St Mary the Great Cambridge

St Mary the Great (University Church), Cambridge

History of St Mary the Great

Great St Mary’s stands at the centre of Cambridge as the University Church, occupying a shared civic and academic space. Its dual role reflects the close—and sometimes contested—relationship between town and university life.

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Listed Building

Early C14 chancel. Nave and aisles begun 1478 but not completed until c.1520. W tower begun 1491 but not completed until 1606. Aisle galleries added 1735. Restored by James Essex 1766, and again in 1850-1 by Gilbert Scott with further work by Anthony Salvin in 1857. S porch rebuilt 1888. Some C20 restoration.

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Great St Mary’s Church stands at the very heart of Cambridge, overlooking Market Square and facing the Senate House of the University of Cambridge. For centuries it has served both as the parish church for the town centre and as the University Church, witnessing some of the most significant events in the religious, intellectual and civic history of England. Its commanding tower has become one of Cambridge’s most recognisable landmarks, offering panoramic views across the colleges, while the church itself has been a place of worship, public debate and academic ceremony since the Middle Ages.

Although the site has Saxon origins, the present church was largely rebuilt in the late fifteenth century in the Perpendicular Gothic style. The spacious nave is characterised by soaring arcades, a magnificent clerestory and an elegant timber roof whose richly carved bosses rank among the finest in Cambridgeshire. The light-filled interior reflects the confidence and prosperity of medieval Cambridge at a time when the University was becoming one of Europe’s leading centres of learning.

Among the church’s most striking modern additions is the impressive Majestas reredos, carved by Alan Durst in the twentieth century. Depicting Christ in Majesty surrounded by saints and symbolic figures, it provides a dramatic focal point behind the high altar while harmonising with the medieval architecture. Elsewhere, visitors can admire an historic parish chest, fine memorials and carefully restored furnishings that reflect the church’s long and varied history.

Great St Mary’s has played a central role in many of England’s religious transformations. During the Reformation, sermons preached here influenced the spread of Protestant ideas, while leading figures including Hugh Latimer, Thomas Cranmer and later university preachers addressed congregations from its pulpit. The church has continued this tradition of thoughtful public engagement, serving as a meeting place where faith, scholarship and civic life intersect.

Today Great St Mary’s remains both the parish church of central Cambridge and the University’s church, welcoming worshippers, students, visitors and tourists from around the world. Its outstanding architecture, rich historical associations and continuing role at the centre of university and city life make it one of Cambridgeshire’s most important and best-loved churches.

Reference: based on the description of Great St Mary’s in Simon Jenkins, England’s Thousand Best Churches, with additional architectural and historical context.

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General information about this church can be found on Wikipedia. Particular features of the church are its bells, and its two organs. Martin Bucer (1491-1551), Protestant reformer is buried there.

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The bells of St Mary the Great, recorded 9am 17th November 2024

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1564 Visit of Queen Elizabeth I.

http://cambridgehistorian.blogspot.com/2012/12/queen-elizabeth-is-visit-to-cambridge.html

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1608

The tower was built nearly a century after the completion of the rest of the church during the Wardenship of John Warren. He fell to death from the summit of the tower on its completion.

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1733 Memorial to William Finch

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1794

The chimes of Great St Mary’s were first played. Traditionally ascribed to William Crotch, they are taken from Handel’s Messiah. Crotch came to Cambridge to study in 1783. However, some attribute the composition of the chimes to Dr Jowett, Regius professor Law. (See Leaflets of Local Lore, Urbs Camboritum)

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28/5/1898 There was but little crush as the stream of mourners poured from all quarters of the town into Great St Mary’s Church for the Memorial Service to Mr Gladstone. A subdued calm seem to fall like a veil over the centre of Cambridge as the bell tolled forth its tail of loss to the nation, and a hush, as it were, of the chamber of death seemed even to spread itself over the busy market place. Quietly the people filed into the Church and stepped into the first empty pew; none stopping to haggle for a seat. Even as the doors were being closed, as the last bars of the echoing National Anthem waned to science, latecomers yet found room in one or other of the galleries, and no one was turned from the Church (Cam.News)

24/11/1898 Great crowds had been assembling outside Great St Mary’s and the railings before the Senate House with the exception of a pathway of about five yards which the police were endeavouring to keep clear for those attending the honorary degree ceremony for Lord Kitchener. It was evidence that the constables were having hard work in keeping the crowds from encroaching. At length the looked-for rush took place and such was the force that the police were quite powerless to check it. A general scramble to get upon the railings ensued when without the slightest warning the railings suddenly gave way and fell outwards carrying many unfortunate persons to the ground with them. The solidity of this great piece of ironwork is well known and it is wonderful that more were not seriously injured. (Cam.News)

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22/1/1904 Discussion about site for War Memorial, one suggestion is at junction of Hills Road & Station Road, finally decide to erect it at East end exterior of Gt St Mary’s church (Cam.News)

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13/6/05 The memorial to the Cambridge men who died during the South African War was unveiled at Great St Mary’s Church. It is not inside the church but looks out upon the Market Place, seeming to say that in the midst of life we were in death. A guard of honour consisting of a hundred men of the Cambridge Town Volunteers together with a detachment of the Suffolk Militia, a dismounted body of Hussars, Cambridge University Rifle Volunteers and the band of the Scots Grays joined old soldiers who had seen service in South Africa to witness the proceedings (Cam.News)

17/06/1905 The unveiling of the South African war memorial was marred by two small incidents. The Mayor of Cambridge was without his trusty mace-bearers – apparently the maces were securely locked up and the individual who holds the keys was not to be found. Then police failed to recognise the military veterans and refused them admittance to the ceremony to which they had been invited. There was a considerable amount of confusion until the constables were enlightened as to the nature of the guests and allowed them to pass. (Cam.News)

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15/9/1934 Extensive repairs are being carried out to the roof of Great St Mary’s church. Once again the cause is the death-watch beetle whose activities in the wooden beams have wrought tremendous havoc. The area around the chancel is in ‘splints’ with steel scaffolding but services are being held as usual. The church has only recently been cleaned and the organ renovated. One can only hope the ravages have been checked before they could cover the whole of the roof. (Cam.News)

When rock ‘n’ roll entered local churches in Cambridge in the early 1960s

The Monty Python Bishop and the Suez Crisis in Cambridge – 1956