St Mary Magdalene, Yarm
Encyclopedia
St Mary Magdalene is a Church of England
parish church
in the town of Yarm
, Stockton-on-Tees
. Administratively, it is a parish
of the Diocese of York
. The current rector
is the Reverend Simon Gurd, BA
.
The current church building is the third to stand on the site. The first was a wooden Saxon
building of which no traces remain. A Norman
church was built in the late 12th Century and remained until 1728 when it razed by fire. The present Georgian
church was built from the remains of the second in 1730.
. The shaft is now kept in the library of Durham Cathedral
and bears the inscription:
Which translates as:
Trumbert
or Trumberhet was consecrated as Bishop of Hexham
in AD 681, he was succeeded in AD 684 by Eata. The date of his death is not known, but clearly he was buried at Yarm late in the 7th or early in the 8th century.
to help finance the rebuilding, something that proved so successful that the rebuilding was completed by 1730 using much of the stone from the earlier building.
In 1878 the church was enlarged and restored
by Lancaster
partnership of Paley and Austin.
was refurbished in memory of Leslie Leech. It was dedicated in 2003 by the Archbishop of York
, David Hope.
The large Moses window is the oldest and best of the glass in the church. It was executed by William Peckitt
of York in 1768 and was originally in the Chancel, but was moved to it present position in 1879.
The windows in the North aisle and East End of the Church are on New Testament themes. From west to east:
In the West End of the nave
are two small round windows. One has a dove
symbolizing the Holy Spirit
and the other a Lamb
carrying a flag symbolizing Jesus Christ. The Choir Vestry has a 20th century window depicting the three Marys meeting the angel at the Tomb on the first Easter Day.
with the young John the Baptist
by an unnamed artist of the 16th century Italian school. Near the Ascension window there is a framed print of The Boy Christ disputing with the Doctors in the Temple", which was presented to the church in 1925. On the left of the Ascension window is an old terracotta copy of a Della Robia plaque depicting the Virgin and Child that was found in the ruins of a French cathedral during the First World War by the writer E.V. Lucas. Similar plaques are found in the cloister
s of Tuscan
monasteries. It dates from around 1800. Around the walls can be found framed prints of the Stations of the Cross
and on the pillars are small shields bearing ecclesiastical signs and symbols. In the Sanctuary is a Tudor bishop’s mitre
. Until 1865 the Rector
of Yarm was the Archbishop
, and the mitre represented his presence as vicar
of the parish.
– the Mouseman of Kilburn
– and were given in 1948 in memory of Mary Clapham and her son John Geoffrey who was killed in the Second World War. The dedication and the identifying mouse, is carved on the Sanctuary side of the rails. The Font is an octagonal bowl of Tees marble
with incurved sides on each of which is a blank shield. It is thought to have been fashioned in the 15th century.
was on a gallery at the West End of the church as is still the case in many churches. In Yarm the organ gallery was removed in 1852 and the organ was moved to the east end of the north aisle. In 1910 the present organ was purchased from Thomas Hopkins and Son of York. The organ has a total of 1134 pipes in 27 stops.
A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.
or falcon
) and a seated figure with one hand raised in benediction
. There is an inscription that appears to read here lyeth the body and was buried the 2nd of July An. Do. 1638, suggesting that the tomb has been reused. The original occupants of the tomb must have been significant persons at least locally, but who they were remains a mystery. In the absence of identification for them they became known as The True Lovers, and the nearby riverside path became known as True Lovers' Walk.
s in that year - James Todd and Wheatley Coates.
, "The Valiant Dragoon" hero of the Battle of Dettingen
He died in 1746 and was buried in an unmarked grave. A short distance away is a stone marking the original site of the Free Grammar School of Thomas Conyers
founded in 1590.
Wednesday
The church is open Wednesdays from 10.00 until 16.00
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in the town of Yarm
Yarm
Yarm is a small town and civil parish in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees in North East England. It is on the south bank of the River Tees and for ceremonial purposes is in North Yorkshire...
, Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in north east England. It is the major settlement in the unitary authority and borough of Stockton-on-Tees. For ceremonial purposes, the borough is split between County Durham and North Yorkshire as it also incorporates a number of smaller towns including...
. Administratively, it is a parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of the Diocese of York
Diocese of York
The Diocese of York is an administrative division of the Church of England, part of the Province of York. It covers the city of York, the eastern part of North Yorkshire, and most of the East Riding of Yorkshire....
. The current rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
is the Reverend Simon Gurd, BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
.
The current church building is the third to stand on the site. The first was a wooden Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
building of which no traces remain. A 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 was built in the late 12th Century and remained until 1728 when it razed by fire. The present Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
church was built from the remains of the second in 1730.
