Parish Church of St Mary and St Helena
PARISH CHURCH OF ST MARY AND ST HELENA, CHURCH END
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1114168
- Date first listed:
- 13-Jul-1964
- List Entry Name:
- Parish Church of St Mary and St Helena
- Statutory Address:
- PARISH CHURCH OF ST MARY AND ST HELENA, CHURCH END
Location
Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places.
Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions .
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.
What is the National Heritage List for England?
The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.
The list includes:
 |
Buildings |
 |
Scheduled monuments |
 |
Parks and gardens |
 |
Battlefields |
 |
Shipwrecks |
Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-02-09
- Reference:
- IOE01/03139/12
- Rights:
- © Mr Nigel Ward. Source: Historic England Archive
Local Heritage Hub
Unlock and explore hidden histories, aerial photography, and listed buildings and places for every county, district, city and major town across England.
Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1114168
- Date first listed:
- 13-Jul-1964
- List Entry Name:
- Parish Church of St Mary and St Helena
- Statutory Address 1:
- PARISH CHURCH OF ST MARY AND ST HELENA, CHURCH END
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- PARISH CHURCH OF ST MARY AND ST HELENA, CHURCH END
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Bedford (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Elstow
- National Grid Reference:
- TL 04907 47396
Details
TL 0447 ELSTOW CHURCH END
8/60 Parish Church of St Mary and St Helena 13.7.64 GV I
Parish church, formerly part of Abbey church belonging to Benedictine nunnery founded c.1078 by Countess Judith of Huntingdon (niece of William I). Early C12, C13, C15 and late C16. Extensively reworked 1881 by T. J. Jackson of Bedford. Coursed rubble with ashlar dressings. Nave and aisles (also serving as a chancel and chapels) and S vestry. 5 bay nave and aisles: these are nave and aisles of Abbey church, E end being blocking wall dating from Dissolution inserted in last bay before crossing (springing of arcades Eastwards still visible). 3 bays to E have plain early C12 arcades with semi-circular arches on rectangular piers with square moulded abaci. 2 bays to W have early C13 arcades with pointed arches, the NE one with dog-tooth decoration. Clerestory, rebuilt 1881, has 6 windows each side, 3 to E round-headed, 3 to W pointed-arched. All E windows are 1881 reworking. 1881 3-light pointed- arched windows to aisles. 1881 Norman style N doorway, surmounted by c.l120 panel showing Christ flanked by Sts Peter and John, framed by columns supporting round-headed arch. S aisle has C15 doorway above which is 2-light square-headed window. W elevation dates from early C13. Pointed-arched central doorway, surmounted by C15 square label. Above this is C16 4-light window with square head. Doorway to L (N aisle) also pointed-arched, with original lancet above. Stair turret to SW angle. S vestry: originally the early C13 outer parlour. Square room with central octagonal pier, carrying unusual 4-bay rib vault, some ribs breaking through into adjoining bay. Interior: C15 octagonal font in N aisle, with traceried panels and one plain side. Brasses include one to Margery Argentine, d.1427, and one to Elizabeth Herwy, Abbess of Elstow, d.l527. Monuments include: one of alabaster in E wall with kneeling figures of Humphrey Radcliffe (d.1566) and his wife Isabel Harvey, facing each other and flanked by doric columns; one of marble to Thomas Hillersdon, d.1656, in S aisle wall; another, also in S aisle, to John Hillersdon, d.1684.
Listing NGR: TL0490747396
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 36697
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 18-Jun-2026 at 01:06:02.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.