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St. Mary's Church, Nottingham
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is the oldest religious foundation in the City of Nottingham, England, and is also the largest church after the Roman Catholic Cathedral. It is situated at the heart of the historic Lace Market district and is also known as St Mary's in the Lace Market. It is a Grade I listed building and a member of the Greater Churches Group.
It is part of the parish of All Saints', St. Mary's and St. Peter's, Nottingham.
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The church is mentioned in the Domesday Book and is believed to go back deep into Saxon times. The main body of the present building (at least the third on the site) dates from the end of the reign of Edward III (1377) to that of Henry VII (1485-1509). The nave was finished before 1475 and it is notable for its uniformity of gothic perpendicular style. It is likely that the south aisle wall was the first part of the building to be constructed in the early 1380s, with the remainder of the nave and transepts being from the early 1400s. The tower was completed in the reign of Henry VIII.
The church was owned by Lenton Priory from 1108 to 1538 and the monks took the living of the church as Rector, and appointed a Vicar to perform the daily offices.
The church has a fine collection of late Victorian stained glass windows by many famous makers, including Kempe, Burlison & Grylls and Hardman & Co.
It is also known for its mediæval font with a palindromic Greek inscription NIΨONANOMHMATAMHMONANOΨIN (Wash my transgressions, not only my face), and rather battered alabaster tomb fragments, one of which portrays a lily crucifix and another Archbishop Thomas Becket.
The south porch doors are by the architect Henry Wilson. A complex work in bronze, the door contains 10 panels with New Testament scenes, and two door handles with cherubic heads. A further eight heads are on the cross pieces. Above, Christ and angel with doves.
Internal dimensions are
- 215ft from west to east
- 100ft from north to south (across the transepts).
The tower stands 126ft above ground level.
- 1726 West front rebuilt by Hiorne of Warwick in the Classical style.
- c1818-20 South aisle restored and crossing vault replaced by William Stretton.
- 1843 Tower saved from collapse by Lewis Nockalls Cottingham.
- 1844-1848 Five year restoration of roofs and west front returned to gothic style by George Gilbert Scott (church closed).
- 1848-1860s Internal restoration by George Gilbert Scott.
- 1872 Chancel reroofed by George Gilbert Scott.
- 1890 The Chapter House was built by George Frederick Bodley.
- 1912 The Lady Chapel added by Temple Lushington Moore.
- 1935 Tower ringing room floor concreted and new bell frame
- 1940 The Simpson memorial choir vestry added.
- 1992-93 Exterior fabric restored and cleaned.
St Mary's has a wide ministry to many different groups. It is the Civic Church to the City of Nottingham. In the past, the election of the town mayor took place in the church and this tradition continues with a welcome to the new Lord Mayor of Nottingham in a service held each summer.
It is the University Church for the University of Nottingham and several schools and organisations hold annual services here.
In recent years, in addition to its function as a place of worship, St Mary's is the venue for a wide range of concerts and public performances, and is home to the Nottingham Bach Choir.
The assistant curate at St Mary's takes the ancient title 'Lecturer', the post is currently held by Revd. Stephen Morris.
The church retains the Book of Common Prayer, the traditional Liturgical colours, and the principal services are sung by a robed choir.
With the retirement of the Vicar, Canon Eddie Neale in 2003, the Rector of St Peter's and All Saints, Canon Andrew Deuchar, was appointed Priest-in-charge of St Mary's.
In 2006 the Annual Parish Meeting voted to initiate the process of unification with the neighbouring parish of St Peter's and All Saints. This process was completed in July 2007.
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- John Holles, 1st Earl of Clare 1637
- John Holles, 2nd Earl of Clare 1666
- Eleanor Fitzwilliam, Countess of Tyrconnell, 1681, daughter of John Holles, 1st Earl of Clare
- Lady Jane, Dowager Countess of Valentia 1683/4, widow of Francis Annesley, 1st Viscount Valentia, daughter of Sir John Stanhope.
- Chambre Brabazon, 5th Earl of Meath 1715
- Lady Mary Brabazon, daughter of Chambre Brabazon, 5th Earl of Meath 1737
- Thomas Berdmore, dentist to King George III 1785
- George Africanus 1834
There are twelve bells in the ring.
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St Mary's has a choir of some standing. Under the leadership of John Keys, the Choir of St Mary’s is regarded as one of the county’s finest.
There are three choral services a week – Wednesday Evensong, Sunday Eucharist and Sunday Evensong.
Renowned for its versatility and wide repertoire it performs music from plainsong through to world premieres, performs regularly in concert on its own and with St Mary’s resident orchestra, The Orchestra of the Restoration. Organ and Choral Scholarships are available to students in full-time higher education.
The Organ is by Marcussen and Søn of Denmark and was installed in 1973. It has 25 speaking stops and is a very small organ for a church of this size.
Link to details of the organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
There are records of organs in the church in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, but no record of any of the organists from this period has been found.
| Date | Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 1704 - 1712 | Thomas Rathbone | (d.1712) |
| 1712 - 1755 | William Lamb | (d.1755) |
| 1756 - 1802 | Samuel Wise | (c.1730-1802) Formerly Organist of St. Mary Magdalene, Newark and Southwell Minster |
| 1802 - ???? | John Pearson | (c.1754-1832) Organist until at least 1818 |
| ???? - 1831 | John Pearson | (c.1790-1831) date of appointment unknown but before 1825 |
| 1831 - 1836 | William Aspull | (1798-1875) |
| 1836 - 1867 | Charles C Noble | (1812-1885) Formerly Organist of St. Martin's Church, Stamford, Latterly Organist of St. Ann's Church, Nottingham |
| 1867 - 1904 | James Arthur Page FRCO | (1846-1916) |
| 1904 - 1914 | William Frederick Dunnill FRCO ARCM | (1880-1936) Formerly Organist of Christ Church, Surbiton and St. Luke's Church, Bromley, Latterly Organist of Birmingham Cathedral |
| 1914 - 1922 | Frank Radcliffe MusDoc FRCO | (1883-1922) Formerly Assistant Organist of Manchester Cathedral and Organist of St. Wulfram's Church, Grantham |
| 1922 - 1928 | Vernon Sydney Read ARCM FRCO | (1886-1980) Formerly Organist of Holy Trinity Church, Lenton, Latterly Organist of St. John's Church, Torquay |
| 1928 - 1954 | Henry Oswald Hodgson FRCO | (1886-1975) |
| 1954 - 1956 | David James Lumsden MA DPhil BMus HonFRCO | (b.1928) Formerly Assistant Organist of St. John's College, Cambridge, Latterly Organist of Southwell Minster and New College, Oxford |
| 1957 - 1967 | Russell Arthur Missin ThD FRCO(CHM) ADCM LTCL | (b.1922) Formerly Assistant Organist of Ely Cathedral and Organist of St. Mary's Church, Thetford, Holbeach Parish Church and Oakham Parish Church, Latterly Organist of Newcastle Cathedral |
| 1967 - 1983 | David Sheeran Butterworth MA MusB FRCO(CHM) | (b.1946) Latterly Organist of St. Mary's Church, Clifton, Nottingham |
| 1984 - | John Anthony Keys MA LRAM ARCM ARCO | (b.1956) Formerly Assistant Organist of Chester Cathedral and Holy Trinity Church, Geneva and Organist titulaire Eglise de St. Jean, Geneva |