Saxon church
The earliest evidence of a church being present in the town is the Trumbert Shaft. The shaft part of an inscribed sandstone grave cross. It was discovered being used as a mangle weight in Yarm in 1877 by Canon Greenwell of DurhamDurham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
. The shaft is now kept in the library of Durham Cathedral
Durham Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham is a cathedral in the city of Durham, England, the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Durham. The Bishopric dates from 995, with the present cathedral being founded in AD 1093...
and bears the inscription:
| + [orate] PRO [tru]MBERENCT + SAC+ ALLA + |
| SIGNUM AEFTER HIS BREODERA YSETAE |
Which translates as:
| Pray for Trumberhet, Bishop |
| Alla set up this memorial to his brother |
Trumbert
Trumbert
Trumbert was a monk of Jarrow, a disciple of St. Chad and later Bishop of Hexham.-Life:He was educated at Lastingham by Ceadda, and was a teacher of Bede. He was the Bishop of the See of Hexham from 681 until he was deposed in 685 and was succeeded by Eata. He had previously been a monk at Ripon...
or Trumberhet was consecrated as Bishop of Hexham
Bishop of Hexham
The Bishop of Hexham was an episcopal title which took its name after the market town of Hexham in Northumberland, England. The title was first used by the Anglo-Saxons in the 7th and 9th centuries, and then by the Roman Catholic Church in the 19th century....
in AD 681, he was succeeded in AD 684 by Eata. The date of his death is not known, but clearly he was buried at Yarm late in the 7th or early in the 8th century.
Norman church
The west end and the base of the tower of the present building are part of the original stone church was built by the De Brus family in the latter half of the 12th century. A fortified tower was added in the 13th century and rebuilt during the 17th century.Georgian Church
In 1728 the Norman church was badly damaged by fire that and had to be rebuilt. The cost of the damage was put at £1,772 and was raised by public subscription. King George II allowed collections to be made at churches throughout EnglandEngland
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...
to help finance the rebuilding, something that proved so successful that the rebuilding was completed by 1730 using much of the stone from the earlier building.
In 1878 the church was enlarged and 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...
by Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
partnership of Paley and Austin.
Lady Chapel
The Lady ChapelLady chapel
A Lady chapel, also called Mary chapel or Marian chapel, is a traditional English term for a chapel inside a cathedral, basilica, or large church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary...
was refurbished in memory of Leslie Leech. It was dedicated in 2003 by the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, David Hope.
Stained Glass
The windows in the South aisle have subjects taken from the Old Testament. From east to west:- God's testing of Abraham
- Moses receiving the Ten Commandments
- Prophet Elijah calling down fire from Heaven
The large Moses window is the oldest and best of the glass in the church. It was executed by William Peckitt
William Peckitt
William Peckitt was an English glass-painter and stained glass maker. He was based in York throughout his working life, was one of the leading Georgian glass craftsmen in England and helped “keep the art of glass painting alive during the eighteenth century"...
of York in 1768 and was originally in the Chancel, but was moved to it present position in 1879.
The windows in the North aisle and East End of the Church are on New Testament themes. From west to east:
- Christ's Baptism
- The Crucifixion
- Christ the Lover of children and Christ the Good Shepherd
- The Resurrection
- The Last Supper
- The Ascension.
In the West End of the 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...
are two small round windows. One has a dove
Dove
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably...
symbolizing the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
and the other a Lamb
Domestic sheep
Sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries...
carrying a flag symbolizing Jesus Christ. The Choir Vestry has a 20th century window depicting the three Marys meeting the angel at the Tomb on the first Easter Day.
Decorations
Above the door to the vestry is an oil painting depicting the Holy FamilyHoly Family
The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph.The Feast of the Holy Family is a liturgical celebration in the Roman Catholic Church in honor of Jesus of Nazareth, his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and his foster father, Saint Joseph, as a family...
with the young John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
by an unnamed artist of the 16th century Italian school. Near the Ascension window there is a framed print of The Boy Christ disputing with the Doctors in the Temple", which was presented to the church in 1925. On the left of the Ascension window is an old terracotta copy of a Della Robia plaque depicting the Virgin and Child that was found in the ruins of a French cathedral during the First World War by the writer E.V. Lucas. Similar plaques are found in the cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
s of Tuscan
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
monasteries. It dates from around 1800. Around the walls can be found framed prints of the Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
and on the pillars are small shields bearing ecclesiastical signs and symbols. In the Sanctuary is a Tudor bishop’s mitre
Mitre
The mitre , also spelled miter, is a type of headwear now known as the traditional, ceremonial head-dress of bishops and certain abbots in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in the Anglican Communion, some Lutheran churches, and also bishops and certain other clergy in the Eastern Orthodox...
