The Church of St Mary the Virgin is the oldest

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

Domesday Book: A Complete Translation (Penguin Classics) of

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...

, in

Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The traditi ...

, England. It is the largest church after the

Cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...

in the city of Nottingham. The church was

Grade I listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as a building of outstanding architectural or historic interest. It is one of only five Grade I listed buildings in the City of Nottingham. It is situated on

High Pavement High Pavement is a street in Nottingham in Nottinghamshire, England. It is one of the earliest streets in the city, and most of its buildings are listed. History It runs from the east end of St Mary's Churchyard to Weekday Cross. Around 1681 a ...

at the heart of the historic Lace Market district and is also known as St Mary's in the Lace Market. It is a member of the

Major Churches Network The Major Churches Network, founded in 1991 as the Greater Churches Network, is a group of Church of England parish churches defined as having exceptional significance, being physically very large (over 1000m2 footprint), listed as Grade I, II* ( ...

, and part of the parish of All Saints', St Mary's and St Peter's, Nottingham.

History

The church is mentioned in the

Domesday Book Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...

of 1086 and is believed to date back to the Saxon times. The main body of the present building (at least the third on the site) dates from the end of the reign of

Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...

(1377) to that of Henry VII (1485–1509). The nave was finished before 1475 and it is notable for its uniformity of gothic perpendicular style. It is likely that the south aisle wall was the first part of the building to be constructed in the early 1380s, with the remainder of the nave and transepts being from the early 15th century. The tower was completed in the reign of

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

The church was owned by Lenton Priory from 1108 to 1538 and the monks took the living of the church as Rector, and appointed a

Vicar A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...

to perform the daily offices. In 1513, a school was founded in the church by Dame Agnes Mellers as ''The Free School of the Town of Nottingham''. This is now

Nottingham High School , motto_translation = Praise to the end , address = Waverley Mount , city = Nottingham , county = Nottinghamshire , postcode = NG7 4ED , country = England , coordinates = , type = Independent day school , established = , closed = , religious ...

. In the Foundation Deed, Mellers provided that a Commemoration Service should be held in the church "on the Feast of The Translation of St Richard of Chichester". With the exception of the Goose Fair, it is the most ancient ceremonial event still perpetuated in the City of Nottingham.

George Fox George Fox (July 1624 – 13 January 1691) was an English Dissenter, who was a founder of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as the Quakers or Friends. The son of a Leicestershire weaver, he lived in times of social upheaval and ...

founder of the

Religious Society of Friends Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abili ...

, commonly known as the Quakers or Friends, was imprisoned in Nottingham in 1649 after interrupting the preacher at St Mary's. Nottingham Bluecoat School was founded in 1706, and the first lessons were taught in the porch of the church. For several years from 1716, the church was used to house the town fire engine. It was kept at the west end, and was still there until at least 1770. St Mary's opened a

workhouse In Britain, a workhouse () was an institution where those unable to support themselves financially were offered accommodation and employment. (In Scotland, they were usually known as poorhouses.) The earliest known use of the term ''workhouse'' ...

in 1726 at the south end of Mansfield Road and ran it until 1834 when responsibility for workhouses was transferred from parishes to secular Boards of Guardians. The workhouse was demolished in 1895 to clear part of the site needed for the construction of the Nottingham Victoria railway station. The church was closed for 5 years from 1843 for a major

restoration Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to: * Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage ** Audio restoration ** Film restoration ** Image restoration ** Textile restoration * Restoration ecology ...

. It re-opened on 19 May 1848 when the Bishop of Lincoln John Kaye presided.

First Sunday School

St Mary's pioneered

Sunday School A Sunday school is an educational institution, usually (but not always) Christian in character. Other religions including Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism have also organised Sunday schools in their temples and mosques, particularly in the West. Su ...

education for those children unable to attend a day school. Pupils were taught reading, writing and arithmetic, as well as religious knowledge. The first Sunday School was opened in 1751, 35 years before the generally acknowledged first Sunday School was founded in Gloucester by Robert Raikes.

