St Mary the Virgin, Saffron Walden

St Mary the Virgin is the parish church of Saffron Walden, Essex. It is the largest non-cathedral church in Essex with an overall length of 183 feet (56 m) and the spire, 193 feet (59 m) high, which is the tallest in Essex. It was designated as a Grade I listed building in 1951.[1][2]

St Mary the Virgin
Steeple of St Mary the Virgin
CountryEngland, United Kingdom
DenominationChurch of England
WebsiteOfficial website
History
DedicationSaint Mary the Virgin
Architecture
Heritage designationGrade I listed building
Designated1951
StylePerpendicular
Administration
ParishSaffron Walden
DioceseChelmsford
ProvinceCanterbury
Clergy
Vicar(s)Canon David Tomlinson
Laity
Organist(s)Oli King

A Norman church was recorded in 1130, which in turn had replaced an earlier wooden structure. The building as it currently stands dates predominantly from a rebuilding between 1250 and 1258, with a further rebuilding in the Perpendicular style begun in about 1450, the latter stages supervised by John Wastell the master mason who was building King's College Chapel in the nearby city of Cambridge.[3]

Interior

In 1769 the church was damaged by lightning. The repairs, carried out in the 1790s removed many medieval features but saved the building which was in a dilapidated state. The spire was added in 1832 to replace an older "lantern" tower to a design of Thomas Rickman and Henry Hutchinson.[3]

Thomas Cornell, progenitor of the American family bearing his name, was baptized in the church around 1592.

The Conservative politician Rab Butler (1902-82) is buried in the churchyard. He promulgated the 1944 Education Act and twice nearly became Prime Minister.

References
  1. Historic England, "St Mary the Virgin, Saffron Walden (1196237)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 11 August 2016
  2. History and Guides, stmaryssaffronwalden.org, accessed 11/09/2016
  3. Lawrence Gooderham, Don Burns Illustrated Guide to St Mary’s Church Saffron Walden, stmaryssaffronwalden.org, accessed 11/09/2016

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