Relhan Collection : 46 Bourn. W view of church

Relhan, Richard, 1782-1844

Relhan Collection

<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>1819</p><p>St Helen and St Mary’s church has always been large, thanks to its relationship with Bourn Hall and castle (<b>56, 57</b>). Much of the existing building was originally C12 and C13. Bourn was burned in 1266 by Simon de Montfort’s rebels, and fire damage in the tower may be connected to this. In C14 the chancel was largely rebuilt, new windows were made in the aisles, and N and S chapels and S porch were added. More windows were inserted in C15. Relhan’s drawings show the magnificent C13 tower and external stair turret, C14 embattlements, S porch and transepts, and clerestory windows. The two-stage lead spire, reduced in height possibly in 1620 (‘a pretty lofty spire of lead’, Cole 1743), has a lead panel inscribed ‘John Ferrar IF1620’, probably a relation of Nicholas Ferrar of Little Gidding, whose brother Erasmus is memorialised in the church and whose sister Susanna Collett and husband John were living at Bourn. The spire remains unchanged today. The church was restored by WM Fawcett 1875-8 and the faculty licence foretells removal of the nave roof and provision of the red tiled roof seen today. Changes to the fenestration of the chancel, aisles and S transept by Fawcett can be identified by Relhan's next drawing (<b>47</b>), as well as this one. Later work was carried out to the tower in 1912. Access to the church is now from the village on the S side rather than the grand W entrance which led to Bourn Hall (<b>54</b>) and which is now in woodland.</p><p>Bradley and Pevsner 2014; Burton in Hicks 1997; Davis EM pers comm; RCHME 1968; VCH 1973</p></p>