St Mary de Castro is an ancient, Grade I listed church in Leicester, England, located within the former bailey of Leicester Castle. Today it acts as a parish church in the Church of England's diocese of Leicester. "St Mary de Castro" is Latin for "St Mary of the Castle"; a name chosen to differentiate from nearby "St Mary de Pratis": "St. Mary of the Meadows".[1]
St Mary de Castro, Leicester
The church of St Mary de Castro, before the removal of its unsafe spire
The building was closed in 2011 to the public after the spire was found to be unsafe but as of April 2015 is open again. The spire has been demolished, and funds are currently insufficient to replace it and repair the tower beneath.[2]
It is believed to have been the first church in the UK to be viewable online using Google Street View, having been photographed in August 2012.[3]
It dates its founding to 1107 after Henry I of England granted the lands and castle to Robert de Beaumont,[4] although the chronicler Henry Knighton implies that an Anglo-Saxon college of St Mary had existed and Robert merely refurbished it.[4] Robert established it within the castle bailey as a college served by a Dean and 12 Canons (that is, a collegiate church) in honour of the Virgin Mary and All Souls and as a chantry chapel for the souls of him, his family and the first three Norman kings.[4] He endowed this and four other churches with £6 of his income and land in or near the city.[4] However, in 1143 these endowments were all transferred by his son Robert le Bossu, 2nd Earl of Leicester, to his own new Augustinian foundation of Leicester Abbey. The collegiate church retained, or had restored to it a dean, six clerks and a chaplain, along with Robert de Beaumont's grant of 20 shillings for lamps. It also retained parish offerings and most of the tithes.[4] The collegiate nature of the church lasted until the college was disbanded in 1548 under the Chantry Act of Edward VI.[4]
The early-12th-century church had no aisles, and various parts of these walls survive.[5] It underwent a major expansion in the 1160, with a north aisle, doorways to north and west, and an extension to the chancel. The two doorways provide striking external Norman zigzag decoration, but it is the Sedilia and Piscina in the Chancel extension that Pevsner describes as "the finest piece of Norman decoration in the county".[5] Thirteenth-century alterations culminated in a major reworking of transepts and south aisle, to create an aisle wider than the nave, providing much more space for local parishioners.[5] Also the huge east window of the south aisle, with ingenious tracery, was created around 1300.[5] The tower was built inside the south aisle, apparently as an afterthought, rising to a quatrefoil frieze, four decorated pinnacles, and the needlelike spire rising from the battlements.[5] The spire was completely rebuilt in 1783, but retained its crockets and three tiers of lucarnes.[5] The interior was worked on by George Gilbert Scott throughout the 1860s.
Spire
The church was closed when the spire was found to be unsafe. The 14th-century octagonal spire, having been rebuilt in 1783, had developed six-metre-long cracks in four of its faces in September 2013. After inspections by structural engineers, it was deemed at risk of collapse. The severe condition of the spire meant it had to be demolished, at an estimated cost of £200,000, in 2014.[6] Over £358,000 has been raised since 2011; however, there are currently insufficient funds to rebuild the spire and repair the tower.[2]
The church contains a three manual pipe organ which was originally installed in 1860 by Forster and Andrews. It has been the subject of modifications and restorations in 1880 by Joshua Porritt, and R. J. Winn in 1960. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.[9]
Leicester Castle and The Newarke precinct, showing the Motte and bailey (green), boundary walls of The Newarke (blue), and the southern side of the town wall (red). The historic sites include:-
^BBC. "A Haunted History: St Mary de Castro". Leicester. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
^ ab. Leicester Mercury. 4 September 2013. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
^Google may be Godsend for 900-year-old St Mary De Castro Church, in Leicester 2014-02-02 at the Wayback Machine, Leicester Mercury, 28 August 2012. Accessed 26 January 2014
^ abcdefW.G. Hoskins (editor) assisted by R.A. McKinley (1954). "Colleges: St Mary de Castro". A History of the County of Leicestershire: Volume 2. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 24 January 2014. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
^Jenkins, Robin P. (2004). "Bickerstaffe, William". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/2343. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Church of St Mary de Castro, Leicester.
