St George's Church, Edworth
Encyclopedia
St George's Church, Edworth, is a redundant
Anglican
church in the village of Edworth
, Bedfordshire
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. Edworth is about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Biggleswade
, to the east of the A1 road.
belonged to St Neots Priory
. In about 1320 the aisle
s were added, and the chancel
was rebuilt. The tower dates from the middle of the 14th century, and the porches were added during the later part of the 15th century. The chancel was shortened in the 19th century.. The Church was closed in 1972 and St. Albans Diocese declared the church redundant
in 1974. The Churches Conservation Trust began restoration work in 1976.
s, ironstone
and limestone
with ashlar
dressings, and has rendering
applied to parts of the walls. The roofs are slate
d. Its plan consists of a two-bay
nave
with a clerestory
, north and south aisles, north and south porches, a chancel, and a west tower. The tower dates from the 14th century. It is in two stages, with angle buttress
es and an embattled
parapet
. On the west side, the lower stage contains a single-light window. The bell openings in the upper stage have two lights. The three-light east window in the chancel was inserted in the 19th century and is in 15th-century style. In both the north and south walls of the chancel are three-light 15th-century windows, and in addition there is a blocked 14th-century south doorway. In the nave, on both sides to the west of the porch, is a 15th-century three-light window. The clerestory has three two-light square-headed windows on each side. Both doorways date from the 14th century. In the north aisle are two-light windows in the east and north walls. The south aisle has a 14th-century two-light east window. In its south wall is a three-light 15th-century window and a small single-light window. The porches both date from the 15th century, and are similar in style with shallow gable
s. In the south porch is a two-light west window; the corresponding window in the north porch is blocked.
on each side that extend only along the eastern part of the nave. At the northeast corner of the nave is a rood
staircase. The octagonal font
dates from the 15th century and has carved panels. The north aisle contains an unusual piscina
standing on a pillar dating from the 12th century. On the wall of the north aisle is a fragment of a 14th-century wall painting. In the chancel are 15th-century pews with poppyheads
and with finials carved with lions and bears. The windows in the south windows of the chancel and clerestory contain fragments of medieval
stained glass. The ring
consists of three bells. The oldest bell is dated 1480 and was cast by John Kebyll. The others were cast in 1615 by Newcombe, and in 1623 by William Haulsey.
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 Edworth
Edworth
Edworth is a village and civil parish located in the English county of Bedfordshire. It sits just off the Great North Road between Baldock and Biggleswade. Edworth lies close to the county border and to the village of Hinxworth. There are less than a hundred inhabitants in the village. The village...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, 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 Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. Edworth is about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Biggleswade
Biggleswade
Biggleswade is a market town and civil parish located on the River Ivel in Bedfordshire, England. It is well served by transport routes, being close to the A1 road between London and the North, as well as having a railway station on the main rail link North from London .-Geography:Located about 40...
, to the east of the A1 road.
History
The church dates from about 1200, and during the Middle AgesMiddle 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...
belonged to St Neots Priory
St Neots Priory
St Neots Priory was a Benedictine monastery in what is now the town of St Neots in the English county of Cambridgeshire within the district of Huntingdonshire.-Anglo-Saxon monastery:...
. In about 1320 the 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 were added, and 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...
was rebuilt. The tower dates from the middle of the 14th century, and the porches were added during the later part of the 15th century. The chancel was shortened in the 19th century.. The Church was closed in 1972 and St. Albans Diocese declared the church redundant
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...
in 1974. The Churches Conservation Trust began restoration work in 1976.
Exterior
St George's is constructed in a mixture of cobblestoneCobblestone
Cobblestones are stones that were frequently used in the pavement of early streets. "Cobblestone" is derived from the very old English word "cob", which had a wide range of meanings, one of which was "rounded lump" with overtones of large size...
s, ironstone
Ironstone
Ironstone is a sedimentary rock, either deposited directly as a ferruginous sediment or created by chemical repacement, that contains a substantial proportion of an iron compound from which iron either can be or once was smelted commercially. This term is customarily restricted to hard coarsely...
and limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
with ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
dressings, and has rendering
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
applied to parts of the walls. The roofs are slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
d. 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
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...
with a 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...
, north and south aisles, north and south porches, a chancel, and a west tower. The tower dates from the 14th century. It is in two stages, with angle 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 an embattled
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...
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...
. On the west side, the lower stage contains a single-light window. The bell openings in the upper stage have two lights. The three-light east window in the chancel was inserted in the 19th century and is in 15th-century style. In both the north and south walls of the chancel are three-light 15th-century windows, and in addition there is a blocked 14th-century south doorway. In the nave, on both sides to the west of the porch, is a 15th-century three-light window. The clerestory has three two-light square-headed windows on each side. Both doorways date from the 14th century. In the north aisle are two-light windows in the east and north walls. The south aisle has a 14th-century two-light east window. In its south wall is a three-light 15th-century window and a small single-light window. The porches both date from the 15th century, and are similar in style with shallow gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
s. In the south porch is a two-light west window; the corresponding window in the north porch is blocked.
Interior
Inside the church are two-bay arcadesArcade (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....
on each side that extend only along the eastern part of the nave. At the northeast corner of the nave is a rood
Rood
A rood is a cross or crucifix, especially a large one in a church; a large sculpture or sometimes painting of the crucifixion of Jesus.Rood is an archaic word for pole, from Old English rōd "pole", specifically "cross", from Proto-Germanic *rodo, cognate to Old Saxon rōda, Old High German ruoda...
staircase. The octagonal 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 has carved panels. The north aisle contains an unusual piscina
Piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
standing on a pillar dating from the 12th century. On the wall of the north aisle is a fragment of a 14th-century wall painting. In the chancel are 15th-century pews with poppyheads
Poppyhead (carving)
Poppyhead is a form of carving of the end of a bench or a choir stall. The carving consists of leaves and flowers, which are usually in the form of a fleur-de-lys....
and with finials carved with lions and bears. The windows in the south windows of the chancel and clerestory contain fragments of 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...
stained glass. 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 is dated 1480 and was cast by John Kebyll. The others were cast in 1615 by Newcombe, and in 1623 by William Haulsey.