New parishes created from St Mary's

*1822: St Paul's Church, George Street, Nottingham, built as a chapel of ease *1841:

Holy Trinity Church, Trinity Square Holy Trinity Church, Nottingham was a Church of England church in Nottingham from 1841 to 1958. History It was designed by the architect Henry Isaac Stevens. It was a church in the early English style, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was conse ...

*1844: St John the Baptist's Church, Leenside (destroyed by enemy action in May 1941) *1856:

St Mark's Church, Nottingham St Mark's Church, Nottingham, was a Church of England church in Nottingham, UK, between 1856 and 1958. The section of Huntingdon Street where the church was located was formerly called Windsor Street. History The foundation stone was laid in ...

*1856:

St Matthew's Church, Talbot Street St. Matthew's Church, Talbot Street was a Church of England church in Nottingham between 1856 and 1956. History It was formed as a parish in 1856, from the parish of St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. The site of 3,000 square yards in Sand Field o ...

*1863:

St Ann's Church, Nottingham St. Ann's Church, St. Ann's Well Road was a Church of England church in Nottingham on St. Ann's Well Road between 1864 and 1971. History It was created out of the parish of St. Mary's Church, Nottingham through the impetus of the vicar of St. ...

, with St Andrew's created out of this parish, in 1871 *1863: St Luke's Church, Nottingham *1863: St Saviour's, Arkwright Street *1864: All Saints', Raleigh Street, as a chapel of ease (now merged again with St Mary's following the unification with St Peter's and All Saints') *1881: Emmanuel Church, Woodborough Road, in 1885 *1888: St Catharine's, St Ann's Well Road, out of the parishes of St Mary, St Mark, St Luke and St Paul *1903: St Bartholomew's Church, Blue Bell Hill Road

Restorations

*1762: West front rebuilt by

William Hiorne William Hiorne (c. 1712 – 22 April 1776) was an architect and builder based in Warwick. With his younger brother David Hiorne (1715–58), he worked for William Smith of Warwick and they succeeded Smith in business. His son, Francis Hiorne also ...

of Warwick in the Classical style. *c1818–20: South aisle restored and crossing vault replaced by

William Stretton William Stretton (April 1755 - 12 March 1828) was a builder and architect based in Nottingham. Family He was the eldest child of Samuel Stretton and was baptised at Lenton on 20 April 1755. He married Suzanna Lynam, daughter of William Lyn ...

. *1843: Tower saved from collapse by

Lewis Nockalls Cottingham Lewis Nockalls Cottingham (1787 – 13 October 1847) was a British architect who pioneered the study of Medieval Gothic architecture. He was a restorer and conservator of existing buildings. He set up a Museum of Medieval Art in Waterloo Road, Lon ...

. *1844–1848: Five-year

of roofs and west front returned to gothic style by

George Gilbert Scott Sir George Gilbert Scott (13 July 1811 – 27 March 1878), known as Sir Gilbert Scott, was a prolific English Gothic Revival architect, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches and cathedrals, although he started ...

(church closed) at a cost of £9,000 (), *1848–1860s: Internal

and William Bonython Moffatt. *1872: Chancel reroofed by

. *1890: The Chapter House was built by George Frederick Bodley. *1912: The Lady Chapel added by Temple Lushington Moore. *1935: Tower ringing room floor concreted and new bell frame *1940: The Simpson memorial choir vestry added. *1992–93: Exterior fabric restored and cleaned. *2008: New kitchens and toilet facilities. *2013: Removal of the wooden flooring platforms, installation of underfloor heating and new stone floor.

Chantry door

The chantry door is considered to be the oldest surviving door in Nottingham, dating from the 1370s or 1380s. it contains an example of iron work from the medieval period in the locking mechanism. The chantry room has latterly been used as a bonehouse, a coal store, and a chair store. It now contains a toilet for wheelchair users. The survival of the door is likely to be due to the fact that it has not been heavily used, and is internal within the church. File:StMarysNottinghamChantryDoor1.JPG, View of the old exterior of the Chantry door File:StMarysNottinghamChantryDoor2.JPG, View of the Chantry door from the north aisle

