Church of St Lawrence, Rode facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Lawrence |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| General information | |
| Town or city | Rode, Somerset |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°16′45″N 2°16′36″W / 51.2793°N 2.2766°W |
| Construction started | 14th century |
| Completed | 15th century |
The Church of St Lawrence is an old and beautiful church located in Rode, a village in Somerset, England. It was built a very long time ago, between the late 1300s and early 1400s. Today, it is a special building known as a Grade I listed building. This means it's very important historically and architecturally. The church was carefully repaired in 1874 by Charles Edward Davis.
Contents
A Look Back at the Church's History
It is thought that an even older church stood on this same spot before the current one. You can still see some small pieces of a very old Norman doorway.
Changes Over Time
The church has been updated many times throughout its history.
- In 1774, big changes were made to the pulpit gallery and the bells.
- More important work happened between 1873 and 1874. This was part of a "Victorian restoration". This means people in the Victorian era (when Queen Victoria ruled) fixed up old churches to make them look new and strong again.
The Church Bells
The church tower has had bells since the 1500s.
- In 1753, a new set of six bells was made by Thomas Bilbie. He was from the famous Bilbie family of bell makers in Chew Stoke.
- One of these bells was remade by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1817.
- These bells hung in the tower for many years. However, they were not used for a while in the 20th century because the wooden frame holding them was not safe.
- Between 2003 and 2006, the old wooden frame was replaced with a strong steel one. After this, the bells were blessed again and could be rung safely.
.jpg)
The Special Tradition of Clipping the Church
The Church of St Lawrence is famous for a special yearly event called Clipping the church.
- This is a very old custom that usually happens on Easter Monday or Shrove Tuesday in the United Kingdom.
- The word "clipping" comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word, "clyp-pan", which means "to hug" or "to hold close".
How Clipping the Church Works
- During "Clipping the church", people from the church or local children hold hands.
- They form a big circle around the church, usually facing outwards.
- Once the circle is complete, people often cheer, and sometimes they sing hymns.
- At Rode, the tradition is a little different. The circle faces inwards, and everyone dances left and right. Then, they all rush inwards together and cheer loudly.
- Some writers, like John Michell and Margaret Murray, have suggested that the night-time ritual at Rode might have older, non-Christian meanings.
The Church's Place in the Community
The church is part of the Hardington Vale benefice. This is a group of churches that work together within the Frome area.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Mendip
- List of Somerset towers
