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Abbots Langley St Lawrence Parish Church |
Abbots Langley Church [Picturesque
Hertfordshire]
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It shows the church of St. Lawrence. The oldest parts are the remains of 12th century Norman nave arcades with a 13th century tower: the roof, clerestory and the tower buttresses are of the 15th century. Corbels from which the roof rafters spring are carved to represent friars in various grotesque attitudes and there are medieval wall paintings (uncovered in 1935) on each side of the east window of the Corpus Christ! Chapel: one is of St.Lawrence, who was martyred by being roasted alive, holding a grid-iron. On the south aisle wall is a plaque commemorating Nicholas Breakspeare who was born at Bedmond and became, as Adrian IV, the only English Pope between 1154 and his death in 1159. The decorated font is of circa 1400 and near is a Table of Commandments. (Hertfordshire Churches) |
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Abbots Langley Church Interior |
By this time we should have arrived at the village, which occupies a pleasant position on high, well-wooded ground. The square, embattled tower of St. Lawrence's Church soon rises into view. We enter, and find an interesting structure, parts of which date back as far as the i2th century. It consists of a nave, aisles, clerestory, and a chancel with south aisle, where the windows, differing from those in other parts of the. Church, are in the Decorated style, the remainder being Perpendicular. Here in the nave are old brasses to Ralph Horwode. and family, i478. .and Thomas Cogdell and his two wives, 1607. Amongst the monuments deserving of notice is that to Lord Chief Justice Ravmond, who died in 1732. In one of the windows remains a fragment of old glass, representing St. Lawrence, the patron saint of the Church; and on the walls of the south chapel traces of old distemper paintings may be detected. (Watford and its surroundings, 1906)
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Abbots Langley Church
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A lych gate has been lately (1902) erected as a memorial to Her late Majesty, Queen Victoria. The register dates from 1538. The living is a discharged vicarage, net yearly value £61, with 3 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of E. Henry Lloyd esq. and held since 1893 by the Rev. Arthur Henry Parnell M.A. of Merton College, Oxford. A church room is now (1902) in course of erection, to seat about 300 persons. (Kelly's 1902). |
