Cyriac and julietta, in the small village of swaffham prior, cambridgeshire. The monastery of ely had lands in swaffham and it was for this. In the th century a sixteen sided section in two parts, with narrow lancets, was added. Swaffham prior a tale of two churches sudden flashes. The two parishes were united in 1667 by act of parliament 18 and 19 chas. Ringing at swaffham prior, an interesting village in which there are two churches in the churchyard. There are now two churches here because the lands were divided into more than one lordships. Tl 5663 swaffham prior high street east side 15175 church of st mary 19. Author, educator, local historian and drama specialist, sylvie short, visited swaffham prior primary school to bring to life the history of the village through a series of drama sketches that the children reenacted. There were formerly two churches in the same cemetery. I last visited the village about eight years ago, it was nice to revisit.
The twin churches of st mary and sts cyriac and julietta, swaffham prior, cambridgeshire. Church of st mary, swaffham prior 1127040 historic england. They both then saw varied fortunes including periods of dereliction. These are the remarkable twin churches of st mary the virgin, and sts. The monastery of ely had lands in swaffham and it was for this reason that the village became known as swaffham prior.
Before entering st marys, admire the fine tower in flint and field stone, square at the base, rising to an octagon lit by roundheaded norman windows. The two churches we reproduce here by kind permission of the author, elizabeth everitt, a web version of her very interesting booklet on the history of the two churches swaffhamtwochurches which was published in 1996. Swaffham prior, cambridgeshire genealogy familysearch. Swaffham prior is a small village on the edge of the fens some 5 miles north east of cambridge. Swaffham prior is one of those villages that has a peaceful, relaxing sunday afternoon feel to it whichever day it is. Two churches at swaffham prior enid porter recorded many customs and traditions taking place at swaffham prior.
This strange and beautiful church is one of two in the same village churchyard. Notice the attractive patterned stone bands above and below the octagon stage. Until they were amalgamated in 1667, the two neighbouring parishes had their own churches. I tried to point this out, but the ringing got shit after the first rounds, so i stopped it. Their benefices have, however, been united since 1667. Swaffham prior, cambridgeshire genealogy genealogy. Sylvie short at swaffham prior primary school enid porter project. West tower has a rectangular ground stage, late c12, and the upper two are sixteen sided and early c. Swaffham prior was formerly divided into two parishes with two churches sharing a single yard. Swaffham prior is perhaps best known for its two churches saint marys and saints cyriac and julittas in the same churchyard.
Of those cambridgeshire villages that once had two churches standing within one churchyard to serve separate ecclesiastical parishes, only swaffham prior still retains, though mostly rebuilt, both the ancient parish churches certainly established by the early th century. The village is dominated by its twin churches that have served the parish since at least the 12th century the church of st mary. On 26th october 20 her new book, two churches together a history of swaffham prior is being launched. St mary having been given to the abbey of ely by brithnoth, the heroic alderman of east anglia under ethelred the unready. The twin churches at swaffham prior billboyheritagesurveys blog. The twin churches of st mary and sts cyriac and julietta, swaffham. Guide to swaffham prior, cambridgeshire ancestry, family history, and. The living consists of the consolidated vicarages of st.
On this site we have reproduced by kind permission of the author, a web version of elizabeth everitts very interesting booklet on the history of the churches see below. Swaffham prior is an old village, and is mentioned in the domesday book of 1086 as possibly great swaffham, with swaffham bulbeck being little swaffham. You can contact her to obtain a copy of her book two churches. Copies of a shortened version covering just st marys are available to buy in st marys. Sylvie short at swaffham prior primary school swaffham. The church of st mary s, in the cambridgeshire village of swaffham prior is notable for two reasons it is one of the few examples of twochurchesinonechurchyard remaining in england, and it has remarkable stained glass windows installed to commemorate 23 men associated with the village community who were killed in the first world war. Any visitor to swaffham prior will be puzzled at to why there are 2 churches in. School children were involved in plough monday celebrations in 2014. Cyriacs, left in its turn to decay, were again ivygrown and its ceiling collapsing. They both then saw varied fortunes including periods of dereliction until st marys became the formal parish church for both. There are houses in the village dating back several centuries, with the 17th century being most prominent. The twin churches of st mary and sts cyriac and julietta. Sy cyriac s is believed to be the older of the two churches because it grabbed the higher ground and is more centrally located within the churchyard.