St Andrew's Church, Chesterton
The medieval parish church of Chesterton, with a 15th-century Doom painting and a plaque to a young daughter of Olaudah Equiano.
St Andrew's is the old parish church of Chesterton, on Church Street in the north-east of the city, with the Old Manor House just south and Chesterton Tower a short walk away. The building carries Grade I listing, and documents mention a church here from about 1200.
A church with royal and college links
In 1217 Henry III presented the church to the papal legate Cardinal Guala. In 1436 Henry VI removed it from the control of the Vercelli abbey in Italy and handed it to King's Hall, the foundation that later became Trinity College. Trinity College is still the church's patron, and many of Chesterton's vicars have been Trinity fellows.
What to look for
- The Doom painting. A well-preserved 15th-century Doom painting hangs above the chancel arch, which is Early English.
- The nave. Seven bays of arches on octagonal 14th-century piers, a 15th-century clerestory, and polychrome floor tiles. Carved wooden benches of the 15th century survive.
- The Vassa plaque. A small plaque outside the north wall remembers Anna Maria Vassa, who died in 1797 aged four. Her father was Olaudah Equiano, the formerly enslaved writer and campaigner against slavery.
- The restorations. The chancel was rebuilt in 1842-44. During the 1880 restoration, workers uncovered medieval wall paintings and remnants of an earlier cruciform church.
Practical notes
The church website gives Sunday services at 8am and 10am, with a monthly evening service, and says the building is usually open for visiting and prayer on weekdays; opening times on the site vary between pages, so check before a special trip. The graveyard is also listed.
