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| Hear the All Saints Church bells |
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Photos of Leamington
Hastings from early 1900s.
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Architecture of All Saints Church
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History of the Parish of Leamington
Hastings
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"My
first taste of (the) concerts was in 1982 when I started teaching at
the village school. What a marvellous 21 years it has been with so many
famous and talented musicians coming to the lovely church - a perfect
setting in the countryside for these wonderful concerts."
Maureen Murray
Hear the
All Saints Church bells
This lovely site gives a
brief history of the bells and lets you hear them peal, its great! http://www.mikechester.f9.co.uk/leamington_hastings.htm
Photos
of Leamington Hastings from early 1900s.
Here is a website that has some wonderful
photos of Leamington Hastings back in the 1920's and 1930's! www.windowonwarwickshire.org.uk
Architecture of All
Saints Church
Remains of a Norman arch lies under the
floor of the south aisle, perhaps from a church built here by William
the Conqueror's baron, Hasculf Musard.
In 1122 Aintrop de Hastang, then the Lord of the Manor, helped endow an
Augustinian Priory of St Oswald's near Pontefract. Amongst his gifts
was Leamington Hastings church, with its glebe land and income from
tithe. The Canons therefore became responsible for the pastoral care of
the parish and maintenance of the church.
Extensive work was carried out in the church in the second half of the
thirteenth century by the de Hastang family. The bay in the North Aisle
was opened up to create a small chapel. This opening (behind the
pulpit) and some traces on the outer wall are all that remains of a
spiral staircase leading to a rood loft over a rood screen. There would
have been a crucifix (rood) above the screen and the loft would have
been used in services by musicians. Wood from the screen has been
incorporated in the present pulpit and prayer desk.
In 1375, the male line of de Hastangs died out, Maud de Hastang and her
husband Ralph Stafford, inherited Leamington Hastings. The
extension of the north aisle, the stone tracery of its window, the fine
though badly worn, north porch and the tower all date form this period.
Sir Humphrey Stafford, a soldier who had fought at the battle of
Agincourt under Henry V, was killed in 1450. The font which dates from
this time may well have been given in memory of him.
On the left of the main altar is a monument to Sir Thomas Trevor, who
in 1630 bought Leamington Hastings from the Stafford family. The Trevor
coat of arms can been seen in the west window under the tower.
In 1703 the south aisle, including the arcade of pillars was taken down
to its foundations and rebuilt by the Wheeler family. The south porch
was enlarged following hurricane damage to the roof, the wind had blown
lead off the roof into a tree on the north side!
1879-1887 saw major restoration of the church under Sir Gilbert Scott.
Plaster stripped form walls and pillars, the nave floor was lowered,
the nave roof panelled, and the tower opened up and restored. The
chancel roof was reconstructed and new seating provided.
New choir stalls were given in 1913 in memory of Canon Sitwell, Vicar
1863-1909. The side aisle roofs were panelled, and north and south door
ways were plastered in imitation of Early English style. The alter and
sanctuary panelling were given in memory of Mary Ismene Wigram, wife of
Gerard Wigram vicar from 1928.
History of
the Parish of Leamington Hastings
"The four small settlements of Leamington
Hastings, Hill, Kites Hardwick and Broadwell are all of Saxon or
Medieval origin and all are thriving today. Tradition gives Kites
Hardwick a Saxon origin since there was reputed to have been a skirmish
between the Danes and the Saxons just below Draycote Water in a field
now known as Dane Meadow. In documents Leamington Hastings and Hill are
the oldest, both being mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086.
By the thirteenth century both Hill and Leamington Hastings were held
by the Hastang family from whom the Hastings part of the village name
is derived. Robert Hastang took the part of the Barons against Henry
III at the Siege of Kenilworth in 1265, and the family's lands were
confiscated. The estates were restored only after a large fine was paid
to the King!
In 1375, on the death of John Hastang, being without a male heir, the
lands of Leamington Hastings and Hill passed to his eldest daughter
Maud and her husband Ralph Stafford. The Staffords owned Leamington
Hastings Manor until 1630, then it changed hands several times until
being inherited by Sir Charles Wheeler whose family initiated repairs
to the church on the south side and south porch.
In 1796 the Wheeler estates were divided and Leamington Hastings was
given to Lucy Wheeler and her husband Edward Sitwell. Some members of
the family become vicars of the parish. The family were benefactors,
initiating extensive repairs to the chancel and nave in 1873, being
instrumental in the building of the elementary school and donating land
on which to build the parish hall. The manor remained in their family
until the 1920's. "
Taken from: Glimpses into the History of the
Parish of Leamington Hastings by Felicity Janet Gilks. |
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