List of vicars

Source: * 1086 Aitard * 1228 Thomas de Punignal * c1235 Nicholas (? of Ostia) * c1250 Philip de Norhamptone * c1266 William de Birley * c1279 Robert de Adinburg * 1289 Richard de Notingham * 1290 John de Ely * 1304 Robert de Dalby * 1313 Henry de Parva Halam * 1317 John de Ludham * 1322 John fil William Cosyn * 1347 John de la Launde * 1347 Robert de Wakebrigge * 1348 Richard de Radclyff * 1348 Roger de Nydingworth * 1349 Richard de Swanyngton * 1351 Thomas Pascayl * 1357 John Chatarez * 1357 John Lorymer, of Hoveden * 1364 John de Stapleford * 1371 William de Sandyacre * 1374 Robert de Retford * 1401 Richard de Chilwell * 1409 William Ode * 1442 William Wryght * 1461 John Hurt, S.T.D. * 1476 Thomas Turner, M.A. * 1498 John Greve, S.T.B. * 1499 Symeon Yates, Dec. B. * 1504 Richard Taverner LL.B. * 1534 Richard Mathew, Dec.B. * 1535 Richard Wylde, M.A. * 1554 Oliver Hawood * 1568

John Louth The Venerable John Louth (also Lowth and Lowthe) (d. 5 August 1590) was Archdeacon of Nottingham from 1565 to 1590. He was the son of Edmund Louth of Sawtry, Huntingdonshire. He was educated at Winchester College and converted to Protestantism w ...

, LL.B. * 1572 William Underne * 1578 Robert Aldridge * 1616 Oliver Wytherington, M.A. * 1616 John Tolson, S.T.B. * 1617 Ralph Hansby, M.A. * 1635 Edmund Lacock, B.D. * 1645 William Howitt * 1647/8 Nicholas Folkingham * 1649 Jonathan Boole * 1651 John Whitlock M.A. and William Reynolds, M.A. * 1662 George Masterson, M.A. * 1686 Samuel Crowborough, D.D. * 1690 Benjamin Camfield, M.A. * 1694 Timothy Caryl, M.A. * 1698 Edward Clarke, M.A. * 1708 Samuel Berdmore, M.A. * 1723

John Disney John Disney may refer to: * John Disney (antiquarian) (1779–1857), English barrister * John Disney (ornithologist) (1919–2014), Australian ornithologist * John Disney (priest) (1677–1730), English clergyman * John Disney (Unitarian) John ...

, M.A. * 1730 Thomas Berdmore, M.A. * 1743 Scrope Berdmore, D.D. * 1770 Nathan Haines D.D. * 1806 John Bristow, D.D. * 1810 George Hutchinson, M.A. * 1817

George Wilkins George Wilkins (died 1618) was an English dramatist and pamphleteer best known for his probable collaboration with William Shakespeare on the play ''Pericles, Prince of Tyre''. By profession he was an inn-keeper, but he was also apparently invol ...

, D.D. * 1843 Joshua William Brooks, M.A. * 1864

Francis Morse Francis Morse, M.A. (18 May 1818 – 18 September 1886) was a priest in the Church of England. Family Francis Morse was the son of Thomas Morse and Elizabeth of Blundeston, Suffolk. He was educated at Shrewsbury School and St John's College, C ...

, M.A. * 1886

John Gray Richardson John Gray Richardson (1849–1924) was a priest in the Church of England. Family Richardson was the son of Samuel B. Richardson of Sheffield. He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge and graduated in 1872. He was ordained in the Church of England ...

, M.A. * 1900

Arthur Hamilton Baynes Arthur Hamilton Baynes (23 March 1854 – 30 June 1942) was a Church of England priest and Bishop of Natal and Maritzburg from 1893 to 1901. He was born in Lewisham, Kent, the son of Joseph Ash Baynes and Mary Elizabeth Beard, and followi ...

, D.D., Bp. * 1913 Thomas Field, D.D. * 1926

James Geoffrey Gordon James Geoffrey Gordon (11 December 1881 – 28 August 1938) was a priest and bishop in the Church of England. Life James Gordon was the son of J. E. H. Gordon, an early electrical engineer and Alice Mary Gordon (née Brandreth) later Lady Dan ...

