St Mary's Church, Hitchin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Hitchin |
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St Mary's, viewed from the south-west
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 St Mary's Church, Hitchin
Location in Hertfordshire
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| 51°56′53″N 0°16′39″W / 51.94806°N 0.27750°W | |
| OS grid reference | TF 18371 29183 |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Central |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Administration | |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of St Albans |
| Diocese | Diocese of St Albans |
| Province | Province of Canterbury |
St Mary's Church is a very old and important church in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England. It belongs to the Church of England.
This church is the biggest parish church in Hertfordshire. It's quite large for a town like Hitchin. This shows how well Hitchin did in the past, especially with the wool trade. The church you see today was built in the 1300s and 1400s. Its tower is even older, from around 1190. Since 1951, it has been a Grade I listed building, which means it's a very important historical site.
In 1911, during work on a new floor, builders found parts of an even older Saxon church. It looked like a basilica church from the 600s. Later, in the 900s, it might have been made bigger. These old foundations could be from a Benedictine monastery. People say this monastery was founded by Offa, who was King of Mercia from 757 to 796.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
In 910, the church and a nearby palace were burned down. The monks then left Hitchin for St Albans Abbey. Local people used stones from the ruined church to build a new parish church. In the Domesday Book of 1086, St Mary's was listed as the most important church in the St Albans area.
The church has faced many challenges over the centuries. In 1115, a "Great Wind" partly destroyed it, and the main part of the church had to be rebuilt. Lightning struck the church in 1292, causing a lot of damage. Then, in 1298, the middle part of the church collapsed because of an earthquake. Six years later, in 1304, the roof also fell in, possibly weakened by the earthquake. This damaged many old items inside. The church was rebuilt in 1305 using flint, rubble, and stone from Totternhoe. In 1220, nuns and Bishop Hugh of Lincoln helped set up a vicarage at the church.
The church building we see today was mostly built in the 1300s and 1400s. It was first named after St Andrew. However, it became known as The Church of St Mary. This was because of a powerful group called the Guild of Our Lady, which was formed in the 1400s. The south porch, with its original door, was added around 1450. It is considered a very special part of the church.
Cool Features to See
Many interesting features from the 1400s are still in the church today.
- The baptismal font is from about 1470. Around its base, you can see figures of the Twelve Apostles. These were damaged by soldiers during the English Civil War. At that time, Oliver Cromwell's troops stayed in the church.
- The pulpit is from about 1500. It used to have a canopy and a different base, but those parts are gone now.
The Angel Screen is thought to be one of the best in the country. On its eastern side, you can still find the special stalls used by the Guild of 'Our Blessed Lady St Mary the Virgin'. The sundial on the southeast corner of the old tower was put there in 1660. It was a way to give thanks for the return of King Charles II to the throne.
The church also has a large organ. It was built in 1871 by J. W. Walker and first played by John Stainer. The organ has been rebuilt three times since then, most recently in 1958. Its beautiful carved oak case was added in 1913 by Laurence Arthur Turner.
More modern features include the altar rail. It has a tiny mouse carved into it, which is the special mark of the designer, Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson.
Important Events at the Church
Funeral services for famous people have been held here. These include the conductor Sir Henry Wood, who passed away at the nearby Hitchin Hospital. Also, Reginald Hine, a solicitor and historian of Hitchin, had his funeral here.
In August 2015, windows at St Mary's Church were damaged. Windows at St Paul's church in Letchworth were also broken. The cost to fix the damage at St Mary's was £10,000.
Burials
Gallery
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The South Porch of St Mary's Church
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View from the side
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The Tower of St Mary's Church
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St Mary's church from the River Hiz
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The Angel Screen is considered one of the finest in the country
