All Our Yesterdays is the latest addition to our website.

Below you will find articles taken from the collection of parish magazines collected and lovingly cared for by the Late Norman Haxell and items from the archives of the Stamford Mercury.

As there are limited accounts it is not possible to make them all seasonal.

However we hope you will find these glimpses  into the past life of our beautiful church of interest.

HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS

The East End of St Mary’s in 1872

Points of interest:

1. The Pulpit is on the North or Gospel side
2. The monuments on the Chancel walls
3. The light coming in from the South Chapel (St Nicholas)
4. The arcading behind the Altar (now hidden by Comper's hangings)
5. The East window now has stained glass
6. The Organ has moved from the West End Gallery to the North side of the Corpus Christi Chapel

The East End of St Mary’s 1890-1920

Points of interest:

1. The Screens erected as part of the Sedding re-ordering
2. The Pulpit has been moved to the South or Epistle Side and now has a Tester. Its former position is now occupied by the present Lectern
3. The organ has moved from the Corpus Christi Chapel and now occupies the former St Nicholas Chapel
4. There is no Rood ( not erected until 1921)
5. The monuments in the Chancel have been moved to the Nave

The East End in 1921

Points of Interest:

1. The Rood has been erected as a memorial to those who died in WW1

2. There is no carpet.

3. The Lectern is the one presently in the Corpus Christi Chapel

Corpus Christ Chapel in 1948

Points of interest:

1. The walls have not yet been re-plastered

2. There are no candle sconces at the statue of Our Lady

3. The Reredos on the Altar (since lost)

4. The Tabernacle is the original veiled wooden version

 The scaffolding was wood, held together with chains and stars. Imagine the chaos on St Mary's Hill.Sadly, the peal of bells has never been rung since the repairs were carried out.