Church of St Mary the Great

St Mary the Great stands at the north end of King’s Parade in central Cambridge. It is the university church for the University of Cambridge and also serves as a parish church in the Diocese of Ely. The building is a Grade I listed structure and one of the Greater Churches. Locally it is known as Great St Mary’s or GSM. The church’s tower houses the University Clock, which chimes the Cambridge Quarters later used by the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament. The church has played a central role in the university’s history. University officers must live within 20 miles of Great St Mary’s and undergraduates within three. The church hosts the University Sermons and holds the University Organ. Its foundations may date to 1010, but it was mostly rebuilt after a fire in 1290. The patronage of the church passed from the crown to King’s Hall and later to Trinity College. Inside, the church is designed in the Late Perpendicular style. The stained glass by Hardman was added between 1867 and 1869. The galleries were added in 1735 to accommodate large audiences for special occasions. The church contains one of the few moveable pulpits in England and a font dating from 1632. The sculpture behind the high altar, completed in 1960, is by Alan Durst. The church also houses two pipe organs, including the historic University Organ dating back to 1698.