Church of St Michael, Aylsham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Michael |
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| Church of St Michael and All Angels, Aylsham | |
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 Church of St Michael
Location in Norfolk
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| 52°47′46″N 1°15′03″E / 52.7961°N 1.2508°E | |
| Location | Aylsham, Norfolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | [1] |
| History | |
| Founded | 14th century |
| Dedication | Saint Michael |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 10 May 1961 |
| Specifications | |
| Bells | 10 bells, 17cwt 1qtr 6lbs in E♭ |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Norwich |
The Church of St Michael and All Angels in Aylsham, Norfolk, is a very old church. It was built in the 1300s, during the medieval period. A powerful person named John of Gaunt, who owned the land in Aylsham, helped get it built.
Today, it's still a busy church for the local community. It's also a special Grade I listed building, which means it's very important and protected because of its history.
Contents
Discovering St Michael's Church History
Experts say the church was first built in the 1300s. More work was done in the 1400s, and a big repair project happened in 1852 during the Victorian times. Some parts inside the church are even older. For example, the rows of arches (called arcades) inside might date back to the late 1200s.
Key Building Features and Changes
The fancy two-story entrance porch was built in 1488 by Richard Howard. He was the Sheriff of Norwich at the time. The church tower is also from the 1300s. It's a rare example of a tower from the Middle Ages that still stands today.
In the 1800s, a vicar named Rev. Edmund Yates led a major renovation. He especially changed the inside of the church. The old-fashioned box pews (enclosed seating areas) were removed. They were replaced with new seats for over 700 people.
Famous People Connected to the Church
The famous landscape designer Humphry Repton is buried in the churchyard. You can find a memorial for him outside the chancel door. Repton was born in Suffolk in 1752. He bought a small estate near Aylsham in 1778. Many of his first design projects were for landowners in Norfolk.
The Church Bells and Their Story
The church tower holds ten bells. The largest bell, called the tenor bell, weighs about 1,700 pounds. It was made in 1700 by Samuel Gilpin. This bell is so special that it has a protection order. The bells are rung for practice on Tuesday evenings. They are also rung on Sunday mornings and for important national or local events.
The Mysterious Mortsafe
In the churchyard, you can also see a very rare item called a mortsafe. This was an iron cage placed over a grave. Its purpose was to stop body snatchers from digging up bodies. This was a problem in the past when bodies were sometimes stolen for medical studies.
St Michael's Today: A Community Hub
St Michael's is still a busy church in the Aylsham area. Regular services are held there. In recent years, the inside of the church has been changed. These changes allow it to host concerts, art shows, and even a local produce market. The church also has a local choir. The Aylsham Heritage Centre, which is a museum about local history, is located in the old church hall on the grounds.
Architecture and Design of St Michael's
The writer A. C. Benson, who wrote the words to "Land of Hope and Glory", visited St Michael's in 1902. He described it as "long and low, a large grey flint building, low-pitched roof-transepts and aisles, with a very fine tower."
The church is built mostly from flint, which is a type of stone. Sometimes the flint is knapped, meaning it's carefully shaped. The spaces between the flints are filled with rubble, which is a mix of small stones and broken pieces.
The church is a Grade I listed building. This means it's considered a building of exceptional historical and architectural importance.
