There are many reasons to be proud of our church: sadly there are few parish churches nowadays with such an active membership or with an expanding congregation like ours. The importance of the church in this community is something to celebrate. The centuries of worship within these walls is something to cherish and nurture. However, it is also a part of English history and of people and events that belong to the world

In a village as ancient as Geddington, there was most likely a church before the still visible Saxon portion, but the present building is dated by most authorities as about 950AD, though there are expert arguments placing its construction over a century and a half earlier. It is still possible to see the Saxon arcading on what was the original exterior wall as well as the slope of the original roof. Bones from a Saxon grave were discovered while the floor was being repaired in 1990.

Saxon Portion
The Plantagenet Kings who frequented the church added the aisles, first in the 12th century and later in the 14th, as well as their own personal entrance known as the King's Door.

As the Royal Hunting Lodge behind the church grew to become known as the Palace of Geddington throughout the Plantagenet and Medieval period, the famous and the infamous attended councils, a parliament and other national and royal assemblies held here.

Of course the best known event is the procession of Queen Eleanor in 1290. The hundreds of nobles and servants that accompanied her body and attended the services held for her in St Mary Magdalene would still recognise much of the present day church.

Throughout the church there are many, many objects such as sculptures, gargoyles, gravestones and carvings which attest to its passage through the ages. Some of which bear the marks of the reformers of the mid 1500's after Henry VIII. All images, graven or otherwise were considered heretical, so statuary noses were chiselled off and all of our medieval stained glass would have been smashed as well.

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The 'Rood' screens were also a target of these reformers, as they not only contained an image of the Christ, but it was felt they separated the priest from his congregation. Through luck, providence or guile, St. Mary is possibly the only church in England which has managed to still have in use all of the Rood screens; the ancient screen which was meant to be destroyed, the post James I from 1618, (a gift of the famous Tresham family,) and the Victorian era screen.

The east windows were created by Sir Ninian Comper. He also designed windows for Westminster Abbey and the entirety of St Mary's in Wellingborough, amongst many others. Interestingly, the central East window was created in the early part of his illustrious career while the South East window was created much later, and it is startling to see the vast changes in style in the intervening 50 years.

More detail can be found in a pamphlet available in the church and you can visit the St. Mary Magdalene page of the Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture of Britain and Ireland Site by clicking here.

Or far preferable, come visit us and discover the beauty and history of the village and our church in person.

We hate having our doors locked to anyone, so if you are interested in viewing the church and possibly seeing portions which are not always seen, the church is open from Spring until Autumn, Saturdays from 10:30 until 4:30
and Sundays during our two morning services and from 12:30 until 4:30.

Or if you know when you will be visiting the village you can write to us at editor@geddington.net or parishpriest.gilbar@talktalk.net and we can try to arrange for the church to be open for you.

Some important dates:

Mid 10th Century - Building of Saxon church, corresponding approximately to the present nave.

12th Century - North aisle built.

1217 - Date of earliest incumbent known.

Circa 1330 - Chancel extended to its present size.

Circa 1380 - Tower and Spire erected and South aisle added.

15th Century - Side Chapels built at the end of the North and South aisles.

1618 Screen now at East end of South aisle given by Maurice Tresham.

1636 - Dallington Charity established.

1857 - Church interior completely remodelled. Tresham screen moved from chancel arch to present position. Norman piers on North side rebuilt.

1990 - Collapse of part of the floor led to discovery of Saxon skeleton and burial chambers under the South aisle.