Church of St Leonard at the Hythe, Colchester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Leonard at the Hythe, Colchester |
|
|---|---|
Church of St Leonard at the Hythe, Colchester,
from the southeast |
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| OS grid reference | TM 013 247 |
| Location | Colchester, Essex |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Friends of St Leonard at the Hythe |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Leonard |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 24 February 1950 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Closed | 1982 |
The Church of St Leonard at the Hythe is an old Anglican church in Colchester, Essex, England. It's not used for regular church services anymore, which means it's a "redundant church." However, it's a very important historical building! It's listed as a Grade II* building, meaning it's a special place that needs to be protected. The church is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust, an organization that saves old churches. You can find it on the north side of Hythe Hill, in an area of Colchester called Hythe.
History of St Leonard's Church
For many years, St Leonard's was the main church for the port area of Colchester. The oldest parts of the church were built in the 14th century (that's the 1300s!). More parts were added and changed in the 15th century (the 1400s). The special wooden roof inside, called a hammerbeam roof, was built in the early 16th century (the 1500s).
During the English Civil War, there was a big fight called the Siege of Colchester. Soldiers who supported the King (called Cavaliers) hid inside the church. You can still see bullet holes in the church door from this time! Later, in 1884, there was an earthquake in Colchester. The church tower was damaged, and the top part had to be rebuilt.
Inside the Church
The church has beautiful screens and furniture that were added in the 19th and 20th centuries. Above the arch leading to the main altar area (called the chancel), there's a large painting on the wall from 1901. The stained glass windows show pictures of different saints.
Over hundreds of years, the church has needed many repairs. Sometimes, the ground it sits on would sink a bit, or parts of the original building weren't strong enough. But people have always worked to keep this historic church standing.
See also
