Church Of St Mary Magdalene

Church of St Mary Magdalene

A parish church of mixed date, primarily 12th to 14th century, with significant later additions and restorations. The building stands on the west side of Hucknall Market Place and is constructed of coursed and squared rubble with ashlar dressings. Roofs are of plain tile, lead and copper. The church comprises a west tower, nave with clerestory, north and south aisles, south porch, north and south transepts, Lady Chapel and chancel.

The west tower dates to the late 12th century but was raised in the 14th century. It is built in three stages with corner pilasters, coved eaves and a crenellated parapet carrying four pinnacles. Remains of two gargoyles survive on the north and south sides, each with a buttress. The first stage contains a south lancet and a restored though partly blocked 13th-century triple lancet to the west with hood mould. The second stage has paired lancets on each side, 13th-century with rounded mullion. The third stage features a clock added in 1884 and above it a louvred 14th-century double lancet with Y tracery. A 20th-century gabled shed stands to the left of the west lancet.

The nave features a clerestory with three 13th-century style lancets on each side, with shafts, hood moulds and intermediate pilasters. The east gable has a traceried round window. Interior arcades of three bays, rebuilt in 1887, have octagonal piers and double chamfered rebated arches. The nave has a scissor braced roof. A south arcade angel corbel is located to the east.

The north aisle west end has a 15th-century style triple lancet with panel tracery. The north side features three buttresses, an off-centre 13th-century blocked door flanked to the left by two and to the right by a single 15th-century style double lancet with panel tracery. The aisle has a moulded lean-to roof with arch braces. Its west end contains a moulded door. The north side displays two late 19th-century mosaics and two stained glass windows.

The south aisle, added in 1872 by Evans and Jolly, comprises five bays with five buttresses. Its west end has a 15th-century style triple lancet with panel tracery. The south side includes a porch flanked by two similar lancets. The aisle has a moulded lean-to roof. Its west end contains a Baptistry with moulded arch, responds, wrought iron screen and panelled walls. The south side has a window with fragments of 15th-century glass, a 19th-century stained glass window, and late 19th-century stained glass windows and mosaic panel above the south door.

The south porch, 14th-century and rebuilt in 1872, has a south gable with jowled posts and arch braces carrying a braced king post. Its west side has a small light and east side a mullioned opening. The interior contains remains of stone benches and a common rafter roof. The inner doorway, 13th-century, has a 17th-century weatherstripped 13th-century door with 18th-century furniture.

The north and south transepts, rebuilt in 1887 by R. C. Clarke, are buttressed with three bays each featuring 14th-century style cusped lancets with Decorated tracery, hood moulds and stops. The north transept has on each side two double lancets, its north gable having a central moulded door and above a five-light lancet. The south transept has on its east side three double lancets and on its south side two double lancets, its south gable featuring a central moulded doorway and above a five-light lancet. Both transepts have scissor braced roofs and moulded arches with shafts on angel corbels. The northern transept arch has a mid-20th-century glazed wooden screen.

The Lady Chapel, rebuilt in 1888 with internal restoration in 1919, comprises two bays. It has to the north two buttresses and two double lancets, 14th-century with intersecting tracery. Its east end has a similar triple lancet and a tablet dated 1919 referring to redesignation as Memorial Chapel. The Lady Chapel has an inscribed traceried wooden screen. The north side contains two stained glass windows dated 1919 by Gascoigne, and the east end a similar window. The south side has a re-set 13th-century piscina, to its right a two-bay arcade with crested traceried memorial screen, and a lean-to roof similar to the aisles.

The chancel, rebuilt in 1887, comprises three bays with two pairs of gabled corner buttresses at its east end and a datestone dated 1887. Above the east end is a five-light lancet with intersecting tracery. The south side has an off-centre blocked 14th-century door flanked by a double and triple lancet with intersecting tracery. The chancel has a moulded arch with triple shaft imposts on corbels and above it a traceried stained glass round window. The north side has a two-bay 13th-century arcade with octagonal pier, responds and chamfered arches. The east end includes panelling incorporating a square aumbry and a stained glass window dated 1883. The south side has a 13th-century piscina and sedilia with 20th-century crest and surround, and above are two stained glass windows dated 1888. The chancel has a painted scissor braced roof with bracketed wall plate.

The tower arch, early 13th-century, is double chamfered and rebated with half-round imposts bearing moulded capitals. It contains a stained glass west window.

Interior fittings include a plain octagonal 14th-century font, a 19th-century brass eagle lectern, a panelled square oak pulpit dated 1906, two chests of 17th and 18th-century date, an 18th-century oak table, 19th-century stalls and desks with scrolled ends, and 19th-century benches.

Memorials include a large draped oval marble tablet with arms and urn to Richard, Lord Byron, dated 1679; an Egyptian style marble and slate tablet with portrait medallion signed 'John Adams', dated 1824; an inlaid marble floor slab and three marble wall tablets inscribed 'Opinions of eminent men of Byron', all to George Gordon Noel Byron, the poet; a 14th-century style wall tablet dated 1852 to Augusta and a floor brass dated 1822 to Allegra, both daughters of the poet; a panel with Byron Arms on the sill; marble and slate wall tablets dated 1777, 1805, 1821 and 1861; an 18th-century hatchment; three 19th and 20th-century brasses; and a 14th-century style tablet dated 1887 to those whose graves were disturbed in the 1887 rebuilding, by Thomas Fish. A large inlaid alabaster war memorial in an oak surround is also present.

The interior contains 25 stained glass windows by Kempe, created between 1888 and 1895. Most windows throughout the building feature stained glass by Kempe.

The tower was restored in 1925.