Litlington Congregational Church
Litlington, Hertfordshire
A small church in the heart of Litlington village near Royston, Hertfordshire.
The small church is Perpendicular in style. Like many churches in the area, it is built mostly of flint and rubble. The nave is simple and the tower, although having no stair turret, does have a little line of slit windows up one corner indicating the location where the interior stairs would be.
There are some lovely interesting features to be found at the church. A stoup in the northeast corner sits on Norman zigzag moulding, and there is a similar aged grave slab opposite, decorated with a cross, possibly an indication of an earlier church?
Light from elegant perpendicular windows fill the whitewashed nave and in many of these are fragments of coloured glass depicting various angels.
One of the highlights of the church is the fine double decker pulpit and the decorated wood panelling surrounding it. The wood carving is stunning. To the side of the pulpit stand a little desk which still holds the metal frame of a giant hourglass; a reminder to the preacher not to talk for too long!
The chancel is Victorian and contains a rather grand reredos and some fine monuments to the Piggott and Linn families, perhaps the most attractive being a wall monument to Mary Forster-Piggot, who died in 1816, which depicts an obelisk and a medallion showing her face, framed by a delicately carved willow tree.
Finally the hidden gem. Take a look underneath the carpet to see a wonderful reset brass dating around 1460. It depicts a man in a fur lined gown, surrounded by his eight daughters and eight sons. The detail is exquisite.