, M.A. * 1933

Neville Stuart Talbot Neville Stuart Talbot MC (21 August 1879 – 3 April 1943) was Bishop of Pretoria in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa and later a robust vicar of St. Mary's Church, Nottingham and assistant Bishop of Southwell who turned down the chance ...

, D.D., Bp. * 1943 Robert Henry Hawkins, M.A. * 1958 Douglas Russell Feaver, M.A. * 1973

Michael James Jackson Michael James Jackson (June 20, 1945 – July 13, 2022) was an American record producer, engineer and composer best known for producing albums by Kiss in the 1980s. Biography He worked with other bands such as Armored Saint, L.A. Guns, Red ...

, M.A. * 1991 James Edward McKenzie Neale, B.A. * 2004 Andrew Gilchrist Deuchar B.Th (Priest in charge) * 2009 Christopher Harrison (Priest in charge, appointed Vicar 2011) * 2018 Tom Gillum

Laying on of hands

It was at St Mary's that the practice of

laying on of hands The laying on of hands is a religious practice. In Judaism ''semikhah'' ( he, סמיכה, "leaning f the hands) accompanies the conferring of a blessing or authority. In Christian churches, this practice is used as both a symbolic and formal met ...

by the Bishop during a

confirmation In Christian denominations that practice infant baptism, confirmation is seen as the sealing of the covenant created in baptism. Those being confirmed are known as confirmands. For adults, it is an affirmation of belief. It involves laying on ...

service was first observed ca. 1760 and documented by

Thomas Newton Thomas Newton (1 January 1704 – 14 February 1782) was an English cleric, biblical scholar and author. He served as the Bishop of Bristol from 1761 to 1782. Biography Newton was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and was subsequently elect ...

, Bishop of Bristol. It was performed by John Gilbert,

Archbishop of York The archbishop of York is a senior bishop in the Church of England, second only to the archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and the metropolitan bishop of the province of York, which covers th ...

Features

Bronze doors

The bronze doors were designed in 1904 by

Henry Wilson Henry Wilson (born Jeremiah Jones Colbath; February 16, 1812 – November 22, 1875) was an American politician who was the 18th vice president of the United States from 1873 until his death in 1875 and a senator from Massachusetts from 1855 to ...

in memory of his father-in-law, Rev.

. The intention of the design of the doors is to illustrate the Life of Our Lord in its relation with the Holy Mother to whom the church is dedicated and by the general treatment to suggest the idea of pity. In the tympanum enclosed within a vesica the Holy Mother supports and cherishes the body of Christ, while in the spandrels, on either side, the gates of Death and Life are suggested: the Dove, typifying the spirit, enters weary into the one and issues strong-winged from the other, thus symbolising the unending round of Death and Life. The dedicatory inscription "In loving memory of Francis Morse, 1818–1886, Father, Pastor, Friend" in the form of a pierced cresting, divides the tympanum from the doors themselves. These are formed into panels by mouldings of beaten bronze, with angel bosses at the intersections. On each leaf of the door are five panels, in relief, illustrating the Life of Our Lord, the subjects on the left leaf being “The Annunciation,” with Gabriel appearing at the Virgin's window in the early morning; “The Visitation,” with the Virgin running to meet her kinswoman. Below these come “The Nativity,” followed by “The Epiphany,” and the lowest panel shows the Salvator Mundi on a Cross of branching vine. At the foot of the Cross stand Adam and Eve, conscious of the fall, while the doves of peace and pardon hover overhead. The subjects of the panels on the right door of the leaf are “The flight into Egypt”; “The Baptism in the Jordan”; “The entry into Jerusalem”; The three Maries at the Sepulchre”; and “The Resurrection.” In this panel the Saviour is shown emerging from the tomb and while still bound with the grave clothes, the Spirit of Life, in the form of a Dove, flies to His breast, and overhead the birds sing at the coming of a new Dawn.

