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{{Infobox religious building |building_name=St Mary's Church, Blymhill |image=St Mary's Church, Coddington.jpg | caption= | location=[[Blymhill]], [[Staffordshire]], [[England]] | map_type=Staffordshire| latitude=52.7083 | longitude=-2.2817 |geo= |religious_affiliation=[[Anglican]] |district=[[Diocese of Lichfield]] |consecration_year= |status=[[Parish church]] |leadership=Linda Beech, Curate |architect=[[George Edmund Street|George Edmund Street]] |architecture_type=[[Church (building)|Church]] |architecture_style= |facade_direction= |year_completed=1859 |construction_cost= |capacity= |length= |width= |width_nave= |height_max= |dome_quantity= |dome_height_outer= |dome_height_inner= |dome_dia_outer= |dome_dia_inner= |minaret_quantity= |minaret_height= |spire_quantity= |spire_height= |materials=[[Sandstone]] }} |
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'''St. Mary's Church, Blymhill''' is an Anglican church in the village of [[Blymhill|Blymhill]], [[Staffordshire|Staffordshire]], [[England|England]] ({{gbmapping|SJ808121}}). The building, which is Grade I listed, was constructed in the 14th century and restored and extended in the 18th and 19th centuries. It features an [[Early_English_Period#Early_English_period|Early English]] south aisle, a [[Perpendicular_Gothic#Decorated_Gothic|Decorated Gothic]] chancel and a [[Perpendicular_Period#Perpendicular_Gothic|Perpendicular Gothic]] tower. |
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St. Mary's is an active parish church with Linda Beech as curate. |
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==History== |
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There has been a church at Blymhill from an early date. Until the end of the 11th century it was attached to the [[collegiate church]] of [[Gnosall]], which it served as a [[chapel of ease]]. In c. 1200 a separate rectory was established at Blymhill when William, son of John Bagot, the then Lord of Blymhill, acquired the [[Ius_patronatus#Right_of_presentation|right of presentation]] of himself and his heirs. A full list of rectors from that date is extant.<ref>A copy of the list, which begins 'About 1200 Herbert de Blakenhall', can be found hanging inside the church.</ref> |
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The present church dates from the mid 14th century and is thought to lie on the same site as the former chapel of ease<ref>During the 1858-59 restoration a portion of the original wall was taken down and built up inside the wall there were found portions of the mullions of the windows of an earlier church together with old tombstones and ornamental crosses, placed face down. The latter can be found laid into the chancel floor.</ref>. It is thought to have been built during the incumbency of Stephen de Bromley who was rector between 1349 and c. 1379. There is an arched recess outside the south wall of the chancel (a position often occupied by the founders tomb) containing a weathered stone coffin that is thought to be Bromley's.<ref>Only the head and foot of an ornamental cross remain visible.</ref>. |
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[[Image:Example.jpg|thumb|A drawing of St. Mary's in 1797 showing the old rectory building.|200px|left]] |
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The church underwent significant alterations in c. 1719<ref>White, W, '[http://books.google.com/books?id=mw9Mgl6AHr8C&dq=st.+chad+chatwell&lr=&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0 History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Staffordshire and the City and County of the City of Lichfield]', R. Leader, 1834, p. 477.</ref> during which the gothic windows of the nave and south aisle were replaced by large and fashionable round-headed windows. A view of the church in 1797, after these alterations, is shown on this page. The gothic windows were re-introduced during a substantial [[Early_English_Period#Early_English_period|Early English]] restoration in 1858-59 by the architect [[George Edmund Street|George Street]] along with the present vestry and new oak choir stalls, oak pews, pulpit and font. The sentences below, from the work authorization, explain the other major changes: |
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<blockquote> |
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George Thomas Orlando Bridgeman Clerk Rector ... are authorised and empowered to take down the gallery on the West side (Tower end) and the wall on the north side of the said Church, to widen and extend the same on the North side, to make an aisle on the same side, to stop up the present entrance (through the Tower) and to erect a Porch on the North side, and to erect new roofs over the whole Church. |
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</blockquote> |
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Street's restoration left the interior too dark so, in 1861, two new plain diamond windows were added to the south wall and in 1876 [[dormer]] windows, rarely seen in churches, were built into the south aisle roof. |
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St. Chad's chapel, at the east end of the north aisle, was constructed in 1936 as a gift of the Rev. E.R.O. Bridgeman. [[Chad of Mercia|St. Chad]] is traditionally supposed to have preached in the vicinity of Blymhill in the 7th century and consecrated a well at nearby [[Chadwell]].<ref>Hope, R. C., '[http://books.google.com/books?id=J4AB6s0jXnYC&printsec=frontcover&sig=ACfU3U3x64XhF0AKsXv-tW9IBdpUhezb5A Legendary Lore of the Holy Wells of England Including Rivers, Lakes, Fountains and Springs]', Kessinger Publishing, 2003.</ref><ref>Raven, M., '[http://books.google.com/books?id=Txby6_Lrm0cC&printsec=frontcover&sig=ACfU3U12Hv2kcEBXRILnC_hz_Hk6mDmbaQ A guide to Shropshire]', Michael Raven, 2005, p. 45.</ref> |
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==Architectural and decorative features== |
==Architectural and decorative features== |
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B.D.R., 'History of Blymhill Church 1200-1990', booklet published by the church. |
B.D.R., 'History of Blymhill Church 1200-1990', booklet published by the church. |
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Raven, Michael, 'A Guide to Staffordshire and the Black Country', Michael Raven, 2004, |
Raven, Michael, 'A Guide to Staffordshire and the Black Country', Michael Raven, 2004, 0906114330. |
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Latest revision as of 21:42, 5 October 2008
Architectural and decorative features
[edit]A carving in stone on the outside spandrel of the west window of the north aisle, representing the Adoration of the Wise Men, was carved by the George Street for the 1858-59 restoration as a personal gift to the church.
There are five miserere seats on each side of the choir stalls. The traditional of purpose of such seats was to support old and inform monks during long services, but they did not serve that purpose at St. Mary's.
There is a large oak and ironwork chest at the west end of the south aisle said to date from the early 14th century and to have been located in the chapel of ease.
There are three bells. The tenor is richly ornamented and dated 1607. The smaller two, which were recast in 1840 and 1843, were originally cast in 1530 and 1467.
Rectory
[edit]Churchyard
[edit]Old chruchyard and separate new one. Memorials in the old churchyard. Many worn away as made of sandstone. New churchyard across the road.
Notable incumbents
[edit]Dates of incumbency are in parentheses.
- Samuel Dickenson (January 9, 1777 – May 15, 1823) – botanist
- George Thomas Orlando Bridgeman (? – ?) – antiquary
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]Bridgeman, George T. O., 'Some Account of the Manor & Parish of Blymhill, in the County of Stafford' in 'Collections for a History of Staffordshire', Vol. 1 (1880), Vol. 2 (1881), Staffordshire Record Society (formerly William Salt Archaeological Society).
B.D.R., 'History of Blymhill Church 1200-1990', booklet published by the church.
Raven, Michael, 'A Guide to Staffordshire and the Black Country', Michael Raven, 2004, 0906114330.