All Saints Church, Selsley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints' Church, Selsley |
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| 51°43′58″N 2°14′56″W / 51.7327°N 2.2488°W | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Website | allsaintsselsley.org.uk |
| History | |
| Dedication | All Saints |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Selsley |
| Diocese | Gloucester |
| Province | Canterbury |
All Saints' Church is the main church for the village of Selsley in Gloucestershire, England. It is a special place because of its unique design and beautiful stained glass windows.
Contents
A Special Church Building
All Saints' Church is famous for being an early work by the important church architect G F Bodley. He designed the church in a style inspired by old French buildings. The church was built between 1861 and 1862.
Who Asked for the Church?
A man named Samuel Marling asked Bodley to design the church. Samuel Marling owned a mill nearby and lived in a house called Stanley Park House. He wanted a beautiful church for his community.
Unique Tower Design
The church has a very special tower. It looks like a saddle, which is why it's called a 'saddleback' tower. This design was inspired by French Gothic architecture. Bodley used this style a lot in his early work.
Inside the Church
Bodley also designed many parts of the church's interior. He created the pews (church benches) and choir-stalls. These have pretty carvings of poppy-heads and fleur de lys. He also designed the font (for baptisms), the marble pulpit (where sermons are given), and the communion rails. Even the ironwork on the doors shows his careful design.
Amazing Stained Glass Windows
One of the most spectacular things about All Saints' Church is its stained glass. Bodley was friends with William Morris, a famous artist and designer. He gave Morris & Co., Morris's company, their very first job to make stained glass for a church.
The Creation Window
Philip Webb, another artist, planned the designs for all the windows in the church. He also created the detailed design for the 'Creation' window at the west end. This window shows scenes from the story of creation. Many famous artists helped with the windows, including Edward Burne-Jones, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and Ford Madox Brown.
A Highly Rated Church
The church is highly regarded. It received a 3-star rating in Simon Jenkins' book, England's Thousand Best Churches. This shows how important and beautiful the church is.
The Church Organ
All Saints' Church has a pipe organ built by Nicholson in 1862. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register website.
Churchyard and War Graves
The churchyard is the area around the church where people are buried. It contains war graves for two soldiers. One soldier died in World War I and the other in World War II.
