Old St Lawrence Church, Ayot St Lawrence, Herts, UK - Preserved Architectural Remnants and Ruins on Waymarking.com

The village has two churches. The old church of ST. LAWRENCE, which stands to the west of the village, is built of flint with stone dressings. It has now fallen into disrepair, having been somewhat unnecessarily superseded in 1779 by the present parish church. The old church was partially demolished in 1775, because it was obstructing the view from Sir Lionel Lyde's new home.

It consisted originally of a chancel and nave built probably in the 12th century. Early in the 13th century a north aisle was added, with an arcade of two bays. A century later the nave was partly rebuilt, the chancel was rebuilt from the foundations, and a north chapel was added. At the beginning of the 15th century the north arcade was destroyed, and one of its arches was reset in the west end of the chapel. The aisle was rebuilt a little further to the north, increasing the width of the nave, and a tower was added at the north-west.

The modern church of ST. LAWRENCE in Ayot Park was built in 1778 by Sir Lionel Lyde, bart., and consecrated in 1779. It was designed by Nicholas Revett in the classical style, and consists of an apsidal chancel and nave with a gallery at the west end.

From: 'Parishes: Ayot St. Lawrence or Great Ayot', A History of the County of Hertford: volume 3 (1912), pp. 59-63. URL: (visit link) Date accessed: 01 November 2009.

Type: Ruin Fee: Free Hours: Daylight hours. Local keyholder, see church notice board Related URL: Not listed

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Date Logged Log   07/10/2013 waz1642 visited it