Cricklade was a famous town in old times, and is said to have been inhabited by learned monks, from whom it derived its name of Greeklade, corrupted into Creeklade another fanciful invention of the poets; and Drayton, following ancient historians, makes this town the predecessor of Oxford, where
To Great Britain first the Sacred Muses sung.
It has two churches, dedicated to St Sampson and St Mary; neither however, advance any pretensions to architectural grace or beauty.
They may not "advance any pretensions ..." - but that may be because they don't need to! They are both examples of architectural grace and beauty in their own ways.
Cricklade, Church of St Sampson, Anglican, 01793 750300
Now the Anglican parish church of the whole of Cricklade.
The dedication is to St Sampson, who founded the
abbey and bishopric of Dol in Brittany - it is one of only five churches
dedicated to the saint. A stone church existed on the site in saxon times and,
in the Domesday Survey of 1086 the church is recorded as being held by St
Peter's, Westminster. Most of the present building was erected by the Normans
between 1240 and 1280, although traces of the earlier building
remain. The tower rising above the crossing is reputed to have been built by
the Duke of Northumberland, father-in-law of Lady Jane Grey, between 1551
and 1553 - shortly before his beheading as a traitor.
A major restoration was carried out in 1864
1859: Mr & Mrs Hall, The Book of the Thames -
Its church tower is a landmark for many miles around.
St Sampsons Anglican Church, Cricklade
Both St Sampsons and St Marys Churches
were locked when I tried to visit -
St Sampsons said it was open Weekends
and bank holidays in summer - but it wasnt ...
St Marys lamented that it was closed, and it was ...
The two crosses still preserved in Cricklade are unusually fine specimens -
St Sampsons Cross Cricklade in 1859 and 2004
Cricklade Anglicans united into one parish with two churches in 1952. In
1981 they ceased to use St Marys, and in 1984 it was transferred to the RomanCatholic Church.
1859
St Mary's Cross Cricklade 2004
Pause to look at the figures in the lantern which are just discernable and are thought to represent scenes from the life of Our Lady.
Cricklade, Church of St Mary, now Catholic 01285 712586
The church of St Mary's stands at the north end of the High Street close to the Thames. The north edge of the churchyard, viewed from the High Street is noticeably higher than the modern street. This earth bank is the remains of the Saxon town wall and is the site of the north gate of the town.
St Mary, Cricklade
There have been three churches on the site -
The first was a Saxon chapel, built perhaps by the monks of Abingdon soon
after 1008, or even earlier, as a gate chapel associated with the North
Gate. The north chapel (where the pipe organ stands) is thought to be
built on the foundations of this early chapel. Note that the chapel has a
different alignment to the main body of the church. The existing walls and
windows are probably mid 15th century.
The second church was built after the Norman conquest, perhaps to meet the
needs of a growing community. It would have been a long rectangle more or
less where the present chancel and nave now stand, but not extending so
far to the east. The chancel arch is the most obvious surviving feature.
It is early 12th century, with characteristic semicircular shape and 'dog
tooth' or chevron carving on the west face. The tower and a south aisle
were added to the church soon after.
Sometime
in the mid thirteenth century the church was rebuilt for a third time,
achieving its present form. The number of features that date to this
period suggest that a major disaster may have struck the church which
required complete reconstruction. The tower was increased in height and
buttressed, the nave pillars were replaced on a slightly altered
alignment, and a north aisle added.
The ground plan of the present day church therefore dates
to the 13th century. In the 14th century the chancel was extended farther to
the east, and linked to the north chapel. The 15th century saw the rebuilding
of the north chapel, and the addition of a porch.
By
the mid 19th century the church was in need of restoration, its
'churchwarden gothic' style offended what contemporaries considered to be
the 'present improved taste'. The restored church was rededicated at a
service on the 7th January 1863.
The
clock 1863 has its face on the exterior east wall of the nave.
The mechanism is in the tower and is
connected to the face by a shaft running under the roof.
The sundial is an 1822 replacement of an earlier dial.
The font is thirteenth century
The altar is dated 1627.
The pulpit is Jacobean.
In 1553 there were 3 bells. They have had to be removed because they made the
tower unsafe. The money from their sale was used for repairs to St Mary's.
Now only the call bell of 1733 remains, inscribed:-
Come away, make no delay.
(The bell was installed on the centenary of George Herberts writing of The Temple and the quotation is from Doomsday within that work) -
DOOMSDAY
Come away,
Make no delay.
Summon all the dust to rise,
Till it stirr, and rub the eyes;
While this member jogs the other,
Each one whispring, "Live you brother?"
Come away,
Make this the day.
Dust, alas, no music feels,
But thy trumpet: then it kneels,
As peculiar notes and strains
Cure Tarantulas raging pains.
Come away,
O make no stay!
Let the graves make their confession,
Lest at length they plead possession:
Flesh's stubbornness may have
Read that lesson to the grave.
Come away,
Thy flock doth stray.
Some to winds their body lend,
And in them may drown a friend:
Some in noisome vapours grow
To a plague and public woe.
Come away,
Help our decay.
Man is out of order hurled,
Parcelled out to all the world.
Lord, thy broken consort raise,
And the music shall be praise.
There are two chest tombs which are listed ancient monuments.
St Mary, Cricklade, after John Buckler 1809
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(Upstream to Thames Head)
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