St. Mary's Church, East Leake is a 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 Church of England

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...

 in East Leake

East Leake

East Leake is a large village and civil parish in the Rushcliffe district of Nottinghamshire, England, although its closest town and postal address is Loughborough across the border in Leicestershire. It has a population of around 7,000. The original village was located on the Sheepwash Brook. ...

, Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...

.

The church is Grade I listed by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport as a building of outstanding architectural or historic interest.

History

The church dates from the Norman period but has substantial later medieval work. Until the fourteenth century, the church was dedicated to St. Leonard, but the church was re-dedicated to St. Mary who was more popular.

After the chancel collapsed in the nineteenth century, a major restoration

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...

 was carried out in 1886 by W. S. Weatherley.

Stained Glass

There are stained glass windows by Charles Eamer Kempe

Charles Eamer Kempe

Charles Eamer Kempe was a well-known Victorian stained glass designer. After attending Twyford School, he studied for the priesthood at Pembroke College, Oxford, but it became clear that his severe stammer would be an impediment to preaching...

, James Powell and Sons

James Powell and Sons

The firm of James Powell and Sons, also known as Whitefriars Glass, were English glassmakers, leadlighters and stained glass window manufacturers...

 and Heaton, Butler and Bayne

Heaton, Butler and Bayne

Heaton, Butler and Bayne is the name of an English firm who produced stained glass windows from 1855 onwards.-History:Clement Heaton originally founded his own stained glass firm in 1852, joined by James Butler in 1855. Between 1859-61 they worked alongside Clayton and Bell and were joined by...

.

Organ

The church has a pipe organ by Ingram built in 1914. The specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.

Current parish status

It is in a group of parishes which includes:

• St. Giles' Church, Costock
  St. Giles' Church, Costock
  St. Giles' Church, Costock is a parish church in the Church of England in Costock, Nottinghamshire.The church is Grade II listed by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport as it is a building of special architectural or historic interest.-History:...
  
  
• St. Mary's Church, East Leake
• All Saints' Church, Rempstone
  All Saints' Church, Rempstone
  All Saints' Church, Rempstone is a parish church in the Church of England in Rempstone, Nottinghamshire.The church is Grade II listed by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport as it is a building of special architectural or historic interest.-History:...
  
  
• St. Helena's Church, West Leake
  St. Helena's Church, West Leake
  St. Helena's Church, West Leake is a parish church in the Church of England in West Leake, Nottinghamshire.The church is Grade II* listed by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport as it is a particularly significant building of more than local interest....
  
  
• Church of St. John the Baptist, Stanford on Soar
  Church of St. John the Baptist, Stanford on Soar
  The Church of St. John the Baptist, Stanford on Soar is a parish church in the Church of England in Stanford on Soar, Nottinghamshire.The church is Grade I listed by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport as a building of outstanding architectural or historic interest.-History:The church was...