Historic churches · East of England
Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bletsoe
In or near Bletsoe.
Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bletsoe — Grade II* listed building-listed church in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
Michael Garlick — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 30 min–1 h
- Nearest railway station
- Bedford · 8.8 km
- Free entry
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Bletsoe, the nearest railway station is Bedford, located 8.8 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is MK44 1QB, and entry to the church is free.
About
Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bletsoe is a Grade II* listed building-listed church in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom, registered on the National Heritage List for England (NHLE entry 1158715). Listed status protects buildings and structures of special architectural or historic interest. See the linked Wikipedia article for further details.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Details BLETSOE THE AVENUE TL 05NW (East Side) 6/35 Church of St Mary the Virgin 13.7.64 - II* Medieval parish church, much restored in mid C19. Coursed limestone rubble. Irregular cruciform plan with central tower, whose form suggests Saxo-Norman origins, though details at top, corner gargoyles and double trefoiled lights in each side, are C14. The chancel is a C19 restoration of a C14 rebuilding. It has two arched tomb recesses and is derelict, being bricked off from the tower. The roofless vestry to the north is a C19 rebuilding. The north transept overlaps both tower and chancel: approached from the tower, it is a C19 renovation of the St John Chapel, and contains a wall memorial to Frances Countess Bolingbroke d. 1678. The south transept, C14 restored, is slightly askew to the axis of the tower. The aisleless nave, heavily restored but probably of late C13 origins, now contains the Sir John St John (d. 1559) memorial, moved in 1978 from the north transept. It is in alabaster and shows his family under a canopy supported by columns. There is a C19 rebuilt porch to the south of the nave, which has diagonal corner buttresses at its west end. The octagonal font is C15. Listing NGR: TL0234158330 Legacy The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system. Legacy System number: 36821 Legacy System: LBS
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Place summary
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is located in Bletsoe, within the West Midlands. This Grade II* listed building is noted for its architectural significance, reflecting historical styles and craftsmanship.
AI-generated from the structured facts on this page (operator, designation, listing, era). Not a substitute for visiting.
- Coordinates
- 52.2137, -0.5035
- District
- Bedford
- Parish
- Bletsoe
- Postcode
- MK44 1QB
- Parliamentary constituency
- North Bedfordshire
- Nearest railway station
- Bedford — 8.8 km
Sources
- wikidata: Q17533056 (CC0)
Other places nearby
Bridge Over Bletsoe Castle Moat
Historic bridges · 0.1 km
Bletsoe
Towns & cities · 0.1 km
Bletsoe Castle
Castles · 0.2 km
Mill Theatre
Theatres · 1.4 km
Sharnbrook Mill Theatre
Open-air theatres · 1.4 km
Radwell Bridge
Historic bridges · 2.1 km
Church of All Saints, Milton Ernest
Historic churches · 2.2 km
Milton Ernest
Villages · 2.4 km
Thurleigh
Windmills · 2.4 km
Ouse Manor
Manor houses · 2.5 km
Bletsoe Castle
Castles · 2.5 km
RAE Bedford
Museums · 2.7 km
Nearby
📷 3Historic bridges · East of England
Bridge Over Bletsoe Castle Moat
Bridge Over Bletsoe Castle Moat — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
📷 5Towns & cities · East of England
Bletsoe
Bletsoe — village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, UK.
📷 3Castles · East of England
Bletsoe Castle
Bletsoe Castle — castle in Bletsoe, Bedfordshire, England, UK.
📷 4Theatres · East of England
Mill Theatre
Mill Theatre is a theatre in the United Kingdom.
📷 5Open-air theatres · East of England
Sharnbrook Mill Theatre
Sharnbrook Mill Theatre — a open-air theatre in england west midlands.
📷 3Historic bridges · East of England
Radwell Bridge
Radwell Bridge — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bletsoe
Places to stay
📷 5📷 2
📷 5
📷 5Campsites · East of England
Top End Farm Campsite
Top End Farm Campsite — a campsite in england london.
📷 7Places to eat & drink
📷 5Historic pubs · East of England
Ye Olde Plough Public House
Ye Olde Plough Public House in England East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · East of England
Oakley Arms Public House
Oakley Arms Public House in England East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · East of England
Three Cranes Public House
Three Cranes Public House in England East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · East of England
The Half Moon Public House
The Half Moon Public House in England East, United Kingdom.
📷 7Historic pubs · East Midlands
South Wing Of Nags Head Public House
South Wing Of Nags Head Public House in England East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · East of England
The Anchor Public House
The Anchor Public House in England East, United Kingdom.
More places in this region
📷 5Historic churches · East of England
All Saints Church
All Saints Church — church on Jesus Lane in central Cambridge, England.
📷 5Historic churches · East of England
All Saints Church, Conington
All Saints Church, Conington — church in Conington, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire, England, UK.
📷 5Historic churches · East of England
All Saints Church, Vange
All Saints Church, Vange — church in Basildon, Essex, England, UK.
📷 5Historic churches · East of England
All Saints Parish Church, Kirtling
All Saints Parish Church, Kirtling — church in East Cambridgeshire, England, UK.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bletsoe?
- Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bletsoe is in the West Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode MK44 1QB), in the parish of Bletsoe.
- What is Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bletsoe?
- Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bletsoe — Grade II* listed building-listed church in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bletsoe?
- The nearest railway station is Bedford, about 8.8 km away. Drivers can use postcode MK44 1QB.
- Is Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bletsoe a listed building?
- Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bletsoe is officially recognised as Grade II* listed building listed.
- Is Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bletsoe free to visit?
- Yes, Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bletsoe is free to enter.
- How do I get to Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bletsoe?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode MK44 1QB. It sits within the North Bedfordshire parliamentary constituency.