History
Welcome to St Mary’s Bingfield
The existing church of St Mary was dedicated in 1875. It has some mediaeval masonry and some from the early part of the eighteenth century. The bellcote, originally eighteenth century, restored in 1987, has what are referred to as rusticated sides. Rustication is the exaggerated treatment of masonry to give an effect of strength. The joints are recessed by V section chamfering. It has a ball finial. The roof is ‘king post’ with a central vertical support [as opposed to ‘queen post’ which has one either side of centre]. It has angle struts and V struts. Some of the timbers are old and reused. The large baluster font dates from the eighteenth century. Baluster literally means pomegranate.
The church has been part of the parish of St Oswald in lee since 1879. Prior to that it was a Chapel of Ease in St John Lee parish. Until the early 1930’s Hallington also had a church. It was a tin roofed building which has since been demolished and various items of furniture transferred to St Mary’s including the brass cross and bookrest. The lectern was also brought in to replace an old fashioned pulpit. The vicars’ chair also came from the church at Hallington.
History of the Settlement of Bingfield.
The name Bingfield means ‘Field of Binga’. Binga was a Saxon. It was his clearing and settlement.
Important dates:
1229 Roger, Son of Pagan, of Bingfield sold land to Archbishop Gray with the chapel of St Mary with St John Lee and St. Oswald.
1296 Priory of Hexham burned by the Scots.
1297 Half village of Bingfield donated to the Priory.
1310 Dec 13th Roger de Felton, keeper of spirituality of Hexham visited chapels to compel parishioners to put them in order. Archbishop Greenfield ordered St Mary’s to be the same status as St John Lee and St Oswald.
1479 Prior of Hexham owned the Manor, Grange and Chapel of St Mary and houses and 237 acres of land and 12 cottages.[Land 6d per acre yearly ;cottages 18d- 2shillings] John Oxtead rented Hallington Mill for 10s
1535 Valor Ecclesiasticus – a survey which produced efficient administration of churches under Cromwell.
1536- 39 Dissolution of religious houses. Priory lands at Bingfield let to Henry Errington who resided at Beukley, were taken over by Swinburne for the Crown
1538-50 Bingfield men to muster-Scots raiders- 8 only were equipped.There were Erringtons, Hendersons, Robertsons, Youngers, Hollidays, Dodds, Davisons, Nicholsons, Hews, Keels, Robsons. There was a royal injunction for parishes to keep records. The first English Prayer book was used.
1569 Rising of the North - an attempt to re-establish the ancient faith
1570 Act of Uniformity in the church
1588 The Plague came to northern counties.
1600 Border fighting now finished
1603 Trustees sold 90 acres of Crown land and 4 tenements to Sir James Fenwick
1628 The Mercers’ co of London purchased from John Fenwick. All great tithes of Bingfield towards ‘lectureship’ in Chollerton, Bingfield and St Oswald’s at £50 per year.
1640-46 Civil War
1736 Chapel of St Mary has fallen into disrepair
1737 26th Oct Assessment for rebuilding of the chapel- Grottington £5.0.0, Beukley £7.0.0,
Grindstonelaw £1.19.0, Bingfield Hall £2.15.0
Story’s land £1.5.0 Mr Thomas Andrew £2.0.0, East Quarter £3.15.0 Totterish £2.10.0,
Bingfield Combe £6.4.0 Mrs Mary Vernall £1.15.0,
Mr Brumell £1.15.0 Mr John Millbank £5.0.0, Hallington Mill £1.2.0
1745 Military Road built
1771 School house built
1875 Existing church Dedicated
Vicars of St Oswald in Lee with Bingfield St Mary
1879-93 R.N. Downie,Curate in charge at St Mary’s
1894- 98 T.E. Crawhall, Curate i/c with assistant curate W.G.L. Armstrong [1897-98]
1898-1902 R.M. Ilderton curate, 1902-1924 W.N. London,
1924-34W.R.Tymms, 1935-52 F.C. Westgarth,
1952-61 A. Porteus, 1961- 69 J.A. Simpson,
1969-1977 E. Pocklington, 1979-86 G.E. Sinfield,
1986- 2007 C.S.Price 2007- C.F. Bull
Services are held at St Mary’s on the 1st and 3rd Sundays in the month at 10.30 am
Information compiled by Mrs M Mason, Mrs B Shaw, Mr K Scott, Mr N White, Mr R Berrill and Revd. C Bull