Church of St Mary the Virgin, Norton-sub-Hamdon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Mary the Virgin |
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| Location | Norton-sub-Hamdon, Somerset, England |
| Built | 16th century |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Designated | 19 April 1961 |
| Reference no. | 437126 |
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The Church of St Mary the Virgin is a very old church in Norton-sub-Hamdon, Somerset, England. It was first built in the 1200s but was mostly rebuilt around 1510. This church is so important that it's a Grade I listed building, which means it's protected for its history.
Over the years, the church has been carefully repaired and updated. A big project to restore it happened in 1894, led by an architect named Henry Wilson. More work was done in 1904.
Contents
Exploring the Church of St Mary the Virgin
The Tall Church Tower
The church has a tall tower that was built around 1485. It stands about 98.5 feet (30 m) high, which is like a ten-story building! On July 29, 1894, lightning struck the tower and caused a fire. But don't worry, it was fixed within a year, looking just like it did before.
The tower has five main sections. It has strong supports called buttresses at its corners. At the very top, there's a parapet (a low wall) with pointed decorations called pinnacles. Some of these pinnacles stick out from gargoyles, which are carved stone figures.
The Old Dovecote
In the churchyard, there's an old building called a dovecote. It was built in the 1600s. A dovecote is a special building where pigeons or doves were kept. This one was part of a large manor house that was taken down around 1850.
A Famous Person Buried Here
A well-known person named Paddy Ashdown is buried in the church's graveyard. He was once the leader of a political party in the UK called the Liberal Democrats. He also held an important international job as the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
