ST MARY THE VIRGIN, GAMLINGAY

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Plan of the Church

GUIDED TOUR

The North Porch
The North Aisle
The North Transept
The Rood Screen
The Vestry
The High Altar
The Guild Chapel
The South Aisle
The Font
The Tower
The Bells

The North Porch


The North Porch is the normal entrance to the church. The porch contains the only example of stone vaulting in the church. Notice the central boss, in the form of a shield supported by angels. On this shield you can see the symbols of our Lord's suffering, the nails, the crown of thorns, the scourge and the cross.

The stone seats on either side are coffin lids, which were purchased, in the 17th century for two shillings and sixpence (twelve and a halfpence!).

The notice board in the porch is constantly updated, but will show you many items of interest - our contributions as `Parish Share' (the money we pay to the diocese), our links with charitable societies etc.

Over the porch is a parvaise (a small room) which had many uses in earlier times. Unfortunately access to this room is not made public as the stairway and approach is dangerous and difficult.

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The North Aisle

The Porch and the north wall, Lancet windowon your left, are the oldest parts of the church and are all that remains of an Early English church which stood here until it was absorbed into the present building. In this wall is a small lancet window.

A little further along is a tomb recess belonging to the Avenell family, who were once Lords of the Manor. The Avenell family are still remembered today in road names, Avenells Way. The family ceased when the son was killed on a crusade in the early 13th century, leaving his sister as the remaining heir, she married a St George , Hatley St George.

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The North Transept


(The Taylard Chapel / War Memorial Chapel)

This chapel was completed in the late 15th century, see Bishop Alcock's visit, 1490, and paid for by Sir Walter Taylard's widow. She made her presence known in the church, seeGraffiti

The chapel is now used our War Memorial Chapel,Memorial Chapel where are remembered the men of our parish who gave their lives in two world wars.

In the east window of this chapel are some pieces of medieval glass reassembled from the equivalent window in the Guild Chapel. Two sets of arms can be seen, one, a form of the arms of Merton College, Oxford, taken from the arms of Walter de Merton, Bishop of Rochester, the founder of that college, who was also a landowner in Gamlingay (the college remains so to this day). Th other arms are those of Fitzjames, probably Richard, Warden of Merton College 1483-1507. On the right of the altar there is a hole cut right through the massive pillar. This is a `Hagioscope', cut to enable those worshipping in the transept in former years to observe the elevation of the host at the high altar.

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The Rood Screen

At the great chancel arch is a very fine rood screen which separates the nave from the chancel. The design dates from the latter part of the 15th century, and was obviously part of the work completed in 1490 for Bishop Alcock's visit.

The screen once had an overhanging vaulted canopy which was replaced in the 19th century. Parts of this canopy are now used in the tower as rails in the arch over the ringing chamber.

In 1980 a rood, with the figures of Jesus on the cross, Misericordsand the figures of Mary and St John were added, by means of a kind donation.

On the east side of the screen are six priest's stalls, some of which still have their original misericords (seats which can fold up, but still have a little ledge to perch on when long periods of standing were called for).

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The Vestry

Behind the organ is the vestry. Inside here there is a splendid table, the top of which was once a sounding board over the pulpit.

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The High Altar


On the right of the high altar is a 15th century sedilia (built in seats) for three acolytes (servers), together with a piscina (holy water container from the same period.

The reredos (the panelling behind the altar) and the east window are relatively modern, being gifts from the Orlebar family in memory of their family.

On the left of the altar is an aumbrey, in which the reserved sacrament is kept.

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The Guild Chapel

(South Transept)

This chapel was used in ancient times by the guilds of the Holy Trinity and the Brotherhood of Gamlingay. Guild ChapelThese guilds maintained their own priest. The chapel has a reliquary on the west wall, in which a holy relic would have been kept. We have no record of what holy relics were stored here.

The ancient medieval pews in this chapel were moved here during the last century.

The south window is dedicated to Miss D. Orlebar, who started Guiding in the village in 1920, and the Guide banner dates from this time.

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The South Aisle

On the south wall can be seen a monument to Ralph Lane. Near the south porch entrance is a Banner Cupboard, in which, during medieval times, the banners would have been kept (it is now used for the cobweb brushes, with long, jointed handles!).

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The Font

The font dates from 1180, and was part of the Early English church on this site. The FontIt has a fine wooden cover which has been repaired in three separate periods.

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The Tower

The tower is of massive construction, the base walls are nearly six feet thick. Access to the ringing chamber and the clock are from a spiral stairway on the north side.

The tower contains a peal of six bells.

The church clock was made by Bensons of London in 1886, and replaced a very early clock, from which the Gransden Clock is said to have been copied.