Church of St Leonard, Stowell Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Leonard |
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed building |
| Designated | 26 January 1961 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Gloucester |
| Province | Canterbury |
The Church of St Leonard is an old church located in Stowell Park, a lovely area in the Cotswold District of Gloucestershire, England. It belongs to the Church of England. This special building was first built way back in the 12th century. It is considered a very important historical site, known as a Grade I listed building. This means it's one of the most important historic buildings in England.
A Look Back in Time (History)
The Church of St Leonard was built in the 1100s. Over the years, it was changed and updated in the 13th and 17th centuries. In its early days, in the 12th century, it was a smaller chapel connected to the main church in Northleach.
By 1803, the church was in bad shape and described as "ruinous," meaning it was falling apart. But some repairs were done, and it reopened in 1810. Later, in the 1890s, a much bigger repair project took place. This was part of a common trend called Victorian restoration, where old churches were fixed up. A person named C. Hodgson Fowler led these important repairs.
Today, the church is part of the parish of Yanworth with Stowell. This parish is connected to a group of churches around Chedworth, all within the Diocese of Gloucester.
What Does It Look Like? (Architecture)
The Church of St Leonard is made from limestone, a type of rock, and has a roof made of stone tiles. Its design is shaped like a cross, which is called a cruciform plan. This means it has a main long part called a nave, two side parts called transepts, and a shorter end part called a chancel.
There used to be a tall tower in the middle of the church. However, this tower fell down. The area where it stood has now been covered with a new roof.
Inside the church, you can still see some old wall paintings. Sadly, some of these were lost during the repairs in the 1890s. The paintings in the nave are very old, from between 1150 and 1200. The ones in the transepts were painted a bit later, in the late 12th or early 13th century. These paintings show different scenes, including the Last Supper.
The church also has a simple font from the 13th century. A font is a large basin used for baptisms, where people are welcomed into the Christian faith.
