St.Edmund's

211/365:27th January,2011

The Church of St.Edmund,King & Martyr,Mansfield Woodhouse,Nottinghamshire,UK

 

Although to all present appearances a modern place Mansfield Woodhouse has a history going back to the Roman period. At nearby Whinny Hill are the remains of a Roman double-ditched camp and here excavations have revealed pavements, tiles, urns and coins of the Roman period. The camp formed a part of the territory of Ceritanis and this was, in turn, within the province of Flavia Caesarienis.

In 1786 one Hayrnan Rooke discovered important Roman villas with valuable pavements. In the 19th century another and more important villa was excavated of the "corridor" type, it had five rooms with two extra in each wing. The central room had a fine mosaic pavement and evidence of hypercaust heating also was to be seen.

After the Romans, came the Saxons and Normans, but of their respective stays little evidence survives. It is, however, certain that a wooden church existed here in the 11th century. Of crude design it was naturally built of abundant local timber (Mansfield Woodhouse was then but a clearing in Sherwood Forest) and probably consisted of only a nave.

Following the wooden church came a building of stone. This was almost certainly the one mentioned by William Rufus in his charter giving the churches of Woodhouse, Oarston. Chesterfield, Ashbourne and Mansfield to the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lincoln.

In 1304 a disastrous fire swept the entire village and destroyed much of the church. It was rebuilt and of this particular building the tower still survives—the oldest part of the church. Until the fire the church had three aisles hut only two were reconstructed. A contemporary account of the time tells us "Mansfield Woodhouse was burned the Saturdaye next afore the Fest of Exaltation of the Holy Crosse, the yere of our Lord MCCCLIIII. And the Kirk stepull. with the belles of the same, for the slepull was afore of tyrnber werke and part of the Kyrk was burned". The tower was, of course, rebuilt of stone as was the spire. Mansfield Woodhouse recovered from the fire’s ravages and by the 16th century had become quite an important town.

In 1797 we hear that Mansfield Woodhouse was a very large respectable village and in it are several good houses, it is the residence of many respectable families". We are also told that the "Chapel of St. Edmund" was in charge of the Rev. John Wright who was licensed to the curacies of both Woodhouse and Skegby. The patron was the Dean of Lincoln and the living of St. Edmunds was valued at £40 13s. 4d. worth of bacon! According to the church registers of that period baptisms and deaths varied but little. The live years beginning in 1753 saw 122 baptisms and 93 burials and the five years ending saw 152 baptisms and 93 burials.

At that period too, a medicinal spring was discovered locally and a building erected over it. but, although the baths were said to be of great beauty the water was not good and the spa soon declined.

In the mid 19th century. according to a gazetteer of 1866, Mansfield Woodhouse parish comprised 2.800 acres and had 2,263 inhabitants and 192 houses. The property was divided among a few", the manor and much of the land belonging to the Duke of Portland. The living of the church was then valued at £300. the Patron was the Bishop of Lincoln in whose diocese it was a papal curacy. The church, we are told, was in the early English style and in "good condition"

The church nave and aisles were virtually rebuilt in 1804-10 and further restorations took place in 1850 and 1878, these latter being by that eminent Victorian architect Sir Gilbert Giles Scott. At these restorations the aisles were extended to the length of the chancel, thus forming chapels on either side.

 

Ref:

homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.a-guy/scouts/mdsc/4thwoodhouse...

 

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