Old St Mary's Church, West Bergholt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old St Mary's Church, West Bergholt |
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Old St Mary's Church, West Bergholt, from the south
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| OS grid reference | TL 954 281 |
| Location | West Bergholt, Essex |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 7 April 1965 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Anglo-Saxon, Gothic |
| Closed | 1904 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Indurated conglomerate Tiled roofs |
Old St Mary's Church is an old Anglican church in West Bergholt, Essex, England. It's no longer used for regular church services, which is why it's called a redundant church. This church is a very important historical building. It is listed as a Grade I listed building in the National Heritage List for England. The Churches Conservation Trust now takes care of it. You'll find it a bit away from the main village, near West Bergholt Hall.
Contents
History of Old St Mary's Church
Early Beginnings: Anglo-Saxon Roots
Archaeological digs have shown that the oldest part of the church is from the Anglo-Saxon period. The north wall, for example, dates back to around the year 1000. Back then, the church had a rounded apse at its east end. This was later changed to a square-ended chancel.
Around 1300, the chancel was made longer. In the 14th century, a south aisle was added. This aisle has a three-bay arcade, which means it has a row of arches. The bellcote, which holds the church bells, was built in two stages during the medieval times. Timber from the original west end of the church was reused to build it.
Why a New Church Was Built
Over time, people started to live further away from the old church. By the late 1800s, most villagers lived quite a distance from it. Also, the church building itself was starting to get old and worn out. Because of these reasons, it was decided to build a new church. This new church was also named after Saint Mary. It was built closer to where most people lived. The new church was officially opened on 12 August 1904.
The old church was no longer needed for regular services in 1975. The next year, it was given to the Churches Conservation Trust. This trust helps to look after old churches that are no longer used.
Royal Intervention: Queen Elizabeth I and the Vicars
Queen Elizabeth I had to get involved twice to solve problems with the village vicars. The first vicar who caused trouble was Reverend Edmund Tarrell. He was known for spending too much time away from his church duties. The Queen had to step in after reports that he missed evensong. He also failed to be available for important church duties when needed. His most serious mistake was not reading out King Henry VIII's latest religious rules. This could have led to a death penalty, but he managed to avoid it.
Later, in 1581, it was reported to the Queen that the village's vicar, Reverend Richard Kyrby, refused to hold services in English. This was after her new Prayer Book was introduced. He insisted the service should stay in Latin. Sixteen years later, the Queen stepped in again and had him removed from his position.
Challenges During the Civil War
In 1650, Reverend Gregory Holland was called before a special committee. This committee looked into unsuitable behavior by ministers. Reverend Holland was accused of preaching Royalist sermons during the Civil War. He was also accused of unsuitable behavior in church. After the hearing, he was allowed to stay as vicar at Bergholt. However, the villagers had to choose a curate (another priest) to help him. This curate would be paid most of Reverend Holland's salary.
A Parishioner's Stand for Beliefs
It wasn't just the vicars who faced problems. In 1556, a woman from the parish named Agnes George was out of favor with Queen Mary. This was because Agnes refused to attend church until the service was no longer held in the Roman Catholic way. She was then put on trial before the Bishop of London, Reverend Edmund Bonner, along with 12 other people.
While she was in Newgate Prison, Agnes wrote a letter. In it, she criticized the Pope and stated that she was baptized in Christ's Church, not Rome. She was executed for her beliefs at Stratford.
Later, to remind everyone who was king, King James I had his royal coat of arms painted in the church. You can still see this coat of arms today if you stand in the gallery and look towards the altar. The motto on the arms says "Exurgat Deus Dissipenter Ininice." This is the first line of Psalm 68, which means "Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered." On the opposite side of the church from James's arms, there is a set of Hanoverian arms. These were added in 1816.
Architecture of the Church
Building Materials and Design
The church is built from a type of hard rock called indurated conglomerate. Its roofs are made of tiles. The porch, which is the entrance area, is made of timber and sits on a brick plinth (a base). You can also see Romanesque carved stones that were reused in the walls of the current church.
The church's layout includes a three-bay nave. This is the main part of the church where people sit. It has a south aisle and a south porch. There is also a chancel at the east end and a bellcote at the west end. The windows in the chancel have Y-tracery, which is a decorative pattern in the stonework. The windows in the south aisle have curvilinear tracery, which means it has curved patterns.
Inside the Church
Inside, the roof is held up by very strong tie-beams. The ceilings are covered with plaster. At the west end of the church, there is a gallery. This gallery stands on two Ionic columns. It has a panelled front and an entablature with triglyphi, which are decorative blocks.
In the southeast part of the aisle, there is a piscina. This is a basin used for washing sacred vessels, and it has a trefoil (three-lobed) head design. The font, where baptisms take place, has a round bowl on a square base. You can also see a royal coat of arms from the Jacobean era, which is the time of King James I.
See also
