Church of St Mary the Virgin, Great Wymondley

St Mary's Church is an active Anglican church in Great Wymondley, Hertfordshire, England. It is a Grade I listed building.[1]

Church of St Mary the Virgin
View of the church
Map
51°56′31″N 0°14′03″W / 51.94203°N 0.23414°W / 51.94203; -0.23414
CountryEngland
DenominationChurch of England
History
StatusActive
Architecture
Heritage designationGrade I listed
Designated1968[1]
Administration
DioceseDiocese of St Albans

History edit

In 1199, Reginald de Argentein, lord of the manor of Great Wymondley, brought a case against the Abbess of Elstow over the advowson of the chapel, as it then was. The Abbess claimed that the chapel was part of the possessions of the church at Hitchin, and had been granted to the Abbey by Judith of Lens, niece of William I. Richard lost the case. Although vicars were appointed to Great Wymondley from 1361, the church remained under Elstow Abbey until the Dissolution.[2]

The benefice is currently St Ippolyts with Great and Little Wymondley.

Architecture edit

It has a Norman nave and chancel, the latter being an apse built of small rounded stones.[3] Only two other medieval churches in Hertfordshire retain an apse (St Leonard's Church, Bengeo and St John the Baptist's Church, Great Amwell),[4] but originally the church at Little Wymondley had an apsidal east end too.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Historic England. "Church of St Mary the Virgin (Great Wymondley) (1102497)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  2. ^ Fitzpatrick-Matthews, Keith (2020). "The Archaeology of the Wymondleys".
  3. ^ Young, Richard; Hamilton, Liz (April 2015). "The earth beneath our feet". Hertfordshire Life. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  4. ^ Historic England. "Parish Church of St John the Baptist (1341839)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  5. ^ Historic England. "Church of St Mary the Virgin (Little Wymondley) (1347444)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 September 2021.

External links edit

  Media related to Saint Mary the Virgin Church, Great Wymondley at Wikimedia Commons