Church Lane Arrington Cambridge
01223 207212
http://www.beneficeorwell.co.uk

St Nicholas Arrington is an ancient parish in south Cambridgeshire. The church is Grade 1 listed and dates from the 13C. although there is clear evidence of a church on this site prior to this date. It is the smallest building In the Benefice of Orwell Group and serves a small rural parish of some 400 people. The parish includes part of Wimpole Park (grade 1 listed) where there is the site of a former WWII USAF hospital (which temporarily boosted the parish population and therefore more people using the church). We have one Common Worship Eucharist each month in the church and a further Common Worship Eucharist located in the Clifden Close community rooms on the the third Thursday of the month. The church has developed a distinctive emphasis towards ethical issues such as Fair Trade, low carbon footprint, green energy sources and giving to charities that develop education and welfare projects for those less fortunate than ourselves. We also maintain a small Free Emergency Food resource for anyone that needs it. The church has events which also offer a community focus for the parish. These mostly occur outside of the winter months.

The Orwell group of parishes work together led by one priest, and events such as 5th and 2nd Sunday rotate around the group while some other services are also shared (eg Healing, All Souls, and the various Easter services etc.). This offers a diversity of approaches and parts of congregations can be found moving around the parishes. Each parish has a Eucharist one Sunday in the month and at least one other service in the morning or the evening.

ST NICHOLAS

Currently St Nicholas has a Eucharist at 09.30am on the 4th Sunday of the month and an evening service on the 3rd Sunday of the month.  St Nicholas also has an informal mid week Eucharist on the third Thursday of the month at 10.30am in the Clifden Close Community Rooms in Clifden Close.

The church of St Nicholas is situated off the main road on one of the highest points in the village at the core of the Late Anglo-Saxon settlement.  The Roman road called later Ermine Street had a significant effect on the community and became another focus for village in the 17th century largely centred around the Hardwicke Arms a former Coaching Inn and the Arrington Gate to Wimpole Park. Part of the Eccliastical parish of Arrington still remains in Wimpole Park.    

The Church in Arrington may have been founded by Aelfric a Saxon thegn or Theodred a Saxon Bishop of London. Although the current building only dates to around 1250 -1300 when the nuns of Ickleton Priory held its patronage and other land in the parish.  The site has been, a place of prayer and reflection, for at least 750 years although it has had its fare share of challenges as the community faced up to considerable social and theological changes.

As a grade 1 listed building it is of National importance, and has a medieval chancel of the 13th century with all its original window openings, a double piscina, priests door and low window.  The Tower and the arcades of the Nave are also of this date, although the aisles have been removed and the font may have come from the previous church on the site.  The bell frame is medieval and the single remaining bell is by John Dier (1583).  Arrington is unusual for this part of Cambridgeshire in having a small spire that was built in 1750 by one of the carpenters of Wimpole Hall. In 2013 a wall painting of a standing figure was found on the west wall of the Nave which is also thought to be C13 and belonged to a programme of images that extended either side of the tower arch.  In 2019 a medieval earth floor was discovered under one of the platforms that showed probable evidence for the original location of the font and its drain.  The floor corresponds to the floor discovered where the former south aisle stood. 

The churchyard may relate back to pre-christian periods as lithic finds have been discovered in and around the churchyard. However the monuments are mostly 19th century there are some interesting ones that relate to the early police forces founded in Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire.  The churchyard is also being managed to increase biodiversity.  The church building also exceeds the best practice model for energy consumption and has recently gone "green" in terms of its energy sources.  

The church is open each day throughout the year for private prayer, quiet reflection or simply to come and visit. Refreshments are served after morning and other main services.  The church is heated for services when needed.  The churchyard is open at all reasonable hours.

98 Ermine Street, Arrington, SG8 0AH
(020) 8089 8579

The elegant Hardwicke Arms has as its origins in the 13th century, but is largely an 18th century coaching inn. It is a long hotel, stretched along the road frontage in the main street of Arrington. Inside, the atmosphere is friendly and we...