I was half expecting the parish church of St Neot's to be named after the town's namesake Saint, but discovered that he was actually patron of the long-disappeared Priory, which was situated north west of the Market Square. Instead, the town's impressive church is named more conventionally, if less colourfully, after St Mary the Virgin.
The church dates back at least as far as the 12th Century, a lancet window in the chancel being of late 12th or early 13th century date. But the building we see now is largely the result of a major rebuilding in the 15th century, in the Perpendicular Gothic style; indeed, it is one of the largest late mediaeval churches in the county.
The rebuilt chancel, with the nave, aisles and chapels were complete by 1486, and the porches added by 1489. The impressive, heavily buttressed tower, adorned with a fine set of pinnacles, was finished by 1535. Standing 135ft high, this is a major local landmark, and reminds me of the fine Perpendicular towers of my native counri of Somerset.
The interior has a nave of five bays of slender Perpendicular piers, as well as an extraordinarily tall tower arch. The roofs of the nave, aisles and chapels are original, and include carvings of angels and animals, including a mermaid, lions, camels, birds, a hare, a dog and an elephant. The church also retains several early 16th century screens at the west end of the aisles, and between the chapels and the chancel. The rather crude octagonal font is thought to be from the 12th Century. Most of the remaining woodwork is Victorian, but the choir has three stalls with carved misericords of late 15th or early 16th century origin, brought from Milton Ernest in Bedfordshire.
Despite these riches, perhaps the star of its show is a complete scheme of Victorian glass, depicting scenes from the life of Christ, from his birth to the Ascension. Each of the scenes takes advantage of the large windows, with lively details. These are mostly by Hardman & Co, with some by Clayton & Bell. Of exceptional quality, three of the windows were sent to the Parish Exhibition in 1867 and one to the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876.
For a large town church of its age, it is peculiarly devoid of monuments, with the notable exception of the huge memorial in the chancel to G W Rowley and his wife (d. 1886). Rising 30ft, this is a forest of statuary, niches, canopies and pinnacles. Mrs Rowley's effigy is hidden behind an equally elaborate wrought iron screen, now heavily gilded.
The church has regular eucharists and a monthly family service, as well as occasional concerts.
St Mary the Virgin, Church St, St Neots, PE19 2BU
