Church of St Leonard, Chelwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Leonard |
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| Location | Chelwood, Somerset, England |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Designated | 21 September 1960 |
| Reference no. | 1320735 |
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The Church of St. Leonard is an old church located in Chelwood, Somerset, England. It was built a very long time ago, in the 14th century. Today, it is a redundant church, which means it is no longer used for regular church services.
This church is very special because it has been named a Grade II* listed building. This means it is an important historical building that needs to be protected.
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
The Church of St. Leonard has stood for many centuries. Most of the church was rebuilt around 1860. This was part of a time called the Victorian restoration. During this period, many old churches were repaired and updated.
Inside the Church
The Ancient Font
One of the oldest parts of the church is its font. This is a large stone basin used for baptisms. It is from the Norman period, which was a very long time ago. The font has small, curly designs called volutes on its edges. It also has a decorative border at the top.
People used to believe that these designs were part of special locks. These locks were thought to stop witches from stealing the holy water from the font!
Stained Glass Windows
The church also has beautiful stained glass windows. In the south aisle window, you can see pieces of glass from the 16th century. These pieces came from a region called Flanders, which is now part of Belgium and the Netherlands.
The Church Tower and Bell
The church has a tall tower on its west side. This tower has two main sections. Inside the tower, there is a large bell. This bell was made in 1773 by a famous bell-making family called the Bilbie family. Abraham Bilbie was the person who made this specific bell.
