StMarys_Outside

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The church is built of flint rubble with stone dressings and was mainly built c. 1325. Like most churches of this period St Mary's is built so that the congregation are facing east during worship, towards Jerusalem. The photograph on the left shows the east window.

Below the window is a 14th century niche with a trefoiled head. The origins of this niche are not known but it has been suggested that it was a 'Pilgrims Window.'

St Mary's church at Baldock is the Anglican parish church for the town. Services are held there throughout the week, but particularly on Sundays and Wednesday mornings.

Christians have been worshipping at St Mary's since at least the 12th century when the Knights Templars built a church on this site. This church was later rebuilt by the Knights Hospitallers early in the 14th century. Some features of the original church still survive, most notably the font which is described as being transitional Norman [c.1150 AD].

St Mary's church is not a museum but is a living place of worship where Christians of all ages meet regularly to share together in their worship of God and Jesus Christ.

The south porch dates back to the 15th century, and was restored in 1870.

Originally, as well as being an entrance into the church, the porch would also have been used in the medieval period as a school room and a place for conducting important civil business.

Today it is used for displaying notices.

Shown here are a stone and iron table tomb. The iron tomb [on the right in the photograph]is to the memory of William Clarkson [died 1837] and has been recently restored to its original condition.

Table tombs are built in the shape of an altar and mark the graves of important or wealthy people like Mr Clarkson.

Gravestones are flat and mark the position of graves, as we see here.

Headstones are found at the 'head' of the grave and are inscribed with the dead person's name and dates of birth and date, often together with a short rhyme or Bible verse.

St Mary's churchyard is now closed to burials, but originally all parishioners had a right to burial there.

A rare wooden headboard in the churchyard commemorates Henry Brown who was only 10 years old in 1861 when a scaffolding fell on him and killed him.