CONTENTS:
ST. MARY THE VIRGIN:	Introduction
	History & Description
	Vicars & Curates
	Monuments & Memorials in the Church
	Photo & Picture Gallery
ST. BARNABAS:	History & Description
	Photo & Picture Gallery

ST. MARY THE VIRGIN

Introduction

The old church of St. Mary the Virgin is located in Old Linslade, where the original village of Linslade was located. Now the church stands fairly isolated with just a few houses nearby, but, in the late 13th century it was a market town with an annual fair. Many pilgrims were attracted to Linslade, because of a Holy Well, situated reportedly just a few hundred yards to the north of the church. The well's chalybeate waters were renowned for their miraculous healing powers. However, in 1299, the Bishop of Lincoln banned pilgrimages to the well, threatening anybody defying the ban with excommunication.

Present day Linslade grew up in the area around the railway and the canal, immediately adjacent to Leighton Buzzard, with many new streets of houses being built for railway personel.

History & Description

The church consists of a chancel, nave, tower and a south porch. The original 12th century church on the site, consisted of just a chancel and nave. In the 15th century the chancel was rebuilt reusing some of the old material, and at this time the west tower and porch were added. Looking at a plan of the chancel it can be seen that it inclines to the northward of the nave. A restoration of the church took place in 1877 by J. T. Lawrence and then again in 1897 by Henry Finch of 'The Gables', Linslade.

The walls are of a reddish sandstone rubble. The roof of the chancel being tiled and the nave covered with lead.

Chancel: The features of the chancel are all of the 15th century. The east window has three cinquefoiled lights in a four-centered head. There are windows in the north and south walls which are both of two cinquefoiled lights in a four-centred head. The internal sill of the south window is lowered, so as to form a sedile. Additionally, at the west end of the south wall is a two-light transomed low-side window.

There is a piscina with a four centered head, and to the east of that is a small rectangular recess. There is a further recess to the south of the chancel arch, in the west wall. This recess has a semi-circular head and also contains a seat. The 12th century chancel arch is semicircular, and of a single square order.

The roof of the chancel is of 16th century date, with large moulded and cambered tie-beams, and moulded principal rafters, purlins and wall-plates (embattled).

Nave: The west wall of the nave, to the north of the chancel arch, is the head of a crudely moulded recess or niche with sunk spandrels, of 15th century date. The north wall contains two modern windows of two lights, however the western window retains a 14th century chamfered, rear arch and inner jambs. Between these two windows is a blocked doorway. This doorway, of the mid-14th century, is visible from the outside where there is an arch of two moulded orders, the outer being continuous and the inner terminating in chamfered jambs. Above the doors are reset the remains of an earlier, 13th century, label.

In the south wall are two windows; the eastern window is of three cinquefoiled lights and is modern externally, but has 15th century rear arch and internal jambs. The western window is similar but with two lights. Between these windows is the 15th century south doorway with continuously moulded jambs and two-centred head. There is an external label.

Tower: The west tower is of 15th century construction. It consists of three stages, with an embattled parapet. There are diagonal butresses on the western angle and a semi-octagonal stair turret, in the north-east angle, which is carried above the roof of the tower. The tower arch is mid 15th century, and is of two chamfered orders; the outer being continuous and the inner resting on semi-octagonal pilasters with moulded capitals and bases. The west window, also of mid 15th century date, is of three cinquefoiled lights with tracery under a flat drop arch (all restored). The four windows of the bell chamber all have two lights with tracery.

South Porch: Much restored 15th century entrance arch of two continuous orders, the inner moulded and two centered and the outer hollow chamfered and rectangular, with sunk quatrefoils in the spandrels. In the porch is a stoup of 15th/16th century date.

Bells: The five bells in the tower were removed in 1869, for use in the newly constructed St. Barnabas Church, Linslade. A single light bell was installed to replace those removed, for use at funeral services.

Font: The font consists of a semicircular bowl, circa 1210, around which is a carved band containing images of four grotesque beasts having richly foliated tails and with small bunches of foliage between them. This is supported by a short octagonal stem and moulded octagonal base on a circular plinth.

Vicars and Curates - click here to see list and details

Monuments & Memorials in the Church - click here to see details

Photo & Picture Gallery for St Mary the Virgin - click here to view the photos

ST. BARNABAS

History & Description

With the rapid expansion of the new Linslade in the early 19th century, it was felt that there was a need for a new parish church located at a more convenient spot than St. Mary's in Old Linslade. In June 1840, a handbill was published by the incumbent for Linslade, the Reverend B. Perkins, to ask for donations for the construction of the new church. Unfortunately the result of this appeal only raised £240, and the plans were held in abeyance. In 1847 the newly appointed incumbent, Reverend Peter Thomas Ouvry, M.A., launched a second and more successful campaign for raising money for a new church. A site was given by Edward Lawford, Esq., for the builing of the Church, Vicarage, and School (now the church hall). The foundation stone was laid on the 31st May 1848, and the church was consecrated by the Bishop of Oxford on the 15th June 1849. The organ was installed in 1861, and the south aisle and the tower were added in 1868. The five bells from St. Mary's (see above) were hung in the tower in 1869, together with one new bell, and then a further two new bells were added to the complement in 1904.

The building is in the Early Decorated style, the walls being of native stone with Bath stone dressings. there is a spacious nave and a chancel. In the west end wall is a series of Early English arcading with stone shafts, beween which are four lights forming the west window. There are four two-light windows in the north and south walls of the nave with geometrical headings. The hammer-beams of the roof of the nave rest on plain corbels of stone; but the corbels of the chancel roof are sculptured. The chancel is lighted by four single windows in the side walls and a four-light window with geometrical tracery in the east end. There is stained glass in most of the windows.

The font is of Bath stone, octagonal, and supported by a pillar carved with arcading.

Photo & Picture Gallery for St Barnabas - click here to view the photos