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St Mary’s is steeped in history. In 792 AD Offa, King of Mercia, founded a Benedictine monastery on this site. in 910 the monastery was destroyed by fire and the monks moved to the Abbey at St Albans. The second church, mentioned in the Domesday Book, was partly destroyed by a ‘great wind‘ in 1115, and an earthquake in 1298.
On the south-east corner of the tower is a sundial installed to celebrate the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660. The 15th-century font Curiously, the church's original dedication was to St Andrew, but during the late Middle Ages to powerful Guild of Our Lady was established in the church and under their influence, it became known as the Church of St Mary.
May 4, 2020 · River Hiz. Just 10 miles long, one of England’s smallest rivers, the Hiz rises a mile south of Hitchin. Its name is a medieval abbreviation of ‘Hitch’ and should be so pronounced, nobody does. Once used by local industry as a sewer, it is now a tranquil and clear flowing brook. British School classroom and visitors.
- The church was a makeshift prison during Oliver Cromwell's reign. Did you know the entrance to the Charnel House was used as a prison by Cromwell's men?
- The sundial. As you leave the church by the south porch with its medieval door, the sundial can be seen on the south east corner of the tower. It was placed there in thanksgiving for the restoration of Charles II.
- The mouse. Have you seen the mouse? Once lockdown is lifted and guidelines allow visits to the restorative calm of St Mary's take a look for a small mouse.
- The Angel Screen. St Mary's Angel Screen is considered one of the finest in the country. Take a look on its eastern side for the fraternity stalls used by the guild of 'Our Blessed Lady St Mary the virgin', dating from the mid-15th century.
Hitchin is a picturesque market town steeped in history with many Tudor and Georgian buildings. The thriving creative community and surrounding countryside and London links, make it a sought-after place to live. The North Hertfordshire was first reference, according to hitchinherts.com, in the 7th century, although the first modern reference to ...
The explanation for this incongruity in the case of the nave, is to be found in the short wall pieces at both ends of both arcades, which occupy the remaining distance between the tower arch and the chancel, and which the church guide (Rev. Clifford Offer, A Guide to St. Mary's Church, Hitchin, Hitchin, St. Mary's Church, 1996, p. 5) considers ...
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1660 sundial on the south tower of St Mary's church, Hitchin, Hertfordshire. It is just possible to read the inscription (on the right hand side in shadow), which is giving thanks for the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 and says, 'Annus salvus 1660'. This was clearly a royalist town, which is possibly unsurprising when you look at the damage that had been done to their 15th century font ...
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