Willington Church |
 Willington Church [Ref.LL18/52] St.Lawrence's Church, Willington Nikolaus Pevsner in his guide to the Churches of Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire & Peterborough describes Willington church as historically important. Certainly in architectural style it is all of a piece - late perpendicular indicating it was built around the end of the Middle Ages and, given the Sir John Gostwick was such a prolific builder (the dovecote and nearby stable were built by him) it is possible that he either built the church or considerably altered an older building after he became Lord of the Manor in 1529. He is buried in the church and his plain tomb chest is between the chancel and north chapel. Interestingly the church has two helmets of Sir John's, one a fighting helmet of the 1520s, the other a ceremonial helm worn by him at the Field of the Cloth of Gold (the sumptuous meeting of Henry VIII and Francis I of France between Ardres and Guines, not far from Calais, in 1520, an event organised by Gostwick's master Cardinal Wolseley). The church also contains the tombs of Sir William Gostwick (died 1615) and Sir Edward (died 1630).  Willington Church November 2006 |