The Church Steeple Restoration
Stamford Mercury March 11th 1909
St Mary's - A meeting was held at the Stamford Hotel on Thursday week to consider what steps could be taken to ensure the safety of the beautiful spire of St Mary's church. The Rector the Rev G Goodwin presided and also present were the Marquis of Exeter, Messrs A Scotney and SS Seccombe (Church Wardens), S Robinson, F Dickinson, T K Parker and G Prentice.
The report of Mr W Wier, Architect to the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Buildings was presented.
Stamford Mercury September 22nd 1911
St Mary's church steeple - The initial work for the repair of St Mary's church steeple was commenced this week, the tender of Messrs Bowman and sons, contractors of Stamford having been accepted. The contract now in hand embodies only a portion of the origonal scheme of restoration, and is for a comparatively small amount, the operation being chiefly confined to the fixing of iron ties inside the tower and making the iron band around the stone work more secure. A large amount of scaffolding will be brought into use, no small item in its outlay and the task being undertaken by the contractors is no easy one, but with their extensive expertise of church work there is every confidence that the desired result will be attained.
A special effort is being made to raise sufficient funds for the complete restoration of the steeple - a very fine specimen of Early English composition and of which it is recorded that Sir Walter Scott when passing it always raised his hat. A fundraising meeting will be held in the Town Hall on Thursday week at 8 pm with the Marquis of Exeter presiding.
Stamford Mercury December 15th 1911
St Mary's tower restoration fund - A meeting of the committee was held on Friday, the Marquis of Exeter in the chair. Mr H F Traylen, the architect was instructed to proceed with the next portion of the work. The first will be completed in about a fortnight and will cost £150.
The total sum subscribed from all sources up to date is £780 2s and the amount promised but not banked is £121 6s. Deducting £157 5s 3d expenses and cost of the first portion leaves a balance in hand of £744 2s 6d. The total amount required is £1250 leaving £340 12s to be collected.
Stamford Mercury December 22 1911 Added 10/02/2010
"Thoughts from Beneath the Shadow of St Mary's Spire" is a daintiliy printed brochure of quotations from the sermons of the Revd. Gerald Goodwin, Rector of the Parish and selected by Hilda Goodwin. It is published at 5d by Dolby Bros, the object being to raise funds for the restoration of the steeple.
Stamford Mercury July 25 1913 Added 22/02/2010
The Restoration of St Mary's - Some six feet of the masonry at the apex of the spire of St Mary's which was taken down, has been renovated and replaced. The new rod upon which the weather cock swings arrived on Monday. It is of gun metal and has a convenient arrangement for attaching the lightening conductor which has been tested. The weather cock is being gilded. It is of cast brass, a rather unusual feature as weather cocks are usually constructed of copper. The tail was renewed in copper some year ago. Photos of the cock are being prepared and will be on sale in the church for the benefit of the restoration fund.
Note: The other articles detailing the repairs undertaken will follow in the coming weeks.
Other Articles
Parish Magazine March 1973 (Part 1)
The Rector's Notes - The Rev. D. A. G. H, Davies. Added 24/02/2010
Lent
"Somebody said to me last year I enjoy Lent and I was glad to hear it because Lent is not a time of rather negative gloom, a time in which to give up this and that without really considering why and the goal such doing without is meant to serve.
Properly understood, Lent is a positive time when one seeks to co-operate more completely with the strength given by God in prayer and Sacrament. For this, time is required and in Lent we try to give back to God more time in which to persue the goal of knowing and loving God more deeply".
Parish Magazine July 1975
"50 years ago in the parish magazine of July 1925 Fr. Bailey wrote of the plans to Reserve the Blessed Sacrament in the Chapel. The plans came to fruition at Corpus Christi, 3rd June 1926.
St Mary's has therefore had this lovely privilege for nearly fifity years. I hope that next year we shall keep this much in mind.
We are so much accustomed to this privilege today that we can take it of granted, but the fact is that it is a privilege which has had to be won with courage and suffering in many parishes.
Fr. Bailey had his share of difficulties and the storm of local opposition that arose when incense began to be used at St Mary's (Stamford Mercury) makes depressing but not unsurprising reading.
People often remark on the atmosphere at St Mary's, "the church always seems to be praying" was how someone once put it to me.
It is true, there is a stillness and peace which is noticable. One reason for this is, surely, that ever since 1916 the Mass has been the chief service, regularly and frequently celebrated; another following on from the above is the fact that for almost 50 years perpetual reservation of the Blessed Sacrament has been established at St Mary's.
I can't do better than repeat Fr. Bailey's own words in the parish magazine for may 1926: " I am very anxious that we should all realise what Reservation means. It means that Our Lord Jesus Christ is always present in the Church as God and as Man. So long as the Blessed Sacrament is reserved we have the continued presence of Jesus with us precisely the same as if we were in the Mass & the Consecration had just taken place.
If we could actually see Jesus on His way to heal the sick as in the days he walked the earth, we should desire to pour out our hearts before him, to give him some token of our love and gratitude, and we should instinctively fall on our knees and worship him. So though we see him not in the Blessed Sacrament we pray as in his presence, we speak (if speak we must) in a hushed whisper, and as a confession of our faith an as an act of worship we genuflect (or bend the knee) when we enter or leave his presence."
Stamford Mercury December 4th 1959
A floral display was given by Mrs R Pinder of the Floral Arrangement Society, to members of St Mary's Mother's Union. Carols were sung. Mrs Pinder gave another demonstration at a meeting of the church's Young Wives Group in the evening.