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HistoryThe origins of St Mary's are lost in time, but it is probable that by the late 9th century a wooden Saxon church existed here. The first stone church may well have been built in the reign of Edward the Confessor; there is mention of a church in the Domesday Book (1086). The present building was largely the work of the
later 14th century, following on the arrival in Beddington of St
Nicholas Carew in the 1350s. He united the two manors which had existed since
Saxon times, and for the next five centuries the church and the village were
closely connected with the fortunes of the Carew family. Apart from stylistic changes at the time of the
Reformation, and the creation of galleries in the 18th century, the
fabric of the church was hardly touched until the 19th century, by which time it
had fallen into some disrepair. Between 1829 and 1869, a number of significant
structural changes took place, including repairs to the tower, the addition of
the Nicholas or north chapel, the vestries and the internal decorative work. May 2004: click here for information on the restoration of the brass of Roger Elmebrygge, Esq. July 2004: click here for information on the visit by Lucinda Lambton to St Mary's for the Sublime Suburbia series on ITV. Click here for further information from the Sutton Heritage Service Rectors of St Mary's Church, BeddingtonFollow the links below...
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