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St Mary's Guide Book

The ParishChurch of St. Mary the Virgin Baldock

Team Rector - The Reverend Andrew Holford.

ST MARY’S LINKS TO THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR.

It s noted in the Town Records and the Church history, that the Knights Templar were involved in the rebuilding of the Church in the 14^th century. In order to understand how the Order became involved with Baldock and the church, perhaps a potted history might help unravel a few secrets.

KNIGHTS HOSPITALLERS

A military and religious Order also known as the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, were an Organisation that began as an Amalfitan Hospital founded in Jerusalem in 1080, to provide care for the poor and sick pilgrims who had journeyed to the Holy Land.

After the first conquest of Jerusalem in 1099, during the First Crusade, the Order was charged under the New Charter, with the care and defence of all pilgrims to the Holy Land.

During the Middle Ages, the Order became a powerful and wealthy military force, with foundations in many European countries. Their military powers ceased when Malta was surrendered to Napoleon in 1798.

In England, the Order was revived in 1837 and was responsible for founding the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade in 1888.

KNIGHTS TEMPLAR.

A military and religious Order founded in 1118 as the Poor Knights of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon. Their charge - to protect pilgrims journeying through the Holy Land, from bandits and marauders. The Order was quartered on the site of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem

The Order quickly became powerful an wealthy but its members’ arrogance towards their rulers, together with their rivalry with the Knights Hospitallers, led to their downfall, the Order being suppressed in1312. Many of its possessions were given to the Hospitallers, who adopted the title of Knights Templar after the suppression.

THE CHURCH OF ST. MARY THE VIRGIN.

It is almost impossible not to see this magnificent building situated in the town centre, at the junction of three ancient Roman roads.

Baldock was founded by the Knights Templar about 1148 A.D. and it is known that work started on a church, soon after. The only remnant of the early church is the Chancel, which dates back to the late 12^th Century. By the 14^th Century, Baldock had reached the height of its prosperity and its population had outgrown the church. At this time St. Mary’s was almost completely rebuilt and enlarged by the addition of side aisles. However, the old chancel was not the responsibility of the Parish, but of the Rector and was not included in the rebuilding. It is thought that the work may not have been entirely completed due to the Black Death in 1348. The work done up till this time brought the church to its present extent which is said to be the second largest medieval parish church in Hertfordshire.

During the 15^th Century, the church was to undergo improvement and repair which resulted in its being larger than required for the depleted numbers of townspeople. The thatched roofing was done away with and replaced by lead, leading to a much lower pitch, enabling the walls to be raised to allow the addition of a clerestory, to light the nave, and larger windows in the side aisles. It is believed that at about this time, the spire may have been added, however the tiling of the porch roof came later in the 16^th century.

The 19^th century saw major improvement to some of the roofing and windows, the rebuilding of the spire in 1816 and the North Porch in 1826. Perhaps now would be a good time to explore the church in a little more detail, so, having entering through the South Porch, take time to browse round our church, starting with the Font nestling beneath the West window.

THE FONT.

The Font is transitional Norman design dating from the latter half of the 12^th century, belonging to the earliest known church The steps and paving on which it stands are very much later - circa 1901.

THE NAVE

The Nave is of six bays with 14^th century arches. The clerestory was raised on the arcades in the 15^th century, with windows of two centred heads. On the south side, the lower halves of the windows have been built up with rubble, whilst those on the north side are of full height. The pitched roof is of oak, mainly 15^th century, with moulded. Cambered tie-beams and brackets.

The spandrels are filled with open carvings of different designs, stone corbels supporting elegantly carved heads. The Chancel screen dates back to the late 14^th century and the traceried oak screens are considered to be amongst the best in the Eastern Counties. Consisting of three bays with two half-bays at the north and south ends, the 15^th century screen at the north end has some old figure carving of a woman with a fish and the face of a laughing man forms one of the cusps.

THE CHANCEL

The chancel embodies in its eastern half, the remains of the walls of an earlier church. The rubble work of the walls, particularly on the south side, contain fragments of wrought stonework which suggest that the came from a twelfth century building. The doorway set in the north wall of the sanctuary was found in 1931 during repairs to the plasterwork. It is possible that it may have provided entry to a one time Sacristy, but no trace of the doorway shows from the outside

Details of the chancel screen have already been described in the notes referring to the Nave.

HOLY TRINITY CHAPEL

Also known as the South Chapel and often mistakenly referred to as the ‘Lady Chapel’. In churches dedicated in the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the ‘High Altar’ is the ‘Lady Altar’ and therefore the Chief Chapel

The lower part of the walls probably date back to the 14^th C. and there is a theory that the wall was partly built when other walls were left unfinished for many years. This is the only Chapel now in use but old records tell of altars to St. Nicholas and St. James.

