St Mary's Church, Hardmead
Encyclopedia
St Mary's Church, Hardmead, is a redundant
Anglican
church in the village of Hardmead
, Buckinghamshire
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches
.
from slightly later, and the clerestory
and the top stage of the tower were added in the 15th century. It formerly served a medieval
village, but this has disappeared. After the church became redundant it was proposed to convert it into a house, but it was acquired by the charity
the Friends of Friendless Churches and is now managed by the Friends of Hardmead. The church was vested
in the charity in 1982, which holds a 99-year lease
with effect from 7 September 1982.
and aisle
s have flat lead roofs while the chancel
roof is tiled. Its plan consists of a two-bay
nave with north and south aisles and a clerestory, a chancel, a south porch, and a west tower. The tower is without buttress
es, and has traceried
bell openings. At the summit is a battlement
ed parapet
. The parapets of the nave are also battlemented, while those of the aisles are plain. The east window and the two windows in the walls of the chancel contain Decorated tracery. The double arcade
dates from the 14th century.
The font
dates from the 15th century and is carved with tracery; the bench ends date from a similar period. In the north aisle are monuments to the Catesby family. The most prominent is a wall monument to the memory of Francis Catesby who died in 1636, and there is a brass
to another Francis Catesby who died in 1556. In the chancel are monuments to the Shedden family. One of these is to Robert Shedden who died in 1849 on the yacht Nancy Dawson, after an unsuccessful expedition to find Sir John Franklin
. Under the memorial is a carving in relief
of the yacht. The organ was made in about 1837 by J. W. Walker
of London, and was restored in about 1995 by Robert Shaftoe of Pavenham
. The ring
consists of three bells. The oldest bell was cast in about 1399 by Robert Chamberlain, the next was made about 1499 by an unknown caster, and the third bell was cast about 1599, possibly by William Rufford. They are no longer ringable.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Anglican
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 Hardmead
Hardmead
Hardmead is a small village and civil parish in the Borough of Milton Keynes and ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire, England. It is in the north of the Borough, about seven miles west of Bedford, five miles north east of Newport Pagnell...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches is a registered charity active in England and Wales. It campaigns for and rescues redundant historic churches threatened by demolition, decay, or inappropriate conversion. To that end, as of August 2010, it owns 43 former churches or chapels, 23 of which...
.
History
The west tower of the church dates from the 13th century, the chancelChancel
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...
from slightly later, and the clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
and the top stage of the tower were added in the 15th century. It formerly served a medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
village, but this has disappeared. After the church became redundant it was proposed to convert it into a house, but it was acquired by the charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
the Friends of Friendless Churches and is now managed by the Friends of Hardmead. The church was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the charity in 1982, which holds a 99-year lease
Leasehold estate
A leasehold estate is an ownership of a temporary right to land or property in which a lessee or a tenant holds rights of real property by some form of title from a lessor or landlord....
with effect from 7 September 1982.
Architecture
St Mary's is constructed in stone. The naveNave
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...
and aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
s have flat lead roofs while the 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...
roof is tiled. Its plan consists of a two-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
nave with north and south aisles and a clerestory, a chancel, a south porch, and a west tower. The tower is without buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es, and has traceried
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
bell openings. At the summit is a battlement
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
ed parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
. The parapets of the nave are also battlemented, while those of the aisles are plain. The east window and the two windows in the walls of the chancel contain Decorated tracery. The double arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
dates from the 14th century.
The 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:...
dates from the 15th century and is carved with tracery; the bench ends date from a similar period. In the north aisle are monuments to the Catesby family. The most prominent is a wall monument to the memory of Francis Catesby who died in 1636, and there is a brass
Monumental brass
Monumental brass is a species of engraved sepulchral memorial which in the early part of the 13th century began to partially take the place of three-dimensional monuments and effigies carved in stone or wood...
to another Francis Catesby who died in 1556. In the chancel are monuments to the Shedden family. One of these is to Robert Shedden who died in 1849 on the yacht Nancy Dawson, after an unsuccessful expedition to find Sir John Franklin
John Franklin
Rear-Admiral Sir John Franklin KCH FRGS RN was a British Royal Navy officer and Arctic explorer. Franklin also served as governor of Tasmania for several years. In his last expedition, he disappeared while attempting to chart and navigate a section of the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic...
. Under the memorial is a carving in relief
Relief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
of the yacht. The organ was made in about 1837 by J. W. Walker
J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd
J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd is a British firm of organ builders established in 1828 by Joseph William Walker in London. Walker organs were popular additions to churches during the Gothic Revival era of church building and restoration in Victorian Britain, and instruments built by Walker are found in...
of London, and was restored in about 1995 by Robert Shaftoe of Pavenham
Pavenham
Pavenham is a small village and civil parish on the River Great Ouse in the Bedford district of Bedfordshire, England, about north-west of Bedford. Village amenities consist of a pub, Village hall, tennis Club, and golf club...
. The ring
Ring of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
consists of three bells. The oldest bell was cast in about 1399 by Robert Chamberlain, the next was made about 1499 by an unknown caster, and the third bell was cast about 1599, possibly by William Rufford. They are no longer ringable.