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St
Botolphs Church is found in the city of Cambridge, England,
at the intersection of Trumpington Street and Silver Street.
The Church is dedicated to St Botolph, a seventh century abbot
in East Anglia, who is the patron saint of travellers. The most
famous place named after him is Boston in Lincolnshire Botolphs
Town a place which gave its name to Boston in Massachusetts.
The church was by the south gate of medieval Cambridge, through
which travellers from London entered the town. It was also the first
church reached by travellers from the west who crossed the Cam where
Silver Street Bridge now stands.
Norman
and Saxon churches stood on the site prior to the existing church,
which was built in 1350. The tower, which is crowned with carved
symbols of the four Evangelists, was added in the next century.
The four bells were cast in 1460. At the same time, the carved Rood
Screen was added. This is now the only medieval Rood Screen remaining
in the ancient parish churches of Cambridge. On it are painted panels
depicting the angel announcing to Mary that she is to bear the child
Jesus. These paintings date from the late 19th Century.
The font has a beautiful wooden cover and case that date from the
time of Archbishop Laud (1637). The pulpit is over 300 years old;
the lectern was made and given to the church in 1875 and the pews
for the congregation in the nave were installed in the late 19th
Century.
Queens' College have been the patron of the living since the 15th
Century. The college was founded through
the initiative of Andrew Doket, a 15th Century Rector of St Botolph's.
The north window in the Chancel is a memorial to Dr Campion, Rector
of St Botolphs1862-90 and subsequently President of Queens
College. It shows St Botolph between St Bernard and St Margaret,
the two patron saints of Queens. Other windows in the Church
bear representations as follows: over the altar, the Ascension of
Christ; in the North Aisle, Faith, Hope and Charity and the Crucifixion;
in the South Aisle, the Annunciation, and the Nativity and Baptism
of Christ; and in the South Chapel, St George and St Michael, created
in 1922 by famous artist Rachel Tancock.
The Chancel was rebuilt in the 19th century by the Victorian architect
Bodley. This work includes the beautiful decorated ceiling and Rood
Screen paintings, which have just been completely restored. Bodley also designed the lectern, which was given to the church in memory of the Cambridge builder Kett.
There is a memorial to Darwin by the vestry door. Darwin's family
were parishioners of St Botolph's.
The chapel on the south aisle was added in the 15th Century and
contains a splendid monument to Thomas Plaifere - Lady Margaret's
Professor of Divinity in Cambridge, who died in 1609. The chapel
was refurbished in memory of those who died in the Great War.
The diagram below shows a plan of St Botolph's, indicating in which
period each part of the church was constructed.

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