Parish website
Google Streetview Insideview of St Mary de Castro
March 03, 2023
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St Mary de Castro is an ancient Grade I listed church in Leicester England located within the former bailey of Leicester Castle Today it acts as a parish church in the Church of England s diocese of Leicester St Mary de Castro is Latin for St Mary of the Castle a name chosen to differentiate from nearby St Mary de Pratis St Mary of the Meadows 1 St Mary de Castro LeicesterThe church of St Mary de Castro before the removal of its unsafe spire52 37 56 N 1 08 25 W 52 6323 N 1 1404 W 52 6323 1 1404 Coordinates 52 37 56 N 1 08 25 W 52 6323 N 1 1404 W 52 6323 1 1404DenominationChurch of EnglandChurchmanshipAnglo CatholicHistoryDedicationSt Mary de Castro St Mary of the Castle AdministrationProvinceCanterburyDioceseLeicesterParishLeicesterListed Building Grade IDesignated1950Reference no 1074070The building was closed in 2011 to the public after the spire was found to be unsafe but as of April 2015 is open again The spire has been demolished and funds are currently insufficient to replace it and repair the tower beneath 2 It is believed to have been the first church in the UK to be viewable online using Google Street View having been photographed in August 2012 3 Contents 1 Architectural history 2 Spire 3 Famous events 4 Burials 5 Organ 5 1 Organists 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksArchitectural history EditIt dates its founding to 1107 after Henry I of England granted the lands and castle to Robert de Beaumont 4 although the chronicler Henry Knighton implies that an Anglo Saxon college of St Mary had existed and Robert merely refurbished it 4 Robert established it within the castle bailey as a college served by a Dean and 12 Canons that is a collegiate church in honour of the Virgin Mary and All Souls and as a chantry chapel for the souls of him his family and the first three Norman kings 4 He endowed this and four other churches with 6 of his income and land in or near the city 4 However in 1143 these endowments were all transferred by his son Robert le Bossu 2nd Earl of Leicester to his own new Augustinian foundation of Leicester Abbey The collegiate church retained or had restored to it a dean six clerks and a chaplain along with Robert de Beaumont s grant of 20 shillings for lamps It also retained parish offerings and most of the tithes 4 The collegiate nature of the church lasted until the college was disbanded in 1548 under the Chantry Act of Edward VI 4 St Mary de Castro sedilia The early 12th century church had no aisles and various parts of these walls survive 5 It underwent a major expansion in the 1160 with a north aisle doorways to north and west and an extension to the chancel The two doorways provide striking external Norman zigzag decoration but it is the Sedilia and Piscina in the Chancel extension that Pevsner describes as the finest piece of Norman decoration in the county 5 Thirteenth century alterations culminated in a major reworking of transepts and south aisle to create an aisle wider than the nave providing much more space for local parishioners 5 Also the huge east window of the south aisle with ingenious tracery was created around 1300 5 The tower was built inside the south aisle apparently as an afterthought rising to a quatrefoil frieze four decorated pinnacles and the needlelike spire rising from the battlements 5 The spire was completely rebuilt in 1783 but retained its crockets and three tiers of lucarnes 5 The interior was worked on by George Gilbert Scott throughout the 1860s Spire EditThe church was closed when the spire was found to be unsafe The 14th century octagonal spire having been rebuilt in 1783 had developed six metre long cracks in four of its faces in September 2013 After inspections by structural engineers it was deemed at risk of collapse The severe condition of the spire meant it had to be demolished at an estimated cost of 200 000 in 2014 6 Over 358 000 has been raised since 2011 however there are currently insufficient funds to rebuild the spire and repair the tower 2 Famous events EditIt is rumoured that here around 1366 Geoffrey Chaucer married Philippa de Roet a lady in waiting to Edward III s queen Philippa of Hainault and a sister of Katherine Swynford who later c 1396 became the third wife of Chaucer s friend and patron John of Gaunt citation needed The infant king Henry VI was knighted in the church at Whitsuntide 1426 by his uncle John of Lancaster Duke of Bedford the Regent of France whilst the Parliament of Bats was being held at the Castle Henry then proceeded to himself dub a further 44 knights on the same occasion the first of whom was Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York 7 William Bickerstaffe a charitable local schoolmaster and antiquarian was baptised buried and held a seven year curacy at the church 8 Burials EditMary de Bohun first wife of the future King Henry IV died in childbirthOrgan EditThe church contains a three manual pipe organ which was originally installed in 1860 by Forster and Andrews It has been the subject of modifications and restorations in 1880 by Joshua Porritt and R J Winn in 1960 A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register 9 Organists Edit Henry Bramley Ellis organist 1878 1910 Benjamin Burrows 1910 William Snow father of C P Snow 1930 c 1950 John M Bence Interactive fullscreen map Leicester Castle and The Newarke precinct showing the Motte and bailey green boundary walls of The Newarke blue and the southern side of the town wall red The historic sites include 1 Leicester Castle2 Castle gateway3 Church of St Mary de Castro4 Turret gateway5 Trinity House former Trinity Hospital6 Newarke Houses Museum7 site of Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady of the Newarke now includes DMU heritage centre8 Magazine Gateway9 South gatesSee also EditAnglican churches in Leicester Grade I listed buildings in LeicesterReferences Edit BBC A Haunted History St Mary de Castro Leicester Retrieved 19 May 2013 a b Fears historic church spire may collapse Leicester Mercury 4 September 2013 Archived from the original on 21 September 2013 Retrieved 6 September 2013 Google may be Godsend for 900 year old St Mary De Castro Church in Leicester Archived 2014 02 02 at the Wayback Machine Leicester Mercury 28 August 2012 Accessed 26 January 2014 a b c d e f W G Hoskins editor assisted by R A McKinley 1954 Colleges St Mary de Castro A History of the County of Leicestershire Volume 2 Institute of Historical Research Retrieved 24 January 2014 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a author has generic name help a b c d e f Pevsner Nikolaus 1960 Leicestershire and Rutland The Buildings of England Harmondsworth Penguin Books pp 144 148 Leicester spire re build needs 600 000 National Churches Trust 12 March 2014 Retrieved 28 October 2020 William Arthur Shaw The Knights of England Vol 1 p 130 London 1906 Jenkins Robin P 2004 Bickerstaffe William Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 2343 Subscription or UK public library membership required NPOR N01304 National Pipe Organ Register British Institute of Organ Studies Retrieved 23 February 2014 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Church of St Mary de Castro Leicester Parish website Google Streetview Insideview of St Mary de Castro Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Church of St Mary de Castro Leicester amp oldid 1085906122, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
