Church of St Edmund, Dudley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of Saint Edmund |
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St Edmund's Dudley, rebuilt 1724
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| General information | |
| Type | Church |
| Architectural style | Palladian |
| Location | Dudley, England |
| Coordinates | 52°30′43″N 2°04′49″W / 52.5119°N 2.0804°W |
| Completed | c. 1724 |
| Awards and prizes | Grade II* listed building |
The Church of Saint Edmund is a very old and important church located on Castle Street in Dudley, England. People in Dudley often call it "Bottom Church" because it's lower down than another church, St Thomas's, which they call "Top Church". This church is special because it's a Grade II* listed building, meaning it's protected for its historical and architectural importance.
The church is dedicated to Edmund the Martyr, an Anglo-Saxon King and a saint. He died around 869 or 870. Naming the church after him suggests it was first built a very long time ago, possibly in the Anglo-Saxon period. However, the first written records of the church only appear in the 1100s. You can see two sculptures at the front of the church that show a metal crown with arrows. This reminds us of how Saint Edmund died as a martyr.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
In 1190, the church was part of Dudley Priory, a religious house. Later, during the English Civil War in 1646, a military leader named Colonel Leveson ordered the church to be pulled down. Because of this, people who lived in the area started going to St. Thomas's Church in Dudley instead. The two church areas were then joined together.
Rebuilding the Church
St. Edmund's Church was rebuilt and finished around 1724. Two brothers, Richard and George Bradley, along with donations from local people, paid for the new building. It was constructed using red bricks with stone decorations. The church had a main area (nave), a special part for the altar (chancel), side sections (aisles), a porch on the south side, and a strong tower at the west end with battlements.
The church follows the Anglo-Catholic tradition, which is a style of worship within the Church of England.
St Edmund's as a Chapel of Ease
After the church was destroyed in 1646, it became a "chapel of ease" to St. Thomas's Church. This means it was a smaller church that helped serve the community but was still under the main St. Thomas's parish. Even after it was rebuilt in 1724, it remained a chapel of ease. It wasn't until 1844 that St. Edmund's became the main church for its own separate parish again.
Inside the Church and Its Status
The inside of the church was changed in 1864. However, it still has some of its original features, like the old pews (benches), the pulpit (where sermons are given), and a wooden gallery.
On September 14, 1949, the building was given "Grade B listed status." This important status was later upgraded to Grade II* listed status. This means it is a particularly important building of more than special interest.
Local School History
During the 1800s, a school for children aged 5 to 11 was built near the church on Birmingham Street. This school closed in 1970. It joined with St John's School to form a new Church of England primary school, St Edmund and St John, located on Hillcrest Road. The old school building is still standing today. Since 1978, it has been used as the Dudley Central Mosque.