Other features

The church has a fine collection of late

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...

stained glass Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...

windows by many famous makers, including Kempe,

Burlison and Grylls Burlison and Grylls is an English company who produced stained glass windows from 1868 onwards. The company of Burlison and Grylls was founded in 1868 at the instigation of the architects George Frederick Bodley and Thomas Garner. Both John Bu ...

and Hardman & Co. The reredos above the altar is by the artist

Charles Edgar Buckeridge Charles Edgar Buckeridge (1864 – 11 May 1898) was an English church decorative artist and the son of Charles Buckeridge, a Gothic Revival architect. Life and career Born in Headington, Oxford in 1864, the son of Annie and Charles Buckeridg ...

. It is also known for its octagonal mediaeval font with a palindromic Greek inscription ΝΙΨΟΝΑΝΟΜΗΜΑΤΑΜΗΜΟΝΑΝΟΨΙΝ (Wash my transgressions, not only my face), and a rather battered alabaster tomb fragment which portrays a lily crucifix and a

Nottingham alabaster Nottingham alabaster is a term used to refer to the English sculpture industry, mostly of relatively small religious carvings, which flourished from the fourteenth century until the early sixteenth century. Alabaster carvers were at work in Lo ...

panel depicting Archbishop

Thomas Becket Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), was an English nobleman who served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then ...

The church today

St Mary's internal dimensions are * from west to east * from north to south (across the transepts) while the tower stands above ground level. The church has a wide ministry to many different groups. It is the Civic Church to the City of

. In the past, the election of the town mayor took place in the church and this tradition continues with a welcome to the new

Lord Mayor of Nottingham The Lord Mayor of Nottingham is a largely ceremonial role for the city of Nottingham, England. The position was historically Mayor of Nottingham; this was changed to Lord Mayor in 1928. The position is elected every May by Nottingham city cou ...

in a service held each summer. It is the University Church for the

University of Nottingham The University of Nottingham is a public university, public research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as University College Nottingham in 1881, and was granted a royal charter in 1948. The University of Nottingham belongs t ...

and several schools and organisations hold annual services here. In recent years, in addition to its function as a place of worship, St Mary's is the venue for a wide range of concerts and public performances, and is home to the

Nottingham Bach Choir Nottingham ( , locally ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east of Sheffield and north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham has links to the legend of Robin ...

. The assistant curate at St Mary's takes the ancient title 'Lecturer'. This title, fell into disuse in the 17th century, was revived for Rev. John Pennington on his appointment in 1975. The last to hold the post was Rev. Stephen Morris, until 2014. The church retains the

Book of Common Prayer The ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) is the name given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The original book, published in 1549 in the reign ...

, the traditional liturgical colours and the principal services are sung by a robed choir. St Mary's retains the historic practice of celebrating the Eucharist at a High Altar '' Ad orientem'' with priest and people facing eastwards, rather than the contemporary practice of ''

Versus populum ''Versus populum'' (Latin for "towards the people") is the liturgical stance of a priest who, while celebrating Mass, faces the people from the other side of the altar. The opposite stance, that of a priest facing in the same direction as the peo ...

'' having the priest facing the congregation. File:St Mary's Church, Nottingham - 2.JPG, Interior view looking west from the sanctuary File:St Mary's Church, Nottingham - 1.JPG, Interior view looking north east from the south porch File:St Mary's Church, Nottingham - Organ.JPG, Interior view looking south east from the north aisle with the organ by

Marcussen & Søn Marcussen & Søn, also known as Marcussen and previously as Marcussen & Reuter, is a Danish firm of pipe organ builders. They were one of the first firms to go back to classical organ-building techniques, and have been producing mechanical-action ...

Vicarage

The

vicarage A clergy house is the residence, or former residence, of one or more priests or ministers of religion. Residences of this type can have a variety of names, such as manse, parsonage, rectory or vicarage. Function A clergy house is typically own ...

of St Mary's was formerly at Washington House on

, but with the increasing industrialisation of the Lace Market at the end of the 19th century, the church purchased a new residence opposite the castle gatehouse. This was used as St Mary's Vicarage until Canon Eddie Neale retired in 2003. The adjoining property was the

rectory A clergy house is the residence, or former residence, of one or more priests or ministers of religion. Residences of this type can have a variety of names, such as manse, parsonage, rectory or vicarage. Function A clergy house is typically ow ...

for St Peter's Church, Nottingham. A joint parish house has now been purchased in The Park Estate.

