St Mary's Church, Higham Ferrers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Mary's Church, Higham Ferrers |
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The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin
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| 52°18′23″N 0°35′29″W / 52.30645°N 0.59135°W | |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic |
| History | |
| Founder(s) | Henry III of England, |
| Dedication | St. Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Architectural type | Perpendicular Gothic |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Higham Ferrers |
| Diocese | Diocese of Peterborough |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Mary's Church in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, is an old and important church in England. It's a Church of England church, and it's so special that it's listed as a Grade I building. This means it's one of the most important historic buildings in the country.
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
This church was first built around 1220, thanks to a special order from King Henry III. The tall tower was finished about 30 years later, around 1250. Much of this original church is still standing today!
Around 1320, the church was made bigger. The north side aisle was widened, and the main part of the church, called the nave, was changed to make space for the Lady Chapel. More windows were added to the chancel (the area around the altar) and the south aisle.
In the early 1400s, the upper part of the church walls, called the clerestory, and the flatter roof were added. This work might have been overseen by Bishop Henry Chichele, who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury. He also had the beautiful wooden screen (called a rood screen) and the special seats for the choir, known as choir stalls, put in around 1425. These choir stalls have unique carvings underneath them called misericords. Bishop Chichele also helped build All Souls College, Oxford, and the carvings there look very similar, so it's possible the same artist created both.
Tower and Spire
In 1631, the church's tall spire and part of its tower fell down. Luckily, they were fixed soon after. This was the last major repair work done to the main structure of the church. The spire is very tall, reaching about 174 feet (53 meters) high!
The church tower has ten bells. The original eight bells were repaired and rehung in 2014, and two new bells were added. This was done to celebrate 600 years since Henry Chichele became Archbishop of Canterbury. People have rung these bells many times for special occasions.
The West Porch
The beautiful west porch, which is the main entrance, was built between 1270 and 1280. It's thought that skilled builders from other countries, who also worked on Westminster Abbey, might have built it. The style and quality of the work are very similar to parts of Westminster Abbey.
The front of the tower is truly amazing, with lots of medieval decorations. The two main doors are surrounded by carvings, including a Tree of Jesse design that grows from a central pillar. Above the doors, there are unusual round carvings in the tympanum that show scenes from the New Testament, like pictures from old books. You can also find sculptures all over the front, including a fun one on the north side of a man playing music while stuck in stocks! Some of the empty spaces for statues now hold excellent modern ones.
Important Memorials
One of the oldest and most detailed memorial carvings in England is found here. It's a special brass memorial for Laurence St. Maur, who passed away in 1337. Experts like Nikolaus Pevsner say it's one of the best brass monuments in England. It used to be on the floor but was moved to a special tomb in 1633.
The carving shows St. Maur wearing fancy church clothes. Above him, under a carved canopy, are several figures. Abraham sits in the middle, holding a globe and giving a blessing. St. Andrew and St. Peter are on his left, and St. Paul and St. Thomas are on his right. Angels on either side of Abraham are shown holding St. Maur's soul. In a book from 1912, John Sebastian Marlowe Ward wrote that canopies over priests are very rare, and this one is by far the best.
Bede House and Chantry Chapel
Right next to the church, on the west side, is the Chantry Chapel. This building is also a Grade I listed building, meaning it's very important historically. It was built in the early 1400s for Archbishop Chichele and was later fixed up in the 1900s. It's made of limestone with a lead roof. For many years, from 1542 to 1906, it was used as a Grammar School. In 1942, it became a chantry chapel again.
To the south of the church, across the churchyard, is the Bede House. This is another Grade I listed building. It was built around 1428 and repaired in the 1800s. It's made of limestone and ironstone with a tiled roof from the 1900s. Today, it's used as the church hall. Both the Chantry Chapel and the Bede House are built in the Perpendicular Gothic style and are open for people to visit.
In the churchyard, there's a stone cross, which is also a Grade I listed building. In 1463, it was known as the Wardeyn or Warden Cross. It stands about 48 meters (52 yards) west of the church tower. People believe it's from the medieval period, with parts added later. It was repaired in 1919 and became a war memorial.
Gallery
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The east end
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Graveyard cross and tower
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The tower
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Lower niche statue, tower
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Typanum, west porch
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The clock
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Misericord
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Tabernacle, Lady Chapel Altar
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Screen from north aisle
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Stoup
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High Altar
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South chapel ceiling
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North aisle sanctuary
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The belfry
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The Bede House
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The Chantry Chapel
