Herford Minster

Herford Minster
Name	Herford Minster
Fullname	The Minster Church of St Mary and St Sexburga, Herford
Caption	West front of Herford Minster
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Anglo-Catholic
Diocese	Diocese of London
Archdeaconry	Archdeaconry of Middlesex
Deanery	Deanery of Herford
Parish	Herford
Rector	The Revd Canon Dr James Atherton
Website	herfordminster.org

Herford Minster. The Minster Church of St Mary and St Sexburga is the parish church of the town of Herford in Middlesex, England, and holds minster status. Dedicated to Saint Mary and the local Anglo-Saxon saint Sexburga of Ely, it is a major example of Perpendicular Gothic architecture in the Home Counties. The church serves as the civic church for the London Borough of Herford and is noted for its extensive collection of stained glass and historic musical instruments.

History

The site has been one of Christian worship since at least the 8th century, with a tradition linking it to a monastery founded by Sexburga of Ely, daughter of King Anna of East Anglia. The first stone church was constructed in the late 11th century under the patronage of William the Conqueror, with the present building's foundations laid during the reign of Henry III. Significant rebuilding occurred in the 14th century after a fire, funded by John of Gaunt, and the church was substantially enlarged in the 15th century by Richard Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick. It survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Thomas Cromwell due to its parochial status and was restored in the 19th century by the architect George Edmund Street under the direction of the Cambridge Camden Society. The church was designated a minster by Rowan Williams, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, in 2004.

Architecture

The structure is a prime example of late English Gothic architecture, predominantly in the Perpendicular Gothic style. The nave features an impressive hammerbeam roof constructed from English oak, similar to that of Westminster Hall. The exterior is dominated by a massive, square central tower topped with pinnacles and a distinctive battlemented parapet. Notable architectural elements include the ornate west door with its tympanum depicting the Coronation of the Virgin, the Lady chapel built in the Decorated Gothic style, and the chantry chapel of the Montagu family. The clere story windows and the flying buttresses supporting the chancel are particularly fine specimens of 15th-century engineering.

Stained glass

The minster possesses one of the most complete collections of Victorian stained glass in the region, largely installed during the 1860s restoration. The great east window was designed by the firm of Clayton and Bell and illustrates scenes from the Book of Revelation. The north transept window is a notable work by Charles Eamer Kempe commemorating the Crimean War, while the south aisle windows were created by William Morris's company, Morris & Co., with designs attributed to Edward Burne-Jones. A modern addition is the Millennium Window in the west wall, designed by artist John Piper and installed in 2000.

Burials and monuments

The minster contains numerous important effigies and memorial brasses. The most significant tomb is the alabaster monument to Sir Thomas de Herford, a standard-bearer for Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt. The Warwick Chapel houses the elaborate recumbent effigies of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, known as "the Kingmaker," and his wife Anne Beauchamp, 16th Countess of Warwick. Other notable memorials include a wall monument to Admiral Sir John Lawson, who served under Oliver Cromwell, and a floor slab marking the burial place of the Jacobean poet Michael Drayton.

Organ

The minster's organ is a historically significant instrument, with origins in a 17th-century organ built by Renatus Harris. It was rebuilt and enlarged in 1855 by the firm of Henry Willis "Father" Willis, and later modified by Harrison & Harrison in 1910. The organ case, a fine example of Victorian woodcarving, features pipes from the original Harris instrument. The organ is used for regular services, the annual Herford International Organ Festival, and has been played by renowned organists including John Scott and Thomas Trotter.

Bells

The tower houses a ring of twelve change-ringing bells, cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1906, with the tenor bell weighing approximately 25 hundredweight. The bells are rung for services, weddings, and by the Herford Minster Guild of Bellringers for practice and peal attempts. The oldest bell in the tower is a medieval sanctus bell, dated to around 1390, which is still rung before the Eucharist. The ring is considered one of the finest in the Diocese of London.

Category:Church of England church buildings in Middlesex Category:Minsters in England Category:Grade I listed churches in London Category:Herford