Modern Britain

The Church of St Mary, Ware, is on the corner of Church Street and High Street. It is a spacious cruciform building with a battlement bell tower which is surmounted by a spire. There is evidence that a church may have existed here prior to Domesday Book which mentions a 'priest' living in the town. The church is also mentioned in a charter given by William I to Hugh de Grentmaisnil, granting permission to found a cell of the Benedictine Abbey of St Evroul of Normandy.

The west tower of four stages was built around 1330. During the fifteenth century the church was enlarged and beautified by Margaret Beaufort, countess of Richmond and mother of Henry VII. Overall it is regarded as a fine example of fourteenth and fifteenth century Perpendicular architecture and contains many items of historic interest. It was restored in 1847-49 by George Godwin, who renewed the stonework of many of the windows, and restored again in 1886.

Three photos on this page by P L Kessler, and one kindly contributed by Adam Swaine via the 'History Files: Churches of the British Isles' Flickr group.