St Sampson’s Anglican Church, Cricklade
Cricklade was a famous town in old times, and is said to have been inhabited by learned monks, from whom it derived its name of Greeklade, corrupted into Creeklade – another fanciful invention of the poets; and Drayton, following ancient historians, makes this town the predecessor of Oxford, where –
To Great Britain first the Sacred Muses sung.
It has two churches, dedicated to St Sampson and St Mary; neither however, advance any pretensions to architectural grace or beauty.
Now the Anglican parish church of the whole of Cricklade.
The dedication is to St Sampson, who founded the
abbey and bishopric of Dol in Brittany - it is one of only five churches
dedicated to the saint. A stone church existed on the site in saxon times and,
in the Domesday Survey of 1086 the church is recorded as being held by St
Peter's, Westminster. Most of the present building was erected by the Normans
between 1240 and 1280, although traces of the earlier building
remain. The tower rising above the crossing is reputed to have been built by
the Duke of Northumberland, father-in-law of Lady Jane Grey, between 1551
and 1553 - shortly before his beheading as a traitor.
A major restoration was carried out in 1864
1859: Mr & Mrs Hall, The Book of the Thames -
Its church tower is a “landmark” for many miles around.
St Sampson’s Anglican Church, Cricklade
The two crosses still preserved in Cricklade are unusually fine specimens -
1859
St Sampsons Cross Cricklade 2004
1859
St Mary's Cross Cricklade 2004
St Mary, Cricklade
There have been three churches on the site -
The
first was a Saxon chapel, built perhaps by the monks of Abingdon soon
after 1008, or even earlier, as a gate chapel associated with the North
Gate. The north chapel (where the pipe organ stands) is thought to be
built on the foundations of this early chapel. Note that the chapel has a
different alignment to the main body of the church. The existing walls and
windows are probably mid 15th century.
The
second church was built after the Norman conquest, perhaps to meet the
needs of a growing community. It would have been a long rectangle more or
less where the present chancel and nave now stand, but not extending so
far to the east. The chancel arch is the most obvious surviving feature.
It is early 12th century, with characteristic semicircular shape and 'dog
tooth' or chevron carving on the west face. The tower and a south aisle
were added to the church soon after.
Sometime
in the mid thirteenth century the church was rebuilt for a third time,
achieving its present form. The number of features that date to this
period suggest that a major disaster may have struck the church which
required complete reconstruction. The tower was increased in height and
buttressed, the nave pillars were replaced on a slightly altered
alignment, and a north aisle added.
The ground plan of the present day church therefore dates
to the 13th century. In the 14th century the chancel was extended farther to
the east, and linked to the north chapel. The 15th century saw the rebuilding
of the north chapel, and the addition of a porch.
By
the mid 19th century the church was in need of restoration, its
'churchwarden gothic' style offended what contemporaries considered to be
the 'present improved taste'. The restored church was rededicated at a
service on the 7th January 1863.
The
clock 1863 has its face on the exterior east wall of the nave.
The mechanism is in the tower and is
connected to the face by a shaft running under the roof.
The
sundial is an 1822 replacement of an earlier dial.
The
font is thirteenth century
The
altar is dated 1627.
The
pulpit is Jacobean.
In
1553 there were 3 bells. They have had to be removed because they made the
tower unsafe. The money from their sale was used for repairs to St Mary's.
Now only the call bell of 1733 remains, inscribed:-
Come away, make no delay.
(The bell was installed on the centenary of George Herberts’ writing of ‘The Temple’ and the quotation is from Doomsday within that work)
There are two chest tombs which are listed ancient monuments.
St Mary, Cricklade, after John Buckler 1809