A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



spandrels ; the labels have stops carved with angels 

 holding shields. On the west side of the doorway 

 are the remains or a stoup. 



Under the communion table in the north chape] 

 is an old stone altar slab, discovered on the site of the 

 former church of St. Mary the Great in 1888 ; the 

 slab measures 3 ft. $ in. by 2 ft. 2 in. and is about 

 5 in. thick. It bears rive incised crosses, and in the 

 centre is a rectangular cavity about 3 in. by 2 in. 

 and 1 J in. deep, probably to contain relics. The 

 communion table in the chape! has twisted legs and 

 may be late 1 7th-century work. 



On the nave floor is a brass inscription to Bridget 

 Whitgifte, wife of Robert Collingwood, one of the 

 sons of Sir Cuthbert Collingwood, kt., i6tO. There 

 is a floor slab to Arthur Sparke, 1665, with arms. 



The church of ALL SJINTS was erected in 

 189; on the lite of the former church, which 

 was burnt down in 1891; it consists of chancel, 

 north organ chamber and vestry, south chapel, nave 

 with aisles, north transept and west tower. It is 

 built of squared Runcorn sandstone and has a tiled 

 roof. 



The old church consisted of chancel, nave, north 

 and sooth aisles, north and south transepts, and west 

 tower. 91 The only fittings which escaped destruction 

 were two brasses, now placed in the modern church. 

 In the north transept are the feet only of a man's 

 figure and inscription in Norman French to John 

 Hunger, master cook to (Catherine wife of Henry V, 

 1 + 35; tAC other is an inscription only to Thomas 

 Boole, 1456. 



' St. Jomm' 



There is a ring of eight bells : the first, second 

 and fourth of 1781, the fifth and eighth of 1797, 

 and the sixth and seventh of 1793, are all by John 

 Briant of Hertford ; the third is by Mean & 

 Stainbank, 1876. 



There is an early Spanish chalice and a paten given 

 by Canon Wigrim in 1S79, and an 18th-century 

 chalice and paten given by Mr. Charles Butler in 1 880. 

 The registers previous to 1 8 1 2 are as follows : 

 (i) baptisms 1560 to 1653, burials and marriages 

 I,6l to 1653 ; tii) baptisms 1653 to 1723, burials 

 1653 to 1721, marriages 1653 to 1724; (iii) 

 baptisms 1724 to 1791, burials 1724 to 1796, 

 marriages 1724. to 1753; (iiii) baptisms 1 791 to 

 181 1, burials 1797 to 1812 ; (iv) marriages 1755 to 

 1781 ; (v) marriages 17S2 to 1812. 





The bells were ten in number, the first and second 

 by John Briant of Hertford, 1791, and the remaining 

 eight by Pack & Chapman, 1771. They have been 

 recast by Mears & Stainbank. 



The communion plate cons T sts of flagon, dated 

 1680 j cup and cover paten, 1696; paten, 1715 ; 

 large paten without hall mark ; two chalices, 1874, 

 and two modern spoons. 



The registers previous to 1812 are as follows: 

 (1) baptism; 1,-59 *° "641, burials 1559 to 1648, 

 marriages 1560 to 1652 ; (ii) baptisms and burials 

 1653 to 1675, marriages 1653 to 1674; (iii) all 

 entries 167; to 1729; (i») baptisms and burials 



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