ST MARY THE VIRGIN, GAMLINGAY

• The Church Introduction
• Services
• Organisation
• Inside the church
• Hatley St George
• Church Hall & Cottage

GUIDED TOUR

The outside of the church

Take time when you visit the this church to look at the outside of the building. You can often find a great deal of interest in the way, and the methods, an ancient building like this was built.

For example, on the west wall of the north transept, you can see how the stones are laid in `bands'. These were the amount of work a stone-mason could do in a day. Note also how the stones change in the bands, some are obviously from different parts of the village.

Much of the stone was quarried from The Butts in Stocks Lane.

The church, as we see it today, dates from the 13th century, largely modified two centuries later. You can see on the east wall of the tower the outline of the earlier roof, at a much steeper pitch, that was in place before the clerestory was added.

On the south wall of the chancel, by the south transept wall, can be seen a `Finger Dial', used like a sundial by the clerk to time the sermons.

There is a medieval stoop for holy water on the south side of the west door.