Thursday 8 September 2011

Waterford, Hertfordshire

Not to my taste, although I would have liked to have seen the Pre-Raphaelite glass, St Michael & All Saints was locked with no keyholder listed. Neither Pevsner nor Mee cover Waterford so instead I offer you Wikipedia.

St Michael & All Angels (2)

Waterford is situated on the River Beane, just 2 km north of the county town of Hertford in Hertfordshire, England, on the A119 road. It is most notable for the church of St Michael and All Angels, which has Pre-Raphaelite stained-glass windows from the Morris & Co. factory. They date from the church's original construction through to 1937 and include Miriam by Edward Burne-Jones.

St Michael and All Angels is an excellent example of Victorian construction in the Early English Gothic style. It was financed by Robert Smith, owner of the Goldings estate close to the church. All wood used in constructing the church came from the Estate. The roof is lined with Broseley tiles and the bell tower and octagonal spire with cedar shingles. The porch is of oak construction. There are 14 stained-glass windows; eight by Burne-Jones, and others by William Morris, Douglas Strachan, Ford Madox Brown, Karl Parsons and Selwyn Image. Tracery above the three west windows was done by Philip Webb.

Goldings is a Grade II listed Country House. From 1922 until 1967 it was used as a Dr. Barnardo's Home. Several Barnardo's children are buried in the churchyard, which also contains graves of the Abel Smith family.

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