For this church:

Introduction

Location

History

Archaeology

Fittings

Glass

Organ

Bells

Clock

Stonework

Monuments

War Memorial

Churchyard

References

Pictures

Plans

Listing Description

List of Incumbents

Parish page

Mansfield St Augustine

Features and Fittings

Altar

The altar is set forward of the east wall. It has a three-panel front with the centre of each panel being decorated with a pierced square section. The four uprights surrounding the panels also have carving. It is finished with a mahogany stain.

Communion Rail

Set on the front edge of the Sanctuary is a stained wooden Communion Rail with both the top edges chamfered. It is supported by a plain square section with black painted metal stanchions.

Lectern

Located forward and to the right of the altar is the lectern. It has a cross-shaped base supporting a plain central pedestal with four curved brackets rising from the base of the pedestal. The book rest has a traditional sloping top with carving decoration each end and at the front.

The inscription on the base reads:

Flying Officer Leonard Whetton's Lancaster bomber (626 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve) was shot down during a raid on the Opel motor factory at Rüsselsreim on 25 August 1944. He was the son of William and Elizabeth Whetton and husband of Marjorie Whetton, of Mansfield. Whetton was born in Sutton-in-Ashfield, educated at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Mansfield, and was in a furnishing business at Shirebrook before joining the R.A.F. in 1940. He is buried at the Durnbach War Cemetery south of Munich.

Reading desk

Close by the lectern is a small plain reading desk of light stained oak.

It was a memorial gift to the church and has a small inscribed brass plate:

Font

The final piece of furniture within the sanctuary is the font. It is located on the south side. It is of plain oak with a low, square base with slightly chamfered sides and a square central pillar. The squared top that houses the bowl also has a slightly chamfered side. It is completed by a small upstanding Maltese style cross. The baptism bowl is made of copper. This piece was also donated as a memorial gift, with the inscription:

Two reading desks

Also on the south side of the sanctuary are two more reading desks, one each side of the window. One has an inscription:

Processional cross

The brass processional cross mounted on the wall of the sanctuary has the following inscription:

Pews

Pews

Book rest

Card holder

Label

The pews at present filling St. Augustine’s Church predate it by many years. They were originally installed in St. Ann’s Church in Nottingham when it opened in 1864. Others may date from an extension of that church in 1871. It was closed and demolished in 1971, at which time they were transferred to St. Augustine’s.

The pews are constructed of pine timber darkened by the application of stain over the years. On the north side of the church there are eight and a half pews, and on the south eight pews. A unique feature of these pews is the survival of the word ‘FREE’ stencilled on the book rest near the entrance to some of the pews, plus the small ornate brass card holders fixed to the end of some pews. This enabled these pews to clearly indicate who was allowed to sit where. Also on some of the pews on the book rest there are labels, well-worn and varnished over:

Cupboard

A wooden cupboard near the organ with a plaque that reads:

Table

Wooden table near the organ with an plaque that states: