St. Mary's Church is a

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, ...

in Arnold,

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. Though there is no official founding date, it is estimated that the church dates back to 1176 and written records commenced in 1544. The church is

Grade II* 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

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as a result of receiving significant attention from tourists.

History

The church is medieval dating back to 1176. It was however part of the

Victorian restoration The Victorian restoration was 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. It was not the same proce ...

from 1868 to 1869 by Scott. There was further restoration in 1877 under the direction of

Richard Charles Sutton Richard Charles Sutton was an architect based in Nottingham. He was born 1834 and died on 18 October 1915. He was a member of Nottingham City Council from 1887 to 1901. Career He was articled to Samuel Sanders Teulon and commenced independent p ...

. The structure or property is also “listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.” St. Mary's Church “may lie within the boundary of more than one authority,” which further supports its historic significance, based in the fact that certain records and so much interest has kept the Church intact, well visited, restored, and written or recorded about; known authorities include, but are not limited to, Nottinghamshire County and Gedling District. The church contains the remains of an

Easter Sepulchre An Easter Sepulchre is a feature of British church interior architecture. Description The Easter Sepulchre is an arched recess generally in the north wall of the chancel, in which from Good Friday to Easter day were deposited the crucifix and sa ...

Bells

There are eight bells in the Tower, the largest of which is the Tenor weighing over 8 cwt. The Tenor is also the newest bell, cast by

Taylors Eayre & Smith Ltd John Taylor Bell Foundry (Loughborough) Limited, trading as John Taylor & Co and commonly known as Taylor's Bell Foundry, Taylor's of Loughborough, or simply Taylor's, is the world's largest working bell foundry. It is located in Loughborough, ...

on 20 April 2006 and installed by Pembleton's on 28 April 2007. The Tenor was dedicated by the Rt. Rev.

Tony Porter Anthony "Tony" Porter (born 10 February 1952) is a retired Church of England bishop who served as the suffragan Bishop of Sherwood in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham from 2006 to 2020. Early life and education Porter was born at RAF Halt ...

Bishop of Sherwood The Bishop of Sherwood is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham, in the Province of York, England. The title takes its name after the Royal forest of Sherwood in Nottinghamshi ...

, on 3 June 2007.

Churchyard graves and memorials

The oldest decipherable and dated inscription in the churchyard can be found on a small stone ten yards south of the church and close to the tomb of the Stanfields. It reads, "1690, Near this place lyeth ye Body of John, Son of Sam Leadbeater by Mary his Wife, who departed this life Novm. ye 14th. Rebecca Elley was one of the benefactors of the Free School; she died 27 December 1785, aged 70." The burial ground of the Acton family, ancestors and relatives of Mr. James Acton, of Goodwood House, was a carefully kept plot just inside the gate of the north Churchyard. Thomas Sheldon, died 1875, aged 80; he fought at Waterloo. Mr. John Atherley was the last of the musicians who played instruments in the old gallery of Arnold Church. He was interred 29 April 1915, aged 75. The Churchyard was enlarged around 1851. At the consecration, a young man named John Toplis was present; and when the ceremony was over he said, “I wonder what poor devil will be buried there first”. Soon after reaching home, he became afflicted with smallpox and died after three days.

Sources

{{Reflist Arnold Arnold Arnold, St Mary's Church 1100s establishments 1100s establishments in England

History

Bells

Churchyard graves and memorials

See also

Sources