Humber Church
The church of St. Mary the Virgin, Humber lies beside the south bank of the Humber Brook. The shingled spire rises gently above the trees, reflecting peace and tranquility in a secluded and serenely peaceful setting, approximately 3 miles south east of Leominster. This church has been a focus of worship for many centuries in this beautiful part of the parish.
The present church was built around 1200 on the site of an earlier, probably Saxon structure.
The circa twelfth century building boasts a fascinating history, including having Francis Bacon, the architect of wide renown being asked to draw up plans to restore and raise the tower of the church twelve feet and add the thirty six feet of spire, making a total of eighty one feet in, 1884.
The small friendly church sits in a well maintained churchyard and is a haven for people who have found great comfort there in times of need.
The building is constructed of sandstone rubble and tufa dressings of the same materials. Plain tiled roofs with decorative ridge tiles and gable-end cross finials; the spire is shingled. The oldest part of the church is the Chancel which dates from around the 13th century and was then restored in 1876, over a two year period. The chancel is quite unique as it is divided into 3 bays, by 3 floor levels. At the high altar, the beautiful panelled and carved oak altar with gradine forward on the floor takes centre stage. The font is however older than the chancel, being of Norman construction with cable moulding above a chevron motif.
Entry into the church is through the south porch, which was added in 1390.
If you have not been to Humber Church it is well worth a visit. It is a simple country church with little ostentation, although the colouration of the windows and the standard of carved woodwork, especially the altar, always impresses. St Mary’s Church is set in a most beautiful, peaceful, inspiring hamlet. It is simple and everything that a country church should be and has been for more than 2000 years. It is part of our history and a grade II* listed building which should be preserved for generations as it embodies history and continuity.
Stoke Prior and Ford Churches
There are two Church of England churches in the above parish, the church of St Luke in Stoke Prior and that of St John of Jerusalem at Ford.
St Luke’s is a substantial building seating up to 100 people. The original church dated back to the 12th Century but it was largely rebuilt in the 1860s. There is a painting of the old church just inside the door, on the right wall. Curiously, the old roof dating back to 1658 was reused, as evidenced by the wooden shield high up in the rafters which bears that date, and the three rabbits from the shield of the Coningsby family. Another oddity is the survival of the old squint from the medieval church which can be seen on the inside immediately opposite the door to the vestry and, of course, outside.
Ford Church is very small and situated in a magnificent setting alongside of the old River Lugg which occasionally makes its way up the aisle!
lt has a tiny chapel which gives it an intimate atmosphere for worship. When the river is low it is possible to see the shallow stone crossing, the reason for the location of this beautiful chapel.
Details of church services can be found in The Pump.