St Nicholas' Church, Berden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Nicholas’ Church, Berden |
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| The Parish Church of St Nicholas | |
Church of St Nicholas
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| 51°56′45″N 0°08′02″E / 51.945796°N 0.13402131°E | |
| Location | Berden |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Founded | 12th century |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 21 February 1967 |
| Architectural type | Early English; Perpendicular |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Flint rubble; clunch; limestone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Berden |
| Deanery | Saffron Walden |
| Diocese | Chelmsford |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Nicholas' Church is a very old and important building in the village of Berden, Essex, England. It is a Grade I listed church, which means it is considered to be of special historical interest.
The church was built in the Early English Gothic style. It has a Norman main part, called the nave, from the 12th century. Its side sections, called transepts, were added in the 13th century. The church tower was built in the 15th century. The church had a big repair and refresh in 1868.
In the 20th century, the church brought back a special play called the "Boy Bishop" miracle play. This play was based on an old tradition. The church also has special memorials for important families from the local Berden Hall and Berden Priory.
St Nicholas' is part of a group of churches that share a priest. This group is in the area of Saffron Walden and belongs to the Diocese of Chelmsford. Other churches in this group are St Mary the Virgin at Manuden, St Simon and St Jude at Quendon, and All Saints at Rickling.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
When Was St Nicholas' Church Built?
The church is not mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book. This book listed many things in England at that time. The church's records, called parish registers, start from 1715.
The main part of the church, the nave, dates back to the 12th century. The chancel and transepts were added in the 13th century. The tower was built in the 15th century. Parts of the chancel were rebuilt in the 19th century. The church was also restored then, and a south porch was added. A full restoration happened in 1868. It cost about £2000, which was a lot of money back then!
The Boy Bishop Tradition
A special tradition at St Nicholas' Church was the 'Boy Bishop' miracle play. This play was brought back by Rev Herbert Kynaston Hudson, who was the vicar from 1899 to 1937. It was based on a 15th-century tradition. In this event, a boy would act as a bishop. He would hold this special role for a whole year. The event celebrated the life of Saint Nicholas.
In 1901, Rev Hudson started the 'Guild of St Nicholas'. This group was for both boys and girls. They organized the event and chose the 'bishop'. The Boy Bishop event was also held again in the 1950s and 1960s. There was also a 'May Queen' election for a girl. On May Day, the May Queen, Boy Bishop, and vicar would go to the top of the church tower. Film companies like British-Pathé and Gaumont British even filmed this special ceremony.
Important Dates for the Church
St Nicholas' Church was given a Grade I building listing on 21 February 1967. This means it is a very important historical building. In 2009, the church received money to help with its roof and gutters.
Exploring the Church's Design
Outside the Church: What to See
St Nicholas' Church is built from flint rubble, clunch, and limestone. It has a cross shape when you look at it from above. It includes a chancel, nave, north and south transepts, a west tower, and a south porch. The church shows styles from the Early English and Perpendicular periods. All the roofs are red tiled.
The church's tower is from the 15th century. It has three levels and is about 12 feet (3.7 m) square. The bottom level has a door and window on its west side. The door is old and has fancy hinges. Above the door is a window with three sections. The second level of the tower has a narrow window. On the south side, there is a clock from around 2000. The top level, called the belfry, has windows on all sides. The top of the tower has a battlement design, like a castle. Behind the battlements is a small pyramid-shaped spire.
The main part of the church, the nave, is about 44.5 feet (13.6 m) long and 20 feet (6.1 m) wide. On the south side, there is a porch added in 1868. The porch has a rounded archway. Inside the porch, to the right of the nave door, is a 15th-century stoup. This was used for holy water.
The north and south transepts are attached between the nave and chancel. The north transept has windows from the 19th century. The south transept has windows from the 14th century.
The chancel is about 24 feet (7.3 m) long and 17 feet (5.2 m) wide. The east window of the chancel was part of the 1868 restoration. The north and south chancel windows are similar but have two sections.
Inside the Church: What to See
The walls and ceilings inside the church are white. All the windows have clear, red, or blue glass panels. The floor is made of red tiles. The area around the altar has black, white, and brown tiles. The chancel arch, which separates the chancel from the nave, is from around 1270. It has carved human heads on it.
The north transept is now used as the church's vestry room. This is where the priest prepares. The south transept is a meeting room. On the south wall of the south transept, there is a 14th-century piscina. This was a basin used for washing sacred vessels.
The nave was rebuilt in the 14th century. On the west side of the north wall, there is a blocked-up 12th-century window. The south wall has a 13th-century arch leading to the south transept.
At the west end of the nave, under the tower arch, is the church organ from 1780. In front of the organ is a part of a 15th-century screen. Next to the chancel arch, on the north wall, is an octagonal oak pulpit. This is where the priest gives sermons. The church's font is also octagonal and painted white. It sits at the west of the nave.
The church has four bells. They were made by different people in the 17th and 18th centuries. The church also has special silver items. These include a silver-gilt paten from the 17th century and a silver-gilt cup from 1602. The cup was not originally made for the church.
Remembering Important People: Memorials
Inside the church, you can find many memorials. Near the altar, there is a brass memorial for An Thompson. She died in 1607 at age 31 during childbirth. It shows images of her and her husband, their nine sons, and four daughters.
On the other side, there is a stone slab for Dame Mary Scott. She died in 1678 at 89 years old. She was known for her kindness and generosity. She was married three times. Her first husband was a London alderman. Her second husband was Sir Norton Knatchbull. Her third husband was Sir Edward Scott.
High on the south wall of the chancel is a marble tablet for Thomas Aldersey of Berden Hall. He was born in Cheshire and died in 1598.
In the north transept, there are brass plaques for William Turnor, who died in 1473, and his two wives. There is also a brick tomb for William Turnor. Other memorials in the north transept are for Joseph Hammond, who died in 1762, and his family. There is also a stone slab for Thomas Meade, who died in 1653. His brother, Rev Joseph Mede, was a famous scholar.
On the south wall of the nave, there is a marble tablet for Colonel John Bury. He was a churchwarden from 1946 to 1961. On the north wall, there is a tablet for Rev Herbert Hudson, who brought back the 'Boy Bishop' play. There is also a brass plaque for a soldier from the 48th Gordon Highlanders who died in 1918 during World War I.
War Graves and Other Churchyard Memorials
There are two graves in the churchyard for soldiers who died in the First World War. One is for Gunner W. Turner, who died in 1916. The other is for Private Ernest A. Knight, who died in 1918. Ernest Knight was one of the Boy Bishops. There is also a war memorial in the churchyard. It lists the names of eleven soldiers from Berden who died in the First World War and two from the Second World War.
Other graves in the churchyard include one for Henry Trigg, a local constable who was murdered in 1814. There is also a grave for Mary Ann Griffin, who died in 1899. You can also find tombs for members of the Roberts family and the Seabrook family, who lived at Berden Priory. A headstone also marks the grave of Brigadier Sir Francis Smith Reid, an important British Army officer.
Images for kids
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Chancel north wall
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North transept east window
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Nave south window
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South porch niche
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South transept with 15th-century truss roof
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Boy Bishop cross and staff
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Church organ within tower arch
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Pulpit
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Font
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Priest listing board
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Slab to Dame Mary Scott
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Table tomb to William Turnor in the north transept
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Henry Trigg headstone
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Churchyard war memorial
