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 in Dudley, England. It's officially known as a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a special historic place that needs to be protected. This church is an Anglo-Catholic parish church, serving the local community.
People in Dudley often call it "Bottom Church". This is to tell it apart from another church, St Thomas's, which is known as "Top Church" because it's higher up in the town.
The church is named after Edmund the Martyr, an Anglo-Saxon King. He died a long time ago, around 869 or 870. Naming the church after him suggests it was first built during the Anglo-Saxon period. However, we don't have any records of the church until the 1100s. You can see two cool sculptures at the front of the church. They show a metal crown with arrows piercing it, which reminds us of how King Edmund died.
Contents
A Church Through History
The Church of Saint Edmund has a long and interesting history. In 1190, it was part of Dudley Priory, which was a religious house.
Demolition and Rebuilding
During the English Civil War in 1646, something big happened. A military leader named Colonel Leveson ordered the church to be pulled down. This was a tough time for the people of Dudley!
Because their church was destroyed, the local residents started going to St. Thomas's Church instead. The two church areas, or parishes, were then joined together.
But the story didn't end there! St. Edmund's Church was rebuilt. The work was finished around 1724. Two brothers, Richard and George Bradley, along with money from local people, paid for the new church. It was built with red bricks and had stone decorations. It included a main area (nave), a special part for the altar (chancel), side sections (aisles), a porch, and a tall tower with battlements at the top.
The church follows the Anglo-Catholic tradition, which is a specific style of worship within the Church of England.
From Chapel to Parish Church
After it was rebuilt in 1724, St. Edmund's Church was not a main parish church anymore. Instead, it became a "chapel of ease" for St. Thomas's Church. A chapel of ease is like a smaller, local church that helps people who live far from the main parish church.
It wasn't until 1844 that St. Edmund's became the center of its own separate parish again.
Inside the church, some changes were made in 1864. But even with these updates, the church still has its original pews (the long wooden benches), the pulpit (where the preacher stands), and a fancy paneled gallery.
On September 14, 1949, the building was officially recognized as a Grade B listed building. This status has since been upgraded to Grade II* listed status, showing how important it is.
The Church School
Near the church on Birmingham Street, there used to be a school for children aged 5 to 11 years old. This school was built in the 1800s. It closed in 1970 and joined with another school to form the Church of England Primary School of St Edmund and St John. This new school is located on Hillcrest Road.
The old school building is still there today! Since 1978, it has been used as the Dudley Central Mosque, a place of worship for the Muslim community.