Notable burials in St Mary's

* John Samon, Mayor of Nottingham, 1416 * Thomas Thurland, Mayor of Nottingham, 1473 * John Holles, 1st Earl of Clare, 1637 *

John Holles, 2nd Earl of Clare John Holles, 2nd Earl of Clare (13 June 1595 – 2 January 1666) was an English nobleman. Family Holles was born in Haughton, Nottinghamshire, the eldest son of John Holles, 1st Earl of Clare and Anne Stanhope, and the brother of Denzil Holles, ...

, 1666 * Eleanor Fitzwilliam, Countess of Tyrconnell, 1681, daughter of John Holles, 1st Earl of Clare * Lady Jane, Dowager Countess of Valentia 1683/4, widow of

Francis Annesley, 1st Viscount Valentia Francis Annesley, 1st Viscount Valentia, (1 February – 22 November 1660) was an English statesman during the colonisation of Ireland in the seventeenth century. He was a Member of Parliament for both the English and Irish houses, was elevate ...

, daughter of Sir John Stanhope. * Chambre Brabazon, 5th Earl of Meath, 1715 * Lady Mary Brabazon, daughter of Chambre Brabazon, 5th Earl of Meath, 1737 *

Thomas Berdmore Thomas Berdmore (c.1740–1785) was dentist to King George III of Great Britain. Life He may have been apprenticed to Mark Skelton of Sheffield, Surgeon, in 1755 for the sum of £85. In due course he became renowned as the King's Dentist, under G ...

, dentist to

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...

, 1785 * George Africanus, 1834 * Robert Aldridge, Vicar of St Mary's (1598–1616)

Notable marriages in the church

George James Bruere George James Bruere (1720/21 – 10 September 1780) was the British Governor of Bermuda from 1764 until his death. Of all Bermuda's governors since 1612, his term of office was the longest. He had a difficult time during the American Revolutionary ...

, later

Governor of Bermuda The Governor of Bermuda (fully the ''Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Somers Isles (alias the Islands of Bermuda)'') is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Bermuda. For the purposes of this a ...

, 1743 * Alexander Manson MD, pioneer in the use of iodine in medicine, 1814.

Bells and clock

There are twelve bells in the ring. * Treble '' Eijsbouts Astensis me fecit Anno MCMLXXX''. The Society of Sherwood Youths gave me. "Their sound is gone forth unto all lands". Canon M.J. Jackson, Vicar, S. Yarnell and E. Mottram, Churchwardens. (E) Eayre and Smith. * 2nd '' Eijsbouts Astensis me fecit Anno MCMLXXX''. The Parochial Church Council gave me. "God is gone up with a merry noise". Canon M.J. Jackson, Vicar, S. Yarnell and E. Mottram, Churchwardens. (E) Eayre and Smith. * 3rd C. & G. Mears, Founders, London, Recast 1856. J.W. Brooks, Vicar. W. Dearden, J. Coope, Churchwardens. Recast Gillett & Johnston, Croydon, 1935. * 4th Raised by Scrope Beardsmore, Vicar DD. Richd Lambert and John Wyer, Churchwardens. The Hon'able Wm. Howe & John Plumtree Esqrs – Members for the Town Subscription, 1761. Lester & Pack Fecit. Recast, Gillett & Johnston, Croydon, 1935. * 5th By Subscription. Revd. Scrope Beardsmore DD. Vicar. G. Browne, H. Ward, J. Burgess Ch. Wardens. 1765. ''Sodales Musici Nottinghamiensis Restaureverunt''. Lester & Pack of London Fecit. Recast Gillett & Johnston, Croydon, 1935. * 6th By Subscription Revd. Scrope Beardsmore DD. Vicar. G. Browne, H. Ward, J. Burgess Ch. Wardens. 1765. ''Intactum Sileo Percute, Dulce Cano''. Lester & Pack of London Fecit. Recast Gillett & Johnston, Croydon, 1935. * 7th . (I. Edwards, I. Sweetaple. Churchwardens 1699. Recast Gillett & Johnston, Croydon, 1935. * 8th Robert Aldredg, Vicar, Ralphe Shaw, Henrie Allvie, Wardens. 1613. Recast Gillett & Johnston, Croydon, 1935. * 9th ''Hee Campana Sacra Filet Trinitate Beata''. W. Sturrup, T. Graye. Wardens. 1690. Recast Gillett & Johnston, Croydon, 1935. * 10th . R.A.V. M.G. 1605. W.L. Recast Gillett & Johnston, Croydon, 1935. * 11th . Richard Hunte Major, Nicholas Sherwyn, Richard Iohnson, Iohn Gregorie, Robert Alvie, Peter Clarke, Humfrey Bonner, Richard Morehaghe, Anker Jackson, Aldermen, 1595. Also four impressions of the coat of arms of Elizabeth I alternating with four signs of the Henry Oldfield foundry. * Tenor Revd. Scrope Beardsmore DD. Vicar. G. Browne, H. Ward, I. Burgess, Ch. Wardens. 1765. ''I will sound and resound unto thy people, O Lord, With my sweet voice, and call them to thy word, I tole the tune that is to such as live amiss, But sweet my sound seems unto them who hope for joyful Bliss.'' Lester & Pack of London Fecit. Recast Gillett & Johnston, Croydon, 1935. The first record of a tower clock dates from 1707 when a clock was installed by Richard Roe of Epperstone. This was replaced in 1807 by a clock by Thomas Hardy of Nottingham. The 1707 clock was moved to Staunton church. The current tower clock which dates from 1936 was installed by George & Francis Cope. It was the first electric auto-wind clock by that firm.

