Church of St Anne, Catterick facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Church of St Anne
St Anne's Church
Church of St Anne, Catterick
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OS grid reference	SE240970
Location	Catterick, North Yorkshire
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Weekly attendance	40 (average 2015)
History
Founded	1412
Dedication	Saint Anne
Consecrated	1415
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architectural type	Gothic Perpendicular
Administration
Parish	Catterick with Tunstall
Deanery	Richmond
Archdeaconry	Richmond & Craven
Diocese	Leeds

The Church of St Anne is a very old church in the village of Catterick, North Yorkshire, England. People have worshipped here for a very long time, possibly since the 7th century! The church building you see today was mostly started in 1412. It was officially opened in 1415. The church is named after Saint Anne, who was the grandmother of Jesus Christ.

One special thing about this church is its building contract. It is one of the oldest written in the English language. This old document helps us understand how people spoke in Northern England long ago.

History of St Anne's Church

Early Beginnings

Imagine a church standing here since the 600s! It is believed that St Paulinus, an early Christian missionary, baptised people nearby in the River Swale. Records from the 7th century mention a church in Catterick. Even two Northumbrian kings were married here. The Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086, also noted a church in Catterick.

Back then, many Christian sites did not have big stone buildings. They often had a cross to show it was a holy place. Parts of an old Anglo-Saxon cross have been found here. Some pieces are even in a museum at the University of Cambridge.

Building the Current Church

The church you see today is on Church Green in Catterick village. It is near the A1(M) motorway. Even though people worshipped here for centuries, the current building began in 1412. Two important people, Dame Katherine de Brugh and her son William, paid for it.

They made a contract with their stonemason, Richard of Cracall. This contract is very old and special because it is written in English. Scholars study it to learn about the old northern English language. The contract said Richard had to finish the church by 1415. It even mentioned that delays were allowed only if there was a sudden war or a terrible sickness!

The first part of the church was about 55 feet long and 22 feet wide. It had two main sections called aisles, plus a nave and a chancel. Later, a vestry, porches, and a tall tower were added. The tower stands about 57 feet high.

Changes Over Time

The church has seen many changes over the centuries. William de Burgh, one of the original builders, was buried here in 1442. His grandson later added special chapels for family burials.

The church's font, where baptisms happen, is very old. It was carved soon after the church was built. It has eight sides and is decorated with the symbols of important local families. People once thought it was made of marble, but it is actually polished black limestone. Inside, you can also see memorials to people who have passed away. One is a statue of Sir Walter Urswick, a knight who fought in a famous battle in 1367.

The church has faced tough times. It was damaged by cannon fire during the First English Civil War. It was also hit by bombs during the Second World War. In 1658, a Reverend named Michael Syddall helped fund a school and hospital here. Today, the local primary school is still named after him. Above the porch door, there is an old sundial. It has a Latin saying: Fugit hora, ora, which means Time flies, pray.

In 1816, Alexander John Scott became the vicar here. He was famous for being the chaplain to Horatio Nelson, a very important naval hero. Scott was with Nelson when he was fatally wounded in battle.

The church has been repaired and updated several times. Major work happened in 1851 and again in 1872. Beautiful stained glass windows were added, including one showing The Last Supper. Other windows were made by famous artists like Charles Eamer Kempe.

The churchyard has graves from both World Wars. Many of the soldiers buried here were from the Royal Air Force. This is because RAF Catterick was a nearby air force base. There are also memorials inside the church to RAF squadrons that were based there.

In 1969, the Church of St Anne was given a special status as a grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historical building. Its old gateposts are also listed as historically important.

RAF Regiment Chapel

A special part of the north side of the church is known as the Royal Air Force Regiment Chapel. The RAF Regiment is a special force that protects airfields. Their main base was at RAF Catterick from 1946 to 1994.

In 1992, for their 50th anniversary, The Queen gave the RAF Regiment a new special flag. Their old flag was placed in this chapel at St Anne's Church. The chapel also has a stained glass window that remembers those who died serving in the RAF Regiment. It shows their badges and a memorial message.

Even though the RAF Regiment moved their main base in 1994, the chapel at the Church of St Anne is still considered their 'home chapel'.

Gallery

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  Left window of RAF Regiment Chapel, Church of St Anne, Catterick

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  Right window of RAF Regiment Chapel, Church of St Anne, Catterick

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  Font in the Church of St Anne, Catterick

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  East window in the Church of St Anne, Catterick

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  Effigy of Sir Walter Urswick in the Church of St Anne, Catterick