St Mary the Virgin, East Barnet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary the Virgin, East Barnet |
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St Mary the Virgin, East Barnet from the rear
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | Official website: http://www.stmaryseastbarnet.org/ |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Administration | |
| Parish | East Barnet |
| Deanery | Barnet |
| Archdeaconry | Hertford |
| Diocese | St Albans |
St Mary the Virgin is an important Church of England parish church in East Barnet. It serves the local community and is part of the Diocese of St Albans. You can find this historic church on Church Hill.
Contents
A Look Back in Time: St Mary's Church History
How St Mary's Church Began
The church building started as a small chapel way back in 1080. It was built on a hill and was named after St Mary the Virgin. The Abbot of St Albans officially opened it. He was in charge of the church until the Reformation.
After the Reformation, the ruling monarch (the King or Queen) started choosing the church's leader. This tradition continues even today.
The first chapel had very thick walls. They were made from a mix of rubble, lime, and plaster. Stones were used around the window and door openings. The windows didn't even have glass! Much of the north wall you see today is from this very old time. The frame of the door on the south side might also be from this early period.
Changes Over the Centuries
By the 1200s, glass had been put into the windows at St Mary's. Some of this old glass is still there! In the 1400s, the church's rounded end (called an apse) was replaced. A larger area for the altar, called a chancel, was built instead. A porch was also added to protect the main door.
In 1794, a wooden tower was put on the church. It held three small bells. By the 1700s, the space in the roof was being used for storage and as a vestry (a room for clergy). So, a dormer window was added above the porch to let in light.
The Church in the 1800s and Beyond
Most of the church you see today was built in the 1800s. This includes the yellow brick tower from 1828. In 1805, a church leader decided to make the walls four feet taller. A new roof was built over the old one. A new window was also put in.
Later, the small wooden tower was replaced by an eight-sided bell tower. This new tower only lasted eleven years. In 1828, the current stone tower was built. It was separated from the main church by the space where the old porch used to be. People at the time weren't all happy about it. One report said it "absorbed... the larger part of subscriptions destined to the general improvement of the edifice." But it was built quickly, in just one year.
In 1861, two bells were made for the church by Mears of London. The larger bell cracked, so they were replaced. The three bells we hear today were put in in 1960. They were given in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor. Even though the tower is only 50 feet tall, you can see it from far away. This is because the church is on top of a hill.
In 1849, a famous architect named G. E. Street made some small changes to the church. He found an old medieval piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels) and some painted patterns on the walls. In the 1860s, many boys from the Church Farm School next door attended St Mary's. They even sang in the choir.
So, in 1868, it was decided to make the church bigger. Another section, called an aisle, was added. The old south wall was taken down and replaced with arches. A new door was made in the tower to enter the south aisle. Another door allowed access to the churchyard. By 1869, the old box pews (like private boxes) were replaced with new seats. Choir stalls were also put in.
In 1872, the lychgate was built at the entrance for £130. A stile (a step-over barrier) next to it stopped animals from entering the churchyard. This was important because yew berries, which grow there, are poisonous to animals. In 1875, a special window showing the Annunciation was placed in the north aisle. It celebrated the church's founding.
The chancel (the area around the altar) was made longer in 1880. It was extended by twelve feet. A new east window was added, showing the Annunciation of St Mary. This window was given by a church leader for £100. The choir stalls were also made twice as long. The chancel roof was changed, and a space for the organ was built. The current gallery for the choir was finished. It also held an old barrel organ given by Sir Simon Haughton Clarke, 9th Baronet fifty years before.
In 1920, the current organ was built and placed in the organ chamber. During the Second World War, the church was damaged by bombs. A lot of the roof and some walls had to be repaired.
Exploring the Church Building Today
St Mary's Church is a very special building. It is listed as a grade II* listed building by Historic England. This means it is an important historic place.
The Lychgate and Ancient Yew Tree
You enter the churchyard through the lychgate. It was first built in 1872 and then rebuilt in 1991. Above it, you can read the words: "Both High and Low, Rich and Poor together." This reminds us that everyone is welcome.
In the southwest part of the churchyard, there is a young yew tree. It grew from a cutting of the Eastling Yew in Kent. That original tree is thought to have been alive when Jesus was born! This young yew was planted here in the year 2000. It marks the start of the third thousand years of Christianity.
The Bell Tower
The bell tower was built in 1828. It was originally separate from the rest of the church. There are three bells inside. They were remade in 1961 from two older bells. Those older bells were made at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1861.
Inside St Mary's Church
When you go inside, above the doors, you will see a crucifix. It was made by the Wild Goose Studio in Kinsale. This crucifix is a copy of a 12th-century Byzantine "Christus Rex." This is the oldest type of crucifix, showing Christ as a crowned King on the cross. The original is in Glenstal Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in Ireland. This cross at the entrance reminds us of the church's old Benedictine connections.
The church has records that go back to the 1500s. There are also monuments from the 1600s.
The north wall is the oldest part of the church. It is painted white on the outside and lit up at night. This wall is all that remains of the first stone church built here in 1080. It was made from rubble and lime plaster. Stones were only used around the windows. A stone tablet on the north wall says it was damaged during the Second World War and then fixed. A small space in this wall usually holds a statue of St Benedict. He founded the Benedictine order.
The pews (church benches) you sit on today were put in around 1868. They replaced the older "box pews."
The Chancel Area
The chancel was built around 1400. Records show it was repaired and made bigger in 1632 by Sir Robert Berkeley. On the floor in the chancel, under the Bishop's Chair, there is an empty spot. A brass plate with the Berkeley family crest used to be there. It was the last brass in the church, but it is gone now. All that is left is a rubbing of it.
The chancel used to have large Victorian choir stalls. These were removed in 2000 to create a more open space. On a window ledge on the north side, there is a statue. It was brought back from the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in Norfolk.
Hanging above the chancel is a beautiful wrought iron Corona (crown). It was put up in 2000. This crown represents Christ as King. It has three crowns woven together: the crown of thorns, the crown of life (shown by a vine), and the golden crown of victory.
The east window was added when the chancel was extended in 1880. From left to right, it tells a story. It shows the Annunciation, when the archangel Gabriel tells young Mary she will be the mother of Jesus. It also shows the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ. Because the church is dedicated to Saint Mary the Virgin, she is shown in every scene, wearing a blue robe.
The South Aisle Window is a special memorial. It remembers the men and women from St Mary's who died during the Second World War. The bottom panels list their names and show the symbols of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The organ was installed in 1920. It was a gift from the Vernon family. They gave it in memory of their only son, who died in action during the First World War.
Notable People Connected to St Mary's
Burials at St Mary's
- Major General George Prevost: He was the Governor of Canada from 1811 to 1815.
- Sir William Richmond Cotton: He was the Lord Mayor of London in 1875.
Monuments Inside the Church
- Sir Simon Haughton Clarke, 9th Baronet: A local landowner who lived from 1764 to 1832.
