Richmond, St Mary Magdalene

Useful information

Details of the Church

The oldest remaining part of the church is the Perpendicular tower (c. 1507), but refaced in 1903, reroofed in 1964, and with a new bellframe inserted in 1980. The nave and aisles are mid-18th century, with the north and south elevations reported to be somewhat earlier – but altered, and the open timber roofs by A W Blomfield in 1866. The chancel, vestry and chapels were added in 1903-4 by G F Bodley.

A good collection of monuments from the 17th to 20th centuries is of local interest, and the bells and peal-boards are reported to be important survivors of 17th and 18th century tastes in bell ringing.

The building volumes comprise:

Under separate double-pitched roofs: a traditional clerestoried nave with both north and south Aisles; the latter roofs extended and hipped to form north and south porches. Over the north porch, a mezzanine structure forms a warden’s vestry, with access from a dog-leg stair.

Within the tower structure: the west porch – the principal approach to the nave; on the first floor, the bell ringing chamber, and above that the clock chamber and bell chamber successively, with access via a spiral stair turret.

Under separate double-pitched roofs: to the east of the nave, the chancel, to the north of the chancel, the clergy/choir vestry and organ, with a cloakroom at first floor level, and muniments room at second floor level; access to the latter from the projecting flat-roofed vestry stair turret; to the south of the chancel, the Chapels of All Souls and of All Saints.