St Mary's Church, Stamford

Edit links
Coordinates: 52°39′04″N 00°28′41″W / 52.65111°N 0.47806°W / 52.65111; -0.47806
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Lady Chapel (Stamford)
)
For the Roman Catholic church in Connecticut, United States, see St. Mary's Church (Stamford, Connecticut).

St Mary's Church, Stamford
AEO)
Priest(s)Vacant
Laity
Organist/Director of musicNigel Stark

St Mary's Church, Stamford is a parish church of the Church of England, located in Stamford, Lincolnshire, lending its name to St Mary's Hill (part of the old Great North Road) on which it stands, and which runs down to the river crossing opposite The George Hotel.

History

The church was built in the twelfth century, the tower in the thirteenth century, and the spire in the fourteenth century. The spire was saved from collapse following a recommendation by William Stukeley in 1741 that it should be repaired,[1] work which was eventually carried out in 1788 by Charles Haynes, using iron strapping. The spire was strengthened again in 1913 by the addition of internal tie bars.

One of the glories of St Mary's is the 14th century (part of its east wall is 2nd phase 13th century) Corpus Christi Chapel (North Chapel). It is the earliest part of the church and has connections with an educational foundation that later became

wagon vaults
to survive in the East Midlands, although many can still be found in the West Country.

The vestry was added in 1880, with the screens and a new altar, as well as new decoration to the ceilings of the chancel and sanctuary, being completed in 1890 to designs by

chancel screen
in memory of those men of the parish who had died in the First World War. A commemorative plaque recording this event and the names of the men who died is placed south of the pulpit.

In 1948, a screen was fitted to the tower arch in memory of all those who had served in the Second World War.

The tower is 78 feet (24 metres) high, topped by a spire of 90 feet (27 metres), giving a total height of 168 feet (51 metres).[2]

Present day

The parish stands in the

alternative episcopal oversight from the Bishop of Richborough (currently Norman Banks).[3]

Stained glass

The Lady Chapel east window

Mysteries of the Rosary
. At the apex of the tracery is the Coronation of the Virgin. The firing and glazing were carried out by Britten & Gilson. In The Buildings of England: Lincolnshire, Nikolaus Pevsner and John Harris say of this window: "in a style derived from the Pre-Raphaelites but more hard edged and Impressionist".

There is a second window dating to 1893 in the North side of the Lady Chapel; this completed jointly with Louis Davis.[4][5][6]

Organ

The church has an organ dating from 1829 by Gray. Originally in a gallery at the west end, it was moved in 1852 to the end of the south aisle, site of the former Chapel of St Nicholas. A specification for the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register. A fully electro-pneumatic action was added in 1984 by Richard Bower during an overhaul with tonal alterations. In most Oxford Movement churches, the organ speaks across the chancel. This was the case at St Mary's until 1984 when the great organ division was turned through 90 degrees so that the organ now speaks into the nave as well as across the chancel.

List of organists

References

  1. ^ Bodleian Library MS. Eng. e. 125. f. 28
  2. ISBN 978-0500343142
  3. ^ "St Mary". See of Richborough. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  4. ISBN 0-89073-091-1
  5. ^ "St Mary Stamford" (PDF). NADFAS listing of James Powell & Sons works. List compiled by stained glass expert Dr Dennis Hadley. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
  6. ISBN 978-0-300-09620-0[page needed
    ]
  7. ^ "Mr. Shearman". Lincolnshire Chronicle. England. 7 April 1837. Retrieved 15 January 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "At a vestry…". Stamford Mercury. England. 16 October 1874. Retrieved 15 January 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ Stamford Mercury 18 May 1894
  10. ^ "Mr. Percy W. Taylor". Peterborough Standard. England. 8 August 1896. Retrieved 15 January 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ Thornsby, Frederick W., ed. (1912) Dictionary of Organs and Organists. Bournemouth: Logan
  12. ^ "Mr. Booker". Stamford Mercury. England. 1 September 1905. Retrieved 15 January 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ Thornsby (1912)
  14. ^ Thornsby (1912)
  15. ^ Thornsby (1921)
  16. ^ "Musical". Peterborough Standard. England. 11 May 1928. Retrieved 15 January 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ^ "Organist ends 50 reign at St Mary's". Stamford Mercury. England. 19 May 1978. Retrieved 15 January 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.

External links

52°39′04″N 00°28′41″W / 52.65111°N 0.47806°W / 52.65111; -0.47806

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=St_Mary%27s_Church,_Stamford&oldid=1139381141#Stained_glass"