Scattered Gold

Just a few little nuggets of history waiting to be discovered by those who care to investigate England's village churches. Some of these buildings are grand and justly famous while others are more modest and consequently unappreciated by many.

While I was struggling through the undergrowth to find the hidden holy well next to the vanished church, St Helen's Oratory, recently, I started thinking whether I knew of any existing churches which stand near to holy wells. I could only think of two near to my home. One of them was easy as it's in the village of Holywell - bit of a giveaway that - while the other is St Michael's church in Longstanton.

St Michael's is a rather quaint old building with a thatched roof but is no longer used for services as there is a much larger church just down the road (more of that later). I would have liked to have peeped inside but unfortunately the key-holder had just gone out so that will have to wait for another day. But the well is of course outside...

And here it is. It stands just inside the churchyard and used to be used for baptisms apparently. 

There's a neat little cross-shaped window and lots of ferns growing though I couldn't see any actual water. Lets move on....

...to the rather grander All Saints church, standing in the winter sunshine, just a short walk along the village street. One of the highlights here is the memorial to Sir Thomas Hatton, who died in 1658, and his wife Lady Mary. Sir Thomas was an MP and for a time the Ambassador to France.

The whole thing is beautifully carved and it's a surprise to learn, from a small plaque at the base of the tomb, that it was discovered damaged and neglected by descendants of the family who paid to have it restored.

The clothes are very ornate and particularly well detailed and defined. Not only Sir Thomas and Lady Mary are depicted; at their feet lie their favourite dogs and around the base are their six children.

There's also an impressive stained-glass window commemorating the RAF Seventh Squadron, Bomber Command, who operated out of nearby Oakington airfield during WWII.

And it's at Oakington church that we find our next curiosity...

It's a fine church to find in such a small village with picturesque cottages standing opposite.

But the really fascinating feature is not in the church or even in the churchyard. Through two little gates and along a narrow zigzag path you find three historic graves.

Here, side by side, lie three non-conformist Congregationalist vicars from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The seventeenth century was a time when many different ideas about how to worship were being discussed and practised. Cambridgeshire became a hotbed of non-conformism and this was countered by forcing the ministers to swear an oath of allegiance to the church. Those who didn't were thrown out of their livings and had to preach secretly in the woods. Many were also put in prison but, as the gaolers were often dissenters too, they were sometimes let out of gaol so they could preach. When they died they were buried in unconsecrated ground.

The three interred here, Rev Francis Holcroft, Rev James Oddy and Rev Henry Osland, were active throughout the county and founded thirty new churches despite the persecution that they suffered. Rev Oddy began his career in my home village of Meldreth.


Take care.