Church of St Julian, Wellow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Julian's Church, Wellow |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location | Wellow, Somerset, England |
| Built | 1372 |
|
Listed Building – Grade I
|
|
| Designated | 1 February 1956 |
| Reference no. | 32345 |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
The Church of St Julian in Wellow, Somerset, England, is a very old church. It has been around since before the 1100s, but the building you see today was mostly built in 1372. It is considered a very important historical building and is called a Grade I listed building. This means it's protected because of its special history and design.
Contents
History of St Julian's Church
This church might even have connections to ancient Roman times! People think it could be linked to a Roman villa (a large Roman house) that was once nearby. The church is named after Julian the Hospitaller, a saint who helped travelers. A statue of Saint Julian holding an oar is displayed above the church's entrance.
Long ago, in 766, Wellow was given to a monastery in Wells, which is now Wells Cathedral. Later, in 1117, King Henry I gave Wellow to a group of Augustinian Canons (a type of religious order) at Cirencester. This connection was confirmed by a special document signed by King Edward III in 1337.
In 1369, a man named Sir Thomas Hungerford bought Wellow. He decided to rebuild the church. The new church was officially opened on May Day in 1372 by John Harewell, who was the Bishop of Bath and Wells at that time.
Church Services and Community
The Church of St Julian is part of a larger group of churches called The St J's Group. This group also includes churches in Peasedown St. John and Foxcote with Shoscombe.
Church services happen every Sunday at 10 AM. After the service, there are refreshments where people can chat. On the first Sunday of each month, there is a special service for all ages. Holy Communion services take place on the second Sunday of the month.
You can find more information about the church and its activities on their website: www.stjsgroup.church.
Architecture and Design
The church has many interesting features. The main entrance, called the Porch, has a strong oak door that is from the 1300s. On the east side of the south aisle (a side section of the church), you can see a scratch dial. This was like an old-fashioned Sundial used to tell time.
The octagonal (eight-sided) tower for the rood stair (a staircase that led to a screen separating parts of the church) was built around 1450. However, most of the chancel (the area around the altar) was updated in the 1800s. The nave (the main part of the church where people sit) has a clerestory (a row of windows high up) that was added in the mid-1400s, along with the Rood Screen (a decorative screen).
The font (a basin used for baptisms) is from around 1250, but it has been repaired and restored several times. Inside the Hungerford Chapel, there are amazing wall paintings from the 1400s. These paintings show Christ and the twelve apostles. You can also find several monuments dedicated to the Hungerford family in this chapel.
The church has an 84-foot (26-meter) tall west tower, which was built around 1475. It has three main sections and strong buttresses (supports) that turn into diagonal pinnacles (small, pointed towers) at the top. The top of the tower has a parapet (a low wall) with more pinnacles. A square stair turret (a small tower) on the south-east corner becomes an octagon at the top. The bell chamber has a window with three lights (sections) and decorative cusped (pointed arch) tops. There is a similar, larger window with a transom (a horizontal bar) on the west side.
See also
- List of Grade I listed buildings in Bath and North East Somerset
- List of towers in Somerset
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
