Church of St Mary
CHURCH OF ST MARY, HIGH STREET
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1126396
- Date first listed:
- 19-Aug-1959
- List Entry Name:
- Church of St Mary
- Statutory Address:
- CHURCH OF ST MARY, HIGH STREET
Location
Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places.
Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions .
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.
What is the National Heritage List for England?
The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.
The list includes:
| Buildings |
| Scheduled monuments |
| Parks and gardens |
| Battlefields |
| Shipwrecks |
Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2006-05-02
- Reference:
- IOE01/15488/20
- Rights:
- © Mr Peter Tree. Source: Historic England Archive
Local Heritage Hub
Unlock and explore hidden histories, aerial photography, and listed buildings and places for every county, district, city and major town across England.
Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1126396
- Date first listed:
- 19-Aug-1959
- List Entry Name:
- Church of St Mary
- Statutory Address 1:
- CHURCH OF ST MARY, HIGH STREET
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- CHURCH OF ST MARY, HIGH STREET
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Cambridgeshire
- District:
- East Cambridgeshire (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Burwell
- National Grid Reference:
- TL 58958 66063
Details
TL 5866 TL 5966 BURWELL HIGH STREET
(West Side)
15/21 16/21 CHURCH OF ST MARY
19.8.59
GV I
Parish Church, very fine, Perpendicular, believed to be the work
of Reginald Ely, master mason of King's College Chapel
Cambridge. Built while John Higham was vicar 1439-67;
inscription above chancel arch 1464 for the completion of the
nave roof. The early C12 tower rebuilt above first two stages
with C15 third stage and octagon; western end of C14 south aisle
survives in part with C15 vestry or treasury. Spirlet above
lantern to the tower dated 1799. Several C19 restorations, one
in 1862 by Mr Edlin, another by George Street in 1877. Walls of
field stones, flint and rubble with limestone dressings. Some
re-used Barnack stone; interior of clunch. Roofs covered with
lead; plain tiles to porches. The church is noteworthy for its
very fine proportions and richly carved ornament to chancel and
to the roofs of the nave, chancel and aisles (For complete
architectural description and fittings see RCHM North-East
Cambs. with measured drawings and plates). Wall painting of St
Christopher, fresco originally covered in 1649. Three brass
floor monuments and indents include a palimpsest brass possibly
of John Laurence de Wardboys, Abbot of Ramsey 1508 to 1539.
d.1542. Wall monument of painted clunch with two kneeling
figures to Thomas Gerard and his wife 1608. Canopied tomb chest
to Lee Cotton 1613 with figure in armour. Stalls in chancel
with some re-used C15 tracery, and pews 1860; chancel screen
C15 restored by Mr Allix of Swaffham Prior 1877; mosaic panels
inserted into reredos 1877; pulpit 1885; rose window reglazed
1885; oak screens across tower and vestry arches 1887; brass
lecturn with eagle book rest 1901; memorial windows in north
and south aisles by Hugh Eaton 1905 and 1934. Coffin stand
possibly late C17. Scratch-sundial medieval, re-used.
RCHM, North-East Cambs. p.18-25, plates 25-33, 1972
Pevsner Buildings of England, pp.310-12
Cole Ms C.R.O.
Sayer, W. Notes on Burwell Church C.C. (Cambridge Collection)
Gathercole, A.F. Burwell and its Church. 1972
Lewis J. Scratch sundial, 1980. C.C.
Lucas C. Fenman's World. 1930
Taylor C. Cambridgeshire Landscape, p.156, 1973
Listing NGR: TL5895866063
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 48937
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Gathercole, A F, Burwell and its Church, (1972)
Lucas, C, The Fenmans World, (1928)
Taylor, C, Cambridgeshire Landscape, (1973), 156
Lewis, J, Scratch Sundial, (1980)
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Cambridgeshire, (1970), 310-312
Other
Sayer, W , Notes on Burwell Church,
An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Cambridgeshire North East, (1972)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 06-Jun-2026 at 18:00:01.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.