THE TOWER, BELLS AND CLOCK.

The Tower has always been a prominent feature of the Baldock landscape, as the picture below, taken from Ivel Springs. a mile to the north of St. Mary‘s, clearly shows.

Standing at 130 feet to the top of the spire, the lower part of the walls probably date back to the time of the earliest known church, - circa 1150, but the fine lower arch is14^th century.

There are eight bells housed in the Tower, weighing from 6 to 28cwts and date from 1650. Some of the bells have been recast since they were first hung. The working parts of the present Church clock were made by Messrs. Potts & Sons , of Leeds. The present clock was set in motion on 25^th November 1882 and weighs two tons. From the Parish records, the initial cost of the clock was £250.

There had been an old clock in operation prior to 1882. There are references in the Churchwarden accounts dated 1711 and again in 1819, where The Vestry Meeting authorised the sum of £55 for repairs to the clock and chimes. Now, the Cambridge Chimes ring out the quarters on the 2^nd,3^rd,4^th and 7^th bells, the hours being struck on the Tenor. In the Ringing Chamber there is a Peal Board dating back to 1737 and is said to be one of the earliest Peal Boards in the country.

See picture on following page

THE PEAL BOARD

It is interesting to note that, although Baldock is a thriving community in its own right, it is a small compact town nestling in a hollow bounded by Weston woods to the south, Clothall Commom to the east, Ivel Springs to the north and Letchworth Garden City boundary to the west.

The picture on the following page, taken from the Tower on 8^th September 2007, shows the High Street looking south. The old buildings at the start of Hitchin Street can be seen in the foreground. The edge of Clothall Common and the start of Weston Woods can also be seen at the top of the picture.

THE CHURCH HALL

The Hall in the churchyard was designed by Roger Warr of Messrs. E. William Palmer and Partners. The foundation stone was laid by the Marquess of Salisbury on 9^th June 1984 and on its completion, the Hall was dedicated by the Bishop of St. Albans on 19^th May1986. The design of the Hall has been highly commended by the Council for the Care of Churches.

BRASS, GLASS & MEMORIALS.

There are some interesting figure brasses around the church -circa 15^th Century. Probably all have been re-sited and in the process, the inscriptions have been destroyed.

There is no evidence of medieval glass although there must have been some good stained glass originally. The present stained glass is 19^th Century and shows little artistic merit. The stained glass at the eastern end was placed in situ in1849 and depicts Jesus Christ in the centre, with the four evangelists - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, with their emblems, underneath

The three windows in clear glass in the North Aisle are unique inasmuch as, they

were re-glazed with the proceeds from the sale of covered coat hangers in the miniature coat hangers, records this fact.

Probably the oldest memorial in the church is an inscribed slab in the nave just below the Chancel screen, a memorial to Reginald de Argentein who was said to have financed restoration works in the late 13^th Century.. The inscription is very indistinct, but is known from several early recordings, that it would have read;-

“Here lies Reginald de Argentein who caused the chapel to be built. He was a Champion of St. Mary to whom pray for the pardon of his soul”

There is another memorial slab thought to relate to the family, just inside the North door. This dates from the late 12^th/early13^th century, which would make it contemporary with the first church.

MEMORIAL SLAB TO REGINALD de ARGENTEIN

“Here lies Reginald de Argentein who caused the chapel to be built. He was a Champion of St. Mary to whom pray for the pardon of his soul”

One other item of note is to be found in the church silverware - namely, a silver and parcel-gilt chalice and paten known as the BYRD CHALICE, named after the Reverend Josias Byrd, Rector of the Parish in 17^th Century. He is remembered for giving King Charles I a drink from this Chalice, when he passed through Baldock, en route for London, after his arrest in 1648.

THE ORGAN.

There is no information readily to hand on early instruments. Earliest reference dated 14^th September 1901 shows that the organ was renovated by the builders Foster & Andrews of Hull and cost £115.

In 1912 it was decided to have the organ rebuilt and new stops added. After a successful appeal for funds an entirely new organ was built by Norman & Beard of Norwich at a cost of £1.162, of which £125 was allowed for the old organ. This was also greatly helped by a grant of £375 from the Carnegie Trust.

In 2001 - 02, the organ was restored to its original appearance by the ‘Village Workshop’ , which included the fitting of dummy pipes and total enclosure of the ‘Swell ‘and the ‘Choir’, at a cost of £73.000. It may be argued that our instrument is undoubtedly one of the finest examples of the organ-builders craft, in Hertfordshire.