Church of St Margaret, Queen Charlton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Margaret |
|
|---|---|
_St_Margaret%27s_Church_-_geograph.org.uk_-_67838.jpg) |
|
| Location | Queen Charlton, Somerset, England |
| Built | late 12th century |
|
Listed Building – Grade II*
|
|
| Designated | 1 February 1956 |
| Reference no. | 1115380 |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
The Church of St Margaret is a historic Anglican church found in Queen Charlton, a village in Somerset, England. This church was built a very long time ago, starting in the late 1100s. It is considered a very important building because English Heritage has given it a special status as a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a building of special interest and needs to be protected.
The church is part of the larger area of Compton Dando. However, for church matters, it belongs to the ecclesiastical parish of Keynsham and is part of the Diocese of Bath & Wells.
Contents
History of the Church
The Church of St Margaret has a long and interesting past. It was once connected to Keynsham Abbey, which was a large monastery. Around the year 1200, the church also had its own group of church buildings nearby.
Changes Over Time
The church building has been changed and fixed up many times throughout history. In the 1200s, some parts of the church were altered. Later, in the 1400s, it was restored, which means it was repaired and brought back to good condition.
Originally, the church had a shape like a cross when viewed from above. This is called a cruciform shape. Today, only one part of this cross shape, the north transept (a side arm of the church), still remains.
Exploring the Church's Design
The Church of St Margaret has many interesting architectural features. These details show how buildings were designed hundreds of years ago.
The Central Tower
The church has a tower in the middle that rises in two main sections. Strong supports called buttresses help hold up the tower. At the very top, the tower has a parapet, which is a low wall. This parapet has decorative openings called arcading.
Around the top of the tower, you can see pinnacles, which are small, pointed towers. There are also gargoyles, which are carved stone figures that often look like monsters. These gargoyles were originally used to drain water from the roof. On the northeast side of the tower, there is a round stair tower.
Inside the Tower
Underneath the central tower, where the arms of the cross-shaped church would have met, there are four large arches. These arches are supported by strong pillars. These pillars are in the Norman style, which was popular in England after the Norman Conquest in 1066.
The Village Cross
In front of the Church of St Margaret, on the village green, there is an old stone cross. This cross dates back to the late Middle Ages. It wasn't always in its current spot. It used to be located further to the east.
The cross was moved to its present location as part of the celebrations for the Jubilee of Queen Victoria. A jubilee is a special celebration of an important anniversary, like a king or queen's long reign. Queen Victoria's Jubilee was a big event in the late 1800s.
