St Mary's Church, Hemel Hempstead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Hemel Hempstead |
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St Mary's Church, Hemel Hempstead.
View, from the south east showing the chancel, south transept, tower and spire. |
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| 51°45′33″N 0°28′22″W / 51.7591°N 0.4727°W | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Liberal Catholic |
| Website | [1] |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. Mary |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Mary & St Paul |
| Deanery | Hemel Hempstead |
| Diocese | St Albans |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Mary's Church in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England, is a very old and important church. It's the main church for the town and has been a place of worship for hundreds of years. It's also a Grade I listed building, which means it's a super special historic place!
Contents
A Look at St Mary's Church History
This amazing church started being built in 1140. It was officially opened in 1150, but people kept working on it for another 30 years! It's a bit of a mystery why such a big church was built in what was then just a tiny village.
What the Church Looks Like
The church has a cross shape when you look at it from above. It has a main area called the nave, a chancel (which was the first part built), and two side sections called transepts. There's also a tall tower.
In the 1300s, a very tall spire was added to the tower. It's one of the tallest in Europe, reaching about 200 feet high! At the very top, there's a shiny gold weather vane. In the 1800s, a small room called a vestry was added to the church's side.
The church is mostly built from local stones like clunch stone and flint. You can even spot some old Roman bricks! Most of the church's style is Norman, which means it looks like buildings from the 11th and 12th centuries. However, the entrance areas, called porches, were added later in the 1300s and 1400s.
Monks and the Church
In 1302, a small part of Ashridge Priory (a type of monastery) was set up in Hemel Hempstead. This meant St Mary's Church became a "collegiate church," which was a special status. This lasted until 1536, when many monasteries were closed down. There was even a special door at the bottom of the tower just for the monks. This allowed them to go into the church without mixing with the townspeople.
Inside the Church
Inside, you'll find a special memorial for a famous person named Sir Astley Paston Cooper. The church also has a large Walker organ, which is a musical instrument. It was fixed up and made new again in 2008.
The Church Bells
Long ago, in the time of King Edward VI, there were five bells in the church. None of those old bells are still there today. The church now has a set of eight bells! These bells were made between 1590 and 1767.
In 1950, for the church's 800th birthday, the bells were tuned up by a company called Gillett & Johnston from Croydon. They were also rehung on new steel frames with new parts. Each of the eight bells has a special message or date on it:
- 1. (The smallest bell) Lester and Pack - 1758
- 2. Lester and Pack - 1758
- 3. Chandler made me - 1688
- 4. Praise the Lord - 1633
- 5. Lawdate Domini - (no date)
- 6. God save King James - 1604
- 7. Sana Manet Christi - 1617
- 8. (The largest bell) Lester and Pack - 1767
The Font
The font, which is a large basin used for baptisms, is the original one from the Norman period. Even though it's very old, it has some beautiful decorations added around it in the 1800s.
