Picture stones standing guard. These ancient stone coffins flank the entrance to St Mary the Virgin, Stapleford Tawney. They whisper tales from the 12th century. Imagine the hands that carved them. They are older than this church.
St Mary the Virgin has seen centuries unfold. The present building dates to the 13th century. But an earlier church stood here before. Excavations in 1998 revealed traces of it. The church walls are built from stones gathered from nearby fields. Some stones are Roman. Limestone blocks frame the corners and windows.
The chancel was built around 1220. Then came the nave and side chapel. Around 1500 the timber tower and porch were added. In 1862 a vestry was built. The entire church was thoroughly restored. The Parish Room is the newest addition. It was built in 1999.
Step inside St Mary the Virgin. Notice the mosaic reredos behind the altar. It depicts the Last Supper. Sir Charles Cunliffe Smith gifted it in 1883. Antonio Salviati created it. His work was considered second only to the Vatican’s. Each mosaic piece is cut to fit the features it shows.
The altar rails have pierced balusters. They date from the 17th century. Originally they surrounded the altar on three sides. They were later straightened. A narrow lancet window sits in the north wall. It features green and purple Victorian stained glass. A flying bomb destroyed most of the stained glass in 1940.
The organ was made by the famous ‘Father Willis’. He played it himself at the dedication in 1873. The side chapel mirrors the main church. It even has its own altar. It was once dedicated to St Agnes. A wooden cross sits on the altar table. It was carved from a 13th-century oak beam. The beam came from Westminster Abbey.
The pulpit choir stalls and pews date from 1862. But the back pews are older. They are also more uncomfortable. Memorials to the Smith family line the nave walls. One remembers Drummond. He died of a fever in Palermo. Another remembers Charles. He was pious but not a fanatic. The oldest wall tablet honors Grace Addison. She was a servant to the Luthers. They lived at Suttons before the Smiths.
The timber tower houses two 17th-century bells. Traces of red ochre paint remain on its timbers. A fire in 1968 destroyed the upper part of the spire. The font is a 1th-century copy of a Norman column. It has an older cover.
The north doorway leads to the Parish Room. It sits under the original 13th-century arch. Parishioner and architect Tony Mitchell designed it. It matches the existing building. Yet it has a light modern interior. The Parish Room hosts choir practice. It also hosts Sunday School meetings and social events. It even earned a Diocesan Design Award.
St Mary the Virgin is dedicated to safeguarding. It protects children young people and vulnerable adults. The church council follows the Church of England’s safeguarding policies.
The Parish Register of St Mary the Virgin holds history. Transcriptions date back to 1656. The last transcription was added on 13 Mar 2022. David Shipton and Arnold Webb transcribed the records. They recorded baptisms marriages and burials. The records offer a glimpse into the lives of those who came before.