Burwell - Church of St Mary the Virgin

Burwell St Mary's Church (Cambridgeshire Historic Churches Trust). A 12th century Grade I listed building of great beauty and light, built of clunch stone which was quarried locally is a landmark for miles around. The architecture is attributed to Reginald of Ely who designed parts of King's College Chapel in Cambridge. A rose window lights a panelled wall above the chancel arch which houses an inscription dated 1464. Other features include roof carvings of elephants, a 15th century font and a medieval wall painting of St Christopher. A gravestone in the churchyard marks the night in 1727 when 78 Burwell people died in a barn while watching a travelling Punch and Judy show. The legend goes that a small boy crawled into the hay loft to see the show and set the building alight. There are some very interesting monuments dating from 1608 to Thomas Gerard and one to Sir Lee Cotton lying in armour on a canopied tomb. One brass to Laurence de Warboys, the last Abbot of Ramsey has a most fascinating history, and supposedly had a portrait dated 1542 showing him as an Abbot. The brass was cut in half and now portrays him as a cleric.