Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick
Encyclopedia
The Collegiate Church of St Mary is a Church of England parish church
in the town of Warwick
, England
. It lies in the centre of the town just east of the market place
. It is a member of the Greater Churches Group
.
The church has the status of collegiate church
as it had a college of secular canons. In governance and religious observance it was similar to a cathedral (although not the seat of a bishop and without diocesan responsibilities). There is a Bishop of Warwick, but this is an episcopal
title used by a suffragan bishop
of the Diocese of Coventry
).
in 1123. In addition to founding the church, de Beaumont established the College of Dean and Canons at the church. The only surviving part of the Norman
church which de Beaumont had built is the crypt
.
The chancel vestries and chapter house of the church were extensively rebuilt in the 14th century by a later Earl of Warwick, Thomas de Beauchamp (later pronounced Beecham) in the Perpendicular Gothic style. His descendants built what is officially called the Chapel of Our Lady, but commonly known as the Beauchamp Chapel. It contains the effigial monuments
of Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick
, Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick
, and Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
. Buried in the chancel of the church is William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton
, brother of Queen consort Catherine Parr
.
The church, along with much of Warwick, was devastated by the Great Fire of Warwick
in 1694. The nave and tower of the building were completely destroyed. The rebuilt church was completed in 1704 to an unusually pure Gothic design by William Wilson
(appointed by the Crown Commissioners), the only compromise with classical styles being the balustrades along the top of the building.
(The position of Organist was replaced with that of Director of Music from 1976)
(The position of Assistant Organist was replaced with that of Organist from 1989)
(from 1999 the position of Organist was combined with the new post of Assistant Director of Music)
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
in the town of Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies in the centre of the town just east of the market place
Market Place
Market Place is the financial programme broadcast Monday to Friday at 10:30pm in Hong Kong by television channel TVB Pearl....
. It is a member of the Greater Churches Group
Greater Churches Group
The Greater Churches Network is a self-help organisation within the Church of England. There are currently 32 churches within the Greater Churches Network....
.
The church has the status of collegiate church
Collegiate church
In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons; a non-monastic, or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a dean or provost...
as it had a college of secular canons. In governance and religious observance it was similar to a cathedral (although not the seat of a bishop and without diocesan responsibilities). There is a Bishop of Warwick, but this is an episcopal
Episcopal polity
Episcopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...
title used by a suffragan bishop
Suffragan bishop
A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...
of the Diocese of Coventry
Diocese of Coventry
The Diocese of Coventry is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury. It is headed by the Bishop of Coventry, who sits at Coventry Cathedral in Coventry, and is assisted by one suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Warwick. The diocese covers Coventry and Warwickshire.The diocese is...
).
Foundation and history to the Reformation
The church foundations date back nearly nine hundred years, being created by Roger de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of WarwickRoger de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Warwick
Roger de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Warwick was the elder son of Henry de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Warwick and Marguerite, daughter of Geoffrey II of Perche and Beatrix of Montdidier...
in 1123. In addition to founding the church, de Beaumont established the College of Dean and Canons at the church. The only surviving part of the Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
church which de Beaumont had built is the crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
.
The chancel vestries and chapter house of the church were extensively rebuilt in the 14th century by a later Earl of Warwick, Thomas de Beauchamp (later pronounced Beecham) in the Perpendicular Gothic style. His descendants built what is officially called the Chapel of Our Lady, but commonly known as the Beauchamp Chapel. It contains the effigial monuments
Church monument
A church monument is an architectural or sculptural memorial to a dead person or persons, located within a Christian church. It can take various forms, from a simple wall tablet to a large and elaborate structure which may include an effigy of the deceased person and other figures of familial or...
of Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick
Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick
Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick, Count of Aumale, KG was an English medieval nobleman and military commander.-Early Life:...
, Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick
Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick
Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick, KG was an English nobleman and general, and an elder brother of Queen Elizabeth I's favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester...
, and Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, KG was an English nobleman and the favourite and close friend of Elizabeth I from her first year on the throne until his death...
. Buried in the chancel of the church is William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton
William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton
William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton, 1st Earl of Essex and 1st Baron Parr, KG was the son of Sir Thomas Parr and his wife, Maud Green, daughter of Sir Thomas Green, of Broughton and Greens Norton...
, brother of Queen consort Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
.
