St George's Church, Little Thetford
Encyclopedia
St George's Church, Little Thetford, is an Anglican
church in the village of Little Thetford
, Cambridgeshire
, England.
attached to Stretham
served by the rector there. The roof was thatched
until 1863, when the church was heavily restored
. In 1886, it was struck by lightning and required extensive rebuilding. Today, the church consists of a chancel
, nave
, north porch
, and south vestry
. The 14th century octagonal bowl font
still has an original lead lining. St. George's Church, a Grade II* listed building, is part of the Ely Team Ministry. The complete registers start in 1654 and are kept at the Cambridge Records Office.
with two-centred arches and one bell installed. The 19th century west window has three trefoil
lights. The North and South walls of the nave have, in each wall, one window of three cinquefoil lights in ogee arches and square head. The clunch tracery and the mullion and architrave are of limestone, which may indicate they are part of an earlier restoration. The gabled, brick and rubblestone north porch is 19th century. The chancel has in the north wall two windows, each of two cinquefoil lights in four centred arch. The restored east window has three cinquefoil lights and has an original label with mask stops. The windows in the south wall were restored c.1980.
, London", is dated 1769. The 19th century roof is of collar rafter type. The two centred chancel arch, 19th century, have two moulded orders, the inner on engaged colonnettes. The 1980 vestry conversion included toilet, refreshment facilities and improved access for the disabled.
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church in the village of Little Thetford
Little Thetford
Little Thetford is a small village and civil parish south of Ely in Cambridgeshire, England, about by road from London. The village is built on a boulder clay island surrounded by flat fenland countryside, typical of settlements in this part of the East of England...
, Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, England.
History
St. George's Church is a 14th-century stone building with slate roof. In 1751 it was recorded as a chapel of easeChapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
attached to Stretham
Stretham
Stretham is a small village and civil parish south-south-west of Ely in Cambridgeshire, England, about by road from London. Its main attraction is Stretham Old Engine, a steam-powered pump used to drain the fens. The pump is still in use today although converted to electric power. It has open...
served by the rector there. The roof was thatched
Thatching
Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge , rushes, or heather, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. It is a very old roofing method and has been used in both tropical and temperate climates...
until 1863, when the church was heavily restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
. In 1886, it was struck by lightning and required extensive rebuilding. Today, the church consists of a chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, north porch
Porch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
, and south vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
. The 14th century octagonal bowl font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
still has an original lead lining. St. George's Church, a Grade II* listed building, is part of the Ely Team Ministry. The complete registers start in 1654 and are kept at the Cambridge Records Office.
Exterior
The previously thatched roof has been plain tiles since the extensive restorations of 1863. The east gable of the nave, rebuilt in 1665, is of narrow local brick. The 19th century west gable end has a gabled double bellcoteBell-Cot
A bell-cot, bell-cote or bellcote, is a small framework and shelter for one or more bells, supported on brackets projecting from a wall or built on the roof of chapels or churches which have no towers. It often holds the Sanctus bell rung at the Consecration....
with two-centred arches and one bell installed. The 19th century west window has three trefoil
Trefoil
Trefoil is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings used in architecture and Christian symbolism...
lights. The North and South walls of the nave have, in each wall, one window of three cinquefoil lights in ogee arches and square head. The clunch tracery and the mullion and architrave are of limestone, which may indicate they are part of an earlier restoration. The gabled, brick and rubblestone north porch is 19th century. The chancel has in the north wall two windows, each of two cinquefoil lights in four centred arch. The restored east window has three cinquefoil lights and has an original label with mask stops. The windows in the south wall were restored c.1980.
Interior
In a survey recorded in 1751, two bells were noted in the west end and the nave and chancel were thatched. The present single bell, marked "chapel of Ely houseEly Place
Ely Place is a gated road at the southern tip of the London Borough of Camden in London, England. It is the location of the Old Mitre Tavern and is adjacent to Hatton Garden.-Origins:...
, London", is dated 1769. The 19th century roof is of collar rafter type. The two centred chancel arch, 19th century, have two moulded orders, the inner on engaged colonnettes. The 1980 vestry conversion included toilet, refreshment facilities and improved access for the disabled.