St Mary's Church, Stafford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary’s Church, Stafford |
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St Mary’s Collegiate Church, Stafford
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| 52°48′21.36″N 2°07′06.97″W / 52.8059333°N 2.1186028°W | |
| Location | Stafford, Staffordshire, |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic |
| Website | stmarysstafford.org.uk |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Stafford St Mary |
| Deanery | Stafford |
| Archdeaconry | Stoke-on-Trent |
| Diocese | Diocese of Lichfield |
St Mary's Church, Stafford is a very old and important church located in Stafford, Staffordshire, England. It is a Grade I listed building, which means it's considered a building of exceptional historical and architectural interest. It's a parish church, meaning it serves the local community.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
This church was built a long, long time ago, starting in the early 13th century (the 1200s). Over the years, parts were added or changed. For example, the side sections (called transepts) were built in the 14th century, and the upper windows (clerestories) and the tower where the main parts of the church cross were added in the 15th century.
In 1954, during some digging, people found remains of an even older church nearby. This was the Anglo-Saxon church of St Bertelin.
St Mary's was once a "collegiate" church. This means it had a group of priests, called canons, who lived and worked together. The Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086, recorded that there were 13 canons here.
Around the 13th century, it became a "Royal Peculiar." This meant the church was directly under the control of the King, not the local bishop. This caused some big arguments! In December 1258, the new bishop, Roger de Meyland, even came to Stafford with armed men. They forced their way into the church and attacked the canons and other church workers.
The church remained a collegiate institution until 1548. This was when King Henry VIII closed down many religious colleges and chantries (places where prayers were said for the dead) across England.
After the Reformation
For many years, a powerful local family called the Aston family helped support the church. They were known as Lord Aston of Forfar. What's interesting is that this family became Roman Catholic in the 1620s. Even so, they continued to be patrons of St Mary's. When the 2nd Lord Aston died in 1678, hundreds of local Protestants came to his burial at St Mary's. This shows how well-liked he was, even though he had a different faith.
The church was greatly repaired and updated between 1841 and 1844. This work was done by a famous architect named Sir George Gilbert Scott.
Important Memorials
Inside the church, you can find several interesting monuments and memorials. These include:
- A large stone tomb for Sir Edward Aston, who passed away in 1568.
- A wall plaque for Thomas Clifford (died 1787) and Barbara Clifford (died 1786), made by John Francis Moore.
- Another wall plaque for Humphrey Hodgetts, who died in 1730.
- A special wall plaque for Izaak Walton, a famous English writer who died in 1683.
Other Burials Here
Some other notable people buried at St Mary's Church include:
The Church Organ
St Mary's Church has a very large and impressive organ built in 1909 by Harrison and Harrison. It's a "four manual organ," which means it has four keyboards for the organist to play! This organ is so special that it has been given a Grade I Historic Organ Certificate by the British Institute of Organ Studies. This means it's considered a very important historical musical instrument. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
There was an earlier organ in the church from 1790. It was installed by John Geib. This older organ was rebuilt in 1844 and again in 1974. You can also find information about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Staffordshire
- Listed buildings in Stafford (Central Area)
