History of St Mary’s Church

Last updated: Thursday, 26 October 2006, 08:27 AM

It is thought that people have worshipped regularly on this site for over 1000 years, though the first known mention of a church is in 1217, part of the chancel wall being the only stone to survive. The church was built originally in the Decorated style but in the 14th century much of it was rebuilt of field stones with freestone and clunch dressings in the Perpendicular style. There was rebuilding in the 15th century including the queen-post roofs, a widened chancel arch, a stone stair to the rood screen in the northeast corner of the nave, and the porch.

It is a small church by comparison with those of many English villages, the chancel being 23ft 9ins by 16ft (7.24m x 4.88m) and the nave 45ft by 22ft 3ins (13.72m x 6.78m), reflecting the small population until recent times and the lack of any sizable endowments. The only subsequent addition was in Victorian times when the vestry was added outside the north door, but, alas, of inadequate size and foundations.

There is evidence, however, of a number of changes over the years. Fragments of old stained glass have been found in the churchyard and there used to be a Jacobean rood screen. The original was presumably removed in the Reformation, but early in the 17th century another of the same design was put in and the mountings can still be seen. Ten pictures and a cross were removed by the puritan William Dowsing in 1644.

With a few exceptions records exist from 1345, baptisms from 1564, burials from 1576 and marriages from 1578.

The land round the church was worked by about 12 monks until 1279 when the Bishop of Ely granted the rector a house and 40 acres of land. Until 1935 the Bishop had the right to receive tithes (income in cash or kind). In 1966 the rectorship was combined with Toft, Caldecote and Childerley.

The Glebe House or Rectory was often reported as being in a dilapidated condition and was finally pulled down in 1881. In 1787 it had served as a sort of hospital for the poor families in the village.

Over the years there have been a number of remarkable characters as Rectors, although many of them were absent for much of the time during the fourteenth to mid-nineteenth century. To quote just two examples: William Middleton, Rector from 1585 to 1613, would not wear a surplice as ordered by Queen Elizabeth and later committed suicide, while Edmund Mapletoft was sacked in 1644 for popish practices and negligence.

In the late nineteenth century when the Rector started to take up residence, a Sunday school was begun and the average congregation numbered seven. In 1783 the church was said to be in poor condition and the spire out of line; the roof was poor in 1836 and sparrows interrupted services. Extensive restoration was carried out in 1901, funded largely by Pembroke College. Bishop Wren when Bishop of Ely had endowed the income from the church’s land to the college to help pay for the building of their college chapel, designed by his nephew Christopher Wren.

Description

After passing through the 15th century porch, a visitor will be impressed by the solid wooden door, almost certainly part of the 1901 restoration.
As one passes over the threshold a crudely carved windmill can be seen on the east splay and there are other examples that can be seen elsewhere, all uncovered in the parishioners’ work of 1986. Quite what the fascination with windmills was is not clear, although certainly they were of economic importance. The first reference to a windmill in Hardwick was in 1299 and in 1356 it needed new sails, but all traces are long lost.

Immediately on the right on the south wall of the church, between the door and the pulpit. can be seen an area of restored wall painting. Mural drawings were common in many Cambridgeshire churches, often illustrating some local legend. The whole of the south wall was painted at some time and is thought to have depicted the seven deadly sins. Their condition was of concern to the rector in 1856 and he had them painted over. The painter charged 3/4d (17p) against a normal cost of 6/8d as the parish was so poor. Parts were uncovered during the restoration work in 1986 and the one reasonable area was professionally restored.

The choir stalls and curtains behind the altar were taken out and the organ moved to the rear of the church when it was thought that with the closure of the old school there would never be a Sunday school or a choir again.

On the south pillar of the chancel can be seen a record of ‘marmaduke messynden off helynge (thought to be Helmsby) yn the conty off lyncolne’, a stonemason of the 16th century. Nearby can be seen a record of ‘HP’ and ‘TR’ in 1710 and, on a windowsill by the south door, a record that the latter was here before in 1699.

On entering the chancel, note on both the north and south walls Roundels uncovered in the 1986 work; there were a number of other examples found, some in fairly obscure positions and these were painted over. These religious signs were not used after the end of the 14th century and this throws doubt on the age of some of the walls which were previously thought to have been built in the 15th century.

The stained glass windows in the chancel are Victorian with the exception of the most easterly windows either side of the altar, which are medieval. The communion rail of cast iron in Gothic idiom with oak rail was installed in the first half of the 19th century.

Notable is a very heavy chest of oak planks strengthened with a rectangular frame and iron bound. The posts at the two ends project above the lid and have fittings to receive a longitudinal bar, now missing, which was secured by a central hasp and lock. There is also an internal locking pin. It is thought to be 16th century and was originally used to keep the church’s plate, vestments and linen safe and sound.

A banner, more than 50 years old, was found in the church and renovated in August 2001.

Notice on the north wall the World War I and World War II memorials recording the names of those who gave up their lives from what was then a small village.

Also on the north wall can be seen a record of 36 “additional fittings” being provided in 1858 by the Incorporated Society for promoting the enlargement, building and repair of Churches and Chapels in England and Wales. The board had hung in the porch until its restoration in 1981.

The pews of pine also reflect a parish that was not well endowed in the past, oak being more expensive, but at least they are now free of candle grease and other grime through voluntary work in 1986 and 1987.

The font of an octagonal bowl with splayed underside is possibly 13th century. It used to have a richly carved wooden surround.

On entering the bell tower, notice on the north side further scratchings which record the bell chimes for the three bells which hung in the tower, while the west wall in the tower records on a rebuilt surface the initials of those who helped in the 1986 redecoration and restoration.

Until 1994 three bells hung within the 8ft 3ins (2.51m) square tower, two made in 1797 and weighing 3¼ and 4 cwts (160kg and 200kg). The third weighing 4½ cwts (230kg) was recast in 1908. The frame is set diagonally NE and SW. At some time these bells replaced three bells and a sanctus bell hung in 1552. The bells were rung regularly until the 1970’s. On 29 July 1994 the bells were removed, as it had become unsafe to ring them. Two were sold to local churches in Toft and Bar Hill, whilst the third, the 4½ cwt tenor bell, was refurbished and rehung on 20 November 1994. It is now rung (swing chime) every Sunday.

Source: Largely taken from the booklet A Brief History of the Parish Church of St Mary's Hardwick by Martin Hay, which is available in the church