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| Saint Michael and All Angels Church |
AVERHAM is pronounced HEIRHAM.... no V sound.
Why? Who knows! Even the church gargoyles look confused.
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| Saint Michael and All Angels Church |
The herringbone brick-work on the Church of Saint Michael and All Angels dates it to Pre-Conquest days. I find that an amazing thought … that wall was being built nearly a thousand years ago!
This is the oldest church in Nottinghamshire still holding regular services.
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| St Michael and All Angels Church |
They chose a lovely location for their place of worship, next to the River Trent.
River Trent
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The main church door is topped by three shields relating to members of the illustrious Sutton family.
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| Above church door |
Here, with two wolves' heads, are the initials T.S. for Thomas Manners- Sutton (1756 - 1842), Lord Chancellor of Ireland, M.P. for Newark, Solicitor-General, Baron of the Exchequer, Baron Manners of Foston, and Member of the Privy Council. Quite a list!
Thomas was the elder brother of the Most Reverend Charles Manners-Sutton (1755 - 1828). He was educated at Charterhouse (which was founded by another Thomas Sutton) and began his church career as Rector of Averham but within a few years he was elevated to Archbishop of Canterbury M.A., D.D. He donated £1000 towards the foundation of the Anglican King's College in London and helped to form the National Society for the Education of the Poor: aimed at helping children of the labouring classes to become literate in order to improve their moral and spiritual education.
Two sets of initials top the central stone but the first is in an unusual font ….. it looks like E
backwards but I have no idea about the second letter. I have not discovered a connection to an RD
either … sorry! The name of Jesus presented as IHC takes centre stage. These are the Greek letters iota, eta and sigma: the first, second and last letters of the name Jesus. There seems to be the name MARIA at the bottom but again the font is rather strange. There is some similarity to the Alpha/Omega signs in the M and the final A (another sign for Jesus from his words "I am the Alpha and Omega." (in Revelations 1:8, 21:6 and 22:13) but the stone mason has also given us 3 Ts (if you look closely at the first A, the I and the final A) which is a Triple Tau. In Christianity this would be a sign of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Free Masons use it as a sign of being 'A Servant of God'.
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| Above church door |
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| Above church door |
The third stone has ears of wheat topped by two tuns (wine casks) so it represents the bread and wine of the Holy Communion.
Then that odd font has been used again … at first glance it looks like it says 'Mr Lies' but you will probably find a different reading!
Two tuns and strange letters are a theme on these stones. The shield shows a set of compasses and a writing implement as far as I can tell. The wavy lines look like flags in a breeze.
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| Carved stone at the front of St Michael and All Angels Church |
The church was locked unfortunately. Inside are more memorials to the Suttons.
The family had very close connections to the Manners family going back generations hence the addition of Manners to the Sutton surname. Robert Sutton Lord Lexington (1594 - 1668) was married to Elizabeth Manners, sister to Sir John Manners Earl of Rutland. The Manners family seat was Belvoir Castle. The Suttons and Manners were the most pre-eminent families in the region. (Link to Lady Grace Manners showing family connections). Thoroton, in his History of Nottinghamshire, pointed out the Suttons were also closely related to the family of Robert Dudley, favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. (Click here for link).
Unsurprisingly then Sir Robert supported King Charles I during the English Civil War and paid for the defence of Newark. This put a huge strain on the family finances but he was created Lord Lexington in 1645. His estate and titles were lost during the Commonwealth then restored to him in 1660 by King Charles II.
Sir Robert was abroad when he died in 1668 but rumour has it his heart is buried in an urn positioned above this monument!
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| Memorial to Robert Sutton Lord Lexington |
Unfortunately a 1984 someone broke into the church, cut off the praying hands of an effigy to Sir William Sutton (Robert's father, courtier to Queen Elizabeth I, who died in 1611) and daubed the large monument with red paint.
The building is obviously well looked after, ensuring the gargoyles survive the weather.
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| St Michael and All Angels Church gargoyle |
They appear to have cats' ears and lions' manes.
These two seem to be suggesting they have witnessed something amazing and they are opening their mouths to tell us about it.
These two seem to be suggesting they have witnessed something amazing and they are opening their mouths to tell us about it.
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| St Michael and All Angels Church gargoyle |
Can they be trusted to tell us the truth though?
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| St Michael and All Angel gargoyle |
This one is my personal favourite: is it a Trinity head?
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| St Michael and All Angels Church gargoyle |
Or is that cyclopes' eye suggesting you are always being watched?
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| Robin Hood Theatre |
The Theatre began life as The Robin Hood Opera House. Reverend Joseph Cyril Walker (d. 1941) conceived the idea in 1913 and had local carpenter Robert Lee build it in the grounds of the church Rectory. He lead a troupe of actors calling themselves 'The Country Bumpkins'.
(Link to RHTC history).
(Link to RHTC history).
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| The Rectory |
After Rev. Walker died the theatre continued for ten years but had to close in 1951. It opened again in 1961 but struggled financially and the County Council took over in 1881. Safety concerns closed it again in 2007 but the acting troupe continued by working in schools and village halls. Fund raising with contributions from Ian McKellen, Sylvia Syms and Judi Dench meant restoration could be carried out and the theatre tradition continues in Averham (without the V!)
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| Stone carving on the Rectory |
Rectory Farm Airfield allows aviators to land their planes, at their own risk, on a picturesque runway next to the River Trent. They do not charge a landing fee but ask for a voluntary contribution of £10 towards up-keep costs.
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| Village view |
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| Way across the fields to Staythorpe Power Station. |
