St Mary's Church, Little Hormead facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Little Hormead
St Mary's Church, Little Hormead. from the south-east
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OS grid reference	TL 398 291
Location	Little Hormead, Hertfordshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Churches Conservation Trust
History
Dedication	Saint Mary the Virgin
Architecture
Functional status	Redundant
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	22 February 1967
Architectural type	Church
Style	Norman, Gothic
Groundbreaking	11th century
Completed	Renovated 1888
Closed	22 July 1997
Specifications
Materials	Flint, tiled roofs

St Mary's Church is an old Anglican church in the small village of Little Hormead, Hertfordshire, England. It is no longer used for regular church services. This historic building is very important. It is listed as a Grade I building in the National Heritage List for England. This means it is a building of special interest. The Churches Conservation Trust now looks after it.

The church is famous for its special Norman door. This door is made of wood and has amazing ironwork. Experts say it is "outstanding" and a "rare and precious survival."

Exploring the History of St Mary's Church

The church was built a very long time ago, in the 11th century. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book. This book was a huge survey of England made in 1086. It showed that the church served both Little Hormead and Great Hormead villages.

Key Changes Over the Centuries

In the early 1200s, the chancel (the part of the church where the altar is) was rebuilt. A bellcote (a small structure holding a bell) was added in the 1400s. Later, in the 1700s, a porch was built on the south side.

The church had a big renovation in 1888. During this time, the east end was rebuilt. The bellcote was also fixed up. In the 1200s, St Nicholas' Church was built in Great Hormead. This meant Little Hormead eventually lost its own rector in 1886. The church was officially given to the Churches Conservation Trust in 1995.

Understanding the Church's Architecture

St Mary's Church is built mostly from flint stones. It has special stone details. The south porch is made of brick. All the roofs are covered with red tiles. The bellcote is made of timber and has a pyramid-shaped roof.

Outside Features of the Church

You can find a canonical sundial on the south wall. This is an old type of sundial. The church has a tall, narrow nave (the main part of the church). It does not have aisles. The chancel is a bit lower. There is also the south porch and the bellcote at the west end.

Much of the church shows the Norman style. This is especially true for the nave. The north and south doorways are Norman. So is a window on the north side and the arch leading to the chancel. A window on the south side of the nave is from the 1400s. The west window has two lights. It was added during the 1888 renovation. This window is in the Perpendicular style. The east window in the chancel has three tall, narrow windows called lancet windows. The south wall of the chancel has two lancet windows from the 1200s. It also has a large window from the 1400s and a door for the priest.

Inside Features of the Church

The font is where baptisms take place. It is octagonal (eight-sided). It dates from the early 1300s. It has decorative panels around its bowl. In the southeast corner of the chancel, there is a piscina from the 1400s. This was a basin used for washing sacred vessels.

Above the chancel arch, you can see a carved and painted Royal coat of arms. This coat of arms belongs to King Charles II and is dated 1660.

The famous 12th-century north door is no longer in its original place. It is kept safe inside the church. This door has amazing ironwork. It shows two patterns that look like four-leaf clovers woven together. Around these patterns is a border with scrolls. Above it all is a snake-like dragon. Scientists used Dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) to study the wood. They found that the trees used for the door were cut down between about 1130 and 1150.

See also

• The Churches Conservation Trust: Little Hormead