Church of St Mary, Rickmansworth

Church of St Mary in Rickmansworth is the parish church of a Hertfordshire town in the Three Rivers district, about 20 kilometres north-west of central London. It stands in Church Street on the southern side of the town centre, at coordinates 51.6368, -0.4678, and its flint tower is one of the oldest visible landmarks in the area.

What is the Church of St Mary and where is it?

St Mary's is an Anglican parish church in Rickmansworth, a town where the rivers Colne, Chess and Gade meet. The church sits on Church Street, close to the former railway station of the same name, and it has long been the focal point of the old part of town. In some sources it appears under the fuller name Church of St Mary the Virgin.

What does the building look like?

The most characteristic feature is the west tower, dated to 1630. It is built of flint with stone dressings and has an embattled (crenellated) top, which gives it a slightly fortified look. Flint is a typical building material in this part of southern England, so the tower fits neatly into the regional landscape.

The rest of the church is younger than the tower. A county inventory from 1910 records that the nave and body of the church were rebuilt in 1824, and that part of the building was reworked again in 1890. The result is a layered structure, in which the seventeenth-century tower rises above a Victorian-era church.

What is the history of the site?

A church has stood here for centuries, and the local history society of Rickmansworth records a dramatic episode from 1522, when an arson attack damaged the building. The fire destroyed the rood loft, the gallery that once carried a large crucifix across the church, consumed more than 200 pounds of wax, and left the font empty. The account shows how important the church was in everyday medieval life.

Near the church stands the Old Vicarage, believed to be the oldest surviving house in Rickmansworth, with origins around 1450. Together the two buildings preserve the memory of the town as it was before the railways and suburbs arrived.

What can visitors see inside?

A nineteenth-century gazetteer describes a large, well-kept church. It mentions a painted window, said to have come from a church in Rouen, France, and a memorial brass dated 1585. The same source lists monuments to the Duke of Monmouth and to local families including the Fotherleys, the Coltes and the Earles. Anyone interested in English church monuments and local genealogy will find plenty to read here.

How do I get there?

The church is easy to reach from London. Rickmansworth station, on the Metropolitan line and national rail routes, is a short walk away. The former Church Street station opened opposite the church in 1862 and served the canal-side sidings of the Grand Union Canal. Today the area is a pleasant starting point for a walk along the canal and the nearby river parks.

Frequently asked questions

When was the tower of St Mary's built? The west tower is dated 1630.

Was the church rebuilt? Yes. Most of it was rebuilt in 1824, and part was reworked again in 1890.

Is it the same as the Church of St Mary the Virgin? Yes, this is the fuller name used in some sources.

Is the church worth visiting? It suits visitors interested in English parish architecture, historic monuments and the story of a Hertfordshire market town. Opening hours vary, so check with the parish before a visit.

What else is nearby? The Old Vicarage, the Grand Union Canal and the town centre of Rickmansworth are all within walking distance.