St George's Church is a Grade I listed building in Stamford, Lincolnshire, England.
History A major benefactor of the church was William Bruges (1375–1450), the first Garter King of Arms who is buried in the church. St George's claims to be the original church of the Order of the Garter. Originally the chancel contained a series of seven windows containing portraits of the Knights of the Garter, but little remains apart from a collection of garter panes in the north chancel window and a few fragments in the south window including the centre panes of St Catherine and St Anne. The roof of the chancel with decorative angels was also the gift of Bruges. The central angels on each side carry on their shields the "Signs of the Passion", the pierced heart, and wounded hands and feet of Christ.
There are numerous memorial tablets adorning the inside of the church including one commemorating Tobie Norris (d. 1626) after whom a Stamford pub is named, Sir Richard Cust, 2nd Baronet, and Blanche, Lady Wake (d. 1379). In the south aisle, there is a Hugh Arnold stained glass window (1909) to the memory of architect John Charles Traylen.
The church's tower was probably built in the early 13th century when the first rector was ordained and is mostly original except for the top section, which was rebuilt in the 17th century. The nave has some of the original 13th-century columns as well as 14th- and 15th-century expansions. The interior of the church was subject to Victorian restoration when pews were removed, a new pulpit built, and the floor was re-laid.
In 1949 Bowman & Sons supplied a George & Dragon figure by Mahomet Thomas Phillips for the church's Second World War memorial.
Rectory
The Rectory is located at 16, St George's Square. Dating from 1881, it was designed by Edward Browning.
Incumbents Name Date Robert Peck 1225 Thomas De Gerund 1226 Ralph De Stok 1229 Philip De Riston 1288 John De Ferriby 1301 Richard De Dunham 1340 Hugh De Oundle 1346 William Bolle 1349 Robert De Linton 1350 John De Thursby 1382 Simon De Langton 1383 William Parkyn 1396 Roger De Oversby 1402 William Dunston 1422 Robert Corby 1432 Rochard Bloston 1433 William Barton 1444 Robert Falys 1449 Thomas Carleton 1454 Richard Warmoth 1472 Thomas Jens 1499 John Forster 1504 Roger Saulle 1516 David Smyth 1526 Hugh Treton 1539 Hugh Bytton 1551 William Stafford 1554 Richard Snawdon 1602 George Moodle 1604 Simon Read1606 Henry Cooke1627 Matthew Greaves1651 Richard Holland1680 Richard Vaughan1691 Thomas Harrison1722 Ralph Bridmore1737 Micheal Tyson1743 Richard Arthur Knowles1753 Samuel Hunt1786 Henry Atlay1814 Charles Atlay1823 William Henry Charleton1840 Edmund May1848 Henry Bailey Browning1862 James Frederick Camm1890 Alfred Joseph Bull1914 Sydney Herbert Wenham1922 George Henry Seeley1925 William Arthur Rees-Jones1932 Ernest Saunders1950 Joseph Ormston1971 Kim Swithinbank1990 Martyn Taylor2003 Martyn Taylor, the current rector, served as curate at the church between 1996 and 2003 before becoming rector.
Source: Commemorative plaque on the church wall
References
External links
St George's Church Website