St. Mary's Church is a

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), 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 com ...

Arnold Arnold may refer to: People * Arnold (given name), a masculine given name * Arnold (surname), a German and English surname Places Australia * Arnold, Victoria, a small town in the Australian state of Victoria Canada * Arnold, Nova Scotia U ...

Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated ''Notts.'') is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. The county is bordered by South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. Th ...

, 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 underwent Victorian restoration by Sir George Gilbert Scott between 1868–69, which included rebuilding the tower base, removing galleries, and inserting a new east window at a cost of around £4,000 The church is

Grade II* listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...

by the

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It holds the responsibility for culture and sport, and some aspects of the media throughout the UK, such as broadcasting. I ...

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 wikt:refurbish, refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England church (building), churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century Victorian era, re ...

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 ...

. 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 Late Medieval British and Irish 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 deposi ...

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 Porter (born 10 February 1952) is a 21st-century Church of England prelate, who served as Suffragan bishop, Suffragan Bishop of Sherwood in the diocese of Southwell and Nottingham from 2006 to 2020. Bishop Porter retired in 2020, since w ...

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

, 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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arnold, St Mary Church of England church buildings in Nottinghamshire Churches in Nottingham Grade II* listed churches in Nottinghamshire 1100s establishments 1100s establishments in England

History

Bells

Churchyard graves and memorials

See also

Sources