All Saints Church, Lydd facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints' Church |
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All Saints' Church
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| Location | Lydd, Kent |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 5th Century |
| Dedication | All Saints |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 28 November 1950 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Lydd |
| Deanery | Romney and Tenterden |
| Archdeaconry | Ashford |
| Diocese | Diocese of Canterbury |
| Province | Province of Canterbury |
All Saints' Church, also known as Lydd Church, is a very old and important church in Lydd, Kent, in the south-east of England. People sometimes call it "The Cathedral on the Marsh" because it's so big and grand. It belongs to the Church of England and is part of the Diocese of Canterbury.
All Saints' Church is the longest parish church in Kent, measuring about 60.6 meters (199 feet). It also has one of the tallest towers in the county, standing at about 40.2 meters (132 feet) high. Experts believe a small Romano-British building from the 5th century might be part of the church's earliest structure. Most of what you see today was built in the Middle Ages.
In the 15th century, the church was a busy place. It was connected to local groups called fraternities or guilds. It was big enough to seat 1,000 people at one time! The church was badly damaged during World War II by bombs. After the war, it was carefully repaired and is now a "Grade I listed building." This means it's a very important historic building that needs to be protected.
Contents
Discovering the Church's History
For a long time, people thought this church was built by the Saxons. But new studies show that the oldest parts might be from the late 5th century. This makes them Romano-British, meaning they were built when the Romans were leaving Britain. It seems the church might have started as a small basilica, which was a type of public building in Roman times.
Groups and Records from the Past
In the 1400s, many groups of local people, called Fraternities or Guilds, were part of the church. These groups were like clubs that helped the church and held their own special services. Each group had a favorite saint and would light candles or hold services in a specific part of the church.
Some of these groups were named after saints like Holy Trinity, All Saints, St. James, St. Peter, St. Mary, and St. George. Later, more groups were added, like St. Barbara and St. Nicholas. The church started keeping official records of christenings and marriages in 1542, and burials in 1539.
Changes Over Time
In the 1700s, the inside of the church was updated. Old box-like pews were replaced with oak pews, allowing 1,000 people to sit.
During World War II, in 1940, a bomb hit the church and destroyed part of it called the chancel. After the war, this part was rebuilt in an older style. One famous person, Thomas Wolsey, who later became a powerful Cardinal, was once a rector (a type of priest) here. However, he probably never visited, as he was in charge of many churches at once.
All Saints' Church was officially recognized as a Grade I listed building on November 28, 1950.
Exploring the Church's Design
All Saints' Church is the longest parish church in Kent. It's built using three different styles of English Gothic architecture: Early English, Decorated, and Perpendicular. These styles show how church building changed over the centuries.
The church is made of strong stone rubble with a tiled roof. During the reigns of King Edward IV and King Richard III (in the late 1400s), the church got new pews and a new roof over the main part, called the nave.
The Tall Tower and Bells
The west tower of the church is very tall, reaching 40.2 meters (132 feet). It's one of the tallest towers in Kent! It has a beautiful set of eight bells. These bells were remade in 1926 from an older set of five bells from the 1600s. The tower itself was built between 1435 and 1450. It has a special top with battlements and decorative points called crockets.
The roof inside the nave has strong wooden beams and decorative carvings.
Inside the Church
In the past, the church had several chapels and altars dedicated to different saints, like St. Mary, St. John the Baptist, St. Peter, and St. James. In 1476, a window showing the "Seven Sacraments" was added to the church.
Hidden beneath the carpet in the nave are 17 old brass plaques. These plaques are memorials to important people from the past. One brass from 1430 remembers the ancient Godfrey family of Lydd. You can also find a bust of a Godfrey family member on the north wall of the chancel. Descendants of this family are also remembered on memorials for World War I and II.
In 1611, a churchwarden named John Marketman added paintings and writings to decorate the church. Around 1428, new organs were bought, and they were repaired 26 years later. The church also has a memorial from the 1500s for Thomas Godfrey and a statue of Sir Walter de Meryl, a local lord. Another interesting piece is a round marble carving by a famous artist named John Flaxman, dedicated to Anne Russell and her son.
Church Grounds and Memorials
The oldest tomb in the churchyard belongs to the Strugell family and dates back to 1551. If you look at old records, you'll see that many sailors are buried in this churchyard. They were victims of the rough seas along this dangerous coast. Six of them drowned when the ship "Northfleet" sank in January 1873. Another person buried here is Tom Edgar, who sailed with Captain Cook in 1779.
The tall church tower looks out over an old holm oak tree. On top of this tree, you can often see heron nests.
