Leighton Bromswold: church and churchyard

Image: © John Sutton Taken: 1 Apr 2014

"The village stands on a hill with a solid church tower, Perpendicular in form but classical in decoration, like a yeoman farmer dressed up for town" (Simon Jenkins, "England's Thousand Best Churches"). The poet George Herbert was rector from 1626-9, having been encouraged to take the living and restore a ruinous church by his college friend Nicholas Ferrer of Little Gidding, whose brother supervised the work. Herbert left for Bemerton in Wiltshire with the work at Leighton Bromswold unfinished. Izaac Walton, Herbert's biographer, wrote: "Allow that Herbert in the body never looked on Leighton Church, never worshipped God in its aisles; Leighton Church was very dear to Herbert's heart: it was hallowed by his prayers, it was washed by his tears. It is ever to be remembered as incensed by his memory."

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