St Mary's Church, Hinckley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Parish Church, Hinckley |
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St Mary's Church, Hinckley
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| Location | Hinckley, Leicestershire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | [1] |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Architect(s) | William FitzOsbern |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Specifications | |
| Spire height | 56m |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Mary's Parish |
| Archdeaconry | Loughborough |
| Diocese | Leicester |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Mary's Parish Church is the oldest building in Hinckley. It is an Anglican church in the Diocese of Leicester. This church is very special, so Historic England has given it a Grade II* listed building status. This means it's an important historic place. You can even find a coffee bar inside the North Chapel!
Contents
A Look Back in Time: St Mary's History
St Mary's Church in Hinckley has stood for almost 900 years. It was built by William FitzOsbern, who came with William the Conqueror. There might have been an even older church here before. You can still see parts of an Anglo-Saxon sun-dial on the church's outside wall!
Early Days: From 1066 to 1926
A church has been on this spot for over 900 years. Historians believe a Saxon church was here first. The name Hinckley itself is Anglo-Saxon. It means "Hinck's meadow." If there was a Saxon village, a church would likely have been there.
The church's money first went to an abbey in Normandy. Later, it went to a priory in Yorkshire. This history explains why a local school is called Mount Grace High School. It's built on land the church once owned.
When Henry VIII closed the monasteries in 1542, he gave the church's rights to Westminster Abbey. Later, in 1874, these rights moved to the Bishop of Peterborough. When Leicester got its own diocese in 1926, the Bishop of Leicester took over. They still look after the church today.
A Benedictine priory was also in Hinckley in the 11th century. This old priory building was next to the church. It was taken down in 1827 to build cottages. Those cottages were then removed in 1912.
The Church You See Today
The church building we see now was rebuilt in the 13th century. A wooden beam found during later work had the date 1246 on it. The oldest parts of the church are from the 13th and 14th centuries. These include the tower, the main part (nave), and the chancel.
A huge restoration happened from 1875 to 1878. It cost a lot of money back then. The architect was Ewan Christian. The vicar at the time, Rev. W.H. Disney, wrote about how hard he worked. He said the work was very tiring. There's a plaque in the church remembering him.
During this time, old parts like the aisles and transepts were removed. A large singing gallery from 1723 was also taken down. New, bigger aisles and transepts were built. This meant seating for 1,200 people! Children could even enter through their own doors. The chancel was also fixed up in 1880.
Making it New: Restorations from 1993 to 2006
The church's spire and tower were repaired in 1993 and 1994. The top part of the spire was completely rebuilt. Some decorative stone work on the tower was also fixed. A stone spout, which helps water drain, was replaced. The new one was even carved to look like the vicar!
More repairs happened in 1998 and 1999. Parts of the Lady Chapel wall were rebuilt. In 2006, more crumbling stone was replaced. The inside of the church was also redecorated. Plaster was fixed, and window sills were repaired. All this work cost about £35,000.
Outside the Church: What to See
The most amazing part of the church is its tall tower and spire. They are 56 meters high and can be seen from far away! The tower was built in the early 14th century. Its walls are very thick, about 1.7 meters. The large window at the front was added in the 15th century.
The tower has battlements and pointed decorations called pinnacles. There's a winding stone staircase inside the tower. It leads to the top, where you can get a great view of Hinckley and even Coventry. The spire was added in 1788. It replaced an older one damaged by storms.
The copper weathercock on top is quite old. It was made in 1788 for the new spire. It's about 63.5 cm tall and weighs 5 kg. It even has the name of the vicar from that time, John Cole Galloway, carved on it.
The main walls of the church are from the 13th century. The decorative tops with pinnacles were added during the Victorian era.
Inside the Church: What to See
You can enter the church through the North door. Or you can go through the North Chapel, which is now a coffee bar.
The church is 38.4 meters long. But what's special is how wide it is compared to its length. It's almost a square! The main part (nave) is 19.1 meters long. But with the aisles, it's 21.7 meters wide. If you include the transepts, it's 31.7 meters wide. The chancel is 11.9 meters long and 5.5 meters wide. The tower is 5.6 meters by 5.6 meters. The roof of the nave is 11 meters high.
The Font
The font is where baptisms take place. It was added during the 1875-78 restoration. It has a round bowl on four small pillars. Around the bowl, you can see words from Jesus: "Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not." (From the Bible, Mark, Chapter 10, verse 14).
Tower Arch
One of the most beautiful parts of the church is the tower arch. It's from the early 14th century. It has a unique shape with flat upper curves. There are no capitals (the tops of columns), and ribs run from the floor to the top of the arch.
Rood Screen
In olden times, there was a beautiful carved screen here. It was called a rood screen. This screen was destroyed a long time ago during the Reformation. But you can still see the original 13th-century winding stone staircase. It's on the right side of the chancel arch. The steps are very old and worn.
The screen you see today was put up in 1905. It was a memorial to Queen Victoria. In 1931, a cross and figures of St Mary and St John were added. The choir stalls are also from the Victorian restoration.
Music at St Mary's
Music has always been important at St Mary's. The church has an organ, two worship bands, and many choirs. These include a traditional robed choir and Gospel Choirs.
The first organ was put in the church in 1808. It had three keyboards and 1,370 pipes! It cost £525.
During the Victorian restoration, the organ was rebuilt. In 1908, a new organ was built by Norman and Beard. It had over 2,000 pipes! It was made electric in 1966. By the 1990s, it needed a lot of work. So, it was replaced with an organ from another church in Leicester. This new organ has about 2,500 pipes. It was installed in 2005.
Beautiful Stained Glass Windows
The church has many lovely stained glass windows. At the west end of the south aisle, there are two windows. One remembers Herbert and Edith Clark. Herbert was a chairman of Sketchley Dye Works.
In the side chapel, you'll find a favorite window. It shows the Nativity scene (the birth of Jesus). It was made in 1919 by Burlison and Grylls. Mary looks very English with golden hair. One shepherd even looks like King George V!
Other windows include "The Annunciation" by Mayer & Co from around 1890. This is also in the Side Chapel. In the north aisle, near the entrance, is the "Resurrection Window." It remembers Elizabeth and Margaret Yeomans (1925) and was made by Christopher Webb.
Clock, Bells, and Chimes
St Mary's has some of the best church bells in the county. Five of them were first made in the early 17th century. In 1925, all eight bells were recast. The heaviest one weighs over a tonne! The bells are still rung every Sunday for church services. People also practice ringing them on Monday evenings.
The church clock was put in by Gillett & Johnston in 1876. It plays the famous Westminster Quarters tune on four bells.
In the clock room, there's also a Carillon. It works like a giant music box! It has a large wooden barrel. The clock and carillon were repaired in 2016. The tunes change every day. Three original tunes are still played: a hymn by Handel, The National Anthem, and Highland Laddie. Other tunes include "Aurelia" and "St Francis Xavier."
