Image ID: 20024

Interior of St Mary's Church, Main Road, Radcliffe on Trent, 1901

Courtesy of Nottingham and Notts Photographic Society

Main Road
Radcliffe on Trent
England

Shown here decorated for memorial service for Queen Victoria. St Mary's Church was built in 1879 on the site of an earlier Church. The tower has a saddle-back roof. The Domesday survey of 1086 does not mention a church in Radcliffe-on-Trent, but the known history of St. Mary's can be traced back at least as far as the thirteenth century when references to priests appear in the records. The orientation of the early building was probably similar to that referred to by Robert Thoroton in 1677 with its north and south aisles and chancel window traditionally at the east end. In February 1824 William Stretton, the builder and antiquarian, identified a few medieval survivals including a piscina, stone seats for altar officers and a small south door in the chancel from Edward III's time. Patrons of the living in medieval times came from the Deyncourt and Gousell families. An early rector was Stephen de Redcliffe who on his death in 1245 left a pasture either to the 'town' or to the church. A chantry chapel was subsequently founded in which a priest was to say mass for Stephen's soul for ever. His memory was additionally perpetuated by an oak effigy under an arch against the south wall of the church. (It was reputedly burnt on a celebratory bonfire in Napoleonic times, but a memorial tablet is in a similar place in the present building.) Little information survives about the rebuilding of the tower with its unusual saddleback roof. Radcliffe tradition has it that its German-French character was due to the influence of the vicar's German wife who wished to be reminded of home. A clock (purchased in 1844 to commemorate a visit of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to the village) was transferred to the new tower and further fund-raising was needed to pay for the recasting of the four old bells. (information from www.nottshistory.org.uk)

Date: 02/02/1901

Organisation Reference: DD/1915/1/337

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