St Mary, Redbourn, Hertfordshire

I Location

Site Location
Redbourn
National Grid Reference
TL 100 116
County
traditional: Hertfordshire
now: Hertfordshire
Diocese
medieval: Lincoln
now: St Albans
Dedication
medieval: not confirmed
now (or name of monument): St Mary
Type of building/monument
Parish Church

II General Description

N aisle, N wall, blocked, round-headed window.

N aisle, N wall, blocked, round-headed window.

The church has a chancel with S chapel, nave with N and S aisles, S porch and a W tower. The original late 11thc. - early 12thc. church had chancel, nave and W tower. The N aisle is of mid-12thc. date, the S aisle is 14thc. and the clerestory is 15thc. The chancel was rebuilt in the early 14thc. The S chancel chapel and porch are mid-15thc. There are traces of the original plain, round tower arch above the 13thc. opening to the W tower and 12thc. sculpture is found on the arcades.

IV Interior Features

2. Arcades

c. Nave

(i) N arcade
N arcade, from W.

N arcade, from W.

N arcade, from E.

N arcade, from E.

N arcade, bay 1, arch.

N arcade, bay 1, arch.

N arcade, E side, respond capital.

N arcade, E side, respond capital.

N arcade, pier 1, capital.

N arcade, pier 1, capital.

N arcade, pier 2, capital.

N arcade, pier 2, capital.

N arcade, pier 2, base.

N arcade, pier 2, base.

N arcade, W respond, capital.

N arcade, W respond, capital.

N arcade, W respond, base.

N arcade, W respond, base.

Of two bays, with round piers and half-round responds. The bases have a torus above a flattened roll, on a square plinth, with the exception of the E respond. The capitals have necking and chamfered imposts. There are two orders in the arch, the first is plain, the second has an angle roll followed by a hollow on the face. The label has roll billet (check) followed by a fine double groove.

E respond: The base has a round plinth with a single roll above. The capital is multi-scallop with sheathing and tall shields.

Pier 1: the plinth was cut away on the SW and NW to make space for seating. There is a trace of a flattened roll on the SE corner of the plinth, below the torus. The corners of the plinth are chamfered The capital is multi-scallop with sheathing and tall shields.

Pier 2: as Pier 1 but without the chamfered corners on the plinths. The plinth is cut away on SE and NE. The capital is multi-scallop and has narrow cylinders between the cones

W respond: The base is the same as Pier 1. The capital is multi-scallop with sheathing and tall shields.

VII History

The church was dedicated by Herbert Losinga, Bishop of Norwich (1094-1119).

The manor of Redbourn, which presumably included the advowson, was given to St Albans Abbey in the reign of Edward the Confessor. Archbishop Lanfranc held the manor for some time, but it was restored to St Albans in the time of Abbot Paul (1077-93). Both Henry II and John I confirmed the grant to St Albans, which held the manor until the Dissolution.

VIII Comments/Opinions

VCH suggests that the N aisle is of c.1140.

Thurlby comments on the similarity between the proportions and mouldings of the S arcade and those at Hemel Hempstead.

IX Bibliography

  • N. Pevsner and B. Cherry, The Buildings of England: Hertfordshire, Harmondsworth, 1953 (1977), 276-277.
  • M. Thurlby, 'The Place of St Albans in Regional Sculpture and Architecture in the Second Half of the Twelfth Century', British Archaeological Association Conference Transactions, XXIV, Leeds, 2001, 172.
  • The Victoria County History: A History of the County of Hertford, London, 1912, 3:368-9.