chancel today is about three feet narrower than it used to be.
The Porch is part of the original church. Its outer door has special columns called jamb-shafts from the Early English period. The church does not have a clerestory, which is a high section of wall with windows. The decorative battlements around the church were added in the Perpendicular style.
Richard Cumberland, a writer, wrote about the church in his memoirs in 1806. He said the Spire of Stanwick Church was one of the most beautiful in England. His father, Denison Cumberland, added a clock and decorated the Chancel. He also added a singing gallery. He spent a lot of money to keep the church looking good and in excellent repair.
In 1778, a pulpit (a raised stand for preaching) was given to the church. It was a gift from John Dolben, who was a bishop and used to be the Rector of Stanwick.
The weathercock on top of the spire is 157 feet above the ground. It was given to the church in 1882 by George Henson. He was the owner of the Duke of Wellington inn at the time.
Rectors of Stanwick Church
A Rector is a priest who is in charge of a church parish. Many different Rectors have served the Church of St Laurence over hundreds of years. The names of these Rectors have been recorded since the 1200s. Sometimes, the spelling of their names changed because they were written in old languages like Old English or Medieval Latin.
The first known Rector was Ralph of Collingham in 1224. Over the centuries, many others followed. Some of the Rectors included William Dolben in 1623 and Peter Needham in 1717. Denison Cumberland, whose son wrote about the church, was Rector in 1731.
In more recent times, Elizabeth Wood became Rector in 1995. Shena Bell followed in 2004. Jonathan Aldwinckle served from 2018. As of 2023, the position was vacant, meaning they were looking for a new Rector. Neil Bullen became the Rector in 2025.
