Only the west tower from the medieval (15th century) church survives. The rest was built in 1739 by Rhodes of Barlborough and 1839 by Colvin. It is of ashlar with a lead roof.[1] The graveyard includes a 1963 model of the earlier church.[2] The clock tower has two clocks, one facing West, the other East which would be visible to people approaching from either direction along Main Street.
Notable burialsedit
The church is reputed to be the burial place of Will Scarlet. The place is not known, but a piece of the earlier church serves as a memorial.[3]
Rocking Ceremonyedit
The Church of St Mary of the Purification is the only church that is known to continue to hold an annual Rocking Ceremony during which a baby boy, born nearest to Christmas Day and having married, Christian parents living in Blidworth, is “rocked” in a cradle on the Feast of the Purification of Mary, which is on the Sunday nearest to Candlemas.[4][5]
The ceremony is a symbolic enactment of the story from the Bible found in Luke's gospel, depicting the Presentation of Christ at a temple.[6] It is thought to have started in the 13th century, but was banned from 1600.[5] The custom was revived in 1842 by the vicar, John Lowndes but then fell out of use. It was revived again in 1922, and has been using the same cradle since then.[4][5][6]
All of the babies who have taken part in the Rocking Ceremonies have their names recorded upon a plaque at the rear of St Mary's Church with their full name and the year in which they were 'Rocked'.[4] In 2010 a sculpture of a cradle was made to celebrate the custom.[5]
West clock face viewed along Main Street
Will Scarlet grave marker
Part of the walls of the earlier church re-erected in the graveyard
^"Blidworth St Mary of the Purification". Southwell and Nottingham Church History Project. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
^"Robin Hood and Blidworth". BBC Nottingham. BBC. 22 September 2008. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
^ abc"Ancient Rocking Ceremony kept alive at Blidworth church". BBC Nottingham. BBC. 3 February 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
^ abcdWilliams, Victoria (2016). Celebrating Life Customs around the World: From Baby Showers to Funerals, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO. p. 51–2. ISBN9781440836596.
^ abBaby Jack becomes the 91st Rocking baby Chad (Mansfield local newspaper), 27 February 2013, p.54 Accessed 31 July 2018
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Church of St. Mary of the Purification, Blidworth.
April 09, 2024
church, mary, purification, blidworth, 09417, 12667, 09417, 12667, mary, purification, blidworthwith, 1963, model, earlier, churchdenominationchurch, englandchurchmanshipbroad, churchhistorydedicationst, maryadministrationprovinceyorkdiocesesouthwell, nottingh. 53 05 39 N 01 07 36 W 53 09417 N 1 12667 W 53 09417 1 12667 St Mary of the Purification BlidworthWith 1963 model of the earlier churchDenominationChurch of EnglandChurchmanshipBroad ChurchHistoryDedicationSt MaryAdministrationProvinceYorkDioceseSouthwell and NottinghamParishBlidworthClergyVicar s Revd Beryl AllsopChristianity portalThe Church of St Mary of the Purification is a parish church in the Church of England in Blidworth Nottinghamshire dating from the 15th century It is a Grade II listed building 1 Contents 1 Building 2 Notable burials 3 Rocking Ceremony 4 See also 5 SourcesBuilding editOnly the west tower from the medieval 15th century church survives The rest was built in 1739 by Rhodes of Barlborough and 1839 by Colvin It is of ashlar with a lead roof 1 The graveyard includes a 1963 model of the earlier church 2 The clock tower has two clocks one facing West the other East which would be visible to people approaching from either direction along Main Street Notable burials editThe church is reputed to be the burial place of Will Scarlet The place is not known but a piece of the earlier church serves as a memorial 3 Rocking Ceremony editThe Church of St Mary of the Purification is the only church that is known to continue to hold an annual Rocking Ceremony during which a baby boy born nearest to Christmas Day and having married Christian parents living in Blidworth is rocked in a cradle on the Feast of the Purification of Mary which is on the Sunday nearest to Candlemas 4 5 The ceremony is a symbolic enactment of the story from the Bible found in Luke s gospel depicting the Presentation of Christ at a temple 6 It is thought to have started in the 13th century but was banned from 1600 5 The custom was revived in 1842 by the vicar John Lowndes but then fell out of use It was revived again in 1922 and has been using the same cradle since then 4 5 6 All of the babies who have taken part in the Rocking Ceremonies have their names recorded upon a plaque at the rear of St Mary s Church with their full name and the year in which they were Rocked 4 In 2010 a sculpture of a cradle was made to celebrate the custom 5 nbsp West clock face viewed along Main Street nbsp Will Scarlet grave marker nbsp Part of the walls of the earlier church re erected in the graveyardSee also editGrade II listed buildings in Nottinghamshire Listed buildings in BlidworthSources edit a b Historic England CHURCH OF ST MARY OF THE PURIFICATION 1045529 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 25 June 2017 Blidworth St Mary of the Purification Southwell and Nottingham Church History Project Retrieved 25 June 2017 Robin Hood and Blidworth BBC Nottingham BBC 22 September 2008 Retrieved 25 June 2017 a b c Ancient Rocking Ceremony kept alive at Blidworth church BBC Nottingham BBC 3 February 2012 Retrieved 25 June 2017 a b c d Williams Victoria 2016 Celebrating Life Customs around the World From Baby Showers to Funerals Volume 1 ABC CLIO p 51 2 ISBN 9781440836596 a b Baby Jack becomes the 91st Rocking baby Chad Mansfield local newspaper 27 February 2013 p 54 Accessed 31 July 2018 Pevsner Nikolaus 1979 Nottinghamshire Pevsner Architectural Guides Buildings of England Harmondsworth Middx Penguin ISBN 978 0300096361 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Church of St Mary of the Purification Blidworth Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Church of St Mary of the Purification Blidworth amp oldid 1143541901, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
