St. Mary, Hardwick, Buckinghamshire

Description

The parish church of St. Mary is a building of stone of various dates, a window over the north door is of pre-Conquest date; it consists of chancel, nave, south aisle, south porch and a western square embattled tower containing a clock, 6 bells and a sanctus bell and a south porch: in the south aisle is a very curious monument to Sir Thomas Lee knt. dated 1616: there are also seven tablets to former rectors of this parish: at the east end of the aisle is a curious circular window and a piscina: the church was restored in 1872-3, when several stained windows were inserted, principally through the munificence of Peter Reid esq.: there is also a memorial window to the Rev. Christopher Erle M.A. rector from 1833, and a brass eagle lectern has been placed in the church as a memorial to Philip Cazenove esq. by his son, Henry Cazenove esq. who died 1894: on the north side of the nave is a stained window commemorating the silver wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Cazenove: a font was presented about 1893 by Miss C. M. Yonge, and in 1901 a reredos was erected in memory of the Rev. W. H. Biggwither, rector 1870-99: there is a Crusaders' jug in the south wall at the end of the nave: there are 360 sittings: in the churchyard is a lych gate, and on the south side is a monument recording the re-interment by Lord Nugent of 247 persons killed at the battle of Aylesbury, March 21st, 1642, which had been found in a field near Aylesbury.

Church Records

The parish registers date from the 16th century and are very imperfect.