Church Heritage Record 614351

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East Hatley: St Denis

Name:

This is the church’s legal name as given by the Church Commissioners.

East Hatley: St Denis
Record Type:

A classification of the current status of the building

Friendless Church
Church code:

This is a unique identification number supplied to each church building by the Church Commissioners.

614351
Diocese:

Name of diocese in which the church building is located at the time of entry.

Ely
Archdeaconry:

Name of archdeaconry in which the church building is located at the time of entry

Huntingdon & wisbech
Parish:

This is the legal name of the parish as given by the Church Commissioners.

Gamlingay with Hatley St. George and East Hatley

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Statutory Designation Information

Listed Building?

The decision to put a church building on the National Heritage List for England and assign it a listing grade is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The decision is normally based on recommendations made by Historic England, the government’s adviser on the historic environment.

This is a Grade II* Listed Building
View more information about this Listed Building on the National Heritage List for England web site
Scheduled Monument?

The decision to schedule a feature (building, monument, archaeological remains, etc.) located within the church building’s precinct or churchyard is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The decision is based on recommendations made by Historic England, the government’s adviser on cultural heritage.

There is no Scheduled Monument within the curtilage or precinct

National Park

National Parks are areas of countryside that include villages and towns, which are protected because of their beautiful countryside, wildlife and cultural heritage. In England, National Parks are designated by Natural England, the government’s advisor on the natural environment.

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Conservation Area

Conservation areas are places of special architectural or historic interest where it is desirable to preserve and enhance the character and appearance of such areas. Conservation Areas are designated by the Local Council.

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Heritage At Risk Status

On Heritage At Risk Register?

The Heritage at Risk programme is run and managed by Historic England, the government’s advisor on cultural heritage. It aims to protect and manage the historic environment, so that the number of ‘at risk’ historic places and sites across England are reduced.

This church is not on the Heritage at Risk Register
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Approximate Date

Approximate Date:

Selecting a single date for the construction of a church building can sometimes be very difficult as most CoE buildings have seen many phases of development over time. The CHR allows you to record a time period rather than a specific date.

The CHR records the time period for the building’s predominant fabric as opposed to the date of the earliest fabric or the church’s foundation date.

Medieval

Exterior Image

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Summary Description

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A simple two-cell building without a tower but only a bell-cote on the west gable of the nave which is supported upon two buttresses placed close together and rising to an arch at the gable head. These flank the single light which forms a west window which has a cinquefoiled head, the cusping of an unusual design.

Visiting and Facilities

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The church is closed for worship.
Date closed for worship:
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Church Website

Church Website:

www.holytrinitylyonsdown.org.uk

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Sources and Further Information

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James Miles (2020) Friends of Friendless churches https://friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/east-hatley/ [Digital Archive/Index]
A link to the Friends of Friendless churches webpage

If you notice any errors with the below outlines of your connected churchyards, please email heritageonline@churchofengland.org with the corrections needed.

This could include information on new churchyards, edits to the boundaries shown, or different land characteristics. 

We are working on adding the consecrated land found within local authority cemeteries, and in time, this data will be shown on the map.

Grid Reference: TL 285 505

To zoom into an area hold the SHIFT key down then click and drag a rectangle.

Administrative Area

County:

The administrative area within which the church is located.

Cambridgeshire County

Location and Setting

This field describes the setting of the church building, i.e. the surroundings in which the church building is experienced, and whether or not it makes a positive or negative contribution to the significance of the building.

East Hatley lies just to the east of Hatley St. George and Hatley Park on the Bedfordshire border about three miles east of Gamlingay and about 12 miles west of Cambridge.

Church Plan

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Ground Plan Description and Dimensions

Ground Plan

Provide as written description of the ground plan of the church building and well as its dimensions.

Aisleless nave with west bell-cote and south porch; chancel with north vestry.

