Church of St Mary the Virgin, Nettlecombe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Mary the Virgin |
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Nettlecombe |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°07′44″N 3°21′06″W / 51.1289°N 3.3518°W |
| Completed | 14th century |
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is a very old church in Nettlecombe, Somerset, England. It was built a long time ago, in the 13th and 14th centuries. This means it's over 600 years old! It's so special that it's called a Grade I listed building. This is like saying it's a super important historical place.
This church is located inside the beautiful grounds of Nettlecombe Court. Nettlecombe Court used to be a big country house. Later, it became a girls' boarding school. Today, it is a special learning center called the Leonard Wills Field Centre. This center is run by the Field Studies Council.
The house and church are surrounded by Nettlecombe Park. This park is a huge area of 90.4 hectares. It is so important for nature that it's called a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The whole area is in a quiet valley. It's on the edge of the Brendon Hills and inside the amazing Exmoor National Park.
History of the Church
There was an even older church in Nettlecombe before this one. The church you see today is made of red sandstone. It was officially opened in the year 1440. Imagine, that's over 580 years ago!
The church has different parts. The chancel is the area near the altar. It has a small chapel on the north side. There is also a room for the organ on the south side. The main part of the church, called the nave, has a special upper row of windows called a clerestory. It also has walkways on the north and south sides, called aisles. There's a porch at the north entrance. At the west end of the church, there is a tall tower.
The church has been repaired and updated several times. Some work was done around 1820 by Richard Carver. More improvements happened between 1858 and 1870. These later changes were made by a person named Charles Edmund Giles.
Special Features Inside
One interesting thing inside the church is the font. This is a large basin used for baptisms. It has seven sides. On each side, there are carvings. These carvings show important Christian sacraments and a picture of Christ in Glory.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in West Somerset
- List of Somerset towers
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