Deans of the College
- Robert Plesset, 1282
- Thomas de Sodynton, 1290
- William de Apperley, 1297
- Robert Tankard, 1306
- Richard de Alcester, 1313
- Robert de Geryn, 1314
- Robert de Lee, 1321
- Thomas Lench, 1338
- Robert de Endredeby, 1340
- Nicholas Southam, 1361
- Thomas Yonge, 1395
- John Porter, 1432
- Robert Cherbury, 1443
- William Berkswell, 1454
- John Southwell, 1469
- Edmund Albone, M.D., 1481
- Richard Brackenburgh, 1485
- William Stokedale, 1498
- Edward Haseley, 1498
- Ralph Colingwode, 1507
- John Allestre, 1510
- John Carvanell, 1515
- John Knightley, 1542
Post-Reformation to the present day
The college was dissolved in 1544, and granted by the crown to the burgesses of Warwick.The church, along with much of Warwick, was devastated by the Great Fire of Warwick
Great Fire of Warwick
The Great Fire of Warwick was a major conflagration that swept through the small town of Warwick, England, beginning at 2:00 p.m. on 5 September 1694 and lasting for six hours.The fire started from a spark from a torch that was being carried up High Street.The town’s small population, close-packed...
in 1694. The nave and tower of the building were completely destroyed. The rebuilt church was completed in 1704 to an unusually pure Gothic design by William Wilson
William Wilson (architect)
Sir William Wilson was an English architect, builder and sculptor.Born in 1641 in Leicester, he was the son of a baker. In his early life, it is believed that he served an apprenticeship with a statuary mason. It is also claimed that he studied under Sir Christopher Wren at Oxford University where...
(appointed by the Crown Commissioners), the only compromise with classical styles being the balustrades along the top of the building.
Organs
There are two organs in St. Mary's, the transept organ and the west end organ.- The specification of the transept organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register
- The specification of the west end organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register
Organists (prior to 1976)
- William Witteney 1409
- John Soursby 1432
- John Skyrrowe 1562
- Richard Charpe 1565
- Thomas Dean 1719
- William Dean 1744
- Jonathan Hobbs 1773
- Mary Hobbs 1787
- Mrs R. Hobbs 1801
- James Marshall 1802
- Edward Dearle 1833
- William Clayton 1844
- W. Wyver 1861
- James Shaw 1864
- D. Middleton 1864
- Bernard Farebrother 1867
- Edwin Aspa 1871
- A.J. Sutton 1874
- Hanson de la Haye Blackith 1882
- William Bellamy 1886
- William McDuff 1894
- Allen Blackall 1898
- Peter Burton 1946
- Thomas TunnardThomas TunnardThomas Tunnard was an English cathedral organist, who served in St. Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham.-Background:Thomas Newburgh Tunnard was born on 30 July 1918 in Lexham, Norfolk. He was a chorister at St...
1950 - Douglas Clarke 1958
- Geoffrey Holroyde 1962
- Andrew Fletcher 1973
(The position of Organist was replaced with that of Director of Music from 1976)
Directors of Music
- Andrew Fletcher 1976 (originally appointed as Organist in 1973)
- Paul TreptePaul TreptePaul Trepte is an English cathedral organist, who served in St Edmundsbury Cathedral and is at Ely Cathedral-Background:Paul Trepte was born on 24 April 1954 in Morley, Yorkshire...
1981
- Simon LoleSimon LoleSimon Lole is well known as a choral director, organist, composer, arranger and broadcaster. He was organist of Barking Parish Church , Croydon Parish Church , Director of Music at St...
1985 - Mark Shepherd 1994
- Chris Betts 1998
- Katherine DienesKatherine DienesKatherine Dienes is a New-Zealand-born organist, conductor and composer. She is currently Organist and Master of the Choristers at Guildford Cathedraland is the first woman to hold the most senior musical post in a Church of England cathedral...
2001 - Thomas Corns 2008
Assistant Organists
- Arthur WillsArthur WillsDr Arthur Wills OBE is a musician, composer, and professor. He was Director of Music at Ely Cathedral from 1958 to 1990, and also held a Professorship at the Royal Academy of Music in London from 1964 until 1992...
1946-48 - Edward Higginbottom 1965-67
- Colin Roy 1967-1969
- Andrew Fletcher 1971-73
- Arthur Hilyer 1974
- Tim Peters
- Charles Matthews 1987-89
(The position of Assistant Organist was replaced with that of Organist from 1989)
Organists (from 1989)
- Kevin BowyerKevin BowyerKevin John Bowyer is an English organist, known for his prolific recording and recital career and his interest in playing unusual, modern and extremely difficult compositions.-Biography:...
1989 - Christopher Monks 1998
(from 1999 the position of Organist was combined with the new post of Assistant Director of Music)
Organists and Assistant Directors of Music
- Christopher Monks 1999 (originally appointed as Organist in 1998)
- Luke Bond 2002 (from 2008 he has been Assistant Director of Music, Truro Cathedral)
- Ruaraidh Sutherland 2006 (from 2011 he has been Director of Music, Christ's Church, Rye, NY)
- Mark Swinton 2011