Church of St John the Baptist, Axbridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St John the Baptist |
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Axbridge |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°17′16″N 2°49′00″W / 51.2877°N 2.8166°W |
| Completed | c.1400 |
| Renovated | 1888 |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect | J. D. Sedding |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Designated: | 9 February 1961 |
| Reference #: | 1173117 |
The Church of St John the Baptist is a very old church in Axbridge, Somerset, England. It was first built in the 13th century, which means the 1200s! Today, it is known as a Grade I listed building. This means it's a super important historical building that needs to be protected.
Contents
Building the Church
Work on the church you see today started in the early 1400s. It was built on the site of an even older church from around 1230. The church is made mostly from limestone, a common building rock. It also has special decorations made from Doulting stone.
Unique Stone Steps
The steps inside the church are quite interesting. They are made from a type of rock called conglomerate. This rock is also known as puddingstone because it looks like a pudding with different bits mixed in!
The Tall Tower
The church has a tall tower that was built around 1400. This tower is over 100 feet (30 m) high, which is taller than a ten-story building! Inside the tower are six bells. One of these bells is very old, made in 1723 by Edward Bilbie, who came from a famous family of bell makers.
Statues on the Tower
Look closely at the tower! On the east side, there is a statue of St John the Baptist, who the church is named after. On the west side, you can see a statue of a king. People think it might be King Henry VII, which would mean the statue was added after 1485.
Inside the Church
When you go inside, you'll find more interesting features. The ceiling in the North aisle still has some painted panels from the Middle Ages. Among the carved decorations, you might spot the head of a Green Man. This is a mythical figure with leaves growing all around his face.
The main roof over the nave (the central part of the church) is from 1636. This style is called Jacobean, named after King James I. The church was also carefully repaired and updated in the 1880s by an architect named John Dando Sedding.
A Place of Remembrance
In the churchyard, there is a special grave. It belongs to a soldier from the Dorsetshire Regiment who fought in World War II. This grave is looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which cares for war graves around the world.
