St Mary's Church, Hitchin

dates from about 1470]] In 910 the church and its adjoining palace were burnt down and the monks left Hitchin for St Albans Abbey following which local people used stones from the ruined church to build a new parish church. In the Domesday Book of 1086 St Mary's is listed as the most important church in the Deanery of St. Albans. The church was partially destroyed during the 'Great Wind' of 1115 after which the nave had to be completely rebuilt; the church was struck by lightning in 1292 which caused great damage, while in 1298 the centre of the church collapsed as the result of an earthquake. Six years later in 1304, possibly weakened by the earthquake, the roof collapsed damaging…

Features surviving from the 15th century and of particular note are the baptismal font, which dates from about 1470 and around the base of which the figures of the Twelve Apostles were damaged by Puritan soldiers during the English Civil War when Oliver Cromwell garrisoned his troops in the church; the pulpit dates from about 1500 and no longer has its canopy, its ‘wine-glass‘ base or its clerk's desk. Modern features include the altar rail with its trademark mouse carved by Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson.