Church of St Giles, Leigh-on-Mendip facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Giles |
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Leigh-on-Mendip |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°13′26″N 2°26′30″W / 51.2239°N 2.4416°W |
| Completed | c. 1350 |
| Height | 94 feet (29 metres) |
The Church of St Giles is a very old church located in the village of Leigh-on-Mendip in Somerset, England. It was first built around the year 1350. Later, it was rebuilt and updated around 1500. This church is considered a very important historical building. It is a Grade 1 listed building, which means it has special protection because of its history and architecture. One interesting feature of the church is its clock, which doesn't have any numbers on its face!
The Church Tower
The tall tower of the Church of St Giles was built around 1464. It stands about 94 feet (29 meters) high. Inside the tower, there are six bells. Five of these bells are very old, dating back to the 1750s.
What is a Buttress?
If you look closely at the bottom of the tower, you will see strong stone supports called buttresses. These are built against the walls to help hold them up. On one of these buttresses, you can find a "scratch sundial". This is a simple way to tell time using the sun's shadow. It was scratched into the stone a long time ago.
The Ancient Statue
Inside the church, on the ledge of the southeast window, there is a stone statue of St Catherine. This statue is very old, possibly from the 12th century. It was discovered in 1898. People believe it was moved to the church from another chapel dedicated to St Catherine in a nearby village called Mells.
