Nottingham St Mary

Time line

Significant Dates in the History of St Mary’s Church

Click on a date to return to the appropriate point in the narrative

1086The Domesday Book records that there was a church in Nottingham.

1103-8The church was in the custody of the monks of Lenton Priory.

1140Nottingham pillaged and set on fire by a raiding army commanded by the Earl of Gloucester contesting King Stephen’s right to the throne. St Mary’s probably destroyed.

1171The town sacked and burned again. A new church begun.

1234St Mary’s granted a vicarage.

1348-9Nottingham struck by the Black Death.

c.1370Construction of the present church begun.

1401Indulgence granted by Pope Boniface IX to all who would visit St Mary’s to pray and contribute to the wondrous, manifold and sumptuous work there proceeding.

1412A riot follows a gathering in the church to appoint the Mayor.

1416Death of the second John Samon, Mayor of Nottingham and patron of the church. The Samon tomb erected shortly after.

1473Death of Thomas Thurland, another Mayor of Nottingham and patron of St Mary’s. His tomb is in the north transept.

1475The current nave was completed by this date.

c1500Completion of the tower.

1512Completion of the rood screen.

1526The tithes, formerly the property of Lenton Priory appropriated by the Crown.

1547Chantries dissolved

1558Nottingham hit by a great storm. St Mary’s badly damaged.

1598The tithes and patronage of St Mary’s sold to Sir Henry Pierrepont.

1651During the Commonwealth two Preaching Elders appointed; the church reformed on a Presbyterian model.

1652Gallery built in the church.

1662Introduction of the new Book of Common Prayer following the Restoration of Charles II. The Royal Coat of Arms displayed in all churches.

1698Ringing gallery erected in the tower. Ring of bells reconstructed.

1705The organ replaced. (An earlier organ is known to have existed in 1675.) Galleries erected in the nave to accommodate more people.

1707The current Royal Coat of Arms and the lion and unicorn date from this time.

1726The west front of the church rebuilt in classical style.

1743The organ enlarged and given a second manual.

1761South side of the nave refaced and the windows strengthened.

1777New three-manual organ installed.

1807Churchyard enclosed with railings

1807Tower clock installed.

1810School established on Barker Gate for the education of poor boys.

1812 The original stone groined roof under the tower replaced by William Stretton in oak and Stucco.

1818End of the south Transept replaced.

1835School for girls established.

1839Nave divided to cope with the numbers of weddings and baptisms.

1841-48Tower found to be unsafe, and major work found to be necessary on the church; the church closed for five years while this took place. The (unpopular) classical west front replaced by a gothic design more like the original.

1864Chancel wall removed, opening up the church.

1871New organ installed.

1872Chancel roof restored and choir stalls put in by George Gilbert Scott.

1885Screen and reredos installed by Bodley.

1889“Chapter House” vestry built.

1904Bronze doors installed in the south porch.

1912Lady Chapel built at east end, to south of chancel.

1916New organ installed.

1921Electric lighting added to the church

1922The principal War Memorial erected.

1934-36Major restoration of the main building and tower carried out. Most of the bells recast.

1940Choir vestry with associated facilities built.

1941Fire in the south transept roof started by an incendiary bomb.

1951Baptistry created around the medieval font.

1973New organ installed.

1975Exterior of the church cleaned, and major restoration carried out on the stonework.

1985-86Further necessary restoration work carried out.

2007Parish joined with St Peter’s and All Saints’.