St Mary's Church, Luton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church |
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| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church/Open Evangelical |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | St Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Specifications | |
| Number of towers | 1 |
| Bells | 12 |
| Tenor bell weight | 25cwt 0qt 24lb (1281kg) in D |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Luton |
| Deanery | Luton |
| Archdeaconry | Bedford |
| Diocese | Diocese of St Albans |
| Province | Province of Canterbury |
St Mary's Church is an old church in the middle of Luton, England. It's part of the Church of England. This church has a very long and interesting history.
It's over 900 years old and has been rebuilt and updated many times. St Mary's is one of the biggest churches in Bedfordshire. It's also a great example of medieval (Middle Ages) building style. The church belongs to the St Albans Diocese. It's a special Grade I listed building, meaning it's very important historically. It's the only one in Luton!
The Story of St Mary's Church
How Old is St Mary's?
People have worshipped at the site of St Mary's for over 1,000 years. The very first church was built around 930 AD. King Athelstan had it built to say thank you for winning a battle against the Danes.
The king owned the land during Saxon and early Norman times. The church was given many valuable gifts back then.
Building the Current Church: The 12th Century
The church you see today was started in 1121. Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester was the one who built it. It was officially opened in 1137.
The first design of the church was a cruciform shape, like a cross. It didn't have side sections called aisles. But as more people came, north and south aisles were added. This happened about 40 years later, around the early 1200s.
Big Changes in the 14th Century
This time was all about making the church much bigger. A tall tower was built. The transepts (the arms of the cross shape) were made longer. New chapels were added on the east side of these transepts.
A special room called a sacristy was also built. It had a vaulted (arched) ceiling and a room above it. A new font (for baptisms) was given a unique stone cover. This cover was richly carved and shaped like an octagon.
Restoring and Rebuilding: The 15th Century
Lots of restoration and rebuilding work happened during this period. The Someries chapel was made larger. The sacristy was rebuilt further east. The west tower was made taller, and most of its windows were replaced.
All this work was helped by Lord John Wenlock. His family had been connected to the church since 1389. In 1461, a chapel was named the Wenlock Chapel after his family. William Wenlock, John's father, is buried there.
Besides the Wenlock Chapel, there are other important chapels. These include the Hoo Chapel and the Barnard Chantry chapel. There are also monuments for the Rotheram family.
Updates in the 19th and 20th Centuries
More restoration work started during this time. The goal was to make the church look its best again. The special flint and stone checker pattern was added to most of the church.
The tower was fixed up in 1906. The Wenlock Chapel was also restored in 1914. In the 1960s, new offices, halls, and vestries were built. They matched the checker style and gave the church more space. A beautiful window called the Magnificat Window was put in in 1979.
Recently, the church has added projection screens. The pulpit was moved back to its old spot. The old heating system was completely replaced in 2019.
The Friends of St Mary's
A lot of money for the church's building work has come from a group called the Friends of St Mary's Luton. They have raised over £1 million since 1965!
The Church Clock
The church clock was put in back in 1901. It faced west, looking out over the town. It was a special "Cambridge quarter clock" and cost £200 to build.
The clock would chime on the second, third, fourth, and seventh bells. The hours were struck on the largest bell, which weighed about 17 cwt (around 860 kg).
After two repairs in 1909 and 1949, the clock stopped working in 1979. Its bells were silent for 28 years! Then, the University of Bedfordshire (which used to be in Luton) offered to help. They wanted to fix the clock for the new year and the millennium.
The university owned buildings near the church. They decided it was time to bring the clock back to life. The clock was officially started again on November 11, 1999, which is Armistice Day.
St Mary's Church Today
Today, St Mary's Church follows the Open Evangelical tradition of the Church of England. It is well-known for its work with young people in Luton. It also has a special peace and reconciliation ministry.
The area next to St Mary's Church, called Power Court, is planned for new buildings. Luton Town Football Club wants to build a stadium and other facilities there. This project has been approved and will be completed in the future.
Church Design and Features
The design of St Mary's Church is very mixed. This is because it has been renovated and rebuilt many times. But the basic shape is a cruciform, like a cross. It has north and south aisles. Many chapels and extensions branch off from the main church.
The church is about 53 meters (174 feet) long. It is about 17 meters (56 feet) wide. The height of the church is about 27 meters (89 feet). The outside of the church has a special flint and stone checker pattern. This makes the church really stand out in the town.
The old graveyard right next to the church is no longer used. However, there is a larger cemetery about a mile away. This is the Luton Church Cemetery, located up on St Anne's hill.
