The Church of St Mary with its tall, slender tower, finely sited in the grounds of Coleorton in a landscape of grass and trees, is only a few hundred yards from the house on which Dance had been working since 1802. It was natural for Sir George Beaumont to consult his architect on improvements for what has always been a parish church, its interior full of reminders of the Beaumont family who had been at Coleorton since 1424. Parts of the church are perhaps a hundred years earlier though all now much restored but whether Dance had a hand is uncertain. Some repairs were certainly done by 1812 for Dance's friend Joseph Farington stayed at Coleorton and recorded in his diary (17 October 1812) 'went into the Church which is situated very near the House in an inclosure of trees. It had lately been completely repaired by Sir George. Divine Service is performed every Sunday at Half past Eleven in the morning and at four o'Clock in the afternoon when prayers only are read. The Curate who performs the duty has two other churches to attend to and rides from one to the other as expeditiously as He can. This, Sir George remarked, causes the service to be read in something of a rapid manner which should not be.'

LITERATURE. Revd. P.E. Hunt, Parish church of St Mary the Virgin, Cole Orton, 1976.

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