Church of St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle |
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Ashbrittle church and ancient yew tree
|
|
 Church of St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle
Location in Somerset
|
|
| 50°59′02″N 3°21′07″W / 50.9838°N 3.3519°W | |
| Location | Ashbrittle, Somerset |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Conservative Evangelical |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Designated | 25 January 1956 |
| Completed | 14th century |
The Church of St John the Baptist is an old church in Ashbrittle, Somerset, England. It's part of the Church of England. This special building was built way back in the 1400s! It's so important that it's officially recognized as a Grade II* listed building, meaning it has a lot of historical value.
Contents
History of the Church
This church was built in the 1400s. Imagine how many people have visited it over the centuries! Around 1874, it got a big makeover called a 'Victorian restoration'. During this time, a clock was added, and workers even found a natural spring flowing underneath the church!
The Church Today
Today, the Church of St John the Baptist is still an active church. It's part of a group of churches in the Wellington area, all within the Diocese of Bath and Wells. The church follows a specific type of teaching within the Church of England, known as the Conservative Evangelical tradition.
What the Church Looks Like
The church building is made from red sandstone, with special hamstone decorations. It has a main area called a nave, a chancel (where the altar is), and a tall tower on the west side. Look closely at the beautiful stained glass windows! One of them was given by a person named Edward Watkin to remember his grandmother.
The Ancient Yew Tree
In the churchyard, there's an amazing Yew tree that is between 3,000 and 4,000 years old! This makes it one of the oldest living things in Britain. In 2002, this incredible tree was chosen as one of the "Great British Trees." This was part of a special list of 50 trees picked by the Tree Council to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee.
The Yew tree grows on top of an ancient burial mound called a Bronze Age Bowl barrow. Over thousands of years, the tree has changed. It's no longer one solid trunk but has split into seven separate trunks. These trunks form a circle that is about 42 feet (13 m) wide!
See Also
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
