Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick
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| Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick | St Mary's Church as viewed from the castle. |
| Dedication | The Blessed Virgin Mary |
|---|---|
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Tradition | High Church | Administration |
| Parish | Warwick, St Mary |
| Deanery | Warwick & Leamington |
| Archdeaconry | Warwick |
| Diocese | Coventry |
| Province | Canterbury | Clergy |
| Vicar | The Revd Dr Vaughan Roberts | Other |
| Organist/Director of Music | (vacancy) |
| Organist | Ruaraidh Sutherland, Acting Director of Music |
| Website | http://www.stmaryswarwick.org.uk |
The Collegiate Church of St Mary is the parish church of the town of Warwick, England. It lies in the centre of the town just east of the market place. It is a member of the Greater Churches Group.
Contents |
[edit] History
The church's foundation dates back nearly nine hundred years, being created by Roger de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Warwick in 1123. In addition to founding the church, de Beaumont established the College of Dean and Canons at the church. The only surviving part of the Norman church which de Beaumont had built is the crypt.
The chancel vestries and chapter house of the church were extensively rebuilt in the 14th century by a later Earl of Warwick, Thomas de Beauchamp (later pronounced Beecham) in the Perpendicular Gothic style. His descendants built what is officially called the Chapel of Our Lady, but commonly known as the Beauchamp Chapel. It contains the effigial monuments of Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick, Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick and Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester.
The church, along with much of Warwick, was devastated by the Great Fire of Warwick in 1694. The nave and tower of the building were completely destroyed. The rebuilt church was completed in 1704 to an unusually pure Gothic design by William Wilson (appointed by the Crown Commissioners), the only compromise with classical styles being the balustrades along the top of the building.
[edit] Bishop of Warwick
The church has the status of collegiate church. There is a Bishop of Warwick, but it is not correct to describe him as having his seat at St Mary's as the church is not a cathedral. The Bishop of Warwick is instead a suffragan bishop operating under the authority of the Bishop of Coventry.
[edit] Gallery
St Mary Warwick 3.jpg
From Northgate Street |
Beauchamp Chapel.jpg
Beauchamp Chapel |
Beauchamp Chapel 2.jpg
Beauchamp Chapel west wall |
Dean's Chapel.jpg
Dean's Chapel |
St Mary Warwick 1.jpg
Interior looking east |
St Mary Warwick 2.jpg
Interior looking west |
[edit] External links
Members of the Greater Churches Group |
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Bath Abbey · Beverley Minster · Christchurch Priory · Hexham Abbey · Holy Trinity Church, Hull · Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon · Leeds Parish Church · Malvern Priory · Romsey Abbey · St Botolph with St Christopher, Boston · St Laurence Church, Ludlow · St Martin in the Bull Ring · St Mary's Church, Nottingham · St Mary Redcliffe · Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick · St Peter Mancroft · Selby Abbey · Sherborne Abbey · Tewkesbury Abbey · Wimborne Minster |
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