. Until 1865 the Rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Yarm was the Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
, and the mitre represented his presence as vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of the parish.
Furnishings
The present pews, pulpit, clerk’s desk and choir stalls date from 1878 and are in the Renaissance style. The High Altar was made out of pews removed from the South aisle in 1940. The Sanctuary Altar rails are the work of the noted Yorkshire craftsman Robert ThompsonRobert (Mousey) Thompson
Robert Thompson was a British furniture maker. He lived in Kilburn, North Yorkshire, where he set up a business manufacturing oak furniture, which featured a carved mouse on almost every piece...
– the Mouseman of Kilburn
Kilburn, North Yorkshire
Kilburn is a small village in North Yorkshire, England that is known for two reasons: the White Horse, and the Mouseman.The White Horse is a figure cut into the hillside to the north of the village, and visible for many miles around on a clear day....
– and were given in 1948 in memory of Mary Clapham and her son John Geoffrey who was killed in the Second World War. The dedication and the identifying mouse, is carved on the Sanctuary side of the rails. The Font is an octagonal bowl of Tees marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
with incurved sides on each of which is a blank shield. It is thought to have been fashioned in the 15th century.
Organ
When the church was rebuilt in 1730 the organPipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
was on a gallery at the West End of the church as is still the case in many churches. In Yarm the organ gallery was removed in 1852 and the organ was moved to the east end of the north aisle. In 1910 the present organ was purchased from Thomas Hopkins and Son of York. The organ has a total of 1134 pipes in 27 stops.
A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.
The True Lovers
Alongside the West wall set into the floor is the cover of a table tomb, dating from the 15th Century. It is carved with supine male and female figures, a figure of a bird (an eagleEagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
or falcon
Falcon
A falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The genus contains 37 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America....
) and a seated figure with one hand raised in benediction
Benediction
A benediction is a short invocation for divine help, blessing and guidance, usually at the end of worship service.-Judaism:...
. There is an inscription that appears to read here lyeth the body and was buried the 2nd of July An. Do. 1638, suggesting that the tomb has been reused. The original occupants of the tomb must have been significant persons at least locally, but who they were remains a mystery. In the absence of identification for them they became known as The True Lovers, and the nearby riverside path became known as True Lovers' Walk.
Bells
There is a ring of 3 bells. The oldest is dated 1664 weighs 150 kg and is inscribed Fili Dei Misere Mei. The next oldest is dated 1710, weighs 175 kg and is inscribed Sono Quantum Valeo. The smallest bell weighs 125 kg, and was recast in 1861 because it had cracked. It bears the names of the churchwardenChurchwarden
A churchwarden is a lay official in a parish church or congregation of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer. Holders of these positions are ex officio members of the parish board, usually called a vestry, parish council, parochial church council, or in the case of a...
s in that year - James Todd and Wheatley Coates.
Restoration work
The stonework of the Georgian part of the building has lost its weather resisting properties as a result of age and air pollution.Churchyard
In the Churchyard a modern headstone commemorates Tom BrownTom Brown (hero)
Sir Thomas Brown was born in Kirkleatham, in present day Redcar and Cleveland, England. He was a hero of the Battle of Dettingen, in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession. It was the last time that a British monarch personally led his troops into battle. Brown fought as a private...
, "The Valiant Dragoon" hero of the Battle of Dettingen
Battle of Dettingen
The Battle of Dettingen took place on 27 June 1743 at Dettingen in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession. It was the last time that a British monarch personally led his troops into battle...
He died in 1746 and was buried in an unmarked grave. A short distance away is a stone marking the original site of the Free Grammar School of Thomas Conyers
Conyers' School
Conyers School is a mixed gender comprehensive school in the town of Yarm, England. It is run by Stockton-on-Tees borough council.-History:The Free Grammar School was founded in 1590 by Thomas Conyers of Egglescliffe, who was issued letters patent by Queen Elizabeth I to found a grammar school in...
founded in 1590.
Services
Sunday- 08.00 Holy Communion (Book of Common PrayerBook of Common PrayerThe Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
) - 10.00 Sung Eucharist (Common WorshipCommon WorshipCommon Worship is the name given to the series of services authorised by the General Synod of the Church of England and launched on the first Sunday of Advent in 2000. It represents the most recent stage of development of the Liturgical Movement within the Church and is the successor to the...
)
Wednesday
- 09.30 Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer)
The church is open Wednesdays from 10.00 until 16.00