Music

Choir

There are three choral services a week – Wednesday Evensong, Sunday Eucharist and Sunday Evensong. Under the leadership of John Keys, the Choir of St Mary's is highly regarded. Renowned for its versatility and wide repertoire it performs music from plainsong through to world premieres, performs regularly in concert on its own and with St Mary's resident orchestra, The Orchestra of the Restoration. Organ and Choral Scholarships are available to students in full-time higher education.

Organ

The organ is by

of Denmark and is a fine example of a neo-classical style instrument. It was installed in 1973 by the organist of the time, David Butterworth. It has 25 speaking stops and is a small organ for a church of this size. Nevertheless, it is an instrument of the highest quality which adequately gives musical support to choir and congregation as well as serving as a solo instrument.

Organists

There are records of organs in the church in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, but no record of any of the organists from this period has been found.

Organ scholars

* David Gostick: 1997–1998 (now director of music of

Wimborne Minster Wimborne Minster (often referred to as Wimborne, ) is a market town in Dorset in South West England, and the name of the Church of England church in that town. It lies at the confluence of the River Stour and the River Allen, north of Poole ...

) * Alistair Kirk: 1998 * Richard Leach: 1999–2000 * Simon Williams: 2000–2003 * Christopher Burton: 2003–2004 * Jamal Sutton: 2004–2005 * Nicola Harrington: 2005 * Ben Lewis-Smith: 2006–2007 * Simon Williams: 2007–2009 * Max Puller: 2009–2010 * Dominic Wong: 2010–2011 * Edward Byrne: 2019–2021

References in literature

The church is mentioned in chapter 15 of Sons and Lovers by

D.H. Lawrence David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best-k ...

. "They threaded through the throng of church-people. The organ was still sounding in St. Mary’s. Dark figures came through the lighted doors; people were coming down the steps. The large coloured windows glowed up in the night. The church was like a great lantern suspended". In the ballad

Robin Hood and the Monk Robin Hood and the Monk is a Middle English ballad and one of the oldest surviving ballads of Robin Hood. Original work and later publications The work was preserved in Cambridge University manuscript Ff.5.48, albeit heavily damaged by wear. ...

, Robin attends mass at St Mary's. The ballad is written in a manuscript dating from about 1450.

References

External links

*
Choir websiteSee St Mary's on Google Street View
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nottingham, Saint Mary St Mary's Church, Nottingham

Saint Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

Temple Moore buildings