Dimensions

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Footprint of Church buildings (m2):

Small (<199m2)

Medium (200-599m2)

Large (600m-999m2)

Very Large (>1000m2)

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Description of Archaeology and History

This field aims to record the archaeological potential of the wider area around the building and churchyard, as well as the history of site.

The nave is basically thirteenth-century; it was restored and the chancel was entirely rebuilt by William Butterfield in 1874.

Exterior Description

This field aims to record a written description of the exterior of the church building and the churchyard.

A simple two-cell building without a tower but only a bell-cote on the west gable of the nave which is supported upon two buttresses placed close together and rising to an arch at the gable head. These flank the single light which forms a west window which has a cinquefoiled head, the cusping of an unusual design. The north and south walls each have three windows, the two western ones being single lancets with cinquefoiled or trefoiled heads and the eastern pair being two-light openings with a quatrefoil in the head. The doorway in the south wall is placed between the two lancets and there was formerly a similar doorway in the north wall until this was blocked in 1874. The south porch has a cross-gable and diagonal buttresses, the opening having double chamfers and being closed by an iron grille. The inner doorway has two continuous wave-moulded orders separated by a three-quarter hollow. Above the outer doorway is a small two-light aperture with a quatrefoil above which may be a window re-used from elsewhere since it does not seem to belong here. Above the inner doorway is a carved shield of arms within a Baroque cartouche depicting the arms of Downing impaling Howard and a stone tablet with the date 1673.

The chancel was entirely rebuilt and extended eastwards by Butterfield and has two two-light windows in the south wall and one in the north, the rest of the north wall being covered by the small vestry under a pent roof. The east window is of three lights with geometric tracery of two quatrefoils and a trefoil. 

Architects, Artists and Associated People/Organisations

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Building Fabric and Features

This field is an index of the building and its major components

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STAINED GLASS

Building Materials

This field is an index of the building’s material composition

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Interior Image

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Interior Description

This field aims to record a written description of the interior of the church building.

The walls are plastered with the stonework round the windows and doorways left exposed. Of architectural features in the nave all that need be noted are the blocked north doorway, the fine, simply designed roof of Butterfield's restoration of three bays with king-posts and four-way struts and the chancel arch, of two chamfered orders on semi-octagonal responds with moulded capitals. At each side are arched recesses, reset, of similar shape but not identical, both with cusped ogee heads and hollow-chamfered jambs. Behind the pulpit is a piscina, entirely renewed and possibly Butterfield's design rather than mediaeval, with a steeply pitched gablet and cusping which is taken from the design of the west window. The right side of the base has an octofoil drain, and there is an identical piscina on the south side under the eastern window.

The chancel internally as externally is all by Butterfield. The floor has been much vandalised and this has revealed a large roughly squared stone set well below the level of the Victorian floor which may be part of the earlier building. 

The walls are plastered and whitewashed and are decorated with a reticulated design of dull red tiles one and a half inches wide. The roof is of two bays with an arch brace in the middle. That part to the west is of open scissor-braced construction while the eastern bay is panelled and plastered to form a ceilure over the sanctuary. The reredos, which is of stone with tile panels, is built into the east wall below the window. The south window in the sanctuary comes down low to form sedilia and a piscina has been contrived within the left jamb behind a colonette. All the dressings in the chancel are of yollow Bath stone. The east window of the small vestry is provided with a circular drain in the stone sill. A recess in the north wall of the chancel behind the former position of the stalls may be connected with a low-side window.

Internal Fixtures and Fittings

This field is an index of the building’s internal, architectural components. This includes its internal spaces and those areas’ fixtures and fittings (building components which are securely fixed to the church or cathedral).

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FONT (OBJECT)
PULPIT
REREDOS (1874)

Portable Furnishings and Artworks

This field is an index of the building’s movable, non-fixed furnishings and artworks.

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If you notice any errors with the below outlines of your connected churchyards, please email heritageonline@churchofengland.org with the corrections needed.

This could include information on new churchyards, edits to the boundaries shown, or different land characteristics. 

We are working on adding the consecrated land found within local authority cemeteries, and in time, this data will be shown on the map.

Grid Reference: TL 285 505

To zoom into an area hold the SHIFT key down then click and drag a rectangle.

Ecology

This field aims to record a description of the ecology of the churchyard and surrounding setting.

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Ecological Designations

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The everyday wildlife of burial grounds means much to those who visit and cherish them but many burial grounds are so rich in wildlife that they should be designated and specially protected. Few have the legal protection of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or, in the case of local authority owned cemeteries, Local Nature Reserve. This makes it even more important that they are cared for and protected by the people looking after them.

Many have a non-statutory designation as a recognition of their importance. These non-statutory designations have a variety of names in different regions including Local Wildlife Site, County Wildlife Site, Site of Importance for Nature Conservation or Site of Nature Conservation Importance (Local Wildlife Site is the most common name). Their selection is based on records of the most important, distinctive and threatened species and habitats within a national, regional and local context. This makes them some of our most valuable wildlife areas.

For example, many burial grounds which are designated as Local Wildlife Sites contain species-rich meadow, rich in wildflowers, native grasses and grassland fungi managed by only occasional mowing plus raking. When this is the case, many animals may be present too, insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. This type of grassland was once widespread and has been almost entirely lost from the UK with approximately 3% remaining, so burial grounds with species-rich meadow managed in this way are extremely important for wildlife.

These designations should be considered when planning management or change.

If you think that this or any other burial ground should be designated please contact Caring for God’s Acre (info@cfga.org.uk) to discuss. Many eligible sites have not yet received a designation and can be surveyed and then submitted for consideration.

There are no SSSIs within the curtilage of this Friendless Church.

Designation TypeName  
Local Wildlife site Cambridgeshire Wildlife Trust View more
Local nature reserve St Denis Church View more

Evidence of the Presence of Bats

This field aims to record any evidence of the presence of bats in the church building or churchyard.

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Burial and War Grave Information

This field records basic information about the presence of a churchyard and its use as a burial ground.

It is unknown whether the church or churchyard is consecrated. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard is closed for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves. Work in progress - can you help?

National Heritage List for England Designations

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There are no Listed Buildings within the curtilage of this Friendless Church.

There are no Scheduled Monuments within the curtilage of this Friendless Church.

Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees

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Churchyards are home to fantastic trees, in particular ancient and veteran trees which can be the oldest indication of a sacred space and be features of extraordinary individuality. The UK holds a globally important population of ancient and veteran yew trees of which three-quarters are found in the churchyards of England and Wales.

There are more than 1,000 ancient and veteran yews aged at least 500 years in these churchyards.

To put this in context, the only other part of western Europe with a known significant yew population is Normandy in northern France, where more than 100 ancient or veteran churchyard yews have been recorded.

Burial grounds may contain veteran and ancient trees of other species such as sweet chestnut or small-leaved lime which, whilst maybe not so old as the yews, are still important for wildlife and may be home to many other species.

Specialist advice is needed when managing these wonderful trees. For more information or to seek advice please contact Caring for God’s Acre, The Ancient Yew Group and The Woodland Trust.

If you know of an ancient or veteran tree in a burial ground that is not listed here please contact Caring for God’s Acre.

There are currently no Ancient, Veteran or Notable trees connected to this Friendless Church

Churchyard Structures

This field is an index of the churchyard’s components.

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Significance

Setting Significance Level:

Significance is the whole set of reasons why people value a church, whether as a place for worship and mission, as an historic building that is part of the national heritage, as a focus for the local community, as a familiar landmark or for any other reasons.

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Setting Significance Description:
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Fabric Significance Level:
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Fabric Significance Description:
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Interior Significance Level:
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Interior Significance Description:
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Community Significance Level:
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Community Significance Description:
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Church Renewables

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Species Summary

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All of the species listed below have been recorded in close proximity to the Friendless Church . A few species which are particularly threatened and affected by disturbance may not be listed here because their exact location cannot be shared.

NOTE: Be aware that this dataset is growing, and the species totals may change once the National Biodiversity Network has added further records. Species may be present but not recorded and still await discovery.

CategoryTotal species recorded to date
TOTAL NUMBER OF SPECIES RECORDED 0
Total number of animal species 0
Total number of plant species 0
Total number of mammal species 0
Total number of birds 0
Total number of amphibian and reptile species 0
Total number of invertebrate species 0
Total number of fungi species 0
Total number of mosses and liverworts (bryophytes) 0
Total number of ferns 0
Total number of flowering plants 0
Total number of Gymnosperm and Ginkgo 0

Caring for God’s Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.

To learn more about all of the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.

‘Seek Advice’ Species

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If any of the following species have been seen close to the Friendless Church, it is important to seek advice from an expert. You will need to know if they are present now, and to follow expert recommendations when planning works. All of these species have specific legal protection as a recognition of their rarity. All of them are rare or becoming increasingly endangered, so it is important to ensure that management and other works do not adversely affect them. In addition, there may be things you can do to help these special species. N.B. Swift and House Martin do not have specific legal protection but are included, as roof repair works often impact breeding swifts and house martins which is against the law.

This is not a complete list of protected species, there are many more, but these are ones that are more likely to be found. All wild birds, their nests and eggs are also protected by law, as are all bats and veteran trees. In a few cases, species are considered particularly prone to disturbance or destruction by people, so the exact location of where they were recorded is not publicly available but can be requested. These ‘blurred’ records are included here, and the accuracy is to 1km. This means that the species has been recorded in close proximity to the Friendless Church, or a maximum of 1km away from it. As these ‘blurred’ species are quite mobile, there is a strong likelihood that they can occur close to the Friendless Church. To learn about these special species, use the link provided for each species in the table below

One important species which is not included here is the Peregrine Falcon. This is protected and advice should be sought if peregrines are nesting on a church or cathedral. Peregrine records are ‘blurred’ to 10km, hence the decision not to include records here. Remember too that species not seriously threatened nationally may still be at risk in your region and be sensitive to works. You should check with local experts about this. You may also need to seek advice about invasive species, such as Japanese knotweed and aquatics colonising streams or pools, which can spread in churchyards.

N.B. If a species is not recorded this does not indicate absence. It is always good practice to survey.

No species data found for this record

Caring for God’s Acre can help and support you in looking after the biodiversity present in this special place. If you know that any of these species occur close to the Friendless Church and are not recorded here, please contact Caring for God’s Acre with details (info@cfga.org.uk).

To find out more about these and other species recorded against this Friendless Church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas.

The church was the centre of many people’s lives and remains a guide to their cares and concerns. Glimpses into those lives have often come down to us in the stories we heard as children or old photographs discovered in tattered shoe boxes. Perhaps your ancestors even made it into local legend following some fantastic event? You can choose to share those memories with others and record them for future generations on this Forum.

Tell us the story of this building through the lives of those who experienced it. Tell us why this church is important to you and your community.

Upload your photographs, share your videos, or compose your story below using a Facebook, Twitter, Google or Disqus account.

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WhoActionWhen
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Summary DescriptionFri 17 Feb 2023 13:51:24
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Approximate DateFri 17 Feb 2023 13:51:17
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeFri 17 Feb 2023 13:50:58
Oliver LackAdded interior feature typeFri 17 Feb 2023 13:50:02
Oliver LackAdded interior feature typeFri 17 Feb 2023 13:49:33
Oliver LackAdded interior feature typeFri 17 Feb 2023 13:49:17
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Interior DescriptionFri 17 Feb 2023 13:48:49
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Exterior DescriptionFri 17 Feb 2023 13:47:16
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Ground Plan Description and DimensionsFri 17 Feb 2023 13:45:09
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Archaeology and History DescriptionFri 17 Feb 2023 13:44:54
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