Edworth Church Repairs and Alterations

Most of the structural history of the church can be found in detail in Bedfordshire Historical Record Society Volume number 73 of 1994 Bedfordshire Churches in the Nineteenth Century: Part I: Parishes A to G, put together by former County Archivist Chris Pickford from numerous sources some held by Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service and some held elsewhere or published.

In 1787 a new roof was put on the church; this was covered in copper but was unfortunately never watertight.  The chancel was shortened in about 1836.  The present east end is made from brick.  

In an article on the church in the Northampton Mercury of 13th February 1847 ‘W.A.’ (John Martin, who wrote a series of articles on Bedfordshire churches) complained of the damp which could not be hidden even by ‘repeated coats of whitewash’ and about the filthy state of the church.  He mentions a rood screen which has since gone; however fragments of carved woodwork said to be from the screen in 1876 were incorporated into a new pulpit in 1909.

The main restoration took place in 1875-6.  the architect was J.G. Raynes, and the cost of the work was largely met by the rector and his family.  In 1908 it was stated that “the whole building bears evidences of eastward settlements which need immediate attention.”  A further restoration took place in 1908-9 under the William Wier who was the architect to the Society for the Protection of Ancient buildings.