St Etheldreda's Church, Hatfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Etheldreda's Church |
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The church from the churchyard.
View, from the south east showing the south transept, nave, and tower. |
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| 51°45′41″N 0°12′45″W / 51.76139°N 0.21250°W | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | www.stetheldreda.org |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Etheldreda |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Parish of Bishop’s Hatfield St Etheldreda with St Luke |
| Diocese | St Albans |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Etheldreda's Church is a historic church in Old Hatfield, Hertfordshire, in the United Kingdom. It belongs to the Church of England. Parts of the building are from the 13th century. There is even proof that a church stood here in Saxon times, long before that.
The church is located in the old part of Hatfield village. It is just east of the modern town of Hatfield. It stands very close to the famous Hatfield House. This grand house was once a royal palace. St Etheldreda's Church used to serve both the village and the people living at Hatfield House. That's why it looks so grand for a local church. The church is named after St Etheldreda. She is a special saint for the Bishops of Ely. These bishops once lived in Hatfield House when it was their palace.
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Exploring St Etheldreda's Church
The church sits on top of a hill. Old Hatfield village is to its west. The church building is mostly made of flint. It has a cruciform shape, like a cross. There is a tall tower at the western end. Most of the church was built between the 13th and 15th centuries.
Special Chapels and Tombs
Two special rooms, called chapels, were added next to the main part of the church, called the chancel.
- On the north side is the Salisbury Chapel. This chapel is the traditional burial place for the Cecil family. It holds the fancy tomb of Robert Cecil. He was the first Earl of Salisbury.
- Two British Prime Ministers are also buried here. They are Lord Melbourne and Lord Salisbury. These two leaders were the first and last Prime Ministers during Queen Victoria's time.
- On the south side is the Brocket Chapel.
Some parts of the church were rebuilt during the Victorian era. This included new designs for the window tracery.
The Tower and its Bells
Historically, St Etheldreda's Church had a tall spire on top of its west tower. Many old pictures show this spire. It was put back up in 1847. This was to celebrate a visit from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. However, the spire was removed in 1930.
Today, the tower has eight bells. These bells form a Carillon, which is a musical instrument. It was put in place in 1786. The carillon is set to play different tunes each day of the week.
Ancient Memorials
Inside the church, you can find many memorials. The oldest one is a statue of a knight in armor. It dates back to about 1160.
