Church of St Mary the Virgin, Chard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Mary the Virgin |
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| Location | Chard, Somerset, England |
| Built | 11th century |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Designated | 24 March 1950 |
| Reference no. | 374037 |
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The Church of St Mary the Virgin is a beautiful old church in Chard, Somerset, England. It's an Anglican church, which means it belongs to the Church of England. This amazing building was first built way back in the late 1000s! It was then rebuilt in the 1400s.
Because of its long history, the church is a "Grade I listed building". This means it's a very important historic site. Sadly, in 2013, it was added to the Heritage at Risk Register. This happened because of a leaky roof, which needed fixing to protect the old building.
Contents
Discovering the Church's Design
The Church of St Mary the Virgin has a special design called "Perpendicular Gothic". This style was popular in England during the late Middle Ages. The church is shaped like a cross, which is called "cruciform".
Inside the Church
The main part of the church is called the nave. It has aisles on both sides, like hallways. There are also porches on the north and south sides where people enter.
- The north transept, one of the "arms" of the cross shape, has a lovely oak roof. This roof was repaired and made new again in 1975.
- The south transept holds the church's organ. This musical instrument was built in 1883.
- The church used to have special viewing areas called galleries.
- There's also a special area called the Fawcus Chapel. It's in the north aisle and is named after a local doctor. Inside this chapel, you can find the Brewer Memorial.
The Tall West Tower
The church's tall tower on the west side was built between 1505 and 1520. This tower is home to eight bells! Two of these bells were made in the 1790s by a famous bell-making family, the Bilbie family, from Cullompton.
The tower has three main sections, with decorative lines called "moulded string courses". There's also a winding staircase in the north-west corner. A clock in the tower chimes every 15 minutes. Its tune is often called the "Chard Chimes".
Other Church Buildings
Next to the main church, there's a separate church room. This room was built a long time ago, in 1827.
Church Community
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is part of a larger church group. This group includes churches in Combe St Nicholas, Wambrook, and Whitestaunton. They all work together within the local church area of Crewkerne and Ilminster.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in South Somerset
- List of Somerset towers
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
