Church of St Nicholas, Norton facts for kids
The Church of St Nicholas in Norton, Hertfordshire, is a very old church. It used to be the main church for the village of Norton. Today, Norton is part of Letchworth Garden City. The church building you see now was first built around 1109 to 1119. More parts, like the tall tower, were added in the 1400s. Long ago, before a big change in England called the Reformation, it was a stop for people on their way to visit the Abbey of St Albans.
History of the Church
The land where Norton is located belonged to the Abbey of St Albans since about 795. Even though they lost control for a while, they got it back in 1007. People believe there has been a church on this spot since 1002. The Domesday Book from 1086, which was a big survey of England, even mentions a priest in Norton.
The current St Nicholas Church was built around 1119. It was built and officially opened by Hervey le Breton, who was the Bishop of Ely. Around 1258, Laurence, the church leader (called a Rector) at Norton, gave some of the church's money to the Abbey of St Albans. This money helped the Abbey welcome travelers, especially people visiting a special holy place there.
In 1291, Pope Nicholas IV made a list of all the churches in England to figure out taxes. Norton church was listed as being in the Deanery of Baldock and the Archdeaconry of St Albans. In the same year, the Pope said that people who visited Norton church on four special days dedicated to the Virgin Mary would receive special blessings.
When the Abbey of St Albans was closed down in 1539, the church and its rights went to King Henry VIII. Over the next 450 years, different families owned the church's rights. This continued until 1908, when the Bishop of St Albans bought them.
By the mid-1600s, many people in Norton followed a strict religious group called the Puritans. In 1649, two people from Norton were accused of witchcraft and sadly, they were executed in St Albans. One of them, John Knott, accused nine other villagers, but they were not tried.
The parents of a famous preacher named Rodney "Gipsy" Smith are buried in the churchyard. His mother died from smallpox on Norton Road in 1865. A large stone memorial was added later for them. By 1907, the church was in poor condition and needed many repairs. After a lot of work, the church was officially opened again in October 1909. In December of that same year, the vicar, George James Pierson, passed away. He had been the church leader for a very long time, almost 68 years, since 1842.
St Nicholas' Church was the main church for Norton village for 850 years. Then, in 1964, St George's Church was built nearby in Letchworth Garden City. However, St Nicholas' Church is still used today for church services, weddings, and as a smaller church for local needs.
Church Design and Features
The oldest part of the church is the south end of the main seating area (called the nave) and the Norman arch that leads to the altar area (called the chancel). This arch is made of a soft white stone called clunch. The church tower was built in the 1400s. At that time, the nave was made longer to connect to the tower, and its walls were made taller. The windows and the entrance porch also date from the 1400s, as do some of the older wooden seats (called pews) and the font used for baptisms.
In 1814, a doorway on the north side was closed up. A coat of arms that now hangs over the south door replaced an older, larger one. The raised platform where the preacher stands (called the pulpit) is from the 1600s.
Inside the chancel, there are memorials for members of the Pryor family. They owned a lot of land and many homes in the village. On the south wall of the nave, there is a memorial for the daughters of Katherine Cole. They all died when they were babies. Katherine was the daughter of Richard Cleaver, who owned Norton manor at that time.
Also on the south wall of the nave is a memorial for William Pym and his wife Elizabeth. William Pym bought the manor in 1680. He was an ancestor of Francis Pym, who was a famous politician much later. On the floor near the chancel arch, there is a memorial for their baby son, Guy, who died in April 1686.
The church has been a Grade II listed building since 1954. This means it is an important historical building that is protected. It is part of the Diocese of St Albans.
The Church Bells
The church has a set of eight bells. Three of these bells are very old, made before the 1900s. The oldest bell is from the 1400s. It was probably made by Joanna Hille, who was a bell maker. This bell has a Latin message on it that says "Sancte Petre ora pro nobis," which means "Saint Peter, pray for us." Another old bell was made by Robert Oldfield, who made bells between 1605 and 1640. The third old bell says "John Briant Hertford fecit 1815," meaning John Briant of Hertford made it in 1815. The five newer bells were made by John Taylor & Co in Loughborough in 1946. The newest and highest-pitched bell is dedicated to Polly and Cornelius Smith, who were the parents of the preacher Rodney "Gipsy" Smith.
The Church Organ
The organ in the church is a smaller one, with one keyboard and four stops that change the sound. It was first built by Henry Speechly in 1870 for Lambeth Palace Chapel. It was fixed up by Manders in 1958. The Norton Parish bought it and used it in St George's Hall for church services. This was before the current main church, St George's, was built.
Gallery
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A view of the rear of the church
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The Smyth family tomb in the churchyard
