Church of St Michael, Princetown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Michael |
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| Location | Princetown, Devon, England |
| Built | 1810-1814 |
| Architect | Daniel Alexander Edmund Sedding (1898 restoration) |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name: Church of St Michael | |
| Designated | 21 March 1967 |
| Reference no. | 1105434 |
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The Church of St Michael in Princetown, Devon, England, is a special old church. It was built a long time ago, between 1810 and 1814. What makes it unique is that it was built by prisoners of war!
Today, this church is a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a very important historic place. It is looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust, a group that cares for old churches.
Contents
A Church Built by Prisoners
This church stands in the middle of Dartmoor, a wild and beautiful area. It's quite high up, about 436 meters (1,430 feet) above sea level. It's also very close to Dartmoor Prison.
The idea to build the church came in 1812. It was designed by an architect named Daniel Alexander. The people who built it were prisoners from the Napoleonic Wars. Later, prisoners captured during the War of 1812 (a war between America and Britain) finished the work. This makes it the only church in England ever built by prisoners of war!
What Does the Church Look Like?
The church is made from granite, a very strong stone found in Dartmoor. It has a tall tower on the west side with three sections, topped with pointy decorations called pinnacles.
After the prisoners left in 1816, the church closed for a while. But it was opened again in 1831. Over the years, parts of the church were changed and made bigger. For example, in 1868, the chancel (the part of the church near the altar) was changed. More work was done between 1898 and 1901 by another architect, Edmund Sedding. The tower was also repaired in 1915.
Stained Glass and Memories
One of the most beautiful parts of the church is its east window. It has amazing stained glass made by a company called Mayer of Munich. This window was put in place in 1910.
It's a special memorial to the American prisoners who helped build the church. Many of these prisoners are buried in the churchyard outside. A group called the National Society United States Daughters of 1812 helped pay for the window in 1908. They wanted to remember those who died in the War of 1812.
The Church Today
The Church of St Michael was declared a "redundant church" on November 1, 1995. This means it's no longer used for regular weekly services, but it's still a holy place. It was officially given to the Churches Conservation Trust in 2001. Even though it's not used every week, it is still consecrated (blessed for religious use) and sometimes special services are held there.
See also
