1166 - Goldington Church given to Newnham Priory by
Simon de Beauchamp
1228 - First Vicar presented to the living by the
Bishop of Lincoln
1541 - Dissolution of Newnham Priory
1837 Goldington is transferred to the Diocese of Ely
1914 Goldington is transferred to the Diocese of St
Albans
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St Mary's Church has
two main parts - the older is a typically fifteenth century village
church and the later, and larger section, is the new twentieth century
nave and sanctuary.

Some earlier work is
still visible in the old part of the church, most notably the south
transept arch. This opens onto a Chapel of Remembrance created within
the transept after the Second World War. This transept was originally
part of a south aisle. A new stained glass east window was created at
this time and contains a few fragments of mediaeval glass in the
surrounds.
The building was
substantially rebuilt in the fifteenth century with a tower and south
porch. This porch contains a water-stoup and the carved effigy of a lady
- possibly part of a stone coffin lid. The archway also includes some
interesting old graffiti. A north transept was almost certainly added at
this time.

Over the centuries
internal features have changed as needs and fashion have demanded. Gone
are the rood screen and loft, the high box pews and the old west gallery
but the fourteenth century font and fifteenth century piscina and
sedilia remain.
There is
also the graffito signature of John Faldo - possibly Mayor of Bedford in
1648.
The floor and walls
bear the memorials of the extended Haselden/Berkeley/Pemberton family
who held the village for four centuries until the mid 1700s. They were
succeeded by the Addingtons whose memorials also adorn the walls.
There were no further
structural changes until the middle of the nineteenth century when the
north transept was replaced by an aisle. This was extended eastwards to
provide an organ chamber and vestries but these were all demolished in
1954 when the modern half of the church was built. |