Dedication of church

The church was known simply as ‘Perivale Church' for most of the past few centuries, and it had been assumed that it had no Patron saint. This would be most unusual for a medieval church, because Patronal festivals were important events in parish life. In the 1870's, it was termed ‘St James', appearing in maps of the time, but there is no justification for this attribution. In 1951 a Will belonging to the 15th century Isabella Miles was discovered, in which she asked to be buried ‘in the churchyard of St Mary of Little Greenford'. This was considered sufficient proof of the title, and was pursued by the then Rector, Rev Edwin Nickson, and a Deed was executed giving the church the name of St Mary-the-Virgin, now invariably shortened to St Mary. The first Patronal Festival under this dedication was kept on July 2nd 1955 on the feast of the Visitation. Unfortunately the Rev Nickson died in 1952, so he did not live to